Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
You probably don't know who Jim Ammerman is. You should. He is the founder of an organization called the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches (CFGC), which provides the official endorsements for 270 chaplains and chaplain candidates in the U.S. military (including the disgraced Gordon Klingenschmitt, who retains his endorsement from the group despite having been discharged from the military). Ammerman was himself an Army Colonel.
Kathryn Joyce has an article in Newsweek that contained a good deal of information about Ammerman. Chris Rodda also had an article about him at the Huffington Post that revealed just how much of an utter lunatic the man is. For example, the September 2006 CFGC newsletter claims that Muslims cannot be good Americans and should all be considered suspect:
"Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt." and "Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is never referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names."..."Therefore after much study and deliberation, perhaps we should be very suspicious of all muslims in this country. They obviously cannot be both 'good' Muslims and good Americans."
You should also know about Maj. James Linzey, who is currently a chaplain with an endorsement from CFGC. Linzey is another conspiracy nut, as Rodda describes:
The following was the promo for one of Maj. Linzey's several appearances on a radio show called "The Edge.""Major James F. Linzey; U.S. Army Officer, Chaplain, and director of Operation Freedom, exposes how the satanic forces in the U.S. Government allow illegal immigration, giving access to terrorists to invade America's heartland. Find out the myths and lies, and how illegal immigration effects the politics, domestic issues, national security, and terrorist ring in the United States, and you can do about it. Get your questions in early. It's going to be hot!
"He will expose unknown satanic forces and how they are using illegal immigration to:
* Affect American politics
* Sway Domestic issues
* Destroy National Security
* Create a Terrorist Ring which could start an internal revolution."A good part of this two hour interview was about another of Maj. Linzey's pet conspiracy theories -- a communist takeover of the U.S. in which the U.S. government is complicit. According to Linzey, the Chinese are going to to take over the United States with the help of Mexico. He claims that Chinese soldiers are already in Mexico training the Mexicans for an invasion into the United States to reclaim the Southwest for Mexico. In typical fashion, Linzey, like his mentor Jim Ammerman and other Prophecy Club members, claims to have inside information from government officials that there is a government conspiracy and/or cover-up going on.
Linzey also talks incessantly about the coming U.N. invasion of America:
"I suggest that Americans get their arms to be ready to defend themselves and their own homes when they come knocking on your door, demanding your food, demanding your money, and raping your wives. The U.N. troops will be here to start patrolling the cities, the streets, the highways, and we will be under, basically, European rule."
Both Ammerman and Linzey are full-on believers in the whole Jewish conspiracy to control the world through the Illuminati thing. In fact, here is video of Ammerman giving a talk to the Prophecy Club where he lays out the whole ridiculous conspiracy - the Bildeburgers, the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, the Illuminati, etc - and claims that Hillary Clinton is "higher up" in the Illuminati than Bill Clinton, thus he has to take orders from him. Oh, he also says at the end that Clinton should have been publicly executed:
Jim Ammerman from Bruce Wilson on Vimeo.
These people are completely nuts. And they're training chaplains -- officers -- in the U.S. military. Yes, that should scare the hell out of you.
Politics
Comments
Posted by: FastLane | June 22, 2009 9:45 AM
These people are full-on psychotic.Posted by: Taz | June 22, 2009 9:55 AM
The question now is "How do we counter this kind of nut job"
Posted by: James Brown | June 22, 2009 10:03 AM
"He will expose unknown satanic forces..."
As opposed to known satanic forces, I guess.
I'd be laughing my ass off at these fools, if they didn't scare the shit out of me.
Posted by: Dogbert | June 22, 2009 10:10 AM
He does know that God and Allah are the same guy, right?
Posted by: Finch | June 22, 2009 10:11 AM
Since it's part of teh Gay Agenda, won't they be raping the husbands, too?
Posted by: kehrsam | June 22, 2009 10:12 AM
I would remind some of the younger readers of this blog that the insane rantings of Reverend Linzey are not new. Back in the 1950s, a whackjob Congressman from Orange Co., Ca., one James Utt, sent out a newsletter to his constituents with a claim that 250,000 Red Chinese troops were poised in Baja, California to invade the US.
