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Michael Alfred Warnke (born November 19, 1946) is an American
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
evangelist and
comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...
who was exposed in 1992 for inventing stories of his past as a
Satanist Satanism is a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 1966, although a few h ...
. Before being debunked by the Christian magazine '' Cornerstone'', he was viewed as an "expert" on Satanism in the 1980s.


Early life

Mike Warnke was born in 1946 to parents Alfred "Al" Warnke and Louise Warnke of Evansville, Indiana. When he was five years old, the Warnke family moved to Manchester, Tennessee, where his father opened a truck stop. In 1955, Warnke's mother was killed in a car accident. In 1958 his father died, leaving Warnke an orphan. After the death of his father, Warnke was taken to live with two of his aunts in Sparta, and from there to Mike's half-sister and her husband in San Bernardino, California. In June 1965, he graduated from Rim of the World High School in
Lake Arrowhead Lake Arrowhead or Arrowhead Lake may refer to: United States Bodies of water * Arrowhead Lake (Idaho) * Lake Arrowhead Reservoir, California * Lake Arrowhead, Georgia * Lake Arrowhead (Maine) Communities * Arrowhead Lake, Cumberland County, New J ...
. That September, Warnke enrolled at San Bernardino Valley College but withdrew after one semester, whereupon by his account, he began his tenure as a
Satanist Satanism is a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 1966, although a few h ...
. On June 2, 1966, Warnke enlisted in the United States Navy. After graduating from
boot camp Boot camp may refer to: Training programs * Boot camp (correctional), a type of correctional facility for adolescents, especially in the U.S. penal system * Boot camp, a training camp for learning various types of skills ** Dev bootcamp, a de ...
on August 22, 1966, his assigned military occupational specialty was as a hospital corpsman. According to the account of his life in ''The Satan Seller'', Warnke
converted to Christianity Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. Different Christian denominations may perform various different kinds of rituals or ceremonies initiation into their community of believe ...
during boot camp. However, high-school acquaintance Charlotte Tweeten has stated she recalls Warnke proclaiming faith in Christ in the year prior to his navy enlistment in 1966. He also wrote that he began dating fellow Rim of the World High School alumna, Sue Studer, during this time period. This has been disproven, however, and Warnke was actually engaged to Lois Eckenrod at this time. In 1967, he completed naval corpsman training, returned to San Diego, and married Studer. Together, they had two children. In 1969, Warnke was deployed to Vietnam for a six-month tour of duty.''Cornerstone'', issue 98: "Records show Warnke was in Vietnam for only six months" Having been wounded in battle during those six months, he was awarded the Purple Heart. Warnke's own written accounts differ on the number of times he sustained injuries during his time in Vietnam. In ''The Satan Seller'', Warnke says he was wounded twice, while in his second book, ''Hitchhiking on Hope Street'', he states he was wounded five times. Despite these wounds received during his tour of duty as a hospital corpsman, second class, Warnke's various accounts have him spending much time detained, allegedly killing a man in battle, and surviving being shot several times, including once by an arrow. Warnke says it was the latter wound for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.''Hey Doc'' recording. Word Records Warnke returned to the United States in 1970. While still serving in the navy, Warnke teamed up with San Diego evangelist
Morris Cerullo Morris Cerullo (October 2, 1931 – July 10, 2020) was an American Pentecostal evangelist. He traveled extensively around the world for his ministry. He hosted ''Victory Today'', a daily television program, and published more than 80 books. Cer ...
and was touted for his "Satanist experience". Warnke and Cerullo toured the country participating in
charismatic Charisma () is a personal quality of presence or charm that compels its subjects. Scholars in sociology, political science, psychology, and management reserve the term for a type of leadership seen as extraordinary; in these fields, the term "ch ...
revival meetings. Cerullo wanted to write a book about youth occultism, and assigned the writing task to David Balsiger with help from Warnke. In early 1972, Warnke requested and received an early discharge from the navy as a
conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...
so that he could work full-time in the ministry. Warnke then left Cerullo's ministry to start his own, forbidding Cerullo to use any of his material. It was at this time that Warnke and Balsiger went on to write the book that would make Warnke famous.


