PCG Boasting of Their Excavations in Jerusalem

Following the Tkach changes many different COG groups arose seeking to continue following HWA's teachings. There is intense competition between these COG groups to distinguish themselves from each other.

Only two WCG ministers, Gerald Flurry and John Amos, left to establish PCG. No other WCG ministers were persuaded to follow Flurry's banner. Flurry was only ordained in 1973 and so lacked the clout and seniority to persuade any other WCG minister to join his following, with the sole exception of John Amos.

None of the older WCG ministers chose to follow Flurry. In the severely hierarchical world of WCG ministers Gerald Flurry was too low on the pecking order for them to ever have followed him.

From Malachi's Message onward Flurry made his own changes to HWA's teachings, presenting them as "new revelation" which were accepted by PCG as proof that (PCG's) God is with Gerald Flurry and no other religion. 

When the Tkach changes were completed those who continued to believe HWA's teachings started up other COG groups instead of just joining PCG. Those closely associated with HWA were more inclined to join other COG groups and not PCG. Two or three COG groups appear to have more members than PCG.

One way PCG has tried to distinguish themselves from the other COG groups is to sponsor archaeological excavations headed by Dr. Eilat Mazar. This is a conscious attempt to gain legitimacy from potential converts and to use the memory of HWA's association with Dr. Benjamin Mazar, Dr. Eilat Mazar's grandfather, to claim the right to be regarded as HWA's sole successor in the eyes of PCG's followers. (Can't leave PCG's followers wondering why only one WCG minister chose to follow Gerald Flurry.)

The following is a list of articles produced by PCG regarding their archaeological excavations in Jerusalem with Dr. Eilat Mazar.
 

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Robert Morley, King David’s Palace Found?, March 2006.

Stephen Flurry, Preparing Jerusalem for Its King, May 2007.

Stephen Flurry, Jerusalem Post: “Nehemiah’s Wall Uncovered”, November 29, 2007.

Stephen Flurry, Nehemiah’s Wall Found, January 2008.

Stone Seal Confirms Biblical Record, January 17, 2008.

Stephen Flurry, Division in the City of David, January 19, 2008.

Stephen Flurry, Defending Eilat Mazar—and the Biblical Record, March 14, 2008.

Stephen Flurry, Uncovering Ancient Jerusalem, April 2008.

Stephen Flurry, Royal Seal of Prophet Jeremiah’s Accuser Found, July 31, 2008.

Stephen Flurry, Did King David Conquer Jerusalem Using This Tunnel?, October 30, 2008.

The Weekend Web, March 8, 2009

Stephen Flurry, What Will Trigger the Next World War?, April 3, 2009.

Brad MacDonald, Who Put These Poor Palestinians in Harm’s Way?, May 28, 2009.

Stephen Flurry and Brad MacDonald, What Will Trigger the Next World War?, July 2009.

Brad MacDonald, The Heart of Israel's Heartland, August 2009.

Joel Hilliker, Let the Stones Speak, August 2009.

Brent Nategaal, Massive Fortification Excavated Near City of David, September 2, 2009.

Brent Nagtegaal, Using the Bible as Her Guide, January 22, 2010.

Making History, February 2010.

Solomonic Wall Discovered in Jerusalem, February 22, 2010.

Brad MacDonald, Silwan: The Untold Story, March 4, 2010.

Joel Hilliker, Video: City of David Dig Stirs Controversy, October 18, 2010.

Stephen Flurry, CBS: ‘No Evidence’ of King David in Jerusalem, October 22, 2010.

Using 
the Bible 
as Her Guide, April 2011.

Brad MacDonald, Found! King Solomon’s Wall, August 2011.

Gareth Fraser, Ethiopia’s Path to Peace and Prosperity, October 23, 2011.

Brad MacDonald, You Are Cordially Invited …, January 2012.

Gareth Fraser, Dr. Benjamin Mazar Speaks of His Friendship With Herbert W. Armstrong, April 17, 2012.

