Beautifying Mars as a God Being: Overview of the May-June 2021 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

In late March 2021 the PCG leadership released the May-June 2021 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let's see what the PCG leadership has to say this time.

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

This issue has a circulation of 243,028 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article which mentions the Perseverance probe on Mars in order to promote the Armstrongite dogma of the God Family. It is taught that believers will become God beings as fully God as God is God though of a lesser rank. This is a doctrine that HWA plagiarized from another source. Among ex-COG people it is often believed that he took this idea from Mormonism. I suspect HWA acquired this doctrine from an early teaching of the Watchtower Society.

There is a side article discussing the search for extra-terrestrial life.

Richard Palmer has a side article insisting intelligence alone cannot solve humanity's issues.

Richard Palmer has an article condemning wealthy persons who are here labeled as being in league with the political left.

In this article Palmer promotes the harmful and false stereotype that HIV/AIDS is somehow associated with the LGBT community.

Pharmaceutical giant Gilead sponsors homosexual pride parades--while charging over $2000 a month for an anti-HIV drug. Signaling their support for the LGBT movement is much cheaper than lowering the price of a drug that would predominantly help those in that community. (p. 6.)

In the article Palmer also denounces the LGBT movement.

Mr. Flurry wrote this before the LGBT movement really took off. Now businesses are going along with or supporting a movement that destroys our children's future. It fills them with warped ideas about marriage and family, destroying their potential to have a happy life and making it much harder for them to have a relationship with their heavenly Father. (p. 32.) 

Philip Nice has an article speculating about the nature of society after the establishment of the millennium after Christ's return. He makes all sorts of fantastic predictions such as saying that there will be no interest on loans and no taxes in the Millennium. Instead the government of PCG's interpretation of the Millennium will imitate PCG and rely on tithes and offerings.

Under God's government, the individual would pay no income tax, business tax, sales tax, property tax, health-care tax or death tax. Instead he would pay his first tithe (10 percent of his profits) and offerings of his own determination.... This would produce the spiritual blessing of developing humble, loving, giving character, which would facilitate further blessings by God, the least of which would be financial abundance. (p. 10.)

Armstrongites have been continuously waiting for the future paradise of the Armstrongite Millennium to just happen without any effort on their part since the 1930s and yet somehow it just never happens. In that time many people have boldly strived to improve society instead of waiting for the Armstrongites' predictions to just happen.

Joel Hilliker and José Michels have an article condemning the nomination of Rachel Devine (since confirmed) because she is a transgender woman. Being transgender is labelled as "transgenderism," a label designed to imply that transgender people somehow chose be that way instead of merely expressing what they actually are like. An earlier version of this article was discussed in a previous post.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article portraying Russia as trying to rule over the other nations that were formerly within the Soviet Union. Even though the PCG leadership chooses to vilify Russia in this issue they teach that it will be a future German led, Catholic dominated European Empire which will conquer the United States and Britain in the near future before Christ's return. If they believe this then why are they telling readers to be concerned about Russia?

The Infographic discusses President Putin and the Russian Federation getting more powerful.

Richard Palmer has an article about the interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Oprah Winfrey. The article later turns into a denunciation of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Harry and Meghan's departure from the royal family last year helped open the door for the radical Black Lives Matter movement to spread to the United Kingdom.... Within months, Black Lives Matter protesters were vandalizing statues on Britain's streets.... Black Lives Matter ... is a radical Marxist group fundamentally opposed to Western civilization. (p. 21.)

Seeing such overheated rhetoric from Palmer in this instance it is worth remembering that once Palmer called the Srebrenica massacre as "a crime of passion".

Brent Nagtegaal has an article about the state of the Middle East. It is asserted that President Biden's attempt to restore the nuclear deal with Iran is somehow setting the stage for PCG's (false) prophecies to be fulfilled just before Christ's return.

In the article Nagtegaal condemns the Obama Administration for making the 2015 agreement regarding nuclear power with Iran. He even claims that the 2015 agreement saved Iran's government even though Iran has been enduring American sanctions since the Trump Administration broke the agreement in 2018 including during this ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Not only did the Obama administration do nothing to stop Iran from attaining nuclear weapons, it actually drafted a deal to legitimize its path to nuclear power and provided massive, immediate financial incentives that probably saved Iranian radicals from losing power. (p. 23.)

Even though Iran does not now have nuclear weapons it is assumed that Iran is plotting to make nuclear weapons even though Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei issued a fatwa in 2003 denouncing the possession of nuclear weapons as contrary to Islam.

Also in this article Nagtegaal cites an article by Melanie Philips who is often quoted in PCG's writings.

Gerald Flurry has an article about the Armstrongite interpretation of the two witnesses. He also alludes to his teaching that his book, Malachi's Message, is the little book of Revelation 10. However many of the ideas within Gerald Flurry's booklet, Malachi's Message, were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes which were written between December 1986 and January 1988. Dervaes's work was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. Once on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes even sent a letter to Gerald Flurry denouncing Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

WorldWatch discusses lockdowns which are hysterically portrayed as a threat to democracy instead of being attempts to manage a frightful epidemic; German troops remaining in Afghanistan until January 2022; Switzerland having a referendum on March 7, 2021 deciding to ban full face coverings which is interpreted as a ban on the burqa; rocket attacks against American bases in Iraq; a call by certain politicians condemning the International Criminal Court taking up a case regarding the State of Israel; the threat of cyberattacks to Americans; China's introduction of a digital currency; Hong Kong making a law giving the police the power to forbid certain individuals from leaving Hong Kong in certain circumstances; and Russia preparing to host military exercises with eight neighboring countries. 

SocietyWatch discusses British Columbia seeking to decriminalize certain drugs; condemning a Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calling for the British flag to be lowered and replaced with the European Union's flag; AT&T trying to lobby the State Department to keep China Telecom off of a list a sanctioned companies over Xinjiang; and hysterically denouncing a proposed reform of immigration policies.  

Dwight Falk has an article telling people not to laugh at inappropriate jokes. How humorousless.

The discussion board features a letter which asks if the presidential election was somehow stolen from Donald Trump then why is it that no one has been prosecuted over it?

If all this information is true and accurate, is there something that can be done to prosecute the known people who were responsible? (p. 34.)

This assumes that the allegation is "true and accurate" but the allegation that the presidential election was somehow stolen from Donald Trump is unfounded.

Here's a letter from Ireland saying God is opposed to the liberals all over the world.

America has to repent and return to Almighty God and ask for forgiveness and help.... The same laws are forces over the heads of believers in Northern Ireland. We know that our heavenly Father is absolutely livid with the state of the liberal way of life all over the world. (p. 34.)

Richard Palmer has an article saying that fake history can have negative consequences for people today. Here's an example of fake history: saying all was well in HWA's organization in the 1950s and 1960s. A major reason HWA's organization was united and stable at that time was because from 1953 onwards it was taught that the Great Tribulation would begin in 1972 with Christ returning three and a half years later in 1975.

In the article Palmer complains about lockdowns which are bizarrely portrayed as a sign of weakness instead of as a vital public health measure to counteract a extremely dangerous disease. The recent tragic events in India reminds us all yet again how awful this disease is.  

Now we crave nothing and hunker in fear of a virus that at least 99.9 percent of healthy people survive. Our politicians lack the courage to make decisions--and instead delegate to "experts" who see catastrophe around every corner. Even after their forecasts of doom are proved wrong time and again, we still cower at their warnings just in case this time they're right. (p. 35.)

And so we see that the PCG leadership continues to try and find more recruits for their organization. However since their founding in 1989 the PCG leadership have made numerous false prophecies thus proving that they do not know what will happen in the future. There is no need to be afraid of their dire predictions.

PCG Recruiting for More Tithe Payers in the Coronavirus Era: Overview of the May-June 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around mid-April 2020 the PCG leadership released the May-June 2020 edition of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Now the PCG leadership, like the rest of us, witnessed America getting ravaged by this dreadful disease, namely Covid-19. What did the PCG leadership do in the wake of this supreme crisis? Insist that their doctrines are correct.

The cover portrays President Trump as wearing a face mask and yet President Trump made a show of refusing to wear face masks. Nevertheless he has been known to wear them sometimes. It is now widely accepted that wearing face masks helps to protect people from getting infected with Covid-19. At present it is not possible to have herd immunity from Covid-19 but the effect of herd immunity can be enjoyed right now if everyone wears face masks. We need to conduct ourselves so as to keep everyone else safe from this terrible disease.

