Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Leo Docherty

2018-10-19T08:59:51Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Gulf States */

{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Leo Docherty
|honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}}
|image = Official portrait of Leo Docherty crop 2.jpg
|caption =
|office1 = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Aldershot (UK Parliament constituency)|Aldershot]]
|term_start1 = 8 June 2017
|term_end1 =
|predecessor1 = [[Gerald Howarth|Sir Gerald Howarth]]
|majority1 = 11,478 (23.4%)
|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1976}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|spouse = Lucy
|children = 2
|alma_mater = [[SOAS, University of London]] [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]]<ref>https://uk.linkedin.com/in/leo-docherty-02a23066</ref>
|module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
|allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
|branch = {{army|United Kingdom}}
|serviceyears = 2002-2006
|rank = [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]]
|servicenumber = 555125
|unit = [[Scots Guards]]
|battles = [[Iraq War]] [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]]
}}
}}
'''Leo Docherty''' (born 1976) is a British [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for [[Aldershot (UK Parliament constituency)|Aldershot]] since June 2017.<ref>{{cite web|author=Aldershot Conservatives |url=https://www.aldershotconservatives.com/news/leo-docherty-selected-parliamentary-candidate-aldershot |title=Leo Docherty selected as Parliamentary Candidate for Aldershot | Aldershot |publisher=Aldershotconservatives.com |date=2017-04-29 |accessdate=2017-06-08}}</ref> Prior to being elected as an MP he served in the [[Scots Guards]], before worked in publishing and for the Conservative Party. He is the author of ''Desert of Death'' (2007).

==Early life and Career==
Docherty was born in Scotland in 1976 and grew up in Gloucestershire. He went on to study Swahili and Hindi at the University of London between 1996-2000, before attending the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]] the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.faber.co.uk/tutors/leo-docherty/|title=About Leo|publisher=Faber |accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref> From 2001 to 2007 he served in the [[Scots Guards]].<ref name="aldershotconservatives">{{cite web|url=https://www.aldershotconservatives.com/people/leo-docherty-mp|title=Leo Docherty MP|website=Aldershot Conservatives|accessdate=2017-07-31}}</ref> After being posted to London on ceremonial duties and a period spent in Germany, he served operationally in Iraq and Afghanistan as a British Army officer.

After leaving the army, he had wrote the book 'Desert of Death', which was published by Faber in 2007. The book consisted of a critical first-hand account of the current war in Afghanistan. Living in Didcot in Oxfordshire, he created and worked as editor and publisher of Steppe magazine - a now defunct publication that covered the arts, culture, history, landscape and people of Central Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://democratic.southoxon.gov.uk/mgDeclarationSubmissionPrintView.aspx?nobdr=1&UID=141&HID=42&FID=0&HPID=0|title=Register of interests|publisher=South Oxfordshire Council|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref> He was appointed Director of the [[Conservative Middle East Council]] in 2010, a role in which he served until being elected as an MP.

Docherty stood successfully as the Conservative candidate in the Hagbourne ward of South Oxfordshire District Council in May 2011, standing down at the end of his four year term when the wards were revised.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/South-Oxfordshire-1973-2011.pdf|title=South Oxfordshire Council Election Results 1973-2011|publisher= Plymouth University|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref> He stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate in the Wallingford ward of Oxfordshire County Council in May 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=189|title=Election results for Wallingford|publisher=Oxfordshire County Council|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref>

==Parliamentary career==
Docherty unsuccessfully applied to be the Conservative Party candidate for the Labour Party held Oxford East constituency in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former Bicester mayor chosen as Conservative candidate for Oxford East|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11650520.Tories_select_candidate_to_fight_Oxford_East_constituency_in_general_election/|accessdate=3 October 2018|work=Oxford Mail|date=6 December 2014}}</ref> He was instead chosen to contest the safe Labour Party held seat of [[Caerphilly (UK Parliament constituency)|Caerphilly]] in the 2015 general election, where he came third.

In 2017, he was selected as the Conservative Party candidate for [[Aldershot (UK Parliament constituency)|Aldershot]], after the incumbent Conservative MP [[Gerald Howarth]] announced he was standing down at the next general election. The ''Financial Times'' called his selection "the highest-profile tussle over a candidate choice, the party leadership rejected a request from activists in Aldershot to be allowed to consider [[Daniel Hannan]], the prominent Eurosceptic MEP, for the safe Tory seat".<ref name="ft">{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8aeaf736-2c06-11e7-bc4b-5528796fe35c?mhq5j=e3|title=Subscribe to read|website=Financial Times|accessdate=2017-06-09}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/04/exclusive-the-third-candidate-shortlisted-in-aldershot-is-chris-brannigan.html |title=Exclusive: The third candidate shortlisted in Aldershot is Chris Brannigan |publisher=Conservative Home |date= |accessdate=2017-06-08}}</ref> He was duly elected at the [[United Kingdom general election, 2017|2017 general election]].

In the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] he sits on the Defence Committee and Committees on Arms Export Controls (formerly Quadripartite Committee).<ref name=parliamentbiodocherty>{{cite web|title=HLeo Docherty|url=https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/leo-docherty/4600|website=Parliament UK|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref>

===Gulf States===
In the 6 months after being elected as an MP, Docherty registered 4 trips to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, costing over £15,000 and paid for by the Governments of the host countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25628/leo_docherty/aldershot|title=Leo Docherty|publisher=They work for you|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref> Prior to this, his election campaign had benefited from donations totalling over £10,000 from doners with links to the Gulf States. As Chair of the [[Conservative Middle East Council]] and since serving as an MP, Docherty has frequently praised the work of the governments in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and has been subject to some criticism from opposition MPs and journalists, such as Peter Oborne for his links and his failure to always declare his register of interests when speaking on the subject in Parliament. However, he has denied any conflict of interest and, as Director of the Conservative Middle East Council, responded to criticism of donations received there as not having influenced decision-making within the group.<ref>{{cite news|title=Britain invokes spy clause to cover up payments to Bahrain
|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/britain-invokes-spy-clause-to-cover-up-payments-to-bahrain-dlv00c66f|accessdate=3 October 2018|work=The Times|date=22 September 2018}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|title=Why is the Conservative Party ignoring Palestine?|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/why-uk-conservative-party-ignoring-palestine-cmec-focus-on-gulf-bahrain-uae-saudi-libya-israel-1824625298|accessdate=3 October 2018|work=Middle East Eye|date=6 February 2018}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|title=The Gulf business tycoons backing the Conservative Middle East Council|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20160127-revealed-the-gulf-business-tycoons-backing-the-conservative-middle-east-council/|accessdate=3 October 2018|work=Middle East Monitor|date=27 January 2016}}</ref> Docherty's trips were worth £26,893 in total and were the highest valued of any MP's trips during the year following the 2017 general election.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45883411 MPs sign up for £2m of free overseas trips] ''[[BBC]]</ref>

== Personal life ==
He is married to Lucy Docherty and they have two young children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leodocherty.org.uk/about-leo-docherty|title=About Leo|publisher=Personal website|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref>

==Publications==
*''Desert of Death'' (2007)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{UK MP links |parliament=leo-docherty/4600 |publicwhip=Leo_Docherty |theywork=leo_docherty}}

==Offices held==
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gerald Howarth|Sir Gerald Howarth]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Aldershot (UK Parliament constituency)|Aldershot]]|years=[[United Kingdom general election, 2017|2017]]–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}

{{South East Conservative Party MPs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Docherty, Leo}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2017–]]
[[Category:Alumni of SOAS, University of London]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]]
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Scots Guards officers]]
[[Category:British Army officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Iraq War]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]

Liste der Winterstürme auf den Britischen Inseln 2016–17

2017-02-24T09:38:06Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Storm Doris */

{{Infobox windstorm season
| first storm formed= 19 November 2016
| last storm dissipated= Season ongoing
| strongest storm= Storm Angus
| strongest wind gust= {{convert|106|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} (Storm Angus)
| total storms= 4
| total damage= Unconfirmed
| total fatalities= 2
}}
The 2016–17 windstorm season is the second instance of the United Kingdom's [[Met Office]] and Ireland's [[Met Éireann]] naming [[extratropical cyclone]]s.

==Background==
{{main article|Winter storm naming in the United Kingdom and Ireland}}
In 2015, the Met Office and Met Éireann announced a pilot project to name storm warnings as part of the ''Name our Storms'' project for wind storms and asked the public for suggestions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Met Éireann Weather Warning System Explained|url=http://www.met.ie/nationalwarnings/warnings-explained.asp|publisher=Met Éireann|accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> The meteorological offices produced a full list of names for 2015–16, common to both the UK and Ireland.<ref name="BBC1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34578310|title=Nigel and Steve among new storm names|publisher=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=10 November 2015|date=20 October 2015}}</ref> A new list of names was released on 19 September for the 2016–17 season.<ref name="UKSC">{{cite news|title=UK Storm Centre|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/uk-storm-centre|accessdate=19 September 2016|publisher=Met Office|date=19 September 2016|language=en}}</ref> Names in the UK will be based on the [[National Severe Weather Warning Service]], when a storm is assessed to have the potential for an amber 'be prepared' or red 'take action' warning.<ref name="UKSC"/>

{{div col |cols=3 |style=width:90%; }}
* Angus (19–20 November 2016)
* Barbara (23–24 December 2016)
* Conor (25–27 December 2016)
* Doris (23–24 February 2017)
* {{tcname unused|Ewan}}
* {{tcname unused|Fleur}}
* {{tcname unused|Gabriel}}
* {{tcname unused|Holly}}
* {{tcname unused|Ivor}}
* {{tcname unused|Jacqui}}
* {{tcname unused|Kamil}}
* {{tcname unused|Louise}}
* {{tcname unused|Malcolm}}
* {{tcname unused|Natalie}}
* {{tcname unused|Oisin}}
* {{tcname unused|Penelope}}
* {{tcname unused|Robert}}
* {{tcname unused|Susan}}
* {{tcname unused|Thomas}}
* {{tcname unused|Valerie}}
* {{tcname unused|Wilbert}}
{{div col end}}

==Seasonal summary==

<center><timeline>
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Legend = columns:3 left:30 top:58 columnwidth:270

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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
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id:7 value:rgb(1,0.95,0) legend:31–38_mph
id:8 value:rgb(1,0.8,0) legend:39–46_mph
id:9 value:rgb(1,0.65,0) legend:47-54_mph
id:10 value:rgb(1,0.5,0) legend:55–63_mph
id:11 value:rgb(0.9,0.3,0) legend:64–72_mph
id:12 value:red legend:≥73_mph

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barset:Hurricane width:11 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till
from:19/11/2016 till:20/11/2016 color:12 text:"[[2016-17 UK and Ireland windstorm season#Storm Angus|Angus]]"
from:23/12/2016 till:24/12/2016 color:12 text:"[[2016–17 UK and Ireland windstorm season#Storm Barbara|Barbara]]"
from:25/12/2016 till:27/12/2016 color:12 text:"[[2016–17 UK and Ireland windstorm season#Storm Conor|Conor]]"
from:23/02/2017 till:24/02/2017 color:12 text:"[[2016-17 UK and Ireland windstorm season#Storm Doris|Doris]]"
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bar:Month width:3 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas
from:01/11/2016 till:01/12/2016 text:November
from:01/12/2016 till:01/01/2017 text:December
from:01/01/2017 till:01/02/2017 text:January
from:01/02/2017 till:01/03/2017 text:February
from:01/03/2017 till:01/04/2017 text:March
from:01/04/2017 till:01/05/2017 text:April
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==Storms==

===Storm Angus===
{{Infobox windstorm small
| name=Angus
| image=AngusNannette.png
| caption=Angus over the North Sea
| duration=19–20 November
| fatalities=1
| damage=Unconfirmed
| power outages=1,000<ref name=bbcangus/>
|minpressure={{convert|965|hPa|inHg|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bertelman|first1=Magdalena|title=Thema des Tages - Archiv - NANNETTE fegt über Teile Deutschlands hinweg|url=http://www.dwd.de/DE/wetter/thema_des_tages/2016/11/20.html|accessdate=21 November 2016|work=www.dwd.de|publisher=DWD|date=20 November 2016|language=German}}</ref>
|gust={{convert|106|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}<ref name=bbcangus>{{cite news |title=Cargo ship hits barge in Storm Angus |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38038992 |accessdate=22 November 2016 |newspaper=BBC News|date=20 November 2016}}</ref>
| RSI=
| final=
| areas affected=Northwestern Europe
}}
Storm Angus was named on 19 November, with southern and southeast England, especially along the Channel coast expected to be the greatest affected areas as the storm moves northeast on 20 November.<ref>{{cite news|title=Angus the first named storm of autumn 2016|url=https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2016/11/19/angus-the-first-named-storm-of-autumn-2016/|accessdate=19 November 2016|work=Official blog of the Met Office news team|publisher=Met Office|date=19 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=UKSC /> The storm was known as "Nannette" in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Brandt|first1=Anders|title=Her ramte stormen 'Angus' med vindstød af orkanstyrke|url=http://vejr.tv2.dk/2016-11-20-her-ramte-stormen-angus-med-vindstoed-af-orkanstyrke|accessdate=21 November 2016|work=vejr.tv2.dk|publisher=TV2|date=20 November 2016|language=da-DK}}</ref>

The south-west of England was affected with over 1,000 power outages, mostly in [[Devon]]. Residents were evacuated due to flooding near [[South Molton]], Devon. Further flooding was reported in [[Braunton]] and [[Bradiford]], Devon, and East Bar, [[Swanage]], [[Dorset]]. The high winds affected train service in the south-east, ferry crossing at the [[Port of Dover]] and the [[Brighton]] 10k run.<ref name=bbcangus/>

The [[National Grid (Great Britain)|National Grid]] launched an investigation whether a ship's anchor damaged four of the eight cables of the [[HVDC Cross-Channel|Cross Channel high voltage interconnector]] during storm Angus, which would leave it only able to operate at half of its capacity until February 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ward|first1=Andrew|title=UK grid loses half the power from link to France|url=https://www.ft.com/content/52e957a6-b64a-11e6-ba85-95d1533d9a62|accessdate=29 November 2016|work=www.ft.com|publisher=Financial Times|date=29 November 2016}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===Storm Barbara===
{{Infobox windstorm small
| name=Barbara
| image=AntjeBarbarastorm.gif
| caption= Storm Barbara developing 23–24 December 2016
| duration=23–24 December
| fatalities=0
| damage=Unconfirmed
| power outages=1,000 in Northern Ireland<ref name=bbc_impacts_NI_barbara>{{cite news |title=Power has been restored to customers hit by Storm Barbara | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38394271 |accessdate=26 December 2016 |newspaper=BBC News|date=24 December 2016}}</ref>
|minpressure={{convert|949|hPa|inHg|abbr=on}}<ref name=mo_barbara_surface_anaylsis>{{cite news|title=Met Office Surface Anaylsis Chart |url=http://www.wetterzentrale.de/de/reanalysis.aspx?map=1&model=bra&var=45&jaar=2016&maand=12&dag=24&uur=00&h=1&tr=24#mapref |accessdate=26 December 2016|work=www.metoffice.com|publisher=MO|date=24 December 2016|language=English}}</ref>
| gust={{convert|83|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}<ref name=mo_barbara>{{cite news |title=Storm Barbara - latest forecast & updates |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/uk-storm-centre/storm-barbara |accessdate=26 December 2016 |date=26 December 2016}}</ref>
| RSI=
| final=
}}
Storm Barbara was named on 20 December.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amber Storm Barbara warning for Scotland | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-38377399|accessdate=20 December 2016|publisher=BBC News|date=20 December 2016}}</ref><ref name=UKSC /> Approximately 1,000 homes were without power in Northern Ireland.<ref name=bbc_impacts_NI_barbara /> Part of a school roof was ripped off at [[Rhosgadfan]] near Caernarfon, Gwynedd, while hundreds of homes across Wales experienced power cuts.<ref name=bbc_impacts_Wales_barbara>{{cite news |title=Storm Barbara brings travel disruption to Wales | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38413986 |accessdate=26 December 2016 |newspaper=BBC News|date=24 December 2016}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===Storm Conor===
{{Infobox windstorm small
| name=Conor
| image=Urd12.2016122614.png
| caption=E Atlantic analysis chart storm Urd 26 Dec 2016
| duration=25–27 December
| fatalities=0
| damage=Unconfirmed
| power outages= 1,000 In the Shetland Islands
|minpressure={{convert|958|hPa|inHg|abbr=on}}
| gust={{convert|85|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| RSI=
| final=
}}
Storm Conor was named three days after Barbara on 23 December<ref name=UKSC /> with mostly amber warnings for the [[Northern Isles]] and north [[Caithness]] on Boxing Day. Hundreds of homes across Scotland and The Shetland Islands experienced power cuts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disruption as Storm Barbara starts moving across Scotland|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-38407450|website=BBC News|accessdate=23 December 2016|date=23 December 2016}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===Storm Doris===

{{Infobox windstorm small
| name=Doris
| image=Storm Doris damage to the Lord Kitchener, New Barnet 01.jpg
| caption=Storm damage
| duration=23–24 February
| fatalities=1
| damage= Unconfirmed
| power outages= Almost 50,000
| gust= {{convert|94|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| RSI=
| final=
}}
[[File:Doris Thomas Aqua Modis.png|thumb|left|Satellite image of storm Doris over the UK]]
Storm Doris was named on 21 February and impacted the UK and Ireland on 23 February. <ref>{{cite news|title=Storm Doris - Met Office Barometer|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/barometer/uk-storm-centre/storm-doris|accessdate=21 February 2017|work=www.metoffice.gov.uk|publisher=Met Office|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb|url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2017/feb/23/storm-doris-brings-snow-gales-and-travel-disruption-live-updates|title=Storm Doris 'weather bomb' brings snow, gales and travel disruption – live updates|date=23 February 2017|work=Guardian|accessdate=23 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb|url= http://www.independent.ie/weather/storm-doris-almost-50000-without-power-air-and-rail-passengers-stranded-as-extreme-wind-and-rain-batter-ireland-35475462.html|title=Storm Doris: Almost 50,000 without power, air and rail passengers stranded as extreme wind and rain batter Ireland|date=23 February 2017|work=Irish Independent|accessdate=23 February 2017}}</ref> A gust of 94mph was recorded at [[Capel Curig]], Wales.<ref name="23 February 2017">{{cite web|title=Storm Doris winds reach 94mph in Wales|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-39058806|website=BBC News|accessdate=23 February 2017}}</ref>

A 29-year-old woman died in [[Wolverhampton]] when debris fell on her in the street.<ref>{{cite web|title=Storm Doris: Woman killed as UK hit by winds reaching 94mph|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39060095|website=BBC News|accessdate=24 February 2017|date=23 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Booth|first1=Robert|title=Woman killed by falling debris as Storm Doris causes chaos across UK|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/23/woman-killed-by-falling-debris-as-storm-doris-lashes-uk|accessdate=24 February 2017|work=The Guardian|date=23 February 2017}}</ref> A [[Flybe]] plane from Edinburgh to Amsterdam crash landed on the runway at [[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol]] due to the rear right landing gear collapsing.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Calder|first1=Simon|last2=Pasha-Robinson|first2=Lucy|title=Flybe plane crash lands on runway at Amsterdam Schipol airport|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/flybe-plane-amsterdam-crash-landing-storm-doris-glasgow-edinburgh-birmingham-a7596246.html|accessdate=24 February 2017|work=The Independent|date=23 February 2017}}</ref> A girl was seriously injured when a ceiling collapsed on her at the Southwood School in [[Milton Keynes]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Girl seriously injured in sports hall ceiling collapse|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-39072741|website=BBC News|accessdate=24 February 2017|date=23 February 2017}}</ref> There was also snow and rain. Road, rail and air travel was disrupted and there have been failures in power supply. The storm was described as a [[weather bomb]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39060095 Storm Doris: Woman killed as UK hit by winds reaching 94mph] ''[[BBC]]''</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2017/feb/23/storm-doris-brings-snow-gales-and-travel-disruption-live-updates Storm Doris 'weather bomb': 94mph winds, travel chaos and snow – live updates] ''[[The Guardian]]''</ref>

{{clear}}

== Season effects ==
This table lists all known windstorms that affected the UK and Ireland during 2016–2017. It includes their name, duration, peak recorded gust (excluding mountain stations), lowest pressure, areas affected, deaths, and damage totals from the two nations. All damage figures are in 2016 pounds sterling and euros. The season's first half was more notable for rainfall and [[2015 Great Britain and Ireland floods|flooding]], similar to that seen during the [[2013–2014 Atlantic winter storms in Europe]], which brought the [[2013–2014 United Kingdom winter floods]].

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Storm !! Dates active !! Highest wind gust !! Lowest pressure !! Casualties !! Damages
|-
| Angus || {{Sort|01|19 – 20 November}} || {{Sort|106|106 mph (171 km/h)}} || {{Sort|0965|965 hPa (28.50 inHg)}} || 1 || Unknown
|-
| Barbara || {{Sort|01|23 – 24 December}} || {{Sort|83|83 mph (134 km/h)}} || {{Sort|0949|949 hPa (28.00 inHg)}} || None || Unknown
|-
| Conor || {{Sort|01|25 – 27 December}} || {{Sort|83|83 mph (134 km/h)}} || {{Sort|0949|949 hPa (28.00 inHg)}} || None || Unknown
|-
| Doris || {{Sort|01|23 – 24 February}} || {{Sort|94|94 mph (151 km/h))}} || {{Sort|1000 hPa (33.00 inHg) || 1<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39060095|title=Storm Doris: Woman killed as UK hit by winds reaching 94mph|date=23 February 2017|publisher=|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> || Unknown
|- class="sortbottom"
!colspan=9 style="text-align:center"|Season Aggregates
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#f0f0f0;font-weight:bold"
| 4 windstorms || 19 November onwards|| 106 mph (171 km/h) || 949 hPa (28.00 inHg) ||style="text-align:center"| 2 ||style="text-align:center"| Unknown
|}

==Storms named by other European meteorological services==
[[File:Storm Egon 13 Jan 2017.png|thumb|IR satellite image of storm Egon 13 January 2017]]
{| class="wikitable collapsible innercollapse collapsed"
|-
|
*Rauli (Fin)<ref>{{cite news|title=Electricity companies race to restore power to 75,000 homes|url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/electricity_companies_race_to_restore_power_to_75000_homes/9125883|accessdate=19 September 2016|publisher=Yle|date=28 August 2016}}</ref> Janett (FUB), 27 August.
*Angus (UK/IE) Nannette (FUB), 20 November 2016.
*Barbara (UK/IE) Antje (FUB), 24 December 2016.
*Conor (UK/IE) Barbara (FUB) Urd (NO),([[:da:Orkanen Urd|da wiki]])<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rommetveit|first1=Astrid|title=Ekstremværet Urd treffer Sør-Norge mandag|url=http://www.yr.no/artikkel/ekstremvaeret-urd-treffer-sor-norge-mandag-1.13291568|accessdate=25 December 2016|agency=yr.no|date=25 December 2016|language=Norwegian}}</ref> 26 December 2016.
*Axel (FUB), 4–5 January 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=Satellitenfilm Orkantief Axel Januar 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHNOLUcaZd4&feature=youtu.be|accessdate=5 January 2017|publisher=DWD via Youtube|date=5 January 2017}}</ref>
*Vidar (NO) -named for high coastal water levels rather than wind.<ref>{{cite news|title=– Vannstanden blir enda høyere enn vi trodde|url=http://www.yr.no/artikkel/ekstremvaeret-vidar-kan-_sluke_-vestlandskysten-1.13316532|accessdate=12 January 2017|work=NRK}}</ref> Caius/Dieter (FUB), UK east coast storm surge 12–13 January 2017.
*Egon (FUB) 12–13 January 2017.([[:fr:Tempête_Egon|fr wiki]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thelocal.de/20170113/live-germany-braces-as-storm-egon-brings-heavy-snow-and-traffic-woes |title=Storm Egon leaves two dead, thousands without power |publisher=The local |date=13 January 2017}}</ref>
*Leiv (FUB), 3–4 February 2017 (incl. Kurt, Marcel).<ref>{{cite news|title=Coupures d’électricité, rafales de vent : la tempête Leiv souffle sur le Sud-Ouest|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/climat/article/2017/02/04/foyers-sans-electricite-et-rafales-de-vents-la-tempete-leiv-deferle-sur-le-sud-ouest_5074610_1652612.html|accessdate=4 February 2017|publisher=Le Monde|date=4 February 2017|language=fr}}</ref>
*Doris (UK/IE) Thomas (FUB),<ref>{{cite news|title=Stromausfälle, verwehte Autos, eine Tote: Wetterbombe sorgt für Chaos in Europa|url=http://www.focus.de/panorama/orkan-verkehrschaos-stromausfaelle-und-eine-tote-sturmtief-thomas-sucht-europa-heim_id_6696598.html|accessdate=23 February 2017|publisher=FOCUS Online|date=23 February 2017|language=de}}</ref> 23 February 2017.
|}

==See also==
*[[European windstorm]]s
*[[January 2017 European cold wave]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/uk-storm-centre UK Storm Centre]
* [http://www.met.ie/ Met Éireann]

{{Weather events in the United Kingdom}}
{{European windstorms}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2016-17 UK and Ireland windstorm season}}
[[Category:European windstorms]]
[[Category:Winter weather events in Ireland]]
[[Category:Winter weather events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2016 meteorology]]
[[Category:2016 in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:2016 disasters in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2017 meteorology]]
[[Category:2017 in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:2017 disasters in the United Kingdom]]

Regressive left

2016-07-19T18:20:32Z

Proxima Centauri: I feel, 'leftist' is loaded language and a bit disparaging. 'Rightist'' is similarly disparaging. I feel, 'people on the left' is more neutral.

{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
The '''regressive left''' (also sometimes referred to as '''regressive liberals''') is a political [[epithet]] used to negatively characterize a section of [[left-wing politics|people on the left]] who are accused of holding politically [[Political regressive|regressive]] views (as opposed to [[Progressivism|progressive]] views) by [[Toleration|tolerating]] [[Liberalism|illiberal]] principles and ideologies for the sake of [[multiculturalism]] and [[cultural relativism]].

Within the specific context of multiculturalism, British [[anti-Islamism]] activist [[Maajid Nawaz]] used the term in 2012 in his memoir ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism]]''{{#tag:ref|On p. 210 of ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism|Radical]]'' (2012), Nawaz wrote: "Is not winning the war more important than truth? This maxim, I knew, was also subscribed to by some on the left, the regressive left. For them, winning against [[capitalism]] was far more important than it was to their allies. I watched as our ideology gained acceptance and we were granted airtime as [[Muslim]] political commentators. I watched as we were ignorantly pandered to by well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists. How we [[Islamism|Islamists]] laughed at their naïveté".<ref name="Radical">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |page=210 |isbn=9781448131617 |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>|group="note"|name="first use"}} to describe "well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists" in the [[United Kingdom]] who naïvely and "ignorantly pandered to" [[Islamism|Islamists]] and helped Islamist ideology to gain acceptance. In a 2015 video presentation on the Internet forum [[Big Think]], Nawaz elaborated on the meaning of the term, saying that it describes "a section of the [[Left-wing politics|left]]" that has, in his opinion, "an inherent hesitation to challenge some of the [[bigotry]] that can occur within minority communities ... for the sake of [[political correctness]], for the sake of [[Toleration|tolerating]] what they believe is [[cultural relativism|other cultures]] and respecting different lifestyles".<ref name="Bigthink">{{cite web |url=http://bigthink.com/videos/maajid-nawaz-on-islamic-reform |title=Je Suis Muslim: How Universal Secular Rights Protect Muslim Communities the Most |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[Big Think]] |date=18 November 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

Among well-known political and social commentators, comedian [[Bill Maher]], Internet-based talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] and [[New Atheist]] writers like [[Sam Harris]], [[Jerry Coyne]]<ref>[https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/peter-boghossian-on-the-regressive-left/] [https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/a-leftist-decries-the-authoritarian-left/] [https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/leftist-censored-by-left-again/] [https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/maajid-nawaz-decries-the-hypocrisy-of-the-british-left-toward-islam/] [https://twitter.com/evolutionistrue/status/714135148652933120]</ref> and [[Richard Dawkins]] have discussed the concept numerous times.<ref name="Maher">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvvQJ_zsL1U |title=Real Time with Bill Maher: Richard Dawkins – Regressive Leftists (HBO) |work=[[Real Time with Bill Maher]] |publisher=HBO |date=2 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=WT20151003>{{Cite news |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/3/bill-maher-richard-dawkins-blast-regressive-libera/ |title=Bill Maher, Richard Dawkins blast 'regressive liberals' giving a 'free pass' to Islam |author=Kellan Howell |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=3 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==Concept==
[[File:Maajid Nawaz speaking at LibDem campaign event.jpg|thumb|[[Maajid Nawaz]]'s use of "regressive left" has been a part of his advocacy against [[Islamism]], the [[Qur'anic literalism|literalist]] pole of [[Islam]] that places more emphasis on [[Sharia]] (Islamic law), [[Pan-Islamism|pan-Islamic]] political unity, and an Islamic state.]]

[[Maajid Nawaz]], who in 2007 renounced his previous association with the radical [[Islamism|Islamist]] group [[Hizb ut-Tahrir]], in favor of [[Islam and secularism|secular Islam]], is the co-founder and chairman of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], a counter-extremism [[think tank]] based in [[London]] that seeks to challenge the narratives of [[Islamism|Islamists]].<ref name="Radical"/><ref>[http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/about/staff/maajid-nawaz/ Maajid Nawaz (Quilliam)]</ref>

Nawaz has used "regressive left" to describe those left-leaning people who, in his opinion, pander to [[Islamism]], which he defines as a "global totalitarian theo-political project" with a "desire to impose any given interpretation of Islam over society as law"<ref name="rad">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |isbn=9781448131617}}</ref> and which he opposes on the ground that "any desire to impose any version of Islam over anyone anywhere, ever, is a fundamental violation of our basic civil liberties."<ref name="beast">{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/08/the-british-left-s-hypocritical-embrace-of-islamism.html |title=The British Left's Hypocritical Embrace of Islamism |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=8 August 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to Nawaz, such sympathizers of Islamism include "[[atheism|atheists]] who are on the side of the Islamists, defending Islamism in the name of cultural tolerance."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwQhu1A-Ats |title=Lateline: An atheist and a Muslim on the future of Islam |author=[[Tony Jones (news journalist)|Tony Jones]] |work=[[Lateline]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=28 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

In an October 2015 interview with political talk show host [[Dave Rubin]], Nawaz elucidated further the reasoning behind his choice of the word "regressive". He hypothesized that a section of the leftists "genuinely believe" that they are fighting an "ideological war" against neoconservative and neocolonialist foreign policies of Western governments which promote state-organized violence and chaos in the form of wars and military invasions. On the contrary, when it comes to denouncing the randomized acts of violence of theocratic extremists such as Islamists, the same leftists forego their duty to criticize such acts of violence and prioritize focusing on the bigger evil of state-sponsored violence and war. Sometimes, they even "make alliances" with some of the most regressive, theocratic and murdering regimes and organizations. Nawaz labels these people regressive leftists. He then cites the example of [[Jeremy Corbyn]], leader of the British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], who "has been historically very close" to supporters of Islamist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah. In Nawaz's opinion, it is possible to denounce both neoconservative foreign policies (such as the Iraq war, which he had opposed) and theocratic extremism, but the regressive leftists fail to do so.<ref name=Nawaz>{{cite news|last1=Rubin|first1=Dave|title=Maajid Nawaz and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left and Political Correctness|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/2/maajid-nawaz-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-political-correctness-0_twq2e3jhwn8|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=Rubin Report|date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

According to Nawaz, the notion that Muslims cannot cope with criticism or mockery of Islam and only react violently, is "patronizing, self-pity inspiring mollycoddling" of the very Muslims it claims to serve and emancipate, because it does not expect them to be civil and control their anger.<ref name="beast" /> This "racism of low expectations" lowers the moral standards of people within minorities, seeking excuses if they happen to express, for example, [[misogyny]], [[homophobia]], [[chauvinism]], [[bigotry]], or [[antisemitism]], whilst holding members of the majority to [[human rights|universal liberal standards]].<ref name="Bigthink" />

Haras Rafiq, managing director of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], expressed the view that there is a tendency of some on the left to excuse Islamism. "We have not got to grips with the symbiotic relationship between Islamism and far-right hatred, and the regressive left that is prepared to excuse Islamism."<ref>ADAM LEBOR. Donald Trump: The AMERICAN STEREOTYPE EUROPEANS LOVE TO HATE. Newsweek Dec/14/15 [http://www.newsweek.com/2015/12/25/donald-trump-worse-voldemort-europeans-say-404653.html]</ref>

==Analysis==
In 2006, six years before Nawaz used the term "regressive left" to convey a viewpoint within the dialog on multiculturalism, [[New Atheist]] author [[Sam Harris]] used the phrase "Head-in-the-sand Liberals" in an ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' article to describe liberals who are in denial and "despite abundant evidence to the contrary", "continue to imagine that Muslim terrorism springs from economic despair, lack of education and American militarism". He bemoaned that "being generally reasonable and tolerant of diversity, liberals should be especially sensitive to the dangers of religious literalism. But they aren't".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Harris |first=Sam |date=18 September 2006 |title=Head-in-the-Sand Liberals: Western civilization really is at risk from Muslim extremists |url=http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-end-of-liberalism |journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=12 January 2016}}</ref>

In 2013, the One Law for All campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/ |title=No sharia law Campaign |publisher=One Law for All |date= |accessdate=2016-07-12}}</ref> issued a report, ''Siding with the Oppressor: The Pro-Islamist Left''.<ref name=I20130628>{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/why-is-the-left-so-blinkered-to-islamic-extremism-8679265.html |title=Why is the left so blinkered to Islamic extremism? |author=James Bloodworth |work=[[The Independent]] |date=28 June 2013 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to ''The Independent'', the report expressed concern at "working enthusiastically with those advocating the murder of homosexuals" and also with "religious fascists".<ref name=I20130628/> ''The Independent'' expressed the opinion that "In a disastrous irony, the pro-Islamist left has ended up in the same place as the white far-right. The perception of Muslims as synonymous with Islamism – criticism of Islamism is characterised as criticism of Muslims – is precisely the view taken by groups such as the [[English Defence League|EDL]]." ''The Independent'' article concluded that political [[confirmation bias]] was responsible, driven by a "pathological anti-Americanism that is quite attractive to a certain type of degenerated progressive."<ref name=I20130628/> It also quoted [[Maryam Namazie]], a spokesperson for several organisations including Iran Solidarity, One Law for All and the [[Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain]] as identifying several organisations who are, "there as prefects to silence dissenters and defend Islamism as a defence of 'Muslims'."<ref name=I20130628/>

In September 2015, [[Sam Harris]] and Maajid Nawaz participated in an exchange at a public forum hosted by [[Harvard University]]'s Institute of Politics,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI9QwEKqrso |title=Islam and the Future of Tolerance |author=Harvard’s Institute of Politics hosting Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz |publisher=Harvard’s Institute of Politics |date= |accessdate=3 January 2016}}</ref> which was later published in a short book, titled ''[[Islam and the Future of Tolerance]]'' (2015). In a review of the book in the magazine ''[[National Review Online]]'', political writer Brian Stewart notes that according to both Nawaz and Harris, the regressive leftists in the West are "willfully blind" to the fact that jihadists and Islamists make up a significant portion (20% in Harris's estimate) of the global Muslim community and the minority Muslim communities within the West, even though these factions are opposed to liberal values such as individual autonomy, freedom of expression, democracy, women's rights, gay rights, etc. Regressive leftists thus demonstrate a curiously illiberal, isolationist, and even censuring attitude towards any criticism of this phenomenon, and in doing so, they not only betray universal liberal values but also abandon defending the most vulnerable liberal members living inside the Muslim community such as women, homosexuals and apostates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stewart |first=Brian |date=7 October 2015 |title=A Liberal Atheist and a Liberal Muslim Discuss the Problems of Contemporary Islam |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425169/sam-harris-maajid-nawaz-islam-book |journal=[[National Review Online]] |publisher= |accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

In October 2015, ''The Washington Times'' reported that American comedian and show host [[Bill Maher]] and British biologist and [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] author [[Richard Dawkins]] "lamented regressive leftists who fail to understand they are anything but liberal when it comes to Islam".<ref name=WT20151003/> Maher noted a willingness to criticise anything except [[Islam]], excusing it as "their culture", to which Dawkins responded: "Well, to hell with their culture."<ref name="Maher"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/611231/Richard-Dawkins-in-extraordinary-blast-at-Muslims-To-hell-with-their-culture |title='To hell with their culture' - Richard Dawkins in extraordinary blast at Muslims |author=John Worthing |work=The Independent |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The ''Sunday Express'' characterized Dawkins as having "attacked western society's relaxed attitude to radical Islam in an extraordinary outburst". Making reference to student initiatives to disinvite ex-Muslim speakers on campus, Dawkins saw this as, "a betrayal of the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/richard-dawkins-free-speech_561038c4e4b0af3706e11397 |title=Richard Dawkins: College Students Are Betraying The Free Speech Movement |author=Tyler Kingkade |work=HuffPost on HPMG News |date=3 October 2015 |access-date=3 January 2016}}</ref>

In October and November 2015, Sam Harris frequently used the term in his exchanges with the media, saying the greatest danger is that regressive leftists are willing to give up [[free speech]] "out of fear of offending minorities", which will lead to [[censorship]] imposed by those minorities, citing American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]]'s comments on the [[Charlie Hebdo shootings]] as an example.<ref name="Chris Beck">{{cite web |url=http://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/sam-harris-unloads-on-the-regressive-left |title=Sam Harris Unloads on the Regressive Left |author=Chris Beck |work=[[Splice Today]] |publisher=[[Russ Smith (publisher)|Russ Smith]] |date=21 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=Salon20151125>Sean Illing. "Sam Harris talks Islam, ISIS, atheism, GOP madness": “We are confronting people, in dozens of countries, who despise more or less everything that we value” [http://www.salon.com/2015/11/25/harris_and_illing_correspondence/]</ref> Harris considers [[Reza Aslan]]<ref name="Chris Beck"/><ref name=Salon20151125/> and [[Noam Chomsky]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/sam-harris-is-still-mad-about-liberals-who-followed-noam-chomsky-off-the-edge-of-the-world/|title=Sam Harris is still mad about ‘liberals who followed Noam Chomsky off the edge of the world’|publisher=}}</ref><ref>The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell' on Oct. 15, 2015. [MSNBC]</ref> to be of the regressive left.

In November 2015, in an appearance on the talk radio show [[American Humanist Association|''The Humanist Hour'']], author, philosopher and atheist activist [[Peter Boghossian]] defined the term as a pejorative used to describe those on the left that have made the "strangest bedfellows" with the [[Islamists]]. According to him, the word "[[Political regressive|regressive]]" is used to contrast with the word "[[Progressivism|progressive]]" – the latter being the group that is egalitarian and wants to create systems of justice and [[racial equality]], while the former being a group that "[looks] for the worst in people... and [does] not extend hermeneutics of charity, or a charitable interpretation of anything anyone says, but uses it as a hammer to beat people down". In addition, he believes the regressive leftists have become "hyper-moralists" and champions of their perceived victims. He cites the historical wrongdoings, such as [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] in the U.S. and [[colonialism]] as a legitimate concern that has caused mistrust of anything Western and capitalistic. He also added that "there are people who have suffered and still suffer legitimate instances of racism, homophobia etc. The problem is that every time the word racist is just thrown around like that, that word loses its meaning. And it should have quite a sting. That should be a horrible word".<ref>{{cite podcast |url= http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-175-the-regressive-left-and-safe-spaces-with-dr-peter-boghossian |title= The Humanist Hour #175: The "Regressive Left" and Safe Spaces, with Dr. Peter Boghossian|website=thehumanist.com|publisher= The Humanist Hour |host= Bo Bennett, Kim Ellington|date= 4 November 2015 |time= 4:08, 9:48, 0:10 |access-date= 7 January 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, [[international relations]] researcher Elliot McArdle wrote in the online British magazine ''[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]]'' that some "so-called liberals/leftists" treat liberal Muslims like Nawaz and ex-Muslims like Namazie as "native informants", "traitors" or "[[no true Scotsman|not real Muslims]]", because such critics of Islam(ism), who have a Muslim background themselves, don't fit the desired narrative of Muslims as a homogeneous and oppressed group.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McArdle |first=Elliot |date=4 December 2015 |title=The liberal racism faced by ex-Muslims |url=http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/the-liberal-racism-faced-by-ex-muslims/17702 |journal=[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]] |publisher=[[Brendan O'Neill (journalist)|Brendan O'Neill]] |accessdate=11 December 2015}}</ref>

In late 2015, liberal talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] hosted discussions about the "regressive left" in many of ''[[The Rubin Report]]'' show segments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/8/milo-yiannopoulos-and-dave-rubin-discuss-gay-rights-and-cultural-libertarians-0_40xbq9svp490|title=Milo Yiannopoulos and Dave Rubin Discuss Gay Rights and Cultural Libertarians|publisher=Ora TV|accessdate=2015-10-08}}</ref> He once said, "The reason I feel like naming them [the regressives] is so important, is because I now view these regressives as the left's version of the [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]]. The Tea Party went unchecked by the right until it was too late, and now the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] is a fractured mess often only held together by its worst beliefs. I really believe these regressives are doing this to the left, and if we don't have the courage to stop them, then a year or two from now, we'll wonder why our system is screwed up even more than it is now."<ref name="Rubin7Oct">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzzLiJ6na1k |title=Dave Rubin: Regressives are the Left's Tea Party |work=[[The Rubin Report]] |publisher=The Rubin Report |date=7 October 2015 |accessdate=25 November 2015}}</ref> In a series of interviews, Rubin analyzed this concept and its implications with [[Peter Boghossian]], and with [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], [[Maajid Nawaz]],<ref name="Nawaz"/> [[Nick Cohen]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/12/11/nick-cohen-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-free-speech-radical-islam-0_5a17hbvw846c|title=Nick Cohen and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left, Free Speech, Radical Islam|work=Ora TV}}</ref> and [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/11/6/douglas-murray-and-dave-rubin-talk-free-speech-isis-israel-full-interview-0_5i6uq59btmia|title=Douglas Murray and Dave Rubin Talk Free Speech, ISIS, Israel (Full Interview)|work=Ora TV}}</ref>

==Criticism==
In November 2015, psychiatrist Khwaja Khusro Tariq from ''[[Huffington Post]]'' classified the term as an unsubstantiated [[ad hominem|''ad hominem'' attack]], stating that the harshest critics of Islam are courted by both liberal and conservative media in the U.S. He also stated the term has been directed towards [[Glenn Greenwald]] and [[Noam Chomsky]], both of whom he said have never condoned violence or opined on the doctrine of Islam. He argued that there was no genuine inhibition on speaking against the religion.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tariq|first= Khwaja|date= 11 November 2015|title= "Regressive Liberals": The New Mantra of Islamophobia|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/khwaja-khusro-tariq/regressive-liberals-the-n_b_8597284.html|newspaper= Huffington Post|access-date= 9 January 2016}}</ref>

In March 2016, Joseph Burnstein, a ''[[Buzzfeed]]'' reporter on [[world wide web|web]] culture, wrote that according to [[Google Trends]], interest in the term "shot up" in the fall of 2015. He notes that instead of criticising "cultural tolerance gone too far", the phrase has "become a catchall for any element of the dominant [[new media]] culture that the anti-[[Social Justice Warrior|SJW]] internet doesn't like." He also suggests that even though the term can be sourced back to liberal commentators like Nawaz, Maher and Dawkins, it is currently heavily used by [[alt-right]] people on Internet forums and social media as part of their rhetorical warfare.<ref>{{cite news |last= Burnstein|first= Joseph|date= 16 March 2016|title= The Rise Of The #Regressiveleft Hashtag |url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/the-rise-of-the-regressiveleft-hashtag#.tf71OEVY1|newspaper= Buzzfeed|access-date= 12 April 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Islamo-Leftism]]
*[[Red–green–brown alliance]]
*[[New antisemitism]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Human rights}}
{{Culture}}
{{Multiculturalism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:21st-century neologisms]]
[[Category:Censorship]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islamism]]
[[Category:Criticism of political correctness]]
[[Category:Freedom of expression]]
[[Category:Islamism]]
[[Category:Left-wing politics]]
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Political neologisms]]
[[Category:Relativism]]
[[Category:Words coined in the 2010s]]

Regressive left

2016-07-13T17:35:35Z

Proxima Centauri:

Regressive left

2016-07-13T17:28:13Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
The '''regressive left''' (also sometimes referred to as '''regressive liberals''') is a political [[epithet]] used to negatively characterize a section of [[left-wing politics|people on the left]] who are accused of holding politically [[Political regressive|regressive]] views (as opposed to [[Progressivism|progressive]] views) by [[Toleration|tolerating]] [[Liberalism|illiberal]] principles and ideologies for the sake of [[multiculturalism]] and [[cultural relativism]].

Within the specific context of multiculturalism, British [[anti-Islamism]] activist [[Maajid Nawaz]] used the term in 2012 in his memoir ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism]]''{{#tag:ref|On p. 210 of ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism|Radical]]'' (2012), Nawaz wrote: "Is not winning the war more important than truth? This maxim, I knew, was also subscribed to by some on the left, the regressive left. For them, winning against [[capitalism]] was far more important than it was to their allies. I watched as our ideology gained acceptance and we were granted airtime as [[Muslim]] political commentators. I watched as we were ignorantly pandered to by well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists. How we [[Islamism|Islamists]] laughed at their naïveté".<ref name="Radical">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |page=210 |isbn=9781448131617 |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>|group="note"|name="first use"}} to describe "well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists" in the [[United Kingdom]] who naïvely and "ignorantly pandered to" [[Islamism|Islamists]] and helped Islamist ideology to gain acceptance. In a 2015 video presentation on the Internet forum [[Big Think]], Nawaz elaborated on the meaning of the term, saying that it describes "a section of the [[Left-wing politics|left]]" that has, in his opinion, "an inherent hesitation to challenge some of the [[bigotry]] that can occur within minority communities ... for the sake of [[political correctness]], for the sake of [[Toleration|tolerating]] what they believe is [[cultural relativism|other cultures]] and respecting different lifestyles".<ref name="Bigthink">{{cite web |url=http://bigthink.com/videos/maajid-nawaz-on-islamic-reform |title=Je Suis Muslim: How Universal Secular Rights Protect Muslim Communities the Most |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[Big Think]] |date=18 November 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

Among well-known political and social commentators, comedian [[Bill Maher]], Internet-based talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] and [[New Atheist]] writers like [[Sam Harris]], [[Jerry Coyne]]<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Jerry+Coyne+regressive+left&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=kyiGV5jvOsuUgAaU7rrQDg]</ref> and [[Richard Dawkins]] have discussed the concept numerous times.<ref name="Maher">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvvQJ_zsL1U |title=Real Time with Bill Maher: Richard Dawkins – Regressive Leftists (HBO) |work=[[Real Time with Bill Maher]] |publisher=HBO |date=2 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=WT20151003>{{Cite news |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/3/bill-maher-richard-dawkins-blast-regressive-libera/ |title=Bill Maher, Richard Dawkins blast 'regressive liberals' giving a 'free pass' to Islam |author=Kellan Howell |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=3 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==Concept==
[[File:Maajid Nawaz speaking at LibDem campaign event.jpg|thumb|[[Maajid Nawaz]]'s use of "regressive left" has been a part of his advocacy against [[Islamism]], the [[Qur'anic literalism|literalist]] pole of [[Islam]] that places more emphasis on [[Sharia]] (Islamic law), [[Pan-Islamism|pan-Islamic]] political unity, and an Islamic state.]]

[[Maajid Nawaz]], who in 2007 renounced his previous association with the radical [[Islamism|Islamist]] group [[Hizb ut-Tahrir]], in favor of [[Islam and secularism|secular Islam]], is the co-founder and chairman of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], a counter-extremism [[think tank]] based in [[London]] that seeks to challenge the narratives of [[Islamism|Islamists]].<ref name="Radical"/><ref>[http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/about/staff/maajid-nawaz/ Maajid Nawaz (Quilliam)]</ref>

Nawaz has used "regressive left" to describe those left-leaning people who, in his opinion, pander to [[Islamism]], which he defines as a "global totalitarian theo-political project" with a "desire to impose any given interpretation of Islam over society as law"<ref name="rad">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |isbn=9781448131617}}</ref> and which he opposes on the ground that "any desire to impose any version of Islam over anyone anywhere, ever, is a fundamental violation of our basic civil liberties."<ref name="beast">{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/08/the-british-left-s-hypocritical-embrace-of-islamism.html |title=The British Left's Hypocritical Embrace of Islamism |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=8 August 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to Nawaz, such sympathizers of Islamism include "[[atheism|atheists]] who are on the side of the Islamists, defending Islamism in the name of cultural tolerance."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwQhu1A-Ats |title=Lateline: An atheist and a Muslim on the future of Islam |author=[[Tony Jones (news journalist)|Tony Jones]] |work=[[Lateline]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=28 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

In an October 2015 interview with political talk show host [[Dave Rubin]], Nawaz elucidated further the reasoning behind his choice of the word "regressive". He hypothesized that a section of the leftists "genuinely believe" that they are fighting an "ideological war" against neoconservative and neocolonialist foreign policies of Western governments which promote state-organized violence and chaos in the form of wars and military invasions. On the contrary, when it comes to denouncing the randomized acts of violence of theocratic extremists such as Islamists, the same leftists forego their duty to criticize such acts of violence and prioritize focusing on the bigger evil of state-sponsored violence and war. Sometimes, they even "make alliances" with some of the most regressive, theocratic and murdering regimes and organizations. Nawaz labels these people regressive leftists. He then cites the example of [[Jeremy Corbyn]], leader of the British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], who "has been historically very close" to supporters of Islamist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah. In Nawaz's opinion, it is possible to denounce both neoconservative foreign policies (such as the Iraq war, which he had opposed) and theocratic extremism, but the regressive leftists fail to do so.<ref name=Nawaz>{{cite news|last1=Rubin|first1=Dave|title=Maajid Nawaz and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left and Political Correctness|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/2/maajid-nawaz-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-political-correctness-0_twq2e3jhwn8|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=Rubin Report|date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

According to Nawaz, the notion that Muslims cannot cope with criticism or mockery of Islam and only react violently, is "patronizing, self-pity inspiring mollycoddling" of the very Muslims it claims to serve and emancipate, because it does not expect them to be civil and control their anger.<ref name="beast" /> This "racism of low expectations" lowers the moral standards of people within minorities, seeking excuses if they happen to express, for example, [[misogyny]], [[homophobia]], [[chauvinism]], [[bigotry]], or [[antisemitism]], whilst holding members of the majority to [[human rights|universal liberal standards]].<ref name="Bigthink" />

Haras Rafiq, managing director of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], expressed the view that there is a tendency of some on the left to excuse Islamism. "We have not got to grips with the symbiotic relationship between Islamism and far-right hatred, and the regressive left that is prepared to excuse Islamism."<ref>ADAM LEBOR. Donald Trump: The AMERICAN STEREOTYPE EUROPEANS LOVE TO HATE. Newsweek Dec/14/15 [http://www.newsweek.com/2015/12/25/donald-trump-worse-voldemort-europeans-say-404653.html]</ref>

==Analysis==
In 2006, six years before Nawaz used the term "regressive left" to convey a viewpoint within the dialog on multiculturalism, [[New Atheist]] author [[Sam Harris]] used the phrase "Head-in-the-sand Liberals" in an ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' article to describe liberals who are in denial and "despite abundant evidence to the contrary", "continue to imagine that Muslim terrorism springs from economic despair, lack of education and American militarism". He bemoaned that "being generally reasonable and tolerant of diversity, liberals should be especially sensitive to the dangers of religious literalism. But they aren't".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Harris |first=Sam |date=18 September 2006 |title=Head-in-the-Sand Liberals: Western civilization really is at risk from Muslim extremists |url=http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-end-of-liberalism |journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=12 January 2016}}</ref>

In 2013, the One Law for All campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/ |title=No sharia law Campaign |publisher=One Law for All |date= |accessdate=2016-07-12}}</ref> issued a report, ''Siding with the Oppressor: The Pro-Islamist Left''.<ref name=I20130628>{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/why-is-the-left-so-blinkered-to-islamic-extremism-8679265.html |title=Why is the left so blinkered to Islamic extremism? |author=James Bloodworth |work=[[The Independent]] |date=28 June 2013 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to ''The Independent'', the report expressed concern at "working enthusiastically with those advocating the murder of homosexuals" and also with "religious fascists".<ref name=I20130628/> ''The Independent'' expressed the opinion that "In a disastrous irony, the pro-Islamist left has ended up in the same place as the white far-right. The perception of Muslims as synonymous with Islamism – criticism of Islamism is characterised as criticism of Muslims – is precisely the view taken by groups such as the [[English Defence League|EDL]]." ''The Independent'' article concluded that political [[confirmation bias]] was responsible, driven by a "pathological anti-Americanism that is quite attractive to a certain type of degenerated progressive."<ref name=I20130628/> It also quoted [[Maryam Namazie]], a spokesperson for several organisations including Iran Solidarity, One Law for All and the [[Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain]] as identifying several organisations who are, "there as prefects to silence dissenters and defend Islamism as a defence of 'Muslims'."<ref name=I20130628/>

In September 2015, [[Sam Harris]] and Maajid Nawaz participated in an exchange at a public forum hosted by [[Harvard University]]'s Institute of Politics,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI9QwEKqrso |title=Islam and the Future of Tolerance |author=Harvard’s Institute of Politics hosting Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz |publisher=Harvard’s Institute of Politics |date= |accessdate=3 January 2016}}</ref> which was later published in a short book, titled ''[[Islam and the Future of Tolerance]]'' (2015). In a review of the book in the magazine ''[[National Review Online]]'', political writer Brian Stewart notes that according to both Nawaz and Harris, the regressive leftists in the West are "willfully blind" to the fact that jihadists and Islamists make up a significant portion (20% in Harris's estimate) of the global Muslim community and the minority Muslim communities within the West, even though these factions are opposed to liberal values such as individual autonomy, freedom of expression, democracy, women's rights, gay rights, etc. Regressive leftists thus demonstrate a curiously illiberal, isolationist, and even censuring attitude towards any criticism of this phenomenon, and in doing so, they not only betray universal liberal values but also abandon defending the most vulnerable liberal members living inside the Muslim community such as women, homosexuals and apostates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stewart |first=Brian |date=7 October 2015 |title=A Liberal Atheist and a Liberal Muslim Discuss the Problems of Contemporary Islam |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425169/sam-harris-maajid-nawaz-islam-book |journal=[[National Review Online]] |publisher= |accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

In October 2015, ''The Washington Times'' reported that American comedian and show host [[Bill Maher]] and British biologist and [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] author [[Richard Dawkins]] "lamented regressive leftists who fail to understand they are anything but liberal when it comes to Islam".<ref name=WT20151003/> Maher noted a willingness to criticise anything except [[Islam]], excusing it as "their culture", to which Dawkins responded: "Well, to hell with their culture."<ref name="Maher"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/611231/Richard-Dawkins-in-extraordinary-blast-at-Muslims-To-hell-with-their-culture |title='To hell with their culture' - Richard Dawkins in extraordinary blast at Muslims |author=John Worthing |work=The Independent |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The ''Sunday Express'' characterized Dawkins as having "attacked western society's relaxed attitude to radical Islam in an extraordinary outburst". Making reference to student initiatives to disinvite ex-Muslim speakers on campus, Dawkins saw this as, "a betrayal of the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/richard-dawkins-free-speech_561038c4e4b0af3706e11397 |title=Richard Dawkins: College Students Are Betraying The Free Speech Movement |author=Tyler Kingkade |work=HuffPost on HPMG News |date=3 October 2015 |access-date=3 January 2016}}</ref>

In October and November 2015, Sam Harris frequently used the term in his exchanges with the media, saying the greatest danger is that regressive leftists are willing to give up [[free speech]] "out of fear of offending minorities", which will lead to [[censorship]] imposed by those minorities, citing American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]]'s comments on the [[Charlie Hebdo shootings]] as an example.<ref name="Chris Beck">{{cite web |url=http://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/sam-harris-unloads-on-the-regressive-left |title=Sam Harris Unloads on the Regressive Left |author=Chris Beck |work=[[Splice Today]] |publisher=[[Russ Smith (publisher)|Russ Smith]] |date=21 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=Salon20151125>Sean Illing. "Sam Harris talks Islam, ISIS, atheism, GOP madness": “We are confronting people, in dozens of countries, who despise more or less everything that we value” [http://www.salon.com/2015/11/25/harris_and_illing_correspondence/]</ref> Harris considers [[Reza Aslan]]<ref name="Chris Beck"/><ref name=Salon20151125/> and [[Noam Chomsky]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/sam-harris-is-still-mad-about-liberals-who-followed-noam-chomsky-off-the-edge-of-the-world/|title=Sam Harris is still mad about ‘liberals who followed Noam Chomsky off the edge of the world’|publisher=}}</ref><ref>The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell' on Oct. 15, 2015. [MSNBC]</ref> to be of the regressive left.

