| Starting in the `90's1
WCG launched a PR campaign to the Christian mainstream establishment
that they were changing their cult doctrines and becoming an evangelical
organization. (Be sure and read our OIU
Newsletters which explains the reasons behind the changes.) They
were even accepted into the NAE (The National Association of Evangelicals)
in 1997. The Christian ministries and authors that took WCG's word at
face value gave them a clean bill of health and "assumed" that they were
teaching Orthodox doctrines. Is this true?
Why did they also receive $3 million from
Philadelphia Church of God by selling the copyrights to
Herbert W. Armstrong's literature? Is WCG becoming more and more confusing as time goes on? Can they
be trusted?

INDEX:
Allowing
Herbert Armstrong's Literature to Be Republished
Sold Copyrights to Philadelphia Church of God
WCG's Excuses
Exiting
Member Writes His Pastor About WCG Selling Copyrights
Minister's
Reply With ESN Comments
Proclaiming
That HWA Was a "Sincere" Christian
Teaching Evolution
Teaching a Form of Universalism
Ambivalent About Heaven
and Hell
Guilt Concerning Tithing
Worship on Saturday
or Sunday
Division
and Confusion
Does
True Change Involve a Headquarters in the Picture?
Allowing
Herbert Armstrong's
Literature to Be Republished:
In 1998
Joseph Tkach Jr. and Greg Albrecht met with James Walker and John
Morehead at an EMNR 1998 Conference on Biblical Discernment in Chicago,
Illinois (Roundtable 1&2: Changes in the Worldwide Church of God; tapes
on file with ESN). At that conference, Greg Albrecht told how Gerald
Flurry was ignoring copyright law and was reprinting and redistributing
Herbert W. Armstrong's literature and WCG was in litigation with Philadelphia
Church of God. Albrecht stated, "...that
teaching is flawed and leads to all kinds of bad stuff. Therefore, we
don't want it disseminated." Tkach Jr. added, "And the only way we would
want that literature out there is if it was heavily annotated with big
lines pointing to the statements in error."
Then in the last
year of this six-year lawsuit between WCG and the PCG (in which
PCG suffered several setbacks),
the WCG decided to republish
many of Armstrong's books and
booklets, plus his entire Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course--unedited--for "historical and research
purposes."
Ralph Helge
and Paul Kroll both stated in an email that this was true:
October 23, 2002
Greetings,
Thank you for your E-mail
expressing interest in the Worldwide Church of God material written by
Herbert W. Armstrong. We are pleased to advise you that what you heard
is true. The church will be publishing the books and booklets he wrote
for the church. Certain of the church’s literature is in the
publishing process, and will be available for sale in a few months for
historical and research purposes. Other literary works of the church
will be published in the future as demand for the same dictates.
Please check the Worldwide
Church of God website for an announcement as to when any specific piece
of literature you are interested in will be available for purchase. ...
Thank you for your interest in the literary works of the church.
Paul Kroll
Personal Correspondence
WCG stated
that these works, which were to be for sale, "do not represent
the teachings of the Worldwide Church of God." This is the same as
saying, "We've changed our doctrines, but we will still publish Herbert
Armstrong's
heresies; however, these heretical booklets don't represent WCG's
teachings." How's that for spin jargon?
What would Christians think if, for instance, Christian
Science (which is considered a religious cult) changed to mainstream and then re-published all of Mary
Baker Eddy's works for "historical and research purposes"? At least
the earlier editions of The Kingdom
of the Cults let others know what WCG taught and why it was
considered heretical.
Nevertheless, did this move of WCG's
simply boil down to money? Did it ultimately force the PCG to make a
decision to pay WCG their asking price for the copyrights?
Note: Paul Kroll
originally exited
the WCG sometime shortly after 1973 and was listed among other leading
men and women who left their positions because of "frustration,
matters of conscience, and disgust over doctrinal and organizational
problems" and who "no longer supported AC or the WCG."
(Ambassador Review, 1976, p.
5) One must ask why he's back in again? Ralph Helge (retired since 2005) was referred to as an "unprincipled liar" in
Jack Kessler's 1981 Letter to Worldwide Church of
God Board of Directors.
Back
to index
Sold
Copyrights to Philadelphia Church of God:
Since
Kroll's above email, WCG sold the copyrights to
Philadelphia Church of God (March 7, 2003), for what PCG
said was $2 million dollars2 and WCG said was $3 million dollars,
in order to supposedly avoid a long drawn out court battle. (See:
Pasadena Star News, March 26, 2003, "Closing the book - Settlement
reached over texts" and "WCG litigation settled" by Ralph K. Helge,
Worldwide News, April 2003.) [Update: Since PCG immediately told
members this was a "victory" for them, read:
PCG Did
NOT Win a Victory in the WCG vs. PCG Court Case (February 23, 2007 letter to ESN
from Attorney at Law)]
This means the perpetuation
of Herbert Armstrong's heresies (Mystery of the Ages and 18 other
books/booklets by HWA, including The Ambassador College Correspondence Course) has now been given to Philadelphia Church
of God (known as a
totalistic and abusive group) to republish, which will allow Gerald Flurry
to continue to deceive and enslave
more people into Armstrongism. The message to PCG members in all of
this is: "God intervened because He wanted Mr. Armstrong's 'truths' kept
alive."
