The Death of Roderick C. Meredith

LCG has announced that Roderick C. Meredith has passed away aged 86 on Thursday, May 18, 2017. It had been announced earlier that he had terminal cancer. His funeral is to be held Sunday, May 21.

I wished he had lived longer. My thoughts and condolences go to his family members.

We human beings are complicated. We can treat those close to us well while neglecting those not so favored. I will not speculate about those who were close to him. But for those of us who participated in and saw the fallacies of what Roderick C. Meredith taught it is sad to see that he used up his working life promoting and sustaining a religion that is severely flawed and has caused much pain to the many people who have grown disillusioned with it.

As HWA's organization grew HWA and those immediately below him including Meredith had few restraints upon their authority. In a situation like that abuse of that power were practically certain to occur.

Infamously, as may be seen in his July 18, 1969 letter, he helped enforce HWA's astoundingly brutal divorce and remarriage policy which gave ministers of HWA's organization the power to order couples to end their marriages for arbitrary reasons. This frightening policy was in force until 1974.

In 1992 HWA's organization had to pay $750,000 to Leona McNair to settle a libel case that started after Meredith made public statements about her in 1979 that she denounced as libelous. At one point of the long running case a jury awarded her $1,260,000 in damages for Meredith's libel on August 23, 1984.

Last year Meredith was sued again by the Scarboroughs for alleged bad behavior against them when they were disfellowshipped out of LCG. However that particular lawsuit failed.

Although Meredith often played up his associations with HWA he actually fell out of his favor long before HWA's death. David Robinson stated in his book, Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web, that HWA no longer favored Meredith as early as 1972. He insisted that Meredith was only placed over the ministry in 1979 in order to bolster HWA and Stanley Rader's power over HWA's organization during the receivership crisis. Once he had served his purpose in reasserting HWA's authority over the ministry he was immediately replaced by Joseph Tkach in July 1979. Even after Rader lost HWA's favor in 1981 Meredith was not returned to that position which he previously held. HWA's actions indicate that he did not view Meredith as a possible successor.

While Meredith was over the ministry in January-July 1979 he disfellowshipped numerous ministers. The authoritarian nature of HWA's organization allowed Meredith to wield such frightening power even over other ministers.

In 1992 as the Tkach changes got closer to transforming the organization founded by HWA into essentially another Protestant church Meredith left it and formed a splinter group. In 1998 a schism erupted and he left to form yet another splinter group. While leading these organizations of his he hosted a telecast. And even though there had emerged hundreds of splinter groups which taught many doctrines very similar to what he himself preached he would still say things like, "You will gain precious insights and information available nowhere else," letting his audience falsely think that no one else taught what he did. How is saying a statement like that not a con?

Meredith also had a long history of demonizing and vilifying the LGBT community. While such hostility is common among the splinter groups originating from HWA's organization Meredith seemed especially obsessed with vilifying them. One shudders to imagine the effects of his vindictiveness upon those who paid attention to his words. One wonders why he was so bitter and nasty towards them,

It is clear that Meredith was badly served by his uncle C. Paul Meredith who seems to have helped lead Meredith into joining HWA's organization in Meredith's teenage years. Serving HWA's organization led to Meredith promoting all kinds of misinformation that were simply untrue such as British Israelism. It would have been better for himself and those around him if Meredith had pursued another avenue of employment that would have prevented him having such a negative influence over other people. But he made his choices and the consequences of his choices have to be addressed.

******

Roderick C. Meredith's death has been mentioned elsewhere.

Banned by HWA. (Here and here.)

As Bereans Did.

Painful Truth.

Roderick C. Meredith's Cruel Purge of WCG Ministers (1979)

In January 1979 during the receivership crisis HWA appointed Roderick C. Meredith as head of the ministry. Roderick Meredith was only in this role until August 1979 when he was replaced by Joseph Tkach (it seems at the behest of Stanley Rader) but even in that small space of time he proceeded to go on a rampage disfellowshiping and marking WCG ministers who he viewed as not sufficiently conforming to HWA's rule.

The previous year HWA had cast out his own son, Garner Ted Armstrong, out of WCG  as part of a bitter power struggle. HWA then proceeded to reassert his authority among WCG members. The rules became more stern. HWA's makeup ban was reimposed.

Roderick Meredith was a part of this and he was appointed head of the ministry in January 1979 and he worked towards HWA's reassertion of authority. Many WCG members and ministers did not support what was going on. Knowing this Roderick Meredith proceeded to disfellowship several WCG ministers on the pages of the Pastor's Report as part of HWA's campaign to crush any potential dissidence within WCG. The purpose of all this was to intimidate and horrify the WCG members into submit to WCG's authority regardless of their personal feelings. Only the victims truly know how terrible all this was.

The following is a compilation of several posts I had made looking at Roderick Meredith's time as head of the ministry. People deserve to know the truth about Roderick Meredith and what he did at this time. The original posts may be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

***

While reading John Tuit's book I found the April 23, 1979, Pastor's Report, which contains Roderick Meredith announcing that he had disfellowshipped two WCG ministers.

One unhappy note was the situation in Hawaii. We had to switch our previously announced plans and send Mr. Dennis Luker to Hawaii because our minister there, John Ouvrier, had been carefully "programming" our brethren against God's Work and against His apostle, Mr. Armstrong. In spite of Dennis' best efforts, it looks like 2/3 of the Honolulu church has defected to John Ouvrier and his disloyal, heinous, back stabbing tactics.

It is my sad duty, therefore, to announce that John Ouvrier is out of God's ministry and has been officially disfellowshipped from God's church. I am here marking him as one who has caused GREAT division and confusion in the area of Christ's ministry over which he was responsible. I feel it is necessary to mark him here so that all of you ministers can warn any of your brethren going to and from Hawaii about this situation. (pp. 7-8.)

The Painful Truth has an article, The "Plain Truth" about Hawaii that describes this courageous mass liberation of WCG members in Hawaii from HWA's tyranny.

The following is Meredith's announcement of his disfellowshipping of Mr. Richard Prince.

Another sad situation that has just come up is that of Mr. Richard Prince -- former pastor of our church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Mr. Prince "vomited" on the St. Joseph church a week ago Sabbath -- spilling out to Christ's "little ones" all of his frustrations, misunderstandings, and personal animosities about Mr. Armstrong and those assisting him and his upsets over all manner of programs and policies with which he personally disagreed. The area coordinator, Mr. Ray Wooten, reports that Mr. Prince has also "programmed" the church so that we may lose quite a number of brethren from the St. Joseph church.

Therefore, it is my sad duty also to mark Mr. Richard Prince as one who has been aggressively causing DIVISION and great hurt within God's Church. I have had to ex-communicate him from the body of Christ for his reprehensible conduct and he, too, must be avoided by those who are loyal to Jesus Christ. (p. 8.)

Those two ministers are heroes for standing up against HWA's tyranny. Despite the great fear they must have had they still dared to resist HWA's tyranny.

This serves as a remainder of the terrible dictatorial abuses that Meredith unleashed upon WCG during those dark and terrible days.

 ***

Found this from pages 3-4 of the May 14, 1979 Pastor's Report.

Here Roderick C. Meredith demonizes C. Wayne Cole and Dave Antion for joining Garner Ted Armstrong's Church of God International.

One bit of sad news to report is that Garner Ted Armstrong held a publicly advertized meeting of his dissident church out here in Arcadia just east of Pasadena this Sabbath, and was joined at the podium by both Wayne Cole and Dave Antion. Hurt feelings and rebellion make strange bedfellows. As all of you know, these two men continually proclaimed that they would NEVER join Ted and told many of us privately including myself that they were appalled at Ted's wretched immorality and hypocrisy over so many many years that they did not feel he was fit to be a minister of God. Yet here there are, frisking up by his side in the hope, perhaps, that his personality and human charisma and following may somehow work to give them a following and sense of "respectability" after their dastardly attack on the Church of the Living God this last January. ...

They are directly or indirectly attacking the authority of Jesus Christ and his chosen apostle, Mr. Herbert Armstrong. They are attacking or undermining the peace and unity of the body Jesus Christ has used all these years to do His Work. ... they have decided to take matters into their own hands and REBEL against the one they have ALL acknowledged as the specially chosen leader of God's Church in this time--Herbert W. Armstrong. ...

But when reality comes, God's dedicated apostle--who has never tried to hurt or kill or unjustly humiliate anyone--was finally forced by increasing evidence of rebellion and immorality to ask his son to go on a leave of abscene. The result?

WHERE ARE all those "yes sirs" and responsive attitudes? And where are they in the lives of David Antion and Wayne Cole who honored Mr. Armstrong up until so recently, while at the same time proclaiming their disgust and distaste of Garner Ted Armstrong?          

What Meredith wrote is really disgusting and untrue.

It is disgusting the way these Armstrongite "leaders" pretend that any challenge against their rule is an attack on Christ. 

What happened to C. Wayne Cole was very tragic. As a result of the Receivership in January 1979, at first HWA decided to cooperate and appointed C. Wayne Cole as his second in command. This is how John Tuit described C. Wayne Cole's reaction to his appointment to this important position.

At this point Cole was nervous and upset to the point of being physically ill, realizing the magnitude of Armstrong's decision. He had not sought such prominence and now was finding himself thrust into the position of being temporarily in charge of the Church. He realized that this could bring conflicts between himself and Rader, such as he had not had in the past. He said, "Gentlemen, I'm not feeling too well, I'm nervous over this whole thing. I'm going to go out for some fresh air." 

