IF there was a Monty Python prize for the world’s weirdest religious cult, the House of Yahweh would be a choice contender.
The doomsday cult was founded in Abilene,Texas, in 1980 by self-proclaimed prophet Buffalo Bill Hawkins, now 73, who then changed his name to the even more preposterous Yisrayl Hawkins.
Hundreds of his followers then all changed their surnames to Hawkins.
Yedidiyah Hawkins, left, and Yisrayl Hawkins
But today there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth within the Hawkins’ ranks.
First off, their leader faces trial later this year on bigamy and child labour charges.
He was arrested earlier this year, and stands accused of having more than 20 wives; performing polygamous weddings; and illegally forcing about 40 children to work jobs at his 44-acre compound in rural Clyde near Abilene.
He is on bail of $10-million.
Then came the trial of Yedidiyah Hawkins, 40, a House of Yahweh elder, who was convicted this week of aggravated sexual assault of a child. He is to be sentenced within 45 days, and could get life in prison.
At Yedidiyah Hawkins’ trial, a 15-year-old girl testified that she was 11 when he claimed to be checking her for cervical cancer with an instrument used by gynecologists – although other witnesses said he has no medical training. A former Yahweh member testified that Hawkins was worried the girl was no longer a virgin.
There is also dismay this week among members of the Lord Our Righteousness Church in New Mexico.
Wayne Bent
The world, according to cult leader and ‘messiah” Wayne Bent – another contender for a Python award – was to have ended last week when he and all his followers – around 45 – would escape their earthly bondage and be taken up to be with God.
The church leader’s son, Jeff, said :
We don’t anticipate any future beyond October 31.
The church then shut down its website in anticipation of Armageddon.
And cult followers began a two-week fast, in protest of criminal charges that Bent had illegal sexual contact with underage girls.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
November 4th, 2008 at 2:39 am
“Your names not Hawkins? Bound to cause confusion. Mind if we call you Hawkins, just to keep it clear?”
November 4th, 2008 at 3:23 am
I’m disgusted to see the name of Python taken in vain – particularly in association with such nutters. I’ll be instructing my lawyer to bring this to the attention of as many people as possible.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Does this mean the McCain/Palin vote has collapsed?
November 5th, 2008 at 11:53 am
I remember Wayne Bent from a documentary from about this time last year and, let me tell you, Chris Morris couldn’t do a more mobidly funny, grotesque send-up of a cult leader. Teenage girls were told to strip naked then embrace and lie with him. He had sex with his daughter-in-law because God compelled it, he had no control… For months he named the date of the end of the world, then shortly before said date claimed it would actually be an invisible spiritual change.
Yeash!
Thanks for including that highly satisfying mugshot.