Overview of the October 2017 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

PCG has released another issue of their recruitment magazine (October 2017) in an attempt to gain more tithes paying converts. Back in 2012 PCG had an income of about $19.5 million according to a booklet by their leader, Gerald Flurry. Even as early as 1996 PCG claimed to have more than $5 million in annual income. Recently PCG has even bought its own plane.

Let us see what they say this time.

The editors of this issue are Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad Macdonald, Richard Palmer, Robert Morley, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Philip Nice.

The issue's circulation is 245,780. September's circulation was 245,925 issues. August's circulation was 255,897 issues. July's circulation was 267,569. May-June's circulation was 263,551. April's circulation was 267,569 (which happens to be the same as July's figure). March's circulation was 271,949. February was 273,591.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article in which he scare mongers that Satan is responsible for partisan divisions within the United States.

Andrew Müller has an article insisting that Russia is aiding environmental organizations.

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting that Hurricane Harvey is a curse from PCG's God thus sidestepping the issue of climate change. If climate change is real, and it is, then the COGs have no right to say that one's moral conduct somehow causes hurricanes.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article exploiting the current tense situation with North Korea.

Gerald Flurry has an article scare mongering about a future nuclear war to promote a new booklet of his.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article exploiting the recent protests about metal detectors in the Al Aqsa Mosque to insist that PCG's speculations about future events in the Holy Land are about to come true. PCG's leaders are so lacking in curiosity on this issue as well as many other issues.

Andrew Müller also has an article criticizing a report by economists speculation on how stay at home mothers may be affecting the economy.

The Infographic extols women in the home. The COGs have a history of promoting strict roles based on gender. In the ideal often promoted by the COGs men are to lead women and women are to support men in a subordinate role. This Infographic continues that tendency.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article recounting the wartime experiences of one Mary Previte who in her childhood was held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese military in China during World War II. The subject of the article was interviewed by Jacques.

Richard Palmer has an article scare mongering that Europe is moving closer to China and Japan following the rise of President Trump.

Richard Palmer also has an article about Turkey.

Joel Hilliker has a little article about dealing with the temper tantrums of children. It should be noted that the COGs have a long and shameful history of promoting excessive punishments of children.

Joel Hilliker also has an article criticizing a Washington Post article about a speech President Trump gave in Poland. Criticism of this speech is labelled as self-loathing of the West. This topic was mentioned in a previous post.

There are letters. Here is one letter from California.

I am so happy to have found your magazine. I am 82 years old, and when I was a young man, I had never learned more about religion from anyone other person than Herbert W. Armstrong. I am happy to see he is still alive in spirit. It means a lot to me.

In actual fact there are hundreds of splinter groups that originate from HWA's WCG which continue to promote much of what HWA taught. PCG is not even the largest such group with UCG, LCG and possibly COGWA being larger organizations among the COGs.

Here is a letter from Wisconsin from a person who wishes this magazine was printed weekly like a news magazine.

We have the Philadelphia Trumpet magazine in our local library, and I am happy to see this, so one by one people can pick it up. You have one of the most informative magazines. I used to be in the Roman Catholic Church, but I left it. That is one of the biggest cults in the world. I really wish the Trumpet came out every week like Time magazine. You are covering everything so well. Everything else right now is brainwashing.

The COGs teach that the final Pope will be a man empowered by Satan to perform miracles such as summoning fire from the sky in order to prop up the future European Empire fated to conquer the United States. Thus it is unsurprising that one influenced by such a group would be so negative towards the Catholic Church.

And as for this person's wish for PCG's recruitment magazine to be just like Time magazine it should noted that Time employs many people all over the world to report and comment on public affairs. Time magazine sends reporters to interview people at the center of newsworthy events. Meanwhile PCG's Trumpet has far fewer employees and simply does not have the reputation to be able to gain interviews with world leaders.

Furthermore The Philadelphia Trumpet is closely connected to PCG and constantly promotes ideas which, if acted upon, will lead to people joining PCG. Time, however, does not try to lead anyone into joining such an organization.

And so we see that PCG's 1% has produced yet another issue of their recruitment magazine seeking to gain new recruits and to keep their followers overawed towards PCG's 1% by thinking that they can see the future. However since its founding in 1989 PCG has made at least 52 failed predictions. Getting a British columnist to talk at their headquarters cannot change that fact. Clearly PCG's leaders are but false prophets. There is no need to fear their dire proclamations. PCG's leaders are but false prophets.