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T h e G R E E N Y w o r l d D o m i n a t i o n T a s k F o r c e
Presents:
"Bob Larson Parts 3 & 4"
GwD, Incorporated is dedicated to the exposing of false prophets. We have found
one such "prophet" in Bob Larson of Bob Larson: Live and formerly of Talk-Back
with Bob Larson. A supposed Christian radio evangelist, Bob Larson is actually
only motivated by financial gain. These 14 articles by Kenneth L. Smith prove
this. From this point on, GwD is anti-Bob Larson.
PART 3
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 16:12 EDT
From: "Scott.Mikusko" <21922SM@msu.edu>
Subject: Bob Larson / CPR review of Smith
This edited posting was the response of the editor of the Christian Press
Report, an electronic newspaper out of California. This response was posted
along with _The Two Faces of Bob_ in the June issue of CPR.
From the June issue of CPR, Christian BBS out of California
( 619-487-7746 ):
CHRISTIAN PRESS REPORT - AN ELECTRONIC NEWSPAPER
~ Why We Published These Items...
As is mentioned elsewhere in the Christian Press Report,
we hope that the items we publish will, first and foremost,
inspire our readers to pray. Second, we hope that our
news stories will lead you to praise, protest, or take
other appropriate actions.
Ken Smith's expose on Bob Larson is no exception.
However, as the editor of the CPR, I must say that I have
been very reluctant to print Ken Smith's article. I
believe that matters of church discipline should be
handled by the church, rather than by outsiders. Ken
Smith, by his own admission, is not a Christian (or, in
his words, "no longer a professing Christian").
Over the past few years the immoral, sinful practices of
many prominent Christian leaders have been exposed.
Unfortunately, more often than not, it wasn't the Church
that called the charlatans, adulterers and thieves to
task, but rather the world.
What can we do, though, when the Church (including
Christian journalists, writers and publishers) refuses
to confront sinful behavior by one of its own?
[ biblical quotes regarding sinful behaviour and
Christian responsibility deleted - Scott ]
Like I said, I was reluctant to print Ken Smith's article,
mainly because Ken is not a part of the Church.
Nevertheless, truth is truth. Truth is not ambiguous.
That's why I hope that Ken's articles will indeed inspire
our readers to pray - pray for Bob Larson, pray for the
Christian press, and also pray for Ken Smith (please also
pray for Ken's father who, at "press" time, was hospitalized
with a ruptured aorta).
For the record, I have been able to verify some of the
information Ken has presented, have talked with one of his
main sources (who himself is known by others in the
Christian community as a respectable Christian), and have
sought the counsel of several Christian leaders - all of
whom encouraged me to go ahead and publish this information.
I do not necessarily agree with all of Ken's views. For
one thing, I happen to like _Christianity Today_ (a magazine
known for trying to present a well-balanced point of view
on even the most controversial issues), am a great fan of
_World_ (which I consider to be one of the finest Christian
News Magazines available), and appreciate the ministry of
the _Evangelical Press Association_ (without whom Christian
journalists and publications would miss lots of information
and support).
I am confident, however, that in publishing this information,
the Christian Press Report is doing the right thing. As
always, we welcome letters and E-mail responses from our
readers.
Stand-alone copies of Ken's two articles and this
editorial will be available for downloading from Christian
BBS Abba II. The file name to look for is LARSON-0.ZIP.
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 16:11 EDT
To: revc@garg.Campbell.ca.us
From: "Scott.Mikusko" <21922SM@msu.edu>
Subject: Bob Larson: Looking Out for Number One.
Bob Larson: Looking Out For Number One
In my previous CPR articles concerning Bob Larson, I have focused on his
financial affairs, and his inability to deal with honest scrutiny. But the most
intriguing part of the Bob Larson story is how his vision of himself has molded
the ministry which bears his name.
As you might expect, Larson is not that eager to make BLM's deepest, darkest
secrets available to us, but his generous employees have been more than able to
fill in most of the gaps. In recent weeks, significant new sources of
information have come forward, and fresh caches of internal Ministry memos have
surfaced. And now, the picture of everyday life behind the walls of Larson's
third-floor fortress seems clear enough that the story can be told. It is a
most disturbing tale -- of a world of smoke, mirrors, and startling
contradictions.
Secrets of Freemasonry Revealed:
Two o'clock. The music rolls, and Bob Larson leans into the microphone:
"Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Henry Lee Lucas, and Charles Manson.
Kids will soon be bartering these serial killers on trading cards
thanks to a California company that's recently introduced the
series. In addition to horror films and violent
books, the media have taken one more step contributing to
adolescents' evil addictions."1
To the casual listener, Larson seems urbane, eloquent, and possessed of an
astounding memory. His many impassioned pleas are straight from the heart --
and totally off-the-cuff. His command of Scripture is as fine as his control of
the callers. But on Talk-Back, nothing is left to chance. Even when Bob Larson
talks about Bob Larson, he is reading from a script. This Larson speech came
from the pen of staffer Mary Kilgannon:
"I've been threatened by a bullet in the brain. I've also
been warned that I may be offered as a satanic sacrifice. For
weeks, I've been told by death metal rockers and sinister
Satanists that I'm to die today. But I'm still alive and in
God's service...."2
That Larson should read his opening lines is hardly surprising. But the
extent to which Talk-Back is scripted, pre-packaged, and painstakingly
orchestrated is remarkable. His openings, monologues, and wrap-ups are totally
canned; he even reads the phone numbers.3 And, as the following snippets from
an internal Ministry memo written by Kilgannon (initialed by her and substitute
host Bonnie Bell) suggest, everything from what Bob says between callers to why
he says it is menu-driven':
"TOPIC: BOB BATTLES BACK
DATE: FRI 8-28-92
SLANT: Your donors let you down earlier in the week. Then,
they abandoned Bonnie while you were called by God to
write your sequel. Instead of supporting your efforts
to help the abused, donors have financially and
spiritually abused you and this ministry....
WHY I'M DOING THIS SHOW:
*I had to take time out of my hectic schedule to rescue
yesterday's show. Members of my staff called in a panic because
you didn't support this ministry. I'm called by the Lord to
write the sequel to Dead Air, and I couldn't count on you....
BULLETS:
*I don't like having my private time writing this book with the
Lord to be interrupted. But you force that on me....
*I've got one day left to save stations. Yesterday's show could
mean the loss of major stations.
*If you believe in the mission of this ministry, it's time you
supported it."4
In essence, Larson is like a network anchorman. Even his knowledge of
Scripture is prompted -- for instance, in the "Gay Power" episode, a Larson
employee provided him with a list of Bible verses addressing homosexuality.5
The only actual variable is the callers, and every effort is made to control
them as much as possible. A prospective caller must first run the gauntlet of
Larson's call-screeners -- who, for the most part, are instructed to give him
the kind of callers that he wants. If he wants to have an argument, they screen
out his supporters. If Bob gets into trouble, and the show is going poorly, a
stream of "Bob-backers" miraculously appears. And the final few minutes of the
show generally are reserved for those who would praise him.
When the screener decides that a caller is to appear on the program, the
office machinery goes into action. If he or she has been on Talk-Back before,
the screener performs a background check. Vital statistics (e.g., age, sex,
caller's location) are flashed on Bob's screen, and, if an earlier call was
particularly poignant, the tape is pulled from Ministry archives and given to
him. And he always "just happens" to have it in the studio....
More than a year ago, Westword reported that Larson actively courted
"exhorters": Christians who would appear on his broadcasts, on cue, to sing his
praises.6 Other sources close to Larson have confirmed that charge; former BLM
vice-president Lori Boespflug went so far as to say that then-Compassion
Connection director Margo Hamilton would "call up her kids" and prompt them into
giving on-air testimony.7 And now, an internal memo further fans those flames:
"TO: BOB
CC: TAMMY, CC STAFF, DEANN
FROM: MARGO
DATE: 7/10/92
SUBJ: TODAY'S SHOW, HOPE LINE STORIES
_______________________________________
4) HOPE LINE STORIES:
* Due to the sensitive issue of exploitation of HOPE line
callers who wish to remain anonymous I want the referral
operators to ask HOPE line callers who are enthused about
the help the [sic] received to give us a number to call
them during the show and speak directly to you about the
help they've received."8
To the casual observer, the sudden appearance of these formerly distressed
callers seems too remarkable to be the result of naked chance. It would appear
that divine intervention can be ruled out, as well.
