The Linchpin of Armstrongism

 

The Linchpin of Armstrongism

A Christian’s supposed obligation to observe four particular aspects of Torah was central to Herbert Armstrong’s theology. He identified the weekly Sabbath, Holy Days, clean/unclean animals, and tithing as being still binding on Christians of the New Covenant. In fact, many who are currently a part of the Armstrong Churches of God regard these doctrines as their primary raison d’etre! In support of these obligations, they cite the facts that God commanded them, and Jesus Christ and his apostles observed them as proof of a Christians obligation to observe them. However, this paper will demonstrate that these two foundational pillars of Armstrongist theology do NOT stand up to closer scrutiny.

First, God commanded the children of Israel to observe these commandments, NOT anyone else! Indeed, in the preface to the delivery of the Ten Commandments, we read that “God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” (Exodus 20:1-2, ESV) Question: Who did God deliver from slavery in Egypt? Moreover, in the preface to these commandments in Deuteronomy, we read: “And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.’” (Deuteronomy 5:1-3, ESV) Now, from my perspective, the target audience seems pretty clear.

Notice too this passage addressing the weekly Sabbath: “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’” (Exodus 31:12-17, ESV)

Likewise, regarding clean and unclean animals, upon closer examination, we see that they were clearly addressed to the people of Israel. In Leviticus, we read: “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, ‘Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.’” (Leviticus 11:1-2, ESV) And, “You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, and become unclean through them. For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:43-45, ESV) In short, there simply is no mistaking to whom these commandments were addressed – the people of Israel.

Herbert Armstrong and his followers never failed to point out that ALL of these commandments were God’s – that it was God’s Sabbath, and God’s festivals. Unfortunately, they failed to mention the audience for whom they were intended! Once again, in Leviticus, we read: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.’” (Leviticus 23:1-2, ESV) The text then proceeds to list all of the festivals. For the Feast of Firstfruits, we read: “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them…” (Leviticus 23:9, ESV) Indeed, the phrase “Speak to the people of Israel” is repeated two more times in this text. (Leviticus 23:23, 34) Then, we come at last to the final festival and the summary. We read: “You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:42-44, ESV)

Finally, regarding tithing, we read: “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord. One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.’ These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.” (Leviticus 27:30-34, ESV) And, regarding the place for Israel’s central place of worship, we read: “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.  And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses.” (Deuteronomy 14:22-25, ESV) Once again, this language is clearly focused on the children of Israel and the Promised Land.

Now that we have examined each of the four elements of the Law which Armstrong and his followers have obligated Christians to observe, we can make some more general observations about Torah as a whole. Torah was addressed to the children of Israel - NOT to the world at large! In a recent post over at the As Bereans Did blog, we read: "Some people say, ‘Look what the Lord says to us,’ as they turn to Leviticus. Well, I have some bad news for you. The Lord didn't say that to us. He said that to ancient Israel." Jesus Christ said that he came to fulfill Torah and the Prophets. In other words, THEY POINT TO HIM! That is their value for us. ABDwent on to note: "The Old Testament was not written to us; it was written for us. Big difference."

Which brings me to my second point refuting the teachings of the Armstrong Churches of God relative to Torah and Christians: Both the Old and New Testaments view the Law as an inseparable whole! First, Torah repeatedly enjoins the children of Israel to observe ALL – EVERY commandment which God has given to them. (Leviticus 20:22, Deuteronomy 6:1-2, Deuteronomy 6:24-25, Deuteronomy 11:8, 32, Deuteronomy 28:1, 15, 58, Deuteronomy 31:12, Deuteronomy 32:45-46) Likewise, in the New Testament, we are informed that Christ and his apostles viewed the law in exactly the same terms – that it was an inseparable whole. (Matthew 5:17-20, Matthew 7:12, Matthew 22:34-40, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 34-40, James 2:8-11) This is an important/critical point in understanding the Scriptural view of the Law. To reiterate, both the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament writings confirm that Torah it is impossible to cherry pick Torah. Discarding, ignoring, or breaking one commandment makes you a law breaker – period!

This point was underscored for the children of Israel. In the final book of Torah, we read: “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor. But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today. See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:1-8, ESV)

Notice please that adding to or taking away from these commandments was strictly forbidden, and that they were CLEARLY and unequivocally addressed to ISRAEL. They were to keep the WHOLE Law – everything contained in Torah. This legislation constituted the terms of their covenant with YHWH! Moreover, it made them SPECIAL among the nations of the earth. This legislation made Israel UNIQUE. They were the ONLY people on the face of the earth who had this Law!

Now, we come at last to the final argument of Armstrong and his followers in favor of the obligation of Christians to obey some of the commandments of Torah. Yes, Jesus and his apostles observed the Sabbath, Holy Days, and avoided unclean meats. They were Jews, living under the terms of God's Covenant with the children of Israel. They were also circumcised and never wore clothing made out of blended materials. They observed Temple protocols. They tithed, never entered the Holy of Holies, and presented the appropriate offerings demanded by Torah. They observed the appropriate protocols for bodily discharges, skin diseases, and mildew. They came to Jerusalem and the Temple to observe the three pilgrimage festivals. They didn't round off the corners on their beards or have any tattoos. They also didn't eat rare meat or consume any fat.

