WCG in 1969: "Nothing Can Stop Famine in the Mid-1970s"

Recently found this intriguing news piece from the February 1969 issue of the Plain Truth. It is intriguing not so much of what it says but or what it reveals about the mentality of the writers of the Plain Truth in 1969. 

Nothing Can Stop Famine in the Mid-1970's

By the mid-1970s, a massive famine is inevitable in the developing nations of the Far East, according to Dr. John Rock.

"There is nothing we can do" to stop it, trumpeted Dr. Rock, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Gynecology at the Harvard University Medical School.

"It's too late to stop a famine in this century; it has started already," said Dr. Rock from Boston. "Despite all the advances in agriculture and the increases in national output, the population has increased faster than the food supply." 

This is from the Plain Truth, February 1969, PDF p. 50, p. 48.

Who on earth listens to a gynecologist to listen to (inaccurate) alarmist assertions that famines will occur in the 1970s and takes them seriously? The leaders of "God's Church" producing the Plain Truth magazine. That's who.

And to think many people think of WCG before Garner Ted Armstrong's initial suspension in 1972 as a glorious utopia of people united under HWA and having far more truth than anyone else on the Earth. And their leaders at the time were foolish enough to publish something like this.

Stephen Flurry's Cult of Personality

Recently Banned by HWA has released a post noting how PCG members have trips to Robbers Cave State Park because Stephen Flurry first read Malachi's Message there on July 16, 1989 during a WCG camp outside for the youth.

Of course Stephen Flurry has great power within PCG being Gerald Flurry's son. Stephen Flurry wrote PCG's deeply flawed book Raising the Ruins. He seems the obvious successor in waiting to replace Gerald Flurry once he passes away.

What is not so obvious is that PCG fairly often claims events concerning Stephen Flurry have some sort of special significance. It is part of a cult of personality PCG has created around him. Banned by HWA has touch upon part of this, here are a few more details of what PCG's leaders say to their triple tithe paying followers.

Gerald Flurry once asserted that Stephen Flurry first read Malachi's Message three and a half years after HWA's death as quoted in a previous post.

Finally, MY SON READ THE ROUGH DRAFT OF MALACHI'S MASSAGE ON SUNDAY, JULY 16, 1989--EXACTLY 3½ YEARS AFTER MR. ARMSTRONG DIED! (January-February, 2006, Royal Vision, p. 38, PDF p. 40.)

Exactly how Stephen Flurry reading Malachi's Message after three and a half years after HWA's death relates to the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation is not clear. Also the Flurrys had yet to go through getting fired by the Tkach led WCG's leaders and establishing PCG. Those days would seem to be more turbulent then the time  Does this mean Stephen Flurry is a type of Christ returning?

Also it is asserted within PCG that after Stephen Flurry was baptized on January 16, 1990 this was some sort of cut off date in regards to church eras. (But they seem to make exceptions to this rule when convenience dictates however, as may be seen later on.)

The PCG began on December 7, 1989. My son was ready to be baptized soon after. He requested that his baptism take place on January 16, 1990, in order to coincide with the anniversary of Mr. Armstrong's death. That was a good choice! ... So, on January 16, Stephen became the first member baptized in the Philadelphia Church of God. ... But in general, ANY BAPTISM BEYOND THAT DATE - JANUARY 16, 1990 - IN THE LAODICEAN CHURCH IS NOT VALID.

(From Royal Vision, September-October, 2006, p. 41, as seen at PCG Information.)

However this seems to be not taken quite so literally in practice as the following words from Gerald Flurry seem to show.

My son, Stephen, was baptized in the Philadelphia Church of God on January 16, 1990. Prior to his baptism, he had studied Mr. Armstrong's writings and Malachi's Message. In my sermon at Edmond last week (November 5), I pointed to his baptismal date as a cut-off point, after which baptisms within the Laodiceans churches became invalid.

This, however, is not true in every case. I should have stated that Stephen's baptismal date should be used only as an overall guideline for our ministers to work with in their counseling with God's people and with prospective PCG members. In considering this subject further, I am convinced that many, if not most, people baptized outside the PCG after January 16, 1990, and who then came into the PCG in the early 1990's, were undoubtedly counseled and baptized properly.