The Prophet Motive:
Talk-Back is not a ministry; it is a business. And Bob Larson runs it like
one. His obsession with the bottom line is painfully clear in this snippet from
a June, 1992 memo:
"The following is Bob Larson's analysis of reports compiled by
Debbi and memos prepared by her and Bonnie covering: year end
reports 1991; month end stats; large donor analyses....
YEAR END OVER THE AIR ANALYSIS
1. Accounted for 52% of revenue in 1991 and 1990 and 51% 1989.
CONCLUSION: Half of revenue is raised at "point of sale" by
impulse response by emotional live appeals.
2. Success if a combination of campaign themes, premiums and
good caller." [sic]9
Larson's call screeners are forced to balance his need to have "good caller"
and an honest desire to offer help to those which ask for it. And sometimes,
the callers' interests lose. In World's January, 1993 expose, former Ministry
employee Tammy Brown created a firestorm when she charged:
"Bob would put [callers] on hold and we would have to
manipulate them, push them over the edge so they could
go back on the air with Talk-Back and be saved by Bob
Larson ... We had to push until they said, 'OK, I need
God'."10
Sound ministry doesn't always make for riveting drama. But money is the name
of Bob Larson's game -- you have to grip the audience to grab hold of their
checkbooks. And in the cold, hard world of radio ministry, there is bound to
be a certain amount of human carnage. The following is from a 1992 letter to
Bob from a Washington therapist:
"One client recently wrote to you [name withheld] ... She also
worked up her courage to phone you last week. What she had
hoped for was encouragement and prayer from you and your Hope
Line. What she received was something quite different. After
briefly talking to you on the air, she was passed on to a woman
on the other line. This woman told her that you believed she
was multiple. She then began asking [name] questions about her
abuse. Had she been involved in group sex? Sex with animals?
Had her father ever dressed her in white? ...and more. [Name]
answered no to these, and she then asked if she could produce
an alter who knew about these things. [Name]'s system does not
operate on command' so she answered No. The woman said she
would then put her on hold, and when she came back on the line
she wanted to talk to an alter. When she returned, and no
alter has appeared, she basically said we can't help you, and
hung up. [Name] called several more times, wanting prayer, and
perhaps someone who would validate and affirm her.... When she
told her name, she was actually hung up on."11
Judging by this excerpt (from an anonymous letter to the editor of the
Colorado Christian News), the Washington woman's story is not at all unique:
"I have been a caller on TALK-BACK on more than one occasion.
On each of these occasions, after placing me with the referral
operator, Bob would begin pleading with the audience for a
thousand dollar champion' or a five hundred dollar hero'
[sic] in order to help me.
Although Bob told his audience that he needed the money to
help me, he in fact did nothing of the sort. He would not
accept my calls nor would he answer my mail. At one point, one
of his staff promised a therapy program, saying they had in
fact called for counseling in reference to me and it was a
matter of my waiting. When the wait became too long, I decided
to check it out myself. They said they had no idea what I was
talking about. BLM had never contacted them."12
Still, in the midst of all this misery, some ministry does in fact get done.
Unfortunately, the bulk of it is done by the Compassion Connection affiliates.
All BLM does is make referrals, from what is nothing more than a computerized
telephone directory.
At one point, Compassion Connection was a more noble endeavor. But in an
apparent response to Larson's divorce, Salem Broadcasting president Ed Atsinger
cancelled the show on several crucial stations. That derailed Bob's gravy
train; as a reaction, he decided to make drastic cuts in program services:
TO: BOB
CC: ANGELO
FROM: MARGO
DATE: 11/26/91
SUBJ: CC CUTBACKS
===============================================================
THE FOLLOWING ARE IMMEDIATE CUTBACKS WE CAN IMPLEMENT INTO COM
PASSION CONNECTION TO COMPENSATE THE LOSE OF THE SALEM STATIONS
[sic]
1) HOPE LINE HOURS: Immediate cutback of Saturday hours.
We should let Randy know ASAP.... [approved by BL]
8) CC INTERVENTION: We have promised Eric we would fly him to
San Diego [they eventually paid $165 for a bus ticket13]
and Amy is coming closer to a decision about moving to
Albuquerque. I propose we support them in their moves, but
put an immediate freeze on other crisis intervention
financially supported by the ministry and rely solely on the
database and the Friendship connection until we can resume
ministry intervention [approved by BL]."14
Of course, the desperate financial climate would not deter Bob from funding
projects essential to the Ministry's mission ... like installation of a
broadcast studio in his mountainside mansion, only minutes from his Lakewood
office.15
I Love Myself...:
It seems that almost every aspect of Bob Larson Ministries is bathed in a
torrent of hypocrisy. This spiritual heir of Billy Sol Hargis is constantly
trapped between the demands of his public persona and his compulsive need to be
important. And as such, the simple act of telling the truth -- one most of us
find to be second-nature -- becomes an overwhelming task.
On his Jan. 29, 1993 broadcast, Larson claimed that he "always flies coach,"16
unless he earns frequent flier upgrades. And again, internal BLM documents cast
grave aspersions upon that claim. A memo dated Nov. 10, 1992 listed Bob's
itinerary for an Apr. 2, 1993 appearance in Columbus, Ohio, indicating that he
would be sitting in seat 4C (first class) on both legs of that trip, and the air
fare would be $728.17. Likewise, his October, 1992 trip to Cleveland cost the
Ministry $855, and again, he was sitting in the first cabin.18 But even for Bob
Larson, there are limits: on a recent trip to Vancouver, he actually DID fly
coach.
On George Orwell's fictional Animal Farm, all animals were equal ... but some
were more equal than others. It seems that, on a recent trip to Scottsdale, Bob
Larson wouldn't suffer the indignity of having to stay in the stables with the
hired help. While Larson employees Linda Brown and Bonnie Bell doubled up in a
modest $105 room at the Red Lion Inn, Bob Larson (using Dane Roberts, one of his
pseudonyms) was enjoying life in a $215/night room at the nearby Marriott.19
And for Larson, that almost qualifies as slumming it -- according to Lori
Boespflug, Bob prefers to stay at the Phoenician, where high-season rates for a
room with a view exceed $300.20. His computerized address book contains phone
numbers for such humble abodes as the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, The Beverly
Hills Hilton, and the Hyatt Regency San Francisco.21 Granted, he's not the
Donald, but it is fair to say that he travels well.
Former Larson confidants have told me that he is so completely self-absorbed
that he even keeps an 8" X 10" glossy picture of himself on his desk! [If you
saw his cameo appearance in the recent HBO special on Satanism, you might have
noticed it in the right-hand side of the screen.22 One can just picture the
inscription: "To Bob Larson -- All my love. Bob Larson."] And, at a Mark
Russell concert, this balding man of nearly fifty bounded on-stage with an
almost childlike glee ... to have his picture taken with the patron saint of
political satire.23
As Christianity Today reported, and former employees have confirmed, Larson is
a perfectionist.24 Perfectionists do have a penchant for dwelling on the
negative, and, for all his accomplishments, Larson has borne his share of
failures. Like David Koresh, he never quite made it as a rock star. He dropped
out of college, failed in his marriage, couldn't really cut it as a legitimate
novelist. Even the one thing insiders insist he has wanted more than anything
else -- a son -- has been denied him. After almost a decade of psychotherapy,25
and almost thirty years "in the Lord's work," inner peace has been denied him.
As an anonymous BLM employee observed in a letter to Salem Broad casting
president Ed Atsinger:
"It's also known that Mr. Larson is a psychotic person who
doesn't really like himself and needs the constant cajoling of
others such as his psychologist [presumably, his psychotherapist,
Dr. Kenneth Mesplay26 of many years and one or two close
employees who he uses until something better comes along. He
leaves them betrayed and dismayed at the meaning behind the man
and his ministry...."27
Bob Larson is a man lashing out in pain. And, like the wounded bear in the
cave, he will attack anything which comes his way. He has lost the capacity to
help others, for he can no longer even help himself.