In the Gospel of John, we are told that Jesus went to Jerusalem during the celebration of the Feast of the Dedication (Feast of Lights, Hanukkah). Does that mean we (Christians) are expected to observe it? Didn't Christ say that we are supposed to follow his example? "That's not what he was talking about!" the Legalists will snap back. "EXACTLY," is my response.

Please permit a more modern example: The people of Illinois are living under the state constitution of 1970, NOT the three previous iterations of a state constitution! Likewise, the citizens of Illinois are obligated to obey ALL of the current income tax and traffic laws that are applicable to them. Most of us recognize that the notion that we would be able to pick and choose which laws we are going to obey and which ones we are going to ignore is absurd (and would probably land us in jail if we attempted such a thing)! 

Christ came to this earth to fulfill God's Law for Jews and Gentiles. He did. He fulfilled it perfectly - as NO other human has EVER been able to duplicate. Moreover, his righteousness/innocence was the perfect cure for our sinfulness/guilt before God. Likewise, his original disciples were ALL Jews - born under the terms of the Old Covenant (Torah). Hence, we would expect to find them observing the commandments of Torah - ALL OF THEM, and we do!

Even so, it does NOT follow that we (Gentile Christians) should be doing likewise in 2026! Indeed, a good many things have happened since then – like Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to heaven; the coming of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of the ekklesia; the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (which I don't believe was happenstance), and the reformation of Judaism.

Thus, we have seen that the argument that Christ and his disciples were Torah-observant Jews is completely irrelevant to the notion of a Christian's obligation to that legislation! That's worth repeating - let it sink in: The fact that Christ and his disciples were Torah-observant Jews is completely irrelevant to the notion of a Christian's obligation to that legislation! Hence, we have demonstrated that the Armstrongist justifications for obligating Christians to observe the weekly Sabbath, Holy Days, clean/unclean, and tithing have been completely discredited.

In other words, Christians are NOT operating under the terms of God’s covenant with Israel! We are operating under the terms of the NEW covenant – the one which requires belief in and acceptance of the value of Christ’s fulfillment of Torah, the Prophets, and Writings of the Hebrew Bible, and subsequent sacrifice for us! The covenant, which was founded on the Two Great Commandments, which Jesus Christ himself drew from Torah. And, more particularly, the covenant that is based on Christ’s commandment to love each other (the very thing that he said would identify his disciples to the world – the sign of the New Covenant)! Sorry to my Armstrongist friends, but THIS represents the real obligation of New Testament Christians!

 

Lonnie Hendrix/Miller Jones

Why I Am Authorized Collecting Tithe Money, So Says Another Self-appointed Crackpot

Ever since the Great Apostasy from the one true Mother Church, an endless parade of Armstrongist splinter groups has proudly declared themselves the sole, rightful heirs to your wallet—specifically, to collecting your tithes and offerings. Naturally, every other group was (and remains) hilariously illegitimate when it comes to touching money. Only they get the divine green-light. Of course.

Gerald Flurry, decided he needed his very own mini-me campuses in the U.S. and England. After his 1993 arrest for public drunkenness, he pivoted straight into imagining himself rebuilding Ambassador Auditorium and launching a concert series—because nothing says “God’s end-time work” like classical music for the elite and stage plays of Irish Dance. He even treated himself to a private jet so he wouldn’t have to breathe the same recycled air as the unwashed masses on commercial flights. All of this, naturally, required money. Lots and lots of money. Cue the mandatory tithing, the “demanded” special offerings, and the unspoken threat that God was personally auditing your bank account.

Then we have Dave Pack, who built his own adorable little mini-me campus in Ohio—complete with TV studios that, shockingly, were never used. He even had blueprints drawn up for his personal mini-me auditorium (because one faux-palace just isn’t enough). Dramatic income drops, countless resignations of ministers and employees, and a rapidly deteriorating relationship with the city of Wadsworth eventually killed the dream, but that didn’t stop him from solemnly declaring that every dollar belonging to his members was, by divine right, actually his. 

Common doctrine? Enforced. 

Cash? Flowing. 

Members? Obediently poorer.

Enter the biggest crackpot yet: a man publicly rebuked by the Worldwide Church of God, the Global Church of God, and the Living Church of God. After Rod Meredith’s very public smackdown, our hero—affectionately known as Crackpot Bwana Bob—stormed off to build his own empire. Problem? Almost no one in the entire Church of God movement followed him. Just a tiny handful of loyalists. Still, he too, believes he is supernaturally authorized to collect tithes and offerings. He’s just, you know, the illegitimate one. No fancy headquarters. No auditorium. Just some nightmares and a website.

And then—hold onto your wallets—along came Samuel Kitchen. In a blistering couple of weeks, he single-handedly decided he is the one true remaining member of the Church of God authorized to vacuum up tithes and offerings from the scattered faithful. His big break? Teaming up with an equally unhinged guy from the Philippines who wrote him a very official-looking letter (see below) granting him divine permission to handle money. Not legitimately registered with any government as a charity, mind you—this cash is heading straight into Samuel’s personal checking account for important spiritual purposes like title trips to Pasadena and awkward meetups with Harvest Rock weirdos instead of, say, talking to the real estate agent. Millions upon millions will apparently pour in (any day now), all thanks to one crazy letter from an apostate Filipino “minister.” So go ahead, brethren—send your money ASAP! He’s got a letter! Woo hoo! The end-time work is saved!