Read ESN's
critical review
of Mystery of the Ages
Before this entire ordeal transpired,
several confusing actions had taken place within the WCG which shows
their double-mindedness:
On
September 27, 1997, Ralph Helge proclaimed to Judge Letts that the
WCG had never had any intention or decision not to publish Mystery of
the Ages. Yet in Transformed by Truth
Joseph Tkach Jr. stated
clearly that WCG felt it was their "Christian duty" to keep Mystery of the
Ages out of print because they felt HWA's "doctrinal errors are best left out of circulation." (TBT, p.203, chapter 9 notes,
#22)
In 1998
after the federal district judge ruled in favor of
PCG's distributing Mystery of the Ages, WCG revealed their
plans to republish Mystery of the Ages and print some sort of
"annotated version" that could critique the doctrinal errors
(which, by the way, they never did go through with).
Then in 2001 WCG said that when Tkach Jr. expressed what he did in Transformed
by Truth (about Mystery of the Ages "best left out of circulation") that
Jr. was not speaking for the WCG, only stating his "personal" views.
In
October of 2001 WCG decided to republish certain of HWA's works on the web, if the PCG
would pay for their costs and withdraw their counterclaim. (How
many remember that in 1994 WCG told the members that Herbert W. Armstrong
had admitted "before his death" that MOA was "riddled
with errors"?)
This
scenario went
back and forth until
Bernard
Schnippert stated
to the Pasadena Star News that to not accept the $3 million
settlement offer from PCG for control of the copyrights would be "financially
imprudent." (See Christianity Today, week of March 24, 2003)
This
is nothing but double-talk and confusion. Seemingly what the WCG says one day is
never what they might say the next day. One must ask, "Is this what
converted evangelicals
do?"
One former WCG member wrote ESN and said:
I'm
sure Jesus is very proud of these "orthodox Christians" selling
this damning heresy to a group who will use it to propel thousands
more innocent people into the clutches of a madman who claims he is
Christ's representative. [Read the full lengthy letter:
How
Does WCG Justify $3 Million From PCG?!!]
Back
to index
WCG
Excuses:
Another former
member of WCG wrote Paul Kroll, telling him that he feels this entire copyright
battle was nothing but a sham and that WCG leadership are a bunch of
moral cowards.
Read the entire email. He
received a
typical "canned" email response3, which is only more of WCG's
justifications for their actions. For instance, one of Kroll's excuses is that "there's not much interest in Herbert
Armstrong's literature
anyway except for those that already believe his erroneous
teachings." Flurry said he expected to triple or quadruple his growth as a result of this purchase.4
Another excuse
is "the material is already on the web, TV, radio and in sermons
anyway, so we can't stop it." So in essence what they are saying is,
"What does it matter if we have no ethics and no concern for those
we disfellowshipped in mass numbers at the time of the changes, or for
those who will be pulled in by this literature? Just let them go their
way. We will target the youth."
The
most foolish excuse WCG has used is that "since HWA has been
dead for many years, this renders his claims as ridiculous." This
is simply not true.
Does the fact that Mary Baker Eddy (founder of Christian Science) and
Charles T. Russell (founder of Jehovah's Witnesses) have both been dead for (x)
number of years stop people from believing her/his claims (heresies)?
The WCG leaders and their subordinates often answer in a confusing, duplicitous
manner, and some have suggested that this reveals their lack of conscience.
"They encourage
themselves in an evil matter" ~ Psalm 64:5
|
If WCG feels the monies they
received "just barely covered their legal fees," then why did
they go to court in the first place, or why didn't they pull out before
now? All they had to do was tell Flurry
"the copyright is yours." But, going about it in the manner
they did benefits both parties, does it not?
And what was Gerald Flurry's
excuse for buying Herbert Armstrong's works from the WCG? In The Royal
Vision, July/August 2003, p.7
and The Philadelphia Trumpet, March/April 2003, "©Copyright
Philadelphia Church of God,"
he simply used the verse in Prov. 23:23, "Buy the truth and sell it
not..."
Some former members have
wondered whether PCG and WCG communicated with each other beforehand
about what would profit both
of them the most. One
person wrote a letter to ESN, considering the possibility that selling the copyrights was a means to
keep Worldwide Church of God afloat. But where did WCG get that kind of money?
Letter to author Janis Hutchinson
has mentioned secret overseas bank accounts, extensive
land holdings, etc. that WCG is alleged to have had. WCG
continues to maintain a large and information-packed website, which
certainly is not cheap.
Back
to index
Exiting
Member Writes His Pastor About WCG Selling Copyrights:
Another member decided to
recently exit the WCG due to their incredible actions in selling the Herbert
Armstrong
copyrights to PCG. He wrote the following letter to his pastor, which is
posted below:
[Note: All persons have been
given pseudonyms at the request of the
author.]
March 2003
Mr. Taylor,
I just read the latest pastors
update and was very saddened to hear of [mentions someone that had
recently died].
On a totally different note, I
was shocked to hear that the WWCG has decided to seek financial gain
from the destructive doctrinal teachings of Herbert Armstrong, doctrines
it has supposedly rejected. That's a bit like a former drug dealer who
decides to sell just a little more dope for the sake of spreading the
"just say no" message. Does the end truly justify the means?
First the WWCG builds a
lucrative following by spreading FALSE DOCTRINE that appeals to
vulnerable, insecure people who are seeking direction and a sense of
belonging.
Then, when the organization has
been recognized for what it is and its membership is dwindling, it
changes it's tactics and joins the mainstream ecumenical movement, and
begins operating on the principle that DOCTRINE DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
Whatever works. The end justifies the means.
Now, in an unparalleled
confirmation of WWCG's devotion to that famous philosophy, they have
decided to sell the copyrights to Mr. Armstrong's original doctrinal
devilry. For millions of dollars, of course. To help spread the gospel,
of course.
