Reporter Nick Winkler, of Fox 25 in Oklahoma City, presented a special report on the Philadelphia Church of God that aired Nov. 24 and Nov. 25.
I found the special report on the PCG, all things considered, unusually fair and balanced and commend Nick Winkler and Fox News for it, since the Sabbath-keeping Church of God members have always been highly skeptical of such reporters and cynical about such programs.
You can watch the Fox News' videos for yourself and see what you think:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part One
Philadelphia Church of God: Part Two
I'm pleased Fox News made mention of my book and name and showed them on my Philadelphia Church of God blog, having interviewed me as a former PCG member who was disfellowshipped for writing Beyond Babylon and who strongly disagrees with how Pastor General Gerald Flurry is squandering tithe money in Edmond, Oklahoma instead of going all out to share the plain truth of the Bible, our warning message, with the world in a powerful way that such money makes possible.
Fox 25, Oklahoma City, Special Report:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part One
David Ben-Ariel: I was basically put out..
Reporter Nick Winkler: Former PCG member David Ben-Ariel says he was kicked out of the Church for writing a book [Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall] without the Church's approval and says all that money [15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site] could be better spent spreading God's Word differently...
David Ben-Ariel: Hopefully, they'll stop spending their money in Edmond, Oklahoma and use it to become a household word with our teachings and let that become known.
*****************
Fox 25, Oklahoma City, Special Report:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part Two
Nick Winkler: Before Jesus Christ returns...
David Ben-Ariel: Violence, WWIII...yes, there will be lots of violence.
Nick Winkler: Former PCG member David Ben-Ariel says he was kicked out of the Church but still defends its tithing practices...
David Ben-Ariel: Again, it's voluntary but it's understood if you're a Church of God member you will tithe and you'll want to.
********************
PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual"
If you truly saw what is coming on this Earth, and had a vision of tomorrow, you would know that the Gathering Storm darkens as you sip champagne and boast that you're rich and in need of nothing, woefully ignorant that the Two Witnesses will soon be wearing sackcloth and fasting, not wining and dining at black tie dinners!
Here's an excerpt from Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion) that reveals the PCG ministers' initial response to Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, and how Gerald Flurry's fomer right-hand man, PCG minister Dennis Leap, shamefully insisted on playing politics:
What's BEWILDERING to me is the different responses I've received from several of God's ministers who have read Beyond Babylon -- towards it and me -- before and after Dennis Leap's PARTIAL review! (Malachi 2:9).
When I faithfully sent a computer disk with my book on it to minister Wayne Turgeon, he graciously read all of it and responded:
"Oh, how I admire those with both the ability to write as well as the courage to put down their ideas on paper! I felt that you have a very gripping style of writing that uses twists and slants of words or phrases to make your point. I looked up every scripture you referenced and it became clear that you have really spent a lot of time in your Bible. Being Jewish, I think, gives you an added perspective that I could never have... Much of what you have written is not 'new revelation' as I'm sure that you'd readily agree... It's certainly not my place to determine if what you believe God has shown you is true or not, but would you mind presenting Mr. Flurry with an abbreviated version of what you feel is inspired... as I highly doubt that he would have time to read your whole book."
What does he mean it's not his place to determine if what I wrote is true or not? God holds every INDIVIDUAL responsible to prayerfully determine whether something is of God or not! How did we prove Malachi's Message was biblical? Did we rely solely on our minister's evaluation? Worldwide all over again?
Mind you, unlike Mr. Armstrong's lengthy manuscript of close to 300 typed pages, Beyond Babylon is only 1/2 that size, literally! I suggested Gerald Flurry read the first and last chapters. Mr. Turgeon told me Flurry returned it to him, saying something like, "He's always sending us stuff."
I have written short letters to the point, like correcting him about Mount Hermon and Mount Carmel after he continued to confuse the two in several articles. I'm familiar with them because I've been blessed to have lived next to both of them. Mr. Turgeon also wrote that I was a little "too radical" for Mr. Flurry and wondered what I'd said or done that had given him that impression. I explained it's because I took exception to his careless condemnation of those religious Jews who want the Temple built as "extremists." I wrote that it's extremist for secular, humanist Jews to oppose converting the Promised Land into a Holy Land!
Flurry was surprised and had also written against the STRONG EMOTIONS some feel over Jerusalem and Israel. How could God use someone so distant over there?! Some of us have a GOD-GIVEN LOVE for Jerusalem and a genuine passion for Judah that's most personal; we're not a stranger in OUR Homeland! (Psalms 102:14; Ps. 137; Isaiah 62). That's not "radical," it's BIBLICAL!
Minister Carl Craven also read Beyond Babylon and acknowledged it as biblical. He said he hadn't looked up every Scripture, but was sure if he had they'd also be used correctly. I commented that I know it's biblical, but that I was just waiting for headquarters to prove that to themselves as well. He expressed an understanding of how it's difficult to be patient meanwhile.
When Dennis Leap did call, it was to instruct me to STAY HOME FROM SABBATH SERVICES while he looked at the book! I didn't recall such an unusual request being made of Mr. Armstrong, and recognized it went against "innocent until proven guilty," but obliged with the hope of returning soon (John 7:51).
"Prophesy Not!"
After some time, I called Mr. Leap. He said he'd read PARTS of the book, and that it wasn't important whether Mr. Flurry had read it or not (even though I'd been led to believe he'd pass it on to him). He stated, "You use some pretty strong language in there," to which I replied, "But it's biblical, isn't it?" "Well, yes, but...". He also noted, like Mr. Turgeon, that most of it is what we already teach. I agreed and said that that should serve as a GOOD SIGN, but that the NEW REVELATION about the Two Witnesses and Europe is firmly built upon that foundation.
Dennis Leap found it difficult to accept that a LAY MEMBER would write such a book. He admitted Flurry had received bits of revelation from lay members, but NEVER a whole book! I didn't want to be judged by precedent, but by whether or not what I'd written is biblical. If I was in error, then it was his duty to clearly show me where FROM THE BIBLE, like Aquilla and Priscilla helped improve Apollos' understanding (Acts 18:26).
I was informed if I wanted to return to services, I would have to forget Beyond Babylon, act like a "regular lay member," and basically deny that it was from God! Like Mr. Armstrong, I had PROVEN what I'd written to be TRUE. Actually, Leap didn't say that it wasn't or attempt to refute it!
I told Mr. Leap I didn't want to play politics. By his insistence that I must be a MINISTER to write such a book, he was still looking to MEN OF STATURE! And since I'm not one, he was demanding that I "PROPHESY NOT!" (Amos 2:12).
He got very angry when I mentioned this and said he was severing all ties between the PCG and myself, and that I wasn't to claim any association with the PCG. He said I was now free to go and do whatever I felt God would have me to do with BB and not worry whether or not he or Mr. Flurry had read it! When I expressed the hope of reconciliation, he retorted we could when I repented. Of what? OBEYING GOD RATHER THAN MAN? Is that "rebellion?"
Mr. Armstrong WASN'T an ordained minister either when he wrote what he felt GOD would have him to share! The Identity Doctrine also wasn't so much new truth, as a new way of presenting it. I'm sure glad he didn't let those two points stop him! Aren't you? So I was UNJUSTLY DISFELLOWSHIPPED for believing God used me to write a book, and MARKED for exposing the facts about Mr. Leap's folly!
************************************
Read Beyond Babylon for yourself. You can read Beyond Babylon for FREE on my Beyond Babylon blog!
Beyond Babylon
CONTENTS
Introduction
Survival Guaranteed
Why National Defeat?
Truth or Consequences
Victims of Tradition
Europe's Fate
Jesus and the Jews
Elijah's Key Role
Showing posts with label fox 25. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fox 25. Show all posts
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Fox 25 Special Report on Philadelphia Church of God
Reporter Nick Winkler, of Fox 25 in Oklahoma City, presented a special report on the Philadelphia Church of God that aired Nov. 24 and Nov. 25.
