Outsider's Inside Update™ Newsletters of Understanding "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." ~Ephesians 5:11 Within two years the Worldwide Church of God (founded by Herbert W. Armstrong) divided its multi-million dollar corporate empire, leaving a myriad of splinter groups and walking wounded in its wake. What caused this highly publicized, destructive group to divide and conquer certain counter-cult apologists? Why have they joined with the ecumenical movement? There are reasons behind the events. Doctrine has been exploited as a massive propaganda tool by the WCG (GCI), which in turn provides gross distraction to what is actually occurring within the organization and has been used as a way to elicit control and obtain specific behavior from spiritually minded individuals that have paid extreme amounts of money into the organization. The OIUs look behind the scenes at the real activities and associations pertaining to the "transformation" of the WCG and their New Age agenda. OIU Newsletters™ FIVE and SIX are detailed reports surrounding the Ecumenical Movement (EC) and the current EC strategy involving the Worldwide Church of God conglomerate. Those interested in researching the "reasons behind the events" and activities of the Worldwide Church of God and its extension groups; i. e., United Church of God, Global Church of God (today the Living Church of God), Philadelphia Church of God, Restored Church of God and other splinters, will find these two Volumes helpful, thought-inspiring and possibly shocking. These OIUs were written by ESN founder, L. A. Stuhlman and originally snail-mailed to those who requested them. They consist of 184+ pages. A partial linked table of contents is now listed on each volume's first page to make it easier to find info and to know much of what the newsletter contains. A few updates and notes have been inserted in brackets since 2000, plus removal and/or updating of some of the external links. The OIUs also contain letters received from former members at that time. NOTE: Please realize that the word "cult" (which was common when these newsletters were written) is used in the context of a totalitarian, deceitful, abusive, and mind-manipulating organization which has caused spiritual, emotional, and psychological harm to those involved. UPDATE: In April 2009 WCG changed their name to Grace Communion International in the United States. (Some local church areas and countries may still carry the former name or a different one.) Church Multiplication Ministries is a ministry of GCI. Related Material: Research & Exposé on Worldwide Church of God (Grace Communion International) Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation (Includes Eight Traits of A Disinformationalist) PDF books on Worldwide Church of God & Herbert W. Armstrong (Strategies that were implemented; Why a different story was told to outsiders than was taking place inside; Issues regarding psychological and emotional effects; Letters; and much more) VOLUME TWO(Education as the key to recovery; The great diversion and distraction; The hidden agenda; Myths about cults; The plot was planned; Global Church of God; Power and money; Letters; and much more) VOLUME THREE (A list of ministers disfellowshipped and ministerial exits; Was there a choice? United Church of God; David Hulme; Divide and conquer; Where did all this change come from? Stories submitted; and much more) VOLUME FOUR (Info on propaganda and dialectical materialism; Cognitive dissonance; The "historic" Tkachian thought reform program; The pseudo numbers game; The selling of assets and loss of members; Fear; Divide and conquer; The flock scatters; In Transition; Ronald L. Dart; Friends of the Sabbath; and much more) VOLUME FIVE (Transformed by lies or transformed by truth? Ecumenical movement; The goal of one world religion; Communism is the result [HWA studied Communism; his own words]; The private letters of HWA and Loma Armstrong;; Dignitaries, Leaders share loss of pastor general; Listing of books, ministries; and much more) VOLUME SIX (The New Age evangelicals hop the bandwagon and "profitize"; Greg Albrecht attends Azusa Pacific University in 1977; The ecumenical web woven by the deceivers; Tkach and Albrecht become partners with ecumenical collaborators; WCG goes public with new agenda; Pasadena's occult history; letters; and much more) OIU Mission: • State the facts • Report the true history of the WCG and counter the refashioned lie • Provide information that propels questions and critical thinking • Report the reasons behind the events • Foster accountability of behalf of those posturing as religious ministers or church organizations OIU Volume One OUTSIDER'S INSIDE UPDATE™ Volume ONE ... a newsletter of understanding ... Fall `94 Published by the Exit & Support Network™ All Rights Reserved © VOLUME ONE contents: •As the Whirlwide Turns™, Part One: (current events and strategies that have been implemented by the WCG in efforts to de-cult the look of the WCG and answers to why it is happening) •So What's it All About? (Why a different story was told to the outside than what was truly taking place inside the church) •What makes a cult a cult? •The CRI story (Christian Research Institute) •Network Affiliates from Afar (letters) •Therapeutically Speaking (issues regarding psychological and emotional effects from cults) •News To You •Waterhouse Alert! •A Church in Decline? •From Our Mailbag NETWORK NEWS The past six months have been anything but quiet. The WCG Exit & Support Network™ has been feverishly committed to aiding the victims of the WCG on a full-time basis. Many readers were direct recipients of the help and support the Network provided. What's keeping us so busy? ● 314 mailings, many were complete exit packages. ● An average of six phone calls daily. ● Attendance at five significant conferences. ● Ex-member out-reach. ● International networking. ● Compiling data regarding WCG, other cults, and therapeutic cult issues. ● Coordination of affiliates in Canada and Australia. ● Organizing COP-AID (Coalition of People Against Intentional Deception) ● Extensive research on WCG history, current events and future agenda. ● Awareness Campaign: counteracting duplicity; manipulation; and gross deception in the WCG as well as in Christian cult watching community regarding the WCG. Space will not allow a full report on the above; however, readers who wish to be more informed with the current events are invited to contact the Network. The need for the Network has proven itself time and time again. There are over 3,000 cults in the U.S. alone, more than 600 of them are Bible-based. Recent statistics given at the 1994 Evangelical Ministries for New Religions (EMNR), counter-cult conference, estimated twenty million people involved with cults in some capacity in the U.S. alone. Their tactics may differ, but their agenda is the same. The Bible-based cults hide under the Constitution, rip off with tax-benefits, violate human rights and strip the FREEDOM from every recruit. Under the heading of religion, the goal of power and money is achieved through MIND CONTROL (brainwashing /hypnosis), coercion, manipulation, reverse psychology tactics, exploitation, control, fear, and abuse in every form. This violation and abuse of Human Rights is allowed in our permissive society while the passive populace does nothing. The cults of today are BIG business. Religion, unfortunately, serves as a safe umbrella and vehicle toward attainment of deceitful goals while God searching, well-meaning vulnerable people get manipulated by the money-hungry sharks. Upcoming issues of the OIU will detail some of the debilitating effects of cult involvement. As many well know, the healing process can take years. Others may be haunted by cult after-effects throughout their lives. It is naïve to think that the "cults" are going to "go away." They are here to stay and are growing by leaps and bounds while they employ the most sophisticated techniques and maneuvers available to further their agenda. Education is the only key to surviving this wicked phenomenon. Those who have been victimized and psychologically tortured by cults such as the WCG, stand as the most credible witnesses. Awareness and warning the public is the only hope of rerouting the next likely candidates from buying into the FREE LITERATURE, which in turn, for many, cost their entire lives. As the Network strives to help those questioning or exiting while it maintains an awareness outreach, it is hoped that all who are able, participate in the endeavor of making the Network... work. As many will attest, the most therapeutic thing one can do is to help the next victim. The Network is for the WCG victim! At present, the Network has two affiliates, one in Canada, the other in Australia--and many are needed in the U.S. alone. As The Whirlwide Turns™... Part One: A New Axis?? Those watching the turn of events within the WCG throughout the past several years have been witness to what many term an explicit, well-orchestrated propaganda campaign involving multiple uses of Mind Control and manipulation of business strategies. The cry of, "What is going on?!" has permeated the media, secular and Christian cult watchers, affiliated outsiders, and most importantly, the membership. The Adventism theme of Prophecy and Apocalypse NOW certainly is not the diet for the Council of Churches, but as the Evangelicals, Catholics and some New Age sects can attest to, the Trinitarian card is. This several part series, As The