Why I Think Alberto Rivera Was Rightfully Not Included in "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith"
While I did retire Chick Publications from my list of sources but they did sell one video that was rather useful. It's called "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" which is also sold by Chick Publications. Unfortunately, Chick Publications has been guilty of publishing several fraudulent testimonies. Rebecca Brown's story was too fantastic to be real. The late John Todd was a fraudster. A dead man who I put above the pedestal was Alberto R. Rivera. Unfortunately, documentation of Rivera having shown signs of being a fraud while he lived has shown up and I ignored it for several years. What seemed to be just a malicious work by the Vatican turned out to contain facts against the man. Rivera is too dead to defend himself but the facts aren't. What was also amazing is that some Protestant groups and Baptist groups are speaking against Rome also discredit the "Alberto" comics as spurious sources.
Was Rivera really a man of God or a fraudulent man of Satan like the very Pope sitting in Rome? I watched the video and wondered why wasn't Rivera included? I thought Rivera could've shared interesting stuff and should've been in the video. He could've easily mentioned stuff from his comic books and verify them in such a powerful documentary. What you read right now may blow your mind especially if you supported Rivera and Chick Publications before like I did.
When former Roman Catholic priests speak up and reveal Rivera was a fraud
What's very interesting is that the late Bartholomew Brewer of Missions to Catholics International. He's a real former Roman Catholic priest who revealed Rivera to be a fraud. Brewer who was in the video may have told Lumen Productions that Rivera was never a former Jesuit priest but a charlatan. I heard from a publication named "Evangelicals Now" that Rivera while a former Catholic wasn't a former priest. It's also said that Francisco Franco's regime was so full of forgeries that Rivera could easily pass himself as a priest. Bible Based Ministries (which has worked with Brewer) had written an expose that Rivera himself was a charlatan and that his story is far different from what Chick Publications made. Brewer would have been too wise by God's grace to know than to put a story that's too wild to be true while preaching to Roman Catholics the Gospel they need to hear.
The documentary itself presented two real former Jesuit priests named Bob Bush and Victor Affonso. I heard that the picture of Rivera in a seminary was him pretending to be a priest as Leslie Price of Evangelicals Now points out. I hear Rivera supposedly won people to Christ. Then again, so did the late Billy Graham who was a servant of the Vatican. I think both Bush and Affonso as real former Jesuit priests would've had evidence over Rivera as unreliable. If they wanted a real former Jesuit priest then both Bush or Affonso would've sufficed. Why would Brewer recommend a charlatan when they want to present the truth and nothing but the truth to Roman Catholics who badly need to hear it? I think Rivera planned to appear on the video but may have done something that aroused suspicion. Did he probably also try to discredit Bush and Affonso while he was at it? Did he promise materials to Lumen Publications but never gave them while he ran off with the money? Those are just a few stuff that could've hypothetically happened along the way. What's more important to know is that neither Bush nor Affonso gave a story as fantastic as Rivera's story.
There's the book "Alberto Rivera: The True Story" by the late Roy Livesey. Shaun Willcock of Bible Based Ministries and Take Heed Info decided to edit it. Livesey went to be with the Lord before the book could be published. God was going to use Livesey's work posthumously to show that even the work of dead Christians can be used beyond the grave. Livesey wasn't able to live long enough to see it published. However, the book itself (available on PDF here and I encourage you to read it) has highlighted several details. The book doesn't discredit Avro Manhattan (which the late Jack Chick used to prove Rivera right) but on Rivera himself. Rivera himself was most likely involved in credit grabbing. The book itself mentions the video "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" which states the following on page 62 of the said book:
There's the book "Alberto Rivera: The True Story" by the late Roy Livesey. Shaun Willcock of Bible Based Ministries and Take Heed Info decided to edit it. Livesey went to be with the Lord before the book could be published. God was going to use Livesey's work posthumously to show that even the work of dead Christians can be used beyond the grave. Livesey wasn't able to live long enough to see it published. However, the book itself (available on PDF here and I encourage you to read it) has highlighted several details. The book doesn't discredit Avro Manhattan (which the late Jack Chick used to prove Rivera right) but on Rivera himself. Rivera himself was most likely involved in credit grabbing. The book itself mentions the video "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" which states the following on page 62 of the said book:
As regards Rivera’s idea of an asylum for such priests, I met with a former Jesuit priest, Victor Affonso. From 1960 to 1963 he was at the Spanish Jesuit house of San Cugat del Valles. This is only ten minutes by train from Tarrasa (Barcelona), and Victor said there was nothing in the Barcelona area like the insane asylum that the Alberto book describes.
