President Nixon Pinpoints America’s Loss of WillWhy did Meredith quote Nixon? Why did Meredith choose to quote Nixon alluding to the Watergate crisis even though Nixon himself had a lot to do with what happened in those days?
In his very insightful book, The Real War, former President Richard Nixon proves that we have the power but we have lost the intestinal fortitude. We have lost the determination. Mr. Nixon writes, “What America does suffer from is not itself a terminal illness, but rather a sort of creeping paralysis that could become terminal unless treated. Together with our allies in the Western world, we have the capacity to survive, to prosper, to turn back the challenges to our security that are being mounted with increasing force. The question is whether we will use that capacity” (p. 6). ...
Mr. Nixon continues, “America’s failures of will in recent years have been partly the product of weariness after nearly forty years of bearing the burdens of world leadership. They clearly result in part from the traumas of Vietnam and Watergate. But more fundamental—many of those who profess to be the guardians of our ideals have instead become the architects of our retreat” (The Real War, pp. 7-8). ...
Our pride is going to be brought down very low. As President Nixon stated, we are experiencing “a failure of will.” That’s already beginning to happen. (Roderick C. Meredith, Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ's Return, 1994, March 1996 edition, pp. 37-38.)
Furthermore The Real War was published in 1980. Why did Meredith choose to use a book that was written before the fall of the Iron Curtain?
Because he was party imitating what he wrote back in 1984. The highlighted section is the same as the 1996 booklet.
Former U.S. President Richard Nixon, in his book The Real War, was moved to comment, "The United States appears so lost in uncertainty or paralyzed by propriety that it is either unable or unwilling to act." Later in this same book, Mr. Nixon observes: "America's failures of will in recent years have been partly the product of weariness after nearly 40 years of bearing the burdens of world leadership. They clearly result in part from the traumas of Vietnam and Watergate. But more fundamentally, they reflect the failures of America's leadership class. Too many of those who profess to be the guardians of our ideals have instead become the architects of our retreat." (Roderick C. Meredith, Prophecy Reveals Where We're Headed Now!, Plain Truth, March 1984, p. 21.)This post is not about Nixon. It is about Meredith. Why did Meredith choose to trust Nixon to quote him in this way? Shouldn't Meredith be the slightest bit apprehensive about him? If so he did not show it in these writings.
I would have to believe that somehow Nixon's flaws and shortcomings did not occur to Meredith. He probably thought of Nixon as being in the right, misunderstood and unfairly trashed by the Democrats, the press, and the counter-culture.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Nixon had paraphrased pretty much what HWA had preached about how the USA would fall, ie that the pride of our power would be broken. This is simply another graphic example of an Armstrongite preacher proof-texting (from Nixon in this case) to support WCG foregone conclusions. And, of course he's going to disregard Reagan, under whom there was a resurgence of pride. That conflicts.
BB
It is all too easy for me to believe that Meredith somehow thought Nixon was treated too harshly in the Watergate crisis. HWA himself wrote approvingly of Nixon trying to cover up the shenanigans at the Watergate while justifying his expulsion of Garner Ted Armstrong.
ReplyDelete"Brethren, let me interject at this point to remind you of GOD'S TEACHING so contrary to this world's in regard to publicizing the wrongs or sins of another. God teaches us that "LOVE COVERS." In the worldwide notoriety about "Watergate" President Nixon was accused, condemned and forced to resign because of what Satan's world called the sin of "COVER-UP." In other words, the world regarded it a sin because Mr. Nixon did not come right out in public and before the whole world defaming the United States by reporting the whole affair. If Jesus Christ had been in office (of course He could not take such political office in this world), He would have properly CORRECTED those guilty -- in whatever punishment was in His sight fitting to CORRECT AND ABOLISH such evil and, IN LOVE for both the guilty and for this nation, He would have COVERED IT UP! I have only followed the WAY OF CHRIST, trying desperately through the years to COVER UP my son's sins and mistakes -- while at the same time NOT condoning his sins, but trying to give God's kind of punishment which CORRECTS AND RESTORES to the grace of God, rather than to act in hostility and revenge." (HWA, Co-Worker Letter, June 28, 1978.)
It is little surprise if Meredith should have adopted a similar view of Nixon to imitate HWA.