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PASTOR GENERAL ' S REPORT , May 2 3 , 1 9 8 0
83 tnillion
Am.ericans
wantus to have
our day in court.
Why does the
Attorney General object?
T
he Worldwide Church nf Cod
has 1wt i 1 i orwd t he Supreme
Court of the Uni ted Stales for a
hearing to appeal certain act.ions
taken by the California eourts .
' J'huse at..·lions were Lakell at tl,e insciga-
1 iun of ( 'alifornin's 1.H lorn{')-' geuNal iind
havl, hl· en {uudly prot c:,;tcd uul u11!y hy
!ht' Worldwide ( 'hurch uf c :od, ib le11<l
crs 1111d wem lwn,, hut alsn by sueh 01 her
religu,u� organiza1 ions as the Nat iotH-ll
Cuuneil of ( : hurdw;;. uf ( ' hrist in the
U.S.A. ; Syna�ogue i 'ouncil of A111erica;
Baptist Joint. ( 'ommittec on Public Af
fans; Luthern.11 l :h,irch in Amnin,; As
�oci a t i ou oj Evangdical Lutheran
Churches; Board o J Church and So(· idy,
the United t\:lNhodist Church; t �n1eral
A!',se1uhh· uf Lhr United l'rf'shyLerian
Chur.:h in Lhc U.S.A.; National Asso,'ia
l io1 1 11f Evaugdie,lls; lllHI Nurthern ( 'ali
furnia Ecunllinin>I (�1n111l"il
Tt'.�
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-'R'l/1 1l11· "'"-�' lfo1-:.r,ml 11U,-1d1 ,m wlisMu;; ili>L·
llum m lht- h1sl<1r',' hf lho: l l u ilt•d Stult'::.. Tiu:
\•,,,1ldwidc ( ' h1u, h uf (�ucl. aceordr11�dY, h1ts
.tt!>kt.'d the ll.S. Suprt'11
1
t' l'.,urt t,1 n,1,1i.,w tho.'">e
IH"li"m, . t i n lkhalf of tho:ir !i'.1.0011,0UU 1no:mh.,r»,
Ilic <Jll11:r ro:hg1uus ur1J:anr1:<1,IJ11m, h.iv
t'
tih,J a
juinl �·rit"mb uf the (\,url (>uui,, �·uw<t'I liri
i,
j
""l'l"•fliog thi, t'lmnl, '� pu,.,itiun ,u,d 11.�ki11�
!hut lhe S
1
1pn1
1
1.· ( " <>url rrvi,·w th!! matto:r
'!'ht' <lll"fllt'}' l'.l" lll-r,il of l'itlif,,ri1i1
1
tu,� nil\
kslt"d th<' f<'4Ut"�l um1 !\11.,,-a:..kt'J lhal thl'" Court
1wt rrvirw lhl· l'l!St'
Thai '>t"t'lll� tt ,·urious pt,,;.itinn fur the attorney
�. cnrrill Lt• t,d,;i,
It wuuld sl!t·m murt· rea»mH1lill', murt' lol'.K
11
I.
