LCG and A Woman Rides the Beast

My early fascination with LCG's Tomorrow's World magazine was intense. So much so that when they recommended a book I would read it. Furthermore I was so indoctrinated with their worldview that whenever I saw something that contradicted LCG's tenets I made a conscious effort not to believe such contrarian statements.

One book their recommendation caused me to read was A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt (1994). It was casually mentioned in this early 2001 article, Who is the Harlot of Revelation 17?

Dave Hunt also teach that the Roman Catholic Church is the Harlot of Revelation 17. This idea has been around for a very long time. It's quite possibly older than the Reformation. I think even some of the Waldenses believed in that.

One thing I really must commend about Hunt's book is that it exposed the Roman Catholic Church's unthinkable policy of hiding their pedophile priests. The edition I read was an updated version that had to have been made around 2000. I was always very impressed with that.

I really wish the news media would do the same for the Jehovah's Witnesses since that organization is known to be engaging in the same activities.

I also noted that many times his account of doctrines was different. For instance HWA taught that in the end time there would be a military leader who would lead the European Beast Power. And a religious false prophet. He meant the final Pope but HWA often used obscure language describing this figure in recruitment materials in order not to alienate Catholic hearers.

On the other hand Dave Hunt portrayed only one figure who served the function of both the Beast and the False Prophet. However he did believe that the Harlot of Revelation 17 is the Roman Catholic Church and was convinced that therefore they would play a role in the future end time scenario.

Looking back I must remark how by this time I consciously rejected whatever Hunt taught that was contrary to LCG's tenets. For instance Hunt teaches the doctrine of the trinity. Because LCG taught against the Trinity and told me it was not true I consciously reminded myself that was in error. Today I do believe in the Trinity.

It is LCG's teaching that the Roman Catholic Church is trying to get her daughter churches (Protestants) to return to Mother Rome. Ecumenism is viewed as having a prophesied conclusion. It will be manipulated into becoming a Catholic plot to gain control over Protestants. LCG believes that will be the prophesied conclusion of this business.

In the article mentioned above Meredith wrote,

Frankly, you will be disappointed to see how many supposedly dedicated Protestant and evangelical leaders will be maneuvered into giving up much of what they have always believed when real PRESSURE is put upon them.

These words really struck fear into my heart. I would see all these Protestant ministers 'knowing' that they will buckle and submit to the Great Harlot. But this assumption of confidence is based upon the pronouncements of the false prophet Herbert W. Armstrong. Although this particular part of the Armstrongite prophetic scenario is taken from some strands of Protestantism, LCG relies on HWA, and he is a false prophet. God could not have worked with HWA.

I remember in one sermon Meredith breathlessly quoted the introduction of the book discussing a joint statement made between the Roman Catholic Church and Lutherans which Hunt portrayed as being effectively an end of the Catholic-Lutheran split over a doctrine which was at the center of the Protestants' departure from Papal Rome. Naturally Meredith took advantage of Hunt's teaching and presented this statement as evidence that the Roman Catholic Church is trying to unite with the rest of Christendom in order to take them over.

So by just a simple mention of a book was enough for me to go read it all. This is a testament to how hungry I was to understand their false teachings.