Gerald Flurry's PCG vs. Lifton's Eight Criteria for Thought Reform

Recently Banned by HWA had a post about Lifton's eight criteria for thought reform.

Recently I have been going through PCG's writings to see for myself what PCG's leaders have to say. I shall use that information to if this information can help describe if PCG fits these eight criteria for thought reform.

Milieu control. I will not comment on this. I feel I have insufficient information to comment. So I shall abstain here.

Mystical Manipulation. PCG is quite guilty of this. Gerald Flurry does this a lot. He very liberally reinterprets events surrounding the Tkach changes and the rise of PCG in opposition to that in order to claim these events were written in the Bible. He has written many booklets insisting that these Biblical books are all about the Tkach changes and the rise PCG. PCG is not flooded with new revelation, Gerald Flurry just recycles the same revelation again and again.

Demand for Purity. PCG is quite guilty of this as well. There are so many commands and requirements that are expected for PCG members.

Confession. I feel I have insufficient information to comment on this. So I shall abstain here.

Sacred Science. PCG is quite guilty of this. Gerald Flurry insists that unless one joins PCG and believe his "new revelation" then one is doomed to be cast into the Great Tribulation.

"Truth is not to be found outside the group." PCG even claims all other COG groups are Laodicean and doomed to be abandoned to endure the Great Tribulation for rejecting PCG's "sacred science" that Malachi's Message is a revelation from God.

Loading the Language. PCG is quite guilty of this. Elijah. Zerubbabel. Joshua. Man of Sin. Prophesy not. Prophesy again. Philadelphian. Laodicean. Are perishing. Strong delusion. Laodicean Church. Inner court. Outer court. Measuring God's Temple. New revelation. Malachi's Message. Little Book. God's house. God's government. Headquarters position. Pillar. Royal. God's jewels. "Victory" in the court case with WCG (even though PCG actually lost the case). Etc, etc.

A lot of PCG's jargon is designed to reinforce the PCG members' identity as resisters against the Tkach changes and being the only true Christians among the COGs.

Doctrine over person. PCG is quite guilty of this as well. PCG members shunning members of other COG groups, even close family members. PCG members refusing to visit doctors or take medicine and even dying because of that. These are acts in which the doctrine (the "sacred science") is more important than human beings.

Dispensing of existence. PCG is quite guilty of this. PCG does this whenever PCG's leaders claim the other COG groups are doomed to be abandoned in the Great Tribulation, that they are heathen, that they prophesy not, that they will not be in the Place of Safety, etc, etc. PCG does this by requiring members to shun "Laodiceans", as they have done since 2000. (Although Stephen Flurry ignored this rule by interviewing Aaron Dean and Roderick C. Meredith for his book, Raising the Ruins, in 2005-6. Just look at the footnotes for that book.)

So it can be seen that PCG very well fulfills at least six of these eight criteria for thought reform. This is why PCG is labeled as a cult by some. Not because PCG has "the truth" as PCG members are indoctrinated into believing.

Reading PCG's Booklet, Zephaniah's Day of the Lord

Let us now read Gerald Flurry's booklet, Zephaniah's Day of the Lord: It "Hastens Greatly". Let us see what he has to say. This booklet was first printed in 1995. It has since been revised in 2000 and 2008. The current version may be read at their website. That is the same version which shall be read here.

The writing reads 

"Zephaniah's Day of the Lord: It "Hastens Greatly""

With Gerald Flurry's writings I have been noticing a theme. Gerald Flurry takes a book of the Bible and then asserts that it is actually talking about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition, PCG members going to a place of safety and all others are cast into the Great Tribulation. I wonder if things will change here.

The name Zephaniah means God hides or God protects. That name carries important meaning. This world is quickly entering a time when the number-one concern will be a “place of safety.” People will need protection from some of the greatest horror this world has ever seen. God promises to protect or hide His loyal people during the Great Tribulation, which culminates with the Day of the Lord. This is very good news. God always provides good news that overshadows the bad news.

Zephaniah also has much to say about God’s own people—the Church. As God continues to reveal new truth from the prophets, we see that when the Church is mentioned, God is referring to His own end-time Laodiceans, or lukewarm Church, much of the time. In general, the worldly churches are lumped together with the nation of Israel. Zephaniah gives the Laodiceans grave warning concerning the Day of the Lord. (p. 1.)

When mentions "His loyal people" he really means PCG members.

At last even Gerald Flurry is admitting what everyone who reads his writings know, he is just saying the same thing over and over again. PCG is not flooded with "new revelation", he just recycles the legend of Malachi's Message over and over again.

Actually it is widely known that many of the ideas within Gerald Flurry's booklet, Malachi's Message, were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

Flurry starts off by fear mongering that the end of the age will be extremely horrifying.

It is hard for us to get a clear picture of what is about to explode on this Earth. The Revised Standard Version reads, “I will sweep away man and beast” (verse 3). God plans to just sweep away man and animals. The destruction that is coming will far exceed any previous global devastation. God specifically says that He will destroy the fish in the sea. He did not even do this at the time of Noah’s Flood. When this destruction comes, it will be very difficult to find man or beast alive!

Descriptions like this should make us realize what a huge job of rebuilding we will have in the Millennium. Sinning mankind will be punished horribly. After Jesus Christ returns, He will rebuild a devastated Earth. (p. 2.)

As is his standard operating procedure he then claims this Book of the Bible (in this instance Zephaniah) is really all about the Tkach changes and the Book of Zephaniah is God ordering people to join Gerald Flurry's PCG and pay him three tithes immediately or else.

We must remember that Zephaniah is an end-time book. The word “temple” in prophecy always refers to God’s Church today. So the temple priests in type must represent God’s own ministry in this end time. God’s ministers have been introducing Baal worship into God’s Church. Have any doctrines of Baal been introduced into God’s Church in our time? Yes! Which ministers have been doing this? The Laodicean ministers!

The Worldwide Church of God (WCG) leadership underwent a dramatic doctrinal transformation after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong in 1986. The same thing was happening in Zephaniah’s time. God will severely punish His Laodicean ministry for introducing false religion into His Church. Verse 4 is all too descriptive of what has happened in the WCG and all but one of its branches today. (p. 3.)

Of course the one exception Flurry speaks of is his own PCG which he founded and leads.

Of course this all assumes that there really are seven church eras and that they actually refer to Armstrongism. Is that really the case?

God is very angry with His ministers because they pretend that their religion—doctrinal changes and new teachings—are of God, when those doctrines are really rank paganism! ... God’s Church is turning away from Him. This is the sign—the strongest warning sign to God’s Church—that the Day of the Lord is very near. It is a gigantic sign that every member should clearly see. But most refuse to understand. (pp. 3-4.)

This alludes to the teaching HWA took from Alexander Hislop's book, The Two Babylons, which asserted that Roman Catholicism was really a revival of Babylonian paganism. Hislop was a Presbyterian minister condemning Catholicism in the 1850s but HWA used his ideas to claim that it is sinful to celebrate many mainstream holidays in order to isolate WCG members from mainstream society and become socially dependent upon WCG.

However The Two Babylons is complete nonsense as memorably shown in The Babylon Connection by Ralph Woodrow. His testimony is particularly noteworthy in that he had previously published a fairly popular book claiming Hislop was correct and was forced to suffer a significant drop in income in renouncing Hislop.

Flurry then goes onto to say that his PCG has a mission from (PCG's) God to warn the Laodiceans that they must join PCG to escape the Great Tribulation.

Who is God using to deliver His message? Is God delivering it personally? No. God always uses men to do His Work. God is warning the Laodicean Church. He is knocking on the Laodiceans’ door (Revelation 3:20). They must respond while God is present. Soon it will be too late. But who is delivering a message telling the Laodiceans to be quiet and listen to God? Who is delivering the message that God is about to consume nearly every person from this planet? We must take this message very seriously! (p. 5.)

Flurry then responds to people criticizing PCG for being to harsh. Although he does not mention it directly here PCG's leadership require PCG members to shun contact with members of other COG groups even if they should be close family members. This has been PCG's practice since 2000. Very likely Flurry is obliquely defending his mass shunning policy here.

We occasionally receive letters from people who are upset by what we teach concerning the Laodiceans. Some people say we are too critical and harsh. They feel we do not have enough love for the Laodiceans. But what does God say to the Laodiceans? The Laodiceans’ spiritual lives are so corrupt that God says emphatically, if they do not repent, He will destroy every last one of them! The Laodiceans will be destroyed with the beasts, the fowls of the air and the fish in the sea. God will severely punish these people. To warn the Laodiceans is to show them great love! That is their only hope of escaping this catastrophe.

What is far worse, 50 percent of them will lose their eternal lives. (p. 5.)

Elsewhere Flurry states that part of "warning Laodiceans" is to have no contact with them and shun them.

After that he continues to claim that Tkach's WCG has fallen into paganism and that the leaders, including Tkach Sr., are evil.

Then he discusses about how some have left PCG and accuses them of being bitter and not wanting to let God truly rule their lives.

From time to time, people develop problems within the Philadelphia Church of God (PCG). Some people get bitter and leave. What is the root cause of these problems? Often it all gets back to government, or Aaron’s rod. God always wants to know what His people really believe about His government—based on His law. ...

God took Mr. Armstrong out of the way in 1986. What did the leaders of the WCG do? Almost immediately, they began to move the Church away from God’s law and government. And many people wholeheartedly support what they have done and are doing.

From time to time, similar things happen within the PCG. Maybe a minister gets sick for a while, or he is visiting another area. God tests His people in these situations. If God notices a bad attitude in a certain area, He may just take the minister away for a while to see what people will do. Do we need some man standing over us, watching us, to ensure that we make it into the Kingdom of God? God wants to know how you and I will react to His government individually—when no human government is present! (pp. 9-10.)

