Wednesday, November 19, 2014

LCG's Rod McNair's Failed Prophecy

Banned by HWA has noted a report that Roderick C. Meredith has appointed Rod McNair and Bob Teague to purge the LCG ministry.

I have no idea if this is true but people deserve to know that Rod McNair is guilty of making a false prophecy as noted in a previous post.

Earlier this year the governments of the United States and the Philippines have signed an agreement that allows America to place more troops there as part of a ten year agreement.
The United States and the Philippines will sign a 10-year defense agreement Monday, officials said, one of the clearest signs yet of renewed American engagement in the region at a time when tensions between China and its neighbors have been rising. ...

the pact may reassure several Asian countries embroiled in territorial disputes with China, especially in the South China Sea. It also gives the United States greater flexibility to respond to threats and natural disasters in the region. ...

“This is the most significant defense agreement that we have concluded with the Philippines in decades,” said Evan Medeiros, the National Security Council’s senior director for Asian affairs, (Washington Post.)
Oh how different events have gone from what LCG's Rod McNair forecasted when he wrote an article for LCG's recruitment magazine Why America is Losing Valuable Friends and Allies, which is in the September-October 2000 issue of Tomorrow's World. It is all about supposedly deteriorating relations between the Phillippines and the US. This is cited as evidence that God has cursed America for failing to do what LCG teaches.

Fourteen years later their relations are closer than ever.

So we see once again that these Armstrongite ministers like Rod McNair do not have some secret knowledge that reveals to them what will happen in the future. They are just as uncertain as anyone else.

God is not with Rod McNair, his LCG or any of the Armstrongite groups. They speak merely on their own authority and deceptively use God's name in vain to lead people into deception and exploit them by getting three tithes and extra offerings from them.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Watching PCG's Telecast, The Most Mysterious Message

Let us now take a look at PCG's The Key of David episode, "The Most Mysterious Message" (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3), presented by Gerald Flurry. According to their website this program is dated March 14, 2008.

Here is the synopsis.
God prophesies in the book of Daniel about a coming clash between two world powers. The world war they provoke will be stopped by the return of Jesus Christ! Only a small group of people understands and proclaims this message today. Do you understand this mysterious message?
Apparently Part 1 of this telecast happens to be the most watched video on the Key of David's Youtube account.

Here are some notes I took while watching this episode.

We now begin.

Part 1.

Over 100 Bible prophecies foretell the coming of a "nuclear holocaust". (2 minutes.)

Flurry reinterprets "chief of the children of Ammon" is reinterpreted to mean PCG members hiding (or just about to hide) in the place of safety in Petra. (6-7 minutes.)

Of course the full meaning of this is not presented to the viewers. They are expected to go through a lot more before the full meaning of what Flurry is saying is to be told to them. Only after PCG knows they are already hooked.

Flurry then cites an article by Ron Fraser. (7 minutes.).

Fraser's article fear monger that Germany is about to take over coalition military operations in Afghanistan. Flurry plays this assertion to full effect. (7 minutes.).

"Now here is the German army and the military leader saying that they're going to take over the task for all of these other nations that are pulling out. What does that mean? And why would Germany want to have more forces in the Middle East? Why would they want to build up their forces in Afghanistan? I'm telling you that is a shocking event when you realize where it is leading and what it all means for us today." (8:54-9:24)

Part 2.

"It seems like the US is pulling out of here. And will be pulling out of Afghanistan. And I think Germany and the European Union knows that and they're concerned about that." (0:12-0:22)  

Started in 576 AD.  (0:55)

Flurry must mean 554 AD.

He mentions "nuclear holocaust" and "the worst trouble this world has ever seen".

Talks of forces led by "radical Islam" -- Iran plotting to get nuclear weapons. (6 minutes.)

Even some of God's own people (PCG members) will fall from the truth. (9 minutes.)

Part 3 .

"Who in this world religiously talks about a demon army?" He then gives a quick, quiet chuckle and then says, "That's what it is. An army of fallen angels." (1 minute.) 

"God says he's going to save them physically". (4 minutes.)

At the end the program promotes Daniel: Unsealed at Last! (which was discussed in a previous post) and Prophesy Again. And it also promotes the March 2008 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet.

It encourages the viewers to write to Gerald Flurry. Not PCG, just Gerald Flurry. I find it amazing how at the very end the mailing address is advertized as being for "Gerald Flurry". Not the Philadelphia Church of God. No, just Gerald Flurry, as though it was a one man show.

And so the show ends.

Once again PCG promotes their fear based religion by claiming the Germans are on the verge of turning against America and Britain. HWA and his imitators have been constantly proclaiming that Europe will arise to destroy America and Britain since the 1930s. At first HWA said it was Mussolini, but then he changed it to Hitler after even he had to admit it was Hitler driving events not Mussolini. From 1953 onwards Herbert W. Armstrong taught that Christ would return in 1975.

The idea that Europe will arise to destroy America and Britain as taught by HWA and his imitators is just a fear inducing false prophecy designed to make people scared into getting other peoples' money.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Watching PCG's Telecast, Putin Remembers Yugoslavia

Gerald Flurry and his Philadelphia Church of God blame Germany as being responsible for the Yugoslav Wars of 1991-2001. They have said this many times. As part of this campaign to use the terrible suffering of the peoples of the former Yugoslavia to gain more members on March 28, 2014, PCG released a Key of David telecast entitled "Putin Remembers Yugoslavia". This was made shortly after the Crimea seceded from Ukraine. A transcript of it can be read on their website.

Here is the synopsis for the telecast:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has strong views about the recent history of Yugoslavia. He believes his actions in Crimea are no different than the West’s actions in Yugoslavia.
PCG teaches that Germany will arise as an unstoppable military and economic superpower. They also teach that the Pope will be a vital part of this European Empire. To convince people of this doctrine Gerald Flurry and Co. constantly cite the Yugoslav Wars of 1991-2001 and insist that Germany and the Vatican sparked this war by recognizing Slovenia and Croatia as independent states in December 1991.

Philadelphia Trumpet, June 2002


As seen on previous posts this assertion is somewhat flawed considering that Slovenia was already de facto independent after Belgrade's forces withdrew earlier in October 1991 after an armed struggle in June-July 1991.

Also Croatia and the forces of Belgrade had also been fighting for months before December 1991. By December 1991 the Belgrade government had already seized Vukovar from Croatia after a three month siege which killed about 3000 people (August 25-November 18, 1991). All this occurred before December 1991.

But regardless of contrary facts Gerald Flurry continues the cite the Yugoslav Wars in order demonize Germany and the Vatican to assert that they are all powerful menace in order to scare his viewers and readers into giving money to his PCG. PCG members are required to pay three tithes and extra offerings to his PCG. That is how PCG gets an annual income of $19.7 million in 2012.

***

The following are some notes I made after watching that episode.

In this telecast Flurry repeatedly states that he is talking about facts, not opinion.

Flurry says that President Putin thinks the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest catastrophe of the twentieth century. But, Flurry says, Putin is really angry and upset and enraged at the dissolution of Yugoslavia.

Then Flurry quotes a speech by President Putin justifying the secession of Crimea from Ukraine given on March 18, 2014. Putin cites the precedent of Kosovo seceding from Yugoslavia as a precedent to justify Crimea's declaration of independence (which was later united with Russia).

Quotes Putin as saying America is led by the rule of the gun. (8 minutes.)

Flurry says that the US led the "conquest of Yugoslavia" as he calls it, but says it was Germany that masterminded the secession of Kosovo from behind the scenes. (8 minutes.)

People in America have never, ever looked at the facts about this, "for the most part", he says. (10 minutes.)

So many things were "so mysterious and so absolutely shameful" that many do not want to talk about what really happened to this day. (11 minutes.)

Flurry says that the Serbs were our allies in the first two World Wars. And we bombed them. This obscures the fact many Chetniks collaborated with Nazi aligned forces. A major reason why the West later chose to give aid to the Partisans.

Flurry says, "I can tell you that that rage is still burning in Vladimir Putin." (15 minutes.)

Flurry quotes from an article by Courcy's Intelligence Digest stating that Russia viewed Ukraine as a red line which must not be crossed and arguing that the West should have foreseen that Russia would drastically react to what Russia viewed as Ukraine slipping away to the West and away from Russia. The article criticizes the West for not taking Russia's grievances seriously.

The Key of David episode shows war footage. In one shot a man is running and then there is seen a fighter jet soaring through the sky. Another shot shows a corpse lying on the ground near some vehicles, the head shrouded from view. (16 minutes.) 

Speaking of these troubles Flurry says "it will lead us to World War III and it will have to be stopped by Jesus Christ himself." (16 minutes.)

While quoting the article from Courcy's Intelligence Digest the article states that Russia has been signaling displeasure regarding the Ukraine slipping away from Russia's sphere of influence for a long time. That is what Russia has been signaling. And then Flurry says, "Yes, they have. And we've signaled that more then anyone else." (17 minutes.)

Flurry says "Bible prophecy proves that". (18 minutes.)

Then Flurry shows the June 2002 Philadelphia Trumpet magazine. (Note: Albania was never a part of Yugoslavia as seems to be inaccurately implied on the cover.)

"Although what he did in Crimea was a great crime. But I say to you we've committed a greater one." (20 minutes.)