Today, however, it would be safe to assume that anyone baptized by a Worldwide Church of God minister would be considered invalidly baptized. In 1990, the Laodicean era was in its beginning stages. Today, the Laodicean ministry has rejected all, or most, of God's revealed truth.

(Pastor General's Report, November 12, 2005, p. 3 as seen at Exit and Support Network.)

Why the baptism of one man should signal the start of a church era is not clear. I cannot recall HWA or his collaborators ever suggesting to look towards something like that as a sign of prophecy being fulfilled. Does Revelation 2 and 3 indicate that one man's baptism would signal the start of a church era? Did one man's baptism signal the transition of eras in any of the other church eras? Did "God's Church" before HWA's arrival ever think of this idea that a baptism could somehow start a church era?

Also the idea of church eras is complete nonsense and in fact was plagiarized by HWA from other sources as is revealed in Bruce Renehan's book, Daughter of Babylon.

So we can see that PCG's leaders have been developing a sort of cult of personality around Stephen Flurry in order to set him as Gerald Flurry's successor once his father dies.

Now they just need to hope that relations will not sour between father and son as it did with Herbert Armstrong and Garner Ted Armstrong.

Will LCG Schism Again?

There has been speculation that LCG will soon once again split apart. Banned by HWA has highlighted a remarkable comment hinting at tensions laying beneath the surface amongst LCG's ministers.

Rumor is that the three Hulme elders who defected to LCG are already reconsidering their decision, in light of the fact that several prominent LCG elders will soon be announcing their move to another Church of God group (not Thiel's group, and not RCG).

Since the death of Sheryl Meredith, a new wave of discontent has rocked LCG. For years, conservatives in LCG were told privately that Sheryl was the behind-the-scenes cause of many of Rod Meredith's liberal or nepotistic decisions. Now, with Sheryl out of the picture, people are realizing that the problem has been old Rod all along.

Rod is a liar.

Rod will lie to protect his family.

Rod will back other liars who defend him and make him look good.

Rod will soon have a much smaller church to give to his children.

It is good that these ex-Hulmite ministers appear to be reconsidering joining LCG. Whatever their motivation I believe it is good that they get out of LCG.

This is the second time it has been stated that Sheryl Meredith's death has caused dissatisfaction among LCG's lay members. I never anticipated that her death could lead to that.

Judging by the tone of this comment it seems as though the latent hostility seems to feel that Meredith is too "liberal" in regards to some of HWA's teachings. It may be helpful to recall that during the turmoil of 2005-6 (then largely incited by RCG's Dave Pack) several LCG ministers left claiming Meredith was too liberal and criticizing him for allowing women to wear makeup and not teaching that HWA was the end time Elijah.

I find sad to see that some in LCG chose to blame Sheryl Meredith when they were dissatisfied at Meredith's alleged "liberalism" and alleged nepotism. It is sad they blinded themselves to Roderick C. Meredith's role in these matters.

It would surprise few if LCG split apart again. It now appears this may happen even before Roderick C. Meredith's death.

Roderick C. Meredith and Laodicea (1979)

HWA and Hoeh taught that the true church would go through seven eras from the Apostolic era until the return of Christ after the Great Tribulation. The sixth era, called Philadelphia, is held to be the work raised up by Herbert Armstrong, namely the Worldwide Church of God (by the will of God they claim). This sixth era is to be followed by a seventh era, named Laodicea, which would be lukewarm and consequently when the German led European combine attacked the US these lukewarm, Laodicean Christians would be denied protection and experience the wrath of this European Empire. 

Who, precisely, these Laodiceans are has been the subject of much speculation among Armstrongites. Would it be a separate group, organized together similar to HWA's WCG, though separate and somehow lacking? Was it just individual Armstrongite Christians who would not be taken to the place of safety? Or is it any other Armstrongites who simply choose not to join your own group.

Gerald Flurry and his PCG later decided that Laodiceans were any WCG member or a member of any other COG group who simply chose not to join PCG and PCG members were instructed to shun any such person.

