Overview of the November-December 2021 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around late October 2021 PCG published the November-December 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let's see what the PCG leadership have to say this time.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article scare mongering that the European Union will suddenly transform into a frightful military power which will militarily conquer the United States just before Christ's return. Armstrongites have been shrilly insisting that this would happen any moment now since the 1930s. This prediction has never been fulfilled because they are but false prophets.

Richard Palmer has a side article exploiting France's anger over the establishment of the AUKUS alliance between the United States, Britain and Australia to make it appear more likely that the Europeans will soon turn against the United States.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article exploiting tensions regarding Taiwan. This is a tragic issue that is ever with us and Armstrongites have long exploited this issue to make their followers fearful of the future. 

Joel Hilliker has an article discussing commercial space travel. Armstrongism teaches that it is humanity's destiny to become God beings as fully God as God is God though of a lower rank. They often claim that such persons are able to traverse the Universe at the speed of thought. This teaching is drastically contrary to the Bible and what is taught in mainstream Judaism and Christianity.

Mihailo Zekić has an article discussing the civil war in Ethiopia. He speculates that it may be mentioned in the Bible. It is not. But PCG's interpretation of Daniel 11:40-45 makes the PCG leadership ever fixated on Ethiopia. They believe that Ethiopia will join forces with a resurgent Iran and provoke the future European Empire into conquering Iran, the Middle East and Ethiopia in the war the PCG leadership says will occur before Christ's return.

Andrew Müller has an article insisting that the infamous "audit" of presidential election votes in Maricopa County, Arizona revealed that things were wrong with the presidential election. PCG is committed to promoting what many experts, journalists and commentators often refer to as the big lie, namely the claim that Donald Trump somehow won the 2020 election. This claim has been discredited in the courts of law dozens of times but certain political demagogues know that most people do not tend to read such court rulings so they can get away with promoting this false claim. As a result many Americans do not realize that Biden won. 

Andrew Müller also has an article discussing inflation and the supply chain crisis.

Andrew Müller also has a side article (which is left with no byline in the print version for some reason) insinuating that the "radical left" is plotting to "exterminate" capitalism. The website lists this side article's author as Andrew Müller.

The side article makes the following polemical accusation against Saule Omarova.

Is it a coincidence that the woman Joe Biden nominated as comptroller of the currency is a Moscow State University graduate who received the Lenin Personal Academic Scholarship? It is becoming more apparent with each passing day that the radical left’s coronavirus response is revolutionizing the nation in ways that socialists like Bernie Sanders, Michael Moore and Rachel Maddow always hoped for.

Saule Omarova's nomination was withdrawn. Will the PCG leadership tell their followers that now there is hope to defeat those the PCG leadership view as the political left? Of course not. They will continue presenting events in a dire, heart rending manner because it is easier to move people to do what you want when people are distressed and afraid.

The side article also quotes Vladimir Lenin saying that he was producing too much money in order to destroy capitalism. However that quote can only refer to a brief period in the early history of the Soviet Union when the Bolsheviks imposed so-called "war communism." In 1921 the regime under Lenin moved away from this policy by adopting the New Economic Policy which adopted certain capitalistic features in society. Hyperinflation was not generally relied upon in the old Soviet Union. All this context is ignored in PCG's article. 

The Infographic discusses the supply chain crisis.

Joel Hilliker has an excerpt telling his male readers that they need to be manly men. At one point he complains that women and children are oppressing men.

When there are no strong men to lead, something else fills the void: “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them” (verse 12). Some say more work needs to be done to secure women’s rights. God says the opposite! He says women and children already lead society!

That passage of Isaiah was talking about the ancient Kingdom of Judah. To say that passage refers to modern American society is taking that passage out of context. Also Americans of European descent are not descended from the northern Kingdom of Israel. This dogma is named British Israelism and happens to be untrue. Nevertheless Armstrongites continue to base most of the prophetic predictions based on this incorrect dogma. 

Jeremiah Jacques and Mihailo Zekić have an article discussing the development of the Loess Plateau in China. Without doubt this is a great and praiseworthy achievement. But none of those responsible are Armstrongites.

The PCG leadership has included an excerpt from their Bible study course telling their readers that humanity is now existing in the "last days" just before Christ's return as Armstrongites have been constantly insisting since the 1930s.

Joel Hilliker has an article telling people that they need to focus.

Brad Macdonald has an article telling his readers that one does not necessarily need to be saddened by the current state of affairs because a new world will soon arrive following Christ's return.

In this article Macdonald unscientifically refers to Covid-19 as the "Fauci-China virus" associating that dreadful disease with a nation and an individual when medical practice is to not name diseases after nations or people. The Chinese government has made it clear that they object to having that dreadful disease be named after their nation. Since this pandemic began there have been numerous attacks against people of Asian descent. This wave of hate crimes is clearly motivated at least in part by blaming Chinese people for starting this pandemic.

The reference to Dr. Fauci refers to a nasty rumor that the political right was pushing at the time that Dr. Fauci headed some governmental department that funded the Wuhan Institute of Vironology. The insinuation here being that he funded the creation of that dreadful disease. None of these sensationalist claims can be proven. The lab in question has denied that there was any leak. 

Efforts to encourage people to get vaccinated are mischaracterized by Macdonald as "vaccine tyranny." To their eternal shame PCG has made it a habit to stir up hesitancy regarding the Covid-19 vaccines leaving their followers and readers more susceptible to contracting that dreadful disease.

Macdonald claims that "immanent civil war" awaits America but it is only the political right that contemplates such an occurrence happening.

Macdonald also alludes to the homophobia, transphobia and opposition to feminism that PCG so often promotes when he writes that the "new world" after Christ's return will have "no confusion about gender, sex or family." Some Republican led states 

And so we see that the PCG leadership has produced yet another issue of their recruitment magazine to keep their followers persuaded that PCG is worthy of loyalty and to try to persuade other people to join PCG. However since their founding in 1989 the PCG leadership have produced numerous false prophecies that prove that they cannot see the future. There is no need for anyone to fear their dire predictions of the future.

PCG Creates an Archaeology Institute

PCG has announced the establishment of their archaeology institute, the Armstrong-Mazar Institute of Biblical Archaeology. (Brad Macdonald, Trumpet Followers, Meet AMIBA, January 20, 2021.) This move was largely expected after PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, printed a co-worker letter promoting the idea back on November 1, 2021.

Macdonald says that the PCG leadership hopes to excavate again.

AMIBA will also continue to sponsor and participate in archaeological excavations in Jerusalem. Even now we are working with Hebrew University and the various authorities and organizations in Israel to plan a new excavation. We hope to announce this new dig over the next few months.

Macdonald states:

The ultimate mission of this institute is to showcase and share Israel’s biblical archaeology with the largest audience possible, especially the people of Israel.

Let us note. PCG, an Armstrongite organization predominantly based in America, is going to all this trouble and expense to promote archaeology to Israelis. Why not let Israelis promote archaeology among themselves?

There can be no misunderstanding. PCG is doing this for themselves. This move promotes PCG. Presumably the PCG leadership hope this will give them an opportunity to gain respect and trust from Israeli society.

And there might be another reason the PCG leadership are devoting so much time and money to reaching out to Israeli Jews.

The State of Israel has plenty of problems. The best thing PCG could do to the nation is to leave. Leave them alone. The vast majority of Jews, in Israel and elsewhere, are not interested in joining the Christian churches or Armstrongites organizations like PCG. Also they do not need PCG to learn about archaeology.

May PCG's efforts in the Holy Land fail.