Says statements saying the Serbs were running concentration camps and were conducting genocide in order "to wipe out whole races" were later discredited and proven to be deceitful lies. (22 minutes.)

Really?

Cites a quote from Romano Prodi saying the Balkans belong to the European Union and insinuates this is being done in rivalry against the United States. (24 minutes.)

Cites Stratfor saying these events surrounding the dissolution of Yugoslavia was the "rebirth of German fascism". (24 minutes.)

25 minutes into the telecast changes to a graphic quoting Flurry's booklet about Yugoslavia accompanied by footage of a female Croatian singing Danke Deutschland.

I was very amused to see that because I have seen that video. It is from a documentary from Slovenia that was released in 1999. Actually that film strongly condemns the extremism embraced by some Serbs in those days and often mocks the self serving words of officials and demagogues and seeks to expose them as dreadfully out of touch with reality. It also showed some brave Serbs who renounced the violence and worked to stop the war during the time of Milošević.

Flurry then says if you don't think that Germany has wider ambitions then "you don't know what's really happening." (25 minutes.)

Flurry mentions the side article "A Nice Gift from NATO". When that article first appeared as an anonymous side article in 1999 it incorrectly claimed Tirana, Albania, was a port. It was reprinted in May 2001 accompanying an article Gareth Fraser. Later someone clearly learned otherwise and in July 2002 it was corrected to say Durrës, and only from this was it attributed to Gerald Flurry. (25 minutes.)

Flurry says the Germans often do not like to talk about these things because "they know how they [the Germans] manipulated the whole world". (26 minutes.)

At the end Gerald Flurry's booklet, Germany's Conquest of the Balkans is offered. That booklet was discussed previously on this blog (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). Also on on offer is a "documentary DVD" is of an episode of The Trumpet Daily, Germany's Conquest of Europe, hosted by Stephen Flurry. Very likely it will simply reiterate these ideas.

HWA and his imitators have been dogmatically insisting that the Europeans will emerge as a superpower to destroy America since the 1930s. This is a false prophecy. Gerald Flurry's broadcast continues this shameful tradition.

***

Here are some other posts regarding the topic of the Yugoslav Wars and how PCG discusses it:

Reading PCG's Booklet, Germany's Conquest of the Balkans (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

PCG Using the Yugoslav Wars to Demonize Germany and the Pope

PCG Advertizing Flurry's Yugoslav Wars Booklet

PCG Exploits Yugoslav Wars to Demonize Germany

PCG's Support for Serbia in the Yugoslav Wars

PCG's Ron Fraser Demonizing Bosnia as a "Terrorist Enclave" (2008)

PCG Calls Srebrenica Massacre "a Crime of Passion"

Serb War Criminals Convicted 

[Update: November 21: Although I am reluctant to post this I will do so. Please note that other parts of the video contain graphic war footage. This is the video used in this telecast of a Croatian singer thanking Germany 25 minutes into the telecast. It is a Slovenian documentary regarding the Yugoslav Wars that was first broadcast in 1999. Video (36 minutes, 34 seconds). ]

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Another Armstrongite Pedophile Convicted

Banned by HWA has reported that one Stephen Gough has been convicted of pedophilia.

What abominations exist within the world of Armstrongism. It is good that these terrible crimes have been addressed in this way and that he is now being punished for such despicable deeds.

May justice prevail.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Overview of November-December 2014 Tomorrow's World

LCG has released the latest issue of their recruitment magazine, Tomorrow's World (November-December 2014). Let us see what they have to say for themselves.

The issue reports to have a circulation of 472,000. This is an increase from the September-October issue (458,000) and the July-August issue (457,000).

This is much higher then the circulation for PCG's Philadelphia Trumpet. Here are the circulation figures for it in the second half of 2014: July: 322,017, August: 319,798, September: 317,863, October: 317,130, November-December: 313,286.

Roderick C. Meredith's personal article insists that when they say peace the great catastrophe will occur, which he has been relentlessly insisting will soon occur since the 1950s.

Roderick C. Meredith has an article insist that recent world crises prove that nuclear World War III is just about to occur, which he has been telling everyone he can since the 1950s.

James Ginn has a little article warning that Canada is getting to be really cold.

Gary Ehman has a little article wondering if people in prosperous countries like the USA are truly thankful for the blessings they have living in such a society. Maybe LCG members would not worry so much about these things if they did not send in three tithes and extra offerings to LCG.

Richard Ames has an article presenting LCG's interpretation of what the Book of Revelation means. It is largely based on what HWA taught, a man who made hundreds of false fear inducing prophesies.

Adam J. West has a little article recalling Admiral Nelson's call to arms for the people of Britain during the cataclysmic struggles of the Napoleonic Wars. West uses this to say that readers must prepare themselves to fulfill the numerous requirements and dogmas of LCG.

Dexter Wakefield has an article condemning Christmas as a "pagan" holiday that "true Christians" (he really means LCG members) are forbidden to observe it. This is actually a tool used to isolate people from their families and friends in order to make them socially dependent upon LCG to allow them to be exploited by paying three tithes and extra offerings. Also the idea that Christmas came from pagan Babylon actually came from Alexander Hyslop's discredited 1860s book, The Two Babylons.

Questions and Answers recapitulates HWA's dogma taught by LCG insisting that LCG members are not allowed to serve in any of the armed forces.

Douglas Winnail has a little article that Germans are preparing to seize control of the European Union in order to destroy America and Britain. He and his collaborators have been saying this for years. In times past they fear mongered that the euro would make the EU into an unstoppable superpower. Instead it caused Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Cyprus to require bailout funds because they could not print more money because the European Central Bank controlled that. The euro was the problem and opened the way for great misery to be heaped upon many people. 

Jonathan McNair has a little article telling young people that they need to follow the rules. He uses this to insist that LCG members must observe the seventh day Sabbath and the annual Holy Days as HWA taught.

Wallace Smith has a little article condemning the idea of the multiverse as an attempt to do away with the concept of God.

There are also some letters reprinted. There's one from Belgium and one from Papua New Guinea.

One letter states the following.
You folks hit the nail right on the head when it comes to speaking the truth about God and the Bible. You have the answers and tell the truth. You are the first people that have made it clear for me that I can finally understand it and get away from all the confusion that I have had for so many years. Your magazines are great along with the booklets and I keep every one of them.
Very likely this person does not know that LCG and the rest of Armstrongism has regularly altered doctrines to make themselves more appealing. For instance LCG teaches that there will be a King of the South yet originally HWA said the King of the South was Ethiopia. But over time the idea came to be gradually adopted that a future King of the South would arise among the Arabs. And this is what LCG now teaches.

Here's one letter from a reader who first encountered Armstrongism as a child in the 1960s.
Tomorrow’s World is a wonderful way for me to learn and grow in God’s word, to bring a more full understanding of my existence in this world to prepare for the next. I remember during the early 60s my mother ordered Mr. Armstrong’s book The Wonderful World of Tomorrow—then, at that time, cable TV, cell phones, video games, instant messaging and Internet did not exist, but I learned how to read and that magazine gave me insight. Tomorrow’s World corresponds dramatically with those articles of that time—what an eye opener! Thank you!
Actually what HWA taught in those days was largely nonsense.

The writer of this letter says he or she makes sure to look up the Scriptures cited in Tomorrow's World.
I am like the Bereans and search the scriptures daily to see if what people, especially ministers and pastors, say is true concerning the Bible. I have spent 40 years researching and trying to find the truth the way Jesus and the Apostles taught it. You’re a blessing and right on the mark. Believe me, I check what you write also and I am blown away! Thank you, thank you, thank you for showing me the truth in so many areas.
What is often not realized by those looking at the Scriptures presented is that LCG and the other related groups teach a largely nonsensical pack of beliefs, largely derived from what HWA taught, which are simply read into the Bible. So many teachings LCG has which they say come from the Bible actually come from other sources.

British Israelism came from a movement that originated from Britain and is untrue. As Silenced.co recently showed British Israelism is built on a foundation of sand. In fact DNA evidence refutes British Israelism.

The Feast of Tabernacles is observed in a way wholly contrary to how it is portrayed in the Old Testament.

The idea that many mainstream Christian practices come from Nimrod and pagan Babylon actually comes from Alexander Hyslop's nonsensical book, The Two Babylons, first published in the 1860s. It was originally an anti-Catholic polemic but HWA turned it into a pretext to ban Christmas, Easter and other festivals to make his followers socially dependent on him.

This person may very well be "blown away" by what LCG says but what LCG says is largely nonsense.

And so we see once again LCG has produced yet another magazine issue designed to continue insisting to LCG members that they need to remain in LCG and to try to lure in other people into joining LCG in the hope of eventually getting them to join LCG and pay three tithes and extra offerings. LCG teaches that it is necessary to pay three tithes and extra offerings. 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Does PCG Pay $4 Million a Year for Their Ministers?

Exit and Support Network have released a letter (dated November 10) that possibly reveals that PCG ministers, at least some of them, get $65,000 a year. 
After one "holy day" gathering in the PCG my father-in-law ate dinner with minister ... at a high end restaurant. At the end of a nice expensive meal, ... whipped out a PCG ministerial credit card to pay for dinner for his family. All the others there had to save up all year to eat at a place like that. My father-in-law was shocked as he assumed that the ministers all pay for their own food, lodging, and expenses during Sabbaths and holy days like all the "dumb sheep" of the non-Edmond slave class. No, the PCG ministers get it all paid for with the blood, sweat, tears, and paychecks of the lower orders of non-HQ PCG members. He was incensed and very grieved to have found out that day that all PCG ministers have a nice padded expense account via "company credit cards."