Rise to fame


''The Satan Seller''

In 1972, Warnke's book ''The Satan Seller'' was released. Written by Warnke, with help from Balsiger and Les Jones, the book tells of Warnke being orphaned as a child and his introduction into Satanism. Further detailed is Warnke's participation in sexual orgies, alcoholism, and drug dealing; his rise in the ranks of Satanism to the level of "high priest"; presiding over Satanic rituals including magical spells, summoning demons, ritual sex including a kidnap and rape; the attempt on his life—a
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
overdose—that left him angry and disillusioned; his heroism in Vietnam; and how he found Jesus and came home as an evangelist. The story ends with Warnke living happily in California with wife Sue Studer. In fewer than three months after the release, ''The Satan Seller'' had become a religious best-seller. The book launched Warnke into stardom within evangelical Christian communities. He became a popular speaker at Christian meeting places such as Melodyland in
Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
, California. In 1974, Warnke moved his family to attend Trinity Bible College in Tulsa,
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, as a nine-month preparation for ministry. It was here, while among other charismatic Christians and recent converts preparing for a life of ministry, that Warnke met Carolyn Alberty and the two began an extramarital affair. Warnke also met Elijah Coady, an independent, schismatic bishop of the Syro-Chaldean Church, also known as the
Assyrian Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East,, ar, كنيسة المشرق الآشورية sometimes called Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East,; ar, كنيسة المشرق الآشورية الرسول ...
. Coady ordained Warnke as a deacon. Upon graduation, Warnke was again ordained, and he moved with his family to Denver, Colorado.


Recordings and wives

In November 1975 at an Indiana
coffeehouse A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...
, Warnke's talk about his conversion from Satanism to Christianity was incidentally recorded. This recording became his first album, ''Alive'', which was soon widely played on
Christian radio Christian radio is a Christian media radio format that focus on programming with a Christian message. Many such broadcasters play contemporary Christian music, though many programs include sermons, radio dramas, as well as news and talk progra ...
. Later that same year, despite interventions from pastors and other acclaimed ministers, Warnke left his wife for Alberty and filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in December 1975 and four months later, Warnke married Alberty. Warnke's popularity earned him the cover of the September 1976 issue of the Christian magazine ''Harmony''. In 1977, he released his second album, ''Jester In The King's Court''. In 1978, he recounted his Vietnam experiences on his third album, ''Hey, Doc!''. Warnke's albums became "the most popular Christian comedy albums ever produced".As quoted in ''Cornerstone'' issue 98: During a tour to
Hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm Harm is a moral and legal concept. Bernard Gert construes harm as any of the following: * pain * death * disability * mortality * loss of abil ity or freedom * loss of pleasure. Joel Feinberg giv ...
, Kentucky, Warnke met Rose Hall, a thrice-divorced mother of three children, and began courting her while still married to his second wife. His second marriage came to an end when, as Alberty stated in an interview, " arnkethrew me into a wall and split my head open. He said, 'If you go to a local hospital and tell them what your name is, I'll kill you.'" Alberty fled to Florida. By November 1979, their divorce was finalized, and Warnke moved to Hall's farm in Kentucky. On January 2, 1980, Warnke and Hall were married. Warnke and his label, Word Records, feuded over an album which he eventually produced and distributed on his own, ''A Christian's Perspective on Halloween'' (1979). Word Records and Warnke reconciled by 1981, resulting in ''Coming Home'' (1981), and now including wife Rose, ''Higher Education'' (1982) and ''Growing Up'' (1983). Under Word's Dayspring label, Warnke then released (solo) ''Stuff Happens'' (1985), ''Good News Tonight'' (1986), ''One In A Million'' (1988), ''Live ... Totally Weird'' (1989).The Exhaustive Christian Music Discography: W
Warnke also made a VHS home video, ''Do You Hear Me?'' (1989). During the 1980s, Warnke's ministry prospered as he and his new wife toured and performed together, raising millions of dollars for their ministry. Contributions to the ministry were over $1 million in 1985, and over $2 million each year from 1987 through 1990. As their popularity waxed, their personal relationship waned. In 1984, Warnke's third wife wrote, "Satan provided a woman to fill the gap in Michael's life."As cited by ''Cornerstone'' expose: The Warnkes separated in 1989 and later divorced in 1991. Six weeks after the divorce was finalized, Warnke married Rim of the World High School alumna Susan Patton.