In a mind control cult there is no legitimate reason to leave. It would appear that PCG fits that definition of a destructive cult. 

He then mocks the other COG groups and Tkach's WCG for being sentimental in their approach to religion.

Verse 12 perfectly describes the Laodiceans today. Their religion is syrupy and overly sweet. The Laodiceans do much talking about love while they do violence to the Ten Commandments. Oh how they talk about love as they reject God’s government! The Laodiceans can no longer be moved by God. Spiritually, they have become thick like syrup! ...

If we “settle on our lees” spiritually, our religion is of an inferior quality. We must follow God’s law to produce sterling character. If we don’t follow the law, we become syrupy and overly sweet and lose sight of God’s true religion. (p. 11.)

He threatens those who do not join PCG that (PCG's) God will hunt them out and punish them.

Verse 12 also describes the tragic attitude of one of the Laodicean churches which teaches that God does not directly lead His Church. What will God do to these people? He will search them out and punish them because they do not believe His prophecies. God is directing His Church and Work! (p. 12.)

Flurry of course claims the end of the age is nigh.

We have to deeply understand the urgency of the times we live in! There has never been a time like this! Events are moving along with lightning speed. It seems as though major prophecies are fulfilled virtually every week. God says that time is quickly running out. World crisis is dangerously close and speeding very quickly! Are we heeding this warning? (p. 13.)

It has been nineteen years since this booklet was first published. Is nineteen years such an urgently short amount of time? Is nineteen years evidence that "time is quickly running out"? That is nineteen years of "major prophecies [being] fulfilled virtually every week."  That is 988 weeks in which "major prophecies" have been fulfilled. Is nineteen years a time of no more delay?

Then Flurry says Satan is trying to get you if you are a believer in the truth taught by HWA. He also alludes to some PCG members who have since left.

At this time, Satan desperately wants to destroy God’s Church. Satan has great wrath toward each one of us individually. We must never relax when it comes to dealing with Satan. He is relentless in his plan to destroy us. Some of our beloved Philadelphia members have fallen prey to Satan. Remember, the devil is as a roaring lion seeking prey (1 Peter 5:8). Let’s be especially careful not to fall short spiritually at this time. (pp. 13, 15.)

The wrath of the Day of the Lord (the one year before Christ's return according to HWA) will be very severe according to Flurry.

During the Day of the Lord, God will finally get mankind’s attention. He will devour the land with fire. This means nuclear fire! God will make a speedy riddance of men. The time is coming when our sin-sick world will be gone in a heartbeat. But all is not yet lost. (p. 15.)

Flurry says the only way to escape this fate is to join PCG and pay him and his collaborators three tithes and extra offerings. How convenient for him.

Flurry continues to fear monger that the catastrophe is very near. I have highlighted some parts of this paragraph to show some of the fear inducing statements Flurry makes.

For God’s faithful people, this prophecy should help us realize what a critical time this is for God’s Work. God’s people must take advantage of this little window of opportunity. We have to perform great works now, before it’s too late. When I study the book of Zephaniah deeply, I realize that I’m not as urgent as the spirit of this message! I believe that none of God’s people are! We must realize and keep in our minds where we are in prophecy and how urgent these times are. We must make sure to do all we can before, before, before, before the Day of the Lord or the time of tribulation begins for Israel. (p. 16.)

Some wonder why PCG members stay there. It is partly because they listen to words like this and believe them. They are indoctrinated to believe that great disaster is coming and only by staying in PCG can they escape it.

"When I study the book of Zephaniah deeply, I realize that I’m not as urgent as the spirit of this message!" Maybe that is why Flurry spent more than PCG's annual income in building Armstrong Auditorium during PCG's "little window of opportunity".

Then at the very end Flurry includes two little paragraphs assuring readers that after Christ returns all will be well. He ends with these words.

There is a time coming when we shall never see evil like we see in our world today. What an awesome future lies just ahead of us. What a time it will be when the whole Earth breaks into singing at the presence of Jesus Christ! Let’s seek God now so we can be there to assist Christ after His return! (p. 17.)

However considering HWA's WCG made numerous false prophecies it is very likely nothing will happen because of Flurry's statements.

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22.)

So we see that Gerald Flurry has used Zephaniah to once again claim that it is all about the Tkach changes and the rise of PCG in opposition and that great catastrophe is coming and only by joining PCG can one escape it (and conveniently for Flurry any new convert is required to pay three tithes and extra offerings to PCG).

Gerald Flurry simply uses this booklet to induce fear among PCG members and potential converts in order to get more of their money and to keep loyal despite the various grievances they may have, not least Gerald Flurry's requirement that PCG members are to shun "Laodiceans".

Reading Chapter 1 of PCG's Booklet, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Let us now read through Chapter 1 of Wayne Turgeon and Gerald Flurry's booklet, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It was first printed in 1995. It was later revised in 2001, 2005, 2008 and 2013. Here I am reading through the 2005 version. Chapter 1 of the current 2013 version appears to be very similar to the 2005 version analyzed here. You can read the current version of this booklet on their website.

For this post I shall only go through Chapter 1, which was the only chapter written by Gerald Flurry. The rest were written by his son-in-law, Wayne Turgeon. I will not bother with those at present.

As is typical in Armstrongism Flurry teaches the first horseman refers to the rise of non-Sabbatarian "apostate" Christianity.

The first horseman is first because he causes the most suffering by far! He goes forth “conquering, and to conquer.” The word conquer means “to come off with the victory” (Thayer’s Lexicon). This conquering occurs in the time between Christ’s first coming and His Second Coming. ... But in truth, the first horseman causes most of the gruesome events of the other three! These catastrophes occur because men are deceived. The first and most deadly horseman is religious deception! And yet men are so casual and shallow in their religious interests that they fail to see this. ... Mankind has no idea how much suffering is caused by religious deception. (p. 3.)

A lot of those effected by PCG will find that last statement quite ironic.

Like many of his other writings Gerald Flurry insists the first horseman is all about the Tkach changes.

The word many should read the majority. The MAJORITY of God’s own people are letting their love wax cold in this end time! It’s the same Laodicean problem related in Revelation 3:14-20. There is no worse tragedy for God’s own people. Even they are struck by the arrows from the bow of the first horseman. (p. 4.)

Who among "God's people" (those who believe and follow most of the teachings of HWA) are deceived by the first horseman? Flurry says those who deny that HWA was the end time Elijah are Laodiceans doomed to be left behind in the Great Tribulation.

So what really ended? When the gospel was preached around the world as a witness, then that work ended. It was the end of the Philadelphia era and the beginning of the Laodicean era in God’s Church (Revelation 3:7-20). A man [Flurry means HWA.- Redfox712.] came and finished an end-time work (Zechariah 4:9). Then he was taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7). ...

This man would restore all things. He would do the greatest work of any of God’s leaders in the end time. But God’s end-time Laodicean Church would be deceived about who this man was—just as they were in the first century about an Elijah who came then! ... Only the true disciples knew that John the Baptist filled the first-century role of Elijah. And only God’s true disciples today know that Herbert W. Armstrong was the END-TIME Elijah!

None of the Laodiceans today recognize Mr. Armstrong as this end-time Elijah. And it is to their own shame! (pp. 5-6.)

It is important to understand that Flurry teaches that all COG groups outside of PCG are Laodicean.  

The Laodiceans are comprised of the WCG and other groups that have left the WCG—except the PCG. (Gerald Flurry, Malachi's Message, 2008 version, p. 30.)

This booklet was first published in 1995 and then reissued in 2005. The highlighted statement is nothing but a most blatant lie.

In fact many COG groups outside of PCG do in fact recognize HWA as being the end time Elijah. How can Flurry say something so untrue? Why do PCG members read him lying to them and do nothing about it? If PCG members love truth so much why is Flurry writing such utterly untrue things?

Why does Flurry say untrue things?

After that utterly untrue statement Flurry then fear mongers that we are very close the start of the Great Tribulation as the COGs have been doing since the 1930s.

So when we saw the gospel being preached around the world, we should have known it was the end time. But when that work ceased, we were in the very end of the end time! 

When Mr. Armstrong died, it was a great turning point in this world and in God’s Church. The whole world must come to see that! Satan, no doubt, was then cast to this Earth (Revelation 12:9). Satan’s own wrath greatly intensified the world’s problems (verse 12). Then he persecuted the woman, or God’s Church. Only a remnant of God’s people were not deceived by Satan; it is these whom God will protect from Satan’s greatest wrath—the Great Tribulation (verse 14). But God’s Word prophesied that many in God’s Church would be deceived shortly before that and would have to go into the Tribulation (verse 17; Revelation 11:1-3).

The first horseman of the apocalypse has struck a powerful blow to God’s end-time Church! (p. 6.)

I find it curious that Flurry should say "we should have known it was the end time" as though many WCG members thought otherwise. In fact WCG members did believe that it was the end time in HWA's time. In fact HWA even taught that the Great Tribulation would begin in 1972.

Also it is now twenty eight years since HWA's death. Nineteen years since this booklet was first published. Is it still the end of the end time? This seems like such a long time for the end time to end.

This passage also highlights one of PCG's peculiarities, namely Flurry's teaching that Satan was cast out of heaven upon HWA's death in 1986.

When Flurry says, "Only a remnant of God’s people were not deceived by Satan", he actually means PCG members. He is simply crudely intimidating readers into joining PCG.

It also needs to be stated that no one knew that WCG would change the way it did under Tkach before HWA's death. It was not taught or expected as something that was bound to happen as Flurry constantly implies. In fact many WCG members were indoctrinated by leaders like Gerald Waterhouse to believe that HWA would live to see the Great Tribulation and become one of the Two Witnesses.

If God’s people didn’t even recognize the mighty work of God’s end-time Elijah, how could they ever know when to flee? We recognize the end-time Elijah by faith and we flee by faith. Now is the time to build that strong faith. (p. 7.)