Jailhouse Rock?:
Bob Larson is a statistician's nightmare. He hurls figures like the young
Nolan Ryan threw fastballs: at least 100 miles per hour, and not all that
accurately. In his January 4, 1991 appeal letter to donors, he lamented that,
"With our air time costs more than double what they were two years ago, our
income is actually less than it was then."28 And in his February 4 follow-up,
he wrote:
"Now, I'm faced with the most critical decision since TALK-BACK first
went on the air!
What do I do with a $213,000 deficit last year?
Will I have to cut back 1 or 2 days of TALK-BACK?"29
Taken together, the letters paint a picture of a ministry in serious financial
distress. Yet, in reality, Bob Larson Ministries was in the veritable flower of
fiscal health. Ministry tax returns revealed that revenues for 1990 had
actually increased by more than $1.5 million, as compared to 1988.30 The
Ministry's Stewardship Report showed a profit of more than $500,00031; the
deficit reported in February was nowhere to be found. Similarly, the tax
return revealed cash reserves of more than $1.5 million ... after making an
unscheduled $1 million principal payment on the building it owns.32
Still, Larson's cries of poverty continued. In his December 2, 1991
fundraiser, he told donors that, "Because our finances are so low, I'm sorry I
can't make any offers available."33 He repeated that claim in a February, 1992
appeal letter,34 despite the fact that the Ministry's annual audit was completed
the day beforehand, and its' audited financial statements showed a $246,000
profit for the year.35
That Bob Larson made these misrepresentations consciously and deliberately is
beyond question. Each show is rated for its financial productivity, and
Ministry accountants generate a dizzying array of donor statistics. Pledges are
categorized by day, week, donor, and station; full histories are kept on
stations, donors, and appeal letters. Even the daily deposits were compared to
previous year figures. And everything that has anything to do with Ministry
finances is routed to Bob.
A certain measure of exaggeration is tolerated -- and to some degree expected
-- in the typical fundraising letter. Yet, there are limits; Bob Larson's
fundraising regime appears to have crossed into the realm of outright mail
fraud.
In one of those indecipherable 175-word sentences for which our federal
government is rightly famed, 18 U.S.C. =1341 sets out the offense in
excruciating detail:
"Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme
or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property
by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations,
or promises ... for the purpose of executing such scheme or
artifice or attempting to do so, places in any post office
or authorized depository for mail matter...."36
Roughly translated, any fundraising scheme which uses the U.S. mail, and is
reasonably calculated to deceive persons of ordinary prudence and comprehension
constitutes federal mail fraud. It is not necessary to prove that a fact was
misrepresented, or a donor, misled. Rather, all that needs to be shown is the
intent to deceive' -- which may be inferred by the modus operandi of a scheme --
and the use of the U.S. mails in furtherance of that intent.37
That Bob Larson used the U.S. mail is beyond question; that he knew that the
Ministry was in far better financial condition than he represented in his appeal
letters appears equally clear. In fact, his own fundraising analysis, conducted
in June of 1992, clearly suggests that his literary wails of financial
desperation' in the December 1991 and February 1992 appeal letters were part of
a curious experiment:
GENERAL FACTS AND INFORMATION
6. Not using premiums doesn't hurt letters and helps profit.
7. Unique enclosures help response considerably.
QUARTERLY APPEAL LETTER ANALYSIS
1. Not offering premiums doesn't affect giving.
2. Special enclosures (e.g. Deicide artwork, Sharon's poem)
helps response."38
At any rate, Larson's immaculate deception appears to have been successful.
Thus we are left with the question of whether the scheme was reasonably
calculated to deceive. One of the more persuasive ways of proving that prudent
individuals were likely to be deceived is to demonstrate that one had been
deceived. The pertinent excerpts from a letter to Compassion Connection
director Margo Hamilton, from California attorney Michael Harvey, dated Dec. 12,
1991, speak for themselves:
"RE: WHITE CITY OREGON SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE CASE
Dear Margo and Bob:
This is some kind of battle, isn't it? The financial
constraints and losses occurring at your ministry....
I just need transportation costs and an Oregon associate
attorney's costs, at this time, to go after these Satanists.
I know you folks are in a major financial bind...."39
Like many others who came to Bob Larson Ministries with hat in hand, Harvey
"didn't receive a dime,"40 but that is beside the point. As an attorney, Harvey
presumably qualifies as a person of ordinary prudence and comprehension; the
letter clearly shows that he believed that Bob Larson Ministries was in woeful
financial condition. And if a man of his caliber was fooled ... then, heaven
help the little old lady from Dubuque.
The Making of a Best-Selling Author:
Behind the microphone, Bob Larson triumphantly proclaims that he is the author
of twenty-two books, including an encyclopedic reference on cults, Larson's New
Book of Cults. But as is often the case with Larson, reality just doesn't quite
measure up to his press releases. As the following couple of internal memos
suggests, it would be stretching the truth for him to even call himself an
editor:
"DEADLINE TO PUBLISHER: APRIL 1, 1989
Tim's Role: Check for theological accuracy in ERRORS, APPEAL,
and PURPOSE sections. Watch his timing. Can't take too long.
He'll have to assume that factually, we're correct....
PROCEDURES
1. Outline/Scripts
2. Writing (MO will assign)
3. Internal editing -- MO
4. Review -- TP = watch turn-around time
5. Corrections -- MO
6. BL
7. Corrections/Remove footnotes -- MO
8. Publisher"41
_______________________
CHAPTERS WRITTEN BY MS, PE, MO
DATE
CHAPTER AUTHOR FINISHED
Charles Manson MS 2-16-89
Free Masonry MS 2-22-89
Crowleyism (beef up) MS 2-27-89
Life Training PE 2-22-89
Findhorn PE 2-24-89"42
Bob Larson is noticeable only by his absence from the project. Ministry
staffers Mary Stone (now, Kilgannon), Paula Ehresman, Pat Dunn, and Muriel
Olson, along with freelance writer Kari Martin, wrote chapters based on old
Talk-Back scripts (again written by staffers). Once Olson edited them, they
were submitted to Tim Philibosian for theological review. Larson only gave
their final product a quick once-over.
The writing of a book is a laborious task, and, like many celebrity authors',
Bob Larson's "hectic schedule" simply doesn't permit him the time to invest in
such drudgery. After all, skiing, golfing, jogging, mountain-climbing, and
sporadic Bible studies demand major commitments of time and energy ... and, let
us not forget that he has a young wife to attend to, and a multi-million dollar
ministry to run. As the following memo indicates, he can't even be bothered
with the mundane task of coming up with the ideas for "his" books:
"TO: BOB
FROM: BONNIE
RE: DAILY ITEMS
DATE: 7/20/92
CC: MARGO, ANGELO, PAM
__________
9. TYNDALE BOOK SUGGESTIONS -- SIMPLY RESENDING SINCE I HAVEN'T
HEARD FROM YOU YET.
Per your instructions we met and discussed possible topics for
a Tyndale book. Our favorite centers around Exorcism/Demons.
This is the stuff your audience wants to hear from you about.
We suggest the following:
A. Draw from your past experiences in Haiti
B. Adrian, Shirley, and other stories you have shared
with us when you were on the road....
As a side note we also came up with and idea of a book on
blood. Kind of "The Blood of Christ vs. the blood of Satan."
You could discuss how Satan has misrepresented the "Blood" and
made a sacrilege of it. You could also cover:
A. Vampirism
B. Self-mutilation
C. Animal Sacrifice
D. Blood rituals
E. Menstrual fascination."43
Against this curious backdrop, one wouldn't have anticipated him to have even
tried to write a novel. Yet, try it he did; unfortunately, as the following
excerpts from one of the earliest drafts of Dead Air (then, entitled
"Underground") shows, the flesh may have been willing, but the talent was weak:
"The words of a small child may ring with more clarity and
truth than the uncertain cacophony of many adult voices if we
listen with our hearts.
Wes Bryant should have known that years ago.
Unfortunately, like many of us, he learned to hear what he
wanted to hear. Only those utterances which enforced his
prejudices or enhanced his predilections were heeded. Anything
confronting his selfish ego or threatening his comfort zone in
life was ignored. Wes thought he had life all figured out, or
at least reduced to workable options. Until the day a child's
voice softly shattered his insulated little world of unrequited
dreams and compromised convictions."
