29 February. UCG DIALOG WITH "MANASSEH" COG, BOOK ON LOST TRIBES MYTH
UCG flirts with Mizoram COG: Some time ago we drew attention to the keen Sabbatarians in the Indian state of Mizoram, and published a brief review of a book (Across the Sabbath River) that deals with the widespread belief in that area that the people there are a lost tribe of Israel (Manasseh, would you believe?). The review even quoted a couple of excerpts that mentioned a group called The Church of God. Here's one:
Once they realized they were not going to Israel. they left the UPC [United Pentecostal Church] and founded a church of their own, called the Church of God. The break occurred when Chala instructed them to observe the Old Testament Sabbath in place of the Christian Sunday. Subsequently they stopped eating pork and reinstituted biblical sacrifice on a hilltop outside the village... p.181
Interesting then that the United Church of God Council of Elders discussed Mizoram and a COG group there this month. Here is part of the minutes for February 26.
Contact with the Church of God, Israel
Joel Meeker presented a short video and an overview of a trip with David Baker to India. The purpose of the trip was to become better acquainted with a group called the Church of God, Israel...
The Church of God, Israel is a group of approximately 200-300 located in the province of Mizoram in the foothills of the Himalayas in eastern India. Their doctrinal beliefs are remarkably similar to our teachings in most respects and they have expressed interest in becoming part of the United Church of God. Mr. Baker asked Mr. Meeker to accompany him on a visit because of Mr. Meeker's experience with the former Remnant Church of God in Ghana.
Mr. Baker had visited them about a year and a half ago and both he and Mr. Meeker were received as "long, lost brothers". They were invited to visit each of the church members in their homes. Both Mr. Baker and Mr. Meeker gave sermons in their Sabbath service and on Sunday they participated in a lengthy question and answer session in which they were able to explain some of United's fundamental beliefs. Mr. Meeker expressed that they felt very much like they were with brethren.
Mr. Meeker commented on a few of the doctrinal differences. For example, the COG, Israel observes just the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and the 8th day (Last Great Day). Their women actively participate in church services, doing Bible readings and making announcements. So far, the most thorny issue seems to be their observance of Passover on the 15 th of the month. Mr. Meeker commented that it will take time for them to become better acquainted with United allowing both sides to judge our compatibility in doctrine and administration. Mr. Baker plans to visit once a year or so when he is in the area.
We wonder if the lads in Cincinnati would insist the Indian "brethren" adopt the ridiculous idea that Manasseh is the United States, and reject their own longstanding tradition of Israelite origin, before allowing them to join with UCG? While the Mizoram claim may be shaky (it is documented in some detail in Across the Sabbath River), it certainly has a lot more credibility than the British Israel theory.
New book on lost tribes: Forget Steve Collins. There's a new book, The Lost Tribes of Israel, that tackles the thorny issue of those lost tribes. The author, Tudor Parfitt, is Reader in Modern Jewish Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and Director of its Centre for Jewish Studies. That puts him a cut above the BI enthusiasts whose wild speculations still muddy the waters.
Each tribe of Israel claimed descent from one of the twelve sons of Jacob and the land of Israel was eventually divided up between them. Following a schism which formed after the death of Solomon, ten of the tribes set up an independent northern kingdom, whilst those of Judah and Levi set up a separate southern kingdom. In 721BC the ten northern tribes were ethnically cleansed by the Assyrians and the Bible states they were placed: ‘in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan and in the city of Medes.’ The Bible also foretold that one day they would be reunited with the southern tribes in the final redemption of the people of Israel. Their subsequent history became a tapestry of legend and hearsay. The belief persisted that they had been ‘lost’ in some remote part of the world and there were countless suggestions and claims as to where. At a lecture Parfitt gave some years ago in Cape Town he was approached by a group of Africans who claimed to be members of the Lemba tribe from a mysterious lost city of Sena, and of Jewish descent. The final chapter will attempt to reveal, using a combination of linguistics and genetics, what did become of these lost tribes.
28 February. WEST CAMPUS RETHINK?, TRENT'S SPIEL, JACK DOES IT HIS "WAY", CROW RETURNS TO NEST. Mail: JLF, fads, Paine, more...
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WEB
INFO:
The Whistler, MD's original columnist can be found at http://members.tripod.com/whistler4truth/ - see the last letter in today's mailbag. Douglas Becker has launched a new website: http://cultabuse.com. His MD columns can now be found at a related address: http://md.cultabuse.com. |
West campus plans: The following report comes from a Pasadena source.
The sale of the Pasadena property was announced to employees three hours after it closed escrow. It was only in escrow for 2 days. This sale deflates the West Pasadena Residents Association in their fight over the west side development.
One person in the know in Pasadena expects to see the West Campus sold soon. The reason they say this is that the East property was used in the past by Legacy and WCG as the leverage to get the development through. Now with it gone, there is no leverage to use for the West property. There is an extremely high chance that it will be sold to another school or a church (Foursquare Gospel?). This will mean that the hundreds of condos will not be built and the WPRA cannot attack it any further. A new school or church on the property can do what they want.
WCG is re-roofing numerous buildings. Others are being repainted on the outside. With the sale of the East side, all the Plant Maintenance personal and some equipment will be moving to the West side. Lots of equipment needed over the last few years is to be sold off. WCG will contract out remaining repairs if it is too large. By contracting out, they can now reduce further the maintenance staff.
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The Watchman The watchman of Israel peered out from his schloss, Though walls might be crumbling he still was the boss. And the rumble of hooves in the distance he heard Did Assyria draw near in strength undeterred? Or was hearing impaired, for nothing had stirred? No Asshurs and flames but a noisy night bird For strumpets were sounding and brazen the call, Would the loudest confer the best deal of all? Now chariots will come in their God-given time But not at the whim of the whiners sublime. A tessera one gets in exchange for much gold, And imprison oneself in the watchman's' safe fold. Now tomes ancient and musty did the preacher invoke, While some secretly wished it would go up in smoke. For great was the price of this moth-eaten work, As the Doctors of Law grabbed their fee with a smirk. Their coffers were full for the words that they said And even the same could lie straight in each bed. Thus the cry was most URGENT for the peasants to cough, For here was a treasure and a priceless one-off. And these words of right wisdom will the righteous take in You have treasure in heaven though your savings are thin. And the lap of the gun has been forty years long "We need money now" is the time honored song. For the vision is blurred to those of full sight, Their optics are filthy and must be put right. And the barkers shout loud in this gloomy side show But the watchman authentic with the spirit does glow. And the watchman has surely his foot on the throttle Is this spirit rubescent all corked in a bottle? For the chariots of fire should all be clamped and held tight, And the vision is misty in the fullness of night. Now this trumpet so blown has an uncertain sound Will the people of earth know a prophet is round? Round from the good things that each title now confers And meanwhile four horsemen are sharpening their spurs. For heavy are the fetters for the "knowing" and "wise" Is their LOGOS for real or veiled in disguise? We suggest that the spirits be tried in full measure Who are out for the gold and the choicest of treasure. "SEAMUS" |
Here we go again: The newly formed ICG splinter group, Church of God, Worldwide, has nailed its colors firmly to the mast with a bulletin written by George Trent, and available on its new website. In a novel approach, Trent claims divine inspiration for the original ICG By-laws. Excerpts.
… the By-Laws for the Organization had to be written using the Word of God as a foundation. A careful search of the By-Laws of the Intercontinental Church of God, as written originally by Mr. Ted Armstrong, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were congruent, (fits perfectly,) with the law of God…
With the constant barrage of emails emerging from all points of the globe attacking various men in the ministry of the Church of God , it is evident that we are departing from the inspired words written in the covenant portion of our By-Laws …
A most recent sermon by Mr. James Lamb alludes to Mark Armstrong as God's anointed... Recently, several ministers have been MARKED and the church has been directed NOT to have contact with them under any circumstances. Mr. Armstrong wrote in Article IX of the Constitution, "The Intercontinental Church of God rejects the traditional concept of "excommunication" or "marking" as practiced by various religious HIERARCHIES.
In Mark Armstrong's September 22, 2003 letter to the members, supporters and friends he stated that there would be NO changes in doctrine or policy. In Mark's January 22, 2004 letter he outlines numerous changes to the Constitution and By-Laws (policy) for the Church.
It is evident that Mark Armstrong has had no previous experience in church affairs and has leaned heavily on counsel which is proving not to be sound. Mr. Ted Armstrong would never have allowed the barrage of belligerent emails, telephone calls, and letters attacking the character and personalities of individuals, particularly ministers. It flies in the face of the foundational document -- The Constitution and By-Laws for the Intercontinental Church of God.
All indications point to a shift toward the hierarchical type government formerly utilized by the Worldwide Church of God to control their people from questioning any policy or doctrinal changes. No member of God's Church should be censored or made to live in an authoritative regime, fearing the ministry as if they were policemen and afraid to ask a question. I highly suspect the OPEN ARMS CHURCH philosophy will give way to a more regimental type of organization. New prospects will be interrogated prior to being allowed to attend…
At first the Worldwide Church of God's By-Laws were congruent with the laws of God (in most cases, not all). However, in 1986, after Mr. H. W. Armstrong passed away the STRUCTURE of the ORGANIZATION CHANGED! With this change, the Organization and the Organism (the Church) were no longer congruent. Thousands failed to see that. They stayed with the WCG instead of focusing on the Head of the Church, which is Christ. And now, once again, many can't get past the Organization (ICG) or the name Armstrong. They have lost site of the Head of the Church and His Holy Word, once again…
For the greatest part of this century there has been an Armstrong preaching the gospel and bringing many to the TRUTH. We learned the Word of God from them. We have always been a part of the ORGANIZATIONS they and men who learned from them constructed. However, like Moses, they will not take us into the Kingdom of God …
Already hundreds have contacted us asking what we were going to do, now that we have disassociated ourselves from the ORGANIZATION of the Intercontinental Church of God. We are busily putting together an organization built upon the Holy Bible. We are constructing the organization on the lines of the New Testament Church. No hierarchical government! No one man in charge! No high salaried ministry! No family members and friends dominating a Board! No secret meetings! Only one non-profit organization performing both commissions of the WORK! …
God called many people into His Church in the latter part of this century. Many, not all, became a part of the ORGANIZATION called the Worldwide Church of God. When Tom [Kerry] began looking for a name he was amazed to find one name passed over by all the other groups. It should have been taken right off the bat, but it wasn't. I wonder why. Imagine this, if you dare. I have been hearing since the breakup of the Worldwide Church of God into many splinter groups, "Why don't we get back together?" If you are waiting on the leaders to have a great meeting of all two hundred fifty leaders, FORGET IT! It just isn't going to happen. But, if God's people, all over the world, begin to choose Christ instead of the ORGANIZATION, what do we have? That's right. The Church of God , Worldwide, united again, in mind and in spirit. Impossible? Not with God. We read in Rev. 19: 7"...and his BRIDE has made herself ready." What better way than to look to Christ, our Savior, Joshua to unite his people and to take them into the Kingdom of God . Our mission will be to prepare God's people for that imminent return!
