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".

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Johnny Robertson demands retraction from this blog

Word has reached me from a few places that on last night's installment of What Does the Bible Say? (or as many people call it "What Does Johnny Robertson Say?" and "The Martinsville Taliban Show") on WGSR, that local cult leader Johnny Robertson called me out by name for stating that his son Micah Robertson was convicted on May 7th in Danville General District Court on the charge of trespassing stemming from an incident on February 28th at Westover Baptist Church in Danville, Virginia.

It seems that Johnny Robertson - leader of the area cult calling itself "Church of Christ" (I now call them the "Sons of Hell", see Matthew 23:15 and some are now calling them "Stalkers for Jesus") believes I am being irresponsible as a journalist. It is his contention that Micah Robertson was not actually "convicted", but has had his judgment deferred for one year. At which time his transgression will be removed from the records. Which, I suppose I could note that this could be a parable about the quality of mercy that Robertson and his goons could stand to learn much from were they not so hard-hearted. But I digress...

If this isn't a conviction, then what is it? Micah Robertson certainly wasn't found innocent. And one doesn't find himself in the position of possibly having a conviction made permanent hanging over one's head like the proverbial Sword of Damocles unless that person did do something he shouldn't have been doing (in this case, harassing and intimidating a church congregation).

(I could also mention how Johnny Robertson apparently has nothing to say about my asking "Is it biblical or typical practice among your number for one of you to knowingly and consistently give huge amounts of God's money to an avowed atheist, bisexual habitual thief?". Guess he doesn't want to go there, aye?)

Anyhoo, Johnny Robertson has insisted that I should do a retraction.

He's not going to get it.

But, I am willing to demonstrate that I more than a fair journalist. Certainly more than Johnny Robertson and his "Religious Review" sham are...

The judge in the case has said that he'll take this off Micah Robertson's record if he behaves himself for the next year. I believe it is our duty to hold Micah Robertson to that.

If Micah Noel Robertson completely refrains from harassing churches for the next full year, and refrains from even MENTIONING on television any church other than his own Church of Christ for the same amount of time, and refrains from mentioning the name of the pastor or minister of any other congregation for the same amount of time, then I will print a retraction on The Knight Shift.

This means more than Micah Robertson having to keep his nose clean for the next 365 days. It also means that he's going to have to demonstrate nothing but his own doctrine for one full year.

Do I think he can do it? I doubt that he can. Martinsville Church of Christ, Danville Church of Christ and the rest of the local cult calling itself "Church of Christ" (which has nothing to do with the mainstream Churches of Christ) has proven time and again that it doesn't HAVE a real doctrine to call its own. All these loons have are a few handpicked verses of scripture backing up a doctrine that has never existed to begin with, and their unbridled hatred of everyone who doesn't belong to their cult.

In short: Micah Robertson has no purpose without being the bully that his father is grooming him to be. It's thuggery in the name of Christ and that is all that these people have. It can no more be expected of them to abandon and let die their hatred than it could be expected the government to stop wasting money.

But, I am giving Micah Robertson a chance. He can choose to take it, or not.

Until then, and possibly indefinitely, there will be no retraction because Micah Robertson was found guilty in court, and that should stand as warning to many other people about what he and his cult are capable of doing.

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Micah Robertson found GUILTY of trespassing!

"Code Name Rodent" textified from the courthouse in Danville that Micah Robertson - son of local cult leader Johnny Robertson - has been found guilty of trespassing at Westover Baptist Church. Robertson won't get jail time (he could have gotten up to a year in the slammer) but he's been hit with a $100 fine.

More importantly, Micah Noel Robertson now has a criminal record. One directly stemming from his activities of harassment and intimidation as a member of the cult calling itself "Church of Christ" headed by his father, Johnny Robertson.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first such legal mark against the cult. Will Johnny Robertson and his followers pay heed to it? Probably not.

More soon...

EDIT 4:48 p.m. EST: To all the members of the press who are finding this blog this afternoon.

Please be advised that Johnny Robertson, the father of guilty defendant Micah Robertson, is a convicted felon himself who has served time in prison for armed robbery. Johnny Robertson has also accused numerous churches in the area of child pornography (without any evidence), has stalked many people in their private residences and at their places of worship, and is the de facto owner of WGSR Star 47 in the sense that its general manager Charles Roark does anything that Robertson tells him to do. Among many other things that will no doubt be of interest to you.

For more please follow this link and feel free to search The Knight Shift for much more about this cult and its activities in this area.

EDIT 5:45 p.m. EST: Look! Criminal record!

Click to drastically embiggenize.

Micah Robertson can have this taken off his record after one year's probation. He also can't go to Westover Baptist Church again.

I'm going to make this commentary: that what Micah Robertson and the rest of his cult do, has nothing in common whatsoever with what Jesus and His followers are recorded as doing in the New Testament. Micah Robertson is fond of claiming that he and his fellow goons are "arguing" and "debating" just as the apostle Paul did.

Micah Robertson doesn't seem to realize that Christ, Peter, Paul and the rest were motivated out of love for others, not motivated out of debate for sake of debate. Without the requisite love, the words of Johnny Robertson and his followers are as clanging cymbals, meaning nothing.

I will also note, since I'm apparently getting quite an audience at the moment, that Johnny Robertson, his son Micah and the rest of their cult do not worship Jesus Christ. Rather they worship the water in the baptistery of their building with the "Church of Christ" sign hanging outside.

EDIT 11:16 p.m. EST: Pssst... hey, all of you members of the "Church of Christ" cult in Texas who are visiting this blog tonight:

Is it biblical or typical practice among your number for one of you to knowingly and consistently give huge amounts of God's money to an avowed atheist, bisexual habitual thief?

I know the Lord works in mysterious ways, but in my mind that's got to be pushing things.

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Johnny Robertson jeopardizes son's criminal trial (Plus: REGISTER & BEE's shoddy "journalism")

I'm going to begin calling Johnny Robertson and his "Church of Christ" cult out for what they really are: domestic terrorists.

They just haven't killed anybody (yet). However in the name of "God" Robertson and his followers have and continue to conspire to deprive others of their right to religion, to peaceable assembly and to free speech.