 While Armstrong typed his press release, Cole took a lengthy walk around the neighborhood, as he tried to adjust to his new responsibilities. He wondered what Rader's reaction would be. He realized that while Armstrong had just only that very morning discussed with him the removal of Rader from certain positions, he was now concerned about a deteriorating relationship with Rader. Cole now found himself in the most prominent position in the Church, next to that of Armstrong's position as head of the Church.

But shortly afterwards HWA stabbed him in the back and had him fired and shunned from WCG. HWA changed his mind and decided to resist the Receivership as much as possible.

But despite all this Meredith viciously accused him of committing a "dastardly attack on the Church of the Living God" and tried to demonize him. In reality C. Wayne Cole merely tried to do what HWA said he wanted and was betrayed by him.

After reading this it is all too easy to see how Meredith could later libel Leona McNair and cause WCG to be embroiled in her lawsuit that forced them to pay her $750,000 after a thirteen year court case. As far as I am concerned the untrue accusation Meredith made against C. Wayne Cole are just as libelous as his accusations against Leona McNair.

I am under the impression that Meredith yearned to be HWA's number two man. C. Wayne Cole was a threat to his position and this explains why Meredith chose to be so vicious in demonizing him even though he was then no threat to Meredith's position of responsibility under HWA.

As it turned out C. Wayne Cole soon left the Church of God International.

Mr. Cole, with his wife, Doris, found himself sucked into the usual black hole of obscurity reserved for disfellowshipped WCG members. Known to hardly anyone but close family members was their move to Texas and their joining up with the new Church of God International ministry of Garner Ted Armstrong.

But their career with the CGI was short-lived, only about six months. Beginning in 1980 the Coles dropped out of sight even of the CGI and reemerged in the parallel universe of the non-Church of God . They began successful careers brokering real estate in the Tyler area, not returning to formal Sabbath-service attendance until 1995....

The Coles in June 1995 began attending Sabbath and feast-day services of the Church of God Big Sandy and have continued to attend with that fellowship.

It is good to know that despite the terrible betrayal he endured he was still able to rise above that terrible adversity.

***

This is from the May 21, 1979 Pastor's Report, pages 1-2.

In these words Meredith, in his "wisdom," underlined the word 'disfellowship' twice. ...

Mr. Armstrong has reminded us again that we are to disfellowship any members who attend GTA's [Garner Ted Armstrong's] campaigns, church services or other meetings. Some of our weaker members apparently do not realize that this man is in direct rebellion against God and His government! We must not allow them, or ourselves, to rationalize about this matter, to try to "help the underdog," or in any other way lend support to one whose gross immorality, whose long standing "play acting" and hypocrisy, and whose direct insubordination to the Government of God has long been and is now a source of confusion and DIVISION among God's people. So, as per Mr. Armstrong's instruction, I charge and exhort every one of you faithful ministers of the living Christ to explain this in no uncertain terms to your members, to warn them about this cause of division and then to disfellowship any who consort with GTA or any of his fellows. 

What a disgusting order! Look at these words!

We must not allow them, or ourselves, to rationalize about this matter, to try to "help the underdog," or in any other way lend support to [Garner Ted Armstrong.]

This is particularly repugnant. Let me explain why I feel this way.

As far as I understand it post-traumatic stress disorder can occur when a person does something nasty to another, for instance murder. When a person murders another it can, surprisingly, be traumatic and distressing to the perpetrator as well. This is usually because when you see something like that happen you cannot help but imagine that happening to yourself as well.

Surely being ordered to disfellowship someone must also be traumatic, at least at first. I cannot help but think that enforcing such an order must also be traumatic to the perpetrator. (I am NOT saying we should feel sorry for the disfellowshipping ministers or "blame the victim," I am simply explaining why Meredith wrote the words above.)

It seems to me that some good hearted WCG ministers were reluctant to enforce such draconian policies.

But here HWA and Meredith are laying down the law and ordering WCG ministers to disregard any natural affection and feelings of sympathy for the victim and simply cast them out.

Don't let your conscience be your guide, HWA and Meredith are saying here to WCG ministers, do what we tell you. Don't let your body's natural warning systems trying to tell you that you shouldn't do that, or that you will feel terrible and traumatized about this. Just do what we tell you and cast them out.

One can only speculate how much misery and strife these words inflicted upon WCG members.

One can only speculate how much misery and trauma "loyal" WCG ministers inflicted upon themselves trying to fulfill HWA's and Meredith's orders here.

I find Meredith's words particularly disgusting because some good hearted WCG ministers were reluctant to enforce this draconian order because of their own consciences and HWA and Meredith are here ordering them to disregard their consciences and inflict traumatic disfellowshipping upon WCG members and to traumatize themselves as well.

Let me emphasize again, I am NOT saying we should sorry for those who disfellowshipped WCG members at this time. Rather I am explaining why I find Meredith's words above particularly disgusting and explaining how Meredith gave license to WCG ministers to be heartless and cruel towards WCG members.

Also note how vague this order is:

Mr. Armstrong has reminded us again that we are to disfellowship any members who attend GTA's [Garner Ted Armstrong's] campaigns, church services or other meetings.... disfellowship any who consort with GTA or any of his fellows. 

"GTA's [Garner Ted Armstrong's] campaigns, church services or other meetings". What "other meetings"? Here WCG members are not just forbidden from "campaigns [or] church services" but even "other meetings". This insures that WCG members will have to be able do anything that could be considered "disloyal" to HWA's WCG. They will have to viciously watch themselves in fear that they could be accused and consequently disfellowshipped.

"disfellowship any who consort with GTA or any of his fellows." "Or any of his fellows"? What does that mean? The potential for abuse of these orders is so vast. It does not appear that Meredith is worried about any innocent victim getting cast out for false reasons. He wants any challenge to HWA and his authority viciously removed. 

It is ironic that at the same time WCG was fighting the State of California's forced receivership claiming it violated their freedom of religion, HWA and Meredith were violating the freedom of religion of WCG members who attended any meeting associated with Garner Ted Armstrong or his organization, the Church of God International. What hypocrites HWA and Meredith are!

And right after the disgusting paragraph reported above Meredith reports the following:

On a more happy note, I am glad to report that Mr. Gerald Waterhouse has so far reached 68 churches on his tour across the U.S. He reports positive and encouraging response from ministers and members alike.

What a fantasyland HWA, Meredith and Co. were living in at this time! Today many people remember Gerald Waterhouse's long winded sermons with loathing. It is strange to see how Meredith at the time seems to think all is well with Gerald Waterhouse. How wrong they are. When many WCG members moved beyond Armstrongism they remembered his sermons with disgust. He is now remembered as a sign of so much that was wrong in the authoritarian Worldwide Church of God cult.

***

Here is Roderick C. Meredith once again demonizing C. Wayne Cole, this time for trying to get his side of the story told to people within WCG. Roderick C. Meredith viewed him as a rival for access to HWA and accused him of collaborating with the State of California's receivership when in fact Cole was only doing what HWA ordered and HWA changed his mind and betrayed him, casting him out of the church.

These words of Meredith may be seen in the June 11, 1979 Pastor's Report, page 2.

Of a far more ominous nature is the news -- which many of you know -- that Wayne Cole and the dissidents have been "dredging up" from the past all kinds of old reports, letters and memos which they can find which in any way make the Work look "bad," appear to be contradictory, etc. This, coupled with various reasonings and accusations based on this out-dated information, is being sent out to many of you ministers.

I am sure that most of you are intelligent and mature enough to see through the twisted fabric of various bits and pieces of truth mixed with half-truth, lies mixed with speculation which are woven together in a distorted manner to make Mr. Armstrong and God's Work look bad. If any of you have sincere questions about this material -- not only for your own sake but to be able to answer others -- please drop me a line about the specific point and I will try to see that we make a genuine answer to you and we will NOT try to judge you or hold this inquiry against you in any way.

I wonder how many ask questions of Meredith? Did he judge them for it? Of course it is impossible for me to know the answers to such questions, but based on what I know of him I would not have trusted his assurances that "we will NOT try to judge you or hold this inquiry against you in any way" if this publication was sent to me.

***

Roderick C. Meredith's words regarding WCG's legal defense against the State of California's receivership on page 5 of the June 25, 1979 Pastor's Report are fascinating in that they reveal that Stanley Rader was second in power even though he was then still just a lay member.

Note how Meredith, the head of the ministry, makes sure to flatter Rader and compliment him.

All of us ministers should be more grateful than we have been for the fine work done by Mr. Rader, Mr. Helge and the excellent legal team they have put together. Many of you out there do not realize the tremendous job they have done under adverse circumstances, and the massive amount of work and long hours they have had to put in -- often working FAR INTO THE NIGHT -- in order that we can have the kind of "peace" in God's Work now...

Meredith does this because Rader was more powerful than him. He is showing deference to his superior, who happens to be simply a lay member. 

However in truth Meredith viewed Rader as a rival he needed to overthrow so that he could become the number two man within WCG. Meredith had already tried to destroy the reputation and dignity of the betrayed C. Wayne Cole. He did this repeatedly.

He had thrown C. Wayne Cole under the bus, so to speak. Meredith tried to do the same to Rader, as John Tuit notes in Chapter 17 of The Truth Shall Make You Free.

Rodrick Meredith, however, decided to use the conference as an opportunity to undermine Rader. His purpose was not that altruistic, as he felt that he was the one who should be in charge of the Church next to Armstrong, and he was anxious to make a move. There had been a rumor regarding Rader that had not yet been too widely spread. In order to make sure everyone knew the rumor, Meredith decided to publicly deny the rumor. He then announced to the entire assembled group of ministers that all of the allegations regarding Rader's homosexual conduct with Cornwall were false. Now everyone knew the story. And while Rader remained totally silent on the subject, he would have the final word on Meredith.