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

This issue had a circulation of 244,874 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that prophecy is proof of PCG's God. Here is Gerald Flurry talking about himself. "Watchman" is one of numerous titles he has taken for himself to bolster his prestige within PCG.

God is saying that a WATCHMAN MUST WARN! He gave prophecy for a REASON, and He commands His people [PCG] to tell the world of the dangers that are coming! If we don't then we are as worthless as a slumbering watchdog. (p. 1.)

Brad Macdonald has an article telling his readers that (PCG's) God is in charge even though many people are suffering and even dying because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zechariah 6 shows that God Himself--through these four angels and their legions--IS CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATING WORLD EVENTS. Some might think it preposterous to say that God monitors world conditions using angels. Some will find it hard to visualize angels crisscrossing the planet, keeping tabs to ensure events unfold according to Bible prophecy. [Such objections are dismissed by Brad Macdonald.] (p. 5.)

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that PCG's dogma that Europe will soon conquer America will be fulfilled even though much of Europe has been badly affected by Covid-19. Here is Palmer's dire prediction of the future European Empire fated to soon conquer America according to PCG dogma.

This is a united European superstate, ruled by kings, not elected representatives, and united under one overall strongman. This is exactly the direction the coronavirus crisis--just like earlier crises--is driving Europe. (p. 9.)

They make this dire prediction despite PCG's record of numerous failed prophecies.

Stephen Flurry has an article insisting that the Democratic Party and CNN are using the Covid-19 pandemic against President Trump. He also condemns governmental stimulus measures. Also he insists that lockdowns do not work. He cites one study from Imperial College that forecast a high death toll in the United Kingdom and then Stephen Flurry complains that the high death toll did not occur. The high forecast would only have come true if the UK government did nothing. But the government and the people rallied together to fight Covid-19 and so that dire prediction did not come true. Unfortunately Covid-19 still killed about 41,500 people in the UK which is the highest death toll for a nation in Europe. This is still a catastrophe.

Richard Palmer also has an article insisting that various financial stimulus measures made to protect people from financial collapse caused by Covid-19 will lead to a future economic collapse. With this article people are to be anxious over governmental attempts to help people during this supreme crisis.

The cycle [of governments burrowing money] continuously builds up more debt. In the long run it is unsustainable. Step by step, choice by choice, we are creating conditions guaranteed to produce an unprecedented, world-altering crash. (p. 16.)

Even though PCG and other Armstrongite groups insist that a future European Empire will militarily conquer America they still scare readers with other topics of dread such as an economic collapse.

Joel Hilliker has an article insisting even worst disasters will soon occur. He even calls the Covid-19 pandemic a "comparatively minor crisis" at one point.

You need to know how to react, physically and spiritually--because even more-serious [sic] crises are coming. ... [Speculation by experts] is creating a lot of hysteria. Most of the shocks to stock markets have not come from existing problems, but from fear of possible problems.... Bible prophecy says far more and far worse crises are coming. ... Witness people's behavior in this comparatively minor crisis. The world has never reacted to a pandemic as it is reacting today. (pp. 16-17)

Gerald Flurry also has an article condemning the Democratic Party. Even as America faces the supreme crisis of our time he still found time to condemn the major political party he does not like. He talks about Obama, Hitler and also cites Newt Gingrich in a Fox News interview to scare monger that civil war is approaching even though most politically motivated violence in America is committed by far right extremists. This article also proves that PCG happens to be right wing in its political stances. I do not condemn PCG for choosing to be right wing but they sometimes profess to not be right wing even though many of their writings plainly reveal otherwise.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article speculating that constitutional changes in Russia have turned President Putin into a dictator. Meanwhile PCG operates with a "one-man rule" system of managing themselves. 

WorldWatch discusses the possibility of increased migration into Europe due to the ongoing Syrian Civil War; the making of a facial recognition database in ten nations within the European Union; Pakistan test firing a cruise missile; the possibility of the Israeli Jewish center-left allying with Palestinian citizens of Israel to form a government without Netanyahu's Likud Party (which did not happen); Iran producing more enriched uranium after the Trump Administration refused to abide with the JCPOA agreement; Russia upgrading its nuclear weapons; the argument between Russia and other OPEC nations over how much oil to export; and various flu viruses in Asia. While discussing these flu viruses the following tone deaf comment is made:

Unlike African swine fever, H1N1 bird flu can infect humans. Though this is rare, it has a human mortality rate of about 60 percent. (Coronavirus has a mortality rate of 1 to 2 percent.) (p. 28.)

For most people it is not that important that the H1N1 bird flu is so deadly since the world now has to deal with the terrible Covid-19. Also Covid-19 is not a flu, it is a coronavirus. This difference is not mentioned. Covid-19 is related to certain strands of the common cold. And Covid-19 has the ability of infecting many people at once thus overwhelming the health care infrastructure of society. We must be careful not to minimize this ongoing pandemic.

SocietyWatch is absent in this issue.

Joel Hilliker has an article in which he talks about the practice of quarantining people to try to make people curious and determined to take advice from (PCG's interpretation of) the Bible in physical and spiritual matters. It is an attempt to proselytize his readers.

The letters section has one short letter from a person in Rhode Island.

I'm addicted to the Trumpet.

It is unfortunate that this person is in all likelihood unaware of the many problems concerning PCG.

The letters section highlights a PCG article entitled, "The Wuhan Coronavirus and the Bible's prophesied Disease Epidemics." Many people have objected to having this disease called that as offensive and even racist. Instead of helping and encouraging victims of the coronavirus this name stigmatizes the people of Wuhan.  

Richard Palmer has an article saying that one must trust in (PCG's) God and that it is impossible to trust human experts. 

And so we see that PCG produced yet another issue of their recruitment magazine seeking more tithe paying converts for their organization. They continuously assure their readers that they know what will happen in the future but in fact PCG has made many false prophesies that have simply not come true. There is no need to listen to the PCG leadership to get saved from an alleged future event or to gain God's favor.

PCG Failing to Predict Covid-19's Impact on America: Overview of the April 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around the end of February 2020 PCG released the April 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Even though PCG and other Armstrongites insist that they know the future this issue reveals that they were just as surprised and blindsided by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as everyone else.

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

This issue had a circulation of 246,354 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article discusses the latest settlement the Trump Administration was trying to impose upon the State of Israel and the Palestinians even though the Palestinians made it clear they would not accept it. The article is accompanied with a picture of Palestinian protesters, both with faces covered and one with a sling and a skull face covering. Odds are those persons protesting against Israeli soldiers armed with guns. The Palestinians in the West Bank has always have been clear that they did not want to ruled by the State of Israel. Israeli rule was imposed upon the West Bank in 1967 without their invitation.

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that Germany in 2020 (before the coronavirus) is behaving awfully like Germany shortly before the Nazis gained power in yet another article scare mongering about Germany. Little did the PCG leadership know that catastrophe was about hit America.

Gerald Flurry also has an article denouncing the "dangerous left-wing media" once again showing with his actions that PCG leans very much to the right in regards to political stances. I do not condemn PCG for choosing to be right wing but it is worth mentioning that they are since sometimes they like to pretend they are not right wing even though they clearly are. 

Gerald Flurry also has an article insisting that the Covid-19 epidemic in China (that is how the situation was viewed back in late February 2020) is predicted in PCG's interpretations of Bible prophecy. He fearfully states that other plagues are in PCG's interpretation of Bible prophecy as well. The article contains illustrations of Chinese people dealing with the epidemic. The PCG leadership clearly had no idea that the Covid-19 was just a few weeks away from doing so much damage to the United States. Back in late February 2020 they still thought of it as a problem in China.

Jeremiah Jacques has a side article speculating that the Covid-19 epidemic in China will make Russia more powerful than China. Little did the PCG leadership just a few months later the people of Wuhan, the city where Covid-19 gained attention, would hold a massive water pool party after reopening their economy safely. This is yet another false prophecy of PCG.

Jeremiah Jacques also has an article retelling the making of the Hubble Space Telescope in order to promote PCG's heretical doctrine that PCG destined to become God beings ruling over the entire universe. 

The Infographic is about what the Hubble Space Telescope has revealed.

Richard Palmer has an article insisting that Brexit, the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, was prophesied in (PCG's interpretation of) Bible prophecy.

Jeremiah Jacques also has an article about various failed predictions that certain political pundits have made over the years. And yet PCG members are still expected to take the PCG leadership's predictions seriously despite their many failed prophecies.

