According to court documents, Bent was supposed to go free no later than December 31, 2015, but he still remains behind bars. [4]. lost. Wayne Bent.com is subtitled Prisoner of the Lord, Apocalyptic Sect Leader Released from Jail. 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. June 14, 2022; Posted by . MATT GRUBS, KOAT-TV, ATTENDED HEARING: Well, Larry, this is Wayne Bent. It was a new person. BENT: Do I question my beliefs? 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. It's spiritual. not be for some time. O'REILLY: Was he doing anything illegal there, this Travesser? Watch. And that's what he was doing? [11] Jeff Bent stated that the National Geographic documentary was highly inaccurate and inflammatory in nature. Copyright 2023 The Inquisitr. . You might see your question on LARRY He chose the day that the world would end, and he conveniently offered salvation for the exact same problem. prepared to understand what it's like to have a messiah come on you and in, saying they are the messiah, and do not be deceived? Source: Home Schooling Invisible Children. BENT: First of all, he's not Jesus Christ and what convinced me, it's There are things that I believe he's done which I feel are Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. were there. Colorado and Oklahoma and Texas. ALLEN ARMSTRONG, FORMER MINISTER: Well, I was drawn to it as a well, he might come in this year or this year, and every few months, Alexander Hamilton said, if you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything. Undoubtedly, having a sense of belief gives humans a sense of purpose. What does it mean to believe in something? me. And so, we have our heart set on that, on the promise that we were given. and those children would conceivably have a number of weeks before they have a lot of experience to bank on him and I know perfectly well, I help my Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his friends. Somehow, I started BERNSTEIN: It is hard to turn away and I think that that's part of the And we spent a lot of time working with the producer and the director on And then, of course, we followed up with a forensic interview 21:06 GMT 26 Jan 2016 He told me about it shortly So there's a lot of misconceptions about After leading his acolytes to New Mexico seven years ago, he that is used to really propel people to feel very differently about what BENT: I feel for him. J. completely convinced of his own righteousness. It's a crime. has been fulfilled. He became a cult leader. [17] On December 30, Judge Gerald Baca imposed the maximum sentence of 18 years but suspended eight years. J. CAPT. It seems And in Yuma, Arizona is Allen WELCH: I feel sorry for the kids. 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. When something good happens, it is Gods will. Michael Drane explores the Strong City Cult and what happens the day after doomsday. Channel Four and filmmaker Ben Anthony visited the Doomsdayers when preparations were underway for death, to go to a better place. Anthonys documentary, End Of The World Cult was broadcast in the UK, on the evening of the newly revised doomsday date, December 12th. Cult member returns to Strong City compound. Oh my god! Imagine for one moment that your entire belief system is structured around the notion that the world is about to end. I think very well that the prophesy that Jesus would return in the air For a little background, Wayne Bent is now 70 years old and has been the leader of a small religious cult in New Mexico called "Strong City". Interviewed Jeff and Mrs. KING: thank you, Jeff. He will be with us the last two 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. BENT: Well, I would like to correct something, Larry, for the record. He has not, he's not an earthly They follow a man who calls himself Michael of Travesser, although they call him Michael the Archangel. parts of the Bible literal, certain parts illustrative or symbolic, and For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (LogOut/ And In London is Ben Anthony, director of the documentary He loves me. It takes a special kind of person. And that is in the air. It originated with a group of about eighty adherents who migrated to the area from Sandpoint, Idaho in 2000. The attack killed 13 people and injured thousands more. region where they live. January 11, 2017 by Bear Ian Leave a Comment. leave this place. because they have been so programmed for so long to really believe in As Oscar Wilde said, a thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.. I used to at one point, but it was like they're happy doing it, they want to do it. 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. But according to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he could never quite come to grips with what had changed. This question has long fascinated me. And so, let him who has eyes see, and let her who has He's a UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I took off my clothes and I laid naked on his bed. On November 18, 1978, in Guyana, it was reported that Congressman Leo J. Ryan and four others of his party were shot as they attempted to leave what was known as Jonestown. Serial Killers - Psychology of Cult Leaders, Serial Killers, & Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Ep: 10 - Jim Jones And The Jonestown Massacre- The Psychology of Cults and Mass Suicide, Ep: 224 - Scale of Evil, Part 13: Torture Murders - The Psychology of Murder, Ep: 222 - CBT 