Steve Bannon Critiqued

A lot of people are quite unhappy at Steve Bannon's appointment to the White House.

50 Faith and Human Rights Groups Write Open Letter Demanding Bannon's Removal from Trump Transition Team, Alternet.

Steve Bannon, the Trump adviser who spent years mainstreaming white nationalism, explained, Vox.

This Is How Steve Bannon Sees The Entire World, Buzzfeed News.

The link above contains a transcript of a discussion Bannon had to a conference in the Vatican. Strange but true.

Overview of the September 2016 Issue of Living Church News

LCG's leaders have released another issue of Living Church News (September-December 2016). Let's take a look at what have they say.

Roderick C. Meredith has an article which mentions the horrific murder of five police officers in Dallas but then scare mongers that Satan is trying to inspire race riots by African Americans against the white majority. (Incidentally PCG teaches a very similar idea.)

We can all surely recall the recent news about five policemen in Dallas who were murdered, with seven others wounded. It took place during a “peaceful protest” by thousands of people marching in that city to protest the recent police killings of a black man in Louisiana and another black man in St. Paul, Minnesota. News reports on the radio reported that the police spoke to the killer, Micah Xavier Johnson, who admitted that he “hated” white people and especially white policemen. So it certainly looks like Satan the Devil may be trying to stir up “race riots” across the United States more than ever! (p. 1.)

It is most good to condemn acts of violence such as that frightful massacre. Scare mongering that African Americans may soon launch "race riots" against the white majority under the inspiration of Satan is wrong and unfairly stigmatizes African Americans in general. That is wrong.

It is noteworthy that this sort of talk is designed to make whites frightened of African Americans instead of viewing them as equal Americans.

He also scare mongers about Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

A divided United Kingdom will certainly be much weaker in the future, militarily and politically, and will become a “ripe plum” for the coming Beast power to more easily conquer or perhaps just “absorb” by political means. (p. 1.)

And he once again condemns homosexuals and transgender people as he has done so often. Vilifying this numerically small minority has the effect of distracting his followers from the problems among themselves.

For Satan is literally “brainwashing” millions of people, especially our young people, to assume that the perverted way of life they see promoted by many of our political and religious leaders—and especially through the pervasive influence of modern media—is somehow “normal.” (p. 2.)

He insists that transgender people are not who they say they are ignoring that scientists accept that gender dysphoria is a real condition.

When people talk about “transgendered” people, they assume—because of what the media says—that all such individuals are “born” that way. [Meredith then cites one scientist with an opinion about this subject he approves of.] ... But such comments are usually “hushed up” by our modern “leaders” in the media and even in the educational system—in Satan’s society. (p. 27.)

Meredith also has an editorial article telling those who had endured the Tkach changes that the proper course of action in that crisis was to join Meredith's splinter group. This article was recently discussed by Banned by HWA.

As I have previously explained, Christ did raise up the Global Church of God in early 1993, through me— just a very few months after the blasphemous, “God Is...” booklet came out, along with other heretical changes in doctrine. But many were not aware of Christ raising up this Church—or had been poisoned against us by vicious rumors and accusations. So, instead of zealously searching out and proving to themselves where Christ was continuing His Work, many just stayed put or even dropped away from the Truth altogether.  

But—mark this!—the living Christ did give people in early 1993 a “way out”—He did raise up a Church with a trained, dedicated ministry of long standing who preached the full Truth and who quickly—within weeks— went on the radio, published literature and began to revive the Work. So Jesus Christ did not “desert” you or anyone else. He is still the living Head of the Church. He is alert, active and powerfully in charge of His Church and His Work! And in His great wisdom, He is now “testing” His people to see what is really in their hearts. (p. 3.)

Dexter Wakefield has an article telling LCG members to adhere to faith (as defined by LCG's leadership). The secular world is condemned as contrary to (LCG's) God's will.

The light of faith is very dim in public life of Western societies, if it can be seen at all. Many people see religion as merely a comforting tradition that can be turned to in times of difficulty. They seek no personal relationship with God and see Him mainly as an abstraction, or a projection of their own spirituality—sometimes useful, sometimes not. Instead, Western societies are increasingly moving their foundation from the bedrock of revelatory knowledge to the shifting sands of secular human reason. 

Is Western society now more secular than religious? Have we reached a moral “tipping point”? Do more people reject faith in God’s revealed word for a secular, materialist worldview? Have Western governments willingly blinded their “eyes of faith”? ... 