Posted by: SLC | June 22, 2009 10:12 AM
This Linzey guy is still in the ranks? Doesn't talk like that verge on sedition, or sowing mutiny, or something along those lines? Seems to me he should be summarily discharged from his post, and Ammerman's whole loonie "church" should lose its cert to endorse chaplains. Between Krazy Klingy and this, they're a disciplinary liability.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | June 22, 2009 10:18 AM
MRFF will be officially demanding that Ammerman's endorsing authority be revoked. We're putting together everything to send to the DoD right now, and I'll be posting it all once it's mailed. We're going to put the 1997 memorandum calling for an investigation of Ammerman on the MRFF website so everybody can see what the DoD told Kathryn Joyce was within the bounds of free speech. You won't believe it when you see it.
I'll let Ed know when all this stuff is available for public viewing. It'll all be posted somewhere within the next few days.
Me, Bruce Wilson, and others have been working on this story since April, and you've just seen the tip of the iceberg so far. Bruce should be coming out with the first of several expanded pieces sometime today, and I'll be getting more of it out later in the week, so stay tuned.
Posted by: Chris Rodda | June 22, 2009 10:21 AM
"Me...have been working on."?
Posted by: Ferrous Patella | June 22, 2009 10:29 AM
Hey Ferrous...
You seem to be asking a question, but I'm not sure what it is.
Posted by: Chris Rodda | June 22, 2009 11:13 AM
From the Newsletter: "Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt."
A year or so ago, IIRC, five Uighurs released from Guantánamo had an open letter in The New York Times in which they described the American Constitution with great respect. That alone would pretty much demolish Mr. Ammerman's case.
I Googled for the letter just now but came up dry.
Posted by: Chris Winter | June 22, 2009 11:13 AM
"The U.N. troops will be here to start patrolling the cities, the streets, the highways, and we will be under, basically, European rule."
That's one way to solve the health care problem. When can we start?
I get dibs on Sweden.
Posted by: Longstreet63 | June 22, 2009 11:41 AM
Early in my career in the Coast Guard I had a chaplain yell at me because I didn't salute him. I figured he was more impressed with his fancy uniform than preaching. I never had any use for them after that.
Posted by: NYCMike | June 22, 2009 12:05 PM
Chris, Ferrous is making a comment on your grammar. The phrase "Me, Bruce Wilson, and others have been working on..." is ungrammatical. This can be more easily seen if you reduce it to the bare essentials, "Me have been working on...".
Nothing to worry about.
Posted by: GaryB | June 22, 2009 12:07 PM
Yeah...my grammar can be pretty bad sometimes. I only pay attention to it when I write actual articles, but when I post comments I just write like I talk.
Posted by: Chris Rodda | June 22, 2009 12:16 PM
Yeah...my grammar can be pretty bad sometimes. I only pay attention to it when I write actual articles, but when I post comments I just write like I talk.
Posted by: Chris Rodda | June 22, 2009 12:16 PM
Its great when the pot calls the kettle.....
Because the Bill of Rights and the American Constitution violate at least 8 of the 10 Commandments then that would also make all Xtians suspect being terrorists and not good citizens either. But being smarter then the average Xtian we tricked them into thinking this is an Xtian country by allowing 'In God we trust' on the money. Little do they know that it is a correct statement... God like any other imaginary creature can be trusted, NO ONE else can be.
Posted by: CybrgnX | June 22, 2009 12:28 PM
It's kind of refreshing to see a nutter just come out and admit that he thinks of wives as property rather than citizens. I guess I best go find me a husband to protect me from the coming Mexi-Chinese hoards.
Posted by: peaches | June 22, 2009 12:50 PM
I'm wondering about these guys using their military credentials to add credence to their lunacy? It's obvious that Ammerman is retired, but what about Linzey? If he is presenting himself as an authority based on his position in the military, isn't that the same as appearing in uniform, etc.?
Posted by: dogmeatIB | June 22, 2009 1:06 PM
Ammerman is retired, but he has an equally important position of authority as head of the endorsing agency that provides military chaplains as well as chaplains for prisons and VA hospitals. See my recent article at Talk2action.org for more info on Ammerman, short clip of the video, his connections to leading independent charismatics, and the 1997 investigation of Ammerman that should have put a stop to this at www.talk2action.org/story/2009/6/22/115820/165
Posted by: Ruth at T2A | June 22, 2009 1:21 PM
Great article, Ruth.
(Ruth is one of the "others" referred to in my grammatically incorrect sentence above, who have been in on this investigation since April.)
