Updated: PCG Photos Suggest PCG's "College" is Neglecting to Wear Face Masks or to Practice Social Distancing

(Update: More photographic evidence of PCG's "college's" refusal to implement social distancing may be seen at their website concerning news regarding activities from August 12, 2020 onward.)

I recently encountered this August 29, 2020 article from PCG about life in their unaccredited "college," Herbert W. Armstrong College. It is dated August 29, 2020.

There are four photos accompanying this article. In the first three photos they do not appear to be practicing social distancing. The first three photos are of a classroom. In it they are not wearing face masks. Not even one of them. The students are all seated together right next to each other without face masks.

The fourth photo they look like they are placing some distance between each other but they are not face masks. Not even one of them. The instructor appears to be Joel Hilliker. The article mentions Joel Hilliker teaching a class which lends further evidence that these photos are very recent. The article states, "On Wednesday, instructor Joel Hilliker taught freshmen how to use barbells and kettlebells and coached them through a workout of pushups, lunges and kettlebell swings."

After having read this article it would appear that PCG is playing with fire. It would appear that PCG is tempting catastrophe by not taking proper measures to protect their own people from the spread of Covid-19.

British Columnist Melanie Phillips to Speak at PCG's Headquarters

PCG has persuaded the British columnist Melanie Phillips to speak at the (unaccredited) "Herbert W. Armstrong College" on May 7. PCG's writers very often rely on her writings for their articles. They trust her a lot. As part of promoting this lecture PCG's Joel Hilliker interviewed her for a broadcast of PCG's Trumpet Hour. (The Trumpet Presents Melanie Phillips in a Free Public Lecture, April 26, 2017.)

I encourage people not to attend a lecture associated with PCG in this way. PCG's 1% are but false prophets who cannot see the future.

Time.com Mentions PCG's Unaccredited "College"

Time magazine recently made a list of the fifty best places to live in the United States. One entry was for Edmond, Oklahoma, the site of PCG's headquarters. It mentioned PCG's unaccredited college. The article does does not mention the $24 million Armstrong Auditorium,

Around town you’ll find almost two dozen recreational parks plus two other universities: Herbert W. Armstrong College and Oklahoma Christian University. (Time, Money, 50 Best Places to Live 2016, 48. Edmond, Oklahoma.)

No mention of the organization behind HWA College. No mention of the problems surrounding PCG. No mention that PCG's college is unaccredited.

Time magazine is overlooking a great story. A magnificent and wonderful story awaits any journalist willing to look just a little closer at the organization sponsoring the unaccredited Herbert W' Armstrong College, namely the organization that is named the Philadelphia Church of God which is led by one Gerald Flurry.  

PCG Insists HWAC's Lack of Accreditation Not Important

PCG's Herbert W. Armstrong College is unaccredited. Some within PCG realize that it would be better to seek a degree that is actually accredited.

PCG's 1% are not pleased at this perfectly reasonable response to PCG's neglect in gaining accreditation after all this time.

Another excuse young people use in not applying to AC is that it is unaccredited. While true, in the grand scheme of things this fact means very little. Armstrong College students are able to put their practical job training to use in the real world immediately after graduation. Don’t let the accreditation factor keep you from applying to AC. (Michael Cocomise, Why Attend Armstrong College?, January 21, 2015.)

That is not an "excuse". Those who want to study at College deserve to work for a degree that will actually be recognized by potential employers rather than risking it all for a degree no one recognizes except PCG.

Reading PCG's Booklet, The Last Hour (Part 3)

Let us now read Gerald Flurry's booklet, The Last Hour. This booklet was first published in 2004. It was later revised in 2007. Here Flurry promotes HWA's anti-medicine superstition despite the terrible harm and even deaths this doctrine of death have inflicted upon those who follow HWA. He also boasts of starting up Imperial College and of acquiring new property to build PCG's headquarters. Flurry also claims his God is very merciful but only if one obeys "the law", meaning to obey what PCG's leaders say. You can read the current 2007 version of this booklet on their website.

This is a continuation from Part 1 and Part 2. 

Let us see what he has to say.

Chapter 5

Here Flurry points out that the word used in the original Greek for witness is the same word from which is derived the word martyr.

The word testimony is translated from the Greek marturia, which comes from martus, meaning martyr. Some times the Christian life really is about dying for a cause. It is always about giving your life—about being a living sacrifice—for this cause. But being martyred is merely the end of a physical life. What follows is eternal life. (p. 47.)

Flurry then uses this meaning to insist upon fervent loyalty towards his PCG.

In other words, martus means to bear witness of, or manifest, Christ— whether you’re living or dying! This word witness gives us a deep insight into what it means to love God. (p. 49.)

Where is he going with this? Here comes the nasty punch line.

If you are not growing in this love, you are dying!

Most of God’s people today are dying spiritually. You can’t smell the stench of people dying this way, but God can see it vividly! For a Father, watching His sons die because they don’t love Him is the most terrible thing He could possibly see. That’s the worst stench of all to our Father! (p. 49.)

The effect of these words is to make the reader fearful that he or she is somehow failing to live up to his or her responsibilities towards God (which in PCG dogma effectively means the leadership of PCG since they assert only PCG represents God today.) Such a reader will become fearful and troubled and determined to be even more determined to live up to the demands and dogmas of PCG.

We must be a doer of what we have learned—give proof and evidence to support what we say. Our deeds must match our words. When the burden is heavy, we continue to bear it. It is our duty to give a good, honorable witness of the light. (p. 50.)

In other words no matter what objections may be raised about anything PCG's leaders should happen to say must be ignored.

We are honorable witnesses when we love others as Christ loved us! God is love, and we must express God’s love as a way of life.Our witness of love—giving and sacrificing for God’s work—is how we come out of this world. This is a witness you see only in God’s very elect. (p. 51.)

"God's very elect" is a loaded term meaning PCG members.

This "witness" is being a member of PCG because of believing what PCG teaches, including its claim to be the one true church. That is why this witness is only seen among PCG members. Flurry has redefined being "a Christian" to be being "a PCG member". 

Flurry then boasts that PCG will get its message out to all the world.

We have been called to make God’s message known to mankind through our examples and God’s work—“that all men through him might believe.” God’s work could not be done without people who set such examples. The only way men can believe is through this message, and we teach most of all by our example. Ultimately, we shall reach all humanity. What a noble and monumental cause! (p. 51.)

Ten years later we are still waiting for this development.

Even in this world, you sometimes see a child dying of cancer or something similar, and a parent so full of love they would do anything to be able to die in place of that child.

