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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, January 11, 1980
Page 7
amongst the public, or the media, has become convinced to a greater or
lesser extent that the living Christ does control this Church and that God
is on His throne. I bump into these people every day and they are view
ing us with renewed respect every day. Only the state, in the Attorney
General's office, doesn't believe it. But believe me, in time they will
learn."
Resisting Lawsuit Not in Conflict with God's Law
It is important in looking back over the past year to realize, as Mr.
Rader pointed out, that there has not been a conflict between God's law
and man's law. But, it was emphasized, if there ever is a conflict then
we "ought to obey God rather than men." So the past year has been one of
protecting rights that the Church does have under man's law, though they
are presently under attack by a state agency which, initially, came into
the fight with great credibility in the courts.
We must understand that in America we as individuals and as a Church have
certain rights under man's law. But Mr. Rader pointed out that this
doesn't prevent the Attorney General from trying to assert his own powers
of office and even, through misrepresentation of his intent to the courts
and to the public, to try to deny our rights in order to achieve his own
ends if at all possible.
"They said they weren't trying to take over the Church," Mr. Rader reminded
the audience, " ...but in the complaint [lawsuit] it says 'We want to change
the governance of the Church.'" Still the Attorney General's men say
publicly that they just want an examination. "t'Vhat," demanded Mr. Rader,
"has an examination or an investigation to do with governance? They want
it changed from a hierarchical structure to a congregational structure.
They want to remove Mr. Armstrong FOREVER. They weren't happy to just
remove him. They wanted to perpetually bar him forever, as well as every
body else associated with him. What does that have to do with an examina
tion? The answer is obvious: nothing!"
So �-f we had not asserted our rights under man's law where would the Church
be today? What would have become of the Work? Mr. Rader said that as the
othe� churches became aware of what the Attorney General really wanted to
do, they rallied to our cause.
Mr. Rader and Mr. Helge have said, when other agencies inquire of us with
out the abusive conduct the Attorney General displayed, we answer all their
questions and show them any documents they want to see.
We always have.
But some brethren have, nevertheless, thought we were doing the wrong thing
by standing up for our rights and the special privileges and immunities
that a Church has in this country. Rights that are guaranteed under man's
law!
"And if we ever have to make a choice between standing up for our
rights under God's law and fulfilling our duty under God's law, even if it
should mean failing to obey man's law because there is a conflict, I would
hope we would all know that we must follow God's law," declared Mr. Rader.
At another time during the same talk and along the same lines, Mr. Rader
added that although he believes the la,.suit will be successfully smashed,
"because we do have God on our side," nevertheless, "someday there might
be a conflict between God's law and man's law. But it is not here yet....
It would only come about in such time and place if the state should pre
vail and should prevail in such a manner as to obey man's law would result