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789 lines
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Plaintext
GwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwD
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T h e G R E E N Y w o r l d D o m i n a t i o n T a s k F o r c e
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Presents:
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"Bob Larson Parts 1 & 2"
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GwD, Incorporated is dedicated to the exposing of false prophets. We have found
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one such "prophet" in Bob Larson of Bob Larson: Live and formerly of Talk-Back
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with Bob Larson. A supposed Christian radio evangelist, Bob Larson is actually
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only motivated by financial gain. These 14 articles by Kenneth L. Smith prove
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this. From this point on, GwD is anti-Bob Larson.
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PART 1
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Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 16:10 EDT
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From: "Scott.Mikusko" <21922SM@msu.edu>
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Subject: Bob Larson - Christian or Charlatan ?
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For those of you who may have read the post concerning Josh McDowell, the
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information about Josh was gathered during the course of an investigation being
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conducted on Christian writer and radio commentator Bob Larson.
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Bob Larson's Talk-Back is heard daily on over 170 stations in North America. The
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Denver-based ministry that Larson heads is supposed to be the "cutting-edge" in
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Christian broadcasting (or that's what Larson would like you to believe ). But
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the real Bob Larson, and the real motives of his work with the ministry is
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becoming more apparent as critics are now taking a probing look into the radio
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show, the ministry, and Bob Larson himself.
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The following article, _The Two Faces of Bob_, first appeared in the Christian
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Press Report, an electronic newsletter out of California. (It's permitted for
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public distribution in addition to the copyright, I have complete permission
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from the author of the article to post this.)
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I don't know how many people on the net know of Larson, but I feel that this
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information needs to be brought forth.
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If you have any comments or questions, please send your responses to
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21922sm@msu.edu.
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Other posts will be forthcoming.
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Thanks very much for taking time to read this.
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-Scott Mikusko
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21922sm@msu.edu
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The Two Faces of Bob <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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In an interview with the Evangelical Press, Bob Larson
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boasted that "Nobody is accusing me of doing any thing
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illegal, immoral, or unethical."[1] So, just call me
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nobody. Larson is a pathological liar -- or at the very
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least, is in the habit of taking indecent liberties with
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the truth. This common thread seems to run through every
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aspect of Bob's life. His fetish for falsehoods even is
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evidenced by exaggerations of his childhood achievements:
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for instance, he asserted in his 1974 book, Hell on Earth,
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that he was a child star:
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"Bob Larson achieved fame at the age of thirteen when
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his first hit song was published. He had his own rock
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and roll band at fifteen, and performed on radio and
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television over the next years until his career took him
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to Convention Hall in Atlantic City."[2]
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As often is the case with Bob Larson, reality never
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quite matches up with his press releases. Sharla Turman
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Logan, the keyboard player for "The Rebels" (Bob's former
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band) stated that she knew Bob at thirteen, but "never
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heard of any hit song."[3] And although they did in fact
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play to a capacity audience at Convention Hall in Atlantic
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City, there was a little more to the story than meets the
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eye. It seems that they played one song -- at a Lions'
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Club convention.[4] The drummer's father was an officer in
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the organization; HE booked the gig.
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The song: A parody of "Charlie Brown."[5]
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Larson's penchant for prevarication can also be seen in
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his aborted medical career. On January 5, 1993, Bob
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publicly claimed that when he entered the ministry, he was
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"only a few credits away" from receiving a degree in
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chemistry, and then, going on to medical school.[6] Yet,
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Bob graduated from high school in 1962, attended McCook
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Junior College for one year, transferred to the University
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of Nebraska, and left there in September of 1964.[7]
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Unless he truly was a phenomenal student (and there is no
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evidence of that), he would not even have been close to
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graduating after two years. Maybe not a "lie," but
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certainly a gross exaggeration.
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Bob Larson would have you believe that he was
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independently wealthy before he entered his ministry, and
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that he was really doing it for his love of the kids. In
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a 1992 interview with Michael Roberts of Westword
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magazine, he explained his wealth this way:
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"A caller came on the air the other day,' he says,
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and made the comment, Is it true that you were a
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self-made millionaire before you began the ministry?' I
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said no, but I was very close to it, and I had traveled
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lecturing professionally for a number of years, before I
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ever got involved in the ministry, and was making very,
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very large sums of money at the time'."[8]
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And on a Denver radio broadcast, he attributed some of
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his wealth to his 'success' in the music world:" I have
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been involved in gainful employment for 30 years; I was
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making a pile of money as a teenager, playing in rock and
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roll."[9] But once again, Larson's proud words shatter on
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those unforgiving rocks of reality. During his 1991
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divorce, he and his ex-wife gave the following testimony:
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"Q: [by Mr. Plaut, Bob Larson's attorney] Mr. Larson,
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would you tell us as far as lifestyle goes how you and
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Mrs. Larson have lived, starting again at the beginning
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of the marriage and bringing us up to date.
