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.

Part 2 of Reading PCG's That Prophet (Royal Vision)

Let us now read what Gerald Flurry wrote in the July-August 2000 issue of Royal Vision. It was in this issue of Royal Vision that Flurry proclaimed to PCG members the "new revelation" that he was "That Prophet", a personage he claims was written of in numerous part of the Bible and that he, Gerald Flurry, fulfills this role. Flurry first made this declaration in the ministerial conference of 1999. This Royal Vision article announced this declaration to PCG members in printed form. It contains six articles listed as different "Parts". You can read this magazine issue courtesy of PCG Information.

This is a continuation from Part 1 of this reading which covered Part 1 and Part 2 of this magazine issue.

Part 3

Here Flurry insinuates that Ezekiel 33:1-6 was a prophecy about Winston Churchill and World War II.

Ezekiel 33:1-6 may be talking directly about what happened in World War II: “Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman …” (verses 1-2). God did bring the sword upon Israel to correct us, and a man named Winston Churchill came on the scene, and the people set him up as their watchman. God had a hand in it, but still, the people chose Churchill.(p. 13.)

Actually the people of Britain did not choose Churchill. Placing him in Cabinet and then picking him as Prime Minister was a decision made by the leaders of the national unity government in Britain at the time. For one who often complains that no one outside PCG knows history Flurry has gotten this fact completely wrong.

This is not about a Winston Churchill; this is a direct message from God to Israel! If they don’t hear God’s watchman, there is only invasion and captivity, worse than any ever known. (p. 14.)

Once again Flurry is talking about himself. Behold the arrogance of this man. He mentions Winston Churchill in order to claim he is just like him.

Yes, it is coming. It is coming speedily! God warns us to either submit to His government now or learn a big part of that lesson by being conquered by the Nazis. (pp. 14-15.)

HWA and his pathetic imitators have been shrilly claiming this to be the case since the 1930s without interruption, often vehemently asserting that the Great Tribulation and Christ's return are just a few years away. As seen elsewhere Flurry likes to portray events otherwise but that is the truth.

***

Once again Flurry shows his sick imagination in order to demonize the other COG groups.

God’s watchman prophesies against His shepherds who do this. The first book I wrote, the foundational publication of the Philadelphia Church of God, was Malachi’s Message, which is specifically aimed at warning the ministers, the shepherds! Laodicean ministers have DRIVEN God’s sheep away. Now the Church members are, as verse 5 describes, just spiritual meat for the demons. God’s Laodiceans have no watchman or prophet, and they are being ripped apart by Satan and his demons! (p. 15.)

Why does Flurry demonize the other COG groups all the time? Partly it is because Flurry knows that he had little standing within HWA's WCG. At the time he was just another minister. Aside from his assistant, John Amos, no other WCG minister joined Flurry's following. Flurry fears that PCG members will realize that his claim to be HWA's successor is actually quite weak compared to other WCG ministers who left Tkach's WCG. In response to this perceived threat Flurry constantly demonizes them in order to make PCG members scared from leaving any other COG group.

It also serves to "prove" to PCG members that he (Gerald Flurry) is the bearer of "new revelation" because it was in Malachi's Message that Flurry proclaimed that it was necessary to join PCG in order to be a Philadelphian and not a Laodicean. His demonization of the Laodiceans was the first "new revelation" and it reminds PCG members that he is the bearer of "new revelation", the sole legitimate successor to HWA.

***

By no means does God’s watchman have an easy job. But how can he possibly fail if he does just what God commands him? “And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house” (verse 6). People will have strong words, but that’s okay, God says. Because I am supporting you, just step out and tell them what I say. Soon I will make them see you were carrying my message. (p. 16.)

While in other parts of the world Christians are viciously persecuted and even martyred for believing in Jesus Christ, over in Edmond, Oklahoma one Gerald Flurry is worried about some "strong words" that may be used again him.

***

On pages 17-18 Flurry quotes an article by HWA in the June 1961 issue of The Plain Truth in which he talks of how he trained Herman Hoeh how to write articles and doing this with Roderick Meredith and Richard David Armstrong. And then Flurry takes advantage of this to condemn the two surviving men for not submitting to Gerald Flurry and his PCG. Hoeh stayed within Tkach's WCG and Meredith left to start up his own COG group. 

The world of WCG's ministers was severely hierarchical. Flurry was a late comer compared to Hoeh and Meredith, only being ordained around 1973. They and every other senior WCG minister would have viewed as Flurry as far beneath themselves in the pecking order of WCG. There was no way they would have ever submitted themselves to Flurry. No wonder only one WCG minister, John Amos, chose to join Flurry's following.

This is probably one reason why Flurry demonizes the other COG groups so viciously and crudely. He fears that PCG members will leave his group when they see how unimportant he was within HWA's WCG and wonder why such a man should dare proclaim himself the sole heir to HWA's power and authority.