That is merely phileo, or brotherly, love! Yet it is certainly in the direction of the kind of love God is talking about— where you love God so much YOU WOULD RATHER DIE THAN DISAPPOINT YOUR FATHER! This is my Father and my Husband, you might think. They’ve given their lives for me, and I want to be as they are! I want to act like I belong to their Family! And so, you are very willing to die. That is the love of God. We must love our majestic Father and Jesus Christ. (p. 51.)

In other words believing in and performing what is commanded by PCG's leaders is better and superior even than the love of a parent for his or her child. The reader is being trained to believe that doing PCG's will is even better and more noble than such natural affections and feelings.

Flurry is belittling family ties so that PCG's leadership can more effectively control PCG members. This is done to make it possible for PCG members to disregard their ties to their own family in favor of what PCG's leaders tell them to do.

The potential for abuse with this type of thinking is very real and all too many people have endured and been forced to struggle against the problems this sort of thinking causes.

Flurry then talks about how Christ was scourged and describes this as Christ witnessing for God the Father.

As 1 John 1:2 says, Christ’s eternal life was manifested as a human being. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF IN THAT WAY AND ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE BEATEN TO THE POINT THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE A MAN (Isaiah 52 and 53). That is how He witnessed for God! ... GOD WANTS US TO THINK AS HE THINKS! That is what conversion is all about. We need to understand the extent of that sacrifice by the Father and Son, and get our minds off ourselves. We are all far too steeped in selfishness. This is a SACRIFICING love.

Christ said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). This is not letter-of-the-law obedience. CAN YOU COMPREHEND THAT INCREDIBLE DEPTH—LOVING OTHERS AS CHRIST HAS LOVED YOU? And He wants us to love God the way HE loved God. He called this a “new commandment” because it is only possible to obey it with the Holy Spirit—it is taking the Holy Spirit into ourselves and then EXPRESSING THE VERY LOVE OF GOD! This is giving and sacrificing for God and for each other as Christ did. (pp. 52-53.)

So it would seem that Flurry wants his readers to be as devoted to PCG that they would be willing to die for it. It is talk like this that produces fanatics.

And how precisely do PCG members die to, supposedly, prove how devoted they are to (PCG's) God? There are no Roman Emperors seeking to suppress the Christians. Armstrongism has never had to endure martyrdom by some governmental authority. How do PCG members die? Flurry reveals how, namely faith healing.

This is REAL, ABUNDANT LIVING—EVEN IF WE ARE DYING PHYSICALLY! Over the years in my ministry, I have seen a few people physically rot right before my eyes and yet remain loyal to God every step of the way to the end! Though it must be one of the most grotesque sights to see, at the same time it is one of the MOST MAJESTICALLY NOBLE examples ever on Earth, from God’s point of view! If someone is being loyal in circumstances like that, he or she is BEARING WITNESS OF THE FATHER! What a precious, extraordinary beauty that is! I know I will see those people again, and they will live FOREVER AND EVER! When resurrected, they won’t remember that trial for very long. They will have ETERNAL LIFE!
 
Are you prepared to trust God to heal you, now or in the resurrection? Well done, good and faithful servant, He will say if we trust Him to the end. (p. 53.)

This refers to HWA's anti-medicine superstition which he plagiarized from the Jehovah's Witnesses. That organization condemned vaccines and going to doctors as sinful from around 1921 till 1952.

What horrors this is! To tell people not to see doctors or take medicines. And clearly Flurry knows this behavior causes people to die. But he seems to view these terrible deaths as a "MOST MAJESTICALLY NOBLE" example of being faithful to PCG's God. What an abomination this teaching is. Many people have died and more people will die because of this doctrine of death.

After that Flurry then accuses those WCG members who do did not join PCG of dishonoring their father (HWA) by not joining PCG.

There are many evil influences in this world that destroy our physical families. Satan knows he can destroy nations by destroying families.

The physical family is only a type of God’s Family of love. Satan knows he can destroy spiritual Israel (God’s Church) by destroying God’s Family vision!

Satan destroyed God’s work through the Laodiceans by getting them to dishonor their Father (Malachi 1:6). They no longer fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ. (p. 54.)

This is just loaded language designed to convince WCG members and ex-WCG members who still believe many of HWA's teachings into thinking they must join PCG to receive God's favor.

After that Flurry asserts that out of all the religions of the world only his own PCG has any connection to God.

Most people crave sunshine and light. We must learn to crave spiritual light. With the light, we see how to solve all our problems. God’s light must change our evil human nature. With Christ in us, we are the light in this dark and evil world. Soon we will help Christ fill this world with light.

The Laodiceans are blind because they are not in God’s light. They receive no new revelation from God to give them direction. Their work is only a small human endeavor. (p. 57.)

One of Flurry's claims to legitimacy is to assert that he is able to receive and proclaim "new revelation". Usually these "new revelations" is simply an assertion that it has been revealed to him that another book of the Bible is actually a denunciation of the Tkach changes and predicts the rise of PCG in opposition to them.

Verse 5 tells us that we must declare this vision. This is the message of the Word, and it must be DECLARED so people can fellowship with the Father and His Son! Our greatest passion must be to declare this God Family message. Does this describe you and me? (p. 58.)

By insisting that declaring this God Family message is more important than anything else in the world Flurry is devaluing everything else in a person's life. This is one reason why so many stay in PCG despite all the problems in it. They think their standing within PCG and their help for PCG is more important than anything else in their lives, even their relations with their own family members.

Our Husband is the Word—the Spokesman. We are His bride and must help Him deliver His mind-boggling, awe-inspiring vision. This is the ONLY way Christ declares His message today—through His bride! We show love for our Husband when we declare His message. This is how Christ’s wife has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7). (pp. 58-59.)

Here "Christ's bride" is a loaded term referring to PCG members. It is taught that PCG members will be not just divine God beings as fully God as God is God but that they will be an elite that will forever outrank all God beings that should become into being after Christ's return. PCG members are taught that not only will they become God beings but shall be greater than most other God beings who are to be "born" after Christ's return.

Never again for all eternity will any saints have a greater opportunity for glory! Whatever God reveals, we either declare that revelation or become guilty of the world’s blood. Tragically, John was not getting nearly enough help from God’s people, as we are not today. But still the message is proclaimed. (p. 59.)

What extravagant rewards PCG members are told awaits them. The idea that church members will become not just God beings as fully God as God is God but even outrank all such persons that should come after Christ's return for all eternity. This pompous idea belittling all of humanity outside of the COG has been taught as early as the 1950s.

After this Flurry then nostalgically appeals to the memory of old WCG and boast of Franz Josef Strauss' praise for Ambassador College.