Vilifying "Science" as a "False Messiah": Overview of the September 2021 Issue of PCG's Trumpet

(Please note: PCG has recently chosen to promote an anti-vaxxer stance in regards to vaccines against that dreadful disease, Covid-19. The truth must be stated. This anti-vaxxer stance leaves people dreadfully vulnerable to getting infected with Covid Delta. This terrible strain, Covid Delta, is more contagious and more likely to cause hospitalization than earlier versions of Covid-19. The easiest way for people to protect themselves against Covid-19, including Covid Delta, is to get vaccinated. If any is worried about getting vaccinated then they should consult such concerns with their personal doctors, instead of reading some rant on the Internet from anti-vaxxers. Many people and organizations such as Voices for Vaccines are trying to counteract vaccine hesitancy. We need to listen to medical science to minimize the harm caused by this dreadful disease.)

In early August 2021 PCG released the September 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. This issue was published before the fall of Afghanistan.

Shamefully the cover incites contempt and fear towards attempts to contain the ongoing epidemic of Covid-19. Science is simply analyzing what happens in reality. The only way to bring Covid-19 under control is to vaccinate against it but nevertheless the PCG leadership produces a cover which negatively portrays a medical needle. Also "science falsely so-called" is a reference to I Timothy 6:20 and in proper context actually refers to a rival religion, namely Gnosticism, not what we now refer to as science. That is why most modern English translations here say knowledge, not science. 

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

This issue has a circulation of 240,596 issues. The August issue had a circulation of 239,545 issues. For the July issue it was 241,917 issues. For the May-June issue it was 243,028. For the April issue it was 247,023. For the March issue it was 248,523. For the February issue it was 246,497. The circulation for PCG's recruitment magazine appears stable at present.

Gerald Flurry has an article exploiting the discovery of a bulla from the time of King Jeroboam II to promote his bizarre lionization of the former Republican President, Donald Trump. 

Stephen Flurry has an article condemning lockdowns and related restrictions designed to slow down the spread of that dreadful disease, Covid-19.

Richard Palmer has an side article bemoaning the National Health Service as inefficient and as a cause for the dissolving of the British Empire. 

Josué Michels has an article saying that Germany is on the verge of going through a major transformation into a militaristic power soon fated to conquer the United States.

Richard Palmer has an article scare mongering that the Roman Catholic Church will soon change and lead a future European Empire to conquer America.

Abraham Blondeau and Mihailo S. Zelić have an article discussing protests over the recent discovery of the buried remains of hundreds of First Tribes children in schools as part of a frightful policy of assimilating them to be like people of European descent.

Harley Breth has an article discussing the planned launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

The Infographic discusses the satellite.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that PCG members will become God beings as fully God as God is God though of a lower rank after the second coming.

Brent Nagtegaal and Brad Macdonald have an article praising Donald Trump and comparing him to King Jeroboam II of Israel. According to the authors all was good and right while Donald Trump was President and all is bad and dreadful now that President Biden is in office. All problems and contentious matters concerning the Trump Administration is ignored. This article is a retreat from reality into fantasy. It is a shameless whitewashing of recent history.

WorldWatch discusses the Nord Stream 2 pipeline made to supply oil from Russia to Germany being almost ready; the Papacy preparing to canonize former French Prime Minister Robert Schuman, a politician instrumental with the founding of the European Economic Community; a mass murder in Wurzburg on June 25, 2021 in which three women were murdered; the establishment of a new government in the State of Israel which is denounced because it pushed Netanyahu out of power; US military strikes against Shia militias which are portrayed in this magazine as being too weak; Russia and China extending a cooperation treaty on June 28, 2021; Russia testing hypersonic missiles; and also claims that China is making weapons designed to destroy satellites in the event of war breaking out. 

Furthermore WorldWatch discusses heat waves in North America. The PCG leadership astoundingly denies that these heat waves are caused by climate change produced by human activity. They casually insist that climate change has been disproven even though the vast majority of scientists are warning the world that this major crisis is real and will negatively affect just about everyone.

What is the cause of these worsening weather conditions? Scientists point to man-made climate change. But many scientists have been exposed for manipulating data on historical temperature records that disprove this theory. (p. 30.)

Climate change is the major crisis facing human society. It is shameful that the PCG leadership are telling their followers that it is not real. 

SocietyWatch discusses deaths by drug overdose in the United States; fifteen Republican led states blocking the enforcement of federal gun laws; and a Scientific American article that denounces a literal belief in Adam and Eve as being motivated by racism against African-Americans.

Mark Jenkins has an article condemning popular culture as bad compared with classical Western culture. His bitter diatribe will do little except incite parents and older people into despising and being bitter against youth culture. His readers would have been better served if they were encouraged to understand that each generation defines itself with particular music and stories unique to themselves. If a youth are told to reject popular culture then it will be harder for them to socially connect with their peers. Shame on this recruitment magazine for sowing discord between the generations.

The Discussion Board has letters. Here's a letter from Mississippi from a person who recites PCG's stance that President Biden merely represents Barack Obama.

I have been reading your fine for 10-plus years, and I appreciate how you have explained how big business drive trends and the economy, but I never realized how much influence they had on the political front until I read [a PCG article by Richard Palmer]. ... With Biden in power (Obama, actually) things will only get worse. 

Here's a letter from a person who calls PCG's recruitment magazine as the only source of information this person trusts.

My father has been following you since the early 1980s. When the Worldwide Church of God fell apart, he was so confused and wondered what was going on. In the early-to-mid-90s, he randomly stumbled across Gerald Flurry on a Key of David program. He just so happened to mention Herbert W. Armstrong. He was instantly intrigued--mind-blown, I can imagine--and I'm pretty sure he knew he had found the truth again. That is one thing that has helped me build my faith, as well as many other world events almost rolling daily in our lives. Keep reporting real news. It is my only source; I do not trust any other reporter.

Joel Hilliker has an article telling his readers to take their "warning" seriously. Their "warning" message is that America is about to be militarily conquered by a future European Empire very soon. But this "warning" has not happened in decades. In fact PCG have made numerous predictions that failed miserably. These failed predictions prove that there is no need to fear their predictions. They are merely false prophets. We do not need to fear their predictions.

Overview of the August 2021 Issue of PCG's Trumpet

(Please note: PCG at present is taking an anti-vaxxer stance regarding vaccines against Covid-19. With the increasing spread of Covid Delta it is quite evident that this anti-vaxxer stance can easily lead to tragedy and loss of life. The easiest way for people to protect themselves against Covid-19, including Covid Delta, is to get vaccinated. Many people and organizations such as Voices for Vaccines are trying to counteract vaccine hesitancy. We need to listen to medical science to minimize the harm caused by this dreadful disease. We now begin with this post.)

In mid-June 2020 PCG released the August 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let's see what the PCG leadership have to say this time.

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

This issue has a circulation of 239,545 issues. For the July issue it was 241,917 issues. For the May-June issue it was 243,028. For the April issue it was 247,023. For the March issue it was 248,523. For the February issue it was 246,497. For the January issue it was 247,820. The circulation for PCG's recruitment magazine appears stable at present.

Gerald Flurry has an editorial article remembering the late Dr. Eilat Mazar who passed away on May 25, 2021, aged 64. PCG had sponsored her archaeological excavations since 2007.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article about the late Dr. Mazar. He gives an overview of her career in archaeology.

Brad MacDonald and Brent Nagtegaal have an article about the round of violence that broke out in May 2021 between the State of Israel and the blockaded Palestinian Gaza Strip. While discussing this topic they also condemn the Biden Administration for not being Republican. On page 6 they write of what they hysterically call "the Biden Administration's war on Israel." The Armstrongites are constantly fixated on acts of violence that occur in what used to be Mandatory Palestine because they think such things might be a sign that the Great Tribulation is just about to occur. PCG insists that the Great Tribulation will soon occur culminating in the second coming and the imposition of a world government led by (PCG's interpretation of) Jesus Christ which will, presumably, dissolve the State of Israel as part of unifying the entire world. 