So are Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield, Mark McMinnis, Micah Robertson and the rest of their ilk enemies of the Constitution of the United States? Yup. And I suppose that means others might also be considered willing collaborators, regardless of whether they are "true believers". Make of that what you may.

What precipitates this latest report about the goings-on of the Martinsville Taliban? A few things. The previous post seems to have had some effect, because several people noted that Mark McMinnis was struggling to subdue his silly grin during his broadcast this past Thursday night. But what is more intriguing is that Micah Robertson - son of "Church of Christ" tin-god Johnny Robertson - was conspicuously absent from the live broadcast! The official word: "He has the night off."

Yah right.

Because earlier that day out of the Martinsville feed the two-hour block that Johnny Robertson uses for his inane babbling was filled up with the "debate" between he and Shirley Phelps-Roper from 2005. Yup, that Shirley Phelps-Roper that I also referenced in my previous post! What was the reason for the replay? The two Robertsons had to meet with their attorney about the criminal trespassing charges pending against Micah Robertson, stemming from Micah's repeated attempts to interfere with the services at Westover Baptist Church in Danville, Virginia.

(Several people also noted that the replay of the 2005 "debate" also featured an appearance by Jason Hairston, who was once with Robertson's cult and even had his own hour-long live weekly broadcast until he became a dissident from the movement and was subsequently damned by Johnny Robertson. To this day Robertson the Mad refuses to address the issue but apparently has no problem with continuing to use Hairston to prop-up his cult.)

So Johnny and Micah went to a lawyer, because Micah is looking at a year in jail if he's convicted. And no doubt the attorney has strongly recommended if not outright forbid Micah Robertson from doing any more television appearances or live confrontations until his trial date. However that has not stopped Johnny Robertson from running his mouth without ceasing about it! Robertson devoted the entirety of his two-hour Friday morning show and then 90 minutes on Sunday night's broadcast trying to make his son out to be the victim of persecution.

I can hear the Robertsons' attorney now, the veins in his neck bulging out as he screams "DAMMIT JOHNNY SHUT UP YOU'RE BLOWING OUR CASE!!!"

Does Johnny Robertson want his son to go to jail? Does Johnny hope that Micah will become a "martyr for the cause"? Is this how far Johnny is willing to go in order to somehow "validate" his insane belief system? Is Micah ready to fall on the proverbial sword? Since this cult believes in salvation by human works, is Micah seriously considering this the price he'll pay to get into Heaven?

Robertson the Lesser's court date is May 7th.

Incidentally, The Danville Register & Bee has a report about Micah Robertson's arrest warrant on its GoDanRiver.com website... and in all honesty it's one of the most piss-poor news articles I've seen in the history of anything. "Journalist" Matt Tomsic turned in a story that apart from what's gleaned from the official warrant itself, is nothing but regurgitation from Johnny Robertson! From the article...

Micah Robertson works with his father, Johnny Robertson, for Religious Review Media, a group that tries to bring accountability to religion and to increase dialogue between different religious organizations, according to Johnny Robertson.

He said two Religious Review reporters went to the church event to speak with Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University. One reporter pulled a video camera to record Micah Robertson speaking to Towns, Johnny Robertson said. As he did, church officials asked him to leave. Micah Robertson then pulled his video camera to film the confrontation, and officials told him to leave also.

Religious Review reporters travel with video cameras to document their interactions with others in case they’re accused of anything.

“We are very controversial in the sense that our message is that we should all be together,” Johnny Robertson said.

But Micah Robertson didn’t capture any video Feb. 28 because church officials grabbed his camera as he turned it on, Johnny Robertson said.

Hey, Matt Tomsic: There is no such thing as "Religious Review"! Religious Review is a sham operation that Johnny Robertson pulled out of his butt to give his harassment an air of legitimacy. Religious Review has no website, no printed publication, nothing but a YouTube channel that consists entirely of footage of Robertson and his minions stalking innocent people in the privacy of their homes, in churches and shopping malls, etc.

If I have no other purpose for writing this post, then it is because I am compelled to point out Matt Tomsic's atrocious reporting of this matter and to call out GoDanRiver.com, the Danville Register and Bee, and Media General for allowing this story to run at all.

(And as some have jokingly noted lately, this blog does seem to get more traffic than, ahem, some online outlets that have been referenced lately. Parse that as you will...)

What do I think is gonna happen? Honestly?

If Micah Robertson is found guilty, he will either go to jail for the minimum amount allowed by law (I don't believe the judge will give him a year, but who knows) or given suspended sentence. It'll still be a mark on his record. I like to think that he might even be ordered to remain 500 feet away from religious institutions that he is not personally affiliated with, much like how convicted sex offenders cannot be near schools or daycare centers.

If Micah Robertson is found not guilty, then Johnny Robertson will assume that this means he and his cult now have legal carte blanche to do all the harassment that they want, wherever and whenever they so desire. They will go crazy with their newfound sense of power. And then they will go too far and one or more of them will be hurt or worse.

I hate to say that, but I'm not usually wrong about this sort of thing. Call it nothing more than being a longtime student of human nature.

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Hilarious Irony: Why Johnny Robertson MUST side with Fred Phelps before the U.S. Supreme Court!

If the local cult calling itself the "Church of Christ" (which as I've stated before has nothing to do with the mainstream Churches of Christ that most people respectfully acknowledge) has any sense at all, then its leader Johnny Robertson had better direct those mysterious attorneys of his to begin filing amicus curiae briefs with the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Shirley Phelps-Roper: his longtime nemesis (among many others) and spokesthing for the infamous Westboro Baptist Church run by her father Fred Phelps.

(Having been in the same room with both of these soulless wretches and witnessed them screeching at each other, I can only begin to imagine what the reaction of either Robertson or Phelps-Roper to that assertion would be like...)

But it's true: if Johnny Robertson and his followers want to continue harassing innocent people in what should be the comforting environments of their places of worship and even in their own homes, then Robertson's "Church of Christ" cult had better make nice with the Phelps clan and like right now.