Stephen Flurry, Putting the Solomonic Era ‘On the Map’, August 31, 2012.

Archaeology Exclusive: Ancient Gold Treasure Discovered in Jerusalem, September 9, 2013.

Brent Nagtegaal and Rachel Dattolo, What’s the Trumpet Doing in Jerusalem?, October-November 2012.

Brent Nagtegaal, Like a Rock, October-November 2013.

Stephen Flurry, The Tombs of the Kings, October-November 2013.

Stephen Flurry and Robert Morley, A Palace Fit for a King, October-November 2013.

Brad MacDonald, The Royal Quarter, October-November 2013.

Joel Hilliker, Rewarding Partnership, October-November 2013.

Brad MacDonald, Enemies of a Prophet, October-November 2013.

The City’s Earliest Inscriptions, October-November 2013.

Stephen Flurry, The Armstrong-Mazar Family, October-November 2013.

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None of these things prove that God is with PCG. It is important to remember that many of the ideas within Malachi's Message were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work. 

Most of Gerald Flurry's prophecies are based on the dogma of British Israelism. As Silenced.co has shown British Israelism is built on a foundation of sand. In fact DNA evidence refutes British Israelism.

Clearly God is not with PCG.

That is the fact the PCG leadership tries to hide with these excavations.

PCG Saying "Race War" is Coming

Currently many people in the United States are worried and concerned about how African Americans have been shot to death and otherwise mistrusted by those entrusted to protect the people.

And what do the PCG leadership do in this tense situation? Promote PCG's false prophecy of "race war". This doctrine of PCG's asserts that very soon African Americans all over the United States will launch a wave of mass riots against the white majority.

PCG has consistently taught this racist, paranoid, vicious and utterly false idea since 1992. But even though they have been waiting for twenty-three years for this "race war" to occur the PCG leadership still promote this vicious accusation that African Americans are fated to turn against the white majority.

Joel Hilliker has published an article which exploits some protest chant to insinuate that PCG's prophesied "race war" is just about to happen. This "race war" PCG talks about is supposed somehow to occur everywhere within the United States. Occasional riots which fail to spread outside of the city it is in is most emphatically not what PCG claims will soon occur. 

Stephen Flurry has made a Trumpet Daily episode along the same lines. In it he cites some news article accusing the late Freddie Gray of previously injuring himself to win lawsuits. This assertion is presented by PCG to minimize the severity of the fact that an American had lost his life while in police custody and to insinuate that he who died was responsible for his own death.

As Byker Bob commented recently this false prophecy of "race war" is disturbingly similar to what Charles Manson taught.

Charles Manson orchestrated murders that shocked the world partly as an attempt to incite violence between racial communities. His infamous murders were conducted in such a way as to make it appear to have been committed by African Americans. Thankfully this wicked plot was exposed for what it truly was.

It is astoundingly immoral for PCG to promote this racist nonsense.

It is wrong for PCG to exploit the current tense situation regarding police brutality to promote this nonsense that African Americans are fated to soon launch a wave of riots against the white majority.

A Survey of Israeli Media From 2002

Here is a fascinating 2002 article by David Newman surveying the media landscape in Israel at that time and questioning the assertion that the media in Israel is controlled by leftists. It is entitled Israel: The Myth of Left-Wing Media Control.

Here is the start of this article.

During the past decade, presentation of the Israel-Palestine conflict in the Israeli media has come under attack from the right wing for being biased and manipulative, and for spreading a single, pro-peace message. But contrary to public myth, it is the right wing—not the left—that uses and manipulates the media to disseminate its political message.

The argument put forward by the right wing goes like this: Since the left controls the media, the Israeli public was never presented with an alternative to the pro-peace, pro-Oslo message of the 1990s, and was duped into blindly supporting attempts to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians. Until, that is, the violence and terror of the past 20 months brought Israelis face to face with reality.

But even a cursory look at daily newspapers in Israel reveals another truth. With the possible exception of the self-styled liberal newspaper Ha’aretz, truly left-wing newspapers have disappeared.

