PCG Fails to Anticipate Diplomatic Tensions Between Iran and the Taliban

Recently Iran and the Taliban have been having a quarrel over accusations that Afghan refugees are not treated well in Iran.

DUBAI, April 12 (Reuters) - Iran summoned the Afghan envoy to Tehran on Tuesday, Iranian state TV reported, a day after protesters threw rocks at Iranian diplomatic missions in Kabul and Herat over what they called "mistreatment of Afghan refugees" in the Islamic Republic.

The protests began after videos posted on Twitter in recent days showed young Afghan refugees in Iran being harassed and humiliated by ordinary Iranians. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the videos. (Reuters, "Iran summons Afghan envoy after protesters throw rocks at diplomatic missions," April 13, 2022.)

The PCG leadership, who claim to know so much about what will happen in the future, failed to anticipate such disagreements occurring. When the Taliban conquered Afghanistan PCG produced an article saying that Iran and the Taliban are working together.

The Taliban and Iran are not enemies. They are fighting for the same team, and Iran is king. ...

The Taliban gaining power will not counter Iran’s hegemony in the region. In fact, not only did Iran plan for America’s eventual exit from Afghanistan—there is proof it also worked with the Taliban for almost a decade to bring it about.

The Taliban takeover gives the forces of radical Islam a massive economic, military and ideological boost. And the power that will benefit most is Iran. (Brent Nagtegaal, With Enemies Like These, Who Needs Friends?, October 2021.)

Back in 1998 Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif were killed by the Taliban and there was much fear that Iran could have gone to war against the Taliban in retaliation. Iran and the Taliban are their own political actors but PCG is devoted to scare mongering about Iran. 

Since the 1990s Gerald Flurry has dogmatically declared that Iran will be the 'King of the South' fated to fight and get routed by the future European Empire. Consequently scare mongering about Iran is a way for PCG to portray their leader, Gerald Flurry, as one able to see the future. This motive makes PCG less inclined to pay attention to news that does not fit their dogmas about supposed future events such as Afghan protesters throwing stones at Iranian diplomatic property over rumors of mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Iran.

PCG Blaming Obama for the Taliban Takeover: Overview of the October 2021 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

(Warning: This recruitment magazine discussed in this post is produced by an organization that has chosen to take an anti-vaxxer stance against Covid-19 vaccines. Such a stance encourages people to leave themselves vulnerable to getting that dreadful disease. The easiest way to reduce the risk of getting that dreadful disease is to get vaccinated. Many are encouraging people to get vaccinated subject to medical advice.)

Disclaimer: Page 10 features a disturbing photo of a child injured during a protest in Afghanistan.

In early September 2021 the PCG leadership released the October 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. In this issue the PCG leadership exploit the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan to vilify President Biden ignoring the fact that it was President Trump who made a peace agreement with the Taliban behind the back of the Afghan government. That agreement was what made the tragic Taliban takeover possible.

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 had a circulation of 240,656 issues. The September issue had a circulation of 240,596 issues, a difference of only 60 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. The circulation for PCG's recruitment magazine appears to be slightly declining.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is part of a plot to destroy America. He blames Barack Obama and Satan. Back in 2013 Gerald Flurry labeled President Obama as "another Antiochus" comparing him to Antiochus Epiphanes and Joseph Tkach, Jr. Consequently Flurry often brings up Obama in order to "prove" his earlier condemnation of President Obama.

In the article Flurry refers to the Taliban as "barbarians" and "thugs." 

In the article Flurry accuses the Taliban of letting the suicide bomber into Kabul airport even though so many Afghan citizens were killed as well.

He also claims that Obama somehow planned for President Biden to get blamed. Flurry is so determined to stir up anger and hostility against Obama even though he has not held public office since January 20, 2017.

I believe Barack Obama intended Biden to take the flak for what has happened here. (p. 31.) 

Joel Hilliker has an article seeking to explain why America was unable to prevent the Taliban's return to power. It is insisted that the fall of Afghanistan is a sign of (PCG's) God's punishing the United States for being unrighteous, that is behaving contrary to PCG's dogmas. This is magical thinking that serves to devalue attempts to understand and explain how the fall of Afghanistan happened. Because of this the fall of Afghanistan is presented as something that just happened. The Taliban takeover is many things but it is not an accident. There are many reasons why this happened, not the least of which being corruption within the Afghan government.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article scare mongering that the Taliban takeover will somehow work to the benefit of Iran. It is insisted that Iran has been working with the Taliban since at least 2015. Since the early 1990s Gerald Flurry has taught that Iran will be the future King of the South consequently PCG's vilification of Iran serves to "prove" to their followers that Gerald Flurry can see the future.

This article features the following paragraph which focuses on the headlines used to describe the rise of the Taliban instead of discussing what is written in these articles. Links have been added in for convenience.

Yet when Kabul fell to the Taliban, prevailing media opinion was that Iran feared what would come next. “Taliban Surge Will Force Iran to Forge a New Defense Strategy,” reported Haaretz on August 13. “Iran Braces for Life Next Door to the Taliban Once Again,” Bloomberg headlined on August 19. Germany’s Deutsche Welle wrote, “Afghanistan: Taliban Offensive Puts Iran in a Bind.” These three headlines represent the broad consensus that while Iran might be happy America is gone from Afghanistan, it is terrified of the Taliban. (p. 8.) 

Since the Taliban's rise to power there have been reports that the Taliban have been persecuting people belonging to the Hazara ethnic group. Most Hazaras are Shia Muslims like the majority of Iran's population. Such reports will do nothing to foster friendly relations between the Taliban and Iran.

Richard Palmer has an article saying that Europe is adversely affected by the Taliban takeover. At one point on page 11 Palmer quotes the right wing British columnist Melanie Phillips who is often reverently quoted by PCG's writers. For decades the Armstrongites have insisted that predominantly Catholic Europe will soon militarily conquer the United States. This dire prediction has never occurred.

The article features this passage scare mongering about immigration. One moment he says the fall of Afghanistan is a terrible thing. Next moment he says be afraid if the resultant refugees move to your nation. 

