For the first forty years of my life I lived by one simple rule: If it was found in the bible it was beyond question—it was as sure as the law of gravity! But the inflexible beliefs of a fundamentalist Christian often places one in situations not faced by the casual bible believer; Should read: ;more so if they possess a measure of above average logic. Sooner or later a logical true-to-his-conscience fundamentalist Christian must face some hard questions.
In time this fundamentalist Christian asked and answered those hard questions. Several web pages, three full length books and countless articles document that journey. However, of all the Christian doctrines I have exposed as frauds, none quite measure up to the evil of faith healing. And none was as devastating than Herbert W. Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God (WCG) empire, which was headquartered on a lush 50 acre estate in the heart of old Pasadena, California. As a former ministerial assistant to the man who would eventually succeed Armstrong, I was an eyewitness to the human devastation wrought by this man's rigid healing doctrine—a doctrine Armstrong took directly from the pages of "God's word!"
Like all his doctrines, in 1952 Armstrong produced his arguments in a booklet he titled Does God Heal Today. In 1972 this was updated in a slick publication which carried the new title The Plain Truth About Healing. Quoting all the relevant scripture on the subject, Armstrong argued that it was a sin for any true Christian to see a doctor or take drugs, and instructed the ill and dying to rely soley upon "anointing and prayer," which they could receive from his ordained ministry. That was step one. Step two was that the ill and dying must have faith in God's promise for which Armstrong promised they would be healed! This promise, proclaimed Armstrong, was fail proof; the ill and dying had the word of God Almighty on it! (The booklet is posted on the Internet at:
http://www.giveshare.org/library/hwa/heal.html)
During the forty years I spent inside Armstrong's cult church, I saw countless people come to the ministry for anointing fully expecting to be healed. But in virtually every case wherein a doctor was not consulted, I saw these people suffer and all too often die a premature death. These observations became concentrated when, in the mid 1970s, I was employed as an assistant to minister Joseph Tkach, Sr., [inset photo: standing to the right of Herbert Armstrong] who in 1986 would succeed Herbert W. Armstrong as Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God. At that time it was Tkach's job to oversee the needs of sick and needy members in the headquarter church's congregations. In 1978 I was introduced by Tkach to a 60 year old widow named Wanda Brockus, who was suffering with a severely painful back problem. This diagnosis came from a local chiropractor, the only type of "medical" professional approved by Herbert Armstrong.
Over the coming months Wanda and I became close personal friends, which was very easy since she had a wonderful personality. Because Wanda had no close living relations, I would often run personal errands and help out with other situations. One service I routinely performed was driving Wanda to the chiropractor's office. As the months passed, this experience became particularly upsetting for me since Wanda was in constant horrible pain. In fact her pain would substantially increase after each chiropractic "treatment," and often I would ask Joseph Tkach or Dr. Herman L. Hoeh to drive out to again "anoint" Wanda and ask for God's healing. Since she was obviously going downhill, I finally defied the church's teaching and privately persuaded Wanda to go to Pasadena's Huntington Hospital for tests.
The diagnosis was worse than anyone suspected. I still vividly remember Wanda's phone call when she told me that she had hip and pelvic bone cancer—and that the cancer had spread. Wanda had waited too long. A few months earlier and she could have been saved, but now her only recourse was to go home and wait for death. As a dyed-in-the-wool bible believer, I reminded Wanda of Jesus's healing power; I told her that the spreading cancer and all its pain was just a test of faith, and that when the healing came the "miracle" would be all the more spectacular! She was immensely cheered by my words, and by the outpouring of affection from the church's membership.
Over the next few months literally thousands of members prayed for Wanda's healing. In fact, the church's Ambassador College student body—some 600 strong—proclaimed a special day of fasting and prayer for Wanda; and the church's leading evangelists regularly stopped by to anoint her in the name of Jesus, all of which continued to have a remarkable effect on Wanda's faith. In turn, her faith and cheerful disposition encouraged all those who came to visit—so much so that evangelist Dibar Apartian made Wanda the centerpiece of an article in the church's Good News magazine. But in the coming months Wanda's cancer worsened and despite all the prayer and multiple anointings, she died an excruciating death.