I found the special report on the PCG, all things considered, unusually fair and balanced and commend Nick Winkler and Fox News for it, since the Sabbath-keeping Church of God members have always been highly skeptical of such reporters and cynical about such programs.
You can watch the Fox News' videos for yourself and see what you think:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part One
Philadelphia Church of God: Part Two
I'm pleased Fox News made mention of my book and name and showed them on my Philadelphia Church of God blog, having interviewed me as a former PCG member who was disfellowshipped for writing Beyond Babylon and who strongly disagrees with how Pastor General Gerald Flurry is squandering tithe money in Edmond, Oklahoma instead of going all out to share the plain truth of the Bible, our warning message, with the world in a powerful way that such money makes possible.
Fox 25, Oklahoma City, Special Report:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part One
David Ben-Ariel: I was basically put out..
Reporter Nick Winkler: Former PCG member David Ben-Ariel says he was kicked out of the Church for writing a book [Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall] without the Church's approval and says all that money [15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site] could be better spent spreading God's Word differently...
David Ben-Ariel: Hopefully, they'll stop spending their money in Edmond, Oklahoma and use it to become a household word with our teachings and let that become known.
*****************
Fox 25, Oklahoma City, Special Report:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part Two
Nick Winkler: Before Jesus Christ returns...
David Ben-Ariel: Violence, WWIII...yes, there will be lots of violence.
Nick Winkler: Former PCG member David Ben-Ariel says he was kicked out of the Church but still defends its tithing practices...
David Ben-Ariel: Again, it's voluntary but it's understood if you're a Church of God member you will tithe and you'll want to.
********************
PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual"
If you truly saw what is coming on this Earth, and had a vision of tomorrow, you would know that the Gathering Storm darkens as you sip champagne and boast that you're rich and in need of nothing, woefully ignorant that the Two Witnesses will soon be wearing sackcloth and fasting, not wining and dining at black tie dinners!
Here's an excerpt from Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion) that reveals the PCG ministers' initial response to Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, and how Gerald Flurry's fomer right-hand man, PCG minister Dennis Leap, shamefully insisted on playing politics:
What's BEWILDERING to me is the different responses I've received from several of God's ministers who have read Beyond Babylon -- towards it and me -- before and after Dennis Leap's PARTIAL review! (Malachi 2:9).
When I faithfully sent a computer disk with my book on it to minister Wayne Turgeon, he graciously read all of it and responded:
"Oh, how I admire those with both the ability to write as well as the courage to put down their ideas on paper! I felt that you have a very gripping style of writing that uses twists and slants of words or phrases to make your point. I looked up every scripture you referenced and it became clear that you have really spent a lot of time in your Bible. Being Jewish, I think, gives you an added perspective that I could never have... Much of what you have written is not 'new revelation' as I'm sure that you'd readily agree... It's certainly not my place to determine if what you believe God has shown you is true or not, but would you mind presenting Mr. Flurry with an abbreviated version of what you feel is inspired... as I highly doubt that he would have time to read your whole book."
What does he mean it's not his place to determine if what I wrote is true or not? God holds every INDIVIDUAL responsible to prayerfully determine whether something is of God or not! How did we prove Malachi's Message was biblical? Did we rely solely on our minister's evaluation? Worldwide all over again?
Mind you, unlike Mr. Armstrong's lengthy manuscript of close to 300 typed pages, Beyond Babylon is only 1/2 that size, literally! I suggested Gerald Flurry read the first and last chapters. Mr. Turgeon told me Flurry returned it to him, saying something like, "He's always sending us stuff."
I have written short letters to the point, like correcting him about Mount Hermon and Mount Carmel after he continued to confuse the two in several articles. I'm familiar with them because I've been blessed to have lived next to both of them. Mr. Turgeon also wrote that I was a little "too radical" for Mr. Flurry and wondered what I'd said or done that had given him that impression. I explained it's because I took exception to his careless condemnation of those religious Jews who want the Temple built as "extremists." I wrote that it's extremist for secular, humanist Jews to oppose converting the Promised Land into a Holy Land!
Flurry was surprised and had also written against the STRONG EMOTIONS some feel over Jerusalem and Israel. How could God use someone so distant over there?! Some of us have a GOD-GIVEN LOVE for Jerusalem and a genuine passion for Judah that's most personal; we're not a stranger in OUR Homeland! (Psalms 102:14; Ps. 137; Isaiah 62). That's not "radical," it's BIBLICAL!
Minister Carl Craven also read Beyond Babylon and acknowledged it as biblical. He said he hadn't looked up every Scripture, but was sure if he had they'd also be used correctly. I commented that I know it's biblical, but that I was just waiting for headquarters to prove that to themselves as well. He expressed an understanding of how it's difficult to be patient meanwhile.
When Dennis Leap did call, it was to instruct me to STAY HOME FROM SABBATH SERVICES while he looked at the book! I didn't recall such an unusual request being made of Mr. Armstrong, and recognized it went against "innocent until proven guilty," but obliged with the hope of returning soon (John 7:51).
"Prophesy Not!"
After some time, I called Mr. Leap. He said he'd read PARTS of the book, and that it wasn't important whether Mr. Flurry had read it or not (even though I'd been led to believe he'd pass it on to him). He stated, "You use some pretty strong language in there," to which I replied, "But it's biblical, isn't it?" "Well, yes, but...". He also noted, like Mr. Turgeon, that most of it is what we already teach. I agreed and said that that should serve as a GOOD SIGN, but that the NEW REVELATION about the Two Witnesses and Europe is firmly built upon that foundation.
Dennis Leap found it difficult to accept that a LAY MEMBER would write such a book. He admitted Flurry had received bits of revelation from lay members, but NEVER a whole book! I didn't want to be judged by precedent, but by whether or not what I'd written is biblical. If I was in error, then it was his duty to clearly show me where FROM THE BIBLE, like Aquilla and Priscilla helped improve Apollos' understanding (Acts 18:26).
I was informed if I wanted to return to services, I would have to forget Beyond Babylon, act like a "regular lay member," and basically deny that it was from God! Like Mr. Armstrong, I had PROVEN what I'd written to be TRUE. Actually, Leap didn't say that it wasn't or attempt to refute it!
I told Mr. Leap I didn't want to play politics. By his insistence that I must be a MINISTER to write such a book, he was still looking to MEN OF STATURE! And since I'm not one, he was demanding that I "PROPHESY NOT!" (Amos 2:12).
He got very angry when I mentioned this and said he was severing all ties between the PCG and myself, and that I wasn't to claim any association with the PCG. He said I was now free to go and do whatever I felt God would have me to do with BB and not worry whether or not he or Mr. Flurry had read it! When I expressed the hope of reconciliation, he retorted we could when I repented. Of what? OBEYING GOD RATHER THAN MAN? Is that "rebellion?"
Mr. Armstrong WASN'T an ordained minister either when he wrote what he felt GOD would have him to share! The Identity Doctrine also wasn't so much new truth, as a new way of presenting it. I'm sure glad he didn't let those two points stop him! Aren't you? So I was UNJUSTLY DISFELLOWSHIPPED for believing God used me to write a book, and MARKED for exposing the facts about Mr. Leap's folly!
************************************
Read Beyond Babylon for yourself. You can read Beyond Babylon for FREE on my Beyond Babylon blog!
Beyond Babylon
CONTENTS
Introduction
Survival Guaranteed
Why National Defeat?
Truth or Consequences
Victims of Tradition
Europe's Fate
Jesus and the Jews
Elijah's Key Role
I found the special report on the PCG, all things considered, unusually fair and balanced and commend Nick Winkler and Fox News for it, since the Sabbath-keeping Church of God members have always been highly skeptical of such reporters and cynical about such programs.