These words falsely imply that all non-PCG COG groups deny that HWA was the end time Elijah. That is not true at all. If Flurry cannot be trusted to be honest about that how can he be trusted on when to flee?

When the gospel stops going around the world, we can begin to watch for specific signs—like God’s Church being attacked by armies of demons, the rapid collapse of Israel, the rise of the abomination of desolation, nuclear power out of control and other serious signs we’ll mention later. (p. 7.)

Apparently COG splinter groups will be "attacked by armies of demons" somehow. What does that even mean?

It was my understanding that those left behind would be persecuted by the European Beast Power. But I never heard anything about armies of demons, spiritual or otherwise.

We are commanded to watch for a reason. We must warn the world—and even more importantly, God’s own Laodiceans! Again, their salvation is at stake! Examine our literature, and you’ll see that we warn as Christ commands. (p. 9.)

Here he hopes the reader will become fearful of being cast into the Great Tribulation unless he or she joins PCG. Flurry is once again crudely intimidating people into joining PCG.

Also part of "warning Laodiceans" is to shun them. Although Flurry does not mention that here, that has been the practice of PCG since 2000, five years before this booklet's version was printed. What is Flurry's response to those who justly condemn him for this?

Also it has been shown here on this blog that Flurry constantly makes inaccurate and misleading statements over and over again. PCG's liturature are in fact filled with untrue and misleading statements, such as all Laodiceans reject "God's government", or that all Laodiceans reject HWA as the end time Elijah.

Also it should be stated that it is widely known that many of the ideas within Gerald Flurry's booklet, Malachi's Message, were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

There is no point in watching if we don’t warn. The Laodiceans don’t see God’s most urgent warning message. Some people say we lack love and are attacking our brethren. We are not attacking, but we are watching and warning! God uses us to rebuke them in love (Revelation 3:19). That is because their own love is waxing cold. (p. 9.)

So shunning Laodiceans is excused away as simply warning the Laodiceans. In fact Flurry even accuses those who protest and oppose this shunning as losing the ability to truly love the Laodiceans.

The Philadelphia Church of God is the only Church of God today that continues to teach the same government God taught through Mr. Armstrong. The Laodiceans have rejected that government. That is the main reason God won’t use them to do His work. (p. 10.)

Nonsense. Many COG groups have one man rule just as PCG has. Is there anything Flurry won't do in his quest to get more tithes payers?

After the Laodiceans reject Mr. Armstrong as fulfilling the Elijah office, it’s easy for them to reject God’s government. If they accepted that government, they would NEVER have rejected Mr. Armstrong as the end-time Elijah. That is a colossal mistake! (p. 11.)

More nonsense. Many other COG groups have one man rule and also teach that HWA was the end time Elijah. Flurry is simply trying to drive a wedge between the reader and any other COG group in the hope that he or she will join PCG.

The Church that is ruled by God does God’s work. But what is that work? It is to “give them meat in due season”—which certainly includes watching and warning the Laodiceans and the whole world. Our primary job is not to preach the gospel around the world—though we do preach the gospel. The emphasis of our message is to watch and warn. It is a season to warn! And only a short span of time is left to do that job. (p. 11.)

Despite being ordered to shun Laodiceans so many PCG members accept such draconian rules. Why would they do this? It is partly because they listen to words like this and believe them.

God is going to make us rulers over the whole universe. The word ruler is the same word discussed earlier. Here is the most profound message ever delivered by God! We must be RULED by God’s government today or God could never allow us to RULE the vast universe! (Hebrews 2:7-8). We absolutely must see how towering this glory and responsibility is. It is urgently necessary that we learn to be ruled now. Only Mr. Armstrong taught us how to be ruled. It’s all for our own golden reward! We can’t be Laodicean sloppy in this area! (pp. 11-12.)

So Flurry will lead us to become rulers over the entire universe. What example does he set for us?

The fruits prove that Mr. Armstrong had God’s government. But every Laodicean rejects it. That is exactly why they are Laodicean! (p. 12.)

In the very next page Flurry makes this utterly inaccurate statement. In fact many COG groups practice exactly the same kind of government HWA taught and practiced, namely one man rule often labeled as "God's government."

Then Flurry stirs up anger and resentment among PCG members to rally then under PCG's rule and portray Laodiceans as utterly depraved and oppressive.

After being disappointed, these people of God got drunk spiritually. Remember, God talks to us on different levels. But He talks to His own Church spiritually. “And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken” (Matthew 24:49). Which Church of God today is smiting their fellow servants? Only the Worldwide Church of God really has that power. They laid the doctrinal foundation established by Herbert Armstrong to waste—wrecking God’s true Church. Those who fought these false changes were cast out of the Church by their own “brethren” and “fellow servants”—their own Family (Isaiah 66:5).

Many Philadelphia Church of God members said this was the most traumatic experience of their lives. After all, we are discussing people’s eternal lives. A fierce battle raged and still rages between God’s very elect and the first horseman. These verses are discussing a devastating Church split. These Laodiceans wanted to “drink with the drunken.” They wanted the Babylonian doctrines of this world. (pp. 12-13.)

But who did this? Was it not WCG ministers? Why then does Flurry constantly seek to write of all non-PCG followers of HWA as Laodiceans?

It must be stated that many WCG members who joined PCG must have found the Tkach changes a painful and distressing experience. However it needs to be said that many other WCG members who joined other groups also went through exactly the same painful experience. Why does Flurry wish to have these people shunned by PCG members?

After that Flurry then fear mongers that unless one joins PCG and pay three tithes to him the reader might be cast into the lake of fire. He ends this chapter with these words.

The first horseman of the apocalypse has deceived this world. But the far greater tragedy is what this deceptive monster has done, and is doing, to God’s own people. This horse is galloping over God’s own saints—deceiving and destroying probably more saints than at anytime in the history of God’s Church! May God help us to recognize him—and to heed the thunderous warning message coming out of God’s true remnant Church today! (p. 13.)

And so this chapter ends. At present I will not bother reading Wayne Turgeon's writings that comprise the rest of this booklet.

In the current 2013 version this chapter appears to be very similar to the 2005 version that has just been analyzed.

So we see that Gerald Flurry has once again used a part of the Bible, in this instance Revelation 6, to claim it is all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG, that PCG members will go to the place of safety and all other are doomed to endure the Great Tribulation.

He also inaccurately teaches that all other COG groups do not practice the type of government taught and practiced by HWA, namely one man rule. In fact many COG groups have one man rule.

He also inaccurately claims all other COG groups reject HWA as the end time Elijah. In fact many COG groups teach HWA to be the end time Elijah.

And apparently Tkach's WCG is due to be attacked by armies of demons somehow.

So the message here, as in many other PCG booklets, is pay PCG money or pay with your lives.

[Update June 13, 2014: The rest of this booklet is covered in Part 2.]

Part 2 of Reading PCG's Booklet, Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today

This post shall now continue looking through Gerald Flurry's booklet, Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today (2004 version). This version is not to be confused with the current 2011 version that is currently distributed by PCG. We continue from Part 1.

In this booklet Gerald Flurry endeavors to prove to readers that PCG is the legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

Chapter 3

As is true with most of the booklets we have looked through recently Gerald Flurry endeavors to prove to the reader that PCG is the legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

God wants His people to prove where His work is today. Is God working through the Worldwide Church? Is He working through the Philadelphia Church? Is God working through the Living Church or the United Church? This heated debate needs to be answered! Do you truly know where God’s work is today? Knowing the answer to this question is necessary for your physical protection and essential if you are to gain eternal life.

Do you know how to find God’s work? Only the Bible can reveal to you where God’s one and only work is on Earth today. Haggai contains the key to locating God’s end-time work. (p. 15.)

Of course, considering the author is the founder and leader of PCG, he will say PCG is the true work. Here Flurry speaks with a lot of self adulation for his PCG.

The PCG is not delivering a message for some little tin god. We are delivering to the Laodiceans, Israel and this world the words of the Creator of man, the Creator of angels, and the Creator who made and sustains the entire universe. The Lord of hosts has universe-shaking power. That same power is behind the Philadelphia Church.

How do we know this? Look at what this little Church has accomplished since Dec. 7, 1989. Only 12 people attended our first Sabbath service on December 16. Mr. Amos and I had no income after being fired. We planned to work for the PCG part-time while holding other part-time jobs. God had different plans.

The Philadelphia Church of God is now a worldwide work with God’s message being thundered through the Key of David television program, the Philadelphia Trumpet, and many books and booklets. Who has done this? The staff of the Philadelphia Church? No! The Lord of hosts has done this. The Lord of hosts resides with this little Church. How deeply do we know this? How deeply do we believe this? Are we willing to stake our lives on the fact that God resides in the Philadelphia Church? (p. 17.)

Every other COG also claims that God is with them. While many COG groups are, for pragmatic reasons, not interested in creating a "worldwide work" they all like to think God is with them.

Although Flurry loves to talk about how small PCG started that had long since ceased to be the case. In fact as early as 1995 Gerald Flurry was boasting that PCG had an income of "multiple millions."

Look at how the PCG has grown since Malachi's Message was first mailed just prior to January 16, 1990. Already we have bought and paid for three new buildings with over 8500 square feet and are producing a beautiful monthly magazine that is mailed to tens of thousands of homes in over 80 countries. We have access to hundreds of millions of people with our television program. Our annual income is now into the multiple millions. (Gerald Flurry, The Little Book, 1995 version, p. 7.)

We now continue with Flurry's booklet.

But why was God’s house [the first Temple in Jerusalem] destroyed? The sins of the nation forced God to leave His own house. When God leaves His house, temple or church, it is a very tragic state of affairs. It was a great calamity when Solomon’s temple was destroyed. But it was a far greater catastrophe to let God’s house today collapse spiritually! (p. 18.)

