Remember back in the glory days of old when Herbert Armstrong made a big deal out of giving tithe money to finance a children's playground at Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem with the express purpose of Jewish and Arab kids playing together? Loads of tithe money was dropped on this wasteful adventure.
The interesting thing about the Liberty Bell Park is that it is the largest in Jerusalem and gets lots of use. It is also huge tourist attraction. One would assume that HWA would have played a more prominent role in the park. Instead he helped pay for a sand pile exposed in the glaring sun. That being said, the tiny children's play ground is NOT a huge draw. That hot sand pile is so unused that weeds grow out of its walls.
Tkach Sr. wisely stopped paying to maintain this useless sand pile. This of course sent Gerald Flurry over the edge. Gerald had to step in and give money to have his name put on little piece of marble on a side wall.
double click picture to enlarge
When you enlarge the picture above you will see the deceptive dedication on the marble. Flurry tries to make it seem as if Herbert was the founder of Philadelphia Foundation. Herbert Armstrong would be appalled at the asinine stupidity coming out of the Philadelphia Church of God and Gerald Flurry. HWA would no more endorse Gerald Flurry than he would Rod Meredith. That makes no difference to Flurry though. The more he can imitate HWA the better he feels about himself.
Now, lets look at another group that has also dedicated the same dirt pile to Herbert Armstrong. This is a group out of the Philippines, who at one time halfway endorsed Flurry, but now consider him a liar and a heretic. That group is called the A.R.K of God Foundation. The long version is this:
Armstrong Remembrancers and Keepers of God Foundation
is an independent community foundation dedicated to reviving the legacy of the late Herbert W. Armstrong in Jerusalem and in the whole world through an approach centered on remembering his teachings on God’s give way of life that will bring about peace among the peoples of different races, ethnicity or belief; and also to keep the covenant that God made with him.
This is another group that feels that the legacy of Herbert Armstrong is not being preserved and that it is their duty to do so. To them, Gerald Flurry and the PCG are apostate, Irish dancing, heretics.
They too have paid to have their name engraved on another price of marble and installed on the wall of the dirt pile.
double click picture to enlarge
They are not happy that Flurry shut down his Jerusalem office and moved it to Edstone in England. According to the A.R.K. folks, Jerusalem is the seat of the action in the end times, not Edstone. They are particularly incensed that Flurry thinks he is going to find the Ark of the Covenant buried in a dirt pile in Ireland.
The A.R.K. folk have this to say:
The Millennium will all be about Jerusalem and none else. We ought not to compare Bricket Wood or Ireland to be the gauge or measuring stick to picture the Millennium. It should only be Jerusalem! Or else we are already committing SPIRITUAL ADULTERY! It is even comparable to marrying strange wives as the Jews did in 408 B.C.! (Nehemiah 13:23, 26, 27). The Ark of the Covenant will be found in Jerusalem and not in a SECRET PLACE in Tara Hill in Ireland as suggested by PCG Regional Director Brad Macdonald!You can read more of their silliness here: Mt Zion Dig
The craziness that infects the Church of God seems endless. Every year there is a new "true leader" popping up on the scene claiming they are the truth and light. Every one of them keep getting weirder and weirder. Petra is going to be one nasty cat fight when all of these morons show up and claim ownership.
Finally I will end with this. This is even more absurd than anything Bob Thiel writes:
According to the A.R.K. folk, Hollywood released a movie this past spring that was made especially for the Philadelphia Church of God.
THE BATTLE FOR ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS
A movie inspired to be made
for the
Philadelphia Church of God
What the hell is wrong with these people????? When will the blatant idolatry of Herbert Armstrong ever cease? Just like all the other COG sites, you have to read long and hard to find Jesus mentioned anywhere. That guy is the most inconvenient thing the church has ever encountered.
40 comments:
It's not just that Christ is banished from His supposed own church, members with any discernible Christ like traits, are in the ministers cross hairs as well. In substance, these are the churches of Baal.
On the one hand I am entertained beyond belief.
On the other hand it frightens me you are drawing attention to otherwise fringe ideas that draw no attention beyond their rented hall on an island far far away in the galaxy.