You recently attended the
funeral of R. M. Martin. Do you know that the Martins had a son my age
who as a toddler was accidentally bashed in the head with a baseball bat
by his older brother? Do you know that his brain started swelling but
his parents wouldn't carry him to a doctor because they were afraid of
burning in the lake of fire? Do you know that he died? Do you have any
idea of the pain, guilt, and uncertainty that Mr. R. M. Martin carried to
his grave? Do you think doctrine matters?
Do you realize that despite the
church's massive real estate holdings and other investments, despite the
fact that the top leaders were living like kings on Pasadena's
"Millionaire's Row," despite the fact that the church was
sometimes bringing in over $200,000,000 annually in tax-free income,
despite the fact that Mr. Armstrong and his entourage were jet-setting
all over the world in style and luxury - despite all this - the church
has to this day not offered the Martins an apology in any form, much
less physical help or restitution of any kind?
And the Martins are only a few
among thousands. But of course we should all forget about doctrine, do
what is "financially prudent," and just try to get along. The
end justifies the means.
Mr. Taylor, these observations are
not intended as complaints against you personally. Quite the contrary.
You have been nothing but kind and loving in your dealings with me and
my family, and I appreciate it immensely. I have nothing but respect and
admiration for you. I am only seeking to give a brief explanation of why
I can no longer support the destructive organization known as the
Worldwide Church of God.
Sincerely,
Darrin Smith
This
member told ESN "My pastor is a very kindly and sincere man, but
his response is classic 'headquarters' spin. Admit a little
guilt on the part of the church, but then put the burden back on the
victims by accusing them of bitterness, lack of Christian forgiveness,
etc."
(Read the full letter:
"Appalled that WCG Decided to Profit From HWA's Writings.)
Read this part on
our site which covers some of headquarters' lame "apologies."
Back
to index
Minister's
Reply With ESN Comments:
Below are just a few words
from the above minister's reply, along with ESN's
comments in bold. Although this pastor may truly be sincere, his letter
shows the thought reform still prevalent in the organization, as his words are a repeating of what
the leadership has instructed
all of them to say (through much training and thought reform) to any
individual that
questions the organization or speaks up.
[Note: Names have been
changed, except for the District Superintendent.]
March 24, 2003
Hi Darrin and Nadine,
I am very sorry for the
difficulty you and your family have been having. I had no idea you felt the way you do. I appreciate you sharing this with
me. You highlighted some very real concerns.
ESN: Since
the beginning of the WCG changes, these words have continued to be
repeated by the leadership and by all ministers who have been
mind-controlled by the organization.
I hope you don't mind, but
I shared your letter with my District Supt. Al Barr. I think you made some
important points that need to heard beyond just me.
ESN: WCG ministers have always
been instructed to forward members' personal correspondence to those higher up on the
chain of command.
I understand how you feel.
ESN:
Does he truly understand this member's feelings?
Has he set down with former members and really listened to them? Does he
understand about the corrupt history (morally and financially) of the
WCG, or is he only repeating words which the leaderships have
indoctrinated him with?
I have been a part of the WCG for 35 years.
... Not everything was bad, however. You will find just as many
good experiences as you do bad."
ESN: The record shows that most
members have had far more bad experiences than good--at least
in terms of how it affected the quality of their life, their family's
life, employment opportunities, and relationships with outside family
and friends. But can any "good
experiences" negate being betrayed and lied to in the name of God?
We have developed lasting friendships.
ESN: What members developed were cultic
friendships (in many cases dysfunctional,
dependent relationships) that lasted only as long as the member
stayed in the group and kept on believing what the leadership taught.
I have found in my studies that
when it comes to Christian history all
denominations have problems. Whether its Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,
Church of God, you name it, all have made mistakes and all have taught
heresy."
ESN: Healthy churches have "problems,"
and "make mistakes," but they don't use thought reform on their members, as
religious cults are known to
do, and neither do they try to intimidate or silence their critics. WCG was never a
"church" in the true since of the word. It was known for decades as a destructive
Bible-based cult (a.k.a. a mind-manipulating or high demand group). Since their new changes began,
WCG has been telling
their members they were a "denomination."
...acknowledged our heresy and the mistakes we have made.
ESN: WCG has attempted to revise their history
and cover over HWA's
background,
lies,
incest of his daughter and the sham of it all. This is very common with religious cults. One asks how they can ever make up
for what has been done--not "mistakes," but terrible evil that
destroyed people emotionally, spiritually, and in
many cases physically.
The irony is that
Herbert Armstrong used the medical profession. One only has to read his autobiography to see his take on this.
ESN: Herbert Armstrong's biography
has been proven to be a mixture of truth and lies--mostly lies. This is
true with all false teachers' autobiographies. His "using of the medical
profession" (when members knew nothing about it) does not make it right
since he was teaching at the same time that it was a "lack of faith"
for members to
be treated by a doctor, or have an operation.
When his son was in that serious
car accident back in the 50's, Mr. Armstrong had some of the best
physicians in the country on standby, but his son refused medical attention and he
died.
ESN: What a twist the WCG has given this
story! Richard Armstrong died at age 29 because--per HWA's orders--he did not
receive the shot that could have kept him from going into shock.
Read
the segment on
Richard Armstrong death in
Disneyland - The World Tomorrow
(transcript of tape from the 1960's) and
ESN's comments at end for more details,
or order the
available tape.
HWA used the medical profession in his later years for various
medications he needed to take.
ESN: HWA
used the medical profession, period. Yet members were
taught it was a sin to take medications! Why was it okay for HWA to do so?
