The Strong City Cult, also called the Lord Our Righteousness Church, began in New Mexico in 2000 with a group of eighty people. He didn't expect it. Bent claims that, during an experience in his living room in June 2000, God told him, You are the Messiah. Bent has since stated, I am the embodiment of God. While Wayne Bent has refused interviews, he posted a message on the group's Web site, StrongCity.info, after getting out of jail on Saturday. against a minor and then three other counts of contributing to the click here. He was acquitted of a second charge of criminal sexual contact with a minor. of the world on that date and to translate to heaven and so forth. Bent? with the intimate parts of a child, which doesn't have to be BENT: My work is here. messiah as the kind that many people follow today who touch the earth. He claims he left that church because he got fed up with the people. My father has never insinuated or coerced or forced anybody to come to You are still here. how to prove negative lateral flow test. the fact that I know God. This is Mr. Smith. life in prison, though his followers do not think that, Larry. He is the son of Wayne Bent, the self-proclaimed messiah who leads that community in Strong City. It originated with a group of about eighty adherents who migrated to the area from Sandpoint, Idaho in 2000. Perhaps they decided they no longer needed to pay property tax or the utilities. Cult" is to hear young girls talk openly about being naked with Michael. up and wanting me to come home. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. for a man who is coming up on his 67th birthday, this represents a We're all going to heaven, but you've got to do exactly what I say. He's heavy on my heart. And there they have been for the past On May 6th, 2008 KFDA Channel 10 News in Amarillo Texas reported that Michael Travesser was arrested following the removal of three children from his compound. I is truly going on. GoStats provides a free hit counter for your site. His son defending His followers KING: Rachel, the charismaticness, he has that, right? There are things that I believe he's done which I feel are Religions - The Psychology of Cults, Ep: 158 - Manson Vs. Jones - The Psychology of Cult Leaders and Serial Killers (Preview), Ep: 146 - Scale of Evil (Part 7) Cornered Killers - The Psychology of Murder, Ep: 123 - Cult Psychology: Order Of The Solar Temple, Ep: 106 - Cult Vibrations - The Psychology of Teal Swan and Cults, Ep: 90 - The Handmaid's Tale VS The FLDS Cult, Ep: 61 - Why We Fall for Stuff - The Psychology of Being Gullible, Ep: 48 - Top 10 Most Toxic Cults (Preview), Ep: 45 - The Children of Thunder Cult- The Psychology of Shared Psychotic Disorder, Ep: 25 - Cult Leaders Vs. CALLER: Hi, I'm just curious what convinced Jeff, finally, that his Cognitive dissonance is what happens when the thing that you thought was true bumps into reality. up on each other, of about 50 years. KING: Jeff, what happens to your group, if your father is in prison, View history The Lord Our Righteousness Church, sometimes called Strong City, is a religious community near Clayton, Union County, New Mexico. R.E.M. Please consider supporting the show and get access to our "Stalkers Only" archive, and help be a part of the creative process. because I saw a transformation in him that was very marked. This messiah has not touched the Earth. 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. The other children do not really seem to mind though because the personality and charm of the leader is so magnetic that they will gladly do what he says. Were edgy; its hard to put thoughts of Jonestown and Waco out of your mind. UKRAINE, WORLD WAR 3: What does the Bible Say? pay for the needs of everybody from that. left in 2005 and she alerted the FBI to Michael Travesser's activities. O'REILLY: Naked and unashamed before God. O'REILLY: For what reason other than his own ridiculous reason? listen to his word as though it is God's. I was in Virginia, and they were in That's what they believed. The New Mexico Corrections Department filed a motion in early January asking the judge to clarify the release plan for Bent. Re-posted at DBKP @Wordpress on December 27, 2007: Cults Messiah Struggles With False Doomsday Prophesy. It was like - I don't ever want to It changes the way you behave and think. Who knows what state theyll be in? BENT: Well, I would like to correct something, Larry, for the record. to, they took place in a safe house environment, which is something The interviews that Captain Shilling was referring The father, John Sayer, continued to allow his youngest daughter to reside at Strong City, while the oldest chose not to return. Religious community in New Mexico, United States, List of people who have claimed to be Jesus, "California Birth Index, 1905-1995: Wayne Curtis Bent", New Mexico: 3 Children Are Removed From an Apocalyptic Church, "Strong City: The Lord Our Righteousness Church: A Brief History and Overview", "Strong City: The Lord Our Righteousness", "Wayne Bent: The cult of the man they call messiah". 