Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Overview of the October 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

In late August 2020 the PCG leadership released the October 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet.

The editors of this issue are Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad Macdonald, Richard Palmer, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Philip Nice.

This issue has a circulation of 247,007 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that Lebanon is fated to ally with the future European Empire fated to conquer America. In 2011 PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, presented some "new revelation" to his followers and proclaimed that in the future there would be two power blocs within the Middle East. One was the "King of the South," namely Iran, which would be opposed against the future European Empire. What was new was Flurry's insistence that there would be another power bloc he named "the Psalm 83 Alliance" which would be allied with the future European Empire and opposed against Iran. He unveiled his doctrine of the Psalm 83 Alliance during the early days of the Syrian Civil War when there was a widespread expectation that the Assad regime would be overthrown. 

Brent Nagtegaal has an article discussing Lebanon after the Beirut blast on August 4, 2020. It is insisted that Lebanon is fated to become a part of "the Psalm 83 Alliance" which is fated to be allied with the future European Empire and against the "King of the South," namely Iran. 

Brent Nagtegaal also has an article discussing the United Arab Emirates' decision to grant diplomatic recognition to the State of Israel. 

Gerald Flurry also has an article in which he once again denounces President Obama even though he has not been president since January 20, 2017. This time he alleges that Obama somehow orchestrated the authorities to spy on Carter Page in order to somehow spy Donald Trump in the campaign. He cites some article talking about the Horowitz report. America is in the grip of this dreadful Covid-19 pandemic. About a thousand Americans every day die from this dreadful disease which is nothing like the flu. It would be accurate to think of it as like a common cold that happens to be even deadlier than the flu and even more contagious than the flu. And Flurry wants to talk about this instead.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article denouncing China over Xinjiang, its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong from June 30, 2020 onward.

Andrew Müller has a side article hysterically saying that China is waging a "secret war" against the United States. He is simply talking about espionage activity.

Gerald Flurry has an article telling his readers of the "glory of empire." The British Empire was imposed by force of arms. Flurry conveniently forgets that his own nation was established because the founders concluded that living under British rule was intolerable. The dissolution of the British Empire was a pragmatic admission that it simply was impossible to impose their rule on other nations anymore. No longer ruling over all these other nations allowed the United Kingdom to instead devote their money to building up the infrastructure of their own nation so that the people could enjoy better lives. Let the people rule themselves.

The Infographic bemoans the lower rate of religiosity among younger people in America. Bemoaning how so many young people will not be interested in becoming life time tithes payers to PCG.

Richard Palmer and Daniel Di Santo has an article about an economic stimulus in the European Union made in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Richard Palmer has an article about right wing extremists in the German army. The problem of right wing extremists in the armed forces of other nations is left unmentioned.

Gerald Flurry has an article saying that an understanding of (PCG's interpretation of) history leads to understanding of (PCG's interpretation of) Bible prophecy.

There is also a side article that compares Winston Churchill as a watchman just Ezekiel. This is used to advertise a booklet about Churchill by Gerald Flurry. In that booklet Flurry absurdly compares Winston Churchill as being like himself. This topic is discussed in a previous post.

WorldWatch discusses the German navy sending forces to war torn Libya; the US withdrawing troops from Germany; a poll saying Germany is the most favorably viewed country; Hungary purchasing German made tanks; mass protests in the State of Israel calling for the removal of Netanyahu as Prime Minister, which is luridly and absurdly compared with the ancient Jewish revolts against Roman Imperial tyranny; Iran trying to convince Iraq to get US forces to leave the nation; Iran launching ballistic missiles as part of a military drill; Russia and China talking about building a base on the Moon; Japan being concerned about the spread of Covid-19 among US military personnel in Okinawa; scare mongering that Japan will ally with Russia despite a long standing border dispute; and President Duterte announcing he would not increase US military presence in the Philippines in order to keep the nation out of a possible future between the United States and China.  

SocietyWatch has a racially divisive story about attacks against white farmers which are presented as though it were a targeted campaign of violence against white farmer sidestepping the fact that, alas, South Africa has a severe problem with violent crime that afflicts everyone regardless of race or religion and somehow the other victims who happen to not be white farmers are left unmentioned; complains about a court decision that churches in Nevada egarding the state's right to restrict church meeting during the ongoing health crisis; and that about a quarter of Americans have missed a bill payment because of the events associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting to his readers that one can escape from the future World War III. It is taught that being part of the "true church" means when the Great Tribulation begins PCG members will be miraculously taken by PCG's God to a place of safety on Earth where they will live in peace and safety while the rest of the world falls apart until Christ returns. This is very similar to the doctrine of the rapture except according to the Armstrongite teaching the believers stay on Earth during the Great Tribulation.

The letters section features a letter from a person who yearns for McCarthyism. The writer refers to an illustration of a person in the article as though he were a real person. The writer also talks of Russia as though it were a Communist country even though it has not been so since December 25, 1991. 

What a star-packed August issue! On page 20, "Why Socialists in America Are Excited," this man does not look too intelligent. No airplanes, no cars, no factories, no stock market reports. Where does this joker think food comes from? He wants everything free. Who will wash windows? America is not the country I emigrated to in 1962. It is a complete mess, and as you say, all inspired by Pinkos or Communists. Where is McCarthyism today? America needs this strong form of anti-Communist ideals today. The Bible says that if you don't work you should not eat. Yet these commies advocate working or not depending on if you "feel like it." I suggest America gives all these Commy-lovers a one-way ticket to either China or Russia. The American commies will love it there. And it would be cheaper for America, considering all the damage and mayhem this segment of society is causing. One-way tickets to a Communist country and as an added bonus, strip all of their American citizenship. Done. (p. 34.)

Joel Hilliker has an article condemning "the moral standards of the left" in regards to protests against police brutality. He also makes sure to insist that reparations for slavery to the African American community is beyond the pale of permitted discussion. 

But many people insist that some are guilty of sins committed more than five generations ago. Slavery has been illegal for more than 150 years, but they say that if you are white, you are to blame--it's in your DNA. (p. 35.)

And so see that even though America is currently in the grip of the ongoing Covid-19 catastrophe PCG still dutifully releases its recruitment magazine trying to get more tithe paying members. Back in 2012 PCG enjoyed an annual income of about $19.5 million, so it is little wonder why the PCG leadership goes to such lengths to get this recruitment magazine out there.

During the current Covid-19 crisis there are many that have and will go wrong. But there is one thing we can take comfort in, namely that PCG's dire prediction that America will soon be conquered by a future European Empire will not come true. Since its founding in 1989 PCG's leaders have made many predictions that simply have not happened. These false predictions are false prophesies that prove that PCG does not know the future. There is no need to be afraid of the fear inducing screeds PCG produces.

(Update: September 17, 2020. Daniel Di Santo's name corrected.)

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