MR. ARMSTRONG: After I began announcing this "Open Letter," is it true that you began making recordings of some of my radio messages in the hope that you could get material for a "slander" suit against me?
YOU accuse me of slander? You who have slandered every Christian preacher and Bible teacher who ever lived; you, who slanders the Lord from heaven; you, who slanders the gospel of the grace of God; you, who slanders the holy 10 commandment law of God by your miserable pretense of keeping it; you, who slanders the TEMPLE OF GOD yet to be restored in Jerusalem by having your silly little "Feast of Tabernacles" and "Feast of Passover" over in Gladewater, Texas, in that puny little shed [unfinished tabernacle]; YOU are hoping to sue me at Ceaser's court for slander? Maybe the report is ill-founded!
God willing, before I shall have completed these "Open Letters" to you I will have given clear, unforced proof of my accusations concerning your slandering the Christ of the Bible and your blasphemous caricature of "the church of God," called by you "The Radio Church of God."
Just here, I should like to ask you about the "TRUE CHURCH" which you say has "always existed." [See your Revelation booklet, p.9.] Exactly what had become of it when you and your wife took over the "true" work of God only 24 or ? years ago? Did that already existing "true church" suddenly drop out of existence so you two could "start from nothing" in 1931-4 as you claim? And yet another point is very "smoggy" in your claim that "the true church has always existed." How could it possibly come into existence at any time during the 1800 years preceding spontaneous arrival on the scene, since you repeatedly claim that you are preaching the "true gospel that Jesus preached for the first time in 1800 years?" Since there was no true gospel by which sinners might become members of "the true church," and there was no "true gospel" by which such church members could cultivate their "begotten lives," please, oh please, tell us where that "true church" had been when you and your wife had that dream and saw the angel who informed her that you and she were to "begin" the real TRUE work. Now please, Honest Herb, don't tell me that I cannot understand because I am not one of those favored few that God has "elected" to hear, understand and know "the truth about the good news of the WORLD TOMORROW"-- that is, "understand it all" well enough to become convinced that the only way to avoid the lake of fire is to send "the tithes" to Box 111, Pasadena, California.
And that reminds me about another thing. Just exactly why should you rebuke, criticize, and, fuss at and make fun of all of us who, according to you, cannot possibly understand and believe your preaching any way, since we are not in that select, "elect," predestined company of "begotten children?" Since your "god" has deliberately blinded us, I don't think it is fair at all for you to bark out so impatiently and "holler" at us about not having blown "the dust off" our Bibles.
[In a later letter I hope to deal with your utter failure to note the time element connected with Christ's use of parables. Your assertions that Christ NEVER spoke to the multitudes except in parable is devilishly false. Also, your wicked failure to honesty go from John 6:44 to 12:32 WITH John 1:9.]
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John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. |
Since we are told that there is no "new thing under the sun" [Eccl. 1:9]; and, since all that are "spiritual" judge "righteous judgment," we know that you and your sect are "under the sun" and not in the SON. Therefore we are confident that all of your doctrinal lies have already been taught by wolves in sheeps' clothing. -- Matt. 7:{15} Acts 20:29. Having read a great deal of the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses', the Seventh day Adventists', Universalists', "Destructionalists" ' and the Anglo-Israelites' writings [and the 7th Day "Church of God," too] I know that you are merely a small parrot, if not a clever plagiarist. For instance on p. 20 of your "1975 in Prophecy" you make the "modest" claim that you are the one prophesied in Ezek. 33. But that is a tardy echo of claims made many times before. Your doctrinal kin, your [religious] Uncle, "Pastor" Charles T. Russell, had hundreds of thousands believing that about him. See pp. 367 and 519, "The Finished Mystery," 1917 copyright.
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Eccl. 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Matt. 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Ezek. 33:1-33 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, {2} 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: {3} If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; {4} Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. {5} He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. {6} But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. {7} So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. {8} When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. {9} Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. {10} Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? {11} Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? {12} Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. {13} When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. {14} Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; {15} If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. {16} None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. {17} Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. {18} When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. {19} But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. {20} Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. {21} And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. {22} Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. {23} Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, {24} Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. {25} Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? {26} Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land? {27} Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. {28} For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. {29} Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. {30} Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. {31} And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. {32} And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. {33} And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. |
Herb did you copy that, substituting your own name for Russell's? Your "Uncle" Charlie, in his Millennial Dawnist book , p. 519, said:
"This chapter [Ezek. 33] repeats the statements . . . regarding the watchman set to warn the people of Christendom, his message and responsibility, and the responsibility of the Christian people toward the watchman--Pastor Russell, and his message and warning from God . . . Who of the clergy class have blown the trumpet of truth and warned 'their' people of the impending doom of Christendom?"
