The Truth Shall Make You Free: Chapter 17 A Yoke of Burden

published by: 

The Truth Foundation

11 Laurel Court

Freehold Township, New Jersey 07728

1981

Chapter 17 A Yoke of Burden

(Pg 241) Throughout the moves and countermoves taking place between the state and the Rader group, Osamu Gotoh could no longer be found. Apparently, he was out of the country and would not return. Although he handled large sums of money, running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, spending it all over the world, it will take an extensive investigation to determine how he fits into the overall picture. He was known as the mysterious Gotoh and remains so to this day.

Ray Wright, who in December was so anxious to help our attorneys, returned to the Rader camp. Many others, who in the very early stages of the receivership indicated that they were glad to see the wrongdoings brought to light, and who said that they wished Rader would finally be emoved, also returned to the Rader camp. Many ministers throughout the country who said that they would never follow Stanley Rader were standing before their congregations every Sabbath supporting Rader and threatening the members with the loss of their eternal life if they did not sacrifice to support Armstrong and Rader. Most of the area coordinators who during the first week of January were so solidly with Wayne Cole, were now faithful to the umbilical cord of a pay check.

 Over the several months since the imposition of the receivership, many ministers did finally leave the Worldwide Church, or were asked to leave because of disloyalty. Disloyalty was defined as an (pg 242) unwillingness to support the Rader regime each week at Sabbath services. However, those who left were a small proportion to the total number of ministers in the Church. Those who remained knew better, and remained to willfully deceive the flock over which they had been placed as shepherds. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God spoke quite sternly regarding men such as these. In Ezekiel 34:2 he says: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?"

During that same period of time, the barrage of propaganda through the Worldwide News continued. The members' minds, which by this time had been beaten to a psychological pulp, were now being totally submerged in a continuous outpouring of unscriptural nonsense from Church headquarters.

In the April 23rd issue was an article entitled: "And Now-Christ Sets Church on God's Organizational Track." Taking up a half page was an organizational chart (see p.243). The entire article by Herbert Armstrong went on to substantiate his claim as human head of the Church directly under Christ. The whole tone was government, authority, and power-all written in capital letters. He said: "I have realized for 52 years that God's form of government is ruled from the TOP DOWN." He claimed that his dictatorial rule of the Church was God's form of government. And reverting back to the harsh control over members lives reminiscent of the 1950s, the May 21st issue carried bold headlines: "HOW YOU DRESS FOR CHURCH-COULD IT KEEP YOU OUT OF THE KINGDOM?" While no one would argue that one must dress appropriately for various occasions, there is nowhere in the Bible where one can find his eternal life threatened due to his manner of dress. But that didn't matter to a Worldwide Church of God member. By this time, anything coming out under the authorship of Herbert Armstrong carried the weight of new and divine revelation.

In the June 25th issue, an article appeared called "What God Never Did-Never Will-Allow To Happen." After a lengthy rambling dissertation comparing himself to Moses, Armstrong ended the article by very nearly proclaiming himself a deity. He said, "Let me close with one thought. It is now a little late in life for me to turn to Satan's way, as so many others in high places have done. (pg 243 contained an organizational chart) 

(pg 244) God never yet has let one through whom He STARTED a great project turn wrong-and he has never yet let such an appointed leader of his die until his job was FINISHED!"

One can only conclude from such a statement that Armstrong feels that he is immune to turning to Satan's way, in other words he can no longer sin, and that he does not expect to die until Christ returns.

In another article entitled "How Satan Injects False Doctrines," Armstrong claimed that he was the one who restored all truth to the Church of God after nineteen hundred years. According to him, the satanic deceptions in the Christian church remained until 1927, when God began working with him. He wrote: "And beginning in the Fall of A.D. 1927, God began an absolutely UNIQUE WORK on the one the living Christ had chosen to be His apostle. He put me through the wringer that squeezed out all former misconcepts and untrue beliefs, using me to put His Truth into His Church, that is to rise and meet the glorified Christ in the clouds as He returns to establish the Kingdom of God!"

