The Thatcher Meeting: Herbert Armstrong and Margaret Thatcher

Declassified files from the Margaret Thatcher foundation reveal the truth about the infamous Herbert Armstrong meeting with Margaret Thatcher: For Thatcher and the development of the Royal Opera House, it was all about securing money for the completion of the Opera House. For Armstrong, he bought his way into a meeting with the Prime Minister, and literally bought his name on a plaque on the foyer of the Opera House. But there were concerns from within. 

Concerns were expressed that Herbert Armstrong would "Misrepresent" the meeting to suggest the Prime Minister's support of "The Church and it's activities". Strong caution was advised, because "Armstrong had been trying hard to become identified as someone with contacts to the Royal Family and the Prime Minister". 

In one file, it was stated: 

"In Herbert Armstrong's mind, image seems to be all important. His desired association with the 'great and near-great', as he states it, seems to be principally for the purpose of improving his own image. And he is willing to pay well for just such association." 

It was also stated:

"The main purpose of the advertising appeared to be to gain respectability for himself." 

It was said that any meeting with Armstrong would be "Inappropriate". There were also concerns that Herbert Armstrong, "through his checkbook", is gaining access to people he "certainly should not meet."  Armstrong agreed to donate a considerable sum to the Royal Opera House fund for it's completion. 

Margaret Thatcher agreed to the meeting with Armstrong because of his donation. Armstrong only wanted "a few minutes" with the Prime Minister, if possible. Thatcher would meet with him to "thank him for his generosity to the Royal Opera House Development Appeal". 

When Armstrong was told that the "Plaque" in Herbert Armstrong's name had a qualifying donation of 100,000 pounds, he "increased the check to that amount, and raised the amount of the check to 185,000 pounds." The meeting with Margaret Thatcher was allowed because they had reason to believe Herbert Armstrong would be even more generous if he had the opportunity to meet her. 

The bottom line is, the Royal Opera House needed Herbert Armstrong's money to complete the Royal Opera House because it needed donations from the private sector. Herbert Armstrong needed recognition and a meeting with Margaret Thatcher, and his name on a plaque in the foyer. Both goals were accomplished at the expense of the Membership and co-workers of the Worldwide Church of God, under the guise to the membership of a Matthew 24 prophetic fulfillment. There was no time, nor was there any interest by Margaret Thatcher, of any gospel proclamation or any witness in fulfillment of the "gospel of the Kingdom of God" being preached or proclaimed to Margaret Thatcher or the British Government. This was all about money, ego, and self-gratification on the part of Armstrong. 

It was, as this blog has been saying, over and over again, all about the money, and on the part of the Church, a scam to it's well-meaning and well-intentioned members. 

Incidentally, The Thatcher files show the membership of the Worldwide Church of God in the United States in 1982 at 51,888, and internationally at 19,154.

submitted by SHT

Lil'Stevie Now the Public Face of Philadelphia Church of God

For the couple years or so, Gerald Flurry has been having serious health issues.  From heart problems to pain so intense in his legs that it prevents him from traveling on his luxury family jet. Due to his recent issues with his leg, Lil Stevie has been brought back from Edstone, England to be the public face of the Philadelphia Church of God and to stand in for Gerald at the personal appearance campaigns that Flurry had foolishly booked far in advance. Campaigns that have produced no new money streams for the church.

Now that Lil Stevie is back in Edmond, some speculate that he will start receiving more and more power, till eventually Gerald appoints him as his successor.  For some time now, people have claimed that Lil Stevie, the Turgeon clan and several other top "leaders" of PCG are only there for the money and prestige it brings them.  They do not necessarily believe some of the crap Gerald Flurry preaches.  While Gerald may truly believe he is right, many of his lower minions do not. But, like the United Church of God, many are only in it for the money.

Then, to make matters worse for the folk in England, abusive Wayne Turgeon has been sent there to replace Lil Stevie.  He has a horrendous track record of spiritual abuse of PCG members.

The day Gerald Flurry dies and these little guys take over will be the death knell of the Philadelphia Church of God.   May God quickly speed that day!

Wayne Turgeon: "...a man of low character..."

PCG: God Inspired Wayne Turgeon Into Forcing PCG Students To Work On Sunday

Philadelphia Church of God Summer Camp Horrors

Letters of those impacted by the Philadelphia Church of God

A Conversation about Positivity

It can be very easy to think back to the way times were and think very negatively about the situation we all were in. This is now my 5th year in deprogramming therapy - and have learned mountains and mountains of information - not only about cults, how they work, and how they try to program you and take over your life - but life in general - and loads, and loads of information that are more valuable than anything - and I do mean ANYTHING the Church ever lied to me about - and that was a lot. But the biggest things I have learned in regards to my experiences in a fundamentalist conservative family in the Worldwide Church of God in relation to my childhood is that first off, it was not my fault. second off, change is a part of life. And thirdly, I must find the positive because there is - and sorry if this is cliche - power in positive thinking. Even when we remember. And tonight, I remember the Feast of Tabernacles - in my early childhood.

