Bob Larson
Encyclopedia
Bob Larson is an American radio and television evangelist
, currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona
. Larson has authored numerous books on the subjects of rock music
and Satanism
, written from a Christian perspective.
, the son of Viola (née Baum) and Earl Larson. He was raised in McCook, Nebraska
.
Larson plays guitar; he has claimed his early experiences as a musician led to his concerns about occult
and destructive influences in rock music. He would later incorporate his guitar playing into some of his sermons. In the 1960s, the focus of Larson's preaching centered mainly on the leftist political ideology, sexually suggestive lyrics, Eastern religious mysticism, and antisocial behavior of many of the era's rock musicians.
(a gothic rock musician) and Zeena Lavey
(once the spokesperson for the Church of Satan
and later a priestess in the Temple of Set
). During their first encounter the pair defended Satanism, while in 1997, during their second appearance, they defended Setianism. Larson debated the pair, and at times attempted to convert them without success.
s and rock music. By this time Larson had come to embrace contemporary Christian music
, including styles such as heavy metal
and rap, and actively promoted the music and artists on his show.
By the late 1980s, in what would come to define his later ministry, Larson was often heard performing exorcism
s of callers on the air. The subjects of Satanism and Satanic ritual abuse
were frequent topics of discussion. Death metal
performer Glen Benton
of Deicide
became a regular caller.
Larson tried his hand at writing fiction: Dead Air (1991) was largely ghost-written by Lori Boespflug and Muriel Olson. His later novels Abaddon (1993) and The Senator's Agenda both linked Satanic ritual abuse
to political corruption; the latter was largely written by Larson and his second wife. However, a former vice president of BLM (Bob Larson Ministries), Lori Boespflug, claimed that much of Dead Air, though presented as Larson's work, is actually her own. Supporting these claims is a letter from Larson's lawyer that warns Larson of his "potential liability to Lori", anticipating that "the role Lori has played" would lead her to "demand recognition and/or profit participation" in respect to Dead Air and its sequels.
In 2004, Larson returned to the radio airwaves after a two-year absence with a daily talk show heard on a network of radio stations and simulcast and archived on the Internet.
Today, Larson remains active. His ministry professes to offer an alternative counseling outlet to people who have problems with violence, self mutilation, multiple personality disorders, Satanic ritual abuse, or molestation.
Televangelism
Televangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
, currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
. Larson has authored numerous books on the subjects of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and Satanism
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
, written from a Christian perspective.
Life and career
Larson was born in Westwood, CaliforniaWestwood, California
Westwood is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California, United States. Westwood is located west-southwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 5128 feet...
, the son of Viola (née Baum) and Earl Larson. He was raised in McCook, Nebraska
McCook, Nebraska
McCook is a city in Red Willow County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Red Willow County...
.
Larson plays guitar; he has claimed his early experiences as a musician led to his concerns about occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
and destructive influences in rock music. He would later incorporate his guitar playing into some of his sermons. In the 1960s, the focus of Larson's preaching centered mainly on the leftist political ideology, sexually suggestive lyrics, Eastern religious mysticism, and antisocial behavior of many of the era's rock musicians.
The Satanic Panic
During the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Bob Larson repeatedly debated, interviewed, and confronted Satanists, during the period known as the Satanic panic. On two separate occasions he hosted Nikolas SchreckNikolas Schreck
Nikolas Schreck is an American musician, author, film-maker and religious teacher.Founder and frontman of the experimental occult band Radio Werewolf from 1984-1993, Schreck is also the author of several books on true crime, cinema, literature, and magic. He directed the infamous documentary...
(a gothic rock musician) and Zeena Lavey
Zeena LaVey
Zeena Schreck, born Zeena LaVey, is an artist, musician, author and the spiritual leader of the Sethian Liberation Movement, which she founded in 2002. Her parents were Anton LaVey and Diane Hegarty, co-founders of the Church of Satan....
(once the spokesperson for the Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
and later a priestess in the Temple of Set
Temple of Set
The Temple of Set is an initiatory occult society claiming to be the world's leading left-hand path religious organization. It professes Setian philosophy and magical practice.-History:...
). During their first encounter the pair defended Satanism, while in 1997, during their second appearance, they defended Setianism. Larson debated the pair, and at times attempted to convert them without success.
"Talk Back" with Bob Larson
In 1982, Larson launched "Talk Back", a two-hour weekday call-in show geared mainly toward teenagers and frequently focused on teen-oriented topics such as role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s and rock music. By this time Larson had come to embrace contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
, including styles such as heavy metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
and rap, and actively promoted the music and artists on his show.
By the late 1980s, in what would come to define his later ministry, Larson was often heard performing exorcism
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
s of callers on the air. The subjects of Satanism and Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse refers to the abuse of a person or animal in a ritual setting or manner...
were frequent topics of discussion. Death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
performer Glen Benton
Glen Benton
Glen Benton is an American heavy metal musician best known as the vocalist and bassist for the death metal band Deicide, although he prefers not to use the 'death metal' terminology. He is also the studio vocalist for Vital Remains, and has performed live with them on a few occasions...
of Deicide
Deicide (band)
Deicide is an American death metal band formed in 1987. Their first two albums, Deicide and Legion, are ranked second and third place in best-selling death metal albums of the SoundScan era.-As Amon/Carnage :...
became a regular caller.
Larson tried his hand at writing fiction: Dead Air (1991) was largely ghost-written by Lori Boespflug and Muriel Olson. His later novels Abaddon (1993) and The Senator's Agenda both linked Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse refers to the abuse of a person or animal in a ritual setting or manner...
to political corruption; the latter was largely written by Larson and his second wife. However, a former vice president of BLM (Bob Larson Ministries), Lori Boespflug, claimed that much of Dead Air, though presented as Larson's work, is actually her own. Supporting these claims is a letter from Larson's lawyer that warns Larson of his "potential liability to Lori", anticipating that "the role Lori has played" would lead her to "demand recognition and/or profit participation" in respect to Dead Air and its sequels.
In 2004, Larson returned to the radio airwaves after a two-year absence with a daily talk show heard on a network of radio stations and simulcast and archived on the Internet.
Today, Larson remains active. His ministry professes to offer an alternative counseling outlet to people who have problems with violence, self mutilation, multiple personality disorders, Satanic ritual abuse, or molestation.
See also
- Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative SpiritualityLarson's Book of World Religions and Alternative SpiritualityLarson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality: All the Facts About Hundreds of Cults is a non-fiction book that discusses cults, New Age movements, and alternative religions from a biblical and Christian perspective....
- John Safran vs GodJohn Safran vs GodJohn Safran vs God is an 8 part television documentary series by John Safran which was broadcast on SBS TV of Australia in 2004. It has been described in a media release as "John Safran's most audacious project yet". It had a much more serious tone than Safran's previous work Music Jamboree...
- John Safran
- Jack ChickJack ChickJack Thomas Chick is an American publisher, writer, and comic book artist of fundamentalist Christian tracts and comic books...