Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps

{{cult}}

{{cquote|I saw a giant mixing of people as if they were in a huge mixing bowl, going very fast. They were in [[hell]]. [[YHWH|The Lord]] told me that they were being made one — blended together so that each could partake of the other's agony, damnation, torment. The Lord said, just as we, His people are made one body, so are the tormented in their misery. We are one with each other and God, they are one with each other and [[Satan]].|||"General" Deborah Green<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200814164929/http://cultofthelivinggod.net/visions/visions1.htm Visions given to General Deborah Green directly from the Lord.] cultofthelivinggod.net. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref>}}

The '''Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps (ACMTC)''' is a [[Christian]] [[cult]] located in Fence Lake, [[New Mexico]]. The ministry, formerly known as the Holy Tribal Nation, Free Love Ministries, and Life Force Team was founded in [[California]] in 1981 by "General" James Green and "General" Deborah Green. The cult's name is taken from a sermon by [[Salvation Army]] co-founder Catherine Booth titled "Aggressive Christianity".<ref>[http://www.gospeltruth.net/booth/cath_booth/agressive_christianity/cbooth_1_agressive.htm Catherine Booth. The Gospel Truth, Papers on Aggressive Christianity (1880).] gospeltruth.net. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref> The ACMTC is listed as a hate group by the [[Southern Poverty Law Center]].<ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Map.] splcenter.org. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref>

ACMTC theology is an extreme form of [[Pentecostalism]].<ref>Considerable [[green ink]] is expended on their web site about [[prophecy]] and [[speaking in tongues]]; e.g. "General" James Green, [https://web.archive.org/web/20210611225919/http://www.aggressivechristianity.net/articles/Holy%20Ghost/Tongues%20-Miraculous%20-Intro.htm That Which is Perfect and Tongues.] ''"To say the least, speaking in tongues has been manifested in nearly every Christian denomination up to this study (2005). Some estimate that between 140 to 380 million Christians engage in glossolalia worldwide. This ought to be alarming to the "unbelieving" believers that TONGUES HAS NOT CEASED AS '''THEY''' CLAIM..."'' ...and it goes on like that in larger and larger fonts for a while. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref> The group is viciously [[homophobic]], [[Islamophobic]], and [[paranoid]].

By 1984, the Green Generals' "[[Irony|Free Love]] Ministries", based in Sacramento, California, comprised 50 members and had attracted media attention because of its cult-like atmosphere and crazy screeds appearing in its self-published [[tract]]s and on a local radio show, "Battle Cry".<ref>Diane Divok. [https://web.archive.org/web/20020212145800/http://www.caic.org.au/biblebase/apocolyptic/aggressive2.htm Capital 'prayer warriors' fight myriad demons with vigor.] caic.org.au. ''The Sacramento Bee'', 25 September 1984. Retrieved on 27 October 2015.</ref> In 1986, a cult member died of [[malaria]] while building a "religious outpost" in Malawi; this resulted in the revelation of more sad and sordid details about the cult, as well as of its activities and beliefs.<ref>Nancy Weaver. [https://web.archive.org/web/20111107190846/http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=8 Mom wants her son's remains after church camp "martyrdom".] culthelp.info. The Sacramento Bee, July, 1987. Retrieved on 27 October 2015.</ref> 

[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic Television]] profiled the cult in 2012, documenting the story of a mother and daughter who joined the Greens in Sacramento in 1982 and became entwined in a communal lifestyle where the members "were trained to surrender their [[free will]]". In 1989, the cult was sued by some victims but members never appeared at the trial; instead they gutted their compound and fled the state.<ref>Patrick J. Kiger. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120412003340/http://tvblogs.nationalgeographic.com/2012/04/09/i-escaped-a-cult-inside-the-greens "I Escaped a Cult" -- Inside the Greens.] tvblogs.nationalgeographic.com. 9 April 2012. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref>

{{cquote|They had sort of holy roller-type prayer meetings in the mornings and in the evenings...everyone rolled around on the floor and [[Speaking in tongues|talked in tongues]].|||A former participant<ref name="Williams">Dan Williams. [https://web.archive.org/web/20111107192531/http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=8 Aggressive Christianity - "Soldiers of God" have New Mexico town abuzz.] culthelp.info. El Paso Times. 25 June 1995. Retrieved on 28 October 2015.</ref>}}