Where was the healing promised by Armstrong and his ministry? In his booklet, The Plain Truth About Healing, Herbert W. Armstrong attempted to explain this when he relates the circumstances of his father's death:
I anointed and prayed for my father. I BELIEVED! He believed! I continued praying for him through the night in FAITH! Yet at 9:40 the next morning, he died! ... Faith precedes the requested result. And faith is the ASSURANCE God gives us until the petition is answered. Faith is BELIEVING WHAT GOD SAYS! ... But neither you nor I can dictate to God how or when He shall do WHAT HE HAS PROMISED.... My answer, in simple FAITH, is that they [members of Armstrong's family who have died], like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all died IN FAITH, not having received the PROMISES—YET! But in the next fraction of a second from their loss of consciousness in death, THEY SHALL WAKE UP HEALED—in the resurrection, and in GOD'S KINGDOM! I have faith that in the not-too-distant future I shall SEE my father, my first wife, my son Dick and others this minister named FULLY HEALED in the Kingdom of God.
In other words, Armstrong is saying that if you follow the formula outlined in the bible, exercise your faith and call upon the ministers of Jesus Christ to be anointed for healing, you may die; but, if you die, then God hasn't broken his promise because you will be resurrected and healed in God's kingdom. How anyone can believe such nonsense is beyond reason. I don't know about you but to me death is not healing! Death means being lowered in a grave and covered with dirt; death is the opposite of good health; death is the opposite of living! Furthermore, the promises supposedly given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not involve healing, and Armstrong knew this. He misuses this example to excuse the failure of God's blunt promises and the failed sign of Jesus's supposed messiahship. This is the reason Armstrong also failed to address the New Testament examples of healing, which were instantaneous:
Acts 5:14-16: And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. Mark 16:17-18: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. John 14:12-14: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Notice that Jesus and his apostles didn't tell the sick and lame that they would have to wait until the Second Coming before they would be made whole; they received the reward for their faith right on the spot! Indeed, had they not been healed on the spot Jesus's supposed messiahship would have crumbled! Now listen: If healing was a sign of Jesus's messiahship in 30 CE, it would be the same today—and any believer would have the right to demand a sign of that proof via instantaneous healing. The only requirements to claim that promise is 1) to have faith, and 2) call for the elders of the church who will pray and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord. Once these requirements have been met we have the promise that the Lord will forgive sins and heal all ills! Here is that promise: James 5:14-15: Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
There you have it, simple and to the point. By not going to a doctor and seeking out a minister for anointing, the ill, suffering Christian has already shown faith, which is the main conditions of healing. That's all you need to claim the promises of James 5:14-15. There is no need for multiple anointings or special days of fasting and prayer by thousands from your fellow Christians; any Christian can prove the messiahship of Jesus by calling upon his/her ministers for anointing and they will be instantaneously healed—just like the numerous examples we read of throughout the New Testament! The problem with this scenario is that we all know that countless millions have faithfully followed the biblical healing formula only to suffer and die in their misery. This failure took my friend Wanda to her grave, as it took Herbert Armstrong's father and anyone else dumb enough to put their faith in the Holy Bible.
The reason is simple enough: With a little effort any concerned person can prove that the Holy Bible is the world's most fraudulent books! Those who place their faith in that book and its god are placing their faith in a two-thousand year old corpse. You've all heard the old adage that dead men tell no tales; well, neither do dead men heal!
