Did Herbert W. Armstrong ever abuse those under him? Or was he a true servant of God? If he abused them, how did he do it? 

If you have been in Worldwide Church of God, Philadelphia Church of God, Living Church of God, Restored Church of God, or any other high demand, authoritarian splinter group of WCG that teaches HWA was "God's true servant," you may be wondering if you have suffered abuse.

First of all, what do we mean by abuse? The Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, tenth edition gives us a good definition:

Abuse: a deceitful act: DECEPTION; language that condemns or vilifies, usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily; physical maltreatment; to use so as to injure or damage: MALTREAT; to attack in words: REVILE. 

Exploitive groups are known to use psychological abuse. 

"Psychological abuse refers to practices that, simply stated, treat a person as an object to be manipulated and used, rather than as a subject whose mind, autonomy, identity, and dignity are to be honored." (Michael Langone, 1992)

Did Herbert Armstrong use his authority to heal or to wound? To release or to bind? To comfort or to crush? To reveal God's truth or to hide it? Did he treat his members like a gentle shepherd over his flock? Or did  HWA use his power to dominate and control every aspect of his members' lives, sapping their spiritual life from them, and blinding them to the real meaning of the GRACE of God? Did he build them up, or did he shatter their lives into tiny pieces, bringing untold agony, tragedy, pain, anguish and loss?

Let's take a look at a few of these specific abuses:

The WCG's Healing Doctrine¹ instructed members that it was a lack of faith to take medicine, go for an operation, or see a doctor (except for "repair surgery" such as broken bones). Thousands of people, including helpless children, died as a result. Many others still suffer from ill health today due to the "no doctor rule." That's abuse!

Multitudes of marriages were broken up due to the Divorce and Remarriage doctrine (1934 to 1974). Members were to divorce their present mate if they had been married before. These people were forced to live out the rest of their lives without a mate. Many singles were forbidden to marry the one they loved because they "weren't matched." Yet when HWA wanted to marry a divorcee, he changed the D&R ruling and said he had received "new truth."² Members were instructed to cut off with family members that gave trouble, or who had left the "church." Many were close to suicide, or committed suicide out of desperation and hopelessness. That's abuse!

Herbert Armstrong continually begged members for more money for "God's Work," coercing many to borrow money from the bank, turn over their life's savings, give up jobs and college educations, endure heavy financial burdens. The poor, the widowed and the fatherless deprived themselves of the necessities of life, including food, clothing and shelter to give to his fraudulent cause.³ The ministers, in the meantime, paid no 2^nd tithe, no 3^rd tithe, received a car, a house, the best lodging at the feasts, and other perks, living comfortably; turning their ears from the cries of their members. That's abuse!

Members and children were kept toiling under a heavy load of burdens as HWA twisted Scriptures to hide the true meaning of the grace of God, telling members they must "obey God's Law or come under a curse," when in fact it was the Lord Jesus Christ that already bore the curse for us on Calvary. That's abuse!

Herbert Armstrong would lose his temper, shout angrily, disfellowship members, and harshly upbraid anyone under him with his "correction" who dared to disagree with him, point out he was wrong, or go against him. That's abuse!

Herbert Armstrong copied doctrines from Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, 7^th Day Adventists and Church of God 7^th Day, distorted historical church documents, and then lied to members by saying WCG was God's "one and ONLY truly church" and that only he was teaching God's truth revealed to him for our generation. That's abuse!

Top ministers secretly lived a life of opulence, immorality, sexual perversion, lies, cover-ups, corruption, and shady dealings⁴, even using 3rd tithe for their own use, and then told the members they were the "true ministers of God" and should be obeyed at all cost. That's abuse!

Women members and Ambassador College students were degraded, abused, shamed, raped, molested and sexually abused by WCG ministers, deacons and elders. That's abuse!

Wives were demeaned, controlled and abused in every way by husbands that believed they were enforcing the "government of God" in their home. That's abuse!

Single men and women were forbidden to marry the one they loved because they were outside "the church" (or ineligible in some other way). That's abuse!

Children were beaten and emotionally and sexually abused at Imperial Schools, and at home by ministers, ministers' sons, and by family members; made fun of, controlled, hindered, put down, isolated from society and made to feel different.⁵ That's abuse!

Questions, doubts, different opinions and negative feelings were not allowed; the person being told he had a bad attitude, was rebellious, was falling away from "the Truth," or influenced by (or had) demons--and the painful feelings were kept locked deep within. That's abuse!