HWA was a hypocrite. Read about HWA and his
doctors in "Honey I Shrunk the Church."
He was a fraud and hypocrite from his earliest beginnings (even
as he was founding the Radio Church of God). Doing a thorough
research of HWA's history will reveal this.
Sadly, healing was not understood.
ESN:
By whom was it "not understood"? Read:
How Did Worldwide Church of God Instruct Ministers
to Deal With Health and Medical Problems?
Instead of "sadly," it was "tragic" that members believed HWA who used
the Bible to exploit them.
We were sincere in what we did,
but sincerely wrong.
ESN: Members were sincere,
but how could Herbert
Armstrong and many of the top leaders be sincere when they didn't even
live what they preached? The agenda of all deceptive Bible-based cults is to use
religion as a cloak for their agenda.
No one deliberately set out to hurt anyone, we thought we were obeying God - plain and
simple.
ESN: Who is the "we"?
The members or the ministers? WCG
always uses "we." "We" were wrong, "we" didn't
understand, "we"
were stupid, etc. which refers to the members. (Read Tkach Sr.'s Video Sermon
blaming the
members regarding the changes and also read about the process of
Dialectic Materialism
which has been repeatedly used by the leadership to confused the already
spiritually abused members.) Innocent people were deliberately exploited
and deceived.
Thankfully God corrected us.
ESN: Whom did God correct? The
leadership or the members? The members were only following what they had
been taught (i. e., deceived into believing). The leadership has never owned up to the full truth about
their corrupt and evil past, nor even attempted some kind of reimbursement to those they abused and exploited.
Does God work through deceit, lies,
blame, control and confusion when He begins to change individuals, or
are those methods which are used by cults? [Be
sure and
read:
I Tried to Speak
Out About the WCG Duplicity and Paternalism
(letter to ESN)]
Many
people are coming to Christ as a result of the ministry of the WCG.
ESN: Are they coming to the true
Jesus Christ (and fully understanding His grace), or only coming to the WCG?
How many have merely gone one religious addiction
to another? Many present members have been observed to be
in a robotic or trance-like state, not fully understanding the changes, allowing
themselves to be led by those over them and repeating what they are
told. If "many" are coming to Christ, why have so many left
WCG congregations?
But for some it's hard to
continue with our denomination due to it's past.
ESN:
"Our
denomination"? It is no secret that WCG has become
Charismatic with New Age elements. But why wouldn't it be hard for
members to "continue"--given everything they have been through--and then to find out it
wasn't true? Thankfully some have found true freedom and more room to
grow in grace by
leaving the organization.
The Apostle Paul murdered
Christians. I can imagine how some of his victims families felt when he became a Christian. No doubt they had to
deal with mistrust for him, and anger, knowing what he had done.
ESN: The analogy is not the same. After Paul's
conversion he was able to confound those who attempted to confront him
intellectually (Acts 9:22). The church was afraid of him when he came to
Jerusalem because he had never been a part of them (Acts 9:26). The
church was already experiencing persecution at this time, but Barnabas
became the "sponsor" of Saul and introduced him to the church.
Then he was accepted by them. Nothing is said about their having
"mistrust and anger." The witness of Paul was powerful. He
began to witness about Christ immediately upon his conversion (Acts
9:21-22), not putting the blame for the past on anyone.
His conversion was genuine and it produced much good fruit.
When those people [Christians]
in Paul's day" came to truly know Jesus, I
guess they could have a lot to complain about.
ESN: "Complain" is what
WCG says a member is doing when they speak up and expose how they were deceived
and abused by liars and hypocrites.
If we, and I include myself in
this, ever allow bitterness and anger to take root in our lives - due to real or imagined wrongs - then the danger is
we become agnostics or we become self-styled, isolated, independent
Christians.
ESN: To use the words "self-styled, isolated, independent
Christians" is an attack on those who are
unable to attend a
church after exiting. To say someone is "bitter" and/or "angry" is
to silence them. Read: Loving What's Right Means
Hating What's Wrong.
We cannot remain independent and above other Christians for long, or we
will die spiritually. The Holy Spirit works in community.
ESN: This is a false
statement, as there are many ways to receive spiritual nourishment
without going inside a church building.
The Holy Spirit teaches God's children wherever they are and has
promised never to leave them--whether they are able to attend a church or
fellowship outside one. It is better to be in no church at all than in a bad church. Hank Hanegraaff
of CRI (the PR man for the WCG changes) appears to be the promoter of
"join a church--any church."
The financial burden on Philadelphia might hurt them
more in the long run.
ESN: PCG disagrees. They expect to
triple or quadruple their growth as a result of having the copyright.
Those that acquired Mystery of the Ages were known to donate much
more financially. Besides it would appear that Gerald Flurry is not
lacking for funds. Read:
Gerald Flurry Spends
$107,500 for Items Auctioned Off by Worldwide Church of God.
I do try to understand and give the benefit of the doubt.
ESN: Thought reform
cannot be felt, but it causes one not to
think critically nor to disagree with the authority, but to listen and obey whatever the leaders say. This
can also be called a "learned dependency."
I love my church - it's my family.
ESN: Members
were first told they were
"family" by Joseph W. Tkach Sr. after HWA died in 1986. But wasn't that "family" a very dysfunctional
family?
This is not to say there are not kind and sincere people in the WCG--some who were Christians before they came in--but they have been sadly deceived, controlled and mistreated.
I have known our leaders for some time and I think I know their hearts.
ESN:
Many
cult leaders are quite successful in causing
others to see them in the way they want to be seen. In fact, a number of
them have exhibited the behavioral characteristics of a sociopath.