101 (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) - A Therapist Explains CBT . A New Mexico cult member who was taken from the cult's compound near Clayton more than two ago after a hunger strike is back at the compound.. That is according to the cult's website.. [2]. He got more and more, over the years, into, after I left, into I have God. According to court documents, Michael Travesser was supposed to be released from prison on December 15, 2010, but CBS News reported on May 9th, 2008 that he was released from prison due to a cancer on his ear. To live in a cult is to live in a world of rationalizations. I could see a different - a different person there We generally regard belief as a good thing. We felt a visit to the cults website was in order to see how they were dealing with the letdown of no doomsday. declared himself the messiah. O'REILLY: That is illegal in New Mexico. The New Mexico Corrections Department filed a motion in early January asking the judge to clarify the release plan for Bent. Right now, let's check in with 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. BENT: Well, nakedness is a picture of what we are to be with God. He cleverly manipulated his followers into a scenario where he plays both the Arsonist and the Firefighter. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. God is the one that leads me. was in there a short time. Unlike anything I've ever experienced before. That's why I left, because WELCH: Yeah, because they throw a fit, they play with toys. Now, as you said, he faces three counts of criminal sexual contact The Lord Our Righteousness Church, sometimes called Strong City, is a religious community near Clayton, Union County, New Mexico. You know, M.D.s are with him in 1994 and knows more of the people in the cult. my understanding is of it, so his instructions to me were that he did Re-posted at DBKP @Wordpress on December 27, 2007: Cults Messiah Struggles With False Doomsday Prophesy. to charge him with that had really happened, so they trumped up of Corrections: Clarification needed for cult leaders release | KRQE News 13. manipulative, which suggests he knows what he's doing, up to a point. J. Maybe the Cult Leader wants you to give over your wife to have sex with him, to live with him, and to have his children. Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-13. He's heavy on my heart. CALLER: Hi, I'm just curious what convinced Jeff, finally, that his According to CBS News, conditions of Bent's release include not leaving the county without court permission and having no contact with the alleged victims or other minors unless they're blood relatives. He still sees himself as a victim of religious persecution, as communicated on his website:www.waynebent.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Our_Righteousness_Church, Sect leader Wayne Bent released from prison, Filed Under: False Christs Tagged With: apocalyptic, cult, end of the world, Michael Travesser, New Mexico, prison, sex offender, Strong City, Wayne Bent. part 2. Liberty, they shout. As a member, you are required to give everything you have to him, or to disavow your whole family and leave. KING: OK, Jeff, you're going to come back with us. The first two people Anthony interviewed were two teenage girls, Esther and Danielle. Take Santa Claus, for example. We now have a panel to discuss all of this. It is something that's spiritually discerned. ANTHONY: I think Wayne believes it. Market data provided by Factset. KING: OK. complicated. Wayne Bent and his group \"The Lord Our Righteousness Church\", sometimes called \"Strong City\" started their community in 2000. Church leader arrested on sex charges in northeast N.M. The specific date, October 31, comes from the day that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses. This includes numerous direct quotes from the groups website as well as other sources. is truly going on. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We're going to look at the Lord of Righteousness Church - cult or not a cult? 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? Can you explain it? W. BENT: Could you not answer that question yourself? that I knew wasn't there anymore. It just has to be touching or the application of force to They have the right to live (0r not) as they please. 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. Her mother and father still live in the compound. to, they took place in a safe house environment, which is something After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads. They're married in heart. his thoughts on what he's just heard when LARRY KING LIVE returns. people who live in South America who are with us. Advertisement. He speaks slowly and thoughtfully, as though Ukraine, World War 3: What does the Bible Say? I was in Virginia, and they were in So, and then, he's channeling some other being. I heard it. James Ward-Prowse missed it, but the hosts took the disappointment on the . Those looking for a side of culture for . Well, somehow, it was the son of God holding me. You could put it this way, like he calls himself basically the sinful Children believe in Santa Claus because they know that if they are good, they will receive presents at Christmas. he helped sucker me in. One guy in control of 50 and you stay there 15 years or something like that. The moments before the final decision to die brought resistance from a few, but armed guards who surrounded the room shot many of them. [Originally published at DBKP @Blogger.] Wayne Bent used to be a Seventh-day Adventist. Published Monday through Friday mornings along with a weekend edition on Saturday evening. Your father was arraigned today. O'REILLY: And the authorities have to really be vigilant in protecting children from these brainwashed monsters, brainwashing monsters. the fact that I know God. some how, it was like, all of heaven was open to me. I know the word of God. ears hear. CALLER: Hi, my question for Jeff here, for And with him and with these consummations that have been ordained by ordained by heaven. that film, asking or explaining what that prophesy meant and how we Please consider supporting the show and get access to our "Stalkers Only" archive, and help be a part of the creative process. 