In November 2015, in an appearance on the talk radio show [[American Humanist Association|''The Humanist Hour'']], author, philosopher and atheist activist [[Peter Boghossian]] defined the term as a pejorative used to describe those on the left that have made the "strangest bedfellows" with the [[Islamists]]. According to him, the word "[[Political regressive|regressive]]" is used to contrast with the word "[[Progressivism|progressive]]" – the latter being the group that is egalitarian and wants to create systems of justice and [[racial equality]], while the former being a group that "[looks] for the worst in people... and [does] not extend hermeneutics of charity, or a charitable interpretation of anything anyone says, but uses it as a hammer to beat people down". In addition, he believes the regressive leftists have become "hyper-moralists" and champions of their perceived victims. He cites the historical wrongdoings, such as [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] in the U.S. and [[colonialism]] as a legitimate concern that has caused mistrust of anything Western and capitalistic. He also added that "there are people who have suffered and still suffer legitimate instances of racism, homophobia etc. The problem is that every time the word racist is just thrown around like that, that word loses its meaning. And it should have quite a sting. That should be a horrible word".<ref>{{cite podcast |url= http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-175-the-regressive-left-and-safe-spaces-with-dr-peter-boghossian |title= The Humanist Hour #175: The "Regressive Left" and Safe Spaces, with Dr. Peter Boghossian|website=thehumanist.com|publisher= The Humanist Hour |host= Bo Bennett, Kim Ellington|date= 4 November 2015 |time= 4:08, 9:48, 0:10 |access-date= 7 January 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, [[international relations]] researcher Elliot McArdle wrote in the online British magazine ''[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]]'' that some "so-called liberals/leftists" treat liberal Muslims like Nawaz and ex-Muslims like Namazie as "native informants", "traitors" or "[[no true Scotsman|not real Muslims]]", because such critics of Islam(ism), who have a Muslim background themselves, don't fit the desired narrative of Muslims as a homogeneous and oppressed group.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McArdle |first=Elliot |date=4 December 2015 |title=The liberal racism faced by ex-Muslims |url=http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/the-liberal-racism-faced-by-ex-muslims/17702 |journal=[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]] |publisher=[[Brendan O'Neill (journalist)|Brendan O'Neill]] |accessdate=11 December 2015}}</ref>

In late 2015, liberal talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] hosted discussions about the "regressive left" in many of ''[[The Rubin Report]]'' show segments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/8/milo-yiannopoulos-and-dave-rubin-discuss-gay-rights-and-cultural-libertarians-0_40xbq9svp490|title=Milo Yiannopoulos and Dave Rubin Discuss Gay Rights and Cultural Libertarians|publisher=Ora TV|accessdate=2015-10-08}}</ref> He once said, "The reason I feel like naming them [the regressives] is so important, is because I now view these regressives as the left's version of the [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]]. The Tea Party went unchecked by the right until it was too late, and now the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] is a fractured mess often only held together by its worst beliefs. I really believe these regressives are doing this to the left, and if we don't have the courage to stop them, then a year or two from now, we'll wonder why our system is screwed up even more than it is now."<ref name="Rubin7Oct">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzzLiJ6na1k |title=Dave Rubin: Regressives are the Left's Tea Party |work=[[The Rubin Report]] |publisher=The Rubin Report |date=7 October 2015 |accessdate=25 November 2015}}</ref> In a series of interviews, Rubin analyzed this concept and its implications with [[Peter Boghossian]], and with [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], [[Maajid Nawaz]],<ref name="Nawaz"/> [[Nick Cohen]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/12/11/nick-cohen-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-free-speech-radical-islam-0_5a17hbvw846c|title=Nick Cohen and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left, Free Speech, Radical Islam|work=Ora TV}}</ref> and [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/11/6/douglas-murray-and-dave-rubin-talk-free-speech-isis-israel-full-interview-0_5i6uq59btmia|title=Douglas Murray and Dave Rubin Talk Free Speech, ISIS, Israel (Full Interview)|work=Ora TV}}</ref>

==Criticism==
In November 2015, psychiatrist Khwaja Khusro Tariq from ''[[Huffington Post]]'' classified the term as an unsubstantiated [[ad hominem|''ad hominem'' attack]], stating that the harshest critics of Islam are courted by both liberal and conservative media in the U.S. He also stated the term has been directed towards [[Glenn Greenwald]] and [[Noam Chomsky]], both of whom he said have never condoned violence or opined on the doctrine of Islam. He argued that there was no genuine inhibition on speaking against the religion.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tariq|first= Khwaja|date= 11 November 2015|title= "Regressive Liberals": The New Mantra of Islamophobia|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/khwaja-khusro-tariq/regressive-liberals-the-n_b_8597284.html|newspaper= Huffington Post|access-date= 9 January 2016}}</ref>

In March 2016, Joseph Burnstein, a ''[[Buzzfeed]]'' reporter on [[world wide web|web]] culture, wrote that according to [[Google Trends]], interest in the term "shot up" in the fall of 2015. He notes that instead of criticising "cultural tolerance gone too far", the phrase has "become a catchall for any element of the dominant [[new media]] culture that the anti-[[Social Justice Warrior|SJW]] internet doesn't like." He also suggests that even though the term can be sourced back to liberal commentators like Nawaz, Maher and Dawkins, it is currently heavily used by [[alt-right]] people on Internet forums and social media as part of their rhetorical warfare.<ref>{{cite news |last= Burnstein|first= Joseph|date= 16 March 2016|title= The Rise Of The #Regressiveleft Hashtag |url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/the-rise-of-the-regressiveleft-hashtag#.tf71OEVY1|newspaper= Buzzfeed|access-date= 12 April 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Islamo-Leftism]]
*[[Red–green–brown alliance]]
*[[New antisemitism]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Human rights}}
{{Culture}}
{{Multiculturalism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:21st-century neologisms]]
[[Category:Censorship]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islamism]]
[[Category:Criticism of political correctness]]
[[Category:Freedom of expression]]
[[Category:Islamism]]
[[Category:Left-wing politics]]
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Political neologisms]]
[[Category:Relativism]]
[[Category:Words coined in the 2010s]]

Regressive left

2016-07-13T11:41:11Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
The '''regressive left''' (also sometimes referred to as '''regressive liberals''') is a political [[epithet]] used to negatively characterize a section of [[left-wing politics|people on the left]] who are accused of holding politically [[Political regressive|regressive]] views (as opposed to [[Progressivism|progressive]] views) by [[Toleration|tolerating]] [[Liberalism|illiberal]] principles and ideologies for the sake of [[multiculturalism]] and [[cultural relativism]].

Within the specific context of multiculturalism, British [[anti-Islamism]] activist [[Maajid Nawaz]] used the term in 2012 in his memoir ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism]]''{{#tag:ref|On p. 210 of ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism|Radical]]'' (2012), Nawaz wrote: "Is not winning the war more important than truth? This maxim, I knew, was also subscribed to by some on the left, the regressive left. For them, winning against [[capitalism]] was far more important than it was to their allies. I watched as our ideology gained acceptance and we were granted airtime as [[Muslim]] political commentators. I watched as we were ignorantly pandered to by well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists. How we [[Islamism|Islamists]] laughed at their naïveté".<ref name="Radical">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |page=210 |isbn=9781448131617 |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>|group="note"|name="first use"}} to describe "well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists" in the [[United Kingdom]] who naïvely and "ignorantly pandered to" [[Islamism|Islamists]] and helped Islamist ideology to gain acceptance. In a 2015 video presentation on the Internet forum [[Big Think]], Nawaz elaborated on the meaning of the term, saying that it describes "a section of the [[Left-wing politics|left]]" that has, in his opinion, "an inherent hesitation to challenge some of the [[bigotry]] that can occur within minority communities ... for the sake of [[political correctness]], for the sake of [[Toleration|tolerating]] what they believe is [[cultural relativism|other cultures]] and respecting different lifestyles".<ref name="Bigthink">{{cite web |url=http://bigthink.com/videos/maajid-nawaz-on-islamic-reform |title=Je Suis Muslim: How Universal Secular Rights Protect Muslim Communities the Most |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[Big Think]] |date=18 November 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

Among well-known political and social commentators, comedian [[Bill Maher]], Internet-based talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] and [[New Atheist]] writers like [[Sam Harris]], [[Jerry Coyne]]<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Jerry+Coyne+regressive+left&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=kyiGV5jvOsuUgAaU7rrQDg]</ref> and [[Richard Dawkins]] have discussed the concept numerous times.<ref name="Maher">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvvQJ_zsL1U |title=Real Time with Bill Maher: Richard Dawkins – Regressive Leftists (HBO) |work=[[Real Time with Bill Maher]] |publisher=HBO |date=2 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=WT20151003>{{Cite news |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/3/bill-maher-richard-dawkins-blast-regressive-libera/ |title=Bill Maher, Richard Dawkins blast 'regressive liberals' giving a 'free pass' to Islam |author=Kellan Howell |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=3 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==Concept==
[[File:Maajid Nawaz speaking at LibDem campaign event.jpg|thumb|[[Maajid Nawaz]]'s use of "regressive left" has been a part of his advocacy against [[Islamism]], the [[Qur'anic literalism|literalist]] pole of [[Islam]] that places more emphasis on [[Sharia]] (Islamic law), [[Pan-Islamism|pan-Islamic]] political unity, and an Islamic state.]]

[[Maajid Nawaz]], who in 2007 renounced his previous association with the radical [[Islamism|Islamist]] group [[Hizb ut-Tahrir]], in favor of [[Islam and secularism|secular Islam]], is the co-founder and chairman of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], a counter-extremism [[think tank]] based in [[London]] that seeks to challenge the narratives of [[Islamism|Islamists]].<ref name="Radical"/><ref>[http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/about/staff/maajid-nawaz/ Maajid Nawaz (Quilliam)]</ref>

Nawaz has used "regressive left" to describe those left-leaning people who, in his opinion, pander to [[Islamism]], which he defines as a "global totalitarian theo-political project" with a "desire to impose any given interpretation of Islam over society as law"<ref name="rad">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |isbn=9781448131617}}</ref> and which he opposes on the ground that "any desire to impose any version of Islam over anyone anywhere, ever, is a fundamental violation of our basic civil liberties."<ref name="beast">{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/08/the-british-left-s-hypocritical-embrace-of-islamism.html |title=The British Left's Hypocritical Embrace of Islamism |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=8 August 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to Nawaz, such sympathizers of Islamism include "[[atheism|atheists]] who are on the side of the Islamists, defending Islamism in the name of cultural tolerance."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwQhu1A-Ats |title=Lateline: An atheist and a Muslim on the future of Islam |author=[[Tony Jones (news journalist)|Tony Jones]] |work=[[Lateline]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=28 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

In an October 2015 interview with political talk show host [[Dave Rubin]], Nawaz elucidated further the reasoning behind his choice of the word "regressive". He hypothesized that a section of the leftists "genuinely believe" that they are fighting an "ideological war" against neoconservative and neocolonialist foreign policies of Western governments which promote state-organized violence and chaos in the form of wars and military invasions. On the contrary, when it comes to denouncing the randomized acts of violence of theocratic extremists such as Islamists, the same leftists forego their duty to criticize such acts of violence and prioritize focusing on the bigger evil of state-sponsored violence and war. Sometimes, they even "make alliances" with some of the most regressive, theocratic and murdering regimes and organizations. Nawaz labels these people regressive leftists. He then cites the example of [[Jeremy Corbyn]], leader of the British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], who "has been historically very close" to supporters of Islamist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah. In Nawaz's opinion, it is possible to denounce both neoconservative foreign policies (such as the Iraq war, which he had opposed) and theocratic extremism, but the regressive leftists fail to do so.<ref name=Nawaz>{{cite news|last1=Rubin|first1=Dave|title=Maajid Nawaz and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left and Political Correctness|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/2/maajid-nawaz-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-political-correctness-0_twq2e3jhwn8|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=Rubin Report|date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

According to Nawaz, the notion that Muslims cannot cope with criticism or mockery of Islam and only react violently, is "patronizing, self-pity inspiring mollycoddling" of the very Muslims it claims to serve and emancipate, because it does not expect them to be civil and control their anger.<ref name="beast" /> This "racism of low expectations" lowers the moral standards of people within minorities, seeking excuses if they happen to express, for example, [[misogyny]], [[homophobia]], [[chauvinism]], [[bigotry]], or [[antisemitism]], whilst holding members of the majority to [[human rights|universal liberal standards]].<ref name="Bigthink" />

Haras Rafiq, managing director of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], expressed the view that there is a tendency of some on the left to excuse Islamism. "We have not got to grips with the symbiotic relationship between Islamism and far-right hatred, and the regressive left that is prepared to excuse Islamism."<ref>ADAM LEBOR. Donald Trump: The AMERICAN STEREOTYPE EUROPEANS LOVE TO HATE. Newsweek Dec/14/15 [http://www.newsweek.com/2015/12/25/donald-trump-worse-voldemort-europeans-say-404653.html]</ref>

==Analysis==
In 2006, six years before Nawaz used the term "regressive left" to convey a viewpoint within the dialog on multiculturalism, [[New Atheist]] author [[Sam Harris]] used the phrase "Head-in-the-sand Liberals" in an ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' article to describe liberals who are in denial and "despite abundant evidence to the contrary", "continue to imagine that Muslim terrorism springs from economic despair, lack of education and American militarism". He bemoaned that "being generally reasonable and tolerant of diversity, liberals should be especially sensitive to the dangers of religious literalism. But they aren't".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Harris |first=Sam |date=18 September 2006 |title=Head-in-the-Sand Liberals: Western civilization really is at risk from Muslim extremists |url=http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-end-of-liberalism |journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=12 January 2016}}</ref>

In 2013, the One Law for All campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/ |title=No sharia law Campaign |publisher=One Law for All |date= |accessdate=2016-07-12}}</ref> issued a report, ''Siding with the Oppressor: The Pro-Islamist Left''.<ref name=I20130628>{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/why-is-the-left-so-blinkered-to-islamic-extremism-8679265.html |title=Why is the left so blinkered to Islamic extremism? |author=James Bloodworth |work=[[The Independent]] |date=28 June 2013 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to ''The Independent'', the report expressed concern at "working enthusiastically with those advocating the murder of homosexuals" and also with "religious fascists".<ref name=I20130628/> ''The Independent'' expressed the opinion that "In a disastrous irony, the pro-Islamist left has ended up in the same place as the white far-right. The perception of Muslims as synonymous with Islamism – criticism of Islamism is characterised as criticism of Muslims – is precisely the view taken by groups such as the [[English Defence League|EDL]]." ''The Independent'' article concluded that political [[confirmation bias]] was responsible, driven by a "pathological anti-Americanism that is quite attractive to a certain type of degenerated progressive."<ref name=I20130628/> It also quoted [[Maryam Namazie]], a spokesperson for several organisations including Iran Solidarity, One Law for All and the [[Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain]] as identifying several organisations who are, "there as prefects to silence dissenters and defend Islamism as a defence of 'Muslims'."<ref name=I20130628/>

In September 2015, [[Sam Harris]] and Maajid Nawaz participated in an exchange at a public forum hosted by [[Harvard University]]'s Institute of Politics,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI9QwEKqrso |title=Islam and the Future of Tolerance |author=Harvard’s Institute of Politics hosting Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz |publisher=Harvard’s Institute of Politics |date= |accessdate=3 January 2016}}</ref> which was later published in a short book, titled ''[[Islam and the Future of Tolerance]]'' (2015). In a review of the book in the magazine ''[[National Review Online]]'', political writer Brian Stewart notes that according to both Nawaz and Harris, the regressive leftists in the West are "willfully blind" to the fact that jihadists and Islamists make up a significant portion (20% in Harris's estimate) of the global Muslim community and the minority Muslim communities within the West, even though these factions are opposed to liberal values such as individual autonomy, freedom of expression, democracy, women's rights, gay rights, etc. Regressive leftists thus demonstrate a curiously illiberal, isolationist, and even censuring attitude towards any criticism of this phenomenon, and in doing so, they not only betray universal liberal values but also abandon defending the most vulnerable liberal members living inside the Muslim community such as women, homosexuals and apostates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stewart |first=Brian |date=7 October 2015 |title=A Liberal Atheist and a Liberal Muslim Discuss the Problems of Contemporary Islam |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425169/sam-harris-maajid-nawaz-islam-book |journal=[[National Review Online]] |publisher= |accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

In October 2015, ''The Washington Times'' reported that American comedian and show host [[Bill Maher]] and British biologist and [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] author [[Richard Dawkins]] "lamented regressive leftists who fail to understand they are anything but liberal when it comes to Islam".<ref name=WT20151003/> Maher noted a willingness to criticise anything except [[Islam]], excusing it as "their culture", to which Dawkins responded: "Well, to hell with their culture."<ref name="Maher"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/611231/Richard-Dawkins-in-extraordinary-blast-at-Muslims-To-hell-with-their-culture |title='To hell with their culture' - Richard Dawkins in extraordinary blast at Muslims |author=John Worthing |work=The Independent |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The ''Sunday Express'' characterized Dawkins as having "attacked western society's relaxed attitude to radical Islam in an extraordinary outburst". Making reference to student initiatives to disinvite ex-Muslim speakers on campus, Dawkins saw this as, "a betrayal of the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/richard-dawkins-free-speech_561038c4e4b0af3706e11397 |title=Richard Dawkins: College Students Are Betraying The Free Speech Movement |author=Tyler Kingkade |work=HuffPost on HPMG News |date=3 October 2015 |access-date=3 January 2016}}</ref>

In October and November 2015, Sam Harris frequently used the term in his exchanges with the media, saying the greatest danger is that regressive leftists are willing to give up [[free speech]] "out of fear of offending minorities", which will lead to [[censorship]] imposed by those minorities, citing American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]]'s comments on the [[Charlie Hebdo shootings]] as an example.<ref name="Chris Beck">{{cite web |url=http://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/sam-harris-unloads-on-the-regressive-left |title=Sam Harris Unloads on the Regressive Left |author=Chris Beck |work=[[Splice Today]] |publisher=[[Russ Smith (publisher)|Russ Smith]] |date=21 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=Salon20151125>Sean Illing. "Sam Harris talks Islam, ISIS, atheism, GOP madness": “We are confronting people, in dozens of countries, who despise more or less everything that we value” [http://www.salon.com/2015/11/25/harris_and_illing_correspondence/]</ref> Harris considers [[Reza Aslan]]<ref name="Chris Beck"/><ref name=Salon20151125/> and [[Noam Chomsky]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/sam-harris-is-still-mad-about-liberals-who-followed-noam-chomsky-off-the-edge-of-the-world/|title=Sam Harris is still mad about ‘liberals who followed Noam Chomsky off the edge of the world’|publisher=}}</ref><ref>The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell' on Oct. 15, 2015. [MSNBC]</ref> to be of the regressive left.

In November 2015, in an appearance on the talk radio show [[American Humanist Association|''The Humanist Hour'']], author, philosopher and atheist activist [[Peter Boghossian]] defined the term as a pejorative used to describe those on the left that have made the "strangest bedfellows" with the [[Islamists]]. According to him, the word "[[Political regressive|regressive]]" is used to contrast with the word "[[Progressivism|progressive]]" – the latter being the group that is egalitarian and wants to create systems of justice and [[racial equality]], while the former being a group that "[looks] for the worst in people... and [does] not extend hermeneutics of charity, or a charitable interpretation of anything anyone says, but uses it as a hammer to beat people down". In addition, he believes the regressive leftists have become "hyper-moralists" and champions of their perceived victims. He cites the historical wrongdoings, such as [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] in the U.S. and [[colonialism]] as a legitimate concern that has caused mistrust of anything Western and capitalistic. He also added that "there are people who have suffered and still suffer legitimate instances of racism, homophobia etc. The problem is that every time the word racist is just thrown around like that, that word loses its meaning. And it should have quite a sting. That should be a horrible word".<ref>{{cite podcast |url= http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-175-the-regressive-left-and-safe-spaces-with-dr-peter-boghossian |title= The Humanist Hour #175: The "Regressive Left" and Safe Spaces, with Dr. Peter Boghossian|website=thehumanist.com|publisher= The Humanist Hour |host= Bo Bennett, Kim Ellington|date= 4 November 2015 |time= 4:08, 9:48, 0:10 |access-date= 7 January 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, [[international relations]] researcher Elliot McArdle wrote in the online British magazine ''[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]]'' that some "so-called liberals/leftists" treat liberal Muslims like Nawaz and ex-Muslims like Namazie as "native informants", "traitors" or "[[no true Scotsman|not real Muslims]]", because such critics of Islam(ism), who have a Muslim background themselves, don't fit the desired narrative of Muslims as a homogeneous and oppressed group.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McArdle |first=Elliot |date=4 December 2015 |title=The liberal racism faced by ex-Muslims |url=http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/the-liberal-racism-faced-by-ex-muslims/17702 |journal=[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]] |publisher=[[Brendan O'Neill (journalist)|Brendan O'Neill]] |accessdate=11 December 2015}}</ref>

In late 2015, liberal talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] hosted discussions about the "regressive left" in many of ''[[The Rubin Report]]'' show segments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/8/milo-yiannopoulos-and-dave-rubin-discuss-gay-rights-and-cultural-libertarians-0_40xbq9svp490|title=Milo Yiannopoulos and Dave Rubin Discuss Gay Rights and Cultural Libertarians|publisher=Ora TV|accessdate=2015-10-08}}</ref> He once said, "The reason I feel like naming them [the regressives] is so important, is because I now view these regressives as the left's version of the [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]]. The Tea Party went unchecked by the right until it was too late, and now the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] is a fractured mess often only held together by its worst beliefs. I really believe these regressives are doing this to the left, and if we don't have the courage to stop them, then a year or two from now, we'll wonder why our system is screwed up even more than it is now."<ref name="Rubin7Oct">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzzLiJ6na1k |title=Dave Rubin: Regressives are the Left's Tea Party |work=[[The Rubin Report]] |publisher=The Rubin Report |date=7 October 2015 |accessdate=25 November 2015}}</ref> In a series of interviews, Rubin analyzed this concept and its implications with [[Peter Boghossian]], and with [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], [[Maajid Nawaz]],<ref name="Nawaz"/> [[Nick Cohen]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/12/11/nick-cohen-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-free-speech-radical-islam-0_5a17hbvw846c|title=Nick Cohen and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left, Free Speech, Radical Islam|work=Ora TV}}</ref> and [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/11/6/douglas-murray-and-dave-rubin-talk-free-speech-isis-israel-full-interview-0_5i6uq59btmia|title=Douglas Murray and Dave Rubin Talk Free Speech, ISIS, Israel (Full Interview)|work=Ora TV}}</ref>

==Criticism==
In November 2015, psychiatrist Khwaja Khusro Tariq from ''[[Huffington Post]]'' classified the term as an unsubstantiated [[ad hominem|''ad hominem'' attack]], stating that the harshest critics of Islam are courted by both liberal and conservative media in the U.S. He also stated the term has been directed towards [[Glenn Greenwald]] and [[Noam Chomsky]], both of whom he said have never condoned violence or opined on the doctrine of Islam. He argued that there was no genuine inhibition on speaking against the religion.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tariq|first= Khwaja|date= 11 November 2015|title= "Regressive Liberals": The New Mantra of Islamophobia|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/khwaja-khusro-tariq/regressive-liberals-the-n_b_8597284.html|newspaper= Huffington Post|access-date= 9 January 2016}}</ref>

In March 2016, Joseph Burnstein, a ''[[Buzzfeed]]'' reporter on [[world wide web|web]] culture, wrote that according to [[Google Trends]], interest in the term "shot up" in the fall of 2015. He notes that instead of criticising "cultural tolerance gone too far", the phrase has "become a catchall for any element of the dominant [[new media]] culture that the anti-[[Social Justice Warrior|SJW]] internet doesn't like." He also suggests that even though the term can be sourced back to liberal commentators like Nawaz, Maher and Dawkins, it is currently heavily used by [[alt-right]] people on Internet forums and social media as part of their rhetorical warfare.<ref>{{cite news |last= Burnstein|first= Joseph|date= 16 March 2016|title= The Rise Of The #Regressiveleft Hashtag |url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/the-rise-of-the-regressiveleft-hashtag#.tf71OEVY1|newspaper= Buzzfeed|access-date= 12 April 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Islamo-Leftism]]
*[[Red–green–brown alliance]]
*[[New antisemitism]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Human rights}}
{{Culture}}
{{Multiculturalism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:21st-century neologisms]]
[[Category:Censorship]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islamism]]
[[Category:Criticism of political correctness]]
[[Category:Freedom of expression]]
[[Category:Islamism]]
[[Category:Left-wing politics]]
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Political neologisms]]
[[Category:Relativism]]
[[Category:Words coined in the 2010s]]

Regressive left

2016-07-13T11:38:40Z

Proxima Centauri: More neutral

{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
The '''regressive left''' (also sometimes referred to as '''regressive liberals''') is a political [[epithet]] used to negatively characterize a section of [[left-wing politics|people on the left]] who are accused of holding politically [[Political regressive|regressive]] views (as opposed to [[Progressivism|progressive]] views) by [[Toleration|tolerating]] [[Liberalism|illiberal]] principles and ideologies for the sake of [[multiculturalism]] and [[cultural relativism]].

Within the specific context of multiculturalism, British [[anti-Islamism]] activist [[Maajid Nawaz]] used the term in 2012 in his memoir ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism]]''{{#tag:ref|On p. 210 of ''[[Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism|Radical]]'' (2012), Nawaz wrote: "Is not winning the war more important than truth? This maxim, I knew, was also subscribed to by some on the left, the regressive left. For them, winning against [[capitalism]] was far more important than it was to their allies. I watched as our ideology gained acceptance and we were granted airtime as [[Muslim]] political commentators. I watched as we were ignorantly pandered to by well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists. How we [[Islamism|Islamists]] laughed at their naïveté".<ref name="Radical">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |page=210 |isbn=9781448131617 |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>|group="note"|name="first use"}} to describe "well-meaning liberals and ideologically driven leftists" in the [[United Kingdom]] who naïvely and "ignorantly pandered to" [[Islamism|Islamists]] and helped Islamist ideology to gain acceptance. In a 2015 video presentation on the Internet forum [[Big Think]], Nawaz elaborated on the meaning of the term, saying that it describes "a section of the [[Left-wing politics|left]]" that has, in his opinion, "an inherent hesitation to challenge some of the [[bigotry]] that can occur within minority communities ... for the sake of [[political correctness]], for the sake of [[Toleration|tolerating]] what they believe is [[cultural relativism|other cultures]] and respecting different lifestyles".<ref name="Bigthink">{{cite web |url=http://bigthink.com/videos/maajid-nawaz-on-islamic-reform |title=Je Suis Muslim: How Universal Secular Rights Protect Muslim Communities the Most |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[Big Think]] |date=18 November 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

Among well-known political and social commentators, comedian [[Bill Maher]], Internet-based talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] and [[New Atheist]] writers like [[Sam Harris]] and [[Richard Dawkins]] have discussed the concept numerous times.<ref name="Maher">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvvQJ_zsL1U |title=Real Time with Bill Maher: Richard Dawkins – Regressive Leftists (HBO) |work=[[Real Time with Bill Maher]] |publisher=HBO |date=2 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=WT20151003>{{Cite news |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/3/bill-maher-richard-dawkins-blast-regressive-libera/ |title=Bill Maher, Richard Dawkins blast 'regressive liberals' giving a 'free pass' to Islam |author=Kellan Howell |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=3 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==Concept==
[[File:Maajid Nawaz speaking at LibDem campaign event.jpg|thumb|[[Maajid Nawaz]]'s use of "regressive left" has been a part of his advocacy against [[Islamism]], the [[Qur'anic literalism|literalist]] pole of [[Islam]] that places more emphasis on [[Sharia]] (Islamic law), [[Pan-Islamism|pan-Islamic]] political unity, and an Islamic state.]]

[[Maajid Nawaz]], who in 2007 renounced his previous association with the radical [[Islamism|Islamist]] group [[Hizb ut-Tahrir]], in favor of [[Islam and secularism|secular Islam]], is the co-founder and chairman of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], a counter-extremism [[think tank]] based in [[London]] that seeks to challenge the narratives of [[Islamism|Islamists]].<ref name="Radical"/><ref>[http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/about/staff/maajid-nawaz/ Maajid Nawaz (Quilliam)]</ref>

Nawaz has used "regressive left" to describe those left-leaning people who, in his opinion, pander to [[Islamism]], which he defines as a "global totalitarian theo-political project" with a "desire to impose any given interpretation of Islam over society as law"<ref name="rad">{{Cite book |last=Nawaz |first=Maajid |date=2012 |title=Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FIjms8hwoW8C |publisher=WH Allen |isbn=9781448131617}}</ref> and which he opposes on the ground that "any desire to impose any version of Islam over anyone anywhere, ever, is a fundamental violation of our basic civil liberties."<ref name="beast">{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/08/the-british-left-s-hypocritical-embrace-of-islamism.html |title=The British Left's Hypocritical Embrace of Islamism |author=Maajid Nawaz |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=8 August 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to Nawaz, such sympathizers of Islamism include "[[atheism|atheists]] who are on the side of the Islamists, defending Islamism in the name of cultural tolerance."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwQhu1A-Ats |title=Lateline: An atheist and a Muslim on the future of Islam |author=[[Tony Jones (news journalist)|Tony Jones]] |work=[[Lateline]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=28 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref>

In an October 2015 interview with political talk show host [[Dave Rubin]], Nawaz elucidated further the reasoning behind his choice of the word "regressive". He hypothesized that a section of the leftists "genuinely believe" that they are fighting an "ideological war" against neoconservative and neocolonialist foreign policies of Western governments which promote state-organized violence and chaos in the form of wars and military invasions. On the contrary, when it comes to denouncing the randomized acts of violence of theocratic extremists such as Islamists, the same leftists forego their duty to criticize such acts of violence and prioritize focusing on the bigger evil of state-sponsored violence and war. Sometimes, they even "make alliances" with some of the most regressive, theocratic and murdering regimes and organizations. Nawaz labels these people regressive leftists. He then cites the example of [[Jeremy Corbyn]], leader of the British [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], who "has been historically very close" to supporters of Islamist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah. In Nawaz's opinion, it is possible to denounce both neoconservative foreign policies (such as the Iraq war, which he had opposed) and theocratic extremism, but the regressive leftists fail to do so.<ref name=Nawaz>{{cite news|last1=Rubin|first1=Dave|title=Maajid Nawaz and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left and Political Correctness|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/2/maajid-nawaz-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-political-correctness-0_twq2e3jhwn8|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=Rubin Report|date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

According to Nawaz, the notion that Muslims cannot cope with criticism or mockery of Islam and only react violently, is "patronizing, self-pity inspiring mollycoddling" of the very Muslims it claims to serve and emancipate, because it does not expect them to be civil and control their anger.<ref name="beast" /> This "racism of low expectations" lowers the moral standards of people within minorities, seeking excuses if they happen to express, for example, [[misogyny]], [[homophobia]], [[chauvinism]], [[bigotry]], or [[antisemitism]], whilst holding members of the majority to [[human rights|universal liberal standards]].<ref name="Bigthink" />

Haras Rafiq, managing director of [[Quilliam (think tank)|Quilliam]], expressed the view that there is a tendency of some on the left to excuse Islamism. "We have not got to grips with the symbiotic relationship between Islamism and far-right hatred, and the regressive left that is prepared to excuse Islamism."<ref>ADAM LEBOR. Donald Trump: The AMERICAN STEREOTYPE EUROPEANS LOVE TO HATE. Newsweek Dec/14/15 [http://www.newsweek.com/2015/12/25/donald-trump-worse-voldemort-europeans-say-404653.html]</ref>

==Analysis==
In 2006, six years before Nawaz used the term "regressive left" to convey a viewpoint within the dialog on multiculturalism, [[New Atheist]] author [[Sam Harris]] used the phrase "Head-in-the-sand Liberals" in an ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' article to describe liberals who are in denial and "despite abundant evidence to the contrary", "continue to imagine that Muslim terrorism springs from economic despair, lack of education and American militarism". He bemoaned that "being generally reasonable and tolerant of diversity, liberals should be especially sensitive to the dangers of religious literalism. But they aren't".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Harris |first=Sam |date=18 September 2006 |title=Head-in-the-Sand Liberals: Western civilization really is at risk from Muslim extremists |url=http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-end-of-liberalism |journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=12 January 2016}}</ref>

In 2013, the One Law for All campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/ |title=No sharia law Campaign |publisher=One Law for All |date= |accessdate=2016-07-12}}</ref> issued a report, ''Siding with the Oppressor: The Pro-Islamist Left''.<ref name=I20130628>{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/why-is-the-left-so-blinkered-to-islamic-extremism-8679265.html |title=Why is the left so blinkered to Islamic extremism? |author=James Bloodworth |work=[[The Independent]] |date=28 June 2013 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref> According to ''The Independent'', the report expressed concern at "working enthusiastically with those advocating the murder of homosexuals" and also with "religious fascists".<ref name=I20130628/> ''The Independent'' expressed the opinion that "In a disastrous irony, the pro-Islamist left has ended up in the same place as the white far-right. The perception of Muslims as synonymous with Islamism – criticism of Islamism is characterised as criticism of Muslims – is precisely the view taken by groups such as the [[English Defence League|EDL]]." ''The Independent'' article concluded that political [[confirmation bias]] was responsible, driven by a "pathological anti-Americanism that is quite attractive to a certain type of degenerated progressive."<ref name=I20130628/> It also quoted [[Maryam Namazie]], a spokesperson for several organisations including Iran Solidarity, One Law for All and the [[Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain]] as identifying several organisations who are, "there as prefects to silence dissenters and defend Islamism as a defence of 'Muslims'."<ref name=I20130628/>

In September 2015, [[Sam Harris]] and Maajid Nawaz participated in an exchange at a public forum hosted by [[Harvard University]]'s Institute of Politics,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI9QwEKqrso |title=Islam and the Future of Tolerance |author=Harvard’s Institute of Politics hosting Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz |publisher=Harvard’s Institute of Politics |date= |accessdate=3 January 2016}}</ref> which was later published in a short book, titled ''[[Islam and the Future of Tolerance]]'' (2015). In a review of the book in the magazine ''[[National Review Online]]'', political writer Brian Stewart notes that according to both Nawaz and Harris, the regressive leftists in the West are "willfully blind" to the fact that jihadists and Islamists make up a significant portion (20% in Harris's estimate) of the global Muslim community and the minority Muslim communities within the West, even though these factions are opposed to liberal values such as individual autonomy, freedom of expression, democracy, women's rights, gay rights, etc. Regressive leftists thus demonstrate a curiously illiberal, isolationist, and even censuring attitude towards any criticism of this phenomenon, and in doing so, they not only betray universal liberal values but also abandon defending the most vulnerable liberal members living inside the Muslim community such as women, homosexuals and apostates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stewart |first=Brian |date=7 October 2015 |title=A Liberal Atheist and a Liberal Muslim Discuss the Problems of Contemporary Islam |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425169/sam-harris-maajid-nawaz-islam-book |journal=[[National Review Online]] |publisher= |accessdate=11 January 2016}}</ref>

In October 2015, ''The Washington Times'' reported that American comedian and show host [[Bill Maher]] and British biologist and [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] author [[Richard Dawkins]] "lamented regressive leftists who fail to understand they are anything but liberal when it comes to Islam".<ref name=WT20151003/> Maher noted a willingness to criticise anything except [[Islam]], excusing it as "their culture", to which Dawkins responded: "Well, to hell with their culture."<ref name="Maher"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/611231/Richard-Dawkins-in-extraordinary-blast-at-Muslims-To-hell-with-their-culture |title='To hell with their culture' - Richard Dawkins in extraordinary blast at Muslims |author=John Worthing |work=The Independent |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> The ''Sunday Express'' characterized Dawkins as having "attacked western society's relaxed attitude to radical Islam in an extraordinary outburst". Making reference to student initiatives to disinvite ex-Muslim speakers on campus, Dawkins saw this as, "a betrayal of the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/richard-dawkins-free-speech_561038c4e4b0af3706e11397 |title=Richard Dawkins: College Students Are Betraying The Free Speech Movement |author=Tyler Kingkade |work=HuffPost on HPMG News |date=3 October 2015 |access-date=3 January 2016}}</ref>

In October and November 2015, Sam Harris frequently used the term in his exchanges with the media, saying the greatest danger is that regressive leftists are willing to give up [[free speech]] "out of fear of offending minorities", which will lead to [[censorship]] imposed by those minorities, citing American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]]'s comments on the [[Charlie Hebdo shootings]] as an example.<ref name="Chris Beck">{{cite web |url=http://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/sam-harris-unloads-on-the-regressive-left |title=Sam Harris Unloads on the Regressive Left |author=Chris Beck |work=[[Splice Today]] |publisher=[[Russ Smith (publisher)|Russ Smith]] |date=21 October 2015 |accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=Salon20151125>Sean Illing. "Sam Harris talks Islam, ISIS, atheism, GOP madness": “We are confronting people, in dozens of countries, who despise more or less everything that we value” [http://www.salon.com/2015/11/25/harris_and_illing_correspondence/]</ref> Harris considers [[Reza Aslan]]<ref name="Chris Beck"/><ref name=Salon20151125/> and [[Noam Chomsky]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/sam-harris-is-still-mad-about-liberals-who-followed-noam-chomsky-off-the-edge-of-the-world/|title=Sam Harris is still mad about ‘liberals who followed Noam Chomsky off the edge of the world’|publisher=}}</ref><ref>The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell' on Oct. 15, 2015. [MSNBC]</ref> to be of the regressive left.

In November 2015, in an appearance on the talk radio show [[American Humanist Association|''The Humanist Hour'']], author, philosopher and atheist activist [[Peter Boghossian]] defined the term as a pejorative used to describe those on the left that have made the "strangest bedfellows" with the [[Islamists]]. According to him, the word "[[Political regressive|regressive]]" is used to contrast with the word "[[Progressivism|progressive]]" – the latter being the group that is egalitarian and wants to create systems of justice and [[racial equality]], while the former being a group that "[looks] for the worst in people... and [does] not extend hermeneutics of charity, or a charitable interpretation of anything anyone says, but uses it as a hammer to beat people down". In addition, he believes the regressive leftists have become "hyper-moralists" and champions of their perceived victims. He cites the historical wrongdoings, such as [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] in the U.S. and [[colonialism]] as a legitimate concern that has caused mistrust of anything Western and capitalistic. He also added that "there are people who have suffered and still suffer legitimate instances of racism, homophobia etc. The problem is that every time the word racist is just thrown around like that, that word loses its meaning. And it should have quite a sting. That should be a horrible word".<ref>{{cite podcast |url= http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-175-the-regressive-left-and-safe-spaces-with-dr-peter-boghossian |title= The Humanist Hour #175: The "Regressive Left" and Safe Spaces, with Dr. Peter Boghossian|website=thehumanist.com|publisher= The Humanist Hour |host= Bo Bennett, Kim Ellington|date= 4 November 2015 |time= 4:08, 9:48, 0:10 |access-date= 7 January 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, [[international relations]] researcher Elliot McArdle wrote in the online British magazine ''[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]]'' that some "so-called liberals/leftists" treat liberal Muslims like Nawaz and ex-Muslims like Namazie as "native informants", "traitors" or "[[no true Scotsman|not real Muslims]]", because such critics of Islam(ism), who have a Muslim background themselves, don't fit the desired narrative of Muslims as a homogeneous and oppressed group.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McArdle |first=Elliot |date=4 December 2015 |title=The liberal racism faced by ex-Muslims |url=http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/the-liberal-racism-faced-by-ex-muslims/17702 |journal=[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]] |publisher=[[Brendan O'Neill (journalist)|Brendan O'Neill]] |accessdate=11 December 2015}}</ref>

In late 2015, liberal talk show host [[Dave Rubin]] hosted discussions about the "regressive left" in many of ''[[The Rubin Report]]'' show segments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/10/8/milo-yiannopoulos-and-dave-rubin-discuss-gay-rights-and-cultural-libertarians-0_40xbq9svp490|title=Milo Yiannopoulos and Dave Rubin Discuss Gay Rights and Cultural Libertarians|publisher=Ora TV|accessdate=2015-10-08}}</ref> He once said, "The reason I feel like naming them [the regressives] is so important, is because I now view these regressives as the left's version of the [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]]. The Tea Party went unchecked by the right until it was too late, and now the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] is a fractured mess often only held together by its worst beliefs. I really believe these regressives are doing this to the left, and if we don't have the courage to stop them, then a year or two from now, we'll wonder why our system is screwed up even more than it is now."<ref name="Rubin7Oct">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzzLiJ6na1k |title=Dave Rubin: Regressives are the Left's Tea Party |work=[[The Rubin Report]] |publisher=The Rubin Report |date=7 October 2015 |accessdate=25 November 2015}}</ref> In a series of interviews, Rubin analyzed this concept and its implications with [[Peter Boghossian]], and with [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], [[Maajid Nawaz]],<ref name="Nawaz"/> [[Nick Cohen]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/12/11/nick-cohen-and-dave-rubin-discuss-the-regressive-left-free-speech-radical-islam-0_5a17hbvw846c|title=Nick Cohen and Dave Rubin Discuss the Regressive Left, Free Speech, Radical Islam|work=Ora TV}}</ref> and [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ora.tv/rubinreport/2015/11/6/douglas-murray-and-dave-rubin-talk-free-speech-isis-israel-full-interview-0_5i6uq59btmia|title=Douglas Murray and Dave Rubin Talk Free Speech, ISIS, Israel (Full Interview)|work=Ora TV}}</ref>

==Criticism==
In November 2015, psychiatrist Khwaja Khusro Tariq from ''[[Huffington Post]]'' classified the term as an unsubstantiated [[ad hominem|''ad hominem'' attack]], stating that the harshest critics of Islam are courted by both liberal and conservative media in the U.S. He also stated the term has been directed towards [[Glenn Greenwald]] and [[Noam Chomsky]], both of whom he said have never condoned violence or opined on the doctrine of Islam. He argued that there was no genuine inhibition on speaking against the religion.<ref>{{cite news |last= Tariq|first= Khwaja|date= 11 November 2015|title= "Regressive Liberals": The New Mantra of Islamophobia|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/khwaja-khusro-tariq/regressive-liberals-the-n_b_8597284.html|newspaper= Huffington Post|access-date= 9 January 2016}}</ref>

In March 2016, Joseph Burnstein, a ''[[Buzzfeed]]'' reporter on [[world wide web|web]] culture, wrote that according to [[Google Trends]], interest in the term "shot up" in the fall of 2015. He notes that instead of criticising "cultural tolerance gone too far", the phrase has "become a catchall for any element of the dominant [[new media]] culture that the anti-[[Social Justice Warrior|SJW]] internet doesn't like." He also suggests that even though the term can be sourced back to liberal commentators like Nawaz, Maher and Dawkins, it is currently heavily used by [[alt-right]] people on Internet forums and social media as part of their rhetorical warfare.<ref>{{cite news |last= Burnstein|first= Joseph|date= 16 March 2016|title= The Rise Of The #Regressiveleft Hashtag |url=http://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/the-rise-of-the-regressiveleft-hashtag#.tf71OEVY1|newspaper= Buzzfeed|access-date= 12 April 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Islamo-Leftism]]
*[[Red–green–brown alliance]]
*[[New antisemitism]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Human rights}}
{{Culture}}
{{Multiculturalism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:21st-century neologisms]]
[[Category:Censorship]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islamism]]
[[Category:Criticism of political correctness]]
[[Category:Freedom of expression]]
[[Category:Islamism]]
[[Category:Left-wing politics]]
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Political neologisms]]
[[Category:Relativism]]
[[Category:Words coined in the 2010s]]

Aimee Semple McPherson

2014-11-27T01:44:32Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{multiple issues|
{{very long|date=October 2013}}
{{lead too short|date=April 2012}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2014}}
{{Weasel|date=November 2014}}
}}

{{Infobox person
| name =Aimee Semple McPherson
| image = Aimee Semple McPherson.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1890|10|09}}
| birth_place = [[Salford, Ontario]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1944|09|27|1890|10|09}}
| death_place =[[Oakland, California]]
| death_cause =
| resting_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery (Glendale)]]
| residence =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for =Founding the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]
| religion =
| spouse = Robert James Semple (died 1910) Harold Stewart McPherson (divorced 1921) David Hutton (divorced 1934)
| children = [[Roberta Semple Salter|Roberta Star Semple]] [[Rolf McPherson]]
| parents = James Morgan Kennedy Mildred Ona Pearce
}}

'''Aimee Semple McPherson''' (October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as '''Sister Aimee''', was a Canadian-American [[Los Angeles]]–based [[Evangelism|evangelist]] and [[Mass media|media]] [[celebrity]] in the 1920s and 1930s.<ref name="WVobit">Obituary ''[[Variety Obituaries|Variety]]'', October 4, 1944.</ref> She founded the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel|Foursquare Church]]. McPherson has been noted as a pioneer in the use of modern media, especially radio, and was the second woman to be granted a [[broadcast license]]. She used radio to draw on the growing appeal of popular entertainment in North America and incorporated other forms into her weekly sermons at [[Angelus Temple]].<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30148022</ref>

In her time she was the most publicized Christian evangelist, surpassing [[Billy Sunday]] and her other predecessors.<ref name="autogenerated308">George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University, Truman State University Press, 1999 p. 308</ref><ref name="newspapers1">{{cite web|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article.aspx?articleid=straitstimes19310302.2.46 |title=Newspaper Article - AIMEE McPHERSON IN SINGAPORE |publisher=Newspapers.nl.sg |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> She conducted public faith-healing demonstrations before large crowds, allegedly healing tens of thousands of people.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson Audio Tapes, http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/103.htm#602</ref>
<ref>Epstein, Daniel Mark , Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson (Orlando: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1993), p. 111. Note: Epstein writes "The healings present a monstrous obstacle to scientific historiography. If events transpired as newspapers, letters, and testimonials say they did, then Aimee Semple McPherson's healing ministry was miraculous.... The documentation is overwhelming: very sick people came to Sister Aimee by the tens of thousands, blind, deaf, paralyzed. Many were healed some temporarily, some forever. She would point to heaven, to Christ the Great Healer and take no credit for the results."</ref> McPherson's articulation of the United States as a nation founded and sustained by divine inspiration continues to be echoed by many pastors in churches today. News coverage sensationalized misfortunes with family and church members; particularly inflaming accusations she had fabricated her reported kidnapping, turning it into a national spectacle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-incredible-disappearing-evangelist-572829/ |title=The Incredible Disappearing Evangelist |publisher=Smithsonian.com |date= |accessdate=2014-05-03}}</ref> McPherson's preaching style, extensive charity work and ecumenical contributions were a major influence in revitalization of American Evangelical Christianity in the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.religiondispatches.org/books/529/rd10q:_aimee_semple_mcpherson,_evangelical_maverick |title=RD10Q: Aimee Semple McPherson, Evangelical Maverick |publisher=Religion Dispatches |date=2008-09-26 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref name="SuttonWildfire">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%22Between+the+refrigerator+and+the+wildfire%22%3A+Aimee+Semple+McPherson,...-a098978379 |title="Between the refrigerator and the wildfire": Aimee Semple McPherson, pentecostalism, and the fundamentalist-modernist controversy (1). - Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

==Biography==

===Early life===
McPherson was born Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy on a farm in [[Salford, Ontario]], [[Canada]].<ref>Matthew Avery Sutton, ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]'' (Cambridge: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007), page 9</ref> Her father, James Kennedy, was a farmer.<ref name="Sutton, p. 9">Sutton, p. 9</ref> Young Aimee got her early exposure to religion through her mother, Mildred – known as Minnie. McPherson's later work in spreading the Gospel was a result of watching her mother work with the poor in [[Salvation Army]] soup kitchens.

As a child she would play "Salvation Army" with her classmates, and at home she would gather a congregation with her dolls, giving them a sermon.<ref name="Sutton, p. 9"/> As a teenager, McPherson strayed from her mother's teachings by reading novels and going to movies and dances, activities which were strongly disapproved of by both the Salvation Army and the faith of her father, a Methodist. Novels, though, made their way into the Methodist Church library and with guilty delight, McPherson would read them. At the movies, she recognized some of her fellow Methodist church members. She learned too, at a local dance she attended, that her dancing partner was a Presbyterian minister. In high school, she was taught [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''[[Theory of Evolution]]''.<ref>Sutton, pp. 9–10</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 28–29</ref> She began to quiz visiting preachers and local pastors about faith and science, but was unhappy with the answers she received.<ref name="Sutton, p. 10">Sutton, p. 10</ref> She stunned her father, who almost fell backwards while carrying a pan of milk up the basement stairs by asking him, "How do you know there is a God?" She wrote to the Canadian newspaper, ''Family Herald and Weekly Star'', questioning why taxpayer-funded public schools had courses, such as evolution, which undermined Christianity.<ref name="Sutton, p. 10"/> While still in high school, after her Pentecostal conversion, McPherson began a crusade against the concept of evolution, beginning a lifelong passion.

===Marriage and family===
[[File:Semples.jpeg|right|frame|Robert and Aimee Semple (1910)]]
While attending a revival meeting in December 1907, Aimee met Robert James Semple, a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] [[missionary]] from [[Ireland]]. After a short courtship, they were married on August 12, 1908 in a Salvation Army ceremony, pledging never to allow their marriage to lessen their devotion to God, affection for comrades or faithfulness in the Army. The pair's notion of "Army" was very broad, encompassing much more than just the Salvation Army. Robert supported them as a foundry worker and preached at the local Pentecostal mission. Together, they studied the Bible, Aimee claiming Robert taught her all she knew; though other observers state she was far more knowledgeable than she let on. After a few months they moved to Chicago and became part of [[William Howard Durham|William Durham]]'s Full Gospel Assembly. Under Durham's tutelage, Aimee was discovered to have a unique ability in the interpretation in tongues, translating with stylistic eloquence the otherwise indecipherable utterances of persons who began to speak in a language unknown to them.<ref>Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, Aimee Semple McPherson: everybody's sister (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Inc., 1993), p. 81</ref>

The two then embarked on an evangelical tour, first to Europe and then to [[China]], where they arrived in June 1910, with Aimee about six months pregnant. Shortly after disembarking in Hong Kong, both contracted [[malaria]] and Robert, [[dysentery]]. Robert Semple died of the illnesses on August 19, 1910, and was buried in [[Hong Kong Cemetery]]. Aimee Semple recovered and gave birth to their daughter, [[Roberta Semple Salter|Roberta Star Semple]], on September 17, 1910. Alone, with just the wailing of her newborn daughter, Aimee Semple was now a 19-year-old widow. Her mother, Mildred Kennedy wired her funds for the return journey to the United States.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 92</ref> On-board ship, Aimee Semple started a Sunday school class then held other services as well. Almost all the passengers attended. On her departure, a collection was taken by the ship's purser and the amount given was just enough to pay for travel to her hometown. Robert Semple never left her thoughts; she displayed his photo in her parlor and spoke of him glowingly, even dreamily, in her sermons, as a lifelong inspiration.

Shortly after her recuperation in the United States, Semple joined her mother Minnie working with the [[Salvation Army]]. While in [[New York City]], she met Harold Stewart McPherson, an accountant. They were married on May 5, 1912, moved to [[Rhode Island]] and had a son, [[Rolf McPherson|Rolf Potter Kennedy McPherson]] in March 1913.

McPherson tried to live the life of the dutiful housewife, had a devoted husband and a fine home, but was instead miserable as she denied her "calling" to go preach. She became emotionally erratic, sulking in a corner, lethargic, then tempestuous with a raging temper.<ref>Sutton, p. 58</ref> Next she would tackle household chores with prolonged obsessional detail and afterwards fall to weeping and praying.<ref>Epstein, pp. 72–73</ref> After the birth of her second child, Rolf, she felt the call to preach tug at her even more strongly. In response, she helped with worship services in several Pentecostal churches in and around the Providence, Rhode Island area. But, this did not satisfy the voice which told her, as McPherson claimed, to go and do the work of an evangelist.

Then in 1914, she fell seriously ill, and after a failed operation she was left in the holding room where patients were taken to die. In her delirium, McPherson states she again heard the persistent voice, asking her to go preach. Feeling that either her life was at an end or she would go preach, McPherson accepted the voice's challenge. The astounded nurse looked on as McPherson suddenly opened her eyes and was able to turn over in bed without pain. One spring morning in 1915, her husband returned home from the night shift to discover McPherson had left him and taken the children. A few weeks later, a note was received inviting him to join her in evangelistic work.<ref>Epstein, pp. 74–76</ref>

McPherson of this period wrote:
<blockquote>"Oh, don't you ever tell me that a woman can not be called to preach the Gospel! If any man ever went through one hundredth part of the hell on earth that I lived in, those months when out of God's will and work, they would never say that again."<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, This is That, (The Bridal Call Publishing House, Los Angeles, CA, 1921) p. 102</ref></blockquote>

Though the compulsion for cleanliness never left her, children Roberta Star Semple and Rolf McPherson later recalled a loving and dutiful mother, finding time for them in her busy itinerary.<ref>Epstein, p. 72</ref> Their trip on the road traveling from city to city was an adventure; McPherson told them stories, planned pleasant little surprises and was consistently cheerful and optimistic.

Her husband later followed McPherson to take her back home. When he saw her, though, preaching to a crowd, she was not the troubled woman of uncertain temperament, but determined, radiant and lovely. Before long he succumbed to the Pentecostal experience, was speaking in tongues, and became her fellow worker in Christ. Their house in Providence was sold and he joined her in setting up tents for revival meetings and even did some preaching himself.<ref>Epstein, pp. 91, 95, 128</ref>

Food and accommodations were uncertain; McPherson and her family "lived by faith" for their needs. People would just appear and donate goods. Frequently, the McPhersons would have to launder clothing in the local ponds and creeks as well as fish them for their meals. McPherson herself apparently became accomplished at angling, later describing in a sermon, how, in [[St Petersburg, Florida]], as soon as she had a good catch on her line, a [[pelican]] would swoop in and swallow it. She would then have to reach down past its beak into the pelican's gullet and pull her fish out.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson, Live Wire sermon, Approx 1939</ref> Her husband, in spite of initial enthusiasm, grew weary of living out of their "Gospel Car" and wanted a life that was more stable and predicable. After arguing with McPherson, he returned to Rhode Island and around 1918 had filed for separation. He petitioned for divorce, citing abandonment; the divorce was granted in 1921.

