Gerald Flurry Plans to Build a "House for God"!
| According to his February 22, 2007 dear member and co-worker letter, Flurry needs help to build a "House for God" where God the Father and Jesus Christ will live. (Read 3-24-09 email: "Gerald Flurry Building House for God to Live in") It will be called Armstrong Auditorium. Below will be clips from his letter, along with comments by ESN. (Bolding replaces caps used by Flurry.) Updates are at bottom.
ESN: Is this Gerald Flurry talking, or Herbert Armstrong? "Time is getting shorter! We haven't as much time left to complete Christ's Commission, as we think!" (October 2, 1957 co-worker letter by HWA.) HWA repeatedly in his co-worker letters declared, "Time is running out!" "Time is getting shorter!" "Time is now short!" "There is not much time left!" "We still have much work to do and not much time to do it!" etc.
ESN: Guess who is going to pay for it?
ESN: When has Flurry ever cut back (or waited) on anything he wanted?
ESN: What words were continually repeated by HWA in his co-worker letters from 1938 until 1985? "Time is short!"
ESN: God? Or Gerald Flurry?
ESN: Flurry spent $107,500 for items auctioned off by Worldwide Church of God (which included a Steinway concert piano and two seven foot tall candelabra) and now he wants us to think it was "God" that gave these to him? And that somehow it all correlates with how a "House for God" must be built?
ESN: Translation: "Shouldn't I, the great Gerald Flurry, have a house built for my ego, just like HWA built one for himself? If you members will only sacrifice enough, I shall have it!"
ESN: Of course, faith won't build it. He still needs your money.
ESN: Is Flurry reading from a different Bible? Where does it say in Matt. 24:46 and Luke 12:43 that "so doing" means building a House for God?
ESN: If this is true, then why doesn't Flurry furnish a Scripture? Is it because it isn't in the Bible?
ESN: Is this what this Scripture really says? That Christ's return depends on how we work? Or does Flurry want us to tie in his words about "work" with sending in more money to him?
ESN: Flurry is only half right. HWA emphasized dates in order to bring more money in.
ESN: Jesus explained what the "work of God" is and that He finished it: "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (Jn. 6:29); "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (Jn. 17:4); "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (Jn. 4:34).
ESN: Then why does Flurry have one? Is this more double-talk?
ESN: Ambassador Auditorium (i. e, "God's House") was part of the Great Commission?? If it served a role in "bringing the world to God," then what need is there for another one? Did the early apostles need a magnificent building in order to proclaim the gospel to the world?
ESN: There is nothing in Heb. 11:7 to make one think there could be any kind of parallel between Flurry wanting to build a lavish "House for God" and Noah building the ark. The ark can foreshadow our salvation in Christ alone.
ESN: Flurry previously told us he saw a "parallel" between his building program and Noah's. Doesn't he know that no one outside Noah's family believed? So how will lives be "impacted"? What good will it do for people to be "moved" if they don't hear about the salvation that is offered through Christ? How will seeing all the money that has been thrown into a building project proclaim that God is going to transform the world into a Garden of Eden someday?
ESN: Isaiah 66:1 says, "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?" How can Flurry talk about building a place (house) for the majestic God (who is a Spirit) to dwell in?? It is God who dwells in His children through His Spirit.
ESN: In other words, the time is short, but it doesn't cancel out that this house needs to be built, because that's how Flurry is going to "proclaim God's message." Which of the early church fathers ever said that they needed a building in order to proclaim "God's message"? What is Gerald Flurry's focus? Is it not on a building instead of the gospel?
ESN: Do we need something physical to keep our minds on God? Is this what the Bible says? "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (Jn. 4:23).
ESN: Need it?? "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1) "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19).
ESN: So building the "House for God" (Flurry's auditorium) is supposed to build everyone's faith? How much faith do we need? If we have faith in Jesus Christ, isn't that enough? "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Eph. 1:15-16). And doesn't Flurry teach that all loyal Philadelphians are going to a "place of safety" to escape that which is "coming"?