Historically the idea has been very ill defined within the world of Armstrongism. A particularly telling example of this is revealed in the following account from David Robinson's book, Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web (Chapter 19, pp. 255-6), in which David Robinson describes a meeting he had with HWA (and Henry Cornwall, a man apparently aligned with Rader) in 1979.

During the course of this conversation many matters were discussed, including this intriguing conversation Robinson had with Roderick C. Meredith and Raymond McNair during the brief time Meredith was head of the ministry in 1979. Roderick C. Meredith had been deposed by Stanley Rader by the time Robinson had his meeting with HWA.

At the time Garner Ted Armstrong had been cast out the previous year and Stanley Rader had been frantically setting himself up as the second most powerful man in WCG. Many ministers and members were disgusted that Rader was trying to gain power. 

I told HWA I had been in Rod Meredith's office the day following Memorial Day. At that time, Rod had asked me if I thought Ted's group could be "a Church of God."  Mr. Armstrong quickly interrupted to ask what I had said.

I said I had asked Rod what he thought. Rod had said he didn't know. He thought it was possible. He didn't think God would use a "whoremonger" to raise up a church, but he might let Ted's name and remarkable charisma be used and then have him killed in a plane crash. This would be a means of gathering all of the lukewarm people together.

Mr. Armstrong then interrupted to say Rod had no right to bring up those charges against Ted. He would have to speak to him about that. ...

I had asked Rod and Raymond McNair, who was also present that day, about Laodicea. "If, as we say, we are Philadelphia, and again, as we say, time is very short, where, then, is Laodicea?" Raymond and Rod then had a discussion between themselves about how Ted might be the catalyst for that lukewarm church and later be removed from the scene so the last church age could form.

I then asked, "If this be the Laodicean church forming, would it be a church of God?" They both said it would. Then, I asked, "Should this group, if there is a good chance they be of God, be attacked by another group of the church of God?" 

They said, "No, but we aren't sure Mr. Armstrong thinks that way."

I was amazed reading this. These are prominent ministers within HWA's WCG making speculations that now seem total nonsense today.

Among the COGs today the main interpretation seem to be that Laodiceans are individual COG members who are somehow deficient and will not be allowed into the place of safety. Now that Armstrongism has splintered apart so drastically and severely hardly any one expects to see a prominent COG group arise as some sort of counterpart of HWA's WCG.

Perhaps PCG does, in a way. As far as I know they seem to think Tkach Jr. is the false prophet who will sit in the temple of God, not the last Pope as HWA taught. At least that is the impression I got after reading their 1995 booklet, The Little Book, and other sources. Although they still love to fear monger about the Pope. They still seem to think he will play an instrumental role in creating the alleged European Empire.

[Update: March 29, 2014:You can access Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web from Exit and Support Network. Just email them and request it. It is well worth reading.]

The Story of Qusai Zakarya, a Refugee from Syria

Found this tragic story from the Huffington Post of how a liberated town in Syria was gradually forced to submit to the Assad regime as told in the story of one courageous man, Qusai Zakarya, who after the infamous gas attacks in Moadamiyeh on August 21, 2013, became most vocal in exposing the Assad regime's repression of the Syrian people. Among other things he helped expose how the Assad regime was starving liberated Syrians in order to seize control over them.

May the Syrian people soon be at peace and liberated.

PCG Says Now is "the Most Dangerous Time in Man's History!"

Gerald Flurry is advertizing his latest Key of David telecast in this way.

Russia is rising up as a great superpower, and is causing the German-led EU to rise as well. We are living in the most dangerous time in man’s history! (Pro-PCG source.)

Is this really "the most dangerous time in man's history!" as Gerald Flurry seems to say.

Worse than the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Worse than the Vietnam War?

Worse than World War II?

Worse than World War I?

I fear for PCG members who are constantly told that the world is terrible and degraded, that it is necessary to cling to PCG in order to be protected.

Such alarmist fears are constantly stirred up by PCG's leaders. PCG members are kept in a constant state of fear that makes them panic and submit to the authority of PCG's leaders. They are told if they stay on good terms with PCG they will be taken to a place of safety and escape from nuclear World War III. In practice such fear mongering becomes little more then a pretext for exploiting PCG members by living off of their three tithes and extra offerings.