Some years later after her fame and the Angelus Temple were established in [[Los Angeles, California]], she married again on September 13, 1931 to actor and musician David Hutton. Her children, Roberta Star Semple and son Rolf McPherson had since married, leaving her feeling very much alone. McPherson admitted she herself would one day like to have a "diamond ring and a home" and "live like other folks." She quickly hit it off with Hutton, 10 years her junior, who was a portly baritone currently acting in one of her sacred operas. The radiant bride shared her marital bliss with the congregation as well as the public at large, even allowing photographers into their bridal chamber for an interview the day after their marriage.<ref>Sutton, pp. 168–170</ref> Two days after the wedding, though, Hutton was sued for [[breach of promise]] by ex-girlfriend nurse Hazel St. Pierre. Hutton disputed her story stating he never kissed or did any of the other things claimed by St. Pierre. Hutton earned the media nickname, "The Great Un-kissed." Deciding in favor of St. Pierre, the jury awarded her [[US$]]5,000.<ref>About US $74,000 in 2013 dollars. See subsequent cites for inflation calculator links.</ref><ref name="dollartimes1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm |title=Inflation Calculator |publisher=DollarTimes.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=2000.00&year1=1937&year2=2012 |title=CPI Inflation Calculator |publisher=Data.bls.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php |title=Inflation Calculator 2013 |publisher=Davemanuel.com |date=2009-08-13 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> After Hutton relayed the news to McPherson, she fainted and fractured her skull.<ref>Sutton, p. 172</ref>

While McPherson was away in Europe to recover, she was angered to learn Hutton was billing himself as "Aimee's man" in his [[cabaret]] singing act and was frequently photographed with scantily clad women. Her private cablegrams to Hutton made their way into the front page news, leaked from an unknown source. She was also distressed to find out he filed for divorce, something she refused to believe at the time. Meanwhile, the marriage caused an uproar within the church: the tenets of Foursquare Gospel, as put forth by McPherson herself, held that one should not remarry while their previous spouse was still alive, as McPherson's second husband still was; although he had remarried.<ref>Epstein, p. 362</ref> If her third husband was more well liked by the congregation and elders, the doctrinal ambiguity might have been more easily overlooked. But Hutton's much publicized personal scandals were damaging the Foursquare Gospel Church and their leader's credibility with other churches.<ref>Epstein, pp. 374–375</ref>

The newspapers anticipated Hutton might have a difficult time, coming in second to "the fascinating flaming, Aimee." Hutton, for his part, complained his financial allowance was too small, she humiliated him by limiting his powers within her organization and "inflicted grievous mental suffering." He also demanded McPherson pay the St. Pierre award. McPherson and Hutton separated in 1933 and divorced on March 1, 1934. McPherson later publicly repented of the marriage, as wrong from the beginning, for both theological<ref>Blumhofer, p. 333. Note: in 1932, after having to continuously answer questions about McPherson's marriage to David Hutton, 33 Foursquare ministers thought this was too much of a distraction and seceded from the Temple and formed their own Pentecostal denomination, the Open Bible Evangelistic Association.</ref> and personal reasons<ref>Epstein, p. 434</ref> and therefore rejected nationally known gospel singer, [[Homer Rodeheaver]], a more appropriate suitor, when he eventually asked for her hand in 1935.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 333. Note: Homer Rodeheaver, former singing master for evangelist [[Billy Sunday]], was refused; even when it was suggested she married the wrong man and to try again to have a loving marriage, she responded negatively and redoubled her evangelistic efforts, forsaking personal fulfillment in relationships. McPherson knew Rodeheaver from working with him at the Angeleus Temple and he introduced her to David Hutton. In the case of Rodeheaver, however, biographer Sutton, according to Roberta Star Semple, stated McPherson liked him but not the way he kissed.</ref><ref>''Aimee May Marry Homer Rodeheaver'' (North Tonawanda, NY Evening News June 21, 1935)</ref>

===Career===
In 1913 McPherson embarked upon a preaching career. Touring [[Canada]] and the United States, she began evangelizing and holding tent revivals in June 1915. At first she struggled to gain an audience. Standing on a chair in some public place, she would gaze into the sky as if intently observing something there, perhaps reaching upwards as if to gesture for help or supplication. An audience, curious as to what the woman was doing or looking at, would gather around her. Then after 20 minutes to an hour, she would jump off the chair, declare something to the effect "I have a secret to share with you, follow me...," go to a nearby meeting room she had earlier rented out. Once inside, the doors were shut behind them and McPherson would begin her sermon.

The female Pentecostal preacher was greeted with some trepidation by pastors of local churches she solicited for building space to hold her revival meetings. Pentecostals were at the edge of Christian religious society, sometimes seen as strange with their loud, raucous unorganized meetings and were often located in the poorer sections of town. McPherson, however, perhaps because of her Methodist upbringing, kept an order to her meetings that came to be much appreciated. She wanted to create the enthusiasm a Pentecostal meeting could provide, with its "Amen Corner" and "Halleluiah Chorus" but also to avoid its unbridled chaos as participants started shouting, trembling on the floor and speaking in tongues; all at once. Because of the negative connotation of the word "pentecostal' and though McPherson practiced [[speaking in tongues]], she rarely emphasized it. McPherson organized her meetings with the general public in mind and yet did not wish to quench any who suddenly came into "the Spirit." To this end she set up a "tarry tent or room" away from the general area for any who suddenly started speaking in tongues or display any other [[Holy Ghost]] behavior the larger audience might be put off by.<ref>Epstein, p. 172</ref> McPherson wrote:

<blockquote>"A woman preacher was a novelty. At the time I began my ministry, women were well in the background.... Orthodox ministers, many of whom disapproved even of men evangelists such as [[Dwight L. Moody|Moody]], [[Charles Spurgeon|Spurgeon]], Tunda and the rest chiefly because they used novel evangelistic methods, disapproved all the more of a woman minister. especially was this true when my meetings departed from the funeral, sepulchrelike ritual of appointed Sundays...."<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, Aimee: Life Story of Aimee Semple McPherson (Foursquare Publications, Los Angeles, 1979) p. 98</ref></blockquote>

After her first successful visits, she had little difficulty with acceptance or attendance. Eager converts filled the pews of local churches which turned many recalcitrant ministers into her enthusiastic supporters. Frequently, she would start a revival meeting in a hall or church and then have to move to a larger building to accommodate the growing crowds. When there were no suitable buildings, she set up a tent, which was often filled past capacity.

McPherson was a strong woman, hefting a maul to hammer in tent stakes and involved herself in all the physical labor a revival setup required. She could fix her car, move boulders and drag fallen timber out of the roadway as she traveled to her destinations.<ref name="Epstein, p. 156">Epstein, p. 156</ref> McPherson was also known as a successful [[faith healer]] as there were extensive claims of physical healing occurring during her meetings. Such claims became less important as her fame increased.


In 1916, McPherson embarked on a tour of the Southern United States in her "Gospel Car", first with her husband Harold and later, in 1918, with her mother, Mildred Kennedy. She was an important addition to McPherson's ministry and managed everything, including the money, which gave them an unprecedented degree of financial security. Their vehicle was a 1912 [[Packard]] touring car emblazoned with religious slogans. Standing on the back seat of the convertible, McPherson preached sermons over a [[megaphone]]. On the road between sermons, she would sit in the back seat typing sermons and other religious materials. She first traveled up and down the eastern United States, then went to other parts of the country.

By 1917 she had started her own magazine, ''The Bridal Call'', for which she wrote many articles about women’s roles in religion; she portrayed the link between Christians and Jesus as a marriage bond. By taking seriously the religious role of women, the magazine contributed to the rising women’s movement.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Azusa Street Revival]]s starting in 1906 were noted for their racial diversity as blacks, Hispanics, whites and other minorities openly worshiped together, led by [[William J. Seymour]], an African American preacher. As the participants of the Azusa Street Revivals, dispersed, local Pentecostals were looking for leadership for a new revival and in late 1918, McPherson came to Los Angeles. Minnie Kennedy, her mother, rented the largest hall they could find, the 3,500 seat [[Philharmonic Auditorium]] (known then as Temple Auditorium). People waited for hours to get in and McPherson could hardly reach the pulpit without stepping on someone.<ref>Epstein, p. 151</ref> Afterwards, grateful attendees of her Los Angeles meetings built her a home for her family which included everything from the cellar to a canary bird.<ref>Epstein, p. 153</ref>

While McPherson had traveled extensively in her evangelical work prior to arriving in Baltimore, she was first "discovered" by the newspapers while sitting with her mother in the red plush parlor of the [[Belvedere Hotel]] on December 5, 1919, a day after conducting evangelistic services at the Lyric Opera House.<ref name="Sun">{{cite web|url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1655208322&sid=4&Fmt=1&clientId=41152&RQT=309&VName=HNP |title=ProQuest Login - ProQuest |publisher=Proquest.umi.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> In December 1919, she went to Baltimore’s [[Lyric Opera House]] to conduct seventeen days of meetings.<ref>Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, ''Aimee Semple McPherson: everybody's sister'' (Grand Rapids: [[Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing]], Inc., 1993), p. 147</ref> The ''[[Baltimore Sun]]'' ran a thousand-word interview with her in the December 6, 1919, issue.<ref>Daniel Mark Epstein, ''Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson'' (Orlando: [[Harcourt Brace & Company]], 1993),
p. 157</ref> Her mother Mildred Kennedy had booked the 2,500 seating capacity Lyric Opera House at US $3,100,<ref>over US $42,000.00 in 2013 dollars</ref> a huge sum compared to earlier engagements. Considering her daughter's success elsewhere, Kennedy thought the risk well worth taking. During the interview, the ''Sun'' reporter asked McPherson how she had decided on Baltimore as the site for a revival.

<blockquote>“As soon as I entered the city I saw the need. Women were sitting in the dining room smoking with the men,” McPherson replied. “I took up the newspapers and I saw card parties and dances advertised in connection with the churches. There was a coldness. Card parties, dances, theaters, all represent agencies of the devil to distract the attention of men and women away from spirituality....”<ref name="Sun"/></blockquote>

The Baltimore event was one of McPherson's larger engagements yet. The crowds, in their religious ecstasy were barely kept under control as they gave way to manifestations of "the Spirit", and the Lyric Opera House's capacity was constantly tested. Moreover, her alleged faith healings now became part of the public record, and attendees began to focus on that part of her ministry over all else. McPherson considered the Baltimore Revival an important turning point not only for her ministry "but in the history of the outpouring of the Pentecostal power."<ref>Epstein, pp. 170–172</ref>

The battle between fundamentalists and modernists escalated after [[World War I]], with many modernists seeking less conservative religious faiths.<ref>Epstein, pp. 79–80</ref> Fundamentalists generally believed their religious faith should influence every aspect of their lives. McPherson sought to eradicate modernism and secularism in homes, churches, schools, and communities. She developed a strong following in what McPherson termed "the Foursquare Gospel" by blending contemporary culture with religious teachings. McPherson was entirely capable of sustaining a protracted intellectual discourse as her Bible students and debate opponents will attest. But she believed in preaching the gospel with simplicity and power, so as to not confuse the message. Her distinct voice and visual descriptions created a crowd excitement "bordering on hysteria."<ref name="Epstein, p. 156"/>

Her faith-healing demonstrations gained her unexpected allies. When a [[Romani people|Romani]] tribe king and his mother stated they were faith-healed by McPherson, thousands of others came to her as well in caravans from all over the country and were converted. The infusion of crosses and other symbols of Christianity alongside Romani [[astrology]] charts and [[crystal ball]]s was the result of McPherson's influence.<ref>Epstein, p. 239</ref> Prizing gold and loyalty, the Romani repaid her in part, with heavy bags of gold coin and jewels, which helped fund the construction of the new Angelus Temple.<ref>Epstein, p. 241</ref> In [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], Kansas, in May 29, 1922, where heavy perennial thunderstorms threatened to rain out the thousands who gathered there, McPherson interrupted the speaker, raised her hand to the sky and prayed, "let it fall (the rain) after the message has been delivered to these hungry souls". The rain immediately stopped, an event reported the following day by the ''[[Wichita Eagle]]'' on May 30: "Evangelist's Prayers Hold Big Rain Back,"<ref>Blumhofer, p. 184</ref> For the gathered Romani, it was a further acknowledgement "of the woman's power".<ref>Epstein, p. 240</ref>

The appeal of McPherson's thirty or so revival events from 1919 to 1922 surpassed any touring event of theater or politics ever presented in American history. "Neither Houdini nor Teddy Roosevelt had such an audience nor PT Barnum."<ref name="Epstein, p. 156"/> Her one to four-week meetings typically overflowed any building she could find to hold them. She broke attendance records recently set by [[Billy Sunday]]<ref name="autogenerated308"/> and frequently used his temporary tabernacle structures to hold some of her meetings in. Her revivals were often standing-room only. One such revival was held in a boxing ring, with the meeting before and after the match. Throughout the boxing event, she walked about with a sign reading "knock out the Devil." In [[San Diego, California]], the city called in the [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]] and other branches of the armed forces to control a revival crowd of over 30,000 people.

McPherson preached a conservative gospel but used progressive methods, taking advantage of radio, movies, and stage acts. Advocacy for women's rights was on the rise, including women's suffrage through the [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|19th Amendment]]. She attracted some women associated with modernism, but others were put off by the contrast between her different theories. By accepting and using such new media outlets, McPherson helped integrate them into people’s daily lives.

===Faith healing ministry===

McPherson's [[faith healing]] demonstrations were extensively written about in the news media and were a large part of her early career legacy.<ref>Epstein, p. 57</ref> No one has ever been credited by secular witnesses with anywhere near the numbers of faith healings attributed to McPherson, especially during the years 1919 to 1922.<ref>Epstein, p. 185</ref> Over time though, she almost withdrew from the faith healing aspect of her services, since it was overwhelming<ref>Epstein, p. 111</ref> other areas of her ministry. Scheduled healing sessions nevertheless remained highly popular with the public until her death in 1944.

Alleged incidents of miraculous faith healing are sometimes clinically explained as a result of hysteria or a form of [[hypnosis]]. Strong emotions and the mind's ability to trigger the production of [[opiate]]s, [[endorphin]]s, and [[enkephalin]]s; have also been offered as explanations as well as the healings are simply faked. In the case of McPherson, there was no evidence of fraud found.<ref>Epstein, pp. 66, 111, 119</ref> In August 1921, doctors from the [[American Medical Association]] in San Francisco secretly investigated some of McPherson's local revival meetings. The subsequent AMA report stated McPherson's healing was "genuine, beneficial and wonderful."<ref>Epstein, p. 233</ref>

McPherson claims to have experienced several of her own personal faith healing incidents, among them one in 1909, when her broken foot was mended, an event which first served to introduce her to the possibilities of the healing power.<ref>Epstein, p. 58</ref> Another was an unexpected recovery from an operation in 1914 where hospital staff expected her to die,<ref name="Epstein, p. 74">Epstein, p. 74</ref> and in 1916, before a gathered revival tent crowd, swift rejuvenation of blistered skin from a serious flash burn caused by a lamp exploding in her face.<ref>Epstein, p. 119</ref>

Her apparently successful first public faith healing session of another person was professedly demonstrated in Corona, Long Island, New York, 1916. A young woman in the painful, advanced stages of [[rheumatoid arthritis]] was brought to the altar by friends just as McPherson preached "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever", meaning, in part, Jesus had the same power to heal now as in ancient times. McPherson, laid hands upon the crippled woman's head and she allegedly walked out of the church that same night without crutches.<ref>Epstein, pp. 107–111</ref> Sick and injured people came to her by the tens of thousands. Press clippings, and testimonials became mountainous. To people who traveled with her, the numerous faith healings were routine.<ref>Epstein, p. 112</ref> Lubricating her hands with spiced oil, McPherson touched and prayed over the infirm and reporters wrote extensively of what they saw. When asked by a journalist about these demonstrations, McPherson indicated, "the saving of souls is the most important part of my ministry."<ref>Epstein, p. 166</ref>

Not all healings were successful and McPherson had occasional well-publicized failures. But these were apparently few and people in ever increasing numbers came to her. She was invited back again and again to cities that she previously visited.<ref>Epstein, p. 217</ref> Perhaps one of the more dramatic public faith healing demonstrations of her career occurred starting in late January 1921 at [[Balboa Park (San Diego)|Balboa Park]] in [[San Diego]], California. The Spreckles Organ Pavilion in the park was site of several earlier revival meetings by many of her predecessors, and there McPherson preached to a huge crowd of 30,000. She had to move to the outdoor site since the 3,000 seat Dreamland Boxing Arena could not hold the thousands who went to see her. To assist the San Diego Police in maintaining order, the [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] and [[United States Army|Army]] had to be called in.

During the engagement, a woman [[Paralysis|paralyzed]] from the waist down from childhood, was presented for faith healing. Concerned because numerous, previous demonstrations had been before much smaller assemblages, McPherson feared she would be run out of town if this healing did not manifest.<ref name="pbs.org"/> Believing in the reality of the living Christ, filled with sincere passion beyond love for humanity, McPherson prayed, and laid hands on her. Before 30,000 people—and captured for all time by photography—the woman supposedly got up out of her wheelchair and walked. The large gathering responded with thunderous applause.<ref>Epstein, pp. 210–211</ref> Other hopefuls presented themselves to the platform McPherson occupied, and though not all were cured,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2009/sep/16/when-sister-aimee-came-town---part-2/ |title=Unforgettable: When Sister Aimee Came to Town - Part 2 |publisher=San Diego Reader |date=2009-09-16 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> the sick, injured and invalid continued to flood forth for healing. Before witnesses and reporters, a goiter allegedly shrank, crutches abandoned, an abscessed arm purportedly returned to normal.<ref>Epstein, pp. 184–185. Note: Years later in an interview, Rolf McPherson, his mother's appointed successor, spoke of the period, "more patients were open to the possibilities of faith healing." Next to him, mounted on his office wall; was a hand tinted photo enlargement of his mother helping a woman out her wheelchair in Balboa Park; he postulated that healings occurred because they had more faith in God and less in science, and he could not "imagine this sort of thing happening again".</ref> Many hundreds of people wanted her help, more than she could handle and her stay was extended. As with many of her other meetings, McPherson labored and prayed feverishly for hours over the infirm, often without food or stopping for a break. At the day's end, she would eventually be taken away by her staff, dehydrated and unsteady with fatigue; her distinct, booming voice reduced to a whisper. Originally planned for two weeks in the evenings, McPherson's Balboa Park revival meetings lasted over five weeks and went from dawn until dusk.<ref>Epstein, pp. 209, 210</ref><ref>Blumhofer, pp. 156-164</ref>

Later in 1921, investigating McPherson's healing services, a survey was sent out by First Baptist Church Pastor William Keeney Towner in [[San Jose, California]], to 3,300 people. 2500 persons responded. Six percent indicated they were immediately and completely healed while 85 percent indicated they were partially healed and continued to improve ever since. Fewer than half of 1 percent did not feel they were at least spiritually uplifted and had their faith strengthened.<ref>Sutton, pp. 19–20</ref>

''[[Denver Post]]'' reporter Frances Wayne writes while McPherson's "attack" on sin "uncultured,...the deaf heard, the [[Blindness|blind saw]], the [[Paralysis|paralytic]] walked, the [[palsy (disambiguation)|palsied became calm]], before the eyes of as many people that could be packed into the largest church auditorium in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]]". In 1922, McPherson returned for a second tour in the Great Revival of Denver<ref>Epstein, p. 237</ref> and asked about people who have claimed healings from the previous visit. Seventeen people, some well known members of the community, testified, giving credence to McPherson's claim "healing still occurred among modern Christians".<ref>Sutton, pp. 17–18. Note: McPherson herself disliked being given credit for the healings, considering herself the medium through which the power flows, the power of Christ works the cure.</ref>

Actor [[Anthony Quinn]], who for a time played in the church's band and was an apprentice preacher, in this partial quote, recalls a service:

<blockquote>"I sat in the orchestra pit of the huge auditorium at the Angelus Temple. Every seat was filled, with the crowd spilling into the aisles. Many were on crutches or in wheelchairs. Suddenly a figure with bright red hair and a flowing white gown walked out to the center of the stage. In a soft voice, almost a whisper, she said, 'Brothers and sisters, is there anyone here who wants to be cured tonight?'

Long lines formed to reach her. She stood center stage and greeted each one. One man said, 'I can't see out of one eye.' She asked. 'Do you believe, brother?' And suddenly, the man cried, 'Yes, sister, I can see, I can see!' And the audience went crazy. "To a woman dragging herself across the stage on crutches she said, 'Throw away that crutch!' Suddenly, the woman threw away her crutch and ran into Aimee's open arms. I left that service exhilarated, renewed".<ref name="Anthony Quinn 1972 pp 122">Anthony Quinn, ''The Original Sin: A Self-Portrait'', Little, Brown and Company: Boston (1972), pp. 122–132</ref></blockquote>

Ironically, when McPherson retired for much needed rest after a long and exhausting faith healing service, she would sometimes suffer from [[insomnia]], a problem she would contend with for the rest of her life.<ref>Epstein, p. 234</ref> Regarding her own illnesses, she did not abstain from visiting doctors or using medicines.<ref>Epstein, pp. 224, 342, 436</ref> McPherson considered each faith healing incident a sacred gift from God, passed through her to persons healed and not to be taken for granted. In visiting foreign lands, for example, she paid scrupulous attention to [[sanitation]], concerned that a careless oversight might result in acquiring an exotic disease.<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, ''Give Me My Own God'' (H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc. 1936) p. 88</ref>

In later years, other individuals were identified as having the alleged faith healing gift. On stage, during Wednesday and Saturday divine healing sessions, she worked among them, or was even absent altogether, diminishing her own singular role. Divine healing, in her view, was not the emergency room, entertainment or something to puzzle scientists, it was a church sacrament.<ref>Epstein, p. 400</ref> In her own writings and sermons, McPherson did not refer to her own particular personal proficiencies, conveying divine healing was accessible by faith and devotion.

===International Church of the Foursquare Gospel===
[[File:Postcard-los-angeles-angelus-temple.png|thumb|right|Angelus Temple in Echo Park, Los Angeles, with radio towers.]]

At this time, Los Angeles had become a popular vacation spot. Rather than touring the United States to preach her sermons, McPherson stayed in [[Los Angeles]], drawing audiences from a population which had soared from 100,000 in 1900 to 575,000 people in 1920, and often included many visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aimeemcpherson.com/ |title=Aimee McPherson |publisher=Aimee McPherson |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Wearied by constant traveling and having nowhere to raise a family, McPherson had settled in Los Angeles, where she maintained both a home and a church. McPherson believed that by creating a church in Los Angeles, her audience would come to her from all over the country. This, she felt, would allow her to plant seeds of the Gospel and tourists would take it home to their communities, still reaching the masses. For several years she continued to travel and raise money for the construction of a large, domed church building at 1100 Glendale Blvd. in the [[Echo Park, Los Angeles, California|Echo Park]] area of Los Angeles. The church would be named [[Angelus Temple]], reflecting the Roman Catholic tradition of the [[Angelus bell]], calling the faithful to prayer and as well its reference to the angels.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246">Blumhofer, p. 246</ref> Not wanting to take on debt, McPherson located a construction firm which would work with her as funds were raised "by faith."<ref>Blumhofer, p. 244</ref> She started with $5,000.<ref>More than $65,000 in 2012 dollars.</ref> The firm indicated it would be enough to carve out a hole for the foundation.

McPherson began a campaign in earnest and was able to mobilize diverse groups of people to help fund and build the new church. Various fundraising methods were used such as selling chairs for Temple seating at US $25<ref>over US $320 in 2012</ref> apiece. In exchange, "chairholders" got a miniature chair and encouragement to pray daily for the person who would eventually sit in that chair. Her approach worked to generate enthusiastic giving and to create a sense of ownership and family among the contributors.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 245</ref>

Raising more money than she had hoped, McPherson altered the original plans, and built a "megachurch" that would draw many followers throughout the years. The endeavor cost contributors around $250,000<ref>More than $3.2 million in 2012 dollars.</ref> in actual money spent. Comparable structures were priced at far more, a nearby smaller auditorium, for example, cost US$1 million.<ref>over US $13 million in 2012.</ref> Costs were kept down by donations of building materials and volunteer labor.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246"/> McPherson sometimes quipped when she first got to California, all she had was a car, ten dollars<ref>over US $130 in 2012.</ref> and a tambourine.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246"/>

The Class "A" fireproof building was constructed of concrete and steel and designed by Brook Hawkins. The main architectural feature of the structure is its large, unsupported [[concrete]] dome coated with a mixture of ground [[abalone]] shells. The dome, at the time, was by some reports, the largest in North America, and rises 125 feet from the main floor.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places |date=November 13, 1991|url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/92001875.pdf|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> The dome's interior was painted [[Azure (color)|azure blue]], with fleecy clouds, a reminder to "work while its day" and "to look for His coming". McPherson insisted on a bright joyous setting, avoiding any reminder of sin from either artwork or motto. In back of the pulpit was her theme verse from Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever." She later conveyed she loved "every stone in Angelus Temple,...I love to touch its walls, its altar,...I look to its high vaulted dome...."<ref>Blumhofer, p. 239</ref> but no part of the church pleased her more the magnificent [[Kimball International|Kimball]] pipe organ which always soothed and brought her peace of mind.<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 246–247</ref> The church was dedicated on January 1, 1923. The auditorium had a [[seating capacity]] of 5,300 people and was filled three times each day, seven days a week. Enrollment grew exceeding 10,000, and was claimed to be the largest single Christian congregation in the world<ref>Thomas, Lately ''Storming Heaven: The Lives and Turmoils of Minnie Kennedy and Aimee Semple McPherson'' (Morrow, New York, 1970) p. 32.</ref> According to church records, Angelus Temple received 40 million visitors within the first seven years<ref>Bridal Call (Foursquare Publications, 1100 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles.) October 1929, p. 27</ref> At first, McPherson preached every service, often in a dramatic scene she put together to attract audiences.

Eventually, the church evolved into its own denomination and became known as the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]. The new denomination focused on the nature of Christ's character: that he was Savior, baptizer with the Holy Spirit, healer, and coming King. There were four main beliefs: the first being Christ's ability to transform individuals' lives through the act of salvation; the second focused on a holy baptism which includes receiving power to glorify and exalt Christ in a practical way; the third was divine healing, newness of life for both body and spirit; and the fourth was gospel-oriented heed to the pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ.

[[File:ASM-AngelusTemple Plaque 1923 02.jpg|thumbnail|left|McPherson intended the Angelus Temple as both a place of worship and an ecumenical center for persons of all Christian faiths to meet and build alliances. A wide range of clergy and laypeople to include Methodists, Baptists, the Salvation Army, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Adventists, Quakers, Roman Catholics, Mormons and secular civic leaders came to the Angelus Temple. They were welcomed and many made their way to her podium as guest speakers.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/> Eventually, even Rev. [[Robert P. Shuler]], a once robust McPherson critic, was featured as a guest preacher.<ref>Sutton, p. 335</ref>]]In August 1925 and away from Los Angeles, McPherson decided to charter a plane so she would not miss giving her Sunday sermon. Aware of the opportunity for publicity, she arranged for at least two thousand followers and members of the press to be present at the airport. The plane failed after takeoff and the landing gear collapsed, sending the nose of the plane into the ground. McPherson boarded another plane and used the experience as the narrative of an illustrated Sunday sermon called "The Heavenly Airplane".<ref name="Sutton, p.72">Sutton, p. 72</ref> The stage in Angelus Temple was set up with two miniature planes and a skyline that looked like Los Angeles. In this sermon, McPherson described how the first plane had the devil for the pilot, sin for the engine, and temptation as the propeller. The other plane, however, was piloted by Jesus and would lead one to the Holy City (the skyline shown on stage). The temple was filled beyond capacity.

On another occasion, she described being pulled over by a police officer, calling the sermon "Arrested for [[Speed limit|Speeding]]". Dressed in a traffic cop's uniform, she sat in the saddle of a police motorcycle, earlier placed on the stage, and revved the siren.<ref name="Sutton, p.72"/> One author in attendance, insisted she actually drove the motorcycle, with its deafening roar, across the access ramp to the pulpit, slammed on the brakes, then raised a white gloved hand to shout "Stop! You're speeding to Hell!"<ref>Bach, Marcus, They Have Found a Faith, (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis / New York, 1946) p. 59</ref> Since McPherson gave some of her sermons more than once, and with variations, the possibility existed both versions might be true.

McPherson employed a small group of artists, electricians, decorators, and carpenters who built the sets for each Sunday's service. Religious music was played by an orchestra. McPherson also worked on elaborate sacred operas. One production, ''The Iron Furnace'', based on the book of Exodus, told of God’s deliverance as the Israelites fled slavery in Egypt. Some Hollywood movie stars even assisted with obtaining costumes from local studios. The cast was large, perhaps as many as 450 people but so elaborate and expensive, it was presented only one time. Rehearsals for the various productions were time consuming and McPherson "did not tolerate any nonsense." Though described as "always kind and loving," McPherson demanded respect regarding the divine message the sacred operas and her other works were designed to convey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/lessons_i_learned_from_sister_aimee |title=Lessons I Learned From Sister Aimee | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Even though McPherson condemned theater and film as the devil's workshop, its secrets and effects were co-opted. She became the first woman evangelist to adopt the whole technique of the moving picture star.<ref>Sutton, p. 74</ref> McPherson desired to avoid the dreary church service where by obligation parishioners would go to fulfill some duty by being present in the pew. She wanted a sacred drama that would compete with the excitement of vaudeville and the movies. The message was serious, but the tone more along the lines of a humorous musical comedy. Missed cues, forgotten or misstated script lines and other mistakes became part of the gag. Animals were frequently incorporated and McPherson, the once farm girl, knew how to handle them. In one incident, a [[camel]] was to squeeze through a narrow gate set up on stage, illustrating the [[Eye of a needle|Eye of the Needle]]. McPherson unlimbered one bag of cargo after another labeled "Worldly Pleasure," "Indifference to the Poor" and others, from the camel. Until all the cargo burdens were removed, the camel could not cross through the opening. McPherson gave up to 22 sermons a week and the lavish Sunday night service attracted the largest crowds, extra [[Tram|trolleys]] and police were needed to help route the traffic through Echo Park to and from Angelus Temple.<ref>Epstein, p.252</ref> To finance the Angelus Temple and its projects, collections were taken at every meeting, often with the admonishment, "no coins, please".<ref name="dollartimes1"/><ref>$1 of 1920's to 1930's dollars would be worth around US $11–13 dollars in 2013. See subsequent cites for inflation calculator links.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=1.00&year1=1930&year2=2012 |title=CPI Inflation Calculator |publisher=Data.bls.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php></ref>

Because Pentecostalism was not popular in the U.S. during the 1920s, McPherson avoided the label. She did, though, demonstrate [[glossolalia|speaking-in-tongues]] and [[faith healing]] in sermons. She also kept a museum of discarded medical fittings from persons faith healed during her services which included crutches, wheelchairs, and other paraphernalia. As evidence of her early influence by the [[Salvation Army]], McPherson adopted a theme of "lighthouses" for the satellite churches, referring to the parent church as the "Salvation Navy." This was the beginning of McPherson working to plant Foursquare Gospel churches around the country.

McPherson published the weekly ''Foursquare Crusader'', along with her monthly magazine, ''Bridal Call''. She began broadcasting on radio in the early 1920s. McPherson was one of the first women to preach a radio sermon. With the opening of Foursquare Gospel-owned [[KEIB|KFSG]] on February 6, 1924, she became the second woman granted a broadcast license by the [[Department of Commerce]], the federal agency that supervised [[broadcasting]] in the early 1920s.<ref>(The first woman to receive a broadcasting license was Mrs. Marie Zimmerman of [[Vinton, Iowa]], in August 1922. See Von Lackum, Karl C. “Vinton Boasts Only Broadcasting Station in U.S. Owned By Woman”, ''Waterloo Evening Courier'', Iowa, October 14, 1922, p. 7.</ref>)

McPherson racially integrated her tent meetings and church services. On one occasion, as a response to McPherson's ministry and Angelus Temple being integrated, [[Ku Klux Klan]] members were in attendance, but after the service hoods and robes were found on the ground in nearby [[Echo Park, Los Angeles, California|Echo Park]].<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 275–277</ref> She is also credited with helping many Hispanic ministries in Los Angeles.<ref name=nyorker>{{cite news|last=Updike|first=John|title=Famous Aimee: The life of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/30/070430crbo_books_updike?currentPage=all|newspaper=[[The New Yorker]]|date=30 April 2007}}</ref>

McPherson traveling about the country holding widely popular revival meetings and filling local churches with converts was one thing, settling permanently into their city caused concern among some local Los Angeles churches. Even though she shared many of their [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalist beliefs:]] divine inspiration of the Bible, the classical [[Trinity]], virgin birth of Jesus, historical reality of Christ's miracles, bodily resurrection of Christ and the atoning purpose of his crucifixion; the presentation of lavish sermons, and an effective faith healing ministry presented by a female divorcee who thousands adored and newspapers continuously wrote of, was unexpected. Moreover, the Temple had a look and style uniquely theirs, almost cult or military-like. Women would emulate McPherson's style and dress, and a distinct Angeleus Temple uniform came into existence, a white dress with a navy blue cape thrown over it.<ref>Epstein, p. 275</ref> Men were more discrete, wearing suits. Her voice, projected over the powerful state-of-the-art KFSG radio station and heard by hundreds of thousands, became the most recognized in the western United States.<ref>Epstein, p. 264</ref>

[[File:ASM-AngelusTemple Sermon 1923 01.jpg|thumbnail|left|McPherson preaching at the newly built Angelus Temple in 1923. Her messages showcased the love of God, redemption and the joys of service and heaven; contrasting sharply with the fire and brimstone style of sermon delivery popular with many of her peers.]] Her illustrated sermons attracted criticism from some clergy members because they thought it turned the gospel message into mundane theater and entertainment. Divine healing, as McPherson called it, was claimed by many pastors to be a unique dispensation granted only for [[Apostolic Age|Apostolic times]]. Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] published a pamphlet entitled ''McPhersonism'', which purported that her "most spectacular and advertised program was out of harmony with God's word."<ref>Schuler, Robert P. ''McPhersonism: a study of healing cults and modern day tongues movements'', January, 1924, p. 3</ref> Debates such as the [[Ben M. Bogard|Bogard]]-McPherson Debate in 1934<ref>[[Ben M. Bogard]], ''Bogard-McPherson debate : McPhersonism, Holy Rollerism, miracles, Pentecostalism, divine healing : a debate with both sides presented fully'', ([[Little Rock, Arkansas]]: Ben M. Bogard, 1934)</ref> drew further attention to the controversy, but none could really argue effectively against McPherson's results.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://healingandrevival.com/BioCSPrice.htm |title=Biography of Charles S. Price |publisher=Healingandrevival.com |date=1947-03-08 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>http://www.earstohear.net/Price/testimony.html Note: Divine Healing was a contentious theological area of McPherson's ministry, but she was not alone. Other pastors already had a ministry with alleged successful healings such as James Moore Hickson (1868–1933), an Episcopalian of international renown. Another pastor, Dr. Charles S Price (1887–1947), went to a series of McPherson revival meetings in San Jose California, to expose the fraud. Instead he himself was converted and preached McPherson's version of Christianity to his congregation. Reports of purported faith healings began to take place. Price went on to preach as a traveling evangelist who converted tens of thousands along with many instances of miraculous divine healings allegedly occurring.</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 185, 240</ref>

The new developing [[Assemblies of God]] denomination, Pentecostal as McPherson was, for a time worked with her, but they encouraged separation from established Protestant faiths. McPherson resisted trends to isolate as a denomination and continued her task of coalition building among evangelicals. McPherson worked hard to attain ecumenical vision of the faith and while she participated in debates, avoided pitched rhetorical battles that divided so many in Christianity. She wanted to work with existing churches on projects and to share with them her visions and beliefs. Assisting in her passion was the speedy establishment of LIFE Bible College adjacent to the Angeles Temple. Ministers trained there were originally intended to go nationally and worldwide to all denominations and share her newly defined "Foursquare Gospel." A well known Methodist minister, Frank Thompson, who never had the Pentecostal experience,<ref>"Spiritual gifts" given by the Holy Spirit, of which the most well known is speaking in "tongues" the spontaneously speaking in a language unknown to the speaker;, also known as [[Glossolalia]]. Other gifts include translating the said "tongues."</ref> was persuaded to run the college; and he taught the students the doctrine of [[John Wesley]]. McPherson and others, meanwhile, infused them with Pentecostal ideals. Her efforts eventually led Pentecostals, which were previously unconventional and on the periphery of Christianity, into the mainstream of American evangelicalism.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/>

McPherson herself steadfastly declined to publicly criticize by name any individual with rare exceptions, but those who were converted in her services were not so careful. The testimonies of former prostitutes, drug addicts and others, from stage or broadcast over the radio, frequently revealed the names and locations concerning their past illegal activities. These revelations angered many and McPherson often received hostile letters and death threats. An alleged plot to kidnap her and detailed in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' was foiled in September, 1925.<ref>Epstein, p. 300</ref>

===Politics and education===
By early 1926, McPherson had become one of the most charismatic and influential women and ministers of her time. Her fame equaled, to name a few, [[Charles Lindbergh]], [[Johnny Weissmuller]], [[Jack Dempsey]], [[Babe Ruth]], [[Ty Cobb]], [[Knute Rockne]], [[Bobby Jones (golfer)|Bobby Jones]], [[Louise Brooks]], and [[Rudolph Valentino]].<ref>Ralph G. Giordano, ''Satan in the Dance Hall: Rev. John Roach Straton, Social Dancing, and Morality in 1920's New York City'' (Scarecrow Press, Oct 23, 2008), p. 167</ref> She was a major American phenomenon, who along with some other high profile preachers of the time, unlike Hollywood celebrities, could be admired by their adoring public, "without apparently compromising their souls."<ref>George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, ''The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University'' (Truman State University Press, 1999), p. 308</ref>

According to Carey McWilliams, she had become "more than just a household word: she was a folk hero and a civic institution; an honorary member of the fire and police departments; a patron saint of the service clubs; an official spokesman for the community on problems grave and frivolous."<ref>Sutton, Matthew. ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]''. London: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007.</ref> She was influential in many social, educational and political areas. McPherson made personal crusades against anything that she felt threatened her Christian ideals, including the drinking of alcohol and teaching evolution in schools.

McPherson became a strong supporter of [[William Jennings Bryan]] during the 1925 [[Scopes Trial]], in which John Scopes was tried for illegally teaching evolution at a [[Dayton, Tennessee]] school. Bryan and McPherson had worked together in the Angelus Temple and they believed Darwinism had undermined students' morality. According to ''The New Yorker'', McPherson said, evolution "is the greatest triumph of Satanic intelligence in 5,931 years of devilish warfare, against the Hosts of Heaven. It is poisoning the minds of the children of the nation."<ref>Sutton, p. 52. Note: Sutton was uncertain if McPherson actually stated the quote as reported by ''The New Yorker'', but she did convey evolution influenced moral-relativist philosophers and believed "survival of the fittest" thinking would have a detrimental effect on society.</ref> She sent Bryan a telegram saying, "Ten thousand members of Angelus Temple with her millions of radio church membership send grateful appreciation of your lion-hearted championship of the Bible against evolution and throw our hats in the ring with you."<ref>Sutton, pp. 37, 52</ref> She organized "an all-night prayer service, a massive church meeting preceded by a Bible parade through Los Angeles."<ref>Sutton, p. 37</ref>

While her mother Mildred Kennedy was a registered Democrat, no one was certain of McPherson's registration. She endorsed [[Herbert Hoover]] over [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] but enthusiastically threw her support behind the latter and his social programs when he was elected into office.<ref>Sutton, p. 214</ref> She was a patron of [[Trade union|organized labor]], preaching a [[gangster]]'s money was "no more unclean than the [[Criticism of capitalism|dollars of the man who amasses his millions from underpaid factory workers]]".<ref>Sutton, p. 219</ref> She was more cautious though when labor strikes resulted in violent uprisings. She saw in them the possible activities of [[Communism]], which sought to infiltrate labor unions and other organizations. McPherson intensely disliked Communism and its derivatives as they sought to rule without God; their ultimate goal, she believed, to remove Christianity from the earth. McPherson's opinion of [[fascism]] fared no better; its totalitarian rule wrongly justified by claiming to represent the power of God.<ref>Sutton, p. 221</ref>

McPherson did not align herself consistently with any broad [[Conservatism|conservative]] or [[Liberalism|liberal]] political agenda. Instead she explained if Christianity occupied a central place in national life, if the components of God, home, school and government were kept together, everything else would fall into place. "Remove any of these," she warned, "and [civilization] topples, crumbles."<ref>Sutton, p. 223</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/robertson/asm/boorstin.html |title=Democratizing the Religious Experience |publisher=Xroads.virginia.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Current Foursquare Gospel Church leaders qualify the evangelist's views: "McPherson’s passion to see America sustained in spiritual health, which compelled her quest to see the Church influence government, must be interpreted in light of the political and religious climate of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. It is not accurate to draw a parallel between today’s extreme fundamentalist, right-wing Christianity and the style or focus of Sister McPherson."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/sister_aimee_to_air_on_pbs |title="Sister Aimee" to Air on PBS | Foursquare News | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> She was also among the first prominent Christian ministers to defend the establishment of a [[Christian Restorationism|Jewish homeland]] in Palestine. She related that when Christ returns, the Jews would receive him, their suffering will end "and they will establish at Jerusalem a kingdom more wonderful than the world has known."<ref>Epstein, pp. 165, 395</ref>

===Reported kidnapping===
On May 18, 1926, McPherson went with her secretary to Ocean Park Beach north of [[Venice, Los Angeles, California|Venice Beach]] to swim. Soon after arriving, McPherson was nowhere to be found. It was thought she had drowned.

McPherson was scheduled to hold a service that day; her mother Minnie Kennedy preached the sermon instead, saying at the end, "Sister is with Jesus," sending parishioners into a tearful frenzy. [[Mourner]]s crowded Venice Beach and the commotion sparked days-long [[mass media|media]] coverage fueled in part by [[William Randolph Hearst]]'s ''[[Los Angeles Herald Examiner|Los Angeles Examiner]]'' and a stirring poem by [[Upton Sinclair]] to commemorate the tragedy. Daily updates appeared in newspapers across the country and parishioners held day-and-night seaside [[vigil]]s. One parishioner drowned while searching for the body, and a diver died of [[Hypothermia#Water immersion|exposure]].

Kenneth G. Ormiston, the [[engineer]] for [[KXOL-FM|KFSG]], had taken other assignments around late December 1925 and left his job at the Temple.<ref>Cox, Raymond L. The Verdict is In, 1983. pp. 37–38. Note: Ormiston presented himself to the police headquarters May 27 to deny he had "went into hiding;" he also indicated his name connected to the evangelist was "a gross insult to a noble and sincere woman." He gave a detailed description of his movements since May 19, 1926, but did not mention Carmel.</ref> Newspapers later linked McPherson and Ormiston, the latter seen driving up the coast with an unidentified woman. Some believed McPherson and Ormiston, who was married, had become romantically involved and had run off together. Several ransom notes and other communications were sent to the Temple, some were relayed to the police, who thought they were hoaxes and others dismissed as fraudulent. McPherson "sightings" were abundant, as many as 16 in different cities and other locations on the same day. For a time, Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, offered a $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA">about US $315,000.00 in 2012 dollars</ref> reward for information leading to the return of her daughter.

The ransom demands sent included a note by the "Revengers" who wanted $500,000<ref name="ReferenceB">about US $6.3 million dollars in 2012</ref> and another for $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/> conveyed by a lawyer who claimed contact with the kidnappers. The handwritten "Revengers" note later disappeared from the LA Police evidence locker and the lawyer was found dead in a possibly suspicious accident before his claim could be adequately investigated.<ref name="LatelyVanish">Lately, Thomas ''The Vanishing Evangelist: the Aimee Semple McPherson Kidnapping Affair'' (Viking Press, 1959) p. 26</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 17–18</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 295, 312</ref> A lengthy ransom letter from the "Avengers" arrived around June 19, 1926, also forwarded to the police, demanded $500,000<ref name="ReferenceB"/> or else kidnappers would sell McPherson into "white slavery." Relating their prisoner was a nuisance because she was incessantly preaching to them, the lengthy, two-page poorly typewritten letter also indicated the kidnappers worked hard to spread the word McPherson was held captive, and not drowned. Kennedy regarded the notes as hoaxes, believing her daughter dead.<ref>Cox, pp. 41–42</ref>

[[File:ASM in DouglasAZHospital.jpg|thumbnail|right| After emerging from the Mexican desert, McPherson convalesces in a hospital with her family in Douglas, Arizona 1926. District Attorney Asa Keyes stands to the far left with Mildred Kennedy (mother) next to Roberta Star Semple, middle left (daughter). On the far right Deputy District Attorney Joseph Ryan is alongside her son, Rolf McPherson.]]
Shortly thereafter, on June 23, McPherson stumbled out of the desert in [[Agua Prieta]], [[Sonora]], a [[Mexico|Mexican]] town across the border from [[Douglas, Arizona|Douglas]], [[Arizona]]. The Mexican couple she approached there thought she had died when McPherson collapsed in front of them. An hour later she stirred and the couple covered her with blankets.<ref>Cox, p. 70</ref> She claimed she had been kidnapped, drugged, tortured, and held for ransom in a shack by two men and a woman, "Steve," "Mexicali Rose," and another unnamed man.<ref name="pbs.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/sister/ |title=American Experience . Sister Aimee |publisher=PBS |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>Cox, p. 58. Note: Epstein refers to the third man as "Jake," Sutton's account does not name the 3rd individual. When asked the ethnicity of the kidnappers, McPherson, though not entirely certain, believed them all to be from the United States.</ref><ref>Shuler, Robert, ''Fighting Bob Shuler of Los Angeles'' Dog Ear Publishing, 2012 p. 178. Note: Indictments were made against Steve Doe, Rose Doe, and John Doe</ref> She also claimed she had escaped from her captors and walked through the desert for about 13 hours to freedom.

Following her return from [[Douglas, Arizona]], McPherson was greeted at the train station by 30,000–50,000 people, more than for almost any other personage.<ref>Melton, J. Gordon ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena'', (Visible Ink Press, 2007) p. 218</ref> The parade back to the temple even elicited a greater turnout than President Woodrow Wilson's visit to Los Angeles in 1919, attesting to her popularity and the growing influence of mass media entertainment. Aircraft flew low overhead, dropping roses, which drifted around McPherson as she stood surrounded by white-robed flower girls from Angelus Temple<ref>Sutton, p. 103</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://framework.latimes.com/2011/06/20/president-wilson-visits-l-a/#/0 |title=President Wilson visits L.A. - Framework - Photos and Video - Visual Storytelling from the Los Angeles Times |publisher=Framework.latimes.com |date=2011-06-20 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>Melton, J. Gordon ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena,'' (Visible Ink Press, 2007) p. 218</ref>

The fire department was out in their parade uniforms and high ranking Los Angeles officials formally greeted her return. Already incensed over McPherson's influential public stance on evolution and the Bible, most of the Chamber of Commerce and some other civic leaders, however, saw the event as gaudy display; nationally embarrassing to the city. Many Los Angeles area churches were also annoyed. The divorcee McPherson had settled in their town and many of their parishioners were now attending her church, with its elaborate sermons that, in their view, diminished the dignity of the Gospel. The Chamber of Commerce, together with Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] leading the Los Angeles Church Federation, and assisted by the press and others, became an informal alliance to determine if her disappearance was caused by other than a kidnapping.<ref>Epstein, p. 301</ref><ref name="Sutton, pp. 120–122">Sutton, pp. 120–122</ref>

[[File:ASM returnFromDouglas01.jpg|thumbnail|left|Between 30,000 to 50,000 people greeted McPherson at the train station following her return from Douglas, Arizona, the town she convalesced in after stating she escaped from kidnappers.]]
In Los Angeles, ahead of any court date, McPherson noticed newspaper stories about her kidnapping becoming more and more sensationalized as the days passed. To maintain excited, continued public interest, she speculated, the newspapers let her original account give way to rain torrents of "new spice and thrill" stories about her being elsewhere "with that one or another one." It did not matter if the material was disproved or wildly contradictory. No correction or apology was given for the previous story as another, even more outrageous tale, took its place.<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, ''In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life'' (Boni and Liveright, New York, 1927) p. 54</ref>

Her mother, Mildred Kennedy was very cynical of the increased newspaper scrutiny and McPherson's lawyer advised against pursuing the matter further. Since McPherson was the injured party and sole witness to the crime, if she chose not to press her complaint, the case would have to be closed.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist,'' p. 119-120</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 303</ref> Earlier, when McPherson was interrogated in Douglas, Arizona by Prosecutor District Attorney [[Asa Keyes]] and Deputy District Attorney Joseph Ryan, both seemed empathetic to her story. Ryan said he could make the desert trip without scuffing or marking his commissary shoes.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist,'' p. 125</ref><ref>Cox, p. 68</ref> McPherson therefore presented herself in court as a victim of a crime seeking redress. Pressured by various influential Los Angeles business, media, political and religious interests <ref name="Sutton, pp. 120–122"/> Keyes and Ryan instead opened the grand jury inquiry with insinuating questions, implying McPherson and her mother were involved in a deception.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'' p. 123</ref>

Some were skeptical of her story since McPherson seemed in unusually good health for her alleged ordeal; her clothing showing no signs of what they expected of a long walk through the desert. This was disputed by most Douglas, Arizona, residents, the town where McPherson was taken to convalesce, including expert tracker C.E. Cross, who testified that McPherson's physical condition, shoes, and clothing were all consistent with an ordeal such as she described.<ref>Modesto Bee And News-Herald 20 October 1926, Page 1</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'' pp. 285-286, 291</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 85, 209–211. Note: persons who recovered and drove McPherson to the hospital in Douglas, Arizona, describe she showed much signs of stress. She was emaciated to the point of being unrecognizable by many who saw her. Her shoes were white with desert dust and her hands were covered with grime. A nurse picked some cactus spines from her legs and rubbed some preparation on the toe where a blister had broken. (Cox, pp. 71–72).</ref> A grand jury convened on July 8, 1926, but adjourned 12 days later citing lack of evidence to proceed with any charges against either alleged kidnappers or perjury by McPherson. McPherson was told they would be open to receive any evidence submitted by her should she desire to further substantiate her kidnapping story.<ref>Sutton, p. 107</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/fbi.shtml |title=History of the FBI |publisher=Policyalmanac.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}Note: Except as an limited resource to local authorities. The FBI did not actively investigate possible kidnappings until 1932; when Congress passed a federal kidnapping statute.</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'', pp. 101, 176. Note: After evaluating the numerous newspaper reports, one Los Angeles Superior Court judge, Carlos Hardy, informally advised McPherson to hire private detectives to assist her. In his view, law enforcement officials were making no effort to find any substantiating evidence of a kidnapping and were only interested in breaking down her end of the story.</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 184, 214. Note: Tracks matching the shoes McPherson wore were found as far out as 15 to 18 miles in the remote desert and reported on in some newspapers, but the location of the desert shack McPherson was held in could not be conclusively found at that time. A hidden shack was discovered later in September by Douglas, Arizona authorities, which fit closely the description McPherson provided, however, the Los Angeles police, declined to investigate. It was later reported that McPherson's attorneys would establish the fact that the prison shack is 21 miles below Douglas, Az. The evangelist herself was to be one of the witnesses, identifying photographs of the building (Emporia Gazette, - October 22, 1926, newspaper, Emporia, Kansas, p. 1) (The Miami News - Oct 21, 1926 (Associated Press, Los Angeles, Oct 11)).</ref>

The prosecution collected five witnesses who asserted to have seen McPherson at the Benedict <ref>http://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/cornell?a=d&d=CDS19260929.2.21&e=--------20--1-----all----</ref> seaside cottage in [[Carmel-by-the-Sea]], with the cottage being rented by Ormiston under an assumed name. It was pointed out that even though most of these witnesses knew of the $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/> reward for McPherson's return, with her pictures prominently appearing in the newspapers, none of the five stepped forward at the time they allegedly saw McPherson to claim it.<ref>Sutton, p. 124</ref><ref>Epstein, p .308</ref> Moreover, several other witnesses, including two the prosecution erroneously thought would testify for them, stated the woman was not McPherson.<ref>Cox, pp. 3, 194–195, 197. Note: The prosecution aided by Joseph Ryan, Deputy District Attorney, obtained the Five Carmel witnesses by first looking for people who at least got a brief glimpse of the woman with Ormiston. Ryan would take a sheath of photographs taken of McPherson, as provided by the newspapers and then show them to the prospective witnesses one photograph at a time. Once the witness finally agreed that a photo resembled the woman with Ormiston, Ryan would have his "identification" that McPherson was seen in Carmel, with Ormiston.

This photo-stack trick did not work on people who had actually gotten a closer look at the mystery woman, such as the landlord, H C Benedict, who rented the cottage to the couple. Benedict testified Ryan tried very hard to get him to identify the woman in his rented cottage as McPherson, but "I said I could not." When asked about the photos of McPherson, he answered, "he had a whole squad of them up there...and they been pulling these photographs and saying "do you recognize this" and another one "Do you recognize this?""(Cox, pp. 150, 166)</ref> Ormiston admitted to having rented the cottage but claimed that the woman who had been there with him – known in the press as Mrs. X – was not McPherson but another woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair.

