Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 16:12 EDT From: "Scott.Mikusko"
This edited posting was the response of the editor of the Christian Press Report, an electronic newpaper out of California. This repsonse was posted along with The Two Faces of Bob in the June issue of CPR.
As is mentioned elsewhere in the Christian Press Report, we hope that the items we publish will, first and foremost, inspire our readers to pray. Second, we hope that our news stories will lead you to praise, protest, or take other appropriate actions.
Ken Smith's expose on Bob Larson is no exception.
However, as the editor of the CPR, I must say that I have been very relunctant to print Ken Smith's article. I believe that matters of church discipline should be handled by the church, rather than by outsiders. Ken Smith, by his own admission, is not a Christian (or, in his words, "no longer a professing Christian").
Over the past few years the immoral, sinful practices of many prominent Christian leaders have been exposed. Unfortunately, more often than not, it wasn't the Church that called the charlatans, adulterers and thieves to task, but rather the world.
What can we do, though, when the Church (including Christian journalists, writers and publishers) refuses to confront sinful behavior by one of its own?
[ biblical quotes regarding sinful behaviour and Christian responsibilty deleted - Scott ]
Like I said, I was reluctant to print Ken Smith's article, mainly because Ken is not a part of the Church.
Nevertheless, truth is truth. Truth is not ambiguous. That's why I hope that Ken's articles will indeed inspire our readers to pray - pray for Bob Larson, pray for the Christian press, and also pray for Ken Smith (please also pray for Ken's father who, at "press" time, was hospitalized with a ruptured aorta).
For the record, I have been able to verify some of the information Ken has presented, have talked with one of his main sources (who himself is known by others in the Christian community as a respectable Christian), and have sought the counsel of several Christian leaders - all of whom encouraged me to go ahead and publish this information.
I do not necessarily agree with all of Ken's views. For one thing, I happen to like _Christianity Today_ (a magazine known for trying to present a well-balanced point of view on even the most controversial issues), am a great fan of _World_ (which I consider to be one of the finest Christian News Magazines available), and appreciate the ministry of the _Evangelical Press Association_ (without whom Christian journalists and publications would miss lots of information and support).
I am confident, however, that in publishing this information, the Christian Press Report is doing the right thing. As always, we welcome letters and E-mail responses from our readers.
Stand-alone copies of Ken's two articles and this editorial will be available for downloading from Christian BBS Abba II. The file name to look for is LARSON-0.ZIP.
In my previous CPR articles concerning Bob Larson, I have focused on his financial affairs, and his inability to deal with honest scrutiny. But the most intriguing part of the Bob Larson story is how his vision of himself has molded the ministry which bears his name.
As you might expect, Larson is not that eager to make BLM's deepest, darkest secrets available to us, but his generous employees have been more than able to fill in most of the gaps. In recent weeks, signifi cant new sources of information have come forward, and fresh caches of internal Ministry memos have surfaced. And now, the picture of every day life behind the walls of Larson's third-floor fortress seems clear enough that the story can be told. It is a most disturbing tale -- of a world of smoke, mirrors, and startling contradictions.
Secrets of Freemasonry Revealed
Two o'clock. The music rolls, and Bob Larson leans into the micro phone:
"Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Henry Lee Lucas, and Charles Man son. Kids will soon be bartering these serial killers on trading cards thanks to a California company that's recently introduced the series. In addition to horror films and violent books, the media have taken one more step contributing to adolescents' evil addictions." [1]
To the casual listener, Larson seems urbane, eloquent, and possessed of an astounding memory. His many impassioned pleas are straight from the heart -- and totally off-the-cuff. His command of Scripture is as fine as his control of the callers. But on Talk-Back, nothing is left to chance. Even when Bob Larson talks about Bob Larson, he is reading from a script. This Larson speech' came from the pen of staffer Mary Kilgannon:
"I've been threatened by a bullet in the brain. I've also been warned that I may be offered as a Satanic sacrifice. For weeks, I've been told by death metal rockers and sinister Satanists that I'm to die today. But I'm still alive and in God's service...." [2]That Larson should read his opening lines is hardly surprising. But the extent to which Talk-Back is scripted, pre-packaged, and painstak ingly orchestrated is remarkable. His openings, monologues, and wrap- ups are totally canned; he even reads the phone numbers. [3] And, as the following snippets from an internal Ministry memo written by Kilgannon (initialed by her and substitute host Bonnie Bell) suggest, everything from what Bob says between callers to why he says it is menu-driven':
"TOPIC: BOB BATTLES BACK
DATE: FRI 8-28-92
SLANT: Your donors let you down earlier in the week. Then, they abandoned Bonnie while you were called by God to write your sequel. Instead of supporting your efforts to help the abused, donors have financially and spiri tually abused you and this ministry....
