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The Myth and the Man:
Documentation regarding the history of the ministry of
Herbert W. ArmstrongThis information about the ministry of Herbert W. Armstrong is part of the Field Guide profile Herbert W. Armstrong -- The Myth and the Man.
The following is from a list of questions regarding Armstrong's ministry. To see the other questions on the list, click on the link at the end of this page.
Q. 5 Didn’t Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) preach the True Gospel to world leaders just as Paul did in the first century?
Please Note: Red highlighting has been added to some sections of the following to call attention to significant comments. CAPITALIZATION for emphasis was in the original documents.
Member Letter 7/30/73
God has shown me HOW to present it [his gospel]... as a sensational NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT that affects their country... in such a way that their newspapers will PUBLISH THE NEWS—PRINT WHAT I SAY… I believe I can proclaim this true [Armstrong’s] Gospel as something SO NEW—so STARTLING—so SENSATIONAL—that it will get big headlines in newspapers…"
"It’s NOTHING LIKE what missionaries have taught in those countries! They will not recognize any connection WHATEVER. It will not appear as anything competitive to THEIR religions.
In Japan it will be thundered to them as direct from the CREATOR OF THE JAPANESE PEOPLE. I will not say anything against their religions. …
THAT’S OUR COMMISSION! Just the ANNOUNCEMENT of the soon coming KINGDOM OF GOD.. of course I must reveal this great announcement to these heads of state first…"
The following are comments on the above quotation by Marion McNair, one of the first men to be ordained as an evangelist in HWA's Radio Church of God. He left the organization and wrote the book Armstrongism-- Religion or Rip-0ff?
From page 60 of that book:
Did the TWELVE APOSTLES, when they came to the attention of rulers, hide the fact they represented Jesus Christ? Did they not say, when confronted, "… we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard… and they spake the word with boldness…" (Acts 4:19-20). Verse 2 of this chapter shows exactly what they preached—"The resurrection of the dead through Christ Jesus."
But Armstrong does not represent Christ to the Japanese. He thunders to them as direct from the CREATOR of the Japanese people. Whatever false god they have in their minds is the one they will "believe" is sponsoring Armstrong. It could be Buddha, Confucius or the Imperial god (Shinto) but not Jesus Christ.
Is that what our Lord instructed? Did He say to go to a nation "in the name of its god"? But rather through Paul, "… whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…" (Col 3:17)
p.62
… Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words… of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh…"Christ wants His ministers to speak boldly in His name. He did not say, "Go ye therefore unto all the world and SNEAK the Gospel into every nation."
From THE JERUSALEM POST newspaper 8/24/76
Jerusalem Post "Weekly" section, page 5
Herbert Armstrong has shuttled in and out of Israel and the Arab world in the last few years at a rate that would leave Henry Kissinger breathless.
Flying in his own executive jet, the 84-year-old fundamentalist church leader and philanthropist has visited Israel alone 50-60 times since 1965. He has visited almost as extensively in Arab countries. Unlike Kissinger, he has offered his Israeli hosts neither bitter truths nor hard alternatives—only goodwill and money. It is an offer neither side has been able to refuse.
Mr. Armstrong’s current visit is in connection with a $250,000 contribution for a playground in Jerusalem’s Liberty Bell Garden…
… A decade ago, Mr. Armstrong began investing a substantial portion of the church’s wealth—each of its 80,000 heads of households tithes his income to the church—in charitable, educational or cultural projects in foreign countries. Since that time, he and Mr. Rader have been spending about two-thirds of their time abroad, generally meeting with the leaders of the countries they visit before deciding on a project. ..
The fact that religious Moslem states permit the foundation to operate in their territory—not to mention Catholic, Buddhist, and Shinto states—lends support to Mr. Armstrong’s claim that the church’s charity is unaccompanied by any attempt at proselytizing. "Fifty years ago I was sold on the idea that it was more blessed to give than to receive, " says Mr. Armstrong. "I’ve been putting that idea to work."
Compare the above Jerusalem Post comments to the following by HWA. This is him explaining why coworkers needn’t respond to urgent media appeals that year to send money to aid starvation victims in the Biafran famie.
Coworker letter 2/27/70
"THE APPEAL WAS TO TREAT THE EFFECT, NOT THE CAUSE!… THIS WORK OF GOD is DOING SOMETHING BIG AND IMPORTANT TO STOP THE CAUSE—to PREVENT MORE BIAFRANS from starving… you are having A PART in spreading Christ’s Gospel… Right HERE is the MOST IMPORTANT WORK ON EARTH TODAY… GIVE generously as you are able.. The way to DO SOMETHING about the starving and dying in Biafra, India, Egypt, and other such areas suffering evils, is to DEAL WITH THE CAUSE, not the effect—to HELP IN THIS GREAT WORK OF THE LIVING CHRIST!"
Member Letter 12/18/79
We arrived [in Red China] on Sunday evening, December 2nd. On Monday evening I spoke for about a half hour at a banquet in my honor, attended by prominent members of the government and their wives. Tuesday evening I spoke again before the Diplomatic Corps, including ambassadors—many with wives—representing 76 (SEVENTY-SIX) other nations from all parts of the world, beside a number of high-ranking Chinese...
[HWA, quoting a memo by Stan Rader about the meetings] ... "The Vice-Chairman undoubtedly had been advised of your strong comments Monday night and again on Tuesday night. I believe that he knew full well that the United Europe and the cataclysm that would follow were directly connected with your comments about the 'Strong Hand from somewhere' that would save mankind from complete destruction and would be man's salvation and only HOPE."
Ministerial bulletin 6/3/75
Some weeks ago I authorized the formation of a new FOUNDATION—named the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation. It has become a necessary adjunct to this worldwide dimension of getting Christ's TRUE Gospel to the nations through heads of government…[a] whole new phase of the Work.
... One thing has been a serious handicap and caused me and my touring team no little embarrassment. We have had to say that we represent either Ambassador College, or Worldwide Church of God.
... This new Foundation is giving us great added prestige, credibility, and favor. It is something NO ONE CAN CRITICIZE. It doesn't sound 'religious' !
Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website
is © 2001-2006 by Pam Dewey.Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.
Pam Dewey
Pam Dewey
Pam Dewey
