COCINO cult "tent meeting" a bust! Head magus Johnny Robertson preaches to the choir invisible (literally) as serial killer look-alike from Texas fails to bring in the crowds

It is by faith alone that we please God. It's just the conceited bastitches among mankind who keep insisting that we must please them with our works.

(Can't think of a better way to preface this post than with that thought from earlier this week.)

Yes folks, it's time to once again chronicle for posterity - in addition to laughing at - what is called on this blog and others the "Church Of Christ In Name Only" (COCINO) and the minions of Johnny Robertson.

A few nights ago numerous e-mails came in saying that I should check out what local cult leader Johnny Robertson - prime evil of the self-professed "Church of Christ" wacko fringe group - had brought in: some guy from the cult's breeding ground in Texas, not just for the group's annual "tent meeting" in this area but also, apparently, for the express purpose of "taking on Chris Knight" since this individual kept referencing me during his live appearances on WGSR.

(With so many of the cult's leadership in this area, I will ask them since they are obviously reading this blog: why are you guys giving all that money from the Lord's treasury to a habitual convicted felon, atheist, purveyor of immoral entertainment and BISEXUAL DEVIANT/PERVERT? If scripture commands us to have an answer ready for every question as it does in Colossians 4:6 and 1st Peter 3:15 then it's high time that this question be answered. Y'all accuse others of lesser things than this but when it's known that you are actively dealing with such a person on your own, you never seem to be able to 'splain that one to us. Reeks of hypocrisy if ya ask me...)

Anyhoo, I checked out what the hub-bub was about and found that Robertson had brought into town someone named Shawn Paden.

The first thought that entered my mind when I saw Robertson's fellow cultist was "this guy looks like John Wayne Gacy without the clown makeup!"

Serial killer John Wayne Gacy, executed in 1994 for the murder of more than 30 young men. Gacy was known throughout his Chicago neighborhood for his block parties and dressing up as "Pogo the Clown".

I don't have a photo of Shawn Paden himself at the moment, but just imagine "Pogo the Clown" without the makeup, focus on his heartless soulless eyes, and that is a pretty good image of Shawn Paden.

Anyhoo, Johnny Robertson brought Pogo Paden into town at presumably great expense. Once he got here Pogo Paden did nothing with his television airtime other than declare that people without water baptism were damned to Hell and that salvation is mostly a thing about works. Pogo Paden reiterated Robertson's "thousand dollar challenge" (which has long been answered but Robertson refuses to ante-up) to the belief that we are saved by faith.

Even while working on my new film last night, I was able to tick off the scriptural answers to Pogo Paden: Luke 5:20, Luke 18:10-14, John 3:16, John 6:28-29, John 5:24, John 6:40, John 6:47, Acts 10:43, Acts 16:31, Romans 3:28 (which reads "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith WITHOUT the deeds of the law."), Romans 4:5 (which reads "But to him THAT WORKETH NOT, but BELIEVETH on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith IS COUNTED for righteousness."), Romans 5:1 (which reads "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."), Galatians 2:16 (which reads "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."), Galatians 2:21, all of Galatians chapter 3, Ephesians 2:8-10 (which reads "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."), and numerous others which no doubt will also be ignored by Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield, Mark McMinnis, Micah Robertson and Shawn Paden as they routinely do anyway.

(Do these people ever preach Christ and Him crucified? I've never heard them do it, not even once.)

But let's get to the really interesting thing, folks! Seems that earlier this week Johnny Robertson ran afoul of the City of Danville because - gasp! - Robertson and his cult failed to get the proper permits for their tent meeting. I didn't see it myself but I had to chuckle at all the reports of Robertson and his goons going on WGSR and blaming "the Baptist Mafia" at work in Danville for trying to foil his plans. Yup, "Baptist Mafia", that's what Robertson apparently said.

Well, Robertson did get his papers in order and the "tent meeting" began. Complete with associates of the cult from Texas including Shawn "Pogo" Paden. But how successful has it been?

Here are some screen captures from a videotape that somebody provided of a broadcast of the tent meeting on WGSR a few days ago. Johnny Robertson droned on and on for an hour, again claiming that without water baptism (and "proper" water baptism at that, meaning that all Baptists are going to Hell anyway) that one is damned without any possibility of salvation.

Here's Johnny Robertson of the Martinsville Church of Christ (which has nothing to do with the mainstream Churches of Christ that most people know and respect and admire) finally shutting up from his "inspirational" preaching. In the footage I thought I could make out Mark McMinnis and one other individual, and one person obviously running the camera...

And no doubt Robertson has been preaching his message to an enthralled, enraptured audience. Right? Right?!

A thoughtless panning of the camera to the right reveals the truth of the matter...

NOBODY HAS COME TO THE TENT MEETING! Johnny Robertson has spent an hour, possibly more, PREACHING TO EMPTY CHAIRS! Apart from his own followers (who are obligated to be in attendance because Robertson calls them out by name during "services" on Sunday morning at Martinsville Church of Christ if they haven't been "faithful" enough) no one from the general public has come to hear Johnny Robertson speak, at least at this particular "tent meeting".

I've seen tent revivals before, put on by churches and visiting evangelists. Not the "charlatan" types either that unfortunately do admittedly roam the land, but some obviously sincere folks. Those events always seemed to pack their respective tents. But here, at Johnny Robertson's "Church of Christ"? Not so much. Crazily enough, Johnny Robertson does sweep his gaze look up and down and across the empty chairs as if they had actual people sitting in them.

I am told by some who have eyewitnessed the tent meeting that there have been apparently less than a dozen people amassed beneath it at any given time during the past several nights.

Maybe that's why Robertson was so hot to locate his tent meeting next to a car dealership: because on camera it would look as though throngs of people beat a path to his sham. Trickery, trickery, trickery.

