Thursday, September 19, 2013

Gerald Waterhouse's Sermon: Get The Point

I have just finished listening to Gerald Waterhouse's sermon at Lufkin, Texas, which he gave on December 1, 1979. Get The Point.

Here are some notes I took as I was listening to him.

It must be said that he often speaks in a confusing manner. Alas, that may be reflected in the notes I made.

I found his sermon quite educational, though not in the way Gerald Waterhouse intended.

Hat tip Banned by HWA.

Criticizing HWA is Forbidden

He spends about the first 37 minutes condemning any attempt to criticize HWA, saying such acts are rebellious against God, and one can only approach God through HWA, it is impossible to bypass him to get to God.

God more concerned about HWA than Elisha. (3 minutes.)

HWA has a straight back into to write efficiently and prolifically. (8 minutes.)

God gets upset if people say (HWA's) God is limited in his power and abilities. (11 minutes.)

I don't think it's God's will means I have no faith in God. (12 minutes.)

God can give 969 years to HWA if he wishes. (12 minutes.)

Human brains are as pathetic as peanuts. (14 minutes.)

God's work succeed because (HWA's) God makes the decisions. If humans thought for themselves it would fail because people are less than nothing compared to (HWA's) God. (17 minutes.)

People telling how the church should operate is the most ridiculous thing in the world. Deserves to be zapped by (HWA's) God but it is only through his self control such does not happen. (18 minutes.)

Been around the world ten times. (20 minutes.)

Denigrates people depending on medical science for healing HWA. (21 minutes.)

Mocks people saying Stanley Rader is head of the church. Condemns people listening to rumors. (22 minutes.)

Don't listen to anything unless HWA said it. Accuse Garner Ted Armstrong of being unworthy of submission. (23)

Mentions counseling with a woman whose father had left WCG. (24)

Bible written primarily for Philadelphian Christians (followers of HWA). "Laodiceans will die at the onset" of the Great Tribulation. (24-25)

Cites 1974 mass defection and uses Numbers 16 to say no one can defy HWA. (25-26)

Mentions discussion with C. Wayne Cole. Says he did not want to criticize HWA should he remarry. Once HWA did remarry mentions that some disagreed. Issue of previous restrictions on Divorce and Remarriage left unmentioned. States Moses also married another woman other than his wife but to speak against it is to defy God. Cites Numbers 12 and God's rebuke of Miriam and Aaron to say a WCG member must not criticize HWA. (26-27)

Was in Midland, Texas, when Receivership began. (27)

Says God would never approve of the Receivership. Denigrates the State of California's investigation of improperly kept records. (28)

Mentions sermon in 1960 in Australia. Says God kills critics. Calls it teaching government in God's Church. (29-30)

If HWA approached you, put tithes and offerings in a wheel barrow, took up the Sydney Harbor Bridge, then burn it, you have no right to criticize him. You must pray for more faith. (31)

Government is always top down. It is impossible to bypass HWA. He is the channel God is working through. (32-33)

People taking matters in their own hands is forbidden. (34)

Cites 1972 discussion with someone who has now left. Complains that if HWA continue to focus so much on visiting world leaders, thinking he is fulfilling some sort of commission when he is not, WCG will fold in six months. He did not say Mr. in regards to HWA, Gerald Waterhouse complains.

Even HWA could not stop this work. Even all the nations of the world could not stop this work. It is fighting God. (35)

We must trust Christ to solve problems. Do not contradict HWA. We got to do something about it. (36)

Shouts that no one has any right to criticize HWA. (37)

Only God allowed to correct HWA. Any one correcting HWA is insulting God. (37)

Describes people who used to be in witchcraft and were in the Illuminati and the "whitchcraft system". People involved in witchcraft pray to Lucifer. Rock singers are involved in Satanic witchcraft, such as KISS, and pray to Lucifer.. (38)

The beat in the music stirs up rebellion. (39)

11 people killed in rock music. There will be no rock music in the World Tomorrow. (39)

The US Justice System is Inherently Unjust

Here he begins to talk for about twenty minutes that there is no justice in the world today. How dare the unjust justice system of the USA investigates us when it is so perverted and unjust, he seems to be saying.

Condemns the Supreme Court, Congressmen and Senators. Dirty, rotten Supreme Court for preventing parents from forbidding children in using birth control. (40)

Children can sue parents for spanking. Shouts. (41)

Rader will prepare court case to stop Supreme Court. (41)

They are not justices. They are crackpot politicians. (42)

Supreme Court portrayed as morally depraved. Will not listen to the truth even if they presented the simple truth. (43)

Claims America is being besieged by enemies because America is unwilling to use their power.

