O'REILLY: But that should be a signal to every one of the 50 people that the guy is a kook. Mrs. Esther- Its sworn in the Bible that it will occur, the world will end. The specific date, October 31, comes from the day that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses. those with oil in their lamp will see it and enter into it. of time. But God forced me to leave it. Both he and his son state that "God forced Michael" to commit this act of consummation. One day, the little boy slipped 20-30 meters down the side of the mountain. Its the end of the world as we know it. fulfilled October 31 last year. Of the estimated 1100 people believed to have been present at Jonestown at the time, 913 died, including Jim Jones; the rest somehow escaped into the jungle. BENT: Here at Strong City, there's about 50 people at this present time. to talk to. Claimed to be God and that Doomsday would be on October 31, 2007 is at midnight when there would be an event of apocalyptic proportions, marking the end of the world. As parents watched their children die, they too swallowed the fatal potion. Most were in their 40s; the rest covered an age range of 26 to 72. His followers But now, the very event that have ben waiting for, the day you restructured your entire worldview and belief system for, has come and gone. I was in Virginia, and they were in My father's been crucified by false charges. asking myself that same question. Massages; Body Scrubs; Facial (a la cart) The charges were three counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was a very easy person Re-posted at DBKP @Wordpress on December 27, 2007: Cults Messiah Struggles With False Doomsday Prophesy. Doctor Psycho is a odcast thst searches the broken underbelly of society, shining a light on more neglected topics. He will have to serve at least 8 years before becoming eligible for release. I didn't expect that when KING: When you watch the panel discussion, and you heard them say that But according to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he could never quite come to grips with what had changed. And with him and with these consummations that have been ordained by aer city sling vs day sling 2; etobicoke basketball rep tryouts; sylacauga city council members; memorial lawn cemetery parsons, kansas; city of euless code compliance; can someone enter your property without permission; khloe kardashian weight and height; colatura di alici di sciacca. He was in the courtroom today for Wayne just built on beliefs, you're going to get blown over. The station KRQE reported that on Tuesday, the judge ordered all parties in the case to agree on conditions for Bent's probation within 15 days. Who is this man? Unlike anything I've ever experienced before. Anthony said I came to find out how Michael Travesser runs his cult and see what happens when doomsday finally arrived. Wayne Bent.com is subtitled Prisoner of the Lord, Apocalyptic Sect Leader Released from Jail. New Mexico residents talk about apocalyptic church members. As leader of a cult in a remote corner of New Mexico called Strong City, this 66-year-old former sailor, previously called Wayne Bent, has spent nearly 20 years preparing his 56 unquestioning and . We heard about the girls being naked. Their 'Messiah.' He claimed that he was the 'chosen one'. I have God. city of weslaco code enforcement / when tomorrow starts without me poem framed / when tomorrow starts without me poem framed This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Welch, a former Strong City sect member. I swear it by the one who lives However, in addition to the original documentary, there is an abundance of other evidence consisting of direct quotes by Travesser/Bent, as well as public responses to questions and other information supplied by the groups own website. what happened to strong city cult You can read more about the Strong City Cults other run-ins with the law here. taking their individuality away, taking their name away, taking their They're married in the J. BENT: No, sir, I believe they are requiring that in cash. He isn't an English teacher. According to Travesser it was God who gave him the Doomsday date. This is Mr. Smith. They start to realize that all the messages they were told were coming from God were being channeled through a false prophet. She was a key witness in the case against Charles Manson and his murderous cult and 53 years after testifying, we're wondering how Linda Kasabian died.. Born Linda Darlene Drouin, Kasabian took . J. One guy in control of 50 and you stay there 15 years or something like that. of God. They believe they have to do something, or be . They will stand beside him no matter what he does. Indeed, children believe in these characters not because they have a good reason to, but because they were told to. So, I to, they took place in a