We must be qualified for this most exalted calling God will ever give anyone. We are God’s Family—destined to be universe builders! The German politician, Franz Joseph Strauss said of beautiful Ambassador College under Mr. Armstrong, “You see what you can do for the world when you see Ambassador College.” Today we have Imperial College, patterned after Ambassador College. When you have seen the beauty of both campuses, you see what we can do for the world and the universe! Mr. Strauss said of his full-day visit to Ambassador College, “It was the greatest spiritual lift I ever had.” Just a taste of God’s master plan lifts our spirits. Understanding God’s Family will always lift our spirits! We begin to see far—far—far into a future filled with incredible potential and full joy! We see this evil, hopeless world coming to an abrupt and catastrophic end very soon. (pp. 59-60.)

What is not mentioned here is how HWA's WCG often insinuated that Franz Josef Strauss would be the German strong man fated to conquer America.

A God from the northern heavens came to Earth and became flesh and blood, risking the loss of eternal life. Failure would have left the Father as the only remaining God forever. Spend more time and ponder what failure would have meant to our Father—the rest of eternity spent as the only God in the universe! Then you can better comprehend the kind of love He has for His creation. (p. 60.)

It has long been Armstrongite dogma that Heaven, the location of God's abode before Christ's return, is located somewhere to the north of Earth.

Fellowshiping with the Father and Son never leaves you discouraged or negative! Just the opposite. It brings you alive as never before. Is God discouraged? Joyless? Negative? Never! We must receive and develop the God Family Spirit ! This fellowship has worked for all eternity. So we know it will work now—or anytime. Having this vision is how we rejoice in fiery trials. We know that our resurrection to eternal glory is extremely close. It’s so real that we can rejoice in our worst trials. This is how we have full joy. (p. 61.) 

Ten years later we are still waiting for PCG's Christ to return.

Flurry then asserts that Tkach Sr. had told him that he had shifted focus from spread WCG's teachings to maintaining Ambassador College.

I visited with Joe Tkach Sr. in 1988. He told me then that the WCG had changed its focus to be on Ambassador College. He no longer desired to spread the message Mr. Armstrong taught to the world. The new Church leadership no longer focused on God’s commission and work. The college became an end rather than a means to an end. Now Ambassador College is dead. And the Worldwide Church of God no longer proclaims an important message to the world, as Mr. Armstrong did for over 30 years. By comparison, it virtually has no work at all! And even that is only a polluted residue of God’s work through Mr. Armstrong! (p. 62.)

It is true that WCG as an institution has renounced Armstrongism and for the most part teaches mainstream Christianity it should be mentioned that WCG still has far more members than PCG does.

When we were first called, most of us were so excited and joyful about God’s message that we talked about it to anyone who would listen. Soon we discovered that God was not calling those people yet. Sometimes we brought persecution on ourselves. (p. 62.)

It is taught within Armstrongism that when one begins to believe the teachings of Armstrongism it not because he is intrigued but rather (Armstrongism's) God is calling such a person to believe these things now. When such a person begins relating these things to others and such persons do not believe Armstrongism teaches that the only reason those people were not persuaded to believe in Armstrongism is because (Armstrongism's) God has not called them yet but will do so after Christ's return or during the Great White Throne Judgment after the Millennium. This teaching destroys the potential recruit's ability to note information contrary to what is taught by Armstrongism.

After this Flurry then denounces American society as vile and filthy. This is designed to make it seem necessary to join and stay in PCG despite the many problems within it by presenting the entire world outside of PCG as unutterably vile and foul.

Today, the media revolves around sports and entertainment—including vile music and pornography. It’s all about making money, regardless of any damage to our people. And it is inspired by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Humanity is receiving the wrong message today. The United States spreads its pornographic movies and obscene music around the Earth through the Internet. ... God will stop this global filth very soon. America and Britain have the best technology in the world. We are better equipped than any nation has ever been to deliver a message. But our message to the world is dominated by the worst pornographic filth humanity has ever seen! It is America’s number-one worldwide business! Depraved music is our number-two export! The world is full of violence and ready to explode into nuclear warfare. And America’s strongest messages to the world is the filthiest, Satan-inspired trash ever seen and heard! (pp. 63-64.)

Flurry this recites an anecdote about Japan to insinuate that American culture is more destructive than the Soviet Union's power. (Incidentally it should be noted that PCG has a long history of demonizing Japan. They do so to this day.)

Years ago, when the Soviet Union was strong, the Japanese were asked who they feared most. They answered that they feared Russia most militarily, but they feared America most culturally. (If only we could see ourselves as others see us.) And they had good cause for that fear. Today the Japanese are saturated with America’s vile culture. Our culture is destroying us and other nations morally and spiritually. We prate about how good we are and sing “ God Bless America” — but God is cursing America, Britain and the Jews in the Middle East. He will continue to do so until we see our black sins and repent. (pp. 64-65.)

Flurry then says that America's "sick culture" is what motivated Osama bin Laden and his cronies in Al Qaeda to launch 9/11.

One of the main motivations for terrorists attacking the U.S. on September 11 was the impact of our sick culture on the Arab world. (p. 65.)

Is Flurry blaming America for the mass murder of innocent people that the wicked Al Qaeda committed on 9/11? For more information on the disturbing tendency among PCG's leaders to agree with Osama bin Laden in saying America is sinful see PCG Says Osama bin Laden was Right to Condemn America's Sins.

Flurry boasts of purchasing the property for their current Headquarters.

The PCG has bought and paid for 170 acres and all of our buildings. What is it all for? We are getting ready to help Christ rule this world and the universe! God has blessed us mightily. Now He wants to fire our imaginations to see what a marvelous, mind-staggering future this world has. We have the greatest, most complete message God has ever given to declare! (p. 65.)

Chapter 6

Here Flurry says that (PCG's) Christ is our advocate to God the Father when we sin. How is this any different from what pretty much all of Christianity teaches?

Christ is our Advocate, NOT when we are righteous, but when we sin. If we sin, we have an Advocate, or one who pleads another’s case before a judge—God the Father, in this case. ... The fact that we have an Advocate shows God’s great love and passion for justice. What a wonderful Father we have, who will sit down and talk with our Husband about how to remove our sins. This gives us a deep insight into the character of the Father and the Son. They have gone to extreme lengths to see that we receive justice. (pp. 66-67.)

This is very similar to what practically all of Christianity teaches.

God is unlike anything we see on Earth, except in the very elect. And we are far from perfect. (p. 67.)

When Flurry talks of "the very elect" he means PCG members. It is taught by PCG that God can only be found within PCG.

In this chapter Flurry talks of God as being forgiving and merciful.

Because of His love for His wife, Christ intercedes between us and the Father. ... He died for us, but now He LIVES as our High Priest to intercede for us in any way possible. ... This is the opposite of how many people view God. To many He is a harsh taskmaster, ready to destroy us if we weaken. Actually, He is just the opposite. (p. 68.)