The rest of the article may be read courtesy of worldpress.org.

The Rise of Israel Hayom

The following report from The Listening Post details the rise of what is now Israel's most popular newspaper, Israel Hayom, and how it has displaced Yedioth Ahronoth.

Stephen Flurry Pretending PCG Is Not Right Wing

This is the 1200th post for the Living Armstrongism blog. Thank you to all you readers for inspiring me to carry on.

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PCG politically leans very far to the right in regards to politics. I do not condemn PCG for being right wing. But it is important to understand that PCG is right wing. It explains so much about the stances they take on many issues. To anyone vaguely aware of what PCG teaches this fact is obvious. PCG is right ring.

And yet Stephen Flurry professed that PCG leans neither right nor left. What poppycock.

In case you dismiss this article as yet another conservative rant, we’ll leave you with more context. Not but a few months ago, the Trumpet featured a story titled, “The War Against Terrorism: Why We Can’t Win”—not exactly popular material for right-wing propaganda. In that article (November 2003), we wrote, “America has won its last war”—something we have been saying for years. Are we then guilty of the same biased, erroneous reporting we have attacked here? Which ideological direction do we lean to, after all—left or right? 

NEITHER! And we can prove that by our consistent message over the past 14 years—during the Bush, Clinton and Bush Sr. administrations. (Stephen Flurry, The Media War Against the United States, March-April 2004.)

PCG says President Obama is "another Antiochus", essentially an Antichrist like figure of Gerald Flurry's own devising. In the United States today is that right wing or left wing? It is right wing, or rather right wing extremist.

PCG has quoted WorldNetDaily numerous times without ever criticizing what they say or even bothering to mention to their readers that it is right wing. Is that right wing or left wing? It is right wing.

PCG vociferously condemned the Obama Administration's (ultimately successful) attempt to legislate health care reform. In the United States today is that right wing or left wing? It is right wing.

PCG fear mongers about immigrants. They have even insinuated that the Obama Administration is deliberately letting illegal immigrants into the United States to get more votes for the Democratic Party. In the United States today is that right wing or left wing? It is right wing. (The accusation that illegal immigrants are being deliberately allowed in as some sort of conspiracy by the Democratic Party I would regard as extreme right wing.)

PCG asserted that there was some sort of "Benghazi cover up" by the Obama Administration to hide some kind of flaw in their conduct concerning the terrorist attack in Benghazi. In the United States today is that right wing or left wing? It is right wing.

PCG hosted a certain Republican Congressman in their auditorium in 2013 as mentioned in a previous post. That points to PCG's position as right wing politically speaking. How could one be more right wing without actually joining the Republican Party?

Again I do not condemn PCG for being right wing. But it is important to note that PCG is right wing in order to better understand PCG's behavior. PCG is right wing.

Recently Stephen Flurry stated that he found the controversy about Rachel Dolezal "hilarious". But how is Stephen Flurry any different when he claims PCG do not lean to the right when it so obviously does?

PCG Condemning Pope Francis and Mahmoud Abbas (Just Like Christians United For Israel)

Recently Pope Francis was reported to have call Mahmoud Abbas an angel of peace. Naturally the PCG leadership seized on this to claim that the Pope is having a negative effect upon the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

During Abbas’s visit, the pope effectively gave his approval of all the acts of terror committed by the Palestinian leader and his followers, even telling the Palestinian terrorist leader, “You are an angel of peace,” according to the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. 

Critics of Israel and backers of Palestinian statehood were elated by the Vatican’s announcement. The movement to recognize a Palestinian state has gained momentum in recent years, particularly within the United Nations, and this endorsement from the Vatican is huge. Gaining the support of humanity’s most respected and admired leader could be just the boost needed to get the project of Palestinian statehood over the finish line. (Brad MacDonald, Why Is the Pope Provoking War in Israel?, August 2015.) 

Guess who else condemned this? Those who supposedly bear the mark of the Beast by worshiping on Sunday who are members of Christians United For Israel.

