Bob Larson

From RationalWiki
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
(add John Safran's exorcism)
(headers)
Line 5: Line 5:
  
 
==Bob Larson Talks Back==
 
==Bob Larson Talks Back==
Turning to more sensationalist topics he was an early adopter of the [[Satanism]] and [[New Age]] scares during the 1980s and wrote the books ''Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth'' and ''Straight Answers on the New Age''.  Two novels ghost-written by an assistant, ''Dead Air'' and ''Abaddon'' about "Satanic ritual abuse" hit the Christian market in the early 1990s.  He ranted on these and other sensationalist themes on his radio show.  Each day's show had a different theme (thrash metal, [[witchcraft]], [[Nazi]] Skinheads, Satanism, [[drug]]s, [[homosexuality]], [[Mormon]]ism, [[gang]]s...) and he would invite those involved in those things to call his show.  He would yell at those callers and at least one of them would give in and give their life to Jesus.  He also spent at least 1/3 of every show begging for money.  His show got a lot of prank calls and he would follow each prank call with a plea for money - "see what I'm up against, there is a conspiracy of Satanists who want to shut this ministry down!"  He had different levels of support for those donating, with a $1000 donation earning the donor the status of being a "Hero for the Hurting."  He set up a telephone hotline for troubled teens involved in Satanism, drugs, abortion, rock and roll, and gangs to call for "salvation" and begged for funds for his alleged follow-up ministry with those so "saved".
+
Turning to more sensationalist topics he was an early adopter of the [[Satanism]] and [[New Age]] scares during the 1980s and wrote the books ''Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth'' and ''Straight Answers on the New Age''.  Two novels ghost-written by an assistant, ''Dead Air'' and ''Abaddon'' about "Satanic ritual abuse" hit the Christian market in the early 1990s.  He ranted on these and other sensationalist themes on his radio show.  Each day's show had a different theme (thrash metal, [[witchcraft]], [[Nazi]] Skinheads, Satanism, [[drug]]s, [[homosexuality]], [[Mormon]]ism, [[gang]]s...) and he would invite those involved in those things to call his show.  He would yell at those callers and at least one of them would give in and give their life to Jesus.   
  
Finding himself upstaged by sensationalist right-wing political talkers like [[Rush Limbaugh]] he turned his attention to [[politics]] after 1992, and spent every show ranting about the "pro-gay, pro-[[marijuana|pot]], pro-[[abortion]] [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] crowd." Then he discovered another sensationalist angle to mine: [[demonic possession]]. He started performing on-the-air [[exorcism]]s of his <s>victims</s> callers, where he would spend 20 or 30 minutes with the caller demanding "in the name of Jesus" for the "demon" to leave. He adopted a new theme during this period: "DWJD: Do What Jesus Did", which of course involved sending lots of money to Bob Larson so he could perform more on-the-air exorcisms.
+
He also spent at least 1/3 of every show begging for moneyHis show got a lot of prank calls and he would follow each prank call with a plea for money - "see what I'm up against, there is a conspiracy of Satanists who want to shut this ministry down!" He had different levels of support for those donating, with a $1000 donation earning the donor the status of being a "Hero for the Hurting."  He set up a telephone hotline for troubled teens involved in Satanism, drugs, abortion, rock and roll, and gangs to call for "salvation" and begged for funds for his alleged follow-up ministry with those so "saved".
  
== John Safran's exorcism ==
+
Finding himself upstaged by sensationalist right-wing political talkers like [[Rush Limbaugh]] he turned his attention to [[politics]] after 1992, and spent every show ranting about the "pro-gay, pro-[[marijuana|pot]], pro-[[abortion]] [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] crowd." 
 +
 
 +
==The Demon Menace==
 +
Then he discovered another sensationalist angle to mine: [[demonic possession]].  He started performing on-the-air [[exorcism]]s of his <s>victims</s> callers, where he would spend 20 or 30 minutes with the caller demanding "in the name of Jesus" for the "demon" to leave.  He adopted a new theme during this period: "DWJD: Do What Jesus Did", which of course involved sending lots of money to Bob Larson so he could perform more on-the-air exorcisms.
 +
 
 +
=== John Safran's exorcism ===
 
Many Australians know Bob from his appearance on ''John Safran vs God'' in 2004. In his 8-part series, John investigated and tried out a number of religions from around the world. In the final episode John visited Bob and was exorcised of the "demons" from these religions. In interviews after the airing of the episode, John said he did not remember much of the experience. Hypotheses to explain Johns behaviour include some sort of hypnotism or trance-like state, or even spiking the water that Larson forced John to drink at one point.
 