Andrew Müller has an article scare mongering about certain leftists and calling them Communists even though the actual Communist Party USA is now utterly insignificant. This is red baiting. Müller cites a surreptitious recording produced by Project Veritas which was made without the interview subject's knowledge. So if that happens to the PCG leadership he has no right to complain about that without looking like a hypocrite. We need to be careful about how we treat other people. Also this article proves once again that the PCG leadership is right wing.

WorldWatch discusses India's military build up; scare mongers about Iran's research into nuclear weaponry before Supreme Leader Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons in 2003; Putin's changes to the Russian Constitution which would let him be president longer which were later passed; China becoming second largest exporter of armaments; swarms of locusts in Kenya and Ethiopia; increased military spending in Europe which is credited to PCG's adored President Trump; more spending by the US federal government (before the coronavirus); right wing extremists in the German army; European attempts to influence events in the Middle East; and the launch of the European Maritime Surveillance Mission in the Persian Gulf.

SocietyWatch discusses the impeachment of President Trump which according to PCG's writers had "deeply damaged America" even though impeachment is allowed within the Constitution; a claim that British police were ignoring sexual abuse among ethnic Pakistanis in Britain; and Time Magazine naming environmental activist Greta Thunberg as person of the year.    

Stephen Flurry has an article calling upon people to study history like Winston Churchill did. PCG adores Winston Churchill not least because he was right wing while America had a left wing president back in those troubled days.

Joel Hilliker has an article moaning about Speaker Pelosi ripping up her copy of President Trump's state of the union address in public. It is strange to see the PCG leadership responding to a superficial act that changes no laws.

And so we see the PCG leadership had made yet another issue of their recruitment magazine seeking more tithes paying converts. It is also strange to see how unprepared they were to imagine that this coronavirus would have such a terrible effect in America and throughout the world.

One-man Rule PCG on Government: Overview of the February 2020 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

Around the start of the year 2020, just as the world was beginning to notice this virus which was called a coronavirus had broken out in Wuhan, China, PCG's 1% released the February 2020 issue of their recruitment magazine seeking more tithes paying converts.

PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry has often promoted "one-man rule" within his organization and they expect that after Christ's return the entire world will be placed under the "one-man rule" of (PCG's version of) Christ. Armstrongites have been promoting this idea since the 1930s and they are still waiting.

The magazine celebrates the publication's anniversary after having been published for thirty years. In PCG and other related COG groups birthdays are forbidden. But a birthday is merely the anniversary of one's birth. And yet appears to be permitted within PCG to celebrate the anniversary (birthday) of their recruitment magazine.

This issue had a circulation of 247,024 issues.

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

Gerald Flurry has an article boasting of the recruitment magazine's birthday.

Joel Hilliker has an article on how it is so difficult to have properly functioning government.

A series of short articles follows.

Stephen Flurry has an article about Britain.

Richard Palmer has an article about continental Europe.

Andrew Müller has an article about Latin America.

Brent Nagttegaal has an article about the Middle East.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article about China.

Longer articles now resume.

Stephen Flurry has an article about the United States.

The Infographic discusses

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that (PCG's interpretation of) Jesus Christ will soon return to impose a utopian government upon the entire world for eternity.

Joel Hilliker has an article insisting that all will be well in the Millennium.

WorldWatch mentions that President Trump appointed a judge onto the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal; Pope Francis condemning the possession of nuclear weapons; Germany exporting $8.2 billion worth of arms in January-October 2019; a multi-nation air force exercise in Israel in November 2019; Secretary Pompeo announcing that the US government no longer viewed Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank as illegal; an allegation of Iran trying to gain an ally in 2014; Russia and China opening up an oil pipeline; Russia and Belarus getting closer to each other; and elections in Hong Kong on November 24, 2019.

SocietyWatch discusses the widespread concern regarding Prince Andrew's previous associations with Jeffrey Epstein; complains that more unmarried couples are living together;  bewailing a poll that said 47% of evangelicals condemn abortion; and scare mongering about attempts to include more LGBT characters in TV shows.

Philip Nice has an article telling readers how to respond to governments today.

Joel Hilliker has an article insisting that all will be well after Christ returns.

The letters section contains this letter which showhow different the world was before the epidemic.

I disapprove of the e-mail you wrote about Donald Trump, trying to tear him down when he needs more support these days than ever. ... Therefore, I am cancelling my Trumpet subscription, having lost faith in its words by your spewing words against my president. I don't have enumerate all the pluses that have happened under his leadership, like the booming economy, less unemployment, the IRS giving individual deductions of $10,300 off singles' income tax, more blacks employed than ever, etc. Had Hillary been elected, the U.S.A. would have gone down the drain!

PCG responded in the following manner.

What you say is true. Our intent is certainly not to tear down the president. But we have a responsibility to show how his actions fulfill biblical prophecy. Where this requires exposing sin, we do so ... .

And so we see that the PCG leadership has once again produced yet another issue of their recruitment magazine to gain more converts. PCG's writers often insist that they have an outline of what will happen in the future but readers will see no sign of the approaching crisis here.

PCG's Flurry Says UK Will Lose Military Bases in Cyprus: Overview of November-December 2019 Philadelphia Trumpet

Back in late September 2019 PCG released the November-December 2019 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let's see what they have to say.

This issue had a circulation of 246,123 issues.

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

Gerald Flurry had an article discussing Cyprus. He proclaims that Britain will lose its military bases in Cyprus because of its departure from the European Union.

Justified as it might be, Brexit puts the future of those bases on Cyprus in doubt. I FORECAST THAT BRITAIN IS GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THOSE BASES. (p. 2.)

He also absurdly lambasted German Chancellor Angela Merkel as "a very weak leader." Would he talk like that about a man?

Today Germany has a very weak leader in Chancellor Angela Merkel—yet the Holy Roman Empire is rising even under her rulership! How rapidly will these terrifying events occur when a strong German leader comes to power? (p. 3.)

James Brady had an article about the German army.

Andrew Müller had an article predicting economic disaster for the United States for spending too much money. But then he complains that the US just cannot cut back spending on military bases and they just cannot increase taxes on the rich. Of course it is difficult to decide what should be done when one believes the United States will be destroyed by a German led European Empire in the near future.

Jeremiah Jacques had an article about some East Germans who fled to West Germany by using a hot air balloon at great peril in 1979.

Jorg Mardian had an article about aching bones.

Brian Davis and Andrew Müller had an article denouncing Charles Darwin as irrational. Armstrongites often denounce evolution because it contradicts their interpretation of the Old Testament.

Gerald Flurry had a side article denouncing scientists for not believing in God.

Gerald Flurry had an article insisting that HWA's God Family doctrine is true.

Jeremiah Jacques had an article sbout North Korea's tests of ballistic missiles.

Josué Michels had an article saying that some Europeans are cultured but they will still emerge as a military power fated to conquer the United States.

Stephen Flurry had an article encouraging people to turn to God to deal with addiction. However it is taught in PCG that they alone are the one true church consequently this is essentially an attempt to gain converts.

Stephen Flurry also had an article scare mongering that The New York Times is plotting to talk about racism to make Republicans lose power. He ignores the fact that back in the civil rights era the Republican Party chose to side with those who opposed the civil rights movement in a move that is often called the Southern Strategy. That is how the south began to support the Republican Party. The Republican Party continues to benefit from this gambit to this day.

So this was what PCG's leaders were talking about in their recruitment magazine to potential members before the coronavirus epidemic occurred.

Overview of the March 2019 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

PCG's 1% have released the March 2019 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let us see what they have to say this time.

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

This issue has a circulation of 270,483 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article scare mongering that the European Union and various Latin American nations will economically blockade the United States. PCG has constantly made similar predictions of dire catastrophe and yet such things have just never occurred.

Richard Palmer has an article bemoaning the Brexit process in Britain. Even though PCG is primarily based in the United States, a nation founded by waging war to liberate themselves from British rule, PCG's leaders still let Richard Palmer claim that the British Empire was the best empire ever.

A nation that has stared down Napoleon and Hitler, that remained unstained by the bloodletting of events like the French Revolution, that led the greatest and best empire in world history, that still leads a commonwealth of nations, is now coming undone, trying to quit a glorified free trade agreement. Why? (p. 2.)

If the British Empire truly was "the greatest and best empire in world history" then why did the founder decided it was necessary to go to war against the British Empire to liberate themselves from British rule? Why was it that about a million and half people in Ireland starved to death in the famine of the 1840s? Why was it necessary for the British Empire to constantly wage war to expand its territory and suppress numerous uprisings by people who tired of living under the rule of foreigners? Most of the vast territories placed under British rule were acquired by military force.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article condemning President Trump's decision to withdrew US military personnel from Syria. Even when the President is from their preferred political party if he takes any step to lessen the military power of the United States the PCG leadership instinctively condemn any such move. PCG's militarist attitude is exposed with such a statement.