I also remember another holy day when the great PCG evangelist ... came to Cincinnati to beg for a large holy day offering. He said he felt "kinda bad" asking young couples with children and frail seniors on Social Security for more money but "God needs your support."

It takes a man of low character to stand behind the pulpit and extort money from people they know are the least able to afford it. As they stand up there, they must have to look into the eyes of young children, infants, and older folk and know that Gerald Flurry is a fraud and it is all about the money. Yes, people like ..., ..., ..., ..., and others will threaten "eternal death" and then take money from the poor sheep and run back to their luxury homes, cars, and $65,000 a year salaries. Oh and now we may add--nice company Visas. --Former PCG member [name withheld]
Now PCG has previously revealed that the Philadelphia Church of God has about 63 ministers. It is possible there may be a few additions after their Feast of Tabernacles.

And we also know from a booklet by Gerald Flurry that in 2012 PCG got an income of $19.5 million. So we have a fair idea of how much money PCG has to pay their expenses.

Now if a PCG minister gets $65,000 a year, and if 63 ministers are paid in this way, then that means PCG pays the following figure for their 63 ministers:

$4,095,000.

Over four million dollars a year.

That is over a fifth of PCG's annual income.

Now one can assume that the true figure would be higher assuming that more senior ministers are paid a higher salary. Of course this all assumes that the figure cited earlier is correct.

Now, as seen earlier, a recent article from PCG seemed to imply that in 2014 about $2 million was spent on buying airtime for their Key of David telecast.

So that would mean about twice as much money is used for paying ministers' salaries then are used in buying airtime for The Key of David telecast.

So, assuming the $65,000 a year figure is correct, and knowing there are about 63 PCG ministers, that means nearly a fifth of all those tithes sent to PCG go directly into the hands of their ministers.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Notes from PCG's Trumpet Weekly (2009)

Continuing on from a previous post let us continue surveying the articles within the issues of PCG's Trumpet Weekly.

During 2009 the world was still recovering from the global financial crisis. PCG's writers did all they could to say there was no hope. It seems as though they wanted readers to have no hope that things might improve unless they join PCG and pay three tithes to them for the rest of lives. Instead, five years later, things have improved. PCG's writers confidently predicted that America was bankrupt, "beyond broke", but clearly they were woefully wrong.

PCG's writers also constantly claimed that US federal debt is spiraling out of control and getting bigger and bigger and no one has ever been in so much debt before and other such things. But that is all ignorant nonsense. When one takes inflation into account the US federal debt was actually much higher in the 1940s because of World War II then is the case today. So such demagoguery that PCG's writers use is complete nonsense.

US federal debt compared with GDP 1940-2014

No government can be "forced to default on debt denominated in its own currency" so we do not need to worry about the US going bankrupt. It is not going to happen.

***

And with such thoughts in mind let us begin to look at what PCG's Trumpet Weekly had to say about things in 2009.

Some articles cited were written outside of PCG but they are still mentioned as it is PCG's writers who have added these articles to The Trumpet Weekly.

2009

January 3. This issue has of discussion regarding the violent crisis in Gaza.

"Is the Euro the New Dollar?" (Time). The answer is No.

"Right Wing Crimes Soared". (DW) PCG constantly claims that right wing violence in Germany is increasing, whether the facts warrant this claim or not.

January 10. "2009--Year of the Beast?" by Ron Fraser. No. It was not. There will be no European Empire the way HWA and his pathetic imitators say there will be.

"Prepare for Dollar Collapse". Five Years later we are still waiting.

January 17. More on the war in Gaza. Brad MacDonald dwells at length on the Muslim Brotherhood taking Egypt over.

January 24. Morley says Social Security is bankrupt. Nonsense.

February 2. Morley talks about South Africa.
South Africa increasingly finds itself under curses that are destined to grow worse in the time ahead. A vital warning and a message of hope to the peoples of South Africa is contained in our booklet South Africa in Prophecy.
That booklet, written by Ron Fraser, says that racial intermarriage is forbidden by God. Banning interracial marriage is racist.

February 14. Morley incorrectly says America is bankrupt.
The United States faces catastrophic collapse no matter what President Obama does. The scale of America’s problems goes far beyond what an ever increasing number of trillions of dollars can patch over.

Here is the sad fact: U.S. taxpayers have committed $8.7 trillion to fixing the system, and we haven’t even made a noticeable dent!
Unfortunately Morley seems unaware of the difference between private debt and public debt. Morley seems unaware that no government can be forced to default on debt denominated in its own currency, as the US federal debt is. Morley seems unaware that, when accounting for inflation, the US federal debt is actually lower then what it was in the 1940s.

February 28. Stephen Flurry.
How could it be that bad when we have a budget twice the size of the one President Clinton proposed just nine years ago? That’s how delusional our addiction to debt has made us. Teetering on the brink of economic ruin? No problem! Just triple the deficit. Problem solved.
March 7. Morley again inaccurately saying that the US government is broke.
The government is broke. It was running massive deficits before the crisis ever struck. And now it is planning the biggest borrowing binge ever to bail out the irresponsible, inefficient and incompetent. The nation’s finances have been pushed beyond the point of recovery.
Then why are the prison guards still looking after the prisoners still in jail? Clearly Morley is wrong.

March 14. Here is Joel Hilliker condemning attempts by the US to rebuild Gaza shortly after the violence and destruction in December 2008 - January 2009.
The United States is beyond broke. It is borrowing and printing hundreds of billions of dollars in a mad scramble to escape economic quicksand.

Why, then, is it offering $300 million to reconstruct the Gaza Strip? And another $600 million to help the Palestinian Authority pay its bills? That’s $900 million of other people’s money—for a cause that is profoundly flawed.
How could the US do this? Because it is not broke. Once you account for inflation US federal debt was actually higher in the 1940s because of World War II then is the case today. No government can be forced to default for debt denominated in its own currency.

Also I wish there was a stronger sense of compassion for the unfortunate people who live in the Gaza strip and are at the mercy of political events beyond their control. Instead he seems to think it is better to do nothing and let the people of Gaza make do without help from the US.
If we could follow those $900 million as they make their way from America’s printing presses into Palestinian pockets, we would likely find them, in a best-case scenario, padding PA bank accounts. At worst, those dollars will reach terrorists and fund Israeli deaths. That will provoke retaliation from the new Israeli government, which will mean Palestinian deaths. And Hamas perversely views Palestinian deaths not as tragedies, but as victories in the propaganda war against Israel.

That is ultimately what those 900 million borrowed greenbacks will likely purchase.
Well, if the US does nothing for Gaza why wouldn't those people side with Hamas? Following Hilliker's idea would just make the people of Gaza conclude there is no other hope and just join Hamas anyway. This is so short sighted it is not even funny.

March 21. In a particularly venomous article Brad MacDonald claims Germany caused the global financial crisis by raising interest rates for the Euro. I have never even heard of this idea before when reading about how the financial crisis occurred. And apparently it was planned sixty year ago. It sounds utterly delusional.

"Xenophobia Widespread Among German Youth". Once again PCG promotes the idea that Germany is ready to turn Nazi at any minute.

April 4. "G20 Moves World Step Closer to a Global Currency" (Telegraph). Not a PCG article but the decision by PCG's writers to include this article shows they are pandering to those inaccurately fearful of the creation of some sort of one world currency.

April 11. "Greece Teeters on the Edge of Bankruptcy" (Der Spielgel). This terrible fate was only possible because Greece had the euro. But the euro which was controlled by the European Central Bank, not Greece. If Greece had their own currency with a national debt denominated in that currency (like the US) Greece would have been able to use other measures to protect themselves in the severe crisis and not need a bailout. But because they had the euro this was, alas, not possible.

"The Real Jesus" by Stephen Flurry.

April 18. "Will Social Security Go Bankrupt by 2010?" (TheTrumpet.com). Wrong. Four years later it is still going. Actually Social Security is in wonderful shape.

"A Summer of Rage?" by Robert Morley. Insinuates massive riots may soon occur.

"The Homeland Security Report on 'Right-wing Extremism'" (Fox News). I remember hearing when this report came out. Later on it was revealed that the author was a Republican and a Mormon. And in fact later on there was a wave of violence by right wing extremists. One instance the murder of six people and severe shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

April 25. "Keep Hope Alive" by Joel Hilliker.

"Flee the Credit Trap" by Robert Morley. Here Morley gives advice on how to manage finances.
Much of the financial trouble plaguing families today is NOT the result of low wages. It is the result of overextending a normally adequate income for luxuries and personal indulgence. ...

Your standard of living is probably already beyond the wildest dreams of the typical inhabitant of this planet. Few realize that the average person on this Earth has no shoes, little food and no fine furniture or appliances of any kind!
Is this what PCG's leaders tell their followers who tell them they have troubles paying the three tithes?

May 2. "Growing Up in the Worldwide Church of God" by Stephen Flurry.