Joel Hilliker has an article complaining about women gaining too much power in society. Armstrongism tends to be very negative towards attempts to empower women in society. In this article Hilliker also complains about lockdowns in which he presents these attempts to minimize the spread of that dreadful disease as "a hysterical overreaction" which is negatively portrayed as "a spectacular demonstration of the feminization of our world." (p. 10.)

Jeremiah Jacques has an article about nuclear weapons. It is mentioned that China is making some new type of nuclear reactor (possibly to cut down on coal production). Thus we see PCG still scaring people with the thought of being killed by nuclear war. Meanwhile in the real world millions of people have died from that dreadful disease which has and will kill many people. However the possibility of nuclear war is at present quite unlikely.

Richard Palmer has an article about the problem of cyberattacks. Gerald Flurry has long scare mongered about cyberattacks somehow helping bring about the fall of America to the future European Empire.

Josué Michels has an article saying that farming is about to fall apart. He also scare mongers about various German companies historically connected to the Nazi-era company, IG Farben. PCG's recruitment magazine always says everything about society is about to fall apart any moment now. Even though the criminal Nazi regime was destroyed seventy-six years ago the PCG leadership continuously brings them up in their recruitment writings and their fear inducing false prophecies.

A side article scare mongers about Germany saying no one fears the Germans as they should. Once again, to their eternal shame, the PCG leadership exploits the painful memories of World War II to scare monger against Germans today.

The Infographic talks about agricultural issues.

Stephen Flurry has an article bemoaning immigrants at the southern border. President Trump's decision to cancel development aid to Central American nations is defended by Stephen Flurry. He does this by citing a statement he made in an interview with a host from Fox News. In this article it is hysterically insisted that the Democratic Party is conspiring to bring in these immigrants in order to get more voters for the Democratic Party. The PCG leadership have been saying such things for years. Here is some of Stephen Flurry's politically charged scare mongering.

To the radical left, the border crisis is a giant voter drive. They know that if they can encourage hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to pour into America, they can create a humanitarian crisis that can only be solved by mass deportations or mass amnesty. And they are betting that the American people will opt for the latter option. The government will be pressured into granting immigrants asylum, and the cycle will repeat, importing the Third World into the United States! (p. 24.)

However many people in Latin America are actually rather right wing in their political stances. For instance three Central American nations, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, have some of the most restrictive laws against abortion in the world partly due to the influence of the Catholic Church.

The Armstrongites have a particular reason to fear Hispanic people immigrating to the United States. People of Hispanic heritage would be less likely to believe in the Armstrongite dogma of British Israelism.

Andrew Müller has a side article about the illegal drug trade. While it is perfectly proper to warn people about the problems caused by the illegal drug trade usually such warning are not wrapped in an attempt to gain more recruits for an authoritarian, Armstrongite organization.

Andrew Müller has an article defending the Representative of the 14th District of Georgia (Republican) for praising "uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions" even though Anglo-Saxons, who settled in Britain at the expense of the Celtic Britons who were already there, has not existed as a distinct ethnic group for centuries. The norms and values that create and sustain liberal democracies such as the United States and the United Kingdom do not belong to any ethnic group but belongs to all who do and believe in that which is necessary to produce such societies. Müller also promotes the discredited dogma of British Israelism which is an idea that fuels much of Armstrongism's false prophecies of doom and gloom for the British and the Americans.

WorldWatch discusses President Macron saying nice things about Napoleon; former French military officers signing an open letter calling Muslims a threat to the unity of the French nation; a stabbing murder in Paris; Iran enriching uranium to 60% purity following the path of retaliating against President Trump's decision to break the agreement; Russia establishing thirty military bases to monitor the ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia; France encouraging the establishment of a new government in Lebanon; the release of an app in China to encourage reporting people to the authorities; speculation that managing potential future conflicts against Russia and China could be challenging for America; scare mongering that if a true rate of inflation was allowed to occur the economy would collapse; and complaining about another dossier produced by Christopher Steele about the former President Trump. In regards to the Trump-Russia scandal the PCG leadership insists nothing scandalous happened despite what others have stated.

SocietyWatch discusses children being taught in too much of a left wing manner for the PCG leadership's liking; a law to regulate the Internet in Canada being proposed which is condemned; and over 120 retired military officers signing a open letter accusing President Biden of Marxism, whatever they mean by that emotive claim.

Joel Hilliker has an article telling readers to obey (PCG's interpretation of) God with happiness and enthusiasm. Obeying (PCG's interpretation of) God with reluctance or even resentment is not correct according to this article.  

The Discussion Board has letters. Here's a tragic letter from a person who has chosen to let his suspicion and fear of "big pharma" make him decline chemotherapy, a method often used to combat cancer, even though he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. He also astoundingly insists he had not had any flu in over sixty years. However Covid-19 is a coronavirus not a flu. The letter is too vague to discern whether or not this person is a member of PCG.

Long before they even had a vaccine, I could see vaccine passports happening. I've been asked if I would get vaccinated, and replied NO! I'm almost 80 years old and haven't even had any flu in more than 60 years. I have prostate cancer and told the doctors there is no way I would do chemotherapy; I don't trust big pharma. (p. 34.)

Stephen Flurry has an article saying most people do not actually like the truth. However PCG insists that only they know the truth in regards to getting on the right side of their peculiar interpretation of the Christian God. Consequently the PCG leadership defines the truth for PCG members.

And so the PCG leadership's attempts to gain more recruits and to keep their followers continue even in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and the ongoing rise of Covid Delta. But there is no need to be afraid of the fearful predictions of the PCG leadership. However since its founding in 1989 PCG has produced numerous false prophecies that have failed miserably. There is no need to be afraid of PCG's dire predictions.

PCG Denouncing China Before the European-German Invasion of America: Overview of the February 2021 Issue of PCG's Trumpet

In early December 2020 PCG released the February 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine,  The Philadelphia Trumpet. For this issue the PCG leadership adopted a let's be scared of China theme. But for decades Armstrongites have insisted that some Catholic European superpower would militarily conquer the United States in the near future. If the Armstrongites really believe this is going to happen soon then how does it make any sense for them to be afraid of China since Armstrongites say China will not conquer America?

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 246,497 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article once again denouncing Barack Obama. Back in 2013 he made a booklet which denounced Barack Obama as being like Antiochus Epiphanes and Joseph Tkach. Denouncing Obama is a way of restating that he was correct to denounce him in 2013.

Brad Macdonald has a side article insisting Barack Obama really deserves to be blamed for the Democratic Party being too left wing for PCG's taste.

Stephen Flurry and Joel Hilliker have an article scare mongering about China even though it is taught by PCG that a bunch of angry Germans are fated to somehow militarily conquer the United States.

Richard Palmer has an article bemoaning political tensions between China and Australia.   

Gerald Flurry has an article scare mongering that China will somehow block the Panama Canal to American commerce even though he tells his followers that it will be a bunch of angry Germans who will somehow militarily overpower the United States. 

Andrew Müller has an article insinuating that China is somehow in league with drugs cartels and using drug addiction to weaken American society from within. While it is hard to prove a negative this accusations sounds rather outlandish. The results of opportunistic criminal activity does not necessarily require some sort of political motive. 

The Infographic promotes the claim some right wingers made claiming the 2020 presidential election was somehow stolen from Donald Trump even though such claims were rejected in the law courts about sixty times. 

Andrew Müller has an article condemning the power of big internet companies. 

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting to his readers that they must find a "true church." PCG teaches that they are the only true church in all the Earth. Within PCG the word Christian is redefined to mean PCG member since it is taught that everyone one who identifies him or herself as a Christian outside of PCG are false Christians.

