Exposing the underbelly of Armstrongism in all of its wacky glory! Nothing you read here is made up. What you read here is the up to date face of Herbert W Armstrong's legacy. It's the gritty and dirty behind the scenes look at Armstrongism as you have never seen it before!
With all the new crazy self-appointed Chief Overseers, Apostles, Prophets, Pharisees, legalists, and outright liars leading various Churches of God today, it is important to hold these agents of deception accountable.
Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web of Corrupt Leaders
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Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Gerald Flurry's Wastes Well Over $80,000 In Tithe Money On 8 Prospective Members
Even Flurry is saying this now. That they have a little time left and that members should get their affairs in order. It’s amazing also to note that his last flight to Tampa for a Public Appearance Campaign was delayed since the airplane had a malfunction and he had to charter another plane to take him there. The PAC was a failure with only about 60 nonmembers attending and 8 signed up for a follow up bible study. The cost to repair the plane was $80,000 and to charter the other one in addition to this......so he really needs more money to fly him around to feel important.
$80,000 plus the cost of a charter flight, a small amount of money to pay, so that Mr. Flurry does not have to sit with common folk. He could fly first class for just a fraction of this expense. But he should just fly Spirit airlines.
This does raise the interesting generic question of how many people, or portion of the population does one have to reach, before one has reasonably warned them of a coming disaster.
Mr flurry is copying his spiritual mentor Herbert Armstrong. he’s obsessed with his own grandiosity and doesn’t care that he bleeds people dry of money He’s proud greedy covetous and unloving. Herbert would be so proud. Flurry’s obsession extends to claiming association with the british royal family as well. Such a lot of rubbish. Why do people still copy Herbert? Time for everyone to wake up. Christ is our example not Herbert.
Anonymous said 3:16 PM said, How many of those 8 are just more fucked up old perverts and predators like the PCG seems to attract?"
MY COMMENT - The more important question from PCG perspective is how many of those 8 will become newly converted tithe slave members so the PCG can reap a return on its $80,000 investment?
The median household income in Tampa Florida is $62,931. If 4 people in 2 households become converted tithe slaves, then PCG can count on an income stream in tithes alone of $12,000 per year. Add another $4,000 per year for offerings, holy day offerings, emergency fund, jet fund and let's not forget the all important Building Fund and the 4 new converts equal roughly $16,000 per year income stream. The shelf life of the typical Armstrongite is 5 years (I pulled that number out of my ass - prove me wrong, LOL). That yields $80,000 breaking even on the initial investment. To the extent that more than 4 of those 8 people convert, and to the extent that the new dumb tithe slaves stay longer than 5 years as they themselves become more invested in the Flurryism brand of Armstrongism; and should any of them pass away along the way leaving PCG in their Wills like a good Armstrongite would, is all gravy on the $80,000 PCG investment. From PCG perspective - no risk, no reward. It is a reasonable investment.
The assumption is some of the 8 will become dumb tithe slave sheep. How many, for how long and for how much is the more important questions.
Look at what they go through to get a few new people. They should taken better care of the people they had! Especially the ones that could do a lot more than new folks who just fork over money.
To the extent that more than 4 of those 8 people convert, and to the extent that the new dumb tithe slaves stay longer than 5 years as they themselves become more invested in the Flurryism brand of Armstrongism; and should any of them pass away along the way leaving PCG in their Wills like a good Armstrongite would, is all gravy on the $80,000 PCG investment.
You are leaving out one important detail. It is almost certain that few if any of the 8 return visitors have yet been told of the ACOG triple-tithe system. Once they are told, some will do the research and will leave because the system is easily proved to be unbiblical (and followed today by only a few marginal groups, none of them Jewish). Others won't care about the research but will stop attending because the burden is so onerous and so obviously placed disproportionately on non-ministers.
Also, you may be mis-estimating the investment and how it is really valued. What about the value Stephen Flurry and Wayne Turgeon (and other ministers) gain from having Wacky Gerry on the road, unable to screw up their plans? Surely Gerry remembers how GTA and others liked it when HWA was traveling away from Pasadena. Now it's his turn to know that the mice are playing when the cat is away. Gerry's absence may be much more valuable to PCG employees than any amount of tithes he may harvest in his travels.
Can’t fault your math, Richard. The fly in the ointment for Flurry is the out of sync timelines. The $80,000 “investment” figure is most likely due immediately. ROI just for the jet repair and workaround comes back slowly, over a period of 5 years, as you outlined. Flurry can’t afford to have many such delayed returns. If the PCG jet is a lemon, with frequent repair problems, he will quickly encounter cash flow problems.
