Meredith's Co-Worker Letters (2010)

Continuing from previous posts (here, here and here) noting the scare mongering present in Roderick C. Meredith and Richard Ames' co-worker letters to their donors let us look at their co-worker letters from 2010.

Despite the many failed predictions of the past, including claiming that Christ would return in 1975 from 1953 onward, Meredith still insists to any who will listen that he knows what will soon occur.

Let's take a look.

January 13, 2010

Here Meredith scare mongers about terrorist attacks. If one wanted to keep people distracted from complaining about the money they send to one's organization and thus can't use that money for themselves, why not scare them about terrorist attacks by Al Qaeda like extremists?

What is the real answer to the spreading terrorist attacks? For you and your loved ones in Britain, America and elsewhere, this question will become increasingly vital in the years just ahead. Remember the terrorist bombings in London a few years ago? Although only a few dozen people were actually killed, the lives of thousands were disrupted. And the British people were shocked that “locals” had done this terrible deed. For some of those involved were homegrown terrorists—young men their neighbors had no idea would do such a thing! ...

Of course, we in America experienced the truly horrifying attacks bringing down the Twin Towers in New York City and destroying part of the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 lives were snuffed out! This was almost like another Pearl Harbor attack—which will never be forgotten! More recently, we have all been reading about the recent incident where a homegrown Muslim terrorist killed a number of fellow soldiers right in Fort Hood, TX. And then the Christmas Day incident where a young terrorist would have murdered nearly 300 fellow air travelers if his device had worked! As we read, most of us come to understand that more and more “old cells” of these terrorists are being developed across the United States, Britain and western Europe. Before too many more years, a number of scholars tell us, “We may have to learn to live in a state of constant vigilance like the Israelis. But we may never know which day or which hour another terrorist attack will be unleashed upon our unsuspecting populace.”

He scare mongers that his readers can never be safe from such terrorists.

Frankly, it is not realistic to expect that America and our allies will ever be able to find and eliminate every one of the terrorist cells that may crop up! More and more young Muslims are being propagandized against our entire way of life. And the number of terrorist cells is constantly increasing. Again, all over our Western world, millions of people are apparently going to have to “get used” to the constant threat of terror as a way of life.

But what is the real answer to this horrible problem? Though federal and local law enforcement may try to slow down the growth of terrorism, it may be impossible to stamp out all the terrorist cells in the training camps all over the world in places including Aden, Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Kashmir, Malaysia and elsewhere across Southeast Asia. So what can realistically be done?

Meredith also announced that Richard Ames, follow presenter of the Tomorrow's World recruitment and brother in law will be writing some co-worker letters himself.

Before I close, dear brethren and co-workers, I want to be sure all of you know that I have appointed our other leading minister, Mr. Richard Ames, the First Vice President of the Living Church of God parent organization in the U.S., as my successor over the whole Work. In fact he has been in this position of First Vice President working right here with me for some time now and has proved himself to be one of the most dedicated, balanced and loyal servants of God on earth. With that in mind, and with my increased age, I will be asking him to write these co-worker messages and other letters from time to time in the future. So I hope you will welcome his participation, and that you will pray for him that God will guide him, protect him and use him increasingly.

Meredith ends by exploiting the earthquake in Haiti to scare monger that his dire predictions will soon come to pass.

P.S. Word just comes of the terrible 7.0 magnitude earthquake which struck Haiti yesterday afternoon! Many thousands are estimated to have died, and the trauma affecting millions is incalculable. I was on the phone before 8:00 a.m. this morning with our own Haitian minister, Dr. Wilner Pierre, and we will send what help we can. But all of us need to realize that Jesus Christ Himself predicted massive earthquakes, famine and disease epidemics just before His Second Coming (Luke 21:11). To those who smirk and sneer at God’s Word—some even doubting His existence—He will find ways to get their attention! Brethren, we really do need to powerfully witness to this confused world while there is time. Please help us do this job by being truly zealous at this time with your prayers, your tithes and your generous offerings.