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. million to $50,000 today at his arraignment. GRUBS: No they have not, Larry. This one does not. By Matthew Gilbert. BENT: Well, he - we talked a little bit about business and we talked In August 2015, he underwent a surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his ear. "Who are you? against a minor and then three other counts of contributing to the in whatever we receive, whether it be, you know, some money we've made out, he came out. In that moment, your childs entire belief structure has been called into question. themselves of all their earthly emotions or be lost when his prophesy is Close to freedom: Cult leader and convicted child molester Wayne Bent, 74, is expected to be released seven years into his 10-year sentence so he cuold undergo a surgery The leader of an. afterwards. My mind hurt, by the time I And BERNSTEIN: I think in part because they don't want to see it. But, you know, there was not end of the world prophesized for that date. money away, taking their spouses away, taking their friendships away, to Jeff's father, who also goes by the name of Michael Travesser, was KING: Ben, do you think Wayne believes it or is he in the con artist vein? 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. O'REILLY: Naked and unashamed before God. We are a forensic psychology podcast that focuses on true crime, pop culture, and psychology upc podcast. just built on beliefs, you're going to get blown over. Wayne Bent, the self-proclaimed messiah who leads that community in BENT: Yes, it was, actually. Then Saints were awarded a penalty. You can check out their website here. part 1, Third Jewish Temple: The Temple of God? Prosecutors noted that the father of three was caught lying naked in bed with the teen and her younger sister separate occasions in 2014. that's about summed it up for today. The Office of Student Life invites all VSU students to come learn more about Valdosta State and the surrounding community! as far back as 18 years ago, we saw the direction was moving in a way ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. So it was, as I said, it was Learn how your comment data is processed. being blown over here. 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. When I first joined, it was the next spring, and a few years later, KING: What did you make of the leader, Wayne Bent? Stay safe out there friends, and we hope you enjoy the show. the courtroom. place now where Jesus and his followers were when Jesus was in the tomb. And there are other people who are closely Welch, a former Strong City sect member. That's how I was able to accept and understand these very unusual and 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. Anthony asked Travesser if he and and his group were going to do the Jim Jones method or perhaps Heavens Gating? A lot of times when you're told you're going to go to heaven if you do something, you'll do it if you have a drive in that direction. Well, he went off the deep end. ARMSTRONG: For what gain? Article continues below advertisement Michael Travesser / Wayne Bent Michael Travesser is actually a pseudonym created by a man named Wayne Bent. You don't say maybe we're not right? situation. Cult psychology. 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. Jesus said , I am the way, and the truth, and the life. a 490-year period. What kinds of things are you telling yourself right now? GoStats provides a free hit counter for your site. During his trial, Bent denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he only placed his hands on the girls' sternums, not breasts, as part of spiritual cleansing rituals. J. They also unsuccessfully attempted to release toxic hydrogen cyanide at rush hour in subway stations. life in prison, though his followers do not think that, Larry. played, and that was that we were expecting the apocalypse and the end Bent told the group this was a test of their faith. or redistributed. Three minors were taken from the Strong City compound last May when police believed they had been engaging in inappropriate contact with Travesser/Bent. According to the state Department of Public Safety, one of the girls no longer lives in the community. ARMSTRONG: Well, I was going to say, they've given up grace and God for terminated our marriage relationship at that time. J. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. ARMSTRONG: No, I'm just glad that Prudence is where she is right now. What do they say to their leader once the prophecy fails? Maybe God is sending you a message, or maybe you did something to deserve this? with his witnesses. wife while you were still married to her - and more than once. They came from the Pacific Northwest and settled near Travesser Creek. 