Tyrel Schlote has an article insisting that economic cataclysm will soon afflict the United States.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article discussing a man in India helping to revitalize a river. Very likely that man and those people have had nothing to do with the organization that produces this recruitment magazine.

Andrew Müller and Jeremiah Jacques have an article scare mongering that China is positioning itself to be able to economically blockade the United States by gaining influence in the Caribbean nations.

Gerald Flurry also has an article condemning the vast majority of Christian churches for worshiping on Sunday. It should be noted that PCG's practice of worshiping during the Jewish Sabbath is not unique to PCG or the Armstrongite organizations. Sabbatarianism does not prove that one should follow PCG.

Jorg Mardian has an article encouraging people to improve their sitting posture.

Christopher Eames has an article insisting that Joshua's long day happened and condemning a proposal from some academics at the University of Cambridge suggesting that Joshua's long day is to identified with an eclipse that occurred in the region back on October 30, 1207 BC. Eames insists that the Israelites moved into Canaan just before 1400 BC.

Eames cites the Amarna letters as corroborating evidence of the Israelite conquest of Canaan as described in the Book of Joshua. The Amarna letters mentions a people called the Habiru and Eames identifies this people with the Israelites. But back in the 1960s, before HWA's organization began to experience schisms within its midst, Herman Hoeh, a major leader of what was then called the Radio Church of God, stated in his Compendium of World History, that the Amarna letters were to be dated to the ninth century BC, about six hundred years later than Eames' assertion, and he insisted that the Habiru were not Israelites. Why is it that PCG's leaders now believe that Herman Hoeh was wrong?

Joel Hilliker has an article denouncing transgender peoples while condemning the appearance of such such person on Good Morning America. He makes no mention of the numerous difficulties that transgender people face.

Richard Palmer also has an article discussing NASA's observation of Ultima Thule. It should be noted that NASA was able to make such an astounding feat without any help from PCG.

There are letters. Here is one letter praising Gerald Flurry's denunciation of President Macron.

So now Macron is paying the price for his arrogance. Look at the riots in France.

Here's a letter from an individual in France expressing skepticism about PCG's fear mongering about Karl-Theodor zu Guttenburg.

I regularly receive the Trumpet magazine, and I can see the positive evolution of its content and layout as well. I thank you for presenting a new aspect of political games. Although I do not share your point of view concerning Russia and your belief that Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg should become the new leader in Europe, I share a lot of points of view you present (such as, Germany building its new reich). Guttenberg is a dead political figure. But he may act in the background. He is rich.

PCG's leaders respond with this simple statement.

Keep watching Guttenberg. –Ed.

Since 2009 PCG's leadership have constantly insinuated in their writings that Karl-Theodor zu Guttenburg may be destined to be the dictator fated to lead Europe into conquering the United States and Britain and taking those peoples as slaves in Europe. They continue to do so even after he was removed from the German cabinet following a plagiarism scandal.

Here's a letter from a person who had been listening to HWA and his imitators since about 1969.

I had read The United States and Britain in Prophecy when Mr. Armstrong was still with us. My dad, when he was alive, and I were subscribers and viewers of The World Tomorrow. I have read most of his books and am now 60 years of age. I listened to the radio broadcast back 50 years ago, when I was 10. It was good to learn from Mr. Armstrong. He sure knew what was up.

For thirty years PCG's leaders have constantly promoted fear inducing prophecies of woe and catastrophe but many of their dire predictions have failed miserably.

Overview of the February 2019 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

PCG released the February 2019 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let us see what they have to say this time.

The editors for this issue were Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad Macdonald, Richard Palmer, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Phillip Nice.

This issue has a circulation of 269,516 issues.

Gerald Flurry has an article fuming at President Macron for criticizing nationalism in front of Flurry's beloved president. How dare he. Flurry proclaims on page 1 that "soon the French will come to realize that they are making the greatest mistake in their nation’s history" by not keeping themselves as closely aligned with the Trump Administration as Flurry wishes.

Phillip Nice has an article discussing PCG's personal appearance campaigns in the United States and Britain.

Brent Nagtegaal has an article scare mongering about rumors that Hezbollah are constructing tunnels from Lebanon into Israeli land. The fact that the State of Israel possesses a far greater military force than Hezbollah, even, it is widely supposed, possessing nuclear weapons, is left unstated. It is hard to scare the intended audience when stating such things.

Andrew Müller has an article scare mongering that the United States may find itself unable to pay for its military. He makes the emotive claim that disbanding some US military bases overseas will leave the United States vulnerable to economic blockade.

Once America loses the ability to protect and control the world’s most strategic trade routes and maritime choke points, foreign powers will seize these powerful prizes. America’s homeland will be vulnerable to economic siege by hostile enemies. (p. 11.)

Christopher Eames has an article insisting that scientists are utterly foolish in trying to explain how languages arose instead of just agreeing with PCG's creationist interpretation of the Bible.

Stephen Flurry has an article restating HWA's dogma that there will soon be a "seventh revival" of the Roman Empire. In this interpretation it is insisted that Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany were merely the "feeble sixth head" of the reviving Roman Empire. Is this not a belittling of those many people who suffered so much from the cruel actions of those regimes that they are referred to a feeble sixth head?

Gerald Flurry has an article insisting that people will only be born again once Jesus Christ returns and transforms PCG members into God beings as fully God as God is God though of a lower rank.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article scare mongering about China's economic activities.

Andrew Müller also has an article scare mongering that President Putin is imitating a Russian neo-fascist in conducting foreign policy.

Joel Hilliker has a little article calling upon people to work all their lives disparaging the dream of retirement.

Joel Hilliker also has a little article telling his readers to remember their recruitment magazine and insisting that once World War III actually occurs then most readers will start paying attention to PCG's recruitment magazine. Indicating that PCG's version of God is somehow incapable of preventing the alleged coming catastrophe. But somehow PCG's dire predictions just never occur. There is no need to fear their dire predictions.

There are letters. Even though PCG's mainly tries to target English speaking nations they still promote their doctrines among any peoples they can. This letter is from Nigeria.

Appreciation! I am deeply indebted to your ministry for the tons of life-enriching, Bible-based literature I receive regularly in the post. I am moved by your generosity and brand of gospel outreach. My perspective and worldview have changed for the better. I am building a better relationship with my Creator, my family, my career, my neighborhood and my ministry. I sincerely appreciate your love and support. May the good Lord continue to reward your ministry efforts in Jesus’s name.

They also include a letter from a person complaining about the PCG's recruitment magazine constant use of an English translation of the Bible made back in the 1760s. (That which is called the King James Version today is actually a revision made in the 1760s. The original King James Version released in 1611 is even more archaic by today's standards of English.)

I love the newsletter and articles and have really enjoyed reading them the past several years. I have one comment/request. The Bible quotes in King James make it harder to read than it should be. I’m 38, and I have no experience with the KJV wording, and I have to sit and really think through the “thy’s” and “thees,” etc. That wording is from a time when people spoke that way, and we do not speak that way anymore, so it adds a barrier to our understanding. The NIV would be much better for comprehension for everyone. But of course I’ll keep reading no matter what.

PCG's editors respond:

Thank you for reading, and for your input. We use the King James Version because it is the most accurate Bible translation. The New International and other more modern translations tend to introduce errors because of license taken by translators. But we will endeavor to use other accurate translations when it will clarify the meaning.

How can PCG's leaders possibly judge whether one translation is better than another? Can any of PCG's leaders read Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic? It is worth noting that HWA mainly used the 1760s King James Version when he cobbled together his syncretist religion. It is the translation most familiar to the leaders of the Armstrongite WCG and its offshoot organizations. It is more plausible to conclude that this is why PCG's leaders mainly use the 1760s King James Version in their writings. It is their habit. How can PCG's leaders possibly judge which translation is better than others unless they happened to be very familiar or even fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek?

Since 1989 PCG's 1% have made many predictions that have failed miserably. There is no need to give heed to their dire predictions.

Overview of the July 2018 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

PCG's 1% have released the July 2018 issue of their recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. Let us see what they have to say this time.

The editors for this issue are Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad Macdonald, Richard Palmer, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Phillip Nice.

