"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice

like a trumpet, and shew my people their

transgression, and the house of Jacob

their sins." -- Isaiah 58:1.

The PLAIN TRUTH about

JOSEPH W. TKACH --

APOSTLE? Or APOSTATE?

I have known many of you for many years, as we went

through Ambassador College together, worked in Letter

Answering, attended Ministerial Conferences, visited the

people of God, and did "the Work." But now I am no

longer in the "Church" and you are subject to the authority

of the man responsible for my ouster over three years ago,

after the death of Herbert Armstrong. What kind of man

is Joe Tkach, anyway? Where is he leading you? Have

you ever carefully examined his "Fruits"? Is the Church

of God being led astray? Have you become an unwitting

tool of apostasy? What are your chances under his govern-

ment of entering the Kingdom of God? Here are some

provable facts which maybe you ought to seriously

consider, lest you and those under you lose out on the

very purpose of our calling -- the Kingdom of God!

William F. Dankenbring

At the funeral of Herbert W. Armstrong, Joseph W. Tkach, his successor over the Worldwide Church of God, said, "I cannot fill his shoes, but I will follow in his footsteps." In these words Joseph Tkach promised to follow in the direction and pathway set by Herbert W. Armstrong as leader over the 80,000

member Worldwide Church of God.

Did Joseph Tkach really mean what he said?

Or has he led the entire Church of God into gross error and apostasy?

On January 16, 1986, the very day that Herbert Armstrong died in Pasadena, Joseph Tkach wrote in a letter to members and co-workers about Mr. Armstrong,

"Even in the last year of his life, with declining strength,

he completed with God's help HIS MOST POWERFUL

AND EFFECTIVE BOOK, Mysery of the Ages."

Tkach went on:

"I hope none of you will miss the January 26 telecast,

which will be a special tribute to Mr. Armstrong, and will

offer to the viewers a softbound copy of Mr. Armstrong's

final and most important book, Mystery of the Ages."

In the November/December 1986 Plain Truth, Joseph Tkach wrote in his "Personal" column:

"With this issue we complete our serialized publication

of Mystery of the Ages by Herbert W. Armstrong. Although

in declining health, and for all practical purposes blind, Mr.

Armstrong persevered during the last year of his life to complete

this, his last book. . . .

"Herbert W. Armstrong often likened understanding the Bible

to putting together a jigsaw puzzle. At first there is a jumble of

unrelated pieces. But as you fit them together a clear picture

begins to emerge. Over the years, God gave him more pieces

of the puzzle, and he never stopped learning. Shsortly before

he died, he said he had understood more in the last 10 years of

his long life than in all the previous decades.

"Mystery of the Ages is the product of that understanding. Mr.

Armstrong did not underestimate the importance of this last work,

for it contained vital keys to understanding the plan of God as

revealed in the Bible. Mystery of the Ages in a very real sense

was a last will and testament, to be passed on to those who would

value it. As we come to the last installment of this remarkable

book, we gratefully acknowledge our indebtedness to Herbert

W. Armstrong, and his dogged search for the truth. He freely

shared his understanding with us, and we have been privileged to

make it available to you. He loved and respected his readers and,

in a figurative sense, he remembered you in his will."

Mystery of the Ages -- ABOLISHED!

So said Joseph W. Tkach. But did he really mean it? "By their fruits you will know them," Jesus Christ declared (Matt.7:20). Consider, therefore, the real "fruits"!

When Herbert Armstrong wrote Mystery of the Ages, he felt it was "the most important book in my life." He felt it may be the most important book since the Bible. He felt God directly inspired it through the Holy Spirit. He considered it the most valuable gift he could give to the brethren of God's Church. Three months before his death, at the Feast of Tabernacles, Herbert Armstrong had a videotape played announcing the book as his "most important and significant work" -- the epitome work of his entire ministry and life!

But less than three years after his death, Joseph W. Tkach has withdrawn the book from print -- scrapped it -- abolished it! Although the Church takes in about $200 million dollars a year in tithes and offerings, Larry Salyer of Ministerial Services explained in the Pastor General's Report tat the Church simply couldn't afford to print it! Tkach explained that the book was discontinued because some critics found fault with it because of "peripheral or incidental points."

