The Painful Truth-Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God
Understanding the psychology of religious seduction and spiritual abuse.
Excerpts are from Chapter 3 of Armstrongism – Religion Or Ripoff ? – by Marion McNair, 1977
The Armstrongs’ co-worker letters, like a sandwich, consisted of THREE basic parts:
1) The top crust
2) The filling
3) The bottom crust
OPENING THE LETTER
Continue reading “Armstrongism – Religion Or Ripoff? Chapter 3”
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
Tucson, March 14, 1980
President and Pastor
Dear Rod:
Your letters of February 1 and March 7 show, I am sorry to say, that either you still cannot understand WHY the living Head of God’s Church, Jesus Christ, had you sent to Hawaii, or you are unwilling to see or admit–and I prefer to believe the former. There is no point in telling you this letter is written in LOVE for YOU — for you ought to know that without my saying it. But out of love for you, and DESIRE to see you back as PART OF GOD’S TEAM, working in full co-operation and right attitude with the rest of us; I shall take time and space to make it clear once for all this time. I have tried to hold the mirror up for you to see yourself as others see you. But still you don’t see in that mirror the same YOU that others see–or are unwilling–I hope not the latter. But now I must be SURE!
I shall speak plainly, candidly. If this letter hurts, I quote from a letter the Apostle Paul sent to brethren at Corinth: ”For though I made you angry with a letter, I do not repent … for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance, for ye were made sorry after a godly, manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorry worketh repentance to salvation … but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (11 Cor. 7:8-10).
Continue reading “Armstrong letter to Meredith”
Dear Mr. Tkach:
I just heard about your trip to Atlanta this past weekend and it inspired me to share a few thoughts with you on what God’s grace has done in my life. I grew up in the Worldwide Church of God, went to Ambassador University and am now employed in the full-time ministry. I must admit that I possessed a very legalistic approach. I have been a perfectionistic, self-righteous person that lacked spontaneity and joy and made my wife feel very guilty and condemned. Your focus the last five years on the gospel of Jesus Christ has contributed to a peace and joy in my relationship with God and others that I had never before experienced.