Considering that CUFI did the same thing how does PCG's stance on this issue make it any different from those within CUFI?

We were disappointed to see initial reports that Pope Francis called Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas an “angel of peace.” We were relieved to see reports this morning that the Pope was likely misunderstood. It seems that what he said to Abbas was that he “could be” an angel of peace." (Christians United For Israel, CUFI Talking Points: The Pope and the Palestinians, Source.)

PCG so often claims to be the one true church. But on this issue they say the same thing as so many others.

PCG does not have some unique insight into world events. On this matter they are merely imitating many others.

41,000 Sign Petition Calling for PM Netanyahu's Arrest

From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency via Haaretz:

A petition calling for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits Britain in September has reached more than 41,000 signatures and must receive a government response.

The online petition was uploaded on Aug. 7 to the United Kingdom Parliament’s official website. ...

“Under international law he should be arrested for war crimes upon arrival in the U.K. for the massacre of over 2000 civilians in 2014,” the petition says, citing Netanyahu’s scheduled September visit. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, "41,000 Sign British Petition Calling for Netanyahu's Arrest Over 'war Crimes'", Haaretz, August 12, 2015.)

PCG Using Mass Murder to Fear Monger About Immigrants

While discussing the terrible mass murder in Chattanooga, Tennessee in which four Marines and a sailor were viciously murdered Robert Morley exploits this incident of mass murder to proclaim the failure of multiculturalism in America. In other words to stir up fear of ethnic minorities among the predominantly white members of PCG. The segment begins 26 minutes within the broadcast.

It is stated that the murderer had a prosperous life before going on his murderous rampage.

Why did he become radicalized? Why did he turn against the country that provided so much for him and his family? And I think it speaks to a couple of things. One of which is the failure of multiculturalism in America. This idea that you can bring people from all around the world from all kinds of different cultures and backgrounds and bring them to America and that they'll check their differences, their historic grievances and animosities at the door and become American. And as we're seeing increasingly that isn't happening. (Robert Morley, Trumpet Hour, July 17, 2015 broadcast, 28-29 minutes.)

PCG's leadership has long been complaining that too many immigrants are coming to America. Why are they like this? For the same reason they banned interracial marriage and demonize Japan: to advance white supremacy.

Another possible reason is that PCG's teachings are marketed for white Americans and the possibility that their percentage of the population may decline is feared as weakening PCG's ability to find new recruits among the white majority in America.

Later on Robert Morley talks about the mass murder to fear monger about immigrants claiming that too many immigrants are putting Americans in danger.

And we saw this in the media a lot over the years. Just this self loathing of America and its ideals. And we went to the Middle East because we wanted the oil and this and that and all this kind of thing of thing and that these people naturally have a right to be angry at us. ...

You know we saw in the media ... especially in previous cases we saw them pretending like the greatest danger in this war on terror is increased discrimination against these peaceful Muslims. Like they talk like the biggest danger for America is if, you know, suddenly there's going to be discrimination against Muslims. Well we don't see people going out there and attacking Muslims and going into their mosques and shooting people up. That doesn't happen in America. At least to this point we havn't seen that.

But what we are seeing is individuals refusing to conform to an American identity, adopt American ideals and attacking our forces, our military, here in America. So to me the biggest danger is this political correctness in refusing to admit the danger that our immigration policy is putting the nation in. And you can tell that to the families of those soldiers who died. One of them had Purple Hearts. [A] teenager was the other one. And it's a very, very sad situation. (Robert Morley, Trumpet Hour, July 17, 2015 broadcast, 32-33 minutes.)

"That doesn't happen in America", Morley confidently asserts. And yet just a few months ago, in Edmond, PCG's hometown where, presumably Morley lives, "vandals tossed bacon along the doorway of an Edmond mosque near the University of Central Oklahoma" as mentioned in a previous post. This hateful act of vandalism happens right on PCG's doorstep and they said nothing.

Also back in February three Muslims were shot to death in Chapel Hill. Did the PCG leadership take note of such a thing?

