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A Broken Key: The Case Against British Israelism–Part Two

 A Broken Key: The Case Against British Israelism–Part Three

[1] "Spirituality and religion in epilepsy"

^[2] When fanaticism and religion are mixed, we have a very potent and dangerous brew that can sustain itself for centuries unlike non-religious fanaticism's. Religion is based on the psychological weakness of all humans. The idea that there is a god, which is assumed to be the unknown power in the universe makes the human mind paranoid because of our fear of the unknown. And this paranoia drives humans to do anything to propitiate this unknown power that is assumed to exist. This is what transforms this weakness of our human mind into a sickness.

^[3]Questioning HWA's Death Diagnosis

^[4] The Press Waves Good-by

"The Armstrong's were locked into a course of malice and malignity that consumed many fine people. They acted as financial predators who preyed on the elderly, the gullible, and the vulnerable."

Loma's dream:

"Suddenly there appeared an awesome sight in the sky above. It was a dazzling spectacle -- the sky filled with a gigantic solid mass of brilliant stars, shaped like a huge banner. The stars began to quiver and separate, finally vanishing. She called my attention to the vanishing stars, when another huge grouping of flashing stars appeared, then quivering, separating, and vanishing like the first.... great white birds flew directly toward us. As they descended nearer, she perceived that they were angels....it dawned on me that Christ was coming, and I was so happy I was just crying for joy. Then suddenly I thought of Herbert and was rather worried. At that time, we had been going quite regularly to motion-picture theatres." ^[1]

After the failure of many business schemes by Herbert, Loma Armstrong had become acquainted with an elderly neighbor lady, Mrs. Ora Runcorn. She was convinced by this Adventist friend that all Sunday churches were wrong about not keeping Saturday as the Sabbath. The year was 1926, and the influence of Ora Runcorn on Loma was to be the beginning of a fruitless work that would ruin the lives of tens of thousands. This "work" was later to be know as the Radio Church of God and from there, the Worldwide Church of God.

This religious fanaticism ^[2] of Loma Armstrong had reawakened a forgotten interest in her husband Herbert. Where Herbert failed in business, Loma succeeded. Loma Armstrong had founded the family business. Armstrong-ism.

Herbert Armstrong was a poorly educated man and had no formal Bible education, however he began to see how easily religion could be used to bring in millions of dollars.

Over the years, Loma and Herbert saw that the winning formula for a successful business was in the marketing. Utilizing fear, guilt, uniqueness of the group psychology, they marched forward constructing an empire that would rake in more cash than Billy Graham and Oral Roberts combined.

The Armstrong's used deceptive recruiting tactics by giving away magazines for free, leaving the receiver feeling obligated to the group. In time, the recipients of these books and magazines were recruited into the Armstrong church or became co-workers, donating their money and time. Even when Herbert wasn't lying, he would use facts, emphasizing facts, quietly ignore facts, in a way that would enable him to gain control over peoples minds. This grooming is called "undue influence."

Armstrong would tell the members that Satan has corrupted their minds. He reduces the membership to such helplessness that they are incapable of making the simplest of decisions without asking their minister for guidance. Herbert demands absolute and blind obedience from his followers. And he gets it.

In time dissenters began to question the doctrines of the Armstrong's. Rather than honestly and intelligently debating their critics, the Armstrong's and many of the church hireling's resort to labeling them as evil or stupid, using name-calling, slander, condescending put-downs, personal slurs, accusations of bad motives, and casting aspersions on the critic's intelligence or sanity.

Loma Armstrong dies on April 15th, 1967 of bowel obstruction.

Herbert Armstrong dies under suspicious circumstances, January 16th, 1986.^[3]

The respected British paper The Guardian, had this to say about Herbert Armstrong:
Herbert Armstrong, the 93-year-old head of the Worldwide Church of God, stated recently from California that his tome, Mystery of the Ages, "may be the most important book since the Bible." He has now been called in to account for this statement - he died on Thursday. ^[4]

And that folks is "The Rest of the Story."

Armstrong's Legacy

A cult is a group or movement exhibiting great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing, and employing unethical manipulation or coercive techniques of persuasion and control (e.g., isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it), designed to advance the goals of the group's leaders, to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community."
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