Twenty Seven Years After the Death of Herbert W Armstrong

As many know Six-Pack Gerald Flurry declared the 16^th of January was the most important date in history. Now, twenty seven years after the death of Herbie, he probably still believes this.

All others know it's a coincidence whether something happens on the 15^th or on the 16^th of any month, but Gerald Flurry was very specific:

You are going to see the date of HWA's death take on more significance as time goes on. (page 82, Malachi's Message 1990-edition)

As regular readers of this blog will know, Gerald Flurry has a unique ability to see things in coincidences. Things are easily upgraded into almost world-important proportions whenever Gerald feels something is important. Anyone questioning him is immediately expelled from fellowship and considered an "enemy of the truth."

What we know is that he, and all other proponents of Armstrongism, are the actual enemies of the truth, but these naive people still entreched in Armstrongism are discouraged to prove all things once they have become members of 'the faithful flock'...

Six-Pack Gerry Looking Into His Crystal Ball

Six-Pack Gerry is looking into his crystal ball in the january 2013 issue of his Trumpet magazine. The wonders of recent elections are now equated to a wonderful scenario for his end-time ramblings. Worst - near the end of the article, and probably also at the end of a bottle of scotch - is his 'analysis' on whether Republicans would have paid off the entire national debt by the end of a four year term if Obama hadn't been re-elected...

For simplistic missioners such as Gerald Flurry, the whole problem is one of repeating the few things he remembers through his fogged memory. The idea of national debt problems is one so old even Gerry should be able to remember it. What he never listened to was the numerous explanations about what makes up a national debt.

Therefore, he didn't understand in the 70's, he didn't in the 80's - and how can anyone expect him to understand if anyone took both the time and effort to do so today?

He loves to see his 'prophetic' words in print, so why should anyone disturb him, you might think... Well, because these ramblings go out to 300K+ people so filled up in the confusion of Armstrongism, and they have NEVER had a chance to analyze economics from anything but a 100$ bill being parted up according to the financial planning booklets.

It is no wonder Ambassador College in Pasadena could never be accredited in their old format. Simplicity was the order of the day, and that was taken to an obvious extreme. So extreme that the word investment was never part of the agenda. Fleece the money from membership was the rule of the day, so Herbie didn't have to borrow anything...

It is widely recognized that the US does have a debt problem. But bankruptcy? No way! Even Meredith made a laugh of himself when he bought into the Bankruptcy 1992 book. Now, twenty years later the US is still not bankrupt.

America WILL survive. And so will other nations in a free market economy that is based on checks and balances. Even though the most recent crisis WAS a tough one to come through, world economy IS picking up, and there will be elections in 2016, 2020, 2024 etc.

Happy New Year everyone. :-)

I Welcome Your Feedback

Today's videocast is an invitation to you, dear readers, to make comments abour what type of information you're most imterested in:



Thank you very much beforehand for your feedback. Have a nice weekend everyone. :-)

Ron Weinland - Wrong Again...

I doubt it comes as any surprise to regular readers of this blog that the date May 27^th 2012 came and went without any major happenings. You might find some occasional bad weather somewhere on the globe, but hardly any sign of fire and brimstone from heaven as Ron Weinland wanted people to believe... In fact, nothing of what Ron Weinland HAS said has ever come to pass at the time it should, so either he is now inventing a new calendar, or he might also be preparing a better defence than what he has already released in The Day of Christ's Coming.

It is tragic to see just how far-fetched some ideas are at this time. Even the inlay page he includes with his 2008 book is outdated.

The most amazing part is why people don't take the words of their Bibles seriously. When a prophet FAILS, it is because he is NO PROPHET. End of the matter. No extra definitions. If and when you issue a prediction, and that prediction FAILS, you need to take heed.

That would be pretty good advice for Ronnie, but I am quite sure he is going to find some magical date.

I can already now say it is my plan to celebrate my 70^th birthday in 2043, on April 14^th. Regardless of any predictions from Ron Weinland. :-)

The Last Great Day - Review of Book By Benjamin Grant Mitchell

The book The Last Great Day was introduced on this blog in my article entitled "The Last Great Day By Benjamin G Mitchell" released on December 14^th 2011.

It took a bit of time to read since many of the memories were indeed flashbacks - not to a childhood in my case, but the part about education really hit home, and furthered other parallel thoughts in that regard. Working for a local deacon salvaging his bad book-keeping cost a big part of my education, and since we were not encouraged to ever handle things in court, the money he cheated me of cost me quite a fortune at a time when I could have been furthering my education.

