Exposing the underbelly of Armstrongism in all of its wacky glory! Nothing you read here is made up. What you read here is the up to date face of Herbert W Armstrong's legacy. It's the gritty and dirty behind the scenes look at Armstrongism as you have never seen it before!
With all the new crazy self-appointed Chief Overseers, Apostles, Prophets, Pharisees, legalists, and outright liars leading various Churches of God today, it is important to hold these agents of deception accountable.
Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders
In this compelling third installment of our exploration into Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God, Nancy and Patti jump into the tumultuous 1970s, a decade marked by internal power struggles and profound shifts within the church. This episode not only uncovers the behind-the-scenes battles between Armstrong, his son Garner Ted, and his treasurer Stanley Rader, but also reflects on the broader implications these conflicts had on the church and its followers.
Join us as we also give a sneak peek into our exciting new series, "UnPack-It," where we take a critical and humorous look at the literature from our former cult. Expect to hear our thoughts on some of these outrageous texts and what they really represent.
We'll share other great content creator by former cult members, as well as shout out some of our favorite content creators who inspire us to continue uncovering truths and promoting a message of care and compassion—emulating the promise of "The World Tomorrow," but on our own terms, free from the shadow of fear.
Tune in to discover the real stories behind the public façade of the Worldwide Church of God in the 1970s and how these historical insights inform our journey towards healing and understanding today. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and join us as we share stories of our upbringing and our healing journey into freedom from doctrine, and seek to create spaces for others to integrate the experiences of their childhoods.
The Great Bwana to Africa shares with his 100 Caucasians and African followers how to love their (his) 'enemies'. After all, since he is God's greatest Church of God prophet and teacher to ever exist, he must set the example.
Mercy: Loving your enemies
On the ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ Jesus taught His followers to love their enemies. Can you do that? Why should you? How can you do that? Should you pray for your enemies and do good to them? Can you forgive someone who is not sorry? How can you show mercy to those who hate you? Is God really fair? Why did God allow Adolf Hitler? Will all reap what we sow according to the Apostle Paul? Can your physical and spiritual health be affected by the root of bitterness? Can a little leaven of bitterness hurt you a lot? Are Christians really supposed to control their thoughts? What are some health problems associated with being unwilling to forgive others? Could any of your enemies actually be above you in the Kingdom of God? Could your enemies actually be blinded by Satan and his demons? Did God call you because you were better than others? Have we all be enemies to God? Did Herbert W. Armstrong teach it was difficult to forgive those who intentionally want to cause us harm? What are some passages in the Bible about love, mercy, judgment, faith, and forgiveness? Are Christians actually supposed to strive to be perfect? Could your enemies, after the age to come, actually help make your eternity better? Dr. Thiel addresses those matters and more in this sermon.
David Archuleta says this song based off what my mom told me a few days after I said I was stepping away from our church. She said she was going to step away too and then said, “If you’re going to hell, we’re all going to hell with you.” While we didn’t look at hell as many people do as Latter-day Saints at the time, and even now my transition out of religion has shifted the idea as a whole for me, I understood the sentiment she meant in what she said, and it meant a lot to me. Thank you for always loving and supporting me mom. ❤️ This song is dedicated to those who show unconditional love in a world where it’s so easy to judge things we don’t fully understand, the way my mom showed that love to me.
This is how many in Armstrongism feel when they first decide to step away from the system they were abused under or have come to realize how way off-base it was theologically. It takes courage to make that first tremendous leap to freedom. Oh, how awesome it is!
It is always amazing how the little weasels that the Church of God has as its leaders have to continually find ways to make the lives of members more difficult. Even though the Days of Unleavened Bread were never a requirement for Christians to keep, certain COG leaders go out of their way to place endless burdens on their members.
Years ago when Ambassador Colege was operating, one self-important moron in Pasadena had an absolute meltdown when he walked into the Natatorium pump/filter area and saw the large number of 50lb bags of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). He went screaming to our department head DEMANDING that we dispose of all of the baking soda. Thankfully, our boss laughed in his face, as we all did, and refused to make us dump it all.
For those that do not know, sodium bicarbonate is used to keep the pH and the alkalinity of pool water balanced so it stays crystal clear.
Other foolish men demanded that toothpaste be dumped in the trash if it had baking soda in it. One idiot tried to get beer banned because it uses yeast. The list was endless as to what was allowable and what was not.
