PETER POPOFF MEETS HIS MATCH
by Jackie Alnor Ó 1994 The Christian Sentinel

Earlier this year EChO volunteers attended a Peter Popoff crusade in Philadelphia in order to hand out literature warning people about the evangelist's deceitful fundraising methods. Popoff is well-known for faking so-called words-of-knowledge via an electronic listening device hidden in his ear, dictated by his wife as she learned people's identities and ailments. The discovery was made by the agnostic magician, the Amazing Randi, who brought the recorded evidence on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show in the early 80's. (Some of his fund-raising gimmicks are detailed in the Winter 93 issue of the Christian Sentinel in the "Junk Mail" story.)

As we were standing in the driveway of the hotel where the crusade was taking place holding our signs that read "Peter Popoff could be hazardous to your spiritual and financial health," we got into a somewhat heated discussion with some of Popoff's devotees who were furious with us for taking a stand. They were too young in the Lord to know of the now faded memory of Popoff's 15 minutes of humiliation on national television, which no doubt is one of the reasons that Popoff has resurfaced. As we were attempting to enlighten them a large man wearing a clerical collar over a black turtle neck and dark jeans approached. He said nothing, but just listened in on the conversation.

When the hostile followers left we turned our attention to the curiosity seeker. He said he was on the same side as us but that we wouldn't like his cult either. When pressed for the identity of his group he told us about the Church of the Sub-Genius. Now this is unlike any "church" that anyone is familiar with. It is pretty much an organized ongoing spoof of religion, both true and false. I recognized the cartoon picture of the group's fictitious leader, "Bob." I had seen some of their literature that was distributed in the early 1980s in Southern California and remembered their cynical style of writing about religion. Our strange ally, "Dr. Legume" as he likes to be called, used the word "cheesy" to describe his group's literature and describes his church as a "roll-your-own religion." Members of the 1970s rock group, Devo, participated in the formation of the "church."

It didn't take long to discover the Sub-Genius' methods of collecting the data that inspires his writings. We saw Dr. Legume again in the hotel ballroom as we waited for Popoff's crusade to begin. He was standing in the rear by the book table. He walked up to me wearing a Cheshire Cat grin and said "look what I found, Popoff's Bible." He showed me a red leather Bible stuffed with notes and asked me if I wanted to make off with it. "I don't work that way," I responded, "that would not be honest."

After the singing ended, Popoff took the stage and began to tell many stories of how angels have helped believers in gaining finances and protection. "Some friends wrote me and gave me a testimony of how unseen angels protected their farmhouse from a tornado headed straight for them. Unfortunately," said Popoff, "I was going to show you the picture they sent of their intact house amid devastation all around, but I had it in my Bible back there on the book table and now it's gone." I looked over at Dr. Legume and he was wearing a devilish grin.

Undaunted, however, Popoff finished his message with the promise that if everyone would put two twenty dollar bills into one of the envelopes he was handing out he would dispatch the angels to increase the seed 100 fold. He distributed little golden angel pins to those willing to return the $40.

The Church of the Sub-Genius and Peter Popoff do have something in common. They both thrive on spiritual deception. The difference is the Sub-Geniuses admit their own depravity and Popoff denies his. Dr. Legume ridicules things that are holy as well as things that are not holy and blurs the distinctives between the two. Popoff lifts up what is holy, the Bible, and misuses it for his own ungodly gain which discredits the Bible when people become victimized. The results are the same, disillusionment in God and His Word.

In a subsequent crusade at the same location, EChO representatives confronted Popoff as he walked to the parking lot. Popoff would not say much, but they were able to give him a list of grievances to which he never did respond. We are hopeful that he will not come back to our town knowing that if he does he will get the same greeting until he comes clean with his activities. ##

[Here is a copy of the tract we passed out at the Popoff crusade.]

WARNING: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS MAN MAY COST YOU IN THIS LIFE AND IN THE NEXT!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

No preacher or so-called man of God has the Lord's ear any more so than any other sincere saint. If you are looking towards Rev. Popoff or any other intercessor to get your prayers answered, you have made that person an idol. The Bible says:

"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus...": 1 Tim. 2:5

LET THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES:

· A true man of God would not put such an emphasis on money (Jer. 6:13). Popoff claims to dispense miracles based upon the amount of monies given to him--"Give more to get more."

· Popoff does not pray for the poor and sick; he preys on the poor and the sick by promising miracles to them, but only if they give sacrificially.

· A true ministry would concentrate on the Word of God and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But Popoff focuses on signs and wonders.

· His promotional gimmicks that he mails to you have no biblical foundation.

· If Popoff was truly intuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit, why would he have to resort to using a listening device in his ear to receive so-called words of knowledge from God?

· Popoff's alleged trip to heaven is designed to give the impression that he is closer to God than the average believer--Don't be deceived! God is no respecter of persons

To Rev. Popoff we have this admonition: Repent of devouring God's flock before you have to face the true Shepherd of the sheep. For He says: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done" (Jer. 23:2).

Sincerely, your friends at Eastern Christian Outreach (EChO)

(EChO welcomes fellow workers who have a burden for those lost in the cults and false belief systems to write to us for information on how you can accompany us on our future mission field projects. We hand out literature and confront error at most major cultic gatherings in the tri-state area.)