Investigation, cont.:

 

While there was always a possibility of violence against the investigators none was threatened, still precautions were taken to insure that they were as safe as possible.

For the first few days the investigators were being stonewalled by everyone on the ranch.  In order to get cooperation from the Rajneesh we had to involve the Rajneesh Peace Force. 

Every morning we would meet in a meeting room in the ranch house on the ranch with the inclusion of the Chief and City Attorney.  We would discuss the issues faced that day. 

At night the investigators met in Madras to discuss the real issues and concerns and how they would proceed.

It was put out that if any of the Rajneesh had information they were to call a line that went to the Peace Force and they would relay it to the Task Force. 

None of us thought that would really work, but it would have the appearance of including the Peace Force and might make it more enticing for the people to call.

That process was tested by investigators and found that a lot of the information did not get to the task force.  That was also confirmed as the investigation continued and Rajneesh people were talked to – they stated that they had left messages with the Peace Force, the task force had not received them.

We were concerned about the destruction of evidence; but we didn’t have enough information for several days to address issues and where the information was on the ranch.

Thanks to a couple of AG investigators taking the tour of the ranch offered to anyone interested, we got the last bit of information necessary to obtain the warrants.

The night before we were to serve the warrants we met in Madras to formulate a plan.  The next day the Task Force received better cooperation from the Rajneesh, so the Lt. chose not to serve the warrants at that time – but Tuesday it went back to the stonewalling.

It was decided that we would serve the warrants on Wednesday.  I contacted several Sheriff’s Offices and the City of The Dalles PD (since the City had been under attack it was only fair that they participate.)  In addition there were extra officers from the State Police and AG’s Office as well as FBI agents.

That morning there were over 80 law enforcement personnel, not counting those of us in the morning meeting room, on the ranch, ready to serve the warrants.

We met, that morning in the meeting room, as usual around a large oval table.  At the head of the table was the State Police Superintendent, I sat down at the far end of the table across from him.  I was just a bystander, and observer of the drama that was about to unfold.

In the morning meeting a private attorney, for one of the Rajneesh, had asked to address the group and was given permission to be there.  He said his client had a lot of information to give if she would be granted immunity.  According to him, she could bust the case wide open.

He didn’t like the Chief investigator for the AG and belittled him whenever he could.  He had been trying to get the investigator to listen to him about his client; the investigator wouldn’t.  He had plenty of other information and didn’t need hers.

The attorney wanted – actually insisting - to talk directly with one of the two AG attorney’s that the AG had assigned to the case, he was told they refused to meet with him.

(What he didn’t know was the two men were in a motor home along with a SWAT team just east of the building; and we were not about to tell him.)

In addition to that vehicle and the vehicle transporting those deputies, officers and agents to the scene we had other vehicles that would help insure the best communication possible as well as protection for the investigators.

For communications we had the one tower OSP had for radio transmission in the valley area of the farm.  But we also had a couple of communications rigs, one in the valley and the other about half way up the road going into the ranch proper.  The second one would be used as a relay site for the first one to other transmitters.  Both of these units were OSP’s and if I recall correctly the relay one also had a SWAT team in it.

The National Guard was put on standby by the Governor just in case.  Somehow a reporter had found out about the Guard and had published the information – he said his source was me; it was not, I had not talked with the man.  I called his editor and complained for whatever good it did.

His information was accurate on some issues, and he put the security of the officers at risk.

I had moved our communications truck, such as it was, onto another ranch a few miles out from the property, just in case.

The ranch belonged to a former commissioner, current budget committee member and a good friend.  We will discuss him later, it is a good story.

After several minutes of demanding that his client be given immunity, the attorney, in exasperation, proclaimed in a smug voice and attitude, ‘Okay then, all these officers you have standing around here today? ....... They are not going to have anything to do!’

The Superintendent then turned to the Lt., sitting at his left and said, “Serve the warrants.”  The Lt. pulled the warrants out and gave the locations we would be searching.

The attorney looked around the table and then back at the Superintendent and uncomfortably, said, “I guess that is that then.”

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus made Himself VERY clear; the only way to God goes through Him.