WorldWatch discusses the German Green Party calling for increased spending for the military (probably because they are afraid of Russia); the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Germany and Russia being resumed; Hungary and Poland vetoing a stimulus bill for the European Union; the assassination of General Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in Iran on November 27, 2020 which PCG states is widely assumed to the work of the State of Israel; Russia planning to build a naval base in Sudan; the outbreak of civil war in Ethiopia; Russia building more naval vessels; a claim that China is building up its nuclear arsenal citing a report from a newspaper which was founded by a controversial religious organization from Korea; and Russia helping to enforce a ceasefire in the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia which is negatively presented by PCG as a sort of power grab by Russia.

SocietyWatch discusses a Supreme Court case about restricting when places of worship can open during the ongoing coronavirus epidemic; a reported increase in the homicide rate; maths scores for US students falling; and a report from Fox News saying more people are entering the US through Mexico without authorization. Though considering that PCG says a bunch of angry Germans will soon conquer the United States it seems odd that PCG chooses to worry about desperate people trying to make better lives for themselves and their families by moving to the United States.

Stephen Flurry has an article extolling General Douglas MacArthur as a man who followed orders and worked harder than others. The fact that the General was dismissed during the Korean War for arguing with his commander in chief, namely President Truman, is quietly ignored.

For some reason this issue reprints a letter that was printed in the January 2021 issue. The February 2021 issue mentions this letter originated from Sandes Estes, Texas. The January 2021 issue only mentions that this letter was from Texas.

Just a brief note of appreciation for such a wonderful and enjoyable magazine you all have sent me all these years. I read everything in it thoroughly. I like that nothing is sugar-coated or beat around the bush on current events, but you stick to the truth 100 percent. There are so many great articles I sometimes read over and over again.

So someone liked this letter so much it got printed twice. Is PCG getting so few letters they need to recycle one of them?

Brad Macdonald has an article saying a cycle of partisan reaction and counter-reaction will only stop by changing human nature. In Armstrongite dogma it is often assumed that such an event will only occur after (PCG's interpretation of) Christ return.

In this article Macdonald says the following:

In America, politics have been split in two, with animosity and rancor separating them more and more. (p. 35.)

PCG does not help by vilifying Barack Obama as a modern day Antiochus Epiphanes.

And so the Armstrongite tradition of spreading a message of fear and anger to potential recruits continue.

Overview of PCG's January 2021 Issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet

In late November 2020 PCG published the January 2021 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let us what they said this time.

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 had a circulation of 247,820 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article announcing that Donald Trump will win the presidential election because certain predictions he made about the future require Donald Trump to remain as president. He takes comfort in Justice Barrett being placed in the Supreme Court and he implies that the Supreme Court will somehow keep Trump in the presidency. He possibly got misled by his partisan favir for the Republican Party and by the "red mirage." Many warned that the results on election night may appear to favor Republicans but after the mail in votes get counted it would be the Democratic Party which would pull ahead. Some of the swing states had rules requiring maul in ballots to only be counted after the regular votes on election day got counted contributing to the delay of results. 

After Biden was declared the winner Gerald Flurry proclaimed that Donald Trump would remain President but his prediction failed miserably.

Stephen Flurry has an article alleging voter fraud in the election.

Richard Palmer has an article about Europeans's negative views of President Trump. This is presented in order to promote the completely unrealistic idea that the European Union will soon militarily conquer the United States.

This passage is badly written.

The radical left is dividing America. The nation’s collapse in moral standards and integrity has made that popular. (p. 16.)

Does "that" refer to the "radical left" or the "nation's collapse in moral standards and integrity"? If the former then this passage should have been one sentence, not two.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that the recent normalization agreements which the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan have made with the State of Israel will not lead to peace because Flurry's predictions of the future have not yet occurred.

The Infographic discusses the federal aid made to assist people in the ongoing coronavirus catastrophe. 

Gerald Flurry has an article condemning calls for statues of historical persons associated with racism to be removed.

Mihailo Zekić has an article about the recent acts of Islamist based acts of violence that has occurred in Europe. PCG and many of the other Armstrongite groups have a long history of using divisive issues concerning Muslims to provide content for their writings.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article describing Russia and China as being in an alliance with each other. This is identified with the kings of the east in Revelation. It is not mentioned in this article that PCG and other Armstrongite groups teach that this is directed against the future European Empire. 

Josué Michels and Andrew Müller have an article scare mongering about blockchain technology presenting it in a simplistic and alarmist way as something that can be used against America 

Josué Michels has a side article scare mongering about Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. Since 2009 PCG has constantly insinuated that he will be the European dictator fated to militarily conquer the United States of America just before Christ's return. 

Stephen Flurry has an article telling readers how to pray to PCG's version of God.

Brad Macdonald has an article insisting that Donald Trump won the election. Biden's election is portrayed as a sign of America morally disintegrating. The PCG leadership heavily favors the Republican Party in regards to politics. Consequently Biden's election is condemned by the PCG leadership and portrayed in a negative manner.

And so it may be seen that PCG continues to produce their recruitment magazine to gain more converts and to keep PCG members persuaded to continue to be loyal to PCG including by paying tithes.

PCG's Gerald Flurry Says Obama "wants to Destroy Everything Good in America": Overview of the September 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around early August 2020 the PCG leadership released the September 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. While many Americans die every day because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, including more police officers than any other cause of death, somehow in this issue the ongoing pandemic does not get its own article. The epidemic is mentioned here and there within this issue but the epidemic itself does not get its own article in this issue.

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 had a circulation of 247,833 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article blaming President Obama for the Trump-Russia scandal. He accuses Obama of helping to frame Lieutenant General Flynn. He says Obama had a feud against Lieutenant General Flynn because of his opposition to the JCPOA agreement with Iran.

Here is Flurry showing the world how much he despises President Obama. He even nonsensically declares that Obama "wants to destroy everything good in America" which is a truly bizarre and unhinged statement. (Please note: In the paragraph below "Israel" refers to America. This is part of PCG's jargon.)

The Iranians may not know that the Americans are literal descendants of ancient Israel, but they do label America the “Great Satan” and the Jewish state the “Little Satan.” They really want to blot these nations out! And through his Iran nuclear deal, Barack Obama was helping them accomplish this goal! He was implying, You take care of the Jews and we’ll take care of America. We’ll “blot out the name of Israel from under heaven” by transforming America into a socialist state our founders wouldn’t recognize. He wants to destroy everything good in America and to fundamentally change the nation into a Marxist dictatorship. Spiritually, he wants to wipe out the faith of Israel—just like the Iranian mullahs want to wipe Israel off the map!

This is what [a certain journalist] doesn’t understand. Obama decided to “choose the Islamic Republic as a partner” and to use “tactics typically employed by Third World police states” because he wants to blot out both the Jewish state and America! He also expressed hatred for Britain. Like the ancient Seleucid King Antiochus (Daniel 8:24), he is empowered by the devil to destroy the people of Israel through flattery and deceits that lead to violence.

It takes faith to believe what God says in 2 Kings 14:26-27. If God did not intervene to save America “by the hand” of Donald Trump, then America’s republic would have been blotted out—and Iran’s theocracy would probably have an atomic weapon!

Flurry then tries to take the sting out of his previous words by saying he does not blame Obama for wanting "to destroy everything good in America." He blames Satan, thus presenting Obama as a tool of Satan.

We must recognize that the real enemy is not Barack Obama. ... The real culprit behind his efforts to “blot out Israel” is not a man! I am not blaming him—I am blaming Satan!

Richard Palmer has an article that reverently recalls the British Empire's role in banning slavery in order to condemn protesters calling for statues associated with racial injustice to be removed.

Andrew Müller has an article scare mongering that America is on the verge of a "second civil war." In the current political situation in America this is a fear that almost exclusively exists within the political right.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article discussing how President Quezon of the Philippines helped to save 1,300 Jews in Germany from Nazi persecution in 1938-1941. One wonders why the PCG leadership do not call upon the US government to accept more refugees today.

