Church leader Wayne Bent vows silence, curses world

The leader of The Lord Our Righteousness Church writes that he will no longer write or speak to people outside of his flock until two teens are returned to his church.

Wayne Bent (aka Michael Travesser) takes this latest stand in his July 1 post on his church’s Web site.  In all, 5,474 words appear beneath the headline, Healed and Michael Speak for the Last Time.

Bent remains indicted by a grand jury for allegedly having committed second-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor.  Charges involving a previously alleged second victim have been dropped.

After reading the first 3,596 words of Bent’s July 1 post, one discovers the following pronouncement:

I will write no more, speak no more, or listen to you no more.  Not until the children are released from their prisons will you ever hear from me or us again.

According to his Web site, New Mexico’s Children, Youth & Families Department decided yesterday that a 16-year-old girl taken from the property April 22 will not be allowed to return at this time.

Two other teens were subsequently taken from the church.  A teenage boy has been returned to his parents.  Bent maintains the boy is not happy and wishes to return to the church property.

A 13-year-old girl, “Willow”, has returned to her parents and Strong City.

The 16-year-old girl removed from Strong City April 22 goes by the name of “Healed”.  Bent’s July 1 post includes the text of what is purported to be a “draft” letter written by “Lakeisha R. Sayer AKA Healed”.

That letter includes the following excerpt:

I have told people over and over again that Michael did NOT sexually abuse me, use me, coerce me, touch me inappropriately, or force me to submit to him. Everything he did or does, was and is at my request and desire. It was pure, heavenly and undefiled by any perversions or human lusts or sexual desires.  It was purely of God, and it was all legal.

Bent immediately follows-up the letter with this excerpt:

She (Healed) also went on to say to us that she was including these thoughts:  I am NOT a victim, and I will not take the witness stand and testify that I am. I will not let you use me to testify for you against Michael. He did not molest me or even touch me sexually in any way.

At the outset of his final post, Bent maintains that Healed would be better protected at his church property than elsewhere, stating:

If this young woman was now willing to give up her love for God and Michael and go along with the pornography and screwing around with their boyfriends that most young women do in these days, and that which is common to her natural world, I can promise you she would not be in CYFD custody.

Bent rounds-out his post with numerous paragraphs (mostly “adapted” scripture) proclaiming his curses for the world, including:

Because you have refused to return my children, or let them speak with us, but instead keep them in your prisons, “…all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in your place of work.  …Cursed shall be your children, and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. …The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and frustration, in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, on account of the evil of your doings, because you have forsaken me [and thought to keep my children from me].

Who, exactly, is Bent writing to?  He explains it this way:

My comments here encompass the entire population and not just certain people.

And what about his declaration of silence?  Will it carry over to court proceedings? The answer appears to be a definitive,”Yes”:

Go ahead and charge me with contempt.  When you prove yourself not contemptible I will speak with you, but now the God of heaven holds you in contempt, for your deeds are exceedingly evil and grossly perverted.

Bent’s flock appears to have imposed a declaration of silence, too. A vast number of videos posted by LOR members on Web sites such as youtube and myspace have been taken down.