You can watch the Fox News' videos for yourself and see what you think:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part One
Philadelphia Church of God: Part Two
I'm pleased Fox News made mention of my book and name and showed them on my Philadelphia Church of God blog, having interviewed me as a former PCG member who was disfellowshipped for writing Beyond Babylon and who strongly disagrees with how Pastor General Gerald Flurry is squandering tithe money in Edmond, Oklahoma instead of going all out to share the plain truth of the Bible, our warning message, with the world in a powerful way that such money makes possible.
Fox 25, Oklahoma City, Special Report:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part One
David Ben-Ariel: I was basically put out..
Reporter Nick Winkler: Former PCG member David Ben-Ariel says he was kicked out of the Church for writing a book [Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall] without the Church's approval and says all that money [15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site] could be better spent spreading God's Word differently...
David Ben-Ariel: Hopefully, they'll stop spending their money in Edmond, Oklahoma and use it to become a household word with our teachings and let that become known.
*****************
Fox 25, Oklahoma City, Special Report:
Philadelphia Church of God: Part Two
Nick Winkler: Before Jesus Christ returns...
David Ben-Ariel: Violence, WWIII...yes, there will be lots of violence.
Nick Winkler: Former PCG member David Ben-Ariel says he was kicked out of the Church but still defends its tithing practices...
David Ben-Ariel: Again, it's voluntary but it's understood if you're a Church of God member you will tithe and you'll want to.
********************
PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual"
If you truly saw what is coming on this Earth, and had a vision of tomorrow, you would know that the Gathering Storm darkens as you sip champagne and boast that you're rich and in need of nothing, woefully ignorant that the Two Witnesses will soon be wearing sackcloth and fasting, not wining and dining at black tie dinners!
Here's an excerpt from Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion) that reveals the PCG ministers' initial response to Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, and how Gerald Flurry's fomer right-hand man, PCG minister Dennis Leap, shamefully insisted on playing politics:
What's BEWILDERING to me is the different responses I've received from several of God's ministers who have read Beyond Babylon -- towards it and me -- before and after Dennis Leap's PARTIAL review! (Malachi 2:9).
When I faithfully sent a computer disk with my book on it to minister Wayne Turgeon, he graciously read all of it and responded:
"Oh, how I admire those with both the ability to write as well as the courage to put down their ideas on paper! I felt that you have a very gripping style of writing that uses twists and slants of words or phrases to make your point. I looked up every scripture you referenced and it became clear that you have really spent a lot of time in your Bible. Being Jewish, I think, gives you an added perspective that I could never have... Much of what you have written is not 'new revelation' as I'm sure that you'd readily agree... It's certainly not my place to determine if what you believe God has shown you is true or not, but would you mind presenting Mr. Flurry with an abbreviated version of what you feel is inspired... as I highly doubt that he would have time to read your whole book."
What does he mean it's not his place to determine if what I wrote is true or not? God holds every INDIVIDUAL responsible to prayerfully determine whether something is of God or not! How did we prove Malachi's Message was biblical? Did we rely solely on our minister's evaluation? Worldwide all over again?
Mind you, unlike Mr. Armstrong's lengthy manuscript of close to 300 typed pages, Beyond Babylon is only 1/2 that size, literally! I suggested Gerald Flurry read the first and last chapters. Mr. Turgeon told me Flurry returned it to him, saying something like, "He's always sending us stuff."
I have written short letters to the point, like correcting him about Mount Hermon and Mount Carmel after he continued to confuse the two in several articles. I'm familiar with them because I've been blessed to have lived next to both of them. Mr. Turgeon also wrote that I was a little "too radical" for Mr. Flurry and wondered what I'd said or done that had given him that impression. I explained it's because I took exception to his careless condemnation of those religious Jews who want the Temple built as "extremists." I wrote that it's extremist for secular, humanist Jews to oppose converting the Promised Land into a Holy Land!
Flurry was surprised and had also written against the STRONG EMOTIONS some feel over Jerusalem and Israel. How could God use someone so distant over there?! Some of us have a GOD-GIVEN LOVE for Jerusalem and a genuine passion for Judah that's most personal; we're not a stranger in OUR Homeland! (Psalms 102:14; Ps. 137; Isaiah 62). That's not "radical," it's BIBLICAL!
Minister Carl Craven also read Beyond Babylon and acknowledged it as biblical. He said he hadn't looked up every Scripture, but was sure if he had they'd also be used correctly. I commented that I know it's biblical, but that I was just waiting for headquarters to prove that to themselves as well. He expressed an understanding of how it's difficult to be patient meanwhile.
When Dennis Leap did call, it was to instruct me to STAY HOME FROM SABBATH SERVICES while he looked at the book! I didn't recall such an unusual request being made of Mr. Armstrong, and recognized it went against "innocent until proven guilty," but obliged with the hope of returning soon (John 7:51).
"Prophesy Not!"
After some time, I called Mr. Leap. He said he'd read PARTS of the book, and that it wasn't important whether Mr. Flurry had read it or not (even though I'd been led to believe he'd pass it on to him). He stated, "You use some pretty strong language in there," to which I replied, "But it's biblical, isn't it?" "Well, yes, but...". He also noted, like Mr. Turgeon, that most of it is what we already teach. I agreed and said that that should serve as a GOOD SIGN, but that the NEW REVELATION about the Two Witnesses and Europe is firmly built upon that foundation.
Dennis Leap found it difficult to accept that a LAY MEMBER would write such a book. He admitted Flurry had received bits of revelation from lay members, but NEVER a whole book! I didn't want to be judged by precedent, but by whether or not what I'd written is biblical. If I was in error, then it was his duty to clearly show me where FROM THE BIBLE, like Aquilla and Priscilla helped improve Apollos' understanding (Acts 18:26).
I was informed if I wanted to return to services, I would have to forget Beyond Babylon, act like a "regular lay member," and basically deny that it was from God! Like Mr. Armstrong, I had PROVEN what I'd written to be TRUE. Actually, Leap didn't say that it wasn't or attempt to refute it!
I told Mr. Leap I didn't want to play politics. By his insistence that I must be a MINISTER to write such a book, he was still looking to MEN OF STATURE! And since I'm not one, he was demanding that I "PROPHESY NOT!" (Amos 2:12).
He got very angry when I mentioned this and said he was severing all ties between the PCG and myself, and that I wasn't to claim any association with the PCG. He said I was now free to go and do whatever I felt God would have me to do with BB and not worry whether or not he or Mr. Flurry had read it! When I expressed the hope of reconciliation, he retorted we could when I repented. Of what? OBEYING GOD RATHER THAN MAN? Is that "rebellion?"
Mr. Armstrong WASN'T an ordained minister either when he wrote what he felt GOD would have him to share! The Identity Doctrine also wasn't so much new truth, as a new way of presenting it. I'm sure glad he didn't let those two points stop him! Aren't you? So I was UNJUSTLY DISFELLOWSHIPPED for believing God used me to write a book, and MARKED for exposing the facts about Mr. Leap's folly!
************************************
Read Beyond Babylon for yourself. You can read Beyond Babylon for FREE on my Beyond Babylon blog!
Beyond Babylon
CONTENTS
Introduction
Survival Guaranteed
Why National Defeat?
Truth or Consequences
Victims of Tradition
Europe's Fate
Jesus and the Jews
Elijah's Key Role
Friday, May 1, 2009
PCG Ad Attacks David Ben-Ariel!
Church answers Fox25 News
December 3, 2008
Edmond–A full page advertisement appeared in The Oklahoman, The Edmond Sun, and Edmond Life & Leisure December 3 refuting the allegations leveled against the Philadelphia Church of God by Fox25 station KOKH November 24-25. Following is the content of the ad.
[Emphasis mine - David Ben-Ariel]
THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCH OF GOD ASKS
FOX 25 NEWS:
WHO IS REALLY ACTING LIKE DAVID KORESH, THE WACO CULT LEADER?
Last week, 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 further 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 can’t imagine any church in Oklahoma City or Edmond not rising to defend its good name and sterling reputation after such scandalous, unsubstantiated allegations.