A few months later, Rader was to have Meredith removed by convincing Armstrong to eliminate the position of head of the ministry and take it to himself. 

Later Meredith was even sent to paid exile in Hawai'i for six months and was given a scathing letter by HWA stating he was not qualified to succeed him as leader of "God's Church." When he tried to take on Rader he failed miserably.
  
John Tuit has more to say about Roderick C. Meredith.

***

... And now let us continue reading the June 25, 1979 Pastor's Report.

This report is notorious as, on page 6, it contains Meredith's infamous libel against Leona McNair. This libel plunged WCG into a thirteen year court case which forced it to pay her $750,000 in an out of court settlement.

Reading this Pastor's Report, at first I completely missed his vicious and false accusations against Leona McNair.

But now looking at it, and remembering the instrumental and vital role Roderick C. Meredith played in destroying families to impose HWA's divorce and remarriage doctrine I find it most fitting that Meredith should stumble into this costly and humiliating blunder by talking about WCG's policy on divorce and remarriage.

Meredith felt that WCG members and ministers were divorcing and remarrying too much and wanted to tell them that they could only divorce for "legitimate reasons," the few exceptions WCG allowed marriages to dissolve.

Now he knew WCG members and ministers could dismiss his words by saying, "But Raymond McNair got a divorce, and he did not have a "legitimate reason" to do so. Your words are hypocritical, so I will ignore them."

Meredith is trying to get around this objection by saying Raymond McNair's divorce was legitimate within "God's Church" and met his exceptions for allowing divorce.

But he did this by demonizing Leona McNair, saying untrue things about her.

These are Meredith's words on page 6.

Now, fellow ministers, I would like to discuss something that is becoming an increasingly critical problem within the ministry and within God's Church as a whole -- especially here in the United States. Increasing numbers of our church members are beginning to divorce their mates for, it seems, almost ANY conceivable reason! What's more, they then expect to "remain in the church" and probably REMARRY someone else in the Church -- perhaps their former friend's wife who has, by now, divorced him, and is also "still in the Church."

We are going to have long doctrinal and theological discussions with Mr. Herbert Armstrong to cover and thoroughly understand any legitimate reasons for divorce and remarriage. However, as of this writing, there are only THREE that God's Church has officially recognized as legitimate:...

(III) Desertion -- by the unconverted mate -- although this was accepted and taught by the Church long before his action, a classic example of this would be Mr. Raymond McNair's situation. His wife refused to be a wife to him for over two years -- to sleep with him, cook for him, or even civilly communicate with him in a decent manner. Rather, she had left God's Church and was actively FIGHTING God's Church and Mr. McNair, turning his children against him and literally cursing him to his face. Finally, upon advice of Mr. Armstrong and Ted Armstrong, he was finally forced to make legal the already existing FACT that she had deserted him and was no longer his wife in any way whatsoever.   

Of course, as it turned out, what Meredith said was very misleading and inaccurate.

And later, when Leona McNair read about Meredith's words she was very upset and traumatized that he said such untrue things to the many people who knew her and that she knew within WCG.

A $70 million libel suit against the Armstrong organization was filed in July [1979] by Leona A. McNair. ... 

contacted Mrs. McNair requesting details of the suit but was told that she has been deeply hurt by the allegedly libelous statements made against her and does not wish to give the matter further publicity. (Ambassador Report 10)

On 23 August 1984 a Pasadena jury awarded her $1,260,000 in damages for Meredith's libel. The whole topic is extensively covered in Ambassador Report 29, hosted on the Painful Truth website. This issue contains much valuable information regarding Roderick C. Meredith and Raymond McNair.

This is how the divorce really happened.

What the McNairs discovered when they arrived [at Pasadena in 1973] was a church headquarters fraught with doctrinal divisions, political infighting, and sex scandals.
To all of this, Raymond turned a blind eye, remaining faithful to his mentor, church founder Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA). Leona's patience with the church's leadership, however, rapidly waned. Her high intelligence (Dr. McKelligott would later testify that her 143 IQ is equaled by only three in a thousand) and strong religious values conflicted with the role she was expected to play. She told Raymond she could no longer continue to support him in what she viewed as the perpetration of a giant fraud. She stopped attending Worldwide Church of God (WCG) services in 1974 and occasionally attended lectures given by such ex-WCG ministers as Dr. Ernest L. Martin.

Leona's disillusionment with Herbert Armstrong and her desire for religious freedom were intolerable to Raymond, and he made his feelings known. According to testimony by Leona, in 1975 her husband told her, "I am going to crush you until you are totally dependent on me!" (In court Raymond denied ever making this threat. However, third parties have confirmed hearing Raymond say the equivalent.) Raymond cut Leona off from access to their joint bank accounts, badgered her into giving back jewelry he had given her and then sold them, refused to give her adequate money for groceries, and moved into separate sleeping quarters. Leona also soon began to notice that many WCG friends would no longer have anything to do with her.

Communication between Leona and Raymond became increasingly strained. But in spite of this, Leona - concerned for the welfare of her children - put aside all thought of divorce or separation. Raymond, on the other hand, had different ideas. According to Leona's court testimony, and corroborated by her daughter, on a number of occasions Raymond took her to the door, opened it and yelled, "You're not paying the bills here. Get out!" The reason for this behavior was inexplicable to Leona until later when she realized that, although the WCG had for four decades prohibited all divorce, around 1974 church leaders began to discuss the possibility of allowing divorce for members deserted by nonmembers. Leona's suspicions were confirmed when Mrs. Nancy Tate, one of her close friends, told her how the wife of one WCG evangelist had confided, "If we could just get Leona to leave the house, we could get her on desertion." Before long, Raymond made his intentions perfectly clear. He flat out told her he would divorce her when the time was right.

The relationship was now a traumatic one, but Leona still had no intention of deserting her family. Nor was she lingering on for (what Allan Browne would later claim in court) a "free ride." She started attending college again in 1974 to reestablish her nursing credentials. And when those were obtained in 1975 she found work at a local hospital. But then, a few weeks later in June, Raymond McNair did something no WCG evangelist had ever done. He filed for divorce. 

It is terrible to think that Meredith simply lied and claimed the divorce was all Leona McNair's fault.

The issue of Ambassador Report also note how Meredith once, in 1960, gave Leona McNair a humiliating four hour shouting session at her that adversely affected her health.

Meredith's testimony, less rambling than Raymond McNair's - but equally self-justifying - was particularly remarkable in its portrayal of the WCG as one big happy family. Meredith went to some length in describing the close friendship that had supposedly once existed between the McNairs and himself. But Ruth McNair-Knasin, when asked about the matter, said she didn't believe true friendship ever really existed between Meredith and her father. She described their relationship as one that would quickly evaporate were it perceived as getting in the way of "the Work." ...

The WCG may be one big happy family to Meredith, but Leona on the stand recalled how one evening in 1960 Raymond let Meredith into their home and announced, to her astonishment, that he had been invited in to "counsel" her. What followed, according to Leona, was four-and-one-half hours of railing accusation, authoritative preaching, sex-life interrogation, and high-decibel, humiliating verbal abuse from Meredith. Her problem? She was not a submissive enough wife and two ministers (unnamed) had found fault with her. She needed to obey his dictates because he (Meredith) was "God's number three man on earth" and would very likely remain in authority over her for all eternity! She needed to learn true submission! (Those who have seen Bryon Forbes' movie "The Stepford Wives" - referred to by Ruth McNair-Knasin in her testimony - will understand what Meredith was apparently aiming at.)

The 4= hours of harangue left Leona - then 2= months pregnant - in utter shock. She began shaking and hyperventilating. While Raymond slept well that night, she sobbed all night. The next morning found her still trembling. According to her court testimony, it was then that her nervous disorders began. In court Raymond claimed that Leona never had any emotional problems during their years in England. But a letter he wrote to her in 1975 specifically referred to her "emotional hangups." And Ruth testified how around 1970 her father had asked for her support in the event that he would find it necessary to have her mother committed.
On the stand, Meredith gave a very different picture of what happened. He described the 4=-hour session as nothing more than a friendly discussion lasting about an hour or so. Meredith's benevolent persona, however, stands in stark contrast to his reputation as a psychologically intimidating and harsh authoritarian in the performance of ministerial duties.  

 The Ambassador Report also notes other instances of Meredith's authoritarian behavior. Here is one.

Another former WCG minister told us that after a Meredith "counseling" session with his wife, she became so totally depressed he emphatically ordered her never to discuss anything privately with Meredith again. He explained, "Rod has the ability to somehow dig into a person's mind in such a way as to make them feel utterly guilt ridden and despondent. He seems to revel in this strange power to bring someone down psychologically." The same man also told us how once on a walk with Meredith, Roderick turned to him and said, "You may not realize it, but in all the universe, I'm number five, and you're number such and such." To us, at least, Leona's testimony was quite credible.

No wonder the jury awarded her $1,260,000 in damages for Meredith vicious libel against her.

WCG appealed and the case dragged on until 1992 when WCG paid $750,000 in an out of court settlement because of Meredith's libel. 

Mrs. Leona McNair's libel lawsuit against the Worldwide Church of God, Roderick C. Meredith, and her ex-husband Raymond McNair, was finally ended in December when the suit was settled out of court for $750,000 (Pasadena Star-News, 11/21/92). ... the WCG still refused to admit any wrongdoing, ... The victory by Leona was no small accomplishment...
 Leona McNair says she intends to get back to her career in nursing very soon. In the meantime, she is working on a book about tithing which she believes is a false doctrine that has cursed many Christians. Whether or not the book ever gets done, she has already written a short, but thought provoking, paper on the subject and she is distributing it to friends.