Often the secularists who used to advocate tolerance for diverse views now demonstrate intolerance for religious views. (p. 6.)

Peter Nathan (former member of the Church of God - An International Community which is led by David Hulme) has an article discussing the Armstrongite view of the Feast of Tabernacles which is very different from how it is observed in the Jewish community. HWA had a very poor understanding of the Jewish festivals he observed and his lack of knowledge is often reflected in how Armstrongites interpret this festival as symbolic of the Millennium.

For instance, in Nehemiah 8 we read of the returning Jews building their temporary dwellings from “olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees” (v. 15) in a manner that had not been done since the days of Joshua, when Israel was similarly less settled. The temporary nature of our dwellings during the Feast of Tabernacles reminds us of important truths—first among them, that lives are temporary. We are not yet immortal. Our surroundings and everything we possess are temporary, as well. The people of Israel were supposed to learn this when they sojourned in the wilderness. Also, when they dwelled in booths or tents in the wilderness, their ultimate protection was the cloud of glory that accompanied them. Today, our temporary accommodations during the Feast remind us of the reality of our lives. (p. 8.)

To this day Jews celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles by building booths on their property and celebrate this festival with family and friends. But HWA twisted this beautiful festival into an eight day indoctrination session often held far away from members' homes funded with his peculiar practice of the second tithe.

Nathan also boasts that increasing numbers of Christians (whom he labels as not truly Christian) have been visiting the State of Israel during this time to celebrate this festival.

With this in mind, now consider modern knowledge of the Feast among nominal “Christians” in the world. The Festival was largely unknown outside Jewish circles a century ago, but now the Feast of Tabernacles is the largest draw for “Christian” tourists to Israel. Last year, the Times of Israel reported that evangelical Christians from over 80 countries gathered in Jerusalem during the Feast. In recent years, over 6,000 “Christians” have visited Jerusalem to observe the Feast. But what does it do for them if the Feast is nothing more than something they “know about”? (p. 10.)

Wallace Smith has an article presenting Armstrongism's interpretation of the seven festivals which is very different from Jewish views concerning these festivals.

Sheldon Monson has an article describing this year's Living Youth Camp. Other related articles announce that LYC will move to Texas next year and describes Adventure Camp in Banff.

Gerald Weston, LCG's new leader, has an article denouncing supposed slanders against LCG. This article was discussed in Banned by HWA.

Linda Ehman has an article assuring the women in LCG that LCG's God has an important role for them as well.

There are announcements. Among other things it also announces ordinations including that of Joseph Gonzales, Joseph Bobby Jacques and Michael Heykoop.

Michael Heykoop has an article comparing (LCG's interpretation of) the Bible to a fictional tale by modern popular authors. He mentions the Armstrongite interpretation of the Day of Atonement as symbolic of the future restraint of Satan after Christ's return which is very different from Jewish traditions concerning that holy day.

And so we see that LCG's leaders have made yet another issue of this publication to persuade their followers that remaining in LCG is a worthwhile endeavor despite the numerous false prophecies Armstrongism have made since the 1930s.

Mark Armstrong Celebrates Trump's Victory as "a Great Blessing"

Since most COGs lean to the right it is little surprise that they generally welcomed Trump's victory in the presidential election. Mark Armstrong viewed Trump's election favorably in his November 11 weekly update.

Finally, the years-long push for national suicide (because it was the right thing "ta doo") just hit a wall. Neither the president's advisors nor his chosen successor nor their promoters in media saw the wall approaching, and managed to slam into it it at a high rate of speed. Smirks changed to instant scowls of anger and disbelief on the faces of overtly homosexual news anchors. We'd hardly ever seen the media any more unified as in their belief that the Obama “legacy” would be carried forward with righteous indignation by the now, permanently retired, Hillary Clinton. Shouting matches are raging across the CNN contributors panel during prime time. Racist bigot! Bigot racist! Whitelash! White supremacists! The KKK! Tears streamed down the faces of her devastated supporters, some are still choking up. Others need therapy. More than a few dream of revenge.

He condemns the protests against Trump and insinuates that they are irrational.

Reporters tried to get some demonstrators to state their case on camera. Why were they out there? What were their intentions, and what do they want? Though there were many attempts at protester interviews, none of the rabble seemed capable of forming a coherent sentence, let alone an explanation.

He implies that the protests are all part of some sinister conspiracy to economically cripple the United States by people of a different political allegiance from his own.