The grand jury reconvened on August 3 and took further testimony along with documents from hotels, all said by various newspapers to be in McPherson's handwriting. These, though, were later revealed to be Elizabeth Tovey's, a woman traveling with Ormiston, whose handwriting did not at all resemble McPherson's.<ref>Cox, p. 160</ref> McPherson steadfastly stuck to her story, that she was approached by a young couple at the beach who had asked her to come over and pray for their sick child, and that she was then shoved into a car and drugged with [[chloroform]].<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life (Boni and Liveright, New York, 1927) p. 265. Note: McPherson did not actually name the substance, but described it as feeling wet and sticky against her skin, smelling pungently sweet. When she awoke afterwards, she felt extremely nauseated. It was postulated by some the drug was most likely chloroform, possibly with an additive.</ref>


The Carmel cottage was further checked for fingerprints, but none belonging to McPherson were recovered. Two grocery slips found in the yard of the cottage were studied by a police handwriting expert and determined to be McPherson's penmanship. While the original slips later mysteriously disappeared from the courtroom, photo-stat copies were available.<ref>Thomas, Vanishing Evangelist, p. 284</ref> The defense had a handwriting expert of their own who demonstrated the grocery slips were not McPherson's but doctored to look like hers. The slips' suspicious origin was also questioned. The original slips would have been in the yard for two months, surviving dew, fog, and lawn maintenance before their discovery.<ref>Cox, pp. 151, 152</ref>

California grand jury members are bound by law not discuss the case to protect the integrity of the process in determining if there is sufficient cause for a formal juried trial. The Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] was told as much by a newspaper in response to an open demand he made for more disclosure in the ongoing inquiry.<ref>Shuler, Robert, ''Fighting Bob Shuler of Los Angeles'' Dog Ear Publishing, 2012 p. 179</ref> In the McPherson case, proceedings became quite public, as observed by journalist [[H. L. Mencken]]. A vocal critic of McPherson,<ref name="ralphmag1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ralphmag.org/menckenZN.html |title=Isadora Duncan, Aime Semple McPherson - H. L. Mencken |publisher=Ralphmag.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Mencken wrote of her, "For years she toured the [[Bible Belt]] in a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], haranguing the morons nightly, under canvas. It was a depressing life, and its usufructs were scarcely more than three meals a day. The town [he refers to Los Angeles] has more morons in it than the whole State of [[Mississippi]], and thousands of them had nothing to do save gape at the movie dignitaries and go to revivals" (from The American Mercury, 1930). Mencken had been sent to cover the trial and there was every expectation he would continue his searing critiques against the evangelist. Instead, he came away impressed with McPherson and disdainful of the unseemly nature of the prosecution.<ref>Sutton, pp. 120–121. Note: H. L. Mencken determined the evangelist was being persecuted by two powerful groups. The "town clergy" which included Rev. [[Robert P. Shuler]], disliked her, for among other things, poaching their "customers" and for the perceived sexual immorality associated with Pentecostalism. Her other category of enemies were "the Babbits", the power elite of California. McPherson's strong stand on bible fundamentalism was not popular with them, especially after taking a stand during the 1925 Scopes trial which gave "science a bloody nose." In addition McPherson was working to put a bible in every public school classroom and to forbid the teaching of evolution. [[The Argonaut]], a San Francisco newspaper, warned these actions made her a threat to the entire state which could place "California on intellectual parity with Mississippi and Tennessee."</ref> Mencken later wrote: "The trial, indeed, was an orgy typical of the half-fabulous California courts. The very officers of justice denounced her riotously in the Hearst papers while it was in progress."<ref name="ralphmag1"/> To combat the bad newspaper publicity, McPherson spoke freely about the court trials on the air during her radio broadcasts.<ref>Sutton, p. 135. Note: McPherson's preaching and radio delivery style largely avoided judging or accusing others directly. When she announced a sermon, advertised even in the ''[[New York Times]]'', to name "the biggest liar in Los Angeles", reporters thought at last she would openly criticize Prosecutor Keys, self-styled religious enemy Reverend Schuler, or perhaps the key witness against her, Lorraine Wiseman-Sielaff. The Angelus Temple was packed with reporters and others awaiting her scathing attack. The biggest liar in LA was none other than the Devil himself.</ref>

Theories and [[innuendo]] were rampant: that she had run off with a lover, had gone off to have an [[abortion]], was taking time to heal from [[plastic surgery]], or had staged a [[publicity stunt]]. Two-inch headlines called her a tart, a conspirator, and a home-wrecker.<ref name="Epstein, p. 309">Epstein, p. 309</ref> McPherson's near death medical operation in 1914,<ref name="Epstein, p. 74"/> which prevented her from having more children, was already part of the public record. When challenged about the abortion claim with a request to pay for the medical exam to prove it, the newspaper which printed the story backed down. Some prosecutor witnesses stated when they saw McPherson in Carmel, she had short hair, and furor ensued she was currently wearing fake hair swatches piled up to give the impression of longer tresses. McPherson, as requested by her lawyer, stood up, unpinned her hair, which fell abundantly around her shoulders, shocking the witnesses and others into embarrassed silence.<ref name="Epstein, p. 309"/> McPherson learned that in a celebrity crazed-culture fueled by mass media, a leading lady could become a villainess in the blink of an eye.<ref>Sutton, p. 176</ref>

The defense rested its case on October 28 and the judge, on November 3, decided enough evidence had been garnered against the evangelist and her mother for a jury trial case in Los Angeles, set for mid-January 1927. The charges were a criminal conspiracy to commit acts injurious to public morals, to prevent and [[obstruction of justice|obstruct justice]], and to prevent the due administration of the laws, and of engaging in a criminal conspiracy to commit the crime of subordination of perjury. If convicted, the counts added up to maximum prison time of forty-two years.<ref>Sutton, pp. 133–134</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 312</ref><ref>The People vs.Aimee Semple McPherson, et al., Case CR 29181, 10 January 1927, Superior Court of Los Angeles County, County records and Archives</ref>

The chief witness against McPherson was now Lorraine Wiseman-Sielaff. She first stated she was in Carmel as a nurse for Ormiston's mistress; and because she somewhat physically resembled McPherson, it was her that people were misidentifying as the evangelist. Later, after the Angelus Temple refused to post her bail when she was arrested for passing a bad check, Wiseman-Sielaff said McPherson paid her to tell that story. Her testimony was fluidly inconsistent, and it changed significantly yet again in late December, 1926. Prosecutor [[Asa Keyes]] eventually concluded Wiseman-Sielaff's story was not true and a "grievous wrong had been done." ''The Examiner'' newspaper reported that [[Los Angeles County District Attorney|Los Angeles district attorney]] [[Asa Keyes]] had dropped all charges on January 10, 1927.<ref>Sutton, p. 136. Note: The newspaper, the ''Record'' indicated "the McPherson sensation has sold millions of newspapers, generated fat fees for lawyers, stirred up religious antagonism... advertised Los Angeles in a ridiculous way." Keyes added his office was through with perjured testimony, fake evidence and ...he had been duped and a (juried) trial against McPherson would be a futile persecution.</ref><ref>It is frequently conveyed by contemporary commentators that the charges were dropped "allegedly because McPherson came up with $30,000 (about US$390,00 in 2013) to appease law enforcement officials."{{cite web|url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/popular-evangelist-aimee-semple-mcpherson-disappears |title=Popular evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson disappears — History.com This Day in History — 5/18/1926 |publisher=History.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}} Author Anthony J. Rudel even asserts "it came to light that McPherson had acquired a hush fund of $800,000 (about US$10.5 million in 2013) some of which had been used to pay off participants in the 1926 hearings including District Attorney Keyes." (''Hello, Everybody!: The Dawn of American Radio''; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008 p. 196). No mention of the $800,000 is given by biographers of McPherson to include Thomas, Blumhofer, Sutton, Cox, or Epstein. No evidence for the commonly quoted lower figure of $30,000 is found, details and the source of the rumor ambiguous.</ref><ref>Author Stephen J. Pullum, conveys, “...some have suggested that he [Keyes] may have been party to a $30,000 bribe.” (''Foul Demons, Come Out!'' Praeger Pub Text, Westport, Conn., 1999).

In late 1928, the Los Angeles County Grand Jury began looking into the possibility that Keyes had been bribed to drop charges against McPherson. An investigation was started and Keyes was acquitted (Shaefer, Silvia Anne; ''Aimee Semple Mcpherson'', Infobase Publishing, New York, 2004; p. 71). A November 13 ''United Press'' dispatch from London quotes the evangelist as saying: “I never paid a penny. The reason I was freed was that the woman who made the charges confessed she had lied and had been hired to tell the story. With her confession, I was automatically released.” Journalist Rodger M. Grace comments the reality was more complex, Keyes because of inconsistencies in Wiseman-Sielaff’s account, could not vouch for the truthfulness of her testimony, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Albert Lee Stephens Sr. dismissed the charges. {{cite web|author=Roger M. Grace |url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/2007/perspectives101507.htm |title=Keyes Drops Prosecution of McPherson After She's Bound Over for Trial |publisher=Metnews.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Regardless of the court's decision, months of unfavorable press reports fixated in much of the public's mind, a certainty of McPherson's wrongdoing. Many readers were unaware of prosecution evidence having become discredited because it was often placed in the back columns while some new accusation against McPherson held prominence on the headlines. In a letter he wrote to the ''Los Angeles Times'' a few months after the case was dropped, the Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] stated, "Perhaps the most serious thing about this whole situation is the seeming loyalty of thousands to this leader in the face of her evident and positively proven guilt."<ref>Shuler, p. 188. Note: ''Los Angeles Times'', June 1927</ref>

Some supporters thought McPherson should have insisted on the jury trial and clear her name. The grand jury inquiry concluded while enough evidence did not exist to try her, it did not indicate her story was true with its implication of kidnappers still at large.<ref>Meed, Douglas V. "Soldier of Fortune--Adventuring in Latin America and Mexico with Emil Lewis Holmdahl," Halcyon Press Limited, 2003 p. 191. Note: No persons fitting the description of the kidnappers were identified, though, on June 29, 1926, an El Paso Herald reporter asked Emil Lewis Holmdahl, an American infantryman turned soldier of fortune, if he had been involved in the alleged kidnapping of famous California evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Holmdahl, who fought extensively in earlier Latin American turmoil wars and was cleared by a Mexican judge as a suspect in the February 6, 1926 theft of [[Pancho Villa]]'s head, enigmatically replied regarding McPherson, "Well, maybe I did and maybe I didn't." In contrast, unless intoxicated, he always emphatically denied participating in a grave robbery that stole Villa's head.</ref> Therefore, anyone could still accuse her of a hoax without fear of slander charges and frequently did so. McPherson, though, was treated harshly in many previous sessions at court, being verbally pressured in every way possible to change her story or elicit some bit of incriminating information.<ref>Epstein, pp. 313–314</ref> Moreover, court costs to McPherson were estimated as high as US $100,000 dollars.<ref>about US $1,300,000 in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 308</ref> A jury trial could take months. McPherson moved on to other projects. In 1927 she published a book about her version of the kidnapping: ''In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life.''

The 1926 grand jury case, the largest of its kind in California, had hundreds of reporters looking for discrediting evidence against McPherson. Almost $500,000<ref>about US $6.4 million in 2013</ref> was spent<ref>Epstein, p. 289</ref> (most by newspapers assisting in the investigation), 3,600 pages of transcripts generated,<ref>Thomas, Vanishing Evangelist, p. vii, NOTE Sutton writes 36,000, p. 133</ref> and agencies, officials and others continued to investigate, even years later, but were unable to prove her kidnapping story false.<ref>Sutton, p. 143</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 298–299, 309, 314</ref> In 1929, after a failed request by the state senate to reopen the older 1926 case,<ref>Sutton, p. 140; Epstein, p. 332. NOTE: In 1929 the California state senate conducted an impeachment trial of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carlos S. Hardy for providing legal aid to McPherson, violating the rules of office. McPherson was called to testify, but little interest was shown in prosecuting Hardy. The same witnesses and other persons from the earlier 1926 grand jury trial appeared; and McPherson was again in the headlines, being investigated. The impeachment trial cost another $50,000,(About US $660,000 in 2012) presumably borne largely by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', with the exception of the $25,000(About US $330,000 in 2012) taxpayer money it cost to print the 1,300 page trial transcript. McPherson had to endure the same humiliation she had endured in the 1926 trial, when the discussion was primarily about her hair, legs, and morals. Charges against Hardy were dropped and the state assembly instead called for Los Angeles prosecutors to reopen the case to criminally charge McPherson. The Los Angeles offices declined.</ref> Journalist Morrow Mayo noted it was the last chance in California to "ruin that red-headed sorceress", and "she is free to serve the Lord until the Marines are called out." <ref>Sutton, p. 141</ref>

The tale was later satirized by [[Pete Seeger]] in a song called "The Ballad of Aimee McPherson", with lyrics claiming the kidnapping had been unlikely because a hotel love nest revealed "the dents in the mattress fit Aimee's [[Buttocks|caboose]]."

The [[Court of Historical Review and Appeal]] in San Francisco, which holds no legal authority, is made up of members of the bench who examine and retry historical cases and controversies. In April 1990, a decision was handed down regarding the matter of McPherson's kidnapping story. George T. Choppelas, the then presiding judge of the San Francisco Municipal Court, ruling for the Court of Historical Review, found the issues involved both serious and fascinating. He concluded that "there was never any substantial evidence to show that her story was untrue. She may not have been a saint, but she certainly was no sinner, either."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1990-10-09/local/me-2159_1_sister-aimee |title=Faithful of 'Sister Aimee' Say Mock Court Has Redeemed Her - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=1990-10-09 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

===Claims of extramarital affairs===
Numerous allegations of illicit love affairs<ref>Epstein, p. 386</ref> were often directed against McPherson. Suspected lovers generally denied involvement.<ref name="Sutton, p. 175">Sutton, p. 175</ref> For example, Kenneth Ormiston, a married man with a small son,<ref>Epstein, pp. 264, 287</ref> could have profited immensely from an exposé about himself and McPherson.<ref>Cox, p. 234. Note: Kenneth Ormiston did eventually sell his story to the press, identifying his companion as Elizabeth Tovey.</ref> It was not disputed the two had a good working relationship and were friendly with each other. During the 1926 kidnapping grand jury trial, his privacy in every way was invaded as reporters and investigators tried to link him amorously to McPherson.<ref>Epstein, pp. 289, 307</ref><ref>Sutton, p.135</ref> Ormiston told newspapers his name connected in such a way to the evangelist "was a gross insult to a noble and sincere woman."<ref>Thomas ''Vanishing'' p. 31</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 37–38.</ref>

[[File:ASM-reading blackmailNote1.jpg|thumbnail|right|McPherson was often the target of numerous unsubstantiated sexually related allegations. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, June 4, 1936, this photograph depicts the evangelist reading a note demanding $10,000 else nude motion pictures of her and a friend would be publicly released. When inquired about it in an unrelated interview later that year, she tersely stated nude pictures of her did not exist because none were ever taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/U373542ACME/mcpherson-charged-for-slander?popup=1 |title=McPherson Charged for Slander - U373542ACME - Rights Managed - Stock Photo - Corbis |publisher=Corbisimages.com |date=1936-12-12 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>]] Alarmed by her rapidly changing style of dress and involvement with Hollywood and its "worldly" lifestyle, in 1929, an Angeleus Temple official<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webjournals.ac.edu.au/authors/john-goben/ |title=John Goben • Webjournals |publisher=Webjournals.ac.edu.au |date= |accessdate=2013-11-15}}, Blumhofer, p. 311, Note: Reverend John D. Goben was a successful Midwestern evangelist when he joined the Angeles Temple in 1927. A revival campaign in 1930 by Goben led to the establishment the Stone Church in Toronto, Canada. Goben served as treasurer to the International Foursquare Gospel Lighthouses, an association of satellite churches he helped manage. Because of a dispute with McPherson and her legal counsel, over property ownership by the churches, he was ousted as treasurer. His mounting discontent along with encouragement of some of the Church board members, in part, precipitated his expensive private investigation of McPherson. One evening at a board meeting, Goben, hoping to elicit a confession in lieu of evidence he could not obtain, confronted McPherson with his surveillance. But McPherson, so shocked by what he did, fainted. The board members turned against Goben and he was fired. His bitter departure resulted in his publication of a pamphlet entitled ''Aimee, the Gospel Gold-Digger''. Aimed at Temple supporters, he detailed alleged financial irregularities. A brief grand jury investigation was started, but come to nothing.</ref> hired detectives to shadow McPherson. Through her windows, the detectives frequently saw McPherson staying up until the early morning hours composing songs, drafting sacred operas and scribbling diagrams of her illustrated sermons.<ref>Epstein, pp. 334, 337</ref> They were looking for evidence of her indiscretions, but found nothing. No confirmation of adulterous misconduct,<ref name="Sutton, p. 175"/> with perhaps exception of her third marriage as a violation of Church tenets, was ever presented. McPherson herself, aware of numerous accusations leveled at her throughout her career, responded only to a small fraction of them, conveying the only thing she had time for was "preaching Jesus."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/a_lasting_legacy |title=A Lasting Legacy | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Posthumously, unsubstantiated allegations of extramarital affairs continued to emerge, this time by those who stated to have been her partner; claims not mentioned by them or others while she was still alive. Canadian journalist, [[Gordon Sinclair]], implied such a claim in his 1966 autobiography, ''Will the Real Gordon Sinclair Please Stand Up.'' Sinclair stated he worked on a story with McPherson and it was during one of those times in 1934, the incident purportedly occurred. Sinclair alludes to a sexual dalliance with McPherson one afternoon along with some gin and ginger.<ref>Sutton, pp. 175, 312</ref>

Thirty years after her death, another claim by comedian [[Milton Berle]], in a 1974 autobiography, alleges a brief affair with the evangelist. In his book, entitled '' Milton Berle: An Autobiography'', Berle asserts he met McPherson at the [[Shrine Auditorium]] in Los Angeles where both were doing a charity show. Upon seeing her for the first time, Berle recalled,
<blockquote>"I was both impressed and very curious ... She was all dignity and class when it came her turn. The house went wild when she walked out into the lights." Backstage, she invited him to see Angelus Temple. Instead, Berle wrote, the two of them went to lunch in Santa Monica, then to an apartment of hers where McPherson changed into something "cooler [...] a very thin, pale blue [[negligee]]." Berle said he could see she was wearing nothing underneath. She just said, "Come in." Berle said they met for the second and last time at the same apartment a few days later, writing, "This time, she just sent the chauffeur for me to bring me straight to the apartment. We didn't even bother with lunch. When I was dressing to leave, she stuck out her hand. 'Good luck with your show, Milton.' What the hell. I couldn't resist it. 'Good luck with yours, Aimee.' I never saw or heard from Aimee Semple McPherson again. But whenever I hear '[[Yes Sir, That's My Baby (song)|Yes, Sir, That's My Baby]]', I remember her."<ref>{{cite web|title=Milton Berle with Frank Haskel. ''Milton Berle: An Autobiography''|publisher=[[Delacorte Press]]|year=1974|pages=123–29 |url=http://www.ondoctrine.com/1mcphe05.htm}}</ref></blockquote>

Biographer Matthew Avery Sutton commented, "Berle, a notorious womanizer whose many tales of scandalous affairs were not always true, claimed to have had sex with McPherson on this and one other occasion", both during a year when McPherson was often ill and bedridden. Sutton noted that Berle's story of a [[crucifix]]<ref>Cox, p. 241. Note: McPherson was frequently photographed with the image of the Christian Cross, which differs from the crucifix, with its hanging figure of Jesus and its common association with Catholicism. Cox states anecdotally some persons adversarial to McPherson, who heard the Berle story wanted to believe it was true, "but that bit about the crucifix" convinced them otherwise.</ref> in McPherson's bedroom was not consistent with the coolness of Pentecostal-Catholic relations during that era.<ref>Sutton, p. 174</ref> Another book by Milton Berle, ''Laughingly Yours'', which had autobiographical content that was published in 1939 while McPherson was still alive, did not have this claim.<ref>Cox, p. 241</ref>

Author Raymond L. Cox states: "Mrs. McPherson's daughter, Roberta Salter of New York, told me, 'Mother never had an apartment in her life.' By 1931 she kept herself securely chaperoned to guard against such allegations." During 1930 the evangelist's appearances and whereabouts can be traced almost every day. She was incapacitated with illness a full five months of that year, and there is no place on her schedule as reported in her publications and church and travel records for the benefit Berle alleged. Besides, Roberta also told Cox, "Mother never did a benefit in her life. She had her own charities".<ref>Cox, Raymond L. The Verdict is In, 1983, p. 241</ref>

===Charitable work===
[[File:ASMcPherson, 1935.jpg|thumb|McPherson (left) prepares Christmas food baskets (about 1935)]]
McPherson strove to develop a church organization which could not only provide for the spiritual, but the physical needs of the distressed. Though she fervently believed and preached the imminent return of Jesus Christ,<ref>Blumhofer, p. 210</ref> she had no idea of how soon that [[Second Coming]] might be. Two thoughts pervaded the mind of most devout Pentecostals of the time, "Jesus is coming, therefore how can I get ready," and "how can I help others to get ready?"

For McPherson, part of the answer was to mobilize her Temple congregation and everyone she could reach through radio, telephone and word of mouth to get involved in substantial amounts of charity and social work. "True Christianity is not only to be good but to do good," she preached. The Charities and Beneficiary Department collected donations for all types of humanitarian relief to include a Japanese disaster as well as a German relief fund. Men released from prison were found jobs by a "brotherhood." A "sisterhood" was created as well, sewing baby clothing for impoverished mothers.<ref>Epstein, p. 249</ref> Branch churches elsewhere in the country were likewise encouraged to follow the Angelus Temple's example. Even people who considered McPherson's theology almost ridiculous helped out because they saw her church as the best way to assist their community.<ref>Sutton, pp. 186–191</ref>

In June 1925, after confirming reports of an [[1925 Santa Barbara earthquake|earthquake in Santa Barbara]], McPherson immediately left the parsonage and interrupted a broadcast at a nearby radio station. She took over the microphone from the startled singer and requested food, blankets, clothing, whatever listeners could give for emergency supplies to assist nearby Santa Barbara. As the Red Cross met to discuss and organize aid, McPherson's second convoy had already arrived at the troubled city.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 269</ref> In 1928, after [[St. Francis Dam|a dam failed]] and the ensuing flood left up to 600 dead in its wake, McPherson's church led the relief effort.<ref>Sutton, pp. 189, 315. Note: author states over 400 dead</ref> Later, in 1933, an [[1933 Long Beach earthquake|earthquake struck and devastated Long Beach.]] McPherson quickly arranged for volunteers to be on the scene with blankets, coffee and doughnuts.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 348. Note: author indicates 1934 but probably a typo</ref>

An unwed mother's home was operated of the parsonage. Roberta Semple Star, McPherson's daughter, shared her room with one troubled or battered runaway girl after another. She recalled they came from all over the country and her mother could spot them in any crowd. McPherson herself would frequently contact the girl's presumably worried parents, offering to facilitate a reconciliation if needed. If the girl stayed on, after the baby arrived, McPherson made another call to the parents, letting them know wonderful news: their daughter just gave birth to a healthy eight pound baby boy or girl. McPherson's enthusiastically sincere, caring approach tended to result in reluctant parents accepting back their wayward daughter with their new grandchild.<ref>Epstein, p. 279</ref>

While McPherson, her two children and sometimes visitors shared dinner upstairs, frequently they were interrupted by knocks on the downstairs door. The Angelus Temple parsonage received an unknown number of abandoned infants left in all types of containers at its doorstep. People knew a baby left there would be well taken care of.<ref>Epstein, p. 280</ref> Because many baby abandonments were caused by mothers unable to care for their infants while they worked, she also established a day nursery for children of working mothers.

Drawing from her childhood experience with the Salvation Army, in 1927, McPherson opened a commissary at Angelus Temple which was devised to assist the needy on a much larger, formalized scale. The Commissary was virtually the only place in town a person could get food, clothing, and blankets with no questions asked. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and became active in creating soup kitchens, free clinics, and other charitable activities as the Great Depression wore on. It is estimated that she fed 1.5 million people. When the government shut down the free school lunch program, McPherson took it over. Her policy of giving first and investigating afterward allowed waste and a certain amount of deadbeats to leech off the program, but it "alleviated suffering on an epic scale".<ref>Epstein, p. 369</ref>

McPherson got the fire and police departments to assist in distribution. Doctors, physicians and dentists were persuaded to staff her free clinic that trained 500 nurses to help treat children and the elderly. She encouraged individuals and companies of all types to donate supplies, food, cash or labor. To prevent the power from being turned off to homes of overdue accounts during the winter, a US $2,000<ref>about US $28,000 in 2012</ref> cash reserve was set up with the utility company. Many people, who otherwise would have nothing to do with the Angelus Temple, would receive a call from McPherson, and then loot their mansion closets or company stores for something to give. The Yellow Cab Company donated a large building and, in the first month, 80,000 people received meals there.<ref>Epstein, p. 370</ref><ref>Sutton, p. 316</ref>

Laboring under a sign "Everybody and anybody is somebody to Jesus", volunteer workers filled commissary baskets with an assortment of food and other items as well as Foursquare Gospel literature and handed them out. Even a complete kit designed to care for newborn babies was available. A reporter writes he had always thought the breadline was a "drab colorless scar on our civilization" but of the Angelus Temple commissary, he observes, was "the warm garment of sympathy and Christian succor."<ref name="Sutton, p. 317">Sutton, p. 317</ref> A note, which reflects the sentiment of many of those who received assistance, was left in June, 2010 at McPherson's virtual gravesite:

<blockquote>"My grandpa always talked about when he was a kid, he and his family moved to California from Missouri, during the depression, and his family was starving and they met you and you gave them a bag of vegetables, and some money, he never forgot it."
-Anonymous<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=dfl&GRid=700&FLsr=1 |title=Aimee Semple McPherson (1890 - 1944) - Find A Grave Flowers |publisher=Findagrave.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref></blockquote>

Establishing an employment bureau as well, McPherson desired to help "the discouraged husband, the despondent widow, or the little mother who wants extra work to bear the burden of a sick husband".<ref>Blumhofer, p. 346</ref> She expected everyone in her temple to be involved, 'let us ever strive to lighten our brother's load and dry the tears of a sister; race, creed or status make no difference. We are all one in the eyes of the Lord." She encouraged members to think of the commissary as widening "the spirituality of the whole church".<ref>Blumhofer, p. 348</ref>

In 1932, the commissary was raided by police to allegedly locate a still used to make brandy out of donated apricots. Some sauerkraut and salad oil were purportedly observed leaking from their respective storage areas. As a consequence, the commissary was briefly shut down. The press got involved and the public demanded an investigation. Since no one really wanted to stall the temple's charity efforts, the acceptable solution was to replace the immediate management. The staff was let go and students from her Foursquare Gospel Church's LIFE Bible College filled in. The newspaper media, generally cynical of the Temple and in particular, of McPherson, recognized "the excellent features of that organization's efforts" and "the faults of the Angelus Temple are outweighed by its virtues".<ref>Sutton, p. 194</ref> McPherson issued a statement declaring, "They have clashed loud their cymbals and blown their trumpets about a still and some sauerkraut,... our work is still before us. If...anybody abused his trust, it must not happen again."<ref>Epstein, pp. 375–376</ref>

As McPherson tried to avoid administrative delays in categorizing the "deserving" from the "undeserving," her temple commissary became known as one of the region's most effective and inclusive aid institutions. Few soup kitchens lasted more than several months, but McPherson's remained open.<ref name="Sutton, p. 317"/> Even as she transformed herself into a fashionable blonde Hollywood socialite, McPherson's vigor and practicality for social activism did not change, she loved organizing big projects.<ref>Sutton, pp. 191–192</ref> A 1936 survey indicated the Angelus Temple assisted more family units than any other public or private institution in the city. Because her programs aided non-residents as well, such as migrants from other states and Mexico, she ran afoul of California state regulations. Even though temple guidelines were later officially adjusted to accommodate those policies, helping families in need was a priority, regardless of their place of residence.<ref>Sutton, p. 195</ref>

Actor [[Anthony Quinn]] recalls:

<blockquote>"This was all during the height of the Depression, when hunger and poverty permeated America. Many Mexicans were terrified of appealing for county help because most of them were in the country illegally. When in distress, they were comforted by the fact that they could call one of Aimee's branches at any time of the night. There, they would never be asked any of the embarrassing questions posed by the authorities. The fact that they were hungry or in need of warm clothing was enough. No one even asked if they belonged to Aimee's church or not."<ref name="Anthony Quinn 1972 pp 122"/></blockquote>

===Later life and career===
[[File:ASM-cutting cake.jpg|thumbnail|right|McPherson surrounded by flowers, cutting into Angelus Temple cake, 1927. Not one for settling into a predictable routine, she used her birthday, national holidays and other events to theme church services and gala festivities around.]]
Following her heyday in the 1920s, McPherson carried on with her ministry but fell out of favor with the press. They once dubbed her the "miracle worker"<ref>Blumhofer, p. 205</ref> or "miracle woman", reporting extensively on her faith healing demonstrations, but now were anxious to relay every disturbance in her household to the headlines. Her developing difficulties with her mother, Mildred Kennedy, were starting to take the front page. Yet, McPherson emerged from the kidnapping nationally famous. As much as ten percent of the population in Los Angeles held membership in her Temple.<ref name="ReferenceC">Roberts Liardon, God's Generals: Vol. 7, DVD 2005</ref> For a time, movie studios competed with each other offering McPherson long-term contracts.

Believing that talking pictures had the potential to transform Christianity, McPherson explored Hollywood culture and appeared in newsreels alongside other famous individuals such as [[Mary Pickford]], [[Frances Perkins]], and [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. She lost weight, cut and dyed her hair, and became stylish and well attired. A critic wrote McPherson "can out-dress the Hollywood stars". The solicitation of fame, justified to draw audiences to her and hence to Christ, was more than some in her church organization could accept. They yearned for Sister Aimee "in the old time dress," referring to her previous "trademarked" uniform of a navy cape over a white servant's dress; both purchased inexpensively in bargain basements.<ref>Sutton, pp. 153–160</ref> Other members, though, loved it and her Angelus Temple services were as popular as ever and remained so throughout her life. Unless parishioners arrived to a service early, frequently they could not get in, all seats were taken. Now that she could afford it, McPherson thought as well, she wanted her apparel and display to be the best she could present to Jesus.<ref name="pbs.org"/><ref name="ReferenceC"/>

In early 1927, McPherson immediately set out on a "vindication tour", visiting various cities and taking advantage of the publicity her kidnapping story created to preach the Gospel.<ref>She also traveled to England, Scotland and Wales for five weeks of revival services. Press reports, depending upon the sources, described her audiences as either lacking enthusiasm or multitudes filling the altars anxiously awaiting a return visit. {{Cite news |title=Poor Aimee |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,732031,00.html?promoid=googlep |quote=Those of the nobility and gentry and middle classes who reflected upon the matter appeared to feel that the Holy Bible still offers a sufficient choice of Gospels. But of course the London mob, the lower classes, rushed to attend the evangelistic First Night of Aimee Semple McPherson|publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date= October 22, 1928|accessdate=2007-08-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070930045728/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,732031,00.html?promoid=googlep| archivedate= 30 September 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Her visit to New York in fox-furs and a finely trimmed yellow suit was noted in the society pages. She visited even nightclubs, to include a famous speakeasy in New York: [[Texas Guinan]]’s Three Hundred Club on 54th Street. While McPherson sipped water at her table, Guinan asked if she would speak a few words to the patrons. Delighted, McPherson stood and addressed the jazzed and boozy crowd:

<blockquote>"Behind all these beautiful clothes, behind these good times, in the midst of your lovely buildings and shops and pleasures, there is another life. There is something on the other side. “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” With all your getting and playing and good times, do not forget you have a Lord. Take Him into your hearts." </blockquote>

The unexpected speech that did not judge, and had a conciliatory tone between them and the Divine, earned a thoughtful moment of silence from the crowd, then an applause that went on for much longer than the speech took. The revelers were invited to hear her preach at the [[Glad tidings tabernacle|Glad Tidings Tabernacle]] on 33rd street. The visits to speakeasies and nightclubs added to McPherson's notoriety; Newspapers reported heavily on them, rumors erroneously conveyed she was drinking, smoking and dancing; and her mother along with some other church members, did not understand McPherson's strategy of tearing down barriers between the secular and religious world, between the sinner and the saved.<ref>Epstein, pp. 318–320</ref>

In the summer of 1927, Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, left the Angelus Temple. In an attempt to curtail her daughter's influence and officially transfer more power to herself, Kennedy initiated a staff member "vote of confidence" against McPherson, but lost. The two had heatedly argued over management polices and McPherson's changing personal dress and appearance.<ref>Epstein, p. 325</ref> For similar reasons, 300 members of the choir left as well. The choir could be replaced;<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 308, 317. Note: A month later most of the choir members returned. Their leader, Gladwyn Nichols later returned as well, after publicly apologizing to McPherson.</ref> however, Kennedy's financial and administrative skills had been of crucial importance in growing McPherson's ministry from tent revivals to satellite churches and maintaining its current activities in the Temple. A series of less able management staff replaced Kennedy and the Temple became involved in various questionable projects such as hotel building, cemetery plots, and land sales. Accordingly, the Angelus Temple plummeted deep into debt. In response to the difficulties, Kennedy came back in late 1929, but because of continued serious disagreements with McPherson, tendered her resignation July 29, 1930.<ref>Epstein, p. 341</ref> The following month, in August 1930, McPherson suffered a physical and [[nervous breakdown]]. For ten months she was absent from the pulpit, diagnosed, in part with acute [[acidosis]].<ref>Epstein, p. 343</ref>

When she gained strength and returned, it was with renewed vigor that she introduced her moving "Attar of Roses" sermon, based on the Song of Solomon, with its Rose of Charon as the mystical Body of Christ. While journalists attending her Sunday illustrated sermons assumed her language was fit only for slapstick or sentimental entertainment, scholars who have studied her work for Bible students and small prayer groups, found instead the complex discourse of [[Neoplatonism|neoplatonic]] interpretation. The Old Testament book, the Song of Solomon, for example, she had hundreds of pages written about it, each "different from one another as snowflakes".<ref>Epstein, p. 356</ref>

In September, 1931, on her way to an eight-day revival in [[Portland, Oregon]], she visited former district attorney [[Asa Keyes]], in the [[San Quentin]] penitentiary. Keyes, who had been a vigorous prosecutor in attempting to prove her 1926 kidnapping story a fraud, was imprisoned on an unrelated matter. McPherson, with no apparent malice or gloating, wished him well and said he was in her prayers. A grateful Keyes thanked her. Afterwards, she arranged to visit Boston for an ambitious nine-day revival. McPherson trained for it by swimming 3 1/2 miles per day across [[Lake Elsinore, California]], paced by a rowboat.<ref>Epstein, pp. 366–367</ref>

The October 10–18, 1931 revival in [[Boston]] started out sluggishly and many predicted its failure. A Los Angeles newspaper ran headlines of the flop and expected more of the same in the days to come. On opening night, McPherson spoke to less than 5,000 persons in the 22,000 seating sports arena, and safety pins and rubber bands abundantly cluttered the collection baskets. The city had large populations of Unitarians, Episcopalians and Catholics, venerable denominations traditionally hostile to a Pentecostal / fundamentalist message. Afterwards, from her hotel room, McPherson, known to be a sports fan, asked for the afternoon's World Series scores and a Boston Herald reporter sent her a copy of the Sunday edition. The next day, the "Bring Back the Bible to Boston" campaign's tone shifted as McPherson took greater control and attendance climbed sharply.<ref name="Epstein, p. 368">Epstein, p. 368</ref><ref name="CoxBoston">{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/boston.htm|title=Dr. Raymond L. Cox : The Greatest Nine Days|publisher=oocities.org|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

A reporter took note of McPherson's stage presence, different from any other evangelist who spoke there, gesturing with her white Bible for effect as well as preaching. Answering him as to why she presented a dramatic sermon, she stated, "Our God is a dramatic God,... rolling back the Red Sea,... Elijah on the mountaintop,... the crucifixion, the resurrection, His ascension,... tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost." The final day of afternoon and evening services had 40,000 persons attending, the stadium was full and more than 5,000 had to be turned away. A total of 160,000 people attended the meetings; breaking historic attendance records of any nine days of revival services in Boston.<ref name="CoxBoston"/>

Her revival in [[New York City]] was not very fruitful, her sensationalistic reputation preceded her. The third marriage to David Hutton, rumored romances and her kidnapping was what its press and citizens wanted hear about. Therefore, after a brief pause in New York and [[Washington, DC]], she went on [[Philadelphia]] and other cities, traveling to 46 of them in 21 states; speaking to as much as two percent of the entire population of the United States. A full crew of musicians, scene designers and costumers accompanied McPherson. In this, her last national revival tour, between September 1933 and December 20, 1934, two million persons heard 336 sermons. Many more were reached by 45 radio stations.<ref>Epstein, p. 388</ref>

The Boston Evening Traveler newspaper reported:

<blockquote>"Aimee's religion is a religion of joy. There is happiness in it. Her voice is easy to listen to. She does not appeal to the brain and try to hammer religion into the heads of her audience. Rather, she appeals to the hearts of her hearers. She radiates friendliness. She creates an atmosphere that is warming. She is persuasive, rather than forceful; gracious and kindly, rather than compelling. Fundamentally she takes the whole Bible literally, from cover to cover."<ref name="CoxBoston"/></blockquote>

Nevertheless, she was not a [[Biblical literalism|radical literalist]]. In an informal meeting with some Harvard students, McPherson told them that Genesis allowed great latitude of interpretation, and that neither she nor the Bible insisted the world was created only 6,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skepticism.org/timeline/october-history/9302-aimee-semple-mcpherson-uninvited-speak-harvard.html |title=Today in History: 15 October 1931: Aimee Semple McPherson Uninvited to Speak at Harvard |publisher=Skepticism.org |date=1931-10-15 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> In another meeting with students, she heard their assertion the teachings of Christ have outlived their usefulness; education, science and cold reasoning was the new savior of the world. Thus compelled, McPherson decided to travel and look at the world with new eyes.<ref name="GiveGod">McPherson, Aimee Semple, Give me my Own God, H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc., 1936</ref> In 1935 McPherson embarked on a worldwide six-month discovery tour to examine the social religious and economic climates of many countries. At one point it was earlier reported she wanted to study the women's movement in connection with the campaign for the Independence of India, and was anxious to have "a chat with [[Mahatma Gandhi]]".<ref name="newspapers1"/> She received an invitation from him and he gave her a sari made from threads woven from his simple spinning wheel. Impressed with Gandhi and his ideas, McPherson thought he might secretly lean towards Christianity; his dedication possibly coming from catching "a glimpse of the cleansing, lifting, strengthening power of the Nazarene".<ref>Matthew Avery Sutton, Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007), p. 233</ref>

Other highlights included traversing barefoot, in [[Myanmar]], the lengthy stone path to [[Shwedagon Pagoda|the Great Pagoda]], a gold covered 325 ft tiered tower enshrining relics of four [[Buddha]]s, which caught and reflected the rays of the sun; a "vision of breath-taking glory."<ref>McPherson, Give me my Own God, pp. 88–89</ref> She heard [[Benito Mussolini]] speak in Italy, and fretted war would again ensue. In the rain, at [[Verdun, France]], she sat on a wrecked military vehicle in mournful contemplation of the hundreds of thousands who died on the still uncleared battlefield. White, bleached, bones of the fallen poked out of the earth, and nearby, laborers toiled carefully at their dangerous [[iron harvest]], collecting old munitions for disposal.

As she sailed to New York passing by the [[Statue of Liberty]], McPherson was fascinated by its illumined torch. The flame represented to her some of the things missing from the other countries visited: truth and life; knowledge from schools and colleges, shelter of the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]], law, order, and progress. McPherson's concluded from her trip that though the United States might wander, a revival of faith in God would kill the "fatted calf of the Depression" and "again spread the banquet table."<ref>McPherson, Give me my Own God, p. 310</ref>

In mid-1936, a delegation who had been involved with the 1906 [[Azusa Street Revival|Azusa Street Mission Revival]]s asked if they could use the Angelus Temple for their 30th Anniversary Celebration. The original mission building was demolished and its land unavailable. African American Evangelist Emma Cotton and McPherson therefore organized a series of meetings which also marked her enthusiastic re-identification with the Pentecostal movement. McPherson's experiments of Hollywood celebrity ambitions co-existing with her ministry were not as successful she hoped. Alliances with other church groups were failing or no longer in effect and she searched for ways to start again. Therefore, she looked to her spiritual origins and allowed for the possibility of re-introducing even the more alarming aspects of the Pentecostal experience into her public meetings. Temple officials were concerned the Azusa people might bring in some "wildfire and Holy Rollerism." McPherson indicated she would turn hand springs with them as needed to see the power of God manifest.

The [[Azusa Street Revival]] commemoration events brought numbers of black leaders to her pulpit. The original attendees of the Azusa revivals filled the Angelus Temple along with every ethnic minority, "the saints who were once smelted together with the fires of Pentecost" were "being reunited re-welded and rejuvenated." McPherson recommitted herself to the dissemination of "classic Pentecostalism," and her concern now was that Foursquaredom was in the danger of becoming too "churchy." For the first time since the Temple opened, McPherson began to publicly deliver some of her messages in tongues. McPherson traversed the line between cold formality and wildfire and now decided it was easier to cool down a hot fanatic than to resuscitate a corpse. Future meetings to celebrate the [[Azusa Street Revival]]s included guest [[Charles Harrison Mason|Charles H. Mason]], a founder of the Churches of God in Christ. Mason, an Azusa leader, was also one of the most significant African American religious figures in United States history and was frequently hosted at the Angelus Temple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/mcpente.htm |title=Dr. Raymond L. Cox : Was Aimee Semple McPherson Pentecostal? |publisher=oocities.org |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

[[File:ASM Semple Crawford1935.jpg|thumbnail|left|Roberta Star Semple, (left) McPherson's daughter, (middle) and Rheba Crawford Splivalo, assistant pastor,(right) at a parade in 1935.]]
Also in 1936, McPherson reassigned staff responsibilities in an effort to address the Temple's financial difficulties. This, together with other unresolved issues, accelerated simmering tensions among various staff members. Rumors circulated that "Angel of Broadway", charismatic evangelist Rheba Crawford Splivalo, who had been working extensively with McPherson for several years, planned to take the Angelus Temple from her. McPherson asked Splivalo to "leave town".<ref name="Epstein, p. 368"/> In the course of the staff controversy, McPherson's lawyer issued a strongly worded press release that upset Roberta Star Semple, McPherson's daughter, and led her to initiate a $150,000<ref>US $2.3 million dollars in 2012</ref> lawsuit against him for slander. Splivalo also sued McPherson for $1,080,000<ref>US $17 million in 2012</ref> because of alleged statements calling her a ‘[[Jezebel]] and a [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]’ and "unfit to stand in the Angelus Temple pulpit".<ref>Thomas, ''Storming'', pp. 282-284, 297 NOTE: Splivalo did earn a loyal following of disciples at the Angelus Temple; one in particular who was in contentious strife with McPherson. Splivalo gathered a list of purported damaging statements together with the witnesses, places and times they were allegedly made by McPherson. However, the vocabulary of accused slanderous remarks as stated the lawsuit, were inconsistent with McPherson's known public sermons, writings, and statements.</ref><ref>Herald-Journal – May 11, 1937</ref>

The two lawsuits filed by Semple and Splivalo were not related, but McPherson did not see it that way. She saw both as part of the Temple takeover plot. Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, was also involved and sided with Semple, her granddaughter, making unflattering statements about McPherson to the press. In these charged circumstances, McPherson's defense of herself and her [[lawyer]] in a public trial was dramatic and theatrical. She testified tearfully with swoons and faints about how her daughter conspired with others against her.<ref>United Press, April 15, 1937.</ref> Her daughter's lawyer, meanwhile, mocked McPherson by imitating her mannerisms and making faces at her.<ref>Epstein, pp. 413–414</ref> The trial did much to estrange McPherson from her daughter. The judge ruled for Semple giving a $2,000<ref>US $31,000 in 2012</ref> judgement in her favor. Semple then moved to [[New York]]. Splivalo and the Temple settled their suit [[out of court]] for the "cause of religion and the good of the community."<ref>Epstein, p. 416</ref>

With Kennedy, Semple, and Splivalo gone, the Temple lost much of its talented leadership. However, McPherson found a competent and firm administrator in Giles Knight, who was able to bring the Temple out of debt, dispose of the 40 or so lawsuits, and eliminate the more spurious projects. He sequestered McPherson, allowed her to receive only a few personal visitors, and carefully regulated her activities outside the Temple. This period was one of unprecedented creativity for McPherson. No longer distracted by waves of reporters, reams of lawsuits, and numberless individuals demanding her attention, she became very accomplished in her illustrative sermon style of gospel preaching. The irreligious [[Charlie Chaplin]] would secretly attend her services, enjoying her sermons. She later met and consulted with Chaplin on ways to improve her presentations. McPherson, who earlier blared across newspaper headlines as many as three times a week, in one alleged scandal or another, had her public image much improved. Her adversary, Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]], who previously attacked her by radio, magazine, pulpit, and pamphlet, proclaimed "Aimee's missionary work was the envy of Methodists".<ref>Epstein, p. 427</ref> He also expressed his support of her Foursquare Church application admittance into National Association of Evangelicals for United Action in 1943.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/>

Her efforts at making interracial revival a reality at Angelus Temple continued. She welcomed blacks into the congregation and pulpit. While race riots burned [[Detroit]] in 1943, McPherson publicly converted the notorious black former [[heavyweight]] champion [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] on the Temple stage and embraced him “as he raised his hand in worship”.<ref>{{cite web|last=Updike |first=John |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/30/070430crbo_books_updike |title=Famous Aimee |publisher=The New Yorker |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 |title=Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America — Matthew Avery Sutton | Harvard University Press |publisher=Hup.harvard.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

===War years===
[[Pacifism]], which was a component of Pentecostalism, was evaluated by the Foursquare Gospel Church in the 1930s with official statements and documents which were further revised by McPherson. A press quote attributed to McPherson, in reference to Mahatma Gandhi, appears to explore the concept, "I want to incorporate the ideals of India with my own...."<ref name="newspapers1"/> Additionally, Clinton Howard, the chairman of the World Peace Commission, was invited to speak at the Angelus Temple. In 1932 she promoted disarmament, "If the nations of the world would stop building warships and equipping armies we would be all but overwhelmed with prosperity."<ref>Sutton, p. 256</ref>

Foursquare leaders, alarmed at rapid changes of technology, especially sea and air, which challenged the United States isolation and security, decided to officially draw up an amendment inclusive of varied opinions in regards to military service. The idea that one could trust to bear arms in a righteous cause as well as believing the killing of others, even in connection to military service, would endanger their souls; both views were acceptable.<ref>Sutton, pp. 256–257</ref>

McPherson kept a canny eye on the international events leading up to the Second World War, citing the probability of a much more terrible conflict than the one that passed 20 years earlier. In a sermon, she described a recently conquered country which had the Cross and other religious symbols in their schools removed; in their place was a portrait of a certain man. Instead of prayer, their school day began with a distinctive salute to this person. The destructive [[apocalypse]] of [[John the Apostle]], with its expected high civilian casualties, followed by the Second Coming of Christ, it seemed, was at hand. Even if submarines were hiding in the depths of the sea, they could not escape the terror that would befall them.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson Audio Tapes, Zero Hour Sermon, http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/103.htm#602</ref>
[[File:ASM 14hourService 1.jpg|thumbnail|left|Congregation at Angelus Temple during 14-hour Holy Ghost service led by Aimee Semple McPherson, Los Angeles, Calif., 1942]]
All night prayer meetings were held Friday nights at the Angelus Temple, starting in 1940, the year when [[Germany]] was overrunning [[Belgium]], the [[Netherlands]] and [[France]]. She asked other Foursquare churches around the country to follow suit. She sent President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s secretary, Mr. [[Stephen Early]], as well as some other leaders, an outline of her plans. Prayer, to her, was even more powerful than the implements of war. Various officials expressed their appreciation, including the governor of California.<ref name="foursquare.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/world_war_ii_and_angelus_temple |title=World War II and Angelus Temple | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Early passed on a reply back from Roosevelt: a message of thanks for her work. A month later Roosevelt declared a [[National Day of Prayer]] to "beseech the Ruler of the Universe to bless our Republic." Foursquare leaders thought McPherson may have inspired it; and perhaps the President of the United States was looking to her for spiritual leadership of the nation.<ref>Sutton, p. 258</ref>

At the outbreak of [[World War II]], McPherson rejected the Christian pacifism of many in the Pentecostal movement including those of her own church. Her mind was set on doing what ever it took to assist the United States in winning the war, "It is the Bible against ''[[Mein Kampf]]''. It is the [[Christian cross|Cross]] against the [[Swastika]]. It is God against the [[antichrist]] of [[Japan]],... This is no time for pacifism."<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson, "Foursquaredom and Uncle Sam," Foursquare Crusader, 14 (February 1942) p. 24</ref> The Angelus Temple itself became a visible symbol of home front sacrifice for the war effort. If necessary, it was announced the building could be used for an air raid shelter. The distinctive white dome was painted over with black paint and its beautiful stained glass windows covered up. The Temple, like other buildings in the city, had to have any opening or window that could emit visible light at night, covered. One evening in May 1942, to advertise the need to conserve gasoline and rubber, McPherson herself drove a horse and buggy to the Angelus Temple.<ref name="foursquare.org"/>

[[Rubber]] and other [[Drive (charity)|drives]] were organized; and unlimited airtime on her radio station, KFSG, was given to the [[Office of War Information]]. She asked parishioners and other listeners to donate two hours a day for such tasks as rolling bandages "so that a soldier's bandage could be changed.... And let us give our blood to help every one." Money was raised to provide local military bases with comfortable furnishings and radios. ''Newsweek'' published an article about McPherson, "The World's Greatest Living Minister," in July 19, 1943, noting she had collected 2,800 pints of blood for the Red Cross; servicemen in her audience are especially honored, and the climax of her church services is when she reads the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|National Anthem]].<ref>Sutton, pp. 264, 333</ref>

McPherson gave visiting servicemen autographed Bibles. She observed they often had no religious affiliation and did not even own a Bible. She wrote:

<blockquote>"What a privilege it was to invite the servicemen present in every Sunday night meeting to come to the platform, where I greeted them, gave each one a New Testament, and knelt in prayer with them for their spiritual needs, and God’s guidance and protection on their lives. Later, when the altar call would be given, many of these same servicemen would make another trip to the platform publicly to receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior."<ref name="foursquare.org"/></blockquote>

She insulted [[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Hideki Tōjō]], and became involved in [[war bond]] rallies. Pershing Square's Victory House in Los Angeles never saw a bigger crowd. McPherson sold $150,000<ref>Note: A P47 Thunderbolt fighter was then priced about $85,000, P51 Mustang $50,000, M4 Sherman tank $50,000, B17 Flying Fortress $240,00</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panzerworld.net/prices.html |title=Product Prices |publisher=Panzerworld.net |date=2013-10-22 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ww2total.com/WW2/Weapons/Vehicles/Tanks/US/Sherman-tank/Sherman-tank-76mm.htm |title=Sherman tank - improved M4 models with 76mm gun, protection |publisher=Ww2total.com |date=1945-04-26 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>US 2 million dollars in 2012</ref> worth of bonds in one hour on June 20, 1942, breaking all previous records, then repeated the performance again on July 4, 1944.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 373</ref><ref>Sutton, p. 264</ref> The [[U.S. Treasury]] awarded her a special citation. The Army made McPherson an honorary colonel.

Her wartime activities included sermons that linked the church and American patriotism.<ref>Sutton, Matthew. ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]'', London: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007</ref> McPherson spoke to the men in uniform of her belief that military action against the Axis powers was long overdue. And more so than in almost any war previously, she felt that if they did not prevail, churches, homes and everything precious and dear to the Christian would absolutely be destroyed.<ref name="Sutton, p. 263">Sutton, p. 263</ref>

McPherson's embrace of the [[total war]] strategy of the United States, left her open to some criticism. The line between the church as an independent moral authority monitoring government became blurred, perceived instead, as complicit with that same governance. Wrongs being done to Japanese Americans through their internment in relocation camps, were being overlooked, for example. And she refused to allow her denomination to support Christians who remained committed pacifists. Even if conscientious objectors were willing to participate in non-combat roles, more was needed. Church members and leaders had to be willing to take up arms and fight for the United States. The pacifist clause which earlier existed, was by her proposal, voted upon and eliminated by Foursquare Gospel Church leaders.<ref name="Sutton, p. 263"/>

She articulated the history of Christianity, as a torch ignited first in the Near East with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus; moving to Europe, then England finally to arrive in the United States. Freedom of speech, assembly, and the press was being blotted out in Asia and Europe; the United States now had total responsibility for Christianity, to carry the Gospel to millions. McPherson announced, "the flag of America and the church stand for the same thing...they stand or fall together!"<ref>Sutton, p. 266</ref>

===Death===
[[File:Aimee Semple McPherson grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California.JPG|thumb|McPherson's grave]]
On September 26, 1944, McPherson went to [[Oakland, California]], for a series of revivals, planning to preach her popular "Story of My Life" sermon. When McPherson's son went to her hotel room at 10:00 the next morning, he found her unconscious with pills and a half-empty bottle of capsules nearby. She was dead by 11:15. It was later discovered she previously called her doctor that morning to complain about feeling ill from the medicine, but he was in surgery and could not be disturbed. She then phoned another doctor who referred her to yet another physician; however, McPherson apparently lost consciousness before the third could be contacted.<ref>Epstein, p. 438</ref><ref>Robinson, Judith ''Working Miracles The Drama and Passion of Aimee Semple McPherson'' (James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers, Toronto, 2008) p.104-105</ref>

The autopsy did not conclusively determine the cause of McPherson's death. She had been taking sleeping pills following numerous health problems – including "tropical fever". Among the pills found in the hotel room was the barbiturate [[Seconal]], a strong sedative which had not been prescribed for her. It was unknown how she obtained them.

The coroner said she most likely died of an accidental overdose compounded by kidney failure. The cause of death is officially listed as unknown.<ref>Note: In the 1993 obituary for her daughter-in-law, McPherson's life and death are mentioned. {{Cite news |title= Lorna McPherson, 82, Of the Angelus Temple. |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEEDF1738F93BA25755C0A965958260 |quote= Aimee Semple McPherson founded Angelus Temple in the early 1920s, when her brand of fundamentalist Christianity, stressing the "born-again" experience, divine healing and evangelism, was popular in the United States. She died on Sept. 27, 1944, of shock and respiratory failure attributed to an overdose of sleeping pills. |publisher=New York Times|date=June 18, 1993|accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref> Given the circumstances, there was speculation about suicide, but most sources generally agree the overdose was accidental, as stated in the coroner's report.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Sister Aimee's' Death Is Ruled An Accident |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/279794392.html|quote= Aimee Semple McPherson, famous evangelist who occupied the headlines almost as often as the pulpit, died of shock and respiratory failure "from an accidental over-dosage" of sleeping capsules, a coroner's jury decided today.|publisher=United Press International in [[The Washington Post]] |date=October 14, 1944|accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>

Forty-five thousand people waited in long lines, some until 2 am, to file past the evangelist, where, for three days, her body lay in state at the Angelus Temple. Within a mile-and-a-half radius of the church, police had to double park cars. It later took 11 trucks to transport the $50,000<ref>US $630,000 in 2012 dollars</ref> worth of flowers to the cemetery which itself received more telegrammed floral orders than at any time since Will Roger's death almost 10 years earlier. A Foursquare leader noted that to watch the long line pass reverently by her casket, and see tears shed by all types of people, regardless of class and color, helped give understanding to the far-reaching influence of her life and ministry.<ref>Sutton, p. 270</ref>

An observer, Marcus Bach, who was on a spiritual odyssey of personal discovery, wrote:

<blockquote>"Roberta, who had married an orchestra director, flew in from New York. Ma Kennedy was at the grave, Rheba Crawford Splivalo had returned to say that there was never a greater worker for God than Sister. A thousand ministers of the Foursquare Gospel paid their tearful tribute. The curious stood by impressed. The poor who had always been fed at Angelus were there, the lost who had been spirit-filled, the healed, the faithful here they were eager to immortalize the Ontario farm girl who loved the Lord. Here they laid the body of Sister Aimee to rest in the marble sarcophagus guarded by two great angels on Sunrise slope. "<ref name="foundfaith">Bach, Marcus, They Have Found a Faith, (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis / New York, 1946) p. 74</ref></blockquote>

Millions of dollars passed through McPherson's hands. However, when her personal estate was calculated, it amounted to US $10,000.<ref>about $130,000 in 2013</ref> To her daughter, Roberta, went US $2000<ref>about US$26,000 in 2013 dollars</ref> the remainder to her son Rolf. By contrast, her mother Mildred Kennedy had a 1927 severance settlement of as much as US $200,000<ref>about US$2.5 million in 2013 dollars</ref> in cash and property; the Foursquare Church itself was worth $2.8 million<ref>about US$36 million in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 440</ref>

McPherson is buried in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]] in [[Glendale, California]]. Following her death, the Foursquare Gospel church denomination was led for 44 years by her son [[Rolf McPherson]]. The church claims a membership of over 7.9 million worldwide.<ref>http://www.foursquare.org</ref>

===Legacy and influence===
McPherson's ministry continued to flourish even in the face of scandal. The newspapers which served to propel McPherson to fame and advertise her message, also were used to highlight her faults, real and imagined. Some modern televangelists who transgressed and faded into obscurity because of high profile news coverage, also learned how quickly modern communication media could hurt as well as help them. After her death, the largely negative aspect of her media image persisted, was cultivated<ref>Cox, p. 3. Note: as one example Cox lists, a reporter for The Los Angeles Times, Dial Torgerson, May 18, 1969; writes in his ''Aimee's Disappearance Remains a Mystery,'' story, that HC Benedict, owner of the Carmel cottage, was expected to be a witness against McPherson, but died apparently of heart trouble before he could testify. Cox notes that HC Benedict did indeed testify, but on her behalf, denying vehemently the woman with Ormiston was McPherson. HC Benedict died on November 20, 1926, some weeks after all testimony had been concluded.</ref> and became the dominant factor in defining McPherson for many in the public today.<ref>Sutton, p. 278</ref>

Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]], whose caustic view of McPherson softened over the years, wrote he could not figure out why God chose such a person. The flaws he observed in McPherson, were by his opinion, many, yet she ultimately made a positive impact on Christianity, long lasting and enduring . He recognized her appeal was a combination of identifying with the average citizen as well as an ability to explain the gospel in simple, easily understandable terms, drawing them irresistibly to her services:

<blockquote>...while great cathedral churches closed their doors on Sunday night, the crowds pushed through her portals in one ever-flowing stream.</blockquote>

He saw her legacy extend far beyond the glamor of Hollywood, exerting itself through the thousands of ministers she trained and churches planted throughout the world. McPherson, together with the alliances she made, worked to reshape the evangelical Christian faith, making it relevant to American culture and personally involving for those in the audience.<ref>Sutton, p. 275</ref>

In [[Fresno]], California, 1924, nine-year-old Uldine Utley (1912–1995), became a fervent believer. After hearing McPherson's dramatic retelling of the David and [[Goliath]] story, the young girl tearfully gave her life over to Christ, and dedicated herself to be "a little David for the lord and fight Goliath, " With her parents as managers, she went on to preach to millions of people and converted many thousands. She frequently used the same metaphors as McPherson, referring to Christ as "the Rose of Charon" and invoking "Bride of Christ" imagery.<ref>George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University, Truman State University Press, 1999, p. 308</ref>

Two years later, in [[New York City]], Dr [[John Sung]] (1901–1944), described as a brilliant scientist with a PhD in chemistry,<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2009/02/dr-john-sung.html |title=The Taiwanese 台灣人 Tâi-Oân Lâng: Dr. John Sung 宋尚節博士 |publisher=Thetaiwanese.blogspot.com |date=2009-02-13 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> was expecting to see the well known Pastor Dr. I. M. Haldeman, whom he hoped would intellectually address his current crises of faith. Instead, as part of her extremely successful New York revival crusade, the eleven-year-old Uldine Utley took to the stage. Similar to McPherson's style of simplicity and power, but with childlike innocence, Utley preached her message. Awed, Sung fervently desired the same empowerment of God he saw in the 11-year-old girl. Dr Sung eventually returned to China and became a significant evangelist, leading perhaps as many as 100,000 Chinese to Jesus Christ in three years<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.ochristian.com/article2573.shtml |title=Timothy Tow - John Sung and the Asian Awakening |publisher=Articles.ochristian.com |date=1927-02-10 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Though not as extensively media covered as McPherson, both Utley's, and Sung's ministry included many instances alleged faith healing.<ref name="towel.mysitehosted.com">{{cite web|url=http://towel.mysitehosted.com/~awakeand//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43 |title=Awake and Go! Global Prayer Network - John Sung |publisher=Towel.mysitehosted.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rlhymersjr.com/Online_Sermons/2009/060609PM_JohnSung.html |title=The Real Conversion Of Dr. John Sung |publisher=Rlhymersjr.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Together with [[Billy Sunday]], McPherson and Utley were named as the three major names in revivalism in 1927<ref>1927 NYTIMES Oct 27 1927, SM4</ref> Dr John Sung has been called the "John Wesley of China,"<ref name="towel.mysitehosted.com"/> and the "Billy Graham of China."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblesnet.com/John%20Sung%20Billy%20Graham%20of%20China%20by%20Dr%20Paul%20Lee%20Tan.pdf |title=Dr. John Sung - "Billy Graham of China" |author=Dr. Paul Lee Tan |publisher=Biblesnet.com |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Ironically, the Chinese mission field was where McPherson herself started out, but was forced to abandon after the death of her first husband Robert Semple. McPherson wrote even under the best of circumstances the Chinese mission field was extremely difficult particularly due to cultural and numerous local language differences. Sung knew the culture, being born into it, however, even he preached using a regional language interpreter who relayed his message to the audience.