And another thing to say about the current crisis in the Ukraine. As bad as things are in the Ukraine (and it is very bad) it is not unprecedented. Russia has splintered former Soviet republics before.

When the Soviet Union dissolved two provinces of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, seceded and became effectively independent but unrecognized by any country. The Georgians claimed they had Russian support. Later in 2008 Georgia tried to reclaim control of these two provinces and Russia attacked and defeated Georgia, keeping Abkhazia and South Ossetia apart from Georgia. Afterwards Russia recognized them as independent countries, as retaliation against the US and the EU recognizing Kosovo as an independent state.

Also in Moldova, a part of it, Transnistria, also seceded in 1992, and has been continued to be effectively ruled by Russia. These initial secessions events occurred under Boris Yeltsin's time and were merely continued under Putin.

Gerald Flurry is wrong. This is not "the most dangerous time in man’s history!" The leaders of PCG simply want their followers to fear the non-PCG world so they will not try to reform the society within PCG.

Overview of Living Church News (March-April 2014)

The latest issue of Living Church News (March-April 2014) is out . Let us have a look and see what they have to say.

Roderick C. Meredith has a heart felt preface discussing his recently deceased wife, Sheryl Meredith, and thanking LCG members for their support in what no doubt must be a very difficult time for him.

He also uses this stressful time to indulge in more nonsensical speculation that persecution is coming in order to scare members into staying within LCG.

In the months and years to come, brethren, I want us all to realize more fully that the time of terrible persecution is growing closer and closer. We will really need to help and encourage one another. We will really need to deeply appreciate one another in the midst of a dark and perverse world. For this world hates the way of God, and you will begin to realize this more and more as this Work grows in power and the world turns on us because we preach the Truth.

At such a time, if we have already built a deep feeling of family within God’s Church—if we have already built a network of friends and brethren who are like “family”—then the hard times just ahead will be made much easier. We will need to visit one another in prison. We will need to help and encourage one another in sickness, in trials and persecution. With God’s help, we will be faithful to the end and make it into God’s Kingdom. (Pro-LCG source.)

I am sorry his wife has died. It must be very hard for him. But it must be said, there is no persecution of LCG members and there will not be any either. Nobody is out to get LCG. He has been saying this since the 1950s and nothing has happened. 

Roderick C. Meredith also has an article insisting that it is necessary for the world to be ruled by an organized group of God Beings (the Armstrongite Kingdom of God) and that it is necessary to live a life of righteousness (obeying what LCG's leaders say) in order to do this.

Dexter B. Wakefield has an article calling upon LCG members to eat the bread of life given by God, which translates into submitting to what LCG's leaders say. Also, since it is that time of the year, he alludes to the Days of Unleavened Bread. They are held April 15-21 this year.

Scott Winnail has an article discussing the difficulties of raising children to be faithful Armstrongites, noting that there are many opportunities for them to start thinking contrary to LCG dogma so he encourages parents to be diligent in teaching Armstrongite dogma to their children. He fear mongers about how young people outside of LCG are morally bankrupt and degraded. At the end he advertizes several courses taught by the unaccredited Living University on this topic.

The LCG Editorial Staff have an article calling upon LCG members to take up his or her own cross and follow God, even if it means throwing away your job. It also notes that if a relationship is getting in your way of living a godly life (as defined by LCG's leaders) you might need to cut off contact with them.

Are we holding on to relationships that keep us apart from the will of Christ? Yes, it may hurt to separate ourselves from friends and family whose conduct drags us down. The Apostle Paul wrote powerfully about this. “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits. Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33–34).

How dare the writer here pervert Paul's writings to now claim the right to order LCG members to cut off relations with other people!

Some Unleavened bread recipes are also provided.

Jim Meredith has a gushing article describing the Charlotte Family Weekend.

Shirley Young has an article citing the examples of Deborah and Esther as examples of truly noble women who submitted themselves to God's righteousness and that this is better and more worthy then being an aristocrat, like those in Britain.