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A: Well, the lifestyle was pretty austere in the
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beginning. We had no possessions at the time of the
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marriage. I had a car that I was making payments on and
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a few hundred dollars in the bank. And it was pretty
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much that way for quite a while, until I got involved in
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selling books and speaking. And then, as Mr. Guthery
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pointed out earlier, there was really no serious
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escalation in our lifestyle until the last few years,
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when the cumulative success of building the organization
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allowed the organization to compensate me much better
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than they had."[10]
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_________________________
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"Q: ([To Mrs. Larson] By Mr. Frazin [her attorney] What
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exactly did you do -- what were your duties when you
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first got started with the ministry?
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A: [Kathy Larson] As Bob described, when we first got
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the ministry, we had a car with payments and a little
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trailer we pulled behind the car. And eventually then
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we bought a trailer house we pulled behind the car ...
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It was a very humble beginning...."[11]
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First, even if Bob made a pile of money playing rock and
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roll, it was all gone when he married Kathy during 1968.
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Second, if he was nearly a millionaire when he opened the
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ministry, and barely a millionaire now, he cannot possibly
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account for his statement that "there was really no
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serious escalation in [their] lifestyle until the last few
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years." Therefore, either he lied in court ... or on the
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air. When the dust settles, this much is obvious: Bob did
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not make his fortune in real estate, rock and roll, or
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anywhere else. He made it from the ministry -- he has not
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held a real job since he dropped out of college.[12] What
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a tangled web we weave ... when we practice to deceive!
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In the Evangelical Press interview, Larson claimed:
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"World didn't talk to radio station owners' ... We have
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not had a single radio station cancel us or be less than
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100 percent supportive'."[13] But in a fundraising letter
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dated January 27, 1992, he told his contributors that
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"Satan did everything possible to destroy me last year ...
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four of our top ten stations forced me off the air."[14]
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Another station, KSLR in San Antonio, reportedly was sued
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by the Ministry after it pulled Talk-Back[15], even though
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Larson claimed in a news conference that he "would never
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sue a brother."[16] If World's people had talked to
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Larson's former affiliates, they would have caught him in
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yet another lie. On his March 17, 1993 broadcast, Bob
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Larson publicly charged that the Mormon church had spawned
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a sinister scheme to destroy his ministry, and that he was
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forced from the air in Calgary as a result of their
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effort.[17] However, when I spoke with that station's
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operations manager, and played her a taped excerpt of
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Bob's on-air claims, her response was one of astonishment.
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"It wasn't like that at all,"[18] she said adamantly.
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It wasn't like that at all. That theme reverberates
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throughout any discussion concerning the antics of Bob
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Larson ... but nowhere is it more pronounced as in his
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financial information. For years, Bob has been claiming
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that he is fighting to stay on your station, cleverly
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painting the misleading impression that the Ministry is
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on the knife-edge of financial disaster. But
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if its' audited financial statement is any indication,
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the Ministry is in the very flower of fiscal health:
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BOB LARSON MINISTRIES
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET[19]
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DECEMBER 31, 1991
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ASSETS
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Current Assets:
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Cash and marketable securities $ 1,767,708
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Other current assets 332,580
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---------
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Total current assets 2,100,288
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Fixed assets (net of depreciation) 937,351
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---------
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Total assets $ 3,037,639
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=========
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LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCE
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Current liabilities $ 396,022
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Long-term debt 498,117
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---------
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Total liabilities 894,139
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Fund balance 2,143,500
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---------
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Total liabilities and fund balance $ 3,037,639
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=========
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During 1991, Bob Larson Ministries had a surplus of
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more than $246,000[20] ... and in 1990, that surplus was
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over $500,000![21] We should all be in such desperate
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financial straits.
