The Enigma of Herman Hoeh

In case you missed Trader's posting in the comments recently...

Having known Herman Hoeh (like many others) for nearly 20 years and worked for him for part of that time, if someone had told me that he had adopted elements of the edicts of Zarathustra, I can't say I would be surprised. An intensely private man, Hoeh was an enigma in the truest sense of the word.

If he was anything (and I actually write this with respect), he was an apologist for whomever was in power at the time in WCG.

1) For example, when HWA announced in the 1950s/1960s that the Egyptian pyramids couldn't have survived the Great Flood, Hoeh responded by simply rewriting history. Borrowing heavily from Immanuel Velikovsky's controversial work, Ages in Chaos, Hoeh reworked traditionally accepted Egyptian and Babylonian dynasty chronologies so they fit HWA's Flood scheme. He subsequently published them as "new truth" in the first volume of his legendary Compendium. When HWA later allowed for the pyramids to actually have "survived" the Flood, Hoeh looked like an idiot.

2) The "theology" for HWA's title and rank of "Apostle" came directly from Hoeh. HWA actually initially rebuked Hoeh for calling Armstrong an Apostle, but as we all know, gradually accepted it (although HWA didn't use the title openly for nearly 20 years).

3) In the last months while HWA was dying, Hoeh basically either flat-out hand-wrote sections or heavily edited prior HWA works for the book that became Mystery of the Ages. (Sheila Graham also played a significant role in the production of MOA, which should give Flurry fits). Mystery of the Ages would be more appropriately title "Herbert Armstrong's Greatest Hits," edited by Herman L. Hoeh.

4) Hoeh heavily edited HWA's original Authobiography after Armstrong's death (again with aid from Sheila Graham), adding in HWA letters and the initial pieces about Joe Tkach. The result was a politically tinged tone that produced a quasi-"balanced" view of WCG's founder and made it seem like the selection of Tkach as successor was an orderly process (which it was anything but same).

I had a great deal of respect for Hoeh (particularly in how he and his wife were true servants of humanity), but truly to really understand what he "believed" at any given moment was like trying to nail a wet noodle to a wall.

AW comment: Sheila, I had no idea!

UCG packing for Dallas

The Journal has just released a newsflash. The Ohio-based church, largest in the ex-Armstrong stable, is about to relocate to sunny Texas. Details of the story, written by Dave Havir, are now online.

Several days ago a correspondent identifying herself as "Bible Betty" posted this message in several AW threads: Now that L. McCullough and C. Kilough were seen looking at land in Dallas to buy for a new headquarters and college for the United Church, their members in Texas will likely be excited to have the United HQ in their state. It turns out Betty was right on the money.

Flying Pigs Over Charlotte

Big things are ahead for God's Philadelphian Work, the Living Church of God. Yes folks, that's no bunny Rod just pulled out ears-first, it's (gasp!) a university!

Dr. Winnail just now came into my office and asked me to include a preliminary announcement to all of you about our plans to start the “Living University”—with classes beginning this coming autumn! As one who taught Ambassador College theology classes more than any other human—and one who assisted Mr. Armstrong as Second Vice President of Ambassador College for many years—I have a deep desire to educate our young people and members and give them the opportunity to participate in the proper type of educational setting in a truly Christian environment.

So please take note! The goal of this University will be to provide accredited degrees, as well as diplomas and certificates, through distance learning courses. We already have a dedicated faculty who have committed to this program with the necessary degrees and background to make it a resounding success. Along with my teaching many of the Bible classes, Dr. Douglas Winnail will also assist in overseeing this Living University—as well as Mr. Richard Ames who taught for years and has an M.A. from Stephen F. Austin University. The Chief Executive Officer of the University will be Dr. Michael Germano—holding earned doctorates from the University of Southern California and the University of La Verne. Dr. Germano served as Academic Vice President at Ambassador College in Pasadena, CA and as Academic Dean at Ambassador University in Big Sandy, TX. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Academic Services at Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC.

Living University, with administrative offices at Living Church of God Headquarters in Charlotte, NC, plans to begin with “all the world as its campus” and offer distance learning courses for undergraduate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Eventually, we hope to offer an on campus program for a limited number of students... So let us be inspired, again, in all that Christ is doing!

This is of course wonderful news. An accredited COG university issuing real degrees. That's a trick that Herbert Armstrong himself never managed to pull off in his lifetime. The current WCG 'college' is unaccredited, nor is UCG's or the lavish clone-campus in Edmond operated by 6-pack Flurry & Son. Moreover, none of these institutions calls itself a university.