May 9. "A Nuclear Power Is About to Fall to Islamists" by Joel Hilliker. He was talking about Pakistan. He was wrong. Pakistan overthrew President Musharraf and restored parliamentary democracy. The voters of Pakistan gave power to a left wing party. Although clearly there are many problems within Pakistan becoming radicalized like Iran in 1979 is not one of them.

May 16. "Nazis Planned a Fourth Reich" (Daily Mail). This news article cites the same Nazi era memorandum that Gerald Flurry uses in his booklet, Germany's Conquest of the Balkans, to nonsensically assert that modern day Germany is just a heartbeat away from turning Nazi.

"Europe: From Crisis to Chaos" by Ron Fraser.
Herbert Armstrong believed that global financial crisis would trigger the rise of the prophesied beast power. That crisis is here! This week’s figures indicated that the crisis has deepened dramatically in Europe.
Five years later we are still waiting.

"Creating Hate With Hate Crime Bills" by Robert Morley. Considering that PCG bans interracial marriage it is no wonder that PCG would be negative towards such proposed laws.

May 23. "Germany Not Doing Enough to Fight Right-Wing Extremism" (Der Spielgel).

May 30.
“What will it take to awaken our people? America is bankrupt. Our people just don’t know it yet.”
—Co-Worker Letter, July 22, 1997
Fourteen years later America is still not bankrupt. Actually this is impossible because the federal debt is denominated in its own currency and it is impossible for any government to be forced to default on debt denominated in its own currency.

June 6. "Obama Embraces Islam" by Stephen Flurry. Here Stephen Flurry criticizes President Obama for speaking of the "Islamic World" in his speech in Cairo and claims it somehow encourages radical Muslims to demand more. He cites an article from Asia Times Online.

June 13. "“Gay” Family Kids Seven Times More Likely to be Homosexual" (WorldNetDaily). You cannot catch homosexuality. It is not contagious. What lunacy.

June 20. "Is Another Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Imminent?" by Brad MacDonald. Here MacDonald insinuates that the EU and Russia will create some sort of alliance at America's expense. Today relations between the EU and Russia have deteriorated badly, largely because of the crisis in Ukraine.

"The Truth Behind Iran's Election Protests" by Joel Hilliker. Here Hilliker says the protests will fail and fear mongers that Ahmadinejad will be more powerful then ever after this election. Just a few years later Ahmadinejad lost favor with the Supreme Leader and got replaced.

"Finding Joy During a Recession" by Robert Morley.

June 27. "The Media's Cultic Devotion to Barack Obama" by Stephen Flurry. Here Stephen Flurry accuses various reporters of somehow idolatrously worshiping President Obama.
These same media types now religiously place their blind faith in a mortal man they have collectively exalted in place of God. ... There’s no shame in unabashedly endorsing their cultic leader along with his liberal worldview. They’re proud of being “in bed” with the president.
Afterwards Stephen Flurry asserts that President Obama's speech in Cairo will cause several prophesies to be fulfilled.  
In actual fact, as we highlight in our most recent print edition of the Trumpet, President Obama’s Cairo speech is, even now, beginning to violently shake the nations of this Earth! No matter what the propagandists in the media might say, that speech signaled the end of America’s standing as the world’s lone superpower, setting the stage for several end-time prophecies to ACCELERATE in their ultimate fulfillment, as we wrote about here.
"CA: Harbinger of National Doom?" by Robert Morley. Here Morley claims California is cursed to endure natural catastrophes. 

Quotes Washington Times.

July 4. On page 4 it is insinuated that Germany's condemnation of the repression of protests in Iran is a sign that Germany will become Iran's main adversary.

July 11. "America's Decline -- From Sinatra to Jackson" by Ron Fraser. This remarkably bitter article was written after Michael Jackson's death. Instead of offering comfort to those who were mourning he chose to belittle and criticize Michael Jackson's music as a sign of national decline. This article was discussed on this blog at the time.

"Why Trouble in Iran Will Lead to War" by Joel Hilliker. Here Hilliker asserts that Germany and not the US was the nation that most stridently opposed the repression of protesters in Iran. He asserts this is a sign that Germany will become Iran's main adversary.  

July 18. "Costly Health Care Reform" by Robert Morley. Here Morley talks about health care. He ends the article with these words.
In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and with the nation encumbered with the biggest debts in the history of the world, the national healthcare bill could easily push America over the edge.
Which is completely backwards from reality. In fact the expensive, private system of health insurance before President Obama was a severe drain upon the finances of many Americans. A lot of money paid for health insurance went to overhead costs instead of providing health care. That is why health care reform was so necessary and needed to be done.

But what does Morley recommend?
However, there is a solution to the health crisis. If you are interested, request a free copy of Herbert W. Armstrong’s booklet The Plain Truth About Healing.
That booklet insists that one should not use doctors or medicine to cure illnesses. Many of his followers have died prematurely because of HWA's anti-medicine superstition.

July 25. "World Prepares to Dump the Dollar" by Robert Morley. PCG's writers constantly claim the rest of the world is waiting with baited breath to stop using the US dollar.

August 1. "America's Racial Time Bomb is Ticking" by Brad MacDonald. In this article MacDonald quotes HWA to say the Great Flood was caused by interracial marriage.
Racial strife is endemic to history, long before the Obama presidency—or America—existed. This deadly infirmity has plagued the human race since before the days of Noah. In fact, as Herbert Armstrong explained in Mystery of the Ages, “the chief cause of the violence and chaos of world conditions [prior to the Flood], was racial hatreds, interracial marriages, and racial violence caused by man’s efforts toward integration and amalgamation of races, contrary to God’s laws.”
Banning interracial marriage is racist.

"Iraq's New Puppet-Master" by Stephen Flurry. Here Stephen Flurry asserts that Iraq will fall under Iran's influence now that US troop levels had been reduced. As evidence of this he cites clashes between the Iraqi security forces and the Mujahedin e-Khalq (MEK) based in Camp Ashraf which tragically led to the deaths of eleven residents. Actually MEK is widely regarded a cult. Noted anti-cult author Steven Hassan discusses the Mujahedin e-Khalq on his website. Also from 1997 till 2012, after this article was written, it was listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department.

Joel Hilliker cites Hugh Ross.

This issue also quotes Press TV, an Iranian media organization.

August 8. "The Recession Is Over?" by Stephen Flurry. Here Stephen Flurry insists that signs the US economy is recovering should just be ignored.
Never mind what some “experts” say. Bankruptcy is inevitable. The handwriting is all over the wall.
Wrong, Steven Flurry. Yet another false prophecy by PCG.

August 15. "Who Bombed Pam Am Flight 103?" by Steven Flurry. Here Stephen Flurry asserts that Iran orchestrated that terrorist bombing. Other people have made this assertion so I am not going to comment on whether this is true or not. But it is important to keep in mind that PCG is just using this painful issue to insist that their leader, Gerald Flurry, is a prophet because he dogmatically declared back in 1994 that Iran would be the "King of the South". This article is just part of that campaign to indoctrinate people into believing that Gerald Flurry is right.

"The Riots Will Come" by Robert Morley. Here Morley insists that riots will come upon America.
When people no longer trust or respect those who rule the land, they start taking the law into their own hands. It won’t take much to set off Birmingham-type riots across America, especially when the shape of America’s recovery is proven to be more like a staircase to the cellar—that is, no recovery, only small respites on the way down.

When times are good, it is far easier for everybody to get along. Unfortunately, America is heading into the worst economic times ever. The town hall meetings are just the first sparks of a greater social powder keg ready to explode.
Five years later we are still waiting for these riots.

This issue quotes The Washington Times.

August 22. "The Biggest Heist of All Time" by Robert Morley. Here Morley says some loans given by the European Central Bank will cause Germany to conquer Europe somehow. 
It is the coup of the century. The biggest heist of all time! Germany is stealing Europe. History books will show that Germany conquered Europe without firing a shot.
Why do these words make me think of the "influencing machine" that schizophrenics often talk about?

This issue also contains this quote as part of PCG's attempt to demonize Iran in order to persuade readers that PCG's leader, Gerald Flurry, is a prophet.
“Iran is the head of the terrorist snake! The only way to win the war on terror is to either subdue or conquer Iran. America and Israel have ample power to do so, but they cower in fear because they lack the will to strike the head of the snake.”
—Trumpet, April 2008
August 29. "America The Corrupt" by Ron Fraser. Here Fraser once again displays his singular ability to mangle the English language into a creative hodge podge of bitter invective as only he can.
Well, if you know your 20th-century history, the majority of the oldest of their teachers graduated from the years of a Woodstock, godless evolutionary Marxist-Leninist liberal-socialist thinking, Dr. Spock-style child-rearing, peacenik antiwar street-rebelling, civil-rights-asserting, law-breaking, gender-bending “no-absolutes” amoral pseudo-philosophizing, bearded, pot-smoking academia possessing little or no moral backbone.
Fraser ends his article with these words.
Read and study our booklet Lamentations: The Point of No Return. If ever there was a book written for our time today, it is this book. You need to at least be acquainted with its message, even if you do not agree with it at this moment. For the chances are, you will recall and agree with its message when the prophecies that it contains are fulfilled, most dramatically, in the very near future!
Five years later we are still waiting for that "very near future" to occur.