YES - It's been a long, long time since I was among 14,000 people in a metal warehouse wearing a suit and tie, anticipating the Wonderful World Tomorrow among the only people in that area that God had called on the face of the Earth, or in a sports Arena, with slightly less people yet the same goals. I can still hear the “Why are We Here” booming out of the PA System, the echoing choir practicing, the hum-drum of thousands of people ready to hear the morning sermon, and the feedback of a poorly trained sound technician. I can still feel deep within the anticipation of the food to come and the places we'd visit once the 2-hour service was over.

I can still remember sitting in the back seat of my parents' vehicle, driving to a Family Day Horseback Riding Event – hearing “Unless the Lord Shall Build the House” in my head. I can still remember sitting up in the top left seats of the Arena, giddily excited the service was ending, watching Al Dennis, the song leader, lead “O God, Forsake Me Not”. I remember these events as if they were yesterday.

I can remember the smells of the motels – the clean smell of disinfectant. I can hear the ice machine unloading its newest ice cubes into the dispenser trays at 3 AM. And I can still remember the treats we'd only eat at the Feast – trail mix, health bars (I think they were Heath bars, actually), and the cool plastic cups wrapped in plastic next to the little bitty soaps we'd collect from the hotel. These memories are ingrained in my head deeper than the Grand Canyon, so it seems.

I remember sitting there, watching the minister speaking, absorbed in every detail of my surroundings. The lights – the ceiling fans whirling about. I would sometimes look down when they quoted scripture at all the heads dropping to take note of the exact chapter and verse. I would watch the Ushers ushering, or just standing around like they always seemed to do by every entryway.

I can remember the crying of scared babies when Herbert Armstrong went on a sudden crescendo about the Kingdom, or about how badly we need to wake up, or the “TRUTH”. I remember how his voice would echo around the hall on such a high note. And how quiet the audience was, so deathly quiet. I remember the voice of Art Gilmore with those films – the ones with the giant Statue, the beasts, or the Young Ambassadors. I distinctly remember Herbert Armstrong talking about Roast Porcupine in a very expensive silver serving tray.

I remember wearing that name badge – so proud of wearing an actual Festival badge. I can remember those proud moments of placing a Green Sticker on the car – verifying we were the True Church going to the True Feast. And I can remember when I would get those special Feast Edition magazines – yes, it's that time of year again – Feast Fever, the chill in the air, you can see your breath – and that special moon the night before we took off. These are things you can't forget.

Are these things me? No, they are not me. These are not my worst memories. These aren't my horror stories - But they are a part of my vivid childhood experiences, and they always will be. Pretending they didn't happen doesn't help anything, or change anything. The truth is, I thoroughly enjoyed some of these experiences. Was it - the whole thing - wrong? Absolutely, a lot of it was. Was it incorrect? Certainly. Was this version of the Feast of Tabernacles even done “right”, or “biblically”, if we even could? No, not at all. Yet, this was my experience. This was my life. And I have learned that while everything in life changes, and those days and times and seasons – and the very church itself – is gone, I have learned to take the good out of it and reflect on what was positive, what was decent, and good – because in everything you will find goodness if you look for it and focus on the positive.

Yes, it was a vacation. We were away from home for eight days. We ate good – real good. The hotel was far better than the house we lived in at the time. The people were friendly and like-minded, the enthusiasm and energy was palpable. The choir music was sometimes quite beautiful. We were all dressed beautifully and smelled... as best as we could smell! We went to museums, riverboat cruises, amusement parks, met great people, and made friendships that lasted decades. Even though in retrospect I am fully aware now that the entire thing was a fraudulent, lie-filled, financial convention that benefited the top, I also am fully aware that I was a kid – a child – and despite how much I believed the lies and went all in with it, I could be a kid, and there were moments – like ski-ball, roller-skating, and mall-walks that were a whole lot better than the day to day drab life at home.

What's the point of all of this? The best thing we can do is find the positive out of our experiences. The past is gone. The future will always be the future – but now – NOW is our present. Now is the only time we have. When we reminisce – either in nostalgia or in horror about our past – and though we all have been hurt and pained in life, and many of us by the WCG experience – thinking positively will be as an ointment soothing on the skin and calming to the nerves. Taking just a half an hour to write down the positive things – the positive aspects of our collective experience – might be far more beneficial than you might possibly imagine – and might even bring a smile and a laugh or two. Let's be thankful for those moments in time that brought smiles in unfortunate situations, because to everything there is a season, and to every season of sorrow there's laughter in the rain. We just sometimes have to go deep to find it.

submitted by SHT