So we're all very impressed. But there are a few nagging questions.

1. Can LCG afford the big bucks necessary to bring its new project up to accreditation standard?

2. Will Rod live long enough to see the first degree issued?

3. Will LCG - which is losing members, ministers and (therefore) money - need to mothball the project even before then due to one of the many crisis derailments that plague the sect?

4. Is it ethical to assure prospective students that their qualifications will be recognized when that situation neither exists nor is likely to exist for a long time (if ever)?

5. Granted that Doc Germano has some experience with college administration, is it realistic to expect this gentleman to deliver accreditation to LCG's 'university' single-handed?

6. Would anyone want to accredit a university which hired Rod to teach, with no academic credentials other than a bogus doctorate from Ambassador College?

7. How many of the 'staff' have relevant degrees. What classes does Ames' MA, for example, qualify him to teach?

8. Is Rod nuts for investing energy in this strange beast - part albatross, part white elephant? Consider:

*** More ministers keep jumping ship (see previous post)
*** The Canadian branch is having problems
*** Attendance has reportedly halved in LA and San Diego

A little prognostication: "Living University" is unlikely to survive long enough to see its first graduate, and in the very unlikely event it does survive, none of us will still be around when it gains accreditation sometime in the twenty-fourth century. But the path from now till its demise is surely littered with wasted greenbacks from sincere people who trust Rod and really believe white rabbits (or flying pigs) can be pulled from hats.

Another one bites the dust

The livingcog Yahoo group reports that another LCG minister has gone AWOL. This time, according to informants, it's Eng Monson from Ohio. Excerpts from the postings:

Mr. Eng Monson, LCG pastor in Ohio, has resigned his position due to the changes going on in LCG and an unwillingness by the leaders of the church to consider his concerns.

...my husband spoke to him on the phone tonight, he will be going with Charles Bryce and I am sure he will continue in the ministry. There are others leaving the LCG daily.

I believe you can verify this by going to the church website http://www.cogl.org/ and doing a search for minister by typing in the name Monson. Only Sheldon comes up, not Eng. If you search Ohio, you will see that Lambert Greer is now the Pastor listed in most places.

Oh dear, oh dear. Is anyone able to confirm or deny? No comment yet on Bob Thiel's site (big surprise).

From Abraham to (the other) Joe Jr.

Quick, March 13 will be on us in just over a week's time, and it'll then be too late to pick up the special issue of US News & World Report entitled Mysteries of Faith: The Prophets at the news stands.

Here, in magazine format, condensed into 88 pages, is a primer on the prophets with a line-up of contributors that includes Jonathan Kirsch, Bruce Feiler, Bart Ehrman and Karen Armstrong. Don't be put off by the cover, which is obviously not designed with COG sensibilities in mind. This is a great introduction to the historical figures who loom so large in the Bible. Beyond this familiar territory there are articles on Islam's Quran and yes, even the world's most boring and derivative volume, the Book of Mormon.

So many people dive straight into the ravings of modern-day expositors, trumpeting some kind of "inside knowledge" - tithes and love offerings gratefully accepted. Instead, why not take a deep breath first and get the low down from these guys. The real story of the prophets is quite different from the impression you get listening to proof-texts on Saturday, or reading Tomorrow's World.

Articles focus on Abraham, Moses, David ("Playboy of the Ancient World"), and characters like Elijah, the Isaiahs (yes Virginia, there was more than one), Jeremiah et al. Then there's Jesus and Paul. For a little contrast, try the articles on Muhammad and Joseph Smith. A painless, cult-free education for a modest price. As is always the case, some articles are better than others, but on balance this single issue will do a lot more for your theological IQ than a year's worth of Greg Albrecht's Plain Truth (or a two year stack of Good News magazines).

Bryce's Mini Minor

Charles Bryce, leader of the Enduring Church of God, has released his latest "update" (March 1). Two items caught my eye.

The unoriginal, tired, worn-out old catch-phrase "majoring in the minors" is used frequently to water down clear Bible teaching... I'd like to read something that Mr. Dean Blackwell gave me just a day or so ago on "majoring in the minors" and he said, "This term began to be used about the time of the 1973/74 blow up in the Church. 'Majoring in the minors' began to be used to refer to those in the so-called old school"--which meant my teaching on which the Church was founded, that God used to build the Church--"[those] who were strict about birthday...[who were strict about] children staying totally out of Christmas artwork and activities, make up, etc."...