Brad Macdonald has an article promoting British Israelism as the "reason" why America and Britain happen to have been so mighty and powerful from 1800 onward.

The Infographic serves to reinforce Macdonald's article. In PCG's spin of British Israelism it is claimed that (PCG's) God miraculously granted much riches and power to America and Britain from 1800 onward because it was 2,520 years after the northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians. The other Armstrongite COG also teach this idea. The Americans and British people at the time would not have noticed any such thing. 

A major reason why Britain became the most successful colonial power was because of their victories against France in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). 

Also in 1800 Britain was engaged in a desperate and most severe war against France which would rage until 1815. Many British soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice. The British soldiers who served would not have noticed any miraculous change in fortune for their nation from 1800 onward. 

One negative consequence of Britain's severe struggle against France was that the British adopted a policy of forcibly conscripting people at sea to fight for the British Navy. Many sea faring Americans lived in severe fear of being, essentially, kidnapped by the British Navy. This would later lead to Britain and America going to war with each other in the War of 1812. None of them noticed that Britain and America had suddenly gained a miraculous change in fortunes for their nations. 

This British Israelite dogma that America and Britain were divinely restrained from gaining great wealth and power from about 720 BC until 1800 is simply not true. It is a idea some today tell ourselves and they project this idea onto the past.

Joel Hilliker has an article commemorating 9/11. It is mentioned that PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, on May 5, 2001 had proclaimed that humanity had entered its "last hour." Nineteen years later PCG is still waiting for the "last hour" to end. What is left unmentioned is that Gerald Flurry makes these dire proclamations every now and then. For instance back in 2008 Gerald Flurry had proclaimed that America had passed "the point of no return" as noted in #33 here. So we been apparently stuck beyond this "point of no return" for about twelve years now. PCG Information also has some intriguing information about this "last hour" dogma. (A previous version of Hilliker's article was discussed in a previous post.)

Andrew Müller has an article condemning estimates of the age of the universe and the Earth because they contradict PCG dogma.

Herbert Armstrong's Autobiography is cited to say that evolution is false and to present Herbert Armstrong as being knowledgeable of science even though he never went to college.

WorldWatch discusses the controversy regarding alleged Russian bounties paid to the Taliban to kill US soldiers which is presented as a partisan attack on PCG's beloved President Trump; added US sanctions against the Assad regime in Syria; certain explosions in Iran; Germany sending financial aid to companies involved in the arms industry; the US withdrawing troops from Germany; the US sending in three aircraft carriers into the South China Sea to demonstrate their opposition to China's claim to it; Germany gaining the EU presidency on July 1, 2020; Russia adopting amendments to their constitution which would allow Vladimir Putin to remain as President as late as 2036; the reduction of protests in Hong Kong after the enactment of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on June 30, 2020; and Japan choosing not to purchase a certain American air defense system.

SocietyWatch discusses young Americans being less religious; scare mongers that crime has increased because of protests against police brutality; scare mongers that a third of Americans think civil war is about to occur even though it is mainly the political right that chosen to be fixated on this inflammatory topic; and the former Prince Harry talking about racism in Britain. 

The letters section contain a letter from South Africa.

I just want to thank the Philadelphia Church of God and the Trumpet. I don't know if you realize how much you change people's lives for the good in teaching us about supreme Lord God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm a changed person because of your literature, and I'm grateful and thank you so much. Lord God Almighty bless you. (p. 34.)

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting that Satan is the cause of the current problems. Not Covid-19 or police brutality. While stating this he also claims that restrictions designed to slow down the spread of Covid-19 and save are "self-destructive" and "unprecedented" even though quarantining people to stop the spread of diseases has been for thousands of years.

This world is changing dramatically—and fast. A powerful spirit influence that crosses borders, classes and ideologies changed the world with unprecedented, self-destructive coronavirus restrictions, then with the riots and outright assault on American and British history, culture and the last remnants of biblical principles. This spirit of hate is inspired by Satan the devil.

Richard Palmer has an article in which he insists PCG's dogmas make sense of the world.

Here is Palmer making the hysterical claim that certain economically deprived Americans dream of destroying their nation somehow. So often PCG say they love America and yet they are willing to vilify "the average poor person in America" in such a hysterical and nonsensical manner.

For years, the Trumpet has focused on the spiritual causes of world events. We have said that there is a real, spirit world and a real devil. We have said that God has worked out a specific plan for a specific purpose, using nations like Britain and America, and that Satan has tried to destroy that plan and those nations. How else do you explain the extremes we’re seeing right now? ... the average poor person in America has air conditioning and a smartphone—and more than likely wants to destroy his own nation!

Later Palmer insists to his readers that "[t]here is no catch" to PCG's offer of their writings to their readers.

You can read the whole book online, but I encourage you to request your own free print copy. We will mail it to you, just about anywhere you might be in the world, with no charge for postage, packaging, handling or any other hidden costs. Your name and address stay private. And we won’t contact you for any follow-up. There is no catch. We are simply a group of people who understand that this is the only source of hope and understanding that there is. We know God provides the answers, the hope, and the means to get it out there: We want to share it with as many people as possible. (p. 35.)

A lifetime of tithes. The goal of this magazine is to gain more members for PCG. One of the requirements of PCG membership is to pay tithes to them. That is how PCG got an income of about $19.5 million in 2012. That is the catch.

No wonder the PCG leadership devote so much time and resources to producing their recruitment magazine. But there is no need to give heed to their dire proclamations of the future. They have made many predictions of the future that have failed miserably. They do not know the future. They are but false prophets.

Overview of the July 2020 Issue of PCG's Trumpet

Around mid-May 2020 the PCG leadership released the July 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let's see what the PCG leadership had to say this time in the hope of getting more tithes paying converts.

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 had a circulation of 246,078 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article scare mongering that the European nations' responses to the Covid-19 pandemic will prepare the way for the creation of the future European Empire, the very empire that Armstrongites have constantly insisted since the 1930s will soon conquer the United States. 

At the end of this article is the following blurb advertising one of their recruitment booklets. 

Put the Trumpet to the test. Over 75 years of evidence proves biblical prophecies true. Compare recent events beside Bible prophecy. (p. 5.)

Since its founding in 1989 PCG has made many predictions that have simply turned into false prophecies.

Josué Michels has a side article scare mongering that the Roman Catholic Church is fated to seize control of the Protestant churches in Germany. Armstrongites have constantly presented this accusation to their followers against the Roman Catholic Church and yet it never happens.

Brad Macdonald has an article complaining that some people do not like President Trump. Since when has any US president been universally adored by everyone? That has never happened and never can happen within a democracy.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article criticizing China over the Covid-19 pandemic and trade issues.

Joel Hilliker has an article promoting Armstrongism's God family doctrine after talking about how one thinks about death. The founder of Armstrongism, Herbert Armstrong, in all likelihood plagiarized this doctrine from another source as he did with many other teachings. Many have suspected Herbert Armstrong's source of this doctrine was Mormonism. Another possible source is the early Watchtower Society back in the days of their first leader, Charles Taze Russell.

The Infographic complains that the death rate of Covid-19 is estimated at too high a figure. However Covid-19 is so contagiousness even if it had a death rate of less than 1% and not 3.4% it will still kill vast numbers of people and overwhelm the health care infrastructure of society. And that will also kill many other people unable to access healthcare because of the many people who got severely sick by Covid-19. We must be careful not to downplay how serious the Covid-19 pandemic truly is.

Joel Hilliker has an article that mentions Alexander Solzhenitsyn's detention within the Soviet Union's gulag system of labor camps. In this article Hilliker "assures" his readers that a wonderful future world will be created after humanity goes through a time of horrific horrors, namely a future war PCG and fellow Armstrongites call the Great Tribulation during which the United States will be conquered by a future European Empire. This future war is to culminate in (Armstrongism's interpretation of) Christ coming to Earth and ruling over the world for a thousand years of peace and happiness under an Armstrongite theocratic dictatorship.

