Nation of Yahweh

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The Nation of Yahweh is a black separatist cult founded by Yahweh ben Yahweh (1935-2007; born under the rather less catchy but more believable name of Hulon Mitchell, Jr.; he also called himself Grand Master of All, the God of the Universe, the Grand Potentate,[1] the Everlasting Father and the persecuted Messiah).[2]

Yahweh (the above-mentioned kook, not the deity) believed that blacks are the true Israelites, and that he was a messiah sent to free black people from "white devils".[2]

During the 1980s the group was investigated in connection to 23 murders around Miami, Florida, including a decapitated temple dissident and several dead white people who had had their ears cut off.[2] In November 1990 Mr. Yahweh and some of his followers were indicted with 14 killings, two attempted killings, arson and extortion. According to the charges, the group killed former members, and also practiced an initiation rite which involved killing a white person and giving one of their ears to Yahweh. Yahweh ben Yahweh was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in 1992.[3]

Yahweh died in 2007, aged 71.[3]

The Nation of Yahweh today[edit]

Despite its founder's death, the group is still active. Its website, insisting that there was no evidence of the crimes, refers to Yahweh's arrest as "the crucifixion" and part of "a 25-year FBI practice of disrupting and discrediting black organizations".[4] The site also states that "white people can be delivered from the consequences of transgressing" God's laws.[5] Even with the racism toned down, however, they're still pretty dang kooky.

Michael the Black Man[edit]

Michael the Black Man (center)
Michael the Black Man in his favorite location

Michael the Black Man (a.k.a. Maurice Woodside, Michael Symonette or Mikael Israel) was a member of Nation of Yahweh. He plausibly claims to be the grandson of the Bahamas' first prime minister, Roland Symonette,[6] but implausibly claims that Roland Symonette was the Bahamas' "first black prime minister".[6][7]

Though Michael the Black Man is still supportive of Nation of Yahweh, he started his own organization in 2016, "Blacks for Trump".[8][9] Michael the Black Man has been nearly-ubiquitously photobombing seen standing behind Trump at rallies, so much so that he is reminiscent of the notorious football photobomber, Rollen Stewart, but he has in fact so frequently gotten coveted positions close to power that it would seem that he has been intentionally and repeatedly placed there by Team Trump.[9] Michael the Black Man was charged and acquitted of stabbing someone in the eye with a stick in 1983.[10][8] Michael the Black Man was also charged and acquitted of racketeering and conspiracy in 1990.[11][8] Some of Michael the Black Man's exceptionally peculiar beliefs include:

  • Hillary Clinton is linked to the Islamic State and the crime gang MS-13.[9][8]
  • Hillary Clinton is linked to the KKK because she and Senator Robert Byrd once kissed.[9] This is complete bullshit because Byrd had renounced the KKK by the time the two had kissed.[12]
  • "Cherokees are the real KKK Racist Slave Masters, not White Gentiles who are Black Peoples Republican Emancipators!"[9][6] Though Cherokees did have a traditional form of slavery and did have African slaves from 1700s-1866,[13] claiming that Cherokees are totally responsible for the KKK and slavery is quite a stretch.
  • The Confederate flag is actually the "Cherokee Democratic Flag".[8]
  • Bill Clinton and John McCain descended from the Cherokees.[8]
  • John Hawkins, pioneer of the British slave trade, was Cherokee.[8] This is quite implausible because Hawkins was born in 1595 to British parents.[14]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Unfortunately not the Illustrious Potentate. Sorry, Shriners' Convention fans.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Miami-Based Nation of Yahweh Leader Appeals Parole: Yahweh Ben Yahweh, born Hulon Mitchell Jr., appealed to end his parole supervision, citing ill health and imminent death. (January 16, 2007) SPLC Intelligence Report.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Yahweh ben Yahweh, Leader of Separatist Sect, Dies at 71 by Douglas Martin (May 9, 2007) The New York Times (archived from May 19, 2007).
  4. ↑ The Crucifixion Yahweh ben Yahweh (archived from 7 Jul 2013 13:37:00 UTC).
  5. ↑ The Good News of יהוה Volume 7, Issue 73 (January/February 2008) Yahweh ben Yahweh (archived from 7 Jul 2013 13:37:57 UTC).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Honest Fact
  7. ↑ See the Wikipedia article on Roland Theodore Symonette.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 The strange story of that 'Blacks for Trump' guy standing behind POTUS at his Phoenix rally by Katie Mettler and Lindsey Bever (August 23 at 11:17 AM) The Washington Post.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 The Real Story Behind That 'Blacks for Trump' Guy At The Arizona Rally: Maurice Symonette pushes wild conspiracy theories and once followed a killer cult leader. by Nina Golgowski (08/23/2017 06:28 pm ET) HuffPost.
  10. ↑ Yahweh sect leader, 16 followers indicted, grand jury links group to 14 deaths by Sydney P. Freedberg (November 08, 1990 3:39 PM) Miami Herald.
  11. ↑ Yahweh ben Yahweh is back by Tim Elfrink (June 9, 2011 | 4:00am) Miami New Times.
  12. ↑ Bye Bye Byrdie: A photograph of Hillary Clinton being kissed by Senator Robert Byrd has been widely circulated as a political statement. by Dan Evon (Mar 2nd, 2016) Snopes.
  13. ↑ See the Wikipedia article on Cherokee freedmen controversy.
  14. ↑ See the Wikipedia article on John Hawkins (naval commander).
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