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Larson's difficulties with the truth spill over into his
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personal financial situation as well. On the air, Bob has
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stated that he draws a $69,000 [22] yearly salary from the
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Ministry ... which not only seems reasonable, but
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downright modest. But as might be expected, documents
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filed with the Jefferson County (Colo.) District Court in
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connection with his divorce [23] -- signed under penalty
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of perjury -- tell a different tale. The following is an
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estimate of Larson's compensation package for 1990, based
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upon that information, documents filed with the Internal
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Revenue service, and interviews with former BLM employees:
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_________________________________________________________________
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Bobby E. ("Bob") Larson
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Estimated(A) Personal Income from Ministry Activities
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Year ended December 31, 1990
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Direct compensation - Bob Larson Ministries (BLM):
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Salary $ 81,500
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BLM - Prorated bonus 25,000
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BLM - Expense allowance 33,000
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BLM - Retirement allowance 50,500
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BLM - Housing allowance:
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Mortgage payments 22,512
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Utilities, etc. 4,980
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-------
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Compensation - Bob Larson Ministries 217,492(B)
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Direct compensation - BLM subsidiaries:
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BLM Canada - Consulting fees 51,084
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Salary - Int'l Broadcasting Ntwk. (IBN) 40,000(C)
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IBN - Auto allowance 4,344
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-------
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Total direct compensation from Ministry activities 312,920
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Compensation - book sales:
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BLM - Secular advertising for books 72,833(D)
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BLM - Ghost-writers' compensation 20,000(E)
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BLM - Imputed profits on book sales 80,000(F)
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Honoraria 12,000
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-------
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Total compensation from Ministry activities $ 497,753G
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=======
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A) The 1990 income figures are derived from the statement
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of monthly income provided by Bob Larson to the Jefferson
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County (Colorado) District Court in an affidavit signed
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under penalty of perjury. All other notes will be
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explained in the endnote section.
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______________________________________________________
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From this information, it appears self-evident that the
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_real_ mission of Bob Larson Ministries is to minister to
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the extravagant financial needs of Bob Larson! The kids
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are just an alibi.
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But the uncontested crown jewel in the labyrinth of Bob
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Larson's lies is the claim that HE wrote his best-selling
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novel, Dead Air. On his Jan. 29, 1993 broadcast -- which
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he called "the most candid, direct program I've ever
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done"[24] -- he said that:
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"Lori did help me some with the writing of this book,
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primarily in just adding a little color ... and contrary
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to what the article states, the book was nearly completed
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-- she had nothing to do with the plot, the characters
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... anything in the book whatsoever."[25]
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If Bob was telling the truth, then Lori Boespflug's role
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in the writing of Dead Air was minuscule at best. Thus,
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it seems strange that Bob's attorney, William T. Abbott,
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would offer him this advice:
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"With the passing of each day, I become more and more
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concerned about your potential liability to Lori in
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connection with Dead Air and its sequels. The time
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table is immediate. You will soon know if Dead Air is
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to be a publishing success and, quite possibly, if
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theatrical rights are to be optioned. Assuming success,
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and knowing the role Lori has played, it would amaze me
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if she is not sufficiently astute to use the opportunity
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to both secure her financial future and to launch her
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own literary career."[26]
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The logic here is inescapable: If as Bob insists, he
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wrote Dead Air, then there wasn't any need for advice. As
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such, that letter never should have been written in the
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first place -- and it couldn't possibly be stolen, as he
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has asserted. On the other hand, if he did not write the
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best-selling novel that bears his name, then he has
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knowingly and deliberately deceived his nationwide
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audience. Either way, I submit to you that Bob's
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credibility is absolutely shot.
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For even when Bob 'bares his soul', he lies through his teeth.
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_____________________________________________________
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ENDNOTES
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1 "Bob Larson Talks Back' About World Magazine
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Investigation," Twin Cities Christian [Mpls/St. Paul,
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MN], 18 Mar. 1993, p. 5A, col. 5.
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2 Bob Larson, Hell on Earth (Carol Stream, IL: Creation
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House, 1974), author biography on dual jacket.
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3 Jon Trott, "Bob Larson's Ministry Comes Under
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Scrutiny," Cornerstone, Vol. 21, Issue 100, Feb., 1993,
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p. 18, advance copy, courtesy Jon Trott (hereinafter,
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"Cornerstone").