If you choose to leave us - and I hope you don't - please get connected to a
body of believers and immerse yourselves in the community of believers.
Really get involved - make a commitment to support them spiritually and
physically.
ESN: Again, the message is:
"Get involved with a church--any church." This is part of the
global, ecumenical message today.
God is able to heal the wounded and the brokenhearted.
ESN: Yes, God is able, but it is takes place in a much different way and time-frame than WCG has tried to
put the members in.
In Christian love,
Ed
Back
to index
Proclaiming
That HWA Was a "Sincere" Christian:
WCG has never
told the whole truth about their founder and his past. While Greg Albrecht
glibly agreed in 2004 that HWA was a
"heretic" (read it in: Called to Be Free),
he followed it up in the same sentence by saying, "I believe I
was a heretic, too." (Translation: "All you members were heretics, too,
for believing Herbert W. Armstrong.")
The
WCG leadership has continued all along to revise history
and
make
members and outsiders think that Herbert W. Armstrong was simply a
"sincere Christian" who misunderstood the Bible because he had
a "lack of theological education" and so taught
some "unorthodox beliefs." They have said HWA was
"a very sincere Christian who was dedicated to Christ,"
"a minister of Jesus Christ," "devoted to Christ,"
gave us "an
example" of how to study the Bible and
that, "in spite of errors he
taught, had a high view of Scripture."10
(Also
read some ludicrous things that WCG Regional Minister Mr. Britten said
about Herbert Armstrong.)
These are absolutely incredible
statements from leaders who claim to be "Christians." HWA was
not only a hypocrite of the greatest magnitude, but
he studied Communism and had a knowledge of
propaganda techniques and
sophisticated thought reform methods, which enabled him to deceive
thousands into his destructive belief system. He didn't didn't give
us an "example" for studying the Bible; he adamantly stated that he alone
had been given the "keys" to understanding the Bible. (Read:
How Did Herbert W. Armstrong Recruit
Others?) Herbert Armstrong spoke more of the
"government of God" (i. e., obeying him) than he
ever did of the Lord Jesus Christ and His true saving grace.
One former
WCG member made a comment concerning this:
They
forget what HWA himself used to say about other Christians who said they
were sincere. He would say "they might be sincere but they are sincerely
wrong." HWA taught that we should have no part of the so called
"Christians of the world." We were taught to never read any of the
material of the Protestant "false church." How could Armstrong have
been a man of God and a false prophet at the same time? They [WCG] will not
admit that Herbert W. Armstrong was leading them away from Christ. [Read the full letter: WCG's
Releasing HWA Material is Like Offering a Glass of Milk That Had a Piece
of Dung in it]
Even if Herbert
Armstrong had
been
"sincere," most understand that sincerity is never enough.
Sincerity has to be coupled with truth.
Back
to index
Teaching
Evolution
WCG appears to
be teaching evolution. They
state:
|
"The WCG sees no biblical
reason to reject the conclusions of scientists that ... life
has been on earth for billions of years. Similarly, the church sees no
biblical reason to reject evidence that life forms have been changing
for billions of years. ... The writer [of Genesis] simply used the
weekly cycle as a convenient literary 'peg' to help make his theological
point. ... We see, then, that it is not necessary to take the
"creation week" as a literal week. ... To insist that
Genesis 1 mainly tells us "how long" creation took is to
utterly trivialize the theological revelation it provides. ... It [the
Bible] does not tell us the process by which the creation came
into existence, or whether it may have developed
over the
eons.5
[emp. ESN's]
"Perhaps the creation
story was not meant to be interpreted literally. ... Ancient readers, if
they thought about it, might conclude that creation was not as simple as
Genesis 1 presents it. ... God structured the Israelite work week, but
we cannot assume that his creative week was the same length as one of
ours. His perspective on time is different. ... Many of them [commentaries] [speak:
"liberal" commentaries] have been convinced on literary
and theological grounds that Genesis 1 should probably be read
otherwise. ... When God asks us to believe something, he gives us
evidence. [Note: In Hebrews 11:1 the Word of God
says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen."] ...
But God has not given us tangible evidence of a six-day creation. ...
Belief in God can legitimately be combined with a nonliteral view of Genesis"6
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Is WCG showing that they are
adopting what is known as the "liberal" viewpoint? Read: WCG and Their Evolutionary Views,
letters by John Miller, Jr. (former member; today involved in Christian
ministry) sent to Michael Morrison
and Paul Kroll. In Michael Morrison's article, "Genesis 1: Evolution vs. Creation
Controversy," some of his quotes are from men that are
members of Coalition
on Revival,7
one of many groups working toward an ecumenical consensus and unity
in the church. WCG has shown it covets the acceptance of outside liberals and ecumenicals.
WCG has
revealed that they do not take the Bible literally anymore and is interpreting it
symbolically. Will this lead members away from believing
that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God? Is the next step for WCG to start using
modern Bible versions that
refer to God as either a "he or she"?
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Teaching
a Form of Universalism
Articles have
been written in WCG's Plain Truth speaking against any
doctrine or denomination that teaches that a person is lost if he dies
without salvation. They say, "the God of the Bible wouldn't do
that." They are still teaching that
everyone who "never had a chance to hear the gospel" will hear
it at the "Great White Throne Judgment" (Rev.20:11-15).