A previous version of that booklet was discussed in a previous post.

"Is Libya Really a Friend?" by Brad MacDonald. Today PCG's writers tend to talk of Gaddafi quite sympathetically. They did not talk of that dictator in a friendly way while he was alive. PCG's writers want something they can scare their readers. So they fear mongered about Gaddafi while he was alive. But once the Libyan people courageously stood up to him PCG's writers chose to demonize the Libyan revolutionaries as al Qaeda even while the brave revolutionaries were fighting and dying to liberate their beloved homeland. Now that Gaddafi is deceased PCG's writers use him simply as a prop to get their readers scared of the Libyans today and to say things are worse.

September 19. "Surrendering to Iran" by Stephen Flurry.

"The Solution for Afghanistan" by Joel Hilliker.
Herbert Armstrong said as far back as 1961 ... America has already won its last war.
Nonsense.

September 26. "Community Organizing the World" by Stephen Flurry.

"Japan Abandons America" by Robert Morley. PCG has long claimed that Japan is preparing to betray America. Somehow. They have been saying this for years now.

[Incorrectly observed Feast of Tabernacles break.]

October 17. "The Battle for Britain Begins" by Robert Morley.
Sixty-nine years later, London is under attack again. Only this time, the Huns are burning it economically.
Yes. Morley, in a time of peace, referred to Germans as "the Huns" in that article.

The article ends with these words.
Hundreds of thousands of British gave their lives during the war to prevent this very thing. Germany is conquering Britain without even firing a shot.
"An Advocate for Islam" by Joel Hilliker. Here Hilliker accuses President Obama and his two immediate predecessors of being too indulgent towards Islam and claims Islam (what sort of Islam?) have a place of privilege in society. He even quotes a writer saying the US government has become a "discrete missionary" for Islam. Hilliker states:
Clearly, Muslims are using a potent mixture of political pressure and violence with extraordinary success. They have secured privileges for Islam not afforded to any other religion, including Christianity. Now, under a president who spent formative years of his life in a Muslim-dominated country, this trend is accelerating. ... Our leaders are surrendering ground to Islam, bit by bit.
Or maybe they are trying to explain to people that al Qaeda terrorists are not fighting for Islam but for their own power. Does Hilliker think al Qaeda are a true representation of Islam? That is one thing al Qaeda terrorists want.

Also which Muslims are Hilliker referring to? They are not all the same as seems to be implied in this article.

Also President Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, which is a very different society compared to the Arab world.

October 24. "America’s Decline Is a Choice and a Curse" by Stephen Flurry. Once again Stephen Flurry shows his ignorance regarding the US federal debt and tries to (inaccurately) fear monger that it will somehow cripple America.
Rather than panic about the ruined economy, Washington continues spending “money” like it just won the lottery. This year’s federal budget deficit, an incomprehensible $1.42 trillion, is nearly as large as Canada’s entire economy—and three times bigger than any previous U.S. deficit. Incredibly, President Obama has pledged to reduce deficit spending only after the recession ends. The worse it gets, the more we spend!
Stephen Flurry is mocking this policy but actually it makes sense. When an economy slows down people quite understandably stop spending and keep more money for themselves in case they need it. For an individual this makes sense. But if everyone in society does this the economy becomes even worse. People spending money is like the blood flow of the economy. If everyone stops spending it is like stopping your blood flow. So someone needs to spend money to keep the economy going. The government does this. It would seem Stephen Flurry does not understand the paradox of thrift.

And Stephen Flurry is totally wrong about the federal debt. No government can be forced to default on debt denominated in its own currency, as the US federal debt is. Also the current US federal debt, when inflation is accounted for, is actually lower then what it was in the 1940s.

"Incredibly, President Obama has pledged to reduce deficit spending only after the recession ends." An actually crazy response to an economic crisis would be for the government to stop spending as well. Then even fewer people are spending money and the economy only gets worse. That is a terrible idea. The government needs to keep spending as long as the bad times continue. Once prosperity returns then the government can stop spending and cut back. That is the responsible way to deal with such things.

"Zu Guttenburg's Rise" by Ron Fraser. PCG tried to portray Zu Guttenburg as a man who could potentially become the European dictator that HWA and his imitators have been claiming will soon arise since the 1930s.

November 7. "What Survivalists Have Right" by Joel Hilliker. Here Hilliker tells his followers not to horde food in order to protect themselves from the calamity PCG constantly insists is just about to happen.
There is something to be admired in the clear-eyed pragmatism of those taking steps to face calamity. Unlike the far more common head-in-the-sand approach, it acknowledges the seriousness of the times.

...the preparedness Christ urged was spiritual. ... God’s challenge with each one of us is to teach us to put our trust and confidence in Him rather than in ourselves or any other human being .... Jesus warned against faithless anxiety and fretting over tomorrow’s problems .... He was not an advocate of hoarding food.
Of course Hilliker does not want you to horde food for the coming catastrophe he says will soon happen. Then you would have less money to send to PCG.

"The Iran Hostage Crisis--30 Years On" by Stephen Flurry.

November 14. "Fort Hood Attack: Accept the Truth" by Joel Hilliker. This article is truly disgusting. It completely misunderstands the situation. This article was written shortly after the mass shooting in Fort Hood. Hilliker seems offended that the murderer, Nidal Hassan, was not labeled as "a Muslim terrorist" by US officials.
Nevertheless, don’t expect many retractions from those over the past week who have insisted people not assume Hasan’s religion had any bearing on his motive in the attack. That is because they cherish some things more than the truth.
To hold fast the imagined virtues of diversity and political correctness, they have closed their eyes.
Why on Earth should the US government officials blame Islam for what he did? That is stupid. That plays into the hands of al Qaeda terrorists and their like minded ilk. It is wise for US officials to point out that the murderer acted on his own. It is also just and right to say that what he did should not be used to punish innocent people who had nothing to do with his atrocities. It is astounding that Hilliker does not seem to understand such elemental things.

"A Night to Remember" by Brad MacDonald. "Fall of the Berlin Wall" by Ron Fraser. These articles incorrectly assert that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future.

This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this.

Also HWA never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole.

It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most.

So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning".

December 5. "EU--Divide and Conquer" by Ron Fraser. Here Fraser repeats the inaccurate claim that Germany's recognition of Slovenia and Croatia as independent states in December 1991 sparked the Yugoslav Wars.
The first official foreign policy directive of the newly reunited Germany back in 1991 was to call for the division of Yugoslavia by recognizing Slovenia and Croatia as separate nation-states. The pope quickly followed with the Vatican’s endorsement of Germany’s actions. The European Union, in turn, quickly followed suit, falling in line with the German initiative.

War was the result—terrible, destructive warfare that pitted Croat against Serb, Bosnian Muslim against Bosnian Serb, Albanian against Kosovar Serb.
It is utterly wrong to claim Germany's recognition of Slovenia and Croatia in December 1991 sparked the Yugoslav Wars.

Slovenia was already de facto independent after the Ten Day War with federal forces in June and July 1991 which caused Belgrade to withdraw federal forces in October 1991.

Croatia and the forces of Belgrade had also been fighting for months before December 1991. By December 1991 the Belgrade government had already seized Vukovar from Croatia after a three month siege which killed about 3000 people (August 25-November 18, 1991). All this occurred before December 1991.

To say an act in December 1991 started the Yugoslav Wars is a bearing false witness against thy neighbor.

December 12. "Racism at “Shocking” Levels in EU" (EU Observer).

December 19. This issue contains the following quote.
“The most powerful [Islamic] country in the Middle East is Iran. Can you imagine the power [Iran] would have if they gained control of Iraq, the second-largest oil producing country in the world?”
—Trumpet, December 1994
This article is often cited by PCG's writers to claim that they foresaw Iraq falling under Iran's influence. This conveniently hides the many false prophesies PCG has made over years, such as saying the Muslim Brotherhood would radicalize Egypt and ally with Iran. PCG never foresaw that the Muslim Brotherhood would be ousted and suppressed at the cost of at least 638 lives.

"Remember Hamas?" (TheTrumpet.com).

And so 2010 begins. But this post ends here.

A Book That Looks Like John Ogwyn's E-Books

Just found this book which just happens to use the same image that is used on the late John Ogwyn's booklets. It is entitled 13 myths about Israel: The most dangerous enemy combatants are the traitors. It is written by Arie Grinbaum. It appears to be a 94 page book defending the State of Israel. This book was released on August 25, 2014.


This e-book uses the same image used on the covers of John Ogwyn's books that are available on the Kindle Store.


Although considering how John Ogwyn lied about Herbert Armstrong I can only wonder how anyone could think his writings are worth paying for.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Comparing Gerald Flurry's Two Jeremiah Booklets

In 1993 Gerald Flurry wrote a booklet entitled Jeremiah: Prophet of Doom—or Hope? In 1999 this booklet was superseded by another, greatly expanded booklet by him entitled Jeremiah and the Greatest Vision in the Bible. It was later reprinted with at least some alterations in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2013. That more recent booklet was discussed previously on this blog (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5).


As I suspected the parts of the 1993 booklet is incorporated into the later booklet, Jeremiah and the Greatest Vision in the Bible. But the 1993 booklet is very different. There is no specific mention of one-man rule in the 1993 booklet. That is not to suggest that he was any more egalitarian. Flurry does insist that his PCG is the only true church. One chapter of the 1993 booklet is even entitled "Only One Work of God". But he never use the phrase "one-man rule" as he does numerous times in the later booklet.