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4 Jay Grelen and Doug LeBlanc, "This is Me, This is
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Real," World, Vol. 7, No. 32, 23 Jan. 1993, p. 11
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(hereinafter, "World").
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5 Cornerstone, p. 18.
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6 Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson," Radio
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broadcast, Jan. 5, 1993.
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7 World, p. 11.
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8 Michael Roberts, "The Evil That Men Do," Westword, May
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27-Jun 2, 1992, p. 12.
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9 Bob Larson, "Prepare For War," Radio broadcast, Jan.
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29, 1993.
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10 Larson v. Larson, No. 91 DR 226 (Jefferson County
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(Colo.) Dist. Ct., Filed Jan. 28, 1991), Record, p.
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111-112 [emphasis mine].
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11 Ibid., p. 146 [emphasis mine].
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12 Based upon discussions with BLM insiders, I consider
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his publishing efforts to be an integral part of his
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ministry work. BLM staffers do the lion's share of the
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underlying research, editing, and possibly writing for
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many of "Bob's" best-selling books.
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13 "Bob Larson
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Talks Back'," p. 5A, col. 4. 3
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14 Bob Larson, Letter, Jan. 27, 1992 (ghost-written by
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Lori Boespflug; the stations were owned by Salem
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Communications, Camarillo, CA) [emphasis mine]. Copy
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on file.
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15 Arthur Matthews (Senior Editor, World magazine),
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Telephone interview, March, 1993; my call to KSLR has
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not been returned.
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16 Ibid., ibid.
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17 Bob Larson, "Talk-Back with Bob Larson," Radio
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broadcast, Mar. 17, 1993.
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18 Name withheld by request, Telephone interview, Mar. 18,
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1993. Copy of letter on file.
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19 Bob Larson Ministries, 1991 Consolidated Balance Sheet,
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p. 2 (Obtained from Bob Larson Ministries, Aug. 12,
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1992, copy on file).
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20 Ibid., p. 3.
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21 Bob Larson Ministries, 1990 federal Form 990, p. 1
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(copy on file).
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22 Alan Dumas, "Air Raid!", Rocky Mountain News Sunday
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Magazine, 22 Sept. 1991, p. 14-M; see also Bob Larson,
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"Prepare For War," Radio broadcast, Jan. 29, 1993.
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23 "Affidavit with Respect to Financial Affairs of Bobby
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E. Larson," Larson v. Larson, ibid., signed July 12,
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1993.
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24 Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson," Radio
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broadcast, Jan. 29, 1993.
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25 Ibid., ibid.
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26 William T. Abbott, Letter, July 8, 1991 [emphasis
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mine]. Copy on file; see Corner stone, supra note 3,
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p. 41, for a complete text of the letter.
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NOTES TO THE ESTIMATE OF LARSON'S 1990 MINISTRY INCOME:
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B Documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service show
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Larson's total compensation from Bob Larson Ministries
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to be $222,237 -- almost $5,000 HIGHER than the figure
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reported in the affidavit. Note also that a $175,000
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bonus, ostensibly paid as compensation for the
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forbearance of salary by Larson in previous years, has
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not been included in this calculation; according to
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courtroom testimony, it was paid in 1989.
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C According to sources within BLM -- corroborated in part
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by courtroom testimony -- IBN's primary function is to
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distribute Larson's "Talk-Back" radio broadcasts; any
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business it conducts with other ministries is, for the
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most part, purely incidental.
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D According to BLM sources, Larson does not reimburse BLM
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or IBN for air time spent promoting his books. The
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"retail" value of this 'incidental' benefit is a
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staggering ($10 per 1/2-minute spot x 2 spots/day on
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each station x 170 stations = $3,400/day -- or over
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$800,000/year! Still, there IS something to be said for
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volume discounts. The figure used is a quick
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approximation, based on a rough estimate that 1/60th of
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the "Talk-Back" air time is dedicated to "book
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promotion," and his program is substantially subsidized
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(55-60% of the total cost of air time, based on
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estimates from radio station managers) by locally-based
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commercial advertising.
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E This figure was based primarily upon the testimony of
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Lori Boespflug, who claimed to have spent over 1,000
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hours during 1990 on the writing of Dead Air, and has
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time sheets to prove it. Larson has since publicly
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admitted that his research staffers produce so- called
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"briefing books," which he uses as the research for his
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many books. He has not, however, confirmed staffers'
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allegations that they do most of the writing and
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editing. The $20,000 figure is therefore conservative,
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but not unreasonably so. Incidentally, Boespflug told
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me that she was "about 90% finished" with Abaddon when
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she was fired by Bob Larson; it will be interesting to
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compare her draft copy with the final published product.