I guess free flow of information is better than non at all.
Teddy Kollek's original idea was all right. HWA decided sponsoring only on the playground not the entire park. I saw one of the plaques since the original disappeared. Now it has two. That is beyond hilarious. It bothered me more that at the walls no mention is made of ac's involvement in the digs. But hey, to be fair it was under the auspices of Hebrew University that AC sponsored most of it. I need to be more aristocratic about it all. Sponsoring and doing good is done in private, no tacky ownership required. Although people have misrepresented my statements as endorsements of hwa my only purpose is to recognize that amazing work has been done through a lot of those grants sponsored by the members of the church. A far cry from the craziness exposed in the original posting.
nck
What is Flurry going to do next? Is he going to salvage a toilet used by HWA and put an inscription on it that states that HWA used this toilet and that he Flurry is the heir of this porcelain throne?
That sandpit looks like a big weedy trash-ridden ashtray. In other words, it looks a lot like the brains of both 'Herbie' and 'Six-Pack'.
Kudos to HWA for gifting the children of Jerusalem a little chunk of desert.
Maybe God "revealed" the amazing TRUTH to Herbie, that sand is bargain-priced if purchased near a desert!
"What is Flurry going to do next? Is he going to salvage a toilet used by HWA...?"
When I participated in one of HWA's senior dinners in Pasadena he had a small plaque in the guest restroom which he encouraged us to read. Some of you may have seen something similar; there are examples on the web. It had a picture of a child on a toilet with a caption that read, "No job is finished until the paperwork is done."
If Flurry could find some of HWA's "paperwork", his joy would be complete.
I wonder who actually holds the title to this plot of undeveloped land? Why do they keep their capital tied up in it? But they want to do *nothing* with it?
Oh, wait a minute. I get it now...
This is a monument dedicated to the vanity and ego of both HWA and, in this case, Flurry. Sure, Flurry wants to toot his horn, and HWA's horn too, for selflessly donating this "playground." Except it isn't a playground. It's an undeveloped plot. Well, I guess that's not entirely true, but it's sole development are these plaques making sure everyone knows what an entirely useless thing HWA and, I guess maybe Flurry too, have done for the children of Jerusalem. No, what it is, is a monument to HWA, doing all this "good," which is, well, let's not go there. Just suffice it to say that HWA and Flurry are amazing benefactors, and here's an empty plot of land dedicated to proving it.
The good thing I guess is that HWA and Flurry have their reward.
Matthew 6:
2 So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
nck,
I'm tempted say you are an enigma nougat, coated with conundrum crispies and dipped in a pot of paradox parfait.
However, that definition isn't particularly palatable since you have written so many posts describing so much "amazing" and world-bettering work that was paid for by contributions to the WCG.
I can't help but notice that there's common themes written by those who still have one foot stuck in armstrongism. Here's a few paraphrased examples-
* "I'm no fan of Herbert Armstrong, and I realize he was an extremely flawed individual, BUT... he did so many things to make the world a better place, and many thousands of people are still benefiting from those efforts. [And don't forget to say in your best southern accent like in the Shake and Bake commercial, "And I helped!]"
* "I'm no fan of Herbert Armstrong, and I realize he was an extremely flawed individual, BUT... he was just so TRUTHY! Let's not forget all that TRUTH! Herbert Armstrong was a man with a message from GOD. The TIME HAD COME for HWA's message!"
* "I'm no fan of Herbert Armstrong, and I realize he was an extremely flawed individual, BUT... after hearing about all the abuse in OTHER places, I feel so blessed that everything was lollipops, unicorns and rainbows in MY congregation! In fact, in all congregations anywhere near me there were no such dreadful things that happened!"
Leave it to COG childish leaders to fight over space in the sandbox
Dennis,
I know you took pictures of the play ground too, it is in our system, or did you go on a tour leaving no room for esoteric sidestepping. :-)
My hotel was just a few yards from the play ground.
I walked to the German Quarter to get an extremely good hamburger from an even better looking girl who was dressed/hair/nailpolish as the witch of Endor. I asked her if a girl like her wouldn't prefer Tel Aviv. But she wouldn't trade Jerusalem for a million. hmm Prophetic?