The best thing about her lawsuit coming to an end seems to be that, because she is no longer perceived as fighting against "God's Work," her two WCG-member sons are once again able to talk to their mother. Ironically, because Leona's ex-husband, Raymond McNair, recently left the WCG for Rod Meredith's Global Church of God, Leona's two sons are not supposed to talk to their father now because he has become "an enemy of God's Church." (Ambassador Report 52.)

Because Meredith left WCG shortly after this case was settled it is often asserted that Meredith stayed in WCG because of the libel lawsuit. Once the lawsuit was over he got out of WCG, which shielded him by paying the out of court settlement and paying to defend him and WCG from her libel suit, and started up his own COG offshoot group.

What a terrible legacy of shattered dreams and shattered lives this Roderick Meredith has left behind in his wake.  

How can anyone choose to follow a man who done such terrible things?

***

Here is Roderick C. Meredith announcing the disfellowshipment of David Robinson in the July 16, 1979 Pastor's Report, page 1:

Mr. Herbert Armstrong just returned from a very helpful and profitable trip to visit the church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our minister there, Mr. Don Mason, reported that Mr. Armstrong gave a very warm and loving sermon which encouraged the brethren a great deal. However, because of very serious wrong attitudes and wrong accusations he made, Mr. David Robinson, the former pastor there, has been terminated from God's ministry.

Meredith discusses David Robinson again in the July 23, 1979 Pastor's Report. These are Meredith's words on pages 1-2.

Now for the perennial BAD news. ...

So here goes.

Dennis Pyle refused to come in on sabbatical and has resigned from the ministry. Jim Redus also refused to come in for his sabbatical and has resigned. Dennis Adams has been terminated from the ministry as he wants to pursue a secular vocation.

On a much more serious note, Daryll Watson has been terminated and disfellowshipped for disloyalty to God's Work. He is already actively cooperating with the enemies of Christ's Work. Jack Martin has also been terminated and disfellowshipped. He, too, was found actively assisting the enemies of this Work. And I am very sorry to report that David Robinson whom we worked with personally for many, many hours on his problems, has had to be terminated and now disfellowshipped because of gross disloyalty to Mr. Armstrong and this Work.  

Later David Robinson wrote the book, Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web. WCG's lawyers unsuccessfully tried to block its publication. That book also first revealed to the public that Herbert Armstrong committed incest with his daughter, Dorothy for ten years, around 1933-43.

***

In the July 30, 1979 Pastor's Report Roderick C. Meredith writes the following:

On the sad side, it is my duty to inform you that Mr. Jack Pyle and Mr. Bronson James have both been disfellowshipped from God's Church. They are to be marked in all areas of their activity, as both consorting with and helping the enemies of the Work of God.

Somehow I can't believe Meredith when he pretend that he regrets disfellowshipping people. He seems perfectly willing to hunt out and viciously cast out anyone threatening his, and HWA's, rule over WCG members. If he just fired them, maybe it would be so much of a problem, but HWA and Meredith ordered WCG members to shun and avoid contact with people disfellowshipped by WCG's leadership, tearing apart peoples' lives simply to maintain their rule and authority over WCG members in order to exploit them more effectively by getting them to pay three tithes and more to them.

***

On August 3, 1979 Herbert W. Armstrong removed Roderick C. Meredith as head of the Office of Ministerial Services.

This announcement was published in the August 6, 1979 Pastor's Report, page 3.

Worldwide Church of God

World Headquarters

Pasadena, California   91123

Herbert W. Armstrong
President and Pastor

August 3, 1979

A DIRECTIVE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE 

PASTOR GENERAL

I am hereby installing Mr. Joseph W. Tkach in charge of the Office of Ministerial Services, with Dr. William Kessler as assistant.

Mr. Ted Herlofsen is too be transferred to a ministerial post in the field. This directive is to be effective immediately.

[Signature] Herbert W. Armstrong

Pastor General

HWA talks about his decision on this matter in page 13. He seems to me quite mad at Meredith here.

In the emergency [the receivership crisis], I set Roderick C. Meredith as head of the ministry until I could decide how to eliminate this POWER BLOC by having a man as "head of the ministry"-- which is virtually the same as being head of the Church and the entire Work. Such an office simply does not belong in God's Church.

Therefore I am ABOLISHING that office entirely. Christ's Apostle is the human head over the ministry, and MUST NOT BE CUT OFF FROM THE MINISTERS! Mr. Meredith is being transferred back as Dean of the Faculty of Ambassador College. 

(My word! HWA is referring to himself in the third person.)

Tkach does not speak for himself in this issue.

In the August 21, 1979 Pastor's Report, page 7, Joseph Tkach writes his first article in the Pastor's Report. (For some reason that is upside down.) Here we get a strong indication of what really happened and why Meredith was removed.

Notice how Tkach calls for WCG ministers to pray for HWA and Stanley Rader.

Stay close to God and remember always to pray for Mr. Armstrong. As the China trip draws near, pray even more earnestly for his health, success, and protection. Pray for God's guidance and protection for Mr. Rader as he makes advance preparations for these extremely important meetings with top officials of the Chinese government.

Your servant in Christ,
Joe Tkach.

Notice how Tkach ask WCG ministers to pray for HWA and then Stanley Rader. This shows quite clearly that at this point in time it was Stanley Rader who was the number two man in WCG, even though he was then only a lay member.

Maybe that was another reason why HWA removed Meredith? In some of the previous issues of Pastor's Report Meredith announced that non-career ministers (essentially retired ministers who continued to minister part time with reduced pay) would be abolished. Meredith emphasized that any such man from now on is to regarded as only a laymember.

Perhaps Rader was suspicious of Meredith's call for ex-ministers in good standing with WCG to be regarded only as lay members and interpreted this as an attack on his position of authority within WCG.

In a previous post we also saw how Meredith attempted to undermine Rader by spreading a rumor that had not been spread that widely before he publicly denied it, thus causing everyone to know of it.

Rader lashed out at Meredith and got HWA to remove him. Leaving him as Dean of the Faculty was not enough and he was later sent to paid exile in Hawai'i for six months. It was while Meredith was in Hawai'i that HWA sent Roderick C. Meredith a letter that harshly criticized him and among other things said that Meredith had no ability to run the church after HWA's death even though Meredith viewed things differently.

Stanley Rader also proceeded to take care of the problem that he was only a lay member.

Meredith's removal was the first move in a sequence of moves to strengthen Rader's power, culminating in Rader's ordination as an Evangelist by HWA and heir apparent.

The big news was really not much of a surprise. We predicted it in 1976, in our very first issue: Stan Rader was ordained an evangelist. The well-executed sequence of events went as follows:

First Roderick C. Meredith was removed as director of the WCG's ministry. Then all WCG evangelists were stripped of their rank. The hierarchical structure of the ministry was reorganized with Joseph Tkach, a preaching elder, and Kevin Dean, formerly a steward on the church airplane, elevated to top positions under HWA. (Both Tkach and Dean are proven Rader loyalists.) The board of trustees was purged of anti-Rader trustees (Meredith and Luker). (Raymond McNair remained, as he is now in the Rader camp.)

In his September 20 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong hinted that his life might soon be coming to an end (an amazing admission for HWA). Within days, it was announced that Rader had been ordained an evangelist along with Joseph Tkach ...

As we go to press, we have learned that Roderick Meredith has been given a six month "leave of absence" in Hawaii. Few believe he will ever return to any significant position in the WCG. Perhaps he will not return at all. (Ambassador Report 10.) 

Meredith tried to remove Rader from power and failed miserably. That is why he got removed as head of the ministry in 1979.

***

What a shameful record of oppression and cruelty Roderick Meredith showed at this time. And LCG members tithes go to support an organization led by the person who did these oppressive things.

People deserve to know the truth about Roderick Meredith and what he did at this time.

Reading PCG's Booklet, God's Family Government

Let us now read Gerald Flurry's booklet, God's Family Government.  This is one of the earlier booklets that PCG produced. This booklet was first published in 1993 and was later revised in 2001. Let us see what Gerald Flurry has to say. You can read this booklet on their website.

This booklet is actually a polemic condemning Meredith's Global Church of God, which was established in late 1992. This booklet was published soon after that in 1993. Flurry specifically criticizes Meredith's decision to adopt a collegial government for GCG, a move away from HWA's one man rule. Meredith and Co. did this to prevent anything like the Tkach changes from occurring again.

Flurry must have been furious that despite all his works many WCG members (more then PCG's membership) chose to go with Meredith and not him. All these potential tithes payers sided with a far more prestigious rival. Meredith was one of the first men ordained as an Evangelist by HWA in 1952 and well known among WCG members. Even today, despite the GCG split in 1998, LCG is larger than PCG.

This booklet is born out of Flurry's anger and disappointment that so many WCG members chose Meredith instead of him.

***

Chapter 1 

God’s government SERVES those who obey God (and the world, through God’s work). God’s family government doesn’t go around looking for people’s faults and sins. God’s leaders search for ways to serve the people! That is God’s law of love.(p. 1.)

A lot of people would say PCG ministers do not behave that way.

***

God is a family. He is inviting us to be a part of it. If we accept, we must obey God’s loving family government.

The door to my office is always open if someone thinks our ministers are implementing harsh and dictatorial government. That is not God’s kind of government. God’s leaders are here to serve God’s people—not be served. (p. 2.)

Well, that is how it is advertized. But it must be said many would say that PCG does not operate like this.

***

This passage is representative of Gerald Flurry's strong tendency to claim that Biblical events are merely foreshadows of the Tkach changes and the rise of PCG in response.