People were disfellowshipped for all manner of illogical reasonings; kicked out, told they had lost God's Holy Spirit, shunned, made to feel they were doomed for the Lake of Fire or Tribulation--unless they repented of their supposed sins. That's abuse!

Those raised in the organization left with the feeling that that God was harsh, punishing, fearful, un-approving and unapproachable. That's abuse!

Many poor souls (even family members outside the WCG) turned to alcohol and illegal drugs, or finally committed suicide because they couldn't take the pressure anymore. That's abuse!

Did Herbert Armstrong have the answers? Did his promises for the "abundant life" come to pass? Look at the lives of those who sacrificed and lived the way of life he taught, and then ask them! Many have suffered from complex post traumatic stress disorder due to years of abuse.

There is no place in the Word of God that shows leaders in the New Testament church have the authority to give personal advice and direction in the life of believers, let alone dominate their followers. That means there is no military model of church government that is supported by the Word of God!⁶

Why did we not feel "abused" while we were in? Because we were taught, not to think and not to feel ("any doubts you have come from Satan"; "the problem is you, not them!" Battered women go through this same process of thinking and suppression and blaming themselves instead of the abuser. That's why they stay where they are. It's not until they get back their "critical thinking skills" and speak up and expose the abuse and abuser (holding them accountable), and seek outside support, that they begin to realize the extent of their ongoing abuse.  

Cover-up and abuse will always be prevalent in pseudo religious organizations and cultic churches, but the leadership will pressure their victims to keep silent and not talk about the suffering they are enduring, in order to maintain the "image" of the group. This is called the "no talk rule." It enables the abuser to continue with his evil deeds in secret. It is important to bring to light these things in order that others may be warned and spared from joining these deceptive, abusive groups which are exploiting people financially, emotionally and spiritually. "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." (I Timothy 5:20)

The above is only a sampling of abuses that have been documented by many sources, including testimonies and resignation letters by former ministers and members, tapes by former employees in high positions, several books exposing Herbert W. Armstrong, former janitor of Imperial Schools, numerous phone calls and emails to the ESN from WCG exiters (since 1993), articles on the Internet, and the Ambassador Report⁷ (the earlier issues when John Trechak was exposing Herbert Armstrong and the WCG exploitation and corruption). [Be sure and read this part in OIU Newsletter #2 which reveals how certain ministers in the early 1970's became sickened by the control and abuse that was going on; talks about the suffering of victims.] This type of abuse seldom leaves outward marks. The worst scars and bruises are on the inside where it takes a long time to heal.

If you have been abused by Herbert W. Armstrong, or any of the controlling splinter groups of Worldwide Church of God, and are struggling to recover, don't give up hope. Recovery is possible. Read: Articles For Those Who Were Emotionally & Spiritually Abused.

By D. W.
Exit & Support Network™
Last updated August 3, 2008
 

How Did the Worldwide Church of God Abuse
its Members?

Important Note: Herbert Armstrong stated in a November 24,1967 Co-Worker letter that he had studied Communism in the 1930's and 1940's and he also made mention of the book, Witness by Whittaker Chambers. (Witness is an autobiographical memoir, written just after Chambers confessed to his earlier affiliation with the Communist Party and testified against his former friend and comrade, Alger Hiss.) For more info on this and to understand how HWA lured people, read: Communism; Fascism; Socialism; Totalitarianism; or Armstrongism from OIU 5, Pt. I & Pt. II. What was behind HWA and his "church" is important for survivors to understand. Be sure and read some of the articles under: Questioning HWA's background.  

The Worldwide Church of God was exposed through the international media in the 1970's for financial and sexual corruption and a number of books were written. Finally, post-Jonestown it was no longer advantageous for WCG to espouse the doctrines of Armstrong. (Read our OIU Newsletters which talks about reasons that compelled them to make their new changes.)

It is alleged that many groups known as "cults" are fronts for a hidden agenda and work together to create a passive people. Is it any wonder they have similar methods of deception, manipulation, abuse, and related goals? Author Alex Constantine has stated: "That cults are dangerous has been proven time and again. That they are often fronts for intelligence activity is indisputable (as anyone who has dug into researching CIA mind control experimentation knows full well)." Read more about this and WCG / HWA activities from OIU Newsletter #6.

This part in OIU #4, pt. 2 covers more of WCG's abusive and even sinister behavior.