Even before the Taliban took over, 30,000 people fled Afghanistan each week. ... an aid worker in Afghanistan, warned, “We can assume that up to 3 million Afghans will make their way to Europe in the foreseeable future.”

Less than half that number of refugees from around the world—1.3 million—arrived in Europe in 2015. The resulting political crisis shook the foundations of governments across the Continent and sparked an outbreak of political extremism not seen since the 1930s. Can European politics as we know it survive the arrival of 3 million Afghans? What if, as has occurred repeatedly in Europe, that mass of refugees harbors even a few terrorists? (p. 12.)

Governmental authorities are empowered to manage these issues but PCG's recruitment magazine irresponsibly foster fear and panic over people fleeing the Taliban, even slurring them as potential terrorists. 

Richard Palmer also has an article speculating that the Taliban takeover will strain relations between the United States and the United Kingdom. It is insisted that Britain is so alienated with America's withdrawal that they are aligning themselves more closely with Germany and France.

In this article Palmer includes a quote which accurately notes that the agreement to withdraw American military forces from Afghanistan was made by President Trump as part of an agreement with the Taliban.

“The American decision to withdraw was not just a mistake—it was an avoidable mistake, from President [Donald] Trump’s flawed deal with the Taliban to President [Joe] Biden’s decision to proceed, and to proceed in such a disastrous way,” said Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats. (p. 14.)

Under the Trump Administration's plan this withdrawal was supposed to be completed by May 2021. However this information is presented as merely a quote. Palmer does not state that it happens to be true that it was Trump who made an agreement with the Taliban to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan. 

Jeremiah Jacques has an article insisting that Russia and China are happy that the Taliban have conquered Afghanistan.

The Infographic discusses the cost to the United States of waging war in Afghanistan. It is stated that the Taliban gained the equivalent of 116% of the military spending of India, the third largest military spender. This obscures the fact that the United States is by far the largest military spender in the world.

Josué Michels has an article scare mongering that Europeans' attempts to manage the spread of Covid-19 are paving the way for some sort of authoritarian rule instead of viewing them as being sincere attempts to contain and minimize the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic. At one point he even refers to the current Covid-19 crisis as "the so-called coronavirus pandemic."

The global trend toward authoritarian governments has greatly accelerated during the so-called coronavirus pandemic. (p. 20.)

While condemning lockdowns Michels cites figures from California and Florida dating back to March 2021 before the more contagious Covid Delta variant began to predominate among American cases of Covid-19.

Comparing restrictive California with open Florida is telling. As of this past March, in Florida, 8,979 people per 100,000 were infected; in California, that number was 9,079. The death rate in Florida was 146 per 100,000; in California, 135. Clearly, lockdowns are not the cure-all they were purported to be. (p. 20.)

Michels cites a difference in death rates of 11 per 100,000 but all those people in California just got saved from dying of that dreadful disease. 

Josué Michels also has a side article scare mongering that the US dollar is on the way out. PCG so often uses this thought to scare their readers.

Gerald Flurry has an article saying that empires are great and wonderful. The inaccurate dogma of British Israelism blinds the Armstrongites from understanding why European Empires has now largely collapsed. It is hard to run an empire once the colonized realizes they are as worthy of respect and self rule as the colonizers. Why bother studying such things as decolonization when one believes such events are merely caused by the will of the God of Armstrongism?

WorldWatch discusses wildfires in Europe; France passing a law regulating religious groups; Italy introducing a green pass as a proof of vaccination; Iran getting a new Foreign Minister, namely Hossein Amir-Abdollahian; the announcement of the construction of a new terminal for an oil pipeline in Iran; Cuba shutting down the Internet in response to protests, which this recruitment magazine also blames on China; President Putin claiming that Ukraine is not independent; China making more nuclear missile silos; the cyberattack against Kaseya; and the passage of a $1.2 billion bill by the US Senate. 

SocietyWatch discusses how some companies have benefitted from the lockdowns; the Biden Administration's condemnation of anti-vaxxer misinformation on social media which is portrayed in PCG's recruitment magazine as an attempt to control social media websites; and an alarmist claim that the Biden Administration has somehow spent the American people's savings. The PCG leadership gives themselves so much time vilifying the political party they oppose.

Joel Hilliker has an article saying that being humble is the way to achieve greatness. 

The Discussion Board has letters. Four letters are persons stating that they used to enjoy listening to Herbert Armstrong and reading his recruitment magazine. This ignores the many problems concerning Herbert Armstrong and his organization. Much of what Herbert Armstrong was cobbled together from various sources like the Jehovah's Witnesses and British Israelism to create his own syncretistic system of belief. 

Joel Hilliker also has an article insisting that (PCG's) God will provide a way of protection from the future catastrophe PCG and the other COGs insist will soon occur. The Armstrongites have been insisting that some sort of catastrophe will soon occur since the 1930s. Such a catastrophe has never occurred. And even when this current pandemic is causing so much pain and suffering some within the Armstrongite organizations have chosen to minimize this crisis under the pretext that this is not the crisis they have been scare mongering about since the 1930s. PCG's leaders have made numerous false prophecies since the organization's founding in 1989. PCG's leader are but false prophets. There is no need to fear their predictions of the future.

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 Complaining About the Rise of a New Government in Israel

(Disclaimer: PCG has recently been posting anti-vaccine articles. Please use caution if you decide to read their writings. Thankfully there are many people and NGOs, such as Voices for Vaccines, that speak out against such attitudes. More information may be gained from the CDC. The main article now begins.)

The PCG leadership are still smarting over the fact that, unless something unexpected happens before the proposed new government is sworn in, the Israeli Prime Minister they adore, Benjamin Netanyahu, will be out of power. They continue to moan over this development in another article. (Brent Nagtegaal, The 'Big Lie' in Israel's Election, June 9, 2021.)

Let's see what they have to say this time.