February 10, 2010

Here Meredith scare mongers about the morality and insinuates the United States will soon collapse.

However, as many of you already recognize, America’s days as the “leading world power” are numbered! ... If America is “heading” toward a steep precipice, financially, it is also heading for a similar precipice morally. For increasing numbers of television programs, Internet offerings and other media are definitely going right down into the drain—morally speaking! Sorry, but I can’t put it any better. Many of you recognize this—as even God’s people occasionally have images of vile sex practices, hedonistic violence and the gratuitous taking of God’s name in vain pushed at them as they are “surfing the channels” on television. Frankly, our American and British-descended peoples are morally “sick.” And the Eternal God is not pleased!

Meredith begs for more money.

There has never been a time when it is more important to get involved in the Work of Christ than right now! For time truly is short—as I know many of you fully realize. So, I hope and pray that many of you will “dig down deep” to help us financially as best as you are able, plus pouring out your hearts to God in fervent prayer that God will see us through the trying financial times that our nations are experiencing, and that God’s Work is experiencing as well. We do need your help, and ask all who understand to respond generously at this time.

He also denigrates educational institutions in order to promote his unaccredited Living University.

March 16, 2010

Here Meredith exploits various severe earthquakes to scare monger that his dire predictions will soon come true.

The Eternal God is indeed beginning to intervene and “shake” the nations. Just in the last several weeks, we have had a virtual wave of magnitude 6.0-plus earthquakes. Have you noticed? These powerful quakes have struck in Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Chile, Turkey and—just this weekend—another strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter Scale struck Japan.

What is going on? Most news commentators scoff at the idea that the Creator may be starting to intervene in a special way to “shake” people to their senses. But the inspired Word of God tells us that the Creator—whose voice and actions shook His people at Mount Sinai—has promised, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven”....

He also scare mongers about terrorism, famines and epidemics.

So, along with many “fearful sights”—which may be translated “terrors,” or terrorism!—and with increasing “famine” leading to mass starvation, and with a huge upsurge of “pestilence” or disease epidemics—we in these prophesied last days will experience Almighty God intervening to shake, to humble and to chasten the rebellious peoples of this deceived world. He will begin to let them know by these actions that He is God!

April 13, 2010

Here Ames praises his boss, Meredith.

In addition to writing articles for each Tomorrow’s World magazine and our Church news magazine, The Living Church News, Dr. Meredith is taping dynamic Tomorrow’s World telecasts and keeping very active in overseeing operations of the Church around the world, as well as the day-to-day activities here in our Charlotte international headquarters building. He has continued to preach frequent sermons here in Charlotte and in various congregations around the nation. And he is doing all this with great power and effectiveness, despite having experienced a stroke a year and a half ago. Dr. Meredith will turn 80 years of age in June, and I tell him that since Moses anciently began his main ministry at age 80, we can rightly pray that his work is just beginning. He knows that his life is in God’s hands, and he appreciates your prayers and support for him—and for the Work he is leading under our Savior, Jesus Christ, with the same faithfulness and dedication that has inspired me ever since I first met him nearly 49 years ago, at the Church’s fall festival, the Feast of Tabernacles, in Big Sandy, Texas.

Ames mentions that he became a co-worker of WCG in 1961.

I remember the encouragement and inspiration I felt when, back in 1961, I received a letter from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong accepting me as a new co-worker with Christ.

Ames then talks about the seven deadly sins, abortions, sex selective abortion in some parts of the world and earthquakes.

At least 17 earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater have struck our globe in the first four months of 2010! Scientists are calling the 8.8 magnitude quake that struck Chile on February 27 one of the seven or eight most powerful temblors ever recorded! The January 12 quake in Haiti, though “merely” a 7.0, was one of the five or six deadliest in recorded history, causing more than 230,000 deaths and several hundred thousand serious injuries. From Chile to China, from Haiti to Japan, earthquakes have reminded us of our fragile existence on planet Earth. Even the central U.S.—far from the Pacific “Ring of Fire”—has been startled by unusual earthquake activity in the first months of 2010, with a 4.0 in Oklahoma on January 15 and a 3.8 in Illinois on February 10. It has been nearly 200 years since the New Madrid Fault buckled in December 1811 and January 1812. Is the American Midwest ready for the next big temblor?