Give the Communists what they desire. (47)

"Very soon" America will be conquered and enslaved. (48)

Says Satan behind the Receivership and God will use this trap as a tool of God to demonstrate God's power and show justice and righteousness to the world. (48-49)

Says his brother had his house broken in. (49)

Says the District Attorney lets the criminal goes after police found him. (50)

Complains of being told to use lower wattage light bulbs, what about the many Christmas lights celebrating Nimrod's birthday. (51)

Christmas condemned as causing lots of electric waste. (52)

Criminal system lets mafia networks off lightly, but gets punished for speeding. (52)

Mentions incident in late 1975 was in Minnesota during Fall Holy Days.

Mentions getting pulled over by a police officer. Nearby drunks are celebrating at a bar but police are no where to be seen. (54)

Accuses police officers of having quotas for issuing speeding tickets. (55)

"This rotten stinking world is not worth saving." (56)

Glorifies HWA as the instrument to reconcile humanity to God today. More valuable than all the leaders on Earth. (57)

God allows tests in regards to money to test people. Who would put money as more important then submitting to God? (58)

No words to describe the potential HWA has revealed to us. (59)

Maybe 70 or 80 billion people will be resurrected in Great White Judgement.

Satan is conducting smear campaign to denigrate HWA the Apostle. (59-60)

One hour.

Denigrates women wishing to pursue paid employment as falling for the deceptive wiles of Satan. (1)

Women who gets jobs will leave their husbands and the church. (1)

They do not know the world is rotten and not worth pursuing. (2)

Leaving the church is filthy to God. (2-3)

"The Devil, the great critic."

God is "Conquering the world." Reconciliation too Protestant a word. (3)

Comparing WCG to worldly churches is Satan inspired. (4-5)

Will fill the world with millions of churches of God. Hundreds of thousands of Ambassador Colleges. (6)

Radio and TV stations from every Ambassador College. (7)

All literature will be published by Christ. HWA has hundreds and thousands of books waiting to be written. (7)

All recreation and culture will be controlled. (7-8)

Uses Acts 5 to claim that HWA's leadership must to unquestioningly followed.

There has been no growth for thirty years. Blames "unbelievers" within WCG and says God restrained WCG's growth to prevent new members from getting confused by the "unbelievers" within WCG. (10)

Mocks people who say HWA is not in control of WCG and that he is using church money improperly. (10)

All doctrinal decisions made through HWA. (11-12)

Once the ministers unquestioningly follow HWA's direction membership growth will be restored.

Prospective members will be so impressed that everyone speaks the same thing that they will enthusiastically embrace WCG and sacrificially fund it. "I'll give everything's I've got." (12)

Lots of things will be done with these tithes, such as preparing Petra. (12)

WCG Members Fleeing to Petra

Here he begins to describe how WCG members will flee to Petra for the next twenty minutes.

We will buy a fleet of planes to go to Petra. We may go to Jerusalem where HWA knows the mayor. (12-13)

(Petra is in Jordan. Not Israel. I know the borders changed a bit in 1967, but Petra is still in Jordan.)

Let's not go to Iran. (13)

We have to buy a lot of things for Petra. Store them in caves. (13)

Seems to admit having a hoarding tendency. (13-14)

May have to take 300,000 people to Jerusalem. It is an organizational miracle. (15)

Pray for the weather to not interfere. (15)

HWA will tell you where to pitch your tents. (16)

White ruled South Africa will conquer Africa for Europe. Never heard that story before. (17)

WCG members will be the only ones not submitting to the Beast Power which is led by Satan. (17)

We know Satan is not God. (18)

God will lead HWA to Jerusalem. European intelligence will monitor WCG planes flying in utter bafflement. (19)

God will use this to humiliate the Pope, who will have moved to Jerusalem then, as WCG members flee to Petra via Jerusalem. (20)

WCG members will move via Tekoa on the way to Petra. Jokes it sounds like tea. WCG members will flee away from the pursuing European army. (23)

Old women and nursing mothers will miraculously outrun fit European soldiers. (24)

Elijah could run 15 second mile, faster than horses, because God miraculously made this possible. (24)

We will be surrounded by protecting angels. (26)

We will flee through the opening into Petra. God will make the earth swallow the soldiers and topple the surrounding rock face thus isolating WCG members within Petra, safe from European Beast Power. (27)

No Laodicean era. They can disagree with Philadelphians until WCG members flee to Petra. Satan will go after Laodiceans after Philadelphians are safe in Petra. (27-29)

Testimony of Jesus Christ is the work HWA is doing in preaching to the world. He shouts. (29)

HWA went to China the other day. God is speaking through his Apostle to the Chinese people. (29)

Punishment of the Laodiceans for Defying HWA

Laodicean attitude. Laodiceans need to learn they must accept HWA as leader to be right with God. You must accept HWA as leader or else you will never be accepted into the God Family. He shouts. Not my choice, it is God's. (30-32)

I recall Carla Powers mentioned how as a child she would never stray too far from home lest she miss the order to flee to Petra. I can picture that situation a lot better now.