So we see that Amos 3:1 is primarily discussing God’s SPIRITUAL FAMILY. Today, that family is divided. God’s family should be deeply united. THE BOOK OF AMOS IS MAINLY FOCUSING ON GOD’S CHURCH! And its prophecies are being fulfilled this very moment. These prophecies are only for the world secondarily. (p. 2.)

***

It is a rare and glorious honor to know the great God spiritually. But many of God’s people now have a ho-hum attitude and have grown lukewarm. (p. 3.)

Maybe this is because over the years they saw the various abuses that occurred within WCG under HWA's watch and understand that there is a double standard in how members and those with power in WCG are treated.

***

On page 5 there is a picture of HWA. On the side of page 4 you can make out the attribution for the picture. It is just one word: "TRUMPET". I find that very curious considering how The Philadelphia Trumpet was not founded until 1990, four years after his death.

***

God will put the whole universe under our governmental control. This is promised ONLY to God’s people. ONLY God’s true Church understands this now. How blessed God’s people are! (p. 7.)

Actually many non-WCG Laodiceans understand this as well. I know this because Meredith taught me this God Family doctrine when I read his booklet, Your Ultimate Destiny. Why does Gerald Flurry say untrue things?

***

Gerald Flurry expects true Christians to yearn to be corrected or else you are not a true Christian (Flurry teaches only PCG members are true Christians).

God chastens and scourges every SON. The word scourges can mean VERY HARD CORRECTION—if that is what it takes to bring a son back to his Father. ...

God is always dealing with us as sons. If we refuse correction, then we are spiritual bastards! That means God doesn’t correct us any more.

OUR GREATEST CURSE IS WHEN OUR FATHER NO LONGER CORRECTS US. THEN WE ARE NO LONGER A PART OF HIS FAMILY! GOD CEASES TO BE OUR FATHER.

OUR GREATEST BLESSING IS BEING CORRECTED BY OUR FATHER! That means we’re not spiritual bastards.

God’s correction is always just and produces fabulous fruits (vv. 9-11). His correction heals and encourages us (vv. 12-13). (p. 8.)

***

Chapter 2

Here Flurry insists that "the Laodiceans" (any Armstrongite not in PCG) are that way because they do not submit to God's government. He accusses all other COG groups of not following this doctrine.

The most important doctrine in God’s Church is GOD’S GOVERNMENT—or holding the Head of the spiritual body, Jesus Christ. If you lose a doctrine equal to the hand or foot, you can continue living. But if you lose the doctrine of government—the Head—the body dies unless God can somehow awaken you before it is too late! As Herbert Armstrong often said, “GOVERNMENT IS EVERYTHING!” YOU CAN COMPARE IT TO NO OTHER DOCTRINE. No doctrine is even close to being as important! (pp. 10-11.)

But in fact most COG groups operate their groups in exactly the way HWA operated within WCG: one man rule. That is what Meredith does within LCG, Pack within RCG, Weinland within COG-PKG (at least until he got thrown into jail for tax evasion).

Now it needs to be said that when this booklet was first released in 1993 Meredith's group, the Global Church of God, chose to use a collegial form of government. They decided not to have one man rule in order to avoid the possibility of one man changing major doctrines at will. They were trying to prevent a repeat of Tkach's changes within GCG. However Meredith could not accept correction from others and in 1998 decided to leave GCG to set up a COG group in which he could enjoy uncontested power. LCG was created to perpetuate the one man rule of Meredith.

But when PCG revised this booklet in 2001 it continues to insist that the other splinter groups do not practice government as HWA's WCG. This is a bold faced lie and rank deception. Why does Gerald Flurry say untrue things?

***

The Worldwide Church of God (WCG) has been disintegrating spiritually since Mr. Armstrong died. They are deeply divided. And other groups that have left also are divided and will become more divided. Why? Because none of them, except the PCG, HAS THE GOVERNMENT GOD TAUGHT TO MR. ARMSTRONG! That is the only way to be knit together. God’s government is based on God’s LAW. Our Head leads us based on God’s law of love (I John 5:3). The whole process of LEADERSHIP can be gigantic and complicated. But leadership is simplified by LOOKING TO OUR HEAD—JESUS CHRIST. He directs the body through His government based on God’s law. Then God feeds us spiritual manna, or revelation. And then the place where Christ is becomes obvious to any discerning person. That is how we all become one. We all have the lawful mind of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:5). (pp. 12-3.)

As stated before most COG splinter groups in fact operate according to one man rule as HWA's WCG operated. Why does Gerald Flurry say untrue things?

This paragraph is also notable in that Flurry insists that PCG is the true successor to WCG by citing his supposed new revelations as proof God is working through him and none of the other COG splinter groups. ("God feeds us spiritual manna, or revelation. And then the place where Christ is becomes obvious to any discerning person.")

Of course it is left unstated that much of Gerald Flurry's new revelations are plagiarized from the writings of Jules Dervaes, specifically The Letter to Laodicea. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

***

All of the Laodiceans who reject Mr. Armstrong’s Elijah role ALSO REJECT GOD’S GOVERNMENT! (p. 13.)

Actually Meredith reverted one man rule within LCG when he set it up in 1999. It does appear that he does not teach that HWA was the end time Elijah but in fact he practices "God's Government" (COG jargon for one man rule). Also it must be stated that this version of Flurry's booklet was written in 2001 after the restoration of one man rule in LCG so Flurry is badly misinforming his readers here. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

***

Also, God has given us some prophetic understanding Mr. Armstrong did not have. (p. 17.)

In other words, Gerald Flurry changed and altered doctrines and teachings for his convenience.

***

Only through strong government, based on God’s law, can we see God’s lamp! The more intensely we keep God’s law, the brighter God’s lamp will be! (p. 18.)

In other words: Only by listening to Gerald Flurry and his subordinates really closely can we persuade ourselves that he is God's man and that what he says makes sense.

***

Soon people will remember how the WCG once preached a strong prophecy message. People will go to them in the future, asking for an understanding of terrifying events in their land. But the WCG can give them little or no prophetic understanding.

Then these people will go to other Laodiceans seeking the answer to their nation’s problems. Still, they will receive very little prophetic understanding. There have been several dissenting groups from the WCG, but ONLY the PCG will give them a “vision,” or new revelation. That is because only we have held on to God’s government based on God’s law— which was taught by Mr. Armstrong! And only we are doing God’s prophesied work! (p. 20.)

This statement is yet another false slur against the non-WCG "Laodiceans". In fact the other COGs believe much of what PCG teaches regarding future events. If people went to them for guidance they will be told much the same of what PCG is teaching about (false) prophecies.

Also here Flurry boasts that God reveals new revelation to PCG. What this really means is that Flurry is willing to change doctrines and teachings for his convenience and then boasts that it is new. In fact many other COG splinter groups have changed various doctrines with wild abandon. Dankenbring teaches the US is the Beast, not a German-led European Empire. Weinland claimed to know the date the Great Tribulation would occur several times. Those men has just as much legitimacy to make these absurd predictions as Flurry does. (But it must be said they are all false prophets. God is not with any of them.)

***

After this Flurry then recapitulates HWA's doctrine that the Earth was created many years ago and placed under Lucifer's rule but then he rebelled and rose up against God. But Flurry adds an intriguing twist to this tale in order to once again mock GCG and UCG. (One cannot honestly say this criticism can be applied to LCG.)

Satan said, “I will be like the most High.” The Moffatt translation reads, “I will rival the Most High!” Lucifer wanted a COLLEGIAL type government. He wanted to be equal to God in power. Reader’s Digest, in its “Word Power” section, once defined COLLEGIAL this way: “Relating to a group of colleagues, each of whom has equal authority; as, Collegial deliberations can be lengthy, inconclusive and frustrating.” Even the world sees that this type of government can be “lengthy, inconclusive and frustrating”! Already, several of God’s Laodicean churches have experimented with this type of government.

Desiring such a government is just another way of rebelling against God’s government! God does not have a two-headed or multi-headed government. (p. 23.)

While I was an Armstrongite I never heard Satan's original rebellion related in this way. HWA quite unambiguously stated that Satan was plotting to overthrow God, not be his equal or rule with him. Lucifer was trying to replace God. He was trying to utterly defeat God, not rule with Him.

But this only shows how liberally Flurry treats the doctrines and dogmas of HWA. Just to make a rhetorical point against GCG and UCG he twists this teaching contrary to what HWA's WCG taught.

***

God’s government is so simple. He uses a man to lead His Church. Then God commands us to follow that man, as he follows Christ. If that man goes astray, don’t follow him. God will shortly replace him with a loyal leader or raise up another Church.

You don’t have to fear following God’s man. (p. 25.)

So we see that "God's Government" as taught by Flurry is simply one man rule.

***

Here Flurry once again accuses collegial government as being Satanic. Not only does this serve to discredit GCG and UCG in the eyes of PCG members

How did Satan deceive all those angels? The same way he deceives men today. He gets them to desire a collegial government, or some other perverted government of man; then Satan has them following him. Of course, people follow him in varying degrees. ...

Herbert Armstrong served God for 57 years—a long time. He ordained many evangelists who seemed loyal at the Church headquarters in Pasadena, California. All of those top men have rebelled against that government. NOT ONE OF THEM submits to the GOVERNMENT OF GOD taught through Mr. Armstrong! NOT ONE! Some of them will repent in the Tribulation—but others will never repent, and perhaps have already blasphemed against God’s Holy Spirit! (p. 25.)

Also Flurry fear mongers that some high ranking WCG ministers or ex-ministers may have committed the unpardonable sin in order to scare PCG members into remaining loyal to Flurry and his collaborators.