During the Great Depression years, as a child, Dr. [[Edwin Louis Cole]]'s mother attended LIFE Bible College and as he grew up, Cole participated in various Angelus Temple activities "witnessing the miraculous."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianmensnetwork.com/about/dr-edwin-louis-cole |title=Dr. Edwin Louis Cole |publisher=Christianmensnetwork.com |date=1981-04-24 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Cole went onto found the Christian Men's Network and influenced many to include Coach [[Bill McCartney]] (starter of Promise Keepers), [[Pat Robertson]] (president of the 700 Club), John Maxwell (president of Injoy Ministries), [[Kenneth Copeland]], [[Oliver North]] and as [[Chuck Norris]], the martial artist and actor, writes, himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobile.wnd.com/2012/06/who-is-more-powerful-than-the-president |title=Who is more powerful than the president? |publisher=Mobile.wnd.com |date=2012-06-10 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

In the early 1900s it was expected traditional Protestantism would give way to rapidly developing new philosophical ideas and sciences that were being widely taught. McPherson contributed immensely to the forestalling of that predicted inevitability. [[Liberal Christianity]], which enjoyed strong growth starting in the late 19th century, regarded many of the miracles of Jesus to be superstitious interpretations of what actually occurred or metaphors for his teachings. McPherson's faith healing demonstrations instead gave credence to onlookers her claim was true: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. It was easy to deny a God who did something 1,900 years ago, but large crowds of people were now witness to the blind seeing, the lame walking and the deaf hearing. Alleged healings were occurring faster than the journalists could write them down. Crowds clamored to reach her altar to experience a New Testament conversion that transformed many of their lives. Even large portions of the secular public admired her. The old time gospel message was being dramatically marketed by the most technologically advanced means possible, reconstructing it into something far more interesting and desirable than it was previously.<ref>Sutton, pp. 277–280</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 229–231</ref>

McPherson's [[Ecumenism|ecumenical]] approach assisted Pentecostals in learning how better to explain their faith in the context of [[Protestantism|historic church doctrine]]. Mainline churches became exposed to the more unusual [[Spiritual gift|gifts of the Holy Spirit]]. They also benefited by borrowing Pentecostal revival techniques<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/> such as more emotive expression, joyful praise worship and testimonials, forerunning the [[Charismatic Movement]].

Defying gender norms, McPherson challenged what was expected from women. Females as preachers and her status as a divorcee with two failed marriages were of particular concern to many of the fundamentalist churches she wanted to work with, but her success could not be easily ignored. Meanwhile, secular society broadly labeled women as either Victorian ladies or whores,<ref>Sutton, p. 150</ref> and she bounced from one category to the other. She had her extensive relief charities and along with it, titillating scandals. Atheist [[Charles Lee Smith]] remarked publicly of McPherson, just before a debate, that she had an extraordinary mind, "particularly for a woman."<ref>''There is a God: Debate between Aimee Semple McPherson, Fundamentalist and Charles Lee Smith, Atheist'' (Foursquare Publications, 1100 Glendale BLVD Los Angeles. CA), 1934</ref>

Her continual work at church alliance building finally bore fruit in an impressive, official way, though she did not live to see it. Foursquare Gospel Church leaders were at last able to join the [[National Association of Evangelicals]] in 1952 and from there helped organize the [[Pentecostal World Fellowship]] which worked to keep the fires of religious revival burning into contemporary times.<ref>Sutton, pp. 275–276</ref> Pentecostalism which once advocated separatism and was on the fringes of Protestantism, became part of mainstream Christianity and grafted itself into American society at every level.<ref>Sutton, p. 280</ref>

==Works about McPherson==

===Books, periodicals, films, and plays===
* The character Sharon Falconer in [[Sinclair Lewis]]' ''[[Elmer Gantry]]'' (1926) was based on McPherson.<ref>Lingeman, p. 283.</ref>
* The faith-healing evangelist Big Sister in [[Nathanael West]]'s ''[[The Day of the Locust]]'' was based on McPherson.
* [[Upton Sinclair]] was fascinated with her history. After writing a poem about her dubious abduction, called "An Evangelist Drowns", he wrote her into his 1927 novel, ''[[Oil!]]'', in the character of Eli Watkins, a corrupt small-town minister. That character is called Eli Sunday in the 2007 film ''[[There Will Be Blood]]''.<ref name=mh>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamthing.com/2007/06/notebook-aimee-.html|publisher=Steamboats Are Ruining Everything|accessdate=2008-01-06|date=2007-06-29|title=Notebook: Aimee Semple McPherson|author=Caleb Crain|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071217120259/http://www.steamthing.com/2007/06/notebook-aimee-.html|archivedate=17 December 2007|deadurl=no}}</ref>
* The character of the American evangelist Mrs. Melrose Ape in [[Evelyn Waugh]]'s satirical novel ''[[Vile Bodies]]'' (1930) is thought to be based on McPherson.
* ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' published a satirical cutout [[paper doll]] based on her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/robertson/asm/cutoutdolls.html|publisher=Vanity Fair|title=Vanity Fair's Cutout Dolls – no. 2|accessdate=2008-01-06| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20080207101146/http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/robertson/asm/cutoutdolls.html| archivedate= 7 February 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
* Aimee Semple McPherson appeared in ''The Voice of Hollywood No. 9'' (1930), one in a series of popular documentaries released by [[Tiffany (movie studio)|Tiffany Studios]].<ref>{{IMDb title|0978414|The Voice of Hollywood No. 9 (1930)}}</ref>
* [[Frank Capra]]'s film ''[[The Miracle Woman]]'' (1931), starring [[Barbara Stanwyck]], was based on [[John Meehan (screenwriter)|John Meehan]]'s play ''Bless You, Sister'' which was reportedly inspired by McPherson's life.
* The character of the "sensuous sermonizer" Reno Sweeney in [[Cole Porter]]'s musical ''[[Anything Goes]]'' (1934) is thought to be based on McPherson.
* [[Agnes Moorehead]]'s role as Sister Alma in the 1971 thriller film ''[[What's the Matter with Helen?]]'' was modeled after McPherson.
* A [[television film]] about the events surrounding her 1926 disappearance, ''[[The Disappearance of Aimee]]'' (1976) starred [[Faye Dunaway]] as McPherson and [[Bette Davis]] as her mother.
* A film adaptation of the story of her life, entitled ''[[Aimee Semple McPherson (film)|Aimee Semple McPherson]]'' (2006) was directed by [[Richard Rossi]]. The same director filmed a short film ''Saving Sister Aimee'' in 2001. (The film was retitled "Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story" and released on DVD April 22, 2008.) Rossi later penned the prize-winning play "Sister Aimee", honored with a cash award in the 2009 Bottletree One-Act Competition, an international playwriting contest. In 2013, both of Rossi's films on Sister Aimee were released in one collection with new material under the new title, "Richard Rossi 5th Anniversary of Sister Aimee." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bottletreeinc.com/richard_rossi.html|title=Sister Aimee by Richard Rossi|publisher=Bottletreeinc.com|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>
* A documentary about McPherson, entitled ''Sister Aimee'', made for the [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] series ''[[American Experience]]'', premiered April 2, 2007.<ref name="pbs.org"/>
* Several [[biographies]] have been written about McPherson.<ref name=mh/>
*In the [[alternate history]] novel ''[[Back in the USSA]]'', she appears as the Secretary of Manpower Resources under President [[Al Capone]].
* ''[[Escape from Hell (novel)|Escape from Hell]]'' (novel) by [[Larry Niven]] and [[Jerry Pournelle]] (Tor, 2009), features "Sister Aimee" in Hell after her death, in a supporting role as a guide and saint who is teaching the damned about Dante's route out of Hell.
* ''[[Saving Aimee (musical)|Scandalous]]'' is a musical about the life and ministry of McPherson with the book and lyrics written by [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] and music written by composer [[David Friedman (composer)|David Friedman]] and [[David Pomeranz]]; the musical ran in 2011 at the [[5th Avenue Theatre]] in Seattle, and had 29 performances in 2012 at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway, with McPherson portrayed by Carolee Carmello.
* "''An Evangelist Drowns''" (2007) a one-woman play based on McPherson's life. Includes fictionalized accounts of relationships with Charlie Chaplin and David Hutton.
* "''Aimee Semple Mcpherson and the Resurrection of Christian America''" (2007) A biography by Matthew Avery Sutton that chronicles McPherson's life in context to her influence on culture, politics and religion in America.
* "La disparition de Soeur Aimee" (2011) in Crimes et Procès Sensationnels à Los Angeles, book by Nausica Zaballos, pp. 103–140, Paris, E-Dite, (ISBN 978-2-8460-8310-2)
* The song "[[Hooray for Hollywood (song)|Hooray for Hollywood]]" lyrics by [[Johnny Mercer]], from the film ''[[Hollywood Hotel (film)|Hollywood Hotel]]'' mentions McPherson. "Where anyone at all from Shirley Temple to Aimee Semple is equally understood."<ref>Gottlieb, Robert; Kimball, Robert; ''Reading Lyrics'' (Random House LLC, 2000) p. 438</ref><ref>Osborne, Jerry; ''Mr Music'' column; Lakeland Ledger - Dec 20, 2001 p. 21</ref>
* "Aimee: The Gospel Gold Digger", 1932, Rev John D Goben, an Assistant Pastor at Angelus Temple

==Theatre==
A production of the musical ''[[Saving Aimee (musical)|Saving Aimee]]'', with a book and lyrics by [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] and music by [[David Pomeranz]] and [[David Friedman (composer)|David Friedman]], debuted at the [[White Plains, New York|White Plains]] Performing Arts Center in October 2005 and was staged at the [[Signature Theatre (Arlington VA)|Signature Theatre]] in [[Arlington, Virginia|Arlington]], Virginia, in April and May 2007.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} An updated, fully staged production opened September 30, 2011, at Seattle's [[5th Avenue Theatre]]. A revised version of the musical, now called ''Scandalous – The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson'' began a broadway run at the [[Neil Simon Theatre]] on October 13, 2012, with an official opening date of November 15. The musical starred [[Carolee Carmello]] as McPherson, and opened and closed within a month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-scandalous-20130215,0,173775.story |title=Broadway flop 'Scandalous' a costly investment for Foursquare Church - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Latimes.com |date=2013-02-14 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

A play entitled ''The Wide Open Ocean'', a musical vaudeville, was performed at [[The Actors' Gang]] theater in [[Los Angeles]]. It was written and directed by playwright, director, actor, and educator [[Laural Meade]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

In 2003, a play entitled ''Spit Shine Glisten'', loosely based on the life of McPherson, was performed at [[California Institute of the Arts]] in [[Valencia, California]]. Written and directed by the experimental theatre artist Susan Simpson, the play used life-sized wooden puppets, human beings, and fractured and warped video projection.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

''[[As Thousands Cheer]]'', a musical revue with a book by [[Moss Hart]] and music and lyrics by [[Irving Berlin]], contains satirical sketches and musical numbers loosely based on the news and the lives and affairs of the rich and famous, including [[Joan Crawford]], [[Noël Coward]], [[Josephine Baker]], and McPherson.

The musical, ''Vanishing Point'', written by Rob Hartmann, Liv Cummins, & Scott Keys, intertwines the lives of evangelist McPherson, aviatrix [[Amelia Earhart]], and mystery writer [[Agatha Christie]]. It is featured as part of the 2010–2011 season at the [[Carnegie Mellon School of Drama]] in [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania.

In 2007, a one-woman play titled ''An Evangelist Drowns'', written by Gregory J. Thompson, debuted at [[Rogers State University]] in Claremore, Oklahoma. In 2008, the show was produced at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The play is partly based on the life of McPherson, but it explores a fictionalized portrayal of her recalling lost loves, regrets, and remorse in the final hours before her death in 1944.

==Aimee's Castle==
Aimee's Castle is a mansion built by McPherson. She had a house near [[Angelus Temple]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], but McPherson built this mansion in [[Lake Elsinore, California]], as a retreat. McPherson convalesced there after an injury in 1932.<ref>{{Cite news |title=All Visitors Barred from Mutton Castle; Physician Fears Any Shock to California Evangelist Might Prove to Be Fatal. |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30E13F83E5513738DDDA10994DF405B828FF1D3 |publisher=New York Times |date= July 18, 1932 |accessdate=}}</ref>

In 1929, Clevelin Realty Corp. purchased land in Lake Elsinore's Country Club Heights District and was marketing the area as a resort destination for the rich and famous. To encourage celebrities to purchase there, the developers offered to give McPherson a parcel of land featuring panoramic views of the lake. She accepted the land and in 1929 commissioned the architect Edwin Bickman to design a {{convert|4400|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Moorish Revival mansion, with [[art deco]] details, on the hills above the lake's northeastern shore. The structure's white plaster wall and arches reflect an [[Irving Gill]] influence. Its large, cerulean blue-tiled dome over a prayer tower and a second silver-painted dome and faux-[[minaret]] give it mosque-like appearance from the exterior; the interior features art-deco wall treatments in several of the rooms. The domed ceiling of the formal dining room rises at least {{convert|15|ft|m}}. A narrow breakfast nook reflects an American-Indian motif.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/09/business/la-fi-home-20100509 | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Scott | last=Marshutz | date=May 9, 2010 | title=Home of the Week: Sister Aimee's castle in Lake Elsinore}}</ref>

To help dispose of Angelus Temple debt, the property was sold in 1939 for an estimated amount of $190,000.<ref>about 2.6 million in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Thomas, Lately ''Storming'' p. 311.</ref>

==Publications==
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=The Second Coming of Christ: Is He Coming? How is He Coming? When is He Coming? For Whom is He Coming?|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QeHYAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover|year=1921|publisher=A. McPherson|oclc=8122641}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=This is That: Personal Experiences, Sermons and Writings of Aimee Semple McPherson, Evangelist|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=_0VDAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover|origyear=1919|year=1923|publisher=The Bridal Call Publishing House|oclc=1053806}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=F9ZZAAAAMAAJ|year=1927|publisher=Boni and Liveright|oclc=513458}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=Give Me My Own God|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=7UJDAAAAIAAJ|year=1936|publisher=H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc|oclc=1910039}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=The Story of My Life: In Memoriam, Echo Park Evangelistic Association, Los Angeles|publisher=|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=L3vOAAAAMAAJ|year=1951|oclc=1596212}}

==See also==
* [[Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson]] (2012 Broadway musical)
{{Portal bar|Biography|Christianity}}
*[[Kobus Van Rensburg]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

* Richard R. Lingeman, ''Sinclair Lewis: Rebel from Main Street'', Minnesota Historical Society Press, June 2005, ISBN 978-0-87351-541-2.

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Bahr, Robert|title=Least of All Saints: the Story of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=i4wcAAAAMAAJ|date=April 1979|publisher=Prentice-Hall|isbn=978-0-13-527978-6|oclc=4493103}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://www.wheaton.edu/Academics/Faculty/B/Edith-Blumhofer Blumhofer, Edith L.] |title=Aimee Semple McPherson: Everybody's Sister|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=xgrxp-5mG44C&printsec=frontcover|year=1993|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-0155-5|oclc=29184439}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/factsht.htm Cox, Raymond L.]|title=The Verdict is In|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5g77GAAACAAJ|year=1983|publisher=R.L. Cox|oclc=11315268}}
* {{cite book|author=[[Daniel Mark Epstein|Epstein]], [http://www.danielmarkepstein.com/ Daniel Mark]|title=Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Lxod5IUlH5QC&printsec=frontcover|date=1 July 1994|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0-15-600093-2|oclc=26300194}}
* {{cite book|author1=Morris, James|author2=[[Jan Morris|Morris, Jan]]|title=The Preachers|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Wm5LAAAAIAAJ|year=1973|publisher=St. Martin's Press| isbn= 0-900997-41-9|oclc=704687}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://libarts.wsu.edu/history/faculty-staff/sutton.asp Sutton, Matthew Avery]|title=Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America| url=http://books.google.com/books?id=o4qvq8xcb78C&printsec=frontcover|date=31 May 2009|publisher=(at [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Harvard University Press])|isbn=978-0-674-03253-8 |oclc=77504335}}
* {{cite book|author=Thomas, Lately|title=The Vanishing Evangelist: the Aimee Semple McPherson Kidnapping Affair|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=1onTAAAAMAAJ|year=1959|publisher=Viking Press|oclc=1575665}}
* {{cite book|author=Thomas, Lately|title=Storming Heaven: The Lives and Turmoils of Minnie Kennedy and Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=sA1DAAAAIAAJ| year=1970|publisher=Morrow|oclc=92194}}
* [http://www.koyre.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article544 Zaballos, Nausica] ''La disparition de Soeur Aimee'' (23 November 2011) in [http://books.google.com/books?id=DGh3tgAACAAJ Crimes et procès sensationnels à Los Angeles 1922-1962: Au-delà du Dahlia noir], pages 103-140, Paris, E-Dite, (ISBN 978-2-84608-310-2)

==External links==
{{external links|date=November 2014}}
* [http://www.aimeemcpherson.com/ "Aimee McPherson" Old Time Radio]
* [http://www.foursquare.org/ Foursquare Gospel church]
* [http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/robertson/asm/front.html Aimee Semple McPherson biography]
* [http://www.libertyharbor.org/aimee.htm Biography from Liberty Harbor Foursquare Gospel Church]
* [http://www.immortalia.com/html/categorized-by-song/with-music/a/aimee-mcpherson.htm Song about the McPherson kidnapping scandal], dating from when it was a current news story. [[Pete Seeger]] recorded this on the 1961 album ''Story Songs''.
* [http://www.womanthouartgod.com/aimee.php Woman Thou Art God: Female Empowerment, Spirituality & a biography on Aimee].
* [http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiAIMEEMC;ttAIMEEMC.html The Ballad of Aimee McPherson].
* [http://www.californiamuseum.org/trails/ Aimee Semple McPherson on The California Museum's California Legacy Trails]
* [https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/8942 The theatricality of revivalism as exemplified in the artistry of Billy Sunday and Aimee Semple McPherson. ]
* [http://www.radioheritage.net/Story52.asp Did McPherson send a "Minions of Satan" message] to Herbert Hoover, and another article by the same historian [http://jeff560.tripod.com/kfsg2.html later concluding she did not send such a message.]
* {{IMDb name|id=2492420|name=Aimee Semple McPherson}}
* {{Find a Grave|700|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=67270403}}

{{Persondata
| NAME =McPherson, Aimee Semple
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Canadian-American evangelist
| DATE OF BIRTH =October 9, 1890
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Stratford, Ontario]]
| DATE OF DEATH =September 27, 1944
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Oakland, California]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Aimee Semple}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1944 deaths]]
[[Category:American Christian religious leaders]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Canadian descent]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)]]
[[Category:Canadian evangelicals]]
[[Category:Canadian evangelists]]
[[Category:Canadian Pentecostals]]
[[Category:Christian creationists]]
[[Category:Drug-related deaths in California]]
[[Category:Faith healers]]
[[Category:History of Los Angeles, California]]
[[Category:Members of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]
[[Category:People from Oxford County, Ontario]]
[[Category:Religious scandals]]
[[Category:Vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:American anti-communists]]
[[Category:American anti-fascists]]
[[Category:American temperance activists]]

Aimee Semple McPherson

2014-11-27T00:50:10Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{multiple issues|
{{very long|date=October 2013}}
{{lead too short|date=April 2012}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2014}}
{{Weasel|date=November 2014}}
}}

{{Infobox person
| name =Aimee Semple McPherson
| image = Aimee Semple McPherson.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1890|10|09}}
| birth_place = [[Salford, Ontario]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1944|09|27|1890|10|09}}
| death_place =[[Oakland, California]]
| death_cause =
| resting_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery (Glendale)]]
| residence =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for =Founding the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]
| religion =
| spouse = Robert James Semple (died 1910) Harold Stewart McPherson (divorced 1921) David Hutton (divorced 1934)
| children = [[Roberta Semple Salter|Roberta Star Semple]] [[Rolf McPherson]]
| parents = James Morgan Kennedy Mildred Ona Pearce
}}

'''Aimee Semple McPherson''' (October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as '''Sister Aimee''', was a Canadian-American [[Los Angeles]]–based [[Evangelism|evangelist]] and [[Mass media|media]] [[celebrity]] in the 1920s and 1930s.<ref name="WVobit">Obituary ''[[Variety Obituaries|Variety]]'', October 4, 1944.</ref> She founded the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel|Foursquare Church]]. McPherson has been noted as a pioneer in the use of modern media, especially radio, and was the second woman to be granted a [[broadcast license]]. She used radio to draw on the growing appeal of popular entertainment in North America and incorporated other forms into her weekly sermons at [[Angelus Temple]].<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30148022</ref>

In her time she was the most publicized Christian evangelist, surpassing [[Billy Sunday]] and her other predecessors.<ref name="autogenerated308">George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University, Truman State University Press, 1999 p. 308</ref><ref name="newspapers1">{{cite web|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article.aspx?articleid=straitstimes19310302.2.46 |title=Newspaper Article - AIMEE McPHERSON IN SINGAPORE |publisher=Newspapers.nl.sg |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> She conducted public faith-healing demonstrations before large crowds, allegedly healing tens of thousands of people.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson Audio Tapes, http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/103.htm#602</ref>
<ref>Epstein, Daniel Mark , Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson (Orlando: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1993), p. 111. Note: Epstein writes "The healings present a monstrous obstacle to scientific historiography. If events transpired as newspapers, letters, and testimonials say they did, then Aimee Semple McPherson's healing ministry was miraculous.... The documentation is overwhelming: very sick people came to Sister Aimee by the tens of thousands, blind, deaf, paralyzed. Many were healed some temporarily, some forever. She would point to heaven, to Christ the Great Healer and take no credit for the results."</ref> McPherson's articulation of the United States as a nation founded and sustained by divine inspiration continues to be echoed by many pastors in churches today. News coverage sensationalized misfortunes with family and church members; particularly inflaming accusations she had fabricated her reported kidnapping, turning it into a national spectacle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-incredible-disappearing-evangelist-572829/ |title=The Incredible Disappearing Evangelist |publisher=Smithsonian.com |date= |accessdate=2014-05-03}}</ref> McPherson's preaching style, extensive charity work and ecumenical contributions were a major influence in revitalization of American Evangelical Christianity in the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.religiondispatches.org/books/529/rd10q:_aimee_semple_mcpherson,_evangelical_maverick |title=RD10Q: Aimee Semple McPherson, Evangelical Maverick |publisher=Religion Dispatches |date=2008-09-26 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref name="SuttonWildfire">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%22Between+the+refrigerator+and+the+wildfire%22%3A+Aimee+Semple+McPherson,...-a098978379 |title="Between the refrigerator and the wildfire": Aimee Semple McPherson, pentecostalism, and the fundamentalist-modernist controversy (1). - Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

==Biography==

===Early life===
McPherson was born Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy on a farm in [[Salford, Ontario]], [[Canada]].<ref>Matthew Avery Sutton, ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]'' (Cambridge: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007), page 9</ref> Her father, James Kennedy, was a farmer.<ref name="Sutton, p. 9">Sutton, p. 9</ref> Young Aimee got her early exposure to religion through her mother, Mildred – known as Minnie. McPherson's later work in spreading the Gospel was a result of watching her mother work with the poor in [[Salvation Army]] soup kitchens.

As a child she would play "Salvation Army" with her classmates, and at home she would gather a congregation with her dolls, giving them a sermon.<ref name="Sutton, p. 9"/> As a teenager, McPherson strayed from her mother's teachings by reading novels and going to movies and dances, activities which were strongly disapproved of by both the Salvation Army and the faith of her father, a Methodist. Novels, though, made their way into the Methodist Church library and with guilty delight, McPherson would read them. At the movies, she recognized some of her fellow Methodist church members. She learned too, at a local dance she attended, that her dancing partner was a Presbyterian minister. In high school, she was taught [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''[[Theory of Evolution]]''.<ref>Sutton, pp. 9–10</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 28–29</ref> She began to quiz visiting preachers and local pastors about faith and science, but was unhappy with the answers she received.<ref name="Sutton, p. 10">Sutton, p. 10</ref> She stunned her father, who almost fell backwards while carrying a pan of milk up the basement stairs by asking him, "How do you know there is a God?" She wrote to the Canadian newspaper, ''Family Herald and Weekly Star'', questioning why taxpayer-funded public schools had courses, such as evolution, which undermined Christianity.<ref name="Sutton, p. 10"/> While still in high school, after her Pentecostal conversion, McPherson began a crusade against the concept of evolution, beginning a lifelong passion.

===Marriage and family===
[[File:Semples.jpeg|right|frame|Robert and Aimee Semple (1910)]]
While attending a revival meeting in December 1907, Aimee met Robert James Semple, a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] [[missionary]] from [[Ireland]]. After a short courtship, they were married on August 12, 1908 in a Salvation Army ceremony, pledging never to allow their marriage to lessen their devotion to God, affection for comrades or faithfulness in the Army. The pair's notion of "Army" was very broad, encompassing much more than just the Salvation Army. Robert supported them as a foundry worker and preached at the local Pentecostal mission. Together, they studied the Bible, Aimee claiming Robert taught her all she knew; though other observers state she was far more knowledgeable than she let on. After a few months they moved to Chicago and became part of [[William Howard Durham|William Durham]]'s Full Gospel Assembly. Under Durham's tutelage, Aimee was discovered to have a unique ability in the interpretation in tongues, translating with stylistic eloquence the otherwise indecipherable utterances of persons who began to speak in a language unknown to them.<ref>Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, Aimee Semple McPherson: everybody's sister (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Inc., 1993), p. 81</ref>

The two then embarked on an evangelical tour, first to Europe and then to [[China]], where they arrived in June 1910, with Aimee about six months pregnant. Shortly after disembarking in Hong Kong, both contracted [[malaria]] and Robert, [[dysentery]]. Robert Semple died of the illnesses on August 19, 1910, and was buried in [[Hong Kong Cemetery]]. Aimee Semple recovered and gave birth to their daughter, [[Roberta Semple Salter|Roberta Star Semple]], on September 17, 1910. Alone, with just the wailing of her newborn daughter, Aimee Semple was now a 19-year-old widow. Her mother, Mildred Kennedy wired her funds for the return journey to the United States.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 92</ref> On-board ship, Aimee Semple started a Sunday school class then held other services as well. Almost all the passengers attended. On her departure, a collection was taken by the ship's purser and the amount given was just enough to pay for travel to her hometown. Robert Semple never left her thoughts; she displayed his photo in her parlor and spoke of him glowingly, even dreamily, in her sermons, as a lifelong inspiration.

Shortly after her recuperation in the United States, Semple joined her mother Minnie working with the [[Salvation Army]]. While in [[New York City]], she met Harold Stewart McPherson, an accountant. They were married on May 5, 1912, moved to [[Rhode Island]] and had a son, [[Rolf McPherson|Rolf Potter Kennedy McPherson]] in March 1913.

McPherson tried to live the life of the dutiful housewife, had a devoted husband and a fine home, but was instead miserable as she denied her "calling" to go preach. She became emotionally erratic, sulking in a corner, lethargic, then tempestuous with a raging temper.<ref>Sutton, p. 58</ref> Next she would tackle household chores with prolonged obsessional detail and afterwards fall to weeping and praying.<ref>Epstein, pp. 72–73</ref> After the birth of her second child, Rolf, she felt the call to preach tug at her even more strongly. In response, she helped with worship services in several Pentecostal churches in and around the Providence, Rhode Island area. But, this did not satisfy the voice which told her, as McPherson claimed, to go and do the work of an evangelist.

Then in 1914, she fell seriously ill, and after a failed operation she was left in the holding room where patients were taken to die. In her delirium, McPherson states she again heard the persistent voice, asking her to go preach. Feeling that either her life was at an end or she would go preach, McPherson accepted the voice's challenge. The astounded nurse looked on as McPherson suddenly opened her eyes and was able to turn over in bed without pain. One spring morning in 1915, her husband returned home from the night shift to discover McPherson had left him and taken the children. A few weeks later, a note was received inviting him to join her in evangelistic work.<ref>Epstein, pp. 74–76</ref>

McPherson of this period wrote:
<blockquote>"Oh, don't you ever tell me that a woman can not be called to preach the Gospel! If any man ever went through one hundredth part of the hell on earth that I lived in, those months when out of God's will and work, they would never say that again."<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, This is That, (The Bridal Call Publishing House, Los Angeles, CA, 1921) p. 102</ref></blockquote>

Though the compulsion for cleanliness never left her, children Roberta Star Semple and Rolf McPherson later recalled a loving and dutiful mother, finding time for them in her busy itinerary.<ref>Epstein, p. 72</ref> Their trip on the road traveling from city to city was an adventure; McPherson told them stories, planned pleasant little surprises and was consistently cheerful and optimistic.

Her husband later followed McPherson to take her back home. When he saw her, though, preaching to a crowd, she was not the troubled woman of uncertain temperament, but determined, radiant and lovely. Before long he succumbed to the Pentecostal experience, was speaking in tongues, and became her fellow worker in Christ. Their house in Providence was sold and he joined her in setting up tents for revival meetings and even did some preaching himself.<ref>Epstein, pp. 91, 95, 128</ref>

Food and accommodations were uncertain; McPherson and her family "lived by faith" for their needs. People would just appear and donate goods. Frequently, the McPhersons would have to launder clothing in the local ponds and creeks as well as fish them for their meals. McPherson herself apparently became accomplished at angling, later describing in a sermon, how, in [[St Petersburg, Florida]], as soon as she had a good catch on her line, a [[pelican]] would swoop in and swallow it. She would then have to reach down past its beak into the pelican's gullet and pull her fish out.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson, Live Wire sermon, Approx 1939</ref> Her husband, in spite of initial enthusiasm, grew weary of living out of their "Gospel Car" and wanted a life that was more stable and predicable. After arguing with McPherson, he returned to Rhode Island and around 1918 had filed for separation. He petitioned for divorce, citing abandonment; the divorce was granted in 1921.

Some years later after her fame and the Angelus Temple were established in [[Los Angeles, California]], she married again on September 13, 1931 to actor and musician David Hutton. Her children, Roberta Star Semple and son Rolf McPherson had since married, leaving her feeling very much alone. McPherson admitted she herself would one day like to have a "diamond ring and a home" and "live like other folks." She quickly hit it off with Hutton, 10 years her junior, who was a portly baritone currently acting in one of her sacred operas. The radiant bride shared her marital bliss with the congregation as well as the public at large, even allowing photographers into their bridal chamber for an interview the day after their marriage.<ref>Sutton, pp. 168–170</ref> Two days after the wedding, though, Hutton was sued for [[breach of promise]] by ex-girlfriend nurse Hazel St. Pierre. Hutton disputed her story stating he never kissed or did any of the other things claimed by St. Pierre. Hutton earned the media nickname, "The Great Un-kissed." Deciding in favor of St. Pierre, the jury awarded her [[US$]]5,000.<ref>About US $74,000 in 2013 dollars. See subsequent cites for inflation calculator links.</ref><ref name="dollartimes1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm |title=Inflation Calculator |publisher=DollarTimes.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=2000.00&year1=1937&year2=2012 |title=CPI Inflation Calculator |publisher=Data.bls.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php |title=Inflation Calculator 2013 |publisher=Davemanuel.com |date=2009-08-13 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> After Hutton relayed the news to McPherson, she fainted and fractured her skull.<ref>Sutton, p. 172</ref>

While McPherson was away in Europe to recover, she was angered to learn Hutton was billing himself as "Aimee's man" in his [[cabaret]] singing act and was frequently photographed with scantily clad women. Her private cablegrams to Hutton made their way into the front page news, leaked from an unknown source. She was also distressed to find out he filed for divorce, something she refused to believe at the time. Meanwhile, the marriage caused an uproar within the church: the tenets of Foursquare Gospel, as put forth by McPherson herself, held that one should not remarry while their previous spouse was still alive, as McPherson's second husband still was; although he had remarried.<ref>Epstein, p. 362</ref> If her third husband was more well liked by the congregation and elders, the doctrinal ambiguity might have been more easily overlooked. But Hutton's much publicized personal scandals were damaging the Foursquare Gospel Church and their leader's credibility with other churches.<ref>Epstein, pp. 374–375</ref>

The newspapers anticipated Hutton might have a difficult time, coming in second to "the fascinating flaming, Aimee." Hutton, for his part, complained his financial allowance was too small, she humiliated him by limiting his powers within her organization and "inflicted grievous mental suffering." He also demanded McPherson pay the St. Pierre award. McPherson and Hutton separated in 1933 and divorced on March 1, 1934. McPherson later publicly repented of the marriage, as wrong from the beginning, for both theological<ref>Blumhofer, p. 333. Note: in 1932, after having to continuously answer questions about McPherson's marriage to David Hutton, 33 Foursquare ministers thought this was too much of a distraction and seceded from the Temple and formed their own Pentecostal denomination, the Open Bible Evangelistic Association.</ref> and personal reasons<ref>Epstein, p. 434</ref> and therefore rejected nationally known gospel singer, [[Homer Rodeheaver]], a more appropriate suitor, when he eventually asked for her hand in 1935.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 333. Note: Homer Rodeheaver, former singing master for evangelist [[Billy Sunday]], was refused; even when it was suggested she married the wrong man and to try again to have a loving marriage, she responded negatively and redoubled her evangelistic efforts, forsaking personal fulfillment in relationships. McPherson knew Rodeheaver from working with him at the Angeleus Temple and he introduced her to David Hutton. In the case of Rodeheaver, however, biographer Sutton, according to Roberta Star Semple, stated McPherson liked him but not the way he kissed.</ref><ref>''Aimee May Marry Homer Rodeheaver'' (North Tonawanda, NY Evening News June 21, 1935)</ref>

===Career===
In 1913 McPherson embarked upon a preaching career. Touring [[Canada]] and the United States, she began evangelizing and holding tent revivals in June 1915. At first she struggled to gain an audience. Standing on a chair in some public place, she would gaze into the sky as if intently observing something there, perhaps reaching upwards as if to gesture for help or supplication. An audience, curious as to what the woman was doing or looking at, would gather around her. Then after 20 minutes to an hour, she would jump off the chair, declare something to the effect "I have a secret to share with you, follow me...," go to a nearby meeting room she had earlier rented out. Once inside, the doors were shut behind them and McPherson would begin her sermon.

The female Pentecostal preacher was greeted with some trepidation by pastors of local churches she solicited for building space to hold her revival meetings. Pentecostals were at the edge of Christian religious society, sometimes seen as strange with their loud, raucous unorganized meetings and were often located in the poorer sections of town. McPherson, however, perhaps because of her Methodist upbringing, kept an order to her meetings that came to be much appreciated. She wanted to create the enthusiasm a Pentecostal meeting could provide, with its "Amen Corner" and "Halleluiah Chorus" but also to avoid its unbridled chaos as participants started shouting, trembling on the floor and speaking in tongues; all at once. Because of the negative connotation of the word "pentecostal' and though McPherson practiced [[speaking in tongues]], she rarely emphasized it. McPherson organized her meetings with the general public in mind and yet did not wish to quench any who suddenly came into "the Spirit." To this end she set up a "tarry tent or room" away from the general area for any who suddenly started speaking in tongues or display any other [[Holy Ghost]] behavior the larger audience might be put off by.<ref>Epstein, p. 172</ref> McPherson wrote:

<blockquote>"A woman preacher was a novelty. At the time I began my ministry, women were well in the background.... Orthodox ministers, many of whom disapproved even of men evangelists such as [[Dwight L. Moody|Moody]], [[Charles Spurgeon|Spurgeon]], Tunda and the rest chiefly because they used novel evangelistic methods, disapproved all the more of a woman minister. especially was this true when my meetings departed from the funeral, sepulchrelike ritual of appointed Sundays...."<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, Aimee: Life Story of Aimee Semple McPherson (Foursquare Publications, Los Angeles, 1979) p. 98</ref></blockquote>

After her first successful visits, she had little difficulty with acceptance or attendance. Eager converts filled the pews of local churches which turned many recalcitrant ministers into her enthusiastic supporters. Frequently, she would start a revival meeting in a hall or church and then have to move to a larger building to accommodate the growing crowds. When there were no suitable buildings, she set up a tent, which was often filled past capacity.

McPherson was a strong woman, hefting a maul to hammer in tent stakes and involved herself in all the physical labor a revival setup required. She could fix her car, move boulders and drag fallen timber out of the roadway as she traveled to her destinations.<ref name="Epstein, p. 156">Epstein, p. 156</ref> McPherson was also known as a successful [[faith healer]] as there were extensive claims of physical healing occurring during her meetings. Such claims became less important as her fame increased.


In 1916, McPherson embarked on a tour of the Southern United States in her "Gospel Car", first with her husband Harold and later, in 1918, with her mother, Mildred Kennedy. She was an important addition to McPherson's ministry and managed everything, including the money, which gave them an unprecedented degree of financial security. Their vehicle was a 1912 [[Packard]] touring car emblazoned with religious slogans. Standing on the back seat of the convertible, McPherson preached sermons over a [[megaphone]]. On the road between sermons, she would sit in the back seat typing sermons and other religious materials. She first traveled up and down the eastern United States, then went to other parts of the country.

By 1917 she had started her own magazine, ''The Bridal Call'', for which she wrote many articles about women’s roles in religion; she portrayed the link between Christians and Jesus as a marriage bond. By taking seriously the religious role of women, the magazine contributed to the rising women’s movement.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Azusa Street Revival]]s starting in 1906 were noted for their racial diversity as blacks, Hispanics, whites and other minorities openly worshiped together, led by [[William J. Seymour]], an African American preacher. As the participants of the Azusa Street Revivals, dispersed, local Pentecostals were looking for leadership for a new revival and in late 1918, McPherson came to Los Angeles. Minnie Kennedy, her mother, rented the largest hall they could find, the 3,500 seat [[Philharmonic Auditorium]] (known then as Temple Auditorium). People waited for hours to get in and McPherson could hardly reach the pulpit without stepping on someone.<ref>Epstein, p. 151</ref> Afterwards, grateful attendees of her Los Angeles meetings built her a home for her family which included everything from the cellar to a canary bird.<ref>Epstein, p. 153</ref>

While McPherson had traveled extensively in her evangelical work prior to arriving in Baltimore, she was first "discovered" by the newspapers while sitting with her mother in the red plush parlor of the [[Belvedere Hotel]] on December 5, 1919, a day after conducting evangelistic services at the Lyric Opera House.<ref name="Sun">{{cite web|url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1655208322&sid=4&Fmt=1&clientId=41152&RQT=309&VName=HNP |title=ProQuest Login - ProQuest |publisher=Proquest.umi.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> In December 1919, she went to Baltimore’s [[Lyric Opera House]] to conduct seventeen days of meetings.<ref>Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, ''Aimee Semple McPherson: everybody's sister'' (Grand Rapids: [[Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing]], Inc., 1993), p. 147</ref> The ''[[Baltimore Sun]]'' ran a thousand-word interview with her in the December 6, 1919, issue.<ref>Daniel Mark Epstein, ''Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson'' (Orlando: [[Harcourt Brace & Company]], 1993),
p. 157</ref> Her mother Mildred Kennedy had booked the 2,500 seating capacity Lyric Opera House at US $3,100,<ref>over US $42,000.00 in 2013 dollars</ref> a huge sum compared to earlier engagements. Considering her daughter's success elsewhere, Kennedy thought the risk well worth taking. During the interview, the ''Sun'' reporter asked McPherson how she had decided on Baltimore as the site for a revival.

<blockquote>“As soon as I entered the city I saw the need. Women were sitting in the dining room smoking with the men,” McPherson replied. “I took up the newspapers and I saw card parties and dances advertised in connection with the churches. There was a coldness. Card parties, dances, theaters, all represent agencies of the devil to distract the attention of men and women away from spirituality....”<ref name="Sun"/></blockquote>

The Baltimore event was one of McPherson's larger engagements yet. The crowds, in their religious ecstasy were barely kept under control as they gave way to manifestations of "the Spirit", and the Lyric Opera House's capacity was constantly tested. Moreover, her alleged faith healings now became part of the public record, and attendees began to focus on that part of her ministry over all else. McPherson considered the Baltimore Revival an important turning point not only for her ministry "but in the history of the outpouring of the Pentecostal power."<ref>Epstein, pp. 170–172</ref>

The battle between fundamentalists and modernists escalated after [[World War I]], with many modernists seeking less conservative religious faiths.<ref>Epstein, pp. 79–80</ref> Fundamentalists generally believed their religious faith should influence every aspect of their lives. McPherson sought to eradicate modernism and secularism in homes, churches, schools, and communities. She developed a strong following in what McPherson termed "the Foursquare Gospel" by blending contemporary culture with religious teachings. McPherson was entirely capable of sustaining a protracted intellectual discourse as her Bible students and debate opponents will attest. But she believed in preaching the gospel with simplicity and power, so as to not confuse the message. Her distinct voice and visual descriptions created a crowd excitement "bordering on hysteria."<ref name="Epstein, p. 156"/>

Her faith-healing demonstrations gained her unexpected allies. When a [[Romani people|Romani]] tribe king and his mother stated they were faith-healed by McPherson, thousands of others came to her as well in caravans from all over the country and were converted. The infusion of crosses and other symbols of Christianity alongside Romani [[astrology]] charts and [[crystal ball]]s was the result of McPherson's influence.<ref>Epstein, p. 239</ref> Prizing gold and loyalty, the Romani repaid her in part, with heavy bags of gold coin and jewels, which helped fund the construction of the new Angelus Temple.<ref>Epstein, p. 241</ref> In [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], Kansas, in May 29, 1922, where heavy perennial thunderstorms threatened to rain out the thousands who gathered there, McPherson interrupted the speaker, raised her hand to the sky and prayed, "let it fall (the rain) after the message has been delivered to these hungry souls". The rain immediately stopped, an event reported the following day by the ''[[Wichita Eagle]]'' on May 30: "Evangelist's Prayers Hold Big Rain Back,"<ref>Blumhofer, p. 184</ref> For the gathered Romani, it was a further acknowledgement "of the woman's power".<ref>Epstein, p. 240</ref>

The appeal of McPherson's thirty or so revival events from 1919 to 1922 surpassed any touring event of theater or politics ever presented in American history. "Neither Houdini nor Teddy Roosevelt had such an audience nor PT Barnum."<ref name="Epstein, p. 156"/> Her one to four-week meetings typically overflowed any building she could find to hold them. She broke attendance records recently set by [[Billy Sunday]]<ref name="autogenerated308"/> and frequently used his temporary tabernacle structures to hold some of her meetings in. Her revivals were often standing-room only. One such revival was held in a boxing ring, with the meeting before and after the match. Throughout the boxing event, she walked about with a sign reading "knock out the Devil." In [[San Diego, California]], the city called in the [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]] and other branches of the armed forces to control a revival crowd of over 30,000 people.

McPherson preached a conservative gospel but used progressive methods, taking advantage of radio, movies, and stage acts. Advocacy for women's rights was on the rise, including women's suffrage through the [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|19th Amendment]]. She attracted some women associated with modernism, but others were put off by the contrast between her different theories. By accepting and using such new media outlets, McPherson helped integrate them into people’s daily lives.

===Faith healing ministry===

McPherson's [[faith healing]] demonstrations were extensively written about in the news media and were a large part of her early career legacy.<ref>Epstein, p. 57</ref> No one has ever been credited by secular witnesses with anywhere near the numbers of faith healings attributed to McPherson, especially during the years 1919 to 1922.<ref>Epstein, p. 185</ref> Over time though, she almost withdrew from the faith healing aspect of her services, since it was overwhelming<ref>Epstein, p. 111</ref> other areas of her ministry. Scheduled healing sessions nevertheless remained highly popular with the public until her death in 1944.

Alleged incidents of miraculous faith healing are sometimes clinically explained as a result of hysteria or a form of [[hypnosis]]. Strong emotions and the mind's ability to trigger the production of [[opiate]]s, [[endorphin]]s, and [[enkephalin]]s; have also been offered as explanations as well as the healings are simply faked. In the case of McPherson, there was no evidence of fraud found.<ref>Epstein, pp. 66, 111, 119</ref> In August 1921, doctors from the [[American Medical Association]] in San Francisco secretly investigated some of McPherson's local revival meetings. The subsequent AMA report stated McPherson's healing was "genuine, beneficial and wonderful."<ref>Epstein, p. 233</ref>

McPherson claims to have experienced several of her own personal faith healing incidents, among them one in 1909, when her broken foot was mended, an event which first served to introduce her to the possibilities of the healing power.<ref>Epstein, p. 58</ref> Another was an unexpected recovery from an operation in 1914 where hospital staff expected her to die,<ref name="Epstein, p. 74">Epstein, p. 74</ref> and in 1916, before a gathered revival tent crowd, swift rejuvenation of blistered skin from a serious flash burn caused by a lamp exploding in her face.<ref>Epstein, p. 119</ref>

Her apparently successful first public faith healing session of another person was professedly demonstrated in Corona, Long Island, New York, 1916. A young woman in the painful, advanced stages of [[rheumatoid arthritis]] was brought to the altar by friends just as McPherson preached "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever", meaning, in part, Jesus had the same power to heal now as in ancient times. McPherson, laid hands upon the crippled woman's head and she allegedly walked out of the church that same night without crutches.<ref>Epstein, pp. 107–111</ref> Sick and injured people came to her by the tens of thousands. Press clippings, and testimonials became mountainous. To people who traveled with her, the numerous faith healings were routine.<ref>Epstein, p. 112</ref> Lubricating her hands with spiced oil, McPherson touched and prayed over the infirm and reporters wrote extensively of what they saw. When asked by a journalist about these demonstrations, McPherson indicated, "the saving of souls is the most important part of my ministry."<ref>Epstein, p. 166</ref>

Not all healings were successful and McPherson had occasional well-publicized failures. But these were apparently few and people in ever increasing numbers came to her. She was invited back again and again to cities that she previously visited.<ref>Epstein, p. 217</ref> Perhaps one of the more dramatic public faith healing demonstrations of her career occurred starting in late January 1921 at [[Balboa Park (San Diego)|Balboa Park]] in [[San Diego]], California. The Spreckles Organ Pavilion in the park was site of several earlier revival meetings by many of her predecessors, and there McPherson preached to a huge crowd of 30,000. She had to move to the outdoor site since the 3,000 seat Dreamland Boxing Arena could not hold the thousands who went to see her. To assist the San Diego Police in maintaining order, the [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] and [[United States Army|Army]] had to be called in.

During the engagement, a woman [[Paralysis|paralyzed]] from the waist down from childhood, was presented for faith healing. Concerned because numerous, previous demonstrations had been before much smaller assemblages, McPherson feared she would be run out of town if this healing did not manifest.<ref name="pbs.org"/> Believing in the reality of the living Christ, filled with sincere passion beyond love for humanity, McPherson prayed, and laid hands on her. Before 30,000 people—and captured for all time by photography—the woman supposedly got up out of her wheelchair and walked. The large gathering responded with thunderous applause.<ref>Epstein, pp. 210–211</ref> Other hopefuls presented themselves to the platform McPherson occupied, and though not all were cured,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2009/sep/16/when-sister-aimee-came-town---part-2/ |title=Unforgettable: When Sister Aimee Came to Town - Part 2 |publisher=San Diego Reader |date=2009-09-16 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> the sick, injured and invalid continued to flood forth for healing. Before witnesses and reporters, a goiter allegedly shrank, crutches abandoned, an abscessed arm purportedly returned to normal.<ref>Epstein, pp. 184–185. Note: Years later in an interview, Rolf McPherson, his mother's appointed successor, spoke of the period, "more patients were open to the possibilities of faith healing." Next to him, mounted on his office wall; was a hand tinted photo enlargement of his mother helping a woman out her wheelchair in Balboa Park; he postulated that healings occurred because they had more faith in God and less in science, and he could not "imagine this sort of thing happening again".</ref> Many hundreds of people wanted her help, more than she could handle and her stay was extended. As with many of her other meetings, McPherson labored and prayed feverishly for hours over the infirm, often without food or stopping for a break. At the day's end, she would eventually be taken away by her staff, dehydrated and unsteady with fatigue; her distinct, booming voice reduced to a whisper. Originally planned for two weeks in the evenings, McPherson's Balboa Park revival meetings lasted over five weeks and went from dawn until dusk.<ref>Epstein, pp. 209, 210</ref><ref>Blumhofer, pp. 156-164</ref>

Later in 1921, investigating McPherson's healing services, a survey was sent out by First Baptist Church Pastor William Keeney Towner in [[San Jose, California]], to 3,300 people. 2500 persons responded. Six percent indicated they were immediately and completely healed while 85 percent indicated they were partially healed and continued to improve ever since. Fewer than half of 1 percent did not feel they were at least spiritually uplifted and had their faith strengthened.<ref>Sutton, pp. 19–20</ref>

''[[Denver Post]]'' reporter Frances Wayne writes while McPherson's "attack" on sin "uncultured,...the deaf heard, the [[Blindness|blind saw]], the [[Paralysis|paralytic]] walked, the [[palsy (disambiguation)|palsied became calm]], before the eyes of as many people that could be packed into the largest church auditorium in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]]". In 1922, McPherson returned for a second tour in the Great Revival of Denver<ref>Epstein, p. 237</ref> and asked about people who have claimed healings from the previous visit. Seventeen people, some well known members of the community, testified, giving credence to McPherson's claim "healing still occurred among modern Christians".<ref>Sutton, pp. 17–18. Note: McPherson herself disliked being given credit for the healings, considering herself the medium through which the power flows, the power of Christ works the cure.</ref>

Actor [[Anthony Quinn]], who for a time played in the church's band and was an apprentice preacher, in this partial quote, recalls a service:

<blockquote>"I sat in the orchestra pit of the huge auditorium at the Angelus Temple. Every seat was filled, with the crowd spilling into the aisles. Many were on crutches or in wheelchairs. Suddenly a figure with bright red hair and a flowing white gown walked out to the center of the stage. In a soft voice, almost a whisper, she said, 'Brothers and sisters, is there anyone here who wants to be cured tonight?'

Long lines formed to reach her. She stood center stage and greeted each one. One man said, 'I can't see out of one eye.' She asked. 'Do you believe, brother?' And suddenly, the man cried, 'Yes, sister, I can see, I can see!' And the audience went crazy. "To a woman dragging herself across the stage on crutches she said, 'Throw away that crutch!' Suddenly, the woman threw away her crutch and ran into Aimee's open arms. I left that service exhilarated, renewed".<ref name="Anthony Quinn 1972 pp 122">Anthony Quinn, ''The Original Sin: A Self-Portrait'', Little, Brown and Company: Boston (1972), pp. 122–132</ref></blockquote>

Ironically, when McPherson retired for much needed rest after a long and exhausting faith healing service, she would sometimes suffer from [[insomnia]], a problem she would contend with for the rest of her life.<ref>Epstein, p. 234</ref> Regarding her own illnesses, she did not abstain from visiting doctors or using medicines.<ref>Epstein, pp. 224, 342, 436</ref> McPherson considered each faith healing incident a sacred gift from God, passed through her to persons healed and not to be taken for granted. In visiting foreign lands, for example, she paid scrupulous attention to [[sanitation]], concerned that a careless oversight might result in acquiring an exotic disease.<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, ''Give Me My Own God'' (H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc. 1936) p. 88</ref>

In later years, other individuals were identified as having the alleged faith healing gift. On stage, during Wednesday and Saturday divine healing sessions, she worked among them, or was even absent altogether, diminishing her own singular role. Divine healing, in her view, was not the emergency room, entertainment or something to puzzle scientists, it was a church sacrament.<ref>Epstein, p. 400</ref> In her own writings and sermons, McPherson did not refer to her own particular personal proficiencies, conveying divine healing was accessible by faith and devotion.

===International Church of the Foursquare Gospel===
[[File:Postcard-los-angeles-angelus-temple.png|thumb|right|Angelus Temple in Echo Park, Los Angeles, with radio towers.]]

At this time, Los Angeles had become a popular vacation spot. Rather than touring the United States to preach her sermons, McPherson stayed in [[Los Angeles]], drawing audiences from a population which had soared from 100,000 in 1900 to 575,000 people in 1920, and often included many visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aimeemcpherson.com/ |title=Aimee McPherson |publisher=Aimee McPherson |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Wearied by constant traveling and having nowhere to raise a family, McPherson had settled in Los Angeles, where she maintained both a home and a church. McPherson believed that by creating a church in Los Angeles, her audience would come to her from all over the country. This, she felt, would allow her to plant seeds of the Gospel and tourists would take it home to their communities, still reaching the masses. For several years she continued to travel and raise money for the construction of a large, domed church building at 1100 Glendale Blvd. in the [[Echo Park, Los Angeles, California|Echo Park]] area of Los Angeles. The church would be named [[Angelus Temple]], reflecting the Roman Catholic tradition of the [[Angelus bell]], calling the faithful to prayer and as well its reference to the angels.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246">Blumhofer, p. 246</ref> Not wanting to take on debt, McPherson located a construction firm which would work with her as funds were raised "by faith."<ref>Blumhofer, p. 244</ref> She started with $5,000.<ref>More than $65,000 in 2012 dollars.</ref> The firm indicated it would be enough to carve out a hole for the foundation.