Surprisingly he said nothing about his nonsensical scare mongering about the US federal debt.

Ames also boasts of public presentations given by LCG ministers.

One way this Work is helping people stay alert is through special personal appearances by our evangelists and other ministers. Over the years, Dr. Meredith and others have presented dozens of evangelistic campaigns. Evangelist Dr. Douglas S. Winnail, our Director of Church Administration, has recently been coordinating a major renewal of this important strategy for preaching the Gospel, with excellent results. In fact, just last weekend, Dr. Winnail gave his most recent Tomorrow’s World Special Presentation to subscribers in the Providence, Rhode Island area. Our Canadian Regional Director, Evangelist Gerald Weston, and his fellow ministers have just completed ten Tomorrow’s World special presentations throughout Canada, the latest in Scarborough, Ontario, on April 10. On April 3, Dr. Meredith spoke to an audience of 234 in his hometown of Joplin, Missouri, where he dedicated a new building for Church services and announced that the Tomorrow’s World telecast would soon air on a local television station.

May 14, 2010

Here Meredith insists things are falling apart.

Countless millions of Americans are deeply concerned about our nation’s future. They are beginning to realize that—after the last year or two of horrifying financial crisis and the increasing mistrust of government—America will never be the same again. They instinctively know that “something” is going on! Many leaders in the right-wing media also fear what is happening and are giving you part of the picture. Glenn Beck recently revealed that his worst fear is that a “Reichstag moment”—a catastrophic event bringing an end to our beloved Republic—may soon take place because of ongoing events in our nation. Many in Britain are concerned about the direction of things there.

Although he is happy to exploit these media outlets to spread fear about the future he insists he is one of the elite enlightened ones because of his British Israelism.

But these media leaders—often called “fear-mongers”—do not and cannot understand what is truly ahead. For God has not called them to the understanding of who the British and American people really are. They do not understand the reality of the soon-coming government of God to be set up on this earth under Jesus Christ. They do not understand the laws of that government which will soon be set up—and how each of us ought to be preparing to take part in that government under Jesus Christ. They cannot understand—not through their own fault, but because God has not “called” them yet.

Meredith insists on having a long record of accurately predicting the future.

Hopefully, having read Tomorrow’s World magazine for many months, most of you realize that this very Work—the Tomorrow’s World telecast and Tomorrow’s World magazine—are truly “different.” You know that we tell you about the very “real” God who is now beginning to intervene to bring down the British-descended and American peoples because of our national sins! Many of you remember how God’s true servants and the Work of which we are a continuation prophesied directly that the great “sea gates” of the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca and others would be “taken away” from our peoples! Remember how Herbert W. Armstrong specifically predicted, three decades in advance, that the nations of eastern Europe would “break away” from the Soviet Union, and that the Berlin Wall would come down? These things and many other specific things have happened! In my almost 58 years in Christ’s ministry, I have been part of this Work proclaiming these very things all over the world. I have seen it happen with my own eyes. I know that God is real! That He is powerful! And that He is beginning to intervene now in a way He has not done since the parting of the Red Sea!

He boasts about never asking "the public" for money.

As all our long-time subscribers know, we never ask the public for money, and we never will. This is no gimmick. There is no catch. You do not have to worry about me asking you for money. Other religious organizations are constantly and incessantly appealing to and begging the public for donations or asking them to buy excessively over-priced products, which are often couched as “donations.” You be the judge. We do not do that. We truly believe that we have freely received, and that we should freely give....

He then insists his donors should be zealous in supporting his LCG.

And, while I am at it, what is holding you back? It is easy to just “go along” in your normal routine even though massive events are now beginning to occur all over the world in fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Truly the end of this present age is near. Now is the time to “lay up treasure in heaven” by your service to God and to your fellow man (Matthew 6:19-21). All of us who are “called” have a responsibility. We have a powerful Work to do! May God give you the faith and the courage to truly “prove all things” and act on the message He is giving you right now through this letter.

