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WWW.Chickcomics.com Extended Review of Smokescreens 
Note: Due to the explosive and controversial nature of this book/tape, it has been reviewed in length using actual quotes, with very little commentary. SMOKESCREENS Tape/ Book Review: It's a tape! No, it's a book! No, it's a tape AND a book! Smokescreens started out in 1982 as an audio tape narrated by Jack Chick, but was published as a paperback book the following year with photos and articles added to back up the sensational allegations. There's even a reprint of several panels from Macho! on page 8, showing "how communism ties in with the Vatican plan to take over the U.S." The Vatican is a central theme of the book. Other topics include the Vatican, the Vatican, and more of the Vatican. If you thought Chick had an ax to grind with the papists in Let's Take A Stand, you might adjust the metaphor to a rotary saw after hearing this tape. In fact, at one point he says, "The Christians of today are like little blades of grass, growing up in the sunshine, and there's a big lawn mower coming toward them-- and it's singing hymns! It's the Roman Catholic Institution!" One of the customer blurbs on the back of the book claims that after hearing the tape, "I couldn't keep my eyes from watering nor could I keep from becoming righteously angry." This description probably describes most the audience, be they fundamentalists who believe the Vatican is the "whore of Revelation" or Catholics who consider it the "one true Church." It's Chick's biggest assault on Rome yet-- which is no small achievement considering his already constroversial tracts and comics. It's a must-have for any serious Chick collector/fan or alarmist. Unlike Let's Take A Stand, this book/tape is not spontaneous. Chick wrote it all out and carefully organized his message. This review addresses each section. It begins with an introduction where Chick talks about his motives. "There has been a multi-million dollar campaign made through the media to convince people that I am a bigoted, anti-Catholic, hate literature publisher. And do you know something? They have been very effective in convincing people this is what I am. The truth is, I love the Catholic people enough to risk my life and my business to reach them with the gospel of Christ to pull them out of the false religious system they're now serving. I know what this system has done in the past and what it is planning for the future. I believe you'll understand when I'm finished this message, where I'm coming from. But before we get started, let's go into prayer..." He leads the obligatory prayer asking for heavenly understanding, then gets down to brass tacks. Chapter one covers the Jesus cookie controversy, where Catholics view the Eucharist (communion wafer) as the literal body of Christ, whereas Protestants view it as a symbolic ritual done in remembrance of Jesus. Chick explains how this was the litmus test during past inquisitions to determine whether to burn the heretic or not. If they denied the divinity of the wafer, they went up in smoke, all in the name of Catholic church. "It holds firm, just as strong today, as it did in the time of Middle Ages, that anyone who ridicules it, or says that it only represents Christ, is damned. The Vatican II Council re-affirmed this. Pope XXIII said, 'I do accept entirely all that has been decided and declared at the Council of Trent.' That Canon law in in effect today, beloved!" In chapters two through four, Chick covers historical atrocities he blames on Rome. "I believe one of the reasons Protestants are so desperately weak today is the fact that history has been covered up. Books have been re-written. It only takes about two generations for everything to be forgotten, especially, if it is not told over and over again... "On August 22, 1572, the bloody St. Bartholomew massacre began. This was to be one fatal blow to destroy the Protestant movement in France. The king of France had cleverly arranged a marriage between his sister and Admiral Coligny, the chief Protestant leader. There was a great feast with much celebrating. After four days of feasting the soldiers were given a signal. At twelve o'clock midnight, all the houses of the Protestants in the city were forced open at once. The admiral was killed, his body thrown out of a window into the street where his head was cut off and sent to the pope. They also cut off his arms and privates and dragged him through the streets for three days until they finally hung his body by the heels outside the city. "They also slaughtered many other well-known Protestants. In the first three days, over ten thousand were killed. The bodies were thrown into the river and blood ran through the streets... From Paris, the destruction spread to all parts of the country. Over eight thousand more people were killed. Very few Protestants escaped the fury of their persecutors. "A similar massacre occurred in Ireland in 1641. The conspirators picked October 23, the feast of Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order. They planned