***

I will admit it, I have never heard of this before in the world of Armsrongism.

God intended Lucifer to go to other planets after His work was established on Earth. But Lucifer would not wait. The only place astronomers can find little or nothing is in the northern heavens. That is in the direction of God’s throne, and almost everything in that direction was destroyed WHEN SATAN FOUGHT WITH GOD OVER GOVERNMENT! There was a violent, destructive war. And SATAN IS STILL FIGHTING AGAINST GOD’S GOVERNMENT TODAY! (p. 26.)

Flurry is lying, or astoundingly ill informed.

Why does Flurry say untrue things?

What madness!

***

Today, God is warning those top men who were trained under Mr. Armstrong about the seriousness of their rebellion. They were trained by God’s end-time Elijah. That was the highest level of God’s government on Earth! Now they are being judged accordingly. (p. 26.)

Actually HWA was quite absent from WCG during long periods of time during his rule. The only ministers who really learned from him personally were those who went to Ambassador College in the early days of Armstrongism.

***

At the 1972 Feast of Tabernacles in Spokane, Washington, Mr. Armstrong said, “Government is the most important [issue] to God and in His mind. And it should be in ours!” Yet EVERY EVANGELIST and PASTOR-RANK MINISTER ALIVE TODAY that Mr. Armstrong trained has REJECTED THAT GOVERNMENT! Almost all the ministry and the Church he founded has rejected the government of God! After all those years, THEY STILL DIDN’T LEARN THE LESSON OF GOVERNMENT! That is always the big issue. (p. 28.)

This revision of this booklet was made in 2001 after Meredith reverted to one man rule in LCG. So Flurry is being very deceptive here. Flurry is inaccurately besmirching all the LCG ministers who held prominent roles within HWA's WCG, such as Roderick C. Meredith, Dibar Apartian, Carl McNair and others. Why does Flurry say untrue things? 

What they learned is that if all power is given to one man, such as HWA or Tkach, then that man can do whatever he wants, even change the group's doctrines into another religion. Tkach had absolute power and he used it. No one could stop him. It was to prevent that happening again that UCG and GCG decided to set up a collegial form of government.

Also there was no clear successor for dissatisfied WCG members to follow. HWA's true successor was Tkach. HWA appointed him as such. But since he lost many WCG members' loyalty by renouncing most of HWA's doctrines there was no obvious successor to replace Tkach in the hearts of dissatisfied WCG members.

Meredith was one possible choice. He commanded a sizable following out of WCG. But Roderick C. Meredith was quite unpopular among many WCG ministers for his authoritarian tendencies. Furthermore in 1970 he got "repair surgery" to fix (heal) one of his eyes while many WCG members were suffering by refusing to see doctors or take medicine. Roderick C. Meredith caused a long running libel lawsuit with Marion McNair that cost WCG $750,000 in damages. These things would not have helped his standing among WCG members. Consequently when the Tkach changes reached its consummation with Tkach's Christmas Eve sermon most departing WCG members joined UCG, not GCG.

Now among UCG there were numerous high ranking ministers. There was no dominant leader among them. No one could decisively claim the right to rule within UCG. So naturally they settled on a collegial form of government. They did this partly in order to prevent anything like the Tkach changes from occurring again.

So we see their move away from one man rule was not an evil rebellion against God. Rather they were trying to prevent anything like the Tkach changes from occurring again.

***

After that Flurry then claims all (yes, all) of his "booklets contain revelation from God!"

Satan caused Adam to be cut off from the tree of life. And he is cutting God’s Laodicean Church off from the tree of life. That is why only the PCG receives REVELATION from God today! For example, Malachi’s Message and all of my booklets contain revelation from God! There is new truth and deeper understanding in all of them. (p. 29.)

Actually numerous COG groups claim to receive some form of new revelation. But PCG pretends those COG groups are somehow different. When other COG groups change what was taught these changes are lebelled as proof they are "Laodicean" and are cursed by God. (But really it was Flurry who cursed them.) But when PCG changes doctrines and teachings ("new truth and deeper understanding" he calls them) Flurry claims this is proof that God is with PCG and no other.

What an absurd double standard!

What lies!

***

The Philadelphians—not the Laodiceans—are to be in God’s headquarters temple forever! (p. 29.)

But if you are God as God is God then why can't you just visit them? Look at how Flurry inject rank and privilege in order to divide "God's people" (Armstrongites) even in the afterlife as God beings. This preoccupation with rank and privilege is utterly disgusting.

***

Flurry was just another minister in HWA's WCG. So he tries to discredit all those who were powerful within HWA's WCG, including Meredith.

One evangelist, who was considered the third man in charge of the WCG for years, started his own church and formed a “COLLEGIAL GOVERNMENT.” THAT IS THE STRANGEST AND MOST ABOMINABLE DOCTRINE OF ALL! (p. 32.)

What Flurry really means is he wants you to pay three tithes to him and not Meredith.

Also this booklet was revised in 2001. Meredith abandoned collegial government when he left GCG in 1998 and reverted to one man rule so this statement is misleading and inaccurate at the time this booklet was published the second time in 2001.

***

If you lose God’s government doctrine, then many other doctrines will also become strange! How could it be any other way when you lose your Head? (p. 32.)

Many COG groups have not lost "God's government doctrine" (one man rule). Many in fact operate in this way.

***

Every Laodicean group has one ingredient in common—THEY REJECT GOD’S GOVERNMENT TAUGHT BY MR. ARMSTRONG! (p. 34.)

Nonsense. This is a lie! This booklet was revised and published after Meredith renounced collegial government and reverted to one man rule within LCG. Flurry's statement is a lie! Many other COG splinter groups have one man rule just like HWA's WCG.

***

Interlude

On pages 36-7 there is an intriguing little side article in which Flurry criticizes Meredith for adopting a collegial government for GCG.

(Some words are highlighted to show how vicious these words are.)

Mr. Meredith continued, “Let’s try to do it right this time, as shepherds with a loving approach….” It doesn’t take a genius to see that he is attacking Mr. Armstrong. He is saying that Mr. Armstrong didn’t do it right— his government lacked a “loving approach,” it was not “servant leadership”! I don’t know how his attack against Mr. Armstrong could be more heinous! Saying that the government Mr. Armstrong taught didn’t have a “loving approach” is a vicious attack! Of course, he is really attacking Jesus Christ and His government! ...

The only reason we correct the Laodiceans is because of their attack on Mr. Armstrong and what he taught. We wouldn’t criticize them at all if they would stop destroying what God restored through him! They are the cause of our warning. Only their repentance will ever correct the disunity. (p. 37.)

This version of this booklet was published in 2001, after Meredith reverted to using one man rule to control LCG so for PCG to criticize him for that in 2001 is quite misleading and deceptive. Meredith "repented" of collegial government yet PCG continued to publish these vituperative words long afterwards. This is still available on their website so PCG seems to think this is still truth today, fifteen years after Meredith reverted to one man rule.

***

Chapter 3

Here Flurry finally gets to the point: He is angry at Meredith for daring to start up his own COG splinter group (larger than PCG) without meekly submitting himself to Gerald Flurry like a little child. He lets Meredith have it here.

Under the heading "Destroying God's Government" Flurry unleashes his wrath at all the potential tithes payers slipping away from his grasp with Meredith's departure from WCG. Here is Flurry having a temper tantrum like a spoiled kid.

Rod Meredith, after being disfellowshiped from the WCG, also started his own church. ... Later in that booklet he [Meredith] wrote this: “If we look into the New Testament with an open mind, WE FIND A TOTALLY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT than what has developed in the Church” (p. 10; emphasis mine). He is referring to God’s government taught by Mr. Armstrong! In one simple paragraph ROD MEREDITH HAS SWEPT AWAY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE LIVING GOD! The very government that God established, which DID THE GREATEST WORK EVER ON THIS EARTH SINCE JESUS CHRIST—IN TERMS OF NUMBERS! The fruits prove that! And that work could NEVER have been done without God’s government.

And yet, Mr. Meredith boasts that he sat at Mr. Armstrong’s feet, which I didn’t have the opportunity to do. If you closely examine what he and I teach, you’ll clearly see who sat at Mr. Armstrong’s feet—spiritually! The above statement is from a man who would dare to say he is “FAITHFULLY PREACHING THE TRUTHS PROCLAIMED BY HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG”! No, he is not! If you lose God’s government, ALL THE OTHER DOCTRINES WILL BE TAINTED! He says he is “faithfully preaching the truths PROCLAIMED BY HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG,” yet his first booklet destroyed the most important truth Mr. Armstrong ever restored—government! And that was only the beginning! (pp. 40-1.)

Flurry must have been really angry when he saw so many WCG members siding with Meredith. Even more members than his own following within PCG. Even today Meredith's LCG has more members than Flurry's PCG.

Also the fact that PCG is still printing this booklet shows that PCG does not care, even for simple accuracy's sake, to account for the fact that Meredith reverted to one man rule when he precipitated the GCG schism in 1998. The version I am reading is a second version printed in 2001, two years after Meredith reverted to one man rule.

***

Mr. Meredith must destroy God’s government to get people to follow him. (p. 42.)

What nonsense! Meredith was always far more well known, even, dare I say it, popular among WCG members, at least compared to Flurry. Meredith did not need to change anything to start up GCG or to make it bigger than PCG. His notoriety was enough.

Flurry, on the other hand, was just another minister. He was not particularly important as a WCG minister. Most WCG members probably never even heard of him until he got fired by Tkach's WCG in 1989. Flurry must have hated how this event reminded people of how undistinguished he was within HWA's WCG.

