Saturday, August 27, 2016

PCG Quoting Glenn Beck

Recently I was listening to a Trumpet Hour broadcast and they ended up talking about Van Jones. And Robert Morley mentioned that Glenn Beck talked about him. That happened back in 2009, seven years earlier.

Although he is far less prominent now since he lost his TV show on Fox News Channel I can well recall the time Glenn Beck arose to prominence. I was recently reminded of those days reading Common Nonsense by Alexander Zaitchik (2010), a critique and biography of him. Among other things he mentions that Beck actually failed to unseat Jones. It was another right wing media outlet, the Gateway Pundit, that succeeded in getting him to resign.

Remembering those days here are the times PCG's writers chose to mention Beck. Indeed they have mentioned him but rather sparsely. Surprisingly only Gerald Flurry and Robert Morley cite Beck. No one else in PCG's writings does so, not even anonymously written articles. Is this an indication that the others in PCG's 1% do not trust Beck as a media source?

Notably Beck is never criticized. This indicates that Beck is trusted by Gerald Flurry, Morley and possibly others within PCG's 1%.

Here are the quotes in which Gerald Flurry and Robert Morley chose to cite Glenn Beck.

***

Glenn Beck began running a television program on CNN Headline News in 2006. PCG's writings first mention him in 2007 in an article by PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry. But he mentions Beck only in order to quote then Israeli opposition leader Netanyahu denouncing Iran. Following Ariel Sharon's stroke in January 2006 Gerald Flurry began to talk favorably of Netanyahu.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Israeli prime minister, may be elected again soon. He is saying that we are already in World War III and likens Iran to Germany in 1938, one year before World War II began. 
That is how he evaluates world conditions today. Here is what Netanyahu said when Glenn Beck interviewed him on Nov. 17, 2006: “Iran is Germany, and it’s 1938, except that this Nazi regime that is in Iran, that’s a religious kind of fanaticism, but it wants to dominate the world, annihilate the Jews, but also annihilate America. Remember, we’re the small Satan. You’re the big Satan. … 
“We’re just the first way station en route to you [the U.S.]. So there is this fundament fanaticism that is there. It’s a messianic cult. It’s a religious messianic cult that believes in the Apocalypse, and THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO EXPEDITE THE APOCALYPSE TO BRING THE COLLAPSE OF THE WEST” (emphasis mine throughout). (Gerald Flurry, Two Minutes Closer to Midnight, January 23, 2007.)
This passage was reused for an article in PCG's recruitment magazine.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Israeli prime minister, may be elected again soon. He is saying we are already in World War III, and likens Iran to Germany in 1938, one year before World War II began. 
That is how he evaluates world conditions today. Here is what Netanyahu said when Glenn Beck interviewed him on Nov. 17, 2006 (I quoted different parts of this interview last month): “Iran is Germany, and it’s 1938, except that this Nazi regime that is in Iran, that’s a religious kind of fanaticism, but it wants to dominate the world, annihilate the Jews, but also annihilate America. Remember, we’re the small Satan. You’re the big Satan.  
“We’re just the first way station en route to you [the U.S.]. So there is this fundamental fanaticism that is there. It’s a messianic cult. It’s a religious messianic cult that believes in the Apocalypse, and THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO EXPEDITE THE APOCALYPSE TO BRING THE COLLAPSE OF THE WEST.” (Gerald Flurry, Two Minutes Closer to Midnight, March 2007.)

***

In 2008 Gerald Flurry now quoted Beck himself in connection with the controversy about Jeremiah Wright as part of the build up to the 2008 presidential elections. Here a call to worship a God who loves African Americans is viewed by Flurry in a negative way and seems to be taken too literally.