Can I talk to Mr. Wes?'
Sure honey. How old are you and what's your name?'
Jennifer. I'm nine.'
What do you want to say to Mr. Bryant?'
Well, it's kind of personal. I thought if I dialed this number I could talk to
Mr. Wes'."44
Rough drafts are precisely that; a certain measure of coarseness can be
expected. But some of the passages were sheer literary atrocities:
"The sight of the Windy City was blowing her way an ill zephyr
of sobering truth no disbelief could escape....
Manley Harris cocked his head sideways in a gesture that half
wanted to pursue the subject further and press Wes about what
he knew and half resigning himself to respecting the obvious
sincerity of Wes's refusal to say what he might be able to
reveal that would confirm his concerns."45
As the months wore on, it became increasingly apparent that Larson's dreams of
literary stardom were precisely that. Yet, where there is a will -- and, a
staff of forty -- there is a way.
A procession of Larson staffers were commissioned to work on his new endeavor,
including Olson, Boespflug, and the current Mrs. Bob Larson, Laura Anderson.
For instance, in an Aug. 18, 1992 memo to Bob, writ ten by International
Broadcasting Network director Pam Koczman, it was acknowledged that "Laura A.'s
time with the book is 50% and more until Dec."46
As Lori Boespflug, World's star whistle-blower, confided to me many months
ago, "Bob Larson can't write by himself."47 Muriel Olson, a former BLM copy
editor with a lifetime of editing experience, seconded Boespflug's thought in a
lawsuit, claiming that Larson was "an inadequate writer."48 And while Larson
may, in some circles, be compared with Larry King, no one will ever mistake him
for Stephen King.
And Bob Larson knows it.
It is not so much the fact that Larson does not, in any meaningful sense of
the word, "write" his books which raises eyebrows; rather, it is the reckless
abandon with which he uses sacrificially-given Ministry resources to subsidize
his career as an author. As numerous court documents, former Larson employees,
knowledgeable third parties (e.g., Larson's attorneys), and internal BLM memos
attest, Ministry employees do the work -- while on the Ministry payroll. All
Larson does is collect the royalties.
The following letter, submitted to the Jefferson County (Colo.) District Court
in connection with a recent lawsuit by former BLM employee Muriel Olson, further
evidences Larson's misuse of Ministry resources:
"June 20, 1990
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Ms. Muriel Olson
[address deleted]
This will confirm our agreement regarding the work you have
performed or will perform as an employee of Bob Larson Minis
tries in connection with my novel involving Satanism.
It is specifically understood that you expect no credit
whatsoever in my novel as published or in any related or
derivative work, but grant me the right without obligation,
to use your name or likeness in credits or otherwise....
Finally, you understand that you shall receive no additional
compensation for your work in connection with my novel except
payment for overtime work, specifically approved in advance by
me."49
As indicated in Olson's complaint, it wasn't much of an "agreement"; Larson
reportedly told her, in essence, that she had to sign that let ter ... or
else.50 Larson won the lawsuit, on the ground that Olson's efforts were "within
the scope of her employment."51 However, as both parties conceded in their
briefs, Olson "was never an employee of Bob Larson personally."52 Yet, as a
federal hearing officer determined in a related case, even though Olson's salary
came from the Ministry, her only job was "to rewrite and edit chapters of a
book" -- for the sole and exclusive benefit of Bob Larson.53 The thousands of
hours she and others have spent writing works like Abaddon, Dead Air, Satanism:
The Seduction of America's Youth, and Straight Answers on the New Age were paid
for by faithful "Heroes," "Champions," and "Communicator Club" members.
Thomas Nelson Publications, the world's foremost publisher of Christian
materials, evidently was aware of Larson's literary shortcomings. As the
following excerpts from this internal BLM memo indicate, Nelson management aided
and abetted him in his efforts to pass himself off as a legitimate author:
"TO: Bonnie
RE: Thomas Nelson Meeting
CC: Margo/Angelo
DATE: 07/03 [1992]
FROM: Bob Larson
1. They have a work for hire contract they are sending me to
avoid any problems in the future....
6. Insist me next manuscript be seen by a lot of people to make
sure it's OK this time....
9. If don't get book out on spring list 93 will want to wait
until 94! ...
11. In marketing the sequel, he doesn't want any move "waves"
like we did last time, e.g. several pushes on certain dates. He
wants to "go for the gusto" all at once when the book comes
out. [All sentences in context]"54
While "work for hire" arrangements are perfectly legal55 -- and surprisingly
common in the Christian publishing industry56 -- the ethical implications of the
practice are profound. It appears that, in their private dealings, these
self-appointed mavens of "mainstream morality" can't even abide by the ethical
standards established by that supposed object lesson in moral decay known as
Hollywood.
That Larson continues to make liberal use of Ministry-paid staffers for his
personal gain is evidenced by a second memo to Bonnie -- this time, written and
initialed by BLM secretary Becky Prien:
"Bob's been pulling me as soon as the show is over until I go
home to do book edits. Therefore, I can't get to the front
desk from 4:30 to 6:00. Lisa, Chris and Tammy have been taking
my shifts, but today no one could stay late. Angelo, however,
finally found Debbi to stay for me."57
It almost seems as if everyone at BLM works on "Bob's" books -- except Bob!
Ministry funds are used to pay for direct-mail campaigns, Ministry air time is
used to run slick promotional spots, and Ministry studios have been used to
create those ads. And even though the Ministry squanders so much of its
"limited" resources in order to turn his literary fantasies into lucrative
reality, Bob has the audacity to charge an author's royalty for the books it
"gives" to contributors.58
For Whom the Bell Tolls...:
Unlike his celebrated counterpart, Jim Bakker, Bob Larson knows that his
actions over the last few years are without question immoral -- if not patently
illegal. Several callers have asked him on the air about the controversy, but
their voices were quickly squelched by his panic button'. When the Evangelical
Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) raised questions of their own,
Larson indignantly withdrew his membership application.59 And all the while,
his hand-picked board of directors sat in blissful acquiescence.
Larson has gone to extraordinary lengths to evade such outside scrutiny. When
leaving BLM, key employees are required to sign confidentiality agreements'
which, in essence, are intended to deter them from revealing evidence of
wrongdoing.60 Nor is he subject to peer review: The organization which
provided him his ordination credentials -- Dave Ford's Evangelistic Messengers,
of Cleveland, TN -- was not even aware of his divorce from ex-wife Kathy, some
two years after the fact.61 And, as this excerpt from an August, 1992 memo,
initialed by BLM vice president Angelo Diasparra suggests, the Ministry's
financial information is regarded as a state secret':
"All other written requests for financial information
regarding the ministry or Bob personally will be referred to
Angelo for disposition.... If a phone request is for anything
other than the Stewardship Report, the caller is told to put
the request in writing, giving reasons, and send it to the
attention of the Chief Financial Officer."62
By sharp contrast, legitimate ministries (e.g., James Dobson's Focus on the
Family) give out copies of their financial statements to anyone who asks.63 And
even the LDS Church starts out its' annual televised meeting with a presentation
of the audit report. But Larson acts like a man who has something to hide.
Tax fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, embezzlement -- these are matters best left
to the proper authorities. But stewardship begins at home.
______________________________________________________________________
ENDNOTES:
Secrets of Freemasonry Revealed:
1 Kelly Hafey, "Evil Addiction (radio script)," 1 Jul. 1992, p. 1.
2 Mary Kilgannon, "Bob Backers (radio script)," 20 Oct. 1992, p. 1.
3 E.g., see Mary Kilgannon, "Teens Tormenting Teens (radio script),"
31 Aug. 1992, pp. 2-3.
4 Mary Kilgannon, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 28 Aug. 1992, pp. 1-3.
5 Linda [Felde?] per Margo [Hamilton], Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 27
Jul. 1992, p. 1.
6 Michael Roberts, "The Evil That Men Do," Westword, May 27-Jun 2,
1992, p. 18 (I confirmed this report with "Marjorie" -- who has known
the Larsons socially for some time, and has been a valuable source of
background information).
7 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992.