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting that there should only be one Christian church. PCG's leaders make it clear elsewhere that they teach that PCG is the only "true" Christian church in all the world. He even mentions Roderick Meredith splitting away from the Global Church of God in 1998 in order to denigrate the other COGs as using systems of government he disagrees with. In reality most COGs practice an authoritarian style of governance similar to PCG's.  

WorldWatch discusses the United States upgrading their nuclear weapons in Germany; Germany sending soldiers to Libya to impose an arms embargo; Pope Francis calling for a universal basic income; Prime Minister Netanyahu getting an agreement to pursue annexation of part of the Palestinian West Bank as part of a new Israeli government (now on hold); a clash between Iranian and US ships; the US withdrawing from certain bases in Iraq; China once again staking their territorial claims in the South China Sea; the US State Department accusing China of testing zero yield nuclear weapons tests; and a claim that internet trolls from China are spreading misinformation regarding lockdown measures in the US.

SocietyWatch discusses an increase in consumer debt; changed personal habits caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; and a lower marriage rate among adults in the United Kingdom.

Stephen Flurry has an article calling upon readers to use their time wisely.

Andrew Müller has an article demonizing environmental activism as some sort of modern form of "paganism." This is vile name calling that falsely conflates concern about the environment with certain religions that happened to be prevalent in some parts of the world before the rise of Christianity.

And so we see that the PCG leadership continues with their attempts to attract more tithes paying converts even as the world faces the supreme crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic.

PCG Recruiting for More Tithe Payers in the Coronavirus Era: Overview of the May-June 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around mid-April 2020 the PCG leadership released the May-June 2020 edition of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Now the PCG leadership, like the rest of us, witnessed America getting ravaged by this dreadful disease, namely Covid-19. What did the PCG leadership do in the wake of this supreme crisis? Insist that their doctrines are correct.

The cover portrays President Trump as wearing a face mask and yet President Trump made a show of refusing to wear face masks. Nevertheless he has been known to wear them sometimes. It is now widely accepted that wearing face masks helps to protect people from getting infected with Covid-19. At present it is not possible to have herd immunity from Covid-19 but the effect of herd immunity can be enjoyed right now if everyone wears face masks. We need to conduct ourselves so as to keep everyone else safe from this terrible disease.

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

This issue had a circulation of 244,874 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that prophecy is proof of PCG's God. Here is Gerald Flurry talking about himself. "Watchman" is one of numerous titles he has taken for himself to bolster his prestige within PCG.

God is saying that a WATCHMAN MUST WARN! He gave prophecy for a REASON, and He commands His people [PCG] to tell the world of the dangers that are coming! If we don't then we are as worthless as a slumbering watchdog. (p. 1.)

Brad Macdonald has an article telling his readers that (PCG's) God is in charge even though many people are suffering and even dying because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zechariah 6 shows that God Himself--through these four angels and their legions--IS CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATING WORLD EVENTS. Some might think it preposterous to say that God monitors world conditions using angels. Some will find it hard to visualize angels crisscrossing the planet, keeping tabs to ensure events unfold according to Bible prophecy. [Such objections are dismissed by Brad Macdonald.] (p. 5.)

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that PCG's dogma that Europe will soon conquer America will be fulfilled even though much of Europe has been badly affected by Covid-19. Here is Palmer's dire prediction of the future European Empire fated to soon conquer America according to PCG dogma.

This is a united European superstate, ruled by kings, not elected representatives, and united under one overall strongman. This is exactly the direction the coronavirus crisis--just like earlier crises--is driving Europe. (p. 9.)

They make this dire prediction despite PCG's record of numerous failed prophecies.

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting that the Democratic Party and CNN are using the Covid-19 pandemic against President Trump. He also condemns governmental stimulus measures. Also he insists that lockdowns do not work. He cites one study from Imperial College that forecast a high death toll in the United Kingdom and then Stephen Flurry complains that the high death toll did not occur. The high forecast would only have come true if the UK government did nothing. But the government and the people rallied together to fight Covid-19 and so that dire prediction did not come true. Unfortunately Covid-19 still killed about 41,500 people in the UK which is the highest death toll for a nation in Europe. This is still a catastrophe.

Richard Palmer also has an article insisting that various financial stimulus measures made to protect people from financial collapse caused by Covid-19 will lead to a future economic collapse. With this article people are to be anxious over governmental attempts to help people during this supreme crisis.

The cycle [of governments burrowing money] continuously builds up more debt. In the long run it is unsustainable. Step by step, choice by choice, we are creating conditions guaranteed to produce an unprecedented, world-altering crash. (p. 16.)

Even though PCG and other Armstrongite groups insist that a future European Empire will militarily conquer America they still scare readers with other topics of dread such as an economic collapse.

Joel Hilliker has an article insisting even worst disasters will soon occur. He even calls the Covid-19 pandemic a "comparatively minor crisis" at one point.

You need to know how to react, physically and spiritually--because even more-serious [sic] crises are coming. ... [Speculation by experts] is creating a lot of hysteria. Most of the shocks to stock markets have not come from existing problems, but from fear of possible problems.... Bible prophecy says far more and far worse crises are coming. ... Witness people's behavior in this comparatively minor crisis. The world has never reacted to a pandemic as it is reacting today. (pp. 16-17)

Gerald Flurry also has an article condemning the Democratic Party. Even as America faces the supreme crisis of our time he still found time to condemn the major political party he does not like. He talks about Obama, Hitler and also cites Newt Gingrich in a Fox News interview to scare monger that civil war is approaching even though most politically motivated violence in America is committed by far right extremists. This article also proves that PCG happens to be right wing in its political stances. I do not condemn PCG for choosing to be right wing but they sometimes profess to not be right wing even though many of their writings plainly reveal otherwise.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article speculating that constitutional changes in Russia have turned President Putin into a dictator. Meanwhile PCG operates with a "one-man rule" system of managing themselves. 

WorldWatch discusses the possibility of increased migration into Europe due to the ongoing Syrian Civil War; the making of a facial recognition database in ten nations within the European Union; Pakistan test firing a cruise missile; the possibility of the Israeli Jewish center-left allying with Palestinian citizens of Israel to form a government without Netanyahu's Likud Party (which did not happen); Iran producing more enriched uranium after the Trump Administration refused to abide with the JCPOA agreement; Russia upgrading its nuclear weapons; the argument between Russia and other OPEC nations over how much oil to export; and various flu viruses in Asia. While discussing these flu viruses the following tone deaf comment is made:

Unlike African swine fever, H1N1 bird flu can infect humans. Though this is rare, it has a human mortality rate of about 60 percent. (Coronavirus has a mortality rate of 1 to 2 percent.) (p. 28.)

For most people it is not that important that the H1N1 bird flu is so deadly since the world now has to deal with the terrible Covid-19. Also Covid-19 is not a flu, it is a coronavirus. This difference is not mentioned. Covid-19 is related to certain strands of the common cold. And Covid-19 has the ability of infecting many people at once thus overwhelming the health care infrastructure of society. We must be careful not to minimize this ongoing pandemic.

SocietyWatch is absent in this issue.

Joel Hilliker has an article in which he talks about the practice of quarantining people to try to make people curious and determined to take advice from (PCG's interpretation of) the Bible in physical and spiritual matters. It is an attempt to proselytize his readers.

The letters section has one short letter from a person in Rhode Island.

I'm addicted to the Trumpet.

It is unfortunate that this person is in all likelihood unaware of the many problems concerning PCG.