(Page 18 has a picture of the February 1962 issue of The Plain Truth.)

***

Flurry says Britain like a silly dove and will inevitably fall into Germany's clutches and be conquered.

Ephraim, or Britain has a "silly dove" foreign policy! No silly dove nation can endure in a world full of hawks and tigers! This is a strong warning to a once-mighty nation. How terrifyingly weak they have become. (p. 18.)

This was just about a year before 9/11. Shortly afterwards Britain sent armed forces into Afghanistan and Iraq. Clearly Flurry does not know what is going to happen. This is yet another false prophecy Gerald Flurry has made.

***

Part 4

Here Flurry talks about how great HWA was and then says that he himself possesses the same ability to present "new revelation" from God.

Just look at all the truth God revealed to Mr. Armstrong during his ministry. I never looked upon him as just another man. I saw him as an individual who had something I didn’t have—God's special revelation for the world and God's Church. I know God revealed truth to him. It didn’t come from Mr. Armstrong. It came from God through Mr. Armstrong.

When God gives a man a charge, He also gives that man something extra, something no one else has. He gives that man His revelation to proclaim.

God has given me that same advantage He gave Mr. Armstrong. He has given me a wealth of revelation to proclaim—not because of anything I’ve done, but because He wants to give it to you and then have all of us deliver it to the world. God wants you to have what I have. He also wants you to submit to His loving government. That’s why He has given me so much revelation. (pp. 22-23.)

Part of submitting to "God's government" is paying Flurry's PCG three tithes and extra offerings. And that exploitative system is here labeled "loving".

***

Notice what this woman’s problem was above all. “Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest” (Hosea 4:4). The people strive with the priest, or the one who administers God’s law and government. The Hebrew word for “priest” here denotes chief priest. The Laodiceans are not in God’s inner court today because they have rejected God’s chief ruler! That is the heart of the Laodicean problem. They will not follow a man as he follows Christ. (pp. 24-25.)

Finally Flurry begins to admit the truth: Flurry demonizes the Laodiceans because they are not in PCG paying him the three tithes and extra offerings. They are Laodicean because they are not in PCG.

"The Laodiceans are not in God’s inner court today" is simply PCG jargon for saying that the members of the other COG groups are not in PCG and PCG's leaders constantly say that not being in PCG is evidence of all kinds of spiritual failings and deficiencies. Not being in PCG is presented as a state of being not worthy of existence. This is what Lifton called the dispensing of existence and is one of the criteria for thought reform.

Also note how Gerald Flurry calls himself "God's chief ruler". He certainly does not have any lack of self esteem.

***

Insert

It is well known that Flurry says Malachi's Message is the Little Book. Flurry also says Malachi's Message is the Flying Scroll of Zechariah. He says this in an insert after Part 4 on pages 26-28.

Flurry says one must be continually thankful for the dogmas of HWA and Flurry. 

If we have a spiritual focus, we will be continually thanking God for His revealed prophecies. Mr. Armstrong often said our greatest sin was ingratitude. Are we spiritual enough to continually thank God for His revealed prophesies? (p. 28.)

Says an anti-Flurry (like an antichrist) is on scene now and likely to gain greater prominence. This is similar to what he wrote in his booklet, The Lion Has Roared.

Again this "new revelation" is simply an addition to what he said in Malachi's Message.

Flurry talks about PCG members measuring God's temple yet the Scripture he uses specifically says not to measure the outer court.

***

Part 5

This part is entitled "The Elisha Work". This is yet another change from HWA's teachings because HWA did not teach that there would be an Elisha after him, as PCG Information shows. 

***

Flurry says HWA felt most in WCG did not get it.

Mr. Armstrong, the end-time Elijah, felt very alone toward the end of his life. He knew that most of his brethren didn't "get it." (p. 30.)

As shown in a previous post this is actually referring to HWA's Pentecost sermon in 1985 discussed a specific matter of his teaching, namely that WCG members are called to teach the rest of humanity into the God Family. He was talking about that.

And as for HWA feeling alone near the end of his life maybe he should have been a bit more reasonable towards those close to him and he might not have been in that situation. David Robinson was of the opinion that HWA never knew how to make a friend. His megalomania and sociopathic tendencies blinded him to true friendship.

***

No wonder God calls them his very elect, or elite. (p. 30.)

Flurry very often likes to tell his followers that they are the elite of the world because they are in PCG. He tells PCG members they are like God's precious jewels, far more valuable then the rest of humanity blinded from knowing that PCG in the one true church and that what Gerald Flurry says is true.

***

Flurry says that Elijah raised up three colleges. So did HWA. It is not mentioned that one of them was shut down under HWA's watch. (p. 31.)

