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Flurry’s Vegetable Patch
Gerald Flurry elevated himself to the level of “That Prophet” and even wrote a 120 page book1 on his “that prophet” office.
Since being disfellowshipped by Flurry in 2013, I have become very analytic of the rubbish preached.
Flurry Says We Don’t Set Dates
In GF’s sermon “To Him Who Conquers” (February 24, 2001), he tells of an article written in the Wall Street Journal by Jeff Brabin. Mr. Brabin writes of the beginning of the Radio Church of God2 and of Herbert W. Armstrong prophesying that the apocalypse [Great Tribulation] would begin in 1936,3 then in 1943, and then in 1972, and was then postponed indefinitely. In that sermon Flurry says: “Now that’s not the most complimentary beginning but then on the other hand, uh, it does tell you we don’t set dates now, and after all the first century apostles were off on their timing, so that’s not a big crime now is it.”
Flurry goes on to say that the article in the Wall Street Journal has “some challenging statements.” He played an audio clip during this sermon where HWA says that people should prove whether or not he is a false prophet by searching the Scriptures.
Calls God’s People Vegetables
In this sermon, “To Him Who Conquers,” Flurry actually called “God’s” people vegetables, and said that all they can do is sit and observe. He talked of the Devil’s power; of the Laodicean era and of the synagogue of Satan right in the church of God and said, “How real is this to God’s people today? Here we are living through all this history, brethren–all of this prophecy–and people are duped by the Devil inside God’s church–most all of them. And all they can do is sit and observe and look at things today like some vegetable.”
His statements made me pity those still stuck in the PCG vegetable patch–they are taught to be as vegetables, to only sit and observe–and not to think for themselves. “Flurry, the Elder, does the thinking.”
Flurry contradicts himself and flagrantly lies to his “vegetables.” At the 2000 Feast of tabernacles he prophesied in his “Ezekiel and the Sons of Zadok” messages that the Great Tribulation would start on January 16th 2010. At about 40 minutes into Part 2 of “Ezekiel and the sons of Zadok” he says:
“Now I think there is two interesting events there of course. The end of the 19-year time cycle and the 20 years of the work for myself which parallels 20 years of revelation given to Ezekiel. Now if that 2010, uh, begins (long pause) lets say, what would it begin probably? Would it–probably I would think would begin the Great Tribulation, you would certainly think that, but then of course God can cut time short–He says that. But I want you to really watch that date. Remember on Jan 16th 1991 was the Persian Gulf War. So is there going to be a much greater war when the fourth 19-year time cycle ends, of the Elijah work? Just interesting dates I believe, but I think we aught to be aware of them. But I’ll tell you this brethren, nobody has ever been given the full revelation of the book of Ezekiel as God has given it to an end-time man. Our work is closely tied to the work of Ezekiel. Now people can scoff, but they better do a little measuring or they will be caught like rats in a trap according to these prophecies if they don’t let God reveal his truth to them.”
Policy on Destroying CD Sermon Tapes
Now that January 16, 2010 has come and gone I guess that Elder Flurry can breathe a sigh of relief that his vegetable patch is not in upheaval or scoffing. Of course, his policy on destroying CD sermon tapes after they are played4 helps; most of the vegetables won’t even remember. So this sermon proves that he does set dates.
What does Deuteronomy 18:21-22 teach? “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follows not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”
I suppose that those who did bring his failed prophecy of the start of the Tribulation to his attention were summarily disfellowshipped.
Doesn’t Want Anyone to Prove All Things
He conveniently forgot I Thessalonians 5:21: “Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good.” Elder Flurry doesn’t really want his veggies to prove all things.
Luke 6:43-44: “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit.” By their fruit you will know them. [Matthew 7:16]
The fruit of proving things from the Word is disfellowshipment from the Flurry vegetable patch.
Revelation 2:2 “…and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.”