WHY I'M DOING THIS SHOW: I had to take time out of my hectic schedule to rescue' yes terday's show. Members of my staff called in a panic because you didn't support this ministry. I'm called by the Lord to write the sequel to Dead Air, and I couldn't count on you....
BULLETS: * I don't like having my private time writing this book with the Lord to be interrupted. But you force that on me....
* I've got one day left to save stations. Yesterday's show could mean the loss of major stations.
* If you believe in the mission of this ministry, it's time you supported it." [4]
In essence, Larson is like a network anchorman. Even his knowledge of Scripture is prompted -- for instance, in the "Gay Power" episode, a Larson employee provided him with a list of Bible verses addressing homosexuality. [5]
The only actual variable is the callers, and every effort is made to control them as much as possible. A prospective caller must first run the gauntlet of Larson's call-screeners -- who, for the most part, are instructed to give him the kind of callers that he wants. If he wants to have an argument, they screen out his supporters. If Bob gets into trouble, and the show is going poorly, a stream of "Bob-backers" mira culously appears. And the final few minutes of the show generally are reserved for those who would praise him.
When the screener decides that a caller is to appear on the program, the office machinery goes into action. If he or she has been on Talk- Back before, the screener performs a background check. Vital statis tics (e.g., age, sex, caller's location) are flashed on Bob's screen, and, if an earlier call was particularly poignant, the tape is pulled from Ministry archives and given to him. And he always "just happens" to have it in the studio....
More than a year ago, Westword reported that Larson actively courted "exhorters": Christians who would appear on his broadcasts, on cue, to sing his praises. [6] Other sources close to Larson have confirmed that charge; former BLM vice-president Lori Boespflug went so far as to say that then-Compassion Connection director Margo Hamilton would "call up her kids" and prompt them into giving on-air testimony. [7] And now, an internal memo further fans those flames:
"TO: BOB
CC: TAMMY, CC STAFF, DEANN
FROM: MARGO
DATE: 7/10/92
SUBJ: TODAY'S SHOW, HOPE LINE STORIES
4) HOPE LINE STORIES:
* Due to the sensitive issue of exploitation of HOPE line callers who wish to remain anonymous I want the referral operators to ask HOPE line callers who are enthused about the help the [sic] received to give us a number to call them during the show and speak directly to you about the help they've received." [8]To the casual observer, the sudden appearance of these formerly dissressed callers seems too remarkable to be the result of naked chance. It would appear that divine intervention can be ruled out, as well.
The Prophet Motive
Talk-Back is not a ministry; it is a business. And Bob Larson runs it like one. His obsession with the bottom line is painfully clear in this snippet from a June, 1992 memo:
"The following is Bob Larson's analysis of reports compiled by Debbi and memos prepared by her and Bonnie covering: year end reports 1991; month end stats; large donor analyses....Larson's call screeners are forced to balance his need to have "good caller" and an honest desire to offer help to those which ask for it. And sometimes, the callers' interests lose. In World's January, 1993 expose, former Ministry employee Tammy Brown created a firestorm when she charged:YEAR END OVER THE AIR ANALYSIS 1. Accounted for 52% of revenue in 1991 and 1990 and 51% 1989. CONCLUSION: Half of revenue is raised at "point of sale" by impulse response by emotional live appeals.
2. Success if a combination of campaign themes, premiums and good caller." [sic] [9]
"Bob would put [callers] on hold and we would have to manipu late them, push them over the edge so they could go back on the air with Talk-Back and be saved by Bob Larson... We had to push until they said, OK, I need God'." [10]Sound ministry doesn't always make for riveting drama. But money is the name of Bob Larson's game -- you have to grip the audience to grab hold of their checkbooks. And in the cold, hard world of radio minis try, there is bound to be a certain amount of human carnage. The fol lowing is from a 1992 letter to Bob from a Washington therapist:
"One client recently wrote to you [name withheld] ... She also worked up her courage to phone you last week. What she had hoped for was encouragement and prayer from you and your Hope Line. What she received was something quite different. After briefly talking to you on the air, she was passed on to a woman on the other line. This woman told her that you believed she was multiple. She then began asking [name] questions about her abuse. Had she been involved in group sex? Sex with animals? Had her father ever dressed her in white? ...and more. [Name] answered no to these, and she then asked if she could produce an alter who knew about these things. [Name]'s system does not operate on command' so she answered No. The woman said she would then put her on hold, and when she came back on the line she wanted to talk to an alter. When she returned, and no alter has appeared, she basically said we can't help you, and hung up. [Name] called several more times, wanting prayer, and perhaps someone who would validate and affirm her.... When she told her name, she was actually hung up on."11Judging by this excerpt (from an anonymous letter to the editor of the Colorado Christian News), the Washington woman's story is not at all unique:
"I have been a caller on TALK-BACK on more than one occasion. On each of these occasions, after placing me with the referral operator, Bob would begin pleading with the audience for a thousand dollar champion' or a five hundred dollar hero' [sic] in order to help me.Still, in the midst of all this misery, some ministry does in fact get done. Unfortunately, the bulk of it is done by the Compassion Connec tion affiliates. All BLM does is make referrals, from what is nothing more than a computerized telephone directory.Although Bob told his audience that he needed the money to help me, he in fact did nothing of the sort. He would not accept my calls nor would he answer my mail. At one point, one of his staff promised a therapy program, saying they had in fact called for counseling in reference to me and it was a matter of my waiting. When the wait became too long, I decided to check it out myself. They said they had no idea what I was talking about. BLM had never contacted them." [12]
At one point, Compassion Connection was a more noble endeavor. But in an apparent response to Larson's divorce, Salem Broadcasting presi dent Ed Atsinger cancelled the show on several crucial stations. That derailed Bob's gravy train; as a reaction, he decided to make drastic cuts in program services:
TO: BOBOf course, the desperate financial climate would not deter Bob from funding projects essential to the Ministry's mission... like installation of a broadcast studio in his mountainside mansion, only minutes from his Lakewood office. [15]
CC: ANGELO
FROM: MARGO
DATE: 11/26/91
SUBJ: CC CUTBACKSTHE FOLLOWING ARE IMMEDIATE CUTBACKS WE CAN IMPLEMENT INTO COM PASSION CONNECTION TO COMPENSATE THE LOSE OF THE SALEM STATIONS [sic]
1) HOPE LINE HOURS: Immediate cutback of Saturday hours. We should let Randy know ASAP.... [approved by BL]
8) CC INTERVENTION: We have promised Eric we would fly him to San Diego [they eventually paid $165 for a bus ticket13] and Amy is coming closer to a decision about moving to Albuquerque. I propose we support them in their moves, but put an immediate freeze on other crisis intervention finan cially supported by the ministry and rely solely on the database and the Friendship connection until we can resume ministry intervention [approved by BL]." [14]
I Love Myself...
It seems that almost every aspect of Bob Larson Ministries is bathed in a torrent of hypocrisy. This spiritual heir of Billy Sol Hargis is constantly trapped between the demands of his public persona' and his compulsive need to be important. And as such, the simple act of tell- ing the truth -- one most of us find to be second-nature -- becomes an overwhelming task.
On his Jan. 29, 1993 broadcast, Larson claimed that he "always flies coach,"16 unless he earns frequent flier upgrades. And again, inter nal BLM documents cast grave aspersions upon that claim. A memo dated Nov. 10, 1992 listed Bob's itinerary for an Apr. 2, 1993 appearance in Columbus, Ohio, indicating that he would be sitting in seat 4C (first class) on both legs of that trip, and the air fare would be $728.17 Likewise, his October, 1992 trip to Cleveland cost the Ministry $855, and again, he was sitting in the first cabin.18 But even for Bob Larson, there are limits: on a recent trip to Vancouver, he actually DID fly coach.
On George Orwell's fictional Animal Farm, all animals were equal ... but some were more equal than others. It seems that, on a recent trip to Scottsdale, Bob Larson wouldn't suffer the indignity of having to stay in the stables with the hired help. While Larson employees Linda Brown and Bonnie Bell doubled up in a modest $105 room at the Red Lion Inn, Bob Larson (using Dane Roberts, one of his pseudonyms) was enjoy ing life in a $215/night room at the nearby Marriott.19 And for Lar son, that almost qualifies as slumming it' -- according to Lori Boes- pflug, Bob prefers to stay at the Phoenician, where high-season rates for a room with a view exceed $300.20 His computerized address book contains phone numbers for such humble abodes as the Ritz-Carlton Lag una Niguel, The Beverly Hills Hilton, and the Hyatt Regency San Fran cisco.21 Granted, he's not the Donald, but it is fair to say that he travels well.
Former Larson confidants have told me that he is so completely self- absorbed that he even keeps an 8" X 10" glossy picture of himself on his desk! [If you saw his cameo appearance in the recent HBO special on Satanism, you might have noticed it in the right-hand side of the screen.22 One can just picture the inscription: "To Bob Larson -- All my love. Bob Larson."] And, at a Mark Russell concert, this balding man of nearly fifty bounded on-stage with an almost childlike glee ... to have his picture taken with the patron saint of political satire.23
As Christianity Today reported, and former employees have confirmed, Larson is a perfectionist.24 Perfectionists do have a penchant for dwelling on the negative, and, for all his accomplishments, Larson has borne his share of failures. Like David Koresh, he never quite made it as a rock star. He dropped out of college, failed in his marriage, couldn't really cut it as a legitimate novelist. Even the one thing insiders insist he has wanted more than anything else -- a son -- has been denied him. After almost a decade of psychotherapy,25 and almost thirty years "in the Lord's work," inner peace has been denied him.