Posted by: Chris Rodda | June 22, 2009 1:32 PM
Finch, these folks probably subscribe to the idea that Allah was the name of Mohammed's hometown moon good and so became supreme in his teaching (after all, if it isn't Christian, how could it not be pagan or heathen or Satanic?). Of course, this is an idea asserted only in the company of non-Muslims and and non-Arabs, usually by Charismatic evangelical types
Most people, of course, see the name Allah used in Arabic bibles and naturally conclude that they are the same, all conceptual differences with Islam aside.
Posted by: Jon Lester | June 22, 2009 1:34 PM
Make that moon god...SB could really use a window of editing opportunity, as a certain competing science blog site has...
Posted by: Jon Lester | June 22, 2009 1:36 PM
He claims that Chinese soldiers are already in Mexico training the Mexicans for an invasion into the United States
What can we do to make sure that they take back Texas?
Posted by: J-Dog | June 22, 2009 2:24 PM
"giving access to terrorists to invade America's heartland."
What make theonuts think that anyone outside Lower Bumfuck, Mississippi or East Cornhole, Nebraska, even knows they exist let alone are plotting to take them over?
Are they really worried their penises are too small?
Posted by: Rob Jase | June 22, 2009 2:34 PM
Lester: Yup, its pretty clear that their agenda has less to do with religious differences than geographical and "racial" ones; you don't see English Protestants decrying the pagan worship of Dieu by the French.
J-Dog: considering that, last time I looked, Houston was the second busiest port in the U.S. and the UT system has been consistently ranked within the top 20 university systems in the world, I doubt you'd really like what'd happen to the U.S. economy without Texas.
Posted by: Julian | June 22, 2009 2:37 PM
Julian, it seems to me that Mexican workers and Chinese port management companies might like to leave Texas the way it is, for their own benefit, especially if their children would have good colleges to go to later. In another generation or two, white Protestant creationists will be gone from Texas school boards, anyway, and it won't be the fault of our immigrant friends if other Texans put themselves out of work and influence by their own devices.
In other words, Ammerman's thinking is so 20th century...
Posted by: Jon Lester | June 22, 2009 2:59 PM
If the Chinese and the Mexicans are collaborating militarily, I, for one, would love to see what's going on in their mess halls. Mmmmm fusion cuisine!
Posted by: intransigentia | June 22, 2009 3:01 PM
To be blunt, what an incredibly stupid fucking statement. The loss of Texas would not inflict incredible harm on the U.S. economy, and you haven't made a logical argument that it would.
Given that the port of Houston receives considerably more goods than are consumed solely in Texas, one of two things would happen with an independent Texas. Either Texas would not have free trade with the U.S., in which case shipping companies would use alternate U.S. ports (we have the capacity available), or Texas would have free trade with the U.S., in which case its independence would have no effect on shipping.
As to its universities, it appears to me that without Texas we'd still have the other top 19 university systems, not to mention the other 24 of the top 25, the other 29 of the top 30, etc.
Finally, Texas is 22nd in GSP per capita, perfectly average, rather than being some kind of great economic engine for the country.
Sorry, but not state is indispensable, including Texas. Interestingly, however, the only state from which I ever hear people claiming to be indispensable is Texas. That supports the general experience I've had with Texans, the most arrogant assholes in the country, who seem to honestly believe that everybody in the U.S. wishes they were fortunate enough to live there. A little analysis, however, would show you that Texas is not indispensable, and that most of the rest of the county just ain't that impressed with Texas.
Given its perpetual political bumfuckery, there's a good argument the rest of us would be better off without Texas. Face it, Texas needs the U.S. a whole hell of a lot more than the U.S. needs Texas.
Posted by: James Hanley | June 22, 2009 3:06 PM
Intransigentia, my thoughts exactly. I'm thinking sweet and sour carnitas, or perhaps tamale won tons. Hmm, perhaps I should experment tonight at dinner, to prepare myself? I am in Southern California, after all, the Mexinese will be here first, right?
Posted by: Briny Deep | June 22, 2009 3:15 PM
James, is it worth it to you to pay $20/gallon for gas if it means being rid of Texas? If it is, I'll remember that next time we're talking about any issues impacting the poor :)
Seriously, it's academic at best. I can see no reason why either Mexicans or Chinese would want any part of the US economy diminished; the whole premise of the Aztlan plot is so stupid that even WND has trouble selling the books about it.
Posted by: Jon Lester | June 22, 2009 3:24 PM
What can we do to make sure that they take back Texas?
Keep them from finding out just how bug-fuck nuts Texans are?