Footnotes:

¹ WCG's booklet, "Does God Heal Today?" (circa 1952) was discontinued in 1968. After that, the members were given no new doctrinal advice on how they should approach health care. In 1979 HWA wrote "The Plain Truth About Healing," changing a few of his words, but it wasn't until the 1988 that a new book on healing by Joseph W. Tkach, Sr., and Bernard W. Schnippert ("The Truth About Healing") was published. The doctrine on healing was changed in the WCG, not because of any "new revelation" to Tkach Sr., but because of the lawsuits the organization was beginning to receive. Read: How Did Worldwide Church of God Instruct Ministers to Deal With "Health and Medical Problems"? to see a list of instructions that were given to avoid prosecution. Greg Albrecht has stated that the early doctrinal changes were "minor" (i. e., the healing doctrine). Read this part in OIU #6, pt. 1 that talks about the effects of intentional abuse and how this loss of lives was not "minor"!

² Prior to Herbert Armstrong marrying Ramona Martin (46 years his junior and a divorcee whose husband was still alive), he announced that God had shown him "new doctrinal truth"; hence, the D&R (divorce and remarriage) ruling was changed. In April 1976, within a year after the D&R changes, he married Ramona. Then in April 1982, he filed for divorce. In order to justify his actions, HWA wrote an article in the May 1982 Plain Truth entitled, "God Hates Divorce - Yet He Divorced His Own Wife! Why?" In a co-worker letter dated April 21, 1982 he said, "It has been determined by events, facts and fruits that I am not spiritually bound by God and only by man's law of this world. ... This determination should not be used as a precedent to encourage or justify other divorces in the church." [emp. his] However, in his April 18, 1977 Dear Brethren letter he had stated, "And God now has graciously provided the wife to be constantly at my side--a woman truly led by God's Holy Spirit." In the July 1977 Plain Truth he had wrote that he "could never be able to thank God enough for selecting her [Ramona] and sending her to me."

³ See chapter 2 and 3 in the book, Armstrongism: Religion or Rip-Off? An Exposé of the Armstrong Modus Operandi by Marion J. McNair for examples from HWA's co-worker letters which reveal the propaganda methods he used in order to solicit donors and then con them out of thousands of dollars.

⁴ The Gerringer Letter, Jack Kessler Letter, Worldwide Church of God History transcription, Richard Plache tapes, Letter to author Janis Hutchinson Herbert W. Armstrong and the Incest, The Ambassador Report, many letters, tapes and testimonies from high ranking ministers, etc.

⁵ Testimonies from Children Raised in Worldwide Church of God.

⁶ Damaged Disciples by Ron and Vicki Burks.

⁷ The Ambassador Report helped many to leave WCG through its expose´ of the organization. In the beginning Trechak and the team that he worked with appeared to have a very noble goal. But after awhile it was apparent that he had a close attachment to Stan Rader and the message in his AR became so mixed that it caused people to become bitter instead of being on the road to healing. His report was later referring readers off to agnostic, aberrant, cultic, New Age, meta-physical, anti-Bible and humanistic sources through comments, letters, addresses and book titles. Neither did the AR reveal the real reasons behind the WCG changes. Nevertheless, many issues of the AR (including the letters) have valuable info which exposes the WCG, HWA and Tkach. John Trechak died September 2, 1999. (Note: Please be aware that the AR is now posted on an agnostic/atheist website.)

8 See Articles under Understanding Mind Control and Exploitation, especially Lifton's Eight Criteria of Mind Control.

Outsider's Inside Update Newsletters (Looking behind the scenes at the real activities and associations pertaining to the "transformation" of the WCG; shows how doctrine was used as a massive propaganda tool)

How Mind Control is Used for Influence and Control

Clues to Application of Mind Control in WCG (Very good and detailed letter showing how WCG was able to remove the true God from our minds and replace it with the WCG organization; i. e., "the government)

"When one has the opportunity to view the incredible evidence and documentation of WCG history" (OIU Newsletter, Vol. 4, pt. 2 which talks about more of the horrendous abuses that took place in the WCG).

Richard Plache Tapes (Talks about the terrible exploitation of members in WCG; Plache's resignation letter is also read)

Profile of a Sociopath (A number of mind-manipulating cult leaders may exhibit many of the behavioral characteristics of a sociopath.)

Back to Questioning Herbert W. Armstrong (was he who he said he was?)