for him tu wekunn· � Suprt"Un' Cuun ft'\lil·W
H,,w i� it that hr due,. n,it s<1y, (:t,fluinly li,t w,
bit\"t" 11 ht>arm�. tl!l us huve ,1 slatcinrnl om:e
11
ml
fur ull thul th,· Statt· ,1( C11.liforuiu d=b iu Lc1l'L
h;,v
t'
" rll'.hl t,j do to lh>' Wurhlwidt' l 'hurd1 of
Cud wt,al II b "Y"'I'. t.. do'/ \\.'liy ,j...,� h
i,
m,t
�11y, tht> Slt1lt' oJ ('uliforuit1 dt'1 11t,10 Liu
1
t thu, l� 11
Fu»l Au,e11Jmt>nl m1.1llt:r, <1 m11.t1�-, .,j st"1 ..mration
1,! Churi:h aud :')111Lt:, t1ml he wrdnuuo:s thi, Su
prt:IIH: (\iur1 · � ti11t1I po:..ilion <lll tho, 4u1:slJoi1
twrn.,,sr ht' 1� 5Uf
t'
h
..,
ji, riY,ht '1
\Vh.,. ·.' Cl!rt.iinly this st:ems an important
qut,.,,lloll '" lhtc tut-lfllwrs .,f th,: \·\/iJrldwiJ.,
Chuid, oi Cod It ,;,.,.,111:, i1111-1url1H1l hl 8:!.l.)l.M..J,000
i1lht'f Am.-nnrn� whu w"r�IH1-1 t1hd St'l'k (;od iu
dijlt"rent way:,. Why 1M1'1 1t imµurtaut t" th.,
l'al,h,rnla 1,tturiwy �t'ncrnl ' lit' i� lh<' 111a11 who
has lm,11.,:l,t 1hi» 1 1
1
,1lln tu lilw, o1it1:r 1111. Wh�
;l,,..•s11'! In• WiHll Lht· mrn,t st"rl<>U� 1rnrl of tht'
ljuc,-.11011 dnicl�·d, luMlly. ,n law · /
A R �:vn:w
Tu d11rify l la- positmn ul th,· Ch111d1 anti il<>
dc;,,.iri, t" :,.di!,· Lhc 4lw�liun b.,f,,n· th'-' \ I S
S<1pf1e1u,- { '1tlUl, 1 l n,t1l,I h,· Ust•ful lwrt· l u ft"Yl<·w
!lu· l•H·[� ut l h<· n1s,: ,1::1 IL hu� dr\·.. lop;:d Tl,i�
<1.J\'i;rl ts,·J u,•111, olwim,slr, h11s het·H pre 1.mnd l,y
ll rt'pn•st'nluti,,.e .,f d1t- \Vorldwi<l
i,
('hurth of
t.od «ud ht1� h
i,
rll µc111-l t1 1r by tht: ('hurd, and
, ,·rl>1.H1 ul 1l� »uµpurlt:b. 'l ' ht' ('hur.:h ha.�H voii,t
1j! 11it'w a11d a �, .,,,.._..i iukrt'�I I J.,w.,vcr, ,·uns1:1
,,.. alive n,h1u,ui
s
t ,Jam..,:, ,). Kdp;,trid1. hu» nu
\lo:stcd i11lt'f<'st i,r rrd.�"n to Sl.ll'PU!I tht Wurld
wide l'ht.1rch uf(;od. I lt·fc i!> howhi, su111u1arl.t«d
!ht· ca�e iu l h
i,
Mar.·h :25, l�t-\lJ, t'diti..n .,f the
Wm/1111,!([)11 !:>wr
It o:vi,r a n:1st· prl'M'Ulcd II braien intru
:;iwi l,y the >Hult' lljHJll lh.., heL' ,:Xo,r,·is"' 1JI fdi
i:11,11. du,, is II
"The fods ..rt' uut i,ven :;i�nilinu1lly iH dis
J•lUt·. Tm ..<1nl lilt' 1:nJ l,f IU7i-l, <l .�diism dt'vdup.
,:d wi 1h1H th,· Pa�c1t!l!m1 l;a,,cd Worhll'.·i.lt
Chtud, o l C,,d Th
i;,
JJ<ilrit1fc'l1irnl lo:t1dcr ul tbe
Clwffh, l)ii year <Jld Ht'rlJt' rt \\' . Arm:.tmu�,
spill '>l ith hi,; -th y1;.;1r-old S<>H C:t1m1:r Tcd Arm
slr,,u�
" ' H<>lf ti doz,;n d1s:;idt'u\ m
i,
ml,l'r� uf lhl'
('huH"h >."l>mpl 1 -1.ined tu tht' {';,liforui11. attorno:}'
�ruo,rnl that tJ,1: :;i,uiur Armsl!ul!� 1tud hi� dust!