As an anonymous BLM employee observed in a letter to Salem Broad casting president Ed Atsinger:
"It's also known that Mr. Larson is a psychotic person who doesn't really like himself and needs the constant cajoling of others such as his psychologist [presumably, his psychotherap ist, Dr. Kenneth Mesplay26] of many years and one or two close employees who he uses until something better comes along. He leaves them betrayed and dismayed at the meaning behind the man and his ministry...." [27]Bob Larson is a man lashing out in pain. And, like the wounded bear in the cave, he will attack anything which comes his way. He has lost the capacity to help others, for he can no longer even help himself.
Jailhouse Rock?
Bob Larson is a statistician's nightmare. He hurls figures like the young Nolan Ryan threw fastballs: at least 100 miles per hour, and not all that accurately. In his January 4, 1991 appeal letter to donors, he lamented that, "With our air time costs more than double what they were two years ago, our income is actually less than it was then."28 And in his February 4 follow-up, he wrote:
"Now, I'm faced with the most critical decision since TALK- BACK first went on the air!Taken together, the letters paint a picture of a ministry in serious financial distress. Yet, in reality, Bob Larson Ministries was in the veritable flower of fiscal health. Ministry tax returns revealed that revenues for 1990 had actually increased by more than $1.5 million, as compared to 1988.30 The Ministry's Stewardship Report showed a profit of more than $500,00031; the deficit reported in February was nowhere to be found. Similarly, the tax return revealed cash reserves of more than $1.5 million ... after making an unscheduled $1 million principal payment on the building it owns. [32]What do I do with a $213,000 deficit last year?
Will I have to cut back 1 or 2 days of TALK-BACK?" [29]
Still, Larson's cries of poverty continued. In his December 2, 1991 fundraiser, he told donors that, "Because our finances are so low, I'm sorry I can't make any offers available."33 He repeated that claim in a February, 1992 appeal letter,34 despite the fact that the Ministry's annual audit was completed the day beforehand, and its' audited financial statements showed a $246,000 profit for the year. [35]
That Bob Larson made these misrepresentations consciously and delib erately is beyond question. Each show is rated for its financial pro ductivity, and Ministry accountants generate a dizzying array of donor statistics. Pledges are categorized by day, week, donor, and station; full histories are kept on stations, donors, and appeal letters. Even the daily deposits were compared to previous year figures. And every thing that has anything to do with Ministry finances is routed to Bob.
A certain measure of exaggeration is tolerated -- and to some degree expected -- in the typical fundraising letter. Yet, there are limits; Bob Larson's fundraising regime appears to have crossed into the realm of outright mail fraud.
In one of those indecipherable 175-word sentences for which our federal government is rightly famed, 18 U.S.C. =1341 sets out the offense in excruciating detail:
"Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises ... for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice or attempting to do so, places in any post office or authorized depository for mail matter...." [36]Roughly translated, any fundraising scheme which uses the U.S. mail, and is reasonably calculated to deceive persons of ordinary prudence and comprehension constitutes federal mail fraud. It is not necessary to prove that a fact was misrepresented, or a donor, misled. Rather, all that needs to be shown is the intent to deceive' -- which may be inferred by the modus operandi of a scheme -- and the use of the U.S. mails in furtherance of that intent. [37]
That Bob Larson used the U.S. mail is beyond question; that he knew that the Ministry was in far better financial condition than he repre sented in his appeal letters appears equally clear. In fact, his own fundraising analysis, conducted in June of 1992, clearly suggests that his literary wails of financial desperation' in the December 1991 and February 1992 appeal letters were part of a curious experiment:
GENERAL FACTS AND INFORMATION
6. Not using premiums doesn't hurt letters and helps profit.
7. Unique enclosures help response considerably.
QUARTERLY APPEAL LETTER ANALYSIS
1. Not offering premiums doesn't affect giving.
2. Special enclosures (e.g. Deicide artwork, Sharon's poem) helps response."38
At any rate, Larson's immaculate deception appears to have been suc cessful.
Thus we are left with the question of whether the scheme was reason ably calculated to deceive. One of the more persuasive ways of prov ing that prudent individuals were likely to be deceived is to demon strate that one had been deceived. The pertinent excerpts from a let ter to Compassion Connection director Margo Hamilton, from California attorney Michael Harvey, dated Dec. 12, 1991, speak for themselves:
"RE: WHITE CITY OREGON SATANIC RITUAL ABUSE CASELike many others who came to Bob Larson Ministries with hat in hand, Harvey "didn't receive a dime,"40 but that is beside the point. As an attorney, Harvey presumably qualifies as a person of ordinary prudence and comprehension; the letter clearly shows that he believed that Bob Larson Ministries was in woeful financial condition. And if a man of his caliber was fooled ... then, heaven help the little old lady from Dubuque.Dear Margo and Bob:
This is some kind of battle, isn't it? The financial con straints and losses occurring at your ministry....