Oh, I almost forgot. [MD comment: yeah, right!] The name of our new group is Church of God, Worldwide.
Jack attack: While he may
not have a profile in the US, former Auckland WCG pastor
Jack Croucher still casts a long shadow in New Zealand.
Some years ago The Eternal allegedly called Jack to launch
his own independent ministry, and a gaggle of the faithful
followed him into the wilderness. Now it seems JC is moving
his group into a new outreach phase, with an ad appearing
in The New Zealand Herald, and a website to
promote his congregation,
The Way Worship Centre.
Meanwhile, the Kiwi WCG operation seems to be in financial clover. The bonus bucks are a result of a fortunate investment rather than donations. Dennis Richards, pastor in the lower North Island, will be put back on the payroll, and the New Zealand church is even in the position to offer charitable aid to a poverty-stricken and needy third-world neighbor: Australia! Auckland pastor Rex Morgan writes:
Another resolution passed at the [NZ board] meeting was the offer of a loan to the church in Australia , in order to repair the roof of the Burleigh Heads office, which has been leaking for several months, causing the staff to have to use buckets to collect incoming water whenever it rains.
Our thanks to the two local readers who forwarded the above information.
As the Crow flies: Steve Kissack reports that George Crow of Houston, an elder in the old WCG who left to form the breakaway "Worldwide Church of God Texas", has recently taken his group into the UCG. Crow was apparently affiliated with Ray Wooten's United Christian Ministries for some time, and had been involved in early planning for the UCG breakaway. In the past, however, he is said to have been less than complimentary about UCG, but it seems times have changed.
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JLF - what's that? [JLF] sounds interesting. However I tried jlf.com and got something about film and jlf.org was also totally unrelated. Please clarify for me and others who may not be aware. MD: You’ll find JLF – a discussion board at delphiforums.com run by Mark Tabladillo – at http://forums.delphiforums.com/JLF7/start. Think-for-yourself-ism: I've just read poor Dennis Diehl's "Gordian Knot" screed. It's so sad to see that he seems to have abandoned any and all recognizable form of Christianity in favor of his latest religious commitment to "Think-For-Yourself-Ism." While he derides Christians for supposedly not thinking for themselves but instead relying on religious authority, he doesn't seem to notice that his current beliefs and opinions are decidedly unoriginal. Rather, he relies on the religious authority of modern scholarly fads, including the feminist myth of a primeval matriarchal religion for which there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever. But not to worry -- this time I'm sure Mr. Diehl has finally found The Truth. Regarding "Accountability and orthodoxy," my observations weren't specifically about the WCG per se, but I agree that the WCG isn't truly "episcopalian." One of the dead giveaways is that they have no "bishops," only "elders" and "pastors" and whatnot -- almost anything but "bishop." But I do think their structure is closer to episcopalian hierarchy than anything else in Christian history. (It's really not a historical Christian polity at all, but a religious version of the structure of a modern American corporation or business, which is not surprising given Herbert Armstrong's background in business and lifelong devotion in mammon.) Anyway, until the WCG "pope" is elected at least by a board of elders, with some limits on power spelled out in bylaws or something, the WCG won't be truly episcopalian. The WCG "pastor general" or "president" (or whatever they call him these days) has vastly more power, comparatively speaking, than any Pope has ever wielded (though in actual fact most Popes have had more influence on human civilization than any WCG pastor general will ever have). I'm aware that the early Radio Church of God at first rejected episcopalian polities, but in my reading of old RCG/WCG literature from the 1950s and 1960s, coupled with my own memories of growing up in the WCG, it's clear that the hierarchical, quasi-episcopalian structure of the WCG was already in existence long before the receivership crisis. Jared Olar MD: "modern scholarly fads"? "absolutely no evidence whatsoever"? Uh, you obviously need to widen your reading material. I'd recommend Karen Armstrong's "A History of God", but, oh dear, I'm afraid it's by a woman! Nothing's Changed: The following quote from Thomas Paine "The Age of Reason" 1793. Just read "organized religion" for "churches" and "Islam" for "Turkish". "All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit." Bob Gilbert Name that sect: Apparently, COGers are running out of names when they start a new "church", such as the COG clone that split from ICG, the "Church of God Worldwide". I think you should run another contest and call it "Name That Church" to assist the Herbert wannabes. :-) Steve Contact: Is there a web site with ex members email addresses of people who would like to be contacted to discuss their experiences while in the WCG? Or a chat room of some type? MD: Try one of the less nutty discussion boards. Maybe the JLF link (see above) is a place to start. COG7 converted? I would like to... update you on our second campaign lecture, this one of the subject "The Bible Does Not promise Heaven!" I said in my last e-mail that we hoped for about 25 persons. Well, our expectations were exceeded again as some FIFTY-FOUR VISITORS turned up, making a total attendance of 254! ... The leaders of the Church of God 7th Day came back and spoke quite enthusiastically afterward about the importance of pursuing truth irrespective of where it leads, or how inconvenient it might prove. We will be maintaining regular contact and they intend to start keeping the Feast Days right away. Their intention is to lead the island-wide fellowship of COG7th Day churches into Holyday keeping, and a retreat will be held in April to look at this issue. The Vice-President of the Ministerial Association and the Director of Public Relations were the two persons who came to the campaign. They were nodding their heads throughout both presentations.
Many persons
wrote up cards indicating they want further
contact with the church, and church members and
leaders will follow-up with further studies and
"friendship evangelism". The CGI in Jamaica,
unlike the main corporate The COGs have to do new things or they will be extinct---which many of your readers would say would be a very good thing! And many of the COGs seem eager to grant their wish. Not so the Jamaican CGI. We are innovative, cutting edge and avant-garde, while holding to the fundamental truths of the movement. The movement has taught a lot of nonsense; obscurantist foolishness which makes someone like me quite embarrassed. Actually, my position is that the post-Armstrongite atheists, agnostics and devotees of non-Christian religions are on a far sounder footing epistemologically than those who are now Evangelicals, orthodox Christians, Catholics or among the Sabbatarian churches. A far more powerful critique against Armstrongism is to target the Bible itself and notions of the supernatural. My firm belief if is that if the Bible is really to be read in a conservative way, then some of the key teachings of our movement stand a far better chance of being true than the alternatives. This is the discussion I would like to see among the post-Armstrongites: Assuming the Bible is true (a very big assumption) and given proper methods of exegesis and hermeneutics, is Armstrongism-- with all its incredible and stomach-churning corruption, mind-control, abuse and anti-intellectualist orientation--a better option than the other conservatives, inerrantist movements? I throw this out for a reasoned, non-visceral discourse.
Ian Boyne Whistling: I thought I'd mention that I've made a few format and content improvements/additions to my Hell article, which I probably posted on my website just a bit prematurely... Also, I've added a new feature to my website: a section entitled " Non-Religious: Other Useful Topics". "The Whistler" |
Weekly Mailbag
22 February. ANOTHER BREAKAWAY "WORLDWIDE" CHURCH, COPYCAT CULT?, AUCKLAND CHURCH FEATURES IN JOURNAL
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The Journal is a monthly non-aligned COG newspaper. Some features are also available on their website: www.thejournal.org. Subscription information is available here. We recommend it as an in depth source of information on the COG movement from a current insiders' perspective (unlike AW, where we are definitely enjoying the show from the sidelines! Now, could somebody please pass the popcorn...) |
Another COG clone? With stunning originality the leaders of the new ICG splinter group have dubbed themselves "The Churches of God, Worldwide" according to a lead story in the latest issue of The Journal.
Approximately ten elders in the GTA sect have jumped ship. Planning for the new entity is still in its early stages. The Journal names Tom Kerry, Phil Dunagan, Earl Timmons and George Trent as leaders in the schism.
"Mark [Armstrong] is not legally qualified to be head of the church because he is not ordained, and he hasn't been baptized the required 10 years", The Journal quotes Kerry as saying. The CGW has a web presence at www.cogw.org (be warned, it features one of those slow-loading introductory animations that drive 94.6% of potential viewers to distraction - and this one is excruciatingly slow to load - if it ever does. We gave up!).
Incidentally, the ICG has recently released a new booklet called The Long tradition of Prophetic Insight and Accuracy (!) which attempts to document Herb and Ted's outstanding track record in predicting world events... no, seriously!
Gerry's "Magnum Dopus": Gerald Flurry wrote Malachi's Message, right? You know, the prophesied "little book" of Revelation (according to Gerry)? In another Journal feature, Jerry Ashcraft reviews Robert Kuhne's book The Plain Truth about Malachi's Message and That Prophet. Both Kuhne and Ashcraft are former members of Gerry's PCG cult.
According to Kuhne (and he makes a very strong case) Gerry plagiarized material written by Jules Dervaes, an early critic of the Tkach administration, then claimed divine inspiration for himself! Truly doth this man walk in the steps of Herb!
Robert Kuhne's website is http://www.pcog.info/. Dervaes also has a website to promote his particular version of Armstrongism: http://www.viadelrey.com/.