This issue has a circulation of 264,040 issues. This is a slight increase compared with the previous May-June issue which had a circulation of 262,750 issues. The April 2018 issue had a circulation of 247,749 issues. Strangely the March 2018 issue has exactly the same circulation figure of 247,749 issues. February 2018's circulation was 248,247 issues. January 2018's circulation was 247,255 issues. November-December 2017's circulation was 246,769.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article insisting that America has somehow forgotten God. He approvingly cites George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as men who were had the wisdom and foresight to seek to placate God. It so happens that Flurry conveniently ignores the fact that both Washington and Lincoln held religious views very different from that taught by PCG and the COGs in general.

Stephen Flurry has an article scare mongering that some sort of "deep state" cabal is plotting to overthrow his preferred president. Of course if President Trump was removed from office he would simply be replaced by Vice President Pence.

Brad Macdonald has an article promoting an exhibit in PCG's headquarters of some of the artifacts discovered in the archaeological dig partly sponsored by PCG. Regardless of what they may happen to find digging in the Holy Land PCG's reputation among the COGs and those formerly associated with them will remain as abysmal as ever.

Richard Palmer has an article discussing cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.

Andrew Müller has an article scare mongering that the "deep state" cabal is plotting to launch some sort of coup d'etat against his preferred president. Presumably this "deep state" cabal is devoting so many people and so much strenuous effort towards an alleged plot which will result in making Pence the President of the United States.

The Infographic condemns various government agencies as somehow constituting an unconstitutional fourth branch of power. It should be noted that PCG's 1% tend to be very sympathetic towards the Republican Party.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article encouraging readers to enjoy the outdoors. PCG members' payment of three tithes to PCG's 1% would make it harder for many PCG members to enjoy such things.

Joel Hilliker has an article discussing the power of Turkish President Erdoğan. It also mentions that a Turkish journalist had an interview with PCG's recruitment magazine.

Joel Hilliker also has an article advising readers how to pray to PCG's God.

Joel Hilliker also has an article advising the elder generation to teach the young.

Stephen Flurry has an article calling upon the recruitment magazine's readers to do what PCG's 1% want them to do and get more involved with PCG by funding them and/or even joining their organization.

Note how retaining information presented in PCG's recruitment magazine is equated with receiving knowledge from PCG's God.

Are you willing to go all the way for God? Are you truly supporting God’s work, or do you just think you are? Are you doing something with the knowledge God is giving you through the Trumpet, or are you content to read and listen while doing nothing about it? Are you waiting it out, hanging on and doing your own thing until Jesus Christ returns? (p. 35.)

May Stephen Flurry's plea for more tithes paying members and co-workers fail miserably.

WorldWatch discusses tensions between Iran and Israel in Syria; Israel's leaking of information regarding various nuclear activities pursued by some Iranians until 2003; the violent suppression of Palestinian protesters in blockaded Gaza by the Israeli military with over 100 Palestinians being killed by Israeli military personnel between March 30 and May 15, 2018; the Shanghai Cooperation Organization holding a meeting in Beijing on April 24; Japan's establishment of an Amphibious Deployment Brigade on April 7; the assassination of over eighty politicians in Mexico by drug cartels; scare mongering that India and China are getting closer together; religious issues in Europe; Poland's purchase of a Patriot missile defense system from the United States; and the establishment of a NATO naval command in Rostock, Germany.

Even though the Israeli military knew that protests would be held on May 15, 2018 as early as late March it still happened that Israeli military personnel killed about fifty-nine Palestinians on that day of despair. Many of those Palestinians were shot to death. One Palestinian infant suffocated to death because of tear gas. But in the strictly partisan worldview of PCG's 1% it is who Palestinians bear responsibility and blame, not the well equipped military personnel who pulled the triggers or those managing them. This attitude within PCG's 1% may be seen in the following passage.

During their demonstrations, Palestinian rioters flung stones, rolled burning tires and flew kites with incendiary attachments and tried to cross the border into Israeli territory. Israeli security forces killed more than 100 protesters and injured 7,000 others. Most of these protesters were not defenseless or innocent; they were terrorists or Hamas operatives and Palestinians who agreed with the goals of Hamas or were coerced by Hamas to the front lines of the riots. (p. 28.)

PCG often discuss events concerning the State of Israel since they assume that events concerning that nation state will herald Christ's return. They have reduced the State of Israel into a weatherman of their superstitions. Most Israeli Jews will profoundly disagree with such views.

SocietyWatch scare mongers about an attempt to be more accepting of transgender persons in Canada; implies that high divorce rates correlates with the opioid problems; the situation regarding Alfie Evans; and scare mongering that young people are not aware of the Holocaust.

There are letters. Here's a letter from Ontario from a person who seems to be convinced that the United States will collapse.

You are right in the article “Saving America from the Radical Left—Temporarily.” America wants communism. Get used to “grass soup,” as Venezuela is doing now. America is full of resources but has squandered its opportunity for advancement with the nation’s reckless spending spree—on someone else’s dime! I expect America to collapse, and that will do unknown damage to other countries.

Here's a letter from India.

It is very hard for me to express my feelings regarding the Philadelphia Trumpet magazine. It is the best possible thing to receive if you’re studying about Christianity and learning the teachings from the Holy Bible. It gives a deep knowledge about world politics, and the way you relate every prophecy to world events is such a great thing that only blessed people can do.

Here's a letter from Pennsylvania which accuses "news on TV" as seeking to mislead people.

I would like to thank you for sending me the Trumpet magazine. It is very educational. The news on TV today is designed to mislead people with information. I am in search of the truth, and that is why I read my Bible, because the truth is God.

And so we see that PCG's 1% have produced an issue of their recruitment magazine designed to gain new converts and to keep believers convinced that PCG's 1% are worthy of their loyalty, tithes and offerings. PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, once boasted of PCG having an income of "around $19.5 million annually as of 2012" and this recruitment magazine seeks to keep that income intact.

Overview of the May-June 2018 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

PCG's 1% released their May-June 2018 issue of their recruitment magazine. Let us see what they have to say this time.

The editors for this issue are Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad Macdonald, Richard Palmer, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Phillip Nice.

This issue has a circulation of 262,750 issues. This is an increase from the April issue which had a circulation of 247,749 issues. Suspiciously the March 2018 issue has exactly the same circulation figure of 247,749 issues. February 2018's circulation was 248,247 issues. January 2018's circulation was 247,255 issues. November-December 2017's circulation was 246,769. October 2017's circulation was 245,780.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article insisting that if President Trump is somehow removed from office that this would be utterly horrible. Even though Pence would become President if Trump were to be removed from office the possibilities of such an eventuality are casually ignored.

Dennis Leap has a little article insisting that George Orwell's novel, 1984, is actually an exposure of left wing politicians even though Orwell himself was actually a leftist. Orwell was so left wing he even left the Labour Party because he felt they did not go far enough. Orwell's left wing politics are casually ignored by Leap.

Joel Hilliker has an article insisting that the massacre at Parkland should not be used as a call for reforms regarding gun control.

Stephen Flurry has an article bemoaning that there are not enough manly men in American society today. Is he talking about men among the laity within PCG? Perhaps if PCG's 1% were not so controlling towards the lay members they would be surprised with what PCG's lay members are really capable of without being under the control of PCG's 1%.

Jorg Mardian has a little article talking about breastfeeding.

Richard Palmer has an article scare mongering that America is about to enter some sort of trade war with China. While that is entirely likely with recent decisions made by the Trump Administration it must be noted that this article fits in with a pattern of scare mongering that some sort of economic cataclysm will soon strike the United States.

The Infographic scare mongers that some sort of "trade war" will soon arise with the United States, Canada and Britain on one side shaded blue while Brazil, South Africa, India, Japan, China, Russia and various European nations are menacingly shaded red and labelled as being part of a "mart of nations" which will allegedly conspire to impose some sort of economic blockade upon the alleged Israelite nations. PCG incorrectly teaches that the white people of Britain, the United States and certain other places are descendants of the so-called "ten lost tribes of Israel." This idea, a form of British Israelism, is not true.

Jeremiah Jacques scare mongers about Xi Jinping's power within China.

Jeremiah Jacques also has an article scare mongering about Vladimir Putin after he gained another six year term to remain in office.

Richard Palmer also has an article discussing the Italian elections on March 4, 2018.

Joel Hilliker has a little article encouraging people to be more loving to their spouses.

Andrew Müller has a little article which condemn calls to restrict access to deadly guns in the hope of preventing massacres such as the one in Parkland, Florida.

