Gerald Flurry says:
Mystery of the Ages is the synopsis of the entire Bible—the Old and New Testaments. It is the only book on Earth that explains the Bible. It has the answer to the stone’s cry. Mr. Armstrong believed Mystery of the Ages was the second-greatest book on Earth, second only to the Bible. We have the same belief.
Look again at Habakkuk 2:11: “For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.” Habakkuk 2:11 is the single greatest new revelation that God has given the Philadelphia Church of God so far!
God is honoring His Church in a wonderful, wonderful way!
We heard the cry of the stone—Jesus Christ made sure of that. We knew we wanted Mr. Armstrong’s prayer rock, a symbol of how Mr. Armstrong built the greatest work ever on Earth! He built it on prayer, going to God continually. He had a prayer rock, which is the focal point of all this symbolism. And now, God has shown us that this rock symbolizes King David’s new throne.Did you know that Herbert Armstrognandhsi rock made possible and paved the way for Jesus to return again! Without HWA Jesus would still be stuck in the third heaven.
This stone is tied to the man who wrote Mystery of the Ages. God is putting a dramatic spotlight on the man who prepared the way for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. God is honoring this man and telling us to follow his example. There is no stone on Earth like the prayer rock used by God’s end-time type of Elijah. He prepared the way for the Second Coming, and we are here to raise up the ruins.
31 comments:
I think the case could be made that the Bible is not the greatest book ever written. That is something one is expected to say out of respect but it simply is not true. There are many excellent and great books far more encouraging and meaningful in their content.
The Power of Now and The New Earth by Tolle
The Art of Happiness by Cutler
The Road Less Traveled by Scott Peck
The Four Agreements by Ruiz
Jonathan Living Seagull by Bach
Eat, Pray, Love by Gilbert
Tuesdays with Morrie by Albom
Siddhartha by Hesse
,,,,and many more. They don't promote the chosen over the unchosen, the called over the uncalled, the righteous over the sinner, the Jew over the Gentile, The Gentile over the Jew, The Christian over everyone and they don't promote love Jesus or burn forever in hell or up, whatever. There might be some good Proverbs and Psalms but mostly it's a slaughter, pining away over destruction or warnings of more to come unless the chosen ones straighten up.
The New Testament is competing and contradictory Gospels followed by theological wrangling between various views on that which no man can know but is pretty sure they do. All the real theology comes from one man, Paul who was not especially liked, deserted by ALL in Asia and found to be a liar by the Ephesian Church in Revelation and congratulated by Revelation Jesus for it.
Mystery of the Ages falls somewhere between "A Theory for the Birds" and "Just What Do You Mean: The Four Hosemen of the Puckerlips" and won no awards as far as I recall.
IMHO
MOA is greater than Malachi's Message, the "little book" of Revelation, that was delivered to Gerry by "a mighty angel"?
And which in reality was a plagiarized version of Jules Dervae's Letter to Laodicea. And Gerry has revised both MOA and MM...
Mystery of the Ages:
How anyone can possibly fall for the idolatrous worship of a ROCK.
To the sound of "Rocky Top"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FrV0Lkzank
Wish That I knelt down
on the Herbert Rock
Down on the Edmond Line
Keep on Looking Down
on the Herbert Rock
It looks so rocky and fine
All I want is to kneel
by the Herbert Rock
Thinking of Rocky things tooo
Cause when I kneel down
by the Herbert Rock
I shake my flabby jowls toooooo
Herbert Rock
You'll Always Be
Herbert Rock to meeeeee
Goooood oolll Herbert Rock
Herbert Rock , Yes Indeeeed
Herbert Rock Yes, Indeeeeeedd
Herb kept saying that he felt like he didn't write MOA, implying it was inspired by God. As has been mentioned before, the book was written by several of his ministers. So he lied through his teeth claiming that he wrote the book.
I can't help noticing that this phenomenon is mainstream. On a regular basis, celebrities come out with books supposedly written by them. If they have all this wisdom and intelligence, why doesn't it show in their interviews?
It's so dishonest.
Mystery indeed...
Christianity is what you get when you take a Hellenistic mystery cult, such as the Eleusinian mystery cult of Demeter and her daughter Persephone, and cross it with Judaism. Just exchange Demeter and her daughter with Yahweh and his son. Mystery cults in which the cult deity undergoes a passion in which death is defeated and eternal life is then shared with its followers were all the rage between the 7th century BC and the 1st century AD. The "mystery" is the secret of how to be properly initiated and in good standing so as to be in line to "inherit" this eternal life. Christianity is just an ancient Hellenistic mystery cult based on Judaism which, remarkably, has survived into modern times.
The "mystery" is the hook that keeps the suckers coming in. People want to know how to secure their afterlife. The bible itself describes this "mystery" as a "pearl of great price," and suggests that everyone should take pains to learn the "mystery." The only big secret, however, is that there aren't any secrets. There is no proper initiation, no knowledge regarding how to secure one's afterlife. Everyone who tells you he's got one, like James Malm, for example, is bluffing. This was HWA's hook: tell them you know the mystery, and claim you'll share it with them, but it's all smoke and mirrors until such time as you forget the reason which initially brought you in the door.
"Herb kept saying that he felt like he didn't write MOA, implying it was inspired by God. As has been mentioned before, the book was written by several of his ministers. So he lied through his teeth claiming that he wrote the book."
9:32
Yesterday I said what I liked most on this blog.
Today I will state that what I dislike most about this blog are the IDIOTIC contradictory statements like those of 9:32.
In the first sentence HWA says "that he feels he did not write the book", In the last sentence the IDIOTIC poster states that HWA was a liar by proving HWA was right about that he did not write MOA. What's it going to be now??????
When are we going to consider that HWA always spoke the truth. (Albeit the truth that was in his own head not necessarily conventional science.)
I completely agree with the 10:11 posting. Although I would not use the word "suckers". I think the line of reasoning and way of concluding in philosophy and religion is part of the human experience. It is in the brain and part of human survival and evolution to come to the core teaching that you expounded upon.
That's why I don't agree with the people who claim that armstrongism as a philosophy had no value. It is just one of the many ways people have explained life. As a matter of fact, it contained many "ancient concepts" and what made it different "at the time in a certain time phrame" was exactly what made it attractive to those who adhered to that teaching.
Armstrongs philosophy was all a bit too confident I agree. But that was the confidence of the rise of the American empire, from an insignificant, horse and buggy nation in 1892 to its GIII zenith in 1985, all via the 1938 "World of Tomorrow" technology fair which promised the American citizen that "the pursuit of happiness" and "the engineering of democratic consent" would be executed through the vice of consumerism. Therefore the 1942-1945 war for markets.
nck
This is hilarious! Flurry has now turned PCg into a bunch of stoners!
BB
Nck
Again lawyer Nck comes to Herbs rescue. Herb claimed authorship of MOA. Then he claimed that it was so inspired by God, that he didn't feel that he wrote the book. Nothing idiotic in pointing this out.
It's people who are Herb apologists who have the problem.
Gerald Flurry said: "...Look again at Habakkuk 2:11: “For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.” Habakkuk 2:11 is the single greatest new revelation that God has given the Philadelphia Church of God so far! God is honoring His Church in a wonderful, wonderful way!...”
Gerald must be kidding! Is Gerald Flurry deceived, or what? How can Gerald write or say that? Was he stoned when those words were said? Let’s look again at Habakkuk 2:11 and strive to consider its meaning for us, today.
Where is the wall location?
What part of the wall did that stone come out of?
Who specifically heard the "cry of the stone?" What was the "cry" all about? Really?
What timber? Where is the timber located?
Where is the beam out of the timber? What is the beam's answer?
Did the stone have a question: a question that the beam could answer?
This is so silly! Gerald's imagination is so wild, one would almost think he was either greatly deceived, or on drugs or possibly somehow "stoned!"
And, of course, Gerald had to mention "the second coming (Christ to very soon reign on earth for some MMM (Mickey Mouse Millennium))," another vague "something" out of somebody's imagination! What was that 40-day period all about after Jesus Christ returned to earth at His real "second coming," before returning to His Father's right hand? No wonder the Bible speaks about such phrases as: “another Jesus, another spirit and another gospel!”
It has been mentioned that Gerald has amended, edited, modified literature (e.g. Mystery of the Ages) of others. Even the Bible is not an exception! As if God wasn’t clear enough and needed Gerald’s help!
If we get a little more Hab 2:11 context we may see something more meaningful, something that might make more sense. For example, let's look at the previous verse:
Hab 2:10 "Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul."
This is so silly! Gerald's imagination is so wild, one would almost think he was either greatly deceived, or on drugs or possibly somehow "stoned!"
And, of course, Gerald had to mention "the second coming (Christ to very soon reign on earth for some MMM (Mickey Mouse Millennium))," another vague "something" out of somebody's imagination! What was that 40-day period all about after Jesus Christ returned to earth at His real "second coming," before returning to His Father's right hand? No wonder the Bible speaks about such phrases as: “another Jesus, another spirit and another gospel!”
It has been mentioned that Gerald has amended, edited, modified literature (e.g. Mystery of the Ages) of others. Even the Bible, it seems, is not an exception to Gerald's editing! As if God wasn’t clear enough and needed Gerald’s help!
Why cite Hab 2:11 and make such a "mountain out of some molehill?"
Gerald would probably have more success striving to analyze verse 10 for meaning, rather than verse 11 like he did!
I also wonder about code again. What if the word God were replaced with the word god: Satan? What would what Gerald wrote about look like?
Gerald Flurry said: "...Look again at Habakkuk 2:11: “For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.” Habakkuk 2:11 is the single greatest new revelation that Satan has given the Philadelphia Church of Satan so far! Satan is honoring His Church in a wonderful, wonderful way! We heard the cry of the stone—Jesus Christ made sure of that. ..."
It is ridiculous! Reading what Gerald said/wrote encourages me to believe the following verse:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:9
And is the world that deceived? Time will tell...
John
2:36
I love you too!
(a) "lawyer makes distinction between", "inspired" and "wrote", your honor. b) technically witnesses testify to have seen author use a typewriter aboard the GIII, therefore technically author was not even writing. :-))
The exact claim in his own words (which was no new claim, since the book turned out to be an assemblage of earlier material):
"When the Bible speaks, that is God speaking, not a man. Now it's true Moses wrote the first five books. But it wasn't really Moses writing it. God was having him write it. And it was God writing it. But that was really inspired. And then when we come to prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, and then when we come to the New Testament books. God inspired them. They are the infallible words of God. This book [Mystery of the Ages] is not. I don't make any such claim for this book whatsoever. But I think, in a way. God inspired it. But not in the sense that it is the word of God. It's as God inspired Herbert Armstrong."
nck
Nck
With his marketing training, Herb was a master in misleading his followers while avoiding legal liability. The best example of this is 1975. He kept repeating "I don't set dates, however consider evidence a, b, c, d etc." He lied, resulting in enormous damage to peoples lives, yet got off scot free. Don't forget his other famous lie: "In the name of the living God, I tell you we have 3 to 5 short years left." He kept repeating this for about 40 years, so was obviously lying.
So "the exact claim in his own words" is snake oil salesman talk.
It's the calculated impression that Herb left in members mind that morally counts, not your or Herbs legalese.
10:09
Guilty as charged your honor.
Yes, snake oil salesmen. That's what all orators are that do not base their comments on solid scientific evidence. Like that girl in the seven eleven this morning. smiling "how are you?" As if she cares. How I am? Well sit down young lady and listen.... I was part of this cult for 25 years and.........yawn yawn..
I think his exact words are "I believe" it won't last longer than 3-5 short years.......
nck
"Blogger DennisCDiehl said...
I think the case could be made that the Bible is not the greatest book ever written."
Hello Dennis, I was wondering, of all the books that you've read disproving the bible, are there one or two that you'd highly recommend?
I've read the arguments of virgin born gods prior to Jesus but I've found nothing concrete to prove that's what was really taught two, three, four thousand years ago. Everything that I've found was written decades and centuries after Jesus all claiming this is what the "pagan virgin birth" stories taught.
I know there are hieroglyphics and other stone writings that show they did worship these gods, but is there anything older than 2,000 years to prove exactly what was taught?
Thanks,
Kevin McMillen
Nck
The girl in the seven eleven with her "how are you" is giving you what psychologists call a stroke - a unit of recognition. It is something positive and life enhancing. It burns me up about how many times I took out women in Herbs church, spent a small fortune for restaurant and movie, only to receive no stroke or less of a stroke than at a fast food place. The church was a den of thieves.
A movie...?
Herb recommended the art of conversation.
At University I never went to class without 2 current topics prepared from the newspaper.
Then my "love" would respond that "David Haselhoff was such a beautiful man."
In Church I got the Oklahoma city pastor's daughter talking about "Reagan's foreign policy." But apparantly that was a joke on her part.
At camp, this fiery redhead pastor kid from BS figured I was a bigtime nerd at first, until I kissed my visiting friend on the cheek, which was my/our custom. I got to dance with her without the recommended bible space in between.
Herb was right. Those conversations taught me a lot about women and how to interact with them. You got to get them "guessing/or curious" , proving yourself attractive to another of their sex is even better. Women's blood get's wild when you are passionate about anything.
In PCG they might get enthusiastic "about the rocks that you got." Get a rock on her finger.
nck
There is no proof Herbert ever prayed at any stone (just his word for it) or that Flurry has that same stone now. What ever happened to "prove all things"?
Notice the mis direction of this stone thingy, and similar. Where is personal growth and transformation?
With the emphasis on the new truths about this stone in PCg, I hear they are renaming the Philadelphia Trumpet (PCg recruitment magazine). Its new name is “Trolling Stone”. All the little PCg Irish Dancers are redoing the old Dr. Hook song, making it about the joys of getting their pictures on the cover of the Trolling Stone! A crew from MAACO
is right now at the jet hangar lettering the PCg plane “Trolling Stone” for Flurry’s next trip to England.
BB
THIS JUST IN!
The HERBERT STONE is a distant ancestor of the SAME STONES that were on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!!
YES! You heard it here first! THE ASTOUNDING, ASTONISHING NEWS that the VERY STONE OF HERBERT, through an amazing network of ORDAINED TRAVEL, OVER SEAS and THROUGH MANY COUNTRIES AND CONTINENTS, CAME FROM THE SAME AREA OF ROCK!
BUT! Even GREATER THAN THIS! THE STONE OF HERBERT WILL BE THE CENTER OF A MIRACULOUS MIRACLE - MORE STUPENDOUS THAN ANY MIRACLE SINCE THE GREAT DAYS OF THE EXODUS!
In the DAYS of the EXODUS MOSES was told to HIT THE ROCK so WATER WOULD POUR FORTH!
NOW! In these GREAT DAYS OF THE STONE OF HERBERT, A NEW PROPHECY HAS EMERGED!
YES! NOW we have been instructed, FINALLY, that WE ARE TOO TO SPLIT THE ROCK! AND TOO A SUBSTANCE SHALL POUR OUT! SO WATCH NOW AS WE HIT! THAT! ROCK!
*biff*
LOOK AT........
ohhh.
WHO PUT THAT ROCK ON TOP OF MY SIX PACK OF PABST??!!?!?!!?!?!!
CULLLLPEPPPPPEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Notice the mis direction of this stone thingy, and similar. Where is personal growth and transformation?
@ 6:05PM, isn't it obvious? As Bob Dylan so famously warned us...
...everybody must get Stoned!
The reason the Bible is considered the greatest-ever collection of books is not literary brilliance or style, but the fact that it (not MOA) is inspired and preserved by God.
Christians believe this because the historic Christian Church (not Flurry's) was founded by the one who rose from the dead. We trust her because we trust him.
An individual's misinterpretation of the sacred text does not invalidate it. At best it demonstrates that the Scriptures were not meant to be judged by the interpretation of every Tom, Dick, and Harry and Gerald and Dennis apart from the interpretation of the very Church that produced and preserved them.
Hey, shouldn’t this be obvious? The beer isn’t Pabst. It’s Rolling Rock!
BB
This is no different than the shroud of Turin, the holy prepuce, or the holy grail. It's supposed to be a relic. Or to be more on point, an idol.
It's not supposed to be a relic of Jacob, of pillarstone fame (except that stone isn't from the middle east, it's just Scottish sandstone), nor is it (horrors!) a relic of Jesus, or of some disciple. No, it's a relic of Herbert Armstrong, a 20th century religious P.T Barnum.
Does anyone, even in PCG, think this dumb rock does anything? Does anyone really believe it decides whether or not a supposedly omnipresent deity is allowed out of his third heaven cage or not?
Does anyone really think it holds special powers? If you pray in the vicinity of this rock, does it amplify them so that they're more likely to be heard? Because prayers without it can't otherwise be detected by a supposedly omnipotent and omniscient deity?
If this rock has any special power, that power would be the power to fool astoundingly gullible people. But really, the rock isn't doing anything, as it's just a sock puppet for Flurry.
A movie...?
Yes, Paraders of the Lost Rock.
There is no difference between the Rock of Herbert and any rock you would find underneath your patio or porch, or sitting by the garage among the weeds and dirt. The difference is that Gerald needed SOMETHING to hold on to that somehow linked him with Herbert. First, he got the Egret fountain. That didn't do it. Then, he got the Candelabras. They didn't do it. Even the letters from the Auditorium (that made some PCG'ers gasp from their amazing significance (gag)) didn't do it. But for some reason, without proof or evidence, Gerald chose a rock that fit the description he was looking for, and he went with it.
He already had the criteria all set in his head. He had the size, the type, if it was kneel-able, guessed the location, and voila, he turned it into everything it is not.
It's really fitting, isn't it. He did exactly what Herbert did with Herbert's church. Herbert had the criteria all set in his head. Herbert had the Sabbath, the Holy Days, the name of the church, made up his mind about these dogmas, and VOILA, he turned it into everything it is not.
We're all sitting here shaking our heads at the stupidity of going all goo-goo over a freaking rock. But in reality, it could not be a more perfect analogy of exactly how Herbert created his church. They both took something and made it into something it simply is not, but are pretending that it is what they think it is.
And in both cases, the gullible fell for it, and STILL fall for it.
That stone is a mud fossil.
See Mudfossil University for explanation. If that guy is correct they are worshipping a body part. Love it!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8v44qrU_Fdd7UN_XlUMpew
Starring Rock Hudson as Gerald Flurry?
BB
I think I have said this before but I need to say this again. Either Flurry actually believes this b.s. which means that he is a nut job or he knows it is b.s. which means that he is a con-man. I scratch my head wondering what the heck is going on in his head.
I think I have said this before but I need to say this again. Either Flurry actually believes this b.s. which means that he is a nut job or he knows it is b.s. which means that he is a con-man. I scratch my head wondering what the heck is going on in his head.
Most of us here were a part of the Worldwide Church of God. Most of us here believed far stranger things than this rock business. Most of us could not be shaken of our strange convictions either. We believed them wholeheartedly. I don't have reason to believe Gerald doesn't believe this stuff. It very well may be real to him, in every way, that that rock is to him what that rock is to him.
We believed sports arenas turned into "Tabernacles" around the Feast. We believed the Auditorium was as special as the "Rock of Herbert" - some even thought it would persist into the Millennium. Many of us believed big jumbo-jets would carry us to Petra. If you think of all the things we used to hold as dogmas, it suddenly doesn't seem so weird to put the "Rock of Herbert" on such a pedestal. Remember how we idolized the "Great Seal of the Church"? We put a lot of importance on physical things, that's no doubt. Gerald's doing what he's done his whole life - placing idolatrous importance on the things he sees as fundamental to the church and world history - even a piece of rock. I think he's gone Obsessive about it, though - as an extremist, far worse than the "average" member or minister. I wonder how he'd treat a fossilized eyebrow hair of HWA, or a piece of his DNA or something. But with the demolition of the HOA, probably could never get that now if he wanted to.
Twenty years ago, near the time of birth of so-called “dissident” sites (actually, they are therapy or recovery sites) one of the points I continually made was that reachieving normalcy was the key to recovery from Armstrongism.
What I discovered was that this is apparently not an ethic shared by all. There are people who were either abnormal prior to accepting Armstrongism as their faith and solution, or became abnormal as a result of Armstrong indoctrination, who felt most comfortable continuing to embrace weirdness, they accepted conspiracy theories as explanation for all of the deep philosophical questions which we share, and were quite happy being abnormal. This did not compute for me. Why would people voluntarily do this to themselves?
Back in the 1970s, Wayne Dyer wrote a best seller, “Your Erroneous Zones”. It was a rip-off of Albert Ellis’s Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. REBT is an applied educational process, in which a therapist teaches the client how to identify irrational and self-defeating beliefs and philosophies which are rigid, extreme, unrealistic, illogical, and absolutist and to replace them with more rational and self-helping ones. The goal is for the client to achieve a more rational, self-helping, and constructive way of thinking, emoting, and behaving.
Some of us have been able to accomplish this on our own. However, many of the old, long-term Armstrongites are so deeply embedded into the group-think spawned by HWA, that even when they voluntarily leave the group, they unwittingly carry some of the mental boob-traps with them into their new lives, predestining themselves to failure even in recovery.
Next time someone who just doesn’t compute bursts on to our scene, we’ll all know what caused it, and where he or she is coming from.
BB
Stone of Herb looks like a fossilized Dinosaur Turd....
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