Oh, they're furious alright.  Many are the usual suspects from Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter, along with the Socialist Alternative or whatever.  They're professionally furious!  They've been organized on social media and given their marching orders, courtesy of their Obamaphones.  Some are paid by socialist organizations that support you know who, and whether they know it or not are part of a movement designed to break the economic back of the United States and ultimately dismantle our system of government and law.

Mark Armstrong then complains about laws being made to protect transgender Americans.

Speaking of laws, we've been deluged with trans-gender bathroom legalities, told to honor and respect homo-matrimony, accept foreign criminals and terrorist wannabes in our midst and the list could undoubtedly go on and on. 

He states that he has remained neutral during the election. He also states that laws that contradict what his organization teaches are wrong.

Although we don't get organizationally involved in political elections or campaigns, and haven't in this one, we have commented straightforwardly about the imposition of laws that not only conflict with plain language in the Constitution, but also conflict with the Laws of God.  And we'll say it here again.  Laws of man that conflict with the Laws of God are no laws at all.  Some of these “laws,” whether affirmed corruptly by the Supreme Court or summarily issued by way of the soon to be former president's phone and pen, fall squarely into that category. 

He also complains how some opposed President Reagan when he was elected.

He then reminds his followers not to forget their teaching that the world is fated to fall apart before Christ's return. He also mockingly refers to Hilary Clinton as a "champion-ette" and scare mongers about the Pope trying to unite all religions under him.

The immediate months and years ahead will not be all lollipops and rainbows, by any means.  There will be scandals and accusations like you can't believe, especially so given the mainstream media's humiliation for having lost their champion-ette after they openly dropped all pretense of objectivity to make sure we remained in the captivity of the whirlwind of government mandates.  There may be wars, great conflict in the Middle East and social upheaval in our cities.  Europe is undergoing a slow economic and political meltdown.  The pope is working hard to promote One World Christianity, with his own agenda at the fore.  

He refers to Trump's election as "a great blessing"..

While not saying that the President Elect is heaven-sent, we can definitely give thanks that we won't have to wonder and worry day in and day out what has been secretly done to dilute and diminish the standing of the country we love.  It is in fact, a great blessing that we didn't see coming and may not deserve. 

He ends his update with a call to continue adhering to what is taught in light of the supposed catastrophes awaiting the world.

May God bless this nation and His people wherever they may be as events continue to unfold in the Middle East and in Europe.  Our national problems, huge debt, dangerous enemies within our midst and unsettled relations around the globe remain, and will not be solved overnight.  We will continue as before, to cry aloud as witness and warning about the overarching need to worship and obey the Creator God.  And we will give heartfelt thanks for the defeat of the lies and liars who've had us by the throat for way too long.   

And so his weekly update comes to an end. It is no surprise that he chose to side with the right wing candidate since the COGs tend to lean to the right in regards to political affairs.

Steve Bannon Appointed Trump's Chief of Staff

The controversial boss of Breitbart news, Steve Bannon, has been appointed Trump's chief of staff. During the course of the election it came out that he had been accused of domestic violence and he had been accused of bearing an anti-Semitic attitude during a court case.

Steve Bannon, the Breitbart boss and Trump campaign CEO, runs a website that filters so-called “alt-right”, white nationalist views into the mainstream. He has been accused of racism and anti-Semitism. And now, as the newly appointed chief strategist and senior counselor to the President-elect, his opinions will be whispered into the ear of the leader of the free world. (The Independent.)

Overview of the November 2016 Issue of Tomorrow's World

LCG has released a new issue of their recruitment magazine just in time to spoil the festive mood among those who celebrate Christmas. Let's take a look at what LCG's leaders have to say this time.

The editors of this issue are listed as Roderick Meredith, Richard Ames, Wallace Smith, Robert Taylor, Stuart Wachowitz and Adam West.

This issue has a circulation of 423,000 issues.

Roderick Meredith has a personal article insisting that mainstream Christian churches are wrong.

Meredith also has an article scare mongering that (LCG's) God will soon afflict the world with weather related catastrophes. While dwelling on that topic he insists that HWA could accurately predict the future.

Soon after I joined Herbert Armstrong in preaching and writing in The Plain Truth magazine about these prophecies, they began to occur! My wife and I were sent to Britain in the autumn and winter of 1956, and it was right then that the Suez Canal was taken away from Britain! The Suez Canal was one of the most important “sea gates” in the world at the time—and you can read about the powerful impact the loss of that canal had on the British Empire in our article “The Suez Crisis: 60 Years On,” right here in this issue. In the years immediately following that, most of the other “sea gates” began to be taken away as well: the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb, the Simonstown Base—controlling the tip around South Africa—and the Strait of Malacca—controlling vast numbers of ships going through areas in the Far East. Then, President Jimmy Carter virtually “gave away” the Panama Canal—the only major sea gate controlled by America! (pp. 5-6.)