In the May 21, 1990 Worldwide News he went even further. Tkach declared

". . . The fact is, Mr. Armstrong himself told me that the

book contained errors and that he needed to rewrite it.

"When Mr. Armstrong died, I felt that there was so much

valuable truth in the book that we should continue using it

anyway. For a while, we did.

"After a while, I realized that the ERRORS in the book

could make the whole subject seem UNRELIABLE, and

I had to do what I perhaps should have done to begin with.

". . . I was with Mr. Armstrong while he wrote the book. For

the majority of the text, he either used materials from other

booklets directly or he slightly rewrote them.

"His purpose was to put the basics of the truth all under one

cover, not to come up with startling new revelation. When

the book was finished, Mr. Armstrong made some very strong

claims regarding the book. He even called it the most important

book since the Bible. This was an overstatement.

"He was human, and he made mistakes, as he himself admitted.

He was excited about the truth the book contained. He was

excited for the people who would read the book. And HE

SIMPLY GOT CARRIED AWAY IN HIS DESCRIPTION

OF IT. Now, will some condemn him for that?"

Do you notice the subtlety of Joseph Tkach's remarks? He accuses Herbert Armstrong of getting "CARRIED AWAY," of being guilty of "an overstatement," of making "some very strong claims" regarding the book.

Compare Joseph Tkach's words with the very words of Herbert Armstrong that we have quoted -- and even the words of Joseph Tkach himself just before and soon after Herbert Armstrong's death! WHICH JOE TKACH WILL YOU BELIEVE? -- the first one, who praised Herbert Armstrong's book? Or the SECOND one, who CONDEMNS Herbert Armstrong's book which summed up his entire life's ministry?

The first Joseph Tkach said he will follow in Herbert Armstrong's footsteps. The scond Joe Tkach has debunked and destroyed the epitome of Herbert Armstrong's life's work! He did NOT merely "correct" the few errors in Mystery of the Ages. He DESTROYED the entire book!

Which Joe Tkach will YOU believe?

"Fiery Language" Prophets

In this same editorial, Joseph Tkach makes it clear to those who read Prophecy Flash that he considers me as a "would-be prophet." He asserts:

"I am sorry to have to say it, but certain ones who were once

among us have now set themselves up as special 'prophets,'

or 'watchmen' of the Church or the nation, using FIERY

LANGUAGE to proclaim that 'This s the end!'

"In this manner, they are able to stir up unsuspefcting people,

who are not well grounded in the Scriptures, to support them

and to look to them as great leaders.

"All this can be especially effective to the unwary if these

modern-day 'prophets' are able to convince people God's Church

has 'left the faith once delivered,' is 'watering down true doctrine'

or is 'becoming or already is Laodicean.'"

Rather than engage in perfidious name-calling, like Mr. Tkach does, let us simply examine the FRUITS, as Jesus said to do! Have YOU noticed a definite trend in the Plain Truth and Good News toward watering down prophecy, doctrine, and a scarcity of strong-meat articles such as used to appear?

In the short space of three years since the death of Herbert Armstrong, Joseph Tkach has led the Church of God into the following changes --

1. Watering down Bible prophecy of the end time!

2. Claims prophecy can FAIL!

3. Changed the teaching on divine healing 180 degrees -- now anything goes!

4. Claims we do not "qualify" for our salvation!

5. Changed the doctrine on make up and cosmetics -- 180 degrees -- now

anything goes!

6. Changed doctrine on birthday observances 180 degrees!

7. Herbert Armstrong declared unequivocally that the college should not be

"accredited" by organizations of MEN. Joseph Tkach has unequivocally

stated that Ambassador College is seeking ACCREDITATION!

8. Joseph Tkach has withdrawn the sacred calendar from publication. Will

the Church under him now "think to change times and laws"?

9. Herbert Armstrong built the Church largely on the basis of the truth of our

nations identity as "modern Israel." Joseph Tkach says this doctrine is

UNIMPORTANT -- merely something to "arouse our curiosity"!