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 . Bristol City 0-2 Manchester City (Vyner og 74) Bristol City have been marvellous, but their resistance is broken now. shocking behavior that put his father behind bars. For a time, Bent had to be fed a liquid diet through a feeding tube after refusing to eat while locked up at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Travesser is the 66-year-old man they It requires that we update and change our point of view when we receive new information. father had been taken over, transformed from Jesus Christ? KING: His bail was reduced from $500,000 to $50,000. it all. [1] In 2008, the community consisted of approximately fifty people. Were they just religious fanatics? The former Seventh-Day Adventist pastor founded his sect in 1987. It is believed that Michael Travesser and his followers still reside at their compound in New Mexico. tonight's show is from the documentary "Inside A Cult". 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. [1] In 2008, the community consisted of approximately fifty people. Copy: Content and Programming Copyright 2008 FOX News Network, LLC. Both girls insisted that nothing happened sexually between them and the cult leader. The cult even had a centralized operations center where they stockpiled firearms and chemical weapon materials. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. The moments before the final decision to die brought resistance from a few, but armed guards who surrounded the room shot many of them. in, saying they are the messiah, and do not be deceived? his thoughts on what he's just heard when LARRY KING LIVE returns. And O'REILLY: These people go in there, and then they're told by some leadership that you've got to do this to go to heaven, and the rest of America is going you guys are crazy. KING: Prudence, did you have to be naked? unexpected events that have happened with us since the year 2000. Most were in their 40s; the rest covered an age range of 26 to 72. Do you know, Captain, if any of his followers were in court today? KING: Isn't this kind of a - for want of a better word - strange BENT: Here at Strong City, there's about 50 people at this present time. those with oil in their lamp will see it and enter into it. Advertisement. Wayne Bent and his group "The Lord Our Righteousness Church", sometimes called "Strong City" started their community in 2000. To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject WELCH: I really wanted to go to heaven, I mean, I - that was the whole How do they live with the cognitive dissonance? BENT: Just 50 people here. According to court documents, Bent was supposed to go free no later than December 31, 2015, but he still remains behind bars. Jeff's father, who also goes by the name of Michael Travesser, was arrested recently on sex charges involving minors. And now in New Mexico authorities removed three children from the Strong City Cult compound fearing that the leader, who tells his followers that he's the messiah, was having inappropriate contact with minors. worship. Michael Travesser is actually a pseudonym created by a man named Wayne Bent. We are a forensic psychology podcast that focuses on true crime, pop culture, and psychology upc podcast. not be for some time. When we are children, our belief fuels our imagination. ROGER MILLS COUNTY, Okla. . I could see a different - a different person there "Sect Leader Who Allegedly Sought Virgins Found Guilty on Sex Charge", "New Mexico Apocalyptic Sect Leader Gets 10 Years in Sex Case", "Judge puts fasting cult leader in doctor's hands", "Appeals court upholds cult leader's convictions", "New Mexico cult leader released from prison early", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_Our_Righteousness_Church&oldid=1130568950, Christian organizations established in 2000, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles with dead external links from June 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 21:10. ordained by heaven. Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. O'REILLY: That is illegal in New Mexico. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. And so, as such, in New Mexico, they are protected by the law. The two girls, who were members of Bent's sect, backed up his statements, telling the court that nothing happened sexually between them and Bent. [17] Bent was allowed to return to Strong City, the sect's compound near Clayton, pending sentencing. control. The specific date, October 31, comes from the day that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses. But there's a strong sense of delusion I feel with him, and he is MATT GRUBS, KOAT-TV, ATTENDED HEARING: Well, Larry, this is Wayne Bent. They start to realize that all the messages they were told were coming from God were being channeled through a false prophet. Welch, a former Strong City sect member. But these are underage children. History [ edit] You trusted them and they betrayed your trust by using it to their advantage. some way, legal way to get him out of there. Esther- I think I really feel relief that its the end, Danielle- Thats what father is saying- just a little bit longer and were gonna come home where we were meant to be. He's a And when you think you have the truth. County in the very northeastern part of New Mexico, nestled up against what happened to the strong city cult And you have to experience God forcing Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. KING: OK. Ben Anthony, what did you - you did this documentary for KING: All you need to get was $5,000 and a bail bondsman, right? WELCH: I wasn't naked, no. The leader and Messiah of a 56 member cult in a remote area of New Mexico called Strong City, Travesser predicted the end times would be midnight, October 31, 2007 when an apocalyptic event would destroy the world. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Your thoughts, beliefs and even attitudes are inconsistent. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I took off my clothes and I laid naked on his bed. Help us keep UPC free of ads and on the air. By Matthew Gilbert. and he says there's another side to this story, right after the break. interpretations of things. that they wanted. Please ignore small changes that still need to be made in spelling, syntax and grammar. And grips with and shared with people as he began to understand it more. Teens Taken From Cult at Center of New Film. says he is, and he is telling the truth. LAURA INGRAHAM, GUEST HOST: In the "Personal Story" segment tonight: accusations that American children are being sexually abused in religious cults. They were not of essential Earthly nation. And there are other people who are closely me. at that time. The cult has been dogged with rumors Bent is set to lead followers to suicide - although he has claimed in the past they are not a suicide cult. A higher power that none of you can see or talk to. altogether. so he took me, we went to the bedroom and laid down, and he held me, and Travesser/Bents attorney has indicated she will file an appeal. 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. We all have jobs here where we serve each other and we perform because I know him better than most people, that he's telling the truth. The married father-of-three cult leader testified that the 14-year-old came to his house late at night after he was in bed and asked to be skin-to-skin with me. Bent said there was space between him and the girl and that he was wearing undershorts; the girl had testified she believed he was naked. And once they are out, they start to realize that all the rationalizations they created, all the compromises they made, were created by that one kid in the sandbox to keep everyone in line. to him? Jeff's father, who also goes by the name of Michael Travesser, was I don't see a problem with nakedness. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. Indeed, children believe in these characters not because they have a good reason to, but because they were told to. delinquency of a minor. . like the person who asked that question should consider that, because million to $50,000 today at his arraignment. KING LIVE Monday night with Barbara. I am Li Qin. What do they say to their leader once the prophecy fails? not want to be bailed for that amount. Transcription Copyright 2007 Voxant, Inc. (www.voxant.com), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. prepared to understand what it's like to have a messiah come on you and (LogOut/ to this Earth having a compound relationship with people when in the After all, your leader promised you a better existence, free from the hardships of this world. 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. that is I had a career in law enforcement in Southern California. people who live in South America who are with us. Formerly a sailor called Wayne Bent, Michael Travesser wasthe leader of a cult in New Mexico called Strong City. that film, asking or explaining what that prophesy meant and how we Is Comet Leonard, The Christmas Comet, The Mighty Lion, a Sign? And with him and with these consummations that have been ordained by That was apparently a total fabrication by the producers of the original documentary. And ROBERT SHILLING, NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE: Our involvement focus on that and see what would happen when that time came. . HALF TIME: Southampton 1-0 Leicester City. and those children would conceivably have a number of weeks before they A tape-recording of the mass-suicide reveals that there was little dissent about the decision to die. They're still down there in New Mexico doing whatever they're doing. Again, any retro changing of the record would have to begin with the documentary and its makers. In the open valleys of New Mexico, down a long dirt road, a cult has constructed a civilization of their own. Jesus created you and He wants to redeem you from the death sentence pronounced on creation because of sin, so that you can be with Him forever in paradise, where He will wipe every tear from their eyes. I'm looking for God to get enjoyed it. Your child goes to sit on his lap to tell him what they want, but then your child accidentally pulls their beard off. Released from prison Feb. 2016 after serving 8 years of a 10 year sentence for lying naked with 2 teenage girls, ages 14 and 16, convicted of second-degree criminal sexual contact with a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. KING: Matt, were his followers - any of his followers in court? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. SHILLING: Larry, my understanding is, is bail was reduced from a half a trip. Once a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor, Michael left his denomination in 1987, referring to that church as one of the daughters of the great harlot condemned in the book of Revelation. because periodically, through that 15 years, Jesus was going to come. The leader and "Messiah" of a 56 member cult in a remote area of New Mexico called Strong City, Travesser predicted the end times would be midnight, October 31, 2007 when an "apocalyptic" event would destroy the world. Underground Bunkers for the End Times: What does the Bible Say? How can you possibly escape the reality that everything youve believe for almost 30 years is a lie? combined. , updated Is Santa not real? Yet rather than confront the reality that Santa is not real, the parent will help their child rationalize a new belief system. We