While WCG is not known to be preaching a "100-year period after
the Millennium" (as Armstrong taught), they are speculating and teaching that
salvation is possible on the other side of the grave for those who were
not converted to Christ
in
this lifetime.8
This is proclaiming that people will be given a "second chance," which is
very similar to what HWA taught. It is also causing WCG to look more and more like
Universalism. Read WCG and Their
Universalism Views, which are letters from John Miller Jr. to
Worldwide Church of God and Steve Brown of KeyLife
Network.
Doesn't
the Word of God show that the only way anyone will be found not guilty of sin
at the White Throne Judgment is to be judged on
the works of Jesus Christ, whose works were finished on the cross
of Calvary?
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Ambivalent
About Heaven
and Hell:
WCG will not say that they believe in hell
(or lake of fire),
and they teach that the
Scriptures are "not clear" on whether the dead are conscious. Yet
the leadership told
D. James Kennedy9 on
his radio program in 1996 that they
did indeed
believe in heaven and hell.10 Of
course, what WCG says to outsiders and what is actually meant (or
taught to members) is usually two different things--or even a
combination of "take your pick" of which hell you want.
The
August
2003 issue of Calvary Contender had this to say about WCG: "But
despite the evangelical affirmations and assertions, it continues to
adhere to unbiblical heretical doctrines including the denial of an
eternal hell." (June-July Fund. Digest)
John Miller wrote HQs in 2001 about this
issue. Read: Worldwide Church of God and Their
Universalism Views.
WCG is known
to say one thing in their articles and magazines and another in sermons. (As one example, read
transcript excerpts from
Video Sermon by Joseph W. Tkach to WCG Members,
January 1995.) Their
duplicity has sent all kinds of mixed messages to the
members who have been in a state of confusion long enough.
Our
correspondence with exiters and pastors has revealed that WCG allows
members, even ministers, to believe just about any alternate view they want.
[Read:
Are Some Worldwide Church
of God Ministers Still Holding on to Herbert W. Armstrong's Doctrines?
and
Is Worldwide Church of God Holding on to Some of
Herbert W. Armstrong's Doctrines?] This is
usually a liberal (or neo-evangelical) viewpoint, plus a potpourri blend of
some HWA doctrine. Some former members have suggested that perhaps WCG needs two doctrinal statements, one for what
they say is Orthodoxy and one showing the HWA doctrines that still remain within
their organization. (This is discussed further below under
Division and Confusion.)
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Guilt
Concerning Tithing:
WCG has told their membership, "the tithing laws are not commanded,
but now you are "free"
to give 10%, 20%, 30%, even 40%."
WCG says in their statement of beliefs that tithing is
not essential
for salvation and is no longer commanded, yet members are made to feel
guilty in subtle ways if they don't give at least 10%. They have also
implanted the
thought in members' minds that anyone who is not giving to the church "just maybe,
is not saved." If a
member wants to tithe their
income, they are free to do so, but the Bible makes it clear that
Christians today are not under any O.T. "tithing law."
The WCG has
changed little in their mind-control tactics.
It is just harder for some to recognize how they are still using them today.
Should
the Church Teach Tithing? (reasons to replace tithing)
In spite of the above statements for
members, WCG's pastors are expected to tithe. In "WCG Administrative
Manual," section 6375, June 2007, they state, "Pastors should teach that
financial giving is an aspect of worship. As teachers, pastors should be
generous stewards (it is the policy of the WCG that all employed pastors
tithe their income; bivocational pastors are expected to be generous
donors in accordance with their income levels)."
Does WCG headquarters run a tithe check on
these pastors to make sure they are tithing? Do pastors, including
members, know where every last dime of their money is going when they send it to
HQ? Can members even ask?
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Worship
on Saturday
or Sunday:
WCG has taught members
that it is no longer necessary to keep any particular day of the
week to meet and to worship; however, those that don't agree are said to
be "causing division." We have received reports of those
who talked with elders who were unjustly "removed" from their
positions when they didn't want to go along with the controlling methods
WCG was using to instigate these doctrinal changes.
Read
letter to ESN that testifies as to how manipulative tactics were used on
the members by new ministers in order to get the new changes across.
New ministers
were sent to
replace long time ministers that didn't want to accept this idea of changing to Sunday. The
new minister then preaches to his congregation that if they
"want to grow they will start keeping Sunday." In some areas members
have been introduced first to the idea of Saturday and Sunday services
and were told such things as, "such and such minister had a long
ways to travel to the next congregation, so it was more convenient
for him to have Sunday services in his town and then Saturday services
at yours." In other places the minister simply says they are
"combining services" instead of saying they ceased worshipping on the
Sabbath. This is a clear case of manipulation.
There are
members who still prefer meeting on Saturday because that's what WCG programmed them to believe
was the "correct" day. In fact, Joseph W. Tkach in
his 1995 video sermon (which introduced the new changes) confusingly
said they weren't going to stop keeping the Sabbath.
Tkach Jr. in 1993 called it a "rumor." Yet
members are no longer supposed to refer to Saturday as "the
Sabbath day."
Sunday has slowly been slipped in.
This seems to be WCG's way of "weaning" off
its members from meeting on the Sabbath (i. e., Saturday).
However,
there are still congregations that observe their annual Lord's Supper /
communion/ footwashing service on Saturday. This entire subject
has created
division and confusion in many congregations and many more have decided to leave.