McPherson began a campaign in earnest and was able to mobilize diverse groups of people to help fund and build the new church. Various fundraising methods were used such as selling chairs for Temple seating at US $25<ref>over US $320 in 2012</ref> apiece. In exchange, "chairholders" got a miniature chair and encouragement to pray daily for the person who would eventually sit in that chair. Her approach worked to generate enthusiastic giving and to create a sense of ownership and family among the contributors.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 245</ref>

Raising more money than she had hoped, McPherson altered the original plans, and built a "megachurch" that would draw many followers throughout the years. The endeavor cost contributors around $250,000<ref>More than $3.2 million in 2012 dollars.</ref> in actual money spent. Comparable structures were priced at far more, a nearby smaller auditorium, for example, cost US$1 million.<ref>over US $13 million in 2012.</ref> Costs were kept down by donations of building materials and volunteer labor.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246"/> McPherson sometimes quipped when she first got to California, all she had was a car, ten dollars<ref>over US $130 in 2012.</ref> and a tambourine.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246"/>

The Class "A" fireproof building was constructed of concrete and steel and designed by Brook Hawkins. The main architectural feature of the structure is its large, unsupported [[concrete]] dome coated with a mixture of ground [[abalone]] shells. The dome, at the time, was by some reports, the largest in North America, and rises 125 feet from the main floor.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places |date=November 13, 1991|url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/92001875.pdf|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> The dome's interior was painted [[Azure (color)|azure blue]], with fleecy clouds, a reminder to "work while its day" and "to look for His coming". McPherson insisted on a bright joyous setting, avoiding any reminder of sin from either artwork or motto. In back of the pulpit was her theme verse from Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever." She later conveyed she loved "every stone in Angelus Temple,...I love to touch its walls, its altar,...I look to its high vaulted dome...."<ref>Blumhofer, p. 239</ref> but no part of the church pleased her more the magnificent [[Kimball International|Kimball]] pipe organ which always soothed and brought her peace of mind.<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 246–247</ref> The church was dedicated on January 1, 1923. The auditorium had a [[seating capacity]] of 5,300 people and was filled three times each day, seven days a week. Enrollment grew exceeding 10,000, and was claimed to be the largest single Christian congregation in the world<ref>Thomas, Lately ''Storming Heaven: The Lives and Turmoils of Minnie Kennedy and Aimee Semple McPherson'' (Morrow, New York, 1970) p. 32.</ref> According to church records, Angelus Temple received 40 million visitors within the first seven years<ref>Bridal Call (Foursquare Publications, 1100 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles.) October 1929, p. 27</ref> At first, McPherson preached every service, often in a dramatic scene she put together to attract audiences.

Eventually, the church evolved into its own denomination and became known as the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]. The new denomination focused on the nature of Christ's character: that he was Savior, baptizer with the Holy Spirit, healer, and coming King. There were four main beliefs: the first being Christ's ability to transform individuals' lives through the act of salvation; the second focused on a holy baptism which includes receiving power to glorify and exalt Christ in a practical way; the third was divine healing, newness of life for both body and spirit; and the fourth was gospel-oriented heed to the pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ.

[[File:ASM-AngelusTemple Plaque 1923 02.jpg|thumbnail|left|McPherson intended the Angelus Temple as both a place of worship and an ecumenical center for persons of all Christian faiths to meet and build alliances. A wide range of clergy and laypeople to include Methodists, Baptists, the Salvation Army, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Adventists, Quakers, Roman Catholics, Mormons and secular civic leaders came to the Angelus Temple. They were welcomed and many made their way to her podium as guest speakers.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/> Eventually, even Rev. [[Robert P. Shuler]], a once robust McPherson critic, was featured as a guest preacher.<ref>Sutton, p. 335</ref>]]In August 1925 and away from Los Angeles, McPherson decided to charter a plane so she would not miss giving her Sunday sermon. Aware of the opportunity for publicity, she arranged for at least two thousand followers and members of the press to be present at the airport. The plane failed after takeoff and the landing gear collapsed, sending the nose of the plane into the ground. McPherson boarded another plane and used the experience as the narrative of an illustrated Sunday sermon called "The Heavenly Airplane".<ref name="Sutton, p.72">Sutton, p. 72</ref> The stage in Angelus Temple was set up with two miniature planes and a skyline that looked like Los Angeles. In this sermon, McPherson described how the first plane had the devil for the pilot, sin for the engine, and temptation as the propeller. The other plane, however, was piloted by Jesus and would lead one to the Holy City (the skyline shown on stage). The temple was filled beyond capacity.

On another occasion, she described being pulled over by a police officer, calling the sermon "Arrested for [[Speed limit|Speeding]]". Dressed in a traffic cop's uniform, she sat in the saddle of a police motorcycle, earlier placed on the stage, and revved the siren.<ref name="Sutton, p.72"/> One author in attendance, insisted she actually drove the motorcycle, with its deafening roar, across the access ramp to the pulpit, slammed on the brakes, then raised a white gloved hand to shout "Stop! You're speeding to Hell!"<ref>Bach, Marcus, They Have Found a Faith, (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis / New York, 1946) p. 59</ref> Since McPherson gave some of her sermons more than once, and with variations, the possibility existed both versions might be true.

McPherson employed a small group of artists, electricians, decorators, and carpenters who built the sets for each Sunday's service. Religious music was played by an orchestra. McPherson also worked on elaborate sacred operas. One production, ''The Iron Furnace'', based on the book of Exodus, told of God’s deliverance as the Israelites fled slavery in Egypt. Some Hollywood movie stars even assisted with obtaining costumes from local studios. The cast was large, perhaps as many as 450 people but so elaborate and expensive, it was presented only one time. Rehearsals for the various productions were time consuming and McPherson "did not tolerate any nonsense." Though described as "always kind and loving," McPherson demanded respect regarding the divine message the sacred operas and her other works were designed to convey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/lessons_i_learned_from_sister_aimee |title=Lessons I Learned From Sister Aimee | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Even though McPherson condemned theater and film as the devil's workshop, its secrets and effects were co-opted. She became the first woman evangelist to adopt the whole technique of the moving picture star.<ref>Sutton, p. 74</ref> McPherson desired to avoid the dreary church service where by obligation parishioners would go to fulfill some duty by being present in the pew. She wanted a sacred drama that would compete with the excitement of vaudeville and the movies. The message was serious, but the tone more along the lines of a humorous musical comedy. Missed cues, forgotten or misstated script lines and other mistakes became part of the gag. Animals were frequently incorporated and McPherson, the once farm girl, knew how to handle them. In one incident, a [[camel]] was to squeeze through a narrow gate set up on stage, illustrating the [[Eye of a needle|Eye of the Needle]]. McPherson unlimbered one bag of cargo after another labeled "Worldly Pleasure," "Indifference to the Poor" and others, from the camel. Until all the cargo burdens were removed, the camel could not cross through the opening. McPherson gave up to 22 sermons a week and the lavish Sunday night service attracted the largest crowds, extra [[Tram|trolleys]] and police were needed to help route the traffic through Echo Park to and from Angelus Temple.<ref>Epstein, p.252</ref> To finance the Angelus Temple and its projects, collections were taken at every meeting, often with the admonishment, "no coins, please".<ref name="dollartimes1"/><ref>$1 of 1920's to 1930's dollars would be worth around US $11–13 dollars in 2013. See subsequent cites for inflation calculator links.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=1.00&year1=1930&year2=2012 |title=CPI Inflation Calculator |publisher=Data.bls.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php></ref>

Because Pentecostalism was not popular in the U.S. during the 1920s, McPherson avoided the label. She did, though, demonstrate [[glossolalia|speaking-in-tongues]] and [[faith healing]] in sermons. She also kept a museum of discarded medical fittings from persons faith healed during her services which included crutches, wheelchairs, and other paraphernalia. As evidence of her early influence by the [[Salvation Army]], McPherson adopted a theme of "lighthouses" for the satellite churches, referring to the parent church as the "Salvation Navy." This was the beginning of McPherson working to plant Foursquare Gospel churches around the country.

McPherson published the weekly ''Foursquare Crusader'', along with her monthly magazine, ''Bridal Call''. She began broadcasting on radio in the early 1920s. McPherson was one of the first women to preach a radio sermon. With the opening of Foursquare Gospel-owned [[KEIB|KFSG]] on February 6, 1924, she became the second woman granted a broadcast license by the [[Department of Commerce]], the federal agency that supervised [[broadcasting]] in the early 1920s.<ref>(The first woman to receive a broadcasting license was Mrs. Marie Zimmerman of [[Vinton, Iowa]], in August 1922. See Von Lackum, Karl C. “Vinton Boasts Only Broadcasting Station in U.S. Owned By Woman”, ''Waterloo Evening Courier'', Iowa, October 14, 1922, p. 7.</ref>)

McPherson racially integrated her tent meetings and church services. On one occasion, as a response to McPherson's ministry and Angelus Temple being integrated, [[Ku Klux Klan]] members were in attendance, but after the service hoods and robes were found on the ground in nearby [[Echo Park, Los Angeles, California|Echo Park]].<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 275–277</ref> She is also credited with helping many Hispanic ministries in Los Angeles.<ref name=nyorker>{{cite news|last=Updike|first=John|title=Famous Aimee: The life of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/30/070430crbo_books_updike?currentPage=all|newspaper=[[The New Yorker]]|date=30 April 2007}}</ref>

McPherson traveling about the country holding widely popular revival meetings and filling local churches with converts was one thing, settling permanently into their city caused concern among some local Los Angeles churches. Even though she shared many of their [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalist beliefs:]] divine inspiration of the Bible, the classical [[Trinity]], virgin birth of Jesus, historical reality of Christ's miracles, bodily resurrection of Christ and the atoning purpose of his crucifixion; the presentation of lavish sermons, and an effective faith healing ministry presented by a female divorcee who thousands adored and newspapers continuously wrote of, was unexpected. Moreover, the Temple had a look and style uniquely theirs, almost cult or military-like. Women would emulate McPherson's style and dress, and a distinct Angeleus Temple uniform came into existence, a white dress with a navy blue cape thrown over it.<ref>Epstein, p. 275</ref> Men were more discrete, wearing suits. Her voice, projected over the powerful state-of-the-art KFSG radio station and heard by hundreds of thousands, became the most recognized in the western United States.<ref>Epstein, p. 264</ref>

[[File:ASM-AngelusTemple Sermon 1923 01.jpg|thumbnail|left|McPherson preaching at the newly built Angelus Temple in 1923. Her messages showcased the love of God, redemption and the joys of service and heaven; contrasting sharply with the fire and brimstone style of sermon delivery popular with many of her peers.]] Her illustrated sermons attracted criticism from some clergy members because they thought it turned the gospel message into mundane theater and entertainment. Divine healing, as McPherson called it, was claimed by many pastors to be a unique dispensation granted only for [[Apostolic Age|Apostolic times]]. Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] published a pamphlet entitled ''McPhersonism'', which purported that her "most spectacular and advertised program was out of harmony with God's word."<ref>Schuler, Robert P. ''McPhersonism: a study of healing cults and modern day tongues movements'', January, 1924, p. 3</ref> Debates such as the [[Ben M. Bogard|Bogard]]-McPherson Debate in 1934<ref>[[Ben M. Bogard]], ''Bogard-McPherson debate : McPhersonism, Holy Rollerism, miracles, Pentecostalism, divine healing : a debate with both sides presented fully'', ([[Little Rock, Arkansas]]: Ben M. Bogard, 1934)</ref> drew further attention to the controversy, but none could really argue effectively against McPherson's results.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://healingandrevival.com/BioCSPrice.htm |title=Biography of Charles S. Price |publisher=Healingandrevival.com |date=1947-03-08 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>http://www.earstohear.net/Price/testimony.html Note: Divine Healing was a contentious theological area of McPherson's ministry, but she was not alone. Other pastors already had a ministry with alleged successful healings such as James Moore Hickson (1868–1933), an Episcopalian of international renown. Another pastor, Dr. Charles S Price (1887–1947), went to a series of McPherson revival meetings in San Jose California, to expose the fraud. Instead he himself was converted and preached McPherson's version of Christianity to his congregation. Reports of purported faith healings began to take place. Price went on to preach as a traveling evangelist who converted tens of thousands along with many instances of miraculous divine healings allegedly occurring.</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 185, 240</ref>

The new developing [[Assemblies of God]] denomination, Pentecostal as McPherson was, for a time worked with her, but they encouraged separation from established Protestant faiths. McPherson resisted trends to isolate as a denomination and continued her task of coalition building among evangelicals. McPherson worked hard to attain ecumenical vision of the faith and while she participated in debates, avoided pitched rhetorical battles that divided so many in Christianity. She wanted to work with existing churches on projects and to share with them her visions and beliefs. Assisting in her passion was the speedy establishment of LIFE Bible College adjacent to the Angeles Temple. Ministers trained there were originally intended to go nationally and worldwide to all denominations and share her newly defined "Foursquare Gospel." A well known Methodist minister, Frank Thompson, who never had the Pentecostal experience,<ref>"Spiritual gifts" given by the Holy Spirit, of which the most well known is speaking in "tongues" the spontaneously speaking in a language unknown to the speaker;, also known as [[Glossolalia]]. Other gifts include translating the said "tongues."</ref> was persuaded to run the college; and he taught the students the doctrine of [[John Wesley]]. McPherson and others, meanwhile, infused them with Pentecostal ideals. Her efforts eventually led Pentecostals, which were previously unconventional and on the periphery of Christianity, into the mainstream of American evangelicalism.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/>

McPherson herself steadfastly declined to publicly criticize by name any individual with rare exceptions, but those who were converted in her services were not so careful. The testimonies of former prostitutes, drug addicts and others, from stage or broadcast over the radio, frequently revealed the names and locations concerning their past illegal activities. These revelations angered many and McPherson often received hostile letters and death threats. An alleged plot to kidnap her and detailed in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' was foiled in September, 1925.<ref>Epstein, p. 300</ref>

===Politics and education===
By early 1926, McPherson had become one of the most charismatic and influential women and ministers of her time. Her fame equaled, to name a few, [[Charles Lindbergh]], [[Johnny Weissmuller]], [[Jack Dempsey]], [[Babe Ruth]], [[Ty Cobb]], [[Knute Rockne]], [[Bobby Jones (golfer)|Bobby Jones]], [[Louise Brooks]], and [[Rudolph Valentino]].<ref>Ralph G. Giordano, ''Satan in the Dance Hall: Rev. John Roach Straton, Social Dancing, and Morality in 1920's New York City'' (Scarecrow Press, Oct 23, 2008), p. 167</ref> She was a major American phenomenon, who along with some other high profile preachers of the time, unlike Hollywood celebrities, could be admired by their adoring public, "without apparently compromising their souls."<ref>George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, ''The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University'' (Truman State University Press, 1999), p. 308</ref>

According to Carey McWilliams, she had become "more than just a household word: she was a folk hero and a civic institution; an honorary member of the fire and police departments; a patron saint of the service clubs; an official spokesman for the community on problems grave and frivolous."<ref>Sutton, Matthew. ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]''. London: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007.</ref> She was influential in many social, educational and political areas. McPherson made personal crusades against anything that she felt threatened her Christian ideals, including the drinking of alcohol and teaching evolution in schools.

McPherson became a strong supporter of [[William Jennings Bryan]] during the 1925 [[Scopes Trial]], in which John Scopes was tried for illegally teaching evolution at a [[Dayton, Tennessee]] school. Bryan and McPherson had worked together in the Angelus Temple and they believed Darwinism had undermined students' morality. According to ''The New Yorker'', McPherson said, evolution "is the greatest triumph of Satanic intelligence in 5,931 years of devilish warfare, against the Hosts of Heaven. It is poisoning the minds of the children of the nation."<ref>Sutton, p. 52. Note: Sutton was uncertain if McPherson actually stated the quote as reported by ''The New Yorker'', but she did convey evolution influenced moral-relativist philosophers and believed "survival of the fittest" thinking would have a detrimental effect on society.</ref> She sent Bryan a telegram saying, "Ten thousand members of Angelus Temple with her millions of radio church membership send grateful appreciation of your lion-hearted championship of the Bible against evolution and throw our hats in the ring with you."<ref>Sutton, pp. 37, 52</ref> She organized "an all-night prayer service, a massive church meeting preceded by a Bible parade through Los Angeles."<ref>Sutton, p. 37</ref>

While her mother Mildred Kennedy was a registered Democrat, no one was certain of McPherson's registration. She endorsed [[Herbert Hoover]] over [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] but enthusiastically threw her support behind the latter and his social programs when he was elected into office.<ref>Sutton, p. 214</ref> She was a patron of [[Trade union|organized labor]], preaching a [[gangster]]'s money was "no more unclean than the [[Criticism of capitalism|dollars of the man who amasses his millions from underpaid factory workers]]".<ref>Sutton, p. 219</ref> She was more cautious though when labor strikes resulted in violent uprisings. She saw in them the possible activities of [[Communism]], which sought to infiltrate labor unions and other organizations. McPherson intensely disliked Communism and its derivatives as they sought to rule without God; their ultimate goal, she believed, to remove Christianity from the earth. McPherson's opinion of [[fascism]] fared no better; its totalitarian rule wrongly justified by claiming to represent the power of God.<ref>Sutton, p. 221</ref>

McPherson did not align herself consistently with any broad [[Conservatism|conservative]] or [[Liberalism|liberal]] political agenda. Instead she explained if Christianity occupied a central place in national life, if the components of God, home, school and government were kept together, everything else would fall into place. "Remove any of these," she warned, "and [civilization] topples, crumbles."<ref>Sutton, p. 223</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/robertson/asm/boorstin.html |title=Democratizing the Religious Experience |publisher=Xroads.virginia.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Current Foursquare Gospel Church leaders qualify the evangelist's views: "McPherson’s passion to see America sustained in spiritual health, which compelled her quest to see the Church influence government, must be interpreted in light of the political and religious climate of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. It is not accurate to draw a parallel between today’s extreme fundamentalist, right-wing Christianity and the style or focus of Sister McPherson."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/sister_aimee_to_air_on_pbs |title="Sister Aimee" to Air on PBS | Foursquare News | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> She was also among the first prominent Christian ministers to defend the establishment of a [[Christian Restorationism|Jewish homeland]] in Palestine. She related that when Christ returns, the Jews would receive him, their suffering will end "and they will establish at Jerusalem a kingdom more wonderful than the world has known."<ref>Epstein, pp. 165, 395</ref>

===Reported kidnapping===
On May 18, 1926, McPherson went with her secretary to Ocean Park Beach north of [[Venice, Los Angeles, California|Venice Beach]] to swim. Soon after arriving, McPherson was nowhere to be found. It was thought she had drowned.

McPherson was scheduled to hold a service that day; her mother Minnie Kennedy preached the sermon instead, saying at the end, "Sister is with Jesus," sending parishioners into a tearful frenzy. [[Mourner]]s crowded Venice Beach and the commotion sparked days-long [[mass media|media]] coverage fueled in part by [[William Randolph Hearst]]'s ''[[Los Angeles Herald Examiner|Los Angeles Examiner]]'' and a stirring poem by [[Upton Sinclair]] to commemorate the tragedy. Daily updates appeared in newspapers across the country and parishioners held day-and-night seaside [[vigil]]s. One parishioner drowned while searching for the body, and a diver died of [[hypothermia#water|exposure]].

Kenneth G. Ormiston, the [[engineer]] for [[KXOL-FM|KFSG]], had taken other assignments around late December 1925 and left his job at the Temple.<ref>Cox, Raymond L. The Verdict is In, 1983. pp. 37–38. Note: Ormiston presented himself to the police headquarters May 27 to deny he had "went into hiding;" he also indicated his name connected to the evangelist was "a gross insult to a noble and sincere woman." He gave a detailed description of his movements since May 19, 1926, but did not mention Carmel.</ref> Newspapers later linked McPherson and Ormiston, the latter seen driving up the coast with an unidentified woman. Some believed McPherson and Ormiston, who was married, had become romantically involved and had run off together. Several ransom notes and other communications were sent to the Temple, some were relayed to the police, who thought they were hoaxes and others dismissed as fraudulent. McPherson "sightings" were abundant, as many as 16 in different cities and other locations on the same day. For a time, Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, offered a $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA">about US $315,000.00 in 2012 dollars</ref> reward for information leading to the return of her daughter.

The ransom demands sent included a note by the "Revengers" who wanted $500,000<ref name="ReferenceB">about US $6.3 million dollars in 2012</ref> and another for $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/> conveyed by a lawyer who claimed contact with the kidnappers. The handwritten "Revengers" note later disappeared from the LA Police evidence locker and the lawyer was found dead in a possibly suspicious accident before his claim could be adequately investigated.<ref name="LatelyVanish">Lately, Thomas ''The Vanishing Evangelist: the Aimee Semple McPherson Kidnapping Affair'' (Viking Press, 1959) p. 26</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 17–18</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 295, 312</ref> A lengthy ransom letter from the "Avengers" arrived around June 19, 1926, also forwarded to the police, demanded $500,000<ref name="ReferenceB"/> or else kidnappers would sell McPherson into "white slavery." Relating their prisoner was a nuisance because she was incessantly preaching to them, the lengthy, two-page poorly typewritten letter also indicated the kidnappers worked hard to spread the word McPherson was held captive, and not drowned. Kennedy regarded the notes as hoaxes, believing her daughter dead.<ref>Cox, pp. 41–42</ref>

[[File:ASM in DouglasAZHospital.jpg|thumbnail|right| After emerging from the Mexican desert, McPherson convalesces in a hospital with her family in Douglas, Arizona 1926. District Attorney Asa Keyes stands to the far left with Mildred Kennedy (mother) next to Roberta Star Semple, middle left (daughter). On the far right Deputy District Attorney Joseph Ryan is alongside her son, Rolf McPherson.]]
Shortly thereafter, on June 23, McPherson stumbled out of the desert in [[Agua Prieta]], [[Sonora]], a [[Mexico|Mexican]] town across the border from [[Douglas, Arizona|Douglas]], [[Arizona]]. The Mexican couple she approached there thought she had died when McPherson collapsed in front of them. An hour later she stirred and the couple covered her with blankets.<ref>Cox, p. 70</ref> She claimed she had been kidnapped, drugged, tortured, and held for ransom in a shack by two men and a woman, "Steve," "Mexicali Rose," and another unnamed man.<ref name="pbs.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/sister/ |title=American Experience . Sister Aimee |publisher=PBS |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>Cox, p. 58. Note: Epstein refers to the third man as "Jake," Sutton's account does not name the 3rd individual. When asked the ethnicity of the kidnappers, McPherson, though not entirely certain, believed them all to be from the United States.</ref><ref>Shuler, Robert, ''Fighting Bob Shuler of Los Angeles'' Dog Ear Publishing, 2012 p. 178. Note: Indictments were made against Steve Doe, Rose Doe, and John Doe</ref> She also claimed she had escaped from her captors and walked through the desert for about 13 hours to freedom.

Following her return from [[Douglas, Arizona]], McPherson was greeted at the train station by 30,000–50,000 people, more than for almost any other personage.<ref>Melton, J. Gordon ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena'', (Visible Ink Press, 2007) p. 218</ref> The parade back to the temple even elicited a greater turnout than President Woodrow Wilson's visit to Los Angeles in 1919, attesting to her popularity and the growing influence of mass media entertainment. Aircraft flew low overhead, dropping roses, which drifted around McPherson as she stood surrounded by white-robed flower girls from Angelus Temple<ref>Sutton, p. 103</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://framework.latimes.com/2011/06/20/president-wilson-visits-l-a/#/0 |title=President Wilson visits L.A. - Framework - Photos and Video - Visual Storytelling from the Los Angeles Times |publisher=Framework.latimes.com |date=2011-06-20 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>Melton, J. Gordon ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena,'' (Visible Ink Press, 2007) p. 218</ref>

The fire department was out in their parade uniforms and high ranking Los Angeles officials formally greeted her return. Already incensed over McPherson's influential public stance on evolution and the Bible, most of the Chamber of Commerce and some other civic leaders, however, saw the event as gaudy display; nationally embarrassing to the city. Many Los Angeles area churches were also annoyed. The divorcee McPherson had settled in their town and many of their parishioners were now attending her church, with its elaborate sermons that, in their view, diminished the dignity of the Gospel. The Chamber of Commerce, together with Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] leading the Los Angeles Church Federation, and assisted by the press and others, became an informal alliance to determine if her disappearance was caused by other than a kidnapping.<ref>Epstein, p. 301</ref><ref name="Sutton, pp. 120–122">Sutton, pp. 120–122</ref>

[[File:ASM returnFromDouglas01.jpg|thumbnail|left|Between 30,000 to 50,000 people greeted McPherson at the train station following her return from Douglas, Arizona, the town she convalesced in after stating she escaped from kidnappers.]]
In Los Angeles, ahead of any court date, McPherson noticed newspaper stories about her kidnapping becoming more and more sensationalized as the days passed. To maintain excited, continued public interest, she speculated, the newspapers let her original account give way to rain torrents of "new spice and thrill" stories about her being elsewhere "with that one or another one." It did not matter if the material was disproved or wildly contradictory. No correction or apology was given for the previous story as another, even more outrageous tale, took its place.<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, ''In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life'' (Boni and Liveright, New York, 1927) p. 54</ref>

Her mother, Mildred Kennedy was very cynical of the increased newspaper scrutiny and McPherson's lawyer advised against pursuing the matter further. Since McPherson was the injured party and sole witness to the crime, if she chose not to press her complaint, the case would have to be closed.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist,'' p. 119-120</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 303</ref> Earlier, when McPherson was interrogated in Douglas, Arizona by Prosecutor District Attorney [[Asa Keyes]] and Deputy District Attorney Joseph Ryan, both seemed empathetic to her story. Ryan said he could make the desert trip without scuffing or marking his commissary shoes.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist,'' p. 125</ref><ref>Cox, p. 68</ref> McPherson therefore presented herself in court as a victim of a crime seeking redress. Pressured by various influential Los Angeles business, media, political and religious interests <ref name="Sutton, pp. 120–122"/> Keyes and Ryan instead opened the grand jury inquiry with insinuating questions, implying McPherson and her mother were involved in a deception.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'' p. 123</ref>

Some were skeptical of her story since McPherson seemed in unusually good health for her alleged ordeal; her clothing showing no signs of what they expected of a long walk through the desert. This was disputed by most Douglas, Arizona, residents, the town where McPherson was taken to convalesce, including expert tracker C.E. Cross, who testified that McPherson's physical condition, shoes, and clothing were all consistent with an ordeal such as she described.<ref>Modesto Bee And News-Herald 20 October 1926, Page 1</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'' pp. 285-286, 291</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 85, 209–211. Note: persons who recovered and drove McPherson to the hospital in Douglas, Arizona, describe she showed much signs of stress. She was emaciated to the point of being unrecognizable by many who saw her. Her shoes were white with desert dust and her hands were covered with grime. A nurse picked some cactus spines from her legs and rubbed some preparation on the toe where a blister had broken. (Cox, pp. 71–72).</ref> A grand jury convened on July 8, 1926, but adjourned 12 days later citing lack of evidence to proceed with any charges against either alleged kidnappers or perjury by McPherson. McPherson was told they would be open to receive any evidence submitted by her should she desire to further substantiate her kidnapping story.<ref>Sutton, p. 107</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/fbi.shtml |title=History of the FBI |publisher=Policyalmanac.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}Note: Except as an limited resource to local authorities. The FBI did not actively investigate possible kidnappings until 1932; when Congress passed a federal kidnapping statute.</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'', pp. 101, 176. Note: After evaluating the numerous newspaper reports, one Los Angeles Superior Court judge, Carlos Hardy, informally advised McPherson to hire private detectives to assist her. In his view, law enforcement officials were making no effort to find any substantiating evidence of a kidnapping and were only interested in breaking down her end of the story.</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 184, 214. Note: Tracks matching the shoes McPherson wore were found as far out as 15 to 18 miles in the remote desert and reported on in some newspapers, but the location of the desert shack McPherson was held in could not be conclusively found at that time. A hidden shack was discovered later in September by Douglas, Arizona authorities, which fit closely the description McPherson provided, however, the Los Angeles police, declined to investigate. It was later reported that McPherson's attorneys would establish the fact that the prison shack is 21 miles below Douglas, Az. The evangelist herself was to be one of the witnesses, identifying photographs of the building (Emporia Gazette, - October 22, 1926, newspaper, Emporia, Kansas, p. 1) (The Miami News - Oct 21, 1926 (Associated Press, Los Angeles, Oct 11)).</ref>

The prosecution collected five witnesses who asserted to have seen McPherson at the Benedict <ref>http://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/cornell?a=d&d=CDS19260929.2.21&e=--------20--1-----all----</ref> seaside cottage in [[Carmel-by-the-Sea]], with the cottage being rented by Ormiston under an assumed name. It was pointed out that even though most of these witnesses knew of the $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/> reward for McPherson's return, with her pictures prominently appearing in the newspapers, none of the five stepped forward at the time they allegedly saw McPherson to claim it.<ref>Sutton, p. 124</ref><ref>Epstein, p .308</ref> Moreover, several other witnesses, including two the prosecution erroneously thought would testify for them, stated the woman was not McPherson.<ref>Cox, pp. 3, 194–195, 197. Note: The prosecution aided by Joseph Ryan, Deputy District Attorney, obtained the Five Carmel witnesses by first looking for people who at least got a brief glimpse of the woman with Ormiston. Ryan would take a sheath of photographs taken of McPherson, as provided by the newspapers and then show them to the prospective witnesses one photograph at a time. Once the witness finally agreed that a photo resembled the woman with Ormiston, Ryan would have his "identification" that McPherson was seen in Carmel, with Ormiston.

This photo-stack trick did not work on people who had actually gotten a closer look at the mystery woman, such as the landlord, H C Benedict, who rented the cottage to the couple. Benedict testified Ryan tried very hard to get him to identify the woman in his rented cottage as McPherson, but "I said I could not." When asked about the photos of McPherson, he answered, "he had a whole squad of them up there...and they been pulling these photographs and saying "do you recognize this" and another one "Do you recognize this?""(Cox, pp. 150, 166)</ref> Ormiston admitted to having rented the cottage but claimed that the woman who had been there with him – known in the press as Mrs. X – was not McPherson but another woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair.

The grand jury reconvened on August 3 and took further testimony along with documents from hotels, all said by various newspapers to be in McPherson's handwriting. These, though, were later revealed to be Elizabeth Tovey's, a woman traveling with Ormiston, whose handwriting did not at all resemble McPherson's.<ref>Cox, p. 160</ref> McPherson steadfastly stuck to her story, that she was approached by a young couple at the beach who had asked her to come over and pray for their sick child, and that she was then shoved into a car and drugged with [[chloroform]].<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life (Boni and Liveright, New York, 1927) p. 265. Note: McPherson did not actually name the substance, but described it as feeling wet and sticky against her skin, smelling pungently sweet. When she awoke afterwards, she felt extremely nauseated. It was postulated by some the drug was most likely chloroform, possibly with an additive.</ref>


The Carmel cottage was further checked for fingerprints, but none belonging to McPherson were recovered. Two grocery slips found in the yard of the cottage were studied by a police handwriting expert and determined to be McPherson's penmanship. While the original slips later mysteriously disappeared from the courtroom, photo-stat copies were available.<ref>Thomas, Vanishing Evangelist, p. 284</ref> The defense had a handwriting expert of their own who demonstrated the grocery slips were not McPherson's but doctored to look like hers. The slips' suspicious origin was also questioned. The original slips would have been in the yard for two months, surviving dew, fog, and lawn maintenance before their discovery.<ref>Cox, pp. 151, 152</ref>

California grand jury members are bound by law not discuss the case to protect the integrity of the process in determining if there is sufficient cause for a formal juried trial. The Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] was told as much by a newspaper in response to an open demand he made for more disclosure in the ongoing inquiry.<ref>Shuler, Robert, ''Fighting Bob Shuler of Los Angeles'' Dog Ear Publishing, 2012 p. 179</ref> In the McPherson case, proceedings became quite public, as observed by journalist [[H. L. Mencken]]. A vocal critic of McPherson,<ref name="ralphmag1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ralphmag.org/menckenZN.html |title=Isadora Duncan, Aime Semple McPherson - H. L. Mencken |publisher=Ralphmag.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Mencken wrote of her, "For years she toured the [[Bible Belt]] in a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], haranguing the morons nightly, under canvas. It was a depressing life, and its usufructs were scarcely more than three meals a day. The town [he refers to Los Angeles] has more morons in it than the whole State of [[Mississippi]], and thousands of them had nothing to do save gape at the movie dignitaries and go to revivals" (from The American Mercury, 1930). Mencken had been sent to cover the trial and there was every expectation he would continue his searing critiques against the evangelist. Instead, he came away impressed with McPherson and disdainful of the unseemly nature of the prosecution.<ref>Sutton, pp. 120–121. Note: H. L. Mencken determined the evangelist was being persecuted by two powerful groups. The "town clergy" which included Rev. [[Robert P. Shuler]], disliked her, for among other things, poaching their "customers" and for the perceived sexual immorality associated with Pentecostalism. Her other category of enemies were "the Babbits", the power elite of California. McPherson's strong stand on bible fundamentalism was not popular with them, especially after taking a stand during the 1925 Scopes trial which gave "science a bloody nose." In addition McPherson was working to put a bible in every public school classroom and to forbid the teaching of evolution. [[The Argonaut]], a San Francisco newspaper, warned these actions made her a threat to the entire state which could place "California on intellectual parity with Mississippi and Tennessee."</ref> Mencken later wrote: "The trial, indeed, was an orgy typical of the half-fabulous California courts. The very officers of justice denounced her riotously in the Hearst papers while it was in progress."<ref name="ralphmag1"/> To combat the bad newspaper publicity, McPherson spoke freely about the court trials on the air during her radio broadcasts.<ref>Sutton, p. 135. Note: McPherson's preaching and radio delivery style largely avoided judging or accusing others directly. When she announced a sermon, advertised even in the ''[[New York Times]]'', to name "the biggest liar in Los Angeles", reporters thought at last she would openly criticize Prosecutor Keys, self-styled religious enemy Reverend Schuler, or perhaps the key witness against her, Lorraine Wiseman-Sielaff. The Angelus Temple was packed with reporters and others awaiting her scathing attack. The biggest liar in LA was none other than the Devil himself.</ref>

Theories and [[innuendo]] were rampant: that she had run off with a lover, had gone off to have an [[abortion]], was taking time to heal from [[plastic surgery]], or had staged a [[publicity stunt]]. Two-inch headlines called her a tart, a conspirator, and a home-wrecker.<ref name="Epstein, p. 309">Epstein, p. 309</ref> McPherson's near death medical operation in 1914,<ref name="Epstein, p. 74"/> which prevented her from having more children, was already part of the public record. When challenged about the abortion claim with a request to pay for the medical exam to prove it, the newspaper which printed the story backed down. Some prosecutor witnesses stated when they saw McPherson in Carmel, she had short hair, and furor ensued she was currently wearing fake hair swatches piled up to give the impression of longer tresses. McPherson, as requested by her lawyer, stood up, unpinned her hair, which fell abundantly around her shoulders, shocking the witnesses and others into embarrassed silence.<ref name="Epstein, p. 309"/> McPherson learned that in a celebrity crazed-culture fueled by mass media, a leading lady could become a villainess in the blink of an eye.<ref>Sutton, p. 176</ref>

The defense rested its case on October 28 and the judge, on November 3, decided enough evidence had been garnered against the evangelist and her mother for a jury trial case in Los Angeles, set for mid-January 1927. The charges were a criminal conspiracy to commit acts injurious to public morals, to prevent and [[obstruction of justice|obstruct justice]], and to prevent the due administration of the laws, and of engaging in a criminal conspiracy to commit the crime of subordination of perjury. If convicted, the counts added up to maximum prison time of forty-two years.<ref>Sutton, pp. 133–134</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 312</ref><ref>The People vs.Aimee Semple McPherson, et al., Case CR 29181, 10 January 1927, Superior Court of Los Angeles County, County records and Archives</ref>

The chief witness against McPherson was now Lorraine Wiseman-Sielaff. She first stated she was in Carmel as a nurse for Ormiston's mistress; and because she somewhat physically resembled McPherson, it was her that people were misidentifying as the evangelist. Later, after the Angelus Temple refused to post her bail when she was arrested for passing a bad check, Wiseman-Sielaff said McPherson paid her to tell that story. Her testimony was fluidly inconsistent, and it changed significantly yet again in late December, 1926. Prosecutor [[Asa Keyes]] eventually concluded Wiseman-Sielaff's story was not true and a "grievous wrong had been done." ''The Examiner'' newspaper reported that [[Los Angeles County District Attorney|Los Angeles district attorney]] [[Asa Keyes]] had dropped all charges on January 10, 1927.<ref>Sutton, p. 136. Note: The newspaper, the ''Record'' indicated "the McPherson sensation has sold millions of newspapers, generated fat fees for lawyers, stirred up religious antagonism... advertised Los Angeles in a ridiculous way." Keyes added his office was through with perjured testimony, fake evidence and ...he had been duped and a (juried) trial against McPherson would be a futile persecution.</ref><ref>It is frequently conveyed by contemporary commentators that the charges were dropped "allegedly because McPherson came up with $30,000 (about US$390,00 in 2013) to appease law enforcement officials."{{cite web|url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/popular-evangelist-aimee-semple-mcpherson-disappears |title=Popular evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson disappears — History.com This Day in History — 5/18/1926 |publisher=History.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}} Author Anthony J. Rudel even asserts "it came to light that McPherson had acquired a hush fund of $800,000 (about US$10.5 million in 2013) some of which had been used to pay off participants in the 1926 hearings including District Attorney Keyes." (''Hello, Everybody!: The Dawn of American Radio''; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008 p. 196). No mention of the $800,000 is given by biographers of McPherson to include Thomas, Blumhofer, Sutton, Cox, or Epstein. No evidence for the commonly quoted lower figure of $30,000 is found, details and the source of the rumor ambiguous.</ref><ref>Author Stephen J. Pullum, conveys, “...some have suggested that he [Keyes] may have been party to a $30,000 bribe.” (''Foul Demons, Come Out!'' Praeger Pub Text, Westport, Conn., 1999).

In late 1928, the Los Angeles County Grand Jury began looking into the possibility that Keyes had been bribed to drop charges against McPherson. An investigation was started and Keyes was acquitted (Shaefer, Silvia Anne; ''Aimee Semple Mcpherson'', Infobase Publishing, New York, 2004; p. 71). A November 13 ''United Press'' dispatch from London quotes the evangelist as saying: “I never paid a penny. The reason I was freed was that the woman who made the charges confessed she had lied and had been hired to tell the story. With her confession, I was automatically released.” Journalist Rodger M. Grace comments the reality was more complex, Keyes because of inconsistencies in Wiseman-Sielaff’s account, could not vouch for the truthfulness of her testimony, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Albert Lee Stephens Sr. dismissed the charges. {{cite web|author=Roger M. Grace |url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/2007/perspectives101507.htm |title=Keyes Drops Prosecution of McPherson After She's Bound Over for Trial |publisher=Metnews.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Regardless of the court's decision, months of unfavorable press reports fixated in much of the public's mind, a certainty of McPherson's wrongdoing. Many readers were unaware of prosecution evidence having become discredited because it was often placed in the back columns while some new accusation against McPherson held prominence on the headlines. In a letter he wrote to the ''Los Angeles Times'' a few months after the case was dropped, the Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] stated, "Perhaps the most serious thing about this whole situation is the seeming loyalty of thousands to this leader in the face of her evident and positively proven guilt."<ref>Shuler, p. 188. Note: ''Los Angeles Times'', June 1927</ref>

Some supporters thought McPherson should have insisted on the jury trial and clear her name. The grand jury inquiry concluded while enough evidence did not exist to try her, it did not indicate her story was true with its implication of kidnappers still at large.<ref>Meed, Douglas V. "Soldier of Fortune--Adventuring in Latin America and Mexico with Emil Lewis Holmdahl," Halcyon Press Limited, 2003 p. 191. Note: No persons fitting the description of the kidnappers were identified, though, on June 29, 1926, an El Paso Herald reporter asked Emil Lewis Holmdahl, an American infantryman turned soldier of fortune, if he had been involved in the alleged kidnapping of famous California evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Holmdahl, who fought extensively in earlier Latin American turmoil wars and was cleared by a Mexican judge as a suspect in the February 6, 1926 theft of [[Pancho Villa]]'s head, enigmatically replied regarding McPherson, "Well, maybe I did and maybe I didn't." In contrast, unless intoxicated, he always emphatically denied participating in a grave robbery that stole Villa's head.</ref> Therefore, anyone could still accuse her of a hoax without fear of slander charges and frequently did so. McPherson, though, was treated harshly in many previous sessions at court, being verbally pressured in every way possible to change her story or elicit some bit of incriminating information.<ref>Epstein, pp. 313–314</ref> Moreover, court costs to McPherson were estimated as high as US $100,000 dollars.<ref>about US $1,300,000 in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 308</ref> A jury trial could take months. McPherson moved on to other projects. In 1927 she published a book about her version of the kidnapping: ''In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life.''

The 1926 grand jury case, the largest of its kind in California, had hundreds of reporters looking for discrediting evidence against McPherson. Almost $500,000<ref>about US $6.4 million in 2013</ref> was spent<ref>Epstein, p. 289</ref> (most by newspapers assisting in the investigation), 3,600 pages of transcripts generated,<ref>Thomas, Vanishing Evangelist, p. vii, NOTE Sutton writes 36,000, p. 133</ref> and agencies, officials and others continued to investigate, even years later, but were unable to prove her kidnapping story false.<ref>Sutton, p. 143</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 298–299, 309, 314</ref> In 1929, after a failed request by the state senate to reopen the older 1926 case,<ref>Sutton, p. 140; Epstein, p. 332. NOTE: In 1929 the California state senate conducted an impeachment trial of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carlos S. Hardy for providing legal aid to McPherson, violating the rules of office. McPherson was called to testify, but little interest was shown in prosecuting Hardy. The same witnesses and other persons from the earlier 1926 grand jury trial appeared; and McPherson was again in the headlines, being investigated. The impeachment trial cost another $50,000,(About US $660,000 in 2012) presumably borne largely by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', with the exception of the $25,000(About US $330,000 in 2012) taxpayer money it cost to print the 1,300 page trial transcript. McPherson had to endure the same humiliation she had endured in the 1926 trial, when the discussion was primarily about her hair, legs, and morals. Charges against Hardy were dropped and the state assembly instead called for Los Angeles prosecutors to reopen the case to criminally charge McPherson. The Los Angeles offices declined.</ref> Journalist Morrow Mayo noted it was the last chance in California to "ruin that red-headed sorceress", and "she is free to serve the Lord until the Marines are called out." <ref>Sutton, p. 141</ref>

The tale was later satirized by [[Pete Seeger]] in a song called "The Ballad of Aimee McPherson", with lyrics claiming the kidnapping had been unlikely because a hotel love nest revealed "the dents in the mattress fit Aimee's [[Buttocks|caboose]]."

The [[Court of Historical Review and Appeal]] in San Francisco, which holds no legal authority, is made up of members of the bench who examine and retry historical cases and controversies. In April 1990, a decision was handed down regarding the matter of McPherson's kidnapping story. George T. Choppelas, the then presiding judge of the San Francisco Municipal Court, ruling for the Court of Historical Review, found the issues involved both serious and fascinating. He concluded that "there was never any substantial evidence to show that her story was untrue. She may not have been a saint, but she certainly was no sinner, either."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1990-10-09/local/me-2159_1_sister-aimee |title=Faithful of 'Sister Aimee' Say Mock Court Has Redeemed Her - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=1990-10-09 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

===Claims of extramarital affairs===
Numerous allegations of illicit love affairs<ref>Epstein, p. 386</ref> were often directed against McPherson. Suspected lovers generally denied involvement.<ref name="Sutton, p. 175">Sutton, p. 175</ref> For example, Kenneth Ormiston, a married man with a small son,<ref>Epstein, pp. 264, 287</ref> could have profited immensely from an exposé about himself and McPherson.<ref>Cox, p. 234. Note: Kenneth Ormiston did eventually sell his story to the press, identifying his companion as Elizabeth Tovey.</ref> It was not disputed the two had a good working relationship and were friendly with each other. During the 1926 kidnapping grand jury trial, his privacy in every way was invaded as reporters and investigators tried to link him amorously to McPherson.<ref>Epstein, pp. 289, 307</ref><ref>Sutton, p.135</ref> Ormiston told newspapers his name connected in such a way to the evangelist "was a gross insult to a noble and sincere woman."<ref>Thomas ''Vanishing'' p. 31</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 37–38.</ref>

[[File:ASM-reading blackmailNote1.jpg|thumbnail|right|McPherson was often the target of numerous unsubstantiated sexually related allegations. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, June 4, 1936, this photograph depicts the evangelist reading a note demanding $10,000 else nude motion pictures of her and a friend would be publicly released. When inquired about it in an unrelated interview later that year, she tersely stated nude pictures of her did not exist because none were ever taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/U373542ACME/mcpherson-charged-for-slander?popup=1 |title=McPherson Charged for Slander - U373542ACME - Rights Managed - Stock Photo - Corbis |publisher=Corbisimages.com |date=1936-12-12 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>]] Alarmed by her rapidly changing style of dress and involvement with Hollywood and its "worldly" lifestyle, in 1929, an Angeleus Temple official<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webjournals.ac.edu.au/authors/john-goben/ |title=John Goben • Webjournals |publisher=Webjournals.ac.edu.au |date= |accessdate=2013-11-15}}, Blumhofer, p. 311, Note: Reverend John D. Goben was a successful Midwestern evangelist when he joined the Angeles Temple in 1927. A revival campaign in 1930 by Goben led to the establishment the Stone Church in Toronto, Canada. Goben served as treasurer to the International Foursquare Gospel Lighthouses, an association of satellite churches he helped manage. Because of a dispute with McPherson and her legal counsel, over property ownership by the churches, he was ousted as treasurer. His mounting discontent along with encouragement of some of the Church board members, in part, precipitated his expensive private investigation of McPherson. One evening at a board meeting, Goben, hoping to elicit a confession in lieu of evidence he could not obtain, confronted McPherson with his surveillance. But McPherson, so shocked by what he did, fainted. The board members turned against Goben and he was fired. His bitter departure resulted in his publication of a pamphlet entitled ''Aimee, the Gospel Gold-Digger''. Aimed at Temple supporters, he detailed alleged financial irregularities. A brief grand jury investigation was started, but come to nothing.</ref> hired detectives to shadow McPherson. Through her windows, the detectives frequently saw McPherson staying up until the early morning hours composing songs, drafting sacred operas and scribbling diagrams of her illustrated sermons.<ref>Epstein, pp. 334, 337</ref> They were looking for evidence of her indiscretions, but found nothing. No confirmation of adulterous misconduct,<ref name="Sutton, p. 175"/> with perhaps exception of her third marriage as a violation of Church tenets, was ever presented. McPherson herself, aware of numerous accusations leveled at her throughout her career, responded only to a small fraction of them, conveying the only thing she had time for was "preaching Jesus."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/a_lasting_legacy |title=A Lasting Legacy | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Posthumously, unsubstantiated allegations of extramarital affairs continued to emerge, this time by those who stated to have been her partner; claims not mentioned by them or others while she was still alive. Canadian journalist, [[Gordon Sinclair]], implied such a claim in his 1966 autobiography, ''Will the Real Gordon Sinclair Please Stand Up.'' Sinclair stated he worked on a story with McPherson and it was during one of those times in 1934, the incident purportedly occurred. Sinclair alludes to a sexual dalliance with McPherson one afternoon along with some gin and ginger.<ref>Sutton, pp. 175, 312</ref>

Thirty years after her death, another claim by comedian [[Milton Berle]], in a 1974 autobiography, alleges a brief affair with the evangelist. In his book, entitled '' Milton Berle: An Autobiography'', Berle asserts he met McPherson at the [[Shrine Auditorium]] in Los Angeles where both were doing a charity show. Upon seeing her for the first time, Berle recalled,
<blockquote>"I was both impressed and very curious ... She was all dignity and class when it came her turn. The house went wild when she walked out into the lights." Backstage, she invited him to see Angelus Temple. Instead, Berle wrote, the two of them went to lunch in Santa Monica, then to an apartment of hers where McPherson changed into something "cooler [...] a very thin, pale blue [[negligee]]." Berle said he could see she was wearing nothing underneath. She just said, "Come in." Berle said they met for the second and last time at the same apartment a few days later, writing, "This time, she just sent the chauffeur for me to bring me straight to the apartment. We didn't even bother with lunch. When I was dressing to leave, she stuck out her hand. 'Good luck with your show, Milton.' What the hell. I couldn't resist it. 'Good luck with yours, Aimee.' I never saw or heard from Aimee Semple McPherson again. But whenever I hear '[[Yes Sir, That's My Baby (song)|Yes, Sir, That's My Baby]]', I remember her."<ref>{{cite web|title=Milton Berle with Frank Haskel. ''Milton Berle: An Autobiography''|publisher=[[Delacorte Press]]|year=1974|pages=123–29 |url=http://www.ondoctrine.com/1mcphe05.htm}}</ref></blockquote>

Biographer Matthew Avery Sutton commented, "Berle, a notorious womanizer whose many tales of scandalous affairs were not always true, claimed to have had sex with McPherson on this and one other occasion", both during a year when McPherson was often ill and bedridden. Sutton noted that Berle's story of a [[crucifix]]<ref>Cox, p. 241. Note: McPherson was frequently photographed with the image of the Christian Cross, which differs from the crucifix, with its hanging figure of Jesus and its common association with Catholicism. Cox states anecdotally some persons adversarial to McPherson, who heard the Berle story wanted to believe it was true, "but that bit about the crucifix" convinced them otherwise.</ref> in McPherson's bedroom was not consistent with the coolness of Pentecostal-Catholic relations during that era.<ref>Sutton, p. 174</ref> Another book by Milton Berle, ''Laughingly Yours'', which had autobiographical content that was published in 1939 while McPherson was still alive, did not have this claim.<ref>Cox, p. 241</ref>

Author Raymond L. Cox states: "Mrs. McPherson's daughter, Roberta Salter of New York, told me, 'Mother never had an apartment in her life.' By 1931 she kept herself securely chaperoned to guard against such allegations." During 1930 the evangelist's appearances and whereabouts can be traced almost every day. She was incapacitated with illness a full five months of that year, and there is no place on her schedule as reported in her publications and church and travel records for the benefit Berle alleged. Besides, Roberta also told Cox, "Mother never did a benefit in her life. She had her own charities".<ref>Cox, Raymond L. The Verdict is In, 1983, p. 241</ref>

===Charitable work===
[[File:ASMcPherson, 1935.jpg|thumb|McPherson (left) prepares Christmas food baskets (about 1935)]]
McPherson strove to develop a church organization which could not only provide for the spiritual, but the physical needs of the distressed. Though she fervently believed and preached the imminent return of Jesus Christ,<ref>Blumhofer, p. 210</ref> she had no idea of how soon that [[Second Coming]] might be. Two thoughts pervaded the mind of most devout Pentecostals of the time, "Jesus is coming, therefore how can I get ready," and "how can I help others to get ready?"

For McPherson, part of the answer was to mobilize her Temple congregation and everyone she could reach through radio, telephone and word of mouth to get involved in substantial amounts of charity and social work. "True Christianity is not only to be good but to do good," she preached. The Charities and Beneficiary Department collected donations for all types of humanitarian relief to include a Japanese disaster as well as a German relief fund. Men released from prison were found jobs by a "brotherhood." A "sisterhood" was created as well, sewing baby clothing for impoverished mothers.<ref>Epstein, p. 249</ref> Branch churches elsewhere in the country were likewise encouraged to follow the Angelus Temple's example. Even people who considered McPherson's theology almost ridiculous helped out because they saw her church as the best way to assist their community.<ref>Sutton, pp. 186–191</ref>

In June 1925, after confirming reports of an [[1925 Santa Barbara earthquake|earthquake in Santa Barbara]], McPherson immediately left the parsonage and interrupted a broadcast at a nearby radio station. She took over the microphone from the startled singer and requested food, blankets, clothing, whatever listeners could give for emergency supplies to assist nearby Santa Barbara. As the Red Cross met to discuss and organize aid, McPherson's second convoy had already arrived at the troubled city.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 269</ref> In 1928, after [[St. Francis Dam|a dam failed]] and the ensuing flood left up to 600 dead in its wake, McPherson's church led the relief effort.<ref>Sutton, pp. 189, 315. Note: author states over 400 dead</ref> Later, in 1933, an [[1933 Long Beach earthquake|earthquake struck and devastated Long Beach.]] McPherson quickly arranged for volunteers to be on the scene with blankets, coffee and doughnuts.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 348. Note: author indicates 1934 but probably a typo</ref>

An unwed mother's home was operated of the parsonage. Roberta Semple Star, McPherson's daughter, shared her room with one troubled or battered runaway girl after another. She recalled they came from all over the country and her mother could spot them in any crowd. McPherson herself would frequently contact the girl's presumably worried parents, offering to facilitate a reconciliation if needed. If the girl stayed on, after the baby arrived, McPherson made another call to the parents, letting them know wonderful news: their daughter just gave birth to a healthy eight pound baby boy or girl. McPherson's enthusiastically sincere, caring approach tended to result in reluctant parents accepting back their wayward daughter with their new grandchild.<ref>Epstein, p. 279</ref>

While McPherson, her two children and sometimes visitors shared dinner upstairs, frequently they were interrupted by knocks on the downstairs door. The Angelus Temple parsonage received an unknown number of abandoned infants left in all types of containers at its doorstep. People knew a baby left there would be well taken care of.<ref>Epstein, p. 280</ref> Because many baby abandonments were caused by mothers unable to care for their infants while they worked, she also established a day nursery for children of working mothers.