Also there is no discussion of the idea (derived from British Israelism) that Christ will return to sit on the British throne. The 1993 booklet does refer to a reprint article entitled "Stone of Destiny" near the end on page 43. That article may have been incorporated into the second booklet first published in 1999 as it talks about the British Throne at some length.


I went through some of the quotes in my posts concerning Gerald Flurry's later booklet, Jeremiah and the Greatest Vision in the Bible, and compared them to his earlier booklet, Jeremiah: Prophet of Doom—or Hope?

The second Jeremiah booklet was first released in 1999, however since I read the 2002 version of that booklet I shall use that date when quoting the second booklet.

Highlights emphasize the differences made in the 2002 version of Jeremiah and the Greatest Vision in the Bible compared with the original 1993 booklet, Jeremiah: Prophet of Doom—or Hope?

***

The book of Jeremiah was written to Israel over 100 years after they had gone into captivity. Think about that! Why would God cause Jeremiah to do such a thing? Because the book of Jeremiah is primarily for Israel in the end time! And that includes spiritual Israel, or God’s Church. (Introduction. 1993)

The book of Jeremiah was written to Israel over 100 years after they had gone into captivity. Think about that! Why would God cause Jeremiah to do such a thing? Because the book of Jeremiah is primarily for Israel in the end time! And there is an even greater emphasis on spiritual Israel, or God’s Church. You urgently need to understand why! (Introduction. 2002)

***

Jeremiah means “the Lord founds.” Most people would probably label Jeremiah the gloomiest prophet in the Bible. The word “jeremiad” means “a prolonged lamentation or complaint” (see Webster’s Dictionary). This word originated from Jeremiah and his prophecies.

If only people would look deeply into what they believe. The meaning of the name Jeremiah is very positive—“the Lord founds.” Jeremiah does discuss some very gloomy prophecies. But why? Because the Lord didn’t “found” or establish the lives of those people. The modern nations of Israel have rebelled against God, so they leap from one disaster to another. The greatest disaster of all time is imminent. Jeremiah tells us how to avoid these disasters. But very few listen. (p. 1. 1993.)

MOST PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY LABEL JEREMIAH THE gloomiest prophet in the Bible. The word “jeremiad” means “a prolonged lamentation or complaint” (see Webster’s Dictionary). This word originated from Jeremiah and his prophecies.

The word “Jeremiah,” however, means “the Lord founds.” People should look more deeply into what they believe. The meaning of the name Jeremiah is very positive—“the Lord founds.” Jeremiah does discuss some very gloomy prophecies. But why? Because the Lord didn’t “found” or establish the lives of those people. The modern nations of Israel have rebelled against God, so they leap from one disaster to another. The greatest disaster of all time is imminent. Jeremiah tells us how to avoid these disasters. But very few listen. (p. 1. 2002.)

*** 

“Jacob’s trouble” means the trouble in the U.S. and British nations mainly. And notice—IT’S THE WORST TROUBLE ISRAEL HAS EVER EXPERIENCED! Far worse than WORLD WAR II AND THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS!

This coming nuclear holocaust is the culmination of man’s rule over man! Study your history books and you will see man’s rule is from crisis to crisis. But the crisis of crises is just ahead. (pp. 2-3. 1993.)

“Jacob’s trouble” means the trouble in the U.S. and British nations mainly. And notice—IT’S THE WORST TROUBLE THEY HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED! Far worse than WORLD WAR II AND THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS! This has not happened yet. But it’s about to begin. It is prophecy unfolding this very minute.

This coming nuclear holocaust is the culmination of man’s rule over man. Study your history books and you will see man’s rule is from crisis to crisis. But THE CRISIS OF CRISES IS JUST AHEAD! (p. 2. 2002.)

*** 

However, end-time national Israel was NEVER GOD’S FLOCK! They were never unified as God’s people IN THESE LATTER DAYS. This is referring to God’s spiritual flock.

Wickedness is found in God’s own Church today! What is it? Write for free copies of Malachi's Message and the Doctrinal Changes booklet and you will see. God is concerned about evil in all Israel, but far more in spiritual Israel or the Church. That is where the worst crimes of all are being committed. (p. 29. 1993.)

However, end-time national Israel was NEVER GOD’S FLOCK! They were never unified as God’s people in these latter days. This is referring to God’s spiritual flock.

Wickedness is found in God’s own Church today! What is it? God is concerned about evil in all Israel, but far more in spiritual Israel, the Church. That is where the worst crimes of all are being committed! (p. 3. 2002.)

***

We must blow the trumpet because NUCLEAR WAR is coming on the nations of Israel unless they repent! ... If you want to escape the terrible trouble ahead, find the Zion or Church that God leads. Only then will you have a place of safety from the terrifying evil to come on Israel! This is not a message to be taken lightly. (pp. 7-8. 1993.)


We must blow the trumpet because NUCLEAR WAR is coming on the nations of Israel unless they repent! ... If you want to escape the terrible trouble ahead, find the Zion, the Church that is led by God. Only then will you have a place of safety from the terrifying evil which is to come on Israel! This is not a message to be taken lightly. (p. 34. 2002.)

***

“My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war” (v. 19). The sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war! Our magazine is called the Philadelphia Trumpet—because we are commissioned by God to deliver Jeremiah’s warning message today! What is coming upon Israel was acutely painful to Jeremiah, and it’s even more painful for God’s Church today, to think of their own people being enslaved and killed unless they wake up! (p. 8. 1993.)

“My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the SOUND OF THE TRUMPET, THE ALARM OF WAR” (v. 19). Our monthly magazine is called the Trumpet—because we are commissioned by God to deliver Jeremiah’s warning message today! What is coming upon Israel was acutely painful to Jeremiah; and it’s even more painful for God’s true Church today, to think of their own people being enslaved and killed unless they wake up! (pp. 33-34. 2002.)

***

What a fabulous future the people of America and Britain have! Imagine, they are not going to sorrow any more at all! What a utopian future! What a magnificent message we have for Israel and the world! What a Godly HOPE we have for the whole world! (p. 43. 1993.)

What a fabulous future the people of America and Britain have. Imagine, they won’t sorrow any more at all. What a utopian future! What a magnificent message we have for Israel and the world! What a godly HOPE we have for the whole world! (p. 46. 2002.)

***

Even Jeremiah’s temporary “doom” contains great hope. He was not a prophet of doom. He was a prophet of incredible hope. If only the world could understand his wonderful message now, so much suffering could be prevented. Jeremiah talked about bad news only because of this world’s rebellion against God. But his overall message was filled with hope! (p. 45. 1993)

Even Jeremiah’s temporary “doom” contains great hope. He was not a prophet of doom. He was a prophet of incredible hope. If only the world could understand his wonderful message now, so much suffering could be prevented. Jeremiah talked about bad news only because of this world’s rebellion against God. But his overall message was filled with hope! (p. 51. 2002.)

[Note: This happens to be the last paragraph of the 1993 booklet. In the later booklet it is placed near the end of Chapter 4 followed by two further paragraphs. While reading Gerald Flurry's later booklet I wrote, "This paragraph probably comes from the original booklet, Jeremiah: Prophet of Doom -- or Hope? But in 1999 it appears PCG greatly revised that booklet to produce the current booklet being studied now."]

*** 

Now God gives another warning. “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion” (vv. 22-23). Here is a great nation north of Jerusalem. They have a HISTORY OF CRUELTY IN WARFARE. THEY SHOW NO MERCY IN WARFARE. They are men of war. A very good description of Germany! (p. 12. 1993.) 

Now God gives another warning. “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion” (Jer. 6:22-23). Here is a great nation north of Jerusalem. They have a history of CRUELTY in warfare. THEY SHOW NO MERCY IN WARFARE. They are men of war. A very good description of Germany! (p. 53. 2002.)

*** 

God’s Church is a fortress that God will protect—if the members obey His law. We have nothing to fear if we obey God. But if we in Israel fail to obey God, then we are entering into a time when FEAR will be, BY FAR, THE MOST DOMINANT THEME OF OUR LIVES! (p. 13. 1993.)

God’s Church is a fortress that God will protect—if the members obey His law. We have nothing to fear if we obey God. But if we fail to obey God, then we are entering into a time when fear will be, by far, THE MOST DOMINANT THEME OF OUR LIVES! (p. 54. 2002.)

***

We all have read about how Satan comes as an “angel of light” (II Cor. 11:14). We often see a leader hugging kids and talking endlessly of “love, love, love,” and we find it so hard to envision this person as being motivated by Satan. But that is how Satan comes! He appears as an “angel of light.” We must understand this or be deceived! (p. 17. 1993.)

We all have read about how Satan comes as an “angel of light” (II Cor. 11:14). We often see a leader hugging kids and talking endlessly of love, love, love, and we find it so hard to envision this person as being motivated by Satan. But that is how Satan comes! He appears as an “angel of light.” We must understand this or be deceived! (p. 57. 2002.)