PCG says they support the State of Israel but once it appears that PCG's preferred Prime Minister is about to be removed from power they say the following words. Observe how PCG's leadership talk of Israelis they disapprove of.

Sunday’s confidence vote in the Knesset will be the culmination of the multilayered campaign over the past two years to pull out all stops to remove Netanyahu from leading the Jewish state. A leftist-dominated media and educated class, anti-Netanyahu leaders from the left and right, as well as a politicized judiciary came together to wage war on Israel’s longest-serving and arguably most successful leader. They joined forces through four inconclusive elections in order to oust Netanyahu. And finally, they’ve done it—by all means possible.

PCG's article denounces Naftali Bennett as a liar for joining forces with Yesh Atid, a centrist party.

But after the election, Naftali Bennett betrayed his voters and sided with the left to rip the crown off Bibi’s head and put it on his own. ... Furthermore, had Bennett not lied to Israel, the Yamina party would likely not have received enough votes to clear the electoral threshold (3.5 percent). Meaning, that Naftali Bennett would not even be a member of the Knesset. Instead, because of a lie, a man who probably wouldn’t have made the Knesset is now going to lead the Jewish state. This takes the adage “cheating your way to the top” to a whole new level. If Bennett doesn’t lie before the election, Netanyahu most likely is still Prime Minister today.

Nagtegaal does not mention that it was Yesh Atid that got the second most votes in the 2021 election behind Netanyahu's Likud. After the election President Rivlin gave Netanyahu the first chance at forming a new government. Netanyahu was unable to do so. After that President Rivlin appointed Yair Lapid, the leader of Yesh Atid, with the responsibility to forge a new government. Lapid did so, however as part of the coalition deal Naftali Bennett gets to be Prime Minister first. 

Many in Israel are worried that politically motivated violence might occur. One reason for this concern is the painful memory of the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin by a right wing extremist on November 4, 1995. PCG's article expresses no sympathy for those who are afraid something like that might happen again. Instead such concerns are dismissed as unfounded.

[T]he media in Israel is giving the “big lie” a pass. Instead, they say those who would try to expose and overcome the attack on Israel’s democracy are insurrectionists. Indeed the media has help endorsing such a position from Israel’s security agency. On Saturday, [the] Shin Bet Director ... condemned language that might be perceived as “one who endorses violent and illegal activities that could even lead to harming individuals.” ...

[Nagtegaal quotes Netanyahu saying,] Stick it to them. Every effort. Figurative phrases like that are being trumpeted by Israel’s left-wing media and politicians as evidence that Netanyahu is trying to raise an actual violent insurrection against the results of the stolen election. In fact, if you even discuss the steal, you are labeled as a dangerous conspiracy theorist.

Nagtegaal compares the fall of Netanyahu from power with the fall of Donald Trump. He blames some "deep state" conspiracy which he describes as being "left-wing." 

While the deceitful means enacted to defraud democracy might be different in Israel and in the United States, the outcome and the narrative are almost identical. For years a left-wing, anti-traditional “deep state” has merged with mass media to degrade the Bible-based values and rich history of both America and Israel.

In other words PCG was not happy that Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have lost power. PCG happens to be right wing.

Nagtegaal then insists that somehow he knows better than the State of Israel's prosecutors and he insists that the criminal cases against Prime Minister Netanyahu are "bogus" even though these court cases are in fact happening.

Both Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump have recognized this attack and have fought back. It was the reason Mr. Trump was elected, and it was the reason Mr. Netanyahu remains the most popular leader in Israel. Unable to remove the leaders from power by simple popular vote, the radical left tried other means, from impeachment attempts to Russian collusion to an ongoing bogus legal case against Mr. Netanyahu.

And so we see PCG complaining when political events they disapprove of happen to occur. However considering that PCG says that America and Israel are about to be militarily conquered by a future European Empire any moment now one wonders why the PCG leadership chooses to be so annoyed over the apparent removal from power of Benjamin Netanyahu.

PCG Mourning the Apparent Fall of Netanyahu

After going though four elections since March 2019 it now appears that the State of Israel will have a new Prime Minister and a new coalition government by June 14. No Likud Party involvement required. Unless something unexpected happens Benjamin Netanyahu will be out of office once the new government gets sworn in. The proposed government has not taken power yet PCG has already produced an article about this. The PCG leadership adores Netanyahu so they are not happy at this development. Let's see what PCG has to say about this now. (Brent Nagtegaal, Will Israel Lose Its Churchill?, June 3, 2021.)

Jerusalem—Barring last-minute heroics, the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history will soon be out of power. 

It seems evident that what mainly frustrated Likud's attempts to regain power since 2018 is the fact that Netanyahu happens to be facing several corruption allegations in the courts of law. Turns out a lot of Israelis are not happy having to take orders from a Prime Minster facing corruption charges. Nagtegaal gives little attention to that problem.

Netanyahu became Israel’s youngest-ever prime minister during his first term (1996–1999) and its longest-serving prime minister during his second (2009–present) and has weathered numerous onslaughts, including multiple corruption charges.

Outside observers, especially conservatives, find it illogical that Israelis would discard Netanyahu in the face of multiple threats to Israel’s security. The prime minister is viewed by many as one of the most effective leaders in Israel’s modern history. In a region prone to violence, He has successfully managed to protect Israel from outside threats, especially Iran. In fact, the last decade under Netanyahu has been Israel’s most peaceful, and in just the past year, his government signed four new peace agreements with Arab states, doubling the number that have been signed since Israel’s modern founding. 

Meanwhile, as most nations still grapple with COVID-related crises, Israel is back to normal, apart from its largely closed international borders.

And a major reason why the State of Israel is like that now is because they did not let people like Stephen Flurry scare them off from getting vaccinated. And they wore masks. Prime Minister Netanyahu advised the people to wear face masks. The contradiction between PCG's stance and what the Israeli government under Netanyahu had done is quietly ignored.

Yet it is also undeniable that Mr. Netanyahu has become the most divisive leader in Israeli history. In the past election, Netanyahu’s Likud party attained its most votes ever. That number was still not enough to maintain power, yet it shows the power he holds among the party’s base. And at the same time, Netanyahu’s enemies have increased across all sectors of society.

