The Worldwide Church of God: History: 1974 Letter from Rick Wiedenheft to Garner Ted

Below are the questions that I still have which have come up since the conference or were not answered there. Please do not take any of them personally. I sincerely DO WANT ANSWERS in order to have complete confidence in the men guiding the Work of God. Without that confidence, it is rather difficult for me (and anyone else) to be unswervingly loyal and supportive.

If any of these questions involve mistakes or problems of the past, then there shouldn't be any need to cover them up and pretend that everything was fine all along. If they are continuing mistakes or problems, then we NEED TO FACE THEM, ADMIT THEM, and get about the business of solving them.

1. During the conference you asked Mr. Al Portune to confirm the fact that money was not a consideration in your return to the Work in 1972. He answered (rather hesitantly), "Well, not in that way." What did he mean?

2. Did one or more of the evangelists disagree with your return to the Work in 1972? If so, why?

3. Did on or more of the board members resign in the last year or so? If so, why? Who were they?

4. During the conference you mentioned that no 3T was spent for this Falcon jet. Was any 3T spent for the original Falcon (or the G-II)? If so, why didn't you explain to us that there was BASIS IN FACT for the rumor?

5. What was the FIRST REASON -- primary reason -- the original Falcon was sold or traded in?

6. Did both Boards approve your return to the work in 1972? If so, how many members were present for the meetings? When were said meetings held?

7. How could Mr. Armstrong say in 1974 that there was "new" evidence on Pentecost and refer to evidence "which there was no way I could have found sooner" when Dr. Martin's thesis was written in 1961 and (according to Dr. Martin) Mr. Armstrong read the first 20 pages of it? How much of the information Mr. McNair presented to Mr. Armstrong was really "new" in substance?

8. Over what span of years did your adultery take place? And in which years during that time was it repented of? In which years was it brought to Mr. Armstrong's attention?

9. Do you like to gamble? How frequently? How much money is involved? What is the Church doctrine on gambling?

10. Have one or more of the other evangelists committed adultery? If so, were they disfellowshipped or taken out of the ministry? If not, why not?

11. If we are to seek truth and prove all things -- personally before our Creator, why did you say at the conference that you hadn't read Dr. Martin's thesis and weren't planning to until your father asked you to? Is the "Work" of God more important than being faithful to God's word?

12. Did you say something to effect that you would rather lose any number of ministers than jeopardize your relationship with your father over Pentecost.

13. What was the outcome of the Divorce & Remarriage committee? Was it cancelled? If so, for what reasons? To what degree did the booklet on the subject reflect the research of the committee?

14. Has a tithe check been made on the ministry in recent months? Is it continuing?

I do hope that in any future conference that questions such as these (if the purpose of the conference is to handle rumors and establish communications) will be solicited either IN WRITING ahead of time or at least verbally during the conference.

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1974 Letter from Rick Wiedenheft to Garner Ted Armstrong