a general uprising for the whole country. All Protestants would be killed at once. To throw them off guard while the plan was being made, extra acts of kindness were shown to the Protestants. Early in the morning the conspirators were armed and every Protestant they could find was immediately murdered. They showed no mercy. From children to the aged, they were killed. Even invalids were not spared... "Death often was the least they had to fear. Women were tied to posts, stripped to the waist, their breasts cut with shears and left to bleed to death. Other who were pregnant were tied to tree branches, their unborn babies cut out and fed to dogs while their husbands were forced to watch." Chick warns that both purges followed the same pattern, where the Vatican would become friendly and act like disputes were healing, then attack! So Chick's first piece of evidence that the Vatican is planning another Inquisition is the fact that they are currently trying to improve relations with Protestants. (In other words, we're not safe unless they're threatening us.) Chick outlines the Vatican-Hitler alliance he published in comics like The Godfathers and tracts like Holocaust. Photos of various Vatican dignitaries chumming it up with Hitler and other Nazis are displayed. One features future Pope Pious XII and Paul VI signing a concordat with Nazi diplomat Franz von Papen. The gruesome campaign of genocide by the Catholic Croatians against the Orthodox Serbs is recounted, complete with photos. "This happened in our generation, beloved. This is an example of the unleashed rage of the Vatican. I once read that, 'Rome when in minority is as gentle as a lamb, when in equality is as clever as a fox, and when in the majority is as fierce as a tiger.' I believe this is an accurate description." Chapter five discusses how the Catholics are wrong about scripture, especially Mary worship, purgatory, and good works. Chapter six talks about how red baiting distracted Protestants from the dangers of the Catholic Menace, and how Hollywood put a new coat of paint on the Great Whore. "Do you remember Dragnet on television? The Christian was always pictured with a big Bible, smiling after he had strangled Grandma up in the attic. And always, the priests were the good guys. Just like in the popular television series called M*A*S*H. You see, we are hit psychologically on many fronts." Chapter seven worries about all the nuns and priest appearing on Protestant TV shows including PTL and the 700 club. Chapter eight covers the always Ecumenical Billy Graham. "After World War II, the Vatican had to pick and back an American champion who would be a friend, a man they would help put on a pedestal, who would be loved by everybody... He could be used as the pied piper who would pull all the evangelicals into the arms of the pope. "They wanted a man who would be a good speaker, a man with charisma who could pack stadiums; a man who would preach a gospel message, but on the soft side; one who would never attack the Vatican. And so when they found him, William Randolph Hearst, a good Roman Catholic publisher, used his newspaper chain to push Billy Graham to fame... "Rome gives nothing to anybody unless you pay it off. Could it be that his final pay-off was to introduce Pope John Paul II as the greatest moral leader of the world? Which he did. Didn't he realize when he did this he was giving the whore a cloak of respectability? And all of Billy's followers, the evangelicals and multitudes of others across this land who listen to his every word, heard this endorsement, and trusting Billy, turned and gave their love to the communist from Poland dressed in his papal robes, who claims to be the representative of Christ on this earth. I can picture the pope smiling to himself, flying victoriously to Rome. He knew that Billy had been a good investment." Chapter nine gives similar criticism to Walter Martin, who Chick approached to help support the Alberto comics but who instead, lead an attack against Alberto. Rather than turn the other cheek, Chick apparently figured turn-about was fair play! He gives a complete mini-history: "One of the most difficult decisions I've faced since I've been a Christian publisher was after I heard Dr. Rivera's true story, saw all his documents, photos, I.D.'s, and letters proving that he was a Jesuit priest. When it finally dawned on me that we were being set up for another Inquisition, I realized what a mess I'd be in if I sounded the alarm and the Christians wouldn't believe it. I could lose our business, our reputation and friends. If I printed Alberto's story, I would be going into a battle that would jeopardize my family and my own life. "I realized no other Christian publisher would hit this issue because they could go under, and business-wise, it would be a disaster for them. I went before the Lord in prayer and the thing I dreaded came to pass. I asked the Lord if I should attack the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. "Should I attack the Vatican? The Lord said yes. And so we published Alberto. I hoped, down in my