Apparently the Tkach changes were a greater catastrophe then the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC.

Now no doubt the Tkach changes were very traumatic and painful for many within WCG, but it is wrong to claim it was worse than a nation being conquered in war by a foreign power. No doubt many people were killed in the war that destroyed the Kingdom of Judah's independence. Many Jews were forcibly deported to foreign lands. If any of them were alive today I have no doubt they would not be impressed that their terrible suffering is belittled and insulted in this way.

Were any WCG members forcibly deported into strange foreign lands where it was impossible to practice the religion of Armstrongism? Did a foreign power go to war and killed WCG members en masse to subjugate them?

It is wrong for Flurry to belittle the sufferings of the Jewish people of those ancient times in this way.

We have never heard Laodicean leaders openly show scorn for God’s doctrine or work. You’ll never hear them say, “Do not prophesy.” But we do hear, “Let’s get our minds off prophecy.” God calls Laodicean sugar-coating what it is. It is rebellion. When an organization stops doing God’s work, it stops growing. (p. 18.)

Again, who is Flurry talking about? Who are these Laodiceans he condemns here? It is quite accurate to note that the Tkachite WCG chose to not focus on prophecy. However many COG groups continue to prophecy that this and that shall happen in the future. Elsewhere Flurry claims all COG groups aside from PCG are Laodicean. The non-WCG Laodiceans do not even say, Let’s get our minds off prophecy, they continue to prophesy. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

Do the people of God have time to get all caught up with riches and goods in this end of the end time? Even Mr. Armstrong warned us about this carnal condition. Where should our material focus be? On the work. ... Most of God’s people have forgotten why God called us
out of this world today—to do God’s work. That is the only reason we are called “out of season,” or before God calls all humanity. We are here to do God’s work. That is the only way we can be saved! (p. 20.)

Send your money to PCG. Do not worry about your family, children or your own financial condition. The only thing that really matters is supporting the work of PCG.

Some wonder why PCG members are so determined to send so much money to PCG, even to their financial detriment. It is partly because they listen to statements like this.

The Laodiceans also need to glorify God with their work. Today, they have not glorified God. How can teaching against God’s government ever glorify God? It cannot! (p. 21.)

Elsewhere Gerald Flurry defines God's government as one-man rule and Flurry also teaches that it only exists within PCG. (See Isaiah's End-Time Vision, 2013 version, pp. 52, 58 and 75.) Although many COG groups practice one-man rule Flurry insists they are illegitimate because God is not with them according to him. In other words Flurry is futilely condemning all other COG groups for not unquestioningly submitting to Gerald Flurry's rule. 

Remember, Haggai shows us that the Laodiceans are choking spiritually and do not realize it. Their main spiritual problem is that they are focused on physical things (verse 4). (p. 22.)

Here Flurry condemns the Laodiceans for focusing on physical things. How can Flurry condemn that kind of behavior when he decided to squander the equivalent of more than PCG's annual income in building Armstrong Auditorium? It cost $25 million. PCG's annual income as of 2012 was only $19.5 million according to his one of Gerald Flurry's booklets. It seems to me Flurry is very focused on a certain physical thing named Armstrong Auditorium.

(It should also be noted that the figure for 2012 is in fact lower than PCG's annual income for 2010 which was $20.6 million according to Stephen Flurry.)

The Laodiceans have lofty goals. They speak out with religious emotion. They appear to have righteous motives. They claim exalted titles and great numbers of ministers, yet they have rejected God’s government and work. The Laodicean groups will never succeed as they desire. (p. 23.)

According to Flurry "God’s government and work" is only to be found in PCG. So essentially Flurry is futilely complaining that the COGs refuse to unquestioningly submit themselves to Flurry's rule. "They claim exalted titles and great numbers of ministers, yet they have rejected" the church I lead, we could translate that statement. Does not sound very graceful that way, but that is what Flurry is actually saying here.

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah conveyed complimentary messages to the same people. Mr. Armstrong relied heavily on these two books while doing God’s work. ... This verse shows that Zerubbabel learned to build the temple through God’s Spirit. Herbert Armstrong learned to build through God’s Spirit. Mr. Armstrong preached the gospel, founded the Church, established a college and organized the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation solely through the use of God’s Holy Spirit. Mr. Armstrong accomplished much in his life—but the power was God’s! (p. 23.)

How did HWA rely heavily on Haggai while building up WCG? I do not believe that statement. Flurry is wrong on this point.

HWA did often quote certain passages from Zechariah but I cannot recall ever getting the impression that Haggai was particularly important for his teachings.

Also I find strange that Flurry should be so adulatory towards HWA's establishment of the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation. In fact that Foundation was a major reason why there was so much turmoil within WCG during the 1970s. Many WCG members wondered why so much money was being spent for this Foundation and HWA's visits to world leaders while WCG congregations languished with little resources, despite the great income WCG enjoyed. Why was HWA so embarrassed of his WCG when meeting with world leaders that he needed to create this Foundation in order to obscure his role as a religious leader?  Many WCG members viewed the Foundation as part of an attempt by Stanley Rader to place himself as the number two man within WCG. All this is one part of WCG history that Flurry avoids.

After this he then fear mongers about an end time Joshua, apparently either Tkach Sr. or Tkach Jr. in Flurry's teachings. This is a doctrine from his booklet, Malachi's Message. Actually it is widely known that many of the ideas within Malachi's Message were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

Chapter 4

Do any of the Laodicean groups understand the book of Haggai? Only in a general way. When will they understand it? When they repent of their rebellion against God’s government and law. The Laodiceans will not obey our message because they have a problem with God. They refuse to hear “the voice of the Lord.” They do not fear God enough to obey Him. Why would they ever listen to His warning message? A large number of people and ministers is not a high priority with God. What’s important to God is fear and obedience! (p. 26.)

When Flurry writes that other COG groups need to "repent of their rebellion against God’s government and law" he is actually demanding they just abandon what they have built for themselves and join PCG or be damned in the Great Tribulation.

The last statement is also intriguing in that it indicates that Gerald Flurry is more concerned to have "fear and obedience" among PCG ministers and members then having a large following. It would appear Flurry wants obedient followers more than a large following.

The PCG is God’s end of the end-time remnant. (p. 26.)

It has been nineteen years since this booklet was first published, ten years since this version of the booklet has been published. The Great Tribulation does not appear to be any closer since then.

Like Zerubbabel’s temple work, the PCG has had the humblest of beginnings. When Mr. Amos and I were fired, we knew God had given us His message. Only 12 people attended the first Sabbath service. We looked to Mr. Armstrong’s life as an example of how to do the work. My first “campaign-type” trip was into the state of Missouri. That is all the Church income would allow. This first trip was a very small beginning. (p. 27.)

Flurry loves to boast about how small PCG was initially. It did not stay that way for long. As early as 1995 Flurry was boasting that PCG had an annual income in the "multiple millions" as is seen above.

Sometimes we can make some faulty comparisons of ourselves with Laodicean groups. Humanly, we can look at the numbers and then question ourselves. But God warns us not to look at numbers, but to look to Him. (p. 29.)

In other words he is telling PCG members to pay no attention to the fact that UCG and Global COG (then later LCG) happen to be larger than PCG and have more famous WCG leaders among them.

Do not ask why so many WCG members appear unconvinced of PCG's legitimacy.

Do not ask why there may be fewer PCG members at any particular time.

Do not ask if (or why) there are more injustices among PCG compared to other COG groups.

PCG is the one and true church. Stay here.

Conveniently for Flurry if PCG members are persuaded that they must stay in PCG then they will continue to pay three tithes and extra offerings to PCG.

The God who created the universe and all of the holy angels is with the PCG. In verse 5, God encourages us to fear not. With the Lord of hosts behind us, whom should we fear? Are we fearless people? We have universe-shaking power behind us. Though the work may be difficult, we should remain festive and fearless while doing it. (p. 29.)

Why do so many PCG members remain in it despite the well documented problems that are there? Partly it is because they listen to words like this and believe them, or at least believe them enough, to remain in PCG. They think this great power is with them in PCG and that it will be gone should they leave or get shunned.

This next section is intriguing and deserves to be quoted at length. (Italics and capitals are Flurry's.)

What is God telling us here? He is showing that after Mr. Armstrong passes from the scene and just before Jesus Christ returns, THERE IS ONLY GOING TO BE A SINGLE, BRIEF SPACE OF TIME. Then God is going to shake the heavens, the Earth, the sea and the dry land. In other words, the PCG only has a very brief space of time to complete its work. There is only a brief span of time for God to determine who is Philadelphian and who is Laodicean. There is only a little time to determine who will be in Ezekiel’s temple in the World Tomorrow. Then God says He is going to fill “this house” with glory.

When we realize what God is doing through the PCG, it should be hard not to become so excited that we become almost dizzy with exhilaration. But we are humans. Sometimes we can slip into a moaning and groaning type of complaining, wishing we were back in Egypt, or the world. ...

God gave us His Spirit at our conversion. Nothing has changed. We still have God’s Spirit and God is with us. We should not fear or COMPLAIN. We must always remember that our future is going to be full of glory.

When Christ returns, the Church will be given its proper place in this world. The Church will be given prominence. Jesus Christ will share His glory with us so we can get a job done. Our future is going to be breathtaking. (pp. 29-30.)

"THERE IS ONLY GOING TO BE A SINGLE, BRIEF SPACE OF TIME....the PCG only has a very brief space of time to complete its work", Flurry says. It is now nineteen years since this booklet was first published, ten years since this version was published. Did PCG members then expect this world to still be here nineteen or ten years later?

"There is only a brief span of time for God to determine who is Philadelphian and who is Laodicean." 

What Flurry really means here is that he is demanding that the reader join PCG immediately so that he or she can start sending money into PCG's coffers right away. PCG already raked in "multiple millions" as early as 1995 so Flurry just wants more money, more members and more power.