To say that the Church was without truth until he came along is an absolute lie, as we shall show in a future chapter, and Armstrong knows it very well.

To keep the money coming, Armstrong apparently felt the need to reinforce the tithing doctrine. In the July 9th issue, his front page article was entitled "Non-Tithing is Stealing." Armstrong made it quite clear that no matter what one's circumstances, they must tithe a full tenth of their income to the Church. He even threatened to again activate the computer snooping program. He wrote: "Heretofore I have made NO EFFORT TO CHECK OUR COMPUTER RECORDS TO FIND OUT WHO TITHES. I surely never wanted to "snoop". But it is A LAW! Neglect or refusal is MAJOR SIN! I am not pussyfooting! Commandment breakers won't get into the Kingdom of God, and I am commissioned to blot out the spots and iron out the wrinkles to make God's Church READY when He comes."

Again, Armstrong was hitting them with the loss of eternal life if the members did not tithe. And how skillfully he diverted attention from the allegations of stealing that had been brought against him and other high officials in the Church. If he truly felt a commission to blot out the spots and iron out the wrinkles, there was (pg 245) somewhere else that he could start other than laying another yoke upon the necks of the Church members.

Ending the article, Armstrong said,  "Failure to tithe is STEALING - COMMANDMENT BREAKING. It is without excuse! Keep current with God and HE will keep you current with your other obligations! This matter of STEALING FROM GOD is one matter that Christ is CLEANING UP IN GOD'S CHURCH NOW! No delay! And no excuses!"

At least Armstrong was speaking some truth here. The matter of stealing from God was being cleaned up in God's Church. But he just refused to face up to the fact as to how it was being done. In this case God's "ministers for good," the officials of California, were the ones who were doing the cleaning up. The article just quoted from was actually excerpted from what was written in the "Pastor's Report" of June 25th. In that publication, Armstrong was laying it on the ministers quite heavily also. They, too, are expected to tithe from their salary. He said to the ministers, "If you are on the payroll, unless tithing begins with the very next paycheck, YOUR PAYCHECKS WILL BE CUT OFF WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE."

It certainly is interesting to see how Herbert Armstrong practices his philosophy of love, and that of give instead of get in his relationship with his employees and followers. Not only were the Church members subjected to a continuing barrage of propaganda, but so were members of the press. A front organization called the "Emergency Committee for the Defense of Religious Freedom, a Voluntary Association of Lay Members of the Worldwide Church of God in Good Standing," was formed in March 1979. They prepared a several-hundred-page aide-memoire with supporting data for distribution to the media. This aide-memoire consisted of selected documents taken out of context in order to support the Armstrong/Rader position.

An interesting aspect of the publication was the constant reference to the Pope. It must be remembered that the Worldwide Church, as do many other churches, considers the Roman Catholic Church to be modern Babylon, the great whore referred to in the seventeenth chapter of Revelation. In the reference to the Pope, Stanley Rader, in a signed statement, said that, "The Church is hierarchically structured, with Mr.Armstrong as its pastor general (pg 246) (analagous to the Pope). As with the Pope, Mr. Armstrong's authority is virtually absolute." He went on to say that the executive committee of the Church board was "a group perhaps most closely comparable to the Papal Curia".

In the aide-memoire section outlining the Church organization according to Armstrong, it said: "His position and authority are comparable to those of His Holiness, the Pope. The Board of Directors is equivalent of the Papal Curia." Never, in all the history of the Worldwide Church, had Armstrong ever been compared to the Pope nor had the Church organization been compared to the Papal Curia as a means of justification. And certainly the title of His Holiness was never acknowledged as a title or name of any individual. And for very good reason: Our Savior is the only one who may be called His Holiness. To take on such a title to one's self, or call someone by that name is blasphemy. In Psalm 111:9 we read: "He sent redemption unto His people: He that commanded His covenant forever: Holy and reverend is His name."

