The Not So Guiding Light of Jack T. Chick

One novelty available in magic concentrate on the good? Don’t you caster Bob Hammond told Chick stores is a light bulb that appears to think you are being a tad bit critical that China was won to Commu- be illuminated with no apparent con- here?’’ Most people would trash the nism through cartoon booklets. nection to electricity. The bulb, of bagel and never go near the vendor Chick decided to use the same course, is not an ordinary bulb, but again. method for Christ. In other one rigged with a small battery. When words, Chick tracts are a Com- Some Bible teachers are like the mie plot.’’2 the base of the bulb touches a tiny New York bagel vendor. Error can piece of metallic fabric or foil in the creep into a person’s teaching even if Most of Chick’s tracts, in and of performer’s hand, ‘‘Abracadabra — let the teacher says some good things. themselves, are not too bad. However, there be light!’’ When it comes to the contemporary his work cannot be endorsed for a There are real bulbs and there are Church’s ‘‘Hall of Shame’’ of flaky variety of significant reasons. trick ones. Aberrational doctrine is and tainted teachings, one man’s bust GRAND ‘‘FLAKES’’ like the trick bulb: it only appears to looms large: Jack T. Chick. Chick, be legitimate. now in his 80s, is probably best Over the past three decades, Chick has gained notoriety for endorsing, Apologist Robert Bowman issued an known for his small comic book promoting, and selling resources for alert over a decade ago: format evangelistic tracts or booklets. heretics, charlatans, and known cons ‘‘The church today is plagued, Chick was converted to Christ in and criminals. Over the years, Chick’s not only by heresies and aberra- 1948 after listening to Charles E. message has been unchanged — a tions, but by doctrines which I Fuller’s Old Fashion Revival Hour radio secret cabal plotting to undermine the would characterize as ‘junk-food broadcast. During the 1950s, he Church and kill Christians. And while doctrine.’ Junk food won’t kill worked as an aerospace illustrator. In the plot line never changes, the fac- you, unless that’s all you eat — 1958, with the help of his wife, Chick tion behind this plot has. Since the in which case poor nutrition will created an evangelistic flip chart spin- 1970s, the Illuminati, the Roman eventually catch up with you. off of the radio program, This Is Your Catholic Church, Satanists and Junk-food doctrine is not good, Life. Chick’s version, which later be- witches have all, at times, been the nor is it really bad. One might came known as ‘‘This Was Your Life,’’ principal characters of Chick’s con- call it ‘flaky’ doctrine.’’1 portrayed an unconverted soul who spiracy theories. dies and faces judgment. His life is Last year a radio news item told of then replayed to him on a heavenly Chick first paved the way for John a food vendor on the streets of New movie screen. His flip chart was Todd, who claimed to be an ex-Grand York City who sold a bagel and cream initially used to evangelize prisoners, Druid and a former high-ranking cheese sandwich with a cockroach in and later became his most popular member of the Illuminati.3 Todd it. No one in his right mind would and enduring witnessing tract. gained prominence through Chick’s argue, ‘‘It’s not that grave a concern. full-length comic books, Angel of Light One Chick critic notes: Just think of all the good cream and Spellbound. He said he was privy cheese in that sandwich. Can’t you ‘‘TWYL was converted to tract to the identity of the Antichrist. A sort the bagel from the cockroach and form after missionary broad- thorough investigation of Todd and October-December 2004 The Quarterly Journal · 5 his claims revealed a history of di- claimed to have literally married Sa- ideas of Wilkinson. As such, they are verse conversion stories, multiple tan and jetted around the world as his 50 or more years behind the times as marriages, deception, and other un- international agent, Brown pretended far as current Bible manuscript stud- Christian behavior.4 Todd was not the to know all the secrets of the satanic ies. For example, the ‘‘P’’ fragments conspiratorial whistle-blower Chick organization.10 As Todd’s and Al- (many dating virtually to the made him out to be, but rather a berto’s stories succumbed to apathy Apostles) have recently acquired great psychotic con man who, in 1988, and the critic’s pen, Brown became distinction within the Bible translation received a 30-year prison sentence for the darling of Chick Publications. arena and have nothing to do with raping a graduate student in South Wescott and Hort, who are classified Carolina.5 Chick gave even greater distinction