In other words, there was there, for a while, ministers who wanted to do away with every booklet, that I wrote that established this Church, that built this Church on a solid foundation. They wanted to knock out that solid foundation. And put a foundation of sand under the Church and destroy the Church....

There has been a liberal movement in the Church even since that. And we've been getting away from that and back on track since. You were majoring in the minors if you spoke on health foods, on prohibition and prohibited anything to do with birthday parties and insisted on modest apparel among the women...and no long hair among the boys or men.

Mr. Armstrong taught that we must obey all of God's Word and not categorize sin into major and minor lists. Sin is sin--period!

Putting aside the atrocious punctuation and grammar (which part is Blackwell, which Armstrong and which Bryce?) Chuckie and his old mate seem to be saying that they're proud to major in the minors. Have at it chaps, play in the sandbox as long as you like.

But what about the website? Every sect needs a presence online, a place where you can grab further contact details at the very least.

I just got off of the phone with our website coordinator and he said that it is about 50% finished. The website builders are working on it part-time, day-by-day, bit-by-bit, when they can find the time. Our eager anticipation for launching this major tool in the Work grows every day, right along with yours.

Translation: Billy-Bob and John-Boy are doing it for free, but they're really busy right now with their paper rounds and nobody has suggested that it might be a good idea to put up a basic temporary page while they're still messing around with exploding star animations and mp3 clips of Dwight Armstrong hymns. Never mind, at least they have nice short haircuts.

All in all, not an auspicious start. A mini church with a minor focus. Spanky will surely be quaking in his boots.

You can read the full Bryce epistle on AW Extra.

All the rest... just details

The following comments appeared below one of the recent postings. They deserve a wider audience.
There is a difference between "cursing the memory of everything COG," which I doubt that most do, and admitting to the fact that the foundations of the organization(s) was based on a terribly flawed premise.

There was much I enjoyed about my COG years. Some wonderful people. Some beautiful settings, including the campuses, and many of the Feast sites. I have strong and pleasant memories of many things.

That has nothing to do, unfortunately, with the realization that I came to in the past decade: I simply do not believe that a creator God would establish his "end-time true church" through an individual who, at that very time, couldn't keep his hands off his own daughter. All the rest, as they say, is just details.

I have read and heard those who have tried to discredit that story. Personally, I didn't want to believe it. But it was first told to me by an individual who remains a prominent, well-known and widely read COG true believer. He was and is convinced HWA did those things, but followed it with "it doesn't affect the message."

Sorry, but it most certainly does. As I quietly explored what he had told me -- I presume he thought either that I already knew or that, if I didn't, I would blow it off like he had -- I talked with several individuals, some from many years past who had left the organization without fanfare. I encountered one close friend from childhood who was surprised I didn't know and said he had heard the news from an Armstrong grandson. Another person close to me had heard the news from a different Armstrong grandson, one who certainly would have known, back in the 70s. When I asked why she'd never said anything, she admitted she hadn't wanted to hurt me, my parents, etc. Both people had parted ways with the WCG some 15 or more years earlier.

I cannot speak for others, but that sort of news changes everything. Too much of the organization's history was tied up in the premise that a man -- that man -- could be "the one," and that it was God's design that we all fall in line behind him for the end-time push. It amazes me that there are individuals -- especially some who I know personally and who I know are well aware of this sordid tale -- who continue to fall back on "Mr. Armstrong said" as a way to trump all arguments, when what the man did speaks so much louder...especially when one considers that it was at the very beginning of everything.

Yes, it's old news now. But I am amazed that there are those willing to sweep it aside to protect their turf and pursue arguments. I am not.

Learning the news caused me to look at things in a different light. I realized I had to. It was during a time of doctrinal upheaval in the WCG, and I transitioned from skepticism to curiosity.

I don't curse the memory of everything COG. I love and care about many people who remain, and recall them, and certain activities, etc., with fondness. But as the defenders of the faith (read: man) rally to their cause, I can't get past this foundational problem. It is not lost on me that neither can they.

Looney Tombs

The Discovery Channel is about to release The Lost Tomb of Jesus, and WCG/AC alumnus James Tabor is apparently one of those lined up behind the venture. There are hoots of derision from fundamentalists, keen to discredit the idea that Jesus' unresurrected remains linger here below. Typical are these comments by Paul McCain, a prominent Missouri Synod pastor with a gift for sneering disdain of anything or anyone that might challenge his confessional views.