That’s what we intend to do.
One cannot overstate the grave danger of a secluded survivalist compound rife with drugs, pornography, polygamy, stockpiled weapons, and power struggles erupting in gunfights. That was life inside the Branch Davidian compound during the mid-1980s, even years before David Koresh clashed with the FBI. It was a dangerous and demented environment.
But I’d like for you to consider the dangerously demented tactics of a supposedly reputable news organization that casually compares an upstanding Edmond church with the Branch Davidians.
This isn’t just outrageous—it’s borderline criminal!
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.
I believe it is my right and responsibility to speak out against such a reckless and irresponsible attack on me, the members of my church, and, I believe, Almighty God!
For the past 19 years, the Philadelphia Church of God has been headquartered in Edmond. We have grown from having a mere handful of supporters in 1989 to becoming a globe-encompassing work that reaches millions of people.
After beginning our weekly television program, The Key of David, on superstation WGN in 1993, our current coverage now includes 190 other stations throughout the United States, Australia and Canada. In years past, we have also broadcast the Key of David in Israel, Britain and Europe, India and the Far East, South America and Africa. It’s one of the most popular, longest-running weekly religious programs on television.
We have built a solid 15-year reputation in the television industry by delivering the good news of the Kingdom of God to the world.
We have distributed nearly 50 million pieces of literature worldwide over the past two decades—hundreds of thousands of books and booklets, and millions of magazines—all of it given free of charge.
Our cultural foundation has sponsored charitable works overseas, like in Jerusalem, where we have partnered with Hebrew University and Dr. Eilat Mazar on the City of David excavations.
Herbert W. Armstrong College, the liberal arts college we sponsor, has brought hundreds of students to Edmond from all over the world, including India, the Philippines, Colombia, England, Australia and the Netherlands.
The college’s show choir, the Young Ambassadors, performs its uplifting and wholesome song-and-dance entertainment throughout the community at elementary schools, retirement homes and dinner club meetings—even at Edmond’s LibertyFest parade.
Thousands of locals have visited our campus to attend the concert series we sponsor, enjoying the likes of the Canadian Brass, the Vienna Choir Boys, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet and the 5 Browns. In order to improve their concertgoing experience, we are currently building a high-quality, $15 million performing arts center, putting every effort into making it the finest venue possible. We are excited to share it with the greater Oklahoma City community.
David Koresh had none of these projects or programs because, as any honest observer would immediately see after a visit to our campus, we have nothing in common with him or his perverse and violent brand of “Christianity.”
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 and want to share it with the community. When you visit, you will find the same thing that Fox 25’s crew did: friendly, happy people who are hard at work in service to a cause they are excited about.
It is now clear, though, that the Fox 25 reporter came with a preconceived agenda to smear us, and he imputed tainted motives behind every positive thing he witnessed.
Then, to support the slanderous and unsubstantiated accusations, Fox 25 primarily relied on testimony from an anonymous letter, a detractor hiding at the end of a phone line and a man that the Israeli police suspects of being involved in terrorist activity.
Oh, you didn’t know about that?
Well, we tried to warn them. Two days before Fox 25 planned to air its hatchet job news story, my son sent this message to the Fox 25 newsroom:
“Last night I found out that a blogger by the name of David Ben-Ariel was aware of your intent to run a story about our church back on October 16. Since Nick didn’t contact our organization until October 21, it seems odd that a little-known blogger knew about your story idea—even its approximate airdate—before we had even been contacted.
“Our church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s. But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views. In 1996, while in Israel as an active member of the Temple Mount Faithful, Ben-Ariel—whose name used to be David Hoover—was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Asqa Mosque in order to clear the way for a third Jewish temple to be built.
“Israeli authorities kept Ben-Ariel in prison for several weeks during the investigation. While in jail, according to the Jerusalem Post (Feb. 1, 1996), Ben-Ariel petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice for his release while Israeli authorities decided whether to prosecute the Christian-Zionist or deport him back to the States. Ben-Ariel’s request for release was denied. Soon after, he was deported.”
That’s the kind of potentially dangerous influence our church avoids associating with. Fox 25, on the other hand, built its case against us by relying heavily on that man’s testimony, even featuring him prominently in their two-part series. Not once did they provide their viewers with any information about that man’s troubling background.
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.
Fox 25 blindly accepted what a few of our most rancorous and, in one case, even dangerous critics told them. We went out of our way to give them all the access they wanted for their report—our work, our activities, our facilities, our people—a comprehensive look at a well established church that has been headquartered in Edmond for 19 years.
My congregants hold me accountable based on God and His inspired Word—the Holy Bible.
But who is Fox accountable to?
How many innocent lives will be wrecked before someone or some organization holds Fox 25 accountable for their character assassinations?
They visited our campus pretending to be impressed by our work, our workers and our children. But inwardly, they came in with the same kind of deceitful, destructive spirit that David Koresh used to brainwash his 80 followers.
Then they tried to sell their garbage to the general public during November sweeps, in a shameless attempt to get higher ratings so they could charge higher ad rates.
It’s despicable and shameful. We will not allow Fox 25’s damaging innuendoes, smears and lies to be the last word. We want you to know the truth about the Philadelphia Church of God.
Fox’s negative reporting has given us unwanted, unwarranted and unfortunate publicity—but it is publicity that we will use to bring our story and good works more completely to the attention of the public. We would not be a responsible church if we didn’t respond. Thus, beginning immediately, our church will feature a series of informative pieces, advertisements and public events that will acquaint you with us even more, and enable you to know what we are all about. This is an opportunity for our church, one brought about through shameless and damaging sensationalism disguised as responsible journalism.
Gerald Flurry
Pastor General
Philadelphia Church of God
************
Gerald Flurry, and son Stephen Flurry, wrote in his full page ad:
"Our Church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s.
But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views." And then he goes on to mention: "Ben-Ariel -- whose name used to be Hoover -- was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Aqsa mosque" and was later deported".
Flurry failed to report that the Israeli authorities acknowledged to The Jerusalem Post that they "lacked sufficient evidence" to convict me - because there was no plot except the one they conspired against me, due to an article published in The Traveller magazine in Jerusalem, as revealed within: Exposing the German-Vatican Plot to Occupy Jerusalem and Still at Large!
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention I was an official member of the Philadelphia Church of God in the early 1990s, and that I was put out of the PCG for daring to write a book, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, without being an ordained minister. Dennis Leap was infuriated when I told him that by his insistence that I must be a minister to write such a book, he was still looking to "men of stature" (which Flurry's book, Malachi's Message, condemns) and that he was unbiblical and playing politics by his dictates that I must "forget about Beyond Babylon" and act "like a regular lay member." I was disfellowshipped and later "marked" after exposing all this in various *articles (which is what reporter Nick Day found on the Internet and is why he contacted me).
December 3, 2008
Edmond–A full page advertisement appeared in The Oklahoman, The Edmond Sun, and Edmond Life & Leisure December 3 refuting the allegations leveled against the Philadelphia Church of God by Fox25 station KOKH November 24-25. Following is the content of the ad.
[Emphasis mine - David Ben-Ariel]
THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCH OF GOD ASKS
FOX 25 NEWS:
WHO IS REALLY ACTING LIKE DAVID KORESH, THE WACO CULT LEADER?
Last week, 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 further 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 can’t imagine any church in Oklahoma City or Edmond not rising to defend its good name and sterling reputation after such scandalous, unsubstantiated allegations.
That’s what we intend to do.
One cannot overstate the grave danger of a secluded survivalist compound rife with drugs, pornography, polygamy, stockpiled weapons, and power struggles erupting in gunfights. That was life inside the Branch Davidian compound during the mid-1980s, even years before David Koresh clashed with the FBI. It was a dangerous and demented environment.
But I’d like for you to consider the dangerously demented tactics of a supposedly reputable news organization that casually compares an upstanding Edmond church with the Branch Davidians.
