The forefathers of the United States of America sought religious freedom, and the First Amendment made a step toward that guarantee—“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . .”
Religious freedom is often challenged. Religious intolerance and bigotry create a fertile ground for extremists who, for financial gain and/or personal glory, will use whatever means—emotional, psychological, or physical—to further their ends.
Rick Ross is one of those extremists. He claims to be an expert on “cults” and lists more than 250 people and organizations as “controversial groups” on his website, including Amway and the Mormon Church. He promotes his anti-Christian beliefs under the guise of “deprogramming” and uses coercion to “persuade” his victim to renounce his religious beliefs. He creates panic and suspicion in the minds of his audience, be it his chosen victim who may practice an alternative religion, or the victim’s family, or the general public who are easily manipulated by simply mentioning the tragedies at Jonestown or Waco.
Ross works in tandem with a sensationalizing media that readily accepts his so-called “expertise” and ignores the rights of new religious groups to freely exercise their religion. Only when clear evidence of criminal wrong-doing is present are the authorities legally justified to interfere with our religious liberty. This is a lesson still to be learned by our “trusted” media.
Below is an incomplete summary of Ross’s record, which reveals his character and decades of his anti-social “activities.”
- Ross’s history of aggressiveness and mental instability began in his early life, before 1963, according to a 3-page report on Rick Ross (dated March 29, 1967) by Dr. Harold McNeely, clinical psychologist. Dr. McNeely mentions Ross’s display of aggressiveness and emotional problems at age 6. (Additional information about Ross’s mental issues is in his record. Refer to the 196 page document cited further below.)
- In 1974 and 1975 Ross was convicted for conspiracy and grand theft. His probation was revoked for misconduct and later extended to four years. He also admitted to using stolen credit cards and stealing furniture and appliances from model homes.
- In 1979 Ross failed to complete an agreement for car repairs and was court-ordered to pay the judgment and legal fees.
- Ross admitted committing two dozen kidnappings (adult and children) in the 1980s.
- Ross was found liable for $3.125 million in damages in 1991 for forcibly kidnapping a young man and beating him in an effort to change his religious beliefs. This judgment was upheld on appeal, but Ross filed bankruptcy in 1995 to remove this debt and escaped paying his victim.
- In 1993 Ross was a source of information for a Waco newspaper series of stories on the Branch Davidians and was in contact with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Ross was criticized by Dr. Nancy Ammerman in her report to the Justice and Treasury Departments on the law enforcement interaction with the Branch Davidians because of his “direct ideological (and financial) interest in arousing suspicion and antagonism” toward the Branch Davidians. Dr. Ammerman emphasized Ross’s self-proclaimed credentials as a “cult expert” are not recognized in the academic community. After reviewing the information about the 1993 Waco events, it is our opinion that Rick Ross’s involvement indirectly led to the death of more than 100 people—men, women, and children.
Rick Ross often contributes to a “Waco mentality” when he works with newspapers to demonize alternative religious groups, particularly those who are Christian in origin, as he is Jewish.
Ross’s deprogramming activities are a “danger to religious liberty” and have fallen increasingly outside the law according to the National Council of Churches (among others), according to Dr. Ammerman.
For those churches, groups, or persons on his “hit list,” we know this is true, for we all have experienced the many negative ramifications of his “spin” on those aligned with Global Community Communications Alliance and the falsehoods presented by him. We also know of others who have suffered at the unethical behavior of Ross, for we have had contact with many of them. Ross collects and distributes negative information, much of it untruthful, to undermine many ministries and discourage people in their faith walk. He takes every opportunity to sabotage a church, an organization, or an individual’s beliefs.
The documents verifying much of the information in this article are at www.religiousfreedomwatch.org.
Please review the history of Rick Ross for further insight into the personality of someone who will malign or attack those whose faith or belief system is in a new or alternative religion.
It is hoped that you have an interest in protecting all individuals’ guarantee of religious liberty. To sit idle allows religious bigots to run roughshod over others and contributes to worldwide religious intolerance and eventual misunderstanding, death, and destruction. Commit yourself to speak up against those who would lie and distort the truth. United we can bring forth a new paradigm of honest, clean communication to bring about a spiritual solution to the distress of all the people in our world.
Human-rights Advocate and Minister Celinas Ruth, Esq.
Managing Attorney of Global Family Legal Services, a faith-based legal services program of Global Community Communications Alliance