Nagtegaal is wrong to say that the Likud Party got more votes in the 2021 election than any previous election. That is not true. In the 2020 election Likud got 1,352,449 votes which was 29.46% of the vote. But in the 2021 election Likud got 1,066,892 votes which was 24.19 % of the vote. Likud lost about 285,557 votes compared with their result in the 2020 election. This is a major reason why Netanyahu faces the prospect of losing power: Many previous Likud voters did not vote for the Likud party this time. Nagtegaal is wrong to say Likud got more votes in the 2021 election than ever before. That simply is not true. Why does the PCG leadership let him say something that is verifiably untrue?

And the question must be asked: why have people in the State of Israel chose to no longer support Prime Minister Netanyahu? Did this have anything to do with the corruption allegations? Such questions are ignored in this article.

Nagtegaal then condemn the incoming government as an unworkable government doomed to fail once it gets into power and remove Netanyahu from the Prime Minister's office.

While presenting Prime Minister Netanyahu in a positive light Nagtegaal refers to the Biden Administration as "the American regime."

Mr. Netanyahu is fighting to safeguard Israel’s future, just as he has done during previous American administrations. It is the American regime that has turned hostile.

Nagtegaal cites a statement by the Prime Minster and does not cite his source. Apparently we are just supposed to merely take his word for it that this happened.

“If we have to choose—I hope it doesn’t happen—between friction with our great friend the United States and eliminating the existential threat, eliminating the existential threat [wins],” Netanyahu said recently. 

Nagtegaal accuses the Biden Administration of seeking to back Iran at the State of Israel's expense.

More than any other political leader in Israel, Netanyahu is keenly aware of the anti-Israel policies of the United States. He almost certainly realizes that this is a greater threat to his country than even Iran. More than any other political leader in Israel, Netanyahu recognizes that it is a United States-backed Iran that poses the greatest threat to Israel.

Nagtegaal mentions Netanyahu's speech before a joint session of Congress in 2015 to oppose the deal with Iran. He implies that Donald Trump was elected President due to opposition among Americans to the deal with Iran.

Netanyahu was chosen by the people, “he saw the sword coming,” and he warned of the danger of a United States-backed Iran, embodied in Barack Obama’s nuclear deal. And the American people listened, voting into power a leader who was determined to nullify the deal and restore deterrence on Iran.

Actually Netanyahu was not chosen by the people because the electoral system in the State of Israel is somewhat indirect. In the State of Israel the voters vote for the party, not the leader or individual candidate. After the vote who gets to lead is in the legislators' hands and power does not necessarily go to the party with the most votes. For instance, in the 2009 election Likud got 21.61% of the vote and were actually second behind the Kadima Party led by Tzipi Livni which got 22.47%. But unlike today Likud had more allies back then so they gained power anyway.

Now the reason the PCG leadership pays so much attention to the State of Israel is because they think political acts in connection with that industrialized nation state will somehow herald the beginning of the end of the world as we know it to be destroyed in a future World War III. In this supposed war the State of Israel, America and Britain will be militarily conquered by a future European Empire. Some "friends" the Armstrongites are for the State of Israel: They watch news about it to detect if the end is near.

Israel faces a historic moment right now. Several important biblical prophecies are in play, and political upheaval—particularly one that emboldens Israel’s enemies and makes the Jewish state more vulnerable—could rapidly advance the fulfillment of these prophecies. Still, although Netanyahu may be gone, the warning will continue. 

Unlike Herbert Armstrong, Gerald Flurry and their imitators I make no claim to see the future. But no matter who happens to be Prime Minister of the State of Israel we can rest assured that the false prophecies of Armstrongism will never be fulfilled. Since 1989 PCG have made numerous predictions that have not happened. We can take comfort in knowing that no matter what happens in this current political drama the scary predictions of Armstrongism will never happen.

Beautifying Mars as a God Being: Overview of the May-June 2021 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

In late March 2021 the PCG leadership released the May-June 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let's see what the PCG leadership has to say this time.

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 243,028 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article which mentions the Perseverance probe on Mars in order to promote the Armstrongite dogma of the God Family. It is taught that believers will become God beings as fully God as God is God though of a lesser rank. This is a doctrine that HWA plagiarized from another source. Among ex-COG people it is often believed that he took this idea from Mormonism. I suspect HWA acquired this doctrine from an early teaching of the Watchtower Society.

There is a side article discussing the search for extra-terrestrial life.

Richard Palmer has a side article insisting intelligence alone cannot solve humanity's issues.

Richard Palmer has an article condemning wealthy persons who are here labeled as being in league with the political left.

In this article Palmer promotes the harmful and false stereotype that HIV/AIDS is somehow associated with the LGBT community.

Pharmaceutical giant Gilead sponsors homosexual pride parades--while charging over $2000 a month for an anti-HIV drug. Signaling their support for the LGBT movement is much cheaper than lowering the price of a drug that would predominantly help those in that community. (p. 6.)

In the article Palmer also denounces the LGBT movement.

Mr. Flurry wrote this before the LGBT movement really took off. Now businesses are going along with or supporting a movement that destroys our children's future. It fills them with warped ideas about marriage and family, destroying their potential to have a happy life and making it much harder for them to have a relationship with their heavenly Father. (p. 32.) 

Philip Nice has an article speculating about the nature of society after the establishment of the millennium after Christ's return. He makes all sorts of fantastic predictions such as saying that there will be no interest on loans and no taxes in the Millennium. Instead the government of PCG's interpretation of the Millennium will imitate PCG and rely on tithes and offerings.

Under God's government, the individual would pay no income tax, business tax, sales tax, property tax, health-care tax or death tax. Instead he would pay his first tithe (10 percent of his profits) and offerings of his own determination.... This would produce the spiritual blessing of developing humble, loving, giving character, which would facilitate further blessings by God, the least of which would be financial abundance. (p. 10.)