Anyway, since you are such a "fan" of Paul, I would have liked to show you the Road to Damascus which is a warzone now, but a picnic place for families before the war. Ah yes turning the hearts of the children to war. The madness of it all.
Nck
My cat would love to relieve himself there.
It's perfect!
6:48
Thank you!
I will hold your comments under consideration.
To explain some of the enigma. I have NO religious sentiments whatsoever, not personally not about hwa. I have never used "religio type expressions" as "feeling blessed."
To me a childrens play ground is a childrens playground, whether it be donated by that famous German leader, Pol Pot, Stalin or the Clintons.
For instance when I endeavor to have an opinion on the recently demolished Hall of Ad, I go to this blog to have a cathartic laugh about feelkings, but my OPINION is ONLY shaped by the professional opinions of engineers, architects and art schools commenting on SoCal architecture.
So I hold you all dear as brothers and sisters by feeling, but my opinions are only shaped by science and professional commenters.
Perhaps that explains ALL of my comments on this blog so far.
You must be a girl referring to me as chrispie or nougat.
Most of the guys here would refer to me as cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs (at the least).
nck
Am I the only one who felt a little bit uncomfortable seeing the HWA pic with all those little girls around him , fawning over him?
Connie,
I'm most uncomfortable with the thought that these kids are 40 years old now.
nck
"..enigma nougat, coated with conundrum crispies and dipped in a pot of paradox parfait."
What an idea for a unhealthy but delicious candybar. Let's call it the "End of Daze"!
Picking up on Douglas's cat litter theme, how appropriate! It reminds me of why I've called the ACOG "prophets" Fert-Elijah!
LOL!
BB
nck,
Come now, nck. Isn't that you spouting all that conspiracy bullshit about HWA being a CIA operative?
I mean, you're free to hold whatever cuckoo for cocoa puffs opinions you want to, but don't try to tell us those opinions are "only shaped by science and professional commenters." That'd be like pissing on our leg and telling us it's raining...
Yes, Byker Bob, it's Herbert Armstrong's Jerusalem litter box.
Pretty expensive though, and we paid for it. Not to worry: Herbert Armstrong always did say to buy him the most expensive quality we can afford!
I hope many happy cats have used it throughout the past 40 years!
Mikey is jealous of Israeli felines!
The late David ben-Ariel spoke of this "monumental" place. Remember David? He stands among those 1-person splinter groups, sometimes featured here, "led" by someone who just can't find ANYONE who's doing HWA's teachings right, "so I have to do it."
David "proved" by means of British-Israelism that he was Jewish, so he needed to live in Jerusalem. When David did manage to get himself into Israel (subsequently he was deported), he went and checked out this sandbox, found it in disrepair, and reported it to Flurry's people, who took up the funding.
I remember this from David's blog.
Over and above Flurry not recognizing that David was a prophet, he complained that he never got credit from Flurry for pointing PCG toward support of maintaining this place.
Oh, the fuss and the waste and the silliness that comes forth just because a certain NAME is present! Yecch!
The Remembrancers are obsessed with this playground! A few months back in one of their sermons, they claimed that once the playground was cleaned and rebuilt it would complete the last of Gods great woes! I about fell out of my chair! They email their weekly sermons that are given by one of the Two Witnesses each week, (yes, I know who the two witnesses are). During that sermon they stated that a ex PCG member was sending in a very large donation for the playground and that would assure everyone's entrance into the Place of Safety. Well, the donors freaked out at hearing that and sent their money to the PCG, then right after is when Gerry Flurry announced that he was buying a plane! Go figure!
You may want to check out the Garcias in Amarillo Texas. Their new church is The Last End church of God. They use all the Remembrancers books and literature but claim that everything else from those Philpinos is rubbish! The Garcias are only 8 strong right now but they believe they are the 8 from Noah's time, that it's all prophecies. Mr. Garcia is so old he makes stuff up every Sabbath and nothing makes sense. His Deacon son Bobby goes along and gets very angry if you disagree with anything his Dad says. Bobby tells everyone that his Dad has been in the church longer than anyone and he's the only one God is using!