This isn’t just outrageous—it’s borderline criminal!
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.
I believe it is my right and responsibility to speak out against such a reckless and irresponsible attack on me, the members of my church, and, I believe, Almighty God!
For the past 19 years, the Philadelphia Church of God has been headquartered in Edmond. We have grown from having a mere handful of supporters in 1989 to becoming a globe-encompassing work that reaches millions of people.
After beginning our weekly television program, The Key of David, on superstation WGN in 1993, our current coverage now includes 190 other stations throughout the United States, Australia and Canada. In years past, we have also broadcast the Key of David in Israel, Britain and Europe, India and the Far East, South America and Africa. It’s one of the most popular, longest-running weekly religious programs on television.
We have built a solid 15-year reputation in the television industry by delivering the good news of the Kingdom of God to the world.
We have distributed nearly 50 million pieces of literature worldwide over the past two decades—hundreds of thousands of books and booklets, and millions of magazines—all of it given free of charge.
Our cultural foundation has sponsored charitable works overseas, like in Jerusalem, where we have partnered with Hebrew University and Dr. Eilat Mazar on the City of David excavations.
Herbert W. Armstrong College, the liberal arts college we sponsor, has brought hundreds of students to Edmond from all over the world, including India, the Philippines, Colombia, England, Australia and the Netherlands.
The college’s show choir, the Young Ambassadors, performs its uplifting and wholesome song-and-dance entertainment throughout the community at elementary schools, retirement homes and dinner club meetings—even at Edmond’s LibertyFest parade.
Thousands of locals have visited our campus to attend the concert series we sponsor, enjoying the likes of the Canadian Brass, the Vienna Choir Boys, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet and the 5 Browns. In order to improve their concertgoing experience, we are currently building a high-quality, $15 million performing arts center, putting every effort into making it the finest venue possible. We are excited to share it with the greater Oklahoma City community.
David Koresh had none of these projects or programs because, as any honest observer would immediately see after a visit to our campus, we have nothing in common with him or his perverse and violent brand of “Christianity.”
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 and want to share it with the community. When you visit, you will find the same thing that Fox 25’s crew did: friendly, happy people who are hard at work in service to a cause they are excited about.
It is now clear, though, that the Fox 25 reporter came with a preconceived agenda to smear us, and he imputed tainted motives behind every positive thing he witnessed.
Then, to support the slanderous and unsubstantiated accusations, Fox 25 primarily relied on testimony from an anonymous letter, a detractor hiding at the end of a phone line and a man that the Israeli police suspects of being involved in terrorist activity.
Oh, you didn’t know about that?
Well, we tried to warn them. Two days before Fox 25 planned to air its hatchet job news story, my son sent this message to the Fox 25 newsroom:
“Last night I found out that a blogger by the name of David Ben-Ariel was aware of your intent to run a story about our church back on October 16. Since Nick didn’t contact our organization until October 21, it seems odd that a little-known blogger knew about your story idea—even its approximate airdate—before we had even been contacted.
“Our church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s. But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views. In 1996, while in Israel as an active member of the Temple Mount Faithful, Ben-Ariel—whose name used to be David Hoover—was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Asqa Mosque in order to clear the way for a third Jewish temple to be built.
“Israeli authorities kept Ben-Ariel in prison for several weeks during the investigation. While in jail, according to the Jerusalem Post (Feb. 1, 1996), Ben-Ariel petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice for his release while Israeli authorities decided whether to prosecute the Christian-Zionist or deport him back to the States. Ben-Ariel’s request for release was denied. Soon after, he was deported.”
That’s the kind of potentially dangerous influence our church avoids associating with. Fox 25, on the other hand, built its case against us by relying heavily on that man’s testimony, even featuring him prominently in their two-part series. Not once did they provide their viewers with any information about that man’s troubling background.
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.
Fox 25 blindly accepted what a few of our most rancorous and, in one case, even dangerous critics told them. We went out of our way to give them all the access they wanted for their report—our work, our activities, our facilities, our people—a comprehensive look at a well established church that has been headquartered in Edmond for 19 years.
My congregants hold me accountable based on God and His inspired Word—the Holy Bible.
But who is Fox accountable to?
How many innocent lives will be wrecked before someone or some organization holds Fox 25 accountable for their character assassinations?
They visited our campus pretending to be impressed by our work, our workers and our children. But inwardly, they came in with the same kind of deceitful, destructive spirit that David Koresh used to brainwash his 80 followers.
Then they tried to sell their garbage to the general public during November sweeps, in a shameless attempt to get higher ratings so they could charge higher ad rates.
It’s despicable and shameful. We will not allow Fox 25’s damaging innuendoes, smears and lies to be the last word. We want you to know the truth about the Philadelphia Church of God.
Fox’s negative reporting has given us unwanted, unwarranted and unfortunate publicity—but it is publicity that we will use to bring our story and good works more completely to the attention of the public. We would not be a responsible church if we didn’t respond. Thus, beginning immediately, our church will feature a series of informative pieces, advertisements and public events that will acquaint you with us even more, and enable you to know what we are all about. This is an opportunity for our church, one brought about through shameless and damaging sensationalism disguised as responsible journalism.
Gerald Flurry
Pastor General
Philadelphia Church of God
************
Gerald Flurry, and son Stephen Flurry, wrote in his full page ad:
"Our Church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s.
But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views." And then he goes on to mention: "Ben-Ariel -- whose name used to be Hoover -- was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Aqsa mosque" and was later deported".
Flurry failed to report that the Israeli authorities acknowledged to The Jerusalem Post that they "lacked sufficient evidence" to convict me - because there was no plot except the one they conspired against me, due to an article published in The Traveller magazine in Jerusalem, as revealed within: Exposing the German-Vatican Plot to Occupy Jerusalem and Still at Large!
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention I was an official member of the Philadelphia Church of God in the early 1990s, and that I was put out of the PCG for daring to write a book, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, without being an ordained minister. Dennis Leap was infuriated when I told him that by his insistence that I must be a minister to write such a book, he was still looking to "men of stature" (which Flurry's book, Malachi's Message, condemns) and that he was unbiblical and playing politics by his dictates that I must "forget about Beyond Babylon" and act "like a regular lay member." I was disfellowshipped and later "marked" after exposing all this in various *articles (which is what reporter Nick Day found on the Internet and is why he contacted me).
Friday, March 20, 2009
Gerald Flurry
Gerald Flurry, pastor general of the PCG, is guilty of what he charges others. The disgruntled leader of the Edmond, Oklahoma-based Philadelphia Church of God has launched an outrageous attack against me due to his indignation over FOX 25's Primetime News at Nine special report on the PCG that aired two nights in a row. Flurry's fury was poured out in a full-page ad in The Oklahoman today.
Fox 25 Special Report on Philadelphia Church of God
Gerald Flurry has every right to offer his review of the special report on the PCG (and some of his ire is merited), but one wonders why he refused to be interviewed and set the record straight then, and even tape it himself to avoid being taken out of context?
Gerald Flurry hypocritically rants and raves against yellow journalism, scandalous unsubstantiated allegations, "telling part of the truth can make the truth out to be a lie," and then turns right around and engages in all those "dangerously demented tactics" against the Branch Davidians and against David Ben-Ariel - little ol' me!
Gerald Flurry (and son Stephen Flurry) feigns surprise that I knew about the special report allegedly before they did, but he fails to make honest mention that I sent out that information to both the PCG and many other of the Church of God branches, as many can testify. Considering how his former right-hand man and terrible sycophant (who was a cruel counsellor to many of the battered brethren), Dennis Leap, apparently withheld information from him about my book, Beyond Babylon, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know what was going on. I tried.
Gerald Flurry should be ashamed that he would abuse me as his straw man against reporter Nick Winkler and Fox 25, especially when I made it very clear to Mr. Winkler that I did not want to be part of any hit piece after I reviewed some questions he graciously sent me, as these emails prove:
David wrote:
I'm curious if those questions are for everybody you'll talk to or do you plan to talk to present members of the PCG too for balance or not or what? Is it a hit piece or an honest and unbiased report?