iiS�"n;;.tc, St <i11ley H. Jfodo:r, wcric u1·nµ.t1.id, that
they wcrt pi!f,,rin1-: l'hurd1 µniputy, that thi,y
had ('Ull'>Jlirtcd lu »dl Churd1 propicrty ut less
th.ail ,1,, f«11 v.ilu.., th11t tht'}' hut! shredded
( '.hurd1 dm·u1ncHh lu prt'\" t.'ut their dts.·luo.urt.
a11J thal the11 wt·rt' livw� m Jui;ury Ell thl' o,x
JHc11s1' ,,! lhl' Churd1 ' s " /O,IJOll 1ucml1,.rs
·' Th., W,irld
l'<
hk t 'Jmrd
1
ot' {;,,J. hkl' many
utht'f dt"BOllHIHillu[I�, uwn,, Its. p1up1•rly IIS ,'I
!luH pruhl ,·oq"•rllll<HI. l ! 1>di.-r lhe law of (\1.\i
h,rola, 1tll �ud
i
pw1.wrty ,.,, ;u·wcd l:I» the propt:1
l) 111 th1· l(l"Ocrnl [1uhlir Tiu· ntturot,y i:crn:rnl 1.,,
dMt�:i-d w1lh .,._a1u111
1
11" ( ' hurch u,-·unl» to dt1
t1:rmi1ll' if lht, pul,lic· ht1>1 bt:.:11 ddrii.Utlt'd, or if
tlw ( '!1urd1 h.;,; lml
t>
d tu cu111pl)" wil I, luws n·t:U·
l111io1< cht1r1tdl,lr Lru"b
"Ii is <11-'Jl"fl"lltly iuun11.teri11.l thlll Ii. Chun:h, as
in U,is , . ..,,.. . H.->· rr h
.,.
,, sul1e1t
.,
,l lunds jr, , m lh
i,
g
i,
nadl puhh,:, 1,ut rdi
i,
s ,m!y UJ'"" th;, rontri
bulwns .,f iu owu mcn,btrs hl'a\L
t'
rt--d a•·ros" lh,:
nat10"
· ou tlw 111oru11,g of .lumu.ry :s, 1979, rt:iir,;d
IUt!gt: Sli,\"t" h \\-'t'i�muu, u,;n1mpan1ell hy a pl.it
t,,un ul l,1wyt,r,; n·µr
i,
s,mti11i; the si;i di�sidt'11ls
Hml 1he ;;Ltur111,)" .:enernl, dt'Sl't'nd.,d upon !he
CbuH"h's hcatl411>1rtt'f,; Y•/ei�m11.n h�d 1i.0 >1.st.m1-
isl,wji,a11.nu<mtt:1 111:nt . W11 b,iut one word ,if nulil't'
I(, LIii: Churd,. he h
11
d h
t'
eH11p 1.mintl!d il,o.rt'tt'i�·tet
"Ht"l"lllllt' <nmi,d with au t '.l P'-'rr.- court vrder
dirediui: birn t" takt' pll.',Sl'Ssio11 11nd control tif
tho: Churdi, iodud1111< t11l its 11S1>et.s; t<1 l11kc uver
th« m.t111111(t:Jn1:11l ol th
i,
Churd1 LCJ lht' 1:x.te11t
th«t ht' li<·o:uw.t llt'< 1c��<.1r}' iu hib suit' d1.,;t·rdi1>11;
t., �u�prtld ur 1. . rwiu;,tt' 111,� ' cmp�,}'CL". 1111d :m
uB Om· ol Wri�iu,,n's hr...l ud� w11� ii, hrt: lht:
l ' hurd1 ' � .- 1.-!' U l l \' t: ,,..,,· r 1: l u r y V i r � i n 1 t1
Kwtc,,lvn
".