I guess the word really is out: nobody wants to associate with a cult that regularly harasses and intimidates people in their own homes and during the sanctity of their worship services, a cult that has already been found guilty in court once this year for criminal trespass, and a cult leader who has thus far accused at least two churches of child pornography without any evidence, among many other acts of irresponsible and unethical behavior.

Maybe Johnny Robertson just needs to bring more of his comic book collection to entice people to come visit "the tent".

Read More

Attention: Charles Roark

To: Charles Roark, general manager of WGSR Star 47

I have significantly more substantiation for my report than you had when you allowed your biggest-paying client to accuse First Christian Church in Kernersville of child pornography without challenging him on it, or when you personally claimed on live television that the same church was "full of perverts".

sincerely,
Chris Knight

Read More

Did Charles Roark cost Rockingham County 60 well-paying jobs?

So a fairly well-known company was considering locating a facility in Rockingham County that would have put around sixty people to work in positions with good pay.

And then some of their management happened to catch a few days' worth of WGSR Star 47. In particular The Local Buzz with WGSR general manager Charles Roark. Even more particular: a number of recent broadcasts in which Roark was encouraging viewers to talk about their sex lives.

It gave this area a bad enough impression, that those jobs aren't coming now.

I've been sitting on this for a few weeks but didn't have enough confirmation of it until this afternoon. One source told me that WGSR's being the sole televised media outlet for the county made us "out to be slackjawed idiots".

Call it a classic case of one bad apple ruining the whole bushel.

By the way, ever notice how Roark will do his damndest to get callers to talk about their sex lives, but he never talks about his own?

Curious, that...

Way more coming in due time. I'm sitting on too much material that deserves to be unloaded before I move on to bigger and better things (hopefully sooner than later).

Read More

Had enough of Johnny Robertson? Not enough apparently...

This blog hasn't had much to report on local cult leader/pathological liar/convicted felon/public menace Johnny Robertson lately. Been almost a month since I posted anything new.

This next item though is sufficiently wacky enough that it screams to be talked about.

Some people have been writing to let me know that Johnny Robertson and all of his followers (those being James Oldfield, Micah Robertson "The Lesser" and Mark McMinnis) have been conspicuously absent from the airwaves of local television station WGSR in recent weeks. Instead What Does the Bible Say? and A Word from the Lord (AKA "The Martinsville Taliban Show" and "A Word from James Oldfield") have been in reruns, one of which was Oldfield's two-hour spiel about why it's a sin to place money in the Salvation Army kettles. That particular screed prompted one person known to this writer to make a fifty dollar contribution to the Salvation Army on behalf of James Oldfield, but I digress...

So, wanna know where Johnny Robertson and his crew are?

Siddown. Y'all ain't gonna buh-leeeeve this one.

Robertson and his cronies are currently on a madcap dash around the country visiting the few other gatherings of their "Church of Christ" cult (which again, has nothing at all to do with the mainstream Churches of Christ) in a bid to raise money for more airtime on WGSR.

But wait: it gets better...

Currently, the "Church of Christ" cult broadcasts for four and a half hours each week on WGSR out of Martinsville, Virginia and Reidsville, North Carolina.

Johnny Robertson has decided that this isn't enough "information" (which approximately consists of 50% bragging about himself, 40% harassing other people and churches and 10% sloppy PowerPoint presentations and 0% about Jesus Christ).

So now he is attempting to raise funds to purchase TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF AIRTIME PER WEEK!

That is about 3 and a half hours per day that Robertson and his co-villains will be attempting to fill with god-knows-what (not God that is, but the god of this world that Robertson and his cronies serve and commit evil for).

Wouldn't surprise me if Robertson ordered what few followers he still has to ramp up their attacks and intimidation tactics of innocent people and church congregations around here. Maybe even going as far as harassing Greensboro, Burlington and Winston-Salem since Robertson is apparently goading WGSR general manager/personal stooge Charles Roark toward expanding into those markets...

...But that also means that this blog will be expecting a lot more traffic in the near future as people start Goggle-ing about Johnny Robertson, "Martinsville Church of Christ" and the like as more begin to discover the brazenly unethical behavior coming out of WGSR and its current management.

Twenty-four hours per week? I don't know of any politician who's that conceited...

Read More

Johnny Robertson channels Oral Roberts! Cult leader exclaims "This may be our last night!"

This has to be one of the most ridiculous broadcasts I've ever seen coming out of Johnny Robertson and the "Church of Christ in Name Only". And that's sayin' something...

He started at 10 p.m. tonight on the program out of WGSR's Martinsville studio, ranting about Bob Lawson (several e-mails came in today saying that Lawson pitched my blog during Charles Roark's The Local Buzz earlier this afternoon and that neither Roark or Robertson like that at all).

After that, Robertson commenced to launching an on-air crusade against, for some reason or another, a steakhouse.

And now several times in the past few minutes Robertson has insinuated that this might be the end of him on WGSR. It was like watching Oral Roberts back in 1987, when Roberts told his viewers to send him millions of dollars or else "the Lord will call me home". Tonight Robertson announced several times that "This might be our last night!" It sounded as if he were begging the WGSR viewing area to keep him on the air, in spite of how he was denouncing WGSR general manager Charles Roark and staff member Debra Buchanan for doing business with said steakhouse.

(Does this mean that Hollywood Mountain is Martinsville, Virginia's very own "City of Faith"? :-P)

Hey Johnny Robertson, quit being a drama queen! EVERYONE knows that Charles Roark will never kick you off of his station. Roark has sold too much of his principles (some even are saying his soul) to you. The entire area knows that you, Johnny Robertson, are the biggest-paying client of WGSR and that without all that money coming to you from the cult in Texas that WGSR would take a crippling hit.