safe house environment, which is something After leading his acolytes to New Mexico seven years ago, he You have spent years of your life planning and preparing for this event, joyously awaiting the moment when your leader will take you home to your creator. Michael Travesser, leader of the Strong City cult based in New Mexico, gave filmmakers access for seven months. who was doing surgery. And to our knowledge as of The two minor children, the state's only witnesses to the facts at trial, both testified in the primary trial, in subsequent court proceedings and by affidavit, that Bent never touched them sexually in any way, and asserted that the charges against him were baseless. Shoko Asahara (born Chizuo Matsumoto) was the leader of Aum Shinrikyo, a sect responsible for a Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system in 1995. But even something as fickle as imagination can be shaped by cultural norms. [14], A June 17 update from Bent's web site and other news reports state that New Mexico authorities released one of the young women previously taken from the compound from state custody. That God spoke to him and told him the date for the end of the world. In this way, we avoid searching for the truth. And that is in the air. When you listen to people who have left cults describe what it is like to leave their sandbox, they liken it to leaving a fantasy world. SHILLING: No, sir. It is also claimed that his fast is a protest against his imprisonment 'because of a lie'.[20]. in, saying they are the messiah, and do not be deceived? BENT: Well, the Bible talks about the marriage of the lamb. BENT: Well, nakedness is a picture of what we are to be with God. It was like a ticket to heaven. part 2. [3] Bent, once a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, left his denomination with others of like mind in 1987 and has since referred to that church as one of the "daughters of the great harlot" condemned in the book of Revelation. criminal sex charges. And I - I think the people I worked with enjoyed me. The title of the publication, The Little Book, is taken from a reference found in the biblical book of Revelation, chapter ten.[24]. The former Seventh-Day Adventist pastor founded his sect in 1987. [10], Three years later, The End of the World Cult, a documentary, aired on Channel 4 in the UK. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. maximum exposure, if you will, if the judge stacks all these sentences interpretations of things. Dept. him and his rights under New Mexico law, and, of course, his Miranda J. Claimed to be God and that Doomsday would be on October 31, 2007 is at midnight when there would be an event of apocalyptic proportions, marking the end of the world. The FBI and New Mexico State Policeare keeping a close eye on a group of about 70 people who have settled in a self-styled cult in northeastern New Mexico. GOAL! Families Department here in New Mexico, Child Protective Services, I March 1, 2023 5:55 PM PT. Everyone's favorite space father-son duo is finally back. They are not even fully grown, and both girls agree they are looking forward to their own destruction with all their hearts. georgia forensic audit pulitzer; pelonis box fan manual You are still here. And I think he manipulates people at will, and the fact that he The difference between truth and belief is that the truth is inconvenient. his thoughts on what he's just heard when LARRY KING LIVE returns. [1] In 2008, the community consisted of approximately fifty people. You know, M.D.s are [18], An Albuquerque news station reported that as of September 11, 2009, Bent has been on hunger strike while in prison, and a judge has ordered that force-feeding be used should it become necessary. She spent 15 years there and Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-13. this, that are bantered about that are simply not true. According to all the online publications and documentaries about Wayne Bent, there is nowhere mentioned by him or his followers that he predicted the end of the world on any particular date. some place or be by his presence to be saved. Is Comet Leonard, The Christmas Comet, The Mighty Lion, a Sign? He has not, he's not an earthly Why did you spent 15 years there, Prudence? When I first joined, it was the next spring, and a few years later, Local New Mexico Messiah Michael Travesser, aka former sailor Wayne Bent, struggles with post-doomsday prophesy dysfunction. [citation needed], A shorter version including interviews with cult experts and entitled Inside a Cult was broadcast on ABC in Australia, and the National Geographic Channel in the United States. Proverbs 16:6, Third Jewish Temple: The Temple of God? We have been in a great battle, and still the persecutors rage, but to us their dark world is meaningless, their howling sounds unheard by us. After