Extravagant claims

In 1982, Warnke began to exaggerate his achievements. During the 1980s, his claims of academic degrees increased from two bachelor's degrees to two master's degrees to a Doctorate of Philosophy. In ''The Satan Seller'', Warnke says he was wounded twice while in Vietnam. In ''Hitchhiking on Hope Street'', he said he had been wounded five times. He followed up his interest in the
Syro-Chaldean The East Syriac Rite or East Syrian Rite, also called the Edessan Rite, Assyrian Rite, Persian Rite, Chaldean Rite, Nestorian Rite, Babylonian Rite or Syro-Oriental Rite, is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that employs the Divine Liturg ...
tradition and his 1970s ordination as a deacon with a 1983 ordination by independent bishop Richard Morrill, lately of the Byzantine Catholic Church, Inc. This ordination allowed Warnke to call himself bishop.


National exposure

On May 16, 1985, Warnke appeared in a prime-time news report about Satanism on ABC's '' 20/20''. In the show's episode titled "The Devil Worshippers", Warnke was included in a number of segments where he discussed the implements and clothing used in Satanic ceremonies, a scar allegedly indicating where he was repeatedly cut so that his blood could be used in Satanic ceremonies, and what drew him to Satanism. After Warnke's appearance on ''20/20'', he was frequently cited as an expert on the
occult The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...
by Christian radio host
Bob Larson Bob Larson (born May 28, 1944) is an American radio and television evangelist, and a pastor of Spiritual Freedom Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Larson has authored numerous books critical of rock music and Satanism. Life and career Larson was bo ...
and the Chick Publications stable of authors.


Investigation and debunking

In 1991, '' Cornerstone'' magazine launched an investigation into Warnke's life and testimony. The previous year, the magazine had debunked
Lauren Stratford Laurel Rose Willson (August 18, 1941 – April 8, 2002) was an American con artist. She authored books alleging Satanic ritual abuse (SRA), and later assumed the guise of a Holocaust survivor. Early life Willson was born in Tacoma, Washingt ...
's story that had been recounted in her book '' Satan's Underground''. Stratford claimed her deep involvement in Satanism led her to partake in a ritual in which her own child was
sacrificed Sacrifice is the offering of material possessions or the lives of animals or humans to a deity as an act of propitiation or worship. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks, and possibly exis ...
. After the exposé showed Stratford's alleged child had never existed, ''Cornerstone'' journalists Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott investigated Warnke and his claims. The ''Cornerstone'' investigation spanned from interviews with over 100 of Warnke's personal friends and acquaintances to his ministry's tax receipts. It revealed a number of inaccuracies and evidence of
fraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain, or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compens ...
and deceit in Warnke's accounts. During the course of ''Cornerstones investigation, pictures of Warnke taken during the time he was alleged to be a Satanist priest were discovered. Rather than showing an emaciated drug-addict sporting long fingernails and waist-length hair, the pictures showed Warnke as a typical "square" of the mid-1960s. The investigation also revealed Warnke's claims that he and
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934November 19, 2017) was an American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four loca ...
had attended a Satanic ritual to be false; Manson was in federal prison at the time, having no known ties to Satanic churches. The investigation further uncovered that before joining the navy, Warnke had been involved with the college Christian ministry Campus Crusade for Christ. The investigation also revealed the unflattering circumstances surrounding Warnke's multiple marriages, affairs, and divorces. Regarding one Christian intervention attempt, the ''Cornerstone'' article states, " onRiling, Mike Johnson, Wes Yoder, and Mike and Carolyn were there. 'You’d have never guessed that this was a meeting of Christians,' says Riling. 'Mike and Carolyn were swearing the whole time, and they must have gone through a whole pack of cigarettes.'" Most critically, the investigation showed how Warnke could not have done the many things he claimed to have taken part in throughout the nine months he claimed to be a Satanist—including his claims to be a drug-addicted dealer or a Satanic high priest. Before publishing, ''Cornerstone'' contacted Warnke for an interview, but he and the magazine could not agree to terms for such an interview. ''Cornerstone'' revealed its story at the annual
Christian Booksellers Association CBA (formerly known as the Christian Booksellers Association), subtitled "The Association for Christian Retail since 1950", is a trade association that was established in 1950. History The association was first organized by 219 Christian booksto ...
convention in June 1992.