This is the same verse, by the way, that has always been used to support the reasoning for not calling ministers reverend. One can expect that it may not be long before Herbert Armstrong

will have the title, the "Most Right Reverend Holy Apostle." It is not difficult to see that a Church which had come so far from false beliefs, which had come into the knowledge of so much truth, which had done as God commanded, had come out of Babylon, was now, through its internal corruption, going right back into Babylon. And the signs of this are quite clear, justification of itself by comparison to "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS" (Revelation 17:5).

The situation was fast deteriorating to the point where Armstrong and Rader were just fighting to hang on to the members through continued fear and intimidation. Before all this happened, the Church was already in trouble, and the leaders knew it. They knew it in spite of the fact that they were lying to the members, saying that things were better than ever, on the right track, God's government was being restored, etc. etc.

The Truth Shall Make You Free: Chapter 16: 60 Minutes

published by: 

The Truth Foundation

11 Laurel Court

Freehold Township, New Jersey 07728

1981

Chapter 16   60 Minutes

(pg 237)While the church officials were waging their battle of opposition to the civil authorities through their sit-ins and legal maneuverings, the 60 Minutes program was being prepared. Rader was so confident that he had set up Mike Wallace that 60 Minutes was being touted to the Ambassador students as one of the top programs on TV. Finally, on February 7th, with all the background filming completed, Mike Wallace completed the filming with his interview of Rader. After three hours, the interview ended with a violent outburst by Rader, and his threats to sue Mike Wallace and CBS. Wallace and his entire crew were told by Rader to immediately leave his offices.

 Rader, who thought he had been using Mike Wallace, now knew that Wallace had his number all along. Rader immediately announced to the press that Wallace had obtained the interview under false pretense. Said Rader, "The press is the press, they can't be trusted and they're irresponsible." Leaving the reporters he then said, "Now it is time to turn my attention to those around here who ought to be punished."

Word quickly spread that Mike Wallace had been thrown out of Rader's offices, and it was carried as a major news item that evening. Also, by the next day, Earl Timmons had in his possession a tape recording of the entire Wallace/Rader interview. The recording did not come from Wallace, however. It was obtained from one (pg 238) of the Church employees who had copied it from the secret recording that Rader had made of the entire interview.

Stories regarding the contents of the interview began to circulate throughout the Church. Rader announced to the membership that Wallace had used illegally obtained recordings in the interview. Anxiously, many were awaiting the airing of the program.

Finally, on April 15th, 60 Minutes aired its report on the Worldwide Church of God and called it "God and Mammon." After a brief background by Mike Wallace on the Church, and its current troubles, films were shown of Rader proudly boasting of the opulence and cost of the various campus facilities. He was shown emerging from his chauffeur driven limousine. The crown prince was being featured in all of his glory and he appeared to love every minute of it.

In the segment where Garner Ted was interviewed, he told of the lavish expenditures and outright extravagance on the part of Church leadership. He indicated that Rader was the one responsible for his ouster. When asked by Wallace if he felt that the Worldwide Church had done a disservice to Christianity, Garner Ted pensively responded "Yes."

His willingness to answer questions in such a direct manner was in extreme contrast to the segment covering Wallace's interview with Rader. When comparing the giving of gifts to world leaders to a situation where the President of the Untied States would give gifts when he traveled, Rader seemed to indicate that Herbert Armstrong occupied a position of greater importance than most people realized. Wallace then asked if Rader would compare Herbert Armstrong to a head of state. Rader said that he did and added that Armstrong held a position comparable to that of Head of State. And Rader said that he was Armstrong's secretary of state. Wallace then proceeded to the part of the interview that resulted in his being thrown out of Rader's office.

Wallace said to Rader, "Just a little while ago you were the bete noire of Herbert Armstrong. Did you know that?"

     Rader replied, with a questioning look, "I?"