Original Message
From: Nick Winkler
Sent: Oct 14, 2008 8:25 PM
To: David
Subject: Re: (no subject)
No. I plan on contacting Flurry and members who live nearby.
I understand they may even be having an open house for the public.
Those questions will be asked of Flurry as well.
Feel free to disagree with the nature of any of the questions.
Correct anything you think is not being asked fairly.
Some of the questions are derived from law enforcement who have
investigated the church in the past.
Feel free to ask me whatever you'd like..or to add to the questions I sent.
Nick
From: "David"
To: "Nick Winkler"
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:28 PM
Subject: Constructive criticism
I'm pleasantly surprised by your refreshing reply, Nick. Thank you. The questions simply seemed biased and hateful IF those are the only questions that bitter former members would revel in but someone like me wouldn't want to be party to since we have constructive criticism (even TOUGH LOVE) of the PCG and still maintain the same basic beliefs as they do: Sabbath, holy days, dietary laws, no pagan holidays or traditional heaven and hell BS from Rome.
You might have noted in several articles I took Mr. Flurry to task, saying IF he truly believes we're in the last of the last days, why is he spending a fortune in Edmond (on jewels, buildings, etc.) instead of getting the Word out and becoming a household name? It is inconsistent and a squandering of time and money.
If Mr. Flurry or current Church members speak with you, I'll be surprised, since Mr. Armstrong told us all years ago how he ONCE permitted himself to be interviewed and after they "edited" it and went with it he felt totally betrayed and misrepresented. A great and deserving mistrust exists among the brethren due to such negative experiences. I'm willing to be interviewed, because what have I got to lose? :-)
Cheers,
David
Gerald Flurry, and son Stephen Flurry, wrote in his full page ad:
"Our Church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s.
But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views." And then he goes on to mention: "Ben-Ariel -- whose name used to be Hoover -- was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Aqsa mosque" and was later deported. Flurry failed to report that the Israeli authorities acknowledged to The Jerusalem Post that they "lacked sufficient evidence" to convict me - because there was no plot except the one they conspired against me, due to an article published in The Traveller magazine in Jerusalem, as revealed within: Exposing the German-Vatican Plot to Occupy Jerusalem and Still at Large!
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention I was an official member of the Philadelphia Church of God in the early 1990s, and that I was put out of the PCG for daring to write a book, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, without being an ordained minister. Dennis Leap was infuriated when I told him that by his insistence that I must be a minister to write such a book, he was still looking to "men of stature" (which Flurry's book, Malachi's Message, condemns) and that he was unbiblical and playing politics by his dictates that I must "forget about Beyond Babylon" and act "like a regular lay member." I was disfellowshipped and later "marked" after exposing all this in various *articles (which is what reporter Nick Day found on the Internet and is why he contacted me).
Wayne Turgeon [Gerald Flurry's son-in-law] handed Flurry a print out of Beyond Babylon years ago and he returned it to him saying, "He's always sending us stuff." Mr. Flurry even responded to me several times on various issues including his confusion of Mount Carmel with Mount Hermon which I brought to his attention (having been blessed to live next to both of them), and my disagreement with him when he said the pope was the only religious leader to sit on a throne and I mentioned the Queen of England is also head of the Anglican Church (although agreeing with the point he was making against the Roman Catholic Cult)... Later I sent an autographed copy of a self-published BB (Beyond Babylon) [before Publish America published it] to Flurry's home for him and his wife who said to me (during the Feast of Tabernacles in Louisville) about my name, "What a strong Judah name!"
- excerpt from Politics in the Church of God Hinders Progress
When Caesar Plays God: When the State Oversteps its Bounds
*Philadelphia Church of God Leads the Laodicean Era (Part 1)
Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion)
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention that the PCG believes in the same "bizarre and even radical views" that I do, whether it's about a German-EU, under the heavy influence of the Roman Catholic Church, that will brutally betray the American, British and Jewish peoples, igniting WWIII, and that professing Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are nothing but baptized paganism, idolatry and immorality, that are fuel on the fires of God's judgment upon our White Israelite nations, leading to destruction, defeat and deportation!
The Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: the German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace
Gerald Flurry's attack against me failed to address the two issues I raised:
1) How I was put out of the PCG for writing Beyond Babylon, and 2) how he's wasting tithes on a $15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site instead of properly getting out the Word of God, as I decry in PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual".
Gerald Flurry has been given an opportunity to go public, taking out full page ads that I called upon him to do years ago, to share our beliefs, the plain truth of the Bible, to warn the world, now that FOX 25 has afforded him coverage. May God bless Gerald Flurry to repent and do just that.
David Ben-Ariel
Author, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall
http://www.davidbenariel.org/
Fox 25 Special Report on Philadelphia Church of God
Gerald Flurry has every right to offer his review of the special report on the PCG (and some of his ire is merited), but one wonders why he refused to be interviewed and set the record straight then, and even tape it himself to avoid being taken out of context?
Gerald Flurry hypocritically rants and raves against yellow journalism, scandalous unsubstantiated allegations, "telling part of the truth can make the truth out to be a lie," and then turns right around and engages in all those "dangerously demented tactics" against the Branch Davidians and against David Ben-Ariel - little ol' me!
Gerald Flurry (and son Stephen Flurry) feigns surprise that I knew about the special report allegedly before they did, but he fails to make honest mention that I sent out that information to both the PCG and many other of the Church of God branches, as many can testify. Considering how his former right-hand man and terrible sycophant (who was a cruel counsellor to many of the battered brethren), Dennis Leap, apparently withheld information from him about my book, Beyond Babylon, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know what was going on. I tried.
Gerald Flurry should be ashamed that he would abuse me as his straw man against reporter Nick Winkler and Fox 25, especially when I made it very clear to Mr. Winkler that I did not want to be part of any hit piece after I reviewed some questions he graciously sent me, as these emails prove:
David wrote:
I'm curious if those questions are for everybody you'll talk to or do you plan to talk to present members of the PCG too for balance or not or what? Is it a hit piece or an honest and unbiased report?
Original Message
From: Nick Winkler
Sent: Oct 14, 2008 8:25 PM
To: David
Subject: Re: (no subject)
No. I plan on contacting Flurry and members who live nearby.
I understand they may even be having an open house for the public.
Those questions will be asked of Flurry as well.
Feel free to disagree with the nature of any of the questions.
Correct anything you think is not being asked fairly.
Some of the questions are derived from law enforcement who have
investigated the church in the past.
Feel free to ask me whatever you'd like..or to add to the questions I sent.
Nick
From: "David"
To: "Nick Winkler"
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:28 PM
Subject: Constructive criticism
I'm pleasantly surprised by your refreshing reply, Nick. Thank you. The questions simply seemed biased and hateful IF those are the only questions that bitter former members would revel in but someone like me wouldn't want to be party to since we have constructive criticism (even TOUGH LOVE) of the PCG and still maintain the same basic beliefs as they do: Sabbath, holy days, dietary laws, no pagan holidays or traditional heaven and hell BS from Rome.
You might have noted in several articles I took Mr. Flurry to task, saying IF he truly believes we're in the last of the last days, why is he spending a fortune in Edmond (on jewels, buildings, etc.) instead of getting the Word out and becoming a household name? It is inconsistent and a squandering of time and money.
If Mr. Flurry or current Church members speak with you, I'll be surprised, since Mr. Armstrong told us all years ago how he ONCE permitted himself to be interviewed and after they "edited" it and went with it he felt totally betrayed and misrepresented. A great and deserving mistrust exists among the brethren due to such negative experiences. I'm willing to be interviewed, because what have I got to lose? :-)
Cheers,
David
Gerald Flurry, and son Stephen Flurry, wrote in his full page ad:
"Our Church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s.