Armstrongites have been continuously waiting for the future paradise of the Armstrongite Millennium to just happen without any effort on their part since the 1930s and yet somehow it just never happens. In that time many people have boldly strived to improve society instead of waiting for the Armstrongites' predictions to just happen.

Joel Hilliker and José Michels have an article condemning the nomination of Rachel Devine (since confirmed) because she is a transgender woman. Being transgender is labelled as "transgenderism," a label designed to imply that transgender people somehow chose be that way instead of merely expressing what they actually are like. An earlier version of this article was discussed in a previous post.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article portraying Russia as trying to rule over the other nations that were formerly within the Soviet Union. Even though the PCG leadership chooses to vilify Russia in this issue they teach that it will be a future German led, Catholic dominated European Empire which will conquer the United States and Britain in the near future before Christ's return. If they believe this then why are they telling readers to be concerned about Russia?

The Infographic discusses President Putin and the Russian Federation getting more powerful.

Richard Palmer has an article about the interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Oprah Winfrey. The article later turns into a denunciation of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Harry and Meghan's departure from the royal family last year helped open the door for the radical Black Lives Matter movement to spread to the United Kingdom.... Within months, Black Lives Matter protesters were vandalizing statues on Britain's streets.... Black Lives Matter ... is a radical Marxist group fundamentally opposed to Western civilization. (p. 21.)

Seeing such overheated rhetoric from Palmer in this instance it is worth remembering that once Palmer called the Srebrenica massacre as "a crime of passion".

Brent Nagtegaal has an article about the state of the Middle East. It is asserted that President Biden's attempt to restore the nuclear deal with Iran is somehow setting the stage for PCG's (false) prophecies to be fulfilled just before Christ's return.

In the article Nagtegaal condemns the Obama Administration for making the 2015 agreement regarding nuclear power with Iran. He even claims that the 2015 agreement saved Iran's government even though Iran has been enduring American sanctions since the Trump Administration broke the agreement in 2018 including during this ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Not only did the Obama administration do nothing to stop Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, it actually drafted a deal to legitimize its path to nuclear power and provided massive, immediate financial incentives that probably saved Iranian radicals from losing power. (p. 23.)

Even though Iran does not now have nuclear weapons it is assumed that Iran is plotting to make nuclear weapons even though Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei issued a fatwa in 2003 denouncing the possession of nuclear weapons as contrary to Islam.

Also in this article Nagtegaal cites an article by Melanie Philips who is often quoted in PCG's writings.

Gerald Flurry has an article about the Armstrongite interpretation of the two witnesses. He also alludes to his teaching that his book, Malachi's Message, is the little book of Revelation 10. However many of the ideas within Gerald Flurry's booklet, Malachi's Message, were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes which were written between December 1986 and January 1988. Dervaes's work was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. Once on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes even sent a letter to Gerald Flurry denouncing Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

WorldWatch discusses lockdowns which are hysterically portrayed as a threat to democracy instead of being attempts to manage a frightful epidemic; German troops remaining in Afghanistan until January 2022; Switzerland having a referendum on March 7, 2021 deciding to ban full face coverings which is interpreted as a ban on the burqa; rocket attacks against American bases in Iraq; a call by certain politicians condemning the International Criminal Court taking up a case regarding the State of Israel; the threat of cyberattacks to Americans; China's introduction of a digital currency; Hong Kong making a law giving the police the power to forbid certain individuals from leaving Hong Kong in certain circumstances; and Russia preparing to host military exercises with eight neighboring countries. 

SocietyWatch discusses British Columbia seeking to decriminalize certain drugs; condemning a Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calling for the British flag to be lowered and replaced with the European Union's flag; AT&T trying to lobby the State Department to keep China Telecom off of a list a sanctioned companies over Xinjiang; and hysterically denouncing a proposed reform of immigration policies.  

Dwight Falk has an article telling people not to laugh at inappropriate jokes. How humorousless.

The discussion board features a letter which asks if the presidential election was somehow stolen from Donald Trump then why is it that no one has been prosecuted over it?

If all this information is true and accurate, is there something that can be done to prosecute the known people who were responsible? (p. 34.)

This assumes that the allegation is "true and accurate" but the allegation that the presidential election was somehow stolen from Donald Trump is unfounded.

Here's a letter from Ireland saying God is opposed to the liberals all over the world.

America has to repent and return to Almighty God and ask for forgiveness and help.... The same laws are forces over the heads of believers in Northern Ireland. We know that our heavenly Father is absolutely livid with the state of the liberal way of life all over the world. (p. 34.)

Richard Palmer has an article saying that fake history can have negative consequences for people today. Here's an example of fake history: saying all was well in HWA's organization in the 1950s and 1960s. A major reason HWA's organization was united and stable at that time was because from 1953 onwards it was taught that the Great Tribulation would begin in 1972 with Christ returning three and a half years later in 1975.

In the article Palmer complains about lockdowns which are bizarrely portrayed as a sign of weakness instead of as a vital public health measure to counteract a extremely dangerous disease. The recent tragic events in India reminds us all yet again how awful this disease is.  

Now we crave nothing and hunker in fear of a virus that at least 99.9 percent of healthy people survive. Our politicians lack the courage to make decisions--and instead delegate to "experts" who see catastrophe around every corner. Even after their forecasts of doom are proved wrong time and again, we still cower at their warnings just in case this time they're right. (p. 35.)

And so we see that the PCG leadership continues to try and find more recruits for their organization. However since their founding in 1989 the PCG leadership have made numerous false prophecies thus proving that they do not know what will happen in the future. There is no need to be afraid of their dire predictions.

Mourning the Loss of Power: Overview of the April 2021 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

In late February 2021 PCG released the April 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Here the PCG leadership were still processing their feelings about Donald Trump losing power to Joe Biden.

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 had a circulation of 247,023 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article moaning that his preferred political party lost the 2020 election. As part of that he denounces the Mueller investigation even though the investigation was completed years ago.