     Wallace: "Yes."

     Rader: "When was this?" Wallace: "Oh, early January".

     Rader: "No."

     Wallace: "Don't you believe it?"

     Rader: "Positive."

(pg 239) Wallace then read a portion of the letter that Herbert Armstrong had sent Rader when Armstrong was trying to move him aside late in December. It was the same letter that Armstrong had read over the phone to Wayne Cole. Rader didn't believe that Wallace could have had access to that letter and continued to bluff his way claiming that rmstrong had never said such a thing to him. Wallace then asked Rader if he would recognize Armstrong's voice. Rader responded that he would and Wallace then began to play the tape recording that had been made of the phone conversation between Armstrong and Cole when the subject of Rader was being discussed. Millions then heard Armstrong make his statement referred to earlier in this book regarding his concern about Rader taking over the Church and referring to the $50 to $70 million magnet that he feared Rader may have his eyes on.

Rader was stunned. He said, "Now I say you've acquired this by illegal means. I intend to have my attorneys today not only sue you, if you use this." Turning to his attorney Allan Browne he continued, "I mean this now and I want you to go to the district attorney today, let him know that Wayne Cole improperly recorded this. I'll defend Mr.Armstrong and the Church on that basis."

As he continued to work himself up into more and more of a rage, Rader said: "Mike, look, I think you better scrap everything because you're on my list, okay? You're never going to live it down, Mike, I guarantee it. You're contemptible. I'd like you to get out of here immediately." Rader then got up from his desk, began storming about the room like a raving maniac and disappeared off camera.

That ended the program. After watching this, Paula and I wondered if people would finally wake up. It may have awakened the general public to the nature of the Church leadership, but it appeared to have little effect on the members of the Church.

Herbert Armstrong claimed in a Church publication that the tape recording of his conversation was a fabricated tape and was actually pieced together word by word from other tapes of his speeches and sermons. By this time, members of the Church were ready to believe anything from the mouth of the apostle, and they swallowed this, one of the biggest lies yet, as well. Any person of even less-than-average intelligence could tell that it was not a fabricated tape. To those who wanted to believe that Armstrong was the apostle, any lie to fortify that belief, no matter how big, was believable.

(pg 240) In spite of Rader's threats to Mike Wallace, neither Wallace nor CBS were ever sued, as Church members were being told that they were putting that problem on the back burner until the time was right to bring suit. Slowly it would be forgotten that a threat had ever been made.

ExCOG Cult Leader and Convicted Felon Yisrayl Hawkins and the White Buffalo

Yisrayl Hawkins, the leader of one of Armstrongism's weirdest splinter cults has been predicting for years that he is the great white buffalo of Lakota tradition that comes at the end of the world. This is used to justify his claim to be one of the two witnesses.


Yisrayl should be giddy with excitement with the headline story from London's Daily News about a white buffalo that was born recently. Rare Sacred White Buffalo


The question will be in how he dances around the fact a REAL white buffalo was born which kind of makes him irrelevant now.


Sacred names cult leader Hawkins makes the following claim:

The Prophetic Word Magazine dated 1-2/2004 p. 17 "Several Native American tribes have prophecies concerning the appearance of the white buffalo in the last days. That prophecy originated with the Lakota people about 2,000 years ago by what they know as the white buffalo calf woman… White buffalo calf woman promised to return again and she made some prophecies concerning that time…Possibly most poignant, the Hopi, like several Meso-American peoples, had a myth about a lost white brother, Pahana, whose return would usher in a period of peace and reconciliation. The Hopis believe that the true white brother would come and find that all have forsaken the sacred instructions and that he would possess the missing piece of the stone tablet… The apparition of the white buffalo is shown to be a white man born somewhere in Oklahoma…The end would come with his generation…"

The shear stupidity that comes out of this man's mouth is mind boggling.  The sad part is that he has a compound of equally disturbed believers that flock to every word he utters. 