By the way, Armstrong, what do you think of your religious Siamese twin, Blessing of Denver? He is claiming [at least SEVERAL ladies have been "MIRACULOUSLY" told so] that he is "the Apostle Paul." His Anglo-Israel "IT" is growing in leaps and bounds, too, I understand.
In your 11/28/56 letter to "Fellow Workers" you reveal one of your fundamental and characteristic blunders, You seemed to think your "bankruptcy" during the early days of the depression meant that the "church of God" on earth had likewise crashed and that the Almighty was feverishly looking for a "receiver"--for someone whom He could trust to really meet the terrible emergency and bring His dilapidated church "out of the red" as it were. Let me assure you, Humble Herb, that neither "the gates of Hell" nor the depression had actually prevailed against the church "which He purchased with His blood," Evidently it was your own flop, both as a young "John D. Rockefeller" and as a student of the Word of God that caused you to confuse Herbert W. Armstrong's defunct PERSONAL kingdom with God's magnificent CHURCH, "the BODY OF CHRIST."
The crash of ca$h in Wall Street, my frustrated friend, did not even touch the institution whose death-conquering Head is "Head over all things," even the "money changers" of Wall Street and every other street in this conquered world. See Eph. 1:19-23; Col. 2:8-17; Heb. 2:5-14; 1 Peter 3:22. [In a later letter I expect to take up your antichrist teaching about Jesus Christ's having been only a fleshling--a "MORTAL" fleshling, at that. A "mortal EMMANUEL?" Only a little less shockingly FALSE is your sophistry about "the church which is Christ's Body" being only mortal--"composed of flesh and blood,"]
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Eph. 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, {20} Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, {21} Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: {22} And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, {23} Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. {9} For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. {10} And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: {11} In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: {12} Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. {13} And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; {15} And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over the m in it. {16} Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: {17} Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Heb. 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. {6} But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? {7} Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: {8} Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. {9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. {10} For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. {11} For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, {12} Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. {13} And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. {14} Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 1 Pet. 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. |
Going back to that letter to your "Fellow Workers," I would like to note more specifically your "unique" revelation concerning the origin of your Eugene, Oregon, "VATICAN" [so soon to be supernaturally moved to the "fantastic" second-hand millionaire's residence in Pasadena]. I now quote from that letter:
"Within 30 or 60 days after our marriage, God spoke to my wife in what might have been an intense, unusual dream, or a vision -- but it was years later before we came to realize that 'this really was a message from God.' I'm pretty skeptical about God speaking to anyone today by vision or dream." [That is, of course, unless he speaks to Mrs. Armstrong. -- M.J.] "God speaks to us today through His written Word -- the Bible. My wife saw an angel" [Mrs. Ellen G. White started her Seventh Day Adventist cult the same way, didn't she, husband -- Herbert?--M.J.] "revealing that God was calling me and her to the mission of WARNING this world of the fast approaching END OF THE AGE, and the Second Coming of Christ." [I, M. J., italicized the "and her." I was thinking of how Grandma Eve started the program that would make the mere CREATURE very GOD, "as Gods." Indeed, "There is no new thing under the sun." --M.J.] "When she told me" [Armstrong is again spea king ] "of this impressive dream, I was embarrassed" [My imagination is not elastic enough to visualize that, Mr. Armstrong.--M.J.] "and somewhat awed . . . But at the age of 30 God took away my business." [Several million lost theirs, too, during that severe depression, as you well know, Herbert.--M.J.]"three times during the next seven years I started another business promising national development" [???--M.J.] ". . . and each time, forces entirely out of my control intervened to destroy the business and all possibility of its future . . . Everything I touched turned to nothing. I learned what it is to go hungry." [Thank God, there were not many wives during that long period of hunger and "bread lines" who had timely dreams enabling them and their husbands to "get out of the red" via the religiou$ route.--M.J.]
Later I shall quote from several of your "charming" travelogues -- for instance, a few self-effacing reports BY YOURSELF of the "specially engraved invitation" sent "by private messenger" to you and your wife to attend "the most colorful social event" [just like Elijah and John the Baptist enjoyed?? -- M.J.] "held in London since the war. It's a Royal affair, you know . . . The reception is in the ball room of our hotel -- which is one of the two best in London, and every day some important diplomatic affair of world importance is held here . . . "--Page 10 from your "PRIVATE LETTERS."
Comparing your "incidental" references to your hobnobbing with ROYALTY and succeeding in slipping in the background of a picture taken of the antichrist Moslem Sheik [which picture you managed to have taken so that you and Mrs. Armstrong could be seen], I say, comparing all this reeking pride, egotism and extravagance with assertions that those depression-reverses had "burned out all your "former egotism," some of us easily recall the seven "other demons" that came to possess an empty house.
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