Aftermath

Warnke sent a response to ''Cornerstone'', published in July, insisting he told the truth, stating: Despite these assertions, Warnke did not provide the name of a single Satanist but used invectives against ex-wife Carolyn. In the ensuing months, he conceded parts of the allegations, telling ''
Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "evange ...
'' that there had been only thirteen members of his coven, not 1,500 as originally claimed, and that of those thirteen, the whereabouts of five were unknown to him, while the other eight had since died.Jay Grelen. "Christian comedian says he lied about coven", ''
Lexington Herald-Leader The ''Lexington Herald-Leader'' is a newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the ''1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook'', the paid circulation of the ''Herald-Leader'' is the second large ...
'', November 3, 1992, page B1.
Public response was varied but was nevertheless overwhelmingly against Warnke. Initially, Word Records stated that they would stand by their artist. However, further investigations by local Kentucky reporters at the ''
Lexington Herald-Leader The ''Lexington Herald-Leader'' is a newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the ''1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook'', the paid circulation of the ''Herald-Leader'' is the second large ...
'' revealed that Warnke's ministry had engaged in financial misdeeds and that, "Mike, his ex-wife Rose, and her brother Neale allreceived a total of $809,680 in salary at a time when the ministry newsletter claimed donations were down and more funds were needed." One week later, Word Records dropped Warnke from its label. Finally, on September 30, 1992, fewer than 100 days after the investigation was made public, Warnke's ministry closed its doors.Jay Grelen. "Christian comedian set to close doors of troubled ministry", ''
Lexington Herald-Leader The ''Lexington Herald-Leader'' is a newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and based in Lexington, Kentucky. According to the ''1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook'', the paid circulation of the ''Herald-Leader'' is the second large ...
'' (KY), September 30, 1992, page C13.
In the spring of 1993, Warnke submitted to the authority of an assembly of ministers "acting as elders", acknowledging his "ungodliness", his "multiple divorces", his "failure as husband, father, and friend", and of "embellishment and exaggeration ... in an attempt ... to entertain", and offering to pay back taxes to the federal government. The group recommended specific changes to the ministry, including a salary cap and accountability reports.Tamie Ross. "Laughs stopped for Christian comic: Mike Warnke offers fans new outlook after ministry's crash", ''The Daily Oklahoman'', September 30, 2000, page 1B Nonetheless, he continued to "stand by istestimony of former Satanic involvement",Warnke'
1993 statement of apology and repentance
stating in a 2000 interview with the '' Daily Oklahoman'', "Exaggeration did creep into some of my stories, but my testimony is still my testimony.""Local notes - Controversial comedian", '' The Modesto Bee'' (CA), February 2, 2002, page G1: ''"Mike Warnke, a popular 1970s Christian comedian later accused of fabricating claims about his Satanist past, will speak at Pentecostal Church of God Friday through February 10. ... It is unlikely he will talk about his colorful past, said Hughson Pastor Roy Little. Warnke speaks these days about his current Christian faith."'' As of 2006, a letter posted on Warnke's web site indicated the group had released him as having met their accountability requirements.Monique H. Henderson. "Spotlight: Christian comedian Mike Warnke comes to Rancho Mirage: his humor is in the past", '' The Press-Enterprise'' ( Riverside, CA), October 3, 2007, page B2. In 1997, Warnke suffered a heart attack. In 2000, he began attempting a comeback, limited to small churches in Kentucky. In 2002, he published ''Friendly Fire: A Recovery Guide for Believers Battered by Religion'' (), an account of what he perceived as his unfair treatment by fellow Christians in the wake of the ''Cornerstone'' exposé. By 2004, he was making occasional performing appearances at churches around the country, often referred to simply as "Christian comedian Mike Warnke","This week" (local events column), ''Springfield News-Leader'' (MO), September 15, 2007, page 2C: ''"Shoal Creek Revival Church ... Christian comedian Mike Warnke 7 p.m. today and 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday."''Carol Reiter. "Around Town: Walk for health care" (local events column), ''The Merced Sun-Star'' (CA), April 14, 2007: ''"Calvary Temple Worship Center, ... will present Mike Warnke ... . Warnke will share his life experiences from more than 35 years in World Wide Ministry."''"Access religion" (local events column), '' The Oklahoman'' ( Oklahoma City, OK), August 19, 2006, page 2E: "First Assembly of God of Guthrie, Christian comedian Mike Warnke ... . " and sometimes as a former Satanic priestStaff reports. "Ex-hippie employs comedy to spread God's word", '' El Paso Times'' (TX), October 15, 2004, page 1D: ''"According to his Web site, Warnke was a satanic high priest ... "..."Religion calendar", '' St. Petersburg Times'' (FL), October 21, 2006, PASCO TIMES section, page 5.Barbara Hale. "Around town: Mike Warnke entertains", ''The Merced Sun-Star'' (CA), August 3, 2006, page 2: ''"A man who has spent 34 years ministering to the lost and brokenhearted is coming to Merced to share his comedic style that gains the attention of listeners. The speaker is Mike Warnke, an ex-satanist high priest, hippie, drug addict, pusher and Naval hospital corpsman attached to a U.S. Marine Corps unit in Vietnam. ..."'' although some mentions in the news referred to the ''Cornerstone'' exposé.


