Top: STANLEY R. RADER RESIDENCE (general counsel and vice-president for financial affairs), 840 Loma Vista, Beverly Hills, CA.
Inset: ROBERT L. KUHN RESIDENCE (assistant to Garner Ted Armstrong), 357 Waverly Drive, Pasadena, CA.
Lower left: GARNER TED ARMSTRONG RESIDENCE, 312 Waverly Drive, Pasadena, CA.
Lower right: HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG RESIDENCE, 210 South Orange Grove, Pasadena, CA.TITHING PAYS OFF!
"Tithing pays off!" says Herbert Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God. Obviously, to those receiving tithes, it does, as the above photos show.
While the Armstrong's Plain Truth magazine publishes articles about the deterioration of world conditions, the nearness of Armageddon, and worldwide famine (complete with photos of starving Biafran children), the leaders of the WCG are enjoying the sumptuous life-style of indulgent potentates while many of their supporters are on the borderline of poverty. As Herbert Armstrong has often said to friends, "Do you know of any king who lives like this?"
See our article "Fleecing the Flock" for details of the Armstrong money-making techniques.
Top: STANLEY R. RADER RESIDENCE (general counsel and vice-president for financial affairs), 840 Loma Vista, Beverly Hills, CA.
Stan and his wife Natalie reside at this little bungalow, one block north-of Sunset Boulevard. The estate is on 2.49 acres of prime, astronomically priced Beverly Hills property. As one would expect, it has all the amenities any other Beverly Hills Taj Mahal might have-tennis courts, statue-studded Roman swimming pool, saunas, projection rooms, guest house, etc. The Worldwide Church of God owned the estate for several years and kept it well-furnished, decorated, and maintained for the Raders, who occupied it on a life trust-estate basis with property in the church's name. But on January 10, 1972, it was signed over to Stan and Natalie as a joint tenancy with right of survivorship.
Should anyone be interested in a more detailed look at the property, contact the Mike Silverman Realty Agency in Beverly Hills. An appointment could be arranged to view the estate since Rader has listed the house for sale at $2,000,000. (Bets are now being taken on whether Stan will tithe on the net or the gross amount of profit he stands to make.)
Inset: ROBERT L. KUHN RESIDENCE (assistant to Garner Ted Armstrong), 357 Waverly Drive, Pasadena, CA.
With his Jensen-Interceptor parked out front, Robert lives in the home formerly occupied by Roderick Meredith, past director of the entire WCG ministry. Although the exterior appears plain, it is anything but that inside. Situated on 0.8 acres, it has 7,000 square feet in floor area. Most interesting is the report that Robert bought the home just a few years ago, with some help from his millionaire father, for approximately $90,000 cash. This occurred during a cash flow problem in the church and was heralded by the Armstrongs as a generous offer (generous to whom?). In November 1968 a $70,000 remodeling job was done on the home, and this year his tax assessment is on the low side, $197,600. One Pasadena real estate broker estimates the current market value at $325,000. One might say that Robert got himself a bargain-compliments of the tithe-paying church brethren.
Lower left: GARNER TED ARMSTRONG RESIDENCE, 312 Waverly Drive, Pasadena, CA.
Situated on 1.3 acres of luxuriantly landscaped property, Ted's sprawling two-story contemporary home appears nearly hidden by the lush foliage of this little Garden of Eden. The tax accessors lumped this lot with Ron Dart's (current head of the church's ministry) home when assigning the assessed value since Ambassador College is legal owner of both. Total assessment was $560,000 for both lots. Taking the percentage that Ted occupies, one can approximate his home's tax assessment at $398,000. It must be remembered these figures are not market values, which generally are significantly higher. Also, the market value would reflect heavily the liberal use of imported woods and stone throughout the house.
Lower right: HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG RESIDENCE, 210 South Orange Grove, Pasadena, CA.
Just one of HWA's five personal homes, this one is situated along Pasadena's "millionaire's row" on South Orange Grove Boulevard. A modest two-story mansion of approximately 7,200 square feet, it is lavishly appointed throughout. Just across the street, a similarly sized estate in a run-down, "fixer-upper" condition is listed for sale at $425,000. So, it is anybody's guess what this immaculately maintained property would bring in today's market.