It's like watching the proverbial battered wife: Robertson can trash-talk Charles Roark and the entire staff of WGSR as much as he wants, and Roark will let him get away with it. Because Robertson will just tell Roark "Where else you gonna go bay-bee?"

(And in response to the reader of this blog hailing from Alaska: I am not making this stuff up about what goes on around here. It's really happening. The nonsense coming out of Robertson's cult is so bizarre that I wouldn't know how to begin to conjure it up out of my imagination.)

And for a broadcast called What Does the Bible Say?, Robertson spent approximately two minutes out of two hours' broadcast time covering any scripture at all. Parse that as you may...

Read More

Of one accord no longer? Dissent amock in Robertson cult

Odd things are afoot regarding local cult leader Johnny Robertson and the "Church of Christ in Name Only".

Numerous e-mails came in Tuesday evening about that day's edition of The Local Buzz on WGSR. The entire last half-hour of the show consisted of honked-off viewers calling out general manager Charles Roark on his blatant pro-Robertson bias. And one Internet forum devoted to Henry County, Virginia issues - which Johnny Robertson had publicly boasted of being "the number one topic of discussion" - has in recent days become loaded with anti-Robertson animosity. Some of which is coming from people claiming to be former members of the cult.

Without knowing anything else about what's going down across the state line, it certainly does seem as though the people of Martinsville and Henry County, for whatever reason, are on the warpath like never before against the "Church of Christ" cult.

But here's the real meat and gravy, friends and neighbors...

As most people around here know, Robertson and his followers have established themselves a very sick reputation for their "hidden camera" ambush interviews with anyone and everyone who isn't aligned with their twisted mentality. In the past year alone Robertson has accused - with no evidence whatsoever - two churches of child pornography. Robertson has harassed and confronted private individuals at their own homes, at their places of worship, and anywhere else that he has found opportunity to be a nuisance. And more often than not Robertson has jubilantly posted footage of these confrontations on YouTube. Most of these have been published on the "wherethebiblespeaks" YouTube channel.

Since this week began, all of the confrontational clips on that channel have disappeared. Along with every video of the recent Johnny Robertson/Bob Lawson "debate". Gone down the memory hole. Become unvideos. Vanished into the ether.

(But in case anyone needs them, I have saved all of them to my own computers here. They still exist and I've got 'em.)

This hasn't been the first time lately that the cult has had issues on YouTube. Over the summer Robertson and his followers lost their "studyjesus" channel (the one that among other things had the video from last summer where Robertson claimed that the Danville Church of Christ has been painted with a bomb threat by local Muslims... but strangely didn't see fit to report that to the Danville Police Department). Reports that came here suggest that Robertson and his followers violated YouTube terms of service and had it yanked.

However, in regard to the "wherethebiblespeaks" channel, something much more intriguing is now transpiring.

A few days ago "Paul", who had been the person in charge of the channel (and one of Robertson's most active supporters) posted this on the channel about his "retirement"...

I'd like to personally thank all of the people that have either subscribed to or become friends with Where the Bible Speaks. I have enjoyed moderating this channel very much but it is time that I pass the torch on. Where the Bible Speaks will now be moderated by my good friend, Andrew. I'm sure those of you who are regular visitors of the channel are familiar with him as he has done several videos. I am confident that he will do a great job with the channel and I hope you all embrace him and continue to support Where the Bible Speaks. Again, I'd like to thank all of the supporters! Take care! - Paul 9-14-09

And then this "Andrew" wrote the following e-mail to someone about comments being removed, but also made several startling statements...

Re: Johnny Robertson Videos

Paul was doing quite a bit of work with the page and all and has decided to sit back and breath and leave me (Andrew) in control of the content. I hate that you have been troubled by your comments being removed and do apologize. I assure you, nothing has been, or will be deleted for unfair reasons. Although I found the lawson debate entertaining, I didn't see it of much spiritual profit. It was less of a religious nature, and more of a debate of personal matters between Johnny and Bob. When I seen things like bickering over "double-breasted suites" and what not, I decided it didn't promote enough spiritual truth. There were some topics in it that were of use, but I believe the bitterness of it all overlapped that. For a similar reason I deleted all the "shorts" on the debate I had with Jake. (Internetdisciple) I decided to let the full debate speak for itself. I might make videos later, and include loops of such, but I will be on camera discussing it. I also deleted my "communion video" because I plan, Lord willing, to make another. To the displeasure of many, I'm sure, I will be deleting many more vids of Johnny and James, because there are some important doctrines, which they hold and teach, which I strongly disagree with. I haven't quite decided what and when yet, or exactly what I'll do with everything of theirs, but I will most assuredly delete all of James' videos for some doctrines that he has taught on TV as of late, that are contrary to the Gospel. I have much respect for James, as he is a kind, and intelligent man, but that cuts not stuff with me, for teaching false doctrine. - Andrew

WHOA!!! Someone from the "Church of Christ" not only publicly accusing Johnny Robertson and James Oldfield of "false doctrines" (something that Robertson and Oldfield do all the time to others) but is now also removing their videos because of that false doctrine?!?!?

If you live in this area, you will no doubt understand what this means. Because Robertson, Oldfield and their followers not only preach but demand "unity". They brag constantly about how their "Church of Christ" (again, I emphasize that this is not the mainstream Churches of Christ we're talking about) has no disagreements amongst itself.

And now Robertson is being referred to as having "bitterness" and "false doctrines"... from within his very own group.

Has a schism erupted within the "Church of Christ"? Could it be that some among them are getting fed up with the raw hatred and bitter root of Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield, Micah Robertson, and Mark McMinnis? Fed up enough that some within it are beginning to stand up to Johnny Robertson, just as many are now standing up to him in the general community?