We were placed under HWA. HWA was not placed over us. (Logic fail.) (32)

Rejecting HWA's authority is rejecting God. Such persons will be shocked when the see that the Philadelphians flee to Petra. It is only when they repent during the Great Tribulation that they become the Laodicean era. (33-34)

Their witness of persecution to show the world the truth.

Anyone who does not worship the Beast will be killed. (35)

Laodiceans will have to make their decision immediately, not six months or a year later. They will repent and say I do not believe in the Pope. Satan and his demons will incite the Europeans into a frenzy to destroy the Laodiceans. To fulfill the Pope's vision of peace the Europeans will create the European Empire. (36-37)

Franz Josef Strauss will be the military dictator of Europe. (37)

The Laodiceans will speak up and oppose the Pope. He shouts. (38)

Europeans will behead Laodiceans. (39)

Laodiceans will proclaim that HWA is God's man to the triumphant Europeans. (39)

The beheading of Laodiceans will shock some of the Europeans. (40)

Every time the heart beats, blood squirts. Europeans will be traumatized and begin to wonder why they are fighting HWA's followers. (41)

Laodiceans' witness and mass murder is necessary to make Europeans aware of WCG members in Petra and of HWA. (42-43)

When the Laodiceans die in the Great Tribulation proclaiming the words of HWA it will prove to God that they have repented and submitted to HWA's authority. (44)

Submitting to HWA proves they will rule properly in the World Tomorrow. (45)

Establishment of the World Tomorrow

At this point Gerald Waterhouse focuses on describing the glory of the first resurrection at the return of Christ.

He shouts that it was necessary for God to send the truth through HWA, Philadelphians and Laodiceans. (45)

HWA needs to warn the French not to betray Joseph (America and Britain) into slavery. (47)

HWA is identified as one of the Two Witnesses. HWA will be killed in Jerusalem. The Pope will use HWA's death to proclaim himself that he is God. (48)

Resurrection of the Two Witnesses identified as the moment of the first resurrection at the return of Christ.

The resurrected HWA will explain who will fulfill the positions within God's government as god beings. Cites Follows HWA's teachings in The Wonderful World Tomorrow. (50)

Jokes around how the biblical Job is pronounced differently from the word job. (51)

Family of God will be administratively divided and members will be assigned their positions of authority. It will run as a corporation. (52-3)

Claims HWA will restore all things, implying HWA will live until fulfilling the role of Two Witnesses. (54-5)

HWA has "substantial calling". (55)

Shouts that God will proclaim that HWA was his witness. (56)

Jokes with Abel's name, punning it with able. (56-7)

Talks of how pre-Exodus patriarchs never read the Bible in order to claim WCG members has greater understanding then pre-Exodus biblical heroes. (57)

Talks of how God will have to explain to the ancient biblical patriarchs about what is happening during the return of Christ. (58)

Mocks how Protestants focus on other topics. (59)

Mocks Billy Graham for not concluding the Bible taught what HWA said it says. "Missing it by a thousand spiritual miles." (2:00:00)

Two hours.

The ancient resurrected saints will be educated what is happening. (1)

The European system will be destroyed by God. He shouts. (2)

Christ will make sure TV cameras are viewing what is happening. (2)

Christ will shout that HWA is his servant. He shouts. Says anyone who criticize HWA is criticizing God. (3)

He shouts. (3-4)

People are leaving because they criticize HWA which is defined as criticizing God. (4-5)

Won't be off by a billionth of a degree in executing God's instructions. (5)

He shouts. He says God will destroy the Beast ands the final Pope in front of the world's TV cameras to prove the Pope is not God. (6)

No one has any right to criticize HWA. It is an act against God. He shouts. (7)

Mocks people who wish to reform WCG. He mockingly says they are trying to be more righteous than God. WCG members have no right to "play detective". (8-9)

Says only people who have learned to follow God can enter the God Family. (9-10)

Bible is written in riddles. Only those with God's spirit can understand it. (11)

Mockingly speaks gibberish. (11)

HWA needed to speak plainly. Needed talent for speaking and salesmanship. (12)