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Division
and Confusion:
The "new"
WCG allows members
(and pastors) to believe just about anything they like (including many different kinds
of theological beliefs11 ), as long as it
"doesn't cause division." (There
remain congregations in other parts of the world; i. e., Canada, that
still observe HWA's teachings, such as feast days, dietary laws and soul
sleep. But what WCG is teaching appears to
be nothing but division and confusion. In regard to
theology, they present all
types of views, giving the impression that presenting all sides will
enable the reader/member to "make up their own mind." These views
can cover preterist, historical, liberal, amillennialism,
reformed, Dominionist, Charismatic--you name it--and others are
now becoming concerned that they are
apostate in their doctrines. When they were
introducing the new doctrinal changes, they changed their Statement of
Beliefs three times in just a matter of months. One must ask if they even know what they
believe? Or could it all be intentional confusion?
It's evident that they aren't clear on many of their doctrinal beliefs, but
when someone takes the time to inquire into exactly what they do
believe on this or that, they only offer more spin and confusion. One thing is clear,
confusion is a part of mind control, and all of this ambivalence and
changing creates confusion and a "zoning out"
in members' minds.
Few members would ever admit they were victimized on purpose unless they
come to understand the methods of mind control.
Those that have come to realize this fact have exited.
Read:
Could No Longer Ignore
We Were Victimized by the WCG (2008
email to ESN)
More changes and confusion continue as
time goes on. In November 2004
they moved their headquarters from Pasadena to
Glendora, California12
and in January 2006 they were considering changing their name to Grace
International Communion.13
Joseph Tkach (who has now dropped
the Jr.) said their present
name is "poisoned."14
In February 2005 they
changed the name of their member newspaper in the United States from
Worldwide Church of God to WCG Today. In May 2006 it was
changed to Together.
Those who left
a few years ago, and who later tried to help
the WCG leadership and ministers to recognize that they were continuing
to teach error, even pointing out to them Scriptures which refuted what they
were teaching, only experienced the WCG leader
telling them they were "attacking God's church"15 and/or "going against what
Mr. Tkach
is saying."
Read:
I Tried to Speak Out
About the WCG Duplicity and Paternalism
(2006 letter to ESN)
Many
WCG congregations across the country have now
given their churches a new
name; e.g., incorporating the words: "Community," "Christian,"
"Grace," "Congregation," "New Life,"
and "Fellowship" in their title, while still being connected to WCG headquarters.
(In other words, these churches still receive literature, headquarters' reports, etc.
from the "top man.") Some congregations have advertised in the
local paper by adding
that their fellowship is "a WCG congregation." Few that have
never been members of Worldwide Church of God would have a clue as to what "WCG" stands for.
Most members have
no comprehension of the thought
reform
that was used on them for years. Instead, they are told they were under
"legalism." They do not understand the true history of the WCG, especially
the 1970's era.
Is headquarters making sure that members don't find out about any of this through their
history revision and cover-up? Few members have time to read "dissident" sites. If members do stumble across
exposé
articles and/or testimonies on the internet, they are told it is by ex-members
that are posting "wild rumors and
accusations."
A number who have
left since the changes have gone into agnosticism,
atheism, or
joined an offshoot which holds to HWA's teachings. Our contact with
those still in shows that many who stay in WCG are fearful to leave and
are confused about what
to believe anymore. It doesn't look like WCG has done a very good job of
preaching the truth to its members. But have they ever?
WCG still patterns the behavior of
Bible-based cults that attempt to make changes. Those that haven't
been in complete agreement with the
new changes have been treated in a very patronizing manner and even made to
feel guilty. The "new WCG"
loyal members (i. e., loyal to headquarters) are reluctant to go against what
Tkach Jr. and ministers in top positions are teaching and are instead
busily engaged in service, "finding their gifts,
going along with the modern Charismatic movement, and involved in
discipleship training classes. No one seems to notice how the members
are still being directed in the way headquarters wants.
Will certain outside Christian ministries
ever admit that they endorsed WCG too soon? Or do they even care? WCG
is now able to mix right in with the ecumenical, global New Age church without missing a step. [Read the book: New
Neutralism II: Exposing The Gray of Compromise by John E. Ashbrook
and read our OIU Newsletters,
especially Vol. 4 and Vol. 5.]
Back
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Does
True Change
Involve
a Headquarters in the Picture?
In order to justify still having
a Headquarters, WCG ministers and members have told outsiders that the
Bible allows for "different forms of church government" (even
though WCG has, in their duplicity, made it sound at times
like they hold to a "Presbyterian form of church government"). But
how many healthy churches today have a HQ off
somewhere, dispensing mass amounts of (confusing) information to all its members?
(Read:
What Exactly
IS
Worldwide Church of God?)
If the
leaders want to
condone their hierarchal form of government, then why aren't they each
in charge of their own local congregations without a HQ in the
picture? Instead, the top leadership
in California
has not stepped down and disassociated themselves from anything to do
with a "headquarters," or a position of authority, or teaching. Tkach
Jr. cannot be voted out and he remains unchallenged with a dummy board in
place. Headquarters is alive and well, and continuing to instruct
the membership in what to do--along with bombarding them with so many
confusing and varied articles on "some believe this" and "some believe
that."
Ministers who have decided to
start new churches are "encouraged" by headquarters to remain connected
to WCG (their "parent" church), which means they still can receive the church's newspaper, videos,
sermon tapes and magazines, which in turn influences them to continue to
believe and follow the top leaders' views. (And, of course, headquarters
will be there to receive any tithes and offerings members want to send
them.)
After having
been manipulated for years by thought reform, most inside WCG have not
learned to cultivate independent thinking capabilities of their own.
Dependency on a "headquarters" is
very hard for members and pastors alike to break and it doesn't seem to be anything that
the WCG is
in any hurry to do anything about.