Flurry fits the description of a false apostle/ravening wolf in sheep’s clothing, and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. [II Corinthians 11:14]
Breaks God’s Commandment by Claiming to Speak for God
Flurry breaks the commandments of God. He claims that he speaks for God. In Matthew 19:17-18, Christ told one, that if he would enter into life he should keep the commandments. One of the commandments spoken by Christ in verse 18 was, “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” So the fact is that Flurry has on many occasions said that he is God’s mouthpiece, and that Christ speaks through him. He actually dated the beginning of the Tribulation–January 16th 2010. Not only that, but he places himself on a higher pedestal than Christ because Christ clearly stated in Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
GF gave a CD sermon which was played on June 15, 2013 in the South African congregations. In the sermon he rebuked his ministers and told the ministers that they are there for the joy of the brethren and not there to abuse the members. He said in this sermon that he receives many letters and he does read them, and that his door is open and that any one can write to him and that the brethren should not feel afraid to bring anything to his attention, and that the brethren should report any wrong doings of the ministers. What a profound liar. The more one repeats a lie the easier it becomes for the vegetables to believe the lie. The weird thing is that on that Sabbath, the 15th of June, not one of the South African ministers were present at either the Johannesburg or Cape Town congregations when that specific sermon was played. That’s a neat example of setting the stage but ensuring that no one be able to see the real activity backstage.
Suspended for Exposing What Was Going On
I was once part of Flurry’s vegetable patch, and even though I observed abuse being dished out on the members I kept quiet, as long as it didn’t touch me. What a coward I was. I wrote to GF, spokesman of “God,” the prophet Elder Flurry, exposing what was going on and received no reply from him, but was suspended and then disfellowshipped. So what does that say about his June 15th sermon? I have lost all the respect I had for Elder Elisha Flurry–the false prophet, lying apostle and thieving wolf. Flurry has no open door policy and exposing wrongs ensures quick expulsion from the vegetable patch.
In GF’s sermon on “II & III John” (given on November 8, 2001), he mentioned that there have been deep rooted problems for years in Europe and Africa which he was going to root out. People would be put out, but with “compassion.” He blamed the “problem” on some ministers being poorly trained and educated; he announced that he was going to bring Alex Harrison in to the area, and that changes would be made. He reassured the members that Harrison had the correct training as he had much experience in sorting out “that sort of problem”; he mentioned the time when Colin Sutcliffe from New Zealand was sorted out. He says that there is nothing more wonderful than a loyal minister. (A lap dog)
Ministers are Taught, Trained & Sanctioned by Flurry
Thinking about what he said about training and education, in that sermon, I now realize that abusive ministers are trained, educated and sanctioned by Gerald Flurry. I recall his minister in a sermon to the JHB congregation in which he was “educating” us vegetables on dress code say that when he sees a woman in high heels he thinks of a prostitute. It bothered me somewhat because a number of “God’s” ladies wear high heels and I just wondered how a minister of “God” could look at one of “God’s” ladies and think of a prostitute. At the 2012 Feast of Tabernacles another minister told the heads of departments that they should issue small commands to those under them so that they could learn unfaltering obedience to commands. Now, looking back on it all, I see that his ministers are taught and educated to be thieves, bullies, dictators and liars.
In this sermon on “II & III John” GF says,
“I’m telling you we are in the last hour, and we are going to have to act like it, now if you think I am making these decisions you better think a little more deeply, God does talk about using “the Elder” and Jesus Christ has already shown me in very explicit ways that He is going to expect more urgency from us in this last hour. And so I’m going to have to make decisions.”
“The survival of the truth of God depends upon ‘this little church.’“
“There’s only one message that God has out there and that is from his prophet, there’s only revelation from one man out there for the world to hear about what is coming upon this earth in the last hour and that’s the only one they can listen to.” [Note from ESN: Read: All or Nothing Statements (from those that have “the truth”]
Labeling Those Who Speak Up
It is easy to label those that speak up as having a poor attitude or being intellectually rebellious. When our own thoughts are forbidden, when our questions are not allowed and our doubts are punished, when contacts and friendships outside the organization are censored, we are being abused for an end that never justifies the means.