To your right you see Micah Robertson - the sooo very booooring son of "Church of Christ" head magus Johnny Robertson - during the live broadcast this past Thursday evening of what many people in the Reidsville, Martinsville and Danville area refer to as "The Martinsville Taliban Show" on WGSR. See that sheet of paper that Micah Robertson is holding? That's the arrest warrant he was served from the Danville Police Department stemming from his criminal trespassing on the grounds of Westover Baptist Church in Danville earlier this year. Robertson the Lesser and Mark McMinnis (right side of photo, wearing what more than one person has called "that sh*t-eating grin") have stepped up their campaign of terror on local churches in the past several weeks, all the while trying to make themselves out to be harmless and non-threatening and only interested in "discussing". They haven't the nerve to understand that normal people don't want to discuss anything with these loons. I guess it just bothers Robertson's cult that real congregations don't want to play with them, and so their desperation is getting more and more noticeable.

But anyway, Micah Robertson now has to appear in court later this month, and could go to jail: a possibility that he claims to have gratitude for because this somehow marks him even more as a "real Christian". Strange: I never read in the Bible where the world knows us as followers of Christ because of how much we break the law and common decency. I thought the world knows we follow Him because we demonstrate love for one another. But maybe that's just my interpretation...

Would Micah Robertson's imprisonment deter Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield and the rest of their nutty enclave from bothering innocent people? I doubt it. However, THIS might put a stop to their antics once and for all: the case of Snyder v. Phelps, which the U.S. Supreme Court is to hear arguments about this coming fall.

This is the lawsuit that Albert Snyder filed against Rev. Fred Phelps, the founder and leader of Westboro Baptist Church: the bunch of inbred hooligans that go around with "GOD HATES FAGS" signs and in the past few years have been picketing at funerals of soldiers who have died in wars overseas. Mr. Snyder's son Matthew Snyder, a United States Marine Corp corporal, was laid to rest in 2006 after being killed in Iraq. The Westboro Baptist gang came to the ceremony and began acting in their typical asshole fashion. Albert Snyder sued Fred Phelps in federal court in Maryland for "defamation, invasion of privacy (intrusion on seclusion and publicity given to private life) and intentional infliction of emotional distress".

Last month the court went against all semblance of sanity by ruling for Phelps and the Westboro Baptist members! From the UPI article...

In pretrial orders, the judge found for Phelps on the defamation and publicity given to private life claims, saying the extreme comments were meant in terms of religious opinion. The jury heard the remaining privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims and awarded Snyder $10.9 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The judge cut the award in half.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the verdict and threw out the case on First Amendment grounds. Unlike the trial court, the appellate court looked solely to the nature of the speech and not to the status of the parties as public or private figures. (A private figure has an easier time proving speech-related harm.)

The 4th circuit characterized the Phelps picketers' speech as "hyperbolic rhetoric" for the purpose of igniting public debate. The appellate court said: "A distasteful protest sign regarding hotly debated matters of public concern, such as homosexuality or religion, is not the medium through which a reasonable reader would expect a speaker to communicate objectively verifiable facts. In addition, the words on these signs were rude, figurative, and incapable of being objectively proven or disproven. Given the context and tenor of these two signs, a reasonable reader would not interpret them as asserting actual facts about either Snyder or his son."

Phelps's picket signs, therefore, were protected by the First Amendment because they were found to have been a series of generalized -- albeit obnoxious -- rantings not specifically directed at Snyder or any other particular individual, they didn't disrupt the funeral and they pertained to matters of public concern, such as controversial issues like gay rights and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Albert Snyder isn't paying a nickel. He's now taking this before the U.S. Supreme Court.

So here's how I think it should play out, if there's any sense left to this world: the Supreme Court will overturn the federal court's earlier decision and rule in favor of Albert Snyder. The "free speech" argument, per the strictest interpretation of the Constitution, will be addressed as being about protection against government suppressing the right to freedom of expression. Given that no one is free to yell "fire" in a crowded theater, there is precedent for this kind of decision. At the same time the Supremes will bolster the rights to freedom of religion and religious practice: that these also are not subject to intervention by any party (per the understanding that such freedom goes as far as the rights of others to enjoy them also). As such, although the Westboro Baptist Church members will in effect be told that they can do whatever the hell they want in their own "place of worship" (which is pretty much a fortified compound in Kansas City) and traditional public venues, they have no right to inflict their "religion" on others who are seeking out of good conscience their own appeal to a higher power as best they understand it.

Yes, I do believe that would be protecting the freedoms of speech, freedom, and assembly. Regardless of how much the Westboro Baptist idiots cry foul.

But if the Supreme Court does rule in this fashion, it will also mean that Johnny Robertson's "Church of Christ" - which has in many ways been acting worse than the Westboro Baptist Church - will be even more curtailed by the Supreme Court's ruling than Fred Phelps and his own church. Robertson and his followers will have no legal pretense for their antics at all... unless Robertson wants more of his followers to be sitting in gaol.

So he really has no choice in the matter: Johnny Robertson must support Shirley Phelps-Roper and her father Fred Phelps. Either by praying for them, or by doing everything possible to lend them legal support in what is very much their mutual crusade for the rights of insane cultists across the fruited plain.

Would Robertson overcome his hatred for Shirley Phelps-Roper by coming to the aid of her family, on principle and because he himself has much to lose if Fred Phelps gets turned down by the Supreme Court? I doubt it. But this is gonna be a downright interesting and fun thing to watch from my perspective, no doubt!

In the meantime: If a couple of cult members begin to harass you at your home, use 9-1-1. And if that fails, use 9mm.

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Johnny Robertson: "God" by any other name...

Hasn't been much to report about local cult leader Johnny Robertson lately. In recent weeks he's been obsessed with attacking BTW, a competitor television station to WGSR in the Martinsville, Virginia market. Among other things Robertson has been blasting them for promoting shag dancing and "R-rated movies".

(I for one would like to know where in the Bible does Robertson find a proscription against R-rated movies. 'Tis a silly thing to fixate upon and it only demonstrates that Robertson is completely ignorant of the movie rating system to begin with, and why it was first implemented.)

Anyhoo, a few things about Robertson and his cult have crossed my virtual desk that I've been following up on. Nothing I can tip my hand to at the moment though. However, tonight I did receive the following observation in an e-mail. It's a very brilliant point, and one that I had not considered before.

Here's what another citizen of these parts has to say about the so-called "Church of Christ"...

"Johnny Robertson and his followers say that anyone not baptized into their Church Of Christ is damned to hell, and that means that Johnny Robertson has taken it upon himself to decide who gets into Heaven and who doesn't. If Johnny refuses to baptize someone because he hates that person then Johnny has made himself God."