All the desire of man to think or act otherwise is going to fail.

Jesus knew He would encounter disbelief and persecution, but He also knew the truth must be told and in that truth comes the only means by which we come to God – and stay with Him.

All of us will, of course, meet Him.  What we want to make sure is that we meet Him with Christ at our side.

John 5:43-47 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

⁴⁴ How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

⁴⁵ Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

⁴⁶ For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

⁴⁷ But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Since we are not of the Jewish faith we have to diligently search – or have others show us – the Scriptures that Jesus refers to in His teachings.

However, the people He was teachings were Jews, they knew God’s Word and they knew the passages that proclaimed Christ’s coming.

They were told, many times, by Jesus, that they would find Him in the Words of the Living God as proclaimed and written by the prophets.

I know that Jesus, when He was in the temple taught as the rabbi’s, the common method was to sit.

But He also taught outside to the multitudes and I would think He had to stand so they could both see Him and better hear Him.

How did He deliver His messages?

Mathew 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

²⁹ For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

He spoke to over 5000 people at once, outside.  How did His voice carry to the back rows?  Did He shout, was He speaking in a natural amphitheater, or did His voice carry because they needed to hear what He had to say – and God made sure they did?

I have had many opportunities to give speeches, to preach and to teach.  I know without the aid of microphones it can be difficult to be heard, not to mention understood. 

Despite the noises that are natural to the outside – not the car and other machinery noises we hear today, but the wind, the shuffling of feet, the noise of the sea as it lapped against the shore – all would impair hearing.

Yet, we also know that He WAS heard.  Part of that came from men and women WANTING to hear Him; hanging on His every word.  I can well imagine it was a hushed crowd, no one speaking or rushing around, they wanted to hear.

We see many evangelists and preachers ‘work themselves up’ and try to get their listeners to do the same, to be emotional – wanting them to give into their emotions so they can better cleanse their soul.  Music is an effective method that adds to the speaker’s words and delivery and is often used to affect our emotions.

They purposely whip people up into an emotional state; they become very dramatic and use their speaking AND theatrical skills to create an emotional response.  But is that really effective when it comes to making genuine commitments to Christ, or just surface feelings?

Mob mentality can spring forth from doing the same thing, a few people get others worked up about whatever the cause and they act in unison to do something – often something illegal.  On their own most of them would never have done what they did as a mob.

The same is done in sporting events and concerts.  Music and individuals using psychological maneuvers to get people excited, to get them stir up.

There is no indication that Christ did any of that.  Emotions are important and when we realize we have sinned, those emotions boil out of us in both, shame for our behavior and gratification that we are saved by Grace.  When we are faced with the truth of God’s Word it can become extremely emotional.

I am an emotional person.  Spiritually I get excited when I hear and/or sing certain songs, I get excited when I realize that God’s Word is alive – I will read a verse that I may have read many times, and then all of a sudden another truth comes to life within me and I can get very emotional.

Or, stories such as the four men in the furnace, dancing, gets my blood going every single time and I want to shout for joy.

There is nothing wrong with getting emotional about Jesus.  There is nothing wrong with being passionate in our witnessing.  We just want to make sure it is genuine.

Jesus knew how to manipulate a crowd, how to use voice inflections and word choices to reach them emotionally.  However, what we read are not what we would consider ‘whipping people up emotionally.’

I am sure He spoke with passion.  He obviously spoke with a voice that was firm and left no doubt about the authority He possessed as He spoke.  He drew people to Him because of His Words and the miracles performed, both to draw people to Him and to prove who He is. 

People responded to Him.  They had an emotional experience being with and listening to Him – particularly those that benefited from His healing.

But it wasn’t the emotions that made them believe, it was the truth of Christ’s Words. 

When we witness to others and share our experiences with them, having passion and emotion is okay, but we also want to make sure they understand the truth of God’s Word and promises to them.

Feeling good about our life is all well and good, but if it is not grounded on the Word, then our emotions can get the best of us and we can’t relate to God in truth. 

We cannot base our life in Christ on emotions; only the assurance that what God said is true, and He is with us always – even when we can’t ‘feel’ Him.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again