***

Once again Flurry shows his sick imagination about the dire future he insists is just around the corner despite the many times HWA and his imitators have made false and inaccurate prophecies.

Elisha was given a vision of what this evil man [Hazael] would do to Israel. It was a prophecy that was not a part of the Bible at that time. Elisha saw clearly that this man would become king and burn towns, slay Israelites, dash children to death and rip apart pregnant women. ... Also, Elisha was prophesying what would happen in God’s Church during the Laodicean era. Is this vision real enough to make you weep? Can we vividly see our own peoples’ children being dashed to death and pregnant women ripped apart by the millions? How blazingly urgent this work is! Only PCG members will escape this unparalleled holocaust! (pp. 32-33.)

This is one reason why PCG members remain in it despite the problems there. They are indoctrinated to believe that unless they remain in PCG they will suffer their worst fears in the Great Tribulation. They are scared witless into staying in PCG.

***

In an insert Flurry condemns Meredith for saying that Christ did not directly guide HWA's WCG. This repeats what he said in his 1993 booklet, God's Family Government, which was made as his condemnation of the establishment of the Global Church of God as seen in a previous post. Flurry pounces on this statement to insist that Meredith has disqualified himself from "God's Church" and must not be listened to. In fact the group Meredith led was (and is) larger then PCG.

Part 6

We must be aware of the time the way Satan is. (p. 34.) 

 I thought the whole point of PCG's teachings is to not imitate Satan.

***

On page 34 Flurry says what he said in his Zephaniah booklet. That booklet was discussed in a previous post.

***

Flurry states that the end time Joshua (Tkach Sr.) died of cancer. Flurry then insinuates that WCG ministers might be doomed already to go to the Lake of Fire after Tkach Sr.'s death in 1995. (p. 35.)

***

Later Flurry repeats what he said in his booklet, The Prophet Joel. On pages 36-37 Flurry repeats what he said in The Prophet Joel booklet and says it speaks of him personally as "a teacher of righteousness". That booklet was discussed in a previous post.

***

Page 38 calls upon PCG members to contribute money, change job if necessary, all should want greater responsibility in this "greatest work on Earth."

***

Flurry admits that some PCG members let because they thought it was wrong for PCG to produce pirated copies of HWA's writings.

A few people got focused on their personal understanding of the copyright law, became convinced we were wrong in printing Mystery of the Ages and left the Church. (p. 39.)

I had never heard of this before. They made a good decision to leave PCG. They are probably quite happy to leave behind the burdens of the many responsibilities PCG lay members are indoctrinated to endure.

***

Flurry has always used a lot of scare mongering about the Germans claiming they are just a few years from destroying America and Britain. His attitude towards Germans sound like blatantly bigotry and racism. Flurry would strenuously deny this but words like the following belie such denials. 

Nahum is a book about Germany, a nation which has been a continual curse upon mankind. Satan chose the Germans to inflict a stream of misery and destruction upon mankind. (p. 39.)

How is that not racist? How is that not bigoted? Imagine if he or anyone else said Americans are "a continual curse upon mankind" chosen by Satan "to inflict a stream of misery and destruction upon mankind." How would you feel? 

Every now and then Flurry will insist that PCG is not obsessed with Germans and that they do not hate Germans but are simply trying to warn them. We are asked to believe that somehow Flurry does not hate a people that he says here have "been a continual curse upon mankind" and have been chosen by Satan "to inflict a stream of misery and destruction upon mankind."

***

Flurry ends with a personal article from HWA from the August 1979 issue of Good News insisting that leaders as HWA and Flurry will never fall away from God's favor therefore one may rely upon such men to accurately fulfill God's will. (p. 40.)

Fairly often Flurry claims that he is God's Man and that it is necessary in order to be saved. So it may be seen that Flurry essentially claims to be religiously infallible. Sometimes Flurry says one must follow God's man, then he will say, but only as he follows Christ. But here Flurry says that God's man has never departed therefore it will not happen with him. So Flurry just pretended to say that one only needs to follow God's man so long as God's man follow Christ.

Talk about speaking with a forked tongue.

Incidentally that article of HWA's first appeared in the Worldwide News. John Tuit mentioned it in his book The Truth Shall Set You Free.

In the June 25th issue [of The Worldwide News], an article appeared called "What God Never Did-Never Will-Allow To Happen." After a lengthy rambling dissertation comparing himself to Moses, Armstrong ended the article by very nearly proclaiming himself a deity. He said, "Let me close with one thought. It is now a little late in life for me to turn to Satan's way, as so many others in high places have done. (pg 243 contained an organizational chart)

(pg 244) God never yet has let one through whom He STARTED a great project turn wrong-and he has never yet let such an appointed leader of his die until his job was FINISHED!"

