Hundreds of truck trailers have been loaded with food and water on the group's 44-acre compound, in preparation for the coming war. However this is not the first time he predicted the outbreak of nuclear war. Hawkins previously set Sept. 12, 2006 as the beginning of the end. His followers produced an on-line video with a countdown to doomsday. In Kenya, hundreds of his followers actually hid in basement bomb shelters and donned gas masks on the date. They went home in humiliation when there was no war.
Former members say there is a method to Hawkins' madness, that the doomsday predictions help him make money and keep disillusioned members from leaving, for fear they will be killed when the end comes.
"He's been saying just give me two more years, we're right at the end," said former member Miriam Martin who left in 2004. Why would you give up now? That's how he controls people, is through fear," Other former members say they are required to buy doomsday food and supplies from a company that Hawkins owns personally, Life Nutrition Products. "Everything that he preaches has to do with people buying something," said former House of Yahweh elder David Als of New York City. Like many of the his followers, Als actually legally changed his last name to Hawkins because he became convinced that only those named Hawkins would be saved.
Hawkins says as a prophet he knows that nuclear outbreak will come 'round the great river Euphrates. In addition to dealing with the beginning of the end, Hawkins is also dealing with some serious legal problems - he is facing felony bigamy charges He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and says he is being targeted because authorities do not like his brand of religion.
Ah well no end of the world this week I would guess, Ah well I’m sure another Prophet will be along soon.