Those ads! The Journal is almost worth the subscription price for the ads alone. This issue is no exception. The obscure British sect that goes barley hunting in Israel each year has a huge section to itself, complete with color photographs and diagrams (of grain!). Modesto's faithful shepherd, Don Billingsley, has another full page. And launching himself onto the catwalk this month is none other than Raymond McNair with a page of dense text about Laodiceans and a personal resume of past accomplishments.
We'd also like to mention the 3 page ad from first-timer Graeme McChesney of the Church of God (Auckland). Unfortunately we can't refer you to a website as one doesn't seem to exist. We've heard some positive things about CGA and the way it's run. One former member of this small group is controversial and prolific COG news-board contributor Bruce Porteous, well known for his forthright views on America's "prophetic" future.
21 February. GTA - ONE TV APPEARANCE TOO MANY, DIEHL SLASHES GORDIAN KNOT, WHISTLER ANNIHILATES HELL. Mail: UCG voting, the Holy Spirit leadeth Ken Storey, orthodoxy and Episcopacy, blind Joe... and more
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GTA (wearing clothes) |
In Memory of Ted: A video clip of the late Garner Ted Armstrong's 1997 "special appearance" on the Geraldo Rivera show is now available to download from The Painful Truth site. You'll need Real Player and a strong stomach. The PT webmaster says: I take no pleasure in this. This is for educational purposes. Maybe "Wising Up 101"? Click the link, should you decide you wish to view the 4 minute clip which features Suerae Robertson's harrowing account along with film of the masturbating evangelist (tactfully edited for television). You'll need to scroll to the bottom of the linked page for instructions on downloading (it takes a while).
Sheeple: Dennis Diehl is one of MD's most provocative writers. Especially so given his pre-history as a pastor in a certain church most of us are familiar with... His latest contribution is no disappointment in that regard. In a cover note Dennis writes that his inspiration came "when I read how UCG is endeavoring to find the mind of God on voting." Prepare to be either offended or liberated (or, who knows, maybe both)!
Hell's bells! "The Whistler" has released a new column on the subject of hell. He writes:
Based on all that the Bible tells us regarding the nature of God and his all-consuming love and concern for every creature, even the fallen sparrow, common sense should tell the proponents of an ever-torturing hell that this doctrine somehow just doesn’t ring true. That God would have such a plan for some of his creation – to suffer endlessly - based on just a handful of vague scriptures, should give every torturing hell proponent reason to pause and re-evaluate.
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Cold day in a hot place: In regard to UCG allowing the "members" of their organization to vote: First of all, the "layman" has never been considered a member of the UCGia, according to their by-laws. Even if the high-ups did ALLOW the peons to vote, it would only be on minor issues, such as, voting for which peon should be in charge of some minor physical duty, but then it would still have to be approved by the pastor. I know. I've been there, done that. I take it you've never been affiliated with UCG. You congratulate UCG on "bringing the question of church voting out into the open for discussion and debate"? It will be discussed, and maybe lightly debated, only among the "clergy". That will be the end of it. The "iron curtain" mentality is still alive and well in UCG. The strong-arm (Armstrong)tactics will be exposed when it's come down to the nut-cutting. They always have been. "Trouble-makers" and "dissidents" are swiftly dealt with. The "minister" and the "layman" are two vastly separate commodities. That great gulf will always exist in this lifetime because both parties believe that is the way god wants it to be. Will the dumb sheep ever be "allowed" to vote (Gr. "cheirotoneo") for their leaders as they did in the early NT church? THAT will be a cold day in hell! Steve Tell me the old, old Storey: Ken Storey at [a certain web site that has ripped off AW's name] has some "REEEEEEEE-ALY BIG IDEAS!" For those who may be searching for investment possibilities, here's one you certainly must consider. I urge you to quickly take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity available at GMT, or "Get Moving Today." Go here to read how you can help God, help yourself, and rescue the AC campus by getting to know GMT's President/CEO, Bruce Bise, and become an "iAssociate:" http://www.ambassador-watch.com/vision.php You can begin to appreciate Mr. Bise's visionary outlook as you read such encouraging words as: "Our company started out in the parsonage, and in one year made $80 million and we believe we will receive billions of dollars as a company. Listen, don't limit God!" Now, apparently events have not unfolded quite as Mr. Bise envisioned. Take a look at this location to understand the current status of his iAssociates: http://www.visitgmt.com/ This is, I am sure, but a small pothole on the road to glory. I think the hardest decision that you will have to make about this investment is whether you want to be a Diamond or a Platinum iAssociate. This is such a great opportunity, I don't think it matters which you chose. Because, how can you lose? I know this must be a "sure thing" because Ken Storey has provided his enthusiastic endorsement. Mr Storey emplores his readers to "Remember to pray for Bruce Bise and GMT, that God would protect them and give them wisdom from Heaven." Bob Gilbert Accountability & orthodoxy: I sympathize in many ways with the former WCG minister's complaints that so much is still the same in the WCG even though so much has been changed. I agree that, "An orthodox Christian church has a governance structure that balances in love the tension between serving the Lord and serving the membership." But I'm a little uneasy about his claim that, "An orthodox Christian church is set up with means of effective accountability because this flows from an orthodox understanding of the Cross." Of course it all depends on what one means by "effective accountability." I get the impression that episcopalian polities are out-of-bounds for that former WCG minister. But as I look over the history of Christianity, I have to wonder if any Christian church from the days of the Apostles down to modern times could really qualify as having a "means of effective accountability" in the eyes of that former WCG minister -- which would then raise the question of whether historical Christianity is "orthodox." Jared Olar MD: WCG isn't "episcopalian". Not even close. It springs from the very non-Episcopalian Church of God (Seventh Day). The early Radio Church of God rubbished the concept of episcopalian governance. It was never fully co-opted (in a bizarre, bastardized form) until Herb needed an excuse to restructure in order to avoid the scrutiny of the receivership crisis. The Episcopal Church in the US along with Anglican churches elsewhere, have complex systems to ensure that all sections of the church have representation and voice. Even the Bishop of Rome is elected by a College of Cardinals! The good guy: Thank-you for your efforts with MD. I’m saddened to hear it may be cut-back or curtailed, or as I once heard a moron say “curtain-tailed”. But it has been an enjoyable ride and read. The only WCG related site I visit is the JLF. Too much vitriol, bitterness and lunacy on the others. However, I can well understand the toll and time it takes to wade thru the mire and waste of the COG’s and the time to assemble, edit and publish it. I would have tired of it long before you. Hell, I’d pay for your site, it has been that useful.
Anne of JLF
posted two threads on JLF and they had a very
fine run out. They were two of the finest ones
on quite awhile. My thought on what you posted
is what I wrote JT, Jr. a few months before
departing WCG in 12-1999. MD: In case you missed it, MD will probably be around till mid-year at least.
Hurtling to
oblivion: Mr. Brooks letter,
unfortunately, is a classic example of the
tragic propensity of HWA loyalists to hide
their heads in the sand continually, and to
flagrantly ignore God's command to prove all
things. And then they wonder why their church
has experienced one unmitigated disaster after
another? Pentecost: These jokers who say WCG never kept Pentecost on Monday havent been around long. Back in 1962 us back country folk were 'commanded by God' according to HWA to keep the day, and I would have to take 5 days off work to do so, since it was a 2-day trip to the nearest church to do so. So don't tell me that WCG never kept that day. Furthermore, I never forget the minister telling us we could not leave on our trip home till sunset, so there we were in the parking lot for hours waiting for sunset while the local folk had long gone home, had their supper and relaxing while were were still in the parking lot with a 2 day trip to start. MD: The good old daze!
DUCK!
Incoming! Seeing that you were so
kind to publish the two ads about the
evangelistic campaigns of the Jamaican CGI, I
thought I would fill in your readers on the
results of the first campaign held Sabbath,
February 14. Knowing the nature of much of this
audience, the following would provide no
occasion to rejoice (in fact, quite the
opposite!), but I supply it simply for
information: The Jamaican CGI had the biggest
campaign ever addressed by a local speaker last
weekend when seventy-five first-time visitors
turned up in Kingston, the capital, to hear the
presentation, "Should You Keep the Feast Days?"
(Yes) We had a total attendance of 275. MD: I'm full of admiration for your fortitude Ian; baiting Jim, Bill and MAM all in a one-shot home-run sentence. Anyone over in the outfield? |
20 February. THE AA, ESN
Auditorium's future looking better? The Ambassador Auditorium may yet escape the wrecking ball. This item from the February 17 Pasadena Star News.
Ann Hassett, former executive director of Pasadena's Levitt Pavilion in Memorial Park, has been picked to develop a plan to reopen world-renowned Ambassador Auditorium.
The Ambassador Hall for the Performing Arts Board of Directors named Hassett its managing director based on her experience with Levitt, the Pasadena Arts Council, Pasadena Symphony, the Pasadena Playhouse and 30 years as an Emmy, Peabody and Cable ACE award-winning producer.
Hassett's experience "makes her uniquely suited to develop and carry out the board's vision to reopen the Ambassador Auditorium,' said Alice Coulombe, the board's co-chair.
"We are pleased to have Ann preparing the board's business plan, which is a crucial step to building a new performance and concert series to rival its previous internationally famous seasons,' said Carol Henry, the other co-chair.
Recognized as "the Carnegie Hall of the West' for its acoustics and the high quality of its construction and materials, Ambassador Auditorium was opened in 1974 by the Worldwide Church of God.
Over 20 seasons, the 1,262-seat religious service, cultural performance and concert hall hosted 2,500 concerts and performances including appearances by Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Pavarotti, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, the Vienna Symphony, Vladimir Horowitz, Pancho Sanchez and Benny Goodman.
The auditorium has been closed since 1995 due to church reorganization; the church ended its annual $2.5 million subsidy, which amounted to half the auditorium's operating budget. A church spokesman said the subsidy came to $40 million over 20 years.
The board is working with church and Pasadena city officials to create an economic framework to refurbish and support the auditorium's reopening.