heart, Walter Martin would back me up. "One thing stuck in my mind. Why didn't Walter Martin sound the alarm? He was a great expert on cults, especially since he knew all about the Inquisition. And yet he kept quite. Why is Walter Martin defending this evil system, calling it a Christian church? The man is a genius. He knows about her history, and yet he's defending the whore of Revelation... "Martin's followers see no need to reach the Roman Catholic people. They look upon our soulwinning material with contempt. And I say, with heavy heart, as Paul did [when he cursed Alexander the coppersmith] may the Lord reward Walter Martin according to his works." Chick makes an interesting observation about his Alberto comics in general: "The sad thing is all this money and energy was spent to stop this soulwinning comic book. And yet we have all these adult book stores and garbage like that and nobody says a word. But when we spoke out against Rome, all hell broke loose. A man once told me, 'Jack, if you throw a rock down a dark alley and you hear a yell, you'll know you hit something.' Well, from the sound of the scream that was let loose, I think we hit something big!" Chapter ten talks about the Vatican hypocrisy when urging others to provide for the poor, when the Vatican is the richest multi-national tax free institution. "Remember when the pope came to the United States? How he chided us for not showing mercy? That we should give away what we have to the poor? We are such a wealthy nation. And then remember the great earthquake that took place in 1980 over in Italy? I remember when the pope came in to this ruined area, walked up to the bedside of some poor little wounded Italian man and the pope so benevolently laid his hand on his head and made the sign of the cross, blessed the man and walked off. "And the newscasters were telling of the devastation. And then we cut back to the United States and Senator Kennedy looked at the camera with sorrowful eyes and said, 'Oh, we Americans, out of mercy we should send at least 45 million dollars to this devastated village so we can reconstruct it.' Remember that? Now let me read something out of The Vatican Billions by Avro Manhattan, and I think you're going to get as mad as I am right now... "'The Catholic church is the biggest financial power, wealth accumulator and property owner in existence. She is a greater possessor of material riches than any other single institution, corporation, bank, giant trust, government of state of the whole globe. The pope, as visible ruler of this immense amassment of wealth, is consequently the richest individual of the twentieth century. No on can realistically assess how much he is worth in terms of billions of dollars.' "And I think back about how the pope, the wealthiest man on this planet, walked up to that poor little Italian man lying in that rubble, put his hand on his head, and said, 'Bless you,' and then walked away and just left him there. That has got to be the height of hypocrisy. And then Sen. Kennedy, the pope's boy over in the United States makes the big pitch to the U.S. people to foot the bill to repair that devastated village, right in the Pope's backyard. What a set-up!" Chapter eleven gives Alberto's take on the dire situation. "I questioned Dr. Rivera about the briefings he recievied in the Vatican when he was a Jesuit priest. I asked him if he was briefed on how the Vatican planned to take over the United States... I asked Dr. Rivera: What about the military picture today? How Catholic is our military position? "Dr. Rivera said: Horrifying. "I then asked about the political picture. "Dr. Rivera said: It is even worse. "Then I said: What about the Catholic structure in the judiciary? "Dr. Rivera shook his head and said: It is very painful because of the heavy Jesuit penetration in this area. Most of the Judicial decisions are distorting and perverting the Constitution of the United States to take away our freedoms, preparing the way for anarchy for the final take-over of the United States. "Then I said: Is this preparing the way for the coming inquisition? "And Dr. Rivera said: That's correct... "Then I said: What do you see as hope for the United States? A revival among the Christians and they actually start exposing Rome and pastors start preaching this from the pulpits, or is it already too late? "Dr. Rivera replied: It's never too late because it's in the hands of the Lord. What I believe with all my heart through the study of the scriptures plus my personal experience with the harlot is that, prophetically speaking, God is going to fulfill His prophecy, and He will allow these prophecies to take place in the United States. But it is a matter of time. What we are dealing with here is that God can either shorten or lengthen the time until these events take place. The Roman Catholic Institution is feeling the impact of your publications..." Chick takes the compliment in stride. "I believe, if we had kept silent, in 5 years it would have been over. The plans for the take-over would have been in full operation. No one would have been able to