But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views." And then he goes on to mention: "Ben-Ariel -- whose name used to be Hoover -- was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Aqsa mosque" and was later deported. Flurry failed to report that the Israeli authorities acknowledged to The Jerusalem Post that they "lacked sufficient evidence" to convict me - because there was no plot except the one they conspired against me, due to an article published in The Traveller magazine in Jerusalem, as revealed within: Exposing the German-Vatican Plot to Occupy Jerusalem and Still at Large!
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention I was an official member of the Philadelphia Church of God in the early 1990s, and that I was put out of the PCG for daring to write a book, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, without being an ordained minister. Dennis Leap was infuriated when I told him that by his insistence that I must be a minister to write such a book, he was still looking to "men of stature" (which Flurry's book, Malachi's Message, condemns) and that he was unbiblical and playing politics by his dictates that I must "forget about Beyond Babylon" and act "like a regular lay member." I was disfellowshipped and later "marked" after exposing all this in various *articles (which is what reporter Nick Day found on the Internet and is why he contacted me).
Wayne Turgeon [Gerald Flurry's son-in-law] handed Flurry a print out of Beyond Babylon years ago and he returned it to him saying, "He's always sending us stuff." Mr. Flurry even responded to me several times on various issues including his confusion of Mount Carmel with Mount Hermon which I brought to his attention (having been blessed to live next to both of them), and my disagreement with him when he said the pope was the only religious leader to sit on a throne and I mentioned the Queen of England is also head of the Anglican Church (although agreeing with the point he was making against the Roman Catholic Cult)... Later I sent an autographed copy of a self-published BB (Beyond Babylon) [before Publish America published it] to Flurry's home for him and his wife who said to me (during the Feast of Tabernacles in Louisville) about my name, "What a strong Judah name!"
- excerpt from Politics in the Church of God Hinders Progress
When Caesar Plays God: When the State Oversteps its Bounds
*Philadelphia Church of God Leads the Laodicean Era (Part 1)
Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion)
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention that the PCG believes in the same "bizarre and even radical views" that I do, whether it's about a German-EU, under the heavy influence of the Roman Catholic Church, that will brutally betray the American, British and Jewish peoples, igniting WWIII, and that professing Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are nothing but baptized paganism, idolatry and immorality, that are fuel on the fires of God's judgment upon our White Israelite nations, leading to destruction, defeat and deportation!
The Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: the German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace
Gerald Flurry's attack against me failed to address the two issues I raised:
1) How I was put out of the PCG for writing Beyond Babylon, and 2) how he's wasting tithes on a $15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site instead of properly getting out the Word of God, as I decry in PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual".
Gerald Flurry has been given an opportunity to go public, taking out full page ads that I called upon him to do years ago, to share our beliefs, the plain truth of the Bible, to warn the world, now that FOX 25 has afforded him coverage. May God bless Gerald Flurry to repent and do just that.
David Ben-Ariel
Author, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall
http://www.davidbenariel.org/
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Gerald Flurry's Outrageous Attack Against David Ben-Ariel
Gerald Flurry, pastor general of the PCG, is guilty of what he charges others. The disgruntled leader of the Edmond, Oklahoma-based Philadelphia Church of God has launched an outrageous attack against me due to his indignation over FOX 25's Primetime News at Nine special report on the PCG that aired two nights in a row. Flurry's fury was poured out in a full-page ad in The Oklahoman today.
Fox 25 Special Report on Philadelphia Church of God
Gerald Flurry has every right to offer his review of the special report on the PCG (and some of his ire is merited), but one wonders why he refused to be interviewed and set the record straight then, and even tape it himself to avoid being taken out of context?
Gerald Flurry hypocritically rants and raves against yellow journalism, scandalous unsubstantiated allegations, "telling part of the truth can make the truth out to be a lie," and then turns right around and engages in all those "dangerously demented tactics" against the Branch Davidians and against David Ben-Ariel - little ol' me!
Gerald Flurry (and son Stephen Flurry) feigns surprise that I knew about the special report allegedly before they did, but he fails to make honest mention that I sent out that information to both the PCG and many other of the Church of God branches, as many can testify. Considering how his former right-hand man and terrible sycophant (who was a cruel counsellor to many of the battered brethren), Dennis Leap, apparently withheld information from him about my book, Beyond Babylon, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know what was going on. I tried.
Gerald Flurry should be ashamed that he would abuse me as his straw man against reporter Nick Winkler and Fox 25, especially when I made it very clear to Mr. Winkler that I did not want to be part of any hit piece after I reviewed some questions he graciously sent me, as these emails prove:
David wrote:
I'm curious if those questions are for everybody you'll talk to or do you plan to talk to present members of the PCG too for balance or not or what? Is it a hit piece or an honest and unbiased report?
Original Message
From: Nick Winkler
Sent: Oct 14, 2008 8:25 PM
To: David
Subject: Re: (no subject)
No. I plan on contacting Flurry and members who live nearby.
I understand they may even be having an open house for the public.
Those questions will be asked of Flurry as well.
Feel free to disagree with the nature of any of the questions.
Correct anything you think is not being asked fairly.
Some of the questions are derived from law enforcement who have
investigated the church in the past.
Feel free to ask me whatever you'd like..or to add to the questions I sent.
Nick
From: "David"
To: "Nick Winkler"
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:28 PM
Subject: Constructive criticism
I'm pleasantly surprised by your refreshing reply, Nick. Thank you. The questions simply seemed biased and hateful IF those are the only questions that bitter former members would revel in but someone like me wouldn't want to be party to since we have constructive criticism (even TOUGH LOVE) of the PCG and still maintain the same basic beliefs as they do: Sabbath, holy days, dietary laws, no pagan holidays or traditional heaven and hell BS from Rome.
You might have noted in several articles I took Mr. Flurry to task, saying IF he truly believes we're in the last of the last days, why is he spending a fortune in Edmond (on jewels, buildings, etc.) instead of getting the Word out and becoming a household name? It is inconsistent and a squandering of time and money.
If Mr. Flurry or current Church members speak with you, I'll be surprised, since Mr. Armstrong told us all years ago how he ONCE permitted himself to be interviewed and after they "edited" it and went with it he felt totally betrayed and misrepresented. A great and deserving mistrust exists among the brethren due to such negative experiences. I'm willing to be interviewed, because what have I got to lose? :-)
Cheers,
David
Gerald Flurry, and son Stephen Flurry, wrote in his full page ad:
"Our Church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s.
But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views." And then he goes on to mention: 'Ben-Ariel -- whose name used to be Hoover -- was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Aqsa mosque' and was later deported."
Flurry failed to report that the Israeli authorities acknowledged to The Jerusalem Post that they "lacked sufficient evidence" to convict me - because there was no plot except the one they conspired against me, due to an article published in The Traveller magazine in Jerusalem, as revealed within: Exposing the German-Vatican Plot to Occupy Jerusalem and Still at Large!
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention I was an official member of the Philadelphia Church of God in the early 1990s, and that I was put out of the PCG for daring to write a book, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, without being an ordained minister. Dennis Leap was infuriated when I told him that by his insistence that I must be a minister to write such a book, he was still looking to "men of stature" (which Flurry's book, Malachi's Message, condemns) and that he was unbiblical and playing politics by his dictates that I must "forget about Beyond Babylon" and act "like a regular lay member." I was disfellowshipped and later "marked" after exposing all this in various *articles (which is what reporter Nick Day found on the Internet and is why he contacted me).
Wayne Turgeon [Gerald Flurry's son-in-law] handed Flurry a print out of Beyond Babylon years ago and he returned it to him saying, "He's always sending us stuff." Mr. Flurry even responded to me several times on various issues including his confusion of Mount Carmel with Mount Hermon which I brought to his attention (having been blessed to live next to both of them), and my disagreement with him when he said the pope was the only religious leader to sit on a throne and I mentioned the Queen of England is also head of the Anglican Church (although agreeing with the point he was making against the Roman Catholic Cult)... Later I sent an autographed copy of a self-published BB (Beyond Babylon) [before Publish America published it] to Flurry's home for him and his wife who said to me (during the Feast of Tabernacles in Louisville) about my name, "What a strong Judah name!"