Gerald Flurry also has a side article hysterically insisting that the left are somehow trying to "erase America." How a community defines itself is continuously negotiated within the community so it is natural that how a community identifies itself will change from time to time.

Stephen Flurry has an article exploiting a Time magazine article to portray the Biden election effort as being some sort of conspiracy.

Stephen Flurry has an article denouncing the left. The Democratic Party is hysterically portrayed as being nation destroying even though it was the Democratic Party that managed to get more people to vote for their presidential candidate in all but one presidential election since 1992, the exception being the 2004 election.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article negatively portraying the Biden Administration as weakening US allies in the Middle East. The PCG leadership are right wing in regards to politics so they supported the Trump Administration which was also right wing. So the Trump Administration looked for allies mainly among other right wingers including in the Middle East. Now the Biden Administration happens to be left wing consequently right wingers are somewhat displeased.

It is worth noting that PCG has a motive to denounce Iran. Back in 1994 Gerald Flurry dogmatically proclaimed that Iran would fulfill the role of being the "King of the South" fated to provoke the future European Empire into routing Iran as part of a sequences of events said to occur just before Christ's return. If peace were to ever be made between America and Iran such a peace would discredit Gerald Flurry's prophecy concerning Iran. All this helps fuel PCG's motivation to vilify Iran.

Richard Palmer has an article discussing the Gamestop rally. As part of this article he tries to discourage get rich quick schemes. While it is certainly right and proper to discourage such things it should be noted that Armstrongism tends like a get rich scheme. Join us and you will not be killed by a bunch of angry Germans. Join us an you will become a God being ruling over your own worlds. Becoming a God being is the ultimate get rich quick scheme. The only difference being is that the reward is deferred to the afterlife.  

Mihailo S. Zelić has an article denouncing George Soros for his financial support of left wing causes. The fact that the political right have their own sponsors (like the Mercers) is ignored.

Mihailo S. Zelić has a side article trying to link Soros with Barack Obama. Back in 2013 Gerald Flurry labelled President Obama as "another Antiochus," comparing him with Antiochus Epiphanes and Joseph Tkach, Jr. Because of this declaration PCG is determined to bring up Barack Obama in their constant denunciations of the political left even though Biden is the President.

The Infographic discusses forty-nine executive actions by President Biden. These measures are portrayed in an alarmist manner as happening too quickly.

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that America is about to be double crossed by a bunch of angry Germans in the near future. Armstrongites have been using claims of an immanent invasion by Germans for decades to make their followers afraid of the outside world and the future. And yet such an invasion has never occurred.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article denouncing evolution. Many others do so thus this position in and of itself cannot to used to "prove" that PCG is somehow uniquely worthy of being followed. 

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that (PCG's interpretation of) prophecy is true. In this article he makes the following statement.

God's reward is SUPREME GLORY. Christ has invited all who will follow Him prior to His Second Coming to proclaim His Message to the word to rule with Him for eternity! What a reward! (p. 27.)

In other words: get rich quick once you are resurrected or after (PCG's interpretation of) Christ returns. 

WorldWatch discusses the strength of the German military; Mario Draghi becoming Prime Minister of Italy again; Schleswig-Holstein in Germany opening a detention facility for people who refuse to follow quarantine rules; Germany trying to maintain military relations with Turkey (they are both in NATO after all); Ethiopia arresting fifteen people for allegedly plotting to bomb the Emirati embassy on February 3 (it is claimed that this was the work of Iran); Iran testing its Zuljana rocket on February 1; mass protests in Russia supporting Alexei Navalny when he returned to Russia; China passing a law allowing its coast guard to use force in the South China Sea; and it is mentioned that China gets a lot of its petroleum imports via the South China Sea.   

SocietyWatch discusses some left wingers in Portland complaining that Biden is not left wing enough for them; two hundred colleges teaching about critical race theory which is denounced as being somehow too much like Marxism (PCG often condemn things too left wing for their taste as somehow being like Communism or Socialism); an increase rate of people driving under the influence of marijuana (probably not as much as people driving under the influence of alcohol); and President Biden signing an executive order calling for equality for gays and transgender people in schools.  

Fred Dattolo (yes, that person) has an article advising the reader how to study the Bible. However since 1930s Armstrongism has developed an elaborate and complex interpretation telling the followers of Armstrongism to interpret the Bible in a rather specific manner. There is nothing in the Bible about a bunch of angry Germans marching their way through the streets of Edmond or Wadsworth after nuking the American nation. To think the soldiers of a supposed future European Empire would want to walk in a nuked land is absurd. There is nothing in the Bible that say, Germany is Assyria. This is an interpretation that the Armstrongites have created for themselves since the 1930s. While lay members fear of a future catastrophe the one percenters within the Armstrongite organizations have lived off of the tithes and offerings of the lay members for decades. 

(Incidentally there are actual Assyrians who still exist today. Armstrongites ignores them.)

The letters section contains letters from people saddened that Donald Trump lost the election. It is insisted that the election was somehow stolen from the Republican candidate.

God will definitely ensure that the truth comes out involving this election fraud. After all, God does works in mysterious ways and His timing is always perfect.

Another letter says:

What an encouraging article. We pray daily for Mr. Trump, and it was heartbreaking to see what happened. Knowing all our lives it is wrong to steal, yet seeing this take place is mind-blowing. Thank you for wring this article.

Here's a letter saying many African-Americans support Trump.

You are right on target. Why do they say it's a small set of black voters for Mr. Trump? That's flat out not true. My friends who are black voted for Mr. Trump. He is the one who held back the laws that are trying to come into play now.

The letter above is an example of anecdotal evidence. While this account may very well be true in this person's personal experience it proves nothing about how the majority of African Americans view this matter.

Joel Hilliker has an article calling for readers to be hopeful because (PCG's interpretation of) Christ will soon return and solve everything. The PCG leadership cannot leave their followers to despair too much.

But there is no need to be afraid of PCG's dire predictions of the future before Christ's return. PCG has a long history of making false prophecies a long history of making false prophecies which prove that the PCG leadership cannot see what will happen in the future.