If that amount had been spent wisely, who knows what could have happened.

But the book isn't interesting in hindsight. It is a good book in order to identify that the many things we each experienced at different levels happened to other people as well, and I would certainly encourage you to get your own copy.

There are so many matters touched upon so each will have his (or her) own specific area of focus. But I can promise you that you will never be bored with this book.

Happy reading. :-)

Mind Control - Very Unsettling

In reading the book The Last Great Day, I must say it is a very dramatic book. Much of the information has previously been available in the Ambassador Report edited by John Trechak, but reading it in a more personal setting has been very unsettling. It clearly illustrates the type of mind control involved in cults such as that of Armstrongism.

It does annoy me a bit that names were changed, i.e. The Plain Truth was called The Pure Truth (since it was in no way pure, yet with a clarity that to the untrained eye could appear as 'truth'), Ambassador College was called Apostle College, Garner Ted identified as Gideon etc.

I have reached just over the middle of the book, and in the timeline that is around the 1979 era of that cult. A time with great turmoil in the group, and certainly one where there is much confusion among some.

The most thought-provoking thought that comes out of reading this was the recent purchase by chief-imitator Gerald 'Six-Pack' Flurry (leader of Philadelphia Church of God) who boasted of owning copyrights to all materials. Oddly enough, 1975 in Prophecy is not mentioned anymore by the idolators of Armstrongism. Herbie long ago proved he was a false prophet by setting dates (both 1972 and 1975), yet none of the people who idolize this person who in no way could live up to the ministerial requirements set forth in Scripture have given it any thought that Herbie and his minions DESTROYED the beliefs of many by their unscupulous acts of blasphemy in taking God's name in vain by their actions.

Mind control has been rampant in splinter groups, and there is no doubt that Ben's book is excellent reading for those who want a good impression of what took place during the founder's reign of terror. Even though the book does have a few inaccuracies it is still very nice to get the whole history served in about 400 pages - and should be read by anyone interested in the cult of Armstrongism

26 Years Ago Herbert Armstrong Died

Among "faithfuls" the date January 26^th had quite a bit of significance and importance, namely in the Philadelphia Church of God where church-leader [so-called "Pastor General"] Gerald R Flurry had promised this date would be important when he originally wrote Malachi's Message.

Depending on the moods of loyal Armstrongist members they will pick any news as 'important' signs of the importance of today's date.

So stay tuned to hear what is coming - if you are still a member.

For the rest of us have fun watching how they will get around this... :-)

Philadelphia Trumpet Does It Again

When you see the January 2012 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet, the feature story is about Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple who died in October 2011. This man is applauded for his computer genius, focus on his vision - and rightly so.

What is less trustworthy is once again that the current events focus, very similar to The Plain Truth, is biased by the author. The few quotes are intended for people to relax and take in this material as though it was a journalist reporting about Steve Jobs.

Steve was FAR MORE COMPLEX than presented in this article, and you should read his biography rather than reading The Incredible Human Potential which the PCG now define as "our book" after they bought copyrights from WCG.

One of the points that caused Apple to have great success was, in part, the creation of their own web browser - Safari - which allowed very fast web browsing on the internet when you bought a Mac. Long time readers of this blog will remember that the PCG originally defined the internet as "dangerous", something many of us laughed a bit at since they had a website at that time.

So it doesn't really matter for Flurry-supporters what tool they must use as long as they can get in some tithes and offerings for their Armstrongite endeavours. Never mind the double standard because everything is interpreted by what fits the local minister.

Articles, when taken out of context, may appear very positive, but you need to have the full picture to get a grasp of how Armstrongism is presented in this 21^st century...

The Last Great Day by Benjamin Grant Mitchell

Currently, I am reading the book The Nostradamus Prophecies by Mario Reading, but the next book to be devoured is The Last Great Day by Benjamin Grant Mitchell.

Ben is an author who experienced the cult of Armstrongism firsthand too, and therefore his book is an important part of telling the story about Armstrongism, so I am looking forward to reading this book. It came by airmail a couple of days ago - and it's only because Mario's book on the disappeared Nostradamus prophecies is so exciting that I couldn't quite avoid getting that book read first... :-)

Article Worth Reading About David C Pack

Regular readers will already know about the blogroll I have running in the left hand side menu, but I surely want to recommend you read the article about David C Pack which can be found right here: http://otagosh.blogspot.com/2011/11/packs-pipedream.html. It is well worth reading, and I fully agree with the author behind Otagosh.

Have a nice weekend everyone. :-)