PCG Takes Out an Ad
Gerald Flurry
Gerald Flurry’s so-called Philadelphia Church of God just took out a full page ad in The Oklahoman.
In it, Gerald Flurry wrote:
LAST NIGHT FOX 25’s Primetime News at Nine launched an outrageous attack against the Philadelphia Church of God leaving little doubt in the minds of their viewers that they see our church as some kind of doomsday cult, similar to the Branch Davidians.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
The truth is actually this: Fox 25 is being dishonest. And they know it.
In their slanderous report, for example, reporter Nick Winkler cited a letter, supposedly written by an anonymous former member of our church, who apparently noticed a change in my thinking in 1993. According to this anonymous source, I somehow became paranoid in the same year, as Fox 25 pointed out shamelessly, that David Koresh murdered his followers in Waco, Texas.
Based on that fraudulent, completely illogical “connection,” Fox 25 compared me and the Philadelphia Church of God to David Koresh and the Branch Davidians.
It was disgraceful. Yellow journalism at its worst…
I was born in the state of Oklahoma in 1935. My service to God’s work brought me back here in 1985, where I have since resided. I’ve been in Oklahoma for nearly as long as that junior reporter from Fox has been alive…
Truth be told, Fox 25 has more in common with the Branch Davidians. We invited their crew onto our campus and gave them full access to all of our facilities, and we will do the same for anyone who is interested. We are proud of what God is building here…
They were much more concerned about digging up dirt about me—like my intoxication arrest, which happened 15 years ago. Why, if that incident was such a critical part of their “investigation,” didn’t Nick Winkler ask my son about it during their hour-and-a-half long interview? Because the reporter only wanted to expose the ugly slice of the truth. Any additional truth, like my not having a drink of alcohol for over 13 years since then, would have brought a much more complete and balanced picture to light. But such truth would not have fit within the sleazy David Koresh parameters Fox 25 had set for the story.
They were far more interested in sensationalism and distorted truths than in real journalism. They proved themselves willing to titillate their viewers no matter what the harm to our organization or our church members.
Telling only part of the truth can make the truth out to be a lie. But that didn’t matter to Fox 25.
That members of my church were well aware of my 1993 sin didn’t matter. That I publicly repented of the sin before the church and before God doesn’t matter. That I haven’t had a drink of alcohol for years doesn’t matter.
And, that one of my detractors may have been part of a terrorist plot in Jerusalem and, to this day, cannot travel to Israel doesn’t matter.
NONE OF THAT MATTERS.
All that matters is that an anonymous detractor detected a mind change in me and it just happened to be in 1993. Aha! The Branch Davidian standoff with the FBI was also in 1993. And if that isn’t proof enough, my alcohol incident happened that same year!
This is how Fox 25 “investigates” and then prosecutes its neighbors before the court of public opinion? Where is there any sense of fairness and balance in that kind of sleazy innuendo? No wonder the general public distrusts the media so much…
My congregants hold me accountable based upon God and His inspired Word–the Holy Bible…
Fox’s negative reporting has given us unwanted, unwarranted and unfortunate publicity…
Now, as I have stated many times, Gerald Flurry is a self-appointed “prophet”. I consider him to be a false one, hence do not trust him nor his pride. I truly do pray that his congregants would not succumb to his words (cf. 2 Peter 2:1-3) as I do not believe that he has been faithful to the word of God.
On the other hand, I agree that PCG was not treated right by FOX 25 and so stated as soon as I saw the two segments (see PCG on the News).
PCG also held a news conference on Monday, which was covered in the Edmund Sun: And while I covered some of it before (see PCG Responds to FOX 25), the following contains a few additional quotes:
Church responds to TV news report
Mark Schlachtenhaufen
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — An Edmond church Monday responded to a recent report by a local TV station, saying it was particularly offended by an effort to connect it to the fiery 1993 Branch Davidian standoff in Texas.
Oklahoma City’s FOX25 aired a two-part series about the Philadelphia Church of God, located on a 170-acre campus in far south Logan County at 14400 S. Bryant Ave.
The report, aired last week during a ratings period for TV news stations, described PCG’s mission as being to warn people that the world will soon come to a violent end, and that followers believe only the faithful will survive…
During a Monday morning press conference on the Edmond campus, Stephen Flurry responded to what he called an attempt by the station to connect the PCG to the 51-day Waco siege, which ended on April 19, 1993, when dozens of people, including Davidian leader David Koresh, died in a fire.
“The one we took the greatest offense to was the connection that they tried to make between our church and what happened down in Waco, Texas, in 1993,” Stephen Flurry said.
He said in the report, FOX25 cited a letter written by an anonymous ex-member who noticed a change in Gerald Flurry’s thinking that took place in 1993, when he allegedly became more paranoid.
“This just so happened to be the same year that David Koresh had his confrontation with the FBI,” Stephen Flurry said. “To make that sort of dishonest and really illogical connection we feel like was just disgraceful, yellow journalism at its worst.”http://www.edmondsun.com/homepage/local_story_337004953.html?keyword=leadpicturestory
I agree with Stephen Flurry that some associated with that FOX 25 telecast used improper inuendo, etc. But, as I stated before (see PCG Responds to FOX 25), for PCG’s marketing director (I believe it was Shane Granger) to suggest as she did on the air that tithing in PCG was voluntary, was highly misleading as PCG will not consider any as a member in good standing who should tithe, but does not.
While I agree that Fox 25’s coverage of PCG was improper, I do not believe that PCG itself is proper. I believe that its leader should realize that the following scripture applies to him:
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Just because FOX 25 was wrong in various ways, does NOT mean that PCG itself is right.
And, hopefully PCG’s membership will more closely compare PCG’s teachings to the Bible and realize that that PCG is not truly the Philadelphia remnant of the true Church of God.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
Tithing Questions and Some Answers Addresses some non-biblical arguments against tithing. Should people tithe?
Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which claims to be faithful.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
What is a True Philadelphian? Many claim to be part of the Philadelphia era of the Church, but is claiming enough? This article has biblical and historical evidence about who really are the Philadelphians.
Are the Laodiceans the Modern Sadducees and Pharisees? Discusses similarities of the Sadducees and Pharisees to various COGs in this end-time.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
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