withstand it. But because we did go ahead with Alberto, I believe we knocked back their time-table at least 5 years. And our hope and prayer is that with the material we're publishing we'll be able to wreck their time-table for at least a generation, that our children can survive before they unleash their holocaust against us." One silver lining not mentioned is that Protestant's needn't worry about setting up a trust funds for their grand-children, since they're fates are presumably sealed. All the recounting of Alberto's gloomy predictions seem to re-energize Chick and he becomes noticeably agitated and even a little desperate: "Is what I'm saying sinking in? Beloved, now when you turn on the evening news, you'll see it in a different light because you're going to see the hand of Rome in world politics. "Let's wake up, beloved! We're not a bunch of little two-year olds anymore. Pastors need to wake up. You deacons and church members need to wake up because your kids are going to be destroyed in a few short years if you don't. I'm referring especially to those pastors who are pushing bubbly love to everyone, and who turn white and break into a cold sweat when anything controversial comes along. Do you think the priests of Rome respect you for that? Let me tell you, pastors, they hate the ground you walk on and hold you in nothing but contempt. They secretly look at you like scum under their feet. I was recently told that in 1949, an ex-Jesuit priest told a Rev. Eubanks in California, that when the Vatican takes control of the United States, every pastor and his family will be shot in the head... "We're in a war, beloved, and I thank God that the Lord has directed us to prepare the ammunition you'll need from Chick Publications to give you back-up and background, and you'll know how to face the lost Roman Catholics after you've gone into prayer. Because, if you don't turn into soulwinning church, the whore is going to have you and your grandchildren for breakfast. Have you already forgotten the screams that filled the night air in Paris during the St. Bartholomew massacre? Have you forgotten the little pregnant mothers tied to the tree branches, begging for mercy in Ireland while the dogs were fighting underneath for their unborn children? And the bloody knives in the hands of those smirking fanatics driven on by their priests to butcher these Christian ladies? Have you forgotten these bloodbaths that were quoted in Foxe's Book of Martyrs? The Vatican wants you to forget it. Have you forgotten what took place in Yugoslavia... Catholic priests impaling children on stakes as they screamed in agony in 1940? You better never forget it! And don't forget that it was at a time of peace, love and kindness just before each attack, just like today, beloved. And don't forget one million Knights of Columbus in the United States have sworn to turn American into a papal state. God help us. You don't think it's coming here? It's time to get sober and turn into spiritual soldiers, and start arming yourselves with the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, realizing the forces of darkness can be held back." Just when you're afraid Chick is about to start burning effigies, he concludes by urging his audience to do opposite: "WIN these people! Don't throw rocks at them! We're not Nazi's. We're not Ku Klux Klanners. We care about these people. But it's not the selfish, worldly love being taught so much today, that would rather watch them go to to hell, than to risk offending them with the truth. We've put everything on the line to try to win them to Christ. And by God's grace, we will." Overall, this is Chick's most inflammatory book to date. Far from burying it in the basement, he continues to keep it in print and pushes it in his catalogs. After all, Catholics tried to put him out of business and failed, so he probably thinks he's got nothing more to lose! In fact, he tells tape listeners they can make copies so long as they don't edit and distort the contents, and now he even offers entire chapters of it FREE on the web! You can bet that stunt took him off Rome's Christmas card list. Grading this book/tape could get me in the middle of feud which is much more fun to watch than it is to wage, so I'll be diplomatic and say I don't have a dog in this fight. However, if I were to place a bet on the remaining dogs, I would put my $2 on "Fang." ('Coz I'm always a sucker for the underdog.) Return to Comics Index page. 