I honestly don't know. But to date, this is certainly the most glaring and public crack in the cult's facade of apparent solidarity.

And I have no doubt that Johnny Robertson will fully address this issue at some point during the course of the many hours of live broadcast time that he has on WGSR each and every week.

/sarcasm

Read More

Yes Johnny Robertson, by all means let's talk about "honesty"

Say what one might about Bob Lawson, to the very best of my knowledge there was only one person in that "debate" on WGSR this past Tuesday night who has lied boldly and publicly when he accused not one but two churches, with no evidence whatsoever, of what can only be called child pornography.

And Bob Lawson wasn't that person.

More than a few people have told me that Johnny Robertson is "scum", "a dirty-minded individual", "a sick man", "a complete bastard", and numerous other epithets that I won't share here for sake of polity, for making those unfounded accusations against First Christian Church in Kernersville and Osborne Baptist Church in Danville. Interestingly, Robertson hasn't dared bring those accusations up any more since they have been chronicled by this and other bloggers in the area.

Based on the footage I have seen from Tuesday night's "debate" and now tonight, Robertson is certainly becoming increasingly unhinged from reality. Already tonight he has said that he has "loathing" for Baptists, that a full-blown war is going to be needed to get rid of "denominationalism", has called Bob Lawson a "whoremonger" because Lawson is divorced, has claimed that he is the only defender and upholder of "the truth in this area", has declared himself superior to everyone else in this area, and that the First Amendment somehow gives him the right to harass whoever he wants to.

(Robertson must have missed civics during what was likely his two or three trips through ninth grade: the First Amendment of the Constitution only guarantees that the government cannot stifle free speech. It says nothing about churches exercising their right to protect themselves against disrupters like Johnny Robertson and his cult.)

There's way more that I could comment about the extraordinary nuttiness that Robertson is descending into, but for now I'll just note that tonight I took a look for the first time at WGSR's streaming video feed. There's been one for the Reidsville station and from what I understand the one for the Martinsville station went live Tuesday night (just for the "debate" apparently). Bear in mind then that the Reidsville one has been established the longer of the two.

So how big an Internet audience does Johnny Robertson and his so-called "Church of Christ" cult have?

Eleven viewers. Only ELEVEN! So that's me, and at least three other friends of mine who are watching Robertson and his cult from across the country just to laugh at him.

How many "serious" viewers does Robertson have then?

I'll wager an RC Cola and a Moon Pie that this blog gets many more regular readers than Robertson does.

And I don't think any less of you, Dear Readers, either. Hell, I know that y'all - well most of you anyway - are smart enough to think for yourselves. And I will be the first to admit that I don't understand enough about God than to harass people with it.

I sure as frak won't ever accuse a church of pornography like Johnny Robertson has done.

(And Charles Roark raised eyebrows in some places with his comment that said church is filled with "perverts", but that's all I'll say about that.)

Read More

The obvious question about WGSR

In the past month or so WGSR general manager Charles Roark has broadcast footage of no less than three murder victims (before knowing if the next of kin had been notified), and at this moment is defending his "right" to trespass on property and film video of a person's house burning down without regard of what the guy's family was going through. In addition to every other amount of callous disrespect toward others that WGSR under his management has done with no editorial oversight.

So I'm compelled to ask aloud...

If the naked, beaten and dead body of Azile Roark was lying in the street, would Charles Roark be equally insistent on footage of that - the corpse of his own mother and the proprietor of Star News Corporation - be broadcast on television?

Or is there a double standard at work at WGSR?

We already know that Roark has sold out his principles to local cult leader (and WGSR's biggest client) Johnny Robertson. So let's assume that the shoe might be on the other foot someday and that would be Roark's turn to be the victim.

Dear readers, you know just as well as I do: there's not a snowball's chance in Hell that Roark would put himself in as vulnerable a position as he demands on putting just about everyone else.

And no amount of crowing about being "the biggest media" in the area can possibly make up for such a severe deficit of personal and professional ethics.

Read More

I'm pretty sure ABC/Disney won't like this

At this moment, Johnny Robertson of the local cult calling itself the "Church of Christ" (which has nothing to do with the real Churches of Christ) is broadcasting an entire story from ABC's Nightline about real estate scamming in Martinsville, Virginia as part of his What Does The Bible Say? (or as I call it The Martinsville Taliban Show) on WGSR Star 47.

So let's look at the first part of the Walt Disney Internet Group's Terms of Use, with emphasis mine in red font...

1. INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Internet sites of the Walt Disney Internet Group ("WDIG"). "WDIG Sites" include Disney.com, ABCNEWS.com, ABC.com, ESPN.com, DisneyShopping.com, Go.com, Movies.com, FamilyFun.com, and other Internet sites on which these terms of use are posted. WDIG and any and all entities that control, are controlled by, or are affiliated or under common control with, WDIG are collectively referred to herein as "we," "us" or "our".

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING ANY WDIG SITE. By using any WDIG Site or by clicking a box that states that you accept or agree to these terms, you signify your agreement to these terms of use. If you do not agree to these terms of use, you may not use the WDIG Sites.

Note that special terms apply to some services offered on certain WDIG Sites, like subscription-based services, rules for particular contests or sweepstakes or other features or activities. These terms are posted in connection with the applicable service. Any such terms are in addition to these terms of use, and in the event of a conflict, prevail over these terms of use.

You acknowledge that these terms of use are supported by reasonable and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you acknowledge that such consideration includes your use of the WDIG Sites and receipt of data, materials and information available at or through the WDIG Sites, the possibility of our use or display of your Solicited Submissions (as defined below in Section 3, entitled "SUBMISSIONS") and the possibility of the publicity and promotion from our use or display of your Solicited Submissions.