Drawing from her childhood experience with the Salvation Army, in 1927, McPherson opened a commissary at Angelus Temple which was devised to assist the needy on a much larger, formalized scale. The Commissary was virtually the only place in town a person could get food, clothing, and blankets with no questions asked. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and became active in creating soup kitchens, free clinics, and other charitable activities as the Great Depression wore on. It is estimated that she fed 1.5 million people. When the government shut down the free school lunch program, McPherson took it over. Her policy of giving first and investigating afterward allowed waste and a certain amount of deadbeats to leech off the program, but it "alleviated suffering on an epic scale".<ref>Epstein, p. 369</ref>

McPherson got the fire and police departments to assist in distribution. Doctors, physicians and dentists were persuaded to staff her free clinic that trained 500 nurses to help treat children and the elderly. She encouraged individuals and companies of all types to donate supplies, food, cash or labor. To prevent the power from being turned off to homes of overdue accounts during the winter, a US $2,000<ref>about US $28,000 in 2012</ref> cash reserve was set up with the utility company. Many people, who otherwise would have nothing to do with the Angelus Temple, would receive a call from McPherson, and then loot their mansion closets or company stores for something to give. The Yellow Cab Company donated a large building and, in the first month, 80,000 people received meals there.<ref>Epstein, p. 370</ref><ref>Sutton, p. 316</ref>

Laboring under a sign "Everybody and anybody is somebody to Jesus", volunteer workers filled commissary baskets with an assortment of food and other items as well as Foursquare Gospel literature and handed them out. Even a complete kit designed to care for newborn babies was available. A reporter writes he had always thought the breadline was a "drab colorless scar on our civilization" but of the Angelus Temple commissary, he observes, was "the warm garment of sympathy and Christian succor."<ref name="Sutton, p. 317">Sutton, p. 317</ref> A note, which reflects the sentiment of many of those who received assistance, was left in June, 2010 at McPherson's virtual gravesite:

<blockquote>"My grandpa always talked about when he was a kid, he and his family moved to California from Missouri, during the depression, and his family was starving and they met you and you gave them a bag of vegetables, and some money, he never forgot it."
-Anonymous<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=dfl&GRid=700&FLsr=1 |title=Aimee Semple McPherson (1890 - 1944) - Find A Grave Flowers |publisher=Findagrave.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref></blockquote>

Establishing an employment bureau as well, McPherson desired to help "the discouraged husband, the despondent widow, or the little mother who wants extra work to bear the burden of a sick husband".<ref>Blumhofer, p. 346</ref> She expected everyone in her temple to be involved, 'let us ever strive to lighten our brother's load and dry the tears of a sister; race, creed or status make no difference. We are all one in the eyes of the Lord." She encouraged members to think of the commissary as widening "the spirituality of the whole church".<ref>Blumhofer, p. 348</ref>

In 1932, the commissary was raided by police to allegedly locate a still used to make brandy out of donated apricots. Some sauerkraut and salad oil were purportedly observed leaking from their respective storage areas. As a consequence, the commissary was briefly shut down. The press got involved and the public demanded an investigation. Since no one really wanted to stall the temple's charity efforts, the acceptable solution was to replace the immediate management. The staff was let go and students from her Foursquare Gospel Church's LIFE Bible College filled in. The newspaper media, generally cynical of the Temple and in particular, of McPherson, recognized "the excellent features of that organization's efforts" and "the faults of the Angelus Temple are outweighed by its virtues".<ref>Sutton, p. 194</ref> McPherson issued a statement declaring, "They have clashed loud their cymbals and blown their trumpets about a still and some sauerkraut,... our work is still before us. If...anybody abused his trust, it must not happen again."<ref>Epstein, pp. 375–376</ref>

As McPherson tried to avoid administrative delays in categorizing the "deserving" from the "undeserving," her temple commissary became known as one of the region's most effective and inclusive aid institutions. Few soup kitchens lasted more than several months, but McPherson's remained open.<ref name="Sutton, p. 317"/> Even as she transformed herself into a fashionable blonde Hollywood socialite, McPherson's vigor and practicality for social activism did not change, she loved organizing big projects.<ref>Sutton, pp. 191–192</ref> A 1936 survey indicated the Angelus Temple assisted more family units than any other public or private institution in the city. Because her programs aided non-residents as well, such as migrants from other states and Mexico, she ran afoul of California state regulations. Even though temple guidelines were later officially adjusted to accommodate those policies, helping families in need was a priority, regardless of their place of residence.<ref>Sutton, p. 195</ref>

Actor [[Anthony Quinn]] recalls:

<blockquote>"This was all during the height of the Depression, when hunger and poverty permeated America. Many Mexicans were terrified of appealing for county help because most of them were in the country illegally. When in distress, they were comforted by the fact that they could call one of Aimee's branches at any time of the night. There, they would never be asked any of the embarrassing questions posed by the authorities. The fact that they were hungry or in need of warm clothing was enough. No one even asked if they belonged to Aimee's church or not."<ref name="Anthony Quinn 1972 pp 122"/></blockquote>

===Later life and career===
[[File:ASM-cutting cake.jpg|thumbnail|right|McPherson surrounded by flowers, cutting into Angelus Temple cake, 1927. Not one for settling into a predictable routine, she used her birthday, national holidays and other events to theme church services and gala festivities around.]]
Following her heyday in the 1920s, McPherson carried on with her ministry but fell out of favor with the press. They once dubbed her the "miracle worker"<ref>Blumhofer, p. 205</ref> or "miracle woman", reporting extensively on her faith healing demonstrations, but now were anxious to relay every disturbance in her household to the headlines. Her developing difficulties with her mother, Mildred Kennedy, were starting to take the front page. Yet, McPherson emerged from the kidnapping nationally famous. As much as ten percent of the population in Los Angeles held membership in her Temple.<ref name="ReferenceC">Roberts Liardon, God's Generals: Vol. 7, DVD 2005</ref> For a time, movie studios competed with each other offering McPherson long-term contracts.

Believing that talking pictures had the potential to transform Christianity, McPherson explored Hollywood culture and appeared in newsreels alongside other famous individuals such as [[Mary Pickford]], [[Frances Perkins]], and [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. She lost weight, cut and dyed her hair, and became stylish and well attired. A critic wrote McPherson "can out-dress the Hollywood stars". The solicitation of fame, justified to draw audiences to her and hence to Christ, was more than some in her church organization could accept. They yearned for Sister Aimee "in the old time dress," referring to her previous "trademarked" uniform of a navy cape over a white servant's dress; both purchased inexpensively in bargain basements.<ref>Sutton, pp. 153–160</ref> Other members, though, loved it and her Angelus Temple services were as popular as ever and remained so throughout her life. Unless parishioners arrived to a service early, frequently they could not get in, all seats were taken. Now that she could afford it, McPherson thought as well, she wanted her apparel and display to be the best she could present to Jesus.<ref name="pbs.org"/><ref name="ReferenceC"/>

In early 1927, McPherson immediately set out on a "vindication tour", visiting various cities and taking advantage of the publicity her kidnapping story created to preach the Gospel.<ref>She also traveled to England, Scotland and Wales for five weeks of revival services. Press reports, depending upon the sources, described her audiences as either lacking enthusiasm or multitudes filling the altars anxiously awaiting a return visit. {{Cite news |title=Poor Aimee |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,732031,00.html?promoid=googlep |quote=Those of the nobility and gentry and middle classes who reflected upon the matter appeared to feel that the Holy Bible still offers a sufficient choice of Gospels. But of course the London mob, the lower classes, rushed to attend the evangelistic First Night of Aimee Semple McPherson|publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date= October 22, 1928|accessdate=2007-08-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070930045728/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,732031,00.html?promoid=googlep| archivedate= 30 September 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Her visit to New York in fox-furs and a finely trimmed yellow suit was noted in the society pages. She visited even nightclubs, to include a famous speakeasy in New York: [[Texas Guinan]]’s Three Hundred Club on 54th Street. While McPherson sipped water at her table, Guinan asked if she would speak a few words to the patrons. Delighted, McPherson stood and addressed the jazzed and boozy crowd:

<blockquote>"Behind all these beautiful clothes, behind these good times, in the midst of your lovely buildings and shops and pleasures, there is another life. There is something on the other side. “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” With all your getting and playing and good times, do not forget you have a Lord. Take Him into your hearts." </blockquote>

The unexpected speech that did not judge, and had a conciliatory tone between them and the Divine, earned a thoughtful moment of silence from the crowd, then an applause that went on for much longer than the speech took. The revelers were invited to hear her preach at the [[Glad tidings tabernacle|Glad Tidings Tabernacle]] on 33rd street. The visits to speakeasies and nightclubs added to McPherson's notoriety; Newspapers reported heavily on them, rumors erroneously conveyed she was drinking, smoking and dancing; and her mother along with some other church members, did not understand McPherson's strategy of tearing down barriers between the secular and religious world, between the sinner and the saved.<ref>Epstein, pp. 318–320</ref>

In the summer of 1927, Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, left the Angelus Temple. In an attempt to curtail her daughter's influence and officially transfer more power to herself, Kennedy initiated a staff member "vote of confidence" against McPherson, but lost. The two had heatedly argued over management polices and McPherson's changing personal dress and appearance.<ref>Epstein, p. 325</ref> For similar reasons, 300 members of the choir left as well. The choir could be replaced;<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 308, 317. Note: A month later most of the choir members returned. Their leader, Gladwyn Nichols later returned as well, after publicly apologizing to McPherson.</ref> however, Kennedy's financial and administrative skills had been of crucial importance in growing McPherson's ministry from tent revivals to satellite churches and maintaining its current activities in the Temple. A series of less able management staff replaced Kennedy and the Temple became involved in various questionable projects such as hotel building, cemetery plots, and land sales. Accordingly, the Angelus Temple plummeted deep into debt. In response to the difficulties, Kennedy came back in late 1929, but because of continued serious disagreements with McPherson, tendered her resignation July 29, 1930.<ref>Epstein, p. 341</ref> The following month, in August 1930, McPherson suffered a physical and [[nervous breakdown]]. For ten months she was absent from the pulpit, diagnosed, in part with acute [[acidosis]].<ref>Epstein, p. 343</ref>

When she gained strength and returned, it was with renewed vigor that she introduced her moving "Attar of Roses" sermon, based on the Song of Solomon, with its Rose of Charon as the mystical Body of Christ. While journalists attending her Sunday illustrated sermons assumed her language was fit only for slapstick or sentimental entertainment, scholars who have studied her work for Bible students and small prayer groups, found instead the complex discourse of [[Neoplatonism|neoplatonic]] interpretation. The Old Testament book, the Song of Solomon, for example, she had hundreds of pages written about it, each "different from one another as snowflakes".<ref>Epstein, p. 356</ref>

In September, 1931, on her way to an eight-day revival in [[Portland, Oregon]], she visited former district attorney [[Asa Keyes]], in the [[San Quentin]] penitentiary. Keyes, who had been a vigorous prosecutor in attempting to prove her 1926 kidnapping story a fraud, was imprisoned on an unrelated matter. McPherson, with no apparent malice or gloating, wished him well and said he was in her prayers. A grateful Keyes thanked her. Afterwards, she arranged to visit Boston for an ambitious nine-day revival. McPherson trained for it by swimming 3 1/2 miles per day across [[Lake Elsinore, California]], paced by a rowboat.<ref>Epstein, pp. 366–367</ref>

The October 10–18, 1931 revival in [[Boston]] started out sluggishly and many predicted its failure. A Los Angeles newspaper ran headlines of the flop and expected more of the same in the days to come. On opening night, McPherson spoke to less than 5,000 persons in the 22,000 seating sports arena, and safety pins and rubber bands abundantly cluttered the collection baskets. The city had large populations of Unitarians, Episcopalians and Catholics, venerable denominations traditionally hostile to a Pentecostal / fundamentalist message. Afterwards, from her hotel room, McPherson, known to be a sports fan, asked for the afternoon's World Series scores and a Boston Herald reporter sent her a copy of the Sunday edition. The next day, the "Bring Back the Bible to Boston" campaign's tone shifted as McPherson took greater control and attendance climbed sharply.<ref name="Epstein, p. 368">Epstein, p. 368</ref><ref name="CoxBoston">{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/boston.htm|title=Dr. Raymond L. Cox : The Greatest Nine Days|publisher=oocities.org|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

A reporter took note of McPherson's stage presence, different from any other evangelist who spoke there, gesturing with her white Bible for effect as well as preaching. Answering him as to why she presented a dramatic sermon, she stated, "Our God is a dramatic God,... rolling back the Red Sea,... Elijah on the mountaintop,... the crucifixion, the resurrection, His ascension,... tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost." The final day of afternoon and evening services had 40,000 persons attending, the stadium was full and more than 5,000 had to be turned away. A total of 160,000 people attended the meetings; breaking historic attendance records of any nine days of revival services in Boston.<ref name="CoxBoston"/>

Her revival in [[New York City]] was not very fruitful, her sensationalistic reputation preceded her. The third marriage to David Hutton, rumored romances and her kidnapping was what its press and citizens wanted hear about. Therefore, after a brief pause in New York and [[Washington, DC]], she went on [[Philadelphia]] and other cities, traveling to 46 of them in 21 states; speaking to as much as two percent of the entire population of the United States. A full crew of musicians, scene designers and costumers accompanied McPherson. In this, her last national revival tour, between September 1933 and December 20, 1934, two million persons heard 336 sermons. Many more were reached by 45 radio stations.<ref>Epstein, p. 388</ref>

The Boston Evening Traveler newspaper reported:

<blockquote>"Aimee's religion is a religion of joy. There is happiness in it. Her voice is easy to listen to. She does not appeal to the brain and try to hammer religion into the heads of her audience. Rather, she appeals to the hearts of her hearers. She radiates friendliness. She creates an atmosphere that is warming. She is persuasive, rather than forceful; gracious and kindly, rather than compelling. Fundamentally she takes the whole Bible literally, from cover to cover."<ref name="CoxBoston"/></blockquote>

Nevertheless, she was not a [[Biblical literalism|radical literalist]]. In an informal meeting with some Harvard students, McPherson told them that Genesis allowed great latitude of interpretation, and that neither she nor the Bible insisted the world was created only 6,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skepticism.org/timeline/october-history/9302-aimee-semple-mcpherson-uninvited-speak-harvard.html |title=Today in History: 15 October 1931: Aimee Semple McPherson Uninvited to Speak at Harvard |publisher=Skepticism.org |date=1931-10-15 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> In another meeting with students, she heard their assertion the teachings of Christ have outlived their usefulness; education, science and cold reasoning was the new savior of the world. Thus compelled, McPherson decided to travel and look at the world with new eyes.<ref name="GiveGod">McPherson, Aimee Semple, Give me my Own God, H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc., 1936</ref> In 1935 McPherson embarked on a worldwide six-month discovery tour to examine the social religious and economic climates of many countries. At one point it was earlier reported she wanted to study the women's movement in connection with the campaign for the Independence of India, and was anxious to have "a chat with [[Mahatma Gandhi]]".<ref name="newspapers1"/> She received an invitation from him and he gave her a sari made from threads woven from his simple spinning wheel. Impressed with Gandhi and his ideas, McPherson thought he might secretly lean towards Christianity; his dedication possibly coming from catching "a glimpse of the cleansing, lifting, strengthening power of the Nazarene".<ref>Matthew Avery Sutton, Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007), p. 233</ref>

Other highlights included traversing barefoot, in [[Myanmar]], the lengthy stone path to [[Shwedagon Pagoda|the Great Pagoda]], a gold covered 325 ft tiered tower enshrining relics of four [[Buddha]]s, which caught and reflected the rays of the sun; a "vision of breath-taking glory."<ref>McPherson, Give me my Own God, pp. 88–89</ref> She heard [[Benito Mussolini]] speak in Italy, and fretted war would again ensue. In the rain, at [[Verdun, France]], she sat on a wrecked military vehicle in mournful contemplation of the hundreds of thousands who died on the still uncleared battlefield. White, bleached, bones of the fallen poked out of the earth, and nearby, laborers toiled carefully at their dangerous [[iron harvest]], collecting old munitions for disposal.

As she sailed to New York passing by the [[Statue of Liberty]], McPherson was fascinated by its illumined torch. The flame represented to her some of the things missing from the other countries visited: truth and life; knowledge from schools and colleges, shelter of the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]], law, order, and progress. McPherson's concluded from her trip that though the United States might wander, a revival of faith in God would kill the "fatted calf of the Depression" and "again spread the banquet table."<ref>McPherson, Give me my Own God, p. 310</ref>

In mid-1936, a delegation who had been involved with the 1906 [[Azusa Street Revival|Azusa Street Mission Revival]]s asked if they could use the Angelus Temple for their 30th Anniversary Celebration. The original mission building was demolished and its land unavailable. African American Evangelist Emma Cotton and McPherson therefore organized a series of meetings which also marked her enthusiastic re-identification with the Pentecostal movement. McPherson's experiments of Hollywood celebrity ambitions co-existing with her ministry were not as successful she hoped. Alliances with other church groups were failing or no longer in effect and she searched for ways to start again. Therefore, she looked to her spiritual origins and allowed for the possibility of re-introducing even the more alarming aspects of the Pentecostal experience into her public meetings. Temple officials were concerned the Azusa people might bring in some "wildfire and Holy Rollerism." McPherson indicated she would turn hand springs with them as needed to see the power of God manifest.

The [[Azusa Street Revival]] commemoration events brought numbers of black leaders to her pulpit. The original attendees of the Azusa revivals filled the Angelus Temple along with every ethnic minority, "the saints who were once smelted together with the fires of Pentecost" were "being reunited re-welded and rejuvenated." McPherson recommitted herself to the dissemination of "classic Pentecostalism," and her concern now was that Foursquaredom was in the danger of becoming too "churchy." For the first time since the Temple opened, McPherson began to publicly deliver some of her messages in tongues. McPherson traversed the line between cold formality and wildfire and now decided it was easier to cool down a hot fanatic than to resuscitate a corpse. Future meetings to celebrate the [[Azusa Street Revival]]s included guest [[Charles Harrison Mason|Charles H. Mason]], a founder of the Churches of God in Christ. Mason, an Azusa leader, was also one of the most significant African American religious figures in United States history and was frequently hosted at the Angelus Temple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/mcpente.htm |title=Dr. Raymond L. Cox : Was Aimee Semple McPherson Pentecostal? |publisher=oocities.org |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

[[File:ASM Semple Crawford1935.jpg|thumbnail|left|Roberta Star Semple, (left) McPherson's daughter, (middle) and Rheba Crawford Splivalo, assistant pastor,(right) at a parade in 1935.]]
Also in 1936, McPherson reassigned staff responsibilities in an effort to address the Temple's financial difficulties. This, together with other unresolved issues, accelerated simmering tensions among various staff members. Rumors circulated that "Angel of Broadway", charismatic evangelist Rheba Crawford Splivalo, who had been working extensively with McPherson for several years, planned to take the Angelus Temple from her. McPherson asked Splivalo to "leave town".<ref name="Epstein, p. 368"/> In the course of the staff controversy, McPherson's lawyer issued a strongly worded press release that upset Roberta Star Semple, McPherson's daughter, and led her to initiate a $150,000<ref>US $2.3 million dollars in 2012</ref> lawsuit against him for slander. Splivalo also sued McPherson for $1,080,000<ref>US $17 million in 2012</ref> because of alleged statements calling her a ‘[[Jezebel]] and a [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]’ and "unfit to stand in the Angelus Temple pulpit".<ref>Thomas, ''Storming'', pp. 282-284, 297 NOTE: Splivalo did earn a loyal following of disciples at the Angelus Temple; one in particular who was in contentious strife with McPherson. Splivalo gathered a list of purported damaging statements together with the witnesses, places and times they were allegedly made by McPherson. However, the vocabulary of accused slanderous remarks as stated the lawsuit, were inconsistent with McPherson's known public sermons, writings, and statements.</ref><ref>Herald-Journal – May 11, 1937</ref>

The two lawsuits filed by Semple and Splivalo were not related, but McPherson did not see it that way. She saw both as part of the Temple takeover plot. Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, was also involved and sided with Semple, her granddaughter, making unflattering statements about McPherson to the press. In these charged circumstances, McPherson's defense of herself and her [[lawyer]] in a public trial was dramatic and theatrical. She testified tearfully with swoons and faints about how her daughter conspired with others against her.<ref>United Press, April 15, 1937.</ref> Her daughter's lawyer, meanwhile, mocked McPherson by imitating her mannerisms and making faces at her.<ref>Epstein, pp. 413–414</ref> The trial did much to estrange McPherson from her daughter. The judge ruled for Semple giving a $2,000<ref>US $31,000 in 2012</ref> judgement in her favor. Semple then moved to [[New York]]. Splivalo and the Temple settled their suit [[out of court]] for the "cause of religion and the good of the community."<ref>Epstein, p. 416</ref>

With Kennedy, Semple, and Splivalo gone, the Temple lost much of its talented leadership. However, McPherson found a competent and firm administrator in Giles Knight, who was able to bring the Temple out of debt, dispose of the 40 or so lawsuits, and eliminate the more spurious projects. He sequestered McPherson, allowed her to receive only a few personal visitors, and carefully regulated her activities outside the Temple. This period was one of unprecedented creativity for McPherson. No longer distracted by waves of reporters, reams of lawsuits, and numberless individuals demanding her attention, she became very accomplished in her illustrative sermon style of gospel preaching. The irreligious [[Charlie Chaplin]] would secretly attend her services, enjoying her sermons. She later met and consulted with Chaplin on ways to improve her presentations. McPherson, who earlier blared across newspaper headlines as many as three times a week, in one alleged scandal or another, had her public image much improved. Her adversary, Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]], who previously attacked her by radio, magazine, pulpit, and pamphlet, proclaimed "Aimee's missionary work was the envy of Methodists".<ref>Epstein, p. 427</ref> He also expressed his support of her Foursquare Church application admittance into National Association of Evangelicals for United Action in 1943.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/>

Her efforts at making interracial revival a reality at Angelus Temple continued. She welcomed blacks into the congregation and pulpit. While race riots burned [[Detroit]] in 1943, McPherson publicly converted the notorious black former [[heavyweight]] champion [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] on the Temple stage and embraced him “as he raised his hand in worship”.<ref>{{cite web|last=Updike |first=John |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/30/070430crbo_books_updike |title=Famous Aimee |publisher=The New Yorker |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 |title=Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America — Matthew Avery Sutton | Harvard University Press |publisher=Hup.harvard.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

===War years===
[[Pacifism]], which was a component of Pentecostalism, was evaluated by the Foursquare Gospel Church in the 1930s with official statements and documents which were further revised by McPherson. A press quote attributed to McPherson, in reference to Mahatma Gandhi, appears to explore the concept, "I want to incorporate the ideals of India with my own...."<ref name="newspapers1"/> Additionally, Clinton Howard, the chairman of the World Peace Commission, was invited to speak at the Angelus Temple. In 1932 she promoted disarmament, "If the nations of the world would stop building warships and equipping armies we would be all but overwhelmed with prosperity."<ref>Sutton, p. 256</ref>

Foursquare leaders, alarmed at rapid changes of technology, especially sea and air, which challenged the United States isolation and security, decided to officially draw up an amendment inclusive of varied opinions in regards to military service. The idea that one could trust to bear arms in a righteous cause as well as believing the killing of others, even in connection to military service, would endanger their souls; both views were acceptable.<ref>Sutton, pp. 256–257</ref>

McPherson kept a canny eye on the international events leading up to the Second World War, citing the probability of a much more terrible conflict than the one that passed 20 years earlier. In a sermon, she described a recently conquered country which had the Cross and other religious symbols in their schools removed; in their place was a portrait of a certain man. Instead of prayer, their school day began with a distinctive salute to this person. The destructive [[apocalypse]] of [[John the Apostle]], with its expected high civilian casualties, followed by the Second Coming of Christ, it seemed, was at hand. Even if submarines were hiding in the depths of the sea, they could not escape the terror that would befall them.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson Audio Tapes, Zero Hour Sermon, http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/103.htm#602</ref>
[[File:ASM 14hourService 1.jpg|thumbnail|left|Congregation at Angelus Temple during 14-hour Holy Ghost service led by Aimee Semple McPherson, Los Angeles, Calif., 1942]]
All night prayer meetings were held Friday nights at the Angelus Temple, starting in 1940, the year when [[Germany]] was overrunning [[Belgium]], the [[Netherlands]] and [[France]]. She asked other Foursquare churches around the country to follow suit. She sent President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s secretary, Mr. [[Stephen Early]], as well as some other leaders, an outline of her plans. Prayer, to her, was even more powerful than the implements of war. Various officials expressed their appreciation, including the governor of California.<ref name="foursquare.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/world_war_ii_and_angelus_temple |title=World War II and Angelus Temple | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Early passed on a reply back from Roosevelt: a message of thanks for her work. A month later Roosevelt declared a [[National Day of Prayer]] to "beseech the Ruler of the Universe to bless our Republic." Foursquare leaders thought McPherson may have inspired it; and perhaps the President of the United States was looking to her for spiritual leadership of the nation.<ref>Sutton, p. 258</ref>

At the outbreak of [[World War II]], McPherson rejected the Christian pacifism of many in the Pentecostal movement including those of her own church. Her mind was set on doing what ever it took to assist the United States in winning the war, "It is the Bible against ''[[Mein Kampf]]''. It is the [[Christian cross|Cross]] against the [[Swastika]]. It is God against the [[antichrist]] of [[Japan]],... This is no time for pacifism."<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson, "Foursquaredom and Uncle Sam," Foursquare Crusader, 14 (February 1942) p. 24</ref> The Angelus Temple itself became a visible symbol of home front sacrifice for the war effort. If necessary, it was announced the building could be used for an air raid shelter. The distinctive white dome was painted over with black paint and its beautiful stained glass windows covered up. The Temple, like other buildings in the city, had to have any opening or window that could emit visible light at night, covered. One evening in May 1942, to advertise the need to conserve gasoline and rubber, McPherson herself drove a horse and buggy to the Angelus Temple.<ref name="foursquare.org"/>

[[Rubber]] and other [[Drive (charity)|drives]] were organized; and unlimited airtime on her radio station, KFSG, was given to the [[Office of War Information]]. She asked parishioners and other listeners to donate two hours a day for such tasks as rolling bandages "so that a soldier's bandage could be changed.... And let us give our blood to help every one." Money was raised to provide local military bases with comfortable furnishings and radios. ''Newsweek'' published an article about McPherson, "The World's Greatest Living Minister," in July 19, 1943, noting she had collected 2,800 pints of blood for the Red Cross; servicemen in her audience are especially honored, and the climax of her church services is when she reads the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|National Anthem]].<ref>Sutton, pp. 264, 333</ref>

McPherson gave visiting servicemen autographed Bibles. She observed they often had no religious affiliation and did not even own a Bible. She wrote:

<blockquote>"What a privilege it was to invite the servicemen present in every Sunday night meeting to come to the platform, where I greeted them, gave each one a New Testament, and knelt in prayer with them for their spiritual needs, and God’s guidance and protection on their lives. Later, when the altar call would be given, many of these same servicemen would make another trip to the platform publicly to receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior."<ref name="foursquare.org"/></blockquote>

She insulted [[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Hideki Tōjō]], and became involved in [[war bond]] rallies. Pershing Square's Victory House in Los Angeles never saw a bigger crowd. McPherson sold $150,000<ref>Note: A P47 Thunderbolt fighter was then priced about $85,000, P51 Mustang $50,000, M4 Sherman tank $50,000, B17 Flying Fortress $240,00</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panzerworld.net/prices.html |title=Product Prices |publisher=Panzerworld.net |date=2013-10-22 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ww2total.com/WW2/Weapons/Vehicles/Tanks/US/Sherman-tank/Sherman-tank-76mm.htm |title=Sherman tank - improved M4 models with 76mm gun, protection |publisher=Ww2total.com |date=1945-04-26 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>US 2 million dollars in 2012</ref> worth of bonds in one hour on June 20, 1942, breaking all previous records, then repeated the performance again on July 4, 1944.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 373</ref><ref>Sutton, p. 264</ref> The [[U.S. Treasury]] awarded her a special citation. The Army made McPherson an honorary colonel.

Her wartime activities included sermons that linked the church and American patriotism.<ref>Sutton, Matthew. ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]'', London: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007</ref> McPherson spoke to the men in uniform of her belief that military action against the Axis powers was long overdue. And more so than in almost any war previously, she felt that if they did not prevail, churches, homes and everything precious and dear to the Christian would absolutely be destroyed.<ref name="Sutton, p. 263">Sutton, p. 263</ref>

McPherson's embrace of the [[total war]] strategy of the United States, left her open to some criticism. The line between the church as an independent moral authority monitoring government became blurred, perceived instead, as complicit with that same governance. Wrongs being done to Japanese Americans through their internment in relocation camps, were being overlooked, for example. And she refused to allow her denomination to support Christians who remained committed pacifists. Even if conscientious objectors were willing to participate in non-combat roles, more was needed. Church members and leaders had to be willing to take up arms and fight for the United States. The pacifist clause which earlier existed, was by her proposal, voted upon and eliminated by Foursquare Gospel Church leaders.<ref name="Sutton, p. 263"/>

She articulated the history of Christianity, as a torch ignited first in the Near East with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus; moving to Europe, then England finally to arrive in the United States. Freedom of speech, assembly, and the press was being blotted out in Asia and Europe; the United States now had total responsibility for Christianity, to carry the Gospel to millions. McPherson announced, "the flag of America and the church stand for the same thing...they stand or fall together!"<ref>Sutton, p. 266</ref>

===Death===
[[File:Aimee Semple McPherson grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California.JPG|thumb|McPherson's grave]]
On September 26, 1944, McPherson went to [[Oakland, California]], for a series of revivals, planning to preach her popular "Story of My Life" sermon. When McPherson's son went to her hotel room at 10:00 the next morning, he found her unconscious with pills and a half-empty bottle of capsules nearby. She was dead by 11:15. It was later discovered she previously called her doctor that morning to complain about feeling ill from the medicine, but he was in surgery and could not be disturbed. She then phoned another doctor who referred her to yet another physician; however, McPherson apparently lost consciousness before the third could be contacted.<ref>Epstein, p. 438</ref><ref>Robinson, Judith ''Working Miracles The Drama and Passion of Aimee Semple McPherson'' (James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers, Toronto, 2008) p.104-105</ref>

The autopsy did not conclusively determine the cause of McPherson's death. She had been taking sleeping pills following numerous health problems – including "tropical fever". Among the pills found in the hotel room was the barbiturate [[Seconal]], a strong sedative which had not been prescribed for her. It was unknown how she obtained them.

The coroner said she most likely died of an accidental overdose compounded by kidney failure. The cause of death is officially listed as unknown.<ref>Note: In the 1993 obituary for her daughter-in-law, McPherson's life and death are mentioned. {{Cite news |title= Lorna McPherson, 82, Of the Angelus Temple. |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEEDF1738F93BA25755C0A965958260 |quote= Aimee Semple McPherson founded Angelus Temple in the early 1920s, when her brand of fundamentalist Christianity, stressing the "born-again" experience, divine healing and evangelism, was popular in the United States. She died on Sept. 27, 1944, of shock and respiratory failure attributed to an overdose of sleeping pills. |publisher=New York Times|date=June 18, 1993|accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref> Given the circumstances, there was speculation about suicide, but most sources generally agree the overdose was accidental, as stated in the coroner's report.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Sister Aimee's' Death Is Ruled An Accident |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/279794392.html|quote= Aimee Semple McPherson, famous evangelist who occupied the headlines almost as often as the pulpit, died of shock and respiratory failure "from an accidental over-dosage" of sleeping capsules, a coroner's jury decided today.|publisher=United Press International in [[The Washington Post]] |date=October 14, 1944|accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>

Forty-five thousand people waited in long lines, some until 2 am, to file past the evangelist, where, for three days, her body lay in state at the Angelus Temple. Within a mile-and-a-half radius of the church, police had to double park cars. It later took 11 trucks to transport the $50,000<ref>US $630,000 in 2012 dollars</ref> worth of flowers to the cemetery which itself received more telegrammed floral orders than at any time since Will Roger's death almost 10 years earlier. A Foursquare leader noted that to watch the long line pass reverently by her casket, and see tears shed by all types of people, regardless of class and color, helped give understanding to the far-reaching influence of her life and ministry.<ref>Sutton, p. 270</ref>

An observer, Marcus Bach, who was on a spiritual odyssey of personal discovery, wrote:

<blockquote>"Roberta, who had married an orchestra director, flew in from New York. Ma Kennedy was at the grave, Rheba Crawford Splivalo had returned to say that there was never a greater worker for God than Sister. A thousand ministers of the Foursquare Gospel paid their tearful tribute. The curious stood by impressed. The poor who had always been fed at Angelus were there, the lost who had been spirit-filled, the healed, the faithful here they were eager to immortalize the Ontario farm girl who loved the Lord. Here they laid the body of Sister Aimee to rest in the marble sarcophagus guarded by two great angels on Sunrise slope. "<ref name="foundfaith">Bach, Marcus, They Have Found a Faith, (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis / New York, 1946) p. 74</ref></blockquote>

Millions of dollars passed through McPherson's hands. However, when her personal estate was calculated, it amounted to US $10,000.<ref>about $130,000 in 2013</ref> To her daughter, Roberta, went US $2000<ref>about US$26,000 in 2013 dollars</ref> the remainder to her son Rolf. By contrast, her mother Mildred Kennedy had a 1927 severance settlement of as much as US $200,000<ref>about US$2.5 million in 2013 dollars</ref> in cash and property; the Foursquare Church itself was worth $2.8 million<ref>about US$36 million in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 440</ref>

McPherson is buried in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]] in [[Glendale, California]]. Following her death, the Foursquare Gospel church denomination was led for 44 years by her son [[Rolf McPherson]]. The church claims a membership of over 7.9 million worldwide.<ref>http://www.foursquare.org</ref>

===Legacy and influence===
McPherson's ministry continued to flourish even in the face of scandal. The newspapers which served to propel McPherson to fame and advertise her message, also were used to highlight her faults, real and imagined. Some modern televangelists who transgressed and faded into obscurity because of high profile news coverage, also learned how quickly modern communication media could hurt as well as help them. After her death, the largely negative aspect of her media image persisted, was cultivated<ref>Cox, p. 3. Note: as one example Cox lists, a reporter for The Los Angeles Times, Dial Torgerson, May 18, 1969; writes in his ''Aimee's Disappearance Remains a Mystery,'' story, that HC Benedict, owner of the Carmel cottage, was expected to be a witness against McPherson, but died apparently of heart trouble before he could testify. Cox notes that HC Benedict did indeed testify, but on her behalf, denying vehemently the woman with Ormiston was McPherson. HC Benedict died on November 20, 1926, some weeks after all testimony had been concluded.</ref> and became the dominant factor in defining McPherson for many in the public today.<ref>Sutton, p. 278</ref>

Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]], whose caustic view of McPherson softened over the years, wrote he could not figure out why God chose such a person. The flaws he observed in McPherson, were by his opinion, many, yet she ultimately made a positive impact on Christianity, long lasting and enduring . He recognized her appeal was a combination of identifying with the average citizen as well as an ability to explain the gospel in simple, easily understandable terms, drawing them irresistibly to her services:

<blockquote>...while great cathedral churches closed their doors on Sunday night, the crowds pushed through her portals in one ever-flowing stream.</blockquote>

He saw her legacy extend far beyond the glamor of Hollywood, exerting itself through the thousands of ministers she trained and churches planted throughout the world. McPherson, together with the alliances she made, worked to reshape the evangelical Christian faith, making it relevant to American culture and personally involving for those in the audience.<ref>Sutton, p. 275</ref>

In [[Fresno]], California, 1924, nine-year-old Uldine Utley (1912–1995), became a fervent believer. After hearing McPherson's dramatic retelling of the David and [[Goliath]] story, the young girl tearfully gave her life over to Christ, and dedicated herself to be "a little David for the lord and fight Goliath, " With her parents as managers, she went on to preach to millions of people and converted many thousands. She frequently used the same metaphors as McPherson, referring to Christ as "the Rose of Charon" and invoking "Bride of Christ" imagery.<ref>George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University, Truman State University Press, 1999, p. 308</ref>

Two years later, in [[New York City]], Dr [[John Sung]] (1901–1944), described as a brilliant scientist with a PhD in chemistry,<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2009/02/dr-john-sung.html |title=The Taiwanese 台灣人 Tâi-Oân Lâng: Dr. John Sung 宋尚節博士 |publisher=Thetaiwanese.blogspot.com |date=2009-02-13 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> was expecting to see the well known Pastor Dr. I. M. Haldeman, whom he hoped would intellectually address his current crises of faith. Instead, as part of her extremely successful New York revival crusade, the eleven-year-old Uldine Utley took to the stage. Similar to McPherson's style of simplicity and power, but with childlike innocence, Utley preached her message. Awed, Sung fervently desired the same empowerment of God he saw in the 11-year-old girl. Dr Sung eventually returned to China and became a significant evangelist, leading perhaps as many as 100,000 Chinese to Jesus Christ in three years<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.ochristian.com/article2573.shtml |title=Timothy Tow - John Sung and the Asian Awakening |publisher=Articles.ochristian.com |date=1927-02-10 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Though not as extensively media covered as McPherson, both Utley's, and Sung's ministry included many instances alleged faith healing.<ref name="towel.mysitehosted.com">{{cite web|url=http://towel.mysitehosted.com/~awakeand//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43 |title=Awake and Go! Global Prayer Network - John Sung |publisher=Towel.mysitehosted.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rlhymersjr.com/Online_Sermons/2009/060609PM_JohnSung.html |title=The Real Conversion Of Dr. John Sung |publisher=Rlhymersjr.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Together with [[Billy Sunday]], McPherson and Utley were named as the three major names in revivalism in 1927<ref>1927 NYTIMES Oct 27 1927, SM4</ref> Dr John Sung has been called the "John Wesley of China,"<ref name="towel.mysitehosted.com"/> and the "Billy Graham of China."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblesnet.com/John%20Sung%20Billy%20Graham%20of%20China%20by%20Dr%20Paul%20Lee%20Tan.pdf |title=Dr. John Sung - "Billy Graham of China" |author=Dr. Paul Lee Tan |publisher=Biblesnet.com |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Ironically, the Chinese mission field was where McPherson herself started out, but was forced to abandon after the death of her first husband Robert Semple. McPherson wrote even under the best of circumstances the Chinese mission field was extremely difficult particularly due to cultural and numerous local language differences. Sung knew the culture, being born into it, however, even he preached using a regional language interpreter who relayed his message to the audience.

During the Great Depression years, as a child, Dr. [[Edwin Louis Cole]]'s mother attended LIFE Bible College and as he grew up, Cole participated in various Angelus Temple activities "witnessing the miraculous."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianmensnetwork.com/about/dr-edwin-louis-cole |title=Dr. Edwin Louis Cole |publisher=Christianmensnetwork.com |date=1981-04-24 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Cole went onto found the Christian Men's Network and influenced many to include Coach [[Bill McCartney]] (starter of Promise Keepers), [[Pat Robertson]] (president of the 700 Club), John Maxwell (president of Injoy Ministries), [[Kenneth Copeland]], [[Oliver North]] and as [[Chuck Norris]], the martial artist and actor, writes, himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobile.wnd.com/2012/06/who-is-more-powerful-than-the-president |title=Who is more powerful than the president? |publisher=Mobile.wnd.com |date=2012-06-10 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

In the early 1900s it was expected traditional Protestantism would give way to rapidly developing new philosophical ideas and sciences that were being widely taught. McPherson contributed immensely to the forestalling of that predicted inevitability. [[Liberal Christianity]], which enjoyed strong growth starting in the late 19th century, regarded many of the miracles of Jesus to be superstitious interpretations of what actually occurred or metaphors for his teachings. McPherson's faith healing demonstrations instead gave credence to onlookers her claim was true: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. It was easy to deny a God who did something 1,900 years ago, but large crowds of people were now witness to the blind seeing, the lame walking and the deaf hearing. Alleged healings were occurring faster than the journalists could write them down. Crowds clamored to reach her altar to experience a New Testament conversion that transformed many of their lives. Even large portions of the secular public admired her. The old time gospel message was being dramatically marketed by the most technologically advanced means possible, reconstructing it into something far more interesting and desirable than it was previously.<ref>Sutton, pp. 277–280</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 229–231</ref>

McPherson's [[Ecumenism|ecumenical]] approach assisted Pentecostals in learning how better to explain their faith in the context of [[Protestantism|historic church doctrine]]. Mainline churches became exposed to the more unusual [[Spiritual gift|gifts of the Holy Spirit]]. They also benefited by borrowing Pentecostal revival techniques<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/> such as more emotive expression, joyful praise worship and testimonials, forerunning the [[Charismatic Movement]].

Defying gender norms, McPherson challenged what was expected from women. Females as preachers and her status as a divorcee with two failed marriages were of particular concern to many of the fundamentalist churches she wanted to work with, but her success could not be easily ignored. Meanwhile, secular society broadly labeled women as either Victorian ladies or whores,<ref>Sutton, p. 150</ref> and she bounced from one category to the other. She had her extensive relief charities and along with it, titillating scandals. Atheist [[Charles Lee Smith]] remarked publicly of McPherson, just before a debate, that she had an extraordinary mind, "particularly for a woman."<ref>''There is a God: Debate between Aimee Semple McPherson, Fundamentalist and Charles Lee Smith, Atheist'' (Foursquare Publications, 1100 Glendale BLVD Los Angeles. CA), 1934</ref>

Her continual work at church alliance building finally bore fruit in an impressive, official way, though she did not live to see it. Foursquare Gospel Church leaders were at last able to join the [[National Association of Evangelicals]] in 1952 and from there helped organize the [[Pentecostal World Fellowship]] which worked to keep the fires of religious revival burning into contemporary times.<ref>Sutton, pp. 275–276</ref> Pentecostalism which once advocated separatism and was on the fringes of Protestantism, became part of mainstream Christianity and grafted itself into American society at every level.<ref>Sutton, p. 280</ref>

==Works about McPherson==

===Books, periodicals, films, and plays===
* The character Sharon Falconer in [[Sinclair Lewis]]' ''[[Elmer Gantry]]'' (1926) was based on McPherson.<ref>Lingeman, p. 283.</ref>
* The faith-healing evangelist Big Sister in [[Nathanael West]]'s ''[[The Day of the Locust]]'' was based on McPherson.
* [[Upton Sinclair]] was fascinated with her history. After writing a poem about her dubious abduction, called "An Evangelist Drowns", he wrote her into his 1927 novel, ''[[Oil!]]'', in the character of Eli Watkins, a corrupt small-town minister. That character is called Eli Sunday in the 2007 film ''[[There Will Be Blood]]''.<ref name=mh>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamthing.com/2007/06/notebook-aimee-.html|publisher=Steamboats Are Ruining Everything|accessdate=2008-01-06|date=2007-06-29|title=Notebook: Aimee Semple McPherson|author=Caleb Crain|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071217120259/http://www.steamthing.com/2007/06/notebook-aimee-.html|archivedate=17 December 2007|deadurl=no}}</ref>
* The character of the American evangelist Mrs. Melrose Ape in [[Evelyn Waugh]]'s satirical novel ''[[Vile Bodies]]'' (1930) is thought to be based on McPherson.
* ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' published a satirical cutout [[paper doll]] based on her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/robertson/asm/cutoutdolls.html|publisher=Vanity Fair|title=Vanity Fair's Cutout Dolls – no. 2|accessdate=2008-01-06| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20080207101146/http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/robertson/asm/cutoutdolls.html| archivedate= 7 February 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
* Aimee Semple McPherson appeared in ''The Voice of Hollywood No. 9'' (1930), one in a series of popular documentaries released by [[Tiffany (movie studio)|Tiffany Studios]].<ref>{{IMDb title|0978414|The Voice of Hollywood No. 9 (1930)}}</ref>
* [[Frank Capra]]'s film ''[[The Miracle Woman]]'' (1931), starring [[Barbara Stanwyck]], was based on [[John Meehan (screenwriter)|John Meehan]]'s play ''Bless You, Sister'' which was reportedly inspired by McPherson's life.
* The character of the "sensuous sermonizer" Reno Sweeney in [[Cole Porter]]'s musical ''[[Anything Goes]]'' (1934) is thought to be based on McPherson.
* [[Agnes Moorehead]]'s role as Sister Alma in the 1971 thriller film ''[[What's the Matter with Helen?]]'' was modeled after McPherson.
* A [[television film]] about the events surrounding her 1926 disappearance, ''[[The Disappearance of Aimee]]'' (1976) starred [[Faye Dunaway]] as McPherson and [[Bette Davis]] as her mother.
* A film adaptation of the story of her life, entitled ''[[Aimee Semple McPherson (film)|Aimee Semple McPherson]]'' (2006) was directed by [[Richard Rossi]]. The same director filmed a short film ''Saving Sister Aimee'' in 2001. (The film was retitled "Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story" and released on DVD April 22, 2008.) Rossi later penned the prize-winning play "Sister Aimee", honored with a cash award in the 2009 Bottletree One-Act Competition, an international playwriting contest. In 2013, both of Rossi's films on Sister Aimee were released in one collection with new material under the new title, "Richard Rossi 5th Anniversary of Sister Aimee." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bottletreeinc.com/richard_rossi.html|title=Sister Aimee by Richard Rossi|publisher=Bottletreeinc.com|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>
* A documentary about McPherson, entitled ''Sister Aimee'', made for the [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] series ''[[American Experience]]'', premiered April 2, 2007.<ref name="pbs.org"/>
* Several [[biographies]] have been written about McPherson.<ref name=mh/>
*In the [[alternate history]] novel ''[[Back in the USSA]]'', she appears as the Secretary of Manpower Resources under President [[Al Capone]].
* ''[[Escape from Hell (novel)|Escape from Hell]]'' (novel) by [[Larry Niven]] and [[Jerry Pournelle]] (Tor, 2009), features "Sister Aimee" in Hell after her death, in a supporting role as a guide and saint who is teaching the damned about Dante's route out of Hell.
* ''[[Saving Aimee (musical)|Scandalous]]'' is a musical about the life and ministry of McPherson with the book and lyrics written by [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] and music written by composer [[David Friedman (composer)|David Friedman]] and [[David Pomeranz]]; the musical ran in 2011 at the [[5th Avenue Theatre]] in Seattle, and had 29 performances in 2012 at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway, with McPherson portrayed by Carolee Carmello.
* "''An Evangelist Drowns''" (2007) a one-woman play based on McPherson's life. Includes fictionalized accounts of relationships with Charlie Chaplin and David Hutton.
* "''Aimee Semple Mcpherson and the Resurrection of Christian America''" (2007) A biography by Matthew Avery Sutton that chronicles McPherson's life in context to her influence on culture, politics and religion in America.
* "La disparition de Soeur Aimee" (2011) in Crimes et Procès Sensationnels à Los Angeles, book by Nausica Zaballos, pp. 103–140, Paris, E-Dite, (ISBN 978-2-8460-8310-2)
* The song "[[Hooray for Hollywood (song)|Hooray for Hollywood]]" lyrics by [[Johnny Mercer]], from the film ''[[Hollywood Hotel (film)|Hollywood Hotel]]'' mentions McPherson. "Where anyone at all from Shirley Temple to Aimee Semple is equally understood."<ref>Gottlieb, Robert; Kimball, Robert; ''Reading Lyrics'' (Random House LLC, 2000) p. 438</ref><ref>Osborne, Jerry; ''Mr Music'' column; Lakeland Ledger - Dec 20, 2001 p. 21</ref>
* "Aimee: The Gospel Gold Digger", 1932, Rev John D Goben, an Assistant Pastor at Angelus Temple

==Theatre==
A production of the musical ''[[Saving Aimee (musical)|Saving Aimee]]'', with a book and lyrics by [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] and music by [[David Pomeranz]] and [[David Friedman (composer)|David Friedman]], debuted at the [[White Plains, New York|White Plains]] Performing Arts Center in October 2005 and was staged at the [[Signature Theatre (Arlington VA)|Signature Theatre]] in [[Arlington, Virginia|Arlington]], Virginia, in April and May 2007.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} An updated, fully staged production opened September 30, 2011, at Seattle's [[5th Avenue Theatre]]. A revised version of the musical, now called ''Scandalous – The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson'' began a broadway run at the [[Neil Simon Theatre]] on October 13, 2012, with an official opening date of November 15. The musical starred [[Carolee Carmello]] as McPherson, and opened and closed within a month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-scandalous-20130215,0,173775.story |title=Broadway flop 'Scandalous' a costly investment for Foursquare Church - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Latimes.com |date=2013-02-14 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

A play entitled ''The Wide Open Ocean'', a musical vaudeville, was performed at [[The Actors' Gang]] theater in [[Los Angeles]]. It was written and directed by playwright, director, actor, and educator [[Laural Meade]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

In 2003, a play entitled ''Spit Shine Glisten'', loosely based on the life of McPherson, was performed at [[California Institute of the Arts]] in [[Valencia, California]]. Written and directed by the experimental theatre artist Susan Simpson, the play used life-sized wooden puppets, human beings, and fractured and warped video projection.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

''[[As Thousands Cheer]]'', a musical revue with a book by [[Moss Hart]] and music and lyrics by [[Irving Berlin]], contains satirical sketches and musical numbers loosely based on the news and the lives and affairs of the rich and famous, including [[Joan Crawford]], [[Noël Coward]], [[Josephine Baker]], and McPherson.

The musical, ''Vanishing Point'', written by Rob Hartmann, Liv Cummins, & Scott Keys, intertwines the lives of evangelist McPherson, aviatrix [[Amelia Earhart]], and mystery writer [[Agatha Christie]]. It is featured as part of the 2010–2011 season at the [[Carnegie Mellon School of Drama]] in [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania.

In 2007, a one-woman play titled ''An Evangelist Drowns'', written by Gregory J. Thompson, debuted at [[Rogers State University]] in Claremore, Oklahoma. In 2008, the show was produced at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The play is partly based on the life of McPherson, but it explores a fictionalized portrayal of her recalling lost loves, regrets, and remorse in the final hours before her death in 1944.

==Aimee's Castle==
Aimee's Castle is a mansion built by McPherson. She had a house near [[Angelus Temple]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], but McPherson built this mansion in [[Lake Elsinore, California]], as a retreat. McPherson convalesced there after an injury in 1932.<ref>{{Cite news |title=All Visitors Barred from Mutton Castle; Physician Fears Any Shock to California Evangelist Might Prove to Be Fatal. |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30E13F83E5513738DDDA10994DF405B828FF1D3 |publisher=New York Times |date= July 18, 1932 |accessdate=}}</ref>

In 1929, Clevelin Realty Corp. purchased land in Lake Elsinore's Country Club Heights District and was marketing the area as a resort destination for the rich and famous. To encourage celebrities to purchase there, the developers offered to give McPherson a parcel of land featuring panoramic views of the lake. She accepted the land and in 1929 commissioned the architect Edwin Bickman to design a {{convert|4400|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Moorish Revival mansion, with [[art deco]] details, on the hills above the lake's northeastern shore. The structure's white plaster wall and arches reflect an [[Irving Gill]] influence. Its large, cerulean blue-tiled dome over a prayer tower and a second silver-painted dome and faux-[[minaret]] give it mosque-like appearance from the exterior; the interior features art-deco wall treatments in several of the rooms. The domed ceiling of the formal dining room rises at least {{convert|15|ft|m}}. A narrow breakfast nook reflects an American-Indian motif.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/09/business/la-fi-home-20100509 | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Scott | last=Marshutz | date=May 9, 2010 | title=Home of the Week: Sister Aimee's castle in Lake Elsinore}}</ref>

To help dispose of Angelus Temple debt, the property was sold in 1939 for an estimated amount of $190,000.<ref>about 2.6 million in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Thomas, Lately ''Storming'' p. 311.</ref>

==Publications==
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=The Second Coming of Christ: Is He Coming? How is He Coming? When is He Coming? For Whom is He Coming?|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QeHYAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover|year=1921|publisher=A. McPherson|oclc=8122641}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=This is That: Personal Experiences, Sermons and Writings of Aimee Semple McPherson, Evangelist|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=_0VDAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover|origyear=1919|year=1923|publisher=The Bridal Call Publishing House|oclc=1053806}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=F9ZZAAAAMAAJ|year=1927|publisher=Boni and Liveright|oclc=513458}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=Give Me My Own God|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=7UJDAAAAIAAJ|year=1936|publisher=H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc|oclc=1910039}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=The Story of My Life: In Memoriam, Echo Park Evangelistic Association, Los Angeles|publisher=|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=L3vOAAAAMAAJ|year=1951|oclc=1596212}}

==See also==
* [[Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson]] (2012 Broadway musical)
{{Portal bar|Biography|Christianity}}
*[[Kobus Van Rensburg]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

* Richard R. Lingeman, ''Sinclair Lewis: Rebel from Main Street'', Minnesota Historical Society Press, June 2005, ISBN 978-0-87351-541-2.

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Bahr, Robert|title=Least of All Saints: the Story of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=i4wcAAAAMAAJ|date=April 1979|publisher=Prentice-Hall|isbn=978-0-13-527978-6|oclc=4493103}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://www.wheaton.edu/Academics/Faculty/B/Edith-Blumhofer Blumhofer, Edith L.] |title=Aimee Semple McPherson: Everybody's Sister|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=xgrxp-5mG44C&printsec=frontcover|year=1993|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-0155-5|oclc=29184439}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/factsht.htm Cox, Raymond L.]|title=The Verdict is In|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5g77GAAACAAJ|year=1983|publisher=R.L. Cox|oclc=11315268}}
* {{cite book|author=[[Daniel Mark Epstein|Epstein]], [http://www.danielmarkepstein.com/ Daniel Mark]|title=Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Lxod5IUlH5QC&printsec=frontcover|date=1 July 1994|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0-15-600093-2|oclc=26300194}}
* {{cite book|author1=Morris, James|author2=[[Jan Morris|Morris, Jan]]|title=The Preachers|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Wm5LAAAAIAAJ|year=1973|publisher=St. Martin's Press| isbn= 0-900997-41-9|oclc=704687}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://libarts.wsu.edu/history/faculty-staff/sutton.asp Sutton, Matthew Avery]|title=Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America| url=http://books.google.com/books?id=o4qvq8xcb78C&printsec=frontcover|date=31 May 2009|publisher=(at [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Harvard University Press])|isbn=978-0-674-03253-8 |oclc=77504335}}
* {{cite book|author=Thomas, Lately|title=The Vanishing Evangelist: the Aimee Semple McPherson Kidnapping Affair|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=1onTAAAAMAAJ|year=1959|publisher=Viking Press|oclc=1575665}}
* {{cite book|author=Thomas, Lately|title=Storming Heaven: The Lives and Turmoils of Minnie Kennedy and Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=sA1DAAAAIAAJ| year=1970|publisher=Morrow|oclc=92194}}
* [http://www.koyre.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article544 Zaballos, Nausica] ''La disparition de Soeur Aimee'' (23 November 2011) in [http://books.google.com/books?id=DGh3tgAACAAJ Crimes et procès sensationnels à Los Angeles 1922-1962: Au-delà du Dahlia noir], pages 103-140, Paris, E-Dite, (ISBN 978-2-84608-310-2)

==External links==
{{external links|date=November 2014}}
* [http://www.aimeemcpherson.com/ "Aimee McPherson" Old Time Radio]
* [http://www.foursquare.org/ Foursquare Gospel church]
* [http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/robertson/asm/front.html Aimee Semple McPherson biography]
* [http://www.libertyharbor.org/aimee.htm Biography from Liberty Harbor Foursquare Gospel Church]
* [http://www.immortalia.com/html/categorized-by-song/with-music/a/aimee-mcpherson.htm Song about the McPherson kidnapping scandal], dating from when it was a current news story. [[Pete Seeger]] recorded this on the 1961 album ''Story Songs''.
* [http://www.womanthouartgod.com/aimee.php Woman Thou Art God: Female Empowerment, Spirituality & a biography on Aimee].
* [http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiAIMEEMC;ttAIMEEMC.html The Ballad of Aimee McPherson].
* [http://www.californiamuseum.org/trails/ Aimee Semple McPherson on The California Museum's California Legacy Trails]
* [https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/8942 The theatricality of revivalism as exemplified in the artistry of Billy Sunday and Aimee Semple McPherson. ]
* [http://www.radioheritage.net/Story52.asp Did McPherson send a "Minions of Satan" message] to Herbert Hoover, and another article by the same historian [http://jeff560.tripod.com/kfsg2.html later concluding she did not send such a message.]
* {{IMDb name|id=2492420|name=Aimee Semple McPherson}}
* {{Find a Grave|700|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=67270403}}

{{Persondata
| NAME =McPherson, Aimee Semple
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Canadian-American evangelist
| DATE OF BIRTH =October 9, 1890
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Stratford, Ontario]]
| DATE OF DEATH =September 27, 1944
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Oakland, California]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Aimee Semple}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1944 deaths]]
[[Category:American Christian religious leaders]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Canadian descent]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)]]
[[Category:Canadian evangelicals]]
[[Category:Canadian evangelists]]
[[Category:Canadian Pentecostals]]
[[Category:Christian creationists]]
[[Category:Drug-related deaths in California]]
[[Category:Faith healers]]
[[Category:History of Los Angeles, California]]
[[Category:Members of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]
[[Category:People from Oxford County, Ontario]]
[[Category:Religious scandals]]
[[Category:Vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:American anti-communists]]
[[Category:American anti-fascists]]
[[Category:American temperance activists]]

Aimee Semple McPherson

2014-11-25T17:37:48Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Reported kidnapping */

{{multiple issues|
{{very long|date=October 2013}}
{{lead too short|date=April 2012}}
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{{Infobox person
| name =Aimee Semple McPherson
| image = Aimee Semple McPherson.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Aimee Semple McPherson became one of the most photographed persons of her time. She enjoyed publicity and quotes on almost every subject were sought from her by journalists.
| birth_name = Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1890|10|09}}
| birth_place = [[Salford, Ontario]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1944|09|27|1890|10|09}}
| death_place =[[Oakland, California]]
| death_cause =
| resting_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery (Glendale)]]
| residence =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for =Founding the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]
| religion =
| spouse = Robert James Semple (died 1910) Harold Stewart McPherson (divorced 1921) David Hutton (divorced 1934)
| children = [[Roberta Semple Salter|Roberta Star Semple]] [[Rolf McPherson]]
| parents = James Morgan Kennedy Mildred Ona Pearce
}}

'''Aimee Semple McPherson''' (October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as '''Sister Aimee''', was a Canadian-American [[Los Angeles]]–based [[Evangelism|evangelist]] and [[Mass media|media]] [[celebrity]] in the 1920s and 1930s.<ref name="WVobit">Obituary ''[[Variety Obituaries|Variety]]'', October 4, 1944.</ref> She founded the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel|Foursquare Church]]. McPherson has been noted as a pioneer in the use of modern media, especially radio, and was the second woman to be granted a [[broadcast license]]. She used radio to draw on the growing appeal of popular entertainment in North America and incorporated other forms into her weekly sermons at [[Angelus Temple]].<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30148022</ref>

In her time she was the most publicized Christian evangelist, surpassing [[Billy Sunday]] and her other predecessors.<ref name="autogenerated308">George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University, Truman State University Press, 1999 p. 308</ref><ref name="newspapers1">{{cite web|url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article.aspx?articleid=straitstimes19310302.2.46 |title=Newspaper Article - AIMEE McPHERSON IN SINGAPORE |publisher=Newspapers.nl.sg |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> She conducted public faith-healing demonstrations before large crowds, allegedly healing tens of thousands of people.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson Audio Tapes, http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/103.htm#602</ref>
<ref>Epstein, Daniel Mark , Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson (Orlando: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1993), p. 111. Note: Epstein writes "The healings present a monstrous obstacle to scientific historiography. If events transpired as newspapers, letters, and testimonials say they did, then Aimee Semple McPherson's healing ministry was miraculous.... The documentation is overwhelming: very sick people came to Sister Aimee by the tens of thousands, blind, deaf, paralyzed. Many were healed some temporarily, some forever. She would point to heaven, to Christ the Great Healer and take no credit for the results."</ref> McPherson's articulation of the United States as a nation founded and sustained by divine inspiration continues to be echoed by many pastors in churches today. News coverage sensationalized misfortunes with family and church members; particularly inflaming accusations she had fabricated her reported kidnapping, turning it into a national spectacle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-incredible-disappearing-evangelist-572829/ |title=The Incredible Disappearing Evangelist |publisher=Smithsonian.com |date= |accessdate=2014-05-03}}</ref> McPherson's preaching style, extensive charity work and ecumenical contributions were a major influence in revitalization of American Evangelical Christianity in the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.religiondispatches.org/books/529/rd10q:_aimee_semple_mcpherson,_evangelical_maverick |title=RD10Q: Aimee Semple McPherson, Evangelical Maverick |publisher=Religion Dispatches |date=2008-09-26 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref name="SuttonWildfire">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%22Between+the+refrigerator+and+the+wildfire%22%3A+Aimee+Semple+McPherson,...-a098978379 |title="Between the refrigerator and the wildfire": Aimee Semple McPherson, pentecostalism, and the fundamentalist-modernist controversy (1). - Free Online Library |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

==Biography==

===Early life===
McPherson was born Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy on a farm in [[Salford, Ontario]], [[Canada]].<ref>Matthew Avery Sutton, ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]'' (Cambridge: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007), page 9</ref> Her father, James Kennedy, was a farmer.<ref name="Sutton, p. 9">Sutton, p. 9</ref> Young Aimee got her early exposure to religion through her mother, Mildred – known as Minnie. McPherson's later work in spreading the Gospel was a result of watching her mother work with the poor in [[Salvation Army]] soup kitchens.

