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
God's greatest mouthpiece, after James Malm and Dave Pack, is Almost Arrested Elisha Elijah Amos Thiel. Almost Arrested Thiel has his magnificent headquarters in the middle of the California coastlands in a tiny store front. Between his hard work in hocking alternative medicines and other naturopathic quackery, he has time to sit down and write "book's." These are not your normal Church of God books on pre1986 doctrines or silly explanations on evolution; these are books filled with an odd mixture of Mayan, American Indian, Islamic, anti-Catholic, Armstrongite, and pre-millennial myths and legends.
The Almost Arrested false prophet has just re-released one of his books on Hillary Clinton.
Non-voting Almost Arrested Thiel assumes he is the final voice in politics. Apparently his god visits him in dreams and inspires him to write these steaming piles of ______.
The name of his book on Hillary Clinton is this:
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Donald Trump? 2nd edition
We are blessed to have included in this magnificent revised edition information on Donald Trump too.
Almost Arrested Thiel writes:
The subtitle has been changed to include information about Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump. Donald Trump was not mentioned in the first edition of the book as he did not announce his candidacy until about two months after that book came out.
But Donald Trump was not the only reason to come out with a second edition. Hillary Clinton has made more statements that prove that my original contention that she is ‘apocalyptic’ is correct.
...lists 20 reasons why she is apocalyptic and also points out she, and even Donald Trump, are fulfilling certain end time prophecies. This edition is also a dozen pages longer than the first edition.
Who's prophecies? The Mayans? The Hopi's? Muslim prophets? Nostradamus? Another self-appointed Church of God leader? Fatima? Herman Hoeh? Buddha? Elvis?
Certainly one cannot place any credence upon rantings of a Church of God leader, because the 90 year track record of COG prophecies coming to pass has been nill. So who is one to believe?
Now that David Hulme's little personality cult is on the verge of collapse, the few followers in Africa that he has are abandoning ship. With Hulme's tirades resulting in the disfellowshipping members and ministers, the income stream is quickly drying up. When the money dries up there is nothing left to go to the professional church moochers in Africa. Never fear though, those "brethren" found a new money stream. They are supposedly jumping into the big manure pile of Almost Arrested Elisha Elijah Amos Thiel. Secretly, I hope they all do and drain the false teacher and false prophet dry financially.
I have to admit, I watched every one of AronRa's refutations of Apostle Dave Pack's series on Irrefutable Proofs of God, which were easily refuted , with glee. It was a job more than well done by a man who actually knew what he was talking about compared to Dave Pack who only thinks he knows what he is talking about but really doesn't.
Several times in my ministry I experienced a glimmer of hope that new information which would really help the church and relieve burdens that were simply unnecessary were introduced .
The Systematic Theology Program my first experience with hoping we could stop majoring in the minors . Topics such as Divine Healing and Divorce and Remarriage were given a good looking over and burdens of belief and practice in these troublesome areas seemed on the verge of a balancing perspective. Wrong.... As most of us know, the ministers were ordered to turn in their copies of the STP and Authority trumped knowledge once again in the Church of God. Herbert Armstrong would have none of it and Satan got the blame.
AronRa pointed out to Dave Pack that his "proofs" were all one way , from the top down, through his series, his booklets and his opinions with the implication that once explained, it should now be your belief. That's how churches work. Here our booklet. Read and agree with it. Come to church and pray, pay, obey and stay. Simple!
Ever try to offer a rebuttal back up the chain of church "authority"? As the King told Herbie in the Wizard of Id who came to the King offering advice and some things that needed changing said, "Well with ideas like that Herbie, you'll really go up in this kingdom." The next scene we see Herbie standing at the foot of the gallows to "Up you go Herbie"
Truth in the Churches of God always have this bad habit of having to come from the top down. It can't come from new information on old well accepted church fairy tales. It certainly can't come from Books on the topic not written by the Grand Masters of the Churches. Unless it's an in house booklet it's not going to happen and for sure it ain't coming from YOU!
When I was a kid, if I had a theological question, and I had many, you simply asked the minister. After all he is the expert right? Even as a Presbyterian kid, I figured he'd know and he was supposed to know. And he did know the Presbyterian spin on all thing Bible and Calvin.
I have to say that if I had had the Internet as a kid, I NEVER would have given WCG a thought in its teachings much less wish to pastor churches in their name. Knowledge had not been increased as prophesied at that time and would only increase later with age , experience and dis-illusionment fueled by study on my own and allowing myself to come to my own conclusions without fear, guilt or shame. Disillusionment is not a bad thing. Who wants illusions? Well except the Splits, Splinters and Slivers...
The leadership of the Churches like religious folk. Religion, by my own definition is what OTHERS can pour into your head for you to believe. They can define your days of worship , your diet, your financial commitments and when to show up where and for what. They tell you what to believe and if you are a good member, you agree to believe it. I know you think you studied it our well but you really didn't because your leadership didn't and won't once their own beliefs are set in stone and unalterable. The ever changing "truth" is not what they can use to uphold their image as "one who knows."