ESN story withdrawn: An item about ESN ("Exit & Support Network") which appeared briefly on AW earlier in the week was withdrawn following an email from one of ESN's supporters, Bill Hohmann. The short article had criticized claims that ESN was a "professional" ministry, operated by "professionals".
The AW item also criticized the unwillingness of the webmaster to reveal her identity, something we pointed out was hardly compatible with a professional operation.
We understand from Bill that ESN has now revised the statements on its website in order to avoid giving a misleading impression.
Addendum: after uploading this item a regular check of Bob Thiel's site revealed he had copied and pasted the original item, correctly attributed, to his news page, where you can still find it dated Feb.17.
15 February. ORTHODOXY - POSTURING VS REALITY, UCG STUDY PAPER, AUSSIE CONFERENCE, UNTO THE THIRD GENERATION. Mail: Robidoux and his WCG connection, number crunching, how original is OWCG?, Buzzard baiting, Jeffersonian advice
Is WCG "orthodox"? The following comments were posted by Anne Hanna on JLF, quoting a former WCG minister who is now active in an evangelical congregation. At issue: is the Tkach sect really reformed, or has the rotting sepulcher just received a quick coat of cheap whitewash?
I can understand why people may feel confused about what is wrong in the WCG. After all the WCG now proclaims orthodox doctrine. Yes, any minister in the WCG can give a good confession of faith in Jesus. But then again so can a parrot if properly trained.
The point is that the WCG might be able to tell you right doctrine but it is not necessarily a “new creation” in Christ. It takes more than a parroting of orthodoxy to be orthodox just as it takes more than calling oneself a Christian to be a Christian.
Christian orthodoxy refers to those central doctrines that the vast majority of Christians have agreed upon as a result of contemplating the Incarnation and all that it means. Hence the evolution of doctrine as espoused by the various creeds in church history. But behind them all is the idea of a God who loves us and acts on our behalf as described in John 3:16.
our actions towards each other are actions for or against God
It is because God loves us that we can love God. It is because God loves us that we should love each other. It is because of this close binding in love of God and man that our actions towards each other are actions for or against God. God’s redemptive love is the central point of orthodoxy as expressed in the Cross.
The problem with the WCG is that it hasn’t moved to orthodoxy at all. Rather it still holds to Armstrongism. It holds onto it with unrelenting obstinacy to the point of alienating multiple tens of thousands of people from the Cross. People who once confessed that Jesus was their personal Lord and Saviour at baptism and suffered under Armstrong’s system because they thought they were being true to their Lord.
Armstrongism was never just about worshipping on certain days, or keeping the dietary laws. Armstrongism was first and foremost a system of totalitarian control. The doctrine of “God’s government” was the first and only real doctrine of Armstrong’s (Transformed by Truth, appendix 18 Truths Restored by Herbert W. Armstrong). This doctrine remains today although it isn’t called that any more. Now it is called “Modified Episcopalian”.
Armstrongism was never just about worshipping on certain days, or keeping the dietary laws. [It] was first and foremost a system of totalitarian control... This doctrine remains today although it isn’t called that any more. Now it is called “Modified Episcopalian”.
An orthodox Christian church is set up with means of effective accountability because this flows from an orthodox understanding of the Cross. The WCG has no system of effective accountability.
An orthodox Christian church has a governance structure that balances in love the tension between serving the Lord and serving the membership. The WCG structure serves the Pastor General and tells the membership to “like it or not” because this is how the Pastor General has decided it will be. This is a fundamental difference between the orthodox embodiment of serving as Christ serves versus the WCG’s lording it over the people and blaming them.
Orthodoxy isn’t about Sunday. Just as Armstrongism isn’t about Saturday. Christian orthodoxy is about Jesus‘ love for all. Armstrongism is all about the Pastor General. Armstrongism remains enshrined above orthodoxy in the by-laws and doctrine of the WCG today. Armstrongism has merely approved the use of orthodoxy in order to please the current Pastor General.
Someday in the future there will be a new Pastor General and who knows what will happen then. Given the cultic techniques used by this system to force people to adhere to the Pastor General's wishes we can never know if the WCG has truly embraced orthodoxy.
It is when the members have ownership of their doctrines and ergo their church governance that we will only know if the WCG has embraced orthodoxy. I have serious concerns that should Dr. Tkach or some other future Pastor General decide to go in a different direction that the ministers will flip flop for him and make the members follow just as they did under Armstrong for makeup.
How can it be that Joseph Tkach, a man who holds an earned doctorate in ministry, is unable to follow this eminently Christian line of reasoning? Why does he continue to cultivate an obscenely hierarchical system of control in face of the clear imperative to empower his fellow members and affirm the priesthood of all believers?
Fear? Self interest? Stupidity?
And if "none of the above", then why won't he come clean, drop the condescending tone, put his case in the WN, and open up the subject to genuine discussion and debate?
Until that happens, the so-called "reformation" of the WCG will continue to be seen by many as a cruel deception and a sham.
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"Balloting or voting is simply a way for individuals to express their opinion about a matter. Is that acceptable to God? All of God’s great servants—Moses, David, the prophets—all had times when they disagreed with God, and many times they expressed their frustration. God did not condemn any of them, even when they deserved it. In some cases, God even seems to alter His plans because of the concerns of His servants. Once again, it appears that if the heart is right, one can even present a dissenting opinion to God. And, once again, obeying God’s instructions with a heart that is not right is not enough." From the UCG study paper |
UCG takes tentative step forward: Meantime the UCG is preparing to address some of the very issues the Tkach church so studiously ignores. In a February 13 member letter Clyde Kilough writes:
In the August and December 2003 meetings we approved two doctrinal study papers that are somewhat related and very important to read. One is "Balloting in the Church" (posted on the UCG Web site at www.ucg.org/papers) and the other is "Voting and Involvement in Politics," which is now being mailed to the elders and to be posted on the Web site in two weeks. The former focuses narrowly on whether voting is appropriate or even acceptable within the context of making collective decisions within the Church. The latter examines to what degree, if any, a member of the Church should participate in voting and the secular political systems of this society.
Kilough steers a carefully neutral course in his comments. He mentions the upcoming US election then adds: "...in United we are preparing for the Annual Meeting of the General Conference of Elders in May, where we too will decide on governmental issues that range from who serves on the Council to proposed changes to the Constitution and Bylaws. These processes of church and civil government should offer a study of sharp contrasts, and they will as long as we avoid the pitfalls of politics."
MD congratulates UCG on bringing the question of church voting out into the open for discussion and debate. The publication of study papers like these, which are accessible to all, stands in stark contrast to the "iron curtain" mentality of the WCG. Again we ask why is it that it is UCG - a supposedly more sectarian, heterodox group than the WCG - can lead the way in administrative reform and operate in a relatively open, healthy, transparent manner while its parent body, posturing and preening as mainstream and evangelical, is run like like a robber baron's medieval fiefdom?
Down Under: The thinning ranks of WCG's Australasian ministry will be assembled this week in Burleigh Heads. The Supreme Commander of the Faithful has delegated his portable pontifical throne to that well-known non-attendee Mike Feazell. What directives will be passed on to the Ocker and Kiwi franchises? Will the more conservative Antipodean branches be told to "get with the program" and trash their few remaining distinctives? And most importantly, will Rod Matthews present Mike with one of those Aussie hats that have corks attached which swing around to fend off the blowflies? Stay tuned.
A venerable history? These Pollyannaish words from the last remaining Armstrong to hawk his wares in the COG market place, Mark Armstrong in yesterday's ICG/GTAEA "Friday Update".
God’s Work remains active and strong. My Dad’s presence, and his productivity are sorely missed, by us here, at least as much as by your there. Rest assured that we here are planning ahead, and working long days to make certain that the legacy of Garner Ted Armstrong, and of his Dad Herbert W. Armstrong, is carried forward with all the strength God provides. We are, in large part, responsible for preserving, protecting and carrying on the Work of the Watchman. It has a venerable history, and a crucial ongoing role in spreading the TRUTHS we’ve been entrusted with, along with the message of Witness and Warning as we are propelled forward into these prophetically important times.
The more things change, the more some things stay the same. If nothing else, Chipper's "Work" promises a nice cozy cave to crawl into while the mountain thunders, darkness falls at noon, ash and pumice pelt the land, fire and lava obliterate the monuments to sectarian arrogance, and searing heat crisps those poor disoriented souls caught in the path of destruction. Armstrongism's very own apocalypse. The cave however is almost always a death trap, and those who huddle there are likely to suffocate, not survive.
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Robidoux
tragedy: It's
so sickening to witness the terrible Armstrong
legacy reaching down to even the subject of
infanticide. Numbing with numbers? Thomas Brooks wrote that the United Church of God's membership isn't even double that of Living Church of God. The Painful Truth indicates that UCG has 17,000 members. From searching the net I found that LCG currently has 6000 members. It appears that Mr. Brooks is padding his numbers. Original Herb: I just wanted to let you know how I feel about the Yahoo originalwcg group. If you dare to state the fact that WCG originally taught that Pentecost was on a Monday, they will not allow your comments on its page. Many times I have tried to comment on their lack of openness to the truth and they ignore you. They want their group to remain stupid on what it was really like. I was in the Church since 1966, and believe me they are not the original WCG. MD: You're right, WCG did once teach a Monday Pentecost. But where is your benchmark for "original"? 1934? 1949? 1966? 1974? 1986? WCG under HWA was continually tinkering with doctrine. Healing, makeup, divorce, Pentecost. The OWCG seems to regard the post-purge WCG of 1979-1986 as normative under the octogenarian apostle. Presumably this has less to do with the dubious merits of any Pentecost chronology than with the median age of the group's members, who recollect Armstrong's "cultural revolution" as some kind of golden age. Go figure!
Response
to Buzzard: I saw your web site
mentioned in the Dec. 2003 Journal,
published by Dixon Cartwright. Your site
highlights and discusses a number of very
interesting topics. But I was a little disturbed
by the comments made about HWA on your front
page. Were the comments yours or were you quoting
someone else? And if you don't mind answering
this, were you ever a member of WCG? Tom Mahon MD: (1) Except for the quote from Jack Kessler, the home page comments are indeed original to MD. (2) Yes. (3) Try anthonybuzzard@mindspring.com.