Victor Affonso was a Jesuit for more than 30 years and took the fourth vow. He is featured in the film, Crisis of Faith, which was available for sale at Chick Publications when I called there. The video exposes Roman Catholicism, and also includes the testimonies of former priest Bartholomew Brewer and former Jesuit priest Bob Bush, whom I have met and consulted concerning Rivera. Like all the other former priests interviewed, they believe Rivera was never a Roman Catholic priest.
It seems that Livesey himself had actually had a one-on-one talk with Affonso. Affonso himself had published his testimony "To Follow Jesus Without Compromise". Granted, Affonso was a real former Jesuit priest and his testimony is nowhere as fantastic as Rivera's. Also, Affonso had a more convincing picture of him saying mass in the video than Rivera's picture where he was allegedly a director of a certain Roman Catholic parish. Rivera himself had given such a magnificent story in contrast to Affonso. Bush another real former Jesuit priest published his testimony called "Once a Jesuit, Now a Child of God". Bush's testimony is not even as amazing as Rivera's. Neither former Jesuit priest talked about supernatural encounters or startling revelations from the Vatican's archives like Rivera did. Livesey who had consulted Bush and Affonso would have helped reveal that Rivera was never a former comrade of theirs while the two were really former Jesuit priests. I guess Brewer had enough evidence. If Rivera actually wanted to be featured in the anti-Catholic documentary - Lumen Productions would've known his reputation as a charlatan. Lumen Productions couldn't risk putting false information in an anti-Catholic documentary they want to lead Roman Catholics towards the truth.
If you considered Affonso's testimony - he was in Spain from 1960 to 1963. He would probably have had a long list of Jesuit priests. Maybe, he was a high-ranking Jesuit in San Cugat del Valles and testified that he never worked with Rivera. Francisco Franco ruled Spain from 1936 to 1975. That time period would easily fit Affonso's time when he was in the Jesuit house in Spain. A trip away easily proved that Rivera's claim of a madhouse in Barcelona was not real. Not to mention, Affonso would have had easily testified for Rivera's claims. Instead, Affonso as a real former Jesuit priest would be aware that Rivera wasn't. I guess Affonso himself would've easily told Lumen Productions that Rivera was a fraudster.
Jack T. Chick's ungodly response in defense of Rivera
The late Jack T. Chick wrote in his book "Smokescreens" with suspicion against Brewer. That is considered a self-contradictory move since he is also a distributor of the same video "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" by Lumen Productions. Was Chick too engrossed in the fantastic story and "testimony" of Rivera? I think the "Alberto" comic series sold millions because they seemed to reveal mind-blowing information. However, Rivera might as well also be a credit grabber as he spins very confusing half-truths one after the other. Much information in "The Godfathers" can be found in other sources that reveal the Vatican's long history of starting wars. The book "The Secret History of the Jesuits" by Edmond Paris already uncovered a lot of information that didn't need Rivera at all. I heard there are also other books about the Vatican's involvement in the two major world wars. I don't deny Rivera cited some valid sources in that same book. Chick Publications' book "The Big Betrayal" was based on another real former Roman Catholic priest. Yet, why did Chick still continue publishing Rivera's "life story" even if there were more evidence against it? Instead, he chose to sell the book "Is Alberto for Real?" by Sidney Hunter. While Rivera's claims do get verified by current events yet his claims are mired and mixed with lies from his own mind.
