The following is an article reprinted from the LAST TIMES newspaper,
Volume 1, Number 5, March 1979.  The paper's address at the time was
PO Box 1396, Costa Mesa, CA 98536.

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         John Todd: Severely Disturbed Individual
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     "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, 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.
     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.
     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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