The letters section highlights a PCG article entitled, "The Wuhan Coronavirus and the Bible's prophesied Disease Epidemics." Many people have objected to having this disease called that as offensive and even racist. Instead of helping and encouraging victims of the coronavirus this name stigmatizes the people of Wuhan.  

Richard Palmer has an article saying that one must trust in (PCG's) God and that it is impossible to trust human experts. 

And so we see that PCG produced yet another issue of their recruitment magazine seeking more tithe paying converts for their organization. They continuously assure their readers that they know what will happen in the future but in fact PCG has made many false prophesies that have simply not come true. There is no need to listen to the PCG leadership to get saved from an alleged future event or to gain God's favor.

PCG Failing to Predict Covid-19's Impact on America: Overview of the April 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around the end of February 2020 PCG released the April 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Even though PCG and other Armstrongites insist that they know the future this issue reveals that they were just as surprised and blindsided by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as everyone else.

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

This issue had a circulation of 246,354 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article discusses the latest settlement the Trump Administration was trying to impose upon the State of Israel and the Palestinians even though the Palestinians made it clear they would not accept it. The article is accompanied with a picture of Palestinian protesters, both with faces covered and one with a sling and a skull face covering. Odds are those persons protesting against Israeli soldiers armed with guns. The Palestinians in the West Bank has always have been clear that they did not want to ruled by the State of Israel. Israeli rule was imposed upon the West Bank in 1967 without their invitation.

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that Germany in 2020 (before the coronavirus) is behaving awfully like Germany shortly before the Nazis gained power in yet another article scare mongering about Germany. Little did the PCG leadership know that catastrophe was about hit America.

Gerald Flurry also has an article denouncing the "dangerous left-wing media" once again showing with his actions that PCG leans very much to the right in regards to political stances. I do not condemn PCG for choosing to be right wing but it is worth mentioning that they are since sometimes they like to pretend they are not right wing even though they clearly are. 

Gerald Flurry also has an article insisting that the Covid-19 epidemic in China (that is how the situation was viewed back in late February 2020) is predicted in PCG's interpretations of Bible prophecy. He fearfully states that other plagues are in PCG's interpretation of Bible prophecy as well. The article contains illustrations of Chinese people dealing with the epidemic. The PCG leadership clearly had no idea that the Covid-19 was just a few weeks away from doing so much damage to the United States. Back in late February 2020 they still thought of it as a problem in China.

Jeremiah Jacques has a side article speculating that the Covid-19 epidemic in China will make Russia more powerful than China. Little did the PCG leadership just a few months later the people of Wuhan, the city where Covid-19 gained attention, would hold a massive water pool party after reopening their economy safely. This is yet another false prophecy of PCG.

Jeremiah Jacques also has an article retelling the making of the Hubble Space Telescope in order to promote PCG's heretical doctrine that PCG destined to become God beings ruling over the entire universe. 

The Infographic is about what the Hubble Space Telescope has revealed.

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that Brexit, the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, was prophesied in (PCG's interpretation of) Bible prophecy.

Jeremiah Jacques also has an article about various failed predictions that certain political pundits have made over the years. And yet PCG members are still expected to take the PCG leadership's predictions seriously despite their many failed prophecies.

Andrew Müller has an article scare mongering about certain leftists and calling them Communists even though the actual Communist Party USA is now utterly insignificant. This is red baiting. Müller cites a surreptitious recording produced by Project Veritas which was made without the interview subject's knowledge. So if that happens to the PCG leadership he has no right to complain about that without looking like a hypocrite. We need to be careful about how we treat other people. Also this article proves once again that the PCG leadership is right wing.

WorldWatch discusses India's military build up; scare mongers about Iran's research into nuclear weaponry before Supreme Leader Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons in 2003; Putin's changes to the Russian Constitution which would let him be president longer which were later passed; China becoming second largest exporter of armaments; swarms of locusts in Kenya and Ethiopia; increased military spending in Europe which is credited to PCG's adored President Trump; more spending by the US federal government (before the coronavirus); right wing extremists in the German army; European attempts to influence events in the Middle East; and the launch of the European Maritime Surveillance Mission in the Persian Gulf.

SocietyWatch discusses the impeachment of President Trump which according to PCG's writers had "deeply damaged America" even though impeachment is allowed within the Constitution; a claim that British police were ignoring sexual abuse among ethnic Pakistanis in Britain; and Time Magazine naming environmental activist Greta Thunberg as person of the year.    

Stephen Flurry has an article calling upon people to study history like Winston Churchill did. PCG adores Winston Churchill not least because he was right wing while America had a left wing president back in those troubled days.

Joel Hilliker has an article moaning about Speaker Pelosi ripping up her copy of President Trump's state of the union address in public. It is strange to see the PCG leadership responding to a superficial act that changes no laws.

And so we see the PCG leadership had made yet another issue of their recruitment magazine seeking more tithes paying converts. It is also strange to see how unprepared they were to imagine that this coronavirus would have such a terrible effect in America and throughout the world.

Awaiting the Beast: Overview of the January 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

The current situation in regards to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic is terrible. Practice social distancing. Limit dangerous interactions with people. Listen to the science. Wear face masks. Protect yourself and others so that all may be better able to strive to see a better tomorrow.

Now onto the post.

***

Around early December 2019, before the epidemic, PCG released the January 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet, once again seeking more tithes paying recruits for their organization. Let's see what they had to say this time. This was written .

Since 2009 the PCG leadership has often scare mongered that Karl-Theodor zu Guttenburg "may" be the political leader fated to destroy the United States shortly before Christ's return. Armstrongites have fixated their speculations on many men over the years suspecting they would be fated conquer of the United States, such as Mussolini, Hitler, Tito, Franz Josef Strauss, Edmund Stoiber, etc.

This edition had a circulation of 249,115 issues.

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

Gerald Flurry has an article scare mongering about Karl-Theodor zu Guttenburg after discussing some developments in Germany that were adverse for Chancellor Merkel.

At the end of the article there is the following statement in a blurb advertising a recruitment booklet.

For 10 years, the Trumpet has spotlighted Karl Theodor zu Guttenburg ... Why? We know an ominous Bible prophecy is about to be fulfilled, and we think he may be the man who will do it. (p. 5.)

Josué Michels has a side article emphasizing him as being closely connected with both Germany and the United States. The scare mongering continues.

Guttenberg says the two continents should continue their partnership. Many in America believe this message. However, evidence shows that Germany is mostly interested in exploiting the relationship to facilitate its own rise to greatness, which means this message is dangerous and deceitful. (p. 5.)

Andrew Müller has an article scare mongering about a new Civil War erupting in the United States. He denounced the Democratic Party's attempt to remove President Trump. He insisted the allegation regarding Ukraine was a hoax.

Richard Palmer has an article condemning widespread criticism and opposition towards the United Kingdom's (at the time yet to be completed) withdrawal from the European Union. Such opposition is vituperatively denounced as a "conspiracy." The possibility that these opponents are acting in good faith for the interests of the kingdom is ignored.

Joel Hilliker has an article minimizing the ongoing climate change crisis as has long been PCG's stance on this important issue.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article speculating if mass protests in Lebanon and Iraq were a sign that Iran's influence in the Middle East was declining.

The Infographic scare mongers about Iran's military assets.

Christopher Eames has an article repeating PCG's rejection of evolution for contradicting their interpretation of the Old Testament.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that ancient history happened the way PCG says.

Jorg Mardian has an article condemning the prevalence of junk food.

Joel Hilliker has an article about posting rumors online.

Brad Macdonald has an article condemning attempts to make society more accommodating for the transgender community. The fact that transgender people have ben a part of humanity in many different societies for thousands of years is casually ignored. He blames the left once again showing that PCG view themselves as aligned with the political right. I do not condemn them for choosing to do so but at times PCG minimizes and obscures that fact.

The letters section contains a letter from Papua New Guinea.