“We HAVE an advocate,” John wrote— not did HAVE . Our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is ALIVE and working as our Advocate—now! That one word is a vision of breath - taking splendor. We don’t understand what Christ is doing today if we fail to grasp this. He is always very active on our behalf—on your behalf. (p. 69.)

But the only way to get this forgiveness and mercy is to join PCG and obey the many rules and regulations PCG's leaders impose on their followers.

John was making the law real to a Church in grave danger. Like the Laodiceans and religious people today, they were spiritualizing away God’s Ten Commandments. This is why they were falling away from the truth. They were rejecting God’s leader at that time, the Apostle John. He alone taught God’s law. He was the physical head of God’s government at that time.

Today, 95 percent of God’s people reject the only physical leader who implements God’s law. This is a terrifying tragedy. That means they have rejected their Advocate, Christ, the Leader of God’s very elect. They have lost contact with their Father. They do not keep His Commandments. (p. 72.)

Flurry then says that because Tkach's WCG no longer believes the teachings of HWA they are fated to be cast into the Great Tribulation with half of them (and those in the other COG groups) fated to be cast into the Lake of Fire to be annihilated forever.

John first discusses our Advocate, then our propitiation, and then he hammers the law doctrine (which includes the government that proclaims that law). Why? Because this is how God’s people were falling away then, and how they are falling away now. If we don’t keep the law, our religion is vain. Today, all of God’s own Laodicean people will go into the great nuclear Tribulation, which will bring 50 percent of them back to God—the other 50 percent will lose their eternal salvation because of their unrepentant rebellion against God’s Ten Commandments. It’s all about rebelling against God’s law. (p. 73.)

Flurry then brings up Tkach Sr.

Joseph Tkach Sr., the former leader of the WCG, said, “The Ten Commandments do not require kindness, mercy, compassion ... or love.” That is a diabolical statement .... We have to tell such people that they don’t know God— if they say they do, they are liars! (p. 73.)

Flurry has often brought this point up. Flurry seems to have redefined "love" as obeying PCG's leaders. So even when PCG's leaders order their followers to have no contact with relatives and friends not in PCG this obedience to such oppressive dictates is redefined as "love" because it is in conformity with obeying PCG's leaders.   

Flurry insists that doing things contrary to PCG's dogmas is terrible and will cause no end of trouble. Such talk is designed to compel the reader to obey PCG's leadership and to do so with joy, thinking they are fulfilling their natural and religious duties to (PCG's) God and all humanity by obeying PCG's leaders.

Lawbreaking brings us to ruin! It will destroy an individual or a church. How confused God’s Church has become because of lawbreaking. When John saw people falling away, he didn’t try to gloss over the problem by talking about God’s Church having “different branches” or any such thing. He said, “You are liars!” They broke God’s law, and lying became their way of life. Could John get any stronger than that? (pp. 73-74.)

Flurry is taking John's words out of context. Rather Flurry is injecting his own meanings and interpretations into John's writings and using the prestige and respect Christians all over the world have for those writings to claim that authority for himself. He wants people to join his PCG so he denigrates every other church and religion in the world in an attempt to get more people to join his PCG. And once people join PCG they are taught to pay three tithes and extra offerings to PCG for the rest of their lives. This is how PCG got $19.5 million in 2012. No wonder Flurry wants more tithes payers funding his PCG.

And while Flurry denounces those who implemented the Tkach changes as liars and lawbreakers Flurry steals the Jews' cultural identity by teaching the false dogma of British Israelism. He incorrectly teaches that the British and Americans are descended from the Biblical Israelites. This is nonsense. Silenced.co has shown how British Israelism is built on a foundation of sand. In fact DNA evidence refutes British Israelism.

Also it is widely known that many of the ideas within his booklet Malachi's Message, which is so often cited by PCG to justify following Gerald Flurry instead of the many other COG splinter groups, 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. On September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes even sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.  

To be continued...

Reading PCG's Booklet, Education With Vision

Let us now read Stephen Flurry's booklet, Education With Vision. This booklet was first printed in 2003. It has since been republished in 2007 and 2009. In this booklet Stephen Flurry says you need "spiritual knowledge", which is an attempt to get readers interested in and eventually convinced that PCG is the one true church and must be supported by giving PCG money. Here I am reading the original 2003 version of this booklet. You can read the current 2009 version of this booklet on their website.

Parts of this booklet are from a February 2001 article by Stephen Flurry which was entitled 'Education With Vision' which was published to celebrate and advertize the opening of PCG's Imperial College. (Now renamed Herbert W. Armstrong College.)

Loaded Language

One of the ways authoritarian groups are able to gain recruits is to "load the language". They use familiar words but then use it in a specific way that only follow members understand. There is an added meaning to the word or phrase not immediately apparent to outsiders. This loaded language is designed to shut down critical thinking and force the reader to view things in a very specific and narrow manner.

This booklet is filled with loaded language:

"Spiritual knowledge". In the booklet described as something vitally necessary but lacking outside of PCG. Actually refers to PCG dogmas and the conviction that PCG is the one true church.

"Material knowledge" In the booklet described as everything else aside from "spiritual knowledge". Not defined as bad in itself. But it is vehemently insisted that one unaware of PCG's teachings ("spiritual knowledge") is severely lacking in understanding the world they way it should be, meaning from the viewpoint of PCG's 1%.

"Physical knowledge". Same as "material knowledge"

"True education". That is to be taught PCG's dogmas by PCG.

"Foundation". This is loaded with the strong connotation that one is unable to view things as they truly are unless he or she is well versed in "spiritual knowledge", namely PCG dogma.

"God's vision". In this booklet it is a euphemism for PCG dogma.

"Rationalism". Here this word is redefined to mean rebellion against PCG's God. It is insinuated that failure to have "spiritual knowledge", namely by not conforming to the many rules and dictates of PCG's leaders, is a major cause for the many problems facing the world today.

This booklet is filled with loaded language designed to make the reader convinced that he or she needs to learn what PCG teaches. Essentially this booklet exploits the widespread desire to better oneself by gaining a College degree to try to gain more converts for PCG.

Chapter 1

Stephen Flurry recites the Tower of Babel. He cites The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary but really he should have cited The Two Babylons by Alexander Hyslop. Armstrongism has long been fixated on the Tower of Babel, partly due to the influence of Hyslop's 1850s anti-Catholic screed.

Stephen Flurry insinuates that all knowledge outside of PCG is tainted. This is done to make it seem absolutely necessary to join PCG.

Rationalism, nihilism, value relativism and academic freedom are all terms that essentially mean no boundaries! And the first students to pursue this type of education were Adam and Eve. For 6,000 years now, the rest of mankind has followed suit. (p. 13.)