So, you've heard that James Cameron, the movie maker, has announced that he has discovered the smoking gun evidence that once and for all debunks Christianity. Wow. Imagine that. Cameron, whose better movie making days are now a memory, announces, just in time for Easter, that he has discovered proof positive that "sinks" Christianity. And when I use the term "better movie making days" I am of course using that phrase very loosely. Titanic would have been better titled A Celebration of Fornication on the High Seas. The whole ship sinking and people freezing and drowning was simply a way to keep those with higher levels of testosterone on the hook while they suffered through the tedium of not even a very well done sob-story. The movie was nothing but exploitive trash, just like this story. (Source)

In contrast, Tabor pleads:

I do indeed think that this tomb with its six inscribed ossuaries might arguably be connected to the Jesus of Nazareth, despite all the hype and heat and at the risk of being derided by some. In my view we should give the evidence a fair hearing... What has surprised me the past two days is the willingness of many in our fields (archaeology, biblical studies, history) to comment to the press in a negative and dismissive way before viewing the film or reading the book.

I admire Dr Tabor, even though I'm completely unconvinced by his 2006 book The Jesus Dynasty. Despite that, I'm looking forward to his forthcoming book on Paul very much. I trust him a great deal more than the assorted apologists from Dallas Theological Seminary and their deluded kinfolk who, like McCain, can't seem to prise their minds open a single centimetre to consider new ideas.

Passing judgement before seeing the program would be churlish (or McCainish), and unlike most readers of this blog, it'll be a while before I get a chance as the Australian version of Discovery Channel hasn't bothered to schedule it yet. I suspect though that I'll be reluctantly siding with McCain, even if for different reasons. There's probably more chance of discovering Sherlock Holmes' violin under a London bedsit than the scrapings from Jesus' body in a stone box.

A generation ago there were academics and lunatics in equal measure running around and making amazing claims for the shroud of Turin. Some of them - if you bothered to follow their arguments - sounded reasonably convincing. Will the Talpiot tomb be the "shroud issue" of this decade? Maybe. As L. Michael White of the University of Texas sagely observes: "This is not archeologically sound, this is fanfare."

A good place to get a positive view of the upcoming movie is James Tabor's blog. The PR hype is elsewhere. Meantime I'll stand quietly over here with my new pal "Pastor" McCain and try not to pick up something contagious.

A mirage of abundant living

Every year at around this time it has become my custom to help supervise a school camp for sixty plus 10 year olds. I always return exhausted but with a deeper appreciation of what we used to call "human nature".

As we all know, "human nature" is vanity, envy, lust and greed. At least that's the litany the Armstrongs used, and the ministers parotted ad nauseum. These days, thank God, I'm a lot more optimistic about the human condition.

The news about Steven Lessard arrived just as I was heading out the door with my bags on Monday morning (thanks Gary). It's a tragic story, and more proof, if we needed it, that being a COG Christian is no guarantee of the "real abundandant living" that Rod Meredith has drivelled on about for decades. Back in the 70s the WCG in this part of the world launched an advertising campaign based on "happy families": a bit like KFC launching a nutrition campaign. I've known maybe two really fine examples of happy, loving families in the church. Most fell well below the threshold. All those smiling faces in the GN and TW - Mum, Dad and freshly pressed kids - invariably come from photo agencies, and are likely to be Baptists or Catholics. Terry Ratzmann apparently swallowed the hype, and so did Steven Lessard. A lot of good it did them.

"Raised a Catholic, the youngest of five, Kathy grew up in South Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood and later worked as a clerk for the state of Maryland. She became involved in the Worldwide Church of God, an evangelical denomination with 67,000 members in more than 100 countries. She met Steven Lessard at a church event for young adults.

"Family members said the Lessards often traveled on what they thought were church-sponsored trips. They did not celebrate holidays and while they could receive cards, as far as the Aros knew, there was never a Christmas tree in their house."

The Lessards were, like most AW readers, estranged from the WCG. Like some of us they continued as "independents", trying to "hold fast" to their COG identity. I'm not sure I want to comment further on the Lessard murders, other than to note that the Kathy and Linda's passing was to be acknowledged with a funeral Mass, a compassionate gesture in the direction of Kathy's pre-COG Catholic roots. May they rest in peace.

Dennis Decodes the Decalogue

If you haven't found it in the comments section yet, here's Dennis Diehl's take on the Ten Commandments/Decalogue.

The Big Ten are responsible for more carnage in the lives of real people at the hands of the righteous as any document could ever be. Everyone is just sure they know their eternal and universal truth. Most don't consider the cultic and polytheistic culture they spring from.

