The End of the World Cult PDF

Preview

Summary

Dr. Ashley Wellman Contemporary Topics in CRJU Cults class. Class was mostly documentary-based....

Description

The End of the World Cult Wednesday, April 3, 2019

1:02 PM

• Young people talked with longing for the end of the world • "it is sworn in the Bible that it will occur, it will end, so we have are heart set on the promise that this will happen" • Remote area of New Mexico • Michael Travesser--Wayne Bent is the 66 year old man they worship--declared himself messiah, convinced them that God had revealed a prophecy to him that revealed the apocalypse • Jeff is Michael's son--"it's a great honor to be that closely associated with Messiah" "I'm not a good person, I'm evil" • "I was sitting in my chair and then God said to me you are my messiah" • Two witnesses left their homes--Michael insists God commanded them to start having sex with him, told their husbands that he was just following God's orders • Now all marriages and families are dissolved, members names have changed, have to give their all to Michael • 15 year old Matthew, only boy left in the cult • His savior seems more interested in girls • Last year, Michael held a ceremony with 7 virgins, one of the volunteers was a 14 year old girl • Parents of Healed, a 15 year old girl in the cult, have arrived with the police--"they are going to take her life by force" Jeff says • He laid naked with the virgins "I'm not keeping anything from you, I am answering your questions" • The only way to come to a resolution in life is to be naked before God • "I took of my clothes and I laid naked on his bed and he just held me and it was like a whole new picture of me from God" --young naked virgin • "I treated them with the same respect as if I was a physician with a naked person" • He does not think there is a distinction between a doctor and himself -- "I have more authority to touch the soul than an MD would"

• • • • • • • • • • •

•

himself -- "I have more authority to touch the soul than an MD would" "An MD is far more likely to think of sex when he is looking at women and their private parts" After this, 5 more naked virgins came, and 2 were underage Heal said she would kill herself if he did not sleep with her, but he did not because he would go to jail No children attend school, Michael says it is a bad influence God forced Michael to sleep with his son's wife--consummation "I stood up and suddenly I was forced down on the floor and I had to do it" "my parents started telling me all these things that weren't true about Michael, like he was perverted and weird" Here the children are taught: follow your conscience, do what God tells you He completely refused to accept responsibility for what he has done "the only view I feel like I have is the view the Father has given me" The members started running towards them and chanting on 31 October 2007 (supposed Doomsday), and then just went back to the house "he will be getting a new body"...