William Hinson's Broadway to Armageddon (1977) is Now Online

William Hinson's Broadway to Armageddon (1977) is now online.

(Hat tip: The Painful Truth blog.)

I have read that book myself, courtesy of Exit and Support Network. It is a real heart breaker. The author's son died because of HWA's anti-medicine superstition. And it dwells on that particular topic at great length and quite vividly. Everyone who wants to know what HWA's WCG was really like needs to read this book.

Also worth reading is Roderick C. Meredith's marriage destroying letter on pages 150-6 (pages 76-80 on the website), dated July 18, 1969. This detailed letter discusses how Meredith instructed WCG ministers how to judge if a marriage is to be allowed by WCG and how to destroy the marriage should the cult decide it needed to end. This was part of WCG's divorce and remarriage policy. It was later abolished in 1974 but had already destroyed many peoples' lives.

It also shows how some WCG ministers exposed how Herbert W. Armstrong's WCG had been too strict in ordering members to abstain from personal pleasures on the Sabbath. Here is how some leaders in WCG discussed Isaiah 58:13-14 (pp. 192-3).

Note: It should be carefully noted that the term "seeking your own pleasure" does not, in the Hebrew, have reference to personal enjoyment. The word "pleasure" is khephets in Hebrew. In the Jewish translation it is rendered "thine own business".

The New English Bible makes the meaning clearer than either the King James version or the Revised Standard Version:

"If you cease to tread the Sabbath underfoot, and keep my holy day free from your own affairs, if you call the Sabbath a day of joy...if you honor it by not plying your own trade, not seeking your own affairs..."

This translation shows the true intention of the words "thine own pleasure!" The Hebrew term rendered pleasure is often translated "desire" or "purpose" in other passages (cf. Eccl. 3:1, 17; I Kings 5:8, 9, 10, etc.). The Jewish translation speaks of "pursuing thy business" and "thy wonted ways". The Hebrew khephets is not addressing the question of pleasurable activities that are illegal on the Seventh day! If pleasure were not present, how could the day possibly be a delight!? 

This passage of Scripture has been erroneously applied to such activities as television viewing, swimming, listening to music, marital relations, and even reading the weekly comics in the newspaper!

(Wish Meredith's LCG told me that.)

And to think that so many in the COGs continue to say all was fine and well while HWA was in charge. What a lie. What deception such a view is. Hinson shows us what the fruits of HWA's WCG really was.

This is one of the most important books ever written about Armstrongism. Even if you have been out of Armstrongism for decades you should still read it.

I wonder what ever happened to William Hinson and his family. I hope they are well.