*** 

So when the Babylonians conquered Judah, they killed both of Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes! Then they blinded Zedekiah and took him home to Babylon. ...God has given His end-time people this revelation through Jeremiah. It’s mainly for us today. If we refuse to submit to God’s inspired word, then our future will be like Zedekiah’s fate! (p. 18. 1993.)

So when the Babylonians conquered Judah, they killed both of Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes! Then they blinded Zedekiah and took him to Babylon. ...God has given His end-time people this revelation through Jeremiah. It’s mainly for us today. If we refuse to submit to God’s inspired word, then our future will be like Zedekiah’s fate! (p. 58. 2002.)

*** 

In Jeremiah 26:2, God says we are not to omit one word. That means you never compromise with what God says. Herbert Armstrong often said if there was any reason that he could see why God would use him, it was because he would not compromise one iota with God’s word. (p. 20. 1993.)

In Jeremiah 26:2, God says we are not to omit one word. That means you never compromise with what God says. Herbert Armstrong often said if there was any reason that he could see why God would use him, it was because he would not compromise one iota with God’s word. (p. 58. 2002.)

 ***

This message is mainly for today. Jeremiah is discussing a NUCLEAR DISASTER where cities are left “WITHOUT AN INHABITANT”! In Jeremiah’s time, Jerusalem was not left without an inhabitant. But many American and British cities will experience this nuclear disaster in the near future if they fail to repent! (p. 21-22. 1993.)

This message is mainly for today. Jeremiah is discussing a NUCLEAR DISASTER where cities are left “WITHOUT AN INHABITANT”! In Jeremiah’s time, Jerusalem was not left without an inhabitant. But many American and British cities will experience this nuclear disaster in the near future, if they fail to repent! (p. 60. 2002.)

***

Some Laodicean leaders today proclaim many of Herbert Armstrong’s teachings, but reject the Philadelphia Church which God raised up to succeed him! What will happen to them? They don’t have God behind them, so they will panic when real persecution comes. Like Urijah, they don't stay with God and Jeremiah, they run—and it may get them killed!

They lack faith in the living God BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SUPPORTING HIS WORK. God said He would raise up a Work in our day which many wouldn’t believe even when told (Hab. 1:5). If we can’t even
recognize where God’s Work is, THEN SOMETHING IS TRAGICALLY LACKING IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES! (pp. 24-25. 1993.)

***

Some Laodicean leaders today proclaim many of Herbert Armstrong’s teachings, but reject the Philadelphia Church which God raised up to succeed him! What will happen to them? They don’t have God behind them, so they will panic when real persecution comes. Like Urijah, rather than staying with God and Jeremiah, they run—and it may get them killed!

They lack faith in the living God BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SUPPORTING HIS WORK. God said He would raise up a Work in our day which many wouldn’t believe even when told (Hab. 1:5). If we can’t even recognize where Go
d’s Work is, then something is TRAGICALLY LACKING in our spiritual lives! (p. 63. 2002.)

*** 

God is going to punish the U.S. and Britain as no nations have ever been punished, if they don’t wake up! (p. 28. 1993.)

God will punish the U.S. and Britain as no nations have ever been punished, if they don’t wake up! (p. 65. 2002.)

*** 

God has perfect vision. He has already seen the wailing pain of His own Church in captivity. It hasn’t happened yet, but you can be sure it will happen just as God says. (p. 28. 1993.) 

God has perfect vision. He has already seen the wailing pain of His own Church in captivity. It hasn’t happened yet, but you can be sure that it will happen just as God says. (p. 66. 2002.)

*** 

Do you and I know deeply that we can’t direct our own steps? God says if you really know this, you will continually ask God to correct you! Do you frequently ask God for correction because you know that no man can direct his own steps? You can’t even direct one of your steps. (pp. 28-29. 1993.) 

Do you and I know deeply that we can’t direct our own steps? God says if you really know this, you will continually ask God to correct you. Do you frequently ask God for correction because you know that no man can direct his own steps? You can’t even direct one of your steps. (p. 66. 2002.)

*** 

Nuclear proliferation is a mind-numbing reality, and God’s own ministers won’t prophesy what God says about it! Write for our free booklet The Lion Has Roared. It will explain exactly what the future holds for Israel. IT WILL MAKE "YOUR BONES SHAKE" AS JEREMIAH’S DID! (p. 31. 1993.)

Nuclear proliferation is a mind-numbing reality, and God’s own ministers won’t prophesy what God says about it! Write for our free booklet The Lion Has Roared. It will explain exactly what the future holds for Israel. IT WILL MAKE YOUR BONES SHAKE AS JEREMIAH’S DID! (p. 69. 2002.)

***

The prophet that "has" God’s word is commanded to speak it faithfully. God is talking to ministers who had His precious truth and failed to teach it. Only the Laodicean era of God’s Church had the truth in this end time and TURNED AWAY FROM IT. (p. 35. 1993.)

The prophet that has God’s word is commanded to speak it faithfully. God is talking to ministers who had His precious truth and failed to teach it. Only the Laodicean era of God’s Church had the truth in this end time and TURNED AWAY FROM IT. (p. 73. 2002.)

***

God is saying, they think His word is a burden. That is why God's end-time Laodicean Church is changing many major doctrines.  ...

These Laodiceans ministers have a faithless view of prophecy. They don’t see the positive side of prophecy—only the negative side. Prophecy is a great burden to them.

So God answers to warn them of His justice. He says that since you think "prophecy only means calamity and disaster," I will bring these prophetic calamities and disasters down on your head! They, like Job, have the prophecies they fear most come upon them. (pp. 36-37. 1993)

God is stating that the Laodicean Church thinks His word is a burden. That is why they are changing many major doctrines. ...

These Laodiceans ministers have a faithless view of prophecy. They don’t see the positive side of prophecy—only the negative side. Prophecy is a great burden to them.

So God answers to warn them of His justice. He says, Since you think prophecy only means calamity and disaster, I will bring these prophetic calamities and disasters down on your head! They will see the prophecies they fear most come crashing down UPON THEM. (pp. 74-75. 2002.)

***

Even the Laodiceans who repent in the Tribulation will have a certain eternal shame because they lost such a large share of their magnificent reward.

Everybody will always know why they are not in God’s headquarters temple forever (Rev. 3:12). (p. 37. 1993.)

Even the Laodiceans who repent in the Tribulation will have a certain eternal shame because they lost such a large share of their magnificent reward. Everybody will always know why they are not in God’s headquarters temple forever (Rev. 3:12). (p. 75. 2002.)

***

And so this list of quotes come to an end. I hope to discuss the 1993 booklet in a future post.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Notes from PCG's Trumpet Weekly (2007-8)

In December 2007 PCG began a weekly newsletter that contains columns by PCG's writers and selected articles from various news sources.

Recently I have been looking through them. Here is a look at whatever article caught my interest while looking through the issues of 2007-8. 

One thing that really took me aback while looking through these was just how constantly they fear monger about Muslims. Just about every issue contains comment about some extreme thing that some extremist Muslim said. Now I am sure they would say they are only talking about militant Muslims who are quite prominent in certain parts of the world. But really one reading this could be forgiven for thinking that Muslims are bloodthirsty war mongers out to get a gun and kill you.

Of course The Trumpet Weekly goes on about things as well but they just constantly go on about these Islamic fundamentalists. There seems to be very few attempts to portray Muslims simply as ordinary people. There also seems to be few attempts to understand why certain militant groups behave the way they do, instead they are just stereotyped as the bad guys who cannot be reasoned with. It is true that certain countries that have Muslim majority population have problems and there are violent conflicts in certain Muslim majority countries but to go on and on about it the way they do.

If they wrote an article entitled, Most Muslims are Normal People who Hate Violence as Much as You, that would be truly amazing, not the fear mongering this publication indulges in so much.

***

Here a few notes I took while looking through this publication. Some articles cited were written outside of PCG but they are still mentioned as it is PCG's writers who have added these articles to The Trumpet Weekly.

Some articles are mentioned as titles. Other lines are notes about what was said in that issue.

2007

December 15. "Now Kosovo is about to erupt, and few people are talking about Germany’s fundamental role in this crisis." (Brad MacDonald, "Misreporting Kosovo", p. 6.)

Kosovo has yet to erupt nearly seven years later.

This issue also contains a quote from Gerald Flurry which is yet another declaration that the Muslim Brotherhood would gain power and radicalize Egypt completely failing to foresee their blood stained fall from power in 2013.
“Egypt is one of the largest and most influential nations in the Middle East. As Mubarak’s health weakens and the [Muslim Brotherhood] grows stronger, watch for Cairo to distance itself from America. Should the MB ever take control, there is no doubt that a strong alliance between Iran and Egypt will be built. Certainly, as discontent with the political system in Egypt increases, we can expect to see the Islamists grow in popularity. A change of leadership will occur—and probably sooner rather than later. I have been predicting for almost a decade that Egypt will fall under the influence of Islamists.”
—Gerald Flurry, Co-worker letter, Jan. 3, 2006
December 22.
Now those peaceful dreams are being replaced with a horrifying new reality. Relations between Egypt and Iran are strengthening, and a major geopolitical realignment is unfolding. These states are even talking about resuming full diplomatic relations, which could easily happen in 2008. ...