8 Margo Hamilton, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 10 Jul. 1992, p. 1.
The Prophet Motive:
9 Bob Larson, Fund Raising Analysis (attachment to a memorandum to
Bonnie Bell), 26 Jun. 1992, pp. 1-2.
10 Jay Grelen and Doug LeBlanc, "This is Me, This is Real," World,
Vol. 7, No. 32, 23 Jan. 1993, p. 8.
11 Karolyn Merriman, Letter (to Bob Larson), 11 May 1992, p. 1.
12 Anonymous, Letter, Colorado Christian News, April 1993, p. 8 (CCN
editor Joann Bruso advised me in an April telephone conversation that
she spoke to the author of that letter, and believes the story to be
genuine).
13 Margo Hamilton, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 20 Oct. 1992, p. 2.
14 Margo Hamilton, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 26 Nov. 1991, pp. 1-2.
15 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992 (corroborated by memoranda
from former Larson staffer Alan Hergert re: technical aspects of studio set-up
-- obtained from an independent source -- and verified by
a technical glitch in the Sept. 29, 1993 broadcast of Talk-Back).
I Love Myself...
16 Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson," Radio broadcast, 29 Jan.
1993.
17 Kathy Hendricks, Memorandum (to Bob Larson/Bonnie Bell), 10 Nov.
1992.
18 Kathy Hendricks, Memorandum (to Bob Larson/Bonnie Bell), 14 Oct.
1992.
19 Unidentified, Memorandum, 9 Nov. 1992.
20 Lori Boespflug, Telephone interview, Jun. 1992 (author made call to
Phonecian Resort to determine 1993-94 high-season room rate).
21 Computerized personal telephone directory, Undated.
22 "In Search of Satan," Television broadcast, Home Box Office, 1993.
23 Author's personal observation (see, Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob
Larson," Radio broadcast, 19 Oct. 1992, for an oblique confirmation
of the encounter).
24 Timothy Morgan, "Bob on the Block," Christianity Today, 17 May
1993, p. 74.
25 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992 (Mesplay is listed in the
Denver telephone directory as a psychotherapist; he likewise appears
on Larson's computerized rolodex).
26 Ibid., ibid. (key BLM managers were encouraged to receive treatment
from Mesplay; Boespflug attended six sessions before refusing to continue).
27 Anonymous, Letter (to Edward Atsinger, President of Salem Communications),
1991. (The authenticity of the letter was confirmed by former Salem employee,
attorney, and Christian talk-show host John Stewart.)
Jailhouse Rock?:
28 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 4 Jan. 1991, p. 2.
29 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 4 Feb. 1991, p. 2.
30 Bob Larson Ministries, 1990 Form 990, pp. 1-2 (copy on file).
31 Bob Larson Ministries, 1990 Stewardship Report, inside of folder.
32 Interview, Name withheld by request, 1993 (corroborated by the
Ministry's 1990 federal form 990).
33 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 2 Dec. 1991, p. 2.
34 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 19 Feb. 1992, p. 2.
35 Bob Larson Ministries, Independent Auditors' Report, 18 Feb. 1992,
cover letter.
36 18 U.S.C. 1341 (1988).
37 The scope of =1341 is nicely summarized in a 1965 case involving an
employment agency scam perpetrated in Denver:
"The crime of mail fraud is broad in its scope, and may
ordinarily be shown by proof of the intentional devising of a
scheme to defraud and that the mail was used in furtherance of
it. The scheme is one to defraud if it is reasonably
calculated to deceive persons of ordinary prudence and
comprehension. Direct proof of willful intent is not necessary.
Not only are the patently false statements prohibited, but also
those made with a reckless indifference as to whether they are
true or false. Similarly, the deceitful concealment of material
facts may also constitute actual fraud. Moreover, the
deception need not be premised upon the verbalized words alone.
The arrangement of the words, or the circumstances in which
they are used may convey the false and deceptive appearance
[citations omitted]."
Gusow v. United States, 347 F.2d 755 (10th Cir. 1965), cert. den 382
US 906 (parallel citations omitted).
38 Larson (Fund Raising Analysis), supra note 9, p. 2.
39 Michael Harvey, Letter (to Bob Larson Ministries), 12 Dec. 1991
(copy on file).
40 Michael Harvey, Telephone interview, 8 Sept. 1993.
Making of a Best-Selling Author:
41 Muriel Olson, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 2 Feb. 1989, pp. 1-2.
42 Memorandum (to Bob Larson(?)), 1 Mar. 1989, p. 2(?) (the document
itself is unattributed, but it is in substance supported by two other
memos -- and one has Larson's handwriting on it).
43 Bonita ("Bonnie") Bell, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 20 Aug. 1992,
p. 2.
44 Bob Larson, "Underground (title ascertained from other sources),"
(unpublished manuscript; copy on file), Undated, Chapter One, p. 1.
45 Ibid (the source has requested confidentiality).
46 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992.
47 Affidavit of Muriel S. Olson at 6, Olson v. Larson, No. 92 CV 2058
(Jefferson County (Colo.) Dist. Ct., Dec. 18, 1992).
48 Pam Koczman, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 18 Aug. 1992 (copy on file
includes Larson's handwriting, and FYI to Bonnie Bell).
49 Bob Larson, Letter (to Muriel Olson), 20 Jun. 1990.
50 Plaintiff's Brief in Response to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss or
in the Alternative Motion for Summary Judgment at 6, Olson v. Larson.
51 Defendants' Reply Brief at 3, Id.
52 Order at 10, Id.
53 Francisco J. Flores, Jr. (Dist. Dir. of the U. S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission), Determination Letter, Charge No. 3209211626,
31 Dec. 1992, p. 1.
54 Bob Larson, Memorandum (to Bonnie Bell), 7 July 1992 (year deter
mined in context).
55 17 U.S.C. =201(b) (1988).
56 See, e.g., Edward Plowman, "Haunted Houses" World, Vol. 8, No. 3,
10 Apr. 1993, pp. 10-14.
57 Becky Prien, Memorandum (to Bonnie Bell), 20 Jul. 1992 (copy on
file).
58 Bob Larson, Interview, 17 Oct. 1992 (see also, e.g., BLM's 1990
Form 990 (related party transactions are to be disclosed therein) and
Note 6 to BLM's 1991 audited financial statements ("During 1991, the
Ministry purchased books and materials totaling $67,982 from an officer of the
Ministry. The officer's cost in the books and materials
sold was $45,215"). Conclusion: another $22,000 falls into Larson's
pocket.
For Whom the Bell Tolls:
59 See, Pat Mahoney, Fax (to Ken Smith), 22 Sept. 1993; Gary Massaro,
"Ministry Quits Audit Group over Finances," Rocky Mountain News, 24
Sept. 1993, p. 12A, col. 5, and a similar article by Joyce Mucci in
the Kansas City Christian (cite unavailable at this time).
60 Larson tried to enforce just such an
agreement' in Bob Larson Ministries v. Boespflug, No. 93 CV 442 (Jefferson
County (Colo.) Dist. Ct., filed 8 Mar. 1993).
61 David Ford, Telephone interview, 27 Sept. 1993. According to Ford,
the Association requires prospective ministers to engage in course
work prior to ordination. But twenty years ago, theirs was strictly
an apprenticeship program.
The Association's disciplinary procedures are ad hoc; evidence of a
minister's malfeasance is brought to their attention on an informal
basis.
62 Angelo Diasparra, Memorandum (to staff), 14 Aug. 1992.
63 Teresa Aggen (Focus on the Family), Telephone interview, 27 Sept.
1993.
PART 4
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 16:11 EDT
From: "Scott.Mikusko" <21922SM@msu.edu>
Subject: Bob Larson ( sort of ) Talks-Back
Here's is the latest article on the Bob Larson scandal. This article also
appears in last month's _Christian Press Report_, and was given to me personally
by Ken Smith for posting to the newsgroups. This may be distributed throughout
the NET.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bob Larson (sort of) Talks-Back<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
" You deserve to die, Bob Larson ... I'll brand Satan's cross on YOUR
forehead!"{1} Such are the threats of Glen Benton, lead singer ( and I use that
term advisedly ) of the Tampa-based death-metal band, Deicide. Even in his
photographs, the burly 25-year-old rocker looks as sinister as his music sounds,
right down to the inverted cross - his 'trademark'- burned into his forehead. A
challenge like that, from a self-professing Satanist, would frighten any sane
man.