We all sympathize with the survivors of the Parkland mass murder. Their grief is real. Their lives are precious. We should work to prevent more school shootings. But should children be the ones to forge policy? Should a grieving child who falsely proclaims it is easier to buy a gun than make weekend plans be able to attack the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution? Is it morally right for high school students to scream “murderer” at a woman who had nothing to do with the Parkland massacre just because she works for an organization that defends the right of law-abiding citizens to own a firearm? (p. 35.)

When Müller rhetorically asks "should children be the ones to forge policy?" it seems to escape Müller's notice that student protesters are not able to make laws. Legislators do that.

Those protesting against the power of the National Rifle Association are slurred as having a "spirit of lawlessness" and a "spirit of rebellion" thus signifying the disapproval of PCG's 1% toward this protest movement.

While some of the problems these teens protest are legitimate, the same spirit of lawlessness that has overtaken the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements has also engulfed this movement. This spirit of rebellion threatens to unleash more chaos than it solves. Yet adults across the nation are getting in line behind their children. (p. 35.)

The fact that gun massacres occur far more often in the United States than in any other developed nation is casually ignored.

WorldWatch discusses the coalition negotiations after the indecisive elections in Germany; the Protestant spouses of Catholics in Germany being allowed to take communion; the creation of new command centers for NATO; the tragic war in Syria; the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela; tensions in Ethiopia; and the legalization of the confiscation of farmland without compensation in South Africa.

SocietyWatch scare mongers that San Francisco is filthy; condemning a case before the Supreme Court concerning discrimination against members of the LGBT community; condemning the increase of fathers staying at home to raise their children; and scare mongering about some rich persons buying bunkers to prepare for a possible doomsday like event.

There are letters. Even though PCG's recruitment magazine is mainly intended for an American audience they are quite happy to get attention from anyone they can. Here is a letter from a man in Panama.

Please, don’t underestimate the importance this publication has for me. I’m always on the lookout for the arrival of your much-valued publication. I find your magazine very informative in religious as well as political matters. I would like to request Nuclear Armageddon Is ‘At the Door.’ [A recruitment booklet by Gerald Flurry.] I have, as a child, gone through World War II in occupied Holland and that experience was bad enough in itself. World War III is indeed at the door and inescapable and will surpass World War II in destructive power! Man’s entire history is one of war with peace at intervals in between. Whatever man has invented in weapons of war has sooner or later been put to use. May God bless the important educational work you are doing.

It is awful that PCG's scare mongering about some future World War III have distressed this man who went through World War II as a child.

Here is an email from a person who used to subscribe to The Plain Truth recruitment magazine.

I have been receiving the Trumpet magazine for approximately two decades. I found it in my chiropractor’s office in 1996. I used to read the Plain Truth but stopped after becoming alarmed and bewildered by the changes in the late 1980s. I wasn’t aware Mr. Armstrong had died till finding the Trumpet.

I would advise this person to ignore their writings and, most importantly, do not give them any money.

Here's a letter from Nigeria.

I was watching some videos on YouTube and stumbled on the Isaiah seal archaeological discovery. Having studied history and international studies, it caught my interest, so I decided to watch the other suggested videos. “Why So Much Hatred for Israel” was very insightful and educational. He read from Romans 2:29 to enlighten us on who a Jew is in our current dispensation. Toward the tail end, he introduced me to the organization’s website. He also counseled on the need to subscribe. I would like to receive a copy of that publication. Keep up the good work! I pray for God’s grace and wisdom to guide you and your organization as you serve humanity.

(The writer seems to be referring to a video hosted by Stephen Flurry entitled “Why So Much Hatred for Jews?” which was released on July 24, 2014 during the war in the Gaza Strip that was occurring at that time.)

Regardless of what they dig up in the Holy Land or how pious they make themselves sound when talking about the problem of anti-Semitism PCG's reputation among those formerly associated with the COGs and the other COG groups will remain as abysmal as ever.

And so we see that PCG's 1% has produced yet another issue of their recruitment magazine to gain more converts and reinforce loyalty and awe among those who believe what PCG's 1% say to them. PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, once boasted of PCG having an income of "around $19.5 million annually as of 2012" and this recruitment magazine seeks to keep that income intact.

Overview of the April 2018 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

PCG released the April 2018 issue of their recruitment magazine. Let us see what they have to say this time.

The editors are Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad Macdonald, Richard Palmer, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Phillip Nice.

This issue has a circulation of 247,749 issues. This happens to be the exact same number used in the previous March 2018 issue.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article boasting about a seal that seems to bear the name of Isaiah.

Brad Macdonald has a article discussing this latest seal. It does not matter how many artifacts PCG helps to uncover. PCG's reputation among those formerly associated with the COGs and the other COG groups will remain as abysmal as ever.

Stephen Flurry has an article scare mongering about the federal debt.

Richard Palmer has an article discussing surveillance technology in an alarmist manner.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article discussing China's attempt to claim the South China Sea using fishing boats.

Gerald Flurry has an article discussing the Nunes memo which is presented as evidence that the left is engaged in some sort of massive plot to work against his preferred president.

The Infographic presents a timeline of the events leading up to the release of the Nunes memo.

Stephen Flurry has an article encouraging readers to study history.

Dennis Leap has an article complaining about alleged "political correctness" supposedly silencing essential opinions.

Jack Wood has an article scare mongering about European states arming themselves to prepare for any possible complication concern Russia. Jack Wood might be related to Callum Wood.

WorldWatch mentions German arms being sold to various countries; Turkey's recent military offensive against Syrian Kurds in Afrin; Germany being friendly with Turkey; the suppression of protests in Iran; scare mongering that Iran and its allies may expand into the Mediterreanean; the Doomsday Clock being moved to 11:58 p.m.; scare mongering that Russia and China are planning to make weapons against US satellites; and tensions regarding the South China Sea and Taiwan.

SocietyWatch scare mongers about the expenditure for welfare in California; an announcement by the US Treasury of burrowing $955 billion for 2018; scare mongering that teenagers are delaying maturity; and accusing the Confucius Institute of "infiltrating American colleges with Communist propaganda" (p. 31).

Joel Hilliker has a little article encouraging his readers to be generous.

Joel Hilliker has an article bemoaning the supposed loss of morality among Americans citing those who would steal from a self checkout. The COGs have constantly and continuously moaned about Americans supposedly failing to live up to their standards since the 1930s. They will never be satisfied.

There are letters. PCG's recruitment magazine is mainly written for an American audience but they will accept attention from anyone willing to give them undue attention. Here's one letter from Eritrea.

I follow you via the magazine that I got from a friend, the Internet and downloads from your pages. Thanks for all the news events you give us, which are sometimes also correlated with biblical prophecies. Sometimes I get shocked or surprised. I really loved the January 2017 issue (that's when I first heard of you), especially the foundation of leadership; it is indeed a personal lesson and has helped me a lot about developing self-control. I enjoy your infographic illustrations too.

Here's a letter from California praising PCG for their scare mongering about the medieval Holy Roman Empire and the inflammatory allegation that Simon Magus started the Roman Catholic Church. That allegation is used by the COGs to discredit, not only the Catholic Church, but also the Protestant churches in general as creations of Satan. This idea is promoted in order to gain converts for PCG.

I received the booklet The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy written by Brad Macdonald, and I am grateful for you showing me the truths about how Simon Sorcerer Magus was able to corrupt and transform the Roman Catholic Church into a universal counterfeit church using the name of Jesus Christ to advance his evil motives. Macdonald's arguments, supported by biblical teachings, were very convincing and replete with proofs from historical sources and comments from prestigious historians. 

And so we see that PCG's 1% has produced another issue of their recruitment magazine seeking to gain more tithes paying converts and to keep believers convinced that PCG's leaders are worthy of loyalty and of receiving their tithes. PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, once boasted of PCG having an income of "around $19.5 million annually as of 2012" and this recruitment magazine seeks to keep that income intact.

PCG's Positive Reaction to Anti-Muslim Film, Fitna (2008)

PCG has a long history of demonizing and scare mongering against Muslims. One particularly troubling article with this topic may be seen in article released in 2008.

Back on March 27, 2008 the controversial right wing, anti-immigrant Dutch politician, Geert Wilders, released a 17 minute short film entitled Fitna, which was presented the Islamic religion in a negative way. Just a few days later PCG published an article about it on their website. The author, Phillip Nice, is today the associate editor of PCG's recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet. (Phillip Nice, "Fitna" Film Foreshadows Europe/Islam War, April 1, 2008.)

