The Painful Truth-Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God
Understanding the psychology of religious seduction and spiritual abuse.
The manipulative techniques Herbert Armstrong used to milk funds from the membership.
“Reports indicate that many have ācome inā to Godās Church in this manner: They have come to really SEE and KNOW that this is, truly, GODāS Church. They know there is terrible WORLD TROUBLE just ahead. They have heard how Godās Church is to be taken to a PLACE OF SAFETY.“
Continue reading “An Epistle from an Apostle?”
It was February 18, 1970. A small group of ministerial students were spending an evening with Herbert W. Armstrong, the founder of the Worldwide Church of God…
It was February 18, 1970. A small group of ministerial students were spending an evening with Herbert W. Armstrong, the founder of the Worldwide Church of God. Those of us who had been invited were given a glimpse of a life-style which in today’s world only a very few are able to afford. At his home, a small mansion on Pasadena’s South Orange Grove Boulevard (once nicknamed “millionaire row”), we were surrounded by rare antiques, expensive paintings, and Steuben crystal. The carpets were luxuriant; a Steinway grand stood in the corner of the drawing room.
The gourmet cuisine served at dinner was excellent as were the European wines-all four of them. We had been shown a large number of expensive paintings and objets d’art and, as was his custom, Herbert would relate what he paid for each and what they were now worth. That theme carried over into the conversation at dinner. Then, as the servants began to clear the table, he turned to one of the guests and said, “What do you think all of these beautiful things on the table are worth?” Of course, none of us had even the slightest idea. And so, he was able to proudly proclaim, “Over $125,000!”
He was quick to point out, however, that art objects of this quality were so rare that they were in fact “priceless.” The sculptured, foot-high, solid-gold saltcellars were, for instance, the only known copies of those once owned by Louis XIV. (They had been specially made for Herbert by Harrod’s of London.) The crystal goblets were identical to those found on Queen Elizabeth’s table. The supremely crafted cutlery was of solid gold. The tablecloth was made of the finest Belgian lace. The gold-covered china was of the finest craftsmanship and formerly belonged to Czar Nicholas II of Russia.