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(Unedited) 

 

Hi,

My name is Samuel W Kitchen.

A Mr.Jonathan Dicen, an ordained elder in the Church of God, approached me a few months ago eager to assist this work. He then gave me authorization to receive tithes and offerings, since I was not yet an ordained elder myself.

Below is his letter of authorization. He was not attending any group at the time, but shortly after he was offered a job by another group, and had to sever connection with me.

Now the question is: Who Authorizes?

Answer: God gives the authority.

Question: If a man leaves the work or the Church, does this invalidate anything done prior in the name and authority of Jesus Christ?

Answer: NO! It would not. Otherwise marriages would be made null, ordinations would be null.

So it is Jesus Christ who is HEAD of the Worldwide Church of God. This man as an ordained minister, believed he was led by Christ to authorize me to receive tithes and offerings in the name of Jesus Christ. So it is my belief that I am fully authorized to receive tithes and offerings from God’s people, to expand this work and to provide a place for God’s true ministers.

In Haggai 2:19, we read “Is the seed yet in the barn?” The SEED is the Holy Spirit. The Worldwide Church of God is the SPIRITUAL TEMPLE. 

 

Read also Matthew 13.

In Malachi 3:8-13, we read more about how TITHES AND OFFERINGS are to be brought into the “storehouse”. Both Malachi and Haggai speak of the same thing. “Barn/storehouse” so that there “may be meat in my house”, whose house? God’s House!! The Spiritual Temple, which is the Worldwide Church of God!

So below is Jonathan Dicen’s authorization letter. Although he is no longer with us, I believe he was inspired like Cyrus King of Persia, to authorize me to receive the things belonging to God, to gather into the storehouse of God. Nothing more.

in Christ’s name,

Samuel W Kitchen

 

Letter of authorization

Dear Samuel,

Following our spiritual discussion, we must now address the strategic and financial needs essential for the growth of this emerging work. For the ministry to expand and build credibility among potential U.S. membership, it is critical that we formalize our initial financial commitment and organizational plan.

1. Current Financial Context and Impact

Philippine Ministry History: It is worth recalling that the work in the Philippines, during its early days in the 1960s within the WCG, was initially financed by the Australian brethren. This historical model of international partnership remains relevant today. This WCG model has been applied by RCG, LCG, COGWA and UCG.

Currency Advantage: Due to the current economic situation, where $1 is approximately equal to 60 Philippine Pesos, even modest, regular donations from the U.S. have a powerful impact here, funding significant ministry activities. A modest 1000 USD could start God’s work in the Philippines. When you are committed to this, I will make a final fasting again.

Personal Commitment: While I am currently facing personal financial difficulty due to being out of work, which temporarily limits my support, I am committed to resuming contributions immediately upon securing employment. Furthermore, my two daughters are committed to tithing upon finding work after their college graduation.

2. Stewardship of Tithing and Offerings (T&O) and Shared Ministry

As a duly ordained elder, and with the full confidence of the authority from God, I am formally authorizing you to collect Tithing and Offerings (T&O) in the USA.

We affirm the sacred truth that T&O belongs solely to God and must be used with reverence and integrity. The ultimate accountability for the proper spending of these sacred funds is a matter directly between you and God. I place my complete trust in your faithful stewardship and will not impose an external audit.

However, I formally and gently request that you consider sharing a portion of these resources with the Philippine office monthly operation, mirroring the pattern of support that the Australian work provided in the early WCG days under HWA.

3. The Call for Financial Partnership

Given your current business operations, we prayerfully ask you to consider taking a leading role in funding the initial work in the Philippines.

Please be assured this request is entirely voluntary, and absolutely no pressure is exerted upon you.

We request only that you commit to providing a regular, sustainable sum that you are able to commit to financing the church's core operations here.

4. The Crucial First Step to Expansion

The quicker we can demonstrate a firm organizational commitment and financial base, the sooner we can secure broader support from the entire body of brethren. As the proverb affirms, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Let us take that crucial first step of faith now by formalizing your initial commitment. We anticipate that once our U.S. brethren see that you have established an organizational presence, such as setting up a ministry office in the Philippines, others will be encouraged to follow your lead, especially as you step into the role of a recognized COG elder.

I have a vision that if you remain faithful, you will eventually, God willing, will lead the international work in the USA and I will support you with sound biblical advice. This means I will be working under you.

5. Ministry Expense Needs and Urgency

Funds are strictly needed to cover essential ministry operations:

Internet, communication costs like AI which is becoming very relevant now.

Necessary travel and transportation fare for ministerial duties.

Expenses incurred when visiting brethren.

Scriptural Foundation for Tithing and Ministerial Support

To address any potential misunderstandings regarding the support of the ministry, we anchor our practice firmly in the Word of God. The principles established in the Old Testament are directly confirmed and applied to New Testament ministry and this was faithfully applied in WCG under HWA. It is now applied as well as in COGWA, UCG, LCG, RCG and CGI.

A. Old Testament Tithing Principles

The purpose of tithing was to sustain the Levitical Priesthood and provide for the needs of the Israelites community and the House of God:

Numbers 18:21 (Sustaining Ministry): "Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting."

Deuteronomy 14:27-29 (Caring for the Vulnerable): "You shall not forsake the Levite... and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied..."

Malachi 3:10 (Testing God's Provision): "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this... If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing..."