But the object of Benton's attention, veteran Christian talk-show host Bob
Larson, shows no fear. In a fund raising letter, he boasted that he will face
Benton anywhere - "with the armor of the Lord and the power of God's word."{2}
Benton reiterated his threats while in Denver on a recent concert tour, but
Larson was so confident that, to the best of our knowledge, he never even
bothered to press charges.
July 15, 1993. Larson appears as a guest on Ft. Lauderdale radio station
WFTL, denouncing death-metal bands like Slayer and others as "posers" who are
merely in it for the money. But when host Pat Stevens asked him whether he was
in the ministry for money, he indignantly said that he was "insulted" that she
would even ask that question. And that's where I come in.
My opening salvo was familiar to CPR readers: "The primary mission of Bob
Larson Ministries is to minister to the extravagant needs of Bob Larson; the
kids are just an alibi."{3} I followed by reiterating three basic charges: (1)
although he tells his audience that his ministry was on the edge of financial
disaster, it was sitting on nearly $2 million in cash;{4} (2) even though he
supposedly earned a modest $69,000 salary from the Ministry, his total
compensation package from the Ministry sources was somewhere in the neighborhood
of $500,000 per year.{5} and (3) while we had a copy of a letter from his
attorney {6} clearly indicating that he did not - in any meaningful sense of the
word - write his best selling novel, _Dead Air_, he still claimed authorship. I
further outlined the documentation we have at our disposal, which includes
contracts, the Ministry's audited financial statements, and other documents
signed under penalty of perjury.
As a guest, Larson didn't have his 'panic button' handy; he became almost
apoplectic. His calm, self-assured facade gave way; his voice betrayed a
chilling sense of desperation. You see, it is quite easy to refute the ravings
of a madman ... but facing up to several pounds of hard documentation is quite
another matter.
Unable to respond intelligently to my charges, Larson resorted to to a
ferocious ad hominum assault - accusing me of complicity in a litany of criminal
acts, and labeling me a "stalker" who has hounded him for years. And then, he
adroitly tried to change the subject:
"You want to talk about my novel. If you want to talk
about that I'd be happy to discuss it; if you want to
talk about the personal private affairs or the personal
marital affairs of the other gentleman in the room - and
let's bring all those issues out into the open - and we
want to make that the subject ..."{7}
Stevens saw through Bob's blatant diversionary tactic, and would have none
of it:
PS: "Well, what we want to talk about, Bob, is Bob Larson
Ministries, and Bob LArson Ministries is what you had, and
that's - that seems to be what's being taken into issue here."
BL: "We're not here to talk about Bob LArson Ministries."
PS: "Well, I'M here to talk about Bob Larson Ministries.
are you ASHAMED of your involvement with the Ministries? Are
you not willing to confront this individual?"
BL [interrupting]: " I, er ..."
PS: "If he's actually a liar, then you should be really
anxious to point it out on the air, and PROVE he's a liar !"
BL: "Pat, if you know anything about pathological stalkers,
you know the most dangerous thing you can do is to allow
these people any further opportunity, and I will not threaten
the lives of my family ..."
PS: "Sounds to me like you're a chicken, Bob. Sounds to me
like you're too darned afraid to bring this up ... and I
think you'd better pray to God, and have a little bit of
strength and courage and confront this issue."{8}
The phone fell silent. Bob Larson, that proud spiritual warrior, a grizzled
veteran of hundreds of exorcisms, simply hung up. And, when the people of WFTL
tried to get him back, he evidently refused: "He's afraid of your long distance
caller. He won't go back on the air."{9}
Let's put this incident in it's proper perspective. Bob Larson can look the
Devil in the eye - and, make him blink. He can face avowed Satanists like Glen
Benton and Vince Crowley (of the death-metal band Asheron) without fear - for he
knows the armor of the Lord will protect him. But yet, he flees in stark terror
from the inquiries of a certified public accountant ?
Res ipsa loquitur (the thing speaks for itself).
_Judge not, lest ye be judged_ ...
As _world_ editor Joel Belz pointed out,{10} Bob Larson's teachings are the
picture of orthodoxy. Thus it is not that he doesn't believe the Scriptures, but
rather, that he believes that they apply only to mere mortals - best selling
authors and commentators are, of course, exempt. For little gods like Bob, do
what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
For instance, in a letter to Christian talk-show host John Stewart, Larson
chastises him for his supposed "efforts to publicly bring harm to the Lord's
work" and invokes Matthew 7:1 "... in the same way you judge others, you will
be judged (NIV)."{11} Further, he has vilified his other critics, charging them
with perpetrating "vicious attacks" and engaging in "unethical" conduct on
occasions too numerous to mention. {12} Therefore, if he is to have the right
to judge us, his conduct in this affair must be itself reasonably ethical, and
devoid of vindictiveness. In that light, let us consider how Bob Larson has
conducted his affairs.
In the winter of 1988, a Larson employee leaked internal BLM memos to
_Christianity Today_ outlining a scheme where Bob would feign illness, so that
he could make his annual vacation in Maui without suffering a drop in donations.
Of course, the memo mysteriously disappeared ... and just three weeks later,
that "extremely mentally unstable" employee, as Larson put it, was fired.{13}
The employee, Yvonne Morgan, sued Larson shortly thereafter; some of the
allegations made in her pleadings are decidedly intriguing:
"7. After her probationary period, Plaintiff became aware of
unusual, and improper practices, including practices which she
believed to be unlawful.
8. Upon realizing that unlawful practices were occurring,
including but not limited to donors being provided false
information concerning financial needs/expenditures of BOb
Larson Ministries, ...
9. In response to a request for feedback from Defendant,
Bob Larson, Plaintiff provided written memoranda, as well as
provided verbal input concerning what she believed to be impr-
oper practices, including the hiring of an individual, and the
ministry paying her a substantial sum of money when it was
obvious to Plaintiff, and others, that the primary purpose in
her hired to work for the ministry was a personal one of
Defendant, Bob Larson.
10. A great deal of undue stress, and other intentional
conduct was perpetrated against Plaintiff, including but not
limited to her receiving a memo shortly before she was term-
inated, to the effect that 'your body is going to be found
floating face down in a river ...'
28. From the time that Plaintiff began opposing the unlawful
practices of Defendants, she has been receiving, and continues
to receive harassing phone calls at home" {14}
Larson quietly settled this case out of court for $30,000,{15} and if the
allegations Morgan made had any grounding in fact, advisedly so. In defense of
Larson, the line separating illegal from unethical conduct is not always a clear
one. However, the Morgan incident is evidence of Larson's modus operandi: the
strategy he employs is to neutralize his critics.
Lori Boespflug, _World_'s 'star witness', reported that Larson hurled
personal threats at her as well. In my July 1992 interview with her, she related
her firing ( on a Saturday night, at her daughter's dance recital ) in lurid
detail - among the myriad vulgarities he unleashed during his tirade, he pledged
to "make her life a living hell."{16} It is, ironically, one of the precious few
promises that he has, on some level, been able to KEEP.
Larson's penchant for defaming his opponents is, if anything, even more
pronounced. However, the shameless methods he will resort to in order to get his
'mud' are so far beyond the pale of ethical behavior as to speak for themselves.
You can imagine my shock when I received a copy of this internal Bob Larson
Ministries memo from one of my BLM sources:
"TO: Angelo [Diasparra, BLM vice-president]
RE: Rummerfield [Golden, CO-based private investigator David]
CC: None
DATE: 12/28/92
FROM: Bob Larson
I think you need to talk it over with Chris J. [Chris Johnson,
the Ministry's general counsel] the options he has indicated.
I am not impressed with this report. Is this all we get for the
money spent? He hasn't reached any conclusions that we didn't
already know. I thought we'd get some serious info about Ken
Smith that couldn't be obtained by any reasonable person by just
reading his letters. I hesitate to go forward unless he does
some serious detective work ... Smith's finances, employment
situation, comings and goings, relationships ... anything we
can do to put some heat on him.
