Herbert W. Armstrong

light shining through clouds — *“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” ~John 1:5*

Was Herbert W. Armstrong who he said he was? Did he tell the truth? These articles are for those who want to get to the bottom of these things.

NOTE: Is this the first time you’ve visited this page? Please first read: Why is it Difficult For Exiters to Question Herbert Armstrong?

“Put your faith completely in Jesus Christ, not in any man or any movement.”
~Robert L. Sumner.

Questioning if HWA told the truth

Questioning HWA’s background

Questioning HWA’s fruits

Questioning HWA’s methods

Questioning HWA’s doctrines

Recommended Letters

PDF Downloads

Questioning if HWA told the truth:

Herbert W. Armstrong’s Religious Roots
The origin of Herbert’s unique doctrines.
Did Herbert Armstrong Set Dates?
Includes several examples, plus an HWA quote saying there is “no prophet today.”
Did Herbert Armstrong Have God’s Truth?
Includes New Age & Occultic similarities.
What Were the Lies and What is the Truth?
Replacing HWA’s fear-based statements with the truth from the Word of God.
Books to help in refuting Armstrong’s doctrinal errors be found on our Booklist.
Was Herbert Armstrong God’s True Servant?
Mystery of the Ages (a critical review) by Kelly Marshall
Mystery of the Ages (a 2nd critical review) by William Hohmann
True Original Church/Faith Once Delivered (Proof Herbert Armstrong Lied About the “Lost” Church Century)
Did Herbert Armstrong Distort Historical Church Documents?
Herbert W. Armstrong Claimed He Was God’s Apostle
The “Key to Unlocking Prophecy” (Did Herbert Armstrong Say God Revealed It to Him Alone?)
Includes note about Ellen G. White and how she claimed the “Truth” was revealed to her directly by God.
Was Herbert Armstrong Right About Britain Exiting the European Union?
The United States and Britain in Prophecy (What Did Herbert Armstrong Teach About it?)
John Kiesz Furnishes Information on Herbert W. Armstrong
Kiesz was an elder in the Church of God Seventh Day and a close friend of HWA’s; includes a number of HWA’s failed prophecies.
The Origins of Assyria and Germany
This article shows the fallacy in HWA’s teaching that the Assyrians “settled in central Europe, and the Germans are the descendants of the ancient Assyrians.”
Where Are the Tribes of Israel Located? (A Critique of Herman Hoeh’s Article)
Shows incredible fabrications and lack of concrete proof.
Memories About Petra
The Place of Safety according to HWA.
Herbert Armstrong Ministry 1930-1986
Documentation of HWA’s history of lying. Also lists at end many of his false prophecies. [offsite article]
Did Christ Reorganize the Church?
February 1939 Good News article showing HWA condemned hierarchal church government in his early years. [offsite article]

More info on our: Booklist

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Questioning HWA’s background:

Note: OIU Newsletters mentioned below open as PDF.

Radio Church of God openly embraced the agenda of the American Communist Party
This also includes info about “Communism and the Churches.” (This is in: OIU 5, Pt. 2 beginning with “Communism is the RESULT”)
Herbert Armstrong studied communism (from his own words in his 11-24-67 letter to PT subscribers)
(This is in: OIU 5, Pt. 3 beginning with “The OIUs point in discussing this matter”)
Herbert Armstrong and His Communist Friends
March 5, 2006 letter to ESN.
Letter Regarding FBI Files on Herbert Armstrong
March 29, 2006 letter to ESN.

Herbert Armstrong Used Mein Kampf as a Guide in Controlling People
May 29, 2007 letter to ESN.
HWA’s questionable activities in international governmental affairs
(See OIU 6, Pt 3 beginning with “The Good News”)
The Private Letters of Herbert W. Armstrong and Loma D. Armstrong
HWA and his wife were very active in international governmental affairs following the United Nations’ first meeting held in San Francisco in 1945. (This is in: OIU 5, Pt. 3 beginning with “The Private Letters…”)
Worldwide Church of God and Herbert Armstrong
The info up to “The Empire Declines” will cover much of HWA’s early history.

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Questioning HWA’s fruits:

“None of God’s Servants Were Perfect” (for those who like to use this reasoning)
Why Herbert Armstrong Couldn’t Have Been God’s True Apostle
Also includes incest allegations.
Herbert W. Armstrong and the Incest
Contains many sources at the end for the incest story.
Letter About Herbert Armstrong and the Incest
Confirmation of the allegations; snail-mailed to: “Dear Friends in the Worldwide Church of God” and ESN
Herbert Armstrong: The Rich Apostle
Info about Herbert Armstrong and Ramona Martin

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Questioning HWA’s methods:

How Did Herbert W. Armstrong Recruit People?
The step-by-step process.
Did Herbert W. Armstrong Abuse His Flock?
Dropouts See Hucksterism Where They Once Saw God
Newspaper article.
Lifton’s Eight Criteria of Thought Reform
Includes how it has been used by leaders of any high demand, authoritarian group.
Where is the True Church?

Note: More on HWA’s fruits and methods can be found in books listed on our Booklist, especially the PDF books available as free downloads.

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Questioning HWA’s doctrines:

Mystery of the Ages (a critical review) by Kelly Marshall (opens as PDF)
Mystery of the Ages (a 2nd critical review) by William Hohmann (opens as PDF)
British-Israelism–True or False? (includes at end “HWA’s Racial Views”)
Herbert Armstrong: Mr. Confusion
Covers many of HWA’s doctrines
“The Resurrection Was Not on Sunday” (A Look at Herbert W. Armstrong’s Booklet)
What Were We Really Believing in the WCG Era?
Did HWA have some good basic Christian doctrine, or could it have been “doctrines of devils”?
A Brief Biography of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) [offsite link]

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Recommended Letters:

These are a few of many letters we have received on HWA:

PDF downloads

Books exposing WCG & Herbert Armstrong; ESN critical book reviews on Mystery of the Ages, ESN critique of HWA’s Sabbath booklet; Outsider’s Inside Update Newsletters.

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“Thou maketh this people to trust in a lie.” ~Jeremiah 28:15