"He Came To Set The Captives Free" Guest Review by Rich Lee! This book launched the "deliverance" ministry of Rebecca Brown, and chronicles her exploits as an exorcist. Her prized pupil, a woman named Elaine, is introduced as a former satanist and ex-witch. Much of the material in this book is repeated in the cassette tapes Closet Witches (see review). Chick Publications released this book in 1986. Only Frank Peretti's huge Christian bestseller "This Present Darkness" pushed the spiritual warfare envelope and fueled the demon fighting fad of the '80s and '90s more than Rebecca Brown's books. The difference was that Peretti's book was a novel and Rebecca Brown purports her account to be true. Deliverance ministry, or fighting demons, was a charismatic Christian dietary staple during this time before the renewed interest in apocalptic end-of-the-world scenarios in the 2000s. The beginning of the book warns the reader that "SATAN DOES NOT WANT YOU TO READ THIS MATERIAL!" The writer then prays for the reader to insure that no harm will befall you as you read. Rebecca Brown then proceeds to relate her story, how she met up with spiritual opposition in the hospital and how she met up with Elaine who entered the Satanic group known as "The Brotherhood." She also became the Regional Bride of Satan. Elaine claims "There are only 5 to 10 regional Brides of Satan in the U.S. at any one time. It is a position of great honor and power. The Sisters of Light told me they were sure I had the ability to attain this high position." Through a series of disciplines, Elaine says that the demon Mann Chan became the main demon in her life. "He communicated with me by putting thoughts directly into my mind. I communicated with him either by speaking aloud or by speaking with my spirit body....Often he knocked me unconscious and completely controlled my body, using it as he pleased, frequently speaking through my mouth. He controlled when I ate and slept, how well I did my work, how well I got along with people--my very life itself." Elaine relates her wedding to Satan. "Satan himself came to me to tell me that he had selected me for this great honor. He presented himself to me in the physical form of a man, very handsome, in fact, the exact image of what I held in my mind as being the 'perfect' man." She continues, "The ceremony was held in a large city nearby. One of the city's largest and most beautiful Presbyterian churches was rented by the cult for the occasion. I am sure that the owners of the church had no idea what their church was being rented for....As I stood just outside the sanctuary peeping in, I was surprised and greatly honored to see that not only were many people there from the surrounding states and California, but also a number of older members of the cult from the Eastern world." Apparently Satan was not a heavy eater on his honeymoon with Elaine. She says, "Satan did not eat any food, but he did sip at several of the very expensive wines and champagnes available. He had very little to say. By the time we arrived at the mansion in the hills of California, I was pretty hazy from the drugs I had been given....Afterwards I was thankful for the drugs I had been given, because once we were alone Satan's beautiful appearance disappeared and the sexual intercourse we had was brutal." Rough sex aside, Elaine name-drops a few times. "I also made a number of trips to other countries. I have been to Mecca, Israel, Egypt, also the Vatican in Rome to meet the Pope. All of my trips were for the purpose of coordinating Satan's programs with satanists in other lands...The Pope knew very well who I was. We worked closely both with the Catholics (especially the Jesuits) and the high-ranking Masons. It was during this time that I met many of the well known Rock music stars. They all signed contracts with Satan in return for fame and fortune. The evolution of Rock music in the U.S. was carefully planned by Satan and carried out by his servants ste..p by step." Rebecca also had her encounters with the supernatural. "Suddenly I felt a 'presence' on the couch next to me although no sound had been made. I jumped up and looked up...He had shining golden hair, deep blue eyes and the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. He was clean shaven and deep creases slashed his cheeks as he smiled at me...."Woman, I have a message for you from the Father....I am your guardian angel." Rebecca tells the reader that the spirit can be separated from the body in order to engage in spiritual battle with demons. "Normally the human spirit resides within the physical body. However, many scriptures show that the human physical body can still live when the spirit is separated from it....there is a peculiar drain on the physical body when the spirit is not actually within it." She continues, "If we are not careful to increase our intake of high quality protein during times of intense spiritual battle we will become weak." Rebecca points out that Eastern religions encourage vegetarian diets, and this is not a coincidence. Satan has been trying to get people to go vegan for centuries. "I do not believe it was any accident that God commanded Noah to start eating meat after the flood, knowing full well the spiritual battle Noah and all his offspring would have to go through to keep demons from controlling them and their lives....If beef is so harmful, then why did Abraham prepare beef for God himself to eat when He came to visit him? Abraham would obviously prepare the best he had. (See Genesis 18:1-7)....If you will stop to evaluate, you will find that the bottom line in any health food teaching or fad is the abstinence from meat. This is no accident. It is a carefully masterminded plan