Julian Assange and The World Tomorrow

Back in 1934, a fledgling radio program was launched by Herbert W. Armstrong. It was, as Mr. Armstrong declared at the time, launched with the very humblest of beginnings. Its goal was to educate humankind in the incredible future that the Creator had promised would soon embrace this globe.

Eight years after that program launched, it began airing over radio in Los Angeles under a new title. In Volume 2 of his autobiography, Mr. Armstrong explained that “since in the world’s language the message of the true gospel—the Kingdom of God—is about tomorrow’s world, I adopted the broadcast name The World Tomorrow!”

That program was to develop over the ensuing half century into a radio and television program of unprecedented international reach. Its creator, Herbert W. Armstrong, was to become renowned and much loved by many a world leader in the latter part of the 20th century.

Following his death in his 94th year on Jan. 16, 1986, clandestine forces within the church that he had founded quickly moved to destroy its globe-girdling work and its positive contributions to both world peace and loving relations between all peoples that it endorsed. Within four years of his death, the parent enterprise, the Worldwide Church of God (wcg), bore no real resemblance to that which Mr. Armstrong had so painstakingly and lovingly built up since its inception in 1931.

The lot of continuing on with the legacy of Herbert Armstrong’s work fell to two men—Gerald Flurry and his assistant, John Amos. Today, 22 years after its own humble beginnings, the Philadelphia Church of God (pcg) thrives, leading a worldwide work of increasing proportions, sponsoring its own Key of David television program, its own elementary and high schools—Imperial Academy—its own youth development program and its own tertiary college—Herbert W. Armstrong College. In addition, the church’s flagship magazine, the Philadelphia Trumpet, serves over a million readers worldwide, with the Trumpet website garnering an increasing following monthly. Further, the pcg-sponsored Key of David television program logs an increasing audience.

One of the most impactful of the church’s outreach programs is that of the Armstrong International Cultural Foundation. From premises becoming known as the jewel of the Midwest—Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond, Oklahoma—the foundation sponsors concerts by internationally renowned artists in a world-class concert series.

Currently the foundation is featuring a unique premiere exhibition of archaeological findings from digs at Jerusalem’s City of David site, showcasing finds by internationally renowned archeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar. Around 20 students and alumni of Herbert W. Armstrong College will, this summer, engage in further excavations at Jerusalem’s Solomonic Wall under Dr. Mazar’s direction. This is an archeological project of international significance.

In 1997, the stance taken by Gerald Flurry and the pcg to confront the wcg in court for possession of the most important of Herbert Armstrong’s published works ended six years later with the pcg gaining ownership of those works. This is the literary foundation upon which the Philadelphia Church of God and its various institutions thrive to this day.

Consistent with Herbert Armstrong’s biblical approach (Matthew 10:8), all publications produced by the pcg are given to recipients—distributed only upon their request—at no charge, with no obligation and no follow-up. The pcg is a non-proselytizing church. All who become affiliated with the church do so voluntarily.

Running against the tide in the general community, the pcg teaches the biblical laws on marriage and the family. The result is a church community producing families with no confusion on gender, race, marital or family roles. Those who visit our campus often comment on the brightness and glowing happiness expressed by the students and church members they encounter. What they see is a church community striving to express the love of God among their fellow human beings, striving to work for peace among all nations and peoples.

The fruits of this way of life, completely biblically based, are most tangibly positive and inspiring. That way of life is simply designed by its Creator to develop and enhance the prospects of all who embrace it in exploiting their full, incredible, God-given potential.

This is the legacy, these are the richly positive and uplifting fruits, of Herbert W. Armstrong and his World Tomorrow program. They are the fruits of a people who engage willingly in a work that seeks to freely give of the blessings that they have received. It’s a work of building up—not tearing down—the prospects of success of every human being with whom it comes in contact.

It will be interesting to note, by comparison, the degree to which the fruits of Julian Assange’s own World Tomorrow program will either contribute to or diminish from the enriching of the human experience.