Local Church News also contains Sheryl Meredith's obituary.

Wallace G. Smith has a commentary at the end saying that LCG members must not observe Easter. Again this ban on Easter causes LCG members to be isolated from mainstream society and forces them to become more dependent upon LCG. 

So we see that LCG continues to teach the same blend of Armstrongite teachings in order to persuade LCG members to pay three tithes and extra offerings to fund themselves.

PCG's Gerald Flurry Says Putin is the Prince of Rosh

Recently Gerald Flurry has decided that Putin is personally discussed in the Bible, specifically Ezekiel 38 and 39. This is will shown in Brad MacDonald's column, Bible Prophecy Comes Alive in Sochi. (Source.)

I do not for a moment believe God would use a man who calls himself That Prophet and who divides and tear apart families with his cruel No Contact policy or falsely claim Christ would probably return within ten years could possibly be used by God.

(Note: Sections underlined are capitalized in the original.)

Over the last three months, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has delivered three separate Key of David programs featuring Vladimir Putin and events in Ukraine and Russia. In the cover story of the February issue of the Trumpet (“Is Vladimir Putin the Prophesied ‘Prince of Rosh’?”), Mr. Flurry examined and explained the prophetic significance of the Russian president. “This world has a lot of authoritarian rulers,” Mr. Flurry wrote. “But Vladimir Putin is one we need to keep a particularly close eye on. His track record, his nationality and his ideology indicate that he could—and I strongly believe he will—fulfill a linchpin Bible prophecy that was recorded millennia ago. The time frame of his rule makes it almost certain.”

That prophecy is in Ezekiel 38:1-3. The events discussed here occur right before the return of Jesus Christ. “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him” (verses 1-2). It’s not hard to discover who this prophecy is directed at. Ancient maps and ancient history, as well as many Bible commentaries, teach that “Gog” and “Magog” refer to the modern nations of Russia and China. The same sources also show that the names “Meshech” and “Tubal” are the ancient names of Moscow and Tobolsk, two prominent cities in Russia today.

Now notice verse 3: “And say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (New King James Version). You really need to study and prove all this yourself. However, the term Rosh, as Mr. Flurry comprehensively explained, is the ancient name of modern-day Russia. It’s also called Rus, or Rush. So, in modern terminology, Ezekiel 38:1-3 is a prophecy about the dramatic emergence just before Jesus Christ’s return of the “prince of Russia, Moscow and Tobolsk.”

Is there another personality in Russia or China right now as dominant as Vladimir Putin? As Mr. Flurry wrote, “Can you think of any other Russian politician who could become so powerful and have the will to lead Russia into the crisis of crises? I see nobody else on the horizon who could do that. … Vladimir Putin already has the power—and the will to use it. I believe there is not enough time for a competitor to arise and challenge him.”

Now, consider all this in the context of the Sochi Winter Olympics, which were the creation of Vladimir Putin, and which many aptly termed “Putin’s Olympics.”

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are sensational, divinely timed proof of exactly who this end-time “prince of Rosh” is!

One final important observation needs to be made about this prophecy in Ezekiel 38. Study the prophecy and you’ll easily see that two personalities are actually discussed here. In addition to the “prince of Rosh,” there’s also the “son of man.” This is God’s messenger. Notice, God not only reveals the end-time identity of the “prince of Rosh” to this individual, He also commands this messenger to “set thy face against Gog” and “prophesy against him.” In other words, God uses this man to warn the world about the “prince of Rosh.”

This would be hard to believe, were it not written in black and white in God’s inspired Word. This prophecy in Ezekiel 38, written 2,500 years ago, says explicitly that just prior to Christ’s return, a powerful leader who behaves as if he is royalty will emerge to take control of Russia. Not only that, this prophecy says that God will send an end-time messenger who will reveal the identity of the “prince of Rosh,” then deliver a dramatic warning from God. Is it coincidence that the 2014 Winter Olympics, hosted by Russia, have put the spotlight on Vladimir Putin? And is it coincidence that Russia’s prince is the center of global attention at precisely the same time Gerald Flurry identified Putin as the prophesied “prince of Rosh”? 

What nonsense.