The fact that the bible is an easily proven fraud has sent many a faith healers into retreat. Such was the case with Herbert W. Armstrong, when he revised his booklet to allow doctors, and then privately circulated the following memo to his ministry:
MINISTERIAL VISITING PROGRAM TRAINING CLASS Sixteenth Class April 27, 1969 HOW TO DEAL WITH HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROBLEMS ... III. SUGGESTIONS FOR AVOIDING PROSECUTION: The following suggestions, although by no means a guarantee, will definitely aid in avoiding prosecutions and notoriety in the event a death should ensue from other than natural means.1. Don't say anything: This is the first and foremost rule in every criminal case. The importance of this one rule cannot be overemphasized. Avoid telling anyone how long the person was sick. Avoid telling anyone that you knew the person was seriously ill. Avoid telling anyone when the illness first became serious. Don't mention divine healing. This general rule of not saying anything, like all others, has its qualifications. If a person would absolutely refuse to answer every casual question of inquiry, it could result in a full-blown investigation. But is this so bad? Even if an investigation is held, if it can turn up no detrimental facts, there is no problem. On the other hand, if the person does speak, and does give the right answer, you can perhaps ward off an investigation. But if you do speak and say the wrong thing, then your statements could be the very basis of a successful prosecution. Remember, there is absolutely nothing that a State Official is going to be asking about that is going to be to your benefit. The only information he is going to be seeking, is not information to free you, but information to prosecute you. Always keep in mind that everything you say that is detrimental will be fed right back to you in court. In the initial investigation of the case, a little tact in refusing to answer these questions would be highly beneficial. To state, "I'm not going to answer any questions; I don't have to; I know my constitutional rights," would obviously only serve to clash with the carnal mind. Some practical reasons should be thought of such as the parent merely saying. "Please, sir, I'm just in no mood to talk to anyone or answer any questions. Please just leave my wife and me alone." If you are just a witness, there is no better way out than the old time-worn cliche, "Look, I just don't want to get involved." Remember, if circumstances become pressing and time is needed, never forget the famous statement, "I'm sorry, but my attorney has instructed me never to say anything under circumstances like this until I've had a chance to talk to him first."
2. If legal circumstances or wisdom demands that you answer, then be succinct and discreet. Keep in mind that the officials don't know everything you know, and the little they do know, they really don't fully comprehend. Too often an investigator will just strike out blindly, acting as though he has all the facts, and the victim will just "spill the beans." If the investigator should know something about anointing with oil, there is no need to assume that he knows that the practice of medicine is held in disrepute. It might be good to draw an analogy to the Catholic Church, and the fact that, "We, as they, anoint with oil." When one minister at the scene of a death was abruptly asked by an investigating officer, "Who are you?" he simply replied, "A friend." No further questions were asked. If you are known to be a minister, and asked why you are there, a general answer that might suffice would be: "I just came to perform my general ministerial duties of offering spiritual encouragement and as a family friend." Do not mention faith healing under any circumstances. It cannot be introduced during the trial as a defense. It will only serve to raise antagonisms at the time of the inquiry and make the whole case newspaper-worthy. It can always be brought up later if it is to the person's advantage. Deny any knowledge that the ailment was serious. Or if this cannot be done) then: (a) Place the time when the seriousness first became apparent as close to the time of death as possible. (b) Take the shortest period of time possible for the length of the illness. (c) If the question of a doctor should arise, it might be met with, "If I had any idea that she was that sick and that a doctor could have healed her, I certainly would have called him immediately."
3. Befriend a doctor with at least an affinity for our religious beliefs. The calling of a doctor, during the last stages of a very serious illness, could work for good or for evil from the legal point of view. On the one hand, if he were called in soon enough to ascertain the cause of death, and was of a friendly attitude, he might sign the death certificate and thereby avoid any Coroner's inquest. On the other hand, a doctor might recommend some course of medical treatment that he feels would absolutely save the person's life, but which we would consider absolutely inimical to God's laws. If the person died, then the doctor would be a powerful witness for the prosecution not only to prove gross neglect but proximate cause as well. Also, unless the doctor held an affinity for our religious beliefs, he could contact the District Attorney if the patient was a minor and request that a court-appointed guardian be named. The court could then take custody of the child, and the guardian consent to such a course of medical treatment. The worthwhile physical knowledge that a doctor does have to offer should be taken into consideration and, depending upon the circumstances, weigh heavily in favor of consulting or calling one in.
4. When rejecting medical service on drugs, predicate the refusal on the grounds of risk or potential adverse results. One of the most practical and valuable ways of rejecting certain medical services or drugs is to base the objection on the grounds of risk. A procedure might be to ask a doctor: "What are the chances of the operation being a failure? What are the chances of it being useless? What are the chances of it being harmful? What are the chances the drug will have an adverse reaction?" etc. If the doctor should remark the odds are 70 to 30 in favor of success or lack of any adverse reaction, the patient or parent can meditatively contemplate the answer. He could then state, "I just don't feel I should take the chance. It just seems it would be better off to do whatever else we could and then let nature take its course."