B. New Testament Confirmation and Application

The New Testament confirms that those dedicated to spiritual teaching have the right to be financially sustained by those they serve:

1 Corinthians 9:11 (Mutual Exchange): "If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?".

1 Corinthians 9:14 (Commanded Support): "Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel."

Galatians 6:6 (Sharing in Blessings): "Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches."

1 Timothy 5:17-18 (Double Honor for Elders): "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.'"

Clarifying the Ministerial Example

We recognize that some COG ministers after the breakup of WCG have misinterpreted these principles, leading to erroneous practices. However, the Scriptures provide a clear model. Even the Apostle Paul, while capable of earning his living through tent-making, affirmed the right of those who preach the gospel to be supported by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14).

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong himself relied on this command when establishing the Worldwide Church of God, demonstrating that the support of the ministry by tithes is a valid, scriptural model. Review again HWA’s Autobiography Vol. 1. I have read Vol.1 three times. I have two copies of Vol. 1 and two copies of Vol. 2.

3. Seeking God's Timing in Consecration

For the past two years, the challenge of finding secular employment has been persistent, particularly after dedicating twenty-one years to my previous career at DACON and more than 20 years in the ministry. This extended period of unemployment naturally causes me ask, "Why, God, am I unable to find work?" 

 

The struggle brings us back to the core question of my calling in the ministry: Is this difficulty a sign that I could not leave the ministry to do secular work? Perhaps the Lord is guiding me to exercise patience and faith, trusting in His timing and provision, knowing that God works in His own perfect time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Perhaps, through this period of patient waiting, God is directing my path to yours, intending for us to collaborate on a great and significant work ahead.

It is deeply moving to consider the connections: "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). Furthermore, I consider the fact that you hail from Iowa, the very state where Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong was born, seems more than mere coincidence; it speaks to a remarkable and special providence.

Let us embrace this sense of divine leading. We will proceed with faith, courageously taking the first step, and seeing where God, in His perfect plan, chooses to guide our efforts.

Example of Immediate Need: We currently have a member's wife in Laguna province requesting baptism. I cannot perform this essential ministerial duty due to the lack of funds to cover the required travel. Your early commitment will directly facilitate these vital acts of service.

6. Organizational Legitimacy

To ensure confidence and facilitate broader support from future U.S. brethren and donors, we strongly advise registering a formal name in the USA (e.g., as a non-profit organization). While you can personally collect T&O now under the authority of an authorized Church of God elder, formal registration will significantly enhance the legal legitimacy and long-term growth potential of the ministry.

7. Clarification on Name Use

We must seek greater clarity regarding the use of the name "Worldwide Church of God." We must ensure this will not create legal morass that could hinder the work. Please seek counsel from a qualified lawyer regarding the legal implications. What are your current thoughts on this critical matter?

Warm regards,

J. Dicen

Note: I advise you to have a hard copy of this "Authorization Letter" and keep it safe in a folder for future use.

The Dance

 

Time at the Schwarzschild Radius (A cinematic depiction of a black hole - Fair Use)

 “At the still point of the turning world…At the still point, there the dance is, where past and future are gathered…Except for the point, the still point, There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.”   - T.S. Eliott from his poem “Burnt Norton”

The Dance

By Scout

God is not a neat package.  At least to human reason.  If he were, the lives of theologians would not be blighted with so much controversy.  I hold to the Nicene view of God, as interpreted in classical theology, but I must admit that the Nicene view has both strong points and weak points.  By “weak” I mean concepts that seem a little theoretical and exploratory rather than unassailable. I have also been a sharp critic of the Armstrongist view of God which strikes me as an alarming excursus into all-out anthropomorphism.  

How much can we, as created beings, know about the uncreated God in his essence?  Not much, really.  God meets us in metaphor.  Usually, he presents himself in scripture using anthropomorphic terms.  We, on the other hand, use what we know from the created realm to try to describe him.  Our efforts can result in nothing more than unintended poetry. 

There is the school of thought that we should read what God has provided as a description of himself in the Bible and ask no further questions.  Then there is the view of analytic theology that advances the idea that if the Bible leaves a topic unstated then we should put on our finest philosophical dressage and develop the topic ourselves.  While I am a proponent of the latter view, I know it to be fraught with uncertainty.  Analytic theology is midrash in discussion of the gray zones rather than the inspiration of incontrovertible truth.  And at this point we must join with faith.  What I am trying to ease into saying is that there are now neo-classical theologians on the land who are starting to sound like they have had a passing tryst with the Armstrongist Doctrine of God.  I will cite an example. 

God as Temporal, For Instance

There are now some theologians, followers of neo-classical theology, with reputable backgrounds that believe that God exists in time.  They don’t go the complex route to establish this.  They simply say that if God did this, and then this and then that, he had to be following a chronological sequence.  He is temporal just as we are, they assert. If God creates then he begins to do the activity of creation.  And this occasions both intrinsic and extrinsic changes to God.  That is because to create something is to act and then after the creation God is different.  He is now someone who owns and interacts with a Cosmos, for instance.  This means God is not immutable as in classical theology.  