ESN: There are many different types of cults, not just "deranged" ones. Captive Hearts, Captive Mind includes several categories: Eastern meditation, religious, political/racist, commercial, psychotherapy/human potential, New Age, occult/satanic, one-on-one and cult of personality. Isn't it the leaders of some cults who have been labeled "deranged," such as Jim Jones' of People's Temple and David Koresh of the Branch Dividians? [Read how Koresh's belief system was very similar to that of Gerald Flurry's Philadelphia Church of God.]
ESN: For more on HWA's "faithful example," see articles and testimonies under Questioning Herbert W. Armstrong (especially the ones on the incest).
ESN: The Lord Jesus Christ is the only hope for this world that the Word of God proclaims!
ESN: After "just this one" expensive structure, we're to believe that Flurry won't ask for anymore.
ESN: How can anyone "slow God down"? Evidently (according to Flurry) they can, if they don't send in enough money for "God's House."
ESN: Couldn't "God's money" be spent for far more important things? How much more can people give than they are already giving? Nevertheless, Flurry wants readers to know "we are quickly running out of time" so they better hurry and send those donations in.
ESN: How long is "no more delay" supposed to last? While Flurry feels it is now, what did HWA say about Rev. 10:6? The following is taken from HWA's November 11, 1976 co-worker letter:
Then in a January 20, 1980 co-worker letter HWA said:
ESN: While there is no mention of "Laodiceans" in Flurry's February 22, 2007 co-worker letter, one can ascertain from the above words of HWA that he would disagree with Flurry's assessment of Laodiceans being the WCG, offshoots, or anyone who has left PCG or rejects the "government" God taught through HWA.
ESN: So along comes PCG (and similar cultic groups) that offer people black and white answers to life's problems, showing them the way out of this messed up world. (Few know this "knowledge" Flurry dispenses comes with a high price.)
ESN: Time has been "extremely short" for a very long time. In an August 23, 1945 co-worker letter HWA said, "It's a NEW AGE---but one destined to be of extremely SHORT DURATION."
ESN: Where does it specifically say in the Bible that it is those "doing His Work" that shall be protected? Jesus finished "His (the Father's) Work." (Jn. 4:34) "Work" is a buzzword for the needs and wants of Gerald Flurry.
ESN: Will Flurry let visitors know that if they get involved with PCG they will have to cut off from all their loved ones and family (especially if they were ever in WCG or offshoots)? For other things that will be expected of those who join PCG, read: Without My Informed Consent!
ESN: Is it really the office God has given Flurry, or a lofty office he has assumed for himself? The "office" Flurry talks about is tied in with "the government of God" which PCG emphasizes and which no one dare question without fear of disfellowshipment.
ESN: Will they be able to raise any kind of doubts with the HQ ministers? For instance, can they ask questions about Scriptures that disagree with PCG's doctrines?
ESN: In other words, it is the members' responsibility to make sure this loan is paid off within the allotted time.
ESN: Winning the copyrights? It was a settlement and PCG paid WCG $3 million for the copyrights. Read: PCG Did NOT Win a Victory in the WCG vs. PCG Court Case (2-23-07 letter to ESN from Attorney at Law).
ESN: How true that the members are sacrificing more than ever. But would they do it if they weren't browbeaten into it?
ESN: Let us all pray that more members would have the strength to see how much they are being exploited and deceived and that they will choose to leave the PCG and be set free in Christ. By D. W. UPDATE: PCG broke ground for this 15 million dollar "House for God" in January 2008. It will be called Armstrong Auditorium (patterned after HWA's Ambassador Auditorium) and will seat 800. It has been planned as a new PCG feast site for 2010. In his June 6, 2009 sermon he boasted that this would be the last and only House built and God would dwell there forever. Read 2009 letters to ESN: Gerald Flurry Purchases the Big Sandy Swan Sculpture (for his auditorium) Why Build and Then Leave it All Behind?
I Questioned Who Gerald Flurry Was (by Mike) Questioning Herbert W. Armstrong (was he who he said he was?) (Many articles) Mike's Enlightenment Page (Info on Philadelphia Church of God) |