Also, by now you should have checked up on the Susan Miller
situation and returned her call. (Be careful for a set up.)
We don't need Rummerfield for that. You call and find out
what you can." {17}
Larson has never disputed the authenticity of this memo - instead, he has
claimed that it was the product of computer theft.{18} But even if it was
obtained from the Ministry via gunpoint, it still wouldn't change the fact that
Larson was intent upon gathering on me that can have only two conceivable
purposes: blackmail or revenge. [Incidently, upon receiving said memo, I
immediately turned it over to the custody of the Lakewood (CO) Police
Department;{19} my copy was obtained from John Trott of _Cornerstone_ magazine.]
In an interview on Wichita radio station KNSS, Larson explained the memo in
the following manner:
"It was a private communication with regards to threats upon
my life ... with regards to arson threats upon my property."{20}
If there is any nexus between that memo and supposed arson threats, it is
tenuous in the extreme. The Lakewood P.D. did report one incident, but it was
more the flavor of a high-school prank than anything else. As the reporting
officer described it, this purported "threat" consisted of a photograph of two
unidentifiable individuals - wearing hooded robes and apparently "holding a
flaming bottle of beer" - allegedly standing outside his house. The message on
the back of the photograph read, "This Bud's for you, Sh**head ! Happy Halloween
P.S. Love your house $441,000."{21} As one might have expected, Larson fingered
me as a suspect, if for no other reason than I was getting a tad close too close
to uncovering the skeletons in his Ministry's closet.
None of Larson's opponents have been spared from his naked and vindictive
'verbal muggings'. His latest victim (aside from myself) was Chicago-based
_Cornerstone_ magazine:
[in response to a caller] "No, _Cornerstone_ is not a
reputable magazine. They've been on a 'kick' for the last
two years to destroy anyone who speaks out against Satanism,
and they will stoop to any tactic, they will lie, they will
misrepresent any fact, and they will twist anything ...
And what they did to me - the lies they were willing to
distribute and the things they were willing to tell that
were flat out lies ... and they know that they were lies ...
and the kind of, uh, uh, I wouldn't expect out of the
_National Enquirer_ what they did behind the scenes in the
most ugly - the most incredible, ugly kinds of ways to
destroy me ..."{22}
[re: a follow up question on Mike Warnke] "It isn't just an
issue of what they said about Mike that was true or not true,
it's how they went about it ... the tactics - the unethical
illegal tactics they used to bring Mike down. It was vicious
and it was ugly. I know went on behind the scenes, and it's
some of the same kind of junk they tried to pull against me."{23}
What Larson unquestionably objected to the most is that _Cornerstone_
reprinted the most damning evidence against him, a letter from attorney William
T. Abbott - which clearly indicates that Larson did not, in fact, write _Dead
Air_, "his" best selling novel. And, although he evidently lacks the courage to
address these issues in a neutral site against a knowledgeable opponent, he has
seen fit to respond to the charge in the comparative safety of his own studio
(the caller raising the question was heavily censored, and was not afforded a
chance to comment). His explanation is as follows:
"What they (_Cornerstone_) printed was plain and simple:
An attorney, that represented this ministry a couple of years
ago, became concerned about an employee who might try to
assert unreasonable rights, claiming contributions to the
book that were lies, and he was warning me in advance about
that. In fact, that very employee was fired for immoral
reasons [sic], turned around and did make the allegations
I was warned about in that idiotic letter that was a stolen
document of confidential private information between attorney-
client privilege [sic], had to do with an attempt by this
very individual, and all the attorney was trying to warn me
that that might happen. That's all !"{24}
While Larson is a master of making it look as if he is the victim, the
letter he is referring to paints a drastically different picture. Phrases like
"knowing the role Lori has played,","I know how I would advise her in this
regard," and "You will be required to write more," make it self-evident that
Larson's attorney knew full well that Lori Boespflug could lay legitimate claim
to the authorship of _Dead Air_. Standing alone, that letter (and Larson's
misrepresentation of it) is highly incriminating. However, in light of the
wealth of corroborating evidence (e.g., signed contracts, letters from Thomas
Nelson editor Janet Thoma to Boespflug, a Form 1099-MISC, authentication of the
letter by Bill Abbott himself, et al.), it becomes the proverbial 'smoking gun'.
Larson's other contentions are either ad hominum or non sequiturs. Ms.
Boespflug was in fact fired for living with her fiance, but there is fairly
convincing evidence that there was a lot more to the story than meets the eye.
But regardless of the moral judgment you pass on her conduct (do keep in mind
that LARSON divorced his wife - not the other way around - and recently married
a divorcee nearly 20 years his junior){25}, it should not lessen her credibility
in the slightest. If anything, it adds to her credence to her testimony - she
didn't even try to deny it, despite the fact that she "was certain" that she
would be fired for admitting it.{26}
Along similar lines, Larson's claim that the Abbott letter was subject to
the "attorney-client privilege" is equally ludicrous. If, as Larson states, Bill
Abbott was in the employ of Bob Larson Ministries - as opposed to Bob Larson
individually - then that document was in fact Ministry property. Hence,
Boespflug, a corporate officer,{27} had a clear right to possession, and
arguably, a fiduciary obligation to disclose Larson's ultra vires activities.
Conversely, even if Abbott was in the employ at the time the letter was written,
the attorney-client privilege can be lost through client negligence. Besides, if
Bill Abbott was representing both the corporation and Bob Larson personally,
all sorts of conflict-of-interest problems come up. Thus it would seems that
Boespflug obtained the letter legally and ethically. Consequently, so did
_Cornerstone_'s John Trott.
I respectfully submit that Bob Larson does not have the requisite standing
to complain that he is the victim of unethical conduct. The common law has an
old saying: "He who asks equity must DO equity."
I could go on (and have in my earlier article, _The Two Faces of Bob_), but
I trust that I have made my point. Bob Larson is a liar and a rogue - a man with
the conscience of Jeffrey Dahmer, the grace of Sean Penn, and the COURAGE of
Roberto Duran. His holy grail is naked
power; he cares not about those he would
use and destroy in order to attain it. I've seen the evidence, spoken to the
victims ....
AND BOB KNOWS IT. THAT'S WHY HE FEARS ME.
_For Whom the Bell Tolls ..._
It is perhaps fitting that, by his own words, Bob Larson has sealed his
fate. Responding to a caller who criticized him for his penchant for attacking
cults like the Mormons and Masons, he said:
"Sir, when people claim to be Christian, or Christ-like,
and they are lying to the public, I consider it my Biblical
responsibility - MY BIBLICAL RESPONSIBILITY - to take a stand."{28}
And all across the country, good Christians are beginning to take a stand.
One former 'Bob-backer' went so far as to pass out copies of _The Two Faces of
Bob_ at his appearance in Dallas - and was quickly escorted from the premises by
Larson's security people. A gentleman in Wichita, after hearing the Larson
interview there, took it upon himself to offer us a donation (we don't accept
them). Still others are joining this fight in more subtle ways: not contributing
to BLM, boycotting Thomas Nelson (Bob's publishers), and making their own
opinion known on the nation's bulletin boards.
But the real heroes of this story are where you'd least expect to find them:
inside the walls of Bob Larson's own fortress. Even at the risk of their
careers, they provided a steady stream of essential intelligence. When Bob
strutted his stuff on the town with his latest lovely, we knew about it. When
Bob prepared to launch his counter-attack, we were ready for it. And when Bob
threw his world-class hissy fit, storming out of his office after our little
confrontation in Wichita, we heard about it. Sad fact is, these people might
never be able to take their well-deserved bows. They are willing to place the
truth above even their own livelihood; that demands courage.
WHERE PEOPLE DARE TO LEAD, THEIR LEADERS CARE TO FOLLOW.
Regrettably, the record of the Christian journalistic community had not been
quite as exemplary; the word "abysmal" would be rather kind. Still, there are
indications that even these self-serving sycophants will see the train before it
hits them. Even David Neff - who bears the responsibility for the whitewash job
in _Christianity Today_, "Bob on the Block" - candidly acknowledged that I
provided him "with materials which suggest that indeed something is rotten in
Bob Larson's ministry."{29} (Of course, he was nowhere to be found when his
candor would have been useful, but that is another story, for another place and
time.) Who knows, maybe even Doug Trauten will "get religion,", as my Con Law
professor is wont to say. Folks like Anton Hein and the people at _Cornerstone_
deserve kudos for their courage ... but they are exceptions, not the rule.
