Gerald Flurry: A Biographical Sketch--Part 4: During the Court Case

Previously we saw how Gerald Flurry made Malachi's Message the Little Book in 1992. And now, in early 1997 PCG began to publish and distribute Mystery of the Ages.

We now continue.

1997: PCG is featured in another profile in Ambassador Report 67, December 1997.

Ezra and Nehemiah: Building God's Temple. This was originally credited to Gerald Flurry and Dennis Leap but Leap has now been removed.

1998: Ministers Ron Roth, Mike Okamura and Randy Schafer leave PCG. (Ambassador Report 69, July 1998.)

October: More ministers defect.

In recent months we have learned that such prominent PCG figures as Don Tiger, Don Roth, Jim Mortensen, Charles Bishop, and Arlen Berkey have left the PCG, are critical of Gerald Flurry,...

Now, however, the PCG breakaway group has begun distributing many of HWA's writings for free in CD-ROM format and, of all things, Flurry, has threatened them with a lawsuit for doing pretty much the same thing that he, himself, claims he has a right to do. In other words, Flurry would like to have a monopoly on the writings of Herbert W. Armstrong. (Ambassador Report 70, October 1998, 'Philadelphians Fight over HWA Writings.' )

Don Tiger would later distribute many of the writings of old WCG. He is never mentioned in Stephen Flurry's book, Raising the Ruins.

1999: A PCG minister who does not believe in the alleged status of Malachi's Message is unable to continue the charade and is disfellowshipped. (Gerald Flurry: A Religious Fraud?)

Gerald Flurry writes Conspiracy against Fatherhood. Although it appear to be a booklet denouncing the widespread absence of fathers in their children's lives it is actually a discourse teaching the God Family heresy.

May: In the ministerial conference Gerald Flurry declares himself to be "That Prophet". This doctrine is then established within PCG. (That Prophet, PCG Information.)

Sometime after the Feast of Tabernacles PCG member Robert S. Kuhne discovers the existence of Jules Dervaes' Letter to Laodicea and discovers that Malachi's Message is not original. He comes to see Gerald Flurry as illegitimate. He leaves and starts up PCG Information.info.

December 6: The copyright case is presented before the Ninth Circuit Court. Mark Helm, while presenting the oral argument states, concerning Mystery of the Ages, that PCG "believes that Mr. Armstrong was inspired by God when he wrote the book. There is no rewriting of the book that can happen. They believe that this is God’s word as was handed to Mr. Armstrong. So it’s not a question of, Oh, we’re going to now make up some views that we think are like it. Those are the views. And you can describe it either accurately or inaccurately, but those are the beliefs that they have and they can’t be rewritten." (Raising the Ruins, Chapter 19, under the heading 'Divine Inspiration'. Bolding mine.)

Later Gerald Flurry would call this speech divinely inspired. Stephen Flurry records that Gerald Flurry believed that "God inspired Mark Helm’s oral argument at the Ninth Circuit". (Raising the Ruins, Chapter 20).

These statements would not prevent PCG from making changes to Mystery of the Ages (and other booklets) when PCG later gained ownership of its copyright.

2000: In the July-August issue of Royal Vision Gerald Flurry proclaims himself to be "That Prophet". The entire issue may be read here. This issue also contains some information about his early life which is critiqued in Does Gerald Flurry Deify Herbert W. Armstrong?.

Ron Fraser writes an article on child rearing in the May-June 2000 Royal Vision. (Spanking Babies and Harsh Discipline of Children in Philadelphia Church of God)

Michael renounces Armstrongism. He would later establish Mike's Enlightenment Page.

"Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely" in December issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet. (Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely, November 21 letter.)

2001: Gerald Flurry announces that the Last Hour began on May 5.

PCG is given a profile in the Watchman Expositor.

May 19: Meredith condemns Malachi's Message in his sermon, The Elijah Question.

2002: January 13: Jacob Winters, son of Graig Winters, dies of Addison's disease. (Jake Winters a Victim of Abuse)

PCG acquires the (alleged) Prayer Rock. (Gerald Flurry Finds Herbert W. Armstrong's Prayer Rock!, Prayer Rock.) Pictures are taken. (Herbert W. Armstrong's Prayer Rock)

Gerald Flurry writes that there are few rules within PCG for members in the January-February 2002 Royal Vision.

In the September-October issue of Royal Vision he declares the Book of Habakkuk to be a prophecy about the court case. Furthermore he teaches that Christ will make a personal appearance at Paran. (Flurry's Ramblings)

December: PCG loses court case in which an old man willed his entire estate to PCG. Instead the man's family gained possession. The court case may be seen here.