If the average member attends a Armstrongite splinter for 5-10 years, how can they justify the third tithe? If a younger person joins, it's unlikely that he/she will ever be able to qualify for a third tithe handout. A social security net that's a one way street is unjust. It's the elderly ripping off the younger generation. It's also a application of the the game of the unjust steward, which is played multiple different ways in these churches.
planes are money pits....one must have a thriving business and ample cashflow to even consider buying one...there must be a genuine business need in order for the plane to pay for itself. (and the upfront cost of the plane is but a small part of the total cost of ownership..especially multi-engine jets)
planes are money pits.....especially multi-engine jets
Very true 11:12!
Did you know that you must have maintenance contracts on the jet engines? And these are considerably more expensive than Clem the friendly auto mechanic at the corner gas station!
So how much are they paying for gas-turbines maintenance contract? Close to $1000 per operating hour!
Anonymous on January 29, 2019 at 5:43 PM said...“Look at what they go through to get a few new people. They should taken better care of the people they had!”
So true.
Gerald Flurry had his malicious goons get their thrills kicking people out of the PCG and pretending that they had the power to doom them to the lake of fire just for the fun of it. Now Gerald Flurry has to try to bring in new people to pay for his expensive toys.
None of these jokers ever think things through to the logical end. They don't take care of their minions and in the end there will be no more minions to take care of them. I have a saying on my farm, feed the animals well and they will feed you well, they grow bigger, healthier and provide much more meat when its freezer camp time.
If Flurry had a (highly paid) Jewish CFO/lawyer like Herbie had, he could actually save him money! Because didn't Stan Rader have Herbie leasing the business jet? See, he knew all the hidden costs and avoided the pitfalls encountered by suckers - like many televngelists - dizzy with delusions who buy these things outright!
Yes HWA had his Jewish Lawyer establish a leasing company, for the jets, and for cars and other "adventures". Of course Rader made a fortune being the middle man, and principle on those entities, being a profiteer off of virtually all of the church's financial forays.
As I understand it , Al Portune lost his job because he was not willing to have THIRD TITHE money be diverted for the use of a jet. Armstrong came up with his "third tithe can be used for the Levite" concept, and thus money sacrificed by many for the use of widows and orphans, went to the "flying whorehouse".
Al Portune never did allow his conscience to be suppressed. What they were doing with third tithe during the early ‘70s was nothing short of scandalous. I personally knew some third tithe recipients who were abruptly referred to the welfare office as the church began to flagrantly violate the stated purpose for the third tithe. Misapplication of third tithe was one of the reasons church members filed the lawsuit which led to receivership.
That is why all churches joined wcg vs state. It is the discretionary power of a church to determine the use of its donated funds as relating to its missionary works. (Re - jet fuel)
Us law cam be as terrible as german law where the state levies "religious tax "
Legally, and from an enforcement standpoint, you may be correct, nck. However, it is morally and spiritually wrong to instruct the membership of an entire church that third tithe is commanded to be paid the third and sixth years of a seven year cycle, that it is God’s way of taking care of the poor, the fatherless, widows, and orphans, and then to subvert those third tithes which have often been paid at great hardship and sacrifice, and to use them outside of the originally stated purpose which rationalized their collection in the first place.
If the ethics of an organization are twisted and subverted in one area, the entire organization cannot be trusted in any other area. For a strictly legalistic entity, Armstrongism used an “end justifies the means” mentality an awful lot. Obedience of the membership may have been a binary, black and white matter, but obedience by the leaders and ministry was always flexible and highly subject to interpretation. They were like the Pharisees. They taught and enforced the law to the rank and file, but wrote their own law when it came to their obedience.
The cost of printing and mailing one of Herb's books used to be about $2. Flurry could have mailed out 40,000 books to people at random from the phone book. If God can't get a few new people that way, He isn't trying!
Flurry needs another jet. We wouldn't want all the Irish dancers to die in the same crash, like a rock band. Gotta think about the "bus factor". Actually, each member of his family should have their own jet, as well as a back-up jet for those days when God isn't blessing them. Nothing is too good for the God's royal family.
It was actually the PEOPLE who WORSE THAN WASTED the money when they gave it to a false prophet like Gerald Flurry in the first place. They ought not to have done that.
Are there any amongst us who feel that God is blessing Flurry’s evangelistic campaigns or the jet?
ReplyDeleteBB
$80,000 plus the cost of a charter flight, a small amount of money to pay, so that Mr. Flurry does not have to sit with common folk. He could fly first class for just a fraction of this expense. But he should just fly Spirit airlines.
ReplyDeleteSomeone tell Flurry his boogy-man EU seems to be imploding.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi8mnTQdgnY
This does raise the interesting generic question of how many people, or portion of the population does one have to reach, before one has reasonably warned them of a coming disaster.