As a child she would play "Salvation Army" with her classmates, and at home she would gather a congregation with her dolls, giving them a sermon.<ref name="Sutton, p. 9"/> As a teenager, McPherson strayed from her mother's teachings by reading novels and going to movies and dances, activities which were strongly disapproved of by both the Salvation Army and the faith of her father, a Methodist. Novels, though, made their way into the Methodist Church library and with guilty delight, McPherson would read them. At the movies, she recognized some of her fellow Methodist church members. She learned too, at a local dance she attended, that her dancing partner was a Presbyterian minister. In high school, she was taught [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''[[Theory of Evolution]]''.<ref>Sutton, pp. 9–10</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 28–29</ref> She began to quiz visiting preachers and local pastors about faith and science, but was unhappy with the answers she received.<ref name="Sutton, p. 10">Sutton, p. 10</ref> She stunned her father, who almost fell backwards while carrying a pan of milk up the basement stairs by asking him, "How do you know there is a God?" She wrote to the Canadian newspaper, ''Family Herald and Weekly Star'', questioning why taxpayer-funded public schools had courses, such as evolution, which undermined Christianity.<ref name="Sutton, p. 10"/> While still in high school, after her Pentecostal conversion, McPherson began a crusade against the concept of evolution, beginning a lifelong passion.

===Marriage and family===
[[File:Semples.jpeg|right|frame|Robert and Aimee Semple (1910)]]
While attending a revival meeting in December 1907, Aimee met Robert James Semple, a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] [[missionary]] from [[Ireland]]. After a short courtship, they were married on August 12, 1908 in a Salvation Army ceremony, pledging never to allow their marriage to lessen their devotion to God, affection for comrades or faithfulness in the Army. The pair's notion of "Army" was very broad, encompassing much more than just the Salvation Army. Robert supported them as a foundry worker and preached at the local Pentecostal mission. Together, they studied the Bible, Aimee claiming Robert taught her all she knew; though other observers state she was far more knowledgeable than she let on. After a few months they moved to Chicago and became part of [[William Howard Durham|William Durham]]'s Full Gospel Assembly. Under Durham's tutelage, Aimee was discovered to have a unique ability in the interpretation in tongues, translating with stylistic eloquence the otherwise indecipherable utterances of persons who began to speak in a language unknown to them.<ref>Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, Aimee Semple McPherson: everybody's sister (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Inc., 1993), p. 81</ref>

The two then embarked on an evangelical tour, first to Europe and then to [[China]], where they arrived in June 1910, with Aimee about six months pregnant. Shortly after disembarking in Hong Kong, both contracted [[malaria]] and Robert, [[dysentery]]. Robert Semple died of the illnesses on August 19, 1910, and was buried in [[Hong Kong Cemetery]]. Aimee Semple recovered and gave birth to their daughter, [[Roberta Semple Salter|Roberta Star Semple]], on September 17, 1910. Alone, with just the wailing of her newborn daughter, Aimee Semple was now a 19-year-old widow. Her mother, Mildred Kennedy wired her funds for the return journey to the United States.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 92</ref> On-board ship, Aimee Semple started a Sunday school class then held other services as well. Almost all the passengers attended. On her departure, a collection was taken by the ship's purser and the amount given was just enough to pay for travel to her hometown. Robert Semple never left her thoughts; she displayed his photo in her parlor and spoke of him glowingly, even dreamily, in her sermons, as a lifelong inspiration.

Shortly after her recuperation in the United States, Semple joined her mother Minnie working with the [[Salvation Army]]. While in [[New York City]], she met Harold Stewart McPherson, an accountant. They were married on May 5, 1912, moved to [[Rhode Island]] and had a son, [[Rolf McPherson|Rolf Potter Kennedy McPherson]] in March 1913.

McPherson tried to live the life of the dutiful housewife, had a devoted husband and a fine home, but was instead miserable as she denied her "calling" to go preach. She became emotionally erratic, sulking in a corner, lethargic, then tempestuous with a raging temper.<ref>Sutton, p. 58</ref> Next she would tackle household chores with prolonged obsessional detail and afterwards fall to weeping and praying.<ref>Epstein, pp. 72–73</ref> After the birth of her second child, Rolf, she felt the call to preach tug at her even more strongly. In response, she helped with worship services in several Pentecostal churches in and around the Providence, Rhode Island area. But, this did not satisfy the voice which told her, as McPherson claimed, to go and do the work of an evangelist.

Then in 1914, she fell seriously ill, and after a failed operation she was left in the holding room where patients were taken to die. In her delirium, McPherson states she again heard the persistent voice, asking her to go preach. Feeling that either her life was at an end or she would go preach, McPherson accepted the voice's challenge. The astounded nurse looked on as McPherson suddenly opened her eyes and was able to turn over in bed without pain. One spring morning in 1915, her husband returned home from the night shift to discover McPherson had left him and taken the children. A few weeks later, a note was received inviting him to join her in evangelistic work.<ref>Epstein, pp. 74–76</ref>

McPherson of this period wrote:
<blockquote>"Oh, don't you ever tell me that a woman can not be called to preach the Gospel! If any man ever went through one hundredth part of the hell on earth that I lived in, those months when out of God's will and work, they would never say that again."<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, This is That, (The Bridal Call Publishing House, Los Angeles, CA, 1921) p. 102</ref></blockquote>

Though the compulsion for cleanliness never left her, children Roberta Star Semple and Rolf McPherson later recalled a loving and dutiful mother, finding time for them in her busy itinerary.<ref>Epstein, p. 72</ref> Their trip on the road traveling from city to city was an adventure; McPherson told them stories, planned pleasant little surprises and was consistently cheerful and optimistic.

Her husband later followed McPherson to take her back home. When he saw her, though, preaching to a crowd, she was not the troubled woman of uncertain temperament, but determined, radiant and lovely. Before long he succumbed to the Pentecostal experience, was speaking in tongues, and became her fellow worker in Christ. Their house in Providence was sold and he joined her in setting up tents for revival meetings and even did some preaching himself.<ref>Epstein, pp. 91, 95, 128</ref>

Food and accommodations were uncertain; McPherson and her family "lived by faith" for their needs. People would just appear and donate goods. Frequently, the McPhersons would have to launder clothing in the local ponds and creeks as well as fish them for their meals. McPherson herself apparently became accomplished at angling, later describing in a sermon, how, in [[St Petersburg, Florida]], as soon as she had a good catch on her line, a [[pelican]] would swoop in and swallow it. She would then have to reach down past its beak into the pelican's gullet and pull her fish out.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson, Live Wire sermon, Approx 1939</ref> Her husband, in spite of initial enthusiasm, grew weary of living out of their "Gospel Car" and wanted a life that was more stable and predicable. After arguing with McPherson, he returned to Rhode Island and around 1918 had filed for separation. He petitioned for divorce, citing abandonment; the divorce was granted in 1921.

Some years later after her fame and the Angelus Temple were established in [[Los Angeles, California]], she married again on September 13, 1931 to actor and musician David Hutton. Her children, Roberta Star Semple and son Rolf McPherson had since married, leaving her feeling very much alone. McPherson admitted she herself would one day like to have a "diamond ring and a home" and "live like other folks." She quickly hit it off with Hutton, 10 years her junior, who was a portly baritone currently acting in one of her sacred operas. The radiant bride shared her marital bliss with the congregation as well as the public at large, even allowing photographers into their bridal chamber for an interview the day after their marriage.<ref>Sutton, pp. 168–170</ref> Two days after the wedding, though, Hutton was sued for [[breach of promise]] by ex-girlfriend nurse Hazel St. Pierre. Hutton disputed her story stating he never kissed or did any of the other things claimed by St. Pierre. Hutton earned the media nickname, "The Great Un-kissed." Deciding in favor of St. Pierre, the jury awarded her [[US$]]5,000.<ref>About US $74,000 in 2013 dollars. See subsequent cites for inflation calculator links.</ref><ref name="dollartimes1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm |title=Inflation Calculator |publisher=DollarTimes.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=2000.00&year1=1937&year2=2012 |title=CPI Inflation Calculator |publisher=Data.bls.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php |title=Inflation Calculator 2013 |publisher=Davemanuel.com |date=2009-08-13 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> After Hutton relayed the news to McPherson, she fainted and fractured her skull.<ref>Sutton, p. 172</ref>

While McPherson was away in Europe to recover, she was angered to learn Hutton was billing himself as "Aimee's man" in his [[cabaret]] singing act and was frequently photographed with scantily clad women. Her private cablegrams to Hutton made their way into the front page news, leaked from an unknown source. She was also distressed to find out he filed for divorce, something she refused to believe at the time. Meanwhile, the marriage caused an uproar within the church: the tenets of Foursquare Gospel, as put forth by McPherson herself, held that one should not remarry while their previous spouse was still alive, as McPherson's second husband still was; although he had remarried.<ref>Epstein, p. 362</ref> If her third husband was more well liked by the congregation and elders, the doctrinal ambiguity might have been more easily overlooked. But Hutton's much publicized personal scandals were damaging the Foursquare Gospel Church and their leader's credibility with other churches.<ref>Epstein, pp. 374–375</ref>

The newspapers anticipated Hutton might have a difficult time, coming in second to "the fascinating flaming, Aimee." Hutton, for his part, complained his financial allowance was too small, she humiliated him by limiting his powers within her organization and "inflicted grievous mental suffering." He also demanded McPherson pay the St. Pierre award. McPherson and Hutton separated in 1933 and divorced on March 1, 1934. McPherson later publicly repented of the marriage, as wrong from the beginning, for both theological<ref>Blumhofer, p. 333. Note: in 1932, after having to continuously answer questions about McPherson's marriage to David Hutton, 33 Foursquare ministers thought this was too much of a distraction and seceded from the Temple and formed their own Pentecostal denomination, the Open Bible Evangelistic Association.</ref> and personal reasons<ref>Epstein, p. 434</ref> and therefore rejected nationally known gospel singer, [[Homer Rodeheaver]], a more appropriate suitor, when he eventually asked for her hand in 1935.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 333. Note: Homer Rodeheaver, former singing master for evangelist [[Billy Sunday]], was refused; even when it was suggested she married the wrong man and to try again to have a loving marriage, she responded negatively and redoubled her evangelistic efforts, forsaking personal fulfillment in relationships. McPherson knew Rodeheaver from working with him at the Angeleus Temple and he introduced her to David Hutton. In the case of Rodeheaver, however, biographer Sutton, according to Roberta Star Semple, stated McPherson liked him but not the way he kissed.</ref><ref>''Aimee May Marry Homer Rodeheaver'' (North Tonawanda, NY Evening News June 21, 1935)</ref>

===Career===
In 1913 Aimee Semple McPherson embarked upon a preaching career. Touring [[Canada]] and the United States, she began evangelizing and holding tent revivals in June 1915. At first she struggled to gain an audience. Standing on a chair in some public place, she would gaze into the sky as if intently observing something there, perhaps reaching upwards as if to gesture for help or supplication. An audience, curious as to what the woman was doing or looking at, would gather around her. Then after 20 minutes to an hour, she would jump off the chair, declare something to the effect "I have a secret to share with you, follow me...," go to a nearby meeting room she had earlier rented out. Once inside, the doors were shut behind them and McPherson would begin her sermon.

The female Pentecostal preacher was greeted with some trepidation by pastors of local churches she solicited for building space to hold her revival meetings. Pentecostals were at the edge of Christian religious society, sometimes seen as strange with their loud, raucous unorganized meetings and were often located in the poorer sections of town. McPherson, however, perhaps because of her Methodist upbringing, kept an order to her meetings that came to be much appreciated. She wanted to create the enthusiasm a Pentecostal meeting could provide, with its "Amen Corner" and "Halleluiah Chorus" but also to avoid its unbridled chaos as participants started shouting, trembling on the floor and speaking in tongues; all at once. Because of the negative connotation of the word "pentecostal' and though McPherson practiced [[speaking in tongues]], she rarely emphasized it. McPherson organized her meetings with the general public in mind and yet did not wish to quench any who suddenly came into "the Spirit." To this end she set up a "tarry tent or room" away from the general area for any who suddenly started speaking in tongues or display any other [[Holy Ghost]] behavior the larger audience might be put off by.<ref>Epstein, p. 172</ref> McPherson wrote:

<blockquote>"A woman preacher was a novelty. At the time I began my ministry, women were well in the background.... Orthodox ministers, many of whom disapproved even of men evangelists such as [[Dwight L. Moody|Moody]], [[Charles Spurgeon|Spurgeon]], Tunda and the rest chiefly because they used novel evangelistic methods, disapproved all the more of a woman minister. especially was this true when my meetings departed from the funeral, sepulchrelike ritual of appointed Sundays...."<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, Aimee: Life Story of Aimee Semple McPherson (Foursquare Publications, Los Angeles, 1979) p. 98</ref></blockquote>

After her first successful visits, she had little difficulty with acceptance or attendance. Eager converts filled the pews of local churches which turned many recalcitrant ministers into her enthusiastic supporters. Frequently, she would start a revival meeting in a hall or church and then have to move to a larger building to accommodate the growing crowds. When there were no suitable buildings, she set up a tent, which was often filled past capacity.

McPherson was a strong woman, hefting a maul to hammer in tent stakes and involved herself in all the physical labor a revival setup required. She could fix her car, move boulders and drag fallen timber out of the roadway as she traveled to her destinations.<ref name="Epstein, p. 156">Epstein, p. 156</ref> McPherson was also known as a successful [[faith healer]] as there were extensive claims of physical healing occurring during her meetings. Such claims became less important as her fame increased.


In 1916, McPherson embarked on a tour of the Southern United States in her "Gospel Car", first with her husband Harold and later, in 1918, with her mother, Mildred Kennedy. She was an important addition to McPherson's ministry and managed everything, including the money, which gave them an unprecedented degree of financial security. Their vehicle was a 1912 [[Packard]] touring car emblazoned with religious slogans. Standing on the back seat of the convertible, McPherson preached sermons over a [[megaphone]]. On the road between sermons, she would sit in the back seat typing sermons and other religious materials. She first traveled up and down the eastern United States, then went to other parts of the country.

By 1917 she had started her own magazine, ''The Bridal Call'', for which she wrote many articles about women’s roles in religion; she portrayed the link between Christians and Jesus as a marriage bond. By taking seriously the religious role of women, the magazine contributed to the rising women’s movement.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}}

[[Azusa Street Revival]]s starting in 1906 were noted for their racial diversity as blacks, Hispanics, whites and other minorities openly worshiped together, led by [[William J. Seymour]], an African American preacher. As the participants of the Azusa Street Revivals, dispersed, local Pentecostals were looking for leadership for a new revival and in late 1918, McPherson came to Los Angeles. Minnie Kennedy, her mother, rented the largest hall they could find, the 3,500 seat [[Philharmonic Auditorium]] (known then as Temple Auditorium). People waited for hours to get in and McPherson could hardly reach the pulpit without stepping on someone.<ref>Epstein, p. 151</ref> Afterwards, grateful attendees of her Los Angeles meetings built her a home for her family which included everything from the cellar to a canary bird.<ref>Epstein, p. 153</ref>

While Aimee Semple McPherson had traveled extensively in her evangelical work prior to arriving in Baltimore, she was first “discovered” by the newspapers while sitting with her mother in the red plush parlor of the [[Belvedere Hotel]] on December 5, 1919, a day after conducting evangelistic services at the Lyric Opera House.<ref name="Sun">{{cite web|url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1655208322&sid=4&Fmt=1&clientId=41152&RQT=309&VName=HNP |title=ProQuest Login - ProQuest |publisher=Proquest.umi.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> In December 1919, she went to Baltimore’s [[Lyric Opera House]] to conduct seventeen days of meetings.<ref>Edith Waldvogel Blumhofer, ''Aimee Semple McPherson: everybody's sister'' (Grand Rapids: [[Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing]], Inc., 1993), p. 147</ref> The ''[[Baltimore Sun]]'' ran a thousand-word interview with her in the December 6, 1919, issue.<ref>Daniel Mark Epstein, ''Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson'' (Orlando: [[Harcourt Brace & Company]], 1993),
p. 157</ref> Her mother Mildred Kennedy had booked the 2,500 seating capacity Lyric Opera House at US $3,100,<ref>over US $42,000.00 in 2013 dollars</ref> a huge sum compared to earlier engagements. Considering her daughter's success elsewhere, Kennedy thought the risk well worth taking. During the interview, the ''Sun'' reporter asked McPherson how she had decided on Baltimore as the site for a revival.

<blockquote>“As soon as I entered the city I saw the need. Women were sitting in the dining room smoking with the men,” McPherson replied. “I took up the newspapers and I saw card parties and dances advertised in connection with the churches. There was a coldness. Card parties, dances, theaters, all represent agencies of the devil to distract the attention of men and women away from spirituality....”<ref name="Sun"/></blockquote>

The Baltimore event was one of McPherson's larger engagements yet. The crowds, in their religious ecstasy were barely kept under control as they gave way to manifestations of "the Spirit," and the Lyric Opera House's capacity was constantly tested. Moreover, her alleged faith healings now became part of the public record, and attendees began to focus on that part of her ministry over all else. McPherson considered the Baltimore Revival an important turning point not only for her ministry "but in the history of the outpouring of the Pentecostal power."<ref>Epstein, pp. 170–172</ref>

The battle between fundamentalists and modernists escalated after [[World War I]], with many modernists seeking less conservative religious faiths.<ref>Epstein, pp. 79–80</ref> Fundamentalists generally believed their religious faith should influence every aspect of their lives. McPherson sought to eradicate modernism and secularism in homes, churches, schools, and communities. She developed a strong following in what McPherson termed "the Foursquare Gospel" by blending contemporary culture with religious teachings. McPherson was entirely capable of sustaining a protracted intellectual discourse as her Bible students and debate opponents will attest. But she believed in preaching the gospel with simplicity and power, so as to not confuse the message. Her distinct voice and visual descriptions created a crowd excitement "bordering on hysteria."<ref name="Epstein, p. 156"/>

Her faith-healing demonstrations gained her unexpected allies. When a [[Romani people|Romani]] tribe king and his mother stated they were faith-healed by McPherson, thousands of others came to her as well in caravans from all over the country and were converted. The infusion of crosses and other symbols of Christianity alongside Romani [[astrology]] charts and [[crystal ball]]s was the result of McPherson's influence.<ref>Epstein, p. 239</ref> Prizing gold and loyalty, the Romani repaid her in part, with heavy bags of gold coin and jewels, which helped fund the construction of the new Angelus Temple.<ref>Epstein, p. 241</ref> In [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], Kansas, in May 29, 1922, where heavy perennial thunderstorms threatened to rain out the thousands who gathered there, McPherson interrupted the speaker, raised her hand to the sky and prayed, "let it fall (the rain) after the message has been delivered to these hungry souls". The rain immediately stopped, an event reported the following day by the ''[[Wichita Eagle]]'' on May 30: "Evangelist's Prayers Hold Big Rain Back,"<ref>Blumhofer, p. 184</ref> For the gathered Romani, it was a further acknowledgement "of the woman's power".<ref>Epstein, p. 240</ref>

The appeal of McPherson's thirty or so revival events from 1919 to 1922 surpassed any touring event of theater or politics ever presented in American history. "Neither Houdini nor Teddy Roosevelt had such an audience nor PT Barnum."<ref name="Epstein, p. 156"/> Her one to four-week meetings typically overflowed any building she could find to hold them. She broke attendance records recently set by [[Billy Sunday]]<ref name="autogenerated308"/> and frequently used his temporary tabernacle structures to hold some of her meetings in. Her revivals were often standing-room only. One such revival was held in a boxing ring, with the meeting before and after the match. Throughout the boxing event, she walked about with a sign reading "knock out the Devil." In [[San Diego, California]], the city called in the [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]] and other branches of the armed forces to control a revival crowd of over 30,000 people.

McPherson preached a conservative gospel but used progressive methods, taking advantage of radio, movies, and stage acts. Advocacy for women's rights was on the rise, including women's suffrage through the [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|19th Amendment]]. She attracted some women associated with modernism, but others were put off by the contrast between her different theories. By accepting and using such new media outlets, McPherson helped integrate them into people’s daily lives.

===Faith healing ministry===

Aimee Semple McPherson's [[faith healing]] demonstrations were extensively written about in the news media and were a large part of her early career legacy.<ref>Epstein, p. 57</ref> No one has ever been credited by secular witnesses with anywhere near the numbers of faith healings attributed to McPherson, especially during the years 1919 to 1922.<ref>Epstein, p. 185</ref> Over time though, she almost withdrew from the faith healing aspect of her services, since it was overwhelming<ref>Epstein, p. 111</ref> other areas of her ministry. Scheduled healing sessions nevertheless remained highly popular with the public until her death in 1944.

Alleged incidents of miraculous faith healing are sometimes clinically explained as a result of hysteria or a form of [[hypnosis]]. Strong emotions and the mind's ability to trigger the production of [[opiate]]s, [[endorphin]]s, and [[enkephalin]]s; have also been offered as explanations as well as the healings are simply faked. In the case of McPherson, there was no evidence of fraud found.<ref>Epstein, pp. 66, 111, 119</ref> In August 1921, doctors from the [[American Medical Association]] in San Francisco secretly investigated some of McPherson's local revival meetings. The subsequent AMA report stated Aimee Semple McPherson's healing was "genuine, beneficial and wonderful."<ref>Epstein, p. 233</ref>

McPherson claims to have experienced several of her own personal faith healing incidents, among them one in 1909, when her broken foot was mended, an event which first served to introduce her to the possibilities of the healing power.<ref>Epstein, p. 58</ref> Another was an unexpected recovery from an operation in 1914 where hospital staff expected her to die,<ref name="Epstein, p. 74">Epstein, p. 74</ref> and in 1916, before a gathered revival tent crowd, swift rejuvenation of blistered skin from a serious flash burn caused by a lamp exploding in her face.<ref>Epstein, p. 119</ref>

Her apparently successful first public faith healing session of another person was professedly demonstrated in Corona, Long Island, New York, 1916. A young woman in the painful, advanced stages of [[rheumatoid arthritis]] was brought to the altar by friends just as McPherson preached "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever", meaning, in part, Jesus had the same power to heal now as in ancient times. McPherson, laid hands upon the crippled woman's head and she allegedly walked out of the church that same night without crutches.<ref>Epstein, pp. 107–111</ref> Sick and injured people came to her by the tens of thousands. Press clippings, and testimonials became mountainous. To people who traveled with her, the numerous faith healings were routine.<ref>Epstein, p. 112</ref> Lubricating her hands with spiced oil, McPherson touched and prayed over the infirm and reporters wrote extensively of what they saw. When asked by a journalist about these demonstrations, McPherson indicated, "the saving of souls is the most important part of my ministry."<ref>Epstein, p. 166</ref>

Not all healings were successful and McPherson had occasional well-publicized failures. But these were apparently few and people in ever increasing numbers came to her. She was invited back again and again to cities that she previously visited.<ref>Epstein, p. 217</ref> Perhaps one of the more dramatic public faith healing demonstrations of her career occurred starting in late January 1921 at [[Balboa Park (San Diego)|Balboa Park]] in [[San Diego]], California. The Spreckles Organ Pavilion in the park was site of several earlier revival meetings by many of her predecessors, and there McPherson preached to a huge crowd of 30,000. She had to move to the outdoor site since the 3,000 seat Dreamland Boxing Arena could not hold the thousands who went to see her. To assist the San Diego Police in maintaining order, the [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] and [[United States Army|Army]] had to be called in.

During the engagement, a woman [[Paralysis|paralyzed]] from the waist down from childhood, was presented for faith healing. Concerned because numerous, previous demonstrations had been before much smaller assemblages, McPherson feared she would be run out of town if this healing did not manifest.<ref name="pbs.org"/> Believing in the reality of the living Christ, filled with sincere passion beyond love for humanity, McPherson prayed, and laid hands on her. Before 30,000 people—and captured for all time by photography—the woman supposedly got up out of her wheelchair and walked. The large gathering responded with thunderous applause.<ref>Epstein, pp. 210–211</ref> Other hopefuls presented themselves to the platform McPherson occupied, and though not all were cured,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2009/sep/16/when-sister-aimee-came-town---part-2/ |title=Unforgettable: When Sister Aimee Came to Town - Part 2 |publisher=San Diego Reader |date=2009-09-16 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> the sick, injured and invalid continued to flood forth for healing. Before witnesses and reporters, a goiter allegedly shrank, crutches abandoned, an abscessed arm purportedly returned to normal.<ref>Epstein, pp. 184–185. Note: Years later in an interview, Rolf McPherson, his mother's appointed successor, spoke of the period, "more patients were open to the possibilities of faith healing." Next to him, mounted on his office wall; was a hand tinted photo enlargement of his mother helping a woman out her wheelchair in Balboa Park; he postulated that healings occurred because they had more faith in God and less in science, and he could not "imagine this sort of thing happening again".</ref> Many hundreds of people wanted her help, more than she could handle and her stay was extended. As with many of her other meetings, McPherson labored and prayed feverishly for hours over the infirm, often without food or stopping for a break. At the day's end, she would eventually be taken away by her staff, dehydrated and unsteady with fatigue; her distinct, booming voice reduced to a whisper. Originally planned for two weeks in the evenings, McPherson's Balboa Park revival meetings lasted over five weeks and went from dawn until dusk.<ref>Epstein, pp. 209, 210</ref><ref>Blumhofer, pp. 156-164</ref>

Later in 1921, investigating McPherson's healing services, a survey was sent out by First Baptist Church Pastor William Keeney Towner in [[San Jose, California]], to 3,300 people. 2500 persons responded. Six percent indicated they were immediately and completely healed while 85 percent indicated they were partially healed and continued to improve ever since. Fewer than half of 1 percent did not feel they were at least spiritually uplifted and had their faith strengthened.<ref>Sutton, pp. 19–20</ref>

''[[Denver Post]]'' reporter Frances Wayne writes while McPherson's "attack" on sin "uncultured,...the deaf heard, the [[Blindness|blind saw]], the [[Paralysis|paralytic]] walked, the [[palsy (disambiguation)|palsied became calm]], before the eyes of as many people that could be packed into the largest church auditorium in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]]". In 1922, McPherson returned for a second tour in the Great Revival of Denver<ref>Epstein, p. 237</ref> and asked about people who have claimed healings from the previous visit. Seventeen people, some well known members of the community, testified, giving credence to McPherson's claim "healing still occurred among modern Christians".<ref>Sutton, pp. 17–18. Note: McPherson herself disliked being given credit for the healings, considering herself the medium through which the power flows, the power of Christ works the cure.</ref>

Actor [[Anthony Quinn]], who for a time played in the church's band and was an apprentice preacher, in this partial quote, recalls a service:

<blockquote>"I sat in the orchestra pit of the huge auditorium at the Angelus Temple. Every seat was filled, with the crowd spilling into the aisles. Many were on crutches or in wheelchairs. Suddenly a figure with bright red hair and a flowing white gown walked out to the center of the stage. In a soft voice, almost a whisper, she said, 'Brothers and sisters, is there anyone here who wants to be cured tonight?'

Long lines formed to reach her. She stood center stage and greeted each one. One man said, 'I can't see out of one eye.' She asked. 'Do you believe, brother?' And suddenly, the man cried, 'Yes, sister, I can see, I can see!' And the audience went crazy. "To a woman dragging herself across the stage on crutches she said, 'Throw away that crutch!' Suddenly, the woman threw away her crutch and ran into Aimee's open arms. I left that service exhilarated, renewed".<ref name="Anthony Quinn 1972 pp 122">Anthony Quinn, ''The Original Sin: A Self-Portrait'', Little, Brown and Company: Boston (1972), pp. 122–132</ref></blockquote>

Ironically, when McPherson retired for much needed rest after a long and exhausting faith healing service, she would sometimes suffer from [[insomnia]], a problem she would contend with for the rest of her life.<ref>Epstein, p. 234</ref> Regarding her own illnesses, she did not abstain from visiting doctors or using medicines.<ref>Epstein, pp. 224, 342, 436</ref> McPherson considered each faith healing incident a sacred gift from God, passed through her to persons healed and not to be taken for granted. In visiting foreign lands, for example, she paid scrupulous attention to [[sanitation]], concerned that a careless oversight might result in acquiring an exotic disease.<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, ''Give Me My Own God'' (H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc. 1936) p. 88</ref>

In later years, other individuals were identified as having the alleged faith healing gift. On stage, during Wednesday and Saturday divine healing sessions, she worked among them, or was even absent altogether, diminishing her own singular role. Divine healing, in her view, was not the emergency room, entertainment or something to puzzle scientists, it was a church sacrament.<ref>Epstein, p. 400</ref> In her own writings and sermons, McPherson did not refer to her own particular personal proficiencies, conveying divine healing was accessible by faith and devotion.

===International Church of the Foursquare Gospel===
[[File:Postcard-los-angeles-angelus-temple.png|thumb|right|Angelus Temple in Echo Park, Los Angeles, with radio towers.]]

At this time, Los Angeles had become a popular vacation spot. Rather than touring the United States to preach her sermons, McPherson stayed in [[Los Angeles]], drawing audiences from a population which had soared from 100,000 in 1900 to 575,000 people in 1920, and often included many visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aimeemcpherson.com/ |title=Aimee McPherson |publisher=Aimee McPherson |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Wearied by constant traveling and having nowhere to raise a family, McPherson had settled in Los Angeles, where she maintained both a home and a church. McPherson believed that by creating a church in Los Angeles, her audience would come to her from all over the country. This, she felt, would allow her to plant seeds of the Gospel and tourists would take it home to their communities, still reaching the masses. For several years she continued to travel and raise money for the construction of a large, domed church building at 1100 Glendale Blvd. in the [[Echo Park, Los Angeles, California|Echo Park]] area of Los Angeles. The church would be named [[Angelus Temple]], reflecting the Roman Catholic tradition of the [[Angelus bell]], calling the faithful to prayer and as well its reference to the angels.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246">Blumhofer, p. 246</ref> Not wanting to take on debt, McPherson located a construction firm which would work with her as funds were raised "by faith."<ref>Blumhofer, p. 244</ref> She started with $5,000.<ref>More than $65,000 in 2012 dollars.</ref> The firm indicated it would be enough to carve out a hole for the foundation.

McPherson began a campaign in earnest and was able to mobilize diverse groups of people to help fund and build the new church. Various fundraising methods were used such as selling chairs for Temple seating at US $25<ref>over US $320 in 2012</ref> apiece. In exchange, "chairholders" got a miniature chair and encouragement to pray daily for the person who would eventually sit in that chair. Her approach worked to generate enthusiastic giving and to create a sense of ownership and family among the contributors.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 245</ref>

Raising more money than she had hoped, McPherson altered the original plans, and built a "megachurch" that would draw many followers throughout the years. The endeavor cost contributors around $250,000<ref>More than $3.2 million in 2012 dollars.</ref> in actual money spent. Comparable structures were priced at far more, a nearby smaller auditorium, for example, cost US$ 1 million.<ref>over US $13 million in 2012.</ref> Costs were kept down by donations of building materials and volunteer labor.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246"/> McPherson sometimes quipped when she first got to California, all she had was a car, ten dollars<ref>over US $130 in 2012.</ref> and a tambourine.<ref name="Blumhofer p. 246"/>

The Class "A" fireproof building was constructed of concrete and steel and designed by Brook Hawkins. The main architectural feature of the structure is its large, unsupported [[concrete]] dome coated with a mixture of ground [[abalone]] shells. The dome, at the time, was by some reports, the largest in North America, and rises 125 feet from the main floor.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places |date=November 13, 1991|url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/92001875.pdf|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> The dome's interior was painted [[Azure (color)|azure blue]], with fleecy clouds, a reminder to "work while its day" and "to look for His coming". McPherson insisted on a bright joyous setting, avoiding any reminder of sin from either artwork or motto. In back of the pulpit was her theme verse from Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever." She later conveyed she loved "every stone in Angelus Temple,...I love to touch its walls, its altar,...I look to its high vaulted dome...."<ref>Blumhofer, p. 239</ref> but no part of the church pleased her more the magnificent [[Kimball International|Kimball]] pipe organ which always soothed and brought her peace of mind.<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 246–247</ref> The church was dedicated on January 1, 1923. The auditorium had a [[seating capacity]] of 5,300 people and was filled three times each day, seven days a week. Enrollment grew exceeding 10,000, and was claimed to be the largest single Christian congregation in the world<ref>Thomas, Lately ''Storming Heaven: The Lives and Turmoils of Minnie Kennedy and Aimee Semple McPherson'' (Morrow, New York, 1970) p. 32.</ref> According to church records, Angelus Temple received 40 million visitors within the first seven years<ref>Bridal Call (Foursquare Publications, 1100 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles.) October 1929, p. 27</ref> At first, McPherson preached every service, often in a dramatic scene she put together to attract audiences.

Eventually, the church evolved into its own denomination and became known as the [[International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]. The new denomination focused on the nature of Christ's character: that he was Savior, baptizer with the Holy Spirit, healer, and coming King. There were four main beliefs: the first being Christ's ability to transform individuals' lives through the act of salvation; the second focused on a holy baptism which includes receiving power to glorify and exalt Christ in a practical way; the third was divine healing, newness of life for both body and spirit; and the fourth was gospel-oriented heed to the pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ.

[[File:ASM-AngelusTemple Plaque 1923 02.jpg|thumbnail|left|Aimee Semple McPherson intended the Angelus Temple as both a place of worship and an ecumenical center for persons of all Christian faiths to meet and build alliances. A wide range of clergy and laypeople to include Methodists, Baptists, the Salvation Army, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Adventists, Quakers, Roman Catholics, Mormons and secular civic leaders came to the Angelus Temple. They were welcomed and many made their way to her podium as guest speakers.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/> Eventually, even Rev. [[Robert P. Shuler]], a once robust McPherson critic, was featured as a guest preacher.<ref>Sutton, p. 335</ref>]]In August 1925 and away from Los Angeles, McPherson decided to charter a plane so she would not miss giving her Sunday sermon. Aware of the opportunity for publicity, she arranged for at least two thousand followers and members of the press to be present at the airport. The plane failed after takeoff and the landing gear collapsed, sending the nose of the plane into the ground. McPherson boarded another plane and used the experience as the narrative of an illustrated Sunday sermon called "The Heavenly Airplane".<ref name="Sutton, p.72">Sutton, p. 72</ref> The stage in Angelus Temple was set up with two miniature planes and a skyline that looked like Los Angeles. In this sermon, McPherson described how the first plane had the devil for the pilot, sin for the engine, and temptation as the propeller. The other plane, however, was piloted by Jesus and would lead one to the Holy City (the skyline shown on stage). The temple was filled beyond capacity.

On another occasion, she described being pulled over by a police officer, calling the sermon "Arrested for [[Speed limit|Speeding]]". Dressed in a traffic cop's uniform, she sat in the saddle of a police motorcycle, earlier placed on the stage, and revved the siren.<ref name="Sutton, p.72"/> One author in attendance, insisted she actually drove the motorcycle, with its deafening roar, across the access ramp to the pulpit, slammed on the brakes, then raised a white gloved hand to shout "Stop! You're speeding to Hell!"<ref>Bach, Marcus, They Have Found a Faith, (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis / New York, 1946) p. 59</ref> Since McPherson gave some of her sermons more than once, and with variations, the possibility existed both versions might be true.

McPherson employed a small group of artists, electricians, decorators, and carpenters who built the sets for each Sunday's service. Religious music was played by an orchestra. McPherson also worked on elaborate sacred operas. One production, ''The Iron Furnace'', based on the book of Exodus, told of God’s deliverance as the Israelites fled slavery in Egypt. Some Hollywood movie stars even assisted with obtaining costumes from local studios. The cast was large, perhaps as many as 450 people but so elaborate and expensive, it was presented only one time. Rehearsals for the various productions were time consuming and McPherson "did not tolerate any nonsense." Though described as "always kind and loving," McPherson demanded respect regarding the divine message the sacred operas and her other works were designed to convey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/lessons_i_learned_from_sister_aimee |title=Lessons I Learned From Sister Aimee | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Even though McPherson condemned theater and film as the devil's workshop, its secrets and effects were co-opted. She became the first woman evangelist to adopt the whole technique of the moving picture star.<ref>Sutton, p. 74</ref> McPherson desired to avoid the dreary church service where by obligation parishioners would go to fulfill some duty by being present in the pew. She wanted a sacred drama that would compete with the excitement of vaudeville and the movies. The message was serious, but the tone more along the lines of a humorous musical comedy. Missed cues, forgotten or misstated script lines and other mistakes became part of the gag. Animals were frequently incorporated and McPherson, the once farm girl, knew how to handle them. In one incident, a [[camel]] was to squeeze through a narrow gate set up on stage, illustrating the [[Eye of a needle|Eye of the Needle]]. McPherson unlimbered one bag of cargo after another labeled "Worldly Pleasure," "Indifference to the Poor" and others, from the camel. Until all the cargo burdens were removed, the camel could not cross through the opening. McPherson gave up to 22 sermons a week and the lavish Sunday night service attracted the largest crowds, extra [[Tram|trolleys]] and police were needed to help route the traffic through Echo Park to and from Angelus Temple.<ref>Epstein, p.252</ref> To finance the Angelus Temple and its projects, collections were taken at every meeting, often with the admonishment, "no coins, please".<ref name="dollartimes1"/><ref>$1 of 1920's to 1930's dollars would be worth around US $11–13 dollars in 2013. See subsequent cites for inflation calculator links.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=1.00&year1=1930&year2=2012 |title=CPI Inflation Calculator |publisher=Data.bls.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php></ref>

Because Pentecostalism was not popular in the U.S. during the 1920s, McPherson avoided the label. She did, though, demonstrate [[glossolalia|speaking-in-tongues]] and [[faith healing]] in sermons. She also kept a museum of discarded medical fittings from persons faith healed during her services which included crutches, wheelchairs, and other paraphernalia. As evidence of her early influence by the [[Salvation Army]], McPherson adopted a theme of "lighthouses" for the satellite churches, referring to the parent church as the "Salvation Navy." This was the beginning of McPherson working to plant Foursquare Gospel churches around the country.

McPherson published the weekly ''Foursquare Crusader'', along with her monthly magazine, ''Bridal Call''. She began broadcasting on radio in the early 1920s. McPherson was one of the first women to preach a radio sermon. With the opening of Foursquare Gospel-owned [[KEIB|KFSG]] on February 6, 1924, she became the second woman granted a broadcast license by the [[Department of Commerce]], the federal agency that supervised [[broadcasting]] in the early 1920s.<ref>(The first woman to receive a broadcasting license was Mrs. Marie Zimmerman of [[Vinton, Iowa]], in August 1922. See Von Lackum, Karl C. “Vinton Boasts Only Broadcasting Station in U.S. Owned By Woman”, ''Waterloo Evening Courier'', Iowa, October 14, 1922, p. 7.</ref>)

McPherson racially integrated her tent meetings and church services. On one occasion, as a response to McPherson's ministry and Angelus Temple being integrated, [[Ku Klux Klan]] members were in attendance, but after the service hoods and robes were found on the ground in nearby [[Echo Park, Los Angeles, California|Echo Park]].<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 275–277</ref> She is also credited with helping many Hispanic ministries in Los Angeles.<ref name=nyorker>{{cite news|last=Updike|first=John|title=Famous Aimee: The life of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/30/070430crbo_books_updike?currentPage=all|newspaper=[[The New Yorker]]|date=30 April 2007}}</ref>

McPherson traveling about the country holding widely popular revival meetings and filling local churches with converts was one thing, settling permanently into their city caused concern among some local Los Angeles churches. Even though she shared many of their [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalist beliefs:]] divine inspiration of the Bible, the classical [[Trinity]], virgin birth of Jesus, historical reality of Christ's miracles, bodily resurrection of Christ and the atoning purpose of his crucifixion; the presentation of lavish sermons, and an effective faith healing ministry presented by a female divorcee who thousands adored and newspapers continuously wrote of, was unexpected. Moreover, the Temple had a look and style uniquely theirs, almost cult or military-like. Women would emulate McPherson's style and dress, and a distinct Angeleus Temple uniform came into existence, a white dress with a navy blue cape thrown over it.<ref>Epstein, p. 275</ref> Men were more discrete, wearing suits. Her voice, projected over the powerful state-of-the-art KFSG radio station and heard by hundreds of thousands, became the most recognized in the western United States.<ref>Epstein, p. 264</ref>

[[File:ASM-AngelusTemple Sermon 1923 01.jpg|thumbnail|left|Aimee Semple McPherson preaching at the newly built Angelus Temple in 1923. Her messages showcased the love of God, redemption and the joys of service and heaven; contrasting sharply with the fire and brimstone style of sermon delivery popular with many of her peers.]] Her illustrated sermons attracted criticism from some clergy members because they thought it turned the gospel message into mundane theater and entertainment. Divine healing, as McPherson called it, was claimed by many pastors to be a unique dispensation granted only for [[Apostolic Age|Apostolic times]]. Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] published a pamphlet entitled ''McPhersonism'', which purported that her "most spectacular and advertised program was out of harmony with God's word."<ref>Schuler, Robert P. ''McPhersonism: a study of healing cults and modern day tongues movements'', January, 1924, p. 3</ref> Debates such as the [[Ben M. Bogard|Bogard]]-McPherson Debate in 1934<ref>[[Ben M. Bogard]], ''Bogard-McPherson debate : McPhersonism, Holy Rollerism, miracles, Pentecostalism, divine healing : a debate with both sides presented fully'', ([[Little Rock, Arkansas]]: Ben M. Bogard, 1934)</ref> drew further attention to the controversy, but none could really argue effectively against McPherson's results.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://healingandrevival.com/BioCSPrice.htm |title=Biography of Charles S. Price |publisher=Healingandrevival.com |date=1947-03-08 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>http://www.earstohear.net/Price/testimony.html Note: Divine Healing was a contentious theological area of McPherson's ministry, but she was not alone. Other pastors already had a ministry with alleged successful healings such as James Moore Hickson (1868–1933), an Episcopalian of international renown. Another pastor, Dr. Charles S Price (1887–1947), went to a series of McPherson revival meetings in San Jose California, to expose the fraud. Instead he himself was converted and preached McPherson's version of Christianity to his congregation. Reports of purported faith healings began to take place. Price went on to preach as a traveling evangelist who converted tens of thousands along with many instances of miraculous divine healings allegedly occurring.</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 185, 240</ref>

The new developing [[Assemblies of God]] denomination, Pentecostal as McPherson was, for a time worked with her, but they encouraged separation from established Protestant faiths. McPherson resisted trends to isolate as a denomination and continued her task of coalition building among evangelicals. McPherson worked hard to attain ecumenical vision of the faith and while she participated in debates, avoided pitched rhetorical battles that divided so many in Christianity. She wanted to work with existing churches on projects and to share with them her visions and beliefs. Assisting in her passion was the speedy establishment of LIFE Bible College adjacent to the Angeles Temple. Ministers trained there were originally intended to go nationally and worldwide to all denominations and share her newly defined "Foursquare Gospel." A well known Methodist minister, Frank Thompson, who never had the Pentecostal experience,<ref>"Spiritual gifts" given by the Holy Spirit, of which the most well known is speaking in "tongues" the spontaneously speaking in a language unknown to the speaker;, also known as [[Glossolalia]]. Other gifts include translating the said "tongues."</ref> was persuaded to run the college; and he taught the students the doctrine of [[John Wesley]]. McPherson and others, meanwhile, infused them with Pentecostal ideals. Her efforts eventually led Pentecostals, which were previously unconventional and on the periphery of Christianity, into the mainstream of American evangelicalism.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/>

McPherson herself steadfastly declined to publicly criticize by name any individual with rare exceptions, but those who were converted in her services were not so careful. The testimonies of former prostitutes, drug addicts and others, from stage or broadcast over the radio, frequently revealed the names and locations concerning their past illegal activities. These revelations angered many and McPherson often received hostile letters and death threats. An alleged plot to kidnap her and detailed in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' was foiled in September, 1925.<ref>Epstein, p. 300</ref>

===Politics and education===
By early 1926, McPherson had become one of the most charismatic and influential women and ministers of her time. Her fame equaled, to name a few, [[Charles Lindbergh]], [[Johnny Weissmuller]], [[Jack Dempsey]], [[Babe Ruth]], [[Ty Cobb]], [[Knute Rockne]], [[Bobby Jones (golfer)|Bobby Jones]], [[Louise Brooks]], and [[Rudolph Valentino]].<ref>Ralph G. Giordano, ''Satan in the Dance Hall: Rev. John Roach Straton, Social Dancing, and Morality in 1920's New York City'' (Scarecrow Press, Oct 23, 2008), p. 167</ref> She was a major American phenomenon, who along with some other high profile preachers of the time, unlike Hollywood celebrities, could be admired by their adoring public, "without apparently compromising their souls."<ref>George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, ''The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University'' (Truman State University Press, 1999), p. 308</ref>

According to Carey McWilliams, she had become "more than just a household word: she was a folk hero and a civic institution; an honorary member of the fire and police departments; a patron saint of the service clubs; an official spokesman for the community on problems grave and frivolous."<ref>Sutton, Matthew. ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]''. London: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007.</ref> She was influential in many social, educational and political areas. McPherson made personal crusades against anything that she felt threatened her Christian ideals, including the drinking of alcohol and teaching evolution in schools.

McPherson became a strong supporter of [[William Jennings Bryan]] during the 1925 [[Scopes Trial]], in which John Scopes was tried for illegally teaching evolution at a [[Dayton, Tennessee]] school. Bryan and McPherson had worked together in the Angelus Temple and they believed Darwinism had undermined students' morality. According to ''The New Yorker'', McPherson said, evolution "is the greatest triumph of Satanic intelligence in 5,931 years of devilish warfare, against the Hosts of Heaven. It is poisoning the minds of the children of the nation."<ref>Sutton, p. 52. Note: Sutton was uncertain if McPherson actually stated the quote as reported by ''The New Yorker'', but she did convey evolution influenced moral-relativist philosophers and believed "survival of the fittest" thinking would have a detrimental effect on society.</ref> She sent Bryan a telegram saying, "Ten thousand members of Angelus Temple with her millions of radio church membership send grateful appreciation of your lion-hearted championship of the Bible against evolution and throw our hats in the ring with you."<ref>Sutton, pp. 37, 52</ref> She organized "an all-night prayer service, a massive church meeting preceded by a Bible parade through Los Angeles."<ref>Sutton, p. 37</ref>

While her mother Mildred Kennedy was a registered Democrat, no one was certain of McPherson's registration. She endorsed [[Herbert Hoover]] over [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] but enthusiastically threw her support behind the latter and his social programs when he was elected into office.<ref>Sutton, p. 214</ref> She was a patron of [[Trade union|organized labor]], preaching a [[gangster]]'s money was "no more unclean than the [[Criticism of capitalism|dollars of the man who amasses his millions from underpaid factory workers]]".<ref>Sutton, p. 219</ref> She was more cautious though when labor strikes resulted in violent uprisings. She saw in them the possible activities of [[Communism]], which sought to infiltrate labor unions and other organizations. McPherson intensely disliked Communism and its derivatives as they sought to rule without God; their ultimate goal, she believed, to remove Christianity from the earth. McPherson's opinion of [[fascism]] fared no better; its totalitarian rule wrongly justified by claiming to represent the power of God.<ref>Sutton, p. 221</ref>

McPherson did not align herself consistently with any broad [[Conservatism|conservative]] or [[Liberalism|liberal]] political agenda. Instead she explained if Christianity occupied a central place in national life, if the components of God, home, school and government were kept together, everything else would fall into place. "Remove any of these," she warned, "and [civilization] topples, crumbles."<ref>Sutton, p. 223</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/robertson/asm/boorstin.html |title=Democratizing the Religious Experience |publisher=Xroads.virginia.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Current Foursquare Gospel Church leaders qualify the evangelist's views: "McPherson’s passion to see America sustained in spiritual health, which compelled her quest to see the Church influence government, must be interpreted in light of the political and religious climate of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. It is not accurate to draw a parallel between today’s extreme fundamentalist, right-wing Christianity and the style or focus of Sister McPherson."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/sister_aimee_to_air_on_pbs |title="Sister Aimee" to Air on PBS | Foursquare News | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> She was also among the first prominent Christian ministers to defend the establishment of a [[Christian Restorationism|Jewish homeland]] in Palestine. She related that when Christ returns, the Jews would receive him, their suffering will end "and they will establish at Jerusalem a kingdom more wonderful than the world has known."<ref>Epstein, pp. 165, 395</ref>

===Reported kidnapping===
On May 18, 1926, McPherson went with her secretary to Ocean Park Beach north of [[Venice, Los Angeles, California|Venice Beach]] to swim. Soon after arriving, McPherson was nowhere to be found. It was thought she had drowned.

McPherson was scheduled to hold a service that day; her mother Minnie Kennedy preached the sermon instead, saying at the end, "Sister is with Jesus," sending parishioners into a tearful frenzy. [[Mourner]]s crowded Venice Beach and the commotion sparked days-long [[mass media|media]] coverage fueled in part by [[William Randolph Hearst]]'s ''[[Los Angeles Herald Examiner|Los Angeles Examiner]]'' and a stirring poem by [[Upton Sinclair]] to commemorate the tragedy. Daily updates appeared in newspapers across the country and parishioners held day-and-night seaside [[vigil]]s. One parishioner drowned while searching for the body, and a diver died of [[hypothermia|exposure]].

Kenneth G. Ormiston, the [[engineer]] for [[KXOL-FM|KFSG]], had taken other assignments around late December 1925 and left his job at the Temple.<ref>Cox, Raymond L. The Verdict is In, 1983. pp. 37–38. Note: Ormiston presented himself to the police headquarters May 27 to deny he had "went into hiding;" he also indicated his name connected to the evangelist was "a gross insult to a noble and sincere woman." He gave a detailed description of his movements since May 19, 1926, but did not mention Carmel.</ref> Newspapers later linked McPherson and Ormiston, the latter seen driving up the coast with an unidentified woman. Some believed McPherson and Ormiston, who was married, had become romantically involved and had run off together. Several ransom notes and other communications were sent to the Temple, some were relayed to the police, who thought they were hoaxes and others dismissed as fraudulent. McPherson "sightings" were abundant, as many as 16 in different cities and other locations on the same day. For a time, Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, offered a $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA">about US $315,000.00 in 2012 dollars</ref> reward for information leading to the return of her daughter.

The ransom demands sent included a note by the "Revengers" who wanted $500,000<ref name="ReferenceB">about US $6.3 million dollars in 2012</ref> and another for $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/> conveyed by a lawyer who claimed contact with the kidnappers. The handwritten "Revengers" note later disappeared from the LA Police evidence locker and the lawyer was found dead in a possibly suspicious accident before his claim could be adequately investigated.<ref name="LatelyVanish">Lately, Thomas ''The Vanishing Evangelist: the Aimee Semple McPherson Kidnapping Affair'' (Viking Press, 1959) p. 26</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 17–18</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 295, 312</ref> A lengthy ransom letter from the "Avengers" arrived around June 19, 1926, also forwarded to the police, demanded $500,000<ref name="ReferenceB"/> or else kidnappers would sell McPherson into "white slavery." Relating their prisoner was a nuisance because she was incessantly preaching to them, the lengthy, two-page poorly typewritten letter also indicated the kidnappers worked hard to spread the word McPherson was held captive, and not drowned. Kennedy regarded the notes as hoaxes, believing her daughter dead.<ref>Cox, pp. 41–42</ref>

[[File:ASM in DouglasAZHospital.jpg|thumbnail|right| After emerging from the Mexican desert, McPherson convalesces in a hospital with her family in Douglas, Arizona 1926. District Attorney Asa Keyes stands to the far left with Mildred Kennedy (mother) next to Roberta Star Semple, middle left (daughter). On the far right Deputy District Attorney Joseph Ryan is alongside her son, Rolf McPherson.]]
Shortly thereafter, on June 23, McPherson stumbled out of the desert in [[Agua Prieta]], [[Sonora]], a [[Mexico|Mexican]] town across the border from [[Douglas, Arizona|Douglas]], [[Arizona]]. The Mexican couple she approached there thought she had died when McPherson collapsed in front of them. An hour later she stirred and the couple covered her with blankets.<ref>Cox, p. 70</ref> She claimed she had been kidnapped, drugged, tortured, and held for ransom in a shack by two men and a woman, "Steve," "Mexicali Rose," and another unnamed man.<ref name="pbs.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/sister/ |title=American Experience . Sister Aimee |publisher=PBS |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>Cox, p. 58. Note: Epstein refers to the third man as "Jake," Sutton's account does not name the 3rd individual. When asked the ethnicity of the kidnappers, McPherson, though not entirely certain, believed them all to be from the United States.</ref><ref>Shuler, Robert, ''Fighting Bob Shuler of Los Angeles'' Dog Ear Publishing, 2012 p. 178. Note: Indictments were made against Steve Doe, Rose Doe, and John Doe</ref> She also claimed she had escaped from her captors and walked through the desert for about 13 hours to freedom