10. Herbert Armstrong put his son out of the Church when he attempted to

move Ambassador College to Big Sandy, Texas. Now, three years after

Herbert Armstrong's death, Joseph Tkach has done the unbelievable -- the

unthinkable -- he has moved the college, lock, stock and barrel -- TO

TEXAS! According to Los Angeles realtors, the Church property in

Pasadena, including the "House for God," are up for sale!

What are the real "fruits" of this man? If Herbert Armstrong were alive today, do you really think he would endorse the "works" of Joseph Tkach?

The Real Attitude Behind the Public Mask

For many years I worshipped God as a member of the Worldwide Church of God, went to the Festivals, and rejoiced in the truth which God had revealed to His Church -- truth which many of us had proved for ourselves, before becoming part of the Worldwide Church of God. I myself entered Ambassador College in fall of 1959, and graduated in spring of 1963, and began writing for the Church magazines in 1965 on a regular basis. During the next nine years I wrote about one hundred articles, booklets, and Correspondence Course lessons for the Church, besides thousands of personal letters as a member of the Letter Answering staff for a number of years.

But now it is no more. Many changes have occurred during the past thirty years, since I was a student at Ambassador, and thrilled to hear of the "progress" of the Work. Terrible scandals have ripped through the Church, cover ups of enormous sexual sins, and perfidy and betrayal among top ministers, as well as a "Receivership Crisis" when the state of California sought to seize control of the Church, alleging theft, impropriety and mismanagement of the use of Church funds.

When he was in his nineties, Herbert Armstrong was extremely dependent on other men around him to support him and carry on the Work. In his weakened condition, he still knew his limitations, and admitted that one of his chief weaknesses was his inability to judge human character. Before his death, he gave control of the Church of God and all its resources to a man he trusted above all others at that time, yet a man he scarcely knew, and had only known for a very few years to any extent -- after the Receivership Crisis struck. How was it that Herbert Armstrong picked this man, virtually out of nowhere, who had never been more than a local elder, most of his life, and only raised to preaching elder in 1974, but suddenly became personal assistant to Herbert Armstrong in 1979, was raised to evangelist, and placed over Church Administration the same year. Why did he pick him, as death drew near in January, 1986, to take complete charge as an "apostle" to rule the Worldwide Church of God and its 200 million dollar a year income? Doesn't the thought boggle your mind? Just what kind of man is Tkach, anyway? What do YOU really know about him? Is it just remotely possible that Satan the devil pulled off his master stroke when Herbert Armstrong appointed Joseph Tkach as his successor over the Worldwide

Church of God?

Satan's Master Stroke?

Jesus said, "You will know them by their fruits." His exact warning to us was, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matt.7:15-16, NIV). What are the real "fruits" of Joe Tkach?

John Trechak, a former Ambassador College student, law student at Loyola University, and an exceptional investigative reporter, in researching the background of this mysterious figure, put the lie to the claims of Tkach and his Worldwide sychophants who said that he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, studying industrial management, industrial safety and human factors in industry, claimed that he was a supervisor with Hupp Aviation, and one time when he was allegedly "fired" for refusal to work on the weekly Sabbath almost 2,000 people milled around on a wildcat strike because they had heard of his firing. How many of these claims were true?

The reporter found out that Hupp Aviation, now Aircraft Gears Corp., has never had more than a few hundred employees at the very most, that Tkach was never a manager or a supervisor or even a union leader, and that the "wildcat strike" was a complete fabrication with no basis in fact whatsoever. An engineer who worked at the plant during those years recalled that even an incident involving a handful of employees would have been big news at the plant, but nothing of the kind cited by Tkach or his public relations experts ever took place. Rather, while he worked there Tkach was "just one of the guys." He was only an hourly wage employee and did "assembly work."

Says Trechak, "So Tkach was not born in 1926 [as the Church official biography claimed], was never a Jew, did not establish churches during the sixties, was never a Chicago businessman, was never an aviation industry production supervisor, and never had thousands of fellow factory workers demonstrating on his behalf." The reporter also found out thast Tkach had never been enrolled at the Illinois Institute of Technology either. There is no record of his ever having attended ITT. Officials were adamant. Emphatically, they declared, Tkach had never taken "industrial management, industrial safety, and human factors in industry" -- in fact, the institute had never offered such courses!

