Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Robbers Cave, Philadelphia Church of God's Most Sacred and Holy Site



I still never cease to be amazed at the idolatry that the Philadelphia Church of God practices. From imitating all of Herbert Armstrong's books and booklets, from building a fake "college", an auditorium named after HWA, digging up HWA's supposed "prayer rock" and hauling  it all the way from Oregon, to buying various Armstrongite memorabilia to be placed in positions of honor. The idolatry practiced by the Philadelphia Church of God knows no boundaries.

The most appalling thing they now do is place historical significance in lil'Stevies reading of Malachi's Message and the location where he read it.  Malicahi's Message was a book that god supposedly guided Flurry's hand to write. However, it is well known now that he plagiarized much of it from Jules Dervaes.

The cabin that lil'Stevie read the "book" is not considered sacred to the PCG.  They take annual trips to Robbers Cave Park each year along with lil'Steveie. There are reports that some come and stand in front of the cabin where he read the book and pray that God gives them the same knowledge that lil'Stevie received that day.  Others set on the steps of the cabin and pray.  Others flock to have their pictures take in front of it.  Regular PCG members stay at the pack at other times of the year and ask to stay in that particular cabin seeking spiritual renewal.

How could any rational adult or "college" student ever do such a cultish thing?  In all my years in the cult and even working in HWA's home,  never thought those kinds of things.  I found it very uncomfortable to see the worship of HWA.  People would get tears in their eyes at being in the very presence of him.


In their latest online posting the PCG had the following: A Significant Historic Landmark


EDMOND—“So what do you think?” the minister asked when his son paused while reading the manuscript. “Well, that definitely will get you fired,” his son responded.”  It was July 1989, and the young 19-year-old was on a Y.E.S. camping trip with his father at Robbers Cave in southeastern Oklahoma during the summer break. But this turned out to be more than your everyday summer camping excursion. It became a pivotal moment in the history of God’s Church and marked Robbers Cave State Park as an important historical location for the Philadelphia Church of God.

“My dad picked me up at the airport and we drove directly to Robbers Cave in southeastern Oklahoma,” Evangelist Stephen Flurry wrote in Raising the Ruins. “For four months, my dad had been working on his paper, telling no one about it. When he picked me up on July 14, he had a rough draft of Malachi’s Message tucked away in his briefcase, in the trunk of the car. During the drive, he told me about a number of other things going on in the Church—again, things I was totally unaware of. He later said he wanted me to read something he had written that explained all of this.”
Stephen Flurry put off reading the paper until Sunday morning, a few hours before they left the campsite.  “After getting a synopsis of its contents from my father, I was nervous and a little scared about reading it. That’s why I put it off,” Mr. Flurry said.  He sat down to read inside their cabin, the one next to where he and his family now stay when they visit Robbers Cave every year along with the rest of Herbert W. Armstrong College.

Before it was time to leave, Mr. Stephen Flurry read through about half of the manuscript.
Right there, in that cabin at Robbers Cave Campsite Number One, the revelation in Malachi’s Message was being shared for the first time. After the death of Mr. Armstrong, the Worldwide Church of God was being torn apart; yet off in remote rural Oklahoma, the first person besides Mr. Gerald Flurry was learning God’s revelation about what was really happening.

 
The Philadelphia Church of God was raised up less than five months after Malachi’s Message was first delivered to his son at that wooded campsite. Because of this history-shaping event, Robbers Cave has become a significant landmark for the pcg. Herbert W. Armstrong College has retreated to the campsite almost every year since 2002, and Mr. Stephen Flurry has never missed a campout.

Every year, he returns to the campsite with his family and dozens of others whose lives were also changed by that book he was the first to read nearly 25 years ago: Malachi’s Message. 

“Every time I go back to Robber’s Cave, I can’t help but think about all that has happened since that initial reading,” he said.  “What a work God has raised up!”

11 comments:

  1. It is not surprising that members of Flurries church are now starting to worship the ground that the Flurries walked on. Its nothing but blind devotion to men that are not at all worthy of any respect. This cult is dangerous. Such blind devotion is scarey!

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  2. I bet that Gerald is lusting for and would pay huge money for that "soap leaf dispenser" at the Ambassador Auditorium. ( the one that shaved off a little soap leaf and dispensed to you in the bathrooms) .

    Thank goodness that we have Stephen Flurry and him crucified for the remission of our sins. Thankfully I can trust my eternal life and future to him! ADORE NO MAN, and have faith in no one for redemption! Be wise!

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  3. Do the PCG members travel with equal reverence to the college campus parking lot where Pastor General Flurry was arrested with open beer cans in his automobile?

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  4. Robber's Cave should have been where they built their compound. Maybe, they could have petitioned or paid off the State of Oklahoma to build there. They could then name it Robber's Compound.

    They have been robbing people of their money and their lives for many years.

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  5. About five years ago, a dove sat next to me while I was reading the gospel of John at the top of a mountain that is one of my regular hiking spots. Did I make a mistake? Should I have made a federal over that, considering the mountain a special place, the gospel of John my special gospel, or the dove symbolic of the Holy Spirit?

    I didn't do any of those things. It just seemed cool at the time when I heard a noise and saw the dove at peace and inches away from my leg. Some people really get superstitious and read way too much into their spirituality.

    BB

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  6. Robbers Cave. What a perfect metaphor.

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  7. Anonymous said...

    Do the PCG members travel with equal reverence to the college campus parking lot where Pastor General Flurry was arrested with open beer cans in his automobile?

    March 26, 2014 at 2:58 PM

    Ha! Interesting a link leading to Gerald Flurry's arrest has been taken off. I'm sure Gerald Flurry has enough clout, money, and friends in high places in Oklahoma now to cover up his crime.

    A true Christian would just admit it. He isn't Jesus after all...sinless, is he? OR IS HE??

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  8. Flurry's arrest documents can be found here: http://www.pcog.info/pcginfo.htm

    Scroll down the page.

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  9. In one sense PCG's leaders are imitating what HWA did for Garner Ted Armstrong.

    HWA also built up a cult of personality around his son by claiming that he was developmentally challenged early in life but that his (Armstrongite) God had healed him of this impairment in order to preach.

    Of course later HWA grew jealous of his son and felt that he was becoming greater than him. Also he became increasingly dependent on Stanley Rader. Eventually HWA had to choose between his own son or Rader. HWA chose Rader. John Tuit and David Robinson are invaluable in showing that is what happened.

    Would something similar happen to Gerald Flurry and Steven Flurry?

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  10. Flurry takes his stuff way beyond Herb. As an example, he is a worse racist. He makes white women divorce colored guys they fell in love with, married, and had children with years before PCG. I'd just bet that their kids are some of the ones he'd like to see left at the mall.

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  11. Anonymous said...

    Flurry takes his stuff way beyond Herb. As an example, he is a worse racist. He makes white women divorce colored guys they fell in love with, married, and had children with years before PCG. I'd just bet that their kids are some of the ones he'd like to see left at the mall.
    March 28, 2014 at 9:09 AM

    You mean you haven't heard?? It's that "Irish clan",(pure line/Arian race, >The McFlurry's< that will be inheriting the kingdom of God at Christ's return!

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