Let us now read Andrew Locher, Ron Fraser and Stephen Flurry's booklet, Russia and China in Prophecy. This booklet was first released in 1999. It was later revised in 2001, 2003, 2009 and 2013. For this post I am reading through the 2003 version of this booklet. The booklet was drastically changed, expended and revised in 2009. The current booklet is very different from the 2003 version.
Let us see what they have to say
The Soviet Union has dissolved.
China remains isolated from the rest of the
world. Yet these two great nations possess
tremendous resources and manpower.
Where do these two nations fit in an
ever-changing geopolitical arena? (Introduction.)
What on Earth do they mean, writing in 1999-2003, that China is isolated? Since China opened up to the world market under Deng Xiaopeng after Mao's death China has engaged in all kinds of commercial dealings with nations from all over the world. How can PCG's leaders say that China is isolated? What fanciful nonsense. This shows once again how detached from reality PCG's leaders actually are about this and many things.
Chapter 1: The Emerging Asian Superpower
This chapter was written by Andrew Locher and Ron Fraser.
At the same time, understanding the history of these peoples
will help us identify certain character traits that resurface even
in modern times. (p. 2.)
In other words certain peoples are stereotyped as behaving in certain ways. How is that not racist?
By April 1997, China, Russia, Tojikstan [sic], Kozokhstan [sic] and
Kyrgyzstan met to sign an accord in Moscow on troop reduction and security-building measures along the 4,700 mile border between China and the former Soviet Union. (p. 4.)
What attention to detail this shows. Somehow PCG's leaders misspelled those two names. How can this be taken seriously? They cannot even spell these names correctly.
China’s record on human rights is an ongoing cause of concern for U.S. officials. (pp. 5-6.)
The issue of human rights in China is a very serious issue. But this is the only time this issue is even mentioned in the 2003 version of this booklet. Large parts of this chapter is devoted to fear mongering that China is plotting to turn against the United States and fear mongering that peaceful economic activities "might" be used against the United States in a militaristic manner. That indicates that PCG's leaders have little concern about the human rights situation in China. Aside from this one pitiful sentence the writers of the 2003 version of this booklet show no concern for the human rights situation in China.
Now the current version is very different from the 2003 version discussed here. Here is how the current version of this booklet discuss the human rights situation in China.
Critics groused about China’s poor human rights, its
authoritarianism, its support for corrupt regimes, its pollution. Correct as they are, their criticisms simply aren’t going
to stop this bullet train. This country is barreling into the
future—and, in the process, changing the world. (Russia and China in Prophecy, 2013 version, Chapter 3, p. 28.)
Here criticism of human rights violations are actually belittled as useless. Again PCG's leaders seem to have no concern about those who suffer because of the human rights situation in China.
We now return back to the 2003 version of this booklet.
As Sino-American relations sour, look for China to turn to
Russia for the remaining help it needs to become a superpower
on the world stage. (p. 8.)
PCG predicts that Russia and China will become close allies. But considering the many other failed predictions PCG has made since 1989 it will be seen that PCG's leaders have no special insight into future events.
They cite
the fall of the Berlin Wall as a sign their prophecies will soon be fulfilled and twenty-five years later we are still waiting for Europe to conquer America. This prophecy failed.
For many years PCG's leaders said that Egypt would be taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood. They were very excited to see the Muslim Brotherhood ascend to power and gain the presidency in 2012. They failed to foresee that the Muslim Brotherhood would be ousted from power and then bloddily crushed with the loss of at least 638 lives in 2013.
PCG's prophecy failed miserably.
So PCG cannot see into the future. They are just as baffled by world events as the rest of us.
Other diplomatic
agitation stems from Russia’s continued military and economic
support of rogue nations such as Syria, North Korea and Iran.
Russia and China have each invested funds and technology
to develop nuclear reactors within Iran. Diplomats argue the
nuclear plants are civilian in purpose—a preposterous claim,
considering Iran’s abundant source of oil for fuel. (p. 8.)