Neo-classicists also point out that there is a time constraint on cause and effect.  Cause must come before effect.  The word “before” is one of those troublesome prepositions that comes out of the created realm.  It has a spatial meaning.  What it actually means in this context is that on the continuum of time, first the cause happens and then the effect happens.  God causes things to happen; therefore, he must be “in” time.  Then there is logic.  “If it is a horse, then it is an animal.”  The proposition does not make sense unless it is ordered in time sequence.  Ordered thought for us humans happens in a succession of moments.  The neo-classicists have a talking point.  And if they have a talking point, so do the Armstrongists. 

God as Atemporal

I believe that God is timeless.  Note that this is an apophatic statement.  It tells us what God is not.  God is not in time.   My statement does not do much to define positively what God actually is.  What drives me towards atemporality is that time is a part of the created Cosmos.  It responds, for instance, to gravity.  As gravity increases, time slows.  At the Schwarzschild horizon of a black hole, time almost stops.  If spaghettification of your body did not happen, you could live there almost forever although it would seem like to you to be a normal lifespan.  Your feet are younger than you head because they are closer to the earth’s gravity-generating mass. God would not be dependent on something that he created.  (God, of course, is not dependent on anything.) If he created time, then time had a beginning but God has no beginning so God existed prior to time.  I am not sure how neo-classicists or Armstrongists handle this issue.  I heard a neo-classicist talk about it but I cannot say that I understood what he said.  Something like the statement that time does not run slower under intense gravity, just the mechanical clock runs slower.  Physicists don’t seem to believe that.  

Logic may seem to require chronological flow of propositions but it can be static.  It does not have to be represented as an argument flowing in time.  It can be represented by Venn diagrams.  As for cause and effect happening in chronological sequence, that is a conundrum.  I keep coming up with the idea that God knows all causes and all effects already and the act of creation means that he exposes something already known to him forever to our purview.  He doesn’t really innovate at all in the act of creation.  For the software engineers among you, God instantiates classes, methods, data types and parameters that are already known to him.  But then the neo-classicists can argue that instantiation itself is done in the succession of moments – in time.  I would have to look beyond these arguments for a resolution. Later in this essay I will look to Jesus. 

There is also a mathematic problem.   If the eternal God experiences reality as a series of moments, that means his past is infinite. If we represent the present moment as p then the next moment is p+1 and the previous moment was p-1.  The subtraction of moments moves us backwards in time mathematically.  For an eternal being who lives in a succession of moments, time goes backwards forever.  We would never, ever quit subtracting moments. No matter how much subtraction we do the p-1 term would always exist. If God is locked in an infinite past, how does he ever reach the present or the future (The Infinite Delay Argument.)  In brief, an infinite series of moments in time as required by temporality is not a meaningful description of God’s eternity.  The arithmetic of infinity does not serve us well here. 

Someone told me once that Herman Hoeh believed that time is motion – an Aristotelian idea.  I have never seen this view in writing in WCG literature.  I don’t think time is motion directly.  I believe in the “A Theory” of time (there is also a B Theory).  Solely because it most closely matches my experience and intuition.  You will have to look the A Theory up. There isn’t enough time for it in this little essay.  In brief, I believe God creates the present. The present is all that we know.  The past is gone and the future has not come into existence yet. Theory A says that reality is only the present.  Like T.S. Elliott wrote.  So, my view is that God creates reality in sequence, moment by moment.  Time is not motion but motion is the real product of God’s action of moment-by-moment creation.  Time is smoothly continuous because God’s creation of reality is smoothly continuous.  If God decided not to create the next moment, reality would simply disappear.  We would not die.  We would just vanish. 

Armstrongism and Neo-classical Theology

Armstrongism lacks a well-developed theology.  Armstrongists have done a little to organize the ideas that HWA left them.  Armstrongism could use the help of the neo-classicists.  The neo-classicists believe that God is temporal.  They also believe that God is not a simple being, that is, lacking subordinate parts.  This resonates with Armstrongism. I recall an Armstrongist minister stating that God had a heart.  But one pulpit statement from someone trained at Ambassador College doesn’t make an integrated doctrine.  A neo-classicist that is prominent in the media is Dr. Ryan T. Mullins trained at St. Andrews University in Scotland.  It might be a good idea for some Armstrongists to look into his ideas rather than simply deal in the pontifications of HWA or spend their time churning prophecy.  I have read some of Mullin’s material but I am still trying to figure out what he believes.  I think it would be good if Armstrongists were to leave the bunker and study some of these things and thereby gain depth in their theology.  

Jesus is the Key

The data that Jesus left with us points to a different way of engaging with the Cosmos.  He did not define that modality fully but gave us an event that points us in the right direction.  The event is the Ascension.   Jesus ascended bodily in the view of many witnesses.  The witnesses were early church members.  They saw him rise up into the sky.  But that kind of bodily locomotion doesn’t cut it for moving around the Cosmos of the size that Jesus himself created.  I think the visible ascension into the sky was done for dramatic effect.  It wasn’t technically the way the resurrected Jesus travelled.  

If Jesus were “in time” and moving at a speed where he was visible to the human eye, where would he be right now in his ascension progress – maybe somewhere between earth and Alpha Centauri which is only 4.357 light years away?  And if he were moving near or at the speed of light he would undergo time dilation.  Time would pass much faster for us than him. This would result in a mismatch between our experience of time and his experience of time. If Jesus were bound by time and space, a day trip to the Third Heaven at divine speed might mean the passage of trillions of years for us earthlings.  

