Mark Armstrong's Weekly Update of June 1, 2018

Mark Armstrong, leader of the Intercontinental Church of God, son of Garner Ted Armstrong, grandson of HWA, has released another weekly update to his followers (June 1, 2018).

Let's see what he has to say this time.

He mentions developments regarding North Korea in order to imply that mainstream media outlets are desperate to portray his preferred president in the worst possible way. The possibility that negative media coverage just might reflect reality is casually ignored.

Greetings from Tyler, 

No sooner than we'd sent last week's Update, when it was common knowledge that the President had canceled the proposed peace summit with North Korea, news came that North Korea had changed its tune and the summit might be back on. You've seen the apparent progress in recent days, with the North Korean representative coming to New York for consultations with Secretary Pompeo. The most recent development is that a letter from Kim Jong-un has been hand delivered to the White House, and the June 12 summit in Singapore may be back on, much to the chagrin of mainstream outlets. How they'll spin a successful peace agreement with North Korea as a bad thing, should that be the outcome, remains to be seen. 

He then discusses events regarding the war in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has reportedly conducted a “Spring Offensive” reign of terror across Afghanistan, gaining territory, attacking Police stations and killing officers. Apparently some fifty of their leaders gathered for a secret meeting, and the result looked much like what we saw in Syria. A particular residential compound went up in a ball of smoke and dust leaving everything around virtually undisturbed.

He once again slurs the media as being somehow unpatriotic in regards to the war with the Taliban.

The men killed are described of the top echelon of Taliban commanders and are believed to have been at a planning session for further operations. Military spokesmen were quick to point out that the strike won't mean an end to Taliban mayhem in Afghanistan, but it certainly represents a setback for their cause. The Taliban quickly dismissed the report as propaganda. They called it an attack on a residence where a handful of civilians were killed. You won't see much of this in the mainstream news. One major network offered it as, “The U. S. said...” which indicates a degree of skepticism about the authenticity of the report. It is doubtful you'll see any panels of seven to discuss the ramifications. A report like this doesn't fit the narrative.

Why is it wrong for reporters to state that the information they happen to be presenting originates from the US government? It seem perfectly reasonable to be transparent about such things. But Mark Armstrong decides to use such honesty to slur the mainstream media outlets as being somehow unpatriotic or even disloyal.

Mark Armstrong then goes on a rant against LGBT communities while discussing events occurring far away in Britain.

Apparently, there is still competition between the Anglican and Catholic hierarchies. Not to be outdone by the pope's blessings bestowed on homosexuality, the Anglican church is openly calling for trans-gender priests as part of their current “diversity drive.” Apparently, they think that “young people” will be attracted back into the fold if the doctrines of political correctness are incorporated into the “faith.” 

Mark Armstrong condemns attempts to restrict so-called conversion therapy.

Here's proof from a quote carried by Britain's Guardian. “The guidance, titled 'welcoming and honoring LGBT+ people,' (not enough letters in the alphabet to ID all perversions) warns that the church's reputation as being unwelcoming towards gay and transgender people is stopping young people attending.'” The “Church” already called on the British Government to outlaw so-called “conversion therapy.” Political Correctness holds that there is no cure, and if there were it would be discriminatory and hateful. Leaders have gleaned that the Anglican Church is regarded as “homophobic and trans-phobic” and it's costing them. So, the answer is obvious. Trans-sexual priests! That ought to fix it.

He then switches topic to once again denounce anyone who should dare mention that the excess emission of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases are contributing to climate change. And since Pope Francis happens to be holding a meeting discussing this issue Mark Armstrong also denounces him.

Good news doesn't get a lot of press. The roaring economy, record low unemployment and the scandalous reports of the U. S. becoming energy independent is anything but good news to the mainstream purveyors of information. So the pope himself is getting involved. He's hosting a meeting in Rome to include CEO's of the major energy producers and their investors to warn that their successes are contributing to “climate change,” the current euphemism for “global warming.”

Mark Armstrong praises the course America is taking under his preferred president. Those who do not share Mark Armstrong's insistence that climate change is not happening are viewed in a hostile manner.

This meeting is crucial, particularly in light of America's departure from the Paris Climate Accords, the gutting of EPA regulatory mandates and other environmental outrages committed by you know who. It's all on the corporations now to enforce the doctrines of political correctness, as current White House leadership has turned its attention, and ours, to other matters. With the weight of the Vatican, and the cooperation of corporate executives under the premise of belief in man-made “climate change” as a Christian prerogative, global warming can be revived as a crisis in everyone's mentality. We'll see.

Mark Armstrong then mentions the recent attack in Belgium, a land far away from his home in Tyler, Texas. Mark Armstrong and many of the COGs in general has a long history of scare mongering about Muslims.

Maybe you've heard about the broad daylight attack on two female police officers in the city of Liège, Belgium. Or maybe not. It seems an Islamic convert with a western name ran up behind two police-women checking parking meters, stabbed them, relieved one of her revolver and then shot them to death while screaming “Alhua Akbar!” as reported by witnesses. He then shot and killed someone sitting in the passenger seat of a car before hiding in a nearby school where he took a cleaning lady hostage. He reportedly spared her life when she said she was an observant Muslim. One report claims he wounded another four officers in the shooting rampage that ensued when he emerged from the school. He was a prisoner, convicted of numerous crimes, on a one-day release from jail. Maybe Belgium will re-think its prisoner release policy.

He then briefly mentions the new government in Italy.

The EU had reason to panic this week. Italians are backing parties critical of the economic burdens imposed by bail-out agreements to deal with crushing debts. While the successful parties are what they call Euro-skeptics, they're also environmentalist, which raises additional questions.

He ends his weekly screed by scare mongering about the economy in Turkey.

There have been a rash of events that call the survival of the European Union into question. After recent years of economic gains and profits, Turkey's economy is faltering. That might not call the survival of the EU into question were it not for the fact that Spanish, French and German banks have loaned big money to Turkish institutions. Consequently, there has been a rash of headlines all over Europe calling the future of the EU and its survival into question. How many defaults can be weathered, and what comes next for Europe will be a focus of our interest.  

Mark

He then adds a postscript boasting of their attempts to gain converts. He alludes to their recruitment magazine, Twenty-first Century Watch.

P. S. All this and much more will be covered in the upcoming edition of TCW. Here are more statistics on the “boosts” of the Ten Commandments booklet, the Miracle of Pentecost booklet and the Abomination of Desolation in Spanish. Over 1 million have been “reached” by our posts between Passover and Pentecost, and we had over 27,000 first time visitors to our website in the month of May.

And so we see that Mark Armstrong continues to promote his views to his followers in the Intercontinental Church of God.