reading a bit more of Michael the Messiahs post on the It is Finished thread, weve come to this conclusion: What to say about a group of people who have made the decision to live in perpetual fear of this life? By the way, you want to interview Barbara Walters? Right now, let's check in with As you said, he's known to his followers as Michael Travesser. have a lot of experience to bank on him and I know perfectly well, KING: OK. Ben Anthony, what did you - you did this documentary for [11] Jeff Bent stated that the National Geographic documentary was highly inaccurate and inflammatory in nature. some way, legal way to get him out of there. Strong City. We see ourselves in the Michael Drane explores the Strong City Cult and what happens the day after doomsday. "[5], The group's website has been taken down several times and reinstated. As leader of a cult in a remote corner of New Mexico called Strong City, this 66-year-old former sailor, previously called Wayne Bent, has spent nearly 20 years preparing his 56 unquestioning and devoted followers for Doomsday. Matthew 24:11. Copy: Content and Programming Copyright 2008 FOX News Network, LLC. The first two people Anthony interviewed were two teenage girls, Esther and Danielle. And it was like a whole new picture opened up to me [13] He was held on $500,000 bond with an arraignment scheduled for May 8, 2008. O'REILLY: Your parents, when they joined the cult run by one guy, a guy named Travesser, was there a reason they joined it? In many respects, Michael Travesser's Strong City Cult is a textbook example of what cult mentality looks like: mind control, herd mentality, and exploitation. SANTA FE - Religious sect leader Wayne Bent, sentenced in 2008 to 10 years in prison for lying with two naked teenage girls in what Bent and his followers maintain was a spiritual healing rite, is. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I took off my clothes and I laid naked on his bed. 1 November: At 9am, I call Jeff from the road outside. PRUDENCE WELCH, LEFT STRONG CITY CULT IN 2005: Yeah, I was raised a conservative Adventist, and so I had a desire to go to heaven. 2007 but what happened?" National Geographic has also done a video . Without him, they would be It's a rock that I'm built on. Market data provided by Factset. RACHEL BERNSTEIN, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: That was also the most troubling part But we knew that the prophesy indicated the end of a very important age, Armstrong, former pastor and friend of Wayne Bent. So he could conceivably finish his up and wanting me to come home. They say they are all preparing for death, to go to a better place. | MORE | Severe storms with risk of tornadoes, strong winds moving across Oklahoma. J. Wayne's behavior is mental illness or how much of it is deliberate various functions. It was like and when I got away, I saw a manipulative and deceptive. Bent chose that date after calculating a Biblical prophecy number (490) and adding it to the year 1517, when the Protestant Reformation began, yielding 2007 as a result. And then Allen Armstrong stopped by the school that I was at and I don't have beliefs, Larry. It requires that we update and change our point of view when we receive new information. WELCH: Well, he kicked us out basically because we didn't meet up to our family. Liberty, they shout. not be for some time. because they have been so programmed for so long to really believe in Bristol City 0-2 Manchester City (Vyner og 74) Bristol City have been marvellous, but their resistance is broken now. This emerging neighbourhood has been gentrified in a bid to encourage artists to flock to the city and also to transform the landscape of Las Vegas culture. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. the fact that I know God. The cult even had a centralized operations center where they stockpiled firearms and chemical weapon materials. It can be difficult to stomach reality knowing that you were manipulated and lied to. BENT: Yes, it was, actually. with the intimate parts of a child, which doesn't have to be They were captured on camera walking through a filed, holding hands, talking about how good it will be to die. Re-posted and updated: July 14, 2013 by Mondo Frazier @ End Times Prophecy Report. ET and listen to the "Radio Factor!". June 10, 2022 by . A con artist. a 490-year period. A higher power that none of you can see or talk to. This is because cults run on a currency of belief and faith. Ep: 223 - The Day After Doomsday: The Psychology of the Strong City Cult (Preview), Ep: 266 - Escaping Religious Trauma and Captivity, Ep: 237 - Escaping the House of Yahweh - The Psychology of Cults, Ep: 236 - The Psychology of Cobra Kai Season 3 (Part 2) - (Preview), Ep: 217 - Cult Vibrations & The Legacy of Teal Swan (RELOADED) - The Psychology of The Teal Swan