***

 Flurry also brings up the fact that Meredith was suspended in 1979.

Mr. Meredith was suspended from the WCG by Mr. Armstrong for about six months in 1979-80. Since Mr. Armstrong had to personally suspend him, it should cause anybody to be somewhat concerned. The fruits of his life now strongly indicate what his problem was. He was rebelling against God’s government even then! Now his government problem is out in the open, where the whole Church can see it! (p. 42.)

What is not mentioned is how Meredith apparently was suspended because Roderick C. Meredith was plotting to overthrow Stanley Rader (or at least Rader thought so). After Garner Ted Armstrong's expulsion from WCG in 1978 Stanley Rader emerged as the most powerful man within WCG, even though he was then unordained. During the receivership crisis of 1979 Roderick C. Meredith allied himself with Stanley Rader in order to purge those ministers who supported the State of California's forced receivership of WCG. But Roderick C. Meredith hoped to remove Stanley Rader as well so that he could be WCG's number 2 man under HWA. But Rader was too clever for him and easily got HWA to fire Meredith and send him to exile for six months in Hawai'i. HWA later sent a scathing letter to Meredith at this time. (In 1981 HWA deposed Rader but despite this HWA never trusted Meredith after this.)

***

Mr. Meredith failed to learn the lesson of government. And because of that, his work is destined to fail. (p. 47.)

Surely we must say this is a false prophecy. It is now twenty one years since Flurry first wrote this booklet and Meredith's group is still larger than Flurry's, and this is despite Meredith precipitating a schism in 1998. Also it must be stated that Meredith reverted to one man rule after that schism in 1998 and Flurry never acknowledges this fact. PCG continues to print this booklet to this day. PCG even reprinted this booklet in 2001 without even noting that Meredith had had a schism and reverted to one man rule.

***

Flurry claims that HWA was a good and saintly man.

I personally know that Mr. Armstrong would bend over backwards 100 times to avoid giving hard correction. Many people couldn’t understand why he wasn’t more authoritative at times. His mercy is a matter of record. But there were times that God’s government had to be implemented. He also had an advisory council of elders and he did seek a multitude of counsel. (p. 49.)

David Robinson said that HWA did not know how to make a friend and that he had no idea about friendship.

There are a lot of people who were disfellowshipped from WCG who would beg to differ. Even if was like this personally he set up a system of one man rule (often called "God's government" or some such phrase) that allowed those in power to be very cruel and to abuse power over WCG members.

***

On page 49 appears this statement.

He [Meredith] knows that Mr. Armstrong never made such a distinction! 

Is Flurry ignorant of HWA's 1939 article which condemned hierarchical government in the church?

This economizing of the truth that Flurry does so often simply shows up yet again. Even if we excused the HWA of 1939 that he was still learning the truth why does Flurry here misleadingly glosses over HWA's early opposition to hierarchical government. (Of course HWA was simply trying to protect his power over his own followers at that time.)

***

On pages 50-6 Flurry quotes at great length HWA's May 2, 1974 co-worker which was written in response to the mass defection of 1974.

David Robinson, in his book Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web, revealed that apparently Stanley Rader, who was not even a WCG member at the time, greatly guided HWA in making this letter. At one time Rader even boasted to him that he, Stanley Rader, had really written the letter.

***

Flurry ends with these words.

Remember, GOD’S PEOPLE ARE IN TRAINING PRIMARILY TO HELP GOD RESTORE HIS GOVERNMENT. Satan is fiercely trying to destroy that government. Let’s make certain that no man beguiles us into rejecting God’s government. (p. 58.)

Maybe Flurry should start telling the truth to PCG members (for instance that Meredith has since reverted to one man rule) first instead of enjoying the privilege of one man rule over his ministers and his PCG members.

***

So we see that Flurry in this booklet uses Meredith different approach to church government to discredit Meredith. Curiously enough when this booklet was revised in 2001 the booklet is still written as though Meredith was still leading GCG and still promoting collegial government. PCG still publishes this booklet even though many events have changed since then. So this shows that PCG's leaders are not overly concerned with making sure they have their facts correct.

It must be said that this booklet failed to win over a large share of Meredith's followers into the fold of Gerald Flurry. This is clearly seen in the fact that PCG is still smaller than Meredith's LCG.

Reading Malachi's Message: Part 2

Previously I have read a copy of an old 1990 edition of Gerald Flurry's booklet, Malachi's Message to God's Church Today, which was discussed here and here. We now continue from Part 1 of Reading Malachi's Message.

It is widely known that many of the ideas within Malachi's Message were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.


Also Malachi's Message is greatly dependent upon HWA's teaching of the seven church eras. If that doctrine is untrue then Malachi's Message completely falls apart.


Chapter 3

In this chapter Gerald Flurry claims to reveal the nature of the Laodicean era and insists that the Tkach changes are the true fulfillment of the establishment of the Laodiceans. He does not view them as worthy of salvation but insists it is necessary for "Laodiceans" to become "Philadelphian" by joining PCG. As mentioned in the previous post Gerald Flurry, somewhat confusingly, wrote earlier in Malachi's Message that "(The Laodiceans are comprised of the WCG and other groups that have left the WCG—except the PCG.)" That is the true reason why he claims it is necessary to no longer be a Laodicean. Also PCG members are required to pay three tithes and extra offerings to the organization.

We now begin.  

We often talk about a Laodicean attitude. The truth is, many people are confused about what this is.

Indeed there was much confusion about Laodicea within HWA's WCG. And this book is not going to help matters.

***

The Philadelphia era’s example and its works (led by Mr. Armstrong) set a standard for us to follow until Christ returns. We’ll see this demonstrated more and more as we continue. Major prophecies in Malachi 4, Zechariah 3 and 4, 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 3 all discuss this Philadelphia standard.

No. They do not. There were no seven church eras. These false Armstrongite dogmas are simply being imposed upon these Scriptural passages.

***

The WCG strayed from the Philadelphia standard in the 1970s. Mr. Armstrong publicly repented of his part and changed. Today, the WCG is repeating what was done in the 1970s—moving away from the Philadelphia standard (Malachi 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Revelation 3:7-20). 

Actually it is quite inaccurate to say that HWA was losing control of WCG in the 1970s. This is completely untrue. It is true that WCG became slightly less authoritarian and more moderate on certain matters but the whole time HWA was perfectly in control. If he chose to put a stop to any reforms within WCG he could easily have done so the entire time. But later HWA removed his son and former number two man, Garner Ted Armstrong, out of WCG. In order to justify such a traumatic move on his part it was necessary to totally demonize him as the most evil thing imaginable in order to justify his expulsion from WCG. A lot of untrue things were said about Garner Ted Armstrong at this time and, because many WCG members steadfastly only read and listened to WCG writings and declarations, these untrue statement were accepted and assumed to be true by many WCG members. (For more elaboration on this issue please look though this blog's previous posts discussing John Tuit and David Robinson.)

***

The Laodiceans “have need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17). This means they have a horrible self-righteousness problem. They have deep spiritual problems but don’t see them. That’s because they are self-righteous. They think self is right. This is a lot more than lacking “drive and energy.” A self-righteous person often has more “drive and energy” than others. But it can be very deceptive

Is Gerald Flurry talking about himself here? Is he projecting his own flaws upon these hated Laodiceans?

***

Do the Laodiceans have works as a Church era? If the Laodicean Church begins when the Tribulation begins, as the Church has believed in the past, the very elect couldn’t deliver this message to the people. Under the prevailing conditions, it would be impossible. The Laodicean Church must have era “works” before the Tribulation begins.

Here we see that already Gerald Flurry is changing what WCG taught under HWA.

It was indeed taught within HWA's WCG that the Laodicean church would begin with the Great Tribulation. I recall listening to a sermon by Gerald Waterhouse and he seemed to have that assumption, that Laodiceans would not be made manifest until the worthy WCG members had fled to Petra and it is only then that the Laodiceans would be clearly shown because they would be left behind. (It also should be stated that he taught that HWA would live until the Second Coming. Conveniently Gerald Flurry never mentions the widespread belief within HWA's WCG that HWA would live until the return of Christ.)

***

By saying, “I know thy works,” God is addressing the collective body—the era. Could the Laodiceans as a group have “works” in the Tribulation? The Laodiceans will be in the worst captivity ever known to man. What kind of works could they perform as a collective body during the Tribulation? None. Therefore the works must be prior to the Tribulation—the time period we are in now.

Here we see Gerald Flurry actually changing doctrines taught within HWA's WCG. There were all kinds of ideas about what the Laodiceans would be like in HWA's WCG, most contradicted what Gerald Flurry teaches here. He asks how could the Laodiceans have works if they are caught in the Great Tribulation? Actually in HWA's WCG many thought that their work would be to testify against the European Beast Power and the final Pope even at the cost of their lives. That is certainly what Gerald Waterhouse taught in 1979 with HWA's approval in the sermon cited above. He taught that the Laodiceans would have to make up for their (fanciful) failings by witnessing against the European Beast Power and the final Pope and they would be killed for testifying in this way. Their death was the price they paid for failing to be worthy of escape.

***

The Laodicean Church [here he means Tkach's WCG] may be growing in membership until Christ returns, but does that always mean it is doing God’s will? No! We can’t use that criterion to judge. Other churches have millions of members and are not God’s churches. Actually, the Work of God could be declining in numbers and still do a wonderful job for God. So we have to look deeper than a growing membership.

Well, there is another speculation that we can say failed miserably. This is from the 1990 edition of Malachi's Message so this is not from a recent revision. Here is Gerald Flurry worried (or at least speculating) that Tkach's changes would precipitate a great increase in members for Tkach's WCG. Some "Prophet" Gerald Flurry is. He does not foresee that Tkach's changes will cause a severe decrease in members and income for WCG.