Whoa whoa whoa now... That is absolutely true!

Let's break this down logically: Johnny Robertson declares that everyone not a part of his own twisted brand of "Church of Christ" is going to Hell. To be in the "Church of Christ" you must be water baptized. Water baptism is a requirement to get into Heaven, according to Johnny Robertson. And said water baptism is only performed by a "Church of Christ" minister.

That means that in the entire Reidsville/Martinsville/Danville area that there are only THREE OR FOUR individuals who are given the authority to baptize a person so that one can join the "Church of Christ" and get into Heaven! And everyone around here knows that Johnny Robertson controls the "Church of Christ" like a dictator.

So it only follows then that Robertson will control baptism like everything else in his cult.

So let's take lil' ol' me for sake of argument. Yours Truly has been called "devilish", "hellish", "the Antichrist", and many other things by Johnny Robertson. I also have it on strong authority that Robertson has prayed for my death and that he has said "I'm happy" about me "going to Hell" when I die.

I'll wager an RC Cola and a Moon Pie that I'm not on Johnny Robertson's list of "must baptize".

(Incidentally, my baptism was a little over ten years ago and was a very joyful and happy event. Robertson once told me that his own baptism was "miserable" and "wretched". What kind of person could possibly want to be baptized and have it remembered as a tragic event? I still can't figure that one out...)

Several witnesses have reported that Johnny Robertson has declared himself to be "God", even to his congregation in the Martinsville Church of Christ. If he actually believes that he has been empowered to decide who will be saved and who will not on the basis of his control of a temporal act, then I supposed in his dark and demented mind Robertson does believe he is God.

Sorta makes Johnny Robertson the Nazi-ish kommandant of a spiritual concentration camp, when you think about it...

(Would that make Charles Roark the equivalent to Joseph Goebbels? Probably.)

Thankfully however, not my salvation or anyone else's for that matter is in the hands of any other person on this earth. Thirteen years ago yesterday I found life abundant and free in Christ. A life that is not bound and shackled to legalism and "obeying the rules". I follow Christ because I want to, not because I have to.

And that is the life that awaits any one of us, at any time, and without having to first merit the approval of men who are just as fallen and in need of God's mercy as everyone else!

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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

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V declares Vendetta for Johnny Robertson!

Look folks: honestly, that isn't MY blog at all! And I have no idea whatsoever who it might be who created it. Heck, lately I haven't had much time to devote to this one, much less start and maintain a new one. Especially one as slick and polished and inspired as what I'm about to show you.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not flat-out stunned at whoever it is out there who has assumed the guise of V and decided to take on Johnny Robertson...

Vendetta For Johnny Robertson popped up out of nowhere this morning and a reader passed it along to me. Yes folks, V - the masked protagonist from V for Vendetta - has arrived on the streets of Martinsville, Danville and Reidsville to take on the cult leader/convicted felon who has been trying to "defeat destroy" in the name of God everyone he hates...

Johnny Roberston a "pastor" residing and terrifying the WGSR viewing area. His supposed Church of Christ in Martinsville Va., the only ones not damned to hell.

Spewing vitriol at his enemies and any and all who disagree; in this vast sea of hate is where we find dear lost Johnny.

Here and now is the victory. A vying of his virtues, our dear lost Johnny.

Judgment shall ran down upon he, and a judgment ruled impartially.

The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

By the way, whoever this "V" is, he/she/it went to the expense of registering a top-level domain name for the site: head on over to vendettaforjr.com to see more of Vendetta For Johnny Robertson.

"People should not be afraid of Johnny Robertson." Darn right! :-)

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Don't sin at your own funeral, sez cult leader Johnny Robertson

If anyone still harbored doubts about Johnny Robertson - leader of the local cult calling itself the "Church of Christ" - those were erased during last night's broadcast of What Does the Bible Say? on WGSR Star 47.1 from Reidsville.

During the program, which included pre-recorded footage of Robertson speaking yesterday at his "Martinsville Church of Christ", Robertson exclaimed that to have the wrong funeral is grounds enough to displease God! Robertson told his followers to make sure that no instrumental music be played during their last rites.

Here's the transcript of what Johnny Robertson said at "Martinsville Church of Christ" on August 16, 2009 (with bold-faced text indicating spoken emphasis)...

"If you haven't determined how your funeral is going to go, you need to! Because you have family members who do not agree with what I just quoted from the Bible in Ephesians 5:19 about speaking to yourselves in songs, hymn and spiritual song! They will have you in your funeral, all kinds of pianos and stuff like that playing, and you won't want that not at all! But if you haven't said so, guess what? Your family gets to do what they want to do. So let me encourage you today, as we sing that song and we think about going home: when you leave us here behind, as you go home, make sure you leave us some instructions and your family some instructions so EVERYBODY knows how your funeral is SUPPOSED to go. We won't want people dishonoring you, your memory when you leave, what we mean by that is dishonoring you before God. So make sure you make those instructions, young or old, and give them to somebody else who is faithful and will make sure those things get carried out."

So according to Johnny Robertson, you are sinning before God if you have musical instruments playing at your funeral. Which makes it all so vital that you leave explicit directions prohibiting pianos, organs and the like from being used when you can't raise any objections from your casket or urn.

That is hyper-legalism to the nuttiest extreme that I have ever heard of.

Heck, Robertson and his followers are worse than the Pharisees were! Jesus took the Pharisees to task for the ridiculous lengths they went to in following the law. In the case of the "Church of Christ" cult (again, it has nothing to do with the regular Churches of Christ) they can't follow the law nearly enough so people like Robertson have to make up law that's not even scriptural! Ephesians 5:19, from the New International Version, simply states "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord". Nowhere does it ever say in the Bible that to have instrumental music is an affront to God.

And then there's the glaringly obvious fact that for all his boasting about "knowing the Bible better than anyone", that Johnny Robertson does not have much of a sincere knowledge of the Bible at all. Because if he did, Robertson should already understand that...

"We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

-- 2nd Corinthians 5:8 (NIV)

We can't dishonor God after we have already left this world and gone into His presence. And not Johnny Robertson or anyone else should have this kind of unhealthy focus on whether our funerals are "right or wrong" anyway.