In fact HWA made numerous false prophecies that failed to come to pass. Meredith fails to mention that from 1953 onward HWA taught that the Great Tribulation would begin in 1972 with Christ returning in 1975.

Winston Gosse has a little article exploiting the memory of Alexander Graham Bell.

Richard Ames has an article giving advice on having a happy marriage.

The Q and A discusses Satan being the ruler of the world until Christ's return.

John Meakin discusses the Suez Crisis of 1956 in which Britain and France went to war with Egypt for economic reasons, namely to get the canal from the government of the land through which the canal was built through. It is insinuated that the United States' opposition to this military attack for the canal helped prompt the creation of the European Economic Community with the Treay of Rome of 1957.

Wallace Smith condemns Christmas, HWA plagiarized this doctrine from the Jehovah's Witnesses. This doctrine has the effect of isolating followers from mainstream society thus making them easier to make them socially dependent on the group.

Sheldon Monson has an article telling young people to live lives of righteousness (as defined by LCG's leaders).

Douglas Winnail has a little article insisting that mainstream Christianity is illegitimate.

Michael Heykoop has a little article insisting that the web of supposed events that LCG has long insisted will soon occur is about to happen.

There is a blistering red morning sky. The signs are there to see, but they cannot be interpreted properly without the context of God’s Holy Scriptures—the Bible. The signs are pointing to a gathering storm that would destroy mankind entirely, were it not for the prophesied return of Jesus Christ to set the world in order! Wake up! (p. 30.)

Stuart Wachowitz has an article describing the grip of the gecko.

Gary Ehman has a little article calling upon readers to be thankful.

There are letters. Here's one letter from Florida.

From my heart to yours—I’m not an educated person. What I like about your study course is that I can do it in my home at the time I choose. In your letter, you thanked me for my interest in the Bible Study Course. It is I, and people like me, who should thank you and your staff for their time, hard work and energy to make it available.

Here's one letter from California from a woman who thanks them for helping strengthen her relationship with her mother.

I have been receiving your magazines for a couple of months now, and I love them! Especially the section titled, “Tomorrow’s Youth.” I am struggling with my relationship with my mother. But whenever we sit down and read your magazine or booklets, we calm down and sometimes even laugh and talk to each other, just as mothers and daughters are supposed to. Thank you!

Here's one letter from Virginia from a person thanking LCG for not asking for money.

I love your broadcast. It’s also great to see a ministry on TV that does not try to guilt people into sending in money.

If only this person knew that LCG members are required to pay three tithes as part of the obligations of membership within LCG.

And so we see that LCG's leaders have made yet another recruitment issue to try and gt more tithes paying members for their organization.

PCG on Trump's Victory

PCG's Joel Hilliker has written an article discussing Trump's victory in the presidential election. (Joel Hilliker, What the Trump Victory Means, November 9, 2016.)

let's take a look at what he has to say.

In an election upset that shocked the media and mainstream analysts, Donald Trump garnered enough state victories to claim a convincing win in America’s presidential election.

This alludes to Clinton actually getting about 300,000 more votes than Trump but she lost in the electoral collage vote thus losing the election to Trump.

Hilliker discusses the widespread anger at the status quo that Trump successfully tapped into to win the election.

A great many Americans are angry. A great many votes for Mr. Trump were expressions of animosity and outrage at a corrupt political system, of which Hillary Clinton is an apt representative and symbol. A great many were votes against a candidate they absolutely did not want to see in the White House. Many were expressions of exasperation over the declivitous decline of America in a variety of manifestations, domestically and globally. For many, their vote was a full-throated protest against current politics, against the Obama administration, against socialized medicine, against open borders, against government regulation and intrusion, against bowing and kowtowing to foreign governments.

All Americans deserve to have health care. Lambasting the Obama Administrations' reforms as "socialized medicine" serves to delegitimize attempts to expand health insurance coverage for Americans.

The border with Mexico is not open. It is already fenced. Actually deportations reached record levels under the Obama Administration.

And how did the Obama Administration bowed and kowtowed to other governments? The United States of America is the most powerful nation state in the world.

But while Hilliker talks about Americans chafing at "government regulation and intrusion" he works for an organization that is recognized by the government as a religion so it does not have to pay taxes. He was born into WCG and has lived all his life within the world of Armstrongism.