by those in the KJVO camp as the to the message and testimony of perpetrators ultimately responsible for Chick then moved to promoting a Rebecca and Elaine. Rather than con- the modern day evil versions.14 bogus Roman Catholic priest named fining their tales to comic book for- Alberto Rivera. Rivera described him- mat, Chick published two full-length So Chick’s track record is indeed self as a former Jesuit who was a books, He Came to Set the Captives Free appalling. That in itself makes us secret agent of the Catholic Church and Prepare for War.11 leery of anything he produces. Chick with a mission to infiltrate and de- seems to lack discernment. The regret- stroy Protestant denominations. Riv- Chick regarded the evidence of all table aspect of all this is that he of Brown’s past drug forays and legal era, like Todd, was publicized in a wields influence over many young troubles with disdain, indifference, pair of Chick comic books, Alberto and and untaught believers. and denial. As he did when respond- Double Cross. Rivera claimed he was ing to refutations of Todd and Rivera, Chick’s latest promotion is a 78- not alone in his mission. He alleged he said the evidence had been set minute audio-visual production other Vatican-ordained colleagues forth by a vast satanic conspiracy (available on either DVD or VHS whose mission was to wreak havoc established to destroy their divine video) called The Light of the World.It and destruction within Protestantism missions. is advertised as giving the whole included Kathryn Kuhlman and Jim story from creation to Christ’s resur- Jones. Both Catholics and Protestants Today, even apart from Chick, rection with narration and more than discounted and refuted Alberto’s alle- Brown continues in a far-out state of 360 images of oil paintings. A bro- 6 gations. paranoia. She says PFO wields great chure touts: control over churches and Christian One Australian-based ministry pro- publishing. The members of PFO are, ‘‘In a day when many Christians vided details of Rivera’s personal according to Brown, ‘‘agents of Satan’’ are producing watered-down, history. Concerned Christians Growth and she calls for Christians to pray politically-correct films, The Light Ministries published statements from and ask God to expunge the ministry of the World provides exactly several people who knew Rivera as a of PFO.12 what you would expect from young man. Their testimony included Jack Chick — a straightforward, details of his membership in an evan- Chick also is enamored with a Peter biblically accurate, no-punches- gelical church in the Canary Islands, Ruckman-style King James Version pulled presentation of the gospel his study at an evangelical seminary Only teaching. This belief contends with a compelling salvation ap- in Costa Rica, and the average social that only the King James Version of peal.’’ status of his family. The magazine the Bible contains the unadulterated even printed a 1953 photograph taken Word of God. As such, he brands all How much light is in The Light of the in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, show- other versions or translations of Scrip- World, and how much is an illusion is ing Rivera as part of a young men’s ture — including the New King James the question. Obviously there are church group.7 These particulars all Version — as perversions. some things that are correct in Chick’s presentation, but it also contains undermined the claim by Rivera (in It also appears that Chick is un- the Alberto comic book) that during issues not clearly explained and aware that the King James Version points described very poorly. Those his youth, ‘‘In Spain alone, I helped Only teaching was born out of heresy, 8 ambiguous statements can tend destroy at least 19 churches,’’ and the having its recent roots in a Seventh- depiction that his family was of toward heresy. Perhaps the Chick day Adventist teacher, Benjamin G. pamphlet unwittingly admits the un- prominent position.9 13 Wilkinson. Wilkinson loved the mistakable when it pitched that the Chick, who never openly repudi- King James Version for one reason production ‘‘provides exactly what ated the slanderous hoaxes of Todd alone. He believed that it taught and you would expect from Jack Chick.’’ and Rivera, and who apparently defended the false doctrine of soul never learned from his mistakes, went sleep, a key tenet within Adventist — QUICK-CHANGE GOD? and Jehovah’s Witness — theology. on to endorse former drug-addicted Chick’s production lacks precision. physician Ruth Bailey, who went un- When one surveys the landscape of For example, the presentation com- der the alias of Rebecca Brown, M.D.

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