In Slavic tongues, the name Tkach means variously "weaver," "tailor," or "spider." Worldwide leaders have often made a big point of Tkach being "the Master Weaver" who will "weave" the Church together during the last days. But "spider's" also weave a web -- and Tkach has certainly lived up to his name in the web of deception he has woven to hide and obscure his

background, and to "exalt himself" with a tissue of lies concerning his past "exploits."

U.S. Navy Record

Does it surprise you to learn that Joseph Tkach has lied extensively about his background and history? But this is only the beginning. Tkach and his supporters have also made a very big deal of his supposed military prowess during World War II. His leadership skills have been compared to General George Patton. In sermons it was claimed that Tkach had been a navy gunner who had gained fame and notoriety for his exploits in downing Japanese kamikazes in the Pacific theater. Tkach was a seaman on the USS Austin. Did the Austin ever encounter Japanese kamikazes?

The U.S. Navy's own records show that the Austin was not present at the battles of Leyte Gulf in 1944 or at Okinawa in 1945, when kamikazes attacked the U.S. Fleet. The nearest the Austin ever got to seeing action was during the landing of troops on Attu in the Aleutians on May 11, 1943, when Tkach would have been only 16 years of age -- too young to be in the Navy. After that, it escorted convoys between San Francisco and Hawaii, escorted ships between Alaskan ports, and finished up the war patrolling in the Carolinas and Marianas. The truth is Joe Tkach never saw action during World War II. The Navy's own records show that Tkach was not an antiaircraft gunner, but only a "fireman second class," indicating training in only elementary mechanical maintance. Further, Tkach's period of service was from January 17, 1945 to July 22, 1946. During this time he served on the Austin, too late to see any action, and on the U.S.S. Jupiter, a converted cargo ship. The Jupiter saw much action during the war, but only BEFORE Tkach came on board! The Jupiter's last encounter with the Japanese was at Iwo Jima, in March 1945 -- the very time Tkach was just completing basic training in Illinois. Thus Joe Tkach's war stories are nothing but thin air -- pure braggadocio -- concocted out of spun sugar. They have no more substance than cotton candy.

Betrayal of an Old Blind Man

Further insight into Tkach's character can be seen in the case of Garnet H. Hill, who was a 77-year old member of the Church in 1970. His eyesight was failing, and his wife was dying from cancer, but in response to a co-worker letter from Herbert Armstrong, Hill sold his real estate holdings and gave $20,000 to the Church as a gift. A local minister took the money from him, but never gave him any receipt. Hill never felt right about how the gift was handled, and began asking for a receipt, wanting to know what happened to his money. Because of his badgering insistence, he was disfellowshipped! By this time Garnett Hill was totally blind, and his wife was dead. He had scarcely a friend left in the world -- and now he was cut

off from the Church which he had faithfully supported for years! Joseph Tkach, director of Ministerial Services in Pasadena at the time, backed up the local minister in his handling of the situation. Thus the Church turned its back on a man who had become blind, merely because he wanted to know what happened to the $20,000 he had given to the Church!

I have corresponded with the man who took care of Mr. Hill the last few years of his life -- a former deacon in the Church. The story of corruption and wickedness beggars description. Surely Mr. Hill will be richly rewarded by God for his own faithfulness and loyalty, despite trials; but woe to those spiritual cowards and bastards who "disfellowshipped" him for no cause, and tried to "hush him up" and make him keep quiet about the theft of his money, which was obviously stolen by the ministry! And this sordid action was supported and backed up by none other than Joseph Tkach. In a letter written by Joseph Tkach to Mr. Hill dated April 9, 1981, Tkach declared:

"I have reviewed our files and received additional information

regarding the background of your situation from other people

in our legal department and mail processing center. I feel I under-

stand what happened.

"Also, I have verified with Mr. Kersha the circumstances leading

up to your being disfellowshipped. After all this review, my

conclusion is that Mr. Kersha has performed this duty as God

would have him to.