He is also crudely intimidating the reader (most likely a WCG member or ex-WCG member) by insinuating that the reader will be damned in the Great Tribulation unless he or she joins PCG right now. He creates a sense of crisis in the reader in hopes of making the reader panic.

"We should not fear or COMPLAIN."

So if any PCG member sees something wrong that member is told he or she is the problem by complaining. So the problem which causes such complaining is stubbornly not addressed.

All the silver and gold in Solomon’s temple is a mere pittance compared to the spiritual riches God is building in our lives. The eventual spiritual glory God is going to shower us with cannot be compared with physical wealth. (p. 30.)

My word! Look at how PCG members are inculcated with this elitism that they are more important and are more privileged then anyone in the world, even more privileged then these distinguished Biblical forerunners of the faith. PCG members are told to think that knowing PCG's teachings is that important. No wonder so many PCG members develop such skewed priorities in life.

What Mr. Armstrong taught is the foundation of God’s temple in this end time. ... God’s Laodicean people could turn everything around today. God would bless them starting today, if they would only turn back to Him, His law and government. This very day can be so decisive in the life of a Laodicean. (p. 32.)

But elsewhere Flurry teaches that God's "government" can only be found within PCG. This is Flurry simply demanding WCG members and members of other COG groups join PCG and start paying three tithes to him immediately.

Flurry ends this booklet with these words. Unsurprisingly he concludes that PCG, the group he started and leads, is the one, true church one must join to escape the Great Tribulation.

If we want to find God’s work on Earth today, we must go back to the beginning of the Philadelphia era and examine stone by stone how Mr. Armstrong built the temple of God. God’s work and Church on Earth, in our time now, will be a replica of what Herbert Armstrong built. God’s only work, or Church, will fully embrace the law and government as established and taught by Mr. Armstrong. Haggai shows us that God’s very elect will know who the end-time Zerubbabel was and that these people will be gladly following in his footsteps.

The book of Haggai gives full proof that the Philadelphia Church of God is God’s end of the end-time work! (p. 33.)

Does PCG "fully embrace the law and government as established and taught by Mr. Armstrong"? If so why did PCG for their own convenience change at least three of HWA's writings, Mystery of the Ages, The Proof of the Bible and Who or What is the Prophetic Beast?

PCG's leaders, including Gerald Flurry, removed the section in HWA's Mystery of the Ages in which he teaches that Prophets under the New Testament dispensation had no authority over lay members. HWA taught this continuously from 1953 till his death. This contradicts Gerald Flurry's claim to be That Prophet, which he has taught since 1999.

Comparing the 2004 Version with the Current 2011 Version

As I suspected in Part 1 the current 2011 version is quite different.

First of all the 2011 version has been renamed Haggai: God has Begun to Shake the Nations. The 2004 version was named Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today. It should also be noted that PCG's booklet entitled Hosea also has changed in a similar manner, from emphasizing the recruitment of ex-WCG members to a greater focus on the supposedly soon coming apocalypse.

Also the 2011 version has only two chapters, whereas the 2004 version had four chapters.

The section regarding Zerubbabel as being a signet ring is placed at the start of the booklet (pp. 2-4.) and not at the end as it is in the 2004 version (pp. 32-3.).

Also the 2011 version is sprinkled with references to the court case with WCG. That is not mentioned at all in the 2004 version.

There is also a lot more speculation about world events and claiming they point to the beginning of the Great Tribulation. (See pp. 13-15 for instance.) Such things are rarely discussed in the 2004 version.

Flurry also claims certain scriptures in Haggai actually refer to PCG's Armstrong Auditorium. It is referred to as "God's House" in that section (pp. 11-13.). Of course Armstrong Auditorium was never mentioned in the 2004 version. It was not built then. If Flurry really is That Prophet why did he not see that Haggai was talking about Armstrong Auditorium before he had it built?

What a way to justify spending more money than PCG's annual income on a building that few PCG members will benefit from. Flurry claims it was prophesied to be built in the Bible.

Chapter 1 ends with these words, "The book of Haggai gives full proof that the Philadelphia Church of God is God’s end-of-the-end-time Work!" (p. 22.) In the 2004 version this was the end of the booklet.

Chapter 2 is much more similar to the 2004 version. Practically all of it is preserved from the 2004 version. Of course topics have been rearranged.

The 2011 version ends with these words.

One leading evangelist said that he would have come into the PCG if we had contacted him. Think deeply about that statement for a moment. Can God really use a person who has that attitude? What is God looking for in an evangelist or any minister? God needs men who can recognize His messenger. God wants men who have the spiritual ability to recognize His message. This is the kind of minister or member God can use. Why do people come to the PCG? Because God has stirred up His Spirit in them. We do not bring people into this Church through human effort, or human personalities, or through ministerial position. God’s Spirit draws people to us! (p. 33.)

In the 2004 version this was placed in page 27. The later sections are placed elsewhere within the 2011 version. I will say that the 2004 version's ending was more elegant then this latest 2011 version.

Conclusion

So we see that once again Gerald Flurry strives to convince people that PCG is the only legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

He claims to have received new revelation from God, namely that Haggai is also all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition to that, PCG members will go to the Place of Safety and all others will be left behind.

He claims Haggai prophesied the construction of Ambassador Auditorium (then he claimed it prophesied Armstrong Auditorium).

So we see this is just another booklet Gerald Flurry has written in order to gain more triple tithes paying members and get a bigger income off of PCG members by claiming to be the only true successor to HWA's WCG. He seems to do this quite frequently.

PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet Publishes Letter that says Fall of the Iron Curtain was Part of Sinister Plot to Covertly Spread Communist Ideology

In the latest issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet (July 2014 (PDF)) the writers have added the following letter in their letters section. The letter claims that the Iron Curtain did not really fall, and it was actually advantageous for the proponents of Soviet Communism.

Great article about the fall of the Iron Curtain and fall of the Soviet Empire .... This supposed fall of the Iron Curtain was also a covert way of spreading of the Communist ideology (socialist-leftist) throughout the world. Look at America today: Through Communist beliefs, the old Soviets have accomplished more to destroy America by stealth than by military might. It reminds me of Hitler’s methodology compared to the EU’s, of military might versus undemocratic stealth, to form the final revived Holy Roman Empire. (p. 32.)

What planet is this person living on? It certainly is not the planet I live in. Try telling that to the Communist officials who were kicked out of power.

Why do PCG's writers believe this paranoid opinion is worth printing in their magazine? It certainly does not indicate that PCG's writers have a good grasp of political events if they thought this letter was worth printing.

What was HWA's WCG Really Like?

Mnay COG leaders often speak adoringly of what HWA's WCG was like. They portray it as the one place on Earth was the truth was known and acted upon. A dedicated community of believers striving for God within a degraded world. But what was it really like?

Exit and Support Network has posted another heart rending testimony of what life was really like in HWA's WCG. This is the May 19 letter.

I began attending WWCG at age 2 in 1964 in a public school gym in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. I am still traumatized from my experience in that "church" and still feel isolated and have anxiety. I remember going to the Pocono Mountains for the Feast of Tabernacles and going to the local airport to await Herbert Armstrong's arrival, then going to services in a hot or cold circus tent for hours upon hours of sermons. But what still stands out is the screaming of children being beaten in the outer washrooms, including myself. Then when the Feast was over, going home and back to school and being constantly behind in school work and being segregated from my classmates during Christmas activities or having to sit in the hallway and smell the hotdogs on Hotdog Day.

I remember my mom getting marriage counseling [by WCG ministers] for herself but not my dad because he was not a member. He tried to get her to stop going. The constant fights I can never forget. I remember the the deacons arriving in brand new Chrysler Imperials in our driveway, wearing fedoras and silk suits to anoint me for my stuttering. I remember my sister's best friend being carried into services on a lawn chaise with throat cancer, having received no medical treatment, and being placed at the rear of the gym and struggling to breathe. She died at the age of 15. Another man I remember had kidney cancer and was told drinking apple juice would heal him. He died within months. I remember Mom tithing all her money that Dad gave her for groceries and which, instead, went to pay for Herbert's aircraft fuel.

I'm 50 years old now and cannot forget that awful era. I have an understanding, loving woman in my life but I cannot forget how my mind, along with the rest of my family's, has been damaged by mind control from that cult. I still have that feeling of not fitting in anywhere. I could go on forever about my experience in the WWCG, but writing this relieves some pressure. Thank you for listening.

People need to remember that the next time some COG "leader" tries telling people HWA's WCG was such a glorious community. The truth is HWA's WCG was a cesspool of oppression.

Reading PCG's Booklet, Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today

Now let us take a look at Gerald Flurry's booklet, Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today, the 2004 version. This booklet was originally published in 1995. It was later revised in 2004, 2009 and 2011. It's name was even changed. The 2004 edition is named Haggai: Proof of God's Work Today. The current 2011 version is entitled Haggai: God has Begun to Shake the Nations.You can read the current 2011 version here, but it seems to be quite different from what I read here. For instance the 2004 version contains four chapters, while the current version contains only two chapters and seems to have a greater focus upon the supposed future Great Tribulation then previous versions.

Recently I cannot help but see that Gerald Flurry's writings have a constant theme: Gerald Flurry claims to have "new revelation" which inevitably turns out to be his announcement that (insert name of Biblical book here) is (1) all about the Tkach changes, (2) the rise of PCG in opposition to them and (3) only PCG members will be taken to a place of safety while (4) all others will be damned by enduring the Great Tribulation. I wonder if Flurry will start talking about something else?

Obviously, it’s for this end time. This book discusses what happens in the temple—or God’s Church today (see 1 Corinthians 3:17). (p. 1.)

 Clearly not. Let us continue.