Many Australians know Bob from his appearance on ''John Safran vs God'' in 2004. In his 8-part series, John investigated and tried out a number of religions from around the world. In the final episode John visited Bob and was exorcised of the "demons" from these religions. In interviews after the airing of the episode, John said he did not remember much of the experience. Hypotheses to explain Johns behaviour include some sort of hypnotism or trance-like state, or even spiking the water that Larson forced John to drink at one point.
  

Revision as of 02:32, 18 December 2007

Bob Larson is a notoriously sensationalist fundamentalist Christian windbag, best known for his talk radio show "Talk-Back With Bob Larson" during the 1980s and 1990s. He was a major figure promoting the "Satanic ritual abuse" and "Satanic Panic" scares of the late 1980s. Originally based in Denver, Colorado, he is now the pastor of his own church in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Contents

Rock Wars

He started his career in the 1960s as an anti-rock music evangelist, writing some ten books exposing the evils of rock & roll between 1967 and 1988, and this theme also dominated the early years of his talk radio show which premiered in 1982. He would rant and rave about the evils of Motley Crue, the Dead Kennedys, and Fleetwood Mac and invite fans of rock to call his show so he could berate them on the air. Each show included at least one caller (possibly a plant) being led to "accept Christ" on the air by Bob Larson.

Bob Larson Talks Back

Turning to more sensationalist topics he was an early adopter of the Satanism and New Age scares during the 1980s and wrote the books Satanism: The Seduction of America's Youth and Straight Answers on the New Age. Two novels ghost-written by an assistant, Dead Air and Abaddon about "Satanic ritual abuse" hit the Christian market in the early 1990s. He ranted on these and other sensationalist themes on his radio show. Each day's show had a different theme (thrash metal, witchcraft, Nazi Skinheads, Satanism, drugs, homosexuality, Mormonism, gangs...) and he would invite those involved in those things to call his show. He would yell at those callers and at least one of them would give in and give their life to Jesus.

He also spent at least 1/3 of every show begging for money. His show got a lot of prank calls and he would follow each prank call with a plea for money - "see what I'm up against, there is a conspiracy of Satanists who want to shut this ministry down!" He had different levels of support for those donating, with a $1000 donation earning the donor the status of being a "Hero for the Hurting." He set up a telephone hotline for troubled teens involved in Satanism, drugs, abortion, rock and roll, and gangs to call for "salvation" and begged for funds for his alleged follow-up ministry with those so "saved".

Finding himself upstaged by sensationalist right-wing political talkers like Rush Limbaugh he turned his attention to politics after 1992, and spent every show ranting about the "pro-gay, pro-pot, pro-abortion Clinton crowd."

The Demon Menace

Then he discovered another sensationalist angle to mine: demonic possession. He started performing on-the-air exorcisms of his victims callers, where he would spend 20 or 30 minutes with the caller demanding "in the name of Jesus" for the "demon" to leave. He adopted a new theme during this period: "DWJD: Do What Jesus Did", which of course involved sending lots of money to Bob Larson so he could perform more on-the-air exorcisms.

John Safran's exorcism

Many Australians know Bob from his appearance on John Safran vs God in 2004. In his 8-part series, John investigated and tried out a number of religions from around the world. In the final episode John visited Bob and was exorcised of the "demons" from these religions. In interviews after the airing of the episode, John said he did not remember much of the experience. Hypotheses to explain Johns behaviour include some sort of hypnotism or trance-like state, or even spiking the water that Larson forced John to drink at one point.

Return of the Fleecer

His talk show eventually fell on hard times and was cancelled in 2001 amid multiple allegations of financial mismanagement and affairs with his female staffers. He is now the pastor of the "Spiritual Freedom Church" in Scottsdale, Arizona where he continues to focus on exorcisms and "deliverance" from "demonic possession" and "multiple personality disorder".

Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Community
Tools
support