I just need transportation costs and an Oregon associate attor ney's costs, at this time, to go after these Satanists. I know you folks are in a major financial bind...."39
The Making of a Best-Selling Author
Behind the microphone, Bob Larson triumphantly proclaims that he is the author of twenty-two books, including an encyclopedic reference on cults, Larson's New Book of Cults. But as is often the case with Lar son, reality just doesn't quite measure up to his press releases. As the following couple of internal memos suggests, it would be stretch ing the truth for him to even call himself an editor:
"DEADLINE TO PUBLISHER: APRIL 1, 1989Bob Larson is noticeable only by his absence from the project. Ministry staffers Mary Stone (now, Kilgannon), Paula Ehresman, Pat Dunn, and Muriel Olson, along with freelance writer Kari Martin, wrote chap ters based on old Talk-Back scripts (again written by staffers). Once Olson edited them, they were submitted to Tim Philibosian for theological review. Larson only gave their final product a quick once-over.Tim's Role: Check for theological accuracy in ERRORS, APPEAL, and PURPOSE sections. Watch his timing. Can't take too long. He'll have to assume that factually, we're correct....
PROCEDURES
1. Outline/Scripts
2. Writing (MO will assign)
3. Internal editing -- MO
4. Review -- TP = watch turn-around time
5. Corrections -- MO
6. BL
7. Corrections/Remove footnotes -- MO
8. Publisher" [41]-------------------
CHAPTERS WRITTEN BY MS, PE, MO
DATE CHAPTER AUTHOR FINISHED Charles Manson MS 2-16-89 Free Masonry MS 2-22-89 Crowleyism (beef up) MS 2-27-89Life Training PE 2-22-89 Findhorn PE 2-24-89" [42]
The writing of a book is a laborious task, and, like many celebrity authors', Bob Larson's "hectic schedule" simply doesn't permit him the time to invest in such drudgery. After all, skiing, golfing, jogging, mountain-climbing, and sporadic Bible studies demand major commitments of time and energy ... and, let us not forget that he has a young wife to attend to, and a multi-million dollar ministry to run. As the fol lowing memo indicates, he can't even be bothered with the mundane task of coming up with the ideas for "his" books:
"TO: BOBAgainst this curious backdrop, one wouldn't have anticipated him to have even tried to write a novel. Yet, try it he did; unfortunately, as the following excerpts from one of the earliest drafts of Dead Air (then, entitled "Underground") shows, the flesh may have been willing, but the talent was weak:
FROM: BONNIE
RE: DAILY ITEMS
DATE: 7/20/92
CC: MARGO, ANGELO, PAM
9. TYNDALE BOOK SUGGESTIONS -- SIMPLY RESENDING SINCE I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU YET.
Per your instructions we met and discussed possible topics for a Tyndale book. Our favorite centers around Exorcism/Demons. This is the stuff your audience wants to hear from you about. We suggest the following:
A. Draw from your past experiences in Haiti B. Adrian, Shirley, and other stories you have shared with us when you were on the road....
As a side note we also came up with and idea of a book on blood. Kind of "The Blood of Christ vs. the blood of Satan." You could discuss how Satan has misrepresented the "Blood" and made a sacrilege of it. You could also cover:
A. Vampirism B. Self-mutilation C. Animal Sacrifice D. Blood rituals E. Menstrual fascination." [43]
"The words of a small child may ring with more clarity and truth than the uncertain cacophony of many adult voices if we listen with our hearts.Wes Bryant should have known that years ago.
Unfortunately, like many of us, he learned to hear what he wanted to hear. Only those utterances which enforced his pre judices or enhanced his predilections were heeded. Anything confronting his selfish ego or threatening his comfort zone in life was ignored. Wes thought he had life all figured out, or at least reduced to workable options. Until the day a child's voice softly shattered his insulated little world of unrequited dreams and compromised convictions."
Can I talk to Mr. Wes?'Sure honey. How old are you and what's your name?'
Jennifer. I'm nine.'
What do you want to say to Mr. Bryant?'
Well, it's kind of personal. I thought if I dialed this number I could talk to Mr. Wes'." [44]
Rough drafts are precisely that; a certain measure of coarseness can be expected. But some of the passages were sheer literary atrocities:
"The sight of the Windy City was blowing her way an ill zephyr of sobering truth no disbelief could escape....Manley Harris cocked his head sideways in a gesture that half wanted to pursue the subject further and press Wes about what he knew and half resigning himself to respecting the obvious sincerity of Wes's refusal to say what he might be able to reveal that would confirm his concerns." [45]
As the months wore on, it became increasingly apparent that Larson's dreams of literary stardom were precisely that. Yet, where there is a will -- and, a staff of forty -- there is a way.