It's the life which Christ has given us that matters most of all: that life free by grace according to the rule of love, and not enslaved to the rule of law.

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Murrill McLean FIRED!! Danville cop who murdered dachshund is out of a job!!

Remember Murrill McLean, the Danville Police Department officer who a month ago shot and killed a tiny miniature dachshund that was only barking at him?

Here is "big bad" Murrill McLean...

And here is a photo of the late mini dachshund "Killer" that McLean terminated...

Well, guess what folks?

Murrill McLean has been FIRED from the Danville Police Department by Chief Phillip Broadfoot!

Incidentally, The Knight Shift was the first source that publicly broke the pictures of Murrill McLean hefting his heavy hardware. After the photos of McLean were published here they wound up widely disseminated among the mainstream press (and were also stolen for broadcast use on WGSR by general manager Charles Roark without attribution... and yeah I've got the proof of him visiting this blog to nab 'em too. But then he's a well-known kleptomaniac anyway...).

So, for this time at least, justice is served, and a member of law enforcement who abused the power entrusted him has been punished.

May other cops across America take something from this example.

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Cult driven out of Reidsville as Johnny Robertson gets caught in a lie (and the "Church of Christ" digs for dirt... literally)

Many people have told me that on Sunday night's television broadcast of What Does The Bible Say? on WGSR - or as I call it "The Martinsville Taliban Show" - local cult leader Johnny Robertson of the "Martinsville Church of Christ" claimed that there are now four robust congregations of the "Church of Christ" (which is nothing like the mainstream Churches of Christ) meeting in this area. Those would be his own Martinsville group, one at the old post office on The Boulevard in Eden, the one that has been coming together in Reidsville at the Holiday Inn Express, and a group meeting in Ruffin.

Robertson alleged that the Ruffin "Church of Christ" had been meeting for "over a year" (his words).

Curiously, the July 5th 2009 broadcast of What Does The Bible Say? on WGSR was the very first time that Robertson or anyone else with the "Church of Christ" has mentioned a group of their own in Ruffin.

Now some very intriguing information has come to light, the upshot of which a rational person could only possibly take to mean that, once again, Johnny Robertson is telling us a bald-faced lie.

It turns out that there are only three congregations of the "Church of Christ" that are currently meeting in the area... and maybe not even that many!

James Oldfield, previously of the Reidsville congregation, is conducting the services for the cult in Eden. Robertson is still in Martinsville. There has been thus far no evidence that a Ruffin cell of the cult is meeting at all...

...and the Reidsville congregation is now completely defunct! Sources have told this blogger that "This meeting is no longer being held, nor is any meeting of their group being held in Reidsville." The reason? "This would seem to say that folks in Reidsville are too wise for the tactics of this group, and have rejected participation in this 'sect'."

So Reidsville has proven too much for Robertson's cult. Let us pray that other communities in this area - and wherever else they try to harass - will prove too much for them also.

Meanwhile, other sources have been telling me that the cult's much-ballyhooed two weeks of "tent service" in Danville and the accompanying thirty hours of television airtime that Robertson purchased on WGSR has been "a bust and a sham". In spite of what Robertson and Oldfield publicly claimed was a large outreach in the Danville area, very few people showed up during nightly services at the tent (and Robertson himself did "little or none at all" knocking on doors, choosing to order his goons out instead). I can say that The Knight Shift blog is in possession of numerous photographs that attest to the low turnout at the "Church of Christ" tent but as these might well identify the person who took the photos, I have been asked to withhold publishing them here.

I haven't seen the footage, but several people have told me that during Sunday night's broadcast Robertson aired a tape of himself accosting the wife of some local minister in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart in Martinsville. Robertson alleged that he "just happened" to see her in the parking lot and coincidentally had his camcorder with him... which the same people have told me that it was pretty obvious that Robertson was stalking the lady (as is his well-documented custom).

Now for the last bit of info for this report...

Folks, I didn't believe it at first, but plenty of people have been telling me about it and now The Knight Shift can confirm: Johnny Robertson's "Church of Christ" has been caught digging through the trash cans of people Robertson has decreed to be "enemies" of his cult! They are literally trying to "dig up dirt" that they can use against those they are actively seeking to, as Robertson infamously proclaimed last year, "defeat destroy".

I've read the Bible quite a number of times, but for the life of me I can't recall any passage that teaches us to go through others' garbage in order to attack them.

(But then again, Johnny Robertson also claimed recently that he needs a camcorder because he doesn't have the Holy Spirit... whatever that is supposed to mean.)

The lesser angels of my nature are more than inclined to note that should any member of the cult come to my home and attempt to behave in their typical miscreant fashion, that I will not only shoot him dead, but I will gladly and immediately post full color photographs of his freshly-deceased corpse on this blog. As a warning to the next ten generations that it is the right of each person to seek God as best he or she can understand Him and without fear of harassment.

That's just the lesser angels of my nature though...

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Are more people standing up to cult leader Johnny Robertson?

It sure looks that way. I was notified earlier this week about Answering The Church of Christ, a new and rather articulate blog dedicated to taking on Robertson and his local "Church of Christ" cult (which again, has nothing to do with the mainstream Churches of Christ that most people know and respect).

To the best of my knowledge that makes at least four separate blogs - none of which are my own - that have set out to counter Robertson and his gang of ecclesiastical bullies.

(Incidentally, this coming week marks two years since Robertson posted anything new on his own blog.)

And then there's this YouTube video that was sent to me today, proclaiming Johnny Robertson to be this week's "Con-Artist for [Another] Jesus"...

I have been told that Robertson and his goons have been harassing quite a number of legitimate churches in the area lately (apparently they've got a "tent revival" or somesuch going on). Robertson's son Micah even attempted to interrupt a service at one Baptist church in Danville recently.

In the past month or so I publicly asked the following questions on another blog devoted to answering the cult. So far, no one from the local "Church of Christ" that is known for its bullying tactics has dared to answer them. So I will pose them here as well...

1. If Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield and their followers have proclaimed all other denominations are "false", then what evidence is there at all that their own "Church of Christ" is true?

2. Where is the evidence that the "Church of Christ" that Robertson and Oldfield represent is described in the Bible?

3. If no such evidence exists, then why are Robertson, Oldfield and their followers in a church that is not in the Bible?!