It should be noted that PCG has a long history of vilifying African Americans. PCG has long taught that African Americans are fated to launch a wave of riots against the white majority in the future. This is PCG's false prophecy of "race war."
Here is what Glenn Beck said on his CNN broadcast, March 19: “In the talking points page of the Trinity Church’s website, Reverend Wright, in his own words, states that the foundation of his beliefs are in systemized black liberation theology and praises James Cone’s book, Black Power and Black Theology. This is what James Cone, the man who Obama’s senior spiritual adviser looks up to and whose ideas he preaches, states as black liberation theology. Listen carefully and please follow along. 
“Quote, ‘Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill gods who do not belong to the black community. Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in black power which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressers here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love.’” 
This is one of the most anti-God, anti-Bible statements I have ever read! The God of the Bible is not about loving black people and hating white people. Christ died for the sins of all humanity. Any Christian should know that. And all humanity is going to be a part of God’s Family, in God’s time frame. Of course, those people who reject that Family will be excluded forever. (Gerald Flurry, The Obama-Wright Tragedy: It’s Much Bigger Than Race, May 2008.)
Note how Flurry uses a right wing source to learn about Obama's (now former) church. Flurry does not appear to have studied that particular church for himself. He is relying on second hand information. Only one other source is cited in this article, namely a New York Times article.

***

Later in 2008 Gerald Flurry condemned the dismissal of Larry Summers and quoted Beck to denigrate "colleges and universities" as promoting leftist ideas. It should be noted that his organization operates an unaccredited "College" so consequently he has an interest in discouraging his followers from going to those educational institutions outside PCG's control.
In 2005 there was a study where 72 percent of college professors admitted to being liberal. Glenn Beck recently made a statement on CNN where he said, “Most of our colleges and universities are only working to spread the political views of some of their professors.” That’s a very condemning statement, yet it rings true in light of the resignation of Larry Summers. He was forced to resign from his job when even most of the students didn’t want to see him go! Now that is some kind of authority. You wouldn’t call that a democracy, would you? You could call it tyranny by a small group of the faculty. And where is it leading us in our education today? Do we really care? With a $34.9 billion endowment you have a hefty influence on the national psyche. That makes it extremely important. (Gerald Flurry, Harvard University’s Hidden Authority, June 2, 2008.)
This was reused in PCG's recruitment magazine.
In a 2005 study, 72 percent of college professors admitted to being liberal. Glenn Beck recently stated, “Most of our colleges and universities are only working to spread the radical political views of some of their professors” (cnn, May 14). That’s a very condemning statement, yet it rings true in light of the Larry Summers resignation. He was forced from his job when even most of the students didn’t want to see him go! That is authority. You wouldn’t call that a democracy, would you? You could call it tyranny by a small group of the faculty. And where is it leading us in our education today? That $34.9 billion endowment gives Harvard a hefty influence on the national psyche. That makes this issue extremely important. (Gerald Flurry, Harvard University’s Hidden Authority, August 2008.)

***

Afterwards Beck left CNN and moved to Fox News Channel with a television program of his starting in January 2009. Beck quickly gained widespread attention for his strident denunciations of the Obama Administration and became a most polarizing figure. At one point he called President Obama a racist and in response a boycott campaign against firms advertising on his television program began leading to many firms boycotting his program.

In April 2010 Robert Morley mentioned Beck as being a man accused by leftists of being close to seditious.
Left-wing political commentators, such as Time columnist Joe Klein, charge that right-wing personalities such as Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck are close to being seditious—that they are instigating insurrection against the government. (Robert Morley, "Killing for the Greater Good", April 20, 2010.)
Later in the article Morley cites a Wall Street Journal article that mentioned Beck as a firebrand of the right.

***

On June 30, 2011 the last episode of Glenn Beck on Fox News Channel was broadcast and his television show came to an end and consequently he was now less prominent as a commentator. But Gerald Flurry was still listening to him citing him in a March 2013 article to accuse President Obama of not telling the truth.
When the president was campaigning for a second term, he said, “You may be frustrated sometimes with the pace of change. I’m frustrated too sometimes. But you know where I stand. You know what I believe. YOU KNOW I TELL THE TRUTH.” 
Does the president tell the truth? IS ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION? 
Here is how Glenn Beck responded to the president’s statement: “This is more a judgment on America and the press. I’ve never looked back and marveled at how many people will fall for and accept, knowingly accept, a falsehood. I’ve never seen it before in my life.” 
That is because times are different! None of us has ever seen anything like this before—because something very powerful and absolutely massive happened to this world in 1986. We are now in the advanced stages of the aftermath of that change. (Gerald Flurry, The Hidden Cause of Society’s Deadly Decline, March 2013.)
These words were then used in his booklet, America Under Attack. In that booklet Gerald Flurry accuses President Obama of being influenced by demons and of being an Antichrist like figure he calls "another Antiochus," comparing him to Antiochus Epiphanes and Tkach. This is a vile, superstitious slur.
When the president was campaigning for a second term, he said, “You may be frustrated sometimes with the pace of change. I’m frustrated too sometimes. But you know where I stand. You know what I believe. YOU KNOW I TELL THE TRUTH.” 
Does the president tell the truth? IS ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION? 
Here is how Glenn Beck responded to the president’s statement: “This is more a judgment on America and the press. I’ve never looked back and marveled at how many people will fall for and accept, knowingly accept, a falsehood. I’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE IN MY LIFE.” 
THAT IS BECAUSE TIMES ARE DIFFERENT! None of us HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE! You can’t explain this unless you go to the Bible, and realize that Satan has been cast down and that his influence is greater than ever! (Gerald Flurry, America Under Attack, Chapter 3, 2013.)