What's also interesting was that Chick seemed to be more interested in what Rivera had to say than the truth. Manhattan's documents are well-documented. Unfortunately, Rivera's isn't when it comes to claims of his so-called personal experience. Chick assumed that Livesey was supposedly a Vatican-financed stooge. It's already becoming a fad to accuse anyone of being a Vatican stooge if they disagree. I heard Rivera had used the same tactic to hide his activities or to dominate over others. Chick himself could've produced a comic version of "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" with permission from Lumen Productions. However, Chick chose to focus on Rivera's testimony instead. Was it because Rivera's "testimony" was going to sell more copies than the testimonies of the two real former Jesuit priests? I think making a comic book out of Affonso's and Bush's life wasn't going to sell that much because they never gave any fantastic claims like a madhouse for priests. Worse, Affonso having been really assigned in Spain as a real Jesuit priest would easily disprove Rivera's claims as a former Jesuit priest. I think Affonso would probably have a master list of ordained Jesuit priests in Spain and the name "Alberto R. Rivera" wouldn't be there! Did Chick become greedy for money at that time in refusing to recant about the false story of Rivera? If so, Chick Publications may have had become guilty of prioritizing sales over souls. If so, he would have a lot to answer to God throughout eternity for endorsing such a fraudulent story. You can't serve both God and money!
What's also interesting was that Chick seemed to be more interested in what Rivera had to say than the truth. Manhattan's documents are well-documented. Unfortunately, Rivera's isn't when it comes to claims of his so-called personal experience. Chick assumed that Livesey was supposedly a Vatican-financed stooge. It's already becoming a fad to accuse anyone of being a Vatican stooge if they disagree. I heard Rivera had used the same tactic to hide his activities or to dominate over others. Chick himself could've produced a comic version of "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" with permission from Lumen Productions. However, Chick chose to focus on Rivera's testimony instead. Was it because Rivera's "testimony" was going to sell more copies than the testimonies of the two real former Jesuit priests? I think making a comic book out of Affonso's and Bush's life wasn't going to sell that much because they never gave any fantastic claims like a madhouse for priests. Worse, Affonso having been really assigned in Spain as a real Jesuit priest would easily disprove Rivera's claims as a former Jesuit priest. I think Affonso would probably have a master list of ordained Jesuit priests in Spain and the name "Alberto R. Rivera" wouldn't be there! Did Chick become greedy for money at that time in refusing to recant about the false story of Rivera? If so, Chick Publications may have had become guilty of prioritizing sales over souls. If so, he would have a lot to answer to God throughout eternity for endorsing such a fraudulent story. You can't serve both God and money!
Rivera has proven himself to have a lot of inconsistencies in his stories. I decided to reread my collection and found out that there have been stories too fantastic to be real. For instance, it feels like that they supposedly spied on a Jesuit meeting that would discredit Rivera. Another one is that Rivera's supposed story of poisoning in "Double Cross" might be easily disproven by a medical expert. The claim that cult leader Jim Jones was supposed to be a Vatican stooge isn't even verified. In "The Godfathers", he alleges that various groups were supposedly created by the Jesuits. However, such a claim might be easily refuted because those groups he mentions are rivals with Rome. In "The Force" the entrance felt more like an exaggerated scene from a godless horror movie than a real exorcism scene. I've heard demon-possessed people do some weird stuff but the movie "The Exorcist" is a plain exaggeration. Also, the claim that a leg grew in Lourdes is questionable. No Roman Catholic has ever said of such an event! It's possible for Satan to generate an illusion of it (if God permits it) but there have been no incidents of amputees getting new limbs at Lourdes! I've spoken to some Roman Catholics and they have never confirmed anything like that. Looks like Rivera's testimony has another leg gone to stand on based on that claim!
Perhaps Rivera's biggest, most unbelievable story is about Islam. I used to think that the early Roman Catholic institution created Islam. I've heard of Muslims getting saved from reading the comic book "The Prophet" or was that claim a fraud? However, a lot of stuff there is inconsistent. How can Muhammad's wife be a widow who became a nun? The timeline between Islam and the demand for celibacy is rather huge. Celibacy was supposed declared in 1069 AD and Islam was founded in 7th century AD. The timelapse is rather huge! Even Rivera's now-defunct site Antichrist Information Center once wrote a timeline of Roman Catholic heresies. It's a very self-defeating argument! Rivera's claim of Islam being founded by Rome is really preposterous. Also, Waraquah the cousin-in-law of Muhammad belonged to the Ebionite cult. The Ebionites denied the deity of Jesus Christ. Roman Catholic doesn't deny that while Islam does. Also, in Islam, to teach that Jesus is the Son of God is punishable by death. Yet, Chick foolishly chose to keep publishing the same lies until the day he died. What's even ironic is that atheist writer Gary Dale Cearley ended up refuting Rivera's nonsense in the book "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness". I wouldn't endorse any of Cearley's books (and he's a godless man, no dobut) but it's still amazing how he had managed to gather important facts about Rivera's fraudulent behavior. Just imagine how much of a blow that is to Christianity's image when a blatant atheist refutes such a lie!