There's much more, but you may want to check it all out for yourself! Lol!
Yes Connie, you are.
Only God's true scoopable cat litter should be used in Herbie's litterbox legacy.
Unfortunately, Satan has removed links on Amazon to God's true cat litter:
"Herbie's Heapin' Heads Scoopable Sophisticated Experience"
When a cat pees or poops, it clumps into the shape of Herbie's head.
You can then scoop it out and place those special Herbie's head shapes as centerpieces on your dining room table, or find other positions of power for them around your well-coiffed home.
(And, best of all, they make excellent bookmarks for your King James Bible!)
As the advertisement on Amazon once said, "You can fake it til you make it! Pretend they're hot pretzels from the mall kiosk where COG retarded children get abandoned. Then, with some imagination, it's only one short step from pretzels to Petra!"
No, Connie, you are not the only one who was made uncomfortable by the photo (shopped?) of HWA and the children. That was the first thing I thought of upon seeing the pic.
The picture in this article is wrong. Pack says that he is Elijah "turning the hearts of the children to the fathers!" Where is his name on that plaque? He will have to fly to Jerusalem in that new jet he wants to buy and also build a playground. This is, of course, to follow the "Grand Pattern." But wait, if he waits until the first dominion, he will be able to fly himself to Jerusalem. Of course, this is 3- 5 years from now. He better buy the jet :)
The madness continues at PCG. The following is from Exit and Support Network:
"New No-Contact Ruling From Gerald Flurry:
"July 22, 2016
"My mate has former friends from PCG who have told of a brand new ruling sent down from King Flurry that was announced last Sabbath. Jerry Flurry, in his "omnipotent wisdom," has ruled that now all contact with unbaptized children who have left the PCG is to be terminated immediately.
"It has been the policy for years that parents were still allowed to talk to children who have left the PCG only If they were unbaptized. Now Pope flurry has even taken away that small mercy.
"The talk amongst the children now affected by this judgment is that this will push many PCG families over the edge and force them to leave or get put out. Others feel that this will put one more nail in the coffin of Flurryism. Flurry is looking more and more like "mad King George" as his actions are ruining the PCG. All of his egomaniacal pipe dreams have come to nothing. The dig in Jerusalem has failed. The PCG radio station broadcast from the Edmond compound has failed. Membership has plummeted since the late 90s and there is almost no growth. Some wonder that in the end all that will be left is a small "Jonestown faithful" secluded on the Edmond compound. --Former PCG member"
Glenn get your mind outta da gutter bud.
No Gerald Flurry did not tell members not to deal with unbaptized kids. Nope, not at all.
Anon 5:37,
My mind is not in the gutter, but thanks for your advice. I will take it under consideration. You appear to be in a continual state of denial about HWA and the history of his church and its wayward offspring.
Nope no denial. Not a fan of HWA or that church. It's a cult.
But I think that the innuendo around the photo by you and that lady reveals minds that are not in the right place.
No offense intended to any of our fellow posters, but my vote is with Connie and Glenn. There are certainly more than one reason why you wouldn't want young, vulnerable people exposed to HWA. Yes, there is his past history to consider, but there is also the fact that he was a false prophet, a false teacher, and a demagogue.
BB
The very first comment is so very true. The more decent you try and live, the more you try and do the right thing the more the ministers HATE your gutts. Its an eye opener and can be difficult to come to terms with.
I find repeatedly the more lousy behaviour, barefaced lying, lazyiness, vile tongued people are ADORED by the ministry. I dont mean sinners who come into the church and then repent and are baptised, hey weve all are sinners. I mean baptized brethren whos behaviour is so awful in church it defies belief how they survive mon to friday.
Oh please get over it.
You're looking at a picture of a person born in 1892 or something.
In 1880 the age of consent was set at 10 or 12 in most States of the United States. Except for Delaware where it was 7. Only in 2015 consent laws were made gender-symmetric.
I'm not questioning your morals in any way but your lack of knowledge is worrysome.
nck
madness!
About the photo, it looks like any other staged photo op to me, meant to enforce a paternalistic image. Just another act of pretense to woo the masses. If course knowing what we know in hindsight one can't help but think of the creep factor.