***

In August 2014 Morley mentioned Beck when he compared a Canadian reporter as being the Canadian equivalent of Beck. Morley brings up Beck even though it had been three years since his TV program had ended. Clearly Morley views Beck favorably. Morley was discussing clashes in protests about the 2014 war in Gaza.
Much of the rest of Canadian media ignored the story until the Sun’s Ezra Levant (who is similar to America’s Glenn Beck) finally shamed them into reporting the disgusting events—although predictably, they mostly reported on how sorry Saima Jamal said the Palestinian community was that a few people acted inappropriately. (Robert Morley, ‘Kill the Jews’ in Canada, August 7, 2014.)
***

Parts of the March 2013 article was reused for a January 2015 article to repeat his accusation that President Obama was not telling the truth.
When the president was campaigning for a second term, he said, “You may be frustrated sometimes with the pace of change. I promise you, so am I sometimes. … But you know where I stand. You know what I believe. YOU KNOW I TELL THE TRUTH.” 
Does the president tell the truth? IS ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION? 
Here is how Glenn Beck responded to the president’s statement: “This is more a judgment on America and the press. I’ve never looked back and marveled at how many people will fall for and accept, knowingly accept, a falsehood. I’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE IN MY LIFE.” 
Yes indeed, THIS IS A “JUDGMENT ON AMERICA” because of our sins. (Gerald Flurry, America: The Attack From Within Continues, January 2015.)

***

And so it is evident that some within PCG's 1% trust Glenn Beck and choose to listen to him. But curiously only Gerald Flurry and Robert Morley have cited him in their writings. This possibly indicates that the others within PCG's leadership are less enthusiastic about him and do not trust him enough to cite him.

4 comments:

  1. There was a time that I listened briefly to Glenn Beck and found his perspectives interesting. That didn't last long. I had only seen and heard a very few things.

    As I learned more about him, I began to see him as an absolute kook. It didn't help that he seemed to have come from LDS, but the real kicker was when I found out he believed in British Israelism.

    I must say that it is important to keep a clear mind and look for the facts. Using scientific method helps immeasurably, but, unfortunately, there's a war against science which makes ascertaining factual material more difficult in the light of pressure from social media.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for sharing your thought on this blog. Your contribution to this blog is much appreciated.

      I will state here that I first heard of him after he was making waves on Fox News at that point I took Beck fairly seriously for about a month. Then I quietly and respectfully tuned him out.

      I will state there were many things said in Common Nonsense (2010) that surprised me. I was most intrigued by that book. I just wish I had read it when it came out. It would have more relevant to read it them.

      One thing that surprised me was how much his public persona and how some of his political stances is influenced by Mormonism. For instance crying during public speaking seems to be a bit of a Mormon thing. And I was quite shocked reading that book's account of Willard Cleon Skousen, an author that Beck promoted. Turned out he was a chief of police in Salt Lake City who was so harsh in enforcing the law that he got pushed out by the mayor.

      It does not say anything about British Israelism however. But then again Mormons tend to believe that Native Americans are descendants of ancient Israelites so I cannot help but wonder if for them believing in British Israelism does not seem like that much of a leap.

      Delete
    2. Am I correct in remembering that Glenn Beck is also an alcoholic. It seems like that was admitted somewhere along the way.

      If so, it's amazing how alcoholism seems to be connected with British Israelism so often.

      Delete
    3. As far as I understand it Beck began using not just alcohol but all other kinds of drugs in his days as a radio DJ before he got into political commentating. But he got clean around the mid 1990s.

      Delete