There is also a letter from a person who claims to have read HWA's book, Mystery of the Ages, six times. That book is greatly revered by many within the COGs. PCG got the copyright of it after paying $3 million in damages to Tkach's WCG after losing a court case. But it is a very flawed book.

And so we see PCG continuing to try to get more tithe paying converts with their recruitment magazine.

Praising Israel Before World War III: Overview of the September 2019 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Let's take a look at the September 2019 issue of PCG's 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 Phillip Nice.

This issue had a circulation of 251,694 issues.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article talking about Jerusalem. It is taught by PCG and the other Armstrongite groups that after Christ's return all the world will be united under one government led by Christ headquartered in Jerusalem. Flurry talks about focusing on what Jerusalem will be like after Christ returns. In the article Flurry uses the word vision 36 times. In other words he is calling upon readers and PCG members to be enthusiastic in believing PCG's dogmas.

Christopher Eames has an article discussing an recent alleged discovery of Ziglag, a city which in the Bible was associated with David before he ascended to the throne, at Khirbet al-Ra'i.

Brad Macdonald has an article insisting that the State of Israel will enjoy a temporary revival for leaning to the political right. After Trump ascended to the presidency the PCG leadership has been boasting that President Trump is leading a temporary revival. PCG's 1% are so happy that a Republican is in the White House.

Richard Palmer has an article decrying anti-Semitic bigotry against Jews. While it is certainly good to combat anti-Semitism it is worth mentioning that PCG has some troubling teachings regarding Jews. Traditionally Jews have long feared attempts to make them convert to Christianity. Most Jews consider conversion to Christianity to be a renunciation of one's Jewish identity. But buried within the intricacies of PCG's teachings it is assumed that most Jews will eventually convert to PCG's religion if they happen to live after Christ returns or after a resurrection. Or else.

It is taught in PCG and other Armstrongite groups that God is not trying to convert the vast majority of humanity today. In their teaching most people have been supernaturally blinded by God and left unable to comprehend and believe in Armstrongite teachings. God will not give them a chance to be saved until after Christ returns. After the thousand year reign of Christ on Earth those who had been blinded by God before the Second Coming will be resurrected in an event the Armstrongites call the Great White Throne Judgment. Then they will either convert to PCG's religion and worship Christ or they shall be cast into Armstrongite hell. It is assumed that the divinity of God the Father, Christ and the other God beings predicted to exist by that time will make conversion an easy and happy choice. In Armstrongism it is taught that those who are not saved will be cast into the Lake of Fire and will be annihilated. Those people will have no afterlife after that. Any Jewish person who wishes to maintain his or her religion and not worship Christ or any of the other Armstrongite God beings are doomed to the Lake of Fire in this teaching. Armstrongism pushed the issue of hell to after the Second Coming for non-members but the issue is still there.

It is worth noting that PCG has been producing writings in Hebrew seeking to preach to a predominantly Jewish audience within the Holy Land.

Palmer's article also features a graphic photo of a mass grave at Mauthausen in 1945 on page 13.

Richard Palmer and Daniel Di Santo have an article scare mongering that continental Europe is able to get the resources they need by trading with Africa and Latin America. The fact that the United States has armed forces in continental Europe in fulfillment of their duties as part of the NATO alliance is blissfully ignored in this dogma.

The Infographic props up the article above.

Brad Macdonald has an article telling Americans to be scared of Germany because, he insists, the Germans are the descendants of the ancient Assyrians who conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel. But Macdonald and the other Armstrongites are wrong. The Germans are not descended from the Assyrians. The DNA evidence proves they are not related by descent. Therefore any prophecy that assumes Germans to be descended from the Assyrians is bound to fail.

In this article Macdonald indulges in one again scare mongering about Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. For years now the PCG leadership has often speculated that he is destined to be the military leader fated to lead a German led European Empire to conquer the United States and take Americans as slaves back to Europe.

Who is this modern Tiglath-Pileser III? We can’t say for certain, but for more than 12 years now we have considered former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg a potential candidate. Guttenberg has all the ingredients; he is aristocratic, rich and powerful. He has charisma and communicates with conviction, candor and power. Guttenberg isn’t popular with Germany’s elites or the mainstream media, but many regular Germans adore him. Watch Guttenberg: He could be Germany’s end-time Tiglath-Pileser III! (p. 23.)

Gerald Flurry has an article calling upon his readers to get to know God. However PCG insists that one can only know God by joining PCG. And one of the requirements for PCG members is to pay three tithes to PCG. That is how PCG managed to get an income of about $19.5 million in 2012.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article discussing the mass protest movement in Hong Kong. This anxious event is unfortunately used to indulge in some scare mongering about "Gentile rule" after the fall of the British Empire.

In Hong Kong, the effects of the transition from Israelite rule to Gentile rule are on display in microcosm. No one argues that British imperialism was perfect; it was administered by men, and all men rule deficiently. But when Hong Kongers anxiously brandish the Union Jack and insist that their colonial legacy means “Hong Kong is not China,” they are giving the world an early signal of how dark the times of the Gentiles will be. 

Hong Kong is a bellwether for what Mr. Flurry called the coming “catastrophic storm.” And as Beijing tightens its grip on the territory, it reveals how violent the tempest will be. (p. 27.)

Armstrongism often viewed British colonialism as the will of God. This is connected to PCG and Amrstrongism's teaching of British Israelism. And because they think the British Empire was the will of God they have a hard time understanding why it collapsed. Those who are conquered do not want to be ruled by conquerors.

WorldWatch discusses Bastille Day celebrations to scare monger about Europe's military power; complaining about the European Union seeking to persuade other nations to conform to EU rules regarding data protection on the Internet; a report indicating some German police officers have been aligning themselves with the Alternative for Germany party; fear mongering about the EU organizing their air defenses; four Russian warships taking a stop in Cuba; Russia placing fortifications in Crimea; fear mongering about President Putin meeting with Pope Francis; an attempt to integrate pro-government militias in Iraq into the Iraqi armed forces; and Iran choosing to retaliate against President Trump's breach of the nuclear agreement by making more enriched uranium than was agreed to under the agreement President Trump threw away.

SocietyWatch frets about homeless people and diseases in Portland (which seems quite low); condemning curricula in California that treats the LGBT community as normal people; and condemning advertising standards in the United Kingdom that seeks to discouraging limiting gender stereotypes which, with typical hyperbole, is condemned by the PCG leadership as "part of a larger attack on biblical sex roles." (p. 31.)

Alex Harrison has an article encouraging children to be close to their grandparents.

Joel Hilliker has an article discussing the horror of the illegal sex trafficking of underage persons in Portland. It is a rewrite of a December 2010 article.

Here is a passage from the September 2019 article.

The human mind can only take in so much. And in this information-saturated age, news of people mistreating their fellow human beings comes in such a torrent that we can easily grow numb to it. And—truth be told—we are helpless to do anything substantive to stop it. These blights are painfully endemic to the human condition, resilient against virtually all efforts to stop them. 

There is one, however, who has seen it all, who has never succumbed to apathy—and who absolutely will put a stop to it.

Here is the same passage from the December 2010 article. Only one word has been altered.

The human mind can only take in so much. And in this information-saturated age, news of people mistreating their fellow human beings comes in such a torrent that we can easily grow numbed to it. And—truth be told—we are helpless to do anything substantive to stop it. These blights are painfully endemic to the human condition, resilient against virtually all efforts to stop them. 

There is one, however, who has seen it all, who has never succumbed to apathy—and who absolutely will put a stop to it.

This points to a larger issue: Armstrongism keeps repeating itself over and over again. But it is still as false as it was in 1934.

PCG calls upon their followers to keep PCG's vision of the future in mind. But PCG has made many false prophecies since its establishment in 1989. There is no need to give heed to them. These false prophecies prove that they are but false prophets.