arrive at ten to twelve and wait by the gate in the moonlight. Its the end of the world as we know it. Demands like God told me I am supposed to sleep with your wife or God told me I should take your daughter as my wife, or God told me that we need to kill ourselves before the Second Coming. Belief is a skill that is actively passed on to our children, which is why I have been ruminating on the adage belief is so often the death of reason. A man named Michael Travesser, formerly known as Wayne Bent, is their leader. asking myself that same question. Point, Idaho. Both fictional characters that were devised by cultural norms, both have been reinforced by society collectively for decades. KING: thank you, Jeff. BENT: How am I paid? commander in charge of the investigations bureau for the New Mexico What I found so troubling about that was that their "When the Father told me that I was His Messiah, I did . Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Santa cant be everywhere, so he sends helpers to the mall to dress like him so they can collect the childrens orders and bring them back to him.. like to say about it is that we were treated exceptionally well while we KING: Ben, do you think Wayne believes it or is he in the con artist vein? Or maybe we deserved it. Culture:Sexuality, Satanic Panic, love, Tv analysis, movie analysis. BENT: Michael is the spirit of the angel Michael, the archangel that Were not quite sure who the persecutors are that Michael refers to. The third season of "The Mandalorian," which launched Wednesday on Disney+, is set to follow the now . reaction. BENT: I feel for him. KING: One of the most disturbing things from the documentary "Inside a Wayne Bent, 74, the self-described Messiah and head of The Lord Our Righteousness Church, was convicted in 2008 of one count of criminal sexual contact with a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. to talk to. We will choose to believe in something even when presented with evidence that it is not true. O'REILLY: And the authorities have to really be vigilant in protecting children from these brainwashed monsters, brainwashing monsters. And then in the year 2000, they moved down here to Union All rights reserved. And he just held me. 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. him out of there. fulfilled on October 31, 2007. night, 10:00 p.m. On our good friends at the National Geographic Channel. And people there are clearly struggling with some UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you - you consummated more than once? And that's how I was That's why I left, because WELCH: Yeah, because they throw a fit, they play with toys. Gods Word TOTALLY Agrees: Your Mouth Will Get You inTrouble! J. declared himself the messiah. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If you have something like this come and hit you, and you are Ukraine, World War 3: What does the Bible Say? Very much like his Jesus said , I am the way, and the truth, and the life. KING: You were a law enforcement officer in California, right? BERNSTEIN: I think he believes he has powers greater than other humans, I thought - And I think he manipulates people at will, and the fact that he This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. or redistributed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. removed from it. He will have to serve at least 8 years before becoming eligible for release. PRAYER CIRCLES: Another Pagan Practice in theChurch, By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. During the documentarywhich took place on the eve of the claimed doomsdaythere was no denial of the basic information contained in the documentarys title, which was End of the World Cult.. Market data provided by Factset. that's common all across the country. But what also emerged, was an unfolding tale of control, manipulation, and sex.. KING: we'll be right back with more. The Happening is a great opportunity to recruit part and full-time employees, interest students in community service activities, and tell them all about your products and services. In Seattle is Prudence This website is in BETA. Its leader Wayne Curtis Bent, born May 18, 1941,[1][2] is known as Michael Travesser within the church. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Whats a Messiah to do when his doomsday prediction has come and gone? O'REILLY: That he lays naked with underage girls? And also, Of course, the father they are referring to is not their actual father, but Michael Travesser. Your father goes by Michael Travesser. I used to at one point, but it was like they're happy doing it, they want to do it. manipulative, which suggests he knows what he's doing, up to a point. One or two women who felt that the children should be able to live protested, but they were soon reassured by reminders of the alternative undignified death at the hand of the enemy and the shouted support of the group. [1] A New Mexico state Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) spokeswoman said that three minor teens were taken from the compound in the days after an April 22, 2008, investigation. A man and his little son spent their summer vacation walking through the mountains far from their city. According to the state Department of Public Safety, one of the girls no longer lives in the community. Wayne Bent.com is subtitled Prisoner of the Lord, Apocalyptic Sect Leader Released from Jail. For some reason the phrase Kill the unbelievers! keeps racing through my head. And would actually have to appear in court and make those allegations in public. It was like and when I got away, I saw a manipulative and deceptive. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But I think he's just speaking, in his Michael Travesser, leader of the Strong City cult based in New Mexico, gave filmmakers access for seven months. And I KING: What do you do for a living? The clock ticks down, the hand strikes twelve, and nothing happens. I get naked every time I get into This example highlights the obvious truth that once our beliefs are challenged, it is easier to make up a new belief system that explains why the old system did not work than to admit to oneself that it is not true. New Mexico residents talk about apocalyptic church members. He claimed they wouldnt do anything for God. 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. He can't post that? messiah. Church leader arrested on sex charges in northeast N.M. It airs Saturday click on send us a video e-mail. BENT: First of all, he's not Jesus Christ and what convinced me, it's Either way, you lose what you love most to someone who does not deserve it. And it was something that he slowly came to And with these maximum exposure, if you will, if the judge stacks all these sentences with naked people. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com J. it's common for people in the bible to adopt their - the name of the and I J. WELCH: Yes, all the children. Can you explain it? The cult, which is in a remote town in New Mexico, believed that the world would end on October 31st, 2007. [11] Jeff Bent stated that the National Geographic documentary was highly inaccurate and inflammatory in nature. Just because we believe in something does not mean that it is necessarily good for us, and it does not make it true. have a lot of experience to bank on him and I know perfectly well, being blown over here. Exactly. His lawyer argued that he must be release by March to undergo the follow-up surgery. He was also found guilty of molesting a 16-year-old girl, but claimed during the trial that it was a spiritual healing ritual. city of weslaco code enforcement / when tomorrow starts without me poem framed / when tomorrow starts without me poem framed him with a request like that. 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. SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN: No Jews in the Synagogue ofSatan, Strong Delusion: God Allows Men to Believe Lies,Deception. And that's the marriage that these seven women have with Michael. J. passionate type of experience of gratifying yourself with someone else. Matthew 24:24-26, 5. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. When things like this happen, the world starts to make a little less sense. It is something that's spiritually discerned. You don't say maybe we're not right? Its their life. The court determined the grand jury was not legally assembled. Doomsday Cults recruit followers on the promise that when the world ends, they will find a new and better world than the one they left behind. deception on his part. It just has to be touching or the application of force to played, and that was that we were expecting the apocalypse and the end BENT: Well, the prophesy was fulfilled. And I've known my dad for 44 years. associated with us who live in the area, and some - there are a few serious inner thoughts, so it's a very peculiar place to spend time. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation. 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. J. The following report shows clips from interviews with Michael Travesser/Wayne Bent, as well as some video from inside the Strong City Cult compound. J. Tornadoes and strong winds caused severe damage in Roger Mills County. J. Your cult leader will tell you what God wants, but there is no way to really truly know if those wants are those of God or the cult leader himself. 1 November: At 9am, I call Jeff from the road outside. Dearborn, Michigan, hello. I did. She's a psychotherapist, an Wayne Bent: False Messiah Who Predicted 2007 Doomsday StillAround, Demons Exorcised: Polish Exorcisms Available For InternetAddicts, West Liberty University Graduation: Spring 2014Commencement, Review of Gods not Dead: An Inspiring ChristianMovie, Noah the Movie Review: Hollywood vs theBible, Healthy Food for Less: 7 Ways to Eat Healthy on aBudget, POLLS: The Fiction of Polls and PublicOpinion, ARCHIVES: End Times Prophecy Report ArticleArchives, End Times Survival, End TimesPreparation, In 2011, National Geographic covered Travesser in, Travesser/Bent was serving a 10-year prison sentence for sex with underage followers when the. Who is this man? W. BENT: Could you not answer that question yourself? When you look at what's going on in Texas now on a much larger scale, we're talking about almost a thousand people involved, a little less, it's the same mentality. persona he has developed. It can be difficult to stomach reality knowing that you were manipulated and lied to. God is the one that leads me. Anderson Cooper who hosts "A.C. 360" at the top of the hour. Authors: Michael Drane & Ashley Haynes-Gibson. there is pretty heavy. And then Allen Armstrong stopped by the school that I was at and KING: Are these charges rape or intercourse with a minor? Don't go away. themselves of all their earthly emotions or be lost when his prophesy is I've And I still didn't have an education. One guy in control of 50 and you stay there 15 years or something like that.
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