Herbert W. Armstrong DID declare that he was a prophet

 I read with some nausea, amid the giggles, at the interchange of Steve & Kathy with Chris Cumming.  Is Cumming serious?  Is this guy living in “La-la” land?  Let me quote something here from his letter, and amplify on it from the years 1930 thru 1950.  Here’s Cumming’s quote…

 

“A prophet is a man chosen by God for a specific mission with a specific prophecy about a specific happening, such as Jonah’s mission to Nineveh. WHO EVER SAID THAT EITHER HERBERT OR GARNER TED WERE PROPHETS?????”

That’s the core of the argument.  Let’s get down to basics.  Who said they were prophets?  Answer:  They did.  They did themselves.  One directly, and the one indirectly.  Garner Teddy was less vociferous – and subtle – about it than Apostle Herbie.  I think Herbert W. Armstrong missed his calling.  He should have applied for the position of Pope.

Here’s what happened.  Many years ago, I had the chance to visit with, and talk to the CG7 (Seventh Day) people in Oregon.  I spent about a week there talking and chatting with them about “the past.”  And that included Apostle Herbert W. Armstrong.  He previously had called himself a prophet, and had the congregation believing him.  They said that they actually believed that Herbie was a PROPHET.  They also said that Herbert W. Armstrong could “interpret” prophecy – making him a prophet.  And so, they all called, the now dead, Herbie a prophet, and Herbie accepted the title, lapped up the adoration, and – true to his REAL calling – misused the tithes.  “Hitler and the Pope” will fight Christ on His return, was his message.  This has already been reported in the pages of the AMBASSADOR REPORT.  So, eventually the message of prophet Herbert W. Armstrong was proved wrong, and the membership in Oregon had no more confidence in such a false prophet.  No more tithes or offerings?  They cut him off.  So Herbie left the area.  But up to that time that folks discovered this guy was a crook, he was still known as a prophet.

While we’re on the subject of “failed prophecies,” someone mentioned that dead Herbie’s prophecies were only about 50% accurate.  Actually, he was wrong 100% of the time.  He didn’t just miss once or twice, he was a TOTAL washout.  Can anyone find me ANY prophecy that he predicted was accurate?

Once he’d finally moved from Oregon and set up his new scamming in CA., then he used to preach at the Feast Sites.  He was still known to the students and membership as a prophet.  That fact is important to remember.  At one site – so it was related to me by one who personally witnessed this event – it was Herman Hoeh’s turn to give a sermonette. Looking to “kiss ass,” Hoeh blurted out the comment:  “Mr. Armstrong is NOT a prophet.  Mr. Armstrong is really an ‘apostle’.”

For a few moments, the audience was stunned as they’d always believed (and were taught that Herbie was a “prophet”).  When Herbert W. Armstrong’s time came to speak, he referred to Hoeh’s comments by saying, in effect, that he’d never thought of the fact that he actually might be an apostle.  But, he contemplated for a few moments, then he looked up at the membership and gave them a grin.  “But I suppose it must be true,” he was reported to have said.  So – PRAISE DA LORD – Herbert W. Armstrong has had a rank boost.

And that’s how all the nonsense started.


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 #1 – Herbert W. Armstrong’s claiming to be a “prophet,” and failing miserable.  He was obviously at complete washout as a prophet, as this theological ignoramus could never get anything right.  Garner Teddy, to a lesser extent, was regarded as a prophet, as he taught the same (Ellen G. White) bilge that his daddy used to propagate. Many in the outer congregations thought that Teddy was God’s prophet for the end times.  Now Garner Teddy COULD have squashed this feeling among the congregation, but he chose NOT to.  He wrote tons of stuff, but never denied the lie.  Didn’t he bathe in the golden waters of a prophet?

  #2  Hoeh’s hallucinogenic babblings about Herbert W. Armstrong being an “apostle.”  Please note that NOWHERE did (now) Apostle Herbert W. Armstrong ever say he had lost his “prophet” status.  Now he was simply an “apostle,” guided directly by God, etc., etc.  Yeah.  Right!

So, Chris Cumming must have left the planet and certainly not done his homework, when he claims that Herbert W. Armstrong and Teddy had never claimed to be prophets.  Sure they did.  Just ask the older Seventh Day members.  The headquarters group of CG7 are more reluctant to talk about the whole Herbert W. Armstrong scene, as they would simply rather ignore it.  But, people don’t get an education that way.  That’s one of the major points of this Site.  Educate people by exposing the wrong and contrasting it with the right.  And many are – thankfully – getting the message.

But, true to dead Apostle Herbert W. Armstrong’s form, his loyalists (to paychecks) are now saying that Herbie never claimed to be a prophet.  Well, YES he did.  And he has been 100% WRONG.

Anyone got a few stones or rocks?  Just a thought.


Blast from the past…
Article by By JohnO

6 Replies to “Herbert W. Armstrong DID declare that he was a prophet”

  1. I wonder what ever happened to Chris Cumming. (What an awful surname with which to be shackled!) At one time, he was the official spokesman for the GTAE organization, as such he was the individual who was reachable and answered our correspondences, and those of us who participated in the Painful Truth website did have regular exchanges with him. Any attempt to confront GTA was deflected to Chris. He was a true believer type at that time, but one wonders if he has persisted in that, or finally saw reality in his later life.

    BB

  2. The very title “The World Tomorrow” leads the listener into a prophetical mind set. Statements such as, ” Where are we right now in world happenings, you read the news daily, you listen to it on news cast, you read it in your newspapers, but where are we right now and what is going to happen next in world events? Very few people realize that the Holy Bible devotes about one-third of its pages to prophecy.” Armstrong took great pride in his idea that only he knew the true meaning of word events and preaching an entirely different gospel. His gospel was never based on salvation in Christ , that message was foisted on a deceived people by deceived ministers. No, his message was all about the coming Kingdom of God and your rank in that Kingdom. He and he alone was the “voice crying in the wilderness.” He saw himself as a prophet and so did his followers. I know because I was one for 20 years. I heard the scuttle butt about what was to happen in “Just a few short years.”
    The only teaching that Armstrong ever got right was always right in front me’ hiding in plain sight. It was the many times he said, “Don”t believe me, believe your Bible!” Oh how I wished I would of listened.

    1. Herbert set you up for confirmation bias as he trained you to think as he thought.
      Once you became a member you would never challenge him again. Its the way cults work.

      So much for free think.

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