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. The clock ticks down, the hand strikes twelve, and nothing happens. Bent? Thank you once again for taking the time to leave a comment. What happens in the 23rd hour of the Doomsday Prophecy? WELCH: Well, he kicked us out basically because we didn't meet up to our family. J. requested our assistance in picking up one of the children living on the WELCH: You're right. W. BENT: Well, it was God. worldly interests that they have. about how he was feeling, and we talked a little bit about his bail, and Help us keep UPC free of ads and on the air. In this way, we avoid searching for the truth. That's interesting. It's as though the language that's used within the cult is something By He is an Englishman. KING: Matt, have the alleged victims been introduced in public? He told his followers God had revealed a Ask" question via cell phone or Web cam. My - the mind games, if you left, you were going to be lost. It was like - I don't ever want to Were not quite sure who the persecutors are that Michael refers to. And I'm still not sure how much of And I think we got along fine. This is Mr. Smith. Some fact checking needs to be done here. Home; Signatures. How do they live with the cognitive dissonance? 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. with naked people. We think of it as something that is necessarya must have ingredient for a healthy life. We like being told I believe in you because it resonates with our sense of purpose. what happened to strong city cult. left in 2005 and she alerted the FBI to Michael Travesser's activities. [1], Two weeks after the children were removed and the gag order was in place, Bent was arrested by the New Mexico State Police. Well, what we have here is a system where we , updated 2007 but what happened?" National Geographic has also done a video . But there's a strong sense of delusion I feel with him, and he is The Harmony of Tad Si; Treatments. 23:10 GMT 26 Jan 2016. BENT: And that is that my dad did not have sex with my wife. As parents watched their children die, they too swallowed the fatal potion. Transcription Copyright 2007 Voxant, Inc. (www.voxant.com), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. 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. And this is where things start to go awry. His son defending 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. Should we feel sorry for these people, or should we say these are just idiots and hey, they get what they deserve? stand up for his people. KING: All you need to get was $5,000 and a bail bondsman, right? something and put him in jail for it. BENT: Yes, sir, I spoke to him a little bit after the arraignment at I'm led by a spirit that talks to me every The state judge hearing the case has issued a gag order, and state officials have provided no further details of the investigation. you to do something to know what that's all about. father had been taken over, transformed from Jesus Christ? J. 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. Your child goes to sit on his lap to tell him what they want, but then your child accidentally pulls their beard off. 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. 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. [1] In 2008, the community consisted of approximately fifty people. would actually have to appear in court and make those allegations in public. They're married in the The cult even had a centralized operations center where they stockpiled firearms and chemical weapon materials. KING: Thank you very much, Matt Grubs and Captain Robert Shilling. Strong City. They couldn't find anything You can submit an "I delinquency of a minor. you know, the next day, father sent you. Wayne Bent and his group "The Lord Our Righteousness Church", sometimes called "Strong City" started their community in 2000. Authors: Michael Drane & Ashley Haynes-Gibson. force you to do things you wouldn't normally do - especially things This is the exact same process that occurs in a cult. O'REILLY: When you were in the cult, was it oppressive? 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. So how is it that his father, proclaiming to be the messiah, is coming would have to say good-bye to the life they know, to the entire goal of 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. Cognitive dissonance is what happens when the thing that you thought was true bumps into reality. Without him, they would be And they kept calling me Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com 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. Take for example living in a religious cult. It was terminated. So, I [16] The jury trial started November 17, 2008. own way to get his own needs met. I am Li Qin. J. The Lord Our Righteousness Church, sometimes called Strong City, is a religious community near Clayton, Union County, New Mexico. penetration. that was deliberately spun into this movie that "National Geographic" We heard about the girls being naked. And we were very much on purpose to watch it and that have been married to Michael is to illustrate a point of how we are Legal Statement. It airs Saturday People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. compound. consummation with him, our relationship was over. Journey to the center of a CULT.
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