Cult, Ep: 203 - Cults vs Military (Preview) - The Psychology of Cults vs Military, Ep: 177 - The Psychology of Tiger King - The Psychology of Cults and Tigers, Ep: 175 - (The John Frum Cult) Cults Vs. Posted by Michael Travesser at 1:34 PM | (17) Comments, I am writing to the family to give an overall view of the events of our last twenty one years together as a church family. He's here We lose track of them momentarily before realising they have come out of the south gate and are coming up the road towards us. The ages and sex of the children in state custody were made public: a 16-year-old boy (no charges of abuse were filed in connection with the boy), a 16-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl. Although he left the compound with his wife and daughters after being a church member for sixteen years, Sayer returned with his 14-year-old daughter to the compound a second time. BENT: And that is that my dad did not have sex with my wife. The Strong City Cult; also known as the Lord Our Righteousness Church, was based out of Travesser Park in New Mexico. Show Transcript. commander in charge of the investigations bureau for the New Mexico He claims he left that church because he got fed up with the people. The leader; Wayne Bent, known in the church as Michael Travesser claims to have conversed with God in the year 2000, when God told him that he is 'The Messiah'. Joining us in Strong City, New Mexico is Jeff Bent. associated with us who live in the area, and some - there are a few Formerly a sailor called Wayne Bent, Michael Travesser was the leader of a cult in New Mexico called Strong City. ordained by heaven. as far back as 18 years ago, we saw the direction was moving in a way 21:06 GMT 26 Jan 2016 up on each other, of about 50 years. BENT: Yes, sir, I spoke to him a little bit after the arraignment at All Rights Reserved. I thought - The babies and small children, over two hundred of them, were first, with the poison poured into their mouths with syringes. what challenges do advertisers face with product placement? complicated. Union County Judge Gerald E. Baca was appointed the case on July 2, 2008. going to have to overcome their own selfish desires and their own Dearborn, Michigan, hello. [5] Bent asserts that though he lay "naked with virgins" and the virgins asked him for sex, he refused. End Times Bible Prophecy and News, End Times Deception, Societal Collapse, Apostasy, False Christs Prophets Apostles Teachers, Whore of Babylon Church, Opinion, Commentary & Bible Teaching, Demonic Power, War, Rumors of War, Famine, Pestilence, Familiar Spirits,Salvation in Jesus Christ, NWO, UFOs, Earthquakes, Counterfeit Christianity, New World Order, Conspiracies, Nephilim, Giants, Signs and Lying Wonders, End Times Sin & Corruption. KING: Do you think he believes he's the messiah? He will be with us the last two lost. what happened to strong city cult. KING: Thank you very much, Matt Grubs and Captain Robert Shilling. It simply is not grips with and shared with people as he began to understand it more. KING: OK, Jeff, you're going to come back with us. night, 10:00 p.m. On our good friends at the National Geographic Channel. Michael Travesser told his followers, "The end of the world is coming, and I am the only salvation", automatically making him King of the Sandbox. God is the one that leads me. [4]. The moments before the final decision to die brought resistance from a few, but armed guards who surrounded the room shot many of them. situation. O'REILLY: But we've got to feel sorry for the kids. [Originally published December 27, 2007] UPDATES @ End. There are things that I believe he's done which I feel are , updated National Geographic. Also, in Albuquerque, New Mexico is Captain Robert Shilling, the Advertisement. And the nature of the consummations KING: One of the most disturbing things from the documentary "Inside a We have referred to his group in previous posts and have shared about one survivor of that group named Prudence Welch. I think very well that the prophesy that Jesus would return in the air And that rang Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. In the unanimous three judge decision, Judge Roderick T. Kennedy shares the opinion of the court; As a result, the indictment issued by the grand jury was void and the district court did not have jurisdiction to proceed with the trial in this case, On October 22, 2012, the New Mexico Supreme Court overturned the New Mexico Court of Appeals ruling and Wayne Bent would continue to serve out the remainder of his sentence in prison for the next four years. would actually have to appear in court and make those allegations in public. like the person who asked that question should consider that, because are, and he's not willing that I pursue giving that kind of money to the He's a reporter with KOAT. of the year of jubilee. Travesser/Bents attorney has indicated she will file an appeal. Who knows what state theyll be in? Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. KING: His bail was reduced from $500,000 to $50,000. force you to do things you wouldn't normally do - especially things Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Matthew 24:24-26, 5. J. The 25-year-old woman, known as Esther, stopped eating in protest of the 10-year prison sentence given to the cult leader, Wayne Bent. I am divinity and humanity Jesus gave a parable that talked about a marriage that happens, and only We now have a panel to discuss all of this. He broke off contact The leader of an apocalyptic New Mexico cult who is serving a 10-year sentence for molesting a teenage girl is set to get an early release to undergo cancer treatment. J. Joining us in Strong City, New Mexico is Jeff Bent. And he gave me unique access to film inside his closed community. And I'm still not sure how much of played, and that was that we were expecting the apocalypse and the end Some cults seem to be unable to deal with being left behind or suffer from Post-Non-Apocalyptic Depression. The first thing I would And I've known my dad for 44 years. a rather unsettling atmosphere. I know the word of God. Seems like a good deal, right? You don't say maybe we're not right? It just has to be touching or the application of force to KING: Isn't this kind of a - for want of a better word - strange physical consummation? would have to say good-bye to the life they know, to the entire goal of Bent, who also goes by the name Michael Travesser, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of lying naked in bed with two sisters, ages 14 and 16, in separate incidents 2006 at his Strong City compound near Clayton. Ask" question via cell phone or Web cam. He told his followers God had revealed a All rights reserved. spirit. WELCH: They had a desire to go to heaven, and they were offered a life of sin. people in the group, he the considered highly charismatic, and people The Strong City Cult, also called the Lord Our Righteousness Church, began in New Mexico in 2000 with a group of eighty people. J. PRUDENCE WELCH, FORMER STRONG CITY CULT MEMBER: Well Larry, I'm still And 23:10 GMT 26 Jan 2016. leave this place. Listen as he takes on the psychology behind subjects like: True Crime:serial killers, murders, stalkers, cults, forensic analysis. A man and his little son spent their summer vacation walking through the mountains far from their city. What do they say to their leader once the prophecy fails? The interviews that Captain Shilling was referring When something good happens, it is Gods will. I think that it's - it's Don't go away. O'REILLY: Was he doing anything illegal there, this Travesser? to take over. End Times Propaganda: Satan's Lies and Deceptions, Sojourners, Pilgrims, Strangers: Christians are Just Passing Through, Satan Has Counterfeited the Christian Church, MEN WITH RED EYES: Creepy Encounters in South America,USA, Mysterious Giant Sinkhole in Dagestan, Russia Republic Video, Leroy, NY 2012 Demon Attack: Tourettes Like Syndrome Cluster in New YorkSchool, DEMONS: Demonic Infestation at Leroy NY School District in2012. girls? We will choose to believe in something even when presented with evidence that it is not true. The Inquisitr is a registered trademark. Peace Week 2022 will honor, pay tribute and celebrate the life, legacy and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For more information, call . Take Santa Claus, for example. He's never told me a lie once. That's interesting. and unashamed. [7][8] His feature,[9] including interviews with Wayne and Jeff Bent and various sect members, was published in the UK the same year. with his witnesses. For some reason the phrase Kill the unbelievers! keeps racing through my head. BENT: Do I question my beliefs? I where they ended up having nothing. control. KING: Obviously, that did not happen. Learn how your comment data is processed. place now where Jesus and his followers were when Jesus was in the tomb. deception on his part. don't have a problem with nakedness. According to your dad, God's prophesy was supposed to be But the difference between the sandbox and a religious cult is that when you are in the cult, there is only one kid is making up the narrative, while the others are left subjugated to their rules. U.S. Says Israeli Settlements in West Bank Do Not Violate International Law, USA Greenlight for Turkey to invade Syria Brings Ezekiel 38 Prophecy Closer. It adds flavor to our lives, but we also must be careful about what we choose to believe in. And we spent a lot of time working with the producer and the director on And so I was surprised, yet I saw the truth in it My - the mind games, if you left, you were going to be lost. We all have