HWA Orders More Money for WCG, Says Non-Tithing is Stealing (1979)

Now it is time to look at the June 25, 1979 Pastor's Report.
The first article is a pronouncement by HWA that not tithing is stealing from God.

This article is mentioned in Chapter 19 of John Tuit's book, The Truth Shall Set You Free, which is a list of several articles written by HWA which demonstrates the tyrannical methods HWA was using to enforce unity within WCG after he disfellowshipped Garner Ted Armstrong. 

This is what John Tuit had to say about that article in Chapter 19:

To keep the money coming, Armstrong apparently felt the need to reinforce the tithing doctrine. In the July 9th issue [of the Worldwide News], his front page article was entitled "Non-Tithing is Stealing." Armstrong made it quite clear that no matter what one's circumstances, they must tithe a full tenth of their income to the Church. He even threatened to again activate the computer snooping program. He wrote: "Heretofore I have made NO EFFORT TO CHECK OUR COMPUTER RECORDS TO FIND OUT WHO TITHES. I surely never wanted to "snoop". But it is A LAW! Neglect or refusal is MAJOR SIN! I am not pussyfooting! Commandment breakers won't get into the Kingdom of God, and I am commissioned to blot out the spots and iron out the wrinkles to make God's Church READY when He comes." 

Again, Armstrong was hitting them with the loss of eternal life if the members did not tithe. And how skillfully he diverted attention from the allegations of stealing that had been brought against him and other high officials in the Church. If he truly felt a commission to blot out the spots and iron out the wrinkles, there was somewhere else that he could start other than laying another yoke upon the necks of the Church members. Ending the article, Armstrong said, "Failure to tithe is STEALING - COMMANDMENT BREAKING. It is without excuse! Keep current with God and HE will keep you current with your other obligations! This matter of STEALING FROM GOD is one matter that Christ is CLEANING UP IN GOD'S CHURCH NOW! No delay! And no excuses!" 

At least Armstrong was speaking some truth here. The matter of stealing from God was being cleaned up in God's Church. But he just refused to face up to the fact as to how it was being done. In this case God's "ministers for good," the officials of California, were the ones who were doing the cleaning up. The article just quoted from was actually excerpted from what was written in the "Pastor's Report" of June 25th. In that publication, Armstrong was laying it on the ministers quite heavily also. They, too, are expected to tithe from their salary. He said to the ministers, "If you are on the payroll, unless tithing begins with the very next paycheck, YOUR PAYCHECKS WILL BE CUT OFF WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE."

Alas, HWA had a long history of exploiting his followers by demanding money.