F
m tht' nt'x.t si,wn wteks, until Chun:h lt1>d
t'!S wer<' i1l,J,. t.o!r;t'l the ri:ceivo:rshiv liftted uuJu
d $:1.4 m1\Jiu11 bond, a�t'nl,o. tl thi, �llllt' ro11med
111 wiU Lhroll!J;b. ui,.,r(y 7,000 Sl!iitd dul"Umenl�.
Th<' attorney gt--111:ral dt'Ul,'llld
i,
J that formi,r
('hurd1 uUil"i1ds jJWdllC't' for JU1i1.:ial in11pt,l"tiu11
11\ll unly liirn11rial ri;>n,rds I.Jut 11bo cunlidt:ulial
p11po:r� havint lu di, with 11111l lt'rs of ministry
11.mi Lh
i,
ulol(y---for t'.ldlllJJll', ti,,; unpui,lishi,J
l • i ltl' _µnmfs uf 11 ma11usuiµt, 'Th,; IJ,xlriut'.,, ul
thi, W..dJ1<.·ld
.,
Churt·h of (;od '
· · A t 111 , p1
1
i 1
1
t lius the l'hurch ht'ell acl"Uso:d l1f
a1:y 11,jury i" 11
1
1· puhlfr ht'11hh ur �l>fl't)', th
"'
tri11I ,·01ut hu,. st n·,;.;;.1·,! th
11
l t l
1t"
Churdi 'h.11.� H11l
hN· II iil"OJ»t'd uf <111)' W1U11gduiu�.' 'l'ho, IIIO::!l St'fi
""� <11l1,i:llti..u�. huv111.i,: tu do wilh lhc bduw vu!
m· .�ah- ui r1·11t e»l<1k f111 privHtc t,;lllll. htt\'t· lwl'n
J1smJ�!>t'!I 11� IUl'H' lwllfs.>t}
" I t is ht'�' ond t·umJHt'-h�nsion - beytind my
,·urnprd1tu�iun. 1w1- , t11,w huw th., stale of {\,ti
fur11i11 , un ,1ss,;rt d puwt·r tu i:onlr"I .,.,. hilt a
Ciiurch t'lllplo)"t't' is paiJ Tlud is»Ut' lie� 111 thc
\' t:f) h,·art uf thi5 ,'i,i:..i,
· ·Th,, bu�1t ullegt1t1
1
,n iii thal Armstmng 11nd
i,spt:nally U11Jn M'!t' ·biphoniug- otf' Church
fond» thwugh tht.'ir uwn :rnlatits and perqui·
�itt's. In Wti:;m1:1u':. vi,•w, H.ider\ $::>OOJ)UO an·
mwl �ula!y ....u� · 11L1trngt'ull,,. · H
t'
nuark..hly, \,Veis
ma11 hus Mil,mitlt'd d b,11 fur hih ht'JVkt'li. 111>
rc,:tei11i,r 111m,u11ti11g '" $ f, l ,OOO i,,r tht: · �e11en
wet:h " '*'"'k . whi,·h hturt,;, out to an 1111nual
mil' 1,f : $:!'18,tXMI Allornt:;� for lht' b!X di1>s1
dt'nls
l'<
t,u i1,�idi,11t.1:,Jt� , hH\" t: withdrawn frum
thl' 1·&»c--<1ft' Stt'k111g $175 ,(JOO in f
,,
.,s tu be paid
fn,m the frnz
i,
n Chttr•h fuHd»
· · Tt,,, Cburd1's prctitiuu fo, Supreme Courl
rt'\lit'w i� "uppurtt-d t,y frie1
1
d-of-tho:· L"s>Ull mu
ti,m,;. ir,,m th
i,
Natiunal t 'ouncil of Chur,·he,;. of
Christ 11.nd from a 1,umlH:r uf Jiapti.iH, Mt'thoJ.j.