The simple fact is that the speed of light is not fast enough for someone who needs to move around the Cosmos.  The Cosmos is way too large.  And, even so, an object with mass moving near the speed of light experiences infinite time dilation so that time effectively stops compared to an earthbound observer.  Did the body of the resurrected Jesus have mass?  That is an interesting question.  Doubting Thomas felt Jesus and whatever Jesus was made of it gave resistance to Thomas’ hand. 

Living and moving in time and space is clearly not useful for a resurrected human being like Jesus.  It is too constraining for the mode in which Jesus, as God, operates.  Jesus could not have ascended to heaven in such an environment in any reasonable time.  The neo-classicists can say that God experiences another kind of time and not our constraining form of time – something else that gives him a succession of moments.  But why not just say that he isn’t in time.  And what we know as time is just an analog of how God chooses to order events.  We already understand that he knows the future or predictive prophecy would not exist.  God may organize time anyway he wants whenever he wants to do it.  He is not bound by time.  We also know that he does not have a one-track mind.  Our minds are pretty much one-track.  God can listen to millions of people pray and follow each prayer perfectly while also sustaining the Cosmos. While that still requires a succession of moments, the point is, God may think in very different ways than we can imagine, including in a non-linear, timeless way.  It is not God who is constrained but our imaginations.

So, if you, like me, believe that you must consult the Book of God’s Works as well as the Book of God’s Words to gain an understanding of anything, then the idea of a temporal God collapses. And the Nicene brothers were right. But I will read about it more.

Surprised by God – a Probable Conclusion

I believe there is much about God that we will never understand.  Maybe God in simplicity is time rather than existing in time.  Maybe what we know as time in the Cosmos is an imitation of his personal essence somehow.  I am at peace with the idea that I do not know what God’s actual relationship to time is. And I may never know no matter how smart God may make me one day.  God told Moses, “I am that I am.”  God has ultimate and unrestricted free will. Perhaps, when the truth outs, it will be a big surprise.  It will not be about time but some other alternative we never considered. God is what he is.  Moses just had to get over it.  Some conjectures make more sense than others.  But they are still conjectures.  Maybe we will just have to get over it. 

Will You Obey God And Give Money To Buy The Auditorium Or Will You Spit In His Face?

This Auditorium saga just keeps getting weirder by the nanosecond!

Now our boy Samuel has apparently upgraded himself to Modern-Day Joshua Vr 3.0—you know, the guy through whom God is obviously continuing His Very Important Work. Poor Bob Thiel must be absolutely seething right now. After all, he’s spent years insisting that he and he alone is the One True Joshua of our time. But hey, this is the Church of God we're talking about—there's always room for multiple self-appointed Joshuas. And let's be real: there will always be enough gullible souls to mail in their checks for whichever version is currently shouting the loudest.

Joshua Samuel is now solemnly informing the brethren that if you don't cough up your resources, you're straight-up robbing God (shocker). Not only that, but you're now personally eligible for the deluxe curses-and-blessings combo package. And just to make sure the fear is properly dialed up before Passover: if you don't give, you're taking the Passover unworthily, which apparently triggers a separate, extra-spicy curse layered right on top of the first one. Double jeopardy, Church of God style.

With Passover barreling toward us like a freight train full of guilt, we're clearly supposed to picture Joshua Samuel leading the chosen few into the Promised Land—like Joshua of old right after Moses had his own little wilderness tantrum that somehow ticked God off (classic COG sequel plot). He's here to guide the faithful remnant to the sacred House of God, where they will bask in everlasting bliss… until, naturally, the Germans roll up, gaze upon its magnificence, decide it's too pretty to bomb, and promptly convert it into their new U.S. invasion headquarters. (And before you think I'm making that last part up—nah, that was a straight-faced, decades-long Pasadena campus urban legend in certain COG circles. Never change, brethren.)

So this Passover season is going to be a real test, dear brethren. A double test, actually, if you happen to be one of the stingy ones who didn't send in your “tithe to avoid extra curses” payment. Fail to give, and congratulations—you’ve just RSVP’d to the End-Time Plagues VIP section, where one-third of humanity gets to enjoy the festivities firsthand.

The choice is crystal clear:

Are you going to obey God…

Or are you going to spit in His face?

Tick tock. Your offering envelopes had better still be open.

-----------------------------

Joshua Samuel writes (unedited):

This is saying, in order to receive God’s protection here is your test.

Now is laid upon you blessings or cursings.

If you receive cursings, you have not sent God’s tithes and offerings in.

God’s blessing is with obeying Him!

Not disobeying Him!

I am announcing to you God’s will.

It’s up to you whether you will surrender to Jesus Christ or not!

And also if you go and take the Passover “unworthily” not properly discerning the Lord’s Body, you have another curse upon your head. This is about where God is working and through whom.

The Passover and Unleavened bread season for the children of Israel, after the forty years in the wilderness, was about establishing Joshua as the new leader. Through whom God continued to work though as with Moses.

This season will test you. Will you reap blessings or curses?

This too reflects the children of Israel when Moses came back to Egypt after 40 years, and they had to decide to Obey God or suffer the curses of God aka the plagues. Those who obeyed God made it through and was spared and delivered from the hand of Pharaoh, which pictures Satan the Devil the devourer. Just like Rahab in Jericho.

What will you do brethren? Will you obey God or spit at Him? You’re choice! You have been warned!

