Michael Travesser / Wayne Bent — Strong City
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Documentary: End of the World Cult
On Dec. 12, 2007, British TV station Channel 4 broadcast a documentary about Michael Travesser (real name: Wayne Bent) — leader of Strong City (more recently referred to as “The Lord Our Righteousness Church”).
Strong City is a cult, as defined both theologically and sociologically [See the difference between the theological and the sociological definitions of the term 'cult'].
Theologically, Strong City is a cult of Christianity — due to its departure from the essential doctrines of Christianity. In addition, the cult’s practices included many cult-like elements (sociologically), and fall outside the norms of acceptable Christian behavior.
Measured by the essential doctrines of the Christian faith, cult leader Michael Travesser — real name, Wayne Bent — is consider to be a heretic.
Michael Travesser says he’s the Messiah and that God has told him the world will end with an apocalyptic event at midnight on 31 October 2007.
As leader of a cult in a remote corner of New Mexico called Strong City, this 66-year-old former sailor, previously called Wayne Bent, has spent nearly 20 years preparing his 56 unquestioning and devoted followers for Doomsday. They say they are all preparing for death, to go to a better place.
In this Channel 4 programme, filmmaker Ben Anthony goes into the heart of the cult to discover how Michael exerts his influence. He hears teenage girls talking about desiring sex with their leader, discovers that this sexual activity extended to Travesser’s own daughter-in-law, and meets parents who have left the cult and are desperately trying to prise their children from his grip. Strong City has come to the attention of the FBI, who are keeping a watchful eye on the group.
- Source: The End of the World Cult, Channel 4, UK, Dec. 12, 2007
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• This page was first posted: Feb. 10, 2008
• This page was last updated: May. 7, 2008
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The Apologetics Index (apologeticsindex.org) 'family of web sites' provides 25,000+ pages of research resources on religious cults, sects, new religious movements, alternative religions, apologetics-, anticult-, and countercult organizations, doctrines, religious practices and world views. These resources reflect a variety of theological and/or sociological perspectives. [More Info]