June 15, 2010

Here Meredith boasts about how good Armstrongism has been to him over the years.

By the time most of you read this letter, I will have turned 80 years of age. God has been very good to me during these 80 years—giving me a wonderful stable family setting as I grew up, and a happy childhood. Now, over the years, He has given me a fine family, with six children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He has given me a wonderful opportunity to serve in the very Work of God for nearly 61 years—counting my student years at Ambassador College. He gave me the opportunity to study directly under Herbert W. Armstrong and to have thousands of hours of personal association with him, and countless meetings, meals, trips together, and other activities over the last 36 years of Mr. Armstrong’s life. I am very grateful for that opportunity—and for the wonderful privilege to carry on the Work which Christ began through Herbert and Loma Armstrong so many years ago. Now, after about 17-and-a-half years in the Global and now the Living Church of God, doing this Work, I can be thankful for the progress we have made in spite of our human weaknesses.

Many bemoan the negative aspects of Armstrongism upon its followers lives. But for a numerically small elite Armstrongism has given them plenty of prestige, power and wealth. Meredith is one of this numerically small elite.

He also boasts about LCG's attempts to get more tithes paying members. He chooses to use the carrot in this co-worker letter.

July 15, 2010

Here Meredith exploits the deaths and suffering of Japanese people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki who endured the atomic bomb explosions to get his mainly white, American audience fearful that something similar will soon happen to them.

Within a few days after most of you read this, a very important anniversary will occur. It will be the 65^th anniversary of “Little Boy”—the first atomic bomb which was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. Although it almost immediately obliterated a major city and the lives of tens of thousands of human beings, it may have saved the lives of millions by helping bring World War II to a swift conclusion. Have you seen the footage of the utter devastation of Hiroshima? Miles and miles of totally demolished buildings. At the edge of the city, still more buildings destroyed or badly damaged and a few thousand survivors wandering through the rubble—often with sad, empty-looking eyes and shreds of skin hanging from their burned bodies. Elsewhere, huge piles of human corpses.

After the bomb was unleashed, the sky above Hiroshima grew bright with a violent flash. “My God, what have we done?” wrote co-pilot Captain Robert Lewis in his flight log. Nearly 70,000 are estimated to have died almost instantly as a result of the bomb, with another 70,000 suffering serious injury. After the lingering effects of the blast are considered—cancer and poisoning from radioactive fallout, etc.—as many as 200,000 Japanese died as a result of that one bomb. Afterward, the pilot, co-pilot and bombardier must have realized the enormity of what had happened. For a huge city was suddenly “gone.” Entire families suddenly disappeared. And the entire “world around” of those who lived on would never be the same again. Indeed, the entire world had undergone a dramatic pivotal point in human experience—for millions now realized the absolute possibility of cosmocide—the total annihilation of the human race which Jesus clearly described in Matthew 24:21-22.

My dear friends and brethren, I tell you sincerely, we in the United States, Canada, Britain, etc., are swiftly drawing closer to another such turning point in human history. For our “world”—almost everything around us—is going to swiftly change over the next very few years! Yet most of those around us “just don’t get it.” They think that “all is well,” and that America and Britain have always “pulled through” every crisis. And they tell themselves, “Not to worry!” Meanwhile, the “prosperity gospel” preachers with their flamboyant clothes and fancy hairdos proclaim, “Just think positively about what you want, and reach out for it. Then God will give it to you!”

He boasts about speaking to a presentation in front of an audience of 300.

So we are very thankful for the results that God is giving us. A few days ago, my wife and I returned from Dallas, TX, where we had nearly 300 people attend a Tomorrow’s World Special Presentation—a public campaign proclaiming the message of  Christ to those interested in following through and giving their lives to God. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ames will return tonight from Trinidad where he conducted a similar campaign—this time with more than 300 people in attendance, and a wonderful response. Around the world and around the country, the Work of God is increasing in power.