by Satan, because he knows very well the protein needs our bodies have and the tremendous protein drain caused by involvement in spiritual warfare." If there was ever a need for a scriptural basis for fast food, here it is! Get thee behind me Dalai Lama! I wanna chow down on beef! Rebecca also relates when she encountered a werewolf. "I sat there in horror at the most incredibly ugly and fierce creature I had ever seen. I felt as if I was drowning in the pure evil power that radiated from him. He threw back his head and howled- a terrifying sound which I shall never forget....I extended my right hand to point directly at him and cried out, 'STOP! In the name of Jesus Christ who is God almighty! It is not my master's will for me to die now. You may not touch me for I have work yet to do.' The werwolf (sic) stopped in his tracks, unable to move, snarling and growling in fury." Gosh, without silver bullets handy, this did the trick. Rebecca continues on the dilemma of killing a werewolf. "Much has been written about various methods of effectively killing werwolves while they are in their wolf form." Really? Where in the American Medical Journal, Dr. Brown, can we find this? No matter, for she continues, "I would never consider even trying such a thing because in so doing I would be killing a human who's salvation is my deepest concern. Also, once such a person is killed, the demon would leave the body immediately and then the body would return to its human form. That, of course, would present a most awkward situation because who would believe that the dead body was ever in a different form? The killer would most certainly be accused of murder, and rightly so." Even vampires get the spiritual warfare treatment. Rebecca says, "Vampires also exist....When we remember that most of David's writings in the Psalms referred to spiritual warfare, and the fact that he says his soul, not physical body, was being attacked, makes me wonder if he could be referring to people inhabited by these same demons of vampirism?" Whether you believe it or not, this book is certainly entertaining. What it lacks in illustrated art (only a brief Chick cartoon appears in the Chick Publications edition), it more than makes up for with fantastic scenarios and incredible conspiracies. Not recommended reading during Halloween. You might freak out on the trick-or-treaters! Grade "B" for Brutal Satan Sex! Return to Books Index. CBA Convention 1981 with Alberto Rivera: This is a recording of Alberto's address to the Christian Bookseller's Association beforeChick resigned that organization. (He quit after they sent representatives to urge him to cool it with the Alberto comics. Afterwards, Catholic spin doctors reported that Chick was "kicked out" of the organization, which wasn't accurate. But during this convention, the CBA was still receptive to Chick and gave Alberto a chance to address the crowd.) Chick introduces Alberto at the beginning of the tape. He mentions he was also able to address the CBA as well, but that recording isn't included. Alberto's voice sounds like a direct recording and is very clear. Listeners can hear some of the audience reaction, and it is generally favorable. People says things like "hallelujah" when Alberto talks about the Catholics he has saved. They also laugh at his jokes, and they become respectfully silent when his raises his voice and shouts accusations at the Vatican. At one point he yells, "They themselves know [Alberto's accusers] that the thought of what they themselves are doing right now-- in the name of God, in the name of Christ, in the name of the Holy Spirit-- is the most IMMORAL thing that God has ever seen!... And I'm deceivinghas been spread over the land on the pretense of experiences with Christ. They've been told that to lie for the sake of the Institution is NOT to lie! [Inaudible] They don't even have to go to their priest to confess it!" At that point, you could hear a pin drop. Not to be outdone by Our Sunday Visitor's challenge to pay anyone $10,000 if they can prove Alberto's claims are true, Alberto issues an even bigger challenge: He offers to pay anyone ONE MILLION DOLLARS if they can prove he is lying! (Of course, he doesn't say he has a million dollars, but no one asks him about that either.) He also tells his audience that Catholics main allegiance is to the Vatican and not their country. Alberto works up to a crescendo by urging others to follow his lead. "The only answer to the question why I left Roman Catholicism, the ONLY solution... was this verse 4, Revelation chapter 18: Come out of her MY people... I could not stay there without disobeying God and defeating my own purpose of serving him and being faithful to him. May the Lord bless you, thank you." He's about to step down when Chick can be overheard off mic, saying: "Alberto, excuse me, I told them there would be questions and answers." Alberto says, "The door is open for questions and answers. You do it properly and do it for benifit of all." There is a big round of applause. The first question is a biggy. "Dr. Rivera, myself as an ex-Catholic, being