Jefferson on
religion: As a 20+ year resident of
the House of Herb (a.k.a. an inmate in the
Armstrong Asylum) I wish that I had long ago had
access to... a letter written by Thomas Jefferson
in 1787 to a nephew, one Peter Carr... It has
been very useful in my post-Herb truth searching.
Too bad that most pew-sitters will never hear or
take notice of the eternal wisdom of elegant
phrases such as "the homage of reason" versus
"blindfolded fear." MD: Jefferson's letter can be found at http://www.deism.com/thinksam3.htm. The section Bob refers to is headed "Religion". Quite a contrast to some current political figures who seem more interested in sanctimonious "prayer breakfast" photo opportunities.
"The
mess we's in": A little leaven
leavens the whole lump. MD: Very enigmatic! |
14 February. MONEY IN THE CULT COFFERS
Joe Joyful - Sale process hits pay dirt: The following information appears in the latest Weekly Update from the WCG's Pastor General.
LA Times report:
An Irvine developer purchased 12 acres of the former Ambassador College in Pasadena on Wednesday with the intention of building a residential and retail project on the site.
Sares-Regis Group paid the Worldwide Church of God an undisclosed amount for the property, which is roughly bounded by Del Mar Boulevard, DeLacey Avenue, Green Street and the 710 Freeway spur. The East Campus, as the site is known, has some remnants of the former school, including classrooms and a small auditorium, but does not include the well-known Ambassador Auditorium, which is on the 30-acre West Campus across the freeway.
Sares-Regis officials have no specific plans for their new property, spokesman Bill Montgomery said. They expect to meet with community and city representatives in the months ahead to develop a proposal for apartments and for-sale housing served by some stores. If the approval process goes smoothly, construction could begin in the second half of 2005, he said.
The property near Old Town and a Gold Line rail station has been coveted by builders since the church closed Ambassador College in 1997.
"A 12-acre parcel in that market is a phenomenal opportunity," said Montgomery, who grew up nearby. "It's just really neat to see what's happened there."
Last year, Sares-Regis acquired the nearby 374-unit Holly Street Village apartments with Capri Capital Advisors for $64 million.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is with great pleasure I share the joyful news that the Church has sold the “East Campus” portion of the Pasadena headquarters. Thank you all for your prayers over the years, and for your ongoing prayers for the entitlement effort that will continue for the West Campus.
The following press release was issued today. Please feel free to share this with your congregations. We will follow-up this week's Pastor General's update with further information in the very near future.
For Immediate Release Contact: Fred Muir (310) 278-9321
Hilary Norton Orozco (213) 448-2900
Worldwide Church of God sells East Campus of Ambassador College to Sares-Regis Group
Church continues with plans for West Campus
Pasadena, February, 11, 2004-- The Worldwide Church of God today announced the sale of its East Campus property in the Old Pasadena historic commercial district to Sares-Regis Group, a prominent Southern California developer, for an undisclosed sum.
Sares-Regis Group plans to meet with the City to discuss its plans for a transit-oriented urban village which could include for-sale and rental homes. The approximately 11-acre property is bounded by Del Mar to the South and DeLacey Avenue on the East, with the exception of the Friend Paper Company parcel at the corner of Green Street and DeLacey Avenue and the Werk’s Bros. garage on Green Street.
The sale will allow the Church and its development team to concentrate their efforts on completing the entitlement process for the West Campus portion of the Ambassador Campus Planned Development. The Ambassador Campus is designed as a residential neighborhood which blends historic homes, gardens, new community infrastructure, and the potentially reopened Ambassador Auditorium.
“The sale of the East Campus is good for everyone involved,” said Bernard Schnippert, director of finance and planning for the Worldwide Church of God. “The Church is happy that we can continue our religious mission to focus our resources on to our nearly 600 pastors and 800 congregations around the world.”
Bill Montgomery, spokesman for Sares-Regis Group, said, “We are very proud to have reached this agreement with the Worldwide Church of God, and are eager to develop the East Campus with a project that meets or exceeds the high architectural design and landscape standards that make Pasadena such a special place. It is exciting to play a bigger role in this extraordinary community.”
“The project we envision will help ease the housing shortage and complement the exciting and vibrant Old Pasadena with an urban village neighborhood that is an easy walk to two Gold Line stations,” Montgomery added. “We are just getting started in defining the scope of our project. We look forward to working with the City and community as we create the new plan.”
Schnippert agreed, “The property is in good hands. Utilizing their community planning and development experience Sares-Regis Group will bring a new vision to the East Campus parcel.”
Sares-Regis Group is one of the leading developers, managers and builders of residential and commercial real estate in the Western United States. The company has acquired or developed approximately 36 million square feet of commercial properties and more than 18,000 apartment and residential homes since its inception. Recent development projects include: Watermarke, a 535 unit luxury apartment community located in Irvine, a condominium conversion of Seabridge Villas in Huntington Beach, and an active senior apartment community, Remington at Ladera Ranch. Last year, Sares-Regis Group acquired the nearby Holly Street Village apartment community in Pasadena...
Undisclosed sum? Why?
Here's how the Pasadena Star News covered the sale.
PASADENA -- The Worldwide Church of God has sold the eastern portion of the Ambassador College campus to an Orange County development group for an undisclosed amount, church officials announced Wednesday.
The church had planned to develop the entire 46-acre campus, but now will move forward only on the more controversial aspect of the plan, a 735-unit project on the 33-acre western campus and possible demolition of the world-famous Ambassador Auditorium.
News of the sale drew a mixed reaction from a community long divided over the church's plans to build what would be the city's largest housing project ever.
"The sale of the east campus changes everything,' said Mike Vogler of Save South Orange Grove, a group formed to fight the Ambassador development. "The Ambassador project must be put on hold indefinitely until we see what the new owners want to do with (their) property.'
Some critics of the Ambassador plan see a silver lining, saying the sale gives them another chance to press for lower density development on the larger west campus, which sits in the middle of some of Pasadena's most affluent neighborhoods.
Rumors have been swirling for weeks about a possible sale. As late as Tuesday, church officials were pushing city planners to hurry and finish work on the project's environmental impact report.
Bernard Schnippert, finance director for the church, said he has been entertaining offers for the 13-acre east campus for months, but the deal only came together in the past two weeks.
"We made this transaction dispassionately, using our best business judgment,' Schnippert said.
The buyers are a consortium of developers, led by Sares-Regis Group of Irvine. The firm has built luxury apartments and condominiums throughout California, including the Park Catalina apartments in Los Angeles and Parkwoods in the Oakland Hills.
The deal was brokered by Orange County developer Jack D'Angelo of Old Pasadena Partners. "The deal has been in the works now since April or June of last year,' he said. "It was a very complicated transaction.'
To help finance the deal, D'Angelo brought in Equity Residential Trust of Chicago, a residential investment firm.
"Right now we are looking at the market demand for condominiums on a portion of the property and multifamily rentals on the rest,' D'Angelo said. The proposal also calls for retail along Green Street and Pasadena Avenue.
D'Angelo previously worked for Legacy Partners, the firm that led the earlier, failed attempt to develop the Ambassador property.
The church regrouped after Legacy and decided to act as its own developer. Last year, the church proposed building 1,435 houses on the 46-acre campus.
That plan met deep resistance from west Pasadena residents who argued the size of the project would ruin their neighborhoods.
The Ambassador campus' borders run from Green Street south to Del Mar Boulevard and from Orange Grove Boulevard east to DeLacey Avenue. The east and west campuses are split by the Long Beach (710) Freeway spur.
08 February. ICG TRIES CHANGING THE SUBJECT, ROBIDOUX VERDICT, RADER REMEMBERED, RICK ROSS LINKS TO AW, BOOK REVIEW, DEMONS AND THE UCG. Mail: Can't see funny side, just a dimwit, COG ecumenism - Jamaica style, trench warfare, more...
Just when things are looking icky: There's nothing like a distraction when the hounds are baying on your trail. Could this be why the ICG has suddenly stopped talking about its internal eruptions and started talking up prophecy? This week ICG minister Chris Cumming sent a breathless email to the shell-shocked troops: Temple Mount Wall Collapses!!
Naturally the item caused rattling of bars in several monkey cages. A critical reading of the Cumming item revealed, however, that it was much ado about nothing. Structural problems are nothing new, and the item was sourced from a fanatical group in Israel.
Robidoux outcome: Karen Robidoux "was cleared of murder charges Tuesday but convicted of assault and battery for starving her infant son to death to fulfill a prophecy." Full story here.
Stan the Man: Once upon a time (April 1979 actually) WCG's Stanley Rader agreed to a 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace. It was a poor decision, as it turned out, confirming for many that the lawyer was a Rasputin-like figure exercising control over the aging "apostle" he lionized. The audio of that program is now available for download courtesy of the Painful Truth site.
MD recognized by cult information site: Rick Ross of rickross.com, a leading source of information on cultic groups, has recently linked to both MD and our affiliated Ambassador Files.
New book review: Sir Anthony Buzzard and Charles Hunting may be familiar names to older WCG members. Buzzard taught Hebrew at Ambassador College and Hunting was a leading "evangelist" in the sect of the seventies. In 1995 they co-authored a book entitled The Doctrine of the Trinity - Christianity's Self-Inflicted Wound. The current edition, copyrighted 1998, has been cited by a number of religious authors, many outside the COG movement.
Reviews, however, have been few and far between, at least one has been scathing, and we haven't been able to find any credible academic reviews at all (interestingly though, there is one pending at a Mormon apologetics site).
Buzzard and Hunting advocate a unitarian understanding of God quite different from WCG's earlier binatarian doctrine (i.e. that the God Family is currently composed of God the Father and Christ, but the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force) as well as the Trinitarian dogma. A brief review of their work is now available on MD.
Back to the Dark Ages: The United Church of God has mooted a study on the concept of demons. These excerpts from a Feb. 5 Council of Elders teleconference.