In Jesus Christ’s name,

Samuel W Kitchen

The Supreme Sin: Not Funding God's Luxury Concert Hall (A Masterclass in Spiritual Blackmail)

God is in the house!

The Supreme Sin: Not Funding God's Luxury Concert Hall (A Masterclass in Spiritual Blackmail)

In the grand tradition of televangelist fundraising letters that could double as extortion notes, Herbert W. Armstrong's June 29, 1969, missive from 39,000 feet (because nothing says humility like dictating theology from a plane) drops the ultimate bombshell: What is the WORST, most TERRIBLE sin imaginable?

Spoiler: It's not murder, adultery, or even idolatry in the classic golden-calf sense. No, the SUPREME sin, the one that severs you from EVERYTHING GOOD, from the SOURCE OF ALL GOOD, from INHERITING and SHARING with God ALL THAT HE HAS, is... failing to cough up extra cash for the EXTRA SPECIAL BUILDING FUND to construct Ambassador Auditorium.

Yes, brethren, the Almighty—who created galaxies, oceans, and every blade of grass—apparently can't bear the indignity of not having a multimillion-dollar, acoustically perfect concert hall on the Pasadena campus. Because nothing screams "spiritual priority" like equating skipped TV dinners with eternal damnation.

Armstrong masterfully redefines idolatry for the modern age: It's not bowing to wooden statues. It's the horror of excessive TV viewing, enjoying the wrong kind of shows, reading wrong material, or—gasp—pursuing MATERIAL things! (You know, like food, shelter, or college funds for your kids.) These are the false gods threatening your soul. But the real clincher? Putting any of that ahead of YOUR PART in honoring God with this EXTRA SPECIAL BUILDING FUND.

Never mind your regular tithes (those are non-negotiable for keeping the Gospel Work charging forward worldwide). Never mind the additional offerings God supposedly demands for the regular ministry. The BUILDING FUND must be EXTRA—on top of everything else. Don't you dare reallocate; that's basically telling God His new marble palace isn't worth skimping on your family's groceries.

In a stroke of humble genius, Armstrong casually mentions he's increasing his own monthly special offering (again), and he's been faithfully pouring in since the fund began years earlier. Subtext: If a man in his 70s flying private can sacrifice, why can't you lowly wage slaves?

The math is airtight: Two years prior, the faithful ponied up $150,000 a month for other buildings. Now membership's grown by nearly 50%! So $200,000 per month is totally doable—IF YOUR HEARTS ARE RIGHT WITH GOD, IF you stop idolizing your pathetic desires, and IF you're willing to let banks and insurance companies finance the rest (because God helps those who help themselves... with loans).

Fail to hit the target? Armstrong will simply lose heart. (The emotional stakes! The drama!) Unlike those poor saps in David's day who lacked the Holy Spirit, our response will prove whether we have it. No pressure.

But don't worry—he's not heartless. Many of you "simply are not able." God understands. Armstrong understands. Just make sure enough of the able ones are willing. Pray about it. He'll know by the total haul.

And that P.S.? Pure gold: Send your non-binding "statement of intention" NOW, or he can't authorize groundbreaking. No one should give what they can't afford or harm family (perish the thought!), but you should be willing to SACRIFICE non-essentials. Use WISDOM! Pray for judgment!

The auditorium—eventually built in the early 1970s at a cost reportedly around $7–11 million (roughly $50 million+ in today's dollars, funded by the sacrificial "extra" offerings of the faithful)—became the "Carnegie Hall of the West," hosting Sinatra, Pavarotti, and more. It was sold off decades later amid church upheavals, now listed for $45 million.

So remember, brethren: The path to salvation isn't faith alone. It's faith plus tithing plus additional offerings plus extra-extra for God's vanity project. Skip that last one, and you're basically cutting yourself off from ALL THAT GOD HAS.

What a beautiful gospel. Pass the special yellow envelope—eternity's price tag just went up.

------------

The quote from Herbert Armstrong's letter, that Samuel posted, expecting church members to give to his vanity project, the very same building Samuel Kitchen believes he has the right to buy. 

What, then, is the WORST, most TERRIBLE sin?

It is that which cuts you off from EVERYTHING GOOD — FROM THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD — from the God from whom ALL good comes — from INHERITING and SHARING with God ALL THAT HE HAS!

The SUPREME sin is to lose the supreme BLESSING — to be CUT OFF from GOD! The most AWFUL sin is to have another god before Him! And nearly every-body in this sick, polluted, unhappy world is worshipping other gods!

They may not be literally bowing down before an idol made of wood, stone, gold or other material. But devoting themselves to PLEASURE: to excessive TV viewing, to "enjoying" the wrong kind of TV diet: to filling the mind with FILTH in front of the TV set, or reading material of a wrong kind; to MATERIAL pursuits and interests; to material things!

Could it be that EVEN YOU are putting some of these things ahead of HIM — or ahead of YOUR PART in HONORING our God with this EXTRA SPECIAL BUILDING FUND — or ahead of YOUR PART In HIS GOSPEL WORK? As I write this letter I am INCREASING my own personal monthly SPECIAL OFFERING for the Building Fund. I have increased it before. And I have never stopped putting in this SPECIAL OFFERING since the Building Fund first began, several years ago.