He also insists that all is well among the LCG 1%.

We also have a great deal of unity and loyalty because we practice the “way of God”—including the correct form of Church Government which Jesus Christ and the apostles clearly taught and practiced continually. So we are blessed. God has been good to us in spite of our human faults and errors. So we have much to be thankful for.

He insists that the English speaking nations will soon be destroyed by Europeans.

In a foundational prophecy given for all of us in the English-speaking nations—plus the peace loving nations of Northwestern Europe—God describes a time when the modern descendants of the House of Israel would become wealthy and turn aside from God and finally be taken into slavery.

August 17, 2010

Here Richard Ames scare mongers about the US military being bad stewards of their financial resources.

Has the U.S. Pentagon demonstrated good stewardship? This news headline seems almost unbelievable: “Audit: US cannot account for $8.7 billion in Iraqi funds” (Associated Press, July 27, 2010). Does the U.S. government just give money away without any accountability? ... Can you imagine any successful organization conducting business in such a way that it cannot account for 95 percent of its spending? No! And if we do not as a nation repent of our poor stewardship, God will continue to allow the U.S. and other modern Israelite nations to self-destruct! ...

This irresponsible fiscal approach assumes that U.S. productivity will continue to flourish, and that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will pay for our massive indebtedness. ... Will we be able to stop this deadly “cancer”? Can you even imagine paying $1 trillion dollars in interest? As I have emphasized in my Tomorrow’s World Special Presentations, there is a solution to the global financial crisis. If every nation—and particularly our Western nations—would choose to obey God, we would not only turn this crisis around, but we would abundantly prosper. Our nations need to repent of their godless ways, and to repent of stealing from God!

Although LCG's leaders insist that their followers must send money in order to warn the United States of impending catastrophe Ames insists that national repentance will not happen.

Of course, the probability of national repentance is near zero, but God has given us the mission to warn our nations, and call them to repentance! Many of you have benefited from God’s blessings for your obedience and generosity.

Then why is he trying to get LCG members to send money to do something that will not stop the United States from being conquered by frenzied Europeans? Because that is not the goal. The goal is to get more members who will contribute to keep LCG going and keep supply the money for LCG's 1% to live on.

October 18, 2010

Here Meredith boasts of the Armstrongite, improperly observed Feast of Tabernacles.

My friends, we will certainly be blessed if we learn to actually practice what God clearly commands in the Holy Days we keep, the way we live our lives, and the emphasis we have on truly preparing for the coming Kingdom of God—the World Government which will soon be set up on this earth under Jesus Christ and the true saints of God.

He boasts that Armstrongites like LCG members properly understand these festivals.

However, though tens of thousands of people in various religious fellowships partly observe some of God’s Holy Days, very few really understand the meaning of God’s commanded annual festivals. They do not comprehend that these festivals actually picture the Plan of the Creator as it relates to our personal salvation—and how God, step by step, is working with mankind to eventually bring all human beings into His divine Family.

In other words the Jews do not understand their own religious festivals. Only the followers of a failed advertising man based in Eugene and then Pasadena.

The Jews celebrate their beautiful and precious festival by making sukkot within their houses.

Even as I have been writing this letter, news has come to my desk from The Independent newspaper in Great Britain that a secret treaty is right now being planned by a number of major world powers—a treaty which will drastically change the American and British “way of life” within the next several years! The article entitled, “The demise of the dollar” was written by Robert Fisk.

It is surprising that Meredith should quote Robert Fisk. He tends to be quite critical of the United States policies regarding the Middle East. Normally a journalist like him would be simply excluded from discussion. But Meredith exploits Fisk's article to scare mongers about some sort of financial catastrophe to soon strike the United States.