2. USE OF CONTENT

All information, materials, functions and other content (including Submissions, as defined in Section 3, entitled "SUBMISSIONS") ("Content") contained on WDIG Sites are our copyrighted property or the copyrighted property of our licensors or licensees. All trademarks, service marks, trade names, and trade dress are proprietary to us and/or our licensors or licensees. We may change the WDIG Sites or delete Content or features at any time, in any way, for any or no reason.

Except as we specifically agree in writing, no Content from any WDIG Site may be used, reproduced, transmitted, distributed or otherwise exploited in any way other than as part of the WDIG Site, except that where a WDIG Site is configured to enable the download of particular Content, you may download one copy of such Content to a single computer for your personal, noncommercial home use only, provided that you (a) keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices, (b) make no modifications to the Content, and (c) do not use the Content in a manner that suggests an association with any of our products, services or brands. Any business use, "re-mailing" or high-volume or automated use of WDIG Sites is prohibited.

In the event that we offer downloads of software on a WDIG Site and you download such software, the software, including any files, images incorporated in or generated by the software, and data accompanying the software (collectively, the "Software") are licensed to you by us or third-party licensors for your personal, noncommercial home use only. We do not transfer title to the Software to you. You may not distribute or otherwise exploit the Software or decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble or otherwise reduce the Software to a human-readable form.

So... did Johnny Robertson, the Martinsville Church of Christ, WGSR Star 47 and its general manager Charles Roark acquire express permission from Disney and ABC to use their copyrighted material wholesale?

Probably not. They are clearly committing an act of blatant copyright infringement. But hey: we're talking about people who haven't cared about things like laws, ethics and personal responsibility before. Why expect it now?!

(And now Robertson is repeating his year-old lie that one area church is engaging in child pornography, sans any evidence supporting his wild claim.)

Read More

Why has Old Dutch Galaxy Food Center apparently pulled out as an advertiser on WGSR Star 39?

Could it possibly be because of a certain anti-Barack Obama sign that WGSR general manager Charles Roark devoted obscene amounts of airplay and screentime to this past Friday afternoon, and then again on Monday?

The answer to that question is, evidently, "yes".

Old Dutch Galaxy had been a major advertiser for WGSR. A chain of four grocery stores around the Danville and Chatham area in Virginia, Old Dutch Galaxy had been running updated commercials every week (on a station that was still running spots for the Reidsville Christmas parade last week, mind ya...).

But the word from our friends around south-central Virginia, is that Roark's constant harping about a sign calling Obama a "bastard" and his mother a "slut" was way over the top and into the realm of completely inappropriate behavior.

I doubt that this lesson will be anything but lost on Charles Roark, who has abandoned responsible broadcasting ethics for tabloid-style trash that caters to the least common denominator.

Except now, WGSR has lost one of its bigger clients because of Roark's reckless behavior.

But I'm pretty confident that Roark won't care, and he probably even told the Old Dutch Galaxy guys as much when they pulled out, since cult leader Johnny Robertson can always be relied upon to make up for the loss via all those thousands of dollars coming in from "the Mysterious Texans"(tm).

Seriously though: I've been arguing for awhile that the image conveyed by WGSR's management is a detriment to the commerce of this area. Does anyone now doubt the veracity of that contention?

Read More

Religulous Review: Johnny Robertson admits to "multimedia" schizoid sham... with a clip show?!

(With kindest regards to Bill Maher for coming up with such a great new word that I couldn't help but apply it to another bunch of loonies that he would probably laugh at as well...)

In late November this blog reported on local cult leader Johnny Robertson - of what I call "the Church of Christ in Name Only" - employing the services of what he referred to on his live TV show as "Religious Review Multimedia Group", and Robertson heavily implied that whoever "Religious Review Multimedia Group" was, that they were an independent outfit covering matters of faith.

Except the whole thing was something Robertson made up. And in the footage that he aired, that's his own teenage son who's now following in his old man's footsteps with the hidden cameras and "in yo face" confrontations.

"Religious Review Multimedia Group" was, as is so often with Johnny Robertson and which has been documented on this blog many time before, an outrageous lie.

By the way, at least one person has privately told me that for accusing one church of child pornography on live television, that Johnny Robertson "should be shot" and that for allowing such slander to be broadcast unquestioned and without research, that WGSR general manager Charles Roark should have his license revoked by the Federal Communications Commission. I can certainly see some merit to that. About the FCC anyway...

(Why did you let Robertson say such a thing anyway, huh Roark? Or do you simply not care what Johnny Robertson says? Is it true that Johnny Robertson owns your miserable excuse for a soul and that you don't have the backbone to stand up for journalistic integrity? Sadly, many of us know the answer to that question.)

So there is no such thing as "Religious Review Multimedia Group". Or there used to not be anyhoo... because as I noted last week it now appears that other folks are taking the initiative against the damage that Johnny Robertson and his second cousin/toady James Oldfield have been doing to north-central North Carolina and southside Virginia. I don't know who's behind it but the Religious Review blog is off to a fine start. And in its latest post, Religious Review (The Blog) provides hard evidence for Robertson and Oldfield's chicanery...

What are they trying to prove?

Apparently, Johnny Robertson and his second cousin James Oldfield are feeling a bit guilty about the recent public backlash against their misleading use of something called "Religious Review". Because tonight, on "What Does the Bible Say", they showed an old rerun of "What Does the Bible Say" with a banner below reading "Vintage RELIGIOUS REVIEW".

How much criticism must they have gotten for their dishonesty to devote an entire program to trying to prove that they aren't doing anything wrong? Why is this "Vintage RELIGIOUS REVIEW"? They were calling the program "What Does the Bible Say" even back then, not "Religious Review". More dishonesty!

Maybe the threat of legal action scared them into trying to prove themselves. Nice try, boys, but you didn't prove anything with this.