Meanwhile, the WORK OF GOD must continue to GO FORTH with INCREASING POWER, WORLDWIDE! Your TITHES must go for that — your first tithe, that is. God calls on all of us to make ADDITIONAL offerings regularly FOR HIS GOSPEL WORK. What we give for the BUILDING FUND must be EXTRA, in addition to ALL THAT! It must not come out of the REGULAR offerings and tithes.

Brethren, I KNOW we can finance this HOUSE FOR GOD, if we allow God to make our hearts willing. Two years ago we were able to contribute $150,000 per month to the BUILDING FUND for other buildings! There are almost half again MORE OF US now! We CAN contribute $200,000 per month to this EXTRA SPECIAL FUND — IF OUR HEARTS ARE RIGHT WITH GOD — IF we really DO not put other false "gods" or interests, or desires, ahead of HIM! And IF we can put in $200,000 per month, with the financing big banks and insurance companies are willing to make available to us, WE CAN START BREAKING GROUND THIS AUTUMN!

If we fail, — well, I'm simply going to lose heart! Those people in David's day did not have God's HOLY SPIRIT. Our response to this appeal will show whether WE have! We can do it IF WE ARE WILLING!

ARE YOU WILLING, according as God has prospered you? I know too well, many of you simply are not able. God understands that, and so do I. But ENOUGH of us are ABLE — IF willing! Are you PRAYING? I will know by the over-all answer.

Brethren, I think we are going to break ground very soon on that beautiful building!

With love, in Jesus' name,

Herbert W. Armstrong

P.S. If you did not send in your statement of intention, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOW. I cannot authorize this work to proceed unless the statements of intention mount up to $200,000 per month. It does not bind you — but lets me know whether we can go ahead. I do not want any to give what you are not able, or to harm yourself or family. But we should be willing to SACRIFICE and GIVE UP things we planned to do or buy if they are not necessary. We should use WISDOM! PRAY for wisdom and good judgment.

"All I ask is for the people of God to obey God and to bring what is HIS to his storehouse"

 

The Kitchen family has once again proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that they are exactly like every other slithering COG snake slithering through the weeds of Armstrongism. Shocker of the century, right? This entire circus isn't about shepherding the flock, feeding the spiritually hungry, or humbly serving the brethren in any meaningful way or even buying an auditorium. No, no—it's all about money, cold hard cash, the almighty dollar (or check, preferably made out directly to one specific person). 

Samuel Kitchen, that paragon of third-generation "true church" purity, is now dusting off the book of Haggai like it's the hottest new money-making playbook straight from the divine accounting department. Members are apparently supposed to obediently drag every last tithe, offering, spare dime, and probably their kitchen sinks too, straight to "God's storehouse"—which, in a plot twist no one saw coming (except literally everyone who's been paying attention), has miraculously relocated to the rolling cornfields of Iowa. Because nothing screams "divinely appointed headquarters" like a quiet Midwestern town far from the prying eyes of... well, anyone asking inconvenient questions.

All those endless COG splinter groups—each one birthed in a blaze of "God's government" drama and righteous indignation—were never genuinely about caring for the brethren, correcting wrongs, or restoring some pristine "truth once delivered." It was always a glorified vacuum cleaner operation: suck up as much third-tithe money, festival tithe of the tithe money, first tithe, building fund "love offerings," emergency excess second-tithe scraps, and whatever loose change falls out of grandma's purse, all so the self-appointed leaders could keep their lifestyles comfortably insulated from the harsh realities of, you know, actual work or accountability. Private jets? Lavish homes?  College campuses? Auditoriums? "Modest" ministerial perks that would make a televangelist blush.

And let's be crystal clear: Samuel wasn't exactly standing on a mountaintop begging the brethren to send their hard-earned tithes directly to the Almighty in some ethereal spiritual transaction. Oh heavens no—that would be far too... biblical. Instead, he's politely (or not-so-politely) requesting that those checks be cut straight to him, personally, Samuel W. Kitchen, resident prophet-administrator-CEO of the One True Storehouse in Keosauqua or Coralville or wherever the divine GPS is pointing this week. Why? So he can buy another glittering monument to pomposity—because truly, what better way to demonstrate Christ-like humility and "poor in spirit" vibes than by owning the personal shrine to his earthly god (Herbert Armstrong), bankrolled entirely by the gullible faithful who still believe the "work" needs their widow's mite to limp along? 

Nothing says "God's true servant" quite like turning Malachi 3 into a personal building fund.

Truly inspiring stuff. If only the original apostles had thought to incorporate and reroute all donations to their own names—think of the cathedrals we could have had by now.

God says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might.  

 

And when God says to do something, why can’t we do it? If God gives us something why not obtain it and hold it? 

 

Do we fear God or not? 

 

This won’t be achieved by power or might BUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. 

 

But I am fully confident in the Word of God, who says do it! Work! God says! For I am with you!

So let us WORK towards this goal, to give glory to the name of God, and to unite in one cause, and as one people, one church. Why do men love it when the enemies trash what God gives? Now when we can restore it, why hesitate? Why let Satan hinder us?

All I ask is for the people of God to obey God and to bring what is HIS to his storehouse. And when Haggai talks about the seed in the barn, that is like the ark and the 8 people. Noah and his family were commanded to build “an ark” a physical ark, something for the mind and hands to do in service of the Lord our God. Everyone laughed but they didn’t laugh when God moved ahead with His plans.

Let us go to God in prayer and fasting. Let us obey God. Let us not neglect our job as members of the spiritual temple.