1. No other god before ME. There were many other gods literally believed in and obeyed. This Israelite cultic God is a jealous God and wants no competition from Israel. This God does not say there are no other gods, he just says don't mess with them or you and your kids will be punished for three or maybe four generations into the future. This God is unaware of his onlyness. The religion of Abraham is hardly monotheistic, but evolves. God is EL, derived from previous Cannanite concepts and now expanded.

2. No graven images. Not much obeyed in any Hebrew or Christian culture. The Temple was full of them. Moses made bronze ones and Aaron made gold ones. No fear of El here obviously. Megiddo was littered with Israelite graven images when I was there.

3. No name in vain. Not so much cussing as respect, and this God of the Mountains had better not hear the name of Baal, Astarte, Her, Him, Molech or Osiris. Remember, I am a jealous god. Not being held "guiltless" was not a good indication of one's longevity and you fall outside of the rule that we don't murder around here. Please, no nuances of meaning between kill and murder! The weak are always murdered by the powerful who define it as killing. Some people need killing is their motto. Our killing still obeys not murdering... uh huh.

4. Keep the Sabbath because I literally made all life in six days and had to rest myself, so you will too. Of course, this is not literally true so one has to decide if mythology can be a good reason to enforce a literal behavior. It's certainly no way to categorize people as the chosen or unchosen.

Like Paul who enforces the woman's role in church based on the mythology of a literal sin of a woman named Eve, and the "fact" that "for men don't come from women, but women from men."

Don't get me wrong. I always enjoyed sabbath. Who wouldn't. I enjoyed Sunday as a Presbyterian growing up. But as a tool to judge someone's obedience and spiritual worth to the jealous God, not so much. The implications of enforcing literal behaviors based on mythological events is staggering to an open mind.

5. Honor mom and dad. Pretty universal admonition here in all cultures. Certainly not invented by the one true God as if others could not come up with this. How this is interpreted in the OT is interesting as not doing so means, "then kill the kid and mom has to not cry about it." It's a command in Israel with a big "or else" attached. Well they all are.

6. No murder, killing etc. This in practical fact meant "each other." Everyone else is fair game if they get in the way of God's chosen people. It also meant nothing to the kings of Israel or Moses, who when bringing the Big Ten down the Mountain to begin with, got pissed at the crowd's thinking, after 40 days missing in action, ordered "every man to slay his neighbor and in that day about 3000 perished." What a guy! "Here, let me put these tablets down and murder a few thousand more of you."

7. No adultery. Mostly for women and Kings that God told if he had only asked, God would have given him more women and stuff. Women were property, that's why you didn't covet them. Adultery might cast doubt on paternity and inheritances. No adultery in this culture was not a love thing, it was a legal thing so the wrong kid did not get the wrong daddy's stuff. It was birth control with a kick... death for the woman and no mention of the guy for the most part. Even in the NT, the woman was caught in adultery, not the man so much.

8. No stealing. Well ok, you can plunder stuff and the young chicks and their booty of those you have been asked to slaughter in my name, amen. Good thing this was not in place when you guys plundered Egypt on the way out. How much stuff can you drag in to the waste howling wilderness (and you'd think we could find some of it strewn along the sands of time).

9 No lying. Unless you are Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, David, all the prophets and the priests. Other than that, don't do it. In the NT, Peter "kills" Ananias and Sapphira for saying one thing and doing another. This, the man who said one thing to Jesus (I will never deny you) and did another (fled). Of course, Luke was telling that story in Acts to make fun of Peter who was not on Paul's list of potential church leaders for his denials. No, two church members were killed and buried by the church. "Hey Pastor Peter, my parents didn't come home from church, what gives?"

All this to say, the Big Ten were written for a cultic society and translated as meaningful for ours and all humans, which for the most part they are. They weren't born in a vaccum however and we get so used to reading them as moderns, we fail to identify their cultic origins. Besides, the Bible can't agree on whether there were Ten given that day or many many more. Depends on which book you read and what "is" is... :)

10 No coveting wives, oxen, asses (the animal) or stuff. Good way to live too but throwing women in the mix is cultic and patriarchal to the max. For women, this is a control issue by men. Some women wish they were coveted and cherished by these guys.

In reality, humans love to break the rules. The more rules, the more breakage. Evangelical Christians have the highest rates of divorce, adultery, stealing, lying and eating out on the sabbath :) The Baptist church has the highest rate of minister turn over, due to breakage of the big ten. Pentecostals tend to have the highest rates for adultery and sexual deviance due the emotional nature of those that are Pentecostals. I guess if death was the penalty, we'd have more compliance, but "obey me or I'll kill you," seems rude.