PCG's Fear Ad

(Update: I am indebted to Banned by HWA for highlighting the video discussed here.)

August 1998 issue.
King Richard I is pictured.

Anti-cult author Steven Hassan mentioned that some authoritarian religious groups use news stories to keep members scared that the world will soon be destroyed.

News items are excellent for eliciting fear and inculcating phobias. Cult leaders like to tell members about floods, earthquakes, fires, famines, plagues, and wars-as proof that the last days have arrived. They love to proclaim the destruction of the non-believers of the world. (Steven Hassan, Freedom of Mind, 2012, pp. 156-7.)

On April 11, 2016 PCG released an advertising video on Facebook promoting a book by Brad MacDonald that continues this shameful practice. This video once again promotes PCG's false prophecies that the United States will soon be conquered in a nuclear attack by Germany. HWA and his imitators have continuously insisted that Germany will conquer the United States since the 1940s during World War II. In the ad the narrator says the following:

World War III is closer than you think. Terrorism and economic crisis is tearing Europe apart. The only nation that can lead Europe out of the mess is Germany. But Germany can't do it without a strong leader. Bible prophecy says they will get one. He will unite Europe in a new Holy Roman Empire. But it won't stop there. Every time Europe unites war breaks out. Find out how it will happen again one last time. Request a free copy of The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy. What will the Holy Roman Empire do after it has stopped terrorism and saved Europe's economy? This book will tell you. You will be shocked how it will affect your future. Act today by following the information on your screen.

No mention is made of the three tithes PCG members are expected to give as part of membership in PCG.

What vomit PCG has produced.

PCG thinks the German dictator will be Karl-Theodor zu Guttenburg. They have been scare mongering about him since 2009. PCG often insinuates that Merkel will lose power to be replaced by zu Guttenburg.

In a contradiction the ad tries to exploit the fear of terrorist attacks by ISIL while at the same time PCG says it will be Germany which will conquer the United States.

PCG is wrong to insinuate that Europe was ever united. Europe has never been united. Europe was not united under Hitler as many people of conscience fought against Nazi tyranny. The medieval Holy Roman Empire was essentially Germany and northern Italy for most of its existence and it was not a unified nation state but rather more like a confederacy with weak central government. Europe was never united.

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Also worth noting are the comments. This video has incited some to write paranoid comments. Some condemn the left. Some vilify the Syrian refugees. Some promote Islamophobic paranoia, talking about Muslims as though they were a single political movement and failing to distinguish between the innocent and the guilty. Some are even anti-Semitic.

Here are some of the comments.

AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE , READ THE PROPHECY OF THE BABOLIAN, IRAQ . SYRIA IN THE BIBLE AS FOLDED INFRONT OUR EYES

Back to the Stone Age with barbarians attacking the foundation of the free world!

Who are these "barbarians"?

World War Three started on 9/11

Here's one comment who says Europe brought these problems on themselves and vilifying the US government as conducting an offensive against the American people.

And just think, Europe did this to themselves. As a matter of fact, it's the same thing our Government is attempting to do to us right now. The question is, what are you doing to combat this offensive our own Government has declared against we the people.

Here's two comments by persons speculating that the Anti-Christ will be partly Jewish followed by a response saying the Antichrist will be from Spain because of their Jewish and Muslim populations.

The Anti-Christ will come out of Syria, that's what bible Prophecy teaches. He will be HALF JEW and HALF ARAB.

THAT ANTI-CHRIST IS ALREADY LIVING IN SPAIN. SPAIN HAS THE LARGEST JEWISH AND ARAB NATIONALITIES LIVING THERE.

 Here's one comment blaming the US government for these problems.

it is leading straight to the U.S. because your corrupt socialist government is bringing them here

Some people being unfamiliar with the intricacies of Armstrongism see this ad talking of the Holy Roman Empire and think the makers of this ad (PCG) think the Roman Empire was holy.

what makes you think the roman empire is holy?

Although PCG says Germany will lead Europe to conquer the United States the ad appeals to hostility and fear of Muslims by showing footage of ISIL's terrorist attacks in Europe.

MORE THAN LIKELY US ALL AGAINST THE MUSLIMS AND THE N KOREANS AND IRAN

Here's a simple comment from one unconvinced.

Yawn

 This ad incites Islamophobic paranoia as the following comment shows.

Fight Islamic Communism.

 After seeing this ad it is little wonder some assume this ad's makers think the Antichrist will be a Muslim.

i believe the antichrist will be islamic.

One viewer was unimpressed with PCG slurring Germany as being fated to be the headquarters of the Antichrist.

The Anti-Christ will not come out of Germany. Who comes up with this stuff? Apparently not those of us who actually study these things for years.

Some were quite unimpressed by the message of this ad.

