Below a cover of dwell oaks, Tristen Cleve ready for religious battle as screaming guitars cut up the silence of the Texas Hill Nation.
Cleve, government director of the watchdog group County Residents Defending Freedom (CCDF) in Hays County, heaved a big picket cross into an upright place towards a tree trunk—perhaps 30 yards from the fence separating an out of doors live performance venue the place black metallic bands, related to Satanic photos and songs, have been warming up.
When Cleve received wind of a music competition sponsored by Nuclear Warfare Now!, an excessive metallic music manufacturing firm that makes use of Satanic imagery on its web site, he determined to rally the group with a faith-based occasion.
Cleve mentioned he had wished to carry a “prayer picnic” for a while, and this appeared like the right alternative.
One other member of the CCDF occurred to know the property homeowners adjoining to the out of doors venue and requested them for permission to carry a picnic from round 3 p.m. to midnight.
In order that they fired up their smoker grill and set out a Texas-sized unfold of hamburgers, hotdogs, fixin’s, chips, cookies, and iced tea for everybody to take pleasure in whereas sharing fellowship and prayer on a lined patio.
They deliberate for volunteers to face close to the venue’s entrance and supply prayer and bottled water to anybody going inside whereas others prayed for each hour for these on the music competition.
Jim, a neighborhood pastor who didn’t want for his final title for use, mentioned Christians wanted to be able to wage religious warfare calling the next-door occasion an “occult recruitment competition.”
“It is a religious battle, and God desires us right here,” he advised these gathered in a prayer circle and thanked them for popping out.
Jim advised the gang that Jesus was given authority over Heaven and earth and can be along with his followers till the world’s finish.
Cleve additionally advised these gathered they should be “fishers of males” like Jesus.
“Effectively, the fish are on the opposite aspect of that gate,” he mentioned, explaining a number of the folks coming to the competition can be strolling alongside the ranch highway.
The group had an enormous signal studying: “Chilly H2O & a prayer.”
Loving and praying for all who have been going to the opposite aspect of the gate into the competition was a manner of planting a seed that would develop and alter their hearts someday, he mentioned.
“That is what we should always do to counter every little thing they do,” he mentioned, referring to “Satanic” occasions.
“We’re right here to push again and hopefully to point out folks as this group goes on the march right here in America, that that is what their response needs to be,” he mentioned of the Christian group.
Picnic goers who wished to face on the principle roadway and greet anybody strolling to the competition entrance have been additionally given playing cards to cross out, saying the reward of God is everlasting whereas the wages of sin is dying.
The property homeowners the place the picnic was held, Dan and Kathy Misiaszek, mentioned blaring music from their neighbor had tormented them for 5 years.
The Misiaszeks mentioned the music, which tends to be heavy metallic or rap, is so loud it shakes the home windows of their dwelling and forces them to stuff pillows up the chimney to dam the noise that generally lasts till 3 a.m.
The couple, former legislation enforcement officers, mentioned they’ve complained to the native sheriff’s workplace, like many different owners within the space, to no avail. They mentioned the venue proprietor was hostile and used to scream at them throughout the fence and shoot firearms.
Once they and others would complain concerning the noise, the sheriff’s workplace advised them the bands carry out underneath the allowed decibel stage of 85 when checked, so there’s little recourse. The surface venue additionally has a liquor license, the Misiaszeks mentioned, including they ceaselessly discover beer or liquor bottles on their property.
(Hulton Archive/Getty Photographs)
“It appears like somebody’s vomiting within the microphone,” Kathy Misiaszek mentioned of the guttural sound.
In accordance with the net flier, 10 bands from as far-off as Japan, with names corresponding to Witches Hammer, have been scheduled to play on the competition, anticipated to final into the wee hours of the evening.
Cleve mentioned folks shouldn’t imagine these are innocent storage bands or simply musicians searching for consideration and file gross sales.
Within the ’70s, the heavy metallic band Black Sabbath, with bat-biting lead singer Ozzy Osbourne, used darkish imagery to realize notoriety and promote albums, for instance.
In latest interviews, Osbourne has mentioned he doesn’t worship the satan and that the darkish picture of the ’70s British band was a joke.
However Cleve sees it as greater than a publicity stunt, saying Satanists working within the open is a sign of the evil America faces. He pointed to the sexualization of youngsters in faculties and the peddling of harmful gender and race ideology.
“I don’t suppose lots of people understand what’s happening,” he mentioned. “Anybody who thinks these persons are going to go away is asleep.”
Cleve mentioned the hills round Wimberly are rumored to cater to witches, with locals saying the unGodly are interested in the place due to the 666 within the zip code. In accordance with the Bible’s E book of Revelation, that quantity is the mark of the Beast or the anti-Christ.
A neighborhood man, who claims to be the previous head of the Satanic Temple, San Marcos Chapter on his Fb web page, can ceaselessly be seen driving a black horse round city wearing black or as a knight. His Fb web page is stuffed with images and references to Devil.
On the roadside, round 4 p.m., vehicles have been beginning to refill the parking space on the competition. At one level, somebody received on the microphone and commenced making deep growling noises.
Colby Wiltse, state director of the CCDF Texas, and San Marcos resident Man Hennager, stood with an indication dealing with the venue’s entrance providing water and a prayer.
Wiltse mentioned an older man got here out on a mud bike and drove by yelling: “God bless you, too.” One other particular person got here out and took a photograph.
Hennager mentioned he volunteered “simply due to the darkness related to this type of occasion.”
Hennager mentioned sharing a message of hope would have an effect.
“If that is all they’ve ever identified, then they do not know what real love is all about,” he mentioned.