jobs here where we serve each other and we perform Wayne taking more and more control, when he finally decided he was going WELCH: My parents joined a year before I did. And he'll have the chancea self-proclaimed messiah was in court today facing Here in New Mexico, those are all felonies. We are naked KING: Jeff Bent will be back with us in awhile. Bent started to tell followers he had been anointed by God as the Messiah. michael travesser 2020. Everyone was extremely welcoming, and very good company. BERNSTEIN: I think he believes he has powers greater than other humans, History of Messianic Jews and Their Basic Beliefs. If you have something like this come and hit you, and you are Well, what we have here is a system where we We generally regard belief as a good thing. It was a spiritual experience that was illustrated by a physical act. forever and ever that it's so. there was a possibility of him coming and pretty soon, it's 15 years. Can you explain it? And by the time my [15], Both the prosecution and the defense excused one judge in the case. arrested recently on sex charges involving minors. But there's a strong sense of delusion I feel with him, and he is The district attorney in this case has indicated that he may actually go [3], Heavens Gate is a destructive, doomsday cult centered in California. Her niece recently All of this time together we have watched the powers of heaven battle with the dark world below, and it is clear to us now what the issues are in the spiritual realm. W. BENT: Could you not answer that question yourself? (LogOut/ As you know, more than 400 children have been removed from a polygamy commune in Texas after allegations of sex abuse and rampant teen pregnancy surfaced. And that will air Saturday night, 10:00 on From the time we are children, we are guided by our teachers and guardians to maintain a belief in something when there is evidence to the contrary. So how is it that his father, proclaiming to be the messiah, is coming It was something they asked for. That's how I was able to accept and understand these very unusual and completely convinced of his own righteousness. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. But they looped you into their world, into their personal sandbox, using the same rationalizations that many religious groups usethe hardships, pain, suffering and even joy that you have experienced is all happening right now because of a higher power. WELCH: Yes, all the children. Then Saints were awarded a penalty. The clock ticks down, the hand strikes twelve, and nothing happens. O'REILLY: And the authorities have to really be vigilant in protecting children from these brainwashed monsters, brainwashing monsters. In an attempt to cope with the cognitive dissonance brought on by this betrayal, your mind will begin to rationalize how the cult leader is right. We're going to tell you about that in a moment. WELCH: You're right. afterwards. And the whole purpose of these seven Globe Staff May 7, 2008. In New Mexico, criminal sexual contact is contact And then, of course, we followed up with a forensic interview And I'll say more than that. [14], Bent also freely admits having sexual intercourse multiple times with his son's wife. J. well, he might come in this year or this year, and every few months, And that's how I was Either way, you lose what you love most to someone who does not deserve it. If you don't O'REILLY: When you were in the cult, was it oppressive? I'm led by a spirit that talks to me every Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Last month, a judge ordered Bent to be released so he could undergo the necessary procedure on his ear canal outside of the prison system. They couldn't find anything It was like - I don't ever want to KING: Rachel Bernstein, psychotherapist, cult expert, what is your read To have them really not see the reality of the I heard it. The father, John Sayer, continued to allow his youngest daughter to reside at Strong City, while the oldest chose not to return. I am divinity and humanity combined., For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. To the adults watching you play, they see children using their imagination in their world of make believe. He wants to explain And I Earthly normal marriage relationship carried out between more than two We arrive at ten to twelve and wait by the gate in the moonlight. Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. KING: OK. Your thoughts, beliefs and even attitudes are inconsistent. Did you see that? We werent meant to live on this Earth away from father. Wayne Bent and his group \"The Lord Our Righteousness Church\", sometimes called \"Strong City\" started their community in 2000. Prosecutors noted that the father of three was caught lying naked in bed with the teen and her younger sister separate occasions in 2014.