This booklet was published in 1999. Sixteen years later we are still waiting for Iran to build a nuclear weapon. It is almost as though they actually do not want one. It has been reported that Iran's Supreme Leader made
a fatwa in 2003 condemning nuclear weapons as unislamic. Considering that detail PCG's leaders might have to wait a long time for Iran to get nuclear weapons.
And Syria is now a war zone and no one knows if the infamous Assad regime will even survive.
Economic discrepancies also drive these two former foes
apart. Unable to make payments on existing loans, Russia
is drowning in debt with little hope for a turnaround. If the
Russian economic situation is to improve, foreign investment
must increase—a fact which has not escaped the investment-conscious Germans. Russia is still rich in natural resources and
commodities, yet they lack the infrastructure to compete in the
cut-throat Western world. (p. 10.)
However over time Russia was able to recover economically. This is yet another failed prophecy. Even if we called this a "forecast" it is still a hopelessly inaccurate speculation of Russia's state of affairs.
Both [Russia and China] share common defense concerns, which
include radical Islam in and around Central Asia, expanding
Western power in NATO and the prospect of taking advantage
of a creeping U.S. isolationism. (p. 10.)
In the days leading up to 9/11 PCG was prophesying that the United States was becoming "isolationist". And yet so soon afterwards 9/11 happened and the United States went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Clearly PCG's leaders cannot predict the future.
Chapter 2: Russia and China in Prophecy
This chapter was written by Andrew Locher and Stephen Flurry.
Rather than let the Communists have the advantage
of striking first, the beast will turn its full attention to the north
and to the east of Jerusalem and launch a pre-emptive strike. (p. 18.)
Even though this booklet was first published in 1999 Russia is still described as Communist.
Most Bible critics argue that it would be impossible for an army this size to assemble. Yet consider the numbers. The current population in China is over 1.2 billion. In Russia it’s nearly 150 million. These two countries alone, not counting other nations which would most likely join this alliance, such as Japan and the former Soviet republics, total a population of 1.35 billion people from which to make up an army of 200 million. (pp. 18-19.)
Bizarrely Andrew Locher and Stephen Flurry constantly refer to Russia and China as "Communist". Even though Russia threw off Communist rule in the turbulent events of 1991 Russia is still called Communist according to Andrew Locher and Stephen Flurry.
The current 2013 version has since removed these bizarre words. But people deserve to know that as late as 2003 this booklet by PCG was still referring to Russia as "Communist".
God is
behind this Communist counterattack. They spare nothing. The
Russians and Chinese both possess nuclear weaponry. When
we read about the level of destruction upon Babylon (“to slay
the third part of men”), there can be no doubt that they will be
attacked with nuclear weapons! (p. 21.)
The words above prove that when a "Communist counterattack" is mentioned Andrew Locher and Stephen Flurry mean the Russians as well. The fact that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was kicked out of power in 1991 seems to be of no relevance to them.
The second woe is
the Communist counterattack. ... Verse 16, as we have seen, says there will be 200
million men in the massive Communist army. (p. 25.)
And, difficult as it may be to believe, what’s left of the
beast power and Communist Asia will actually gather to fight
against
Christ! (p. 26.)
Only four countries in all Asia can be labeled as Communist, namely China, Vietnam, Laos and North Korea. The fact that all the other countries in Asia are not Communist is ignored. How deluded these words are!
In Revelation 16:12, we see that God dries up the Euphrates
River to prepare the way for the Communist hordes to gather
with what remains of the beast power, near Jesus Christ in
Jerusalem. (p. 26.)
With the Millennium only just
begun, and Jesus Christ ruling the world from His throne in
Jerusalem, Communist Asia musters its forces for one final
attempt to overthrow Christ’s rule. (p. 27.)
The fact that Russia is described as "Communist" here only demonstrates once again how out of touch with reality PCG's leaders are. What a strange fantasy world PCG's leaders talk of here.
Ezekiel 13 describes problems with ministers of God’s people. These lukewarm ministers bring false messages, conjured up by themselves (vv. 1-10). Our books The Ezekiel Watchman and Malachi’s Message more thoroughly explain the meaning of these prophecies. God is speaking against the prophets and priests of Israel who cry “Peace; and there was no peace” (v. 10). This is a common cry today, which is almost always followed by a breach in that peace—witness Israel, Ireland and Bosnia. (p. 28.)