If the matter is serious enough and the particular doctor sees no possibility of adverse effect but only 100 percent success, then the patient or parent can merely state they would like to obtain further consultation and advice on the subject. It is almost always possible to find other medical advice which would take a contrary position. It can be contended then that the adverse consultation was relied upon.
5. Keep knowledge of illness restricted to as few people as possible. During the steps when an illness becomes serious, keep as many people out of the house as possible. Do not tell outsiders about the seriousness of an illness or your belief in divine healing. The more people that have knowledge of the subject, or are present during the final stages, the more potential adverse witnesses you have. Only one antagonistic person, with a sufficient amount of first-hand knowledge, can furnish enough testimony upon which to pass a successful prosecution. It should also be considered that when a Fire Department respiratory squad is called it is generally customary that the police are also notified. This, of course, should not in any way deter the calling of such help if it appears they might save such a life. However, a private ambulance service which maintains oxygen and respiratory equipment might be kept on file, and utilized when needed, rather than the public services.
6. Do not attend an informal, requested hearing at the District Attorney's office, unless unusual circumstances dictate otherwise. A strong general rule is that a parent should never go to the office of the District Attorney to discuss such a case. If circumstances should for some reason require him to attend, then under no circumstances should he go without an attorney. Another fact is very important. In one case the prosecutor admitted that he could never have tried the case without the statements given by the mother. After the child had died, she stopped in his office at his request, and told him everything about the case. She even signed a statement to that effect. She also made statements to certain officials in the Coroner's office. They proved certain facts that he could not have proven otherwise.
7. Don't involve the Church. Beware of advising people and involving the Church. People are free moral agents and must make their own decisions. They must learn to stand on their own feet. The Church must come before individuals. Don't make the Church responsible for lawsuits. Help people in order to protect the Church, but let people help themselves where possible. Don't try to live their lives for them. Don't obligate the Church. Don't be hostile toward doctors and hospitals. When brought into contact with medical men, be friendly, but firm. Be careful not to mention the Bible, religion, or the Church of God.
IV. WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN UNTIMELY DEATH
When there is an untimely death in the Church with overtones of divine healing having been relied upon, prompt action is necessary in order to avoid prosecution and bad publicity. Therefore, here is the procedure to follow:
1. In the event of an untimely death of any member or prospective member or one of their children, and it is under any circumstances other than that which would be considered absolutely normal in the world's eyes (i.e., in the hospital, a doctor in general attendance with basically full medical aid being given, etc.), the local minister should immediately contact Headquarters by telephone and notify us of the circumstances which would include the names and telephone numbers of all persons either directly involved or witnesses.
2. After receiving this information, either Mr. [Stan] Rader or Mr. [Ralph] Helge [the Worldwide Church of God's attorneys] can consult with the local minister by telephone and ascertain if there is potential criminal liability or bad publicity for the Church member, the minister or the Church. If so, one of them may need to fly to the area and personally question and counsel parties involved.
Now why do you suppose the church's legal council was concerned about Armstrong's healing doctrine to the point of recommending deceit when dealing with the district attorney's office? The answer is obvious: Over the years that the Worldwide Church of God preached its fundamentalist doctrine of faith healing and the "sin" of doctors and medicine, thousands had died or needlessly suffered and increasingly the church was being sued. In other words, there is nothing like hitting a money-based organization—religious or otherwise—in the pocketbook to find what it's made of!
Perhaps the most maddening part of this particular tale of fundamentalist faith healing is Herbert W. Armstrong, who, in his last years, clung to life by surrounding himself with a battery of doctors, private nurses and a vast array of medical treatments. So much for faith. So much for the promises of God.
In the Deuteronomy 30:19 you will read this: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Life means life, blessing means blessing and a curse is being deprived of both. Perhaps the ancient Roman dramatist Seneca said it best: "The time will come when our posterity will wonder at our ignorance of things so plain."
Copyright © 2007 by Darrell W. Conder, Port Townsend, Washington. All Rights Reserved.
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Rival Caesars
by
Desmond Dilg