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.)

PCG Misinforming Readers About 2012 Egyptian Presidential Election

Look at the inaccurate misinformation PCG is passing on to their readers. Where are their proof readers? Don't they care about what they are saying to their readers?

This is also why when Egypt, the largest Arab state, had its first free election in 2011, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate was elected in an overwhelming victory. (Brent Nagtegaal, The Undisputed King of Radical Islam, August 25, 2020.)

That election was held in 2012, not 2011.

The late Mohamed Morsi won the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 3.46%. He won by 882,751 votes. How could that be called "an overwhelming victory" as this PCG article did?

A simple search on Wikipedia would easily reveal such information and yet somehow no one bothered to proof read this before it was posted online for public viewing.

Since PCG got verifiable information like this wrong, what else have they gotten wrong?

It is tragic that some people trust PCG so much even though PCG have failing such as this.

PCG Condemning Protesters: Overview of the August 2020 Issue of PCG's Trumpet

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

PCG has a long and shameful history of scare mongering that the African American community will launch a wave of riots shortly before Christ returns. PCG tends to label such imagined future riots as "race riots" or "race wars." Much can be said about what happened after the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 but nevertheless these events are not a sign that PCG's false prophecies are about to occur. People of all ethnicities and religions have participated in these protests. Also PCG have made many false prophecies since their founding in 1989 therefore it is clear that they do not know what will happen in the future. There is no need to fear their dire predictions of the future. We can be rest assured that PCG's predictions will fail.

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 246,051 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that the events he simplistically refer to as "race riots" are prophesied within the Bible. In fact many peoples of all ethnicities and religions have participated in these Black Lives Matter protests. Furthermore Flurry's claim that these events are predicted by the Bible is based on the assumption that white Americans are descendants of the so-called "lost ten tribes" of Israel. This dogma is often known as British-Israelism and it is false. It matters not how fervently its proponents promote this dogma it is still false and therefore any conclusion arising from this assumption is false as well.

Here is Flurry denouncing "the Floyd family's lawyer," Ben Crump, as promoting "satanic and racist" lies.

Ben Crump, who became the Floyd family’s lawyer, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post about Floyd’s death saying that all these incidents are starting to feel like “genocide.” He wrote a book last year called Open Season: The Legalized Genocide of Colored People. Genocide is the DELIBERATE EXTERMINATION OF A PEOPLE! Is that happening in America? Do you see white people trying to put black people to death?

In all of last year, police killed 28 unarmed black people, according to mappingpoliceviolence.org. (Some news agencies have reported that number as being only nine, but that only counts unarmed blacks shot by on-duty officers.) In nearly all of these cases, the people were fighting against the police in ways that got them killed. That is unfortunate, and policemen do make mistakes, but it is hardly deliberate extermination! How can a lawyer call that GENOCIDE? He KNOWS that is a lie. If that isn’t satanic and racist, I don’t know what racism is! (p. 2.)

Here is Flurry insisting that Al Sharpton speaks "words [that are] are right out of the mind of the devil."

Mr. Sharpton says he wants peace, but at every opportunity, he tries to draw attention to evil deeds by the police, but in most of those cases the police were exonerated, and I think rightfully so. Will those kinds of statements bring peace? HE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO DIVIDE THE RACES AND MAKE WAR! Al Sharpton tries to look like a lamb, but he speaks like a dragon! His words are right out of the mind of the devil! (p. 2.)

Stephen Flurry has an article shrilly denouncing the Black Lives Matter protest movement. He gives little indication of understanding this protest movement. There is also little acknowledgment that the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this situation since many people who were employed have now lost their sources of income in this ongoing crisis. Whereas before many people who sympathized with previous protests against police brutality were busy going to work now many are unable to work and view participating in the protest movement as a worthwhile endeavor.

Here is Stephen Flurry talking about Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, and referring to him as a "miserable man." 

Mayor Frey took a knee in front of George Floyd’s casket at the funeral, buried his face in his hand, and sobbed for more than a minute. He later appeared at a Black Lives Matter rally in Minneapolis and confessed to the crowd through a face mask over the public address system that he, as a white man, was “coming to grips with my own brokenness.” He then lashed out at the Minneapolis Police Department, saying the “systemic and racist system needs to be revamped.” This miserable man made extraordinary efforts to exhibit his solidarity with BLM. (pp. 5-6.)

Mayor Frey happens to be Jewish. PCG often present themselves as friendly to the Jewish community and yet they would still speak of a Jewish man with such contempt.

Here is Stephen Flurry simplistically presenting attempts at dialog with protesters as doomed to failure.

Brokenness is the right word. In fact, it well describes the status of any kind of resistance or pushback by the authorities in this country against this aggressive, clamorous, extremist movement. Instead it is full-scale retreat, evacuate, capitulate and appease. And brokenness is also what this movement is leaving in its wake when anyone even hints at anything different. (p. 6.)

Here is Stephen Flurry insisting that dialog is impossible and pointless. He seems bizarrely uninterested in what activists against police brutality have to say about things. He also implies that the police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck was inspired by a demon.

On top of that, no matter HOW MANY of these policies are enacted, their advocates will never absolve and forgive America for the sin of racism. Having become convinced this nation is institutionally, systemically racist, they will ALWAYS be able to unearth evidence that, in their minds, proves this beyond doubt. Never will America—or any nation on Earth—meet the illusory standard of racial and social justice these radicals harbor in their minds. Even if the nation “progressed” to the point of ENFORCED EQUALITY on all educational, financial and occupational outcomes for all races, it would only take one person in a bustling, messy nation of 330 million to do something heinous to a black man—and the fury would erupt just as violently as it is now, and worse. See? It keeps happening! Four hundred years of this! We can’t breathe!

That was all it took in Minneapolis: one person, who may well have been influenced by a demon to commit that evil act—and the ugliest of racial hatreds instantly reignited nationwide. Police killing 28 unarmed people out of 44 million black Americans feels like GENOCIDE. What evidence could change the mind of someone who believes that? (pp. 6, 32.)