Posted by: dogmeatIB | June 22, 2009 3:35 PM
Damn. This sounds like someone doing sports commentating on my last game of Illuminati. "China, with the aid of Mexico and Illegal Immigrants, attacks to control the Democrats *and* the Republicans!".
Sheesh
Posted by: Lance B | June 22, 2009 4:36 PM
Sorry, but not state is indispensable.
Ha! What about California? What would you do without almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, strawberries and walnuts?
Posted by: Stu | June 22, 2009 4:52 PM
Well, I'm from Kentucky, so I'd just continue eating possum and raccoon. We seem to do a good enough job attracting them without almonds, kiwifruit, or prunes.
Posted by: Skemono | June 22, 2009 5:53 PM
Well, I'm from Kentucky, so I'd just continue eating possum and raccoon. We seem to do a good enough job attracting them without almonds, kiwifruit, or prunes.
Obviously, they're just there for the moonshine.
Posted by: Stu | June 22, 2009 6:53 PM
Skemono:
You must not be subscribing to Kentucky Kwizeen. There's a really good recipe in the latest issue, for Brunswick Stew with the aforementioned possum and raccoon PLUS pistachios, prunes and kiwi fruit.
James Hanley:
And the country would be MUCH better off if my beloved Cornhuskers could concentrate on kicking CU's ass without having to worry about playing Texas or Texas Tech.
Rob Jase:
I'm sorry, but you're confused. There is an East Cornflower, East Cornstalk and East Cornbread in Nebraska. I'm afraid all of the cornholes are in Iowa, Colorado and Missouri.
Posted by: democommie | June 22, 2009 10:23 PM
Okay that is just the most paradoxical (bipolar? schizophrenic?) person I have ever heard of. A preachy gospel boy who believes in the death sentence and public execution, who condemns the rules of the state because it was based on the rules of God? What does he want? Personally I think that we just believe in God, or a higher being, so that we can be controlled. The fear of burning in hell as well as the fear of rotting in jail are the very things that prevent us from committing murder, or crimes in general. The system is manipulative and artificial but it works. Most of the time.
Posted by: Betty Taylor | June 23, 2009 12:29 AM
I'm just a stupid foreigner but ...
Stu - What would Americans do for "..almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers*, strawberries and walnuts" without CA? Uh.. buy them elsewhere. Guess what? there is a WHOLE WORLD outside the US. (Shocking I know).
Similarly Jon Lester - Texas produces enough oil to provide perhaps 25% of the total oil consumption of the US, but since only 48% of US consumption is from domestic sources anyway, that (roughly) cuts Texas' market share to 12.5%. So what would the US do with Texas to provide oil? The US would buy a little more from it's greatest supplier, Canada, a marginally higher prices. Hardly ruinous, even for the poor. - DJ
*You eat clovers? Here they usually are used to re-nitrogenate the soil, feed cattle (but not too much, as it causes bloating) and as a hiding place for lurking bees. Do they taste any good?
Posted by: DingoJack | June 23, 2009 12:55 AM
@finch, #5 He does know that God and Allah are the same guy, right
...Heretic, burn the heretic! /sarcasm
Posted by: DPSisler | June 23, 2009 11:05 AM
Jon Lester wrote:
Not that it might not be worth it, but if you think losing Texas would cause gas to go up to $20 gallon, you're an idiot. Either Texas would use all that oil itself, in which case it effectively already is (even if it exports some and imports a replacement amount), or it would sell it on the world market (which is basically what it already does). Why is anyone so phenomenally stupid as to think that Texas oil would suddenly be taken off the market? Even if they refused to sell to the remaining U.S. for some reason, those to whom they did sell would then buy less from some other source, making that accessible to the rest of us.For fuck's sake, Saudi Arabia ain't part of the U.S. and never has been, but that doesn't mean their oil is unavailable to us and causing gas prices to skyrocket.
Stu, same argument for California's fruits, nuts and vegetables (and no, I'm not talking about the people--I love California). Let's imagine the scenario in which California secedes and decides to not trade with the rest of the U.S. The rest of the U.S. turns to other countries for almonds and strawberries (Dingo, how much of that do you grow in Oz? Could be a windfall for you folks!), while California farmers struggle to find new markets. Good luck immediately finding a replacement for the remaining 270 million Americans whom you're refusing to sell to. We could go longer without California strawberries, lettuce, pecans, etc., than California could go without selling them. And as much as I love California wines, Oregon makes better Pinot Noirs, Washington's making some great stuff in the Columbia River Valley now, and there's great inexpensive stuff coming out of Australia and Argentina these days.