On another thought and it may be that my memory is a bit faulty but for some reason I was thinking that when Hwa donated money to this park it was made to sound as though his donation had been the major financial contribution that made it all possible.
Mickey,
Hwa was asked to sponsor the entire park. Since TK and HWA shared the dream of an utopian Jerusalem. The park is and was to be used for concerts, sports and other activities.
Since the Foundation only "nudged" or "leveraged" it donated the play ground.
A possibility your memory is blurred is that in true HWA style HWA would always make known that he was asked to donate the entire park then adding at the end that he donated the playground.
The photo is of course staged. I am not sure if it was during or just before the "turning the hearts of the children to the father" campaign.
99% of the time that I post I do this out of irritation that HWA never said that The Church donated. It was always him him him. But my effort to put the true donators in the spotlight has been grossly misrepresented as an effort to whitewash hwa.
I usually put the spotlight at the donators, that is the Church. It is that or we have to admit that hwa was a truly great human being. Actually that last claim can be rebutted also if you are in the know who truly had the brains to steer the Church on strategy in the seventies.
nck
Would that have been Dr. Kuhn, and Stanley Rader doing the steering, nck? There are pro-ACOG sites I've encountered recently practically branding those two gentlemen as illuminati.
BB
When HWA wrote "A world held captive." (by big money) I'm pretty sure he knew his "religious persona" was held captive by the interests of "big money."
I believe John Tuit wrote extensively about HWA feeling trapped.
I've said it before. The State of California was the 9th economic power in the world in the seventies. To speak and be invited on behalf of the Rotary (of LA) and other Service Clubs around the world would certainly appear to one with a "mythical" outlook on life as "being sent forth as an ambassador."
If you look up the God Mercury, you see he is both associated with being "a messenger between the Gods" and Trade (although I will not trample on "cheers trading guy's" terrain.
It was Lloyd Blankfein who revealed to the public that he was "doing the work of god."
That is what, enabling the pursuit of live, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And Free Trade is absolutely essential in that pursuit as is the willingness to compromise on ones initial feelings of greed. To restrain immediate greed (the way of give) one becomes enormously richer by entering into a mutual agreement.
Now it seems RK after a brief stint of advicing Israeli and Japanese tech firms to work together made a fabulous career as one of the most influential people on the planet. (by the admission of the leadership of 1.5 billion people).
Now BB you would probably ask. If RK is one of the most influential persons on the planet why doesn't anybody know about this.
Well as a matter of fact I didn't know it until a couple of years ago when I was flipping channels in a shabby hotel in Kazachstan and I saw him advertised on Chinese State tv as such.
SR seems to have wielded absolute loyalty of wcg treasures to his family to this day.
Although not any of them is associated with wcg since a very long time.
The link I followed was SR-wcg treasurers-family-company-CPA-former employees-wikileaks-investment banking-intelligence networks-forecasting-deals in certain countries in the world awarded by governements to persons instead of going through due process.
Nothing illegal. Just business as usual.
nck
BB,
Speaking about dystopia.
It was not Kazachstan. It was close to the former Manas airforce base in a place far far beyond many peoples comprehension. I was flipping channels in a (business) hotel-brothel. The opening of a humonguous airport in China caught my eye on one of the Chinese Channels as they were preparing for their revolutionary anniversary.
Suddenly the face of RK appears on my tv screen, being advertised as one of the top 10 or 3 influential people in China.
My mouth falls open and I turn to my companion and say I know that person.
The person gazes at me and says I'm crazy.
Luckily I later found this blog where of course people know that crazy stories may carry some truth. :-)
nck
btw: I didn't buy the Adolph Hitler stamps being sold in the local department store between the kiddy toy department and the souvenir shop. They are reproductions I guess, but if anyone interested I could send you the adress of the department store.
Welcome in one day of my world.
in the 11:47 posting
"wcg treasures" should be loyalty of "wcg treasurers"
nck
Follow the link to see what happened to the dirt pile that you mentioned
http://www.jerusalemfoundation.org/news-updates/2018/honoring-40-years-of-friendship.aspx
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