tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226103369043606765.post8533825642584509079..comments2024-03-29T08:09:02.974-07:00Comments on Banned by HWA! News and Observations About Armstrongism and the Church of God Movement: GTA: "A Combination of Captain Kirk and Paul Harvey"NO2HWAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018654662518613623noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226103369043606765.post-89726434816152735392011-01-15T10:10:11.187-08:002011-01-15T10:10:11.187-08:00Dennis! You are such a bad boy! ;-)Dennis! You are such a bad boy! ;-)NO2HWAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02018654662518613623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226103369043606765.post-84246476646259021262011-01-15T04:15:18.155-08:002011-01-15T04:15:18.155-08:00It was difficult not to like Ted if you knew him. ...It was difficult not to like Ted if you knew him. He never wanted to be where he was but probably using his talents in other more normal pursuits. <br /><br />He did however stall in his understanding of so many things that we have learned since the 70's, his peak. His sermons towards the end were like time warps and never reflected new understanding of science and such topics as evolution and theology. Perhaps he read and thought more than he let on. <br /><br />Since sarcasm is anger turned sideways, I suspect he felt trapped.<br /><br />I've told the story of how when I was 18, Ted stopped in the middle of a sermon and went nuts on someone in the audience to whom he said..."If you don't like me or like it here, then get out!!!" Dead silence..whoa...I thought. On Monday morning, the Dean of Students took me out of Freshman Bible class and took me to Ted's office. His FIRST words to me were..."Did you know I was talking to YOU!!" Ummm....no. "Why do you hate me..?" Ummmm...what's going on here....long story..ha.DennisDiehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05069884969156562133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226103369043606765.post-39498854555119546802011-01-15T03:45:45.938-08:002011-01-15T03:45:45.938-08:00Interesting that Garner Ted is still remembered. P...Interesting that Garner Ted is still remembered. Perhaps the author of the article is a child of the WCG.<br /><br />Garner Ted is somewhat of a tragic character in the WCG story. I honestly think GTA knew the obvious flaws of the church, and wanted to reform them but his father wouldn't allow it. Of course, GTA did not meet the qualifications to be a minister given he was having sexual affairs with a multitude of AC coeds.<br /><br />I think there would still be a WCG today as we remembered it if Richard Armstrong had not died in the auto accident in the 1950s. After Richard's death, Garner Ted became heir apparent and he took on more responsibility and became the public face of the WCG. <br /><br />In a church consisting of "weak and base things", "not many mighty now are called", I think we were all very proud of the notoriety Garner Ted Armstrong achieved as the Church's public face. He made the Church very credible at the time.<br /><br />However, as the author points out, the fight between GTA and the Church (HWA to be specific) ultimately sentenced GTA into obscurity. With both sons gone, Herbert Armstrong had no heir apparent in the Armstrong family line to inherit HWA's fear religion business. <br /><br />One other personal reflection since my grand father was an early radio listener of HWA and Plain Truth subscriber from the early 1950s, I believe the WCG (reformed)and Ambassador College both should have survived as its own unique religious entities with its own doctrine and tradition. Somehow the Seventh Day Adventists have been able to accomplish this since the 1850s. I say this because many good people contributed and sacrificed their entire lives and their entire life's savings for this Church. It shouldn't have been in vain.<br /><br />RichardLake of Fire Church of Godnoreply@blogger.com