THIS IS "NOWHERE" in the Bible. False doctrine and error only.

Wasn't the world supposed to end 3 1/2 years ago according to some book written by men who heard voices in their head?

Others seems happy to believe that the rapture is coming. Not knowing that HWA condemned the rapture and instead insisted that there would be a place of safety on Earth, namely Petra, Jordan.

Praise the Lord the rapture is close. WE are ready to fly!

This ad incites Islamophobia. It is a common trope of Islamophobia to demonize the left as well, accusing them of somehow sympathizing or collaborating with Muslims as a whole. That tendency is seen in the following comment.

It is leading to AMERICAN SOIL , if MUSLIM OBAMA isn't IMPEACHED AND IMPRISONED for TREASON , and people are STUPTID enought to elect HILLAR CLINTON . HILLARY will care on MUSLIM OBAMA'S MUSLIM AGENDAS . WE the PEOPLE must do every thing in our POWERS to put a STOP to this AMERICAN DESTRUCTION . -------------WE the PEOPLE can and will VOTE TRUMP into the WHITE HOUSE , to end their CORRUPTION and that of our POLITICAL CORRUPTION . MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN .

 Some viewers know better. That it is nonsense.

Superstitious nonsense.

Fear Mongering at its best.

One viewer decided this video was a good time to scare monger against George Soros, a currency trader often condemned by right wingers.

The bibblebabble notwithstanding, look at George Soros. Guess what he's up to.

One viewer thought the ad was nonsense but thought the idea of a revival of the medieval Holy Roman Empire sounded like a great idea and expressed his longing for such a thing to occur.

Actually, I think the advertisement is ridiculous fearmongering, but I am looking forward to the return of the Holy Roman Empire. There are prophecies from Catholic mystics that say it will return one day, and I think its sorely overdue. Hopefully, I'll see it within my lifetime.

 Here's one comment saying that Germany asked for it.

WELL, THEY ASKED FOR IT. AFTER THEY LOST MOST OF THEIR MALE POPULATION. THEIR FEMALE LEADER HAS MADE THE WRONG DECISION TO BRING IN ALL OF THESE MUSLIMS. NOW THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE.

 Here's another comment denouncing the ad.

Pure unadulterated nonsense...

Are the COGs aware that some people laugh merely hearing the phrase Holy Roman Empire?

I always laugh when I see "holy" and "Rome" in the same sentence, just cracks me up

The Vatican IS The Holy Roman Empire, and it's not out for the Protestants.

Here's another comment that denounces the ad as just advertising.

LIES LIES LIES, we wannt to sell you something, All I need it what GOD has already said.

The ad incites Islamophobic animosity. This may be seen in the following comment.

Well that peaceful religion is showing what it is about

let me guess the pope ?

 Here's a comment from a person whose mind has been utterly warped by Islamophobia.

ISLAM has all but CONQUERED EUROPE already !!!

 Here's a comment saying Europe's problems are because of its secularization.

When Europe turned it's back on God.....their spiritual covering of protection came down. Now they don't know how to handle all these different problems. As long as they supported the church and respected it...they had no problems. Now look at what's happening.

Here's one comment that got PCG's intended message and is now fearful that some sort of revival of Nazism will soon occur as PCG's 1% intended.

It has begun' The Fatherland is forming a multinational panzer force and navy'

Here's one comment seemingly convinced the end is near after watching this ad.

The Destruction of the Roman Empire. We are in the Last Days!

Here's one simple comment from one unconvinced.

Nope.

Benedict XVI will be on UN soon invited by a certain person then England will be over us

 Here's another comment from one unconvinced.

Religious BS. People don't learn. Religion keeps us in the dark ages.

Here's another critical comment who accurately alludes to the self interested nature of this ad. Odds are this person is unaware that PCG demands three tithes from their members.

LOL. Scare the idiots to buy your book . Good strategy.

 Here's one paranoid comment which projects this person's own fear upon the Pope.

And the Pope knows this... It is in their history and in the Bible.

 Here's one comment accepting this ad at face value.

This truly is prophecy!

Here's one comment from a person writing as though he were President and insisting all went well with Russia's intervention in Syria. It is wildly insinuated that the Syrian refugees are destroying society.

under my administration we will be sending all these refugees home. Russia has restored over 80% to Syrian Control and they are needed there to rebuild their country. NOT destroy ours. The economic cost at this time is far in excess and we cannot further destroy our treasury but rebuild it.

 Here's one comment seemingly convinced that this dreaded Empire has already been created.

The New Roman Empire is already here, as of 2009.

And here's one comment from a person unaware of PCG's prohibition against voting.

Hope your group is supporting Donald Trump for President.

What a terrible work of scare mongering PCG is up to.