Again Stephen Flurry is redefining those terms in a narrow sense in order to prop up his contention that only PCG has "true education" and therefore must be joined.

Anciently, the great scholars in Greece and Rome placed great impetus on constantly gaining new knowledge—some new thing. Both of those empires eventually crumbled. In the United States today, many of the most prestigious schools are located in an environment of moral and social decay. And like those great empires before us, we will also eventually topple as a society, unless we come to realize that education is not something you go out and get! It’s a way of life. But the “great” educators of this society are ignorant of this fact. And their masses of pupils never stop to question their educational methods. (p. 14.)

Infamously HWA's Ambassador College was not accredited. So its degrees were not recognized outside of WCG. Contrary to HWA's many claims to the contrary the purpose of Ambassador College was to build up a hierarchy of like minded individuals who would devotedly work for HWA.

Also PCG's own college is not accredited as well. This was recently confirmed by The Journal.

Could this be why Stephen Flurry here redefines education as "a way of life"? His college cannot give accredited degrees. But this fact is never mentioned in this booklet. 

Chapter 2

Note the loaded language which is highlighted below. This booklet is filled with such terminology.

So we see from the earliest point in man’s history that he had to know how to deal with things (physical knowledge), and how to get along with God and other people (spiritual knowledge). Acquiring the physical knowledge is possible because of the human spirit created in man. The spiritual knowledge, however, comes only through help from a spiritual being—that is, revelation from God. To become truly educated, man needs both kinds of knowledge! (p. 21.)

In plain language the author of this booklet is trying to make the reader feel inadequate and think that he or she desperately needs this "spiritual knowledge" the booklet promises to provide. All this jargon filled talk is designed to get more people to join PCG and gain more tithes paying members.

On page 22 is a one page insert. In it is the following paragraph.

Do you know one of the biggest mistakes people of religion make? They assume the Bible was written merely to inform the mind when in fact God wrote it to change your mind! Only a fraction of mankind even bothers to read the Bible, let alone apply the words of the world’s best seller. True education is nothing if not the persistent and determined training of the mind to think, act and reason like the mind of God. (p. 22.)

In plain words "true education" is loaded with the added meaning of learning about and then submitting to PCG's teachings and joining it. That is what the "true education" this booklet advertizes actually is, an attempt to get more converts for PCG.

God’s revelation [Here this is a loaded term referring to PCG's dogmas - Redfox712.] is the foundation of all knowledge. It’s not all knowledge—just what’s most important. The Bible is like a magnificent summary of the way our Creator thinks. Yet very few people—even those who consider themselves religious—actually study it. (p. 24.) 

And so we see how this booklet redefines PCG's dogmas as "the foundation of all knowledge" and "just what's most important." In other words this booklet is trying to get the reader to join PCG.

Those who ignore this magnificent summary, however, miss out on the most important element of their education. They fail to grasp the basic premise of Scripture—that from cover to cover, it is a book about law. It is the Instruction Manual God sent along with His handiwork—human beings. Its instruction tells us how to live.

Though men have tried and tried to produce their own instruction manuals, nothing even remotely compares to or supersedes God’s inspired Word. The Holy Bible is the indispensable building block of any true and right education. (p. 24.) 

Unlike most Christian churches PCG (along with the other COG groups descended from HWA) insists that the Old Testament laws are still in force for Christians (PCG members). They worship on the Sabbath (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) and observe the festivals described in Leviticus 23. These practices are not mentioned by Stephen Flurry in this booklet.   

This is the well-balanced education Mr. Armstrong later established at Ambassador College. Early in his life, Mr. Armstrong learned that education is not something you go out and get. It’s a way of life! Education is rightly developed character. This is not to say that all college courses are wrong. But a college degree does not make you educated. (p. 31.)

Note how Stephen Flurry subtly denigrates getting a college degree. Is this an oblique reference to the fact that PCG's own College is unaccredited?

What is not mentioned here is that later on HWA was given honorary degrees. If having a degree is so meaningless then why did HWA himself get an honorary degree?  

As an indication of where we have arrived as an “educated” society, one only needs to compare the role models and wise counselors children looked up to years ago, with those they look up to now. Yesterday’s role models, like Jesus Christ, Abraham, David, Paul, Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Herbert Armstrong, could hardly be compared with the athletes and rock stars most teens worship today. Neither can the wisdom and counsel of parents, relatives or the elderly, be compared with the instruction most young people now seek from their peers.

Living in an immoral society where the family is disintegrating makes the acquisition of a proper education difficult. It can be done. But if you are to be educated, you are going to have to seek after that spark of ambition and then drive yourself with all the will and determination of a great warrior. (pp. 32-33.)

More condemnation of mainstream society. Mainstream society is denigrated in order to make PCG look more attractive.

We now continue. Note the loaded language highlighted in the next quote.

1) Build a solid spiritual foundation. We were put on Earth to become educated in spiritual and material knowledge. Unless proper spiritual knowledge is our foundation in life, everything will be established on the wrong premise. (p. 33.)

In other words Stephen Flurry is insinuating that it is necessary for one to have "spiritual knowledge" which, in this booklet, is a loaded term for believing that only PCG is the one true church and that one must join it and pay the three tithes that Stephen Flurry lives on.

It does require much sacrifice to follow God. But notice what Christ promises to those who do .... We’ll receive much more even now! Seek first the Kingdom, and “all these things” will be added (Matthew 6:33). This is a promise. There is a definite correlation between physical and spiritual prosperity. (p. 37.)

And so we see Stephen Flurry insinuating that having "spiritual knowledge" (that is, becoming convinced that PCG is right and acting accordingly by joining them) will grant physical blessings as well. For many people struggling to make a living this promise of physical blessings upon gaining "spiritual knowledge" from PCG will make joining PCG seem an attractive option.

Some wonder why so many stay in PCG despite the many problems there. Partly it is because they are told by their leaders that some kind of blessing will be theirs for the taking if only they stay within PCG.

Chapter 3

But if the educational institutions outside of PCG are so terrible then Stephen Flurry must think there is a positive educational institution he wishes to promote. And indeed there is. Namely PCG's Imperial College, which was later renamed Herbert W. Armstrong College. And Stephen Flurry uses this chapter to promote it.

True education is a life-long process. It’s about realizing your incredible human potential. That cannot be accomplished in school or in college alone. But with God’s vision as a foundation, those few years of college can certainly serve as a springboard for greater success and happiness in life. (p. 44.)

Infamously Ambassador College was not accredited during HWA's time. And PCG's Herbert W. Armstrong College is unaccredited as well.

Stephen Flurry ends his booklet with the following words.