One can only conclude from such a statement that Armstrong feels that he is immune to turning to Satan's way, in other words he can no longer sin, and that he does not expect to die until Christ returns. (John Tuit, The Truth Shall Set You Free, Chapter 17, pp. 242, 244, as presented on Banned by HWA.)

So seeing Flurry cite this article to say that "God's man" could never fall into sin shows once again that, contrary to his protestations to the contrary, following Flurry is the same as obeying God. Not following Flurry is the same as not following God. Flurry would strongly deny this is the case but his own words witness against him.

***

While quoting HWA's 1979 column Flurry shows the origin of the idea that half of the Laodiceans will be damned in the Lake of Fire. A fear mongering teaching Flurry seems to never tire of stating over and over again.

[HWA is quoted saying,] "Someone spread the false rumor that I have said these others were or would be Satan's churches.... The Laodicean Church will be characterized by spiritual lukewarmness--half of its membership (Matt. 25:1-13) will be shut out of the Kingdom of God." [Gerald Flurry then says,] One half will be shut out FOREVER! People we know will soon be forever shut out of the Kingdom of God to the tune of 50 percent! Is it important that we declare this message? (p. 40.)

And so we see where Gerald Flurry got his teaching that half of the Laodiceans will be damned into the Lake of Fire.

Reading this is the first time I have ever heard of HWA saying this. He says nothing of it in Mystery of the Ages. So it would seem that Gerald Flurry latched onto something HWA said only a few times and elevated it to a major doctrine constantly used to keep PCG members fearful of ever leaving.

Even though HWA only seems to have stated this a few times it was Gerald Flurry who chose to have his followers remember this doctrine constantly. This is also a change from HWA because he rarely mentioned such a thing.

***

Flurry ends it with these words.

How inspiring it is to think about that! God will carry on with His work and will really do everything He can to help that leader. His success has been 100 percent throughout the ages.

So it is very important that we all fully support that prophet. But at the same time deeply understand we are following GOD, not a man. (p. 40.)

Again support for Flurry is taught to be effectively the same as supporting God. Supporting Flurry is subtly redefined as supporting God. This is a common tactic used in highly controlling groups called "loading the language". Words and phrases are redefined so that they sound like one thing but actually mean something very different. Here is one reason why so many PCG members stay in PCG despite the many problems there.

***

Letters

And there are letters on page 41.

Some of them discuss an article by Gerald Flurry in the May-June 2000 issue of Royal Vision called Hannah's Vision. Very likely this article was incorporated into Gerald Flurry's booklet, The God Family Vision, which was first published in 2001. Parts of that article were also incorporated into Chapter 4 of Gerald Flurry's new book, The Former Prophets: How to Become a King.

Here's one letter from Fiji.

I've just finished reading the May/June issue of Royal Vision, and there is nothing to compare to it. It's wonderful. I've learned more about God and God's work since reading Royal Vision and the Trumpet. I've studied the Bible over 26 years and I thought I understood a little of the Scriptures. Now I find I know almost nothing. Thank God for someone who can tell me and show me the truth. Thank you for the really outstanding magazines.

The letter says "there is nothing to compare to it." Apparently this person is unaware of the hundreds of other COG groups that also teach similar doctrines that PCG teaches.

Sure Flurry's writing may be able to get you on a "spiritual high" but a lot of what he says is based on nonsense. Misinformation that is provably inaccurate and wrong.

British Israelism is untrue. As Silenced.co showed British Israelism is built on a foundation of sand. In fact DNA evidence refutes British Israelism.

There are no church eras.Bruce Renehan in his book Daughter of Babylon, proved that the church era teaching is nonsense.

Here is another letter.

Thank you for continuing the work of Mr. Armstrong. Almost daily we see his understanding proving to be correct. I was able to study his works for about eight years before he died. Satan sure had his advocates move in rapidly when Mr. Armstrong died.

"Almost daily we see his understanding proving to be correct." HWA taught in his last book Mystery of the Ages that Christ would return within twenty years (by 2005) at the most. (PCG has since deleted this statement and thus is not seen in their copies of that book.)

HWA did not anticipate the Soviet Union's collapse. He thought it would survive until a few years after Christ's return.

It is now fourteen years since this was published. Was HWA's understanding proving to be correct all that time?

Here's another one.

I enjoy reading your literature and can easily see that the quote in Revelation -- to prophesy again -- has been fully accomplished by this little PCG organization. This is certainly the most important work on this planet! I am truly encouraged by how well you follow in the footsteps of H. W. Armstrong, God's 20th-Century Elijah! 

So PCG is more important then the government that keeps social institutions maintained for your benefit? More important then charities that help out the unfortunate?

Also this person appears to be unaware that Gerald Flurry has made numerous doctrinal changes compared to what HWA taught which were presented to PCG members as "new revelation".

HWA never taught that the man of sin of II Thessalonians 2 was a man within WCG. Flurry does.  