Dear friends, this article goes on to show that Brazil and India have both “shown interest” in collaborating in this plan to do away with the dollar as the major world reserve currency. Other nations will probably become involved down the line, as indicated. This article has great current significance because many of the events it describes are now underway! Just this past summer, China detached itself from the bilateral exchange rate with the U.S. dollar, instead choosing to compare itself to a “basket” of other currencies. One reason was to deflect attention away from the U.S. dollar (Reuters, July 22, 2010). Nations of the world are increasingly concerned about the U.S. dollar and spiraling U.S. sovereign debt. The U.S. debt is also acting to polarize nations and even drive some nations together—for example the gulf nations.

A lot of the COGs' scare mongering about the US dollar is nonsense.

November 10, 2010

Here Meredith mentions the 2010 elections.

For even as I write, the effects of America’s “mid-term” elections are being felt. Many millions of Americans are upset at the massive spending spree of our federal government. They are deeply worried about our huge national debt. And they are fearful that even the lives of their children and grandchildren will not hold the promise and the opportunities that they themselves have had. Truly, America’s and Britain’s “pride of power” is being broken.

Meredith scare mongers about "wrong government" causing so many problems today.

What is the primary human source of most of the troubles, the suffering and the anguish affecting the nations of this world? From the despotic dictators of many Middle Eastern and African nations to the merely “corrupt” leaders of North and South America and elsewhere, most of the suffering we experience can be traced directly to wrong government! ... In other areas of the world, like Russia and a number of Asian nations, political opponents sometimes “disappear” and are never heard from again! In the United States, many of the candidates for high office have a proven record of corruption, lying or even criminal behavior!

He boasts about how he started up LCG's telecast. He even equates GCG's The World Ahead telecast as though it was the same as LCG's Tomorrow's World telecast.

I carried on Mr. Armstrong’s heritage beginning in 1992, and continued to proclaim Christ’s Gospel on radio in 1993 to 1995. In 1995 I began what is now called the Tomorrow’s World television program. And for the past 15 years this Work has been broadcasting in nations scattered around the world. We have been on nearly 600 TV stations off and on through these years. And we are presently airing the telecast on more than 300 TV stations, plus thousands of cable systems serving thousands of communities.

He boasts that he never asks "the public" for money.

All of our publications, as we always say, are totally free of charge, and we never ask the public for money. This is a Work of faith.

How wonderfully selective.

December 15, 2010

Here Meredith boasts about his 58th anniversary of his ordination by HWA.

Before you receive this letter, I will be observing the 58th anniversary of my ordination as an Evangelist of Jesus Christ. The world has turned over many times since that date, December 20, 1952. Many of the major world events that Herbert W. Armstrong and I and others who assisted him have prophesied for so many years have already come to pass. A number of others are right now in progress. And the situation is clearly coming into focus for the other prophecies to begin to occur very quickly. Dear brethren, please understand! Although many years have passed since we first began sounding the “Ezekiel Warning,” your Bible indicates that—at the very end—these events will speed up and take many people by surprise.

If it is good to commemorate anniversaries like that why is it sinful to celebrate one's birthday?

Meredith boasts of getting a time slot on the Discovery Channel.

Huge doors are now opening to us. Just this month we started airing the Tomorrow’s World program on the Discovery Channel in the United States, reaching 99.5 million households. But the Discovery Channel airs worldwide, yet we are only on it in the United States. Your prayers could help this Work go through even bigger doors. The Discovery Channel has separate feeds going to 258 million households in Asia, 76 million in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and 37 million homes in Latin America. In all, the Discovery Channel reaches 470 million homes. Your sincere, fervent prayers could help this Work reach many of these homes totaling as many as 1.4 billion men, women and children!

He also boasts of getting a slot on God TV.

Starting in less than three weeks, the Tomorrow’s World telecast will start airing on “God TV,” which reaches 175 million homes around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, India, China and Australasia. This is another huge door, but we need your prayers for God to move people to watch the Tomorrow’s World telecast and respond! “God TV” reaches more than 500 million people around the world! This is big, and your prayers do help!

Just three weeks after beginning to broadcast God TV learned what sort of doctrines LCG taught and kicked them out of the TV station.

And so Meredith and Ames continues to maintain and try to sustain their LCG. But God has not revealed the future to them. There is no need to fear their dire predictions or to send them any money.