According to news reports Hawkins has association with white-racist extreme anti-government groups. According to information provided by Hawkins, he was a follower and believer in Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God and followed his doctrine on law-keeping before starting his own cult group with his brother Jacob.  Both William and Jacob claimed to be the two witnesses of John's Revelation. Jacob has died and it did not happen in Jerusalem or Israel as the prophecy speaks of the two witnesses.  William remains as the leader of the cult.  He changed his name from William to that of Yisrayl in an attempt to give himself some sort of name baptism into his brand of Pharisee Judaism. Claiming to be an expert in both the Paleo-Hebrew and Aramaic/Babylonian languages, Hawkins claims "Yahweh" is the correct pronunciation of the tetragrammaton YHWH or YHVH.  He claims also that the name "Jesus" comes from the Greek god Zeus and the correct name of the Saviour is "Yahshua." With law-keeping as his doctrine of salvation, the two sacred names Yahweh and Yahshua, and his hatred for the name of Jesus, Hawkins claims he alone has the sacred calling to establish the House of Yahweh.  All other Yahweh movements who have stolen from him his doctrine, he claims are false.

Newsweek magazine, in covering doomsday cults reported that among Hawkin's group in Abilene many hundreds have pierced their ears as a sign of being a slave or servant to Yahweh and Hawkins.  This sign of loyalty can now be seen on many cult members."

For the nine years Buffalo Bill Hawkins led a steady if undistinguished career as an Abilene cop, and spiritually he was at a low ebb. Though he still took his family to church on Saturday mornings, Hawkins worked on religious holidays and spent his off-hours raising coonhounds, operating a mobile home park--which his wife was not even aware that he owned--and making homemade wine. When Darlene was due to have their last daughter, Officer Hawkins simply dropped her off at the hospital on the way to the station and told her to call when the baby was born. Often irritable, he frequently beat Darlene in the presence of his kinfolk. One of his daughters remembered how he reacted when she and her sister burned the potatoes one evening: "He threw them against the wall and made us go to our rooms. Then he came in with a wire hangar and whipped our legs till they bled. And then he pulled off his belt and whipped us some more."

After Darlene learned in 1972 that Hawkins had slept with another woman, it occurred to her that she had given her life and her money to a remorseless cad, so she and their children moved back to Oklahoma. Less than a year later Hawkins took  up fornicating with a woman named Kay who lived in his trailer park, and together they had a bastard child out of wedlock.  Kay was to later learn she said that Hawkins had a habit of plucking other women out and giving them favors denied to others, insinuating that he was fornicating with all of them. How many were the wives of other men at the compound or wives or men he had kicked out is unknown. How many were young girls we do not know. Eventually the whole story of Hawkins will be known and his House of Yahweh, like the pagan houses of Yahweh of ancient cultures will be demolished.

Kay Hawkins claims it was when her husband began preaching that a man could have many wives (polygamy), she says she smelled a rat and saw her husband as a fraud. This is interesting since some claim she is the harlot with whom Hawkins was fornicating when he was caught and Darlene left him. Kay's first child is proof of Hawkin's adultery and fornication. Kay also admits she helped doing much of her husband's research giving him ideas on scripture interpretation and writings for him, believing she was married to one of Yahweh's two holy messengers. "This man is not the man I thought I knew," she said. She said she even learned a few things about her former husband, chiefly that his family despises him. His late brother, Jacob, who led a House of Yahweh congregation in Odessa, allegedly wrote his sibling was "deliberately deceiving" followers. And the magazine quotes a brother-in-law calling Hawkins one of the world's biggest liars. "When 2000 comes and it's a bright and sunny day ... he'll change his story like he has before," she said. "In the Bible, the Messiah says, 'No man knows the day or hour, not the Son of Man, but my Father only.' He's put his foot in his mouth this time." The Cult of the House of Yahweh

There is a large selection of stories and information here about the House of Yahweh cult and Yisrayl Hawkins
House of Yahweh