HWA never taught that Iran was the King of the South. Flurry does.

HWA never taught that Prophets under the New Testament dispensation had the right to rule over lay members. Flurry does.

And there have been many other such changes. Flurry's PCG has even altered HWA's writings.

***

And so once again Flurry has tried to bedazzle his followers into thinking that he is the one man is contact with God. One can only be saved by following Flurry. To follow "God's man" is the same as following God.

It is very sad that so many cannot see that PCG's teachings are being used to make the followers loyal to PCG despite the many problems within in and to persuade them to hand over three tithes and extra offerings. 

Part 2 of Reading PCG's Booklet, Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today

This post shall now continue looking through Gerald Flurry's booklet, Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today (2004 version). This version is not to be confused with the current 2011 version that is currently distributed by PCG. We continue from Part 1.

In this booklet Gerald Flurry endeavors to prove to readers that PCG is the legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

Chapter 3

As is true with most of the booklets we have looked through recently Gerald Flurry endeavors to prove to the reader that PCG is the legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

God wants His people to prove where His work is today. Is God working through the Worldwide Church? Is He working through the Philadelphia Church? Is God working through the Living Church or the United Church? This heated debate needs to be answered! Do you truly know where God’s work is today? Knowing the answer to this question is necessary for your physical protection and essential if you are to gain eternal life.

Do you know how to find God’s work? Only the Bible can reveal to you where God’s one and only work is on Earth today. Haggai contains the key to locating God’s end-time work. (p. 15.)

Of course, considering the author is the founder and leader of PCG, he will say PCG is the true work. Here Flurry speaks with a lot of self adulation for his PCG.

The PCG is not delivering a message for some little tin god. We are delivering to the Laodiceans, Israel and this world the words of the Creator of man, the Creator of angels, and the Creator who made and sustains the entire universe. The Lord of hosts has universe-shaking power. That same power is behind the Philadelphia Church.

How do we know this? Look at what this little Church has accomplished since Dec. 7, 1989. Only 12 people attended our first Sabbath service on December 16. Mr. Amos and I had no income after being fired. We planned to work for the PCG part-time while holding other part-time jobs. God had different plans.

The Philadelphia Church of God is now a worldwide work with God’s message being thundered through the Key of David television program, the Philadelphia Trumpet, and many books and booklets. Who has done this? The staff of the Philadelphia Church? No! The Lord of hosts has done this. The Lord of hosts resides with this little Church. How deeply do we know this? How deeply do we believe this? Are we willing to stake our lives on the fact that God resides in the Philadelphia Church? (p. 17.)

Every other COG also claims that God is with them. While many COG groups are, for pragmatic reasons, not interested in creating a "worldwide work" they all like to think God is with them.

Although Flurry loves to talk about how small PCG started that had long since ceased to be the case. In fact as early as 1995 Gerald Flurry was boasting that PCG had an income of "multiple millions."

Look at how the PCG has grown since Malachi's Message was first mailed just prior to January 16, 1990. Already we have bought and paid for three new buildings with over 8500 square feet and are producing a beautiful monthly magazine that is mailed to tens of thousands of homes in over 80 countries. We have access to hundreds of millions of people with our television program. Our annual income is now into the multiple millions. (Gerald Flurry, The Little Book, 1995 version, p. 7.)

We now continue with Flurry's booklet.

But why was God’s house [the first Temple in Jerusalem] destroyed? The sins of the nation forced God to leave His own house. When God leaves His house, temple or church, it is a very tragic state of affairs. It was a great calamity when Solomon’s temple was destroyed. But it was a far greater catastrophe to let God’s house today collapse spiritually! (p. 18.)

Apparently the Tkach changes were a greater catastrophe then the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC.

Now no doubt the Tkach changes were very traumatic and painful for many within WCG, but it is wrong to claim it was worse than a nation being conquered in war by a foreign power. No doubt many people were killed in the war that destroyed the Kingdom of Judah's independence. Many Jews were forcibly deported to foreign lands. If any of them were alive today I have no doubt they would not be impressed that their terrible suffering is belittled and insulted in this way.

Were any WCG members forcibly deported into strange foreign lands where it was impossible to practice the religion of Armstrongism? Did a foreign power go to war and killed WCG members en masse to subjugate them?

It is wrong for Flurry to belittle the sufferings of the Jewish people of those ancient times in this way.

We have never heard Laodicean leaders openly show scorn for God’s doctrine or work. You’ll never hear them say, “Do not prophesy.” But we do hear, “Let’s get our minds off prophecy.” God calls Laodicean sugar-coating what it is. It is rebellion. When an organization stops doing God’s work, it stops growing. (p. 18.)