The reason "That doesn't happen in America" is because the PCG leadership are not looking for evidence of such things. They don't notice such things.

It is notable how there is little concern that innocent Muslims may be unjustly targeted by the authorities.

And now let us notice how this tragic massacre is used to fear monger about immigrants.

So letting immigrants into America is putting the nation in "danger", Morley confidently asserts. Strange how this was no talk of how white supremacists were leading the nation into "danger" after the terrorist attack in Charleston which actually killed more Americans than this the mass shooting in Chattanooga. Instead Stephen Flurry insinuated that some African Americans were just like the murderer and plotting to launch a "race war" against the white majority. How respectful towards the victims and their community.

It is worth noting that Morley said very similar things about immigrants and dogmatically proclaiming "the failure of multiculturalism" in another article. But he was not talking about a mass murder. That time he was talking about protests in Canada caused by last year's war in Gaza.

Sacrificing Canadian national heritage to celebrate, maintain and promote the varying cultures and distinct international identities within the nation in the hope it will encourage social cohesion is folly. This policy, called multiculturalism, is doomed to fail. It is impossible for greater national unity to result from greater differences. (Robert Morley, ‘Kill the Jews’ in Canada, August 7, 2014.)

Is it not amazing how the same message is pushed upon such different events occurring?

Is it not hypocritical for Morley to fear monger about immigrants considering that he himself is an immigrant from Saskatchewan? Also there are immigrants among the highest echelon of PCG such as the late Ron Fraser and Brad MacDonald who has since immigrated to Britain. If the PCG leadership wish to "protect" America from immigrants they should start among themselves.

Or are they just scared of immigrants who just happen to not be "white"?

Iran Does NOT Have 21 Days to Hide Evidence at a Site

So some who criticize the recent agreement with Iran have said that Iran can delay access to a site of interest to inspectors for 21 days.

Turns out this is wrong.

Let’s get this straight. The agreement calls for continuous monitoring at all of Iran’s declared sites — that means all of the time — including centrifuge workshops, which are not safeguarded anywhere else in the world. Inspectors have immediate access to these sites.

That leaves the problem of possible undeclared sites. What happens when the International Atomic Energy Agency suspects that prohibited work is occurring at an undeclared site?...

Far from giving Iran 24 days, the IAEA will need to give only 24 hours’ notice before showing up at a suspicious site to take samples. Access could even be requested with as little as two hours’ notice, something that will be much more feasible now that Iran has agreed to let inspectors stay in-country for the long term. Iran is obligated to provide the IAEA access to all such sites...

What opponents of the deal have done is add up all the time limits and claim that inspections will occur only after a 24-day pause. This is simply not true. (Jeffrey Lewis, Chuck Schumer’s Disingenuous Iran Deal Argument, Foreign Policy, August 9, 2015. Emphasis in original.)

So it can be seen that the situation is very different from what that claim states.

Do Senior Israeli Security Officials View Iran as Genocidal?

We have often heard of what Prime Minister Netanyahu says about Iran. But what about the officials charged with looking after the State of Israel's security? What do they say on this topic.

Contrary to Netanyahu, top Israeli security officials don’t believe Iran’s leaders are so fanatically determined to kill Jews that they would launch a nuclear attack that could bring about their own destruction. Meir Dagan, who ran Israel’s external spy agency, the Mossad, from 2002 to 2011, has called the Iranian regime “rational.” Benny Gantz, who led the Israel Defense Forces from 2011 to 2015, has said “the Iranian leadership is composed of very rational people.” Dan Halutz, who led the IDF from 2005 to 2007, believes that “Iran poses a serious threat but not an existential one.” He is joined in that view by another former Mossad chief, Efraim Halevy, who earlier this year argued that “we are not in a Holocaust situation. … I do not believe there is an existential threat to Israel” from Iran. (Peter Beinart, Iran Is Not an 'existential' Threat to Israel No Matter What Netanyahu Claims, Haaretz, August 7, 2015.)