WCG HQ is moving right along
with their massive multi-marketing outreach. They sell the Plain Truth, along with videos,
T-shirts, caps, etc. Today they are involved in "church planting"
(supposedly to increase their lagging membership)16
In the meantime, we may never know what HQ has done with all the millions
they received from the selling off of all their assets.
The salaries of Joseph Tkach Jr. (rumored to be in the six figures)
and other leaders is still not revealed; and in viewing
maps online along with doing a real estate check, it has been found that
the house of Tkach Jr.--which is along side a golf course and is about as big as
houses get on that street--is estimated with a market value of $600,000
in 2008.
Many have already exited the Worldwide Church of God after
coming to see that headquarters
is more interested in themselves and money than in the individual members.
May all our readers turn to the true
Lord Jesus Christ and His Word, asking for spiritual discernment
and wisdom in understanding what is going on in the Christian arena
today and choose to have no part with it.
By
D. W.
Exit & Support Network™
November 25, 2002
Last updated August 10, 2008
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"Come
out of her, my people..."
~ Revelation 18:3
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Footnotes:
1
1990
Snyder-Tucker radio interview on tape
and Research Letters Concerning
Worldwide Church of God Changes.
2
"In
the end, settlement cost us an even $2 million..." ("Miracle Victory!
And What It Means" by Gerald Flurry, Personal, The Philadelphia
Trumpet,
2003)
3
One of the things Kroll said was: "We understand your concern, but it is
based on a misperception. The church came to the conclusion that it's a
moot point as to whether or not the Philadelphia Church of God has the
rights to publish the Herbert Armstrong material in question." (April 4, 2003 email from Paul Kroll, Personal Correspondence;
email with ESN)
4 "As soon as we build up our
finances again (in a few months), we will have a message three to four
times more powerful. And we fully expect growth to triple or quadruple!"
The Philadelphia Trumpet, March/April 2003, "Personal: Miracle Victory!
And What It Means" by Gerald Flurry
5 "A
Brief List of Doctrines of the Worldwide Church of God," p. 2.
6
"Genesis
1: The Six-Day War: Are the six days of creation literal or
figurative?" Michael Morrison
7
COR shares Dominionist beliefs with many leaders in the
signs and wonders movement and has openly welcomed "signs and
wonders" Charismatics into positions of leadership. Christian
Conscience, May 1997 reported, "COR has adopted the very
non-scriptural principle that 'the ends justify the means' by expanding
their political consensus to include obvious cults, and by building
ecumenical bridges with highly controversial, charismatic-fringe
Christian groups." COR is also considered a "religious
right" Reconstructionist-type organization. Read:
Coalition on Revival: What is it?
8
"God's Boundless Love" by Ron
Hickman, December 2001
9
Update:
D. James Kennedy died September 5, 2007 at
the age of 76. Few are
aware that Kennedy was
a
member of the CNP (Council for National Policy). Much more on the Council for
National Policy (founded in 1981), plus a list of members, can be found
in this offsite report
and in the transcript Let's Focus in on
"Focus on the Family."
10
On
4-30-96 and 5-1-96 Joseph Tkach Jr. was interviewed on D. James
Kennedy's Christian radio program Truths that Transform.
Tkach Jr. said that Herbert W. Armstrong was a "very sincere
Christian who was dedicated to Christ." (Tapes with ESN) In the
March 7, 1995 Worldwide News,
p. 3, "Becoming prepared to effectively share the gospel message," Joseph W. Tkach stated that they believe Herbert
Armstrong
"was a minister of Jesus Christ." For more quotes see:
Has WCG whitewashed Herbert W.
Armstrong? from the Q&A's. Interview of Joseph Tkach at the 1997 National Religious Broadcasters
(NRB) Convention [offsite link]. Herbert
W. Armstrong stated, "Christ is not the gospel. Believing on Christ is
not believing the gospel." (Voice
clip of HWA giving a Bible Study and marking Buck Taylor; heard on tape two,
pt. 2 of "My
Story" by C. Wayne Cole, 5-19-79)
11
WCG doctrinal articles, booklets
and FAQs.
12
Pasadena Star-News, October
25, 2004. Read
letter to ESN concerning this.
By May 2006 all their offices were moved to Glendora. (Together
May-June 2006).
13
WCG Today, February 2006, "Denominational name
change." Read ESN article: Worldwide
Church of God is Changing Their Name.
14 WCG Today, Oct. 2005, "WCG considers
denominational name change." Also read:
Joseph Tkach Gives Reason
for Name Change (Worldwide Church of God Name is "Poisoned").
15
The frequent use of the word "attack" was merely a
smokescreen to cause members to focus on Satan and perceived "enemies,"
instead of what was really going on.
16
Together, July-August 2007, "New Church Leadership
Training Conference"
Back
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Letter to Worldwide
Church of God, Philippines
(On Apostasy--A Radical Proposal)
(Reveals the
disturbing direction WCG is headed doctrinally; includes New Age authors
WCG has endorsed. This Oct. 2006 letter was later forwarded to over 300 WCG ministers, including those at Headquarters.
Includes May 2007 email reply from author Brian Flynn to a WCG Philippine
deacon, concerning how we must be discerning concerning false teachings
coming into the church.)
Worldwide
Church of God (Condensed historical and revealing background information
concerning WCG and Herbert W. Armstrong)
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)
Research
Letters Concerning Worldwide Church of God Changes
(Excellent
exposé
of WCG's history and agenda; see
especially letters to author Janis Hutchinson)
The
Hidden Agenda (From OIU Newsletter
#2, pt. 1)
The
Process of Dialectical Materialism [offsite
link]
Apostasy in the Church (links)
Back to Articles on WCG Changes and History Revision
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