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PASTOR'S REPORT, April 23, 1979
Page 15
Fighting Fire with Fire!
We didn't go to court, we were taken. We didn't start the lawsuit, but
we are using the laws of the land to thwart any individual official or
agency that would abuse the legal processes at our expense.
Mr. Rader reminded us that Mr. Herbert Armstrong has always said that if
there is a conflict, we ought to "obey God and not man." He has never
said to obey an illegal act on the part of the state. "It might be one
thing to resist as assiduously as we have been if we were seeking to
gain something from the state, but this should be distinguished from a
situation like the present one where� unlawful activity is trying to do
something to us and take something away from us that is fundamental.
"I say, as Mr. Armstrong has said, we might be forced, somewhere down the
line, to submit to greater physical force. He has said he is willing to
go to jail if need be, but he is going to use all lawful means to resist
an unlawful act. Mr. Armstrong has been very strong on this point. He
thinks that what he has done so far is right in God's eyes and he has
proven it to himself scripturally," said Mr. Rader.
An extremely interesting point was made by one employee. He observed
that the dissidents have used the argument that we should trust in God to
protect the Church rather than fighting the State in the legal arena. But
he turned that argument around and asked, "Why do the dissidents have to
go to the state in the first place? Why haven't they trusted God to pro
tect God's Church instead of urging the state to act in their behalf?"
Good question� !
Not by Might Alone
Mr. Rader pointed out that the prestige and the tremendous resources of
the State of California make the battle a formidable one. However, he
reiterated that through our spiritual and physical resources we can prevail.
Through God's help, Mr. Armstrong's inspiring letters to the membership
and the collective effort of the members, he said, a victory is not only
possib , but that God's Church shall prevail�
The "fire storm" is under control now. Every court order is stayed. No
one is in violation of any court order (if we were they would love to cite
us for contempt of court) and meanwhile we are in the procedural stages
of the lawsuit, taking our case to the appellate court.
(If there were
not mistakes made in the lower courts there would obviously be no need for
the appellate courts to even exist.)
Mr. Rader pointed out that since he is not hiding behind the 5th amend
ment (though he has a perfect right to do so vis-a-vis the Internal
Revenue Service investigation), he certainly is not trying to hide behind
the first amendment. le is a purposeless argument to think that Mr.
Armstrong or anyone else is hiding behind the first amendment either.
God's Church is merely refusing to agree to or comply in a clear abuse of
power and flagrant violation of the public trust by the highest law en
forcement agency in the State of California!
(Editor's Note: Mr. Rader told the News Summary that the entire trans
cript of the over two-hour employee meeting will appear in The Worldwide
News.)