"It is regrettable that the sale of your property was MISHANDLED

[Tkach's words -- according to Mr. Hill, Kersha and other ministers

tried to make him coverup what he called the "stolen $20,000. They

told me to keep quiet and not talk about the theft. . ."] like it was. But

you must come to realize that the people involved have REPENTED

of their wrong doing [Tkach wrote this -- but nobody ever apologized

to Mr. Hill, or admitted to him they stole his money, or confessed their

sin! So how can Tkach say whether or not anybody "repented of their

wrongdoing" or not? His is very presumptuous -- nevertheless,

condones the disfellowshipping of this righteous man!]. When God

forgives He forgets. You must learn to do the same. Mr. Kersha has

given you several warnings about talking against the ministry of the

Church. You shouldn't have continued to harbor this ill will" (Tkach

letter of April 9, 1981).

Joseph Tkach thus justified the decision to disfellowship a man who had given $20,000 to the Church -- and all he ever wanted for it was a receipt! If anyone every really "repented" of their wrongdoing, they forgot to tell Mr. Hill about it. Rather, the entire ministry in the Church area involved sought to COVER UP this shameful, disgraceful, despicable act!

After Mr. Hill got Tkach's letter, he wrote another letter to Herbert Armstrong about the problem. His heart-rending letter is dated April 27, 1981. He wrote:

"Dear Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong,

"I appeal direct to you. I wrote you a personal letter in February

[to] tell you how I was sput out of the Church for telling the truth

when people asked me about the local minister stealing $20,000

donation I gave to the Church. I wrote personal on your envelope

but it was answered by Mr. Tkach.

"Mr. Tkach got your mail and answered telling me to repent and that

Mr. Kersha was doing God's work right. I will be welcomed back

to the Church when I will cover up for the thieves that stole the

Church money. I have not harmed anyone. I am treated like a

thief and told to repent. I woked for the money many years. Mr. Tkach

said the thieves had repented. I heard Mr. Curtis left the Church. How

did he repent? The local men that helped him have never admitted

doing wrong to me.

"The new ministers have ordered me to cover up and don't talk about

it. . . Isaiah 58:1 will not let me cover up. I am 88 years old and have

been mistreated for almost ten years over this. I am treated like a

thief. Mr. Armstrong, will you expose the thieves?"

Joseph Tkach would not dig into the real issues, and get the facts. He would not expose the true thieves, and exonerate the righteous old man. He would not defend the innocent and aged! Rather, he joined in the wicked plot to overthrow a righteous old man and condone the wickedness of the guilty!

What does the Word of God say we should do is cases like this? Should we quietly "cover up" the sin? Notice what the apostle Paul says about this flaming issue.

"Those who sin are sto be REBUKED PUBLICLY, so that the

others may take warning" (I Tim.5:20, NIV).

"Those who are GUILTY of sin you should EXPOSE IN

PUBLIC, to overawe the others" (Moffatt translation).

"If he has really sinned, then he should be REBUKED IN

FRONT OF THE WHOLE CHURCH so that no one else

will follow his example" (Living Bible).

"As for those who are guilty and persist in sin, REBUKE

AND ADMONISH them in the presence of all, so that the

rest may be warned and stand in wholesome awe and fear"

(Amplified Bible).

"If sin is actually proved, then the OFFENDERS should be

PUBLICLY REBUKED as a salutary warning to others"

(Phillips translation).

Of course, it goes without saying that Joseph Tkach, who represented Herbert Armstrong in this matter, did NOT follow Paul's advice. On the contrary, he endorsed the coverup, and the expulsion from fellowship of an innocent, angry, righteous old man who had been defrauded and defamed and hurt by the actions of ministers in the Church -- including the coup de grace -- his rejection by Joseph W. Tkach, acting for Herbert W. Armstrong!

Need I say more about this matter? If you would like to know the entire sordid story, and read the actual correspondence, then you should write to Neville C. Gilbert, 7087 Washington Avenue, Lantana, Florida 33462.

Judas Iscarisot -- the Thief

Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Christ, was also the disciple who carried the "bag" -- that is, he was the "treasurer" among the small band of disciples who followed Christ. Judas "had charge of the money" (John 13:29). John's gospel records, "he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6). A thief cannot be trusted.

Was Joe Tkach also a "thief"? Consider the evidence.

Jack Kessler, former Worldwide Church of God attorney and accountant, in a letter written to the Church's board of trustees during the Receivership Crisis, remarked: