Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders

Saturday, January 5, 2019

PCG: Joe Tkach Jr Will Persuade Catholic Church To Throw The Philadelphia Church of God Out Of The U.S.


Gerald Flurry has said a lot of incredibly stupid things over the years, as have Dave Pack, Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland and Jimmy Malm, but none of their prophecy prediction idiocy can compare to the proposition Gerald Flurry is throwing out into the wind about Joe Tkach Jr. and the Catholic church.


Gerald Flurry Throwing All Caution to the Wind / Date Setting:
Gerald Flurry is nearing the end of his life, and reading his articles in the January 2019 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet, one would think that he has thrown all caution to the winds. On page 8, he writes, "The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the greatest event ever, will happen in six to 10 years, as I calculate it. That means the Great Tribulation, the worst suffering this Earth has ever experienced, will start within a few short years."  
Nevertheless, Joel Hilliker on the very next page, warns that, "In recent decades, it seems that every few years someone comes along with a new prediction of the world as we know it. And then those predictions prove false. This problem of failed prophecy has plagued many religions for thousands of years. People predicting Jesus Christ's return have set dates." 
On page 10, Hilliker again: "Be wary when you hear someone predicting a specific date of Christ's return." But what if the "someone" doing the predicting is the leader of your own church? What if Gerald Flurry himself is date-setting, "as he calculates it." 
Flurry has another even more bizarre article in the latest PT, called "Is America's Supreme Court In Bible Prophecy?" To put it briefly, the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh does two things. First, Flurry says, "I believe... [it] indicates God will likely see that President Trump has a second term." Secondly, the end-time Amaziah (= Joe Tkach Jr., who turned WCG around after Herbert Armstrong's death) is going to persuade the Supreme Court (full of Catholics, Flurry says) to throw the PCG out of the United States! But not to worry, Flurry says: 'The Supreme Court's rejection of our message is God's way of getting His people out of this country to a safe place.' Armstrongite-watchers will know that this used to mean Petra! --D. K.
Comment: The following words are taken from the January 24, 2017 PCG letter: 
Gerald Flurry has prophesied that Trump is the "End Time Jeroboam" that will ally with Joe Jr. Tkach and the WCG and finally kick the PCG members out of the USA, exiling them to Jordan/Petra. Flurry has also made a prophesy that Trump will be the last President of the USA because the Tribulation is very, very close and could happen at any time.    Exit and Support

Friday, January 4, 2019

Philadelphia Church of God on Depression


Leave it to one of the most abusive Churches of God to lecture the COG and society on depression.  The track record of the Philadelphia Church of God and how it has ruined lives and marriages over its existence is appaling. So for the PCG, and particularly Dennis Leap, to lecture us on the causes of depression is revolting.

Dennis Leap wants everyone to know that because they have broken the 10 commandments THAT is the reason people are depressed. And, lest we are too dumb to forget, Satan and his demons are also the cause.

Unseen Spiritual Forces

The majority of people are completely blind to the fact that even the unconscious violation of God’s spiritual laws—the Ten Commandments, God’s means to guarantee human happiness—sets one up to experience mental, emotional and personal problems and negative attitudes. The Ten Commandments are in force just like the law of gravity. When we obey them, the result is peace of mind, inner joy and happiness. Yet if we break them, we become broken. We must face the reality that consciously doing things we know are wrong results in negative or depressed feelings. 
If this is true, then why are some of the vilest COG leaders, who claim to be staunch commandment keeps, men who have ripped apart marriages, destroyed teenagers lives, led people to suicide and even to murder.
Here is a point that few recognize. Unresolved anger, bitterness, envy or jealousy leads to feelings of loss. We must learn to conquer these self-destructive, sinful emotions. All of these are the bricks of the path that leads to depression. “Envy makes the bones rot,” warns the Bible (Proverbs 14:30; English Standard Version). 
Anger, bitterness and sense of loss, all things that are a result of the vile "no contact" policies and other vile teachings of the PCG. PCG leaders could care less about the lives of members as long as they can keep them under control.
Although it is not socially acceptable to believe in evil spiritual forces—Satan the devil and his army of demons—they do exist, and they have made it their express goal to influence and disrupt the minds and attitudes of unsuspecting humans. Satan is the author of angelic and human sin. He is the most depressed being in the universe, and he desires for all humans to feel the same way he does. In Ephesians 2:2-3, the Apostle Paul calls Satan the “prince of the power of the air,” because this evil being broadcasts his negative attitudes of mind worldwide. 
Various COG leaders have been broadcasting their evilness across the airwaves for decades.  How many more need to die because of them, while they blame Satan and demons for the evil they cause.
No wonder so many people don’t understand the negative attitudes and moods plaguing them. The Bible warns that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12; English Standard Version). Satan and the demons place damaging and negative moods in unwary minds. The sudden impulse to end your life comes directly from them.  A Fresh Look at Depression

A Book Offering: Introspection and the Journey Through the Church of God Experience





You Are Not Your Story


It is deeply heart-opening when people who read Embracing the Stranger in Me: A Journey to Openheartedness share how the stories in the book resonate for them in their own journey.  And then they thank me for being so courageous to share those stories as they feel they have glimpsed into my own vulnerability.  All true.  And it has generated a curiosity for me about what my relationship with this book is – because it doesn’t feel quite so courageous from my perspective.  This book has its own life, energy and flow – thankfully and interestingly.
How are your stories working for you?
And I get to remember, again, what I already knew and now know more deeply.  I am not my stories.  I am not my book. I am not the stories other people tell (or think) about me.  And, you are not your stories.  They do not define you – unless you choose to let them.  Of course, they shape you.  And, you have choices as to how they shape you – looking at life through the human tragedy or drama perspective or from the soul journey perspective – that which we are seeking to learn or experience at the soul level.
There are moments in my life that are seared into my memory as pivotal moments.  One such memory, complete with date, is March 1998.  I was halfway through a severance period, having been royally fired from my job, in the middle of a divorce and having bought a home, for me and my two young boys, predicated on a salary I no longer had with no idea what I was going to do next to support myself.  I was in the highest anxiety of my life – to that point.  I could only focus on what was right in front of me – the next moment, maybe the next day, but certainly not weeks, months or years down the road – because otherwise the stress was overwhelming to the point of being debilitating.
I was sitting in my kitchen, making a choice of which book to pick up and read – the practical What Colour is Your Parachute or the transformative The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.  I didn’t know it would be transformative when I picked it up, but it was.  I was transported to another world.  Mesmerized.  It moved me to tears and to laughter. And I understood maybe for the first time: I am not my stories.  I am not my failure.  I am not my divorce.  I am not my job loss.  These are things that have happened in my life.  I have a choice as to how I view them. The Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore offered me a different, expansive option for how to view these things that happened to me.  The author, Alan Cohen, offered that I had attracted these things into my life. If I had the “power” to attract those life altering “negative” things, I had the equal and opposite capacity or power to also attract more life affirming circumstances into my life.
What I understood is that I had been increasingly drifting away from the things I hold true in my life, the things I valued – or said I valued.  My actions did not always support my beliefs and what I thought I valued.  I was in increasing dissonance and did not know how to live a fractured existence anymore. At the time I felt like I was looking out a picture window at my life as it unfolded, I was so dissociated from my experience and my existence.  And I did not have the skills to know how to navigate it – or relationships – in a healthy way.  It made me believe the human tragedy/drama perspective – that I must be a bad person, maybe even evil.  Otherwise, why would these things have happened to me?
In this one day, I was liberated.  I was invited into choice.  I wish I could say it was only a generative upward vortex from then on but of course it wasn’t.  It was, and still is, a human journey, fraught with the rollercoaster of emotions and experiences.  It took me another decade to surrender into the journey with a greater degree of fullness and I’m still learning about surrendering.
The book was and is intended as an offering of stories for others – for you even – in your own journey.  An invitation to journey on, journey deeper, journey more lightly. An invitation to view your stories in a different way from different perspectives, ones that generate more expansiveness, spaciousness and choice.  An invitation to trust what you doubt, to know someone has navigated similar waters with varying degrees of success, sometimes at peace and sometimes in turmoil – because this is life and this is how we grow. To understand that life is more than just the physical experience and to trust the non-physical as you experience it, as you surely do.  To treat yourself with compassion, love and forgiveness and to invite that into your relationships – all of them, even the ones where you would prefer to hold onto a bit of resentment.
When you live your stories as if they are you, you disempower yourself.  When you understand your story shapes your journey but is not you, you show up more fully in your strength and your power and it is a thing of beauty to behold.
Kathy Jourdain


COG False Prophet Thinks His Ministry Is So Important That The Two Witnesses Will Take It Over When They Arrive


After spending over 30 years working for the church in Pasadena, I got to see one false prophet after another boldly proclaim their self-appointed abilities to witness to the church about their visions from their gods.  Every single one of them were liars and frauds. Every single one of them.

It is no different today in 2019 as we witness the lies of Bob Thiel, James Malm and others. Not a single one of these men are speaking on behalf of God.  No amount of zealotry or innumerable dreams can make these two legitimate disciples of the god they claim to follow.

James Malm believes his so-called ministry is such a dynamic strong ministry that when the two witless witnesses arrive they will take over his ministry expounding upon his teachings.

When these two creatures take over his ministry it will allow him to go to his selected "place of safety" where he and a few hundred of his followers will revel in extreme zealotry.  He also expects tens of thousands of people to enthusiastically embrace his zealotry. Malm has no intention of going to Petra where the deceived fool Bob Thiel will be settling in along with Dave Pack and Gerald Flurry.  Malm's god has told him that the new place of safety is Pella:
Further, Petra is NOT God’s prepared place, and I have never taught any such thing! On the other hand, there is most definitely a place prepared by God for his faithful.
In the first century God took the faithful to Pella NOT Petra, and it is very likely that the faithful will return to some kind of refuge camp close to the same Pella in our time.
According to the Chief Pharisee and certified lair, his god is seriously testing the COG at this time and you had better not reject them or you will not be going to Pella! God is sorely testing the church right now to deliberately weed out the unzealous.
Of course God can protect us where we are, but if God tells us to leave for another place through his two prophets, we had better obey Him! This is not a test of God’s power, it is a test of our faithful obedience!
This all about dividing the faithful from the disobedient by forcing people to make a choice to either obey or chose to disobey God. This is why it is so very important to warn the brethren of this coming test and to properly prepare them by expounding the sound doctrine of every Word of God so that they can make an informed decision;
The brethren must also be warned of things to come, so that when these things happen those who have made the wrong choice will remember the warnings and be convicted and turn to live by every Word of God during the period of their Job like correction.

That is unless his god selects him to be one of the two witless witnesses.  Can you imagine the hell Malm would bring to the world with his nastiness and pharisaical piety!  Most of humanity would probably welcome annihilation after listening to his preaching.
...I have repeatedly stated that this work is purely preparatory and is about preparing the brethren, regardless of corporate organization, for the advent of God’s two servants and the coming of our Lord by building a body of studies through the scriptures and expounding sound doctrine.
When God’s two are set up they will take over and they can make any needed changes.
I expect to go to the place God has prepared. I doubt very much if I will be one of these two; but who they will be is in God the Father’s hands alone. I fully expect our Lord to come well within the next 10 years, making the advent of God’s two and the onset of the tribulation probable in a year or two [as world trends and prophecy also indicate].
A few hundred will turn wholeheartedly to God now and go to the place which God has prepared and during the tribulation many tens of thousands will turn enthusiastically to godliness.
I have never made any secret of these things, it would be wise to at least read the material and get informed before making comments. I dare say that your amusement will evaporate quickly once this trial begins James


Thursday, January 3, 2019

Gerald Flurry Looking For Money Giving Members To Join His Cult



As Gerald Flurry begins circling the drain due to ageing and mental health issues, Philadelphia Church of God members are starting to withhold money to many of Gerald Flurry's pet projects, particularly his germ-free airplane purchased for the use of the Flurry family to travel to Irish Dance contests and Edstone, England. After all, COG prophets of the 21st century need to fly in uncontaminated airspace without worldly passengers sitting next to them.  It's not like they have any gospel to take to any nation on earth nowadays.

Like all the other despots leading a Church of God, it is all about money and control.

GF Uses Same Fear Tactics When Money is Drying Up:
December 28, 2018 
GF's words are more of the same fear tactics that he uses when the money starts drying up. GF is worried about the dropping "tithes and offerings" from the PCG faithful because of the operating costs of his expensive-to-maintain private jet.  
In the coworker letter dated November 19, 2018, he says "We need more donors and co-workers. We need more people attending services in God’s true Church," which are his cash sources. He also says that "…we did have a sharp decrease in donations to the aircraft fund in June. The drop in that special fund was part of an unexpected drop in income worldwide. Everyone responded well in September, but once again we have seen donations to the aircraft fund drop in October." As the money for GF's toy and other pet projects dry up, his predictions about apocalyptic end-time events always increase and become more urgent to jolt the members into opening their checkbooks, whether they can afford to or not. This has been the pattern for years. --M. W.  Exit and Support

January 1, the Non-New Year of Which COG False Minister/Prophet?


Our favorite doubly blessed false prophet is back once again condemning the word January and the fact that the year begins on January 1 instead of some other month he deems more significant.  Reading the rantings of the "Chief Overseer" of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God, one would be the impression that anyone who uses the word January is fornicating with pagans and bowing down at the altar to Janus.

Does God begin His new year on January 1st? If not, what is the origin of January 1st and New Year’s? 
Back in 46 B.C., Julius Caesar declared that January 1st would mark the beginning of the new year. January was named after Janus, the god of gates and doors in Roman mythology. People prayed to Janus when they wanted something new in their lives (such as resolutions). Janus is normally represented with two faces, one looking to the past and the other looking to the future (the two faces also signified change that Janus would supposedly bring in, see Burchett B, Janus in Roman life and cult: a study in Roman religions, p. 15). The first day of the month of January was sacred to him. 
It did not come from the Bible.
So what!  Most of the things we do as humans did not originate in some esoteric Bible story. Even Israel's early harvest festivals were all built upon the harvest festivals of the pagans around them.  If the God of the Scripture wants to use something to a higher purpose, then it did not matter where the tradition originated.  Plus, when have we ever seen any COG leader with a statue of entwined serpents hanging in their offices or on the front lawns of their HQ's or auditoriums?  Their God used these things for a bigger purpose, but they do not.

The false prophet then gets all orgasmic in quoting things about Minerva and Saturnalia, as if ANYONE in the ENTIRE world even thinks about these two topics.
The Minervalia are as much Minerva’s, as the Saturnalia Saturn’s; Saturn’s, which must necessarily be celebrated even by little slaves at the time of the Saturnalia. New-year’s gifts likewise must be caught at, and the Septimontium kept; and all the presents of Midwinter and the feast of Dear Kinsmanship must be exacted; the schools must be wreathed with flowers; the flamens’ wives and the aediles sacrifice; the school is honoured on the appointed holy-days. The same thing takes place on an idol’s birthday; every pomp of the devil is frequented. Who will think that these things are befitting to a Christian master, unless it be he who shall think them suitable likewise to one who is not a master? (Tertullian. On Idolatry, Chapter X. Translated by S. Thelwall. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).
Those damn people who had to go and create Saturnalia and then, even worse,  name the 7th day after Saturn!  Using apostate Bob's logic, then every time he gathers his few white Caucasians into church services on Saturday, he then is worshipping Saturn.  No wonder Thiel is so dreamy all the time.  Those dreams he has are coming from his god, Saturn!

The official COG Dream weaver then goes on to make this extraordinary illogical leap in understanding:
The Bible teaches:
19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. (1 Corinthians 10:19-20) 
New Year’s clearly has demonic origins.
It has always amazed me as to how the Church of God has given so much power to the god they claim to be opposed to, yet Jesus is left by the wayside, an impotent and largely ignored personality, as Satan and demons are consistently made out to be the the all-powerful ones.
January 1st is not the beginning of the year for the true God, but only of certain false gods. 
Now perhaps it should be mentioned that other cultures also accept that the new year begins in the Spring. And while those cultures have various non-biblical practices, it is certainly possible that because God’s year begins in the Spring that perhaps anciently these people were aware of it, and retained the correct season, but not the practices. 
Not all have followed the practices of Julius Caesar (called “Julie” below):


For some thousands of years before Julie and the Roman Senate got involved, the new year was celebrated with the first edible crops of the season or the first new moon.
In much of India, Nava Varsha is celebrated in March or April, just as in the most ancient civilizations.
Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla in March; ditto for Persian Nowruz.
As celebrated in China and southeast Asia, Lunar New Year still has a floating date, the first day of the first lunar month. (Shore R. Pagan Party: New Year’s traditions that hail from the depths of antiquity The Vancouver Sun, Canada – Dec 26, 2008, http://www.vancouversun.com/Pagan+Party+Year+traditions+that+hail+from+depths+antiquity/1116320/story.html viewed 01/22/09)
From a biblical perspective, the new year begins in the Spring, and hence not January 1st. And it also begins with a new moon. The fact that even many non-Christian cultures realize that should make it easier for Christians to realize that they too, do not need to heed the later practices of the Romans.
Yep, come springtime this year, the false prophet will be back again accusing people of worshipping Isthar and bowing at the throne of Satan as they sacrifice their children to Baal while eating chocolate bunnies and coloring eggs.

Isn't the Church of God such a fun place to be!

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

COG False Prophet Releases His List of 2019 "Prophecies"


Its another year after the death of Herbert Armstrong and the self-appointed false prophets of Armstrongism are trumpeting their lists of lies that they compile in order to impress their followers.

When, in its 80 some years history, has any COG leader ever uttered a true prophecy? God certainly has not revealed any truth to them no matter how they lie about dreams and visions from their impotent god.
1. Scoffers and the Modern Media
2. Morality Prophecies Being Fulfilled Daily
3. Internet Censorship
4. Weather Sorrows and Troubles
5. Earthquakes
6. The White Horse of the Apocalypse
7. Strife and the Red Horse of War
8. Trade
9. The Deal of Daniel 9:27
10. Knowledge Increasing
11. Debt
12. US Dollar Dominance will Decrease
13. Cash and 666
14. Gold
15. Europe Will Work to Reorganize
16. Europe Will Have a Great Army
17. Steps Towards the Formation of the King of the South Will Occur
18. The Time of the Gentiles will Lead to Armageddon
19. Jews Ready to Sacrifice
These are the latest from the self-appointed leader of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God. All of this is a result of his biblical ignorance due to no real theological training or understanding and outright lies that his "god" is working through him.

Monday, December 31, 2018

2019 Predictions for the Church of God



Another Year is upon us. We are now entering the year 2019. In the COG Sphere, 2019 is:

45 Years after the opening of Ambassador Auditorium. 
44 Years after the Great Disappointment of 1975.
33 Years after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong. 
25 Years after the "Changes" of December 1994. 
11 Years after the Failed 2008 Prophecies of Ron Weinland. 
6 Years after the Failed 2013 Prophecies of David Pack. 

It's time for this year's "Predictions by SHT" of what 2019 may bring in the COG Universe. 

Prediction #1: Another Big Failure for Ronald Weinland

Another Pentecost Return of Jesus Christ will fail - but only few will notice. That is, those few who still follow the man, and those of us aware of his ongoing incorrect predictions. This particular attempt at predicting the "Return" will again enter another prediction into the False Prophet Hall of Fame. 

I predict he will reset the timeline again, will attempt to explain himself away, reveal some nugget of "new truth", refuse to repent, refuse to apologize, and continue to dupe the few believers in his version of Armstrongism that are left. 

I also predict that his core group will shrink, but will probably remain intact - just a shattered remnant of what once was. Any attempt of future growth will be permanently stifled by the revelations of his criminal history to any new prospective members. 

Prediction #2: More Shining Light Absurdities

I predict James Malm will double down in his legalistic interpretations of the Law, and, in 2019, will become even more aggressive in his "warning ministry". However, I also predict that his interpretations will become more obviously absurd than 2018. I predict he will attempt to begin a video "telecast" of some sorts, certainly with some sort of grand introduction, followed by a "Home Video" format video sermon of some sort. I predict he will continue to blast his "competition" as incorrect in many ways. 

Prediction #3: Continuing Nonsense

I predict the ministry of Bob Thiel, AKA "Continuing Church of God", will attempt to "expand" more into Africa, where it's core group of "converts" are, and may approach 5,000 African members. I predict only a handful of these may even care or listen to Bob, or find any relevance in his messages. I predict his USA base will shrink slightly. 

I predict he will continue without change in his ministry styles, including well-known props and mannerisms. I predict he will continue to use his "animations" to proclaim his version of a "gospel" and will seek even more alternative methods to "reach" the "lost". I predict that he will have his annual Superbowl Football Bashing Post in January. 

I predict his ministry shall remain small and irrelevant to the main world scene. I predict he will not gain any following or noticing glances from any large world authority or government or broadcast, nor will any attempts be made to "silence" his ministry, because most will continue to not care. There are thousands upon thousands of other "prophets" and "ministers" out there with far more relevance for their attention than Bob. 

Prediction #4: LCG Shrinkage

I predict LCG will shrink slightly in both income and members, as overall morale continues to decline and membership age increases. I predict there will be no merger with any other group such as COGWA in 2019. I predict that internal drama will also increase in 2019. There will be no substantial growth in LCG in 2019, I predict. Other than that, things will probably remain nearly the same as this year, with little power, little enthusiasm, and a general ho-hum attitude. 

Prediction #5: UCG Stays The Same

I predict UCG will stay just about the same in 2019. Because of their acceptance of most mindframes, controversies will probably be minimal, with membership and income about even. No news here. 

Prediction #6: The Scattered Church Continues their Feuds

I predict the Scattered Church will continue their feuds throughout 2019. No COG in the Scattered Church will break through with phenomenal growth or a charismatic leader. They will continue to merchandise the brethren, engage in materialistic disputes, and meet in small rooms or hotel conference rooms.  

Prediction #7: More Scandals for PCG

I predict scandals and horror stories will continue to leak from PCG. 

What do you think 2019 holds for the COG Universe? Do you agree or disagree? Comment below.

submitted by SHT