born again in the Institution and coming out. In fact, your testimony ministered to me mightily to me after I came out. And led my wife, [she] read it and I got her to come out too. We really... prayed a lot and recognize that he used you mightily to lead us. (Alberto agrees.) But then we read Double Cross. And the thing that really-- I don't know-- it caused a great deal of doubt and confusion... with many of my of born again, spirit filled ex-patriots in Protestant churches. And that is the fact that Kathryn Kuhlman (the popular Protestant spokesperson) being demeaned as being an agent (of the Vatican). You know, I find that hard to believe and I've found many people who find your testimony very hard to believe due to that fact. And I wish that there was more corroborating evidence and support of what your statement was, you know what I'm saying? Because that's really been a stumbling block." Alberto says he appreciates this criticism, but doesn't back down. He says he approached Kuhlman personally several times but that she rejected making his testimony available to the public before she passed away. He points out she had nuns and priests who she believed more than what is written the Bible. "I'm doing no more, no less than what Christ the Lord did in his ministry and his life. Before I delivered to Mr. Chick, part of these experiences to be published in Double Cross and Alberto, I had prayed for many years and I had fasted. That is because I feared to speak and [say] what I must [say]. But because I was aware of the way this should be done. And most of the people around me would say, 'you do it this way, this way, this way, this way.' I got advice from the top publishers and other film makers, even to cut a movie going on, a film. But all their advice came under three things: I put them to the test of the Bible and it fail. I put them under the test of prayer-- it fail. And finally I put them under the test of the history of the Roman Catholic Institution and penetration and infiltration, directly, indirectly, throughout 400 years, especially of Jesuit infiltration-- and it fail. Because I was told not to talk about this, not to talk about that, not to talk-- among other things, not to talk about Kathryn Kuhlman." He goes on to mention that he said to Dr. Walter Martin earlier in the day, "I knew your name before I knew you. Your name was on a list with Kathryn Kuhlman in a file where a Jesuit has [inaudible]. These names... to brief every single Roman Catholic priest and nun, and Roman Catholic laymen under oath, like the Knights of Columbus, talking about different occupations there are under oath. No one single religious occupation-- Legion of Mary, and some others-- they all, in order to become members, become under oath... No one of them were not aware that they would have cooperation from Kathryn Kuhlman anytime they asked for it." He adds: "She was not the only person, there is many others, that in due time you shall know. And not because I said, but because their fellowship, their relationship-- more than just words, and more than just [a] piece of paper, with documents-- their own relationship with the clergy of Rome and their service to the Vatican will tell you so. It's coming, stronger than ever before." He says he wants to go further, but due to advice of his attorney (because of ongoing litigation) he has been told "not to go too far and what I speak and comment about information in these two books." A tense moment occures when a Catholic steps forward and says he's there to show everyone what a real Catholic looks like. He's not a monster or anything else, and despite Alberto's testimony, he asks God to bless Alberto. Rivera responds, "I have a discription in the Bible. The discription is in the Gospel of John, Chapters through 8, verse 45 if you care to read." The Catholic stammers and says he knows his God has blessed him, even if-- Alberto interupts to read the passage: "It says Jesus Christ to the Jews [inaudible] 'You are the children of the devil, and the lusts of your father, the devil, you will lie to do." The Catholic retorts that such scripture sounds like something Adolf Hitler said. Alberto says, "This is the real discription of any Roman Catholic that rebells against the Gospel of Jesus Christ." The audience murmers, "Amen." A woman pipes up: "I am first of all, a Christian. Then--" Alberto interupts. "Are you a Catholic?" She says she is. Alberto says firmly, "You are not a Christian." The audience loudly applauds. Based on the audience reactions, one gets the feeling that the majority of the CBA members were firmly on Chick and Alberto's side, but that the higher ups were the ones who decided the Alberto comics were too controversial and bad for business. We'll never know what really happened behind the scenes, but you can bet this was THE issue that everyone was talking about at the CBA in 1981. There are some dull parts in this tape, but the exciting moments make it all worthwhile. Grade A for Audience Applause! Return to Tapes Index. |
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