"We will not allow them to torture our families; we have decided that we will kill our children before that happens."

This is what some of the members of a small town church in Pennsylvania told their pastor after hearing the predictions of doom for Christians made by a man named John Todd, according to a report on Todd and his "ministry" published last month by CHRISTIANITY TODAY.

Todd claims to have been an important figure in international witchcraft before his salvation, and has traveled to churches all over America preaching imminent attack upon believers by a loony conspiracy of European bankers ["Jews"], Spirit-filled Christian leaders, American politicians and the National Council of Churches, to name a few.

What is now coming to light, however, is the picture of a severely disturbed individual whose Army records describe possible brain damage as a result of childhood beatings. They also tell of homicidal threats, false suicide reports and a severe personality disturbance leading up to a recommendation for discharge.

Little of real substance is known about the turmoil he has caused in the past year because embarrassed Christian leaders are reluctant to talk about it. Prior to that, though, a pattern develops of an armed and dangerous "evangelist" who uses his sensational testimony as a cover while seducing young girls and involving them in witchcraft for sexual purposes. In an editorial, CHRISTIANITY TODAY wondered how so many Christians could have believed his statements, and urged pastors who had been deceived to apologize.

His claim that he had been a Grand Druid and an officer of the "Illuminati" was the starting point for an ever-increasing collection of irrational and contradictory statements. According to Todd, for instance, not only was witchcraft money behind Maranatha! Music (the figure varied between $6-8 million), but it had backed Melodyland, the Full Gospel Businessmen's Association, the CBN and PTL television networks, and Jerry Falwell. [Note: These are Orange County, California, churches--- sd]

Todd goes on to allege that President Jimmy Carter is the anti-Christ, and is pushing through legislation outlawing private ownership of guns, removing tax exemptions from all churches except those affiliated with the National Council of Churches, banning conversion to another religion, and prohibiting the storing of food and medicine. The Rothschilds, a 200-year-old banking group in Europe, will create a false fuel shortage, confiscate all guns, and call for the murder and torture of Christians (whose names have been stored in computers). Congress will be suspended and martial law established, with one policeman for every five people. There will be economic chaos. All this is due to take place later this year, says Todd, who claims he was in on its planning. [That's 56,000,000 cops in America--- sd]

Todd urges Christians to arm themselves, build up food supplies to last five years, hide in wilderness fortresses and kill all attackers.

With semi-sponsorship by Jack Chick of Chick Publications, Todd spoke regularly throughout the country, mostly to church groups open to receive anti-charismatic information. The taped versions of these talks proliferated like wildfire. (Chick recently published a "comic" book relating Todd's allegations of demons in pop music and in contemporary Christian music. Several retailers have removed all Chick material from their stores.)

Five years ago Todd was hosting dozens of young people at a weekly Santa Ana Bible study. The fellowship disbanded after Todd was charged with mixing witchcraft lessons with his teaching and seducing some of the girls. Only about 25 per cent of those attending who were believers are still in fellowship today, according to sources here.

This is a tableau repeated in Phoenix, San Antonio and Dayton, according to CHRISTIANITY TODAY. Todd is wanted in two states -- New Mexico for bad checks and Ohio for probation violation and a judgment in a defamation case.

Although he claims now to have quit his speaking engagements and to be living in hiding, the man's pattern is a compulsion to lie in front of large gatherings of people. It is not considered prudent to confront the man.

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