"...it can be very difficult to discern whether a person has a mental disease or is influenced by a demon... many ministers have no idea how to deal with demons."
A workshop on the subject of demons attracted some discussion. Mr. Horchak recalled that the Council had previously suggested that the topic not be included.
Mr. Kubik expressed that it can be very difficult to discern whether a person has a mental disease or is influenced by a demon. He didn’t feel it would be wise to present that topic to the general conference until the Council and doctrine committee had some discussions on it.
Mr. Seiglie suggested that there is a need for guidelines because it’s been so long since any instruction has been given on the subject that many ministers have no idea how to deal with demons.
Les McCullough pointed out that the Church has never specifically addressed this subject. He agreed that it would be unwise to do so until there has been a doctrinal study and a discussion by the Council.
Mr. Dick agreed and also emphasized that lacking a formal study on the subject, whatever might be said would become a defacto doctrinal statement. He advised it would be better to do a more thorough study before presenting it to the general conference.
We'd like to suggest that, in the meantime, just to be safe, all UCG ministers wear a string of garlic around their necks...
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Northern Light issue: I see on your latest issue ... you mention the "Northern Light" magazine [from] WCG Canada. I would just like to add a few comments on the article by Bill Hall.
Lutherans and Catholics friends of WCG?? as if?? Also how sad WCG downplays the psychological harm they produced in so many children because of their fantastic lies! Panic and Fear is right!! but it wasn't funny at all!!
The interest in prophecy was rooted in absolute fear by Herbert Armstrong and his cohorts. Interesting word Mr. Hall uses "slowly"? I guess that makes it look like God really was in control of the new improved WCG.
Mental
persecution? After reading Rich's
letter concerning the fate of the COG orgs, I
wondered why he was using UCG statistics to slam
LCG. I was a member of UCG and know from personal
experience that their membership is
declining for reasons other than just old
age. LCG is the only one of which I am aware,
that has shown a slow but steady growth over the
years. At the start, UCG boasted a membership
triple that of then Global. At the present time,
their membership does not even double that of
LCG's. Thomas Brooks MD: Nice try Thomas, but do you really think LCG will survive Spanky's demise? Just look at what happened to the inmates of Teddy's religious gulag once he departed the scene a few months ago.
Jamaican CGI promotes UCG
website: Can't tell you how you
were missed when you were off recently! Was so
glad that you cut short the break--and what
breaking news you had with all the flare-up --
no surprise -- in the ICG. It seems there is
never a dull week in the land of Armstrongism!
I still find it fascinating that it is someone
from New Zealand -- not the US or even Europe
-- which has the most sought-after,
highly-informed and cutting-edge forum on the
Armstrong movement. You deserve a journalism
prize--- or a humanitarian prize for exposing
so many human rights abuses. I experience
conflicting emotions over "Ambassador Watch".
As a present activist within the Armstrong
movement, and someone still engaged in
recruiting to the movement--though to a
significantly reformed, non-intrusive,
non-oppressive section, the CGI-- some of the
information contained in AW could hardly be
construed as advancing the cause! But if you go
under (no pun intended), how would I replace
your absolutely invaluable source of accurate
information and how would I gauge the ideas and
emotions in the Armstrongite landscape? An
information-hungry person like me would be
seriously put out by your absence. After six
months, I will write you again! MD: The text of both newspaper ads will be available here till the end of February.
Back
to the trenches: I just found your
site and think that it would only be fair that
you contact both Mr. Tom Kerry and Mr. George
Trent and get their side of this STORY, and I
do mean story. If you just check the public
records you will find that the headquarters
building which was paid for by donations from
the members is registered in the personal name
of Garner Ted Armstrong and from what I have
been told they have now transferred all the ICG
assets into the GTAEA which is run by the
Armstrongs. MD: Scroll down. George Trent's letter appears in the January 30 update. Scroll a bit further down and you'll find this statement (Jan. 29): "If and when the newly disaffiliated group makes a statement we'll try and publish it - so that readers have, to use Griffith's words, an opportunity to receive "both" sides of the story." Keeping AW coming: I've been reading the fallout of your announcement regarding possible closure of AW. Of course it would be missed, but I understand completely why you might be considering it... I myself would just hate to see AW go the way we're hoping its subject eventually will go! Gary Scott MD: Thanks for the suggestions you included.
Show
of hands: In reading over the
comments regarding the status of your website,
I would have thought that some would have
offered to help out in whatever way they could.
That said, I am offering to help out in any way
I can. I'm sure others would also. MD: Appreciate your offer Bill. In the meantime things are fine, no show of hands necessary. Missing Persons Dept. Great work. Your site keeps me up to date with what is going on in all splits of the church. I was wondering if any of your readers know of the contact details of one Mike Sumner who was at AC, Pasadena, in 74-75. He was from Michigan. I'd like to get in contact with him if possible. Email me, Graeme Henderson, at graez@tpg.com.au and hi to anyone else I know. |
04 February. ROBIDOUX TRIAL, WEB RING CREATED, PROPHECY MAG
Robidoux cult in spotlight: The WCG-related splinter group The Body has been featured in recent news reports. This item was carried by AP.
TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) The lawyer for a woman accused of starving her infant son to death to fulfill a religious prophesy said Monday that she was a victim of her domineering husband, and of the splinter sect to which they both belonged. The prosecutor countered that the real victim was Samuel Robidoux, the baby who died in 1999 just shy of his first birthday after slowly wasting away for months while his parents withheld solid food. The jury began deliberations Monday afternoon in the trial of Karen Robidoux...
And CNN is carrying the full report on their website: http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/02/02/embattled.sect.ap/index.html
New web ring: Sharon Mooney has notified MD of a new web ring which features links to her web pages. According to information at the site "This ring is open to testimonies of former WCG Co-Workers and Members, and webpages which have related themes."
Prophecy in the new, improved WCG: Canadian WCG publication Northern Light focuses on "prophecy" in its latest issue. Some of the articles have been recycled from other places, but if you want the cult's current position on apocalyptic prediction in one place, this may be the best choice. These fascinating comments come from editor Bill Hall:
Growing up, I certainly heard a lot about Bible prophecy. There were many nights (especially after hearing a particularly loud sermon on the “end times”) that I would wake up in a cold sweat after dreaming about German soldiers marching down that same main street of my town.
We share your pain Bill, we really do. Now if you wanna see some traditional hellfire, doomsday apocalyptic in the pure Herbal tradition, you could check out the severely misnamed Good News magazine for January-February... Just look for the lurid "4 Horsemen" artwork on the cover.
31 January. ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY, CGI MINISTER COMMENTS. Mail: Indiana COG goes invisible, COG half life, MD granted reprieve
Dispatches from the trenches: First, this January 20 letter to ICG's Board of Directors.
It is a very serious matter anytime the subject of removing the credentials of a minister of God is considered. I believe that the time has arrived for this action to be taken in the matter of Mr. Tom Kerry.
As you are aware, through my letter of January 19, Mr. Frank Scherich and myself had a very disheartening experience during our meeting with the New Orleans church. At this meeting Mr. Scherich and I were treated as enemies instead of fellow members of God's church. Mr. Kerry ridiculed both of us with occasional laughter at our attempts to answer the accusatory questions that came from the congregation. Mr. Kerry also became very abusive in his demeanor at times calling me a liar directly and implying the same towards Mr. Scherich by stating that Mr. Scherich's statements about Mr. Kerry were false.One of the very basics of Christian belief is reconciliation towards God and towards each other. Our attempts at reconciling the situation revolving around the accusations of the last month were met with total disregard by Mr. Kerry and his congregation.
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1).
Mr. Scherich and myself adhered to this scripture by pleading with Mr. Kerry and the New Orleans congregation to not take action until all of our misunderstandings could be remedied. Mr. Kerry responded by replying that he wanted nothing further to do with his brother Mark Armstrong.
Your own record, including Mr. Kerry's voluntary resignation as an Area Coordinator demonstrates his unwillingness to cooperate not only with the organization but also with the Church.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (Romans 16:17).
Mr. Kerry has demonstrated his willingness to divide this organization and the Church rather to go to any length to reconcile our differences.
I therefore recommend that the ministerial credentials of Mr. Tom Kerry be revoked and that he no longer represent the Intercontinental Church of God or it's members. It is with great sadness and reluctance that I write this, but I feel a greater obligation to the Church of God than to any man.
I pray that God will restore Mr. Kerry to the spirit of meekness and reconciliation before the return of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Respectfully in Christ,
Thomas D. Griffith, Jr.
And another, this time addressed to "The Ministry, Board Members and Hosts":
"...the two aforementioned men are more like a
festering cancer in the church than ministers."After reviewing all the events of the past few weeks by Mr. George Trent and Mr. Earl Timmons, I have come to the conclusion they are no longer acting in the best interests of the Intercontinental Church of God. I do not believe I have to review all the items in question as they have been stated several times before by myself and others. At this point in time the two aforementioned men are more like a
festering cancer in the church than ministers. Any good doctor will tell you a cancer must be cut out or it will eat the entire body. Mr. Tom Kerry was kind enough to send an email to me stating he had resigned this last Sabbath, Jan 24. I have received no such email from Mr. Trent or Mr. Timmons, therefore it is my recommendation that the board revoke their ministerial credentials and forbid them to speak at any of ICG's local congregations now or in the future. They are apparently not resigning because they want to take as many of the ICG people with them as possible. This would take time as a cancer eats slowly at first then accelerates to a rapid speed at the end.
It is my sincere wish the Board of the ICG will take this recommendation under serious and rapid consideration.
Your brother in Christ,
Frank Scherich
And then there's this "summary" released today by ICG "for widest possible distribution":
From: ICG Board of Directors:
January 30, 2004
Re: Mr. Trent’s Letter of Jan. 26, 2004
The members of the Board of the Intercontinental Church of God are heartbroken that Mr. George Trent, who we considered one of our most valuable assets in the field, has chosen to join with others in trying to tear apart the organization left behind by Garner Ted Armstrong. The Board has done its utmost to answer questions and solve complaints, and at all times recognize that the very reason for the Board’s existence ultimately is the protection of the Church.