I've said before: I don't care what these loons choose to believe in. Because I believe that every person has the right to seek God as best he or she possibly can. But when it comes to someone (like the "Church of Chris" cult) trying to interfere with others' right to seek God and to the point that it becomes illegal harassment... then there is a problem.

And from the looks of things, a lot more people are standing up to this kind of nonsense.

And this blogger absolutely applauds it! :-)

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THIS is the Danville Police Department officer who killed a helpless Dachshund...

Murrill McLean, Danville Police "officer", who shot and killed 11-pound miniature dachshund "Killer" earlier this week.

This is the "cop" who was so afraid of a tiny little dog that was only barking at him, that he used lethal force. This guy, who looks like six-foot something and all tough.

Apparently he's also an enlisted soldier who's about to begin a tour of Iraq.

Hide your puppies, people of Baghdad. Better keep your children out of the street too, if you don't want Officer McLean shooting first and asking questions later.

Want to make this better, Chief of Police Phillip Broadfoot? Then Murrill McLean had damned better make a heartfelt public apology to the family before the weekend is out and tender his resignation from the Danville Police Department. Either that, or fire his butt as an example for everyone else in law enforcement: that those of your profession must be held accountable for their mistakes, however much they might regret making them in the first place.

EDIT 10:28 p.m. EST: Here's another photo of Murrill McLean of the Danville Police Department (in addition to many others that I've come into possession of)...

There's so much wrong with this pose that I'm not gonna begin to comment about it. But y'all can if you feel so led.

EDIT 06/12/2009 09:08 a.m. EST: This post is receiving a lot of traffic and I have been asked for the source of this photos. They were plenty easy to find: Murrill McLean has a Facebook page that as of this writing is still publicly accessible for anyone in the Greensboro, North Carolina area and he has posted most of these on a Flicker account as well.

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NOT AGAIN! Danville, Virginia "cop" murders mini dachshund!

This is the second time in as many days that this blog has reported a story like this. The first was from Ohio, where two big Blue Ash Police Department officers tasered, then shot and killed a five-pound dog that they said was "threatening" them.

Now comes word that the same thing has happened just across the state line from here in Danville, Virginia.

On the left is a photo of Killer, who had been an 11-year old miniature dachshund weighing about 12 pounds. He was regarded as a "friendly, friendly" dog that was not only a companion to the Harper family that owned him, but well liked throughout the neighborhood.

On Monday night a Danville Police Department officer - and I will gladly post the name and home address of this bastard who has no business with a badge if someone will provide it to me - shot Killer dead while at the adjacent property serving papers.

Here's the story as reported by GoDanRiver.com...

According to a news release from Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot, an officer shot and killed the dachshund Monday night while serving two outstanding warrants to a neighbor in the 100 block of Berman Drive.

As the officer returned to his car, “he was surprised by a growling dog running through the yard directly at him from the rear, leaving him with just seconds to consider his options,” according to the news release. The options for the officer in that type of situation include running to the squad car; distracting the dog; or using pepper spray, a baton or firearm. The dog lunged at the police officer and attacked him as the officer fired one shot that hit and killed the dog, Broadfoot said.

An investigation by the Danville Police Department found that the dog displayed aggressive tendencies before other people.

“Shooting a dog which is actively presenting a threat to an officer is within the department’s policy,” ac-cording to the release.

Lt. Mike Mondul, public information officer for the Danville Police Department, said that the lag between the incident and acknowledgement from the department was due to an administrative decision.

“The decision was made by department administration that the chief would address it on Thursday,” Mondul said.

Carlos, 14, was upstairs when he heard the gunshot.

“I saw my mom, and she started to cry,” Carlos said.

The children came downstairs, he said, and their mother told them that a police officer shot Killer.Tawaiin drove home from work after getting a call from Carlos about the shooting.

“When I got there, the dog was laying with his guts hanging out,” Tawaiin said.

The officer leaned against his patrol car, smoking a cigarette, and Tawaiin walked over to talk to him. He said the officer told him that he had to shoot the dog because he was barking at him. Tawaiin asked for his badge number and name, but the officer refused to give it to him and said his supervisor was on the way.

His supervisor arrived and couldn’t believe what happened, Tawaiin said.

“(The lieutenant) was very, very remorseful,” Tawaiin said. “He kept apologizing. And he said I know apologizing can’t bring the dog back, but I just don’t know what to say.”

The dog was a member of the family, Tawaiin said. Nicole was 4 and Carlos was 3 when the family wel-comed the new addition.

“He was like a brother to me,” Carlos said.

Killer greeted Tawaiin every time he came home. Whenever a car pulled into the cul-de-sac, Killer barked to let everyone know that someone new was there.

“He was the security guard around here,” Tawaiin said.

Neighbors said Killer was a sweet, mild-mannered dog.

“He just kind of walked up and down the neighborhood and didn’t bother anybody,” said Jenine Edmunds, who lives on the cul-de-sac. “He was just a little house dog.”

Friends and neighbors have asked the Harpers if they will get a new dog.

“You can’t replace Killer. He’s one of a kind.

“I’m still trying to soak it in because the dog had been with us so long. He was a family member. They took a family member away.”

So the Danville Police Department officer killed a harmless dog, then coolly began smoking a cigarette and refused to identify himself.

This asshole "cop" needs to be fired at the very least. And in a saner world and a different age perhaps dragged out into the street and beaten within an inch of his life.

Like I said yesterday, I have no sympathy for anyone who abuses authority entrusted them like this. But no doubt the "internal affairs" of Danville Police will come back after an "investigation" - which we already know will be a joke - and will report that this officer did "nothing wrong". And a family will still be without its miniature dachshund: one of the most playful and harmless breeds around.

Like I also said yesterday: this kind of thing is not going to stop until a lot of the bad cops are dead.

EDIT 06/11/2009 05:08 p.m. EST: What kind of "police officer" is it who would shoot and kill a miniature dachshund that was only barking and was known throughout the community as being a happy, harmless doggy?

Are y'all ready for this?

Click here for more about Murrill McLean of the Danville Police Department.

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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?

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EXCLUSIVE: "Church" in division? Cult leader Johnny Robertson throws Norm Fields off television!