See also

* Tony Anthony – a British evangelist whose claims were exposed as false * Ergun Caner – Former college President who made similar claims that he was an Islamic terrorist that have been disputed *
Lauren Stratford Laurel Rose Willson (August 18, 1941 – April 8, 2002) was an American con artist. She authored books alleging Satanic ritual abuse (SRA), and later assumed the guise of a Holocaust survivor. Early life Willson was born in Tacoma, Washingt ...
– an American whose claims to have been brought up as a baby breeder in a Satanic cult were exposed as false *
John Todd John Todd or Tod may refer to: Clergy *John Todd (abolitionist) (1818–1894), preacher and 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad * John Todd (author) (1800–1873), American minister and author * John Todd (bishop), Anglican bishop in the early ...
– an American who claimed to have been a Satanic high priest before his conversion to Christianity * ''
Michelle Remembers ''Michelle Remembers'' is a discredited 1980 book co-written by Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder and his psychiatric patient (and eventual wife) Michelle Smith. A best-seller, ''Michelle Remembers'' relied on the discredited practice of rec ...
'' – a discredited memoir detailing Satanic ritual abuse by Canadian psychiatrist
Lawrence Pazder Lawrence Pazder (April 30, 1936 – March 5, 2004) was a Canadian psychiatrist and author. Pazder wrote the discredited biography, ''Michelle Remembers'', published in 1980, with his patient (and eventual wife) Michelle Smith, which claimed to d ...
and his patient and later wife, Michelle Smith


References


Further reading

*Mike Hertenstein, Jon Trott: ''Selling Satan: The Tragic History of Mike Warnke'' (), Cornerstone Press 1993. An expanded, book-length version of the ''Cornerstone'' exposé by the original journalists.


External links


Mike Warnke and Celebrations of Hope
official website * by Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott {{DEFAULTSORT:Warnke, Mike 1946 births 20th-century hoaxes American autobiographers American evangelicals American male comedians United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War Comedians from California Hoaxes in the United States Impostors Living people Nestorians People from Kentucky People from Manchester, Tennessee People from San Bernardino, California Religious scandals Satanic ritual abuse hysteria in the United States United States Navy sailors Writers from Evansville, Indiana