The Armstrong family placed great confidence in Mr. Trent, even inviting him to Tyler to perform Mr. GTA’s funeral service. While one or two individuals suggested, then pressured, then demanded that Mr. Trent be moved to Tyler, made Chairman, be put in “full and final authority...” he himself never did. We, however, looked to him for loyalty, and for support.
We were shocked to hear that Mr. Trent had gone to New Orleans (accompanied by those who had made the demands and threats) and publicly criticized headquarters and the Board of Directors, after which some in the New Orleans congregation voted to cut ties with the ICG. Three Area Coordinators and several others contacted the Board, expressing their opinion that Mr. Trent could not be allowed to be involved in severing congregations from the Church, while acting as an official of the Church. Hence, the Board’s regretful letter to Mr. Trent dated Jan.27.
One point to address right up front: Mr. Trent is concerned that the GTA-EA “Articles of Incorporation” state that one of the purposes of the organization is to “sell, convey, mortgage, pledge lease exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of its assets as shall be deemed expedient or required.” This is standard legal jargon. It is quoted straight from the non profit code of the State of Texas! It simply authorizes the organization to do business under the law. It legally authorized the organization to acquire the property in Tyler, and to build the office building. This in no way may accrue to the personal benefit of any individual. The Bylaws clearly state precisely that. Mr. Trent quotes that in his letter.
There have been many assertions and characterizations that should be addressed. As there have been so many letters and events referenced, it may be helpful to document a time line.
BACKGROUND & CHRONOLOGY
Summer 2002, Tom Kerry officially resigned as Area Coordinator
May 2003, Mr. GTA officially acknowledged Tom Kerry’s resignation as Area Coordinator in a meeting of the Board of Directors.
Sept. 15, 2003, Mr. GTA died.
Oct. 11, Feast of Tabernacles began
Oct. 17, Board met in PCB, No one was authorized to do business (such as signing checks to pay bills) on behalf of the ICG. Mr GTA had been the only one authorized to sign ICG checks. The Board asked Mark Armstrong to accept the position of Chairman so that operations would continue uninterrupted. It was done on an interim basis. The issue was brought to the Ministry at large for their recommendations on Nov. 12, as has been so often reiterated.
Nov. 15, Area Coordinator meetings began. All present recognized that the description of “Chairman” fit only one man, Garner Ted Armstrong. Who else was preaching the gospel on television, radio, booklets, etc., etc.? The AC’s all agreed, no one in the organization fit the description of Chairman in the Bylaws, to the letter.
Nov. 16, AC’s met early, Board met afterward, agreed that Mr. Trent would be Superintendent of the Ministry. Everyone was in agreement, as far as we knew at the time.
Dec. 10, Tom Kerry wrote first letter critical of Board to all Elders and Hosts in the Southeast. He did not bring a “grievance” to the Board, but rather sent arguments and complaints to the “Leadership in the Southeast.”
Dec. 15, Tom Kerry wrote second letter (1 page) reiterating criticisms of the Board, and suggesting that Mr. Trent was in support of his letter writing campaign.
Dec. 18, Mr. Trent contacted Board for input on how to deal with Tom Kerry’s letter-writing to the “Leadership in the Southeast.” Mr. Trent had written a draft of a letter to rebut some of Mr. Kerry’s points. He never sent that letter, except to the Board, requesting input. It was marked “Private and Confidential”. (We’ve been advised that since this is “business” and since these matters have already been characterized in writing, that it cannot be considered “private.”)
Mr. Trent to the Board, Dec. 18, 2004: “For Your Review. I suspect this letter will possibly stimulate anger in some when they read this. However, Tom (Kerry) stepped over the line when he intimated that I supported his efforts. He did not have the courtesy to send me a copy of his cover letter in his latest mailing. As Superintendent of the Ministry I only followed the guidelines in not micro-managing the ACs. I knew Tom was writing letters but NEVER acknowledged my approval. In fact, I advised the other ACs of possible repercussions. This must stop NOW! It is causing DIVISION & STRIFE in God’s Church. Please read the letter I have drafted to send to the Leadership of the Southeast. If you have any problems with any part, let me know.
You must be aware that there may be some damage here. If, after this if Tom doesn’t resign, I hear of any further discussion or continuance of this issue I will pull Tom’s speaking credentials, and remove him from “Acting” AC status. Let me know if you are willing to pay this price. If we don’t, we will surely be divided. Let me know, please.”
Consider the Board’s response, Dec. 20 (characterized as “furious” in Mr. Trent’s Jan. 26th letter.) The first paragraph regarded approval of Tom Griffith being named AC to replace Mr. E. B. Vance following his death.To: Mr. George Trent
From: ICG Board (*excluding Mr. Mark Armstrong)
Subject: Your request for input ie: Mr. Tom KerryWith prayerful consideration of your request for input regarding Mr. Tom Kerry’s writing of --at least-- questionable letters to the Elders and Hosts of the Southeast Region:
1. The Board has placed in your hands, the authority to deal with matters such as these and has full confidence in your judgement.
2. We appreciate the agonizing time and effort it must have taken to spend on such a needless, unpleasant, offensive matter.
3. The heart of the matter is — in your own words— in your first paragraph under Private & Confidential: “Tom stepped over the line when he intimated that I supported his efforts...” “This must stop NOW! It is causing DIVISION AND STRIFE in God’s Church.”
4. The Board is in full agreement with you.
5. God is not the author of confusion, and Mr. Kerry’s letters are confusing and causing confusion, as you have witnessed, along with far too many others. They aspired to cast doubt on the credibility of the Board, and on the GOOD FAITH IN WHICH WE ALL ACTED during our ONLY meeting on Sunday November 16th, so all of this oration i.e. the Board “rejecting” proposal(s) on Saturday the 15th could not have been possible.
6. Whether intentional or not, Mr. Kerry misrepresents many aspects of what took place in Tyler, and has, regrettably, sent those misrepresentations to ALL THE CHURCH’S CONGREGATIONS throughout the Southeast.
7. Any further attempts to appease each of his charges and assertions can only result in further confusion. As has been stated, “ALL WERE IN AGREEMENT.”
8. You cautioned in your opening paragraph that if you “hear of any further discussion or continuance of this issue” action you might take. Well, just for the record, Mr. Ted Armstrong— upon Mr. Kerry’s request— allowed him to work toward the best interests of the Church on the condition that it be of a positive and constructive nature. He has never been RE-instated as an AC.
9. Until his damage has been undone, and all concerned are confident he has ceased completely from “sowing discord” in order to “clear up relentless, endless questions,” etc. May we recommend you consider that Mr. Kerry no longer be allowed to “act” as Area Coordinator.
10. This, however, is your decision and the Board will support you. Of course, you have the other legitimate AC’s for “intel” too. Just this, due to this being very “time sensitive,” we would request any action taken be swift and ASAP. Regardless, we need your dedication and expertise. We appreciate your contribution and sacrifices for God’s Church. Keep up the good work! How else can we help and support you and Mrs. Trent?
ICG Board Members, Colleen Vance, James Lamb, Larry Brookreson, Shirley Armstrong
(*Mark Armstrong chose to abstain— did not participate in the Board’s discussion.)Does that sound like the Board was “furious?”
Contributions
Mr. Trent’s letter states that 95% of the money (your tithes and offerings) are in the EA, and that Mr. GTA made a statement to that effect. The answer is this. ICG checks go into the ICG account and are used to pay ICG bills (Ministerial expenses, church newspaper, sermon tapes, meeting rooms for Sabbath services, etc.) EA checks go into the EA account and are used to pay EA bills (Television production, TV Stations , office payments, salaries, etc.) It is up to the individual as to how they make out their checks.
Financial Reports
Checks are issued and books kept by an outside accounting firm. Financial Reports are issued quarterly. As was mentioned in the Early Update Jan. 21, 2004,The position of “Chairman of Ecclesiastical Affairs” has been filled by senior Board Member, and long time Minister, Mr. Larry Brookreson. This was accomplished at the Board meeting held January 17th, referenced in the Jan. 21, Early Update. The Board certainly thought this would solve any outstanding complaints regarding the need for a Minister taking charge of “Ecclesiastical” matters within the church.
Our Corporate Attorney
Our corporate attorney was consulted, not to interpret God’s laws, but to make certain that the Church remained in compliance with the Bylaws as they relate to the laws of the State of Texas.
Membership on the Board
Some have made issue of the qualifications for membership on the Board. The Bylaws indicate that a qualification for Board membership require church membership for a period of ten years or more. Please refer to Article 7 page 6 of the Bylaws which states plainly that Church membership includes “anyone who has been in voluntary attendance at the weekly Sabbath services and the annual Holy Days,” in addition to baptism.
Doctrines
As was stated immediately following Mr. GTA’s death, there will be NO DOCTRINAL CHANGES in the Intercontinental Church of God. The doctrines are set forth and spelled out in all the literature and tapes, and that material will continue to be made available to members of the Church and to the general public!
The Work
As Mr. Garner Ted Armstrong so often stated, we are called to do a Work, not to “play church.” This organization will continue to pursue that calling to whatever degree God blesses it. We wish to put this matter behind us now, and direct all our efforts to the fulfillment of His Great Commission.
Sincerest apologies for all the confusion and upset. The Board has done its best to act in the best interests of the Church, as Mr. GTA would have expected. If mistakes were made, they were not intentional. The Board thanks all of you who have expressed confidence and loyalty.
Never the less, not our will, But His be done,
From: ICG Board of Directors
Larry Brookreson, Chairman
So, how's Chipper holding up in these troublous times? Here's what he wrote in his latest "Friday Update".
Dear Friends in the Field,
We've had an incredibly successful week from the standpoint of responses to the Garner Ted Armstrong telecast. A total of 840! This was the program which offered two audio tapes from my Dad entitled "All About Angels."
The GTA web site just hit a lifetime milestone of 1,600,000 visitors. The number for this week, 6,748. There is a tremendous response for the "Angels" offer coming in there as well.