"What Does the Bible Say"...
effective computer usage since 2002

Yes folks, believe it or not: Johnny Robertson tried to hoodwink everyone into believing that "Religious Review" has been around since 2002... with a clip show!

(I didn't see that show personally, but I did manage to catch and chuckle at the "All Calls Special" that Oldfield had running in place of his usual show this past Thursday night.)

I've talked with a lot of people who have been following the Johnny Robertson cult for longer than I've been paying attention to it, and to the best of their knowledge "Religious Review Multimedia Group" didn't exist until the past couple of months. But in a bizarre statement that he made on the Answering Church of Christ blog, Robertson said the following (in his typical bewildering ranting style)...

keep up Walking in (not) love all anyone has to do is go back for the last 6 years and see that I have been doing RR for a long time

Religious Review was hated in Martinsville long before you fellows caught on to my work.Thanks for the advertising though

Can this man not make up his mind as to whether or not he is or is not affiliated with "Religious Review Multimedia Group"? First Robertson makes out as if they are some serious Web 2.0 outfit independent of him. Now, he says that he is "Religious Review Multimedia Group" and in an act of apparent time travel, he claims that they have existed for at least six years.

That is either a lie of omission, or a leap of insanity.

Either way, "walkinginlove" asked this of Robertson on the same thread...

As for the RR site, I have no idea who did it or why but I do know that you are falsely representing yourself and that is a lie Johnny, now in your belief system you may think it is ok, but do liars inherit the kingdom of heaven?

How indeed, Johnny Robertson? Can you honestly say that your behavior is reflective of a Christ-like life, or that this is the kind of attitude that is going to be rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven?

I don't doubt that Robertson betrayed what his real motivation is with what he said a few days ago...

"we are revealing the evil behaviors of you all"

If you are not a member of Robertson's cult, you are "evil" and damned to Hell. That's what it boils down to.

But what is now becoming common knowledge is that Johnny Robertson is more like a "useful idiot" for the real cult leaders (like Shawn Paden) in and around east Texas. They're the ones (no matter how much Robertson claims otherwise) who keep sending the thousands of dollars for Robertson and his second cousin James Oldfield (gotta love how fast that tidbit has become well known too!) to be operating on the only television station that had management desperate enough to sell airtime and sell out to anyone with the cash. Without that, Robertson would have been a former imprisoned felon who, as one commenter on this blog put it, has "abandonment issues" from how bad his father treated him and his mother.

Johnny Robertson, you're from Texas. Maybe you've heard of the saying there: "You've got to rise above your raisin'." Those are wise words and you'd do well to heed them. Instead of running around the area acting like a liar and lunatic and ruining the lives of your kid and whoever else.

Read More

Johnny Robertson (still) can't spell

Nobody can take a so-called "preacher" seriously when he chronically mis-spells words like "especially" and "scriptures"...

And Johnny Robertson is saying that another preacher is "confused"?

Kinda funny, isn't it? That there have been at least two major stories that happened in the area in the past few days, and WGSR general manager Charles Roark didn't see fit to have either of them reported over the air. The bigger priority at Star News is the illiterate cult leader from Texas: the one that Roark acts like an obedient dog to.

Read More

Johnny Robertson: child exploiter (and this blog calls bullcrap on "Religious Review")

Before I get to the meat of this particular post, there's something that I'm gonna share here, that I think is nigh worth passing along...

In the past several days, two individuals - each of whom is a highly respected and admired member of the community in this area - have volunteered to me their opinion of WGSR Star 39: the television station "serving" the market around Reidsville, North Carolina.

The first person said that WGSR is an "embarrassment" and that it "makes the people here look dumb".

The second person was more precise in their assessment: that WGSR general manager Charles Roark is not a serious broadcaster, that he is only out for "tabloid television" and that Reidsville's television station never tolerated such "nuts like Johnny Robertson" when it was operating as WAEU Channel 14 several years ago.

I agree, one hunnerd percent. WAEU had a much more professional operation than what has transpired under the "leadership" of Charles Roark. And a man as evil as cult leader Johnny Robertson would never have been allowed the airtime on WAEU. Back then, the station practiced civic responsibility. To have let Robertson and his self-described "Church of Christ" cabal use the station's facilities would have been like letting David Koresh broadcast for four hours a week just because he had enough money. And I've no doubt that if Koresh were alive and active in this area, that Charles Roark would sell him airtime.

But anyhoo, back to Johnny Robertson (who a number of people have also told me that I wasn't wrong in comparing him to Jim Jones a few days ago)...

I happened to catch Robertson's broadcast at 10 p.m. last night on WGSR. The highlight of the show was Robertson's son out harassing people going into churches with a camcorder, calling himself a "reporter" with an outfit called the "Religious Review Multimedia Group".

First of all, there is no such thing as "Religious Review Multimedia". It's something that Johnny Robertson pulled out of his own butt, just to add an air of legitimacy to his twisted activities. And second, his son is a horrible reporter (but I guess he's working for WGSR in a sense, so that jibes). From my understanding, this is a fifteen-year old kid that Robertson is sending out to do this kind of stuff.

But as it turns out, exploiting pre-adults is something that Johnny Robertson is rather fond of.

This blogger received some information not long ago and has been working to confirm it. The Knight Shift can now report that Johnny Robertson, of the "Martinsville Church of Christ" in Martinsville, Virginia, has been handing out twenty dollar bills to the children of his congregation. But this isn't money he's giving out of the goodness of his heart. No folks: Robertson has been passing out the bills to the kids, with orders to confront fellow students and even teachers in the schools that they attend. The instructions to the "Church of Christ" cult's youth are: "if you can prove that your denomination is in the Bible, I will give you twenty dollars." Just as Robertson has publicly offered thousands of dollars on live television to anyone who can offer biblical evidence of denominations.