Spiritual folk, on the other hand, are like cats. You can't herd them. They might listen to what you say, but their sense of self and belief comes from within and is not easily commanded to believe as told. As my dad often said when he was told to do or be something he was not certain he had to do or be (sometimes by Dave Pack personally), "I'll take that under advisement." That was dad's way of saying "NO".
It is risky calling anything "The Plain Truth" when it comes to religion and issues of faith and practice based on Bronze and Iron Age admonitions and perspectives. It's especially risky when one has not done the hard work of study or literal exploration in the field. Dave Pack sat home in a nice chair, reading Creationist views and fondly remembering outlining The Genesis Flood in class 50 years ago, as if it was ultimate truth and it was not even close, and that was good enough. He no doubt read "A Whale of a Tale " and "A Theory for the Birds" and that pretty much proved evolution of all life to be a farce. Of course those booklets were the farce and grossly wrong as is Dave Pack today and was so mercilessly pointed out. Dave was way out of his league in thinking he could bully folk into scoffing at the facts of science and evolution and not get called out on it.
Those video rebuttals can now follow him the rest of his Internet life to give a better case for evolution than the case he made for magic and myth.
And that's the problem isn't it? In the Churches of God, you can't call out an Apostle, Prophet or Soon to Be Arrested Elijah Amos Thiel on anything. They don't listen , don't want to hear it, out of embarrassment can't change course now and dearly love to be the sole source of your truth and not others who actually know the facts. They don't really want to know the truth of anything. They want you to know their truth. They will dis-member you to protect the crock.
In the Churches of God the only recourse that leadership understands and that the laity has is to :
Withhold their support
Go along to get along
Vote with their feet
These are timeless and effective Church of God from the bottom up tools to get the attention of Apostles, Prophets, Presiding and Soon to Be Arrested types.
But don't be surprised that you will not be given the credit for research well done and common sense well explained. You will have to endure, "There is a way that SEEMS right to YOU, but it will end in death.." "The Wisdom, (buster) of Man (YOU) is FOOOOLISHNESS with God." or my favorite, "You are just using human reasoning," to which I would then ask them, "and what kind of reasoning do you use?" If they say "God's" , well you got 'em on the basis of human arrogance and hubris.
All this to say, and to encourage those still hanging on to Splits, Splinters and Slivers, that it is ok to think for yourself. It is ok , in real life and living to express the following concepts of real living and personal integrity:
"With all due respect, I don't believe that."
"What is it about AronRa's rebuttal you either don't understand or don't agree with and why?"
"We won't be attending that event"
"I give what can but don't order me to "Send it in"
"Well that's your view, it is not mine and here's why"
"No, I/we have no intention of believing you know we must flee to Petra and you will be the one to give the order."
(This is a particularly good skill to have in case Apostle Dave Pack issues such orders. His luck with prophecy and the truth of many things of late has been right at 0% correct)
"I'll take that under advisement..."
Established churches by nature can't change much. It spooks the brethren. If they do change, the do it over decades and centuries leaving the past generation of believers to believe what the next will be able to shed. THE REASON WCG under the Tkaches and now it's poor cousin Grace Community International under Joe Tkach have crashed and burned is because of radical, foolish and immediate change over months. All that does is leave the laity with the distinct impression that today's truth is tomorrows joke and the jokers in charge don't know what they are talking about at any one time. I think we can all recall the 37 changes back and forth on the topic of make-up. It was no if Herbert said no. It was yes if Ramona harassed him over it long enough.
Not observing and recognizing your beautiful children's birthday because some jackass in history cut the head off some fanatic is not really a good enough reason not to send the message to your children you love them are are very pleased they showed up on the planet.
Group truth is weak truth and probably not true for the most part. Truth handed down from the top is also probably not as true as one would like it to be.
Notice the reason groups and churches must all speak the same thing.
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
I Corinthians I:10
Here, the reason that all must speak the same thing is to prevent discord and division and to give the appearance of group agreement on all things. This is, in reality and practical fact,an impossible requirement if one really wants to get to the truth of anything. All believing the same thing just to preserve unity is not a healthy or even honest pursuit of what is actually true. Of course, it rankles the group big time.
Groups don't possess truth. Individuals do and while it might be said to be their truth or their present truth, it at least implies there might be more to come with newer and better information which they will always be willing to consider.. Groups don't like newer and better information and for sure those issuing truth from the top down detest it.
Writing in The Bulletin, June 3, 1975, pp. 293-294, Herbert
Armstrong explained a perplexing dilemma he had been facing:
“One thing has been a serious handicap, and caused me
and my touring team no little embarrassment. We have had
to say that we represent either Ambassador College, or
Worldwide Church of God.