These verses mean that if a minister has a problem with God’s law—His government—then “that which they offer … is unclean.” Every work of their hands is polluted! The ministers who are contaminated poison all of those who follow them. They are all breaking the first and most important commandment of God. They are putting themselves ahead of the one true God. ...

The spiritual food they feed the members is defiled—infected—corrupt! The spiritual lesson in these verses is that we are not to even touch this spiritually poisoned food—much less eat it! And the people who eat it are going to get sick spiritually. Many of them are going to die forever! We must see how terribly serious this is. Eternal life and eternal death are at stake! No wonder God says not to even TOUCH such an offering! (pp. 3-4.)

With heated rhetoric like this is it any wonder why so many PCG members can imagine, despite great reluctance, that shunning the Laodiceans make sense to them? It is because PCG's leaders constantly indoctrinate them that Laodiceans are accused, that a PCG member could lose his or her eternal salvation be somehow getting too close to a Laodicean.

God used Mr. Armstrong to restore ALL things (Matthew 17:10-11). God’s government was the most important doctrine he restored. The Worldwide Church of God and all the groups that left that Church—except the Philadelphia Church of God (pcg)—have rejected the government God established through Mr. Armstrong! And that is the precise reason why God will not do His work through them. What they offer to God is unclean—even those groups that still keep many of the doctrines Mr. Armstrong taught. (p. 4.)

Once again Flurry claims that all COG groups aside from PCG deviate from HWA's doctrine of "God's government" which is actually one-man rule.

All of the Laodicean groups reject Mr. Armstrong as the end-time Zerubbabel or Elijah because they first rejected God’s government! And since God’s government is based on His law, they have caused the members to stumble at God’s law! (p. 7.)

Actually many Laodiceans hail HWA as the end time Elijah. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

Mr. Tkach recognized Mr. Armstrong as the end-time Elijah before and shortly after Mr. Armstrong died. But when he began to reject God’s government, he stopped believing this pivotal truth. And so it is with all of the Laodiceans. (Request your free copy of God’s Family Government for more information.)

No doctrine of God comes close to the importance of God’s government. This is the only way God can rule us. God does it through one man at a time—not a collective sort of leadership. If He cannot rule us, He cannot do His work through us. How plain and simple that should be to understand. (p. 8.)

Actually many ex-WCG members to this day, whether Armstrongite, Christian, Atheist or whatever, criticize Tkach for not ending one man rule, but rather using the one man rule he inherited from HWA to change WCG. Tkach did not abolish one man rule, as is inaccurately implied here, he simply used it to change WCG.

In chapter 1 Flurry simply uses the issue of HWA as the end time Elijah and the supposed rejection of "God's government" by the Laodiceans to discredit all other COG groups except his own PCG.

Chapter 2

Flurry appeals to the memory of HWA and recalls the glory of Ambassador Auditorium. He also implies that it may be demolished in the future as a sign of divine disapproval of the Tkach changes. He made the same insinuation in his booklet, The Lion Has Roared (p. 9.).

Flurry quotes at length HWA's co-worker letter of January 20, 1964 announcing the construction of Ambassador Auditorium and claiming it to be done in response to a command from God in the Book of Haggai (pp. 9-12.).

After that Flurry announces some "new revelation" he says he received from God regarding Haggai 2:9 was in fact a prediction of the rise of HWA and the construction of Ambassador Auditorium by HWA in fulfillment of his role as the end time Zerubbabel.

Now, let me give you some exciting new revelation from God! ... This verse is also a prophecy that God would build a physical house of God through an end-time Zerubbabel! Mr. Armstrong filled that role in these latter days. Mr. Armstrong did indeed receive a command from God to build the house of God in Pasadena, California. Haggai tells us so! But until now we have believed his statement by our faith. Now we understand a verse that clearly proves that God did inspire and even prophesy about His house in Pasadena, California! This prophecy was revealed to the Laodicean era, when God’s peace was being destroyed in His house. That is the emphasis of Haggai 2.

Look at the “peace”—the spiritual gifts—that flowed so abundantly from that house! Think of all the glorious books and booklets God inspired through Mr. Armstrong. That is what the prophecy in Haggai 2:9 is all about. (pp. 13-4.)

Flurry is talking about this Ambassador Auditorium?

The Ambassador Auditorium is a beautiful building, and some of the performances that take place there are undoubtedly of the finest quality. But sometimes even music critics wonder at some of the goings on there. For instance here is an excerpt from a Los Angeles Times (Oct. 19, 1980) review of a Martha Graham Dancers performance at Ambassador Auditorium (otherwise known as the "House for God"):

"The novelty of the evening took the quasi-deja-vu form of 'Judith,' a recent reworking of a solo first devised by Graham in 1950 (to music of William Schuman) and revised in 1962 (score then by Mordecai Seter). The current incarnation, much expanded, utilizes the familiar erotic-symbolic-primal sculptures of Isamu Noguchi, the gently otherworldly music of Edgar Varese ('Integrales,' 'Offrandes,' 'Octandre') and some dazzling cloaks and body drapes by the ubiquitous Halston.

"It also employs Peggy Lyman in a torturous, often successful Graham imitation as the biblical heroine who first seduces, then destroys the Assyrian warrior Holofernes. There is much artful crouching and contorting and jumping here, most of it symmetrical and meticulously ordered and theatrically mechancial. Lyman broods and stalks imposingly. Wingerd provides a nice naked (well, nearly naked) heroic foil. Judith Garay is raped picturesquely by the intruding warriors. (All this in the cultural home of the Worldwide Church of God!) [The preceding sentence with exclamation point is the reviewer's, not ours.]

"Still, one watches the elaborate play and interplay, the cerebral-sexual competition, the angular athletics, and one thinks ...." (Ambassador Report 14, Decmeber 1, 1980.)

Also it should be pointed out that Flurry studiously ignores the great betrayal many ex-WCG members feel regarding spending so much money building and maintaining Ambassador Auditorium, the fact that dissatisfaction over Ambassador Auditorium's extravagant cost was a major reason for the various mass defections out of WCG in the 1970s. He also ignores the distress some WCG members felt over it when they concluded that it actually contained Masonic symbolism. (I cannot personally say if they are right, but I wish to acknowledge that some WCG members were worried about that.)

I shall continue with chapters 3 and 4 in a future post.

To be continued...

(Update: May 27, 2014: I have added an image of the booklet's cover as it was printed in an earlier edition.)

Reading PCG's Booklet, The Prophet Joel

Let us now read through Gerald Flurry's booklet, The Prophet Joel: Christ's Bride and the Day of the Lord. This booklet was first published in 1995. It has since been revised in 2003, 2004 and 2006. You can read the current version of this booklet on their website. It is the same version read here.

 The subtitle reads "Christ's Bride and the Day of the Lord".

Recently I cannot help but see that his writings have a constant theme: Gerald Flurry claims to have "new revelation" which inevitably turns out to be his announcement that (insert name of Biblical book here) is (1) all about the Tkach changes, (2) the rise of PCG in opposition to them and (3) only PCG members will be taken to a place of safety while (4) all others will be damned by enduring the Great Tribulation.

I wonder if that will change here. Will it?

God has finally revealed the full meaning of the book of Joel! But not to the Bible scholars of this world. God was not going to reveal the full meaning of Joel until the Laodicean era of His Church appeared on the scene ... That is because the strongest warning in this heavy prophecy is directed to God’s own lukewarm Church.

This is what none of the commentaries see! The number-one tragedy in this book of tragedies is the trouble in God’s own Church. Many members are in danger of going into the Tribulation. Many others are in danger of losing their eternal lives. (p. 2.)

As expected, Flurry says Joel is all about the Tkach changes and the rise of PCG. This is exactly the same message Gerald Flurry produces with just about every booklet he wrote, or at least the ones I have read so far.

The word of God did not come to a committee! It did not come to a group of scholars. It came to a man—as it always does! So if God reveals more truth about Joel in this end time, it would be revealed to one man. That man, of himself, is not important. But God’s word is. Our responsibility is to find God’s message—and the right man. (p. 3.)

Flurry uses the Book of Joel to claim that God reveals truth to a man. Flurry naturally claims to be the man God is revealing truth to now. This statement also reveals Flurry claim to be the rightful bearer of one man rule (misleadingly called "God's government") within PCG.

This is an end-time message. So God will obviously reveal the full meaning of this book today. Then a man—a messenger—will proclaim the message with extreme urgency. Other scriptures will make this even more obvious as we continue. (p. 3.)

But if this one man (he means himself, Gerald Flurry, of course) is the only one who properly understand what Joel is saying, does that not means that Flurry has assumed all the authority of Joel?

The ministers are commanded to lead all of God’s people in fasting and to call a solemn assembly—an urgent meeting about repentance. All of God’s people are to come to where Christ and His revelation are. They must heed God’s revelation given in the book of Joel—either now, or in the Tribulation. Everybody should stop their work now and come to God’s Work. God prophesied that He would make the Laodiceans come back to the Philadelphian message (Revelation 3:9). It’s only a matter of when. (p. 7.)

Translation: Join PCG or be damned in the Great Tribulation. Get out of whatever non-COG group right now and pay me and my collaborators three tithes now or be damned.

When God gives us the full revelation from Joel, it is near “at hand.” We are being plunged into the preliminaries of the book of Joel now! We are in the gun lap today. World conditions are going to get vastly worse—quickly! (p. 8.)

It is now nineteen years since this booklet was first published. Eight years since this latest version came out. What a long gun lap. Have world conditions gone worse since then? That is not the first time someone said we were in the "gun lap".That happened shortly before 1972.

God would never have cut them [the "Laodiceans"] off had they not rejected His government! Every Laodicean group in existence has rejected the government God taught through Mr. Armstrong. (p. 8.)

