. . . is never to join the cult in the first place. There is a Yahoo group set up specifically to answer questions people might have about the R.L. Hymers "church." It's even open to members of the cult who might wonder what they're getting into—or how to get out.

The former Hymerites' experience spans at least two decades of the cult's existence. (I should say, "the cults' existence," since Bob Hymers keeps changing the name of his group. His cults were/are, in order: Maranatha Chapel, The Open Door Community Churches, The Fundamentalist Army, and now the Baptist Tabernacle, aka "oh, a church near the Staples Center.")

Posted by: Attila Girl at 11:31 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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. . . with Robert L. Hymers; you're embarassing yourselves.

Here's a nice little meditative essay on a tract R.L. Hymers wrote regarding the dangers of Halloween.

"We're not laughing with death," the author declares. "We're laughing at it.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 12:32 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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For those who have been tracking the process as I explore my "cult" years, there's information at the livejournal of a gentleman named Doxa that may prove illuminating. It appears that Bob Hymers' group, the Baptist Tabernacle, has become even more twisted as time has gone by.

You might turn the volume down on your computer before you go, if you find—as I do—that music is hard to read to if it contains words. (Of course, it could be that I'm the only baby boomer who cannot cope with background music in that way. I can live with that.)

• Doxa on the Hymerites' clumsy "outreach"; we discover that cell phones are the work of the devil;

• A friend of Doxa's finds out that clothes make the woman;

• Doxa strategizes about how to politely make Ileana Hymers go away.

Virginia Woolf: "I thought about how unpleasant it was to be locked out. Then I thought about how much worse it was to be locked in."

[I'm paraphrasing, but I believe I'm awfully close. Anyone who wants to find the quotation in Room of One's Own should fact-check my ass, here. Thanks.]

Posted by: Attila Girl at 02:10 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 I'm curious to know how they have changed over the years, specifically in light of my experience. I suppose cellphones weren't very common in the 70's. I wonder when they started banning cell phones at church. Sorry about the BGM. To tell the truth, I usually mute my computer when I go to my blog... I love the song, so I put it up there, but I wish it didn't play every single time... If at least I knew how to embed buttons on my blog to control the music (like they do on myspace). I guess I just need to do a little search for a code.

Posted by: doxa at January 09, 2006 09:20 PM (v5ykV)

2 You forgot to put a link where we could "fact check" your ass or to we email you to sent up an appointment in person?

Posted by: joe at January 10, 2006 10:12 AM (P6pqJ)

3 Oh, so you're going to get literal-minded for the sake of a cheap joke I assure you that my butt is the essence of integrity. My husband will vouch for its accuracy. If you're like an appointment with him, however, that's fine. He is, however, 6'2", a former Marine, and armed to the teeth.

Posted by: Attila Girl at January 10, 2006 05:36 PM (/y+/O)

4 wepylrzoftzzaycwdwgyoyowlgoqbuadpvxseha
link http://oeultv.gezabrm.com

Posted by: ovmbqm at January 25, 2006 02:49 PM (qQS/K)

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. . . seem to be concerned that he not take in any more innocent people with his warped execution of (otherwise conventional) Christianity.

And from the caption on the photo, it looks like they're, well, annoyed at him.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 01:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Wow. I'm getting a lot of responses to my post on R.L. Hymers—some in the comments section, and some via e-mail.

If what I'm hearing is correct, Dr. Hymers' efforts to control the lives of young people has changed a little in its focus, but not at all in its intensity.

Apparently, these days Bob Hymers' church, the Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles, is using different techniques to indoctrinate people into his brand of Christianity. As I've said before, my argument with his approach is not a doctrinal/theological one; I will leave those types of arguments to people who are qualified. My concerns have to do with the methods he and his wife, Ileana Hymers, use to gain followers: methods which mirror those of cults so closely as to be indistinguishable, as a practical matter.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 06:29 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 Well, it was a good post. I was in the Open Door Community Churches from 1978 - 1982 and left at the age of 18 - so I speak from experience. I think your description of Hymers and his tactics are pretty much right on. I also think your experiece there has given you some good insight. Thanks for letting us in on some of it

Posted by: Michael at January 03, 2006 12:46 AM (PpP57)

2 Hi Atilagirl...i was at the then Open Door Community Church from 1977 through 1981. In fact I pastored one of the local churches in Hollywood. I've enjoyed reading your Hymerian Blog entries! What years did you attend? You must know Jeff Koenig right? I was introduced to the ODCC by him - Jeff "evangelized" Chris Cagan (who is Hymer's right hand man and co-author of many of his books.) Chris then invited Jeff over one fatelul day to convince me to go to their house church in Santa Monica. Anyway...sigh...that was a lifetime ago. I will never forget many things about my involvement at ODCC - but most prominent in my mind is the last meeting I attended. It was at the Bronson High School auditoreum. I had spoken with Hymers by phone during the week at had told him that I would not return to the ODCC unless he repented from his uncontrolled anger and raging. So on Sunday, August 9, 1981 he decided to answer my ultimatum by railing at me from the pulpit before a crowd of about 1300. Yes...that was how large the group had grown by mid-81. This was also, I believe the high point as far as attendance is concerned. Anyway, as Hymers railed, I carefully planned my exit, I waited for the offering to be taken and proceeded past a phalanx of ushers to take my wife by the hand (she was up front playing piano) and exit from the auditoreum I will never forget the feeling of, in the words of Crowded House singer Neil Finn "liberation and release." As we literally ran from the the Bronson auditoreum...it was like an escape from a concentration camp! When were you there? I probably knew you.

Posted by: Rafael at January 09, 2006 06:19 AM (Zhlwz)

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