Not to mention, there's also the artistic license used by Chick Publications. "Double Cross" has a rather interesting "behind the scenes" artistic license. It's amazing how the artistic license had the Mother Superior say something says something like, "He is damned forever! The Virgin will take care of this Father Rivera. He is another Judas that has sold out our Holy Father, the Pope!" How did Rivera even know that the Mother Superior even said something like that when he already left the place where his sister was allegedly tortured? Then another artistic license that was done is when a Jesuit priest says, "Would Father Rivera go to the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Mormons?” the other priest replies, “Never! He’s a real Christian and he knows about their false teachings." Did we forget that the Jehovah's Witness group and Mormonism are rival cults to Rome? Did another former Jesuit priest leak it out? The artistic license used by Chick is producing so many half-truths. Rivera may have told a great degree of truth but he also told a great degree of lies. Even some Catholics are aware Rivera was a liar even when they admit Brewer was a real former Roman Catholic priest!
The consequence of Chick Publications' standing by Rivera's "testimony"
What's interesting is that Livesey's book also noted the damage that Rivera and Chick Publications had done to the cause of reaching out Roman Catholics to Jesus with the publishing the story of Alberto, found on pages 111-112:
Historically it has always been difficult to evangelise Roman Catholic people because of fear, suspicion, religious pride, ignorance of God’s word and a misguided loyalty. Since the Chick comic books, it has been made more difficult. Catholic people have become more defensive and more reactionary.
In one sense it is easier today because of the crisis of confusion in the Roman Catholic church. However, on the other hand the comic series has made Roman Catholics apprehensive about those Christians who reach out to Roman Catholic people with the sufficiency of His Word. In speaking around the country, we have had a number of Alberto followers, always in groups, and during question and answer time they commonly become rude and antagonistic when we express our concern about the comic books. In every situation they were young enthusiastic people, impressed by the comics, and let down to find that things were not so. For example there is the overwhelming evidence that he was not a priest, and the burden of proof is upon him.
“The same questions have come up in Britain, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and in the Philippines. In the United States ninety per cent of the people tell me, whether in public or in private, that they ‘thought something was wrong.’ The fact that the question is asked is indicative of doubt.”
Wilson Ewin’s book, You Can Lead Roman Catholics to Christ, has run through many editions since it was first published in 1961. The 1991 edition lends weight to what Mr Brewer and other ministries to Roman Catholics are saying about wrong evangelism tools. Referring to the bad evangelistic literature that has already reached Roman Catholic hands, Wilson Ewin writes: “This has already created a suspicious or even hostile attitude in the mind of the Catholic as he is approached with your literature... One source in particular must be held responsible for damaging the ministry among Roman Catholics on a global scale. Chick Publications of Chino, California began printing full-size comics on the topic of Catholicism in the 1970s. These have been distributed around the world and advertised as useful for ‘winning Roman Catholics to Christ.’ However the contents of The Crusaders produce the very opposite effect when used indiscriminately, that is, without careful selection by the evangelist. No word of caution or warning has ever come from Chick Publications.
It's really better to retire the "Alberto" series for good as an unscholarly material. It's not even a credible source compared to "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith". If you want to refute Roman Catholicism then stick with the facts and not with fables. The video itself was intended to show the truth and it can't afford to have itself infected with a serious lie. Christians need to be honest enough to own up if they ever did endorse the lie. I did endorse the lie for more than ten years. Now, I'm owning up to it that while I'm still a critic of Roman Catholicism - Rivera's story should be dismissed as a fantasy.
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