(Personally, I think that the seven churches described in the Book of Revelation correspond precisely with denominations as we understand them today. But I'm not holding my breath for Robertson to make good on his offer...)

It's already been well established that neither Johnny Robertson's "Martinsville Church of Christ", or the "Reidsville Church of Christ" that his henchman James Oldfield runs, is financially self-sufficient. That Robertson is being funded by the proverbial "mysterious Texans" out west.

This is what all his donors in Texas give money to support? I mean, Robertson and Oldfield complain all the time that other churches and preachers don't care about the Bible... yet they spend their entire time not only not talking about the Bible, but instead condemning those churches and preachers. And now, Robertson is apparently using that same funding to send children out to harass others?

Once again I have to ask: how is this demonstrating Christ's love and grace to a lost and dying world?

No wonder so many people laugh at Christianity.

(But a lot of people are also laughing at Johnny Robertson and Charles Roark...)

Read More

Price Ueber Alles: School board member attacks Richard Moore, who is subsequently endorsed by Jeff Sykes (what the...?!)

I'm not going to even begin to attempt to recap everything that's taken place over almost two years now regarding Ron Price, the Rockingham County Board of Education member who stole all those campaign signs on the night before the 2006 election. Hit the above link if you want to know what's been going on.

I will say though, however belatedly, that very many people shared with me how ridiculous and even foolish it was when Price endorsed EVERY incumbent in this year's Board of Education election, including those who are going to be running against each other in the same district race.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand, which a lot of folks have been e-mailing me about...

This past Friday, Price used his blog to launch a scathing attack on Richard Moore, local bookstore owner and candidate for Rockingham County Board of Commissioners, who had previously been the target of a well-publicized lawsuit by Price. You may recall that Richard Moore and his wife tried to hold Price accountable for stealing the Brad Miller signs. Price filed a frivolous lawsuit (that I wound up being called in as a witness on, mostly to look at pictures of a Christmas parade... no I'm still not gonna bother with posting some links, look it up yourself) against the two and a few months later, since it was going to be laughed out of court anyway he dropped the whole thing.

Here's the full text of Ron Price's diatribe, since items on his blog have a tendency to get flushed down the "memory hole" on a regular basis...

Friday, September 05, 2008
Richard Moore

Editorial on Richard Moore, candidate for county commissioner: As we approach the 2008 Elections the importance is renewed that we consider all the factors associated with the candidates for office. Most of the candidates have many good qualifications for office that they have revealed to the Newspapers, during interviews and on TV appearances. However, there is one who stands out for concealing his platform and goals. Richard Moore is a perennial candidate, who tells the public nothing about his agenda for office. We do know from his previous actions at City Council meetings, County Commissioner meetings, School Board meetings and his published information that he offers little or nothing in the way of constructive ideas. He is a scoffer and a scorner, cynical of all local government agencies. He has revealed through his commentaries that he is highly prejudiced and a racist.

RM is a crass and vulgar person who creates acrimony, discord and derision. He subtly reveals that he is a promoter of decadence and pornography and if he is elected we could expect that he will promote these as a commissioner. If Rockingham County is to move ahead we need to elect those who will work constructively and in harmony with the public and elected officials. As with any individual the party to which a person belongs should not be the only criteria in determining ones vote. We need to verify that the person’s platform is in accord with the party platform and the values we personally want to promote.

posted by Ron Price | 12:54 PM

Richard Moore posted a response on his own website, The Tammytown Tattler...

DENIED, DISOWNED AND DISAVOWED

Guess who's not invited to the Rockingham County Republican Party Picnic. Hint: It's one of the candidates for County Commissioner who is running on the "diverse" Republican Party ticket. Here's the answer. Notice who appears in the photo in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Jeff Sykes occasionally appears on the page on the right side.

To: Tom Schoolfield
Rockingham County Republican Party Vice-Chair
Ref: Notice of television appearance and discussion

In fairness, I want to let you know I will be appearing on television one day next week to discuss Ron Price's editorial about how evil I am. I'm sure you've read it, it's located at ronprice.blogspot.com if you haven't. I'm hoping I can schedule my appearance between 6 and 7 PM on Wednesday Sept. 10 You need to let as many people as possible know about the show, especially local Republican Party stalwarts.

I will be appearing on WGSR, which is channel 5 on Time-Warner cable in Rockingham County. The program will also be shown in Henry, Pittsylvania, and Caswell counties, and on the internet at www.wgsr.tv Approximately 500,000 people are in the WGSR viewing area.

The majority of the show will be devoted to Mr. Price's editorial. However, in light of the fact that I have apparently been disowned by the Rockingham County Republican Party, I also intend to address that issue. I suspect Mr. Price and my banishment are connected and indeed I will raise that suggestion during the program. I tell you this because you and/or other local Republican party officials may want to call into the show to confirm or deny my suspicions, and/or defend your decision to disavow my candidacy.

Thanks for your consideration and I encourage you to watch the program. I believe it will have an impact on the November election and the Rockingham County Republican Party.

Richard Moore

Update: After a few days I finally heard from Tom Schoolfield. According to Mr. Schoolfield, the Rockingham County Republican Party executive committee decided not to invite me to the picnic because they had heard I dropped out of the race and that I had no interest in the Party's help. Schoolfield said Party Chairman Dan Zeller had called me many times, but I never returned any of his calls. Mr. Zeller might have considered using the U.S. Mail, or email, or smoke signals, or tried calling my home phone rather than calling my business number which has been unattended for 5-1/2 months while the BOOKSTORE was closed. Schoolfield indicated Ron Price's editorial screed was his own and that Price had not been assigned to be the local Republican Party's hatchet man. I will take Mr. Schoolfield at his word, but I can't think of anyone better than Ron Price to be a hatchet man for the Republican or any other party.