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F This figure was based upon testimony from several
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sources -- including an agreement between Larson and
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Dead Air publisher Thomas Nelson. Evidently, at the
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close of 1990, Larson and his lawyers drew up an
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agreement which enabled the Ministry to benefit from the
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sale of books as "premiums," but prior to that, it is
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believed that Larson garnered most of the benefit from
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book sales.
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G According to courtroom testimony, the total income
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reported on the Larson's 1990 federal income tax return
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was $403,310, of which $39,300 was directly attributable
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to tax able dividends and interest. If Larson's pre-tax
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income from Ministry activity in this estimate was
|
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reported as expected, he should have received roughly
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$70,000 in bona fide royalties, after expenses -- which
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is in line with reasonable expectations.
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PART 2
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Date: Thu, 21 Oct 93 16:12 EDT
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From: "Scott.Mikusko" <21922SM@msu.edu>
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Subject: Bob Larson - Smith's _CT_ letter
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The following is a letter sent to the editor of _Christianity Today_ regarding
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the Bob Larson controversy. In it are comments pertaining to CT's previous
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printing of a story that more or less defended Larson, even after _World_ and
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_Cornerstone_ magazines ran critical articles on BLM and Bob.
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----------( Forwarded letter 1 follows )---------------------------------------
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Date: Saturday, 11 September 1993 12:19pm ET
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To: Scott.Mikusko
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From: Scott.Mikusko
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Topic: Christianity Today L
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CHRISTIAN PRESS REPORT - AN ELECTRONIC NEWSPAPER
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~ Ken Smith's Open Letter To "Christianity Today"
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CERTIFIED MAIL
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May 20, 1993
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The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
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but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
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-- Prov. 28:1
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Mr. David Neff, Managing Editor
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Christianity Today
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465 Gunderson Dr.
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Carol Stream, IL 60188
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Re: "Bob on the Block"
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Dear Mr. Neff:
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I respectfully submit the following statement for publication in
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your magazine -- with the proviso that it be printed in its entirety,
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and afforded exposure similar to that of the aforementioned article.
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Moreover, it is not to be edited without my express written approval.
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Considering that CT "quoted" me without ever bothering to conduct an
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interview, I am certain that you will understand when I say that I am
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not overly impressed with the competence of your editorial staff.
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As you have indicated that Mr. Morgan left you "with the impression
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that he had interviewed [me]," I will, for the moment, assume that he
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was acting on his own, and that you are indeed committed to reporting
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the facts (and saving CT's reputation). Hence, you should be willing
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to do whatever it takes to redeem yourselves, and I fully expect that
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you will afford me total and complete cooperation. But you ought not
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forget that I will be making this information widely available within
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the evangelical community; the eyes of Christendom are upon you.
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Please be apprised that I will also send copies of this letter and
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the supporting documentation to the _Washington Post_, _New York
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Times_, _Los Angeles Times_, _Dallas Morning News_, and _60 Minutes_
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... not to mention _Cornerstone_ and _World magazines_.
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_____________________________________________________________________
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CT on the Block?
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CHRISTIANITY TODAY. Founded by Billy Graham. Nurtured by the likes
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of Harold Lindsell and Carl Henry. For decades, the name was
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synonymous with journalistic integrity.
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My, but how the mighty have fallen!
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When I brought the Bob Larson story to _CT_ in July of 1992, the
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evidence indicated three points of serious concern: Larson did not
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write "his" best-selling novel, _Dead Air_; he was getting an
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exorbitant compensation package from the Ministry, and he was grossly
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misrepresenting the Ministry's financial needs. Still, despite the
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fact that two Christian journalists checked my findings
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independently, Tim Morgan's article, "Bob on the Block," scarcely
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even alluded to them. Further more, Morgan steadfastly refused to
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interview anyone with information which would be construed as harmful
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to Larson. To say that Morgan performed a 'whitewash job' on Larson
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would be a colossal understatement. But did he do so of his own
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volition ... or was he _specifically_ ordered to write a pro-Larson
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piece? That is the question which _CT_ must now answer.