Flurry once again brings out his canard that the "Laodiceans" have rejected "the government God taught through Mr. Armstrong", which Gerald Flurry admits in his booklet Isaiah's End-Time Vision is actually "one-man rule". In fact many COG groups continue to have one man rule to this day. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

This is just simply a crude way Flurry claims PCG is different from every other COG group. Too bad for him this claim happens to be untrue.

This is why our message is so urgent today. Soon, only those people God protects will escape these towering catastrophes! (p. 9.)

Flurry says "those people God protects" when he actually means PCG members. He is yet again intimidating WCG members and ex-WCG members into joining PCG to save themselves from the Great Tribulation and the supposed nuclear war soon to come.

It is now nineteen years since this booklet was first published. Eight years since this current version was published. Has Flurry's dire threat arrived?

The Hebrew word for holy does not mean a moral quality. It always means “separated, or set apart, for God.” God’s “holy mountain” is the loyal Philadelphia remnant, which is doing His Work. This work consists of, specifically, delivering a terrifying message to God’s own people around the world. (p. 10.)

So Flurry finally admits that he is trying to terrify people, specifically to terrify other Armstrongites into joining PCG. He claims he does it as part of God's will but actually he uses the fear he preach to intimidate people into joining PCG with the promise of escape from this supposed coming catastrophe.

How many PCG converts would have joined if they knew we would all be here nineteen years after this booklet first came out? (Eight years since this version's release.)

Flurry throws in a lot of doom and gloom in this booklet. Here is a little more. Anything to get a few more tithe payers.

This bloodcurdling destruction kills most people, yet leaves a few petrified with fear. Never has this Earth seen so much appalling evil! Every face turns black with agonizing pain! Why can’t mankind repent now and avoid this day of darkness? ... Nuclear winter has blocked out the shining sun, moon and stars! The heavens are trembling. Why can’t men see where this world is headed? (p. 12.)

In 1995, when he first published this booklet, he was already boasting that PCG had an annual income of "multiple millions". (These words are not in the current version of that booklet.)

Look at how the PCG has grown since Malachi's Message was first mailed just prior to January 16, 1990. Already we have bought and paid for three new buildings with over 8500 square feet and are producing a beautiful monthly magazine that is mailed to tens of thousands of homes in over 80 countries. We have access to hundreds of millions of people with our television program. Our annual income is now into the multiple millions. (Gerald Flurry, The Little Book, 1995, p. 7.)

 Flurry is just trying to get more tithe payers with this booklet that claims to be about the writings of Joel.

There is towering hope in this verse. God may “repenteth … of the evil.” He may change many of our problems immediately. ... Who knows, God may remove the big trial you have now. Your whole life could be revolutionized today! God promises forgiveness as well as punishment. And He never lies (Hebrews 6:18). (p. 14.)

But if God only reveals revelation to one man (Gerald Flurry) then the only way to "repent" is to follow Gerald Flurry, meaning join PCG and pay three tithes and extra offerings to his institution.

Later Gerald Flurry claims Joel 2:23 is all about himself, Gerald Flurry, and that Joel calls him "a teacher of righteousness".

A remnant of God’s people will not be cut off. Some of them will receive the former and latter rain. They will be fed spiritually as they were in the glorious past—that is, under Herbert W. Armstrong! This spiritual education would come through “a teacher of righteousness.” [Gerald Flurry.] God prophesied that a leader [Gerald Flurry] would be sent to move His lamp. Not only would he hold fast to what was rejected, but the spiritual rain—revelation from God—would fall abundantly for him and his followers. (p. 17.)

Gerald Flurry claims to have received "new revelation" from God and this is a major claim for his authority over PCG members. His "new revelation", at least at first, is simply to say that (insert name of Biblical book here) is actually all about the Tkach changes and the rise of PCG in opposition to that. That is what he said in Malachi's Message. It was so successful for him that he decided to repeat this message using just about every book in the Bible. So there is no abundance of "new revelation" as he claims here, but rather the same "new revelation" is repeated again and again.

Actually it is widely known that many of the ideas within Malachi's Message were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

We now continue.

After this Flurry speculates on what will happen to the Laodiceans in the Great Tribulation. He speculates that after PCG members have fled to the place of safety many Laodiceans will repent. (In other writings Flurry says it will be half of them.) These repentant Laodicenas will be encouraged by having visions and prophesies delivered to them.

Joel refers to people who are going to prophesy, dream dreams and see visions. Would God use people who don’t have God’s Holy Spirit in them to prophesy? I don’t think so. These Laodiceans had a history with God before they went into the Tribulation. They were plunged into the Tribulation because they rebelled against God. When they repent, God can use them in a special way. Perhaps, God will also give His Spirit to be with those who repent, but were never baptized. They could have dreams and see visions to give them hope in the worst crisis ever. ... 

God is to pour out His Holy Spirit upon the repentant Laodiceans. Then young and old people receive revelations from God to encourage them. They are scattered and probably have no real leadership. I don’t see any other practical way for God to encourage them. ... The Laodiceans will then remember God. They’ll remember how they were taught the truth, and realize how they then “departed” from God. They will also remember that we warned them of this rebellion. (pp. 18-9.)

Pay me my tithes and only then shall these things not happen, in other words.

Elsewhere Flurry also claims these repentant Laodiceans will be massacred by the unrepentant Laodiceans in collaboration with the European Beast Power. He wrote that in his booklet entitled Obadiah.

Then Flurry talks about the end of the Great Tribulation. Time for more blood and gore.

It was in the valley of Jehoshaphat where Asa, Hezekiah and Josiah cast and burned the idols of Israel. It was a common burial place. It still is today. In the future, God is going to continue the tradition. The valley of Jehoshaphat is going to become a massive grave—the biggest grave ever on Earth! ...

All of the Israelites are to be removed from their nations (verse 6). Mind-staggering times are coming upon this world very soon. That means God’s very elect have a gigantic responsibility. ...

People are going to be wading in human blood! (verses 12-13). ... The valley of Jehoshaphat is going to be overflowing with blood. People are going to be wading in blood all over this Earth! They are going to get sick of blood, blood and more blood. Human beings are going to be crushed like grapes by the billions! (pp. 20-1.)

The reason he focuses so much on blood and gore is because he is a cult leader. He is trying to stir up fear among PCG members in order to make them rally around him.

Then at the end he writes a few words saying that this news is actually joyous because after all this Christ shall return and all will be well.

Flurry ends with these words.

The theme of this book is the Day of the Lord, and its strongest warning is to God’s own people. We must blow the trumpet in Zion. Mind-paralyzing times are coming. The people must be warned. But they must also hear the end result of God’s inspiring plan. We need this glorious vision to get us through the difficult times ahead. (p. 22.)

But how can PCG members "blow the trumpet in Zion" by warning the Laodiceans if they are forbidden to have contact with Laodiceans, as they have been since at least 2000?

So we see that this booklet simply repeats what Gerald Flurry taught in Malachi's Message, that Old Testament prophesies are all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition to that and that PCG members will be spared from the Great Tribulation while all others will be left behind to endure its horrors. Although these things are presented somewhat differently it is essentially repeating the same themes contained in Malachi's Message.

And he seems to think Joel 2:23 is specifically talking about him and Joel calls him "a teacher of righteousness".

Odd. I seem to recall how one man said, "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ." (Matthew 23:10, New King James Version.)

His name was Jesus by the way, but I doubt he will listen to one who talks like that.

Reading PCG's Booklet, The Little Book (1995)

Let us now read through Gerald Flurry's booklet, The Little Book. This was first published in 1995. Here Flurry claims that Malachi's Message is actually the Little Book mentioned in Revelation 10. He first unveiled this doctrine in 1992. Previously Gerald Flurry had taught that the Little Book was the Bible. Also in this booklet Flurry makes no mention of the fact that HWA once claimed the Little Book referred to his meetings with world leaders. You can read the original 1995 version online. It has since been revised in 2004, 2007 and 2010.

The current version may be read at their website. However I am not reading that booklet here except to compare quotes.

The artwork is credited to one Steve Wilkins in the 1995 version. However his name does not appear in the current 2010 version even though it still uses a somewhat modified version of his artwork.

We now begin.

There was an angel assigned to each of the seven Church eras (verse 20). The angel over the Laodicean era had the little book in his hand. One of his major responsibilities was to get the little book delivered. (p. 2.)

Why does Flurry imagine that the angel in Revelation 10 is the angel of the Laodicean era? Who told him that? Did HWA teach that?

In the past, some of us have thought the little book was Mr. Armstrong’s book Mystery of the Ages. That book is very profound revelation from God, but it covers a much more comprehensive subject than the little book. Mystery of the Ages does not contain seven thunderous messages like a lion’s roar! The number seven pictures completion. The whole story is told of how a thunderous storm strikes God’s Church (and the world) in this end time. God’s Church is treacherously led astray. The Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord are approaching with lightning speed. However, the little book reveals a joyous ending.

When the little book comes on the scene, it is a time of fear in God’s Church and on the world scene. It’s like a barrage of seven thunders and a lion’s roar as God is about to pounce on His prey and correct His Laodicean Church and this evil world! (pp. 3-4.)

PCG Information pointed this fact out but it deserves mentioning again. Later in the booklet Flurry announces that the seven thunders are the last seven chapters of Malachi's Message. But originally Malachi's Message had no chapters. The copies of Malachi's Message mailed out in January 1990 did not even have chapters. You can read this 1990 version of Malachi's Message and see this is the case.

Gerald Flurry now claims the seven thunders of Rev. 10 are the last seven chapters of his book Malachi’s Message (LB pg.10 bottom). However, the original draft of MM was just a collection of notes with no chapters, and was compiled into the 1990 version, which also has no chapters, ...

If MM were truly inspired, would there not have been seven chapters instead of none, and then nine? This is clearly an uninspired afterthought. (Source.)

We now continue. 

“And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (verse 4). The angel told John not to write this vision of the little book. Imagine. The message of this little book was first revealed 1,900 years ago! However, it was not written until 1989!

