Wayne Bent & LOR

Bent Messiah: Wayne Bent and Lord Our Righteousness (LOR)

SUMMARY Wayne Bent IS the following: - Wayne Bent is an ex-Adventist pastor who left the ‘mainstream’ SDA Church in 1987. - Bent leads a small community called ‘Lord Our Righteousness’ (LOR) based in Clayton New Mexico. Wayne Bent bizarrely TEACHES the following: - Bent claims he is the Messiah: the embodiment of God, of divinity and humanity combined. - The LOR also teach an extreme version of perfectionism – one can obtain instant and lasting ‘Victory over Sin’. Wayne Bent disturbingly BEHAVES in the following manner: - In 2008 Bent was convicted of sexual contact with a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and is currently incarcerated in a US prison.

Background

Wayne Bent (b.1941) leads a group called the Lord Our Righteousness (LOR), also known as Strong City.  Bent, who is known as Michael Travesser within the LOR, leads a community near Clayton New Mexico.   As described in the article by Alexander Carpenter “Sects, Media, Religion: Thoughts on another post-Adventist cult” of 7 May 2008 from independent Adventist magazine Spectrum:

‘You folks might be interested in knowing about a former Seventh-Day Adventist minister named Wayne Bent, who has openly claimed that God told him that he is the second coming of Christ. In Dec. of 2007, the BBC broadcast a documentary that Firefly Productions made about him and his disciples, who refer to themselves as Strongcity. The National Geographic channel recently broadcast a re-production of the same documentary. Strongcity has responded with a documentary of their own. The day after their movie was posted on the internet, state authorities apprehended 3 minors from Strongcity.’

As outlined in the quote about, Wayne Bent and the LOR have become somewhat of a media sensation, being the subject of documentaries by the National Geographic documentary, BBC and UK’s Chanel 4.

As reported in various media outlets, in 2008 Bent was convicted of sexual contact with a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.  In 2011, this conviction was overturned on account of a technicality.  In 2012, the Supreme Court overturned the overturning, ordering Bent should remain in prison.

Parallels to the SDARM and ultra-conservative Adventism: Perfectionism

As outlined in the tract “This is LOR: A Warning to the SDA Church” at page 3, published on Temcat, the heart of Bent’s teachings include a claim to perfectionism, common within ultra-conservative elements of Adventism:

‘At the heart of this present fanaticism is a claim of instantaneous stoppage of sin and temptation. And this is done by the pronouncement of an earthly priest and god who proclaims it of the captivated individual in the very first meeting. It is not the result of personal renunciation of sin, choosing of obedience, or living an obedient life on the part of that individual.

…[according to LOR] I have never sinned and never again can sin. You can have this gift right now. Receiving it, you can boast to others of your sinlessness, just as I now do.’

Such teachings have long been found within the fringes of Adventism, such as the ‘Holy Flesh Movement’ and those who opposed the 1888 message of righteousness by faith.  Ellen White explicitly challenged each of these legalistic movements, and clearly taught:

‘The claim to be sinless is in itself, evidence that he who makes this claim is far from holy.’ (GO 473, 471; ST March 23. 1888; AA 561-582; St. 7.)

And if that is not clear enough, the Bible itself more importantly teaches:

‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’

As paradoxically as it may seem, even if we were sinless, in our humility we would deny being sinless.  Thus, even Christ, who never sinned, was careful to claim in humility in Mar 10:18:

‘Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.’

Therefore by claiming perfection, ultra-conservative groups demonstrate they are not perfect.

Bizarre Beliefs: Bent is the Messiah – divinity and humanity combined

As depicted in the National Geographic documentary Inside a Cult and New York Times article of 1 May 2008 “New Mexico: 3 Children Are Removed From an Apocalyptic Church”, during an experience in his living room in June 2000, God told him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ Bent has since stated, ‘I am the embodiment of God. I am divinity and humanity combined.’

Disturbing Behaviours: Sex with seven virgins

As recorded in the New York Times article of 4 May 2008, “Accusations Against Sect in New Mexico”, ex-LOR devotees have reported Bent has had sex with children:

‘Wayne Bent, “said God told him that he was supposed to sleep with seven virgins,” including Mr. Sayer’s daughters, then 14 and 15.’

Bent meanwhile claimed he had molested no one:

‘Mr. Bent, who said God had anointed him messiah, wrote on the church’s Web site on Wednesday: “There was never any child molestation, or adult molestation by anyone, including myself.”’

As reported in New York Times article of 31 Dec 2008, “New Mexico – Sect Leader is Sentenced”, Bent was ultimately convicted of these crimes:

‘The leader of a small religious sect was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual misconduct with two teenage female followers. The sect leader, Wayne Bent, 67, who said the encounters were spiritual, not sexual, was convicted of criminal sexual contact with a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Mr. Bent, who calls himself Michael Travesser, is the leader of the Lord Our Righteousness Church. Its almost four dozen adult followers live in a compound they call Strong City in a rural area in northeastern New Mexico.’

Conclusion

In conclusion Carpenter rightly asks in “Sects, Media, Religion: Thoughts on another post-Adventist cult”:

‘From the Branch Davidians to the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints to Lord Our Righteousness, it appears that, if nothing else, there is a lesson in the stories of the members. While exploitative sex and religion is wrong, often the conclusions and solutions of "the world" fails to actually provide the deeper meaning that these social networks create.’

As to what allows these cults to exist and flourish, Carpenter goes on to suggest:

‘I'm no expert, but the destructive traits of cults come less from Adventism than from larger social mores like familial bonds, lack of hermeneutical self-awareness and the tension between individualism and community.’