Those station owners who carry Larson's programs could arguably be cited as
complicitors in this sordid affair. Bob Larson, despite his consistent claim of
poverty, is easily one of the best "pays" in the business. When considering
whether to pull "Talk-Back," CKER general manager Diana Parker observed that
they would be "lucky" to sell that time slot to another Christian broadcaster
for 50% of what Bob Larson paid.{30} Another station owner - who swapped
anonymity for candor - admitted that if he lost "Talk-Back," he might have to
close his station.{31} It is difficult to resist the allure of easy money - only
a handful of stations (including CKER, one of Canada's "ethnic" stations, and
WHLV (whose owner, Garyl Gibson, did the original work on Larson) found the
strength to resist. By contrast, Anchorage pastor Jerry Prevo, a BLM board
member that reputedly has an interest in one of Larson's most profitable
stations, has stood by in silence. But no one is more deserving of scorn than
Thomas Nelson president Sam Moore. Under his leadership, Nelson has fallen to a
standard of depravity which isn't even tolerated by that supposed 'object lesson
in moral decay' called Hollywood. When it was discovered that Milli Vanilli did
not record the vocals on one of their best-selling songs, the entire musical
world was outraged; when it was learned that Larson did not write "his"
best-selling novel, the mavens of 'mainstream morality' were strangely
quiescent. And now we know why: Jerry Falwell's ghostwriter is gay.{32}
Divine justice at work.
Maybe it has. Whether it is my will or Thine, the Bob Larson scandal has
brought together the unlikeliest band of confederates imaginable. But all for a
worthy cause.
During WFTL's Larson interview, Bob Sands, senior pastor of Griffin Road
Baptist Church, put the Larson scandal in proper perspective:
"I have no trouble with them bringing up information about
him, because I think he's leading people astray, and the
danger is that he's mixing a little bit of truth with a little
bit of error. And then what happens is somebody like Bob
Larson gets on your particular radio program, and then all
the other people who are Christians - are out there doing
legitimate ministries trying to help people - look bad."{33}
An earlier caller poignantly pierces the veil of illusion and hypocrisy
which Bob Larson has so skillfully woven into the fabric of his life and
ministry:
Fred: "I've listened to Bob for about ten years, when he first
went on KVTT in Dallas, and one of the things I think is rather
interesting about it is when we look at Bob, and what he says
about being a self-styled expert on satanism and the occult is:
what's his background? I.e., What church does he go to? Where is
he ordained? By what denomination? What is his educational back-
ground - does he have a college degree? What is is his military
experience? If you check this, it all adds up to zero."
Pat Stevens [ with raucous laughter in the background]: " He's ...
he's never been ordained? And he doesn't go to church?"
Fred: "If he's ordained, he won't tell us who it is!"
Paul Castranova: "Can you back this up?"
Fred: "Yes, I can guarantee he will not tell you on the air or
anywhere else what church he goes to ... his college, he was
supposed to go to the University of Nebraska; he never graduated,
he was a dropout. [ PS makes a mostly futile attempt to hold back
her laughter.] And the fact is, what's his military background?"
PS: "Well, this - Was he ever in the military?"
Fred: "Where?"
PS: "I don't know. Did he claim ..."
PC: "You don't have to be in the military to be a preacher,
though, or talk on the radio."
Fred: "What I'm saying is that this is a man who has been
berating Bill Clinton on his program, week after week, and yet,
we find out that he doesn't even have the credentials that Bill
Clinton has!"{34}
Still, there are those in the Christian community who would defend Bob
Larson ... and that may be the most pernicious scandal of all.
___________________________________________________________________
ENDNOTES
1 Bob Larson, "Back me in the Battle," Fund-Raising Letter,
6 Apr. 1992.
2 Ibid., p. 2.
3 Ken Smith, "Hot Talk with Al Rantell," Radio broadcast, 15 Jul.
1993
4 Bob Larson Ministries, 1991 Consolidated Balance Sheet (obtained
from BLM, 12 Aug. 1992, balance sheet reprinted in summary form
in K. Smith, "The Two Faces of Bob," infra n. 5) p. 2.
5 Ken Smith, "The Two Faces of Bob," April, 1993 ( reprinted in
_Christian Press Report_ 15 Jun. 1993, currently on Abba II
bb under LARSON-0.zip.
6 William T. Abbott, Letter, 8 Jul. 1991 (Reprinted in J. Trott,
"Bob Larson Comes Under Scrutiny," _Cornerstone_, Vol. 21 Issue
100, Feb. 1993, p. 41.).
7 Bob Larson, "Hot Talk with Al Rantell," Radio broadcast, 15 Jul.
1993
8 "Hot Talk," ibid.
9 Ibid., ibid.
10 Joel Belz, "We Can't Be the Last to Tell," Editorial, _World_,
23 Jan. 1993, p. 3.
11 Bob Larson, Letter, 10 Feb. 1993, p. 2.
12 E.g., Bob Larson, "Talk Back with Bob Larson," Radio broadcast,
29 Jan 1993.
13 "Questions Raised About Bob Larson Campaign," _Christianity
Today_, 3 Mar. 1989, p. 48.
14 _Morgan v. Bob Larson Ministries_, Complaint and Jury Demand,
signed 6 Mar 1989 by attorney Andrew T. Brake, pp. 2-4
(according to Denver District Court clerks, the suit was never
filed).
15 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 16 Jan. 1992.
16 Ibid., ibid ( see also, Jay Grelen and Doug LeBlanc, "This
is Me, This is Real," _World_, Vol. 7, No. 32, 23 Jan 1993,
p. 9.
17 Bob Larson, Memo, 28 Dec 1992.
18 Bob Larson, "Prepare For War," Radio broadcast, 29 Jan. 1993.
19 Ken Smith, Certified Letter, 31 Dec 1992
20 Bob Larson, Radio broadcast (KNSS - Wichita), 15 Jul. 1993
21 Offense Report (Misdemeanor harassment), Lakewood (CO) Police
Dept. (Officer Ponczek, reporting), Case Report #92-105773, 3
Nov. 1992, p. 2 ( it is a closed case and thus part of the
public record).
The deed, obtained by the author from the Jefferson Co. Clerk
and Recorder, shows the actual sales price to be $440,000.
22 Bob Larson, "Talk Back with Bob Larson," Radio broadcast, 8
Jul 1993
23 Ibid., ibid.
24 Ibid., 28 Jul. 1993.
25 Application for Marriage License #E64338, filed 12 Feb 1993
( The former Laura Ann Harris Anderson was born on 10/29/61
Larson was born on 5/28/44 ).
26 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 16 Jan. 1992.
27 Bob Larson Ministries, 1991 Corporation Report, attachment.
28 Bob Larson, "Talk Back with Bob Larson," Radio broadcast, 24
Mar. 1993
29 David Neff, Letter, July 23, 1993
30 Diana Parker, Telephone interview, March, 1993
31 Name withheld by request, Interview (conducted by an associate),
July, 1993
32 "The Gay Ghost," _Newsweek_, 26 Jul. 1993, p. 4.
33 Bob Sands, "Hot Talk with Al Rantell," Radio broadcast, 15 July 1993
34 "Hot Talk," ibid.
Article written by Kenneth L. Smith, typed in laboriously for the Net by
21922sm@msu.edu. Copyright (c)1993.
Any question or comments may be sent to 21922sm@,msu.edu or to the
author:
Kenneth L. Smith
PO Box 280305
Lakewood CO 80228
______________________________________________________________________
Copyright 1993 Kenneth L. Smith. All rights reserved. Copying is
permitted for non-commercial use only. Please direct your questions
to the author at P.O. Box 280305, Lakewood, CO, 80228.
Copies of all unpublished documents cited or quoted in this article
have been provided to the Christian Press Report (and others who have
reproduced it in other media), except where the dissemination of such
information would create the risk of exposing confidential sources to
recrimination. These individuals have been instructed not to provide
copies to others without my express approval.
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