September 6, 2009
Response To KRQE Broadcast
I would like to make a few comments regarding KRQE’s report last night on Wayne Bent’s fast. First of all, there are many New Mexicans in church today partaking of the “flesh and blood” of Jesus Christ, a self-proclaimed messiah. Jesus was not proclaimed messiah by the mainline Jewish religion or his countrymen. Those are the people who had him killed. Jesus proclaimed himself the Messiah, and had a small band of losers and outcasts as his followers. This same Messiah “starved” himself for 40 days in the wilderness. Perhaps most people who watch the news on television do not know what a “fast” is. They should though, since Jesus fasted.
KRQE anchor Tim Maestas is almost rolling his eyes with incredulity and sarcasm over this story, forgetting that in May and June of 2008, during his first “fast to the end”, Mr. Bent was not going to eat until the State of New Mexico returned Willow, our 13 year old girl who was taken from us by CYFD in April, or until he died. The State released Willow as Mr. Bent was entering the third week of his fast, and that same day we posted a video to our website of Willow and her parents eating lunch with Wayne Bent at Strong City as his fast ended. The news media ran as fast as they could away from the obvious problem created by this development. The State shot their own case full of holes by releasing Willow back to the one accused of molesting her, demonstrating what a pack of contrived nonsense their case was, and still is. Sometimes the patina of sex charges fails to cover the plain truth that religious persecution is alive and well in this very Catholic state.
It seems like the media’s role in this case is to maintain the State’s official story, just like Pravda in the old Soviet Union, and the obvious inconsistencies and failures of the State must be swept under the rug at all costs. Comrade Maestas, well done.
The news media also forgets, or perhaps never learned, about the practices of Mohandas Gandhi, a revered religious figure in our day and his, who launched more than one “fast-unto-death” during his public ministry. His fasts were for the purpose of correcting injustices, just as Mr. Bent’s are. Gandhi fasted for the rights of “untouchables” in India, and Mr. Bent fasts for the deliverance of his “cult” from the injustice and intolerance of our day. Another uncomfortable fact for the media to consider is that Gandhi conducted acts of healing with “underage girls” who were unclothed. Bring that up, and some people really go ballistic. I think there was more freedom and tolerance in British-ruled India than there is in America today.
Mr. Bent did not say “he no longer wants to eat.” He wants movement in the direction of justice, or he wants his family to bring him food in person. He is very happy and content not to eat until these things occur. If they don’t, he is willing to die of starvation for his convictions. [Read his final letter here.] He won’t continue living as a trophy or zoo animal for the State of New Mexico over a lie. Like Samson, he is willing to pull down the temple of lies, even if it costs him his life.
By the way, fasting is not suicide. It is a religious practice protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. If a woman has the right to terminate an unborn child in her womb, should not people of conscience, who are following their sincerely held religious beliefs, be free to decide for themselves when to put food in their mouths? Should they not be free of having tubes shoved into their bodies against their will? Should they not have control over their own bodies, as a woman does who wants an abortion?
I have been asked numerous times by various people, “Are you willing for your dad to die?” I love my dad very much and hate to see him suffer at all, but I also respect my dad’s convictions and integrity. I have spoken to him about this final fast for several months, and understand his purposes, his reasoning, and also his resolve. His decision to fast was made after months of reflection and prayer. I believe in him and he has my full support.
Well done, faithful daddy. Godspeed.
