The Misrepresentation of the 1970s 'Liberals'

Recently ESN released a letter commenting upon the so-called 'Liberals' who alledgedly opposed HWA in the 1970s, dated March 13.

I remember being told many things about the "liberals" in the 70's--how they dared to challenge HWA and God's authority. I heard lots about this, and I'm not too sure if it was because we lived in CA and we were in HWA's backyard, or because Leroy Cole (our minister) was Wayne Cole's brother (which was kept really hush-hush). But one thing for sure, it was drilled into us that these "liberals" were awful, rebellious people, headed for the Lake of Fire. They were openly ridiculed from the pulpit. It wasn't until I left, and ESN sent me a copy of all the letters those "awful liberals" wrote, that I saw they were actually very intelligent and sincere, and wanted to correct abuses. --Ex WCG member

To this day those who were loyal to HWA back in the 1970s continue to insist that the 'Liberals' were following ungodly motives, in the same way HWA taught.

Here's Dave Pack, cult leader of RCG.

The liberals of the 1970s introduced certain doctrines because they wanted acceptance by mainstream Christian organizations, (The Authorized Biography of David C. Pack, Volume 2, Chapter 36, 'The 1990s—Not the Liberal 1970s'. [That's the last section of the chapter.])

Is that true?

It is not. Some of them continue to run COG organizations. Some of them continue to teach doctrines which could never be accepted by mainstream Christians.

That accusation is untrue.

I do not believe that at all.

Another thing they were not seeking to grab the money HWA was able to gain from his eternally abused flock.

I know this because some them, such as Ernest Martin, became convinced that tithing did not apply to the church at all. Indeed I have read elsewhere that his groups were never financially secure, in large part because his groups never asked for tithes.

As far as I can tell the 'liberals' (those who believed differently from HWA's rigid dogmas) were people who simply wanted to reform WCG in order to remove abuses and make WCG a better, more loving, place.

I do not encourage anyone to uncritically accept whatever they say but I believe they acted against HWA only because they had a sincere loving attitude toward the members of WCG.

HWA and his cronies were incorrect to demonize the 1970s 'Liberals' and scapegoat them for all the problems of WCG in the way they did.

In reality HWA and GTA's authoritarian and dictatorial rule over WCG members bore a huge responsibility for the many problems that existed in the 1970s. But they ever so conveniently blamed it all on these 'Liberals'.