Unfortunately believing that all will be solved only after Christ return discourages attempts to solve problems today.

Joel Hilliker has an article describing the death of George Floyd as a "self inflicted race wound," whatever that clunky phrase is supposed to mean. 

Gerald Flurry has an article complaining that mainstream accounts of history do not promote his religious views. In this article he often quotes Herman Hoeh, a man who in his later years chose to side with the Tkach changes and remained in good standing with Tkach's WCG until he died. It should be noted that people who are not employed by PCG are under no obligation to do what the PCG leadership tells them to do.

Richard Palmer has an article complaining that historical accounts of World War II do not mention that many people in the Allied nations prayed. However PCG elsewhere teaches that all Christians churches are false except PCG. So, according to this view, all Christians who worshiped on Sunday and adhered to any Christian church without being aligned with Herbert Armstrong during those terrible days were merely false Christians. Of course, this is absurd and offensive but this disturbing implication of Armstrongite dogma is often ignored within the COGs.

Gerald Flurry has an article discussing the current state of negative relations between the United States and China. He implies that Covid-19 originated from a Chinese laboratory. That laboratory denies there was any such leak of hazardous materials. One could argue that such a denial cannot be trusted but even if one chose not to trust this denial readers would deserve to be informed of this denial. Furthermore it is much more likely this disease simply migrated from animals into humans by chance since that happens all the time. He also complains about China pursuing its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Here is Flurry saying China and other nations are enemies of the United States. Who are these other nations? Apparently according to Flurry this includes the European Union and Mexico according to Flurry. (Please note: In the paragraph below "Israel" inaccurately refers to America and Britain.)

Notice: These gates would have otherwise belonged to Israel’s “enemies.” And who controls many of these gates today? Either directly or indirectly, IT IS CHINA! Israel’s enemies are trying to get control of these sea gates because they hate the nations of Israel! Whether we realize it or not, China and many other nations are our enemies! ...

China isn’t the only “enemy” making moves against America. The German-led European Union signed a trade deal with Mexico on April 20. We can see the beginnings of a trade war in which America will be besieged in all its sea gates.... (pp. 16-17.)

Does Flurry think Mexico is an enemy of the United States? His words above would indicate that is the case.

Jeremiah Jacques has a side article denouncing the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region being implemented in Hong Kong since it went into effect on June 30, 2020.

The Infographic denounces what it calls the "myth of black genocide."

Joel Hilliker has an article bad mouthing "socialists." Even during this supreme crisis people are still perfectly capable of proposing how to reform society to make it better. But PCG's 1% are inclined to see a repeat of Leninist Communism awaiting attempts to reform society.

The ideas are always couched in altruistic language—“opportunity,” “safety net,” “social protection,” “sustainable and inclusive growth”—but they promote a fundamental idea that has impoverished, enslaved and even killed hundreds of millions of people throughout history, particularly over the last century. (pp. 21-22.)

The PCG leadership is firmly aligned with the Republican Party. I do not condemn PCG for choosing to be right wing but it is worth mentioning that they are right wing since sometimes they present themselves as though they are not.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article denouncing the Israeli Supreme Court for inconveniencing Prime Minister Netanyahu. Nagtegaal indulges in name calling by choosing to label the Israeli Supreme Court as "rogue." The PCG leadership adores Prime Minister Netanyahu since he is a right winger. In fact they adore Prime Minister Netanyahu so much that once Gerald Flurry criticized Pope Francis after the Pope correctly pointed out to Netanyahu that Jesus spoke Aramaic as a vernacular language and not Hebrew as Netanyahu incorrectly stated. PCG boasts that they understand Christ better than anyone else and yet their leader does not appear to know what language Jesus spoke.

Gerald Flurry has an article promoting his dogmatic views about what a "true" church should be like. PCG teaches that PCG is the only true church in all the world. Everyone outside of PCG who calls him or herself a Christians are false heretics who do not the favor of PCG's God. That is the absurd and offensive implication of such a teaching.

WorldWatch discusses a report discussing how priests of the Roman Catholic Church supported the Nazi regime during World War II; the European Union setting up a fund to prop up the EU during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis; an increase of far right extremist hate crimes in Germany in 2019; Germany's arms exports; the ongoing Libyan Civil War; Israeli air strikes in Syria; Germany banning Hezbollah; increased trade via trains between the EU and China; the US removing bombers from Guam; negotiations between the EU and Mexico for a new trade deal; Russia adding ships to its Baltic fleet; and the Banque du France testing some sort of block chain based digital currency.

SocietyWatch discusses President Trump trying to get votes from Catholics; complaints about the lockdowns caused by Covid-19; and scare mongering about sex education in schools.

Joel Hilliker encouraging people to make use of their time wisely since we do not know what may happen in the future.

Richard Palmer has an article complaining that the United Kingdom "is almost a fascist state" for imposing social distancing restrictions to slow down the spread of Covid-19. He says this even though the current UK government is right wing and therefore would normally be viewed favorably by the PCG leadership.

I’m writing to you from what is almost a fascist state. The government dominates the economy. Public gatherings are banned. The entire country is under house arrest. Even Russians and Cubans can visit the park if they want. But not here—in the United Kingdom. ... Before March 23, British freedom was sacred. After March 23, it wasn’t. Before March 23, the police protected liberty. After March 23, they threaten it.

The UK government was right to be afraid of Covid-19. About 41,500 people in the United Kingdom has been killed by this terrible disease. This is the highest death toll for any nation in Europe. This death toll would have been even higher if social distancing restrictions had not been imposed.

And so we see that the PCG leadership continues to try to gain tithe paying members with their recruitment magazine with their increasingly shrill proclamations that everything will get worse until Christ returns. Unfortunately this belief means there is little incentive to improve the situation today when bold, courageous and peaceful solutions are needed more than ever. As dire as the current crises of Covid-19 and police brutality are one day these crises will be addressed and improved because people are striving to solve these pressing problem. Humanity will make a way out without having to pay a lifetime of tithes to PCG.