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Without question, the most glaring miscue in the CT article was its
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blithe dismissal of Lori Boespflug's claim to the authorship of
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"Larson's" best-selling novel, _Dead Air_. As _World_[1] and
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_Cornerstone_[2] magazines both duly noted, it was buttressed by
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a wealth of documentary evidence, including a letter from Larson's
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own attorney. What's more, Larson authenticated that letter himself
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... by claiming it was "stolen."[3] After all, if he HAD written
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_Dead Air_, that letter never should have been written in the first
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place, and thus, could not possibly have been stolen. Hence, by
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definition, Larson has to be lying about something, and any cub
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reporter with the intelligence of a common garden implement should
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have been able to recognize it. As such, it seems utterly
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inconceivable that a respected senior reporter like Morgan could have
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overlooked it. And even if, perchance, Morgan was unable to
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recognize that fact on his own, it was spelled out for him in graphic
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detail in my pamphlet, _The Two Faces of Bob_.[4]
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Although I would have preferred not to mention it, there is a
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salacious aspect to this story which, in light of Larson's allegations
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of sexual improprieties on Boespflug's part, must come to light.
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While it is true that she was fired for living with a man, as the
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following excerpts from an "employment contract" signed by both her
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and Larson suggests, there was more to her dismissal than met the
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eye:
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MEMO TO: BOB LARSON
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FROM: LORI BOESPFLUG
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RE: EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
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5/29/91
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---------------------------------------------------------------
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It is my understanding at this date, that to remain employed
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with Bob Larson Ministries that the following conditions be in
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effect:
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1. My cellular car phone be returned to the organization, and
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I no longer retain sole usage. I also understand that any
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phone calls made to 469-**** are to be reimbursed by me as
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personal calls, misusing organizational property.
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5. All gifts and items of any merit or value [including, among
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other things, a diamond frog broach valued at $2,800 [5] that
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you have extended to me for any reason have been returned to you
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as of this date.
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6. I will cease any outside friendship and/or contact with the
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man that installed my carpeting [whose number, incidentally, is
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listed in Paragraph 1 of said Agreement], due to the
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confidentiality and secure nature of my job should my position
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be re-instated [sic]."[6]
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That document, in confluence with others which _CT_ has had in its'
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possession for roughly nine months, exposes a multitude of Larson's
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sins. First, it is clear from Boespflug's stellar personnel
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reviews[7] and prodigious salary increases that Larson was
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ecstatic with her job performance. Second, the 'business reason'
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given in the contract for the need for her to break off the
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relationship is facially ludicrous. There is thus only one
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plausible explanation for those peculiar provisions: Larson was
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hopelessly infatuated with her ... and insanely jealous, to boot.
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According to Boespflug, Larson continued to insinuate himself into
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her life ... writing passionate love sonnets, and calling her at all
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hours to make certain that she wasn't seeing anyone else. He tailed
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her to various and sundry locations, and even tracked her down at her
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daughter's dance recital. There, he fired her -- in full public view
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-- on a Saturday night. He called her a slut, a whore, and otherwise
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totally humiliated her.[8]
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Even though I originally brought the story to _CT_, I was not
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treated with any more courtesy. In fact, when I heard that CT was to
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interview Larson, I called managing editor David Neff, asking to be
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inter viewed.[9] Shortly thereafter, I sent a letter to Neff,
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insisting to have such an opportunity.[10] Still, my polite
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requests and veiled threats fell on deaf ears -- as did those of
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Christian talk-show host John Stewart,[11] who is known for,
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among other accomplishments, his role in the expose of Jim Bakker.
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It is difficult to imagine how any objective reporter could even
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begin to be so obtuse.
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The defamatory assault that Morgan perpetrated on my character was
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more subtle than that on Ms. Boespflug, but it was effective. You
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will note that unlike other individuals mentioned in the article, CT
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neglected to list my credentials: I am a certified public accountant,
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with some eight years' experience and a master's degree in taxation,
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and thus am well qualified to render an opinion as to Larson's financial
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situation. But by calling me a "Denver-area resident [who has]
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made it his avocation to distribute material critical of Larson,"[12]
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Morgan makes it appear as though I am an ignorant stevedore with some
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kind of mindless vendetta against him.
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To correct _CT_'s litany of blatant misrepresentations would
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require more space than their editorial staff has the courage to
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grant. But suffice it to say that while Larson did not receive a
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salary from his ministry during the early 1980's, the evidence
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suggests strongly that he was quite well-compensated for his time.