Nice condemns politicians for supposedly "bending themselves out of shape finding ways to accommodate increasingly belligerent Islamic ideology". Islamophobia is often used to condemn liberals as somehow collaborating with or being negatively influenced by Muslims.

"I don’t hate Muslims. I hate their book and their ideology.” Geert Wilders is a politician, but he’s not politically correct. While many of his Western contemporaries are bending themselves out of shape finding ways to accommodate increasingly belligerent Islamic ideology, Wilders is bent on showing the world “the real face of Islam,” as he told the Observer.

By saying he is not politically correct Nice is showing that the PCG leadership chooses to sympathize with Wilders.

Nice sympathetically describes Fitna as a shrill "SOS save-our-society distress call". One wonders if the society Nice would include Muslims in it? Will they be welcomed in that society like other religious minorities?

Head of the Dutch right-wing Party for Freedom, the outspoken Catholic has consistently made headlines with confrontational anti-Islamic rhetoric calling for radical mosques to be shut down, labeling the Koran “an inspiration for murder” and saying that if Mohammed were alive today, he would have him “tarred and feathered as an extremist and deported if he were in Holland.” His latest and shrillest SOS save-our-society distress call is called Fitna. And if Muslims didn’t hate Geert before, they do now.

Actually Wilders is agnostic.

Although Nice portrays Wilders sympathetically he makes no mention of Fitna's condemnation of the suppression of homosexuals in some Muslim societies. PCG condemns homosexuality as sinful.

Nice then describes the short film and mentions images of horrific violence shown in the film.

Fitna, an Arabic word that connotes a schism or conflict, is a provocative, if low-budget, 15-minute presentation that links six violence-promoting passages from the Koran with footage of Islamist extremist terror attacks. Flight 175 piercing the South Tower in a stomach-sickening orange explosion of fiery shards; survivors of the initial explosion limply hanging out of windows billowing out choking smoke; the falling man. A horrific clip of a thick, bustling throng of commuters at Atocha disappearing in a violent, blazing concussion. Warped wreckage of trains in Spain and double-decker red buses in London. Theo van Gogh’s stabbed body lying in the street. And worse: Executions; hangings; blasted, burned corpses; amputated bodies being dragged through the street; and ghastly beheadings. 

Curiously Nice never seems to wonder why this film would show passages from the Koran which were written long before living memory and these images of violence. This arbitrarily presents different things together. A viewer could think about how the film is constructed and wonder why Wilders and Co. chose to do this in this film. But such thoughts seems to have never occurred to the author.

The problem with showing images from these terrible events with passages from the Koran is that it simplistically implies that all Muslims bear some of guilt with such acts of violence wearing away the distinction between the guilty and the innocent. This also fails to take context into account. These terrible events such as 9/11, the terrorist attack in Madrid, the terrorist attack in London and the murder of Theo van Gogh are taken out of context. These ghastly acts were committed by Al Qaeda extremists and those who think like them.

Those blood thirsty extremists did not develop their warped ideology simply by reading the Koran. Their ideology was partly influenced by the ideas and teachings of Ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328) and 18th Century Wahhabism. In the modern era Al Qaeda like extremism came into being arising from predecessors such as Sayyid Qutb and Abdullah Azzam. Their ideas developed into the current forms of extremism now familiar to the world through infamous extremists like Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. (More information on this topic may be seen in the 2008 book Al Qaeda in its Own Words, edited by Gilles Kappel and Jean-Pierre Milelli.)

Sprinkled into this gory, homicidal mix are clips of Muslims crying out: “What makes Allah happy? Allah is happy when non-Muslims get killed”; “Annihilate the infidels and the polytheists”; “Allah, count them and kill them to the last one, and don’t leave even one”; “Throats must be slit and skulls must be shattered”; “[The Jews] are the ones who must be butchered and killed”; “Even the stone will say, ‘Oh Muslim, A Jew is hiding behind me, come and cut off his head”; and “[The Jews] are apes and pigs.” 

Most of the quotes are from fanatical clerics. But that last one was from one of the most beautiful, precious 3-year-old girls you ever could see.

What the 3-year-old girl said is wrong, deplorable and anti-Semitic. But does it not occur to Nice that this 3-year-old girl is saying what she heard from others? She is imitating the adults around her. Why are they ignored in this passage? The author shows a strange naivety with this passage. He mentions what this 3-year-old girl said and it never occurs to him to wonder about what he sees. Does it not occur to him that this girl does not see the world as adults do? How could a three year child do so? He seems to just believe what he is shown and does not analyse what this film shows to him. He takes Wilders' film at face value and never presents any reservations about it.

***

It is a common trope of modern day Islamophobia to vilify mainstream politicians for wanting to live in peace with Muslims. Conciliatory acts and words are hysterically portrayed as somehow submitting and caving in to the political pressure of Muslims.

That trope is evident here as widespread condemnation of Fitna from the European Union, the United Nations and the Foreign Minister of Australia, Stephen Smith, is presented as being like a milder forms of the threats of violence that some had shamefully made against him. It is clear that Nice is not impressed with their criticism. Instead of trying to understand why these persons would be concerned about this film their criticism is presented as ignoring "a growing threat in Islam".

Outraged Islamists have reacted with e-mails, placards and rhetoric advocating a simple precept: Kill Geert Wilders. 

Westerners offered slightly softer denunciations, with the European Union, the United Nations, and political and business leaders criticizing the film as inflammatory and, as Australia’s foreign minister stated, intended to “generate discord between faith communities.” At the same time, many have defended the right to free speech—a right Islamists who carry “Freedom go to hell” signs couldn’t care less about. Although such blunt and provocative leaders as Wilders are toward the fringe of power politics, Europeans are recognizing a growing threat in Islam, and leaders like Edmund Stoiber, Pope Benedict and others are tapping that sentiment.

Nice portrays Fitna as a sign of a future cataclysmic war between Europe and "Islam" (inaccurately imagined as a single political interest). Note the hysterical and emotive language used to incite panic in the readers.

This is why Fitna foreshadows a conflict more dire than Wilders could ever imagine. Islam and historically Catholic Europe are on a collision course. And Europe is beginning to ease off the clutch and onto the gas.

Presumably this is the "Europe/Islam War" mentioned in the title of the article. This idea is quite similar to PCG's false prophecy of "race war," a racist claim that in the near future African-Americans will launch a wave of riots against the white majority in the United States. It seems a similar dire scenario is claimed to soon occur in Europe but instead of scare mongering against African-Americans the villain's role is instead given to Muslim immigrants.

But here "Islam" is inaccurately portrayed as a single political interest. But in reality the Islamic world is composed of numerous nation states which each have their own political interests and even within each of these nation states their differing interests. Some are rich. Some are poor. Some are right wing. Some are left wing. Some are religious. Some are very religious. Some are secular. Some place themselves in the middle. Some are nationalists. But this complex diversity is ignored and instead the Muslim world and Muslim immigrants are imagined as a single political interest which is presented as a sinister and violent threat to white Europeans.

Nice insists that Muslims will not integrate with the Europeans, Intriguingly instead of talking about Muslim immigrants he just uses the name of their religion to describe them. Their individual identities as distinct human beings are ignored.

Islam has integrated with its neighbor/host continent like hot cooking oil and water. Like a hijab-clad figure goes with a Frankfurt Internet cafe. Like ritual cuttings of children goes with a Provence nursery school. Like “honor” killings go with the Zurich evening news. Values and traditions like these seem out of place, to say the least, amid neo—yet classical—Europe.

Nice hysterically imagines that the result of "Islam's" (here meaning immigrants who happen to be Muslim) failure to integrate within Europe will result in Islam dying.

Something’s got to give. Islam cannot and will not be absorbed into Western culture. It will die before it does—literally. Islam will find that it can only push a German-dominated Europe so far.

How strange it is to see Nice making such bizarre and fanciful statements in response to a 17 minute short film from a far right Dutch politician. It seems as though Nice imagines some sort of catastrophe will soon occur to the Muslim world. Elsewhere PCG teaches that Iran will arise as the "King of the South" fated to be conquered by a European military superpower before Christ's return. Consequently it can be inferred that he is alluding to a supposed future war between Europe and Iran. That seems very unlikely. And even if some awful catastrophe were to occur it would not be a sign that PCG's Christ will soon return.

Nice then makes the hysterical claim that "radical Islam" is plotting to take over Europe

This can go one of two ways. Europe can allow the raging fire of radical Islam to push and push until it achieves its goal of taking over the Continent, as it has generously proclaimed well ahead of time. Or: fitna.