Also note how Gerald Flurry has changed another doctrine of HWA's here. Here he states that there is no need for "the true church" to increase in membership numbers.

***

This is a powerfully prophetic picture of the Laodiceans. A huge “earthquake” (the Great Tribulation) will strike them. Many of the members are going to lose their salvation. Matthew 25:1-10 indicate 50 percent. Their church and its Laodicean works are going to end in ruins—just like the ancient city.

Here we are first introduced here to Flurry's peculiar doctrine that fifty percent of "the Laodiceans"
(WCG members and ex-WCG who did not join PCG) will be killed in the Great Tribulation without "repenting" (submitting to Flurry's rule) and lose their salvation and go to the lake of fire.

***

Historian Edward Gibbon says, “Among the Greek colonies and the churches of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect—a column in a scene of ruins?.…” God has given us an exalted standard. The Philadelphia spirit will never be destroyed. The Philadelphians are to be pillars in God’s temple forever.

The Philadelphia era under Mr. Armstrong was a strong Church era. You would expect a peaceful transition of power and a smooth transfer of the “goods” to the Laodiceans. This is how Laodicea becomes “rich, and increased with goods” and has “need of nothing.” Then, if we look at Malachi, Zechariah 3 and 4, and 2 Thessalonians 2, we see a great falling away. The Laodiceans “fall away” from the truth, and many Philadelphians are cast out or leave.

This all assumes that the doctrine of seven church eras is true. It is not. The Waldensians were actually reformist Catholics who condemned tithing. The Church of God (Seventh Day) was actually an offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventist Church which refused to recognize Ellen White as a prophetess. The Church of God (Seventh Day) were descended from the Millerite Adventists of the 1830s and 1840s, not from the Seventh Day Baptists. Once one realizes that the church era doctrine is total nonsense it will be completely evident that Gerald Flurry is reasoning from an incorrect assumption.

In other words, this is all nonsense.

***

In the section of Chapter 3 entitled "Sharing God's Throne" Gerald Flurry devotes himself to insisting Revelation 3:21 ("To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne") does not apply to the Laodiceans. He himself remarks that it is in the section addressed to Laodicea. But he cannot believe that God would love these Laodiceans in that way so he insists that it is not what it so obviously is. He vehemently denies that this verse has anything to do with these Laodiceans.

I was puzzled by a Bible verse for years [Revelation 3:21]. But now the understanding is clear to me. ... Why is this awesome reward mentioned after the Laodicean section of Revelation 3? The saints mentioned in this verse are going to share Christ’s own throne, ... This reward is not offered to the Laodiceans. Then why did God include it immediately after the Laodicean story? ... The Laodiceans will NOT be in God’s future headquarters temple, where God’s throne is. God does not promise them that reward anywhere in the Bible. ... It says “if any man,” or any individual, hears the knock and responds, he or she will be led out of the Laodicean Church. ... God is knocking—to a great extent through Malachi’s Message. ... There is no way verse 21 can apply to the Laodiceans.

I reread the relevant section of Revelation 3. I fail to see how Revelation 3:21 could not apply to Laodiceans. How can he say that?

It must be said that Gerald Flurry has just made up his own interpretation and fostered it upon his followers.

*** 

All of the Laodicean churches reject Mr. Armstrong as being the end-time Elijah!

This is complete nonsense. This is a lie. Although LCG may not teach that specific idea, it is often taught among many of the other COG splinter groups that HWA was the end time Elijah.

Why is Gerald Flurry saying something that is so utterly untrue?

***

Considering that PCG members are required to have no contact with Laodiceans, it is astounding that at the same time Gerald Flurry teaches that the Laodiceans are the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation. He also teaches that they will all be slain in the Great Tribulation, even those who chose to "repent." As for the other half who do not repent they will be killed and later be cast into the lake of fire.

Consider that: PCG members are required to shun the 144,000.

***

Now the WCG teaches that “Christ is the central figure of the gospel.” That is tragically unbiblical! Gospel means “good news.” It’s the “good news” of the coming Kingdom of God.

Considering how Armstrongites claim to be Christian it is astounding how so many of them of so afraid of placing too much emphasis on Jesus.

***

The bad news is many of God’s people are not going to a place of safety. Even worse, many won’t be in God’s glorious Kingdom! 

Here again Gerald Flurry crudely intimidates potential converts into believing that they will be cast into the great tribulation unless they join PCG.

***

Chapter 4

In Chapter 4 Gerald Flurry expounds on "his" teaching that HWA and Tkach are the end time fulfillment of Zerubbabel and Joshua from Zechariah 3 and 4. Zerubbabel is portrayed as a good and faithful leader but is succeeded by Joshua, who has ruined Zerubbabel's good works. Here Flurry insists that they were a forerunner of HWA and Tkach. He claims the rise of HWA's group and the Tkach changes were written in Zechariah.

But is this Gerald Flurry's idea? Actually Jules Dervaes taught this idea in his fourth scroll of The Letter to Laodicea, which was written April 28, 1987. This was long before Flurry wrote Malachi's Message in 1989.

Let us now look at the chapter.

Zerubbabel [HWA] did finish it. Mr. Armstrong not only laid the foundation, as we often say today—he built the whole house. When he died, the Philadelphia era was completed. He restored all things (Matthew 17:10-11). No more foundational doctrines need to be added to the house. All we need to do is walk in Mr. Armstrong’s footsteps, which is what Mr. Tkach SAID he would do. Primarily, we just need to maintain the “house” and do God’s Work.

If "All we need to do is walk in Mr. Armstrong’s footsteps," then why did Gerald Flurry proclaim himself to be a Prophet? HWA's WCG always taught, from 1953 till the day he died, that Prophets under the New Testament dispensation have no administrative power whatsoever. Their purpose is simply to proclaim the will of God which is revealed to them by direct revelation but now that we have the Bible there is no need to have such Prophets. They were needed in apostolic times because the Bible was not yet finished. That is what HWA's WCG always taught.

***

On October 9, 1933, the first radio program in the Philadelphian era of God’s Church aired on a 100-watt station in Eugene, Oregon. The Plain Truth magazine, mimeographed by hand, began in February 1934 with 234 copies. Ambassador College began in 1947 with four students and eight professors. It all seemed so small and insignificant. (Just as the work of the PCG began very small.) But from its small beginning, the WCG grew into a great and powerful worldwide organization.

Here we see that Gerald Flurry is comparing himself to HWA once again and implying that he had the same type of beginning as HWA did in starting up a COG splinter group.

***

The WCG leaders [under Tkach, Sr.,] are rejecting what Christ built through Mr. Armstrong. These leaders have an attitude problem toward what Christ restored through Mr. Armstrong—which means they are rejecting the very government of God. It wasn’t the work of Mr. Armstrong—it was the Work of Christ.

One thing non-COG readers getting drawn into PCG will not know when reading this is that Armstrongite ministers often claim that someone has an bad attitude when trying to bully them.

Also we see here Gerald Flurry using HWA to say Tkach and Co. are working against God into to exploit WCG members' love of God into submitting themselves under Gerald Flurry's rule to pay him three tithes and extra offerings.

***

We must also remember what and how Zerubbabel (Mr. Armstrong) built.

Maybe you should remember his teaching regarding the nature of New Testament Prophets.

***

The inset is called a “glaring interruption.” That means it interrupts for an essential reason

No. A glaring interruption just means the interruption of its narrative is quite noticeable. It does not mean there is an essential reason behind it.

***

Mr. Armstrong said people in the 1970s wanted him out of the way; some even wanted him to die. And when it happened, look at the disaster that resulted.

Again, HWA was never in danger of being overthrown. But he decided to remove Garner Ted Armstrong it was necessary to demonize him and accuse him of everything under the sun to make such an act seem necessary to WCG members, many of whom had joined because of Garner Ted Armstrong.

***

The Zerubbabel inset is another way of indicating that Mr. Armstrong is dead. 

Wait. What does this mean? Oh I get it now. Gerald Flurry means that this inset is written from the perspective of one living after HWA's death. Or does it? Why do I need Zechariah to know that HWA is dead?

***

Mr. Armstrong is dead, but we must remember what we learned from him and his example, which was inspired by Christ. We must “remember” and “DO”!

Maybe you should remember what he wrote about New Testament Prophets?

***

We must always keep the overview in mind. Again, there are seven lamps, or Church eras, which are the eyes of God mentioned in Zechariah 3 and 4 (Zechariah 3:9; 4:2, 10). These seven eras extend from Christ’s first coming to His Second Coming. If we don’t keep this overview, Satan will deceive us. 

Once again Gerald Flurry is trying to scare the reader into joining PCG.

Gerald Flurry also claims that he is specifically mentioned in Zechariah 4, that that vision predicts there will be two righteous messengers in the days before Christ's return, HWA and Gerald Flurry.

Let me say again that HWA's WCG never anticipated that there would be a mass falling away from Armstrongism after HWA's death. They did anticipate that some members would because less zealous and this was used to make WCG members conform to ideals that benefited WCG ministers under the threat that to be less zealous is to be cast into the Great Tribulation. But they never anticipated that the leadership of WCG would transform WCG into a non-Armstrongite church. Unfortunately this idea of Flurry's that the Tkach changes and the establishment of PCG in response to that are written in the Bible makes many Armstrongites forget that HWA's WCG never anticipated anything like what happened under Tkach. The Tkach changes were totally unexpected.

***

To be continued...

(Update: May 19, 2021: This reading is continued in Part 3 and Part 4.)