A procession of Larson staffers were commissioned to work on his new endeavor, including Olson, Boespflug, and the current Mrs. Bob Larson, Laura Anderson. For instance, in an Aug. 18, 1992 memo to Bob, writ ten by International Broadcasting Network director Pam Koczman, it was acknowledged that "Laura A.'s time with the book is 50% and more until Dec." [46]
As Lori Boespflug, World's star whistle-blower, confided to me many months ago, "Bob Larson can't write by himself."47 Muriel Olson, a former BLM copy editor with a lifetime of editing experience, seconded Boespflug's thought in a lawsuit, claiming that Larson was "an inade quate writer."48 And while Larson may, in some circles, be compared with Larry King, no one will ever mistake him for Stephen King.
And Bob Larson knows it.
It is not so much the fact that Larson does not, in any meaningful sense of the word, "write" his books which raises eyebrows; rather, it is the reckless abandon with which he uses sacrificially-given Minis try resources to subsidize his career as an author. As numerous court documents, former Larson employees, knowledgeable third parties (e.g., Larson's attorneys), and internal BLM memos attest, Ministry employees do the work -- while on the Ministry payroll. All Larson does is col lect the royalties.
The following letter, submitted to the Jefferson County (Colo.) District Court in connection with a recent lawsuit by former BLM employee Muriel Olson, further evidences Larson's misuse of Ministry resources:
"June 20, 1990As indicated in Olson's complaint, it wasn't much of an "agreement"; Larson reportedly told her, in essence, that she had to sign that let ter ... or else.50 Larson won the lawsuit, on the ground that Olson's efforts were "within the scope of her employment."51 However, as both parties conceded in their briefs, Olson "was never an employee of Bob Larson personally."52 Yet, as a federal hearing officer determined in a related case, even though Olson's salary came from the Ministry, her only job was "to rewrite and edit chapters of a book" -- for the sole and exclusive benefit of Bob Larson.53 The thousands of hours she and others have spent writing works like Abaddon, Dead Air, Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth, and Straight Answers on the New Age were paid for by faithful "Heroes," "Champions," and "Communicator Club" members.PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Ms. Muriel Olson
[address deleted]This will confirm our agreement regarding the work you have performed or will perform as an employee of Bob Larson Minis tries in connection with my novel involving Satanism.
It is specifically understood that you expect no credit what soever in my novel as published or in any related or derivative work, but grant me the right without obligation, to use your name or likeness in credits or otherwise....
Finally, you understand that you shall receive no additional compensation for your work in connection with my novel except payment for overtime work, specifically approved in advance by me."49
Thomas Nelson Publications, the world's foremost publisher of Chris tian materials, evidently was aware of Larson's literary shortcomings. As the following excerpts from this internal BLM memo indicate, Nelson management aided and abetted him in his efforts to pass himself off as a legitimate author:
"TO: BonnieWhile "work for hire" arrangements are perfectly legal55 -- and sur prisingly common in the Christian publishing industry56 -- the ethical implications of the practice are profound. It appears that, in their private dealings, these self-appointed mavens of "mainstream morality" can't even abide by the ethical standards established by that supposed object lesson in moral decay known as Hollywood.
RE: Thomas Nelson Meeting
CC: Margo/Angelo
DATE: 07/03 [1992]
FROM: Bob Larson1. They have a work for hire contract they are sending me to avoid any problems in the future....
6. Insist me next manuscript be seen by a lot of people to make sure it's OK this time....
9. If don't get book out on spring list 93 will want to wait until 94! ...
11. In marketing the sequel, he doesn't want any move "waves" like we did last time, e.g. several pushes on certain dates. He wants to "go for the gusto" all at once when the book comes out. [All sentences in context]"54
That Larson continues to make liberal use of Ministry-paid staffers for his personal gain is evidenced by a second memo to Bonnie -- this time, written and initialed by BLM secretary Becky Prien:
"Bob's been pulling me as soon as the show is over until I go home to do book edits. Therefore, I can't get to the front desk from 4:30 to 6:00. Lisa, Chris and Tammy have been taking my shifts, but today no one could stay late. Angelo, however, finally found Debbi to stay for me." [57]It almost seems as if everyone at BLM works on "Bob's" books -- except Bob! Ministry funds are used to pay for direct-mail campaigns, Minis try air time is used to run slick promotional spots, and Ministry stu dios have been used to create those ads. And even though the Ministry squanders so much of its "limited" resources in order to turn his lit erary fantasies into lucrative reality, Bob has the audacity to charge an author's royalty for the books it "gives" to contributors. [58]
For Whom the Bell Tolls...
Unlike his celebrated counterpart, Jim Bakker, Bob Larson knows that his actions over the last few years are without question immoral -- if not patently illegal. Several callers have asked him on the air about the controversy, but their voices were quickly squelched by his panic button'. When the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) raised questions of their own, Larson indignantly withdrew his membership application. [59] And all the while, his hand-picked board of directors sat in blissful acquiescence.