What hysterical nonsense. While it is true that some Muslims try to convert others to suggest that Muslims are plotting to take over the continent is quite unrealistic. Even if some Muslims wish to convert everyone it is simply not going to happen. That is an unreasonable fear.

For much of the 20th century, Herbert W. Armstrong forecasted the rise of a Middle Eastern power bloc that would push at and ultimately war against its northwestern neighbor in one of the most consequential actions of the next world war. Today’s headlines are fulfilling the early stages of that forecast on a daily basis. To find out more about radical Islam’s rapidly consolidating power and pushy agenda, as well as Europe’s ultimate response to the conflict, [and he advertises two booklets promoting PCG's dogmas.]

HWA predicted that Christ would return by 2005 in his 1985 book, Mystery of the Ages. PCG has removed that offending passage from their copies of that book. And despite HWA's evident failure to see the future Nice continues to try and convince others to believe that HWA could see the future.

However PCG are but false prophets. There is no need to fear their dire pronouncements about the future.

PCG's Trumpet Hour After Trump's Election

Just listened to some of what PCG's leaders said about current affairs following Trump's election to the presidency.

(Trumpet Hour, November 9, 2016.)

Here they talked about Trump's victory. It is mentioned that many Americans are angry. Complained about widespread division. Even though PCG's leaders lean far to the right Trump's election is portrayed as helping to lead America to PCG's foretold catastrophe. There is discussion of Trump losing the popular vote but willing the electoral college vote. They complain that Trump may cut back on America's presence in the rest of the world. And Jeremiah Jacques indulged in some scare mongering about Japan.

(Trumpet Hour, November 16, 2016.)

Here they talked about the severe partisan divisions within America. It is asserted that America has not been as politically divided since the Civil War. The next issue of the recruitment magazine is alluded to,

Brent Nagtegaal is interviewed in Jerusalem. They discuss Trump's proposal to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. It is mentioned that Israeli Jews tend to be more right wing and religious compared to American Jews. They ludicrously claimed that others have said that Obama had ruined US-Israeli relations and it may never be repaired to its former state. Meanwhile the US and Israeli governments recently passed a memorandum of understanding that makes the United States pay 25% of the State of Israel's military expenditure for ten years. They confidently state that it is destined for the United States and the State of Israel to fall out with each other. Elsewhere they teach that the Israeli government will realign itself with Europe only to be betrayed and conquered by the future European Empire. They also advertise that Nagtegaal will soon get his own radio show on Sunday about archaeology and PCG's interpretations of the future (which have so often failed).

Christopher Eames is interviewed discussing the earthquake in New Zealand. It ends with advertising for a booklet which scare mongers that natural disasters are sent by PCG's God to punish people.

Joel Hilliker ended the broadcast discussing the necessity of character in order to be entrusted with responsibility over people.

He quoted Thomas Edison saying that democracy is mob rule in which 51% of the people lord it over the rest. PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, has exalted in having his PCG be manged under one-man rule. It is little wonder that democracy would be viewed negatively within such a group.

Overview of the October 2016 Issue of PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet

The latest issue of PCG's recruitment magazine, The Philadelphia Trumpet, is now out.

Let us see what they have to say.

The editors are listed as Gerald Flurry, Stephen Flurry, Joel Hilliker, Brad MacDonald, Richard Palmer, Robert Morley, Jeremiah Jacques, Dennis Leap and Phillip Nice.

This issue's circulation is reported as 280,116.

The contents page features a menacing photo of Iranian soldiers on parade. It is menacingly entitled, "marching toward war". This conveniently ignores the fact that the recent agreement was made to make war with Iran less likely.

Gerald Flurry has a personal article once again denouncing the agreement with Iran and portraying developments concerning Iran in the worst possible light. Back in 1994 Gerald Flurry proclaimed that Iran would be the King of the South. If there should ever be peace with Iran this would discredit his claim to see the future. So he has a strong motive to demonize Iran to his readers.

Richard Palmer has an article scare mongering about China's economic activities in other parts of the Asian continent.

Anthony Chibarirwe has an article discussing the terrorists and murderers of ISIL. It ends with advertising for a booklet which says, "[ISIL] is not the REAL terrorism problem," but rather Iran (p. 36). PCG's 1% is squirming that so much attention is directed at the murderers and terrorists of ISIL and not Iran thus contradicting Gerald Flurry's 1994 proclamation that Iran would be the King of the South.

Dennis Leap has an article denouncing parents supposedly letting their children rule over them.

Andrew Müller has an article bizarrely comparing various left wing attempts to use the power of the government to help families with Engels' speculations of what a society without families would be produced and maintained. Müller has taken theoretical writings and inaccurately assumed that those theoretical writings can explain the left today. Yet more red baiting vilification of the left from PCG's resident McCarthyite.

The Infographic condemns welfare programs stemming from President Johnson's war on poverty as failures. PCG leans far to the right so this gives PCG an incentive to discourage people from looking for solutions to social problems, such as poverty, from left wing sources.

Phillip Nice has an article describe the kind of family idealized by PCG's 1%.

Jeremiah Jacques has an article which exploits the memory of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who courageously helped hundreds of Jews fleeing Nazi tyranny. It is terrible that the name of this courageous and heroic man is being exploited to try and recruit more tithes paying members for PCG. The article includes comments from an interview with one of those who was saved by the Japanese diplomat. It is terrible and shameful that he has been used to prop up PCG's recruitment magazine. If only that man knew just what sort of organization PCG was. Furthermore PCG's writers have a long and shameful history of demonizing Japan.

Joel Hilliker has a little article encouraging people to criticize each other.

Richard Palmer also has a little article which exploits the biodiversity of the oceans for this recruitment magazine. That does not prove that PCG is worthy of being followed.

WorldWatch discusses discontent among some hard liner Catholics concerning Pope Francis; that the terrorists and murderers of ISIL are using children in their propaganda more often; scare mongering that Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei is not satisfied with the agreement; diplomatic relations between Arab nations and the State of Israel; the recent tragic round of violence in Indian administered Kashmir; China's disagreement with the International Court of Justice favoring the Philippines in a border dispute in the South China Sea; Russia sending a massive battleship to Syria as part of their attempts to prop up the Assad regime; and the rise of Theresa May as Prime Minister of Britain.

SocietyWatch discusses the release of the platform authored by the Movement For Black Lives in a most absurdly alarmist manner; and the heroin use crisis.

There are letters.

Here's one letter insisting that PCG's prophecy that Europe will soon launch an attack on Iran and conquer it. But PCG's 1% are but false prophets. This prediction will never come to pass.

This great article describes how the Daniel 11:21 man will come to power through flatteries and promises and will make Europe secure from Islamic terrorism.... The king of the south is pushing, but the king of the north will not just sit and watch! This article does a great job describing the push of the king of the south and how the people in the territory of the king of the north feel. The people of Europe do not want to live with terrorism and lose their loved ones in this barbaric manner.

Here's one letter from North Carolina from a reader panicked by PCG's denunciations of the Black Lives Matter protest movement.

Thanks for the informative article.... America needs to take heed. I recently viewed a video of Louis Farrakhan crying out for 10,000 men to sacrifice their lives for this very cause. It’s about to become a very dangerous world, and you are trumpeting the Word of God for all who will listen.

What bizarre, alarmist claptrap. This plays toward PCG's false prophecy of "race war." What is this person implying might happen? Some sort of insurgency? That is extremely unlikely. America is great and powerful. It is very unlikely.

Here's one letter from Canada expressing happiness that racial issues will be resolved after the Second Coming instead of trying to manage such problems today.

This is exactly what is needed to change from racial, sinful behavior: God’s government and law! I long for the day when Jesus Christ returns!

Here's one letter that seems surprisingly different from PCG's views of international affairs.

America will reap what it has sown. The years of overthrowing governments, building a society on stealing, lying, slavery, etc., has returned upon it.

Here's one letter from the Bahamas commenting on an article which suggested that the legislators of the United States are an accurate reflection of the American people.

A very interesting and thought-provoking article on what breeds the discontent among the citizenry. We can only choose the best from what is understood to be good and bad. And with the shameful moral decline of this world, could it be that the loathing of our leaders is actually a loathing of ourselves—our leaders being the mirror in which we, though unconsciously, truly see ourselves as we are?

And so we see that PCG's 1% has made yet another magazine issue designed to bedazzle its readers into thinking that PCG's 1% can see the future. PCG's 52 failed prophecies prove that they cannot see the future. There is no need to fear or give any respect to their dire predictions. The are but false prophets.

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22.)