The cult resurfaced in 1993 in Berino, [[New Mexico]], a small town northwest of El Paso, [[Texas]], because people like this can never shut up. Here, they self-published a tabloid newspaper called ''Wisdom's Cry'' and maintained their established militaristic, apocalyptic beliefs.<ref name="Williams" />

The cult was active on [[shortwave]] [[radio]] for many years, frequently buying time on private [[United States]] shortwave stations. Their show ''Global Spirit Proclamation'', notable for Deboarah Green's "anapestic androgynous" vocal delivery,<ref>Glenn Hauser. [http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1401.txt DX Listening Digest 14-01.] 1 January 2014. w4uvh.net. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref> appeared for several hours daily on shortwave station WBCQ from 2001 to 2014.<ref>Larry Will. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130513053433/http://radionewyorkinternational.com/archives/winterfest/2013/2013-0301-wbcq-winterfest.pdf Mining the WBCQ Archives.] radionewyorkinternational.com. 3 March 2013. ''"February 5, 2001: WBCQ 17.495 MHz commences regular programming with the Global Spirit Proclamation..."'' Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref>

==Arrest and incarceration==
In August 2017, the Greens were arrested by local authorities in New Mexico and charged with "horrific crimes against children." Deborah Green was charged with sexual assault of a minor and child abuse,<ref>Megan Cruz,
 [http://www.koat.com/article/nm-religious-group-in-spotlight-for-horrific-crimes-against-children/12040259 Local religious group in spotlight for horrific crimes against children.] koat.com, 22 August 2017.</ref> and her son Peter Green was charged with 100 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor.<ref>Josiah Hesse, [https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ywwnzm/cops-accuse-christian-commune-of-smuggling-and-raping-children Cops Accuse Christian Commune of Abusing and Raping Children.] vice.com, 23 August 2017. ''"The Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps is known for its militaristic brand of religion. This week, cops accused key leaders of horrific acts, including some that resulted in a child's death."''</ref><ref>Corky Siemaszko, [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ex-members-describe-military-style-christian-sect-now-accused-child-n796131 Ex-Members Describe Military-Style Christian Sect Now Accused of Child Abuse.] NBC News, 28 August 2017.</ref> In September 2018, Deborah Green was sentenced to 72 years in prison after being convicted of child rape, kidnapping, and child abuse.<ref>Jackie Kent, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181227222045/https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/-aggressive-christianity-cult-leader-sentenced/1477766667 'Aggressive Christianity' cult leader gets 72 years in prison], krqe.com, 27 September 2018.</ref><ref>David Gee, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181001215914/http://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/09/29/leader-of-militant-aggressive-christianity-cult-gets-72-years-for-child-sex-abuse/ Leader of Militant “Aggressive Christianity” Cult Gets 72 Years for Child Sex Abuse], friendlyatheist.patheos.com, 29 September 2018.</ref> James Green pleaded no contest to child abuse charges and in December 2018 was sentenced to ten years in prison.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20181209014422/https://www.abqjournal.com/1255359/nm-sect-co-leader-faces-up-to-10-years-in-prison.html New Mexico sect co-leader faces up to 10 years in prison], Associated Press via abqjournal.com, 8 December 2018.</ref> 

Deborah Green was released from prison in 2022 after appealing her conviction on child abuse, rape and kidnapping charges. A judge allowed her to withdraw her earlier "no contest" plea.<ref>Allison Giron [https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/religious-sect-leader-sentenced-for-child-abuse-released/ Religious sect leader sentenced for child abuse released]. KRQE, 1 February 2022.</ref> James Green was released from prison in 2023.<ref>[https://youtu.be/TH9Vfzq6K0s?si=vnc2Ht8D_lxCFit1 ACMTC, 2023, Aggressive Christianity, General Deborah, General Jim: RELEASED -- NOT GUILTY!'] United Believers Revolution, YouTube, 2023.</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.aggressivechristianity.net Official site] (design and writing are at about the same level as the [[Time Cube]]).
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091212154643/http://cultofthelivinggod.net/more.htm A dysfunctional companion site]
*[https://aggressivechristians.com/ Yet another incoherent webshite]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130616072637/http://mauraschmierer.com/ Regarding ACMTC — post-cult perspectives]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Cults]]
[[Category:Fundamentalism]]
[[Category:Green ink]]
[[Category:Hate groups]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Islamophobia]]
[[Category:Shortwave radio]]
[[Category:We're on a mission from God]]

Categories: Christianity, Cults, Fundamentalism, Green ink, Hate groups, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Shortwave radio, We're on a mission from God