Again, who is Flurry talking about? Who are these Laodiceans he condemns here? It is quite accurate to note that the Tkachite WCG chose to not focus on prophecy. However many COG groups continue to prophecy that this and that shall happen in the future. Elsewhere Flurry claims all COG groups aside from PCG are Laodicean. The non-WCG Laodiceans do not even say, Let’s get our minds off prophecy, they continue to prophesy. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

Do the people of God have time to get all caught up with riches and goods in this end of the end time? Even Mr. Armstrong warned us about this carnal condition. Where should our material focus be? On the work. ... Most of God’s people have forgotten why God called us
out of this world today—to do God’s work. That is the only reason we are called “out of season,” or before God calls all humanity. We are here to do God’s work. That is the only way we can be saved! (p. 20.)

Send your money to PCG. Do not worry about your family, children or your own financial condition. The only thing that really matters is supporting the work of PCG.

Some wonder why PCG members are so determined to send so much money to PCG, even to their financial detriment. It is partly because they listen to statements like this.

The Laodiceans also need to glorify God with their work. Today, they have not glorified God. How can teaching against God’s government ever glorify God? It cannot! (p. 21.)

Elsewhere Gerald Flurry defines God's government as one-man rule and Flurry also teaches that it only exists within PCG. (See Isaiah's End-Time Vision, 2013 version, pp. 52, 58 and 75.) Although many COG groups practice one-man rule Flurry insists they are illegitimate because God is not with them according to him. In other words Flurry is futilely condemning all other COG groups for not unquestioningly submitting to Gerald Flurry's rule. 

Remember, Haggai shows us that the Laodiceans are choking spiritually and do not realize it. Their main spiritual problem is that they are focused on physical things (verse 4). (p. 22.)

Here Flurry condemns the Laodiceans for focusing on physical things. How can Flurry condemn that kind of behavior when he decided to squander the equivalent of more than PCG's annual income in building Armstrong Auditorium? It cost $25 million. PCG's annual income as of 2012 was only $19.5 million according to his one of Gerald Flurry's booklets. It seems to me Flurry is very focused on a certain physical thing named Armstrong Auditorium.

(It should also be noted that the figure for 2012 is in fact lower than PCG's annual income for 2010 which was $20.6 million according to Stephen Flurry.)

The Laodiceans have lofty goals. They speak out with religious emotion. They appear to have righteous motives. They claim exalted titles and great numbers of ministers, yet they have rejected God’s government and work. The Laodicean groups will never succeed as they desire. (p. 23.)

According to Flurry "God’s government and work" is only to be found in PCG. So essentially Flurry is futilely complaining that the COGs refuse to unquestioningly submit themselves to Flurry's rule. "They claim exalted titles and great numbers of ministers, yet they have rejected" the church I lead, we could translate that statement. Does not sound very graceful that way, but that is what Flurry is actually saying here.

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah conveyed complimentary messages to the same people. Mr. Armstrong relied heavily on these two books while doing God’s work. ... This verse shows that Zerubbabel learned to build the temple through God’s Spirit. Herbert Armstrong learned to build through God’s Spirit. Mr. Armstrong preached the gospel, founded the Church, established a college and organized the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation solely through the use of God’s Holy Spirit. Mr. Armstrong accomplished much in his life—but the power was God’s! (p. 23.)

How did HWA rely heavily on Haggai while building up WCG? I do not believe that statement. Flurry is wrong on this point.

HWA did often quote certain passages from Zechariah but I cannot recall ever getting the impression that Haggai was particularly important for his teachings.

Also I find strange that Flurry should be so adulatory towards HWA's establishment of the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation. In fact that Foundation was a major reason why there was so much turmoil within WCG during the 1970s. Many WCG members wondered why so much money was being spent for this Foundation and HWA's visits to world leaders while WCG congregations languished with little resources, despite the great income WCG enjoyed. Why was HWA so embarrassed of his WCG when meeting with world leaders that he needed to create this Foundation in order to obscure his role as a religious leader?  Many WCG members viewed the Foundation as part of an attempt by Stanley Rader to place himself as the number two man within WCG. All this is one part of WCG history that Flurry avoids.

After this he then fear mongers about an end time Joshua, apparently either Tkach Sr. or Tkach Jr. in Flurry's teachings. This is a doctrine from his booklet, Malachi's Message. Actually 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.

Chapter 4

Do any of the Laodicean groups understand the book of Haggai? Only in a general way. When will they understand it? When they repent of their rebellion against God’s government and law. The Laodiceans will not obey our message because they have a problem with God. They refuse to hear “the voice of the Lord.” They do not fear God enough to obey Him. Why would they ever listen to His warning message? A large number of people and ministers is not a high priority with God. What’s important to God is fear and obedience! (p. 26.)

When Flurry writes that other COG groups need to "repent of their rebellion against God’s government and law" he is actually demanding they just abandon what they have built for themselves and join PCG or be damned in the Great Tribulation.