What is Flurry saying? John did write about the Little Book. He did not write about what the seven thunders said. Why is Flurry so imprecise about what happened here?

John did write that the little book would be produced IN THIS END TIME. (p. 4.)

Where did he say that? Flurry is just reading stuff into Revelation.

The “man of sin” was revealed to us in a great falling away from God—after Mr. Armstrong died (2 Thessalonians 2:3-11). But we still would not have recognized this treachery for what it really is without Malachi’s Message. God took Mr. Armstrong out of the way and then clearly revealed what was happening. (p. 4. Page 5 in the current version.)

Here Flurry is claiming the full mystical significance of the Tkach changes would have been humanly unknowable without Malachi's Message.

The last paragraph of page 6 is also quite intriguing.

Natural disasters have intensified mightily since Mr. Armstrong died. There have been earthquakes, floods, droughts and fires. There have also been an alarming increase in family break-down, race problems and out-of-control crime. One journalist said 1993 was the "SCARIEST YEAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY" (because of the floods, fire, etc.) That is also true of the British people. Already South Africa has lost control of its country. That catastrophe and a lot more going to happen to America and Britain, if we don't heed God's Word. (p. 6.)

PCG's order for PCG members to shun Laodiceans is not helping to bring families together.

Also look at how PCG viewed the end of apartheid and the introduction of majority rule: "South Africa has lost control of its country." I am sure a lot of people who were denied the right to vote in elections, who were arbitrarily listed as belonging to some Bantustan and not South Africa and were forced to endure the pain of racial discrimination would not be impressed with how PCG has labelled the state of South Africa during the end of apartheid.

Not surprisingly this part of the booklet has been changed a lot. (See pp. 6-7 of the current version.) There is now no mention of 1993 being the scariest year and no mention of South Africa losing "control of its country." Instead Flurry mentions 9/11, a poll saying Americans felt the terrorists were somehow winning and a vague fear that America has become dependent on the resources of non-Israelites.

Flurry, as he is wont to do, boasts of how great and mighty PCG has become over the years since it started.

Look at how the PCG has grown since Malachi's Message was first mailed just prior to January 16, 1990. Already we have bought and paid for three new buildings with over 8500 square feet and are producing a beautiful monthly magazine that is mailed to tens of thousands of homes in over 80 countries. We have access to hundreds of millions of people with our television program. Our annual income is now into the multiple millions. (p. 7.)

In this section Flurry fear mongers that the end of this age is very close to occurring, that since HWA's death events are spiraling faster and faster. It is intriguing in the current version how Flurry's warning has been updated to mention the 9/11 terror attacks.

The people who eat and digest the little book are the very elect. They remain or become Philadelphians. God’s people who refuse to eat and digest it become Laodicean and enter into the outer court where they unwittingly await the Great Tribulation (Revelation 11:1-2). They and the world reject the little book and fail to understand the prophesied events. Only God’s very elect understand the prophecies of the little book. (pp. 7-8. Page 7 in the current version.)

Believe in Malachi's Message by Gerald Flurry or be slain in the Great Tribulation.

Flurry also appeals to the memory of the late John Amos, who was his ministerial assistant and was instrumental in starting up PCG until his death in 1992.

As we said before, the little book is Malachi’s Message. And God commands us to “eat it up.” We must study it thoroughly. So much is at stake! The late John Amos said he read it 14 times! Perhaps that is one reason why God used him so powerfully in this Work. After you have heeded God’s command to “eat it up,” God has a monumental job for you to do! (pp. 8-9. Page 8 in the current version.)

The Malachi's Message available today is not the same Malachi's Message that John Amos would have read. Over the years it has been revised numerous times. The last revision was in 2004.

The outer court, or Laodiceans, went to sleep and stopped prophesying. The inner court rises up and prophesies again the way Mr. Armstrong did. First Mr. Armstrong prophesied. When he died, the WCG stopped prophesying. Then God raised up the PCG to “prophesy again.” (p. 10. Page 9 in the current version.)

Here Flurry is clearly talking about the Tkachite WCG. But elsewhere, including the current version of Malachi's Message (PCG's Little Book), Flurry teaches that all other COG groups except PCG are Laodicean. How can these other Laodiceans be accused of having "stopped prophesying"? The other COG groups are just as much into prophetic speculation as PCG is. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

It must be noted that the current version now reads "The outer court, or Laodiceans, went to sleep and stopped doing God’s prophetic Work." Why would Flurry change these words? Is he obliquely admitting that the non-WCG Laodiceans are preaching prophetic speculations just like PCG? Yet he still vilifies non-WCG Laodiceans as though they were just like the Tkachite WCG that moved away from Armstrongism. The non-COG Laodiceans cannot be accused of being like the Tkachite WCG as they still believe many of the doctrines and teachings of HWA. Many in fact believe that HWA was the end time Elijah and that one man rule is the correct way to operate church government.

Why does God mention the times of the Gentiles and not the Tribulation? It’s probably because it helps us to see the shortness of time better. The Gentiles are rising inside and outside the nations of Israel—very fast! That is easy for us to see. Israel is collapsing from within and is about to be attacked from without.

The Philadelphians are to rise and measure God’s Church. A great portion of that measuring is holding on to what Mr. Armstrong taught! The word “measure” means to judge by any rule or standard. What Mr. Armstrong taught has a lot to do with our standard. We must measure ourselves by God’s word. Just rising, or rousing ourselves out of sleep spiritually, is a part of measuring God’s Church. (p. 10.)

Armstrongism has long had this suspicion that non-Israelites rising up and gaining greater acceptance in society is a sign that the end of the age is about to come. There is this fear that the Israelites ("white" Caucasians) will lose their power to non-whites. It causes them a lot of needless anxiety.

Flurry boasts that "A great portion of that measuring is holding on to what Mr. Armstrong taught!" Then why does PCG deviate from what HWA taught by calling Gerald Flurry "That Prophet"? HWA taught from 1953 until his death that New Testament Prophets have no administrative power over members. Why did PCG's leadership change at least three of HWA's writings, Mystery of the Ages, The Proof of the Bible and Who or What is the Prophetic Beast? There may very well be more.

(Note: "God’s word" is now "God’s Word" in the current version of this booklet.)

Also Flurry speaks here of "the shortness of time". It is now nineteen years since this booklet was published. The "Laodiceans" (whether in Tkach's WCG or not) have not suffered any sort of divine punishment for not paying Flurry three tithes by joining PCG.

From this point on Flurry then gives a synopsis of Malachi's Message insisting that it is the Little Book of Revelation 10.

Later he says... 

Satan tried to overthrow God and rule the universe. He still has that ambition and exalts himself that way in God’s Church, if he can. (p. 18. Page 17 in the current version.)

So Flurry now says Satan was trying to "overthrow God and rule the universe." Why did Flurry say that Satan was trying to have a collegial government with God in his 1993 booklet, God's Family Government?

Again, none of the Laodiceans believe Mr. Armstrong was the end-time Elijah. That is why they are blind to the real meaning of 2 Thessalonians 2! (p. 19. Page 18 in the current version.)

Again, many non-WCG Laodiceans believe that HWA was the end time Elijah. This statement is present in the current version of this booklet. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” (verse 8). The King James Version even capitalizes the “W” in wicked, as if to say this is no ordinary man. (p. 18. Page 19 in the current version.)

Or maybe this reflects the now archaic spelling convention of capitalizing all nouns which was the practice in English until the 1700s. In fact until sometime in the 1700s it was the rule in English to capitalize all nouns. Perhaps the translators viewed that word as a noun and capitalized it accordingly.

Some of us may have known a few details of Malachi’s Message before it was printed. Two or three people have said they understood most of it before it was written. Malachi’s Message was revealed to me in 1989. God revealed it! There was no reason for God to do so if a few already understood the message! I hope all of us would challenge such statements. Malachi’s Message is a new vision from God. It’s a new revelation—not something somebody already knew!

This new revelation is God’s way of saying that we must give the little book a special importance and the majesty it deserves. Only then can we properly respond to the great Work of God—much of which revolves around the little book. (pp. 20-1. Page 20 in the current version.)

Actually it is widely known that many of the ideas within Malachi's Message were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work. Flurry is here denying all this.

Also looking back at events in the Tkach changes it should be no surprise that some people would have wondered if the Tkach changes symbolized the rise of the Laodicean era. It seems most likely that is what Flurry means mentioning that some "understood most of [Malachi's Message] before it was written". There was a lot of confused speculation about what the Laodicean church would be. Some thought the Laodiceans would be not be made manifest until the worthy WCG members fled to the place of safety (Petra, Jordan). Flurry alludes to this idea in Malachi's Message. Some thought Garner Ted Armstrong's splinter group would be the Laodicean church. There was even speculation that Stanley Rader might be the Man of Sin who would later leave WCG and incite political authorities to persecute WCG members.

With such a wild mix of ideas in this milieu it should be no surprise that other persons should come to similar ideas to that presented in Malachi's Message. (Or maybe they just encountered Jules Dervaes, either in person or in writing, while he was protesting the Tkach changes.) 

Flurry ends his booklet with these words.

It is God's own work we are honored to do. But we need to prove that Malachi's Message is the centerpiece of God's Work. We must "eat it up" and believe what God says. Then we will be motivated to act! Just knowing these truths is not enough. We must act on God's Word in faith. Let's stretch and strain to get the little book to God's Laodicean brethren. (p. 22.)

But how can PCG members "stretch and strain to get the little book to God's Laodicean brethren" if they are ">forbidden to have contact with Laodiceans, as they have been since at least 2000?

So we see that Flurry is trying to gain converts by claiming that their booklet, Malachi's Message, is prophesied of in the Bible. But it should now be seen that in fact there are a lot of problems to what Flurry says in this booklet.