Mocks Protestant Christianity. (12)

We will be so loyal when we are ordered we will say Yes, Sir. (14)

All members of the God Family must be absolutely conquered by God. (15)

Religion will be reformed in the World Tomorrow. (15)

America and Britain must receive the most developed education. (16)

God will not let HWA stay dead. (16)

Says God has promised HWA to be alive until Great Tribulation. (17)

Says he is certain HWA will stay alive. (17-8)

If attitude is wrong he is simply kicked out because WCG is more important because they shall lead the World Tomorrow. (19)

Says Moses led to Petra. HWA will lead WCG members to Petra as well. HWA will only be dead for three and a half days. (20)

Esau sold the whole world for a bowl of soup. Says God denied him repentance for making such a stupid decision. (21-2)

Book of Revelation Cited to Justify Leadership of HWA

At this point Gerald Waterhouse then talks about the Book of Revealation in order to claim that HWA is spoken of in it and this is used to justify HWA's authority. 

Only HWA could fulfill four prophecies mentioned in Revelation. (22)

Message of Revelation about today and end times events. (23)

Says John identified the Philadelphian era will reveal the message before the Great Tribulation. (25)

First Israelites, then Gentiles, will be incorporated within God's World Tomorrow. (27)

At second coming all humanity will learn the truth. (28)

HWA is already spiritually dead so he will never deviate from God's will. (30)

Says HWA says he is still fulfilling the role of Zarubbabel. (30)

Says HWA was divinely strengthened by God when he talked in front of a Feast crowd. (31)

God took least qualified to be the leaders of the World Tomorrow. He shouts. (33)

Says HWA is to prophesy again. HWA will reach the world twice. (34)

Says we thought the work would end in 1972. Obliquely discusses the prophetic failure of 1972. (35)

Says Revelation predicted HWA's resurrection in 1977. (36-7)

HWA needed to die in 1977 in order to shock him into dealing with Garner Ted Armstrong. (37)

HWA needed to rise and measure the Temple of God, that is, purge WCG of undesirable members. (37-8)

Talks of HWA's dualism (type and anti-type). (39)

Israelite Tabernacle merely a type of the Church. (39)

Outer court is said to represent the Gentiles. (40)

Says anyone refusing to follow HWA after his recovery from a heart attack, are to be treated as Gentiles and have no access to God. They are cut off from God. They might repent during the Great Tribulation, but they are spiritually blinded and will not listen to the correct advice of Philadelphian Christians. So they are left alone. (41-4)

HWA reaches to world twice. First till 1972. Second is afterwards. (46)

After 1977 heart attack  HWA is to judge which WCG members are to come to Petra, and which will not. (47-8)

He shouts. (48)

He shouts that HWA has judged "liberals" are unworthy of Petra hence why they are no longer in WCG. (49)

Those who stay loyal to HWA are worthy of Petra. Others must be beheaded to prove they are loyal to HWA's God. (50)

Mentions how he told WCG members to stay loyal to HWA during the mass defection of 1974. (51)

WCG members must stay loyal to HWA. (52)

God Family must never contradict God when they are resurrected God beings. (55)

WCG members who leave strengthen those who stay, strengthening their resolve to stay with HWA's WCG. (56)

Laodiceans must confess that HWA was the one who began the true faith in the modern era. (57-8)

HWA must be acknowledged as the one who began the creation of God Beings. (58-9)

Says Revelation predicts that Laodiceans will be beheaded by the European Beast Power. (59-3:00:00)

Three hours.

Says HWA declared that intellectualism is the cancer within WCG. (3:00:00)

Laodiceans martyrs must have died witnessing for HWA. (1)

Laodiceans must be martyred to witness to Europeans and point to the Two Witnesses, one of whom is HWA. (2)

Laodiceans must acknowledge HWA as God's man. (3)

Ministers in Tucson who were disrespectful with HWA are now gone, out of WCG. (3-4)

You must trust God through his Apostle, HWA. (5)

His sermon finally ends.

In a nutshell Gerald Waterhouse spent over three hours telling WCG members that they have no right to criticize HWA and must stay loyal to him despite the whirlpool of scandal HWA had led WCG into, not least a forced receivership by the State of California. If a WCG member is not loyal to HWA and continue to follow him he will be cast out of WCG and witness in a most costly fashion to the Europeans.

1 comment:

  1. This is the source of the crazy and speculative thinking that has permeated Armstrongism since the late 1950s. Waterhouse inspired further, even more wildly expansive thinking on the part of the membership as they were driving to their distant homes following his occasional visits. His example became a part of WCG church-corporate culture.

    BB

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