The last statement is also intriguing in that it indicates that Gerald Flurry is more concerned to have "fear and obedience" among PCG ministers and members then having a large following. It would appear Flurry wants obedient followers more than a large following.

The PCG is God’s end of the end-time remnant. (p. 26.)

It has been nineteen years since this booklet was first published, ten years since this version of the booklet has been published. The Great Tribulation does not appear to be any closer since then.

Like Zerubbabel’s temple work, the PCG has had the humblest of beginnings. When Mr. Amos and I were fired, we knew God had given us His message. Only 12 people attended the first Sabbath service. We looked to Mr. Armstrong’s life as an example of how to do the work. My first “campaign-type” trip was into the state of Missouri. That is all the Church income would allow. This first trip was a very small beginning. (p. 27.)

Flurry loves to boast about how small PCG was initially. It did not stay that way for long. As early as 1995 Flurry was boasting that PCG had an annual income in the "multiple millions" as is seen above.

Sometimes we can make some faulty comparisons of ourselves with Laodicean groups. Humanly, we can look at the numbers and then question ourselves. But God warns us not to look at numbers, but to look to Him. (p. 29.)

In other words he is telling PCG members to pay no attention to the fact that UCG and Global COG (then later LCG) happen to be larger than PCG and have more famous WCG leaders among them.

Do not ask why so many WCG members appear unconvinced of PCG's legitimacy.

Do not ask why there may be fewer PCG members at any particular time.

Do not ask if (or why) there are more injustices among PCG compared to other COG groups.

PCG is the one and true church. Stay here.

Conveniently for Flurry if PCG members are persuaded that they must stay in PCG then they will continue to pay three tithes and extra offerings to PCG.

The God who created the universe and all of the holy angels is with the PCG. In verse 5, God encourages us to fear not. With the Lord of hosts behind us, whom should we fear? Are we fearless people? We have universe-shaking power behind us. Though the work may be difficult, we should remain festive and fearless while doing it. (p. 29.)

Why do so many PCG members remain in it despite the well documented problems that are there? Partly it is because they listen to words like this and believe them, or at least believe them enough, to remain in PCG. They think this great power is with them in PCG and that it will be gone should they leave or get shunned.

This next section is intriguing and deserves to be quoted at length. (Italics and capitals are Flurry's.)

What is God telling us here? He is showing that after Mr. Armstrong passes from the scene and just before Jesus Christ returns, THERE IS ONLY GOING TO BE A SINGLE, BRIEF SPACE OF TIME. Then God is going to shake the heavens, the Earth, the sea and the dry land. In other words, the PCG only has a very brief space of time to complete its work. There is only a brief span of time for God to determine who is Philadelphian and who is Laodicean. There is only a little time to determine who will be in Ezekiel’s temple in the World Tomorrow. Then God says He is going to fill “this house” with glory.

When we realize what God is doing through the PCG, it should be hard not to become so excited that we become almost dizzy with exhilaration. But we are humans. Sometimes we can slip into a moaning and groaning type of complaining, wishing we were back in Egypt, or the world. ...

God gave us His Spirit at our conversion. Nothing has changed. We still have God’s Spirit and God is with us. We should not fear or COMPLAIN. We must always remember that our future is going to be full of glory.

When Christ returns, the Church will be given its proper place in this world. The Church will be given prominence. Jesus Christ will share His glory with us so we can get a job done. Our future is going to be breathtaking. (pp. 29-30.)

"THERE IS ONLY GOING TO BE A SINGLE, BRIEF SPACE OF TIME....the PCG only has a very brief space of time to complete its work", Flurry says. It is now nineteen years since this booklet was first published, ten years since this version was published. Did PCG members then expect this world to still be here nineteen or ten years later?

"There is only a brief span of time for God to determine who is Philadelphian and who is Laodicean." 

What Flurry really means here is that he is demanding that the reader join PCG immediately so that he or she can start sending money into PCG's coffers right away. PCG already raked in "multiple millions" as early as 1995 so Flurry just wants more money, more members and more power.

He is also crudely intimidating the reader (most likely a WCG member or ex-WCG member) by insinuating that the reader will be damned in the Great Tribulation unless he or she joins PCG right now. He creates a sense of crisis in the reader in hopes of making the reader panic.

"We should not fear or COMPLAIN."

So if any PCG member sees something wrong that member is told he or she is the problem by complaining. So the problem which causes such complaining is stubbornly not addressed.

All the silver and gold in Solomon’s temple is a mere pittance compared to the spiritual riches God is building in our lives. The eventual spiritual glory God is going to shower us with cannot be compared with physical wealth. (p. 30.)

