What Is Joseph Tkach's Hidden Agenda?

According to the Enclyclopedia Britannica, "The historical study of religions has shown that it is fundamentally the symbol that mediates and forms for man's religious consciousness the reality and the claim of the holy . . . e.g, the cross in Christianity" (15th edition, article: "Symbolism and Iconography, Religious").

This observation sheds light on why the Worldwide Church of God is now promoting Catholic symbols. Chief of these is the Latin or Roman cross, which is liberally displayed in the April 1993 Plain Truth -- and which Mr. Joseph Tkach has approved as a symbol members can wear as a reminder of their faith. What Mr. Tkach has failed to point out is that a cross of this shape has been historically recognized as a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church (and some of her daughters).

If one visualizes how the cover picture of the May/June Plain Truth was taken, it is obvious that the people whose arms were photographed were standing in a circle that resembles the sun-wheel symbol perpetuated by the Catholic Church -- such as on top of the black statue claimed to be Peter (in the Vatican) -- with all its pagan connotations.

The shape of the stained-glass windows and the steeple depicted in the illustration of a church building in the cover story of the same issue portray traditional Catholic/Protestant symbols. The shape of the outside windows of the proposed new men's residences at Ambassador College, Big Sandy -- illustrated in the July 6 1993 Worldwide News -- clearly resemble the shape of the arches that lead to the high altar at the center of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. (See Babylon Mystery Religion by Ralph Woodrow, page 135, or any other photograph of this area).

The Catholic art which The Plain Truth now reproduces and calls Christian, contains traditional Catholic symbols conveying Catholic religious concepts. The use of these Catholic -- or Protestant -- symbols is obviously a deliberate and conscious choice by the publisher and editor-in-chief and his administration.

The glossary in the controversial booklet "God IS . . ." also leans toward the Catholic view. It describes Constantine as the "Roman emperor who accepted the legitimacy of Christianity (A.D. 313), establishing Christianity as the Roman Empire's official religion." This and other entries in the glossary imply that the Worldwide Church of God now accepts Roman Catholic Christianity as legitimate.

Since the Catholic Church claims to be the one true church which can trace its history back to apostolic times -- and since the Worldwide Church of God no longer stresses such claims for itself, but is openly displaying Catholic symbols --- one is compelled to ask:

That Mr. Tkach's new Trinitarian view of YEHOVAH God was formulated as a result of prompting by a Catholic priest, implies that he believes YEHOVAH is working through such men to draw his attention to new truths.

The Worldwide Church of God has embarked on a doctrinal roller-coaster ride of accelerated change. Almost every issue of the Plain Truth or Worldwide News contains major reversals of longstanding previously held teachings. Few members or ministers can keep up with the winds of change blowing through Pasadena. The resultant disorientation is not unlike that experienced by those who join cults that strip them of their previous identity and beliefs, and impose a new order and new leader in their lives.

Whatever else it may be, this new Worldwide Church of God era cannot be the Philadelphia Era which Messiah predicted would 'hold fast' to the doctrinal truths he had already given them.

Could it be a little joke of Lucifer, that most of the new booklets published under Joseph Tkach's leadership are clearly marked with the symbol "L." Could it be "L" for Laodicean?