Larson has gone to extraordinary lengths to evade such outside scru tiny. When leaving BLM, key employees are required to sign confiden tiality agreements' which, in essence, are intended to deter them from revealing evidence of wrongdoing.60 Nor is he subject to peer review: The organization which provided him his ordination credentials -- Dave Ford's Evangelistic Messengers, of Cleveland, TN -- was not even aware of his divorce from ex-wife Kathy, some two years after the fact.61 And, as this excerpt from an August, 1992 memo, initialed by BLM vice president Angelo Diasparra suggests, the Ministry's financial informa tion is regarded as a state secret':
"All other written requests for financial information regarding the ministry or Bob personally will be referred to Angelo for disposition.... If a phone request is for anything other than the Stewardship Report, the caller is told to put the request in writing, giving reasons, and send it to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer."62By sharp contrast, legitimate ministries (e.g., James Dobson's Focus on the Family) give out copies of their financial statements to anyone who asks.63 And even the LDS Church starts out its' annual televised meeting with a presentation of the audit report. But Larson acts like a man who has something to hide.
Tax fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, embezzlement -- these are matters best left to the proper authorities. But stewardship begins at home.
ENDNOTES:
Secrets of Freemasonry Revealed:
1 Kelly Hafey, "Evil Addiction (radio script)," 1 Jul. 1992, p. 1.
2 Mary Kilgannon, "Bob Backers (radio script)," 20 Oct. 1992, p. 1. 3 E.g., see Mary Kilgannon, "Teens Tormenting Teens (radio script)," 31 Aug. 1992, pp. 2-3.
4 Mary Kilgannon, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 28 Aug. 1992, pp. 1-3.
5 Linda [Felde?] per Margo [Hamilton], Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 27 Jul. 1992, p. 1.
6 Michael Roberts, "The Evil That Men Do," Westword, May 27-Jun 2, 1992, p. 18 (I confirmed this report with "Marjorie" -- who has known the Larsons socially for some time, and has been a valuable source of background information).
7 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992.
8 Margo Hamilton, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 10 Jul. 1992, p. 1.
The Prophet Motive:
9 Bob Larson, Fund Raising Analysis (attachment to a memorandum to Bonnie Bell), 26 Jun. 1992, pp. 1-2.
10 Jay Grelen and Doug LeBlanc, "This is Me, This is Real," World, Vol. 7, No. 32, 23 Jan. 1993, p. 8.
11 Karolyn Merriman, Letter (to Bob Larson), 11 May 1992, p. 1.
12 Anonymous, Letter, Colorado Christian News, April 1993, p. 8 (CCN editor Joann Bruso advised me in an April telephone conversation that she spoke to the author of that letter, and believes the story to be genuine).
13 Margo Hamilton, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 20 Oct. 1992, p. 2.
14 Margo Hamilton, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 26 Nov. 1991, pp. 1-2.
15 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992 (corroborated by memoranda from former Larson staffer Alan Hergert re: technical aspects of stu dio set-up -- obtained from an independent source -- and verified by a technical glitch in the Sept. 29, 1993 broadcast of Talk-Back).
I Love Myself...
16 Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson," Radio broadcast, 29 Jan. 1993.
17 Kathy Hendricks, Memorandum (to Bob Larson/Bonnie Bell), 10 Nov. 1992.
18 Kathy Hendricks, Memorandum (to Bob Larson/Bonnie Bell), 14 Oct. 1992.
19 Unidentified, Memorandum, 9 Nov. 1992.
20 Lori Boespflug, Telephone interview, Jun. 1992 (author made call to Phonecian Resort to determine 1993-94 high-season room rate).
21 Computerized personal telephone directory, Undated.
22 "In Search of Satan," Television broadcast, Home Box Office, 1993.
23 Author's personal observation (see, Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson," Radio broadcast, 19 Oct. 1992, for an oblique confirmation of the encounter).
24 Timothy Morgan, "Bob on the Block," Christianity Today, 17 May 1993, p. 74.
25 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992 (Mesplay is listed in the Denver telephone directory as a psychotherapist; he likewise appears on Larson's computerized rolodex).
26 Ibid., ibid. (key BLM managers were encouraged to receive treatment from Mesplay; Boespflug attended six sessions before refusing to con tinue).
27 Anonymous, Letter (to Edward Atsinger, President of Salem Communi cations), 1991. (The authenticity of the letter was confirmed by for mer Salem employee, attorney, and Christian talk-show host John Stew art.)
Jailhouse Rock?:
28 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 4 Jan. 1991, p. 2.
29 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 4 Feb. 1991, p. 2.
30 Bob Larson Ministries, 1990 Form 990, pp. 1-2 (copy on file).
31 Bob Larson Ministries, 1990 Stewardship Report, inside of folder.
32 Interview, Name withheld by request, 1993 (corroborated by the Ministry's 1990 federal form 990).
33 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 2 Dec. 1991, p. 2.
