Dominion of Melchizedek / The Republic of New Lemuria

Staying on topic with Krishna Venta and The Fountain of the World, Patty did a little research on the guy that lives at 585 Box Canyon Road today. His name is Richard James McDonald, formerly titled "Ambassador at Large Plenipotentiary, Minister Of DoM Permanent Court Of Arbitration, Governor of the Dominion of Melchizedek Bar Association and Minister Of Police." He also uses the titles "PhD" and "Esquire" presumably because the Dominion of Melchizedek claims international sovereignty and can set up any kind of rules they want. Imagined territories of the DoM are West Antarctica and several small islands or submerged reefs in the Pacific: Malpelo, Taongi, Solkope, Clipperton and Karitane. The DoM is also a quasi-religious organization, and has its own bible.

An article in the Washington Post reported that DoM was "diplomatically recognized" by the Central African Republic in 1993, but stated, "...you get the feeling that the Central African Republic would recognize the State of Denial if it had a letterhead." An article in the Quatloos online anti-fraud site noted that "Melchizedek has apparently obtained some sort of recognition from some smaller states ... all of which are notable for their corruption." Over 300 investors in various parts of the world have lost money in purported investment, fantasy passport and employment scams run by several "banks" licensed by the DoM. Apologists have suggested that there is no link between Melchizedek and the illegal activities conducted by "banks" it has "licensed."

In November of 1990, McDonald lost an appeal in a case against the US government as follows: "Richard J. McDonald appeals from the judgment of conviction entered by the district court on three counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns in violation of 26 U.S.C. s 7203. McDonald seeks reversal on the grounds that (1) the district court lacked jurisdiction; (2) the indictment failed to adequately allege a criminal offense; (3) he is not a "person" subject to federal tax laws; and (4) Congress did not have the power to enact federal tax statutes because the Fourteenth Amendment was never properly ratified." Needless to say, he lost.

In April 2000, CBS's 60 Minutes II aired a report critical of the DoM. After CBS aired the program, DoM demanded a retraction of statements made during the program. As a result of the bad press, DoM filed a lawsuit (in their own judicial system), seeking damages for libel against CBS in the amount of $1 billion. DoM subsequently entered a default judgement against CBS, claiming that the company failed to respond to the lawsuit. Because of the lack of jurisdiction of the lawsuit, CBS has refused to acknowledge the judgement.

Most recently, McDonald has attempted to avoid the stigma of being associated with the DOM by renaming it "The Republic of New Lemuria." He also claims to have been "knighted" twice: first by "The Sovereign and Imperial Order of Constantine the Great and Saint Helen" and again by "Price Michael Romanov of Russia." In the real world, he was a law enforcement officer before becoming involved in securities fraud, tax evasion and teaching people how to get out of paying speeding fines.

What a freaking nut! Just goes to show that the residents of Box Canyon are as weird now as they ever were. If you care to make an appointment with Sir McDonald to discuss becoming a citizen of his imaginary country, he can be reached via the website at http://www.melchizedek.com/legations/na1.htm

Sound familiar?

I (Ole J.C.) just read the book "The Spiritual Teachings of Master Krishna Venta" and read a lot of similarities with Manson's so-called "Helter Skelter."

Venta believed and preached in an impending race war between blacks and whites. Venta said it would be 1965, but of course died long before that. Venta said that Blacks would win the race war, but be forced to hand over reigns to Russia (whites) due to their superiority. Venta's Godly chore was to assemble a tribe of 144,000 "chosen" ones to hide in underground caverns in a "Valley" he chose (and kept secret) for 40 years until the war ran its course.

Sound familiar?

The man who compiled that book, Jon Fisher, claimed Manson was a MEMBER of the Fountain of the World. “In the summer of 1968 Charles Manson joined the cult. My stepfather, who served in World War 2 as a tail gunner in bombers over Japan, tolerated ‘Brother Charles’ until it was discovered that the lunatic was giving drugs to some of the kids. The ‘family’ was allowed to stay in the cult until they found other housing, but Charles was required to stay in his bus on the upper parking lot. This experience had a traumatic effect on the entire Manson ‘family’, and the rest is history.

Krishna Venta had tremendous influence on Brother Isaiah of Alaska, Charles Manson in 1968 and even Jimmy Jones. Charles Manson lived at the Fountain for a few months and learned a great deal from myself, my step-father, and other Fountain members.”

Venta historian Shawn Sutherland also said he interviewed MANY Fountain members and they ALL said the cross was never on the rock when Manson was in the area- that it was removed after Venta's death and did not make it back until the 70's (after Manson was in prison). So Manson or Watkins never hung on it as Paul Watkins stated in his book.

Here is something Shawn Sutherland posted about Venta on a cult website:

Born Francis Pencovic in the San Francisco of 1911, Venta was an interesting candidate for messiah, having previously lived as burglar, thief, con artist, and shipyard timekeeper. This changed in 1946 when, following a stretch on a chain gang and a stint in the Army, Pencovic’s body (or so he claimed) became the host vessel for the “Christ Everlasting,” an eternal spirit being who had not only died on the cross at Calvary 2,000 years earlier, but had commandeered to Earth from the planet Neophrates a convoy of rocket ships whose passengers included Adam and Eve.

But in the wake of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, insisted Venta, such ancient history was irrelevant. This time around, his Earthly mission was to gather the 144,000 Elect foretold in Revelation and deliver them from an apocalypse heretofore unseen by mankind.

To draw attention to this cause, Venta donned a monk’s robe, permanently discarded footwear, and thereafter forewent cutting both hair and beard. In the Truman and Eisenhower eras, Venta, who frequently made headlines for both his luck at the dog track and his repeated arrests for failure to pay child support, cut a unique figure. His message, however, could not have been more tailor-made for Cold War America.

Armageddon, prophesied Venta, would begin as an armed race war in the streets of America. (If Venta's vision of the future sounds oddly reminiscent of "Helter Skelter," it must be noted that strong debate exists regarding whether Charles Manson, who periodically lodged at the Fountain of the World circa 1968 and 1969, was privy to the teachings of the dead cult leader during his respites there.) In this conflict, Communist Russia, with its nuclear weaponry, would render military aid to African-Americans. But the Soviets would eventually reveal their true stripes, insisted Venta, by enslaving their African-American allies and terminating religious freedom worldwide. Still, fear was unnecessary, for Venta was actively gathering the 144,000, and knew of a hidden North American valley in which his Elect could hide during the bloodshed until the ordained day came for them to exit their secret refuge en masse, cast out the Soviet empire, free the enslaved, and restore religious freedom to mankind.

Until then, Venta could be found on the road spreading his gospel or at either the Homer, Alaska, or Chatsworth, California, outposts of his WKFL (Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Love) Fountain of the World communal colonies, where his 100-something faithful (primarily females) engaged in such varied works of goodwill as feeding the homeless, offering shelter to battered women, and fighting wildfires.

Special thanks to Ole J.C. for the write-up!