Imperial College of Edmond is but a small foretaste of what colleges will be like in the World Tomorrow. It’s not like other colleges and universities today—those institutions suffocating under the increasing pressure of gross materialism, godless science and politically correct nonsense. Imperial College’s uniqueness is best summed up by the school motto: “Education with vision.” (p. 44.)

In other words Stephen Flurry is advertizing for his college. It's advertizing. Education outside of PCG's control is denigrated to get people to join PCG or even go to their (unaccredited) College.

February 2001 issue.

And so this loaded jargon filled, advertizing booklet comes to an end.

PCG's Brad MacDonald's New Tithe Funded Home

The Journal's article by Edward Malone discussing PCG's recent property acquisition in Britain also mentions that PCG's Brad MacDonald will be living within the mansion that PCG has recently acquired.

Mr. Macdonald and his family will live in the Edstone mansion. (p. 23.)

So now we see where some of PCG's tithe money is going, namely providing Brad MacDonald to live within a large mansion PCG has acquired.

(Hat tip for The Journal issue: Otagosh.)

Unaccredited: PCG's Herbert W. Armstrong College

The latest issue of The Journal is now out. (Hat tip: Otagosh.)

Among other things it contains a fascinating article by Edward Malone discussing PCG's purchase of a property to become a future collage campus. It happens to mention that PCG's Herbert W. Armstrong College is unaccredited.

The PCG operates a small liberal-arts and theology college, Herbert W. Armstrong College, also known as AC, in Edmond, Okla. Established in 2001, AC offers two-year and four-year unaccredited degrees.  

It graduated its first class in 2006, having obtained federal-government permission to accept international students in 2003. (p. 23.)

And so it can now be more firmly established that PCG's Herbert W. Armstrong College is in fact unaccredited.

Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web Now Available Online

David Robinson's famous book, Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web, is now available to be read online for the first time in flip book format, thanks to AmbassadorReports.com. (Hat tip: Banned by HWA.)

Although for a few years now it could be read upon request from Exit and Support Network (that's how I got to read it) this is the first time the entire book is now made available to be read online.

It is a most stunning book. If you believe HWA was a man sent by God, even if you had moved on from Armstrongism years ago already, you need to read this book.

I have already made a few posts regarding David Robinson and his book Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web.

It, among many other things, reveals the remarkable hold over HWA that Rader had at this time. Somehow that later came to an end in 1981 after this book's publication. As far as I know only the Ambassador Report provides any details regarding the fall of Rader. If they is any other source I am at present unaware of them.

One thing I remember about it that I had not posted already is how it detailed that some construction workers were laid off once they had finished constructing a Feast of Tabernacles site.

Also the conversation between David Robinson and HWA in the second to last chapter is absolutely astounding and breath taking. HWA was living in a bizarre fantasy world after having been sheltered in a cocoon of wealth and privileged for many years. A quick summary simply fails to do justice to that remarkable encounter. You just need to read it. Those who read will see just how absurd it is to rely on this extremely privileged and rich man to make your life better.

No doubt many of the movers and shakers within WCG made sure to read this book, if only to make sure they got a better idea of what was really going on. Why not join their privileged in this one matter of reading this book? 

Overview of the August 2014 Philadelphia Trumpet

The August 2014 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet is out now. Let us see what PCG's leaders have to say.

Gerald Flurry has an article that fear mongers about Pope Francis' visit to the Middle East. He teaches HWA's false prophesy that the final Pope will lead a future European Beast Power into launching World War III and destroying America and Britain.

Richard Palmer (he who belittled the Srebrenica massacre as just "a crime of passion") has an article claiming that anti-Semitism is rampant in Europe and is beginning to affect European politics. He says this is a prelude to Europe transforming into a Beast Power that will destroy America and Britain.

Dennis Leap has an article about how to raise up teenagers.

Richard Palmer (he who says farmers should leave the fields fallow every seven years) fear mongers that Germans are starting to believe that Germany did not cause World War I, that it was just a big accident that European leaders sleepwalked into. Therefore we should be really scared about this.

I wish to say that from the beginning there have always been historians who have argued that one side started World War I and some other historians have always argued that European leaders sleepwalked into the war. (Even wartime British Prime Minister David Lloyd George espoused this sleep walking theory. PCG's Richard Palmer does not castigate him.)

Personally I am inclined to not accept the sleep walking theory and say, if anyone deserves blame for starting World War I it should go first of all to the government (not the people) of Austro-Hungary for deciding to use Archduke Ferdinand's assassination as a pretext to wage war on Serbia. There had been assassinations before and after in Europe but they were generally not used as a pretext to wage war. There would have been no war had Austria-Hungary chose not to exploit this assassination to cripple Serbia.

PCG members may be surprised to learn that I actually came to this conclusion after reading a history book written by German academics. Unlike cult leaders I am not saying I know all and see all, rather people need to reach conclusions about this and other issues for themselves.

Richard Palmer also has a side article telling of various right wing militias operating in Germany in the 1950s and nonsensically claiming that this proves that HWA was a Prophet and that HWA was right. There is no mention that from 1953 onwards HWA said that Christ would return in 1975 or that he had previously claimed that Christ would return at the end of World War II, or that even before that HWA said Christ would return in 1936.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article about Russia, China and India saying they are getting more powerful and we should be scared of this.

Jeremiah Jacques also has a side article fear mongering that Russia and China are conspiring to displace the US dollar as the world's reserve currency and we should be scared of this.

There is a "Bible Study" telling people how they should pray.

Stephen Flurry has a little article about the importance of education.

Joel Hilliker has a little article encouraging people to be physically active and exercise.

And there are other little articles but nothing I feel merits mention here.

Circulation for this issue is 319,798, slightly lower then last issue's circulation of 322,017. November 2003's issue had a circulation of 313,400. Ten years ago the circulation for the August 2004 issue was 338,665. So after ten years of pouring in millions of dollars into PCG, its magazine's circulation has remained virtually the same amount as ten years ago.

And so there we have it.

Why does Joe Hilliker only get a small article this issue?

Also what has happened to Brad MacDonald?

Does PCG's No Contact Policy Apply to Stephen Flurry?

Way back in 2009 I read Stephen Flurry's book, Raising the Ruins, and extensively documented what I read in that book.

While reading that book I noted that Stephen Flurry stated that he had a "telephone interview" with Aaron Dean as may be seen in this previous post. 