Norm Fields, who has hosted one of the three weekly live television broadcasts of the self-professed "Church of Christ" cult in the Reidsville, Martinsville and Danville area of north-central North Carolina and southern Virginia, has been kicked off the air by cult leader Johnny Robertson, The Knight Shift has learned.

Fields, who came to this area from Georgia in 2007 and has been working at the Danville Church of Christ, has been doing the Bible Q&A broadcast every Thursday night at 10 p.m. on WGSR Star 39, broadcasting from Reidsville, North Carolina. For the past several weeks Fields has been conspicuously absent. This past week there was a two-hour broadcast of A Word from the Lord at 9 p.m. to fill in the hour that Fields has usually hosted. That broadcast featured a "debate" between James Oldfield of the Reidsville Church of Christ and Larry Surber of Stoneville in regard to science versus religion.

The Knight Shift can now report that Fields "won't be coming back" and that Johnny Robertson has made this clear to WGSR general manager Charles Roark. The reason? Fields wasn't "working out", which was explained that Fields was not combative and aggressive enough for Robertson and Oldfield. Indeed, of the three "Church of Christ preachers" broadcasting on WGSR it should be noted that so far as is known, Norm Fields was the only one who did not ambush any other area churches or pastors with a hidden camera during worship services or at any other time. Many people have regarded Fields as the "more sensible" of the three preachers. A number of sources have been reporting to me in the past few months that there was some friction between Robertson and Fields and that Robertson "did not like Fields at all", that Robertson thought of Fields as a "wimp" for not "taking on the denominations hard enough".

The "Church of Christ" cult - which is not associated in any way with the mainstream Churches of Christ - prides itself on "unity" and maintains that being one church is something that Jesus not only taught but demanded. Robertson and Oldfield are known throughout the area for broadcasting their message that unless a person is a member of their "Church of Christ" that a person is damned to go to Hell, with zero tolerance allowed for dissent. It now looks at this hour that Fields, the preacher of the Danville Church of Christ, is indeed dissident enough for Johnny DeVere Robertson - widely known as the leader of the cult - to have him drummed from the airwaves.

There is no word yet on how Fields's position with the Danville Church of Christ is affected.

More information as it becomes available.

(Actually I'm sitting on a whole mountain of more information about Johnny Robertson and his cult, that I haven't divulged yet. If he's going to declare during his Sunday morning "church service" and on broadcast television that I'm his "worst enemy", I might as well act the part, yes?)

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Johnny Robertson ("Church of Christ in Name Only") attacks me... because I'm a Star Wars fan?!?

Okay, now it's getting into the territory of the downright nutty...

About two months ago I called into Johnny Robertson's show What Does the Bible Say? on WGSR Star 39. Johnny Robertson (shown at right) is considered the chief ringleader of what I've come to call the "Church of Christ in Name Only" (COCINO for short), a very vindictive, mean-spirited cult working around Reidsville, North Carolina and Martinsville and Danville in Virginia. These guys have about three hours of programming on WGSR each week and they do nothing but attack anyone who isn't "their" brand of Christianity. Namely, they believe that if you are not part of what they call the "Church of Christ" (which is nothing like the Church of Christ that most people know) that you are damned and going to Hell. They also believe that a person must be baptized in order to be saved.

And they have an extremely ugly attitude toward anyone who disagrees with them.

So I called up Robertson's show one night to ask a simple question: "How is what you guys are doing giving glory to Christ?" And more to the point, I wanted to know how is what they are doing showing Christ's love and grace to a world that is lost without Him. How is what Robertson (along with James Oldfield and Norm Fields) doing, in any way, able to persuade those who don't know Christ about Christ at all? Because I can't see how their hatred toward others can do anything but drive people away from wanting to consider Christ at all.

Robertson and his cohorts are ultra-legalists of the highest order. It's all about following rules and regulations so far as they are concerned: which is exactly what Christ's sacrifice did away with for all time. I think it could even be argued that Johnny Robertson is trying to crucify Christ all over again. But I digress...

Robertson had no answer for me. Instead he told me to "go listen to Benny Hinn!" Here's the video again if you want to see what happened for yourself.

Then a few days ago I heard about a very sad story out of Tennessee, involving a woman who was by all accounts a devout follower of Christ, who passed away after a lifetime of unusual circumstance that did not allow for her to be water baptized as Robertson and the Church of Christ in Name Only demands. So I asked a question on this blog directed to Robertson, Oldfield, and Fields: "Is this woman now lost because she was not baptized?"

It got picked up by the Answering the Church of Christ blog and it's led to a rather heated discussion. There are currently 134 comments, including a few that I've made.

Well, none other than Johnny Robertson himself has chimed in. And according to my meter's records he spent about a half-hour on The Knight Shift earlier this morning, looking at a lot of stuff (including my post about how The New York Times had reported on the crazy TV commercials that some of us school board candidates did in 2006). Apparently he was looking for dirt on me.

This is what Johnny Robertson fired back with on Answering the Church of Christ...

On May 31, 2008 at 10:22 am johnny Said:

Knight said

In the end, that faith in Him is something that must transcend earthly terminology. To say that we are saved because we are "Christian" or "Church of Christ" is to deny the new creation that we are called to be in Him.

transcends earthly terminology"

talking about a gnostic!
Col 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

you kinda got beyond yourself there chris star Wars New York posted ....I've a part in Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of "Children of Eden"(look at me everyone I am an actor toooooo!)

Let me try to understand this: Johnny Robertson cannot confidently tell us that what he and the others in the Church of Christ in Name Only are doing is showing the love of Christ to others. So instead he chooses to attack me because I dared asked him that question... by mocking my being a Star Wars fan and because I'm involved in a production of Children of Eden?!?!?

Star Wars, Johnny? Star Wars?! And Children of Eden?!?

I responded to Johnny Robertson thusly...

On May 31, 2008 at 11:24 am Chris Knight Said:

Dear Johnny Robertson,
So now that I have your attention, might I ask you again...

How IS what you are doing possibly showing others the love of Christ?

You still haven't answered that.

And now you are attacking me because I’m a Star Wars fan, of all things?!

You're acting pretty infantile, dude.

I know it's you, by the way. I saw where you visited my blog earlier this morning, and spent quite a bit of time looking around on it.

