Aaron Dean on GTA and HWA's Relationship

RE: [elijahforum] GTA on YouTube

While I would agree a lot of people heard GTA as 1st contact, it was the writings of HWA that convincted them.

I cannot agree that "others had a vested interest in keeping them apart".  From 1980 to 86, I answered the phone when Ted called, and I would ALWAYS tell HWA that Ted was calling, and he always called the home, not the office.  Always his statement was (and GTA heard it as I held the phone up and would ask if he heard his father.) "He knows what he has to do". All GTA had to do was write a simple letter to his father so he would know it would not be a shouting match if he did talk to him, and GTA would not do that.  It served GTA's purpose better to say he was being kept away by others. After every call was an interview within a day or two where GTA would say "I was cut off from speaking to my father", or "I tried yesterday to call and my father won't speak to me."  It was frustrating for me cause I would ask why don't you write the letter.

Stan Rader would have had an interest in keeping them apart, but that doesn't explain 1980 to his death in 1986 when Stan was gone. (Actually SRR had an interest in keeping HWA away from Pasadena in the 70's, not just away from GTA. But GTA had an interest in keeping HWA away from Pasadena as well - because the college was falling apart.) GTA used the estrangement for PR with the press, and with his church. (When meeting with CGI - they told me they were in the room when GTA made the calls, and only would say "See, cut off again". They were never told what HWA or I said, or that GTA had actually heard his father's voice.

I talked to GTA at HWA's funeral, and he admitted that I had never cut him off. I had always liked GTA since I knew him from the time I was 4 years old. I even flew with him when his father had the heart attack and GTA used the G-II.  I bear no ill toward him, but that part of the statement below is inaccurate.

Aaron

He was never convicted of a crime.
However, there were those inside and outside the church who were criminals and had a vested interest in making sure that Garner Ted and his father were kept apart permanently and that Garner Ted's reputation was destroyed in order to take down the Church of God.

GTA: The Mincemeat King?

On my favorite wacky Yahoo board filled with over zealous law spitting legalists, a person posted a comment that people should watch the John Ankerberg interviews with GTA.

There are thirteen of these videos

Another person quickly piped in, "Why would anyone watch this pervert?"

This comment did not sit well with a COG woman who thinks she also is a professional Jew.  She had this to say:

He was never convicted of a crime.
However, there were those inside and outside the church who were criminals and had a vested interest in making sure that Garner Ted and his father were kept apart permanently and that Garner Ted's reputation was destroyed in order to take down the Church of God.

The online tapes of Garner Ted  and  John Ankersberg are fun. Garner Ted makes mincemeat out of the other men he debates.
Whatever he might be, he knew his bible inside out, backwards and forwards, he knew how to prove what he said too.
A great number came into the church of God through the work on Garner Ted Armstrong on television and radio.

It's funny to read her comment that GTA made mincemeat of Ankerberg.  Almost all in the Christian community say that Ankerberg makes mincemeat of GTA.

The same foolishness is also claimed about GTA making mincemeat of those who believe in evolution.  Evolution was GTA's big moneymaker for a while.  Quick, witty, editorializing without any substantial proof, spit out to try and discredit scientists.  GTA sounded impressive to the ordinary COG member who almost assuredly did not have higher education.  Plus, by the fact that GTA had attended and graduated from God's College, he therefore knew what he was talking about.  GTA never had a real education in a real college.  He had a team of researchers who would hunt and hunt until they found someone who agreed with the stance that GTA had or the church had.  They they would reword it and make it GTA's own.

Then what about glossing over GTA's rampant adultery and sexual harassment court cases.  How many women did this guy need to have sex with, assault or rape before he was guilty? Two hundred?  75?  Or just one?

Did You Bow Down Before the New Moon Tonight?

I still amazes me how those steeped in all the myriad of laws that Armstrongism has yoked it's members with, that some of those same members seek out and find myriads of other 'laws' that they 'require' of 'true' followers.

Apostle Malm has been commanding that true Christians (COGers only) are COMMANDED to observe monthly new moons with bible study and celebration meals, prepared of course BEFORE sundown.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: After sunset ending June third, the first  light of the New Moon will be visible at Jerusalem.  This begins the first day of the Third Biblical month by the Biblical Calendar. Four June in the New Moon Day, which we observe with a family Bible Study and special meal [prepared BEFORE Sabbath] to sanctify the new month as  prophesied for the Kingdom and observed in ancient Israel.  

The New Moon is NOT a High Holy Day; it is a consecration of the new month and is commanded to be observed by God. The New Moon falls into the category of the Passover and Wave Offering as being commanded to be observed, yet short of a Sabbath or Holy Day.

 In the Kingdom it will be a required observance for all flesh, Is 66:23, Ez 46:3. Today we should have a special Bible Study [a personal or family study if your group is not yet ready to obey God in this matter] in lieu of the commanded sacrifices; it would also be appropriate to have a festive meal as done by ancient Israel: example King Saul.

 How do you know exactly when the new moon is occurring?  You will be told by a Karaite Jew in Jerusalm who blows on his shofar.  Once he blows the horn you are commanded to worship  the moon.


The New Moon has been confirmed by actual observance at sunset this evening in Jerusalem.  Welcome the Sabbath and the New Moon with the Shofar.

Is it just me are all Armstrongites getting crazier by the minute?