Now relations are improving between Egypt and Iran: Few things could gut the national security policy of the Jewish state more completely and painfully than a strong Iranian-Egyptian alliance! (Brad MacDonald, Egypt, Israel: The Geographic Reality, December 22, 2007.)
2008
Fars News Agency labels itself a leading independent news agency in Iran. It has three times the Internet traffic as the Jerusalem Post, so it’s a popular site in the Middle East. Fars recently used most of an article we posted on our website two weeks ago, titled, “Egypt and Iran Stride Toward Full Diplomatic Ties.” I thought it was interesting that it included this portion of our article: “Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has predicted for over 13 years that Iran would be the king of the Middle East, and that we would witness an alliance take place between Iran and Egypt. “Daniel 11:42 implies that Egypt will be allied with the king of the south, or Iran. … This prophecy indicates that there would be a radical change in Egyptian politics.”

We have prophesied for over 13 years that Iran would head up the “king of the south.” And we have also prophesied that the Iranian power would ally itself with Egypt. How did we know that? Because God said so in His Bible— something you can prove. (Gerald Flurry, Egypt-Iran Alliance Prophesied, January 5, 2008.)
January 5, 2008 issue has article decrying xenophobia in Germany. Recently PCG has been doing the same thing they condemn by fear mongering about illegal immigrants.

February 2. "The Collapse of America's Foreign Policy" by Stephen Flurry

February 9. "If You Think Oil Prices Are High?" by Robert Morley.

 February 16. "The Audacity of Selling Hope". "Princess Obama."

February 23. "Trusting in Foreigners" by Joel Hilliker

March 8. "Arab Third Intifada Underway?" It cites a Washington Times (WT) article. How appropiate.

March 22. Talks of Jeremiah Wright and Obama.

March 29. Talks of speculation of Lehman Brothers defaulting.

April 5. Insinuates Venezuela is arming terrorists.

April 12. This issue cites CBN News and Washington Times. Talks of Basra crisis.

April 19. Talks of food riots. Cites Hamas preacher talking about sacking Rome.

May (early) Talk of Hamas having 200,000 suicide bombers in Gaza.

May 17. Quotes article saying America is Hezbollah's enablers.

May 24. Mentions cyclone in Burma to say the second coming is soon. Says German bonds more secure then US dollars, thus failing to foresee Eurozone crisis.

May 31. "Gulf States to Flee Dollar." 1930s dry spell walk in the park. Barroso bullies Ireland. Britain attacks fatherhood. Feminists deny boys' crisis.

June 7. "Obama's Story of Race and Religion".

June 14. "Rewriting History". (Iraq and WMD).

June 21. "Hamas still biting hand that feeds them." Ron Fraser hysterically says efforts are being made to ban national symbols in Britain and America.

June 28. Talks of jihadis recruiting Europeans.

July 19. This issue includes this quote.
“The peace pact Israel agreed to several years ago was an agreement to make concessions to a people who would never be satisfied! Most of the Arabs are only using it to get as much as they can before the actual fighting begins. That certainly makes the peace process a deadly wound. But it is far more deadly than any Israelis can possibly see.” —Trumpet, November 1997 
July 26. Croatia bans Sunday shopping. This is cited to reinforce the induced phobia that the Pope will soon persecute PCG members.

August 2. Ron Fraser says Karadzic demonized. No specific mention of what actually happened in the war in Bosnia.

August 8. Ron Fraser mutters nonsense about Bosnia being part of Islamic expansion into Europe. The Bosniak Muslims have lived there for hundreds of years. Also is that photo on page 10 from 2001?

August 16. Quotes CNS News. Why is PCG quoting a news source from those Sunday observing Christians they constantly belittle as false Christians?

August 23. War between Russia and Georgia. "UN hands over Kosovo to EU mission."

August 30. Quotes Washington Times. Says Hezbollah in Venezuela.

September 6. Egypt invites Hezbollah delegation. Also fear mongers that natural disasters are a sign of horrors to come.
“God is using the weather to curse us. Those curses are designed to bring repentance. But our peoples are very stubborn. We should expect mind-staggering racial crimes, greater acts of terror and violent weather to intensify …. It is prophesied!” —Co-Worker Letter, Jan. 21, 1997
September 13. Blames mortgage holders for financial crisis.

September 20. "Who will bailout Uncle Sam?" (CBS article.) Although PCG did not write it they chose to include it here and it deserves comment.
The federal government may seem like a financial knight on a white steed riding to the rescue of big companies in trouble. The irony is that Uncle Sam’s got enormous money problems of his own. The government is far deeper in debt than any of the companies it’s bailing out. As of this morning, the national debt stands at over $9.634 trillion. That’s trillion—with a “T.” And that’s nearly $4 trillion more than it was on the day President Bush took office. This year alone, it’s costing taxpayers more than $230 billion just to pay the interest on the national debt. ... But where does the federal government go when it needs a bailout? Taxpayers need only look in the mirror.
Did the US needed a bailout? No. It is not possible for a government to be forced to default on debt denominated in its own currency. So Uncle Sam never needed a bailout during the terrible financial crisis that broke out in 2007-8.

October 4. Blames minorities for taking mortgages they could not pay back. That blames the victim. This ignores the fact that those minorities were targeted by predatory lenders.

[Incorrectly observed Feast of Tabernacles break.]

October 25. "Germany threatens Ireland" by Ron Fraser. (They could do that because Ireland gave up its own currency for the Euro.)
Because credit is the lifeblood of capitalism, the current credit freeze is jeopardizing the whole system. Here is a suggestion on how to fix our economy. It is radical, but it is guaranteed to work: Criminalize usury. Make it illegal to loan money with interest. (Joel Hilliker.)
This advice was ignored.

November 1.
It has gained in relation to the once mighty euro and the Swiss franc. It has humbled the British pound, the Canadian dollar, and the Russian ruble. It has made the Asian tigers look like pussycats. Surprising as it may be, the above sentences refer to the U.S. dollar. The greenback just experienced its best week of gains in 16 years against the currencies of six major U.S. trading partners. (Robert Morley.)
A Washington Post reporter took an informal survey at the United Nations: Obama or McCain? The overwhelming favorite: Obama. Amir Taheri saw Obama! Allah willing! written on walls in the Gaza Strip. Congo’s UN ambassador, Atoki Ileka, praises the fact that Obama’s father is from Kenya: “We do not consider him an African American. We consider him an African.” Some of these worldwide supporters are actively funding his campaign. The Federal Election Commission has reported 11,500 foreign contributions to the Obama campaign totaling $33.8 million. (Joel Hilliker.)
November 8. EU to embrace Croatia.

November 16. Stephen Flurry fantasies about reminiscing about the fall of the Berlin Wall and incorrectly remembering it as somehow confirming that HWA was right (which is complete nonsense).

November 22. Brad MacDonald says Russo-German relations have warmed up after the war in Georgia. Has article mocking US government's bailout of the big auto companies.

November 29. "Welfare State Spreads". Stephen Flurry talks about concert series heavily subsidized by PCG.

Article condemning auto bailouts from Europacific Capital. This article is not from PCG, but PCG's writers chose to include it here.
If Washington bails out General Motors, the funds will never be recovered. GM will simply burn through the bailout money and then be back for more. … Given the staggering “legacy” costs … Detroit cannot produce cars profitably. … Detroit will remain a bottomless money pit.
This proved wrong and the auto companies did return to profitability.

December 6. Ron Fraser says the future can only be seen with divine revelation.
Predicting the future is a chancy profession unless you have biblical revelation as your foundation. Without the depth of Bible prophecy as one’s guide, one’s predictions about the future remain shallow at best.
Morley says the US dollar is doomed.
People are so afraid of the current Wall Street meltdown that they are willing to purchase federal bonds that pay interest rates far less than the rate of inflation. In other words, these people know that they will technically lose money by purchasing treasuries, but are willing to take the loss in order to avoid the possibility of an even greater loss in other investments like U.S. businesses, stocks, and the real-estate market.

Unfortunately, this time the bond market will not prove to be a safe haven. The structural problems in the U.S. economy and America’s massive debt load mean that the dollar is doomed too.
Those were terrible days. The crisis was very severe. But Morley is wrong about the federal debt being a problem. It is impossible for a government to default on public debt denominated in its own currency. The US government is not going to default. Six years later it has not. Actually, when you account for inflation, US federal debt is actually lower then what it was during the 1940s. And no one worried about the US going bankrupt then.

December 13. Brad MacDonald asks Is Britain being conquered from the inside by Muslims? The answer is no, by the way.

Morley mocks economists who correctly foresaw that the US government would be able to get through the crisis.

Quotes Jeremy Clarkson with an alarmist column, but he was talking about Ireland. Ireland does not have a sovereign currency. It has the Euro. That is why it did get bailed out by the EU and the IMF. So its situation was very different and more severe then the US. The US was not in danger of that.

December 20. "How America Killed Itself" by Robert Morley, in which he inaccurately fear mongers that America has financially collapsed. Maybe he should tell the Taliban that. I'm sure they would love to know that.
But it won’t end there. The whole nation—head to toe—is sickened with debt. Federal, state, municipal, corporate, personal debt; America is maxed out. Trillions upon trillions. That debt is coming due!
Turns out America was not maxed out. Morley was wrong.

December 27. Stoiber visits Pope. "This Depressing Year" by Ron Fraser.

And so 2009 begins. But this post ends here.