1986: HWA rejects Meredith and chooses Joseph W. Tkach as successor. 'Privately, [HWA] also told several leaders that Rod Meredith should never be in that position [leadership]. (Tkach. Jr., Tansformed by Truth, Chapter 6)'
This assertion is also supported by Aaron Dean (UCG), a close aid to HWA at the time, as recorded by Stephen Flurry (PCG). He states that HWA said to him that Meredith must never become leader of the church, and he also says this is why HWA appointed Tkach lest Meredith should take over (Stephen Flurry, Raising the Ruins, Chapter 3). Some of my thoughts on that book may be seen elsewhere. (By the way, the book says that Dean was saying all this in a 'telephone interview', if I understand correctly. Was this before or after the No Contact rule?) Even if we assume that Tkach, Dean and Flurry are just trying to discredit him, it cannot be denied that HWA did not choose Meredith. AR42 September 1989 also discusses the succession but Mr. Trechak here seems unaware of HWA's fear of Meredith. AR52 June 1993 also states the following: 'In fact, before HWA had even died, Meredith privately made statements to the effect that he, and not Tkach, should be Armstrong's successor.'

In HWA's last days he was greatly helped by Aaron Dean who acted as his secretary. Famously HWA thanked Aaron Dean for assisting him in producing his (very badly mistaken) book, Mystery of the Ages. He is now a UCG minster.

Now it needs to be stated here that PCG members are forbidden to have contact "Laodiceans". PCG Information explains the situation. Because of the severity of the situation I shall quote at length. (Yellow highlighting is mine.)

During the time period from about 1990 through 1993 when the Philadelphia Church of God was growing, contact with Church members outside the PCG was encouraged. From about 1994 to 1997 little was said about contact with non-PCG Church members, but it gradually became generally discouraged. In 1998 Gerald Flurry stated, "You could legitimately say that over 95 percent of God's people today have been disfellowshipped!" (PN [Philadelphia News] May/June 1998 pg. 4 left col. p5)

And then in July of 2000 came a taped sermon, not by Gerald Flurry, but by another headquarters minister obviously at his direction [M. Nash, presumably Mark Nash], which explicitly defined a Laodicean as any current or former WCG member who was not a member of the Philadelphia Church of God. The sermon stated that all such individuals had "disfellowshipped themselves by their own actions," and were to be treated as such -- members who had been disfellowshipped and marked (since this was done publicly). ...

Gerald Flurry's mis-application of the disfellowshipping doctrine was printed in the July/Aug. 2004 Royal Vision, pg. 3, and made even more strict in the PGR 2005-12-10, pg. 1-2 (no doubt due to loss of members through contact with their families).

Gerald Flurry's mass disfellowshipping of the "Gerald-Flurry-defined Laodiceans" is biblically baseless. ...

While it is obvious that many in the WCG have turned away from the doctrines taught by HWA, they were by no means trying to cause division within the PCG.  They were not even in the PCG, and posed no threat whatsoever to PCG members who had already been exposed to, and rejected, their teachings.  

There were also many WCG members who still held to the doctrines taught by HWA, and were not trying to cause division within the PCG.  These certainly did not meet the criteria for being disfellowshipped / marked, as their only "crime" was not following Gerald Flurry—some because they didn't accept his claims, and others because they never heard of him or didn't read his literature.

And then there are the many groups that have left the WCG for the very reason of keeping the biblical doctrines taught by HWA.  How can Gerald Flurry say they are causing division contrary to the doctrines we have learned?  He says it is because they have rejected the government of God, but in fact what they have rejected is nothing more than Gerald Flurry's attempt to establish his own government.

There is clearly one reason and one reason only for Gerald Flurry's mass disfellowshipping – he fears exposure, the very type of exposure you are reading now in this document.  Gerald Flurry wishes to keep his followers isolated and under his control (please read the section on Mind Control).

This astoundingly draconian policy has been enforced, tearing apart numerous families and friends from each other.

Here is one example of Gerald Flurry's no contact policy being enforced, as may be seen in this letter written to Gerald Flurry. This was written in 2006.

My mother [a member of PCG, aged 88] was recently informed that she is not to communicate with either my sister or myself, presumably on the grounds that we are now under the influence of Satan and she is in danger of being influenced to leave your "church" by our persuasion, born of the devil. ... 

Let me here then move on to inform, assure you, or perhaps to attempt to persuade you, that the main purpose of my letter here is to inform you of my love for my mother.

At age 88, in her twilight years, the only concern of her four children is that she lives happily, for whatever time is left for her. She has been so happy in your organization that she has even moved 200 kilometres to be able to attend services and even struggled to the Feast of Tabernacles this year.

I understand that you believe and teach that my leaving the WCG is a result of me "waxing cold," becoming Laodicean, or "lukewarm" and that my actions are an influence of Satan the Devil. There is no doubt in my mind that any influence of Satan, is with this preposterous ruling you are enforcing, to force a very old and faithful lady into her remaining few years, with misery as her comfort instead of her church.

The idea that this may somehow have an influence on me to rejoin you instead of having your lack of Godliness confirm the reasons I left, only indicates your lack of wisdom and your inability to demonstrate discernment, by the Spirit of the Eternal and with the Mind of God.

I realise you believe your group to be the only true church and that you have all knowledge, all truth and know all things. Your big problem is, without the love of God you are a "tinkling cymbal" 1 Cor.13 (In case you've forgotten).

A fear that your members might be influenced by ex members, other churches or contrary writings, surely demonstrates a lack of confidence in the convictions of your members and the strength of your arguments. 

Why not let their belief be tested by fire, fiery debates and their faith--as my mother's has. Are your members so weak and easily influenced? Are your arguments so flawed? ...

Christ asked the disciple to take care of his mother as he was about to be sacrificed. I wonder what he will say to you, attempting to deny me of doing the same for my mother?

This attitude of hatred towards "Laodiceans" may also be seen in this letter to The Journal, written in 2001. 

[A writer in a previous issue] mentioned that the ministers of the PCG made no effort to offer condolences or even contact those in the family who weren't members of the church.

I know why they didn't. The ministers believe they are the only members in the inner court of God's spiritual temple. To them it is practically a sin to do something as simple as offer a condolence to a nonmember, especially if that person is a member of another Church of God. To them such people are nothing but nasty Laodiceans who are to be treated as though they have been marked.

I know this because an Edmond minister said this several years ago in a sermon. He said brethren in any of the other offshoot churches should be regarded as marked and disfellowshipped.

The longer I am out of the PCG, the more I see how hypocritical and arrogant it is, specifically the ministry, which rules by fear and intimidation. Yet most of the lay members are honest, decent and faithful. I hope they wake up in time to see how misled they are.

(This letter was also mentioned in the self ordained false prophet Bob Thiel's article regarding PCG.)

On December 3, 2005, Gerald Flurry made another sermon "clarifying" the no contact policy which was reported in The Journal.

Indeed, Mr. Flurry, along with several other modern-day Church of God leaders, seems to see Laodiceans as worse than abject heathens. PCG members are permitted to have friendly contact with supposed heathens--those who have never been Sabbath-keeping Christians, including members of Sunday-observant churches--but not with their fellow Church of God members whom the PCG judges to be Laodiceans.

