12. Armstrong cult was against medicine and this eventually transformed into a Carol Balizet cult... Christian Science?

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The Armstrong cult was against medicine and told followers to rely only on god for healing.  People died because of these teachings.  Later, an Armstrong breakoff group known as the Attleboro sect combined Armstrongism with the teachings of Carol Balizet, the registered nurse who turned against medicine as witchcraft.  Armstrong, like Balizet, equated medicine with paganism.  This mixture of the two cults led to the medical neglect and death of two boys in the Attleboro sect.  You can learn more about Carol Balizet and the Attleboro sect (here).  Below are two books by Armstrong, Does God Heal Today? and The Plain Truth About Healing. While Christian Science which has Freemason leanings also rejected medicine, this was due to a belief that matter (and thus disease) does not exist, not necessarily that medicine in paganism... Armstrong may or may not have picked up from Christian Science



Does God Heal Today? 

http://www.herbertwarmstrong.org/Books%20&%20Booklets/Does%20God%20Heal%20Today%20(1952).pdf

Download PDF here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BEgoFcT4wVzAhoZyKDhgjRvsIPlps-yf/view?usp=sharing

The Plain Truth About Healing

https://web.archive.org/web/20090326083617/https://www.herbert-w-armstrong.org/Books%20&%20Booklets/Plain%20Truth%20About%20Healing%20(Prelim%201979).pdf

Download PDF here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aoB953UQ9CF_yXdyXkp5PNMD0eJX4FTd/view?usp=sharing

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_W._Armstrong

In 1952 Armstrong published Does God Heal Today? which provided the details on his doctrine on healing and his ban on doctors. Among his tenets were that only God heals and that medical science is of pagan origin and is ineffective. He believed that most illnesses were caused by faulty diet and that doctors should prescribe proper diet rather than medicine. He taught that members are not to go to doctors for healing but must trust in divine healing alone.^[30] This was his teaching despite his father's death in 1933 after "an all-night vigil of prayer."^[31] This teaching has been the cause of much controversy as individuals influenced by such teachings came to die.<sup>[32]

In Armstrong's view, the scourging of Jesus prior to crucifixion "paid the penalty" for physical disease and sickness, allowing the option of divine healing.[66]: 33 </sup> 

• Armstrong placed much emphasis on faith in God for healing and taught against the medical practice, except in the case of "repair" (setting of broken bones, cleansing of wounds, etc.).^[68] Medical intervention was consequently frowned-upon, there were consequently numerous controversial incidents involving death of members or member's children due to lack of medical attention. Armstrong spoke highly of principles of good diet (outside of the Levitical food regulations) and proper living, and members of the Worldwide Church of God as a result tended to gravitate towards whole grains, home-grown vegetables etc., although such acts were not an express tenet of faith.

• The use of medicine and doctors was discouraged because members were expected to place their faith in God for healing.^[66] Armstrong stated:

Here's God's instruction to YOU, today, if you are ill. If we are to live by every Word of God, we should obey this Scripture. God does not say call your family physician...He does not say, call the doctors and let them give medicines and drugs, and God will cause the medicines and drugs and dope to cure you.... Instead God says call GOD'S MINISTERS. And let them PRAY, anointing with oil (the type and symbol of the Holy Spirit). Then GOD PROMISES He will HEAL YOU!^[104]