:;l, i'rl'bl>}'to:cian 11.nd t-'.v11nl(d1,t1l bodies. The
high niurt WII» t.l l )t'dt.'d Lti u,usidt'r the pt'lillun
al us ("unft'rt'Uc't' tht.,, pllbl F:iJay. A do:cision
tuuld lie urwounted any ,L•y."
EVEN THE STATE OF CALH'ORNI A
WI LL lrnN•:f'JT
IF TUE SUl'REMt: COUl!T HEARS
Olli! AHGUMENTS
We, 1he memli..,rs t,ftht' Worldwide Church of
Cm\, �t"r tlus <.jue�lion d1> d..11r 1uul i.impll' W,:
du 11ot lwhcvt' tha.l t h.. State of C111ifo111iu and
il,; a.ttm1ie) ji:t:nernl h<1ve c,.ny right, muu.J or
lt:gHI, tu inltrfon with ou, reli
i;
ious pr
11
ctit·t:s.
\.\'., du not ,;t,"'k lllt'Ulhus Wl' du not ask thl'
µ\lbli1· for uu,11..y; "'" ll«l'er b1we. Wh11l mimt'y is
in,.,,.1lvt·d l" mu lil<>llt'Y, i,;iven freely by us lo our
l'hun:h. 1111d i1,;. lre11ders fur u::w,; that wre undl'r·
staud and of whR·h Wl' 11ppruve.
Slmila.rl}', hu\"o"e\'t'f, Wt' do not a�k 11nyone tu
llgft'e wilh l!!i iu tilt" <ift"I!. ot tlii,uloi;y nur du we
a.sk 1111yullt' tu Join with us LI) umler»litutlmg 11nd
li.JJPW,,.111� tht' a.tic>ns uf uur l:hunh anJ ib
ll'1t.dt:rs
Wo: ,111ly a.sk to bt ll'ft alone to worship God
and tu std: Him ii, mu own Wll)". as we �lie11e
wo: ure g-u;;r11.nti;t'd and µn,mis"'d by !he .Fust
A111t'11d111
i,
nt ut ' !ht' t'on,;.tituuon of thi, United
Stdles
lu lhal requt,;;t , we are suppor ted by
8:1,(Xlll,ll<"-t A111l!ricu110.
Thii, is nu bus111e.ss for lh'" State of Californi11.
Tl.it, i� out II bt pufsUtl fur the 11.llonwy l!j:t'ller11I.
Thi� • � a w<>slre ,1f ti111e dud e11t'rt,:y \\'e .ti.ft' uvl
i;uilt}' 11f wruu;:d.,in� \\'1! h
11
ve uul o:veu b.t>eu
11�·cu..ed ol wr<ml(duw�. We are willing I\/ g:o intu
c"urt. We ,'ITI. flt'l·ure iu 11ur inn,.cenL't'
\l,," i, d<> n,1
1
tiuuo, tu wondtr, however, why the
atturm�y ie11uo1l is nt,t a.s willmg to �ut.m1t his
1uiuu,ents tu th� I I S. .':iuµro:mce Court as Wt'
m
If yuu w11111 murt' iuformation, write to ui: The
\.\·'udd\\-1dc> ( 'hurd1 of Gud, Ho.1 1 1 1 , Puiidt'nl:I,
C<1Mornikl 9 1 1:.:!:l, ur t.:all uur toll-fre,: nu.m�r,
tl'.iOiJ) 4i'.l-4H4. In Californi11 t>1.ll l'ultted l11 : 1 1
577.f,�:![1
If yuo have �ume qut'sti,,ns for lht' At torney
(:1:1u•ri,.I ul !ht' St11.t1: ,if C
11
lifurnia, write t o
him
Tht: Hon. l:l'orge Dl'tlkm,;jiun
l"1i.l
1
for11111 Allt•rnt'y t:e1wr>1.I
[, '.,; , {'111 utul Mull
S11,To111111:11l" . l 0 11lif.. 111ikl �f,8J �
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