Notice to Ron Price: Ron, be sure to have your VCR warmed up and ready to record. It's going to be a show that you and your lawyer will want to watch many, many times. I've called my lawyer and he thinks this one will be a bases-loaded homerun for me

Yes, all of this involves infighting among fellow Republicans in Rockingham County, North Carolina. I'm almost tempted to scream out "APE HAS KILLED APE!"

Anyhoo, tonight at 6:30 Richard Moore went live on WGSR: a place that I've already told plenty enough people that I wouldn't set foot within again while Charles Roark is general manager even if I was dying of cancer and they were handing out free chemo in the studio. But because Moore was going on to address this latest in the Ron Price situation, I tuned in for that much.

Moore said that he supported Ron Price's freedom of speech (even though most of it is unfounded and could even be considered libel), and that as an elected official who took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, that Price should know better. I doubt that Price would take it to heart when he heard it (just as I've no doubt that Price and his lawyer Doug Hux were recording ever minute of it) but I thought that Moore's comments were exactly what needed to be said.

Then came the moment that I dont think anyone expected to happen...

Jeff Sykes - the former editor of the Reidsville Review who was fired following a "phony quotes" scandal, and who for over three years now has been known as the sworn enemy of Richard Moore - called in... and endorsed Richard Moore for county commissioner!!

I don't think it was a stunt at all. Sykes, at the very least, sounded sincere and serious and one thing he said during his conversation with Moore: that he had "matured" over time. And from where I was sitting, it did come across as a heartfelt thing to say.

Like I said: I don't think it was a stunt. And if Sykes has had a change of heart enough to do something like this, as hard as it might have been, then I won't be ashamed at all to say that his stock in my eyes has gone up considerably. He's shown a lot more capacity for growth and maturity than some people in this area have demonstrated (cough-cough charlesroarkjohnnyrobertson cough-cough...). It was definitely one of the stranger episodes of local politics that has happened in these parts.

So as of tonight: Republican Ron Price, who is on the school board, has published an editorial damning fellow Republican Richard Moore and calling on voters to disregard him at the polls, and then on live television Moore's longtime nemesis and also fellow Republican Jeff Sykes publicly endorses Moore for county commissioner.

Only in America...

Read More

Charles Roark offers FREE airtime on WGSR to Johnny Robertson for commercial defaming Yours Truly using my likeness

He did. It's true. I've got it documented.

And in Charles Roark's words: "I don't care... Take me on."

Just thought y'all should know.

So how is this different than what happened the other night? I never used Robertson's image.

Am glad that I didn't, now.

EDIT 5:08 p.m. EST: Roark talked about this on his "warm-up show" on WGSR this afternoon at 4:30. He's trying to spin it as if...

- I called Robertson out first.

- I told WGSR not to use my likeness at all.

Both are false. In fact, both are pretty much blatant lies.

Robertson wanted to debate me first. My only thing so far as "instigation" goes was to ask a theological question. He answered it. I was satisfied. Then Robertson announced that he was going to talk about me on his show that week and that I wouldn't debate him.

So I took him at his word, met him at the station with my video camera and let him have his opportunity. He quickly reneged.

So far as any reasonable human being is concerned, Johnny Robertson was the one who brought this to the television arena. Not I.

And so far as what I've told WGSR goes, I made it clear that my likeness could not be used in promos paid for by Johnny Robertson and his so-called "Church of Christ". Instead, Roark spun it so as to sound as if I was telling WGSR that it could not use my likeness at all.

So I called into the show. And told Roark that. I also accused him of very low journalism. He spat back that "this station is the most successful in the region" and then tried to make it sound as if I was "bitter", having worked there before.

Sure Charles, whatever.

Folks, some of you have been leaving some... not too polite... comments on this post, about Charles Roark. I don't really care to see those but I admit that the lesser angels of my nature are in resounding agreement. My last shred of respect for the man evaporated this afternoon, and I don't know if I'll ever tune in to WGSR again because of it.

He was right when he said one thing: once upon a time, I believed in that station. I thought it was good and I wanted to do my part to make it into something better. But I don't know if it will ever be anything more than it already is.

If Charles Roark is happy with that, fine. But if Roark is throwing his objectivity out the window for sake of a wealthy, paying client - and so far as I know Johnny Robertson and his "Church of Christ" are the biggest things keeping WGSR afloat at all - then I can't support WGSR anymore. Not as a matter of conscience. And the idea that I'm somehow "bitter" has nothing to do with it.

I can't help but think that I doubt Charles Roark will ever understand that.

Read More

THE KNIGHT SHIFT: In Color! Live on WGSR this Sunday night

Yesterday afternoon WGSR Star 39 General Manager Charles Roark devoted the 4:30 "warm-up show" to what happened on Sunday night on the street in front of the station, when I gave Johnny Robertson of the "Church Of Christ In Name Only" the opportunity to debate me on live television. Since Robertson had already declared he was going to talk about me and this blog on his show anyway, and had strongly stated that I wouldn't debate him, I took him at his word and showed up at the station with my Bible and video camera and gave him the chance to take me on during a live broadcast. He refused, and he couldn't answer the questions I was asking him either.

Long story short: Charles Roark has offered me 25 minutes of free airtime this coming Sunday night at 8 p.m.

I'm taking him up on it.

All I'm prepared to say right now is that it won't be a live debate between myself and Johnny Robertson. He had that chance on Sunday night. Charles Roark is graciously letting me have this valuable time to present another perspective, and I'm going to use it as best that I can. Neither will it be an interview. I've something in mind and I'm sticking to it.

Besides, Robertson will have an hour and a half after I'm on the air all to himself, to do whatever he likes. I'm going to respect the time alloted to him as he will no doubt respect the time alloted to me.

Read More