Tony the Tour Guy's Mostly 1970s NYC History Blog

Welcome to Tony the Tour Guy's blog! Here we feature Tony's rants about various topics in New York City history, with particular emphasis upon that typically unappreciated decade, the Seventies. For our purposes, the era began roughly at the time when Jimi Hendrix died (9/18/70) and ended with the presidency of Ronald Reagan and the freedom of the Iran hostages (1/20/81). We cover everything from Pet Rocks to the Moonies to Checker Taxicabs here, and welcome your participation.

Monday, April 24, 2006

TV Evangelist and "Adulterating SOB" Garner Ted Armstrong


"Al, let's get one thing straight! I'm a no good, fornicating, adulterating son of a bitch!"

- Garner Ted Armstrong to a fellow minister.

TV evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong looked like a movie star, spoke with the authority of an Oxford professor crossed with a general and had the down-home manner of a friendly bartender. He also had the libido of a rhino in heat, while at the same time milking millions from unsuspecting viewers. In some ways he was the worst of the TV evangelists, who really started making it big in the Seventies.

GTA'’s father, Herbert W. Armstrong had been on the air for decades, and actually founded a denomination called the Radio Church of God (subsequently renamed the Worldwide Church of God). A gifted orator, Herbie brought in thousands of converts, including chess whiz Bobby Fischer, most of whom paid up to three tenths of their incomes to the church. His teachings were a mixture of old-time religion and doomsday, and he was always predicting the end of the world. During the Sixties his son Garner Ted, a Korean War vet who received a BA, MA and PhD from the church'’s unaccredited Ambassador College in California, took over the reins. His "The World Tomorrow"” show (shown locally on WOR TV and broadcast nightly on WOR radio) had a huge international following, and thousands sent for his monthly magazine, The Plain Truth, which resembled a glossy Watchtower. You could often find copies in subway stations. He also did nationwide speaking tours, which filled large arenas.

Never seen a Worldwide Church of God branch? Not surprising. They usually met in rented spaces. A friend'’s brother belonged to a chapter in New Jersey that we dubbed Temple Beth Ramada, since it met Saturdays at a Ramada Inn. The church demanded absolute loyalty and obedience from followers, while its leaders lived in luxury.

Soon after GTA took the reins he developed a reputation for adultery, especially with naive young coeds from Ambassador College. He would keep repenting of his sins, then going back to his old ways. Eventually Dad sacked his son, but brought him back in the early Seventies - probably because he brought in the bucks so well. It was in 1975 that it finally hit the fan, when Time magazine finally wrote stories about what was going on within the church. GTA was permanently removed - – and promptly founded his own church, while Herbie, then in his 80s, took over the church’s broadcast empire. The State of California put the college in receivership, and soon there were numerous reports of irregularities. Herbie was shown to be an alcoholic, and GTA'’s affairs became the stuff of legends. The church slowly began to collapse.

GTA died in Texas last year. Geraldo Rivera had run an episode on his show several years ago which reportedly showed GTA seducing a woman.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Add to Herb Armstrong's the key element known as "British or Anglo Israelism." This is a theory that claims the English people are descendents from so-called Ten Lost Tribes of Israel who were scattered by the Assyrians in 722B.C. Armstrong's cult practiced certain Old Testament dietary and worship laws. Hence they ate no pork or shellfish, and met on Saturdays.

After the G.Ted debacle, a majority of Worldwide Church of God leadership broke with the Armstrongs altogether and eventually adopted a more orthodox Christianity. They repudiated Anglo-Israelism, adopted the Nicene Creed as the standard of faith, and worship on Sundays in a more-or-less evangelical Protestant style of worship.

I've met some former WCOG members who are now "regular" Protestant Christians and who are open, but ashamed, of their origins.

Doug

8:15 AM  
Blogger Tony the Tour Guy said...

The old Anglo Israel tradition was also preached by Dr. Gene Scott, a preacher popular on UHF TV during the 80s and 90s. I believe David Letterman used to parody him. Scott wore a cowboy hat and smoked big cigars.

I think the AI theory helped GTA recruit members. He took patriotism and ethnocentrism and raised them up a few notches. Not only were we English-speaking Yanks the best damn people on Earth, but we were so because God Almighty ordained so. It was HIS will that we RULE.

GTA was also macho. Just that name alone. Hell, compared to "Oral" Roberts...

10:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heh Heh! I remember Gene Scott. A real nut case. His religious "Services," if you could call them that, were by private admission only, and I understand he had goons standing around to make sure no naysayers got in, or got out before the end of the meeting! D.

10:17 PM  

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