So Johnny, once again: HOW is what you, and Oldfield, and Fields, doing, illustrating the love and grace of Jesus Christ to those who don't know Him? WHY should the lost of this world look at you guys and be persuaded at all?

You have nothing to show for your work, because it is not motivated in love. You are too enamored with your sense of power and leadership... but if you have not love, then these things are utterly worthless.

Why do you make yourself so big and God so very small, Johnny?

A few minutes later I added...

On May 31, 2008 at 11:28 am Chris Knight Said:

By the way Johnny, you're invited to come see the Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of "Children of Eden". Performances are June 20-22 and June 27-29 at Rockingham Community College. Tickets are $10 for adults. More information is on the Guild's website at tgrc-nc.com

Among the themes of "Children of Eden" are love and forgiveness. Maybe you could learn something from it.

Yes Johnny, I am a Star Wars fan. And it's something that I've never been ashamed of, or have ever felt it encroached upon my faith in God. You would no doubt be surprised at how many followers of Christ are also fans of this story. And it would probably blow your mind at how quite a few have found opportunities of ministry with it. As Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 9:22,

"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."

Johnny, has it ever occurred to you and your bunch that maybe instead of puffing yourselves up and lording over other people, that if you humbled yourselves and brought yourselves lower, that God might actually bless your ministry?

I mean, is this really about you or is it about Him?

As it is now, Johnny Robertson - along with James Oldfield and Norm Fields - is a false preacher. He comes preaching another Christ: a Christ that would bind us in legalism all over again, instead of being free by His mercy and grace and love. The Jesus Christ of the Bible is not the Jesus Christ that Robertson and Oldfield and Fields preach on WGSR.

(Or as Mama Reyes said on Lost: "Jesus Christ is not a weapon!")

Johnny Robertson, again I am compelled to ask you publicly: How is what you are doing showing love of Christ and demonstrating Christ's love toward others?

I would very much like to know this.

EDIT 4:51 p.m. EST: Johnny Robertson spent two and a half hours visiting my blog today, on at least two separate visits. He was quite the busy bee, taking screenshots etc.

Wonder what he's up to...

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A question for Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield, Norm Fields, and others of the "Church of Christ In Name Only" in the Reidsville/Martinsville area

Dear Johnny Robertson, James Oldfield, and Norm Fields:

I can't recall a single time that any of you have been live on the air on your various "Church of Christ" television programs that broadcast on WGSR, when you have not vehemently stated that in order to be saved and go to Heaven that one must be baptized in water and join the Church of Christ. All three of you claim that without water baptism, there is no salvation possible at all.

(I'll take time out here to state again - as I did the first time and then again not long afterward that in no way do I consider Robertson, Oldfield, Fields and their bunch to be the real Church of Christ that most people know and respect. The "Church of Christ In Name Only" that broadcasts on WGSR is something that can only be described as a twisted cult.)

If you guys are so convinced that baptism is absolutely essential for salvation, then I would like to know what your take on the following true-life story is...

Yesterday Dianne Odell passed away near Memphis, Tennessee. She was 61 years old. Only a few months after being born, Dianne was struck with a form of polio that left her unable to breathe on her own. Of her sixty-one years on this Earth, she had been confined to an iron lung for sixty years. She died when a power outage stopped her iron lung from working, although her father and brother-in-law made a valiant effort to keep it operating manually.

She spent all those years of her life laying on her back, confined to a steel enclosure, just to keep living. But she wound up having a more full life than most people will ever know. Dianne earned a high school diploma, took college courses, and even wrote a children's book.

What sustained her? By all accounts, Dianne Odell was a devout follower of Christ and she completely put her faith in God, and she didn't hold it against Him that she was given the kind of life that she had.

I'm fairly certain that given her condition, that Dianne was never baptized. There's no way it could have been done without killing her, most likely. At least she was never baptized by immersion, which is what you guys claim all the time is an absolute obligation in order to have salvation. I've even heard you claim, on numerous occasions, that if a person comes to believe in Christ but is not baptized before death, that such a person is damned forever.

Johnny, James, and Norm: Are you really prepared to go on live television and say that it is with 100% conviction that you believe that God did not allow Dianne Odell into His kingdom yesterday morning, all because it was impossible for her to be water baptized? Or might you possibly even argue, per your logic, that Dianne Odell should have left her iron lung and risked water baptism if she wanted salvation? Because that is what you are claiming, whether you want to admit it or not.

I'm planning on calling some or all of you live on the air to ask you that, if you aren't willing to provide an answer in any other way. If you won't take my phone call, then maybe Charles Roark will let us debate the matter live on WGSR. Is that an open challenge? You bet it is.

So what's your take on it, Johnny and James and Norm: Are you seriously ready to condemn such a person to Hell with your legendary zealousness?

But I've no doubt that Dianne is in the presence of the Lord that she loved, and for Whom she shared that love toward others in her earthly life. That is the beautiful thing about a God Who has abundant grace and mercy.

I just wish that you guys could understand that.

(And for everyone else: If you want to know more about what Johnny, James and Norm stand for please check out the Answering the Church of Christ blog.)

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Dinner at Back Yard Burgers ... with magic by Marlo!

For the past few months WGSR has been running these 30-minute promos for the Back Yard Burgers in Danville (just across the border in Virginia for those who aren't local). I'd never eaten at a Back Yard Burgers before, so last night Lisa and I drove up U.S. 29 to check it out.

I think that many more trips to Danville are going to be in my future, because I got the Double Meat Back Yard Burger with lettuce, tomatoes and Swiss cheese and it was deeeee-licious! Tasted just like a hamburger you might grill on your patio. I also got a chocolate milkshake was also quite tasty.

We also got treated to a show by Marlo the Magician, who comes by every Thursday night at 6 to entertain the patrons, 'specially the kids. Marlo came by our table and whipped out his wallet to give us a card. But as soon as he opened the wallet it caught fire! I mean serious flames coming out of that thing, 'cuz Marlo said that his was "the hottest show in town". I'm still in a bit of shock after that one :-) We watched Marlo do his thing for a bit and thought he was pretty good. We'll probably come again some Thursday just to watch him again.

Anyhoo, if there's a Back Yard Burgers somewhere near you (click here to check out their locations) I'll recommend it as a pretty darned good place to eat.

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