OK, sorry to be so vociferous, but such egregious economic illiteracy drives me crazy.
Posted by: James Hanley | June 23, 2009 11:18 AM
Democommie,
You're a husker?! So your frequent claims to not be well-educated are true! ;)
Actually, anyone who beats CU is ok in my book. I'm still steaming from Rick Neuheisel's fake punt while leading Oregon by 26 points with less than 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter in the Cotton Bowl back in . Not to mention their prior coach founded Promise Keepers (I think that was after his daughter got knocked up by one of his players).
Posted by: James Hanley | June 23, 2009 11:25 AM
Uh - that's "does clover taste any good?", not "do bees taste any good?". Natch.
Micheal H - Have an (imaginary) 2000 SA Merlot on me! Hic! - ;) -DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 23, 2009 11:34 AM
James, I'll definitely remember your lack of civility in future discussions. I don't know who pissed in your corn flakes yesterday but it damn sure wasn't me.
Why am I stupid to recognize that (a purely hypothetical and practically unrealistic scenario of) secession would be without at least a short-term shock in oil markets? Price shocks happen every single time there's so much as a rumor, and TX happens to be where most of the Gulf of Mexico oil goes to be refined. I shouldn't have to lay this all out; all the relevant info is quickly Googled once you get over whatever's bothering you.
Posted by: Jon Lester | June 23, 2009 4:17 PM
And the $20/gallon quote was a quick instance of hyperbole. I doubt if I'm first or last to do that here.
Posted by: Jon Lester | June 23, 2009 4:21 PM
I was in the military and ate in one or two mess halls (including ones not run by the U.S.) Trust me, they'll find a way to make it less than yummy. The only meal worth eating in the mess hall is breakfast, which they hardly ever fuck up.
We Californians tend to believe the same thing about our state, too, deep down. Sorry to say, as we've already seen.
Posted by: twincats | June 23, 2009 6:33 PM
John Lester,
Gee, did I hurt your feelings? This is a blog on the intertoobs, not a cocktail party.
Nice backpeddling you're doing on your argument now, but nowhere did you hint in your first message that you were only talking about short term price shocks (which would have a big effect on willingness to pay, which was what you were asking about), and $20/gallon is a pretty stupid level of hyperbole, considering our max price per gallon historically was under $5 (on a national average, can't speak for specific localities after a natural disaster, etc.).
Posted by: James Hanley | June 24, 2009 10:48 AM
Seems to me he was talking about the execution of Jane Fonda, followed by Bill Clinton. Not Hillary. That makes him sane.
Really, for me, the worst part is not the delusional Trilateral Commission stuff--we want them to keep that up because it's as good as a bell around the neck. It's the speaking tone, that sarcastic arrogant dismissive 'oh, we all know that...'.
As for Texas, I'm for secession because I'd enjoy visits to the Austin Enclave regardless of the cost of gas.
ice
Posted by: ice9 | June 24, 2009 11:52 AM
James Hanley:
Yes, I am a "Manchild of the Corn". Speaking of CU, you forgot Gary Barnett, the coach between McCartney and Neuheisel.
Posted by: democommie | June 28, 2009 6:42 PM
What can I say. The guy that wrote this article is a nut. He cut and spliced took out of context and acted reprehensibly according to any rules governing journalism. You should be ashamed of yourself Ed Brayton. I feel this article is worthy of the Gawker Award.
Posted by: David | July 10, 2009 2:06 AM
Oh and by the way Muslims don't clame that Alah and God are the same. Christians don't clame that they are the same. Why should you get the right to speak for both?
Posted by: David | July 10, 2009 2:08 AM
Oh and can you put some dates on these you skunk. They are interpreting prophecy and comparing it to what is currently around them. Say in the 80's probably.
Get a clue Yellow Journalist.
Posted by: David | July 10, 2009 2:11 AM
Uh David -
- Kathryn Joyce's Newsweek article, 19 June 2009
- Chris Rhodda's article, 20 May 2009
- Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches newsletter, September 2006
- The Edge appearance Of James Linzey, 12 March 2005.
And they were, according to your post above, reporting these nutcases giving dire predictions of the 'End Times' THAT HAD ALREADY HAPPENED twenty years or more earlier, right?
Who needs to get a clue again David? - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 10, 2009 2:40 AM