Herbert W Armstrong

  I have read through the Autobiography . It offers a narrative of Armstrong’s early life, but there are some unusual omissions - and as well several inaccurate claims - revealing a pattern of selective self‑presentation.   These omissions later resulted in faulty secondary genealogies being used by some to fill in the gaps incorrectly. That is why one encounters conflicting or inaccurate information online. The inaccuracies include his portrayal of his early beginnings , his account of the six‑month library study in Portland, and his later claim to have independently “discovered” radio .  In the case of the library study, the only contradictory evidence comes from Armstrong’s own later version of the Autobiography , where his description differs markedly from the earlier account.  All of these matters are documented in the following Post in Quora . The first Addendum of that Post shows the evidence for the inaccuracies. I have covered doctrinal issues separate...

Some groups - especially those influenced by Herbert W. Armstrong -claim that Colossians 2:16–17 actually commands Christians to keep the Sabbath and festivals. Most believers simply read the passage as written and see the opposite: Paul warns against being judged over these things because they were shadows pointing to Christ. To reach the Armstrong conclusion, the text must be turned 180 degrees - and that is exactly what happens. This is an illuminating example of the danger that arises when doctrine begins to drive exegesis rather than the other way around. Once a system feels free to reshape the meaning of Scripture to protect its teachings, the authority of the text is lost. In the full analysis I’ve written elsewhere, I set out the issue in detail and show why the Armstrong interpretation lacks any textual, historical, or grammatical support. For those who want the full analysis, I’ve set out the complete argument in a detailed note available here . This is a link to my posts i...

Herbert W Armstrong - Gospel preached. Herbert W. Armstrong claimed—repeatedly and with great emphasis—that only he preached the true gospel. He set out his gospel doctrine across decades of booklets, articles, broadcasts, and magazines, insisting that his Radio/Worldwide Church of God was the “one true church” tracing back to the original apostles. The identifying sign of this claim was said to be Sabbath‑keeping and alleged obedience to the Ten Commandments. Armstrong taught that all other churches proclaimed a false gospel because they were deceived by Satan. He stated this many times, and his publications make the point unmistakably. The link below takes you to my Quora post examining whether Armstrong’s gospel claims stand up to biblical scrutiny. Given that the gospel is one of the most important doctrines in the New Testament, it is essential to evaluate his assertions carefully. The post provides a detailed comparison between the Bible’s teaching on the gospel and Armstrong’s d...

There are some - including Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God and its many offshoots - that make the claim their observation of such days, and of the ten commandments including sabbath, are important identifiers of their system being special. So special one also reads claims it is the one true church. There are booklets where they link themselves all the way back to the first century wherein the observation of such days be an important part of the aforementioned claim. There are others such as groups in the Jewish Messianic movements and various other who also argue festivals be required. In t his link to a Post in Quora I examine whether Armstrong's claims are supported in scriptures.   To be clear, people are of course free to observe any days they choose, and that choice deserves respect. The problem arises when the claim is made that such observance marks their system as the one true church. Many of the offshoots still publish booklets tracing their lineage back to the f...

 Zechariah chapter 14 is seen by certain groups as evidence that feast days are to be observed in the Millennium.  Indeed, I once thought so myself : 16  Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the LORD afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. This Post in Quor a examines the issue - seeking to decide whether such idea has any biblical merit. The link takes you to a re-direct page, being the Quora post i r...

  Revelation chapter 22 verse 14 reads: [ Rev 22:14 KJV] 14 Blessed [are] they that  do his commandments , that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. I have observed how certain denominations particularly those who demand sabbath observance -as this they say is the sign of a true believer - choose to interpret the verse in question.   Indeed, one reads in their literature statements such as :  ‘ I t is only those who are willing to DO the Ten Commandments who shall enter in thru the gates into the City ’. Revelation 22:14 thereby becomes one of the most mis‑used verses by groups that teach salvation-by-law, especially Sabbatarian groups. The boast be made this identifies the one true church. In this Post in Quora I examine just what commandments/commands are in fact the subject of this verse in Revelation 22. 

Does Matthew chapter 12 concerning Jesus’s resurrection and the “sign” of Jonah have to mean exactly 72 hours? Please note in a separate Post I have addressed the Wednesday crucifixion theory. This Armstrong doctrine is used to criticize the 'world's churches' for celebrating the Friday crucifixion.  I found there are no strong grounds for Wednesday and set out the reasons.  This particular blog focusses on Matthew 12,   ‘’ For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” These words are the basis of a theory which holds that Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday, and resurrected exactly 72 hours later on the sabbath towards sunset. Whether it was a historical fact that Jonah did spend exactly seventy two hours inside a large fish we of course do not know. Jesus referred to this event, but He does not state explicitly that His citation affirms the historical c...