Never content to leave things alone, our Great Bwana to Africa and the occasional 100 Caucasians has now had revealed to him that calcium carbonate and disodium phosphate is now sinful at UB time:
Speaking of unleavened items, I recently learned that although Calcium Carbonate is not a leavening agent, when it is added into items that are baked it is one. Therefore, while you normally do not need to eliminate Calcium Carbonate, if it is listed as an ingredient in a baked item, that item should be consumed or disposed of prior to the start of the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Another substance I recently learned was a leavening agent is Disodium Phosphate–it is often used in packaged goods and is a leavening agent, hence packaged goods with it should be consumed or disposed of prior to the start of the First Day of Unleavened Bread.
Here are the two items Bob wants to eliminate from members' homes ( as if any of his African followers would have this):
Calcium Carbonate:
Calcium carbonate occurs in nature as limestone, chalk, marble, dolomite, aragonite, calcite and oyster shells. [NIOSH] Natural calcium carbonate can be found in the minerals calcite and aragonite (limestone, chalk, and marble). [Harber, p. 354] Calcium carbonate is used in the manufacture of quicklime, Portland cement, and paints. Pharmaceutical grades are used in cosmetics, foods, and drugs. [ACGIH] Used in paints, rubber, plastics, ceramics, polishes, inks, pharmaceuticals, adhesives, etc. [CHEMINFO] Used for whiting in glassblowing; [www.ci.tucson.az.us/arthazards/medium.html]
Disodium Phosphate:
Phosphates like disodium phosphate are derived from the element phosphorus. They’re used to enhance food characteristics like nutritional value and cooking performance. Disodium phosphate is used in packaged foods, including macaroni and pastas. It’s also used in some cheeses as an emulsifier. You can also find it in meat products, canned sauces, Jell-O, evaporated milk, and some chocolate.
Originally derived from animal bones and urine, phosphorus is now extracted from phosphate rock. It’s purified and put through chemical reactions.
The COG has always been great about majoring in the minors. looking at the small things and never at the larger picture.
The Philadelphia Church of God posted a letter from a member in the members-only section of their website the following:
PCG's eternally pissed-off god was not happy that this person decided to go to the Doctor FIRST instead of getting anointed, so it had one more lesson to teach this person:
Magical god and magical phone calls from the minister. Powerful!
Then, the person has to ask the minister for permission to get a second opinion. No minister in any COG has the right to expect members to ask for permission to see a doctor or for any other decision, especially when it comes to health matters.
Divine healing, misdiagnosis, or the body correcting itself, it's hard to say. The problem with this article lies in the fact that this person thought they were turning their back on their god by going to the doctor first instead of to the minister.
The number of licensed doctors in Armstrongism is probably around .5 - 1% and that's being generous. No minister in any COG has the qualifications to tell a member what to do with their health issues.
The crazy belief that God is not going to heal you because you went to a doctor first is absurd. If you are going to ask the minister to anoint you while in the hospital then ask for God to guide the hands of the doctors as they perform their necessary duties.
Herbert Armstrong surrounded himself with doctors for many years and relied upon them. Many in the church woke up when they witnessed the unnecessary deaths of Richard Armstrong and Loma Armstrong. Letting the bullheadedness of Herbert destroy two lives was a wake-up call. Rod Meredith then stoked the fire more when he went to the doctor to correct an eye issue.
Like most things in Armstrongism, the leadership did the opposite of what the members were expected to do. You can be guaranteed that Gerald Flurry, Lil'Stevie, and all the grandkids make regular use of doctors when needed.
You can tell it is Passover time in COGland as members continue to get lambasted about all the things they are doing wrong and are told to repent of those sins before they dare to take Passover. This year members are being told to be watching for the following sins in their lives. Imagine how exhausting this entire list is.
wicked or inappropriate attitudes
motives
weaknesses
faults
sins
transgressions
iniquities in us
pride
feelings of superiority
complacency
apathy
a party spirit
backbiting
gossip
accusatory spirits
hardness of hearts
dullness of hearing
disunity
discord
division
In these end times in which we live we are admonished by God to “wake up, redeem the time, watch and pray” and “remember our calling.” The attitudes of pride, feelings of superiority, complacency, apathy, a party spirit (as described in 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-4), resistance as manifested in backbiting, gossip, accusatory spirits, hardness of hearts and dullness of hearing—all of which lead to disunity, discord and division—are alive and well, and on full display in the world around us. Sadly, these same attitudes can creep into the Church if we allow them to.
As we approach Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, we must remember the words of our Savior on that last evening before He was crucified. His will was and is for His disciples to be “at one” with each other and with Him and God the Father. That takes acknowledgment, repentance, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation—all of which are part of our Christian lifestyle. Unity of the Spirit, unity of faith, unity in the truth and one-ness with God and each other take effort and constant vigilance. Satan will do anything to come between us and God, and us and each other. Let us all be aware as we prepare for the Passover in a “worthy manner, rightly discerning the Lord’s body” as God instructs in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.