Yet another false prophecy. Since the Dayton Agreements of 1995 Bosnia has thankfully been spared from warfare. Although all sides are dissatisfied with the result they have no fought each other again all these years later.
Also since peace was made in Northern Ireland in 1998 the people of Northern Ireland have been spared from further mass violence. While no doubt tensions remain it has not fallen into a state of chronic turmoil again.
And as for Israel the situation is unfortunately still very tense over there. But if tensions can be managed so effectively in Bosnia and Ireland then why not hope that a similar peace can very well be established in the Holy Land? May peace soon come to the Holy Land.
This passage is astounding! It is common to think that after
Christ returns, peace and abundance will overflow throughout
the Earth immediately. But that is not what the Bible teaches.
There will still exist those who haven’t submitted to God’s law
and government. They will learn the “hard way” that God’s
system is the only one that will yield such blessings in life! (p. 31.)
The only reason why it seems to Andrew Locher and Stephen Flurry that "It is common to think that after
Christ returns, peace and abundance will overflow throughout
the Earth immediately" is because that is what the leaders of PCG have been constantly telling their followers. Very often this detail of PCG dogma is often ignored when talking about how peace is to come only after Christ returns. This is clearly seen from these words by Gerald Flurry in his 2004 booklet, The Last Hour.
The last hour has struck. At the end of this hour Jesus Christ will
return. The Earth and universe will know only peace, joy and abundance
from that time forward! Nothing even remotely like it has ever occurred
before. The Family of God will rule this Earth and the universe. Can your mind fully comprehend that this universe-shaking event is only an “hour” away? (Gerald Flurry, The Last Hour, Chapter 8, p. 92.)
Such details are simply not dwelt on by PCG's leaders.
(Incidentally Chapter 8 of The Last Hour is entitled "The Elder". In that booklet Gerald Flurry is identifying himself as the elder. This is connected with
Gerald Flurry proclaiming himself to be That Prophet.)
It is true that some of the Communist hordes will gather
at Armageddon and be destroyed during the third woe when
Christ returns—but not all. The rest of these rebellious forces
will descend upon the glorious land a short time after it has been
occupied by the regathered Israelites (it will only be a land of
villages at this point early on in the Millennium). (p. 31.)
It is amazing how Andrew Locher and Stephen Flurry so casually assure the reader that the Holy Land at that time "will only be a land of
villages at this point early on in the Millennium". They are so sure they understand even little details like that. And this is done right after constantly misidentifying Russia as Communist.
It is also worth noting that Russia is again described as Communist.
The booklet ends with the following words. Here we see the real purpose of this booklet.
God wants us to choose life! He doesn’t want to inflict His
wrath—but He will if we force Him to do so. Do we believe this
is all going to happen? Will we listen to God’s warning message
from His true Church? If history is any indication, probably not.
God’s prophets and ministers have almost always stood alone.
But they have stood with God!
Where will you stand? (p. 33.)
In other words the whole point of this booklet is to persuade the reader to join PCG.
And so we reach the end of this recruitment booklet.
It is noteworthy to mention that Japan is rarely mentioned in this booklet. Although it is assumed that Japan will be with Russia and China in this future alliance it is rarely discussed. When this booklet was greatly revised in 2009 a chapter written by Gareth Fraser and Ron Fraser completely devoted to Japan was included. PCG has a long history of demonizing Japan.
Also there is no mention of Iran, which PCG teaches is the King of the South. As mentioned previously it appears that PCG rarely fear mongered about Iran until 9/11. PCG says that Gerald Flurry dogmatically proclaimed Iran to be the King of the South in 1994 but this dogma was rarely mentioned in PCG's writings until 9/11. The fact that Iran is never mentioned in this booklet provides further evidence of that.
Here is where one may read
the current 2013 version of this booklet. But I strongly emphasize it is very different from the 2003 version discussed here. It is practically another booklet.
It is now sixteen years since this booklet was published. Russia and China are still not planning to attack Europe. PCG are still false prophets. There is no need to listen to them.