- excerpt from Politics in the Church of God Hinders Progress
When Caesar Plays God: When the State Oversteps its Bounds
*Philadelphia Church of God Leads the Laodicean Era (Part 1)
Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion)
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention that the PCG believes in the same "bizarre and even radical views" that I do, whether it's about a German-EU, under the heavy influence of the Roman Catholic Church, that will brutally betray the American, British and Jewish peoples, igniting WWIII, and that professing Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are nothing but baptized paganism, idolatry and immorality, that are fuel on the fires of God's judgment upon our White Israelite nations, leading to destruction, defeat and deportation!
The Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: the German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace
Gerald Flurry's attack against me failed to address the two issues I raised:
1) How I was put out of the PCG for writing Beyond Babylon, and 2) how he's wasting tithes on a $15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site instead of properly getting out the Word of God, as I decry in PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual".
Gerald Flurry has been given an opportunity to go public, taking out full page ads that I called upon him to do years ago, to share our beliefs, the plain truth of the Bible, to warn the world, now that FOX 25 has afforded him coverage. May God bless Gerald Flurry to repent and do just that.
David Ben-Ariel
Author, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall
http://www.davidbenariel.org/
Fox 25 Special Report on Philadelphia Church of God
Gerald Flurry has every right to offer his review of the special report on the PCG (and some of his ire is merited), but one wonders why he refused to be interviewed and set the record straight then, and even tape it himself to avoid being taken out of context?
Gerald Flurry hypocritically rants and raves against yellow journalism, scandalous unsubstantiated allegations, "telling part of the truth can make the truth out to be a lie," and then turns right around and engages in all those "dangerously demented tactics" against the Branch Davidians and against David Ben-Ariel - little ol' me!
Gerald Flurry (and son Stephen Flurry) feigns surprise that I knew about the special report allegedly before they did, but he fails to make honest mention that I sent out that information to both the PCG and many other of the Church of God branches, as many can testify. Considering how his former right-hand man and terrible sycophant (who was a cruel counsellor to many of the battered brethren), Dennis Leap, apparently withheld information from him about my book, Beyond Babylon, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know what was going on. I tried.
Gerald Flurry should be ashamed that he would abuse me as his straw man against reporter Nick Winkler and Fox 25, especially when I made it very clear to Mr. Winkler that I did not want to be part of any hit piece after I reviewed some questions he graciously sent me, as these emails prove:
David wrote:
I'm curious if those questions are for everybody you'll talk to or do you plan to talk to present members of the PCG too for balance or not or what? Is it a hit piece or an honest and unbiased report?
Original Message
From: Nick Winkler
Sent: Oct 14, 2008 8:25 PM
To: David
Subject: Re: (no subject)
No. I plan on contacting Flurry and members who live nearby.
I understand they may even be having an open house for the public.
Those questions will be asked of Flurry as well.
Feel free to disagree with the nature of any of the questions.
Correct anything you think is not being asked fairly.
Some of the questions are derived from law enforcement who have
investigated the church in the past.
Feel free to ask me whatever you'd like..or to add to the questions I sent.
Nick
From: "David"
To: "Nick Winkler"
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:28 PM
Subject: Constructive criticism
I'm pleasantly surprised by your refreshing reply, Nick. Thank you. The questions simply seemed biased and hateful IF those are the only questions that bitter former members would revel in but someone like me wouldn't want to be party to since we have constructive criticism (even TOUGH LOVE) of the PCG and still maintain the same basic beliefs as they do: Sabbath, holy days, dietary laws, no pagan holidays or traditional heaven and hell BS from Rome.
You might have noted in several articles I took Mr. Flurry to task, saying IF he truly believes we're in the last of the last days, why is he spending a fortune in Edmond (on jewels, buildings, etc.) instead of getting the Word out and becoming a household name? It is inconsistent and a squandering of time and money.
If Mr. Flurry or current Church members speak with you, I'll be surprised, since Mr. Armstrong told us all years ago how he ONCE permitted himself to be interviewed and after they "edited" it and went with it he felt totally betrayed and misrepresented. A great and deserving mistrust exists among the brethren due to such negative experiences. I'm willing to be interviewed, because what have I got to lose? :-)
Cheers,
David
Gerald Flurry, and son Stephen Flurry, wrote in his full page ad:
"Our Church briefly communicated with David Ben-Ariel in the early 1990s.
But we quickly cut off all contact after learning about his bizarre and even radical views." And then he goes on to mention: 'Ben-Ariel -- whose name used to be Hoover -- was detained by Israeli police and interrogated for six hours for allegedly plotting to blow up the Al-Aqsa mosque' and was later deported."
Flurry failed to report that the Israeli authorities acknowledged to The Jerusalem Post that they "lacked sufficient evidence" to convict me - because there was no plot except the one they conspired against me, due to an article published in The Traveller magazine in Jerusalem, as revealed within: Exposing the German-Vatican Plot to Occupy Jerusalem and Still at Large!
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention I was an official member of the Philadelphia Church of God in the early 1990s, and that I was put out of the PCG for daring to write a book, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, without being an ordained minister. Dennis Leap was infuriated when I told him that by his insistence that I must be a minister to write such a book, he was still looking to "men of stature" (which Flurry's book, Malachi's Message, condemns) and that he was unbiblical and playing politics by his dictates that I must "forget about Beyond Babylon" and act "like a regular lay member." I was disfellowshipped and later "marked" after exposing all this in various *articles (which is what reporter Nick Day found on the Internet and is why he contacted me).
Wayne Turgeon [Gerald Flurry's son-in-law] handed Flurry a print out of Beyond Babylon years ago and he returned it to him saying, "He's always sending us stuff." Mr. Flurry even responded to me several times on various issues including his confusion of Mount Carmel with Mount Hermon which I brought to his attention (having been blessed to live next to both of them), and my disagreement with him when he said the pope was the only religious leader to sit on a throne and I mentioned the Queen of England is also head of the Anglican Church (although agreeing with the point he was making against the Roman Catholic Cult)... Later I sent an autographed copy of a self-published BB (Beyond Babylon) [before Publish America published it] to Flurry's home for him and his wife who said to me (during the Feast of Tabernacles in Louisville) about my name, "What a strong Judah name!"
- excerpt from Politics in the Church of God Hinders Progress
When Caesar Plays God: When the State Oversteps its Bounds
*Philadelphia Church of God Leads the Laodicean Era (Part 1)
Philadelphia Church of God Leads Laodicean Era (Conclusion)
Gerald Flurry and son failed to mention that the PCG believes in the same "bizarre and even radical views" that I do, whether it's about a German-EU, under the heavy influence of the Roman Catholic Church, that will brutally betray the American, British and Jewish peoples, igniting WWIII, and that professing Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are nothing but baptized paganism, idolatry and immorality, that are fuel on the fires of God's judgment upon our White Israelite nations, leading to destruction, defeat and deportation!
The Intelligence Summit Misses the Mark: the German-Jesuit Threat to World Peace
Gerald Flurry's attack against me failed to address the two issues I raised:
1) How I was put out of the PCG for writing Beyond Babylon, and 2) how he's wasting tithes on a $15 million Art Center on their Edmond, Oklahoma site instead of properly getting out the Word of God, as I decry in PCG: Carrying on "Business as Usual".
Gerald Flurry has been given an opportunity to go public, taking out full page ads that I called upon him to do years ago, to share our beliefs, the plain truth of the Bible, to warn the world, now that FOX 25 has afforded him coverage. May God bless Gerald Flurry to repent and do just that.
David Ben-Ariel
Author, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall
http://www.davidbenariel.org/
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