AMBASSADOR WHISPERS
Evangelist Raymond McNair, with consent from Pastor General Herbert W. Armstrong, is quietly divorcing Leona, his wife of 21 years. He now claims that she was never really converted. Interestingly enough, he was the minister who baptized her in 1954 before marrying her the next year! They have three children.
Worldwide Church of God director for the United States, C. Wayne Cole, on a tour of Australia was notified by Robert Kuhn over long distance telephone that he would be going on a two-month sabbatical-due to health reasons. Thus, one of the last "concerned" evangelists has now been phased out and replaced by Ronald Dart. Word has it that Wayne may be offered the Canadian directorship-if he decides to remain.
Evangelist David Jon Hill has moved to Washington. Reliable sources indicate that he is selling Amway products while looking for permanent employment in Seattle. He has some property in Sequim which he may be selling to finance a home purchase. Although he has stated that he will be ministering part time (receiving half salary), others indicate that that will not be a major source of income for long.
Is Robert Kuhn bailing out? We understand Robert has partially succumbed to an offer of taking over the vice-presidency of a garment manufacturing firm in New York. Is that why certain men recently let go by the organization in Data Processing have been flown back to New York for interviews? Is Robert already establishing a new organization with former Ambassador personnel? If so, it's going to be very difficult for Stan Rader. He won't have anyone left to help him answer doctrinal questions asked by the press.
Maintaining one's standard of living is a major concern of many contemplating leaving "the Work." Many are now preparing for their ultimate exodus:
Dr. Charles Dorothy is continuing his Master's Program at Fuller Theological Seminary.
David Antion is working toward his Master's Degree in Counselling at Cal. State.
Gunnar Freibergs is working toward his Doctor's Degree.
Several other ministers who are completely turned-off with the modus-operandi of the Armstrongs are seeking refuge in various business ventures to prepare for their departures.Stan Rader- Evangelist? Don't discount this possibility. Many feel he aspires to the ministry. We are convinced he would not start off as a ministerial trainee or local elder. Such an ordination would serve to further the ambitions which his baptism a year ago began to reveal. If and when such an event occurs, it would further add mystery to the question of Herbert Armstrong's ultimate successor. The two contenders would both be evangelists-one Mr. Armstrong's son and the other his constant companion and top advisor, who is considered by many to be the most powerful man in "the Work." Perhaps this historic event will take place this year.
The Playboy Corporation is currently doing research into the Armstrong empire. An expose on Ted Armstrong and Ambassador College is now slated to appear in Playboy's publication, OUI magazine sometime this summer.
Garner Ted Armstrong's recent television performance on "Hee Haw" prompted one entertainment critic to remark, "Now I know how bleak the future of the unskilled really must be." The performance inspired one former fan to design a bumper sticker which reads "Garner Ted Armstrong: Hee Haw, Hee Haw, Hee Haw." Mr. Armstrong's crooning debut was probably not helped by the fact that while taping the show a marshall served him with the papers for a $5 million lawsuit, being brought against him by William Hinson.
The $5 million Hinson lawsuit was filed in Tennessee against Garner Ted Armstrong and Tony Hammer. It will not be the last lawsuit against the Armstrong organization. There are at least three others in preparation-one, a $50 million class action suit, will soon be filed against the entire organization.
Charges by former Worldwide Church of God minister, Al Carrozzo, that Ambassador College officials are making use of Swiss bank accounts has not been met with much skepticism from former church officials. Mr. Carrozzo has sent AMBASSADOR REVIEW a copy of a 1974 Ambassador Telex to the Union Bank of Switzerland. The telex initiated a contract for one million Swiss francs.
Predictions by certain insiders that Dr. Hoeh will be the next evangelist to retire seems to gain plausibility by the fact that he is no longer maintaining an on-campus office. Many feel that as developer of the19-year time cycle theory, Dr. Hoeh's credibility as a Bible scholar was permanently destroyed by the 1972 prophecy debacle.
An investigation by the United States Customs Department into the activities of one member of Herbert Armstrong's foreign campaign staff has proven very upsetting to a number of people at Ambassador. One Pasadena artist even reported giving this individual a $3,000 painting to sell in Japan on commission and now one year after its sale has still not received his money. One college faculty member interviewed by a government investigator would not divulge any information to us but only said, "Mr. Armstrong should be more careful in choosing the people that plan his tours. It's a shame that things like that are going on at Ambassador."
A number of former Armstrong followers are currently working on books about their experiences with Armstrongism. Marion McNair's book is due to be published this summer. William Hinson's is scheduled for release in September. Other books being written include two novels and a screenplay.
Stanley Rader's March 15 comment on ABC-TV news that he imagines that PENTHOUSE magazine is read at Ambassador College is not surprising considering the fact that Ambassador College president, Ted Armstrong , has more than once, been seen reading PLAYBOY in a Pasadena barbershop.
In the September 9, 1975 Ministerial Bulletin, Garner Ted Armstrong stated that 10 out of every 12 Worldwide Church of God children leave the church upon gaining independence from their parents.
Ambassador College's application to the United States government to acquire a $2.5 million piece of surplus federal property at no cost has met with opposition from many Ambassador College alumni who charge that the college should not be eligible because of religious discrimination. The property being applied for is the Vista Del Arroyo building in Pasadena. We have been informed by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare that due to a letter from Ambassador Review to President Ford, the application is now being carefully reevaluated. The key men in the decision now are: 1.) Mr. A.B. Pace, General Services Administration, 525 Market St., San Francisco, California 94105 and 2.) Mr. Charles Fuller, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 100 McAllister Street, San Francisco, California 941020