They want to make PCG members fearful of the future so that they think it is necessary to submit themselves to the doctates of PCG's leaders and to continuing paying three tithes and extra offerings for the benefit of PCG's leaders.

Cheers All About Armstrongism Blog

The All About Armstrongism blog has dissolved.

I would like to say here that I greatly enjoyed All About Armstrongism's contribution to the community of those of us making sense of our experiences with Armstrongism.

I wish to particularly praise the author for bringing to attention

• Some of the truly callous things HWA said in some of his co-worker letters.

• Richard David Armstrong's chilling 1957 letter ordering children to be quiet in services and threatening parents with humiliation in front of the congregation if their children was found wondering away from services.

• Several instances in which HWA implied that Christ's return would come very soon within the pages of WCG's youth magazine.

I wish the author all the best on the journey we call life.

(Update: I also wish to compliment the author for the many enlightening cartoons that illustrated life within WCG.)

Regarding Crimea Crisis in Ukraine and PCG

It has been very sad to see recent events in the Ukraine. I think the Russian government has been irresponsible in making Russian forces seizing the Crimea away from Kiev's authority. They seem to say that it is not a foreign occupation but it is very hard to see how anyone else could believe this. I so earnestly hope that war will not result. 

As terrible as this is I will say again that Gerald Flurry did not anticipate this. When Russia persuaded (now ex-)President Yanukovych decided to abandon closer ties with the EU and look towards Russia Gerald Flurry sort this was a sign of how powerful Putin was. He even proclaimed him to be the Prince of Rosh mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Flurry did not anticipate that the people of Ukraine would rise up in a popular uprising that overthrew the Yanukovych regime. The fact that the Ukrainian people overthrew Yanukovych shows how weak the Putin government's hold over Ukraine was. The fact that the Russian government has decided to seize control of the Crimea shows how fearful they are at losing influence and control over territory they regard as their within sphere of influence. They are attacking out of sense of weakness.

Also Russia seems to be facing diplomatic isolation for this irresponsible act. AlsoRussia's economy has taken a severe hit because of this irresponsible act.

1) The Russian benchmark stock index, the MICES, is down 10% or more (it has been down as much as 11.2% earlier today), the biggest drop in at least five years (depending on the close).

2) The Russian ruble reached all time lows against the euro and the dollar. To prop it up the Russian central bank—on a "temporary" basis—raised interest rates 1.5%, from 5.5 to 7.0%, and spent $10 billion toward the same end. This will significantly hamper growth in Russia unless they lower those rates fast.

3) Shares of the corporation Gazprom, the Russian Federation's gas monopoly, are also down 10%.

4) The yield the Russian government has to pay on its state bonds is near a record high.

5) Foreign capital reserves for Russia are at a multi-year low. (Source from Forbes.)

Will PCG mention these facts in their coverage of their crisis? Or will they simply stoke up fear of war as much as possible in order to keep PCG members fearful of Russia in order to distract from the abuses of power so many PCG members suffer from their leaders?

Recently PCG has published an anonymously written article with this lead.

Vladimir Putin is exposing Europe as a feeble, disunited lightweight. Yet the Trumpet continues to forecast that the Continent will soon unite to become the world’s most powerful and frightening superpower. Are we wrong?

Yes. PCG is very wrong in this manner.

They are unimaginatively continuing to follow HWA's dogma that a European superpower will destroy the USA. HWA taught this from the 1930s onwards. At first he said Mussolini would destroy the US, then he said it was Hitler, then after 1945 he said Hitler survived and would later destroy the US, then he gave that idea up but continued to say Germany would lead Europe into destroy the US by 1972, then he abandoned that date after his 1972-5 prophecy failed. He was always wrong that Europe would do this.

If anything this crisis will cause the US and the EU to be closer to each other, contrary to PCG's dogma that the EU and the US will become mortal enemies.

Gerald Flurry and Co. will use this crisis to make glorify themselves in order to continuing exploiting PCG members. It must be said here that the leaders of PCG's are not prophets and they have little idea of what will happen. And Gerald Flurry is absolutely wrong about Vladimir Putin being the Prince of Rosh.