We're heartened by the outpouring of love and support from so many of you who support the Work of the ICG and the GTA Evangelistic Assn.
Our resolve to continue this Work has not been shaken. On the contrary. We are determined to press ahead with all the strength God provides.
Sincerely,
Mark Armstrong
Crisis? What crisis?
Vance Stinson puts CGI perspective: Vance Stinson is well known to many readers as a minister in the Church of God International. He was a member of that church's ministerial council at the time the board asked GTA to go into retirement, and is currently in the employment of CGI at its HQ in Tyler, Texas. The following open letter addresses a number of issues Mr. Stinson believes are relevant in light of the current situation in ICG. It is quoted in full.
Vance Stinson
Garner Ted Armstrong left the Church of God International and founded new organizations early in 1998, after the CGI ministerial council voted unanimously to ask GTA to go into retirement until some point after the settlement of the sexual-assault lawsuit a local masseuse had filed against him two years earlier. As might be expected, during the process of leaving the CGI, GTA viciously attacked the home-office ministry, accusing us of digging up past sins—“spiritual graves [sic] robbing,” he called it—in order to “seize control” and, apparently, somehow feed our own evil desires for “power.”
The men of the ministerial council took no pleasure whatsoever in doing what they knew they had to do. Our actions were founded on biblical principles, not personal agendas or hidden motives. Yet, to this day, after several years and much time for reflection, those who followed GTA out of the CGI insist upon perpetuating the myth that our actions were politically motivated or prompted by ulterior motives.
I get the impression that, as far as ICG members are concerned, it’s just a given, a well-known and indisputable fact, that poor Mr. Armstrong was roughed up and badly mistreated by men he thought were his friends. This was evident in the cold reception I received from some of my former friends at GTA’s funeral. It has come across in many letters and emails we have received at the home office. One radical GTA supporter went so far as to compare me with Osama Bin Laden! While his extremism does not reflect the attitude of the majority, it is rooted in the same soil of misinformation.
I consider this a long-overdue defense, not an attack
An example of how ICG members assume without question the belief that our actions regarding GTA were rooted in ulterior motives appeared in a recent issue of the ICG’s Intercontinental News. An article in that edition repeats the claim that Garner Ted Armstrong was “betrayed by his friends.” GTA’s friends—those who allegedly betrayed him—include the home-office ministry and certain members of the ministerial council and board of directors of the CGI. The author of the article and many of his readers take for granted that Charles Groce, Bronson James, Benny Sharp, and I, among others, actually did betray GTA. For them it’s a given, a fact of history, beyond dispute.
Since these claims persist and have never been adequately addressed, it is time—no, long past time—for a rebuttal. I will be glad to meet with anyone who might wish to challenge me on the statements herein. I will meet with them in public or private; it makes no difference to me, for I have nothing to hide and much to say.
In past years—between GTA’s departure from the CGI in 1998 and his death in 2003—I have hoped for the occasion when the record could be set straight. I have told angry GTA supporters who were accusing me of heinous crimes against the man that I would be glad to meet with GTA and anyone else, in public or private, and answer any question asked of me or any charge made against the CGI or any of its personnel, pointing out that I have nothing to hide. I have made that offer numerous times. Unfortunately, it is now too late for a meeting with GTA and impossible for him to retract the many damaging charges he led his followers to believe about the “friends” who “betrayed” him. That being the case, I will now defend the actions of the CGI council by answering the charges ICG members never seem to question. Some will accuse me of attacking a man after he is dead. Call it what you will, but I consider this a long-overdue defense, not an attack.
(1) GTA accused us (particularly Charles Groce and me) of “spiritual grave robbing,” or “digging up past sins” and using those sins against him. FACT: I probably would not have learned of GTA’s five-year affair (which the masseuse incident brought to an end) had GTA and his wife Shirley not been engaged in “spiritual grave robbing.” It was that action on their part that set off a chain of events that led to my discovery of GTA’s affair. They opened that can of worms! Interestingly, while GTA was digging up someone else’s past sins in an attempt to get his beloved titles back, he was writing a booklet wherein he essentially consigns “spiritual grave robbers” to the lake of fire. His own words condemn him!
(2) GTA accused us of breaking the “priest-penitent law.” He claimed that we had told others of sins he had privately and confidentially confessed. FACT: GTA didn’t come to anyone to confess anything. He got caught on a couple of occasions, but he spent more time denying, spinning the truth, and shifting the blame than confessing. Further, if anyone was guilty of breaking the “priest-penitent law,” it was GTA himself! One of the sins he dug up in his effort to get his precious titles back was a sin that had been confidentially confessed to him two years earlier by one of his closest friends (whom GTA would later betray). GTA’s secretary and others conspired with him in “exhuming” this long-buried “rotting corpse.”
(3) When Charles Groce, during a discussion with GTA, expressed his concern that he (GTA) would eventually sell him down the river, GTA put his hands on Charles’ shoulders and, with quavering voice, said, “Charles, I would never sell you down the river. You are just too valuable to the ministry. I would just never do it.” (I was in the meeting and witnessed this.) Yet, we later learned, when GTA’s former mistress decided to “come clean,” that within a few hours or a day or so of GTA’s assuring Charles, “I would never sell you down the river,” GTA (with Shirley) was on the phone with his ex-mistress telling her that Charles had been dropping her name around the office (he had not!) and encouraging her to file a lawsuit against Charles “for breaking the priest-penitent law.” How’s that for not selling someone down the river?
Let me make it very clear: Garner Ted Armstrong was guilty of doing the very things he falsely accused us of doing! We did not betray him, as his admirers commonly claim; he betrayed us! I stand by that statement, and I am willing to defend it, as I said, in public or in private. I’m sure that ICG loyalists will dismiss everything I have said here and continue claiming that we “betrayed” their hero. To that, I say thank God that a day of judgment is coming, a day when those falsely charged will be vindicated and everyone will see who the real liars are.
I am fascinated by the fact that George Trent and Tom Kerry are so concerned about the leadership qualifications of Mark Armstrong. Since when did qualifications matter?
Another fact that should be noted is that GTA repeatedly told us that he would do what the council asked, just as any other minister would be expected to do. Yet, when the council asked him to go into retirement, he decided to leave the CGI and start new organizations. Interestingly, when he was on the CGI ministerial council, GTA once voted (as did all the other council members) to suspend the credentials of a minister who believed a sexual sin he had committed was about to be exposed in the media. The council—GTA included—knew this would bring scandal to the church, so the council members unanimously voted to suspend the man’s credentials, even though the sin had apparently taken place only once and happened seventeen years earlier! Now, how is it that a seventeen-year-old sin, because of the threat of scandal, can result in the suspension of a minister’s credentials, but decades of massive womanizing, a sexual-assault lawsuit, and a videotape featuring a naked GTA performing lewd acts in a massage parlor are not quite enough to disqualify a man from the ministry? Can someone explain that to me? (I am fascinated by the fact that George Trent and Tom Kerry are so concerned about the leadership qualifications of Mark Armstrong. Since when did qualifications matter?)
Another fact many seem to be unaware of is that we asked GTA to stay in the CGI and assured him that restoration to the ministry was possible. It is commonly believed that we put him out of the church. That’s simply not true; we asked him to stay! At the last CGI ministerial conference GTA attended, I asked him and Shirley to stay with the CGI and abide by the decision of the council. I also told them that I believed that restoration to the ministry could take place at some point. The council has been characterized as a group of merciless judges, but I maintain that we acted MERCIFULLY! ICG loyalists will scoff; but, again, I’ll be glad to defend my statements in a room full of ICG members!
The real issue seems to be lost on GTA’s followers. It’s a theological one, and it is the main reason I originally wrote to GTA asking him to go into retirement and informing him that I felt I had a responsibility to take the issue to the ministerial council. GTA and his followers have made it an issue of “forgiveness,” claiming that the problem is that we have not forgiven GTA. But forgiveness is simply not the issue. It never was. The real issue concerns responsibility and qualifications, especially regarding the effects that knowledge of GTA’s sinful behavior have on the “little ones” who are looking to us for spiritual guidance. Let me explain…
After the first time clips from the famous “GTA and the Masseuse” videotape turned up on TV (on Geraldo’s show), I began receiving calls from “little ones” requesting the removal of their names from our mailing list. They were utterly SHOCKED, as you might imagine, and could no longer trust or believe us because of what our leader had done. I knew that if I continued to support GTA, if I continued promoting him as the primary representative of everything we believed and stood for, I would be guilty of bringing shame to the name of Jesus Christ, of causing “little ones” to stumble, and of blatantly disregarding the high standards Scripture sets forth for the ministry. “Little ones” WERE being offended and turned away, and my support of GTA’s role as the chief representative for all that we believed and stood for made me a participant in that great evil! THAT was the main issue, and finally realizing it led me to conclude that I could no longer support GTA as the organization’s sole voice before the world.
First Timothy 3:2 tells us that an elder must be “above reproach.” Can a man be “above approach” if scenes of him wearing nothing but a smile and a pair of socks and making sexual advances in a massage parlor are aired on national TV? Can a man who is KNOWN for his sexual immorality—and has video footage to back it up—be considered “above reproach”? It amazes me that George Trent and Tom Kerry seem to be more upset over Mark Armstrong’s failure to meet the “qualifications” of GTA’s “inspired” Constitution and By-Laws than they ever were over GTA’s failure to meet the requirements of 1 Timothy 3:2. Go figure!
Don’t misunderstand; I don’t think that sexual sin always or permanently disqualifies a man from the ministry, but when a minister’s sins are before the public and bring such horrible shame to the church and to Christ’s name, and especially when “little ones” are being offended and driven away, that minister shouldn’t have to be told by an ecclesiastical board to step down; his own conscience should drive him to do it. Unfortunately, several ministers and members rejected the authority of the ecclesiastical body that acted on godly principles and did the right thing in dealing with GTA. They’ll have to answer for themselves. In the meantime, the least they could do is stop repeating the phony charge that we betrayed GTA.