ReplyDeleteMr flurry is copying his spiritual mentor Herbert Armstrong. he’s obsessed with his own grandiosity and doesn’t care that he bleeds people dry of money He’s proud greedy covetous and unloving. Herbert would be so proud. Flurry’s obsession extends to claiming association with the british royal family as well. Such a lot of rubbish. Why do people still copy Herbert? Time for everyone to wake up. Christ is our example not Herbert.
ReplyDeleteAnd...
ReplyDeleteLuke 9:3
He told them: "Take nothing for the journey--no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt...."
But charter a jet; 'cause yours is broken. (Sure.)
1.23 PM
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, Flurry always taught that the EU would implode from the present 27, to 10 members.
Hmm, You have been bought with a price indeed...
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete“The PAC was a failure with only about 60 nonmembers attending and 8 signed up for a follow up bible study.”
How many of those 8 are just more fucked up old perverts and predators like the PCG seems to attract?
Anonymous said 3:16 PM said, How many of those 8 are just more fucked up old perverts and predators like the PCG seems to attract?"
ReplyDeleteMY COMMENT - The more important question from PCG perspective is how many of those 8 will become newly converted tithe slave members so the PCG can reap a return on its $80,000 investment?
The median household income in Tampa Florida is $62,931. If 4 people in 2 households become converted tithe slaves, then PCG can count on an income stream in tithes alone of $12,000 per year. Add another $4,000 per year for offerings, holy day offerings, emergency fund, jet fund and let's not forget the all important Building Fund and the 4 new converts equal roughly $16,000 per year income stream. The shelf life of the typical Armstrongite is 5 years (I pulled that number out of my ass - prove me wrong, LOL). That yields $80,000 breaking even on the initial investment. To the extent that more than 4 of those 8 people convert, and to the extent that the new dumb tithe slaves stay longer than 5 years as they themselves become more invested in the Flurryism brand of Armstrongism; and should any of them pass away along the way leaving PCG in their Wills like a good Armstrongite would, is all gravy on the $80,000 PCG investment. From PCG perspective - no risk, no reward. It is a reasonable investment.
The assumption is some of the 8 will become dumb tithe slave sheep. How many, for how long and for how much is the more important questions.
Richard
Look at what they go through to get a few new people. They should taken better care of the people they had! Especially the ones that could do a lot more than new folks who just fork over money.
ReplyDeleteLOFCOG wrote:
ReplyDeleteTo the extent that more than 4 of those 8 people convert, and to the extent that the new dumb tithe slaves stay longer than 5 years as they themselves become more invested in the Flurryism brand of Armstrongism; and should any of them pass away along the way leaving PCG in their Wills like a good Armstrongite would, is all gravy on the $80,000 PCG investment.
You are leaving out one important detail. It is almost certain that few if any of the 8 return visitors have yet been told of the ACOG triple-tithe system. Once they are told, some will do the research and will leave because the system is easily proved to be unbiblical (and followed today by only a few marginal groups, none of them Jewish). Others won't care about the research but will stop attending because the burden is so onerous and so obviously placed disproportionately on non-ministers.
Also, you may be mis-estimating the investment and how it is really valued. What about the value Stephen Flurry and Wayne Turgeon (and other ministers) gain from having Wacky Gerry on the road, unable to screw up their plans? Surely Gerry remembers how GTA and others liked it when HWA was traveling away from Pasadena. Now it's his turn to know that the mice are playing when the cat is away. Gerry's absence may be much more valuable to PCG employees than any amount of tithes he may harvest in his travels.
Can’t fault your math, Richard. The fly in the ointment for Flurry is the out of sync timelines. The $80,000 “investment” figure is most likely due immediately. ROI just for the jet repair and workaround comes back slowly, over a period of 5 years, as you outlined. Flurry can’t afford to have many such delayed returns. If the PCG jet is a lemon, with frequent repair problems, he will quickly encounter cash flow problems.
ReplyDeleteBB
Funny how Flurry had to have the jet painted the same colors that HWA's jet had! LOL!
ReplyDeleteMore hard earned tithe dollars spent on vanity.
If the average member attends a Armstrongite splinter for 5-10 years, how can they justify the third tithe? If a younger person joins, it's unlikely that he/she will ever be able to qualify for a third tithe handout. A social security net that's a one way street is unjust. It's the elderly ripping off the younger generation. It's also a application of the the game of the unjust steward, which is played multiple different ways in these churches.
ReplyDeleteplanes are money pits....one must have a thriving business and ample cashflow to even consider buying one...there must be a genuine business need in order for the plane to pay for itself. (and the upfront cost of the plane is but a small part of the total cost of ownership..especially multi-engine jets)
ReplyDeleteplanes are money pits.....especially multi-engine jets
ReplyDeleteVery true 11:12!