"I want to clarify the Philadelphia Church of God's policy on contact with disfellowshipped family members," Mr. Flurry told the brethren in Edmond Dec. 3. "This issue has not been clear among all our ministers and members. We need to become more unified on it."...

"In the past," he [Gerald Flurry] said "some members" have operated under the mistaken notion that "relationships" with family members are permitted "as long as religion is not discussed." But "that is not what God says."

The Bible "makes it clear that there should be a complete cut-off" of contact with any family member, no matter how closely related, with only two exceptions. [Namely non-PCG spouse or unbaptized children. - Redfox.] ...

Although they may associate with their children as long as they were never converted, "if your children have been baptized and left [the PCG], that relationship should be severed. We must obey God's command." [These are Gerald Flurry's words.]

So we see this is a most serious matter.

Does this no contact rule apply to PCG's leaders?

Apparently not to Stephen Flurry.

I have just learned that PCG has released the notes for Stephen Flurry's book, Raising the Ruins, and it notes when Stephen Flurry interviewed Aaron Dean by telephone. Here is the relevant footnote.

Personal interview with Aaron Dean, November 22, 2005. (Footnotes, 5, 7, 14 and 28 for Chapter 3. Footnotes 1 and 23 for Chapter 4. Footnote 1 for Chapter 5.)

Clearly Stephen Flurry had contact with Aaron Dean after the PCG imposed its no contact policy.

This is five years after Nash's sermon declaring all WCG members or ex-WCG members not in PCG ("Laodiceans") are to be regarded as disfellowshipped and marked. PCG members are ordered to have no contact with these persons.

But Stephen Flurry is allowed to talk, presumably at length, with one of these "Laodiceans", Aaron Dean. He seems to have experienced no punishment at all for violating PCG's no contact policy. 

So it seems clear there are is a severe double standard here. PCG lay members are expected to shun family and friends, even their own children if necessary, in order to stay in good standing with PCG. But Stephen Flurry is allowed to have a long telephone interview with a "Laodicean" like Aaron Dean. 

It is clear that the only purpose of the no contact policy is to control PCG members so that they continue paying three tithes and extra offerings to the bank accounts of PCG minsters. The PCG ministers expect PCG lay members to sacrifice all these things but the PCG ministers indulge in contacting "Laodiceans" all they please.

The only purpose of the no contact policy is to control people. There is no good intention behind this on the part of PCG's leaders. The leaders of PCG are just trying to control people. That is the only conclusion I can reach after seeing this conduct from PCG's leaders.

Overview of April 2014 Philadelphia Trumpet

The April 2014 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet is out now. Let us see what they have to say.

Gerald Flurry has a preface saying the Trumpet is somehow different.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that Germany is getting ready to go on the war path. (As the COGs have been saying ceaselessly since 1945. It was supposed to happen in 1972, then by 2005 at the latest.)

Brad MacDonald has a little side article condemning the German President (who is a figure head with no power by the way) for saying German needs to be more assertive in foreign policy.

Richard Palmer has an article accusing President Obama of forgetting World War II and foolishly letting Germany decide things.

Richard Palmer also asserts France has given up somehow and is just waiting to let Germany tell them what to do.

Richard Palmer also talks about agriculture and condemns farmers for not observing the land Sabbath every seven years. That is the cause for agricultural problems Palmer confidently asserts.

Dennis Leap has an article asserting his religion must be true. So no Christmas and no Easter.

Jeremiah Jacques has a full length article condemning the use of drugs and fear mongering about them.

Gerald Flurry speculates on how close the Great Tribulation will occur.

There is a small "bible study" lesson taken from their "correspondence course." This course does not study the Bible but actually indoctrinates people into accepting PCG's highly flawed interpretation of the Bible and to dismiss any other interpretation.

On page 29 they make sure to bemoan Serbia's condition and blame Germany for it in order to fear monger that Germany is just about to destroy America at any moment. The Serbs are only used as a prop to fear monger about Germany. PCG does not give a hoot about Serbia.

Stephen Flurry has a little article insisting that the God Family doctrine is true. Never mind that the Mormons have similar ideas.

Brad MacDonald has a little article calling upon people to find some alone time to think things through.

One would have no idea that PCG requires members to disfellowship (shun) any Laodiceans (ex-members or members of other COGs who did not join PCG), or that Gerald Flurry is hailed as That Prophet, or that PCG teaches that its booklet, Malachi's Message is the Little Book of Revelation 10 and that it was largely influenced by the writings of Jules Dervaes.

So we see an unsuspecting reader would not have a very clear picture about PCG reading this magazine issue.

Unaccredited HWA Collage Graduation; Gerald Flurry Calls Tocqueville's Opinion a 'Prophecy'

Recently Banned by HWA released a post about Gerald Flurry's speech at the graduation of HWA Collage, a collage built on the sweet and tears of thousands of tithe paying PCG members.

The video starts with brief introduction by Stephen Flurry.

Then at 0:24 the student body president, Reniel Padua, speaks of the many things they learned there.

At 2:07 we are shown the choir singing two songs, first 'May the road rise to meet you' by Mark Jenkins and (4:50) 'We are the pillars' by Ryan Malone.

At 8:55 we are introduced to a speech by 'That Prophet,' the cult leader, conceiver of the No Contact policy towards 'Laodiceans' and ex-PCG members, the one who forbids PCG members from getting medical treatment, who forbids women from wearing make up, Gerald Flurry.

Listening to it I was amazed to see that his speech closely echoes what he wrote in his article, The Law of History, in the February 2002 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet. (You need to sign into the website to read the article.) For a brief time I was a subscriber to PCG's recruitment magazine from 2001. That issue was the last one I received. In both that article and his speech he laments how historians tend to portray history as an unfolding process of historical forces, marginalizing the importance of individual great figures in history. It surprises me that he speaks about the very same things even after so many years.

I was also amused how he referred to an opinion of Tocqueville's as a 'prophecy'. He discusses how Tocqueville comments that historians of a democratic, republican society such as the US will be inclined to view history as a process of social movements and shared ideas. This is in contrast to historians of an aristocratic society who would be inclined to describe history as a succession of great individuals, such as aristocrats who pass on their power and wealth from father to son. He called this opinion of Tocqueville's a prophecy. See 9:59 onwards. He says, "And there's just a painfully obvious prophecy that was fulfilled and certainly should alarm us." Surely it must be a slip of the tongue.

After that at 15:11 we are shown the graduating students being handed degrees by Gerald Flurry. It is mentioned that students from the US, Canada, the Philippines and Zimbabwe are among the graduating students.

At 15:55 the video ends and so does this post.