34 Bob Larson, Appeal Letter, 19 Feb. 1992, p. 2.
35 Bob Larson Ministries, Independent Auditors' Report, 18 Feb. 1992, cover letter.
36 18 U.S.C. 1341 (1988). 37 The scope of =1341 is nicely summarized in a 1965 case involving an employment agency scam perpetrated in Denver:
"The crime of mail fraud is broad in its scope, and may ordi narily be shown by proof of the intentional devising of a scheme to defraud and that the mail was used in furtherance of it. The scheme is one to defraud if it is reasonably calcu lated to deceive persons of ordinary prudence and comprehen sion. Direct proof of willful intent is not necessary. Not only are the patently false statements prohibited, but also those made with a reckless indifference as to whether they are true or false. Similarly, the deceitful concealment of mate rial facts may also constitute actual fraud. Moreover, the deception need not be premised upon the verbalized words alone. The arrangement of the words, or the circumstances in which they are used may convey the false and deceptive appearance [citations omitted]."Gusow v. United States, 347 F.2d 755 (10th Cir. 1965), cert. den 382 US 906 (parallel citations omitted).
38 Larson (Fund Raising Analysis), supra note 9, p. 2. 39 Michael Harvey, Letter (to Bob Larson Ministries), 12 Dec. 1991 (copy on file).
40 Michael Harvey, Telephone interview, 8 Sept. 1993.
Making of a Best-Selling Author:
41 Muriel Olson, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 2 Feb. 1989, pp. 1-2.
42 Memorandum (to Bob Larson(?)), 1 Mar. 1989, p. 2(?) (the document itself is unattributed, but it is in substance supported by two other memos -- and one has Larson's handwriting on it).
43 Bonita ("Bonnie") Bell, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 20 Aug. 1992, p. 2.
44 Bob Larson, "Underground (title ascertained from other sources)," (unpublished manuscript; copy on file), Undated, Chapter One, p. 1.
45 Ibid (the source has requested confidentiality).
46 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 17 Jun. 1992.
47 Affidavit of Muriel S. Olson at 6, Olson v. Larson, No. 92 CV 2058 (Jefferson County (Colo.) Dist. Ct., Dec. 18, 1992).
48 Pam Koczman, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 18 Aug. 1992 (copy on file includes Larson's handwriting, and FYI to Bonnie Bell).
49 Bob Larson, Letter (to Muriel Olson), 20 Jun. 1990. 50 Plaintiff's Brief in Response to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss or in the Alternative Motion for Summary Judgment at 6, Olson v. Larson.
51 Defendants' Reply Brief at 3, Id.
52 Order at 10, Id.
53 Francisco J. Flores, Jr. (Dist. Dir. of the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), Determination Letter, Charge No. 3209211626, 31 Dec. 1992, p. 1.
54 Bob Larson, Memorandum (to Bonnie Bell), 7 July 1992 (year deter mined in context).
55 17 U.S.C. =201(b) (1988).
56 See, e.g., Edward Plowman, "Haunted Houses" World, Vol. 8, No. 3, 10 Apr. 1993, pp. 10-14.
57 Becky Prien, Memorandum (to Bonnie Bell), 20 Jul. 1992 (copy on file).
58 Bob Larson, Interview, 17 Oct. 1992 (see also, e.g., BLM's 1990 Form 990 (related party transactions are to be disclosed therein) and Note 6 to BLM's 1991 audited financial statements ("During 1991, the Ministry purchased books and materials totaling $67,982 from an offi cer of the Ministry. The officer's cost in the books and materials sold was $45,215"). Conclusion: another $22,000 falls into Larson's pocket.
For Whom the Bell Tolls:
59 See, Pat Mahoney, Fax (to Ken Smith), 22 Sept. 1993; Gary Massaro, "Ministry Quits Audit Group over Finances," Rocky Mountain News, 24 Sept. 1993, p. 12A, col. 5, and a similar article by Joyce Mucci in the Kansas City Christian (cite unavailable at this time).
60 Larson tried to enforce just such an agreement' in Bob Larson Min- istries v. Boespflug, No. 93 CV 442 (Jefferson County (Colo.) Dist. Ct., filed 8 Mar. 1993).
61 David Ford, Telephone interview, 27 Sept. 1993. According to Ford, the Association requires prospective ministers to engage in course work prior to ordination. But twenty years ago, theirs was strictly an apprenticeship program. The Association's disciplinary procedures are ad hoc; evidence of a minister's malfeasance is brought to their attention on an informal basis.
62 Angelo Diasparra, Memorandum (to staff), 14 Aug. 1992.
63 Teresa Aggen (Focus on the Family), Telephone interview, 27 Sept. 1993.
Copies of all unpublished documents cited or quoted in this article have been provided to the Christian Press Report (and others who have reproduced it in other media), except where the dissemination of such information would create the risk of exposing confidential sources to recrimination. These individuals have been instructed not to provide copies to others without my express approval.
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