Did you know that you must have maintenance contracts on the jet engines? And these are considerably more expensive than Clem the friendly auto mechanic at the corner gas station!
So how much are they paying for gas-turbines maintenance contract? Close to $1000 per operating hour!
Dat Herboplane gonna bust his nuts!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous on January 29, 2019 at 5:43 PM said...“Look at what they go through to get a few new people. They should taken better care of the people they had!”
So true.
Gerald Flurry had his malicious goons get their thrills kicking people out of the PCG and pretending that they had the power to doom them to the lake of fire just for the fun of it. Now Gerald Flurry has to try to bring in new people to pay for his expensive toys.
None of these jokers ever think things through to the logical end. They don't take care of their minions and in the end there will be no more minions to take care of them. I have a saying on my farm, feed the animals well and they will feed you well, they grow bigger, healthier and provide much more meat when its freezer camp time.
ReplyDeleteIf Flurry had a (highly paid) Jewish CFO/lawyer like Herbie had, he could actually save him money! Because didn't Stan Rader have Herbie leasing the business jet? See, he knew all the hidden costs and avoided the pitfalls encountered by suckers - like many televngelists - dizzy with delusions who buy these things outright!
ReplyDeletehaving Wacky Gerry on the road
ReplyDeleteYes, and Joe Sr commented on how HWA's continuing jaunts kept him out of touch with what was going on in Pasadena.
I remember when our minister wanted someone to put up a world map and track HWA's whereabouts for our wonderment. It never happened...
ANON at 11:37--
ReplyDeleteYes HWA had his Jewish Lawyer establish a leasing company, for the jets, and for cars and other "adventures". Of course Rader made a fortune being the middle man, and principle on those entities, being a profiteer off of virtually all of the church's financial forays.
As I understand it , Al Portune lost his job because he was not willing to have THIRD TITHE money be diverted for the use of a jet. Armstrong came up with his "third tithe can be used for the Levite" concept, and thus money sacrificed by many for the use of widows and orphans, went to the "flying whorehouse".
Al Portune never did allow his conscience to be suppressed. What they were doing with third tithe during the early ‘70s was nothing short of scandalous. I personally knew some third tithe recipients who were abruptly referred to the welfare office as the church began to flagrantly violate the stated purpose for the third tithe. Misapplication of third tithe was one of the reasons church members filed the lawsuit which led to receivership.
DeleteBB
Yes BB.
DeleteThat is why all churches joined wcg vs state. It is the discretionary power of a church to determine the use of its donated funds as relating to its missionary works. (Re - jet fuel)
Us law cam be as terrible as german law where the state levies "religious tax
"
Nck
Legally, and from an enforcement standpoint, you may be correct, nck. However, it is morally and spiritually wrong to instruct the membership of an entire church that third tithe is commanded to be paid the third and sixth years of a seven year cycle, that it is God’s way of taking care of the poor, the fatherless, widows, and orphans, and then to subvert those third tithes which have often been paid at great hardship and sacrifice, and to use them outside of the originally stated purpose which rationalized their collection in the first place.
DeleteIf the ethics of an organization are twisted and subverted in one area, the entire organization cannot be trusted in any other area. For a strictly legalistic entity, Armstrongism used an “end justifies the means” mentality an awful lot. Obedience of the membership may have been a binary, black and white matter, but obedience by the leaders and ministry was always flexible and highly subject to interpretation. They were like the Pharisees. They taught and enforced the law to the rank and file, but wrote their own law when it came to their obedience.
BB
"None of these jokers ever think things through to the logical end."
ReplyDeleteWho needs to think when you are "divinely inspired"?
The cost of printing and mailing one of Herb's books used to be about $2. Flurry could have mailed out 40,000 books to people at random from the phone book. If God can't get a few new people that way, He isn't trying!
ReplyDeleteFlurry needs another jet. We wouldn't want all the Irish dancers to die in the same crash, like a rock band. Gotta think about the "bus factor". Actually, each member of his family should have their own jet, as well as a back-up jet for those days when God isn't blessing them. Nothing is too good for the God's royal family.
ReplyDelete"In fairness, Flurry always taught that the EU would implode from the present 27, to 10 members."
ReplyDeleteNot exactly. Ten nations or groups of nations, is what Herb used to say.
ReplyDeleteMaking up numerous titles is easy.
Buying a jet is what separates the real false prophets from the amateur false prophets.
Now Dave Pack will have to buy a jet too in order to try to keep up with the Flurries.
ReplyDeleteIt was actually the PEOPLE who WORSE THAN WASTED the money when they gave it to a false prophet like Gerald Flurry in the first place. They ought not to have done that.