“I am regarded as an Ambassador for WORLD PEACE.
But if I represent a CHURCH, immediately that shouts to
them ‘RELIGION!’ and that sparks prejudice and
competitive religious prejudice. If I try to get away from
appearing to be a religious crusader by representing
Ambassador College, they ask, ‘Where is this college? How
many students do you have?’ A college even with two
campuses, having enrollments of only some 500 to 700
sounds pretty small, compared to the universities all over the
world each with from 5,000 to 68,000 students.
“Christ has said we must be ‘wise as serpents, and
harmless as doves.’ Some weeks ago I authorized the
forming and incorporating of a new FOUNDATION,
named ‘The Ambassador International Cultural
Foundation. ‘ It is non-profit, dedicated to serving humanity
worldwide.
“Foundations, such as the Ford Foundation, the
Rockefeller Foundation, etc. are regarded with great
respect. I still mention Ambassador College, but also
explain that we have now formed this new Foundation to
sponsor our worldwide educational program for all peoples
at all levels. In time, we may, in this worldwide new
dimension of the Work, drop all mention of Ambassador
College, except as one of the associated institutions.
Furthermore, for accreditation purposes, it is necessary that
this phase of the Word be removed from Ambassador
College, as it now will be legally.
“Already, we are finding that this new Foundation is
giving great added prestige, credibility and favor. It is
something NOBODY CAN CRITICIZE! It carries no
RELIGIOUS connotation!”
Three years later, HWA was screaming about those who had
deceived him into going secular and intellectual! What could be
more secular and intellectual than founding another foundation
similar to the Ford Foundation? Interestingly, that organization’s
founder, Henry Ford II, separated himself from it a few years
ago, claiming it had entirely lost its direction, and he wanted
nothing more to do with it. And, I think, the Rockefeller
Foundation is well known to Americans for its humanistic
liberalism. But Herbert Armstrong craves association with those
types of institutions while he abhors having any connection with
his church and college! No wonder he refers to church members as
“dumb sheep.” What could be more revealing?
Also, while he himself was going international, seeking the
support of “all peoples of all levels, everywhere,” and while he
was actively seeking association with the “great and near-great of
this world,” he had the brass to write to the “dumb sheep:”
“SHOULD GOD’S PEOPLE TAKE ACTIVE PART IN
LOCAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES?” In his Pastor’s Report
of August 28, 1978, his answer is “No.” While he cavorts with the
“name people” as much as he possibly can, he wants the “dumb
sheep” to “sacrifice until it hurts” to further his work and his
work alone. It has never been HWA’s policy to give aid to local
communities via the local church there.
While Jimmy Carter discussed Christianity with the Chinese
leaders (Carter is not even a minister), Herbert Armstrong, who
professes to be a Christian minister, did not so much as mention
the name of Christ on his trip to China for fear of offending his
hosts. Herbert Armstrong seems to have no fear of offending
Christ. But remember, he is ashamed of religion. He would prefer
not to mention the “only name given under heaven whereby a
man might be saved!” Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father
which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him
will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt.
10:32-33).
Herbert Armstrong has an unusually strong desire to walk
among the great of this world. In May of 1978 he wrote to his coworkers
that he and Queen Elizabeth of Britain were going to cohost
an important premier of a charity motion picture in London.
The Queen’s staff at Buckingham Palace replied they had never
heard of Herbert Armstrong. There was embarrassment all
around. HWA’s boast just was not so. But that is the way he
thinks. He so desperately wants to mix in important circles of
“this world.” One would be hard-pressed to explain what a
religious leader who has taught the things Herbert Armstrong has
taught would be doing sponsoring such a motion picture in the
first place.
Herbert Armstrong was not ashamed to be photographed
with his friend, President Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, who was
involved in the massacre of British people and cannibalism during
the uprising there some years ago. He liked the picture and had it
put on the cover of some of his publications. He probably would
be photographed with the devil himself, if that would advance his
social position. But he must keep his sheep in line back home,
because they are his power base until he can do better. They pour
the money in.
Church members who worked in the expensive new auditorium
in Pasadena began to speak out when concerts of all kinds began
to bring in entertainers and support crews right out of
Hollywood. These crews were not “born-again Christians” by
any means. They run the cross section of the entertainment
industry. In the eyes of religious people, that is not good. Here,
right in what Herbert Armstrong had called “The House for
God” when he was soliciting funds from the membership, were
technicians and others who took God’s name in vain as a matter
of course and others who talked “homosexual talk” while among
our people. On at least one occasion, members were rushed out of
the auditorium after Sabbath services while it was still the
Sabbath in order to get it ready for a performance that evening.
Why? Well, HWA was busily removing the stigma of representing
a church and a college in order that he might be well spoken of
among the New York and Beverly Hills set.
From John Robinson's, Tangled Web....courtesy of The Painful Truth SaveSave