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For instance, he bought the building the Ministry currently occupies
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from one David Kramer on October 2, 1985 for $1,415,000,[13] and,
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on December 31, 1986, he sold it to the Ministry for $1,800,000.[14]
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In less than 15 months, Larson earned a tidy profit of $385,000 ...
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quite astounding, given the fact that the Denver real estate market
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was in a general downturn[15] during that period. This is
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"public information": something that any competent investigative
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journalist should have been able to find, had he been put on notice
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of its possible existence. And I put _CT_ on notice myself. By the
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same token, the evidence is painfully clear that Bob's "one-time,
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Publications -- rewarding Larson's dishonesty with a contract for the
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sequel to _Dead Air_. It is about Christian radio station owners,
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like KLTT's Jack Mortenson, who censored the anti-Larson editorial
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written by _Denver Christian News_ editor Joann Bruso.[19] And
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now, it is about respected Christian voices like _CT_ and the
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_Evangelical Press_ -- which evidently have become willing
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complicitors in a scheme to sweep Larson's malfeasance under the
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proverbial rug. They have exchanged the truth for a lie ... and a
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couple of dollars' change.
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_____________________________________________________________________
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I do expect that you will take further measures appropriate to
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rectify this unfortunate situation -- including, but not limited to,
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the immediate and unconditional dismissal of Morgan, a profuse and
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public apology to both Ms. Boespflug and myself, and the prompt
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publication of a feature article concerning the Larson affair.
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Please be further advised that, should this dispute fail to be
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resolved to my satisfaction, I fully intend to vigorously pursue
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any and all legal remedies at my disposal.
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Sincerely yours,
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Kenneth L. Smith
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P.O. Box 280305
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Lakewood, CO 80228
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Endnotes, enclosures; cc's listed in the endnote page
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ENDNOTES:
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1 Jay Grelen and Doug LeBlanc, This is Me, This is Real," World,
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Vol. 7, No. 32, 23 Jan. 1993, p. 9.
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2 Jon Trott, "Bob Larson's Ministry Comes Under Scrutiny,"
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Cornerstone, Vol. 21, Issue 100, Feb. 1993, p. 41.
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3 Bob Larson, Radio broadcast, 29 Jan 1993. Tape on file.
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4 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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5 Lori Boespflug, Interview, 16 Jun 1992; supporting document on
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file; independent witness available.
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6 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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7 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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8 Lori Boespflug, Telephone interview, 13/14 Jun 1992.
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9 Phone records on file.
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10 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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11 John Stewart, Telephone conversation, 17 May 1993.
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12 Tim Morgan, "Bob on the Block," CT, 17 May 1993, p. 41.
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13 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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14 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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15 Basil Katsakos (certified appraiser), Telephone interview, 17 May
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1993.
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16 Morgan, ibid., p. 42 (allegedly quoting Ken Smith).
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17 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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18 Copy attached. (Included with the Open Letter)
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19 Joann Bruso, Telephone conversation, 29 Jan 1993; confirmed by
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KLTT station manager Brian Taylor in a later conversation, and
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evidenced by an out-of-place reference to 1Tim. 5:20 in the DCN's
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March editorial page.
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Global note: Ms. Bosepflug has requested that I not use her married
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name, on the ground that she fears continued harassment from Mr.
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Larson.
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_____________________________________________________________________
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cc: John Stewart, Lori Boespflug, Jim Dobson, Hank Hanegraaff, Harold
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Lindsell, Harold Myra, Doug Trauten, others as listed.
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__________________________________________________________
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Copyright 1993 Kenneth L. Smith. Please direct your
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questions to the author at P.O. Box 280305, Lakewood, CO
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80228 or Scott Mikusko at 21922sm@msu.edu. This copyrighted
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article may be redistributed freely through all E-Mail systems,
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public and private e-mail posts, provided the author is
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mentioned as source.
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Ken Smith, a CPA, is a second-year law student at the
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University of Denver. He also has a Masters Degree in
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Taxation at the University of Denver.
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ftp =-= etext.archive.umich.edu /pub/Zines/Greeny
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ftp.fc.net /pub/deadkat/misc/GWD
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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/---------------\
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Published by GwD, Inc. September 1995 :FIGHT THE POWER:
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GREENY world Domination Task Force copyright (c) 1993 by Lobo : GwD :
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