I think of the parable in Luke 10:30-36:
It is easy to label those that speak up as having a poor attitude or being intellectually rebellious. When our own thoughts are forbidden, when our questions are not allowed and our doubts are punished, when contacts and friendships outside the organization are censored, we are being abused for an end that never justifies the means.
What is the Fruit From Flurry’s Vegetable Patch?
I think of the parable in Luke 10:30-36.
Those who claim to speak for “God” have extraordinary power over their converts. What fruit comes forth from the vegetable patch of Elder Flurry? Fear, confusion, bondage and division. Even if his vegetables dare to disagree with the dung he uses on the vegetable patch they remain silent for fear of being disfellowshipped. To be disfellowshipped from GF’s vegetable patch would be devastating to the one disfellowshipped. Week after week the indoctrination of his copious amounts of bull**** ensures that the subject is brought under his absolute and total control. Subconsciously every member and even every minister has this looming dark cloud hanging over them. They are forced to comply with his unrighteous policies.
Flurry’s inability and unwillingness to address the Seabreeze Collusion issue reveals a lot about him. He does not follow Scripture. His agenda is to preserve power over his vegetable patch. I always wondered why he made the ruling of removing the tape library and destroying the tapes4 after they were heard at Sabbath services. I know why now. This was a self preservation measure. GF could not allow for his members to take the tape home and properly study his “Wonderful Composting Bull****” because then they would soon realize that he was nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing. GF has shattered many people’s precious family relationships with his evil policies.5 He rules his vegetable patch through fear. His vegetables believe that should they be torn up from his patch (disfellowshipped) they would go into the Tribulation, not be in the place of safety and will burn in the lake of fire. What an imagination elder Flurry has. Those who disagree with his unholy policies are branded as Laodicean and troublemakers, while he sits behind the glittering facade/illusion of the compost heap he sets for his vegetable patch.
GF’s “House of God” is a dungeon with a glittering façade–like the Venus fly trap. The sweet smelling nectar lures the unsuspecting victim into the jaws of death. Once in the trap there is no escaping. To think that I faithfully contributed for years to his physical financial self enrichment plan of wholesale theft makes me sick. He should do the right thing and pay back what he has stolen.
RCG is the Same Package
I joined the Restored Church of God for a while, but came to realize that it was exactly the same package, just in a different wrapping, but exactly the same recipe is used. You show lots of physical fruit: buildings, educational facilities to indoctrinate, radio programs, video programs (all programmed to indoctrinate), the size of the Work, etc., etc. A lot of the focus being on laying claim to the members finances. (Theft of tithe monies, fund raising, building funds, co-worker letters for money, etc., etc.), bullying and indoctrination of the meek. All in the name of money. And of course, not to forget, a lot of failed prophecy. Let’s all look at the physical fruit, never mind the graveyard of shattered families murdered, defrauded and oppressed victims. The graveyard is full of spiritual venomous fruit. That is what I should have focused on these last 16 years. There is absolutely no spiritual fruit.
I have read so many true stories on the net from real people whom Flurry has destroyed, oppressed and defrauded. Through the Exit and Support Network™ website, I came to see the real fruit produced in Gerald Flurry’s vegetable patch.
By A. F. (an ex-vegetable and former PCG member)
Update: Since this was written, Gerald Flurry has written a book called Ezekiel (another title GF has given himself).
Related Material:
Biblical Titles Gerald Flurry Has Appropriated for Himself
Footnotes by ESN:
1 Who is That Prophet? by Gerald Flurry, 2001.
2 Radio Church of God was renamed Worldwide Church of God in 1968.
3 Read: Did Herbert Armstrong Set Dates?
4 “We Were Told to Destroy the CDs” (February 27, 2007 letter) This “CD and Tape Policy” is in the December 10, 2005 Pastor General’s Report for Philadelphia Church of God.
5 Read: Gerald Flurry’s Sermon: Exposing Satan (covers the “no-contact” ruling)