My word! Look at how PCG members are inculcated with this elitism that they are more important and are more privileged then anyone in the world, even more privileged then these distinguished Biblical forerunners of the faith. PCG members are told to think that knowing PCG's teachings is that important. No wonder so many PCG members develop such skewed priorities in life.

What Mr. Armstrong taught is the foundation of God’s temple in this end time. ... God’s Laodicean people could turn everything around today. God would bless them starting today, if they would only turn back to Him, His law and government. This very day can be so decisive in the life of a Laodicean. (p. 32.)

But elsewhere Flurry teaches that God's "government" can only be found within PCG. This is Flurry simply demanding WCG members and members of other COG groups join PCG and start paying three tithes to him immediately.

Flurry ends this booklet with these words. Unsurprisingly he concludes that PCG, the group he started and leads, is the one, true church one must join to escape the Great Tribulation.

If we want to find God’s work on Earth today, we must go back to the beginning of the Philadelphia era and examine stone by stone how Mr. Armstrong built the temple of God. God’s work and Church on Earth, in our time now, will be a replica of what Herbert Armstrong built. God’s only work, or Church, will fully embrace the law and government as established and taught by Mr. Armstrong. Haggai shows us that God’s very elect will know who the end-time Zerubbabel was and that these people will be gladly following in his footsteps.

The book of Haggai gives full proof that the Philadelphia Church of God is God’s end of the end-time work! (p. 33.)

Does PCG "fully embrace the law and government as established and taught by Mr. Armstrong"? If so why did PCG for their own convenience change at least three of HWA's writings, Mystery of the Ages, The Proof of the Bible and Who or What is the Prophetic Beast?

PCG's leaders, including Gerald Flurry, removed the section in HWA's Mystery of the Ages in which he teaches that Prophets under the New Testament dispensation had no authority over lay members. HWA taught this continuously from 1953 till his death. This contradicts Gerald Flurry's claim to be That Prophet, which he has taught since 1999.

Comparing the 2004 Version with the Current 2011 Version

As I suspected in Part 1 the current 2011 version is quite different.

First of all the 2011 version has been renamed Haggai: God has Begun to Shake the Nations. The 2004 version was named Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today. It should also be noted that PCG's booklet entitled Hosea also has changed in a similar manner, from emphasizing the recruitment of ex-WCG members to a greater focus on the supposedly soon coming apocalypse.

Also the 2011 version has only two chapters, whereas the 2004 version had four chapters.

The section regarding Zerubbabel as being a signet ring is placed at the start of the booklet (pp. 2-4.) and not at the end as it is in the 2004 version (pp. 32-3.).

Also the 2011 version is sprinkled with references to the court case with WCG. That is not mentioned at all in the 2004 version.

There is also a lot more speculation about world events and claiming they point to the beginning of the Great Tribulation. (See pp. 13-15 for instance.) Such things are rarely discussed in the 2004 version.

Flurry also claims certain scriptures in Haggai actually refer to PCG's Armstrong Auditorium. It is referred to as "God's House" in that section (pp. 11-13.). Of course Armstrong Auditorium was never mentioned in the 2004 version. It was not built then. If Flurry really is That Prophet why did he not see that Haggai was talking about Armstrong Auditorium before he had it built?

What a way to justify spending more money than PCG's annual income on a building that few PCG members will benefit from. Flurry claims it was prophesied to be built in the Bible.

Chapter 1 ends with these words, "The book of Haggai gives full proof that the Philadelphia Church of God is God’s end-of-the-end-time Work!" (p. 22.) In the 2004 version this was the end of the booklet.

Chapter 2 is much more similar to the 2004 version. Practically all of it is preserved from the 2004 version. Of course topics have been rearranged.

The 2011 version ends with these words.

One leading evangelist said that he would have come into the PCG if we had contacted him. Think deeply about that statement for a moment. Can God really use a person who has that attitude? What is God looking for in an evangelist or any minister? God needs men who can recognize His messenger. God wants men who have the spiritual ability to recognize His message. This is the kind of minister or member God can use. Why do people come to the PCG? Because God has stirred up His Spirit in them. We do not bring people into this Church through human effort, or human personalities, or through ministerial position. God’s Spirit draws people to us! (p. 33.)

In the 2004 version this was placed in page 27. The later sections are placed elsewhere within the 2011 version. I will say that the 2004 version's ending was more elegant then this latest 2011 version.

Conclusion

So we see that once again Gerald Flurry strives to convince people that PCG is the only legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

He claims to have received new revelation from God, namely that Haggai is also all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition to that, PCG members will go to the Place of Safety and all others will be left behind.

He claims Haggai prophesied the construction of Ambassador Auditorium (then he claimed it prophesied Armstrong Auditorium).

So we see this is just another booklet Gerald Flurry has written in order to gain more triple tithes paying members and get a bigger income off of PCG members by claiming to be the only true successor to HWA's WCG. He seems to do this quite frequently.