Hilliker states that many voters for Trump did not really support him but were so exasperated with the status quo they were willing to try anything to make a difference.

Certainly Mr. Trump has his genuine believers. But those whose votes were a strong “Yes!” to Trump are strongly outnumbered by those saying “No, no, no, no!” to a mountain of provocations and aggravations and vexations. Like Britain’s vote in June to leave the European Union, in large part this vote sprang from people’s angst and panic over their loss of control and their sense that any change would be an improvement. In aggregate, Mr. Trump’s victory represents a groundswell of desperation to try anything different from what we’ve been getting.

Hilliker condemns Trump offering himself as the solution to many of America's problems.

In many ways, Americans have no idea what Mr. Trump is going to do. Where his pronouncements have been clear, they have been changeable; he says something definitive one day and backtracks the next. He successfully identified many of America’s problems, but essentially offered himself as the solution to all of them. What does that mean? Who knows how he would go about it? It is truly a leap of unfounded faith to think that this man can restore America to greatness. He can only say, “It’s going to be great—believe me” for so long before it becomes obvious that people’s grandiose and diverse and contradictory expectations of his presidency are going unfulfilled.

PCG has long insisted that the United States is destined to be conquered by a German led European Empire. Promising a bright and prosperous future for the United States contradicts PCG dogma and implies that PCG's view of the future is nonsense.

He then implies that the United States is destined to face catastrophe for not adhering to PCG's dogmas.

LOOK AT AMERICA TODAY! Try to look at it from the point of view of the God who is in charge of history—and ask yourself if you can think of ANYTHING we might be doing as a nation that would cause Him to be CHASTISING US and trying to get our attention! 

God has been trying to get America’s attention for DECADES—and we have ignored Him, defied Him, and openly blasphemed Him. We are suffering curses for doing so—curses that are destined to intensify, no matter who is president.

In other words, give up all hope and join PCG to get to go to the place of safety while the rest of humanity gets plunged into the Great Tribulation.

And so we see that even when the candidate who belongs to their preferred party wins PCG still tries to spread doom and gloom to everyone to get more tithes paying members.

CUFI Congratulates Trump on his Election

Christians United For Israel, the largest pro-Israel organization among the Evangelical community, has congratulated Trump for his victory at the presidential election.

CUFI congratulates Donald Trump on his victory last night and pray our country comes together after this hard fought campaign. In recent months, we had the opportunity to meet with members of President-Elect Trump's staff and listen to his comments about US policy in the Middle East. We look forward to working with the Trump administration to strengthen the US-Israel relationship.

PCG Cites Israel to Scare Monger Against Obama

Shortly before Trump was elected President PCG released an article scare mongering that President Obama will do something bad to the State of Israel before he leaves office. The article is based on a columns by Caroline Glick and Charles Krauthammer who are very often quoted by PCG's writers. (Callum Wood, November 9 and the Onslaught Against Israel, November 9, 2016.)

Let's take a look.

UN Security Council resolutions are law. Israel has always had a bulwark of defense at the UN: America. The U.S. has used its veto power to trump the pro-Palestinian majority time after time. Without the veto, Israel would have been subject to a host of nation-crushing resolutions. 

But come November 9, the tables could drastically turn. The Obama administration needs do nothing at all—just sit back and allow the anti-Israel resolutions to surge in. With nobody to stop the resolutions, Israel would sit near-indefensible in the Security Council’s crosshairs.

PCG's "prophetic" script calls for the State of Israel to eventually became disillusioned with the United States and turn to the European Union for protection before being conquered by the European Empire. Consequently PCG gets very excited at any sign that US-Israeli relations are going to turn bad. They think their script is about to launch into action and Christ will soon return to make PCG members God like beings.

The article scare mongers that President Obama is about to use the UN Security Council to compel the State of Israel to accept terms that PCG's leaders condemn. To make this believable he states that President Clinton did something like this just before his term of office ended.

Israel has weathered similar last-minute attempts at a Palestinian state. On Dec. 23, 2000, less than a month before leaving office, President Bill Clinton took one last shot at a two-state solution. He presented his idea as “parameters” for future peace talks. 

Among other things, Clinton’s parameters included giving full sovereignty of the Temple Mount to the Palestinians—just like UNESCO is trying to do today. Furthermore, Israel was to agree that eastern, southern and northern neighborhoods of Jerusalem would be transferred to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Of the West Bank, 94 to 96 percent would be transferred to the PLO, plus an additional 1 to 3 percent of sovereign Israeli land.

Internationally the State of Israel is only recognized as having the right to rule over its 1949 borders. The land acquired during the 1967 Six Day War is viewed as not belonging to the State of Israel. This includes East Jerusalem. This is why the US and Australian Embassies are in Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem.

Although the author seems to think this is terrible he mentions that Clinton's proposal had the following benefits for the State of Israel.

The pro-Israel aspects of the deal were the denial of the Arab-sought “right of return.” The Arabs also had to agree to end all hostilities upon signing the deal. Still, Israel would be giving up everything in return for little more than a promise. 

Despite the heavily one-sided deal, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak accepted the terms, albeit with reservations. He was willing to return Israel to indefensible borders and recognize Palestinian statehood!

Thousands of Palestinians were expelled during the Israeli War of Independence and to a numerically lesser extent the Six Day War. Those Palestinians yearned to return home but, for the most part, the State of Israel has refused to let them return to where they had lived before those wars.

The author insists that proposed border, that was quite similar to the internationally recognized border of the State of Israel, are indefensible even though the State of Israel was able to seize the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula during the Suez Crisis of 1956 and seized those territories again as well as the West Bank and the Golan Heights in the Six Day War of 1967.

Today, the dangers are even greater. Mr. Obama doesn’t need Israel and the PLO to agree to his terms—he just needs the UN Security Council. Where Clinton tried coercion and failed, President Obama could impose his will.

Well now that Trump will be President what can President Obama do in less than three months that he could not reverse if he wanted to?

The author says the State of Israel will be coerced to accept these proposed terms by President Obama or be dragged to court.

What do you do when your sole protector becomes your chief adversary? 

Sadly, Israeli diplomacy has become complacent. Tucked safely behind the wall of American veto power, it has not had to exercise much effort to defend itself. With the wall gone, Israel is forced to act. But it may already be too late. ... 

Israel can only make so many promises to other nations before it runs out of bargaining power. At that stage, the Security Council resolutions will pass, and Israel will face the courts.

At the end of the article the author reveals that this article is motivated by hope that PCG's tapestry of prophecies will soon launch and lead to the return of Christ and the deification of PCG members.

Regardless of whether President Obama takes action or not, the writing is on the wall: The special relationship with Israel is over. 

And what happens when America abandons Israel? Bible prophecy forecasts that East Jerusalem will fall to the forces of radical Islam.... Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry noted in 2004, “If the brotherhood between superpower America and the Jewish state is broken, that is probably when half of Jerusalem will be taken.” 

Despite its grave consequences, this prophecy is just one of a trail of dominoes. When it falls, it will ultimately lead to good news for Jerusalem and the whole world.

In other words this article is, in one sense, not about the State of Israel. Rather its purpose is to insist that PCG's tapestry of predictions will soon come to pass to prove themselves right. That is the real point of this article. The State of Israel is used as a prop to insist that PCG is right about their predictions. But their predictions are sure to fail.

By saying that East Jerusalem is fated to fall to "radical Islam" this side steps the issue of the international community viewing the State of Israel as having no right to rule over East Jerusalem because it is not part of the internationally recognized 1949-67 borders.

And so we see PCG's leaders continuing to look at the horizon for their words to be fulfilled.

The Bitter Fruit of Islamophobia

Some Armstrongites seem to have made it a habit to demonize Muslims in general. They rarely talk about the result of vilifying a vulnerable minority. Here is one dreadful story of what such talk unfortunately leads to.

Three weeks ago, I met one of my best friends for a beer in Manhattan. She arrived a few minutes late, sweaty and anxious. I asked her why. She told me that, on her way to the bar, two white men in baseball caps had chased her. One held a lighter to her and said, “Hope you burn, Arab.” 

This friend of mine, the beautiful Faiqa, is a Pakistani-Muslim woman and a public high school teacher in New York City. She is one of the warmest and most compassionate people I have ever met in my life. It is not an uncommon occurrence for strange men to chase her with lighters and tell her to burn in broad daylight.  

The Armstrongite 1% often vilify Muslims but they seem to have little if any awareness that such talk leads to appalling and threatening behavior such as that described above.

Silenced Takes a Bow

Silenced.co has announced that it will no longer be posting about Armstrongism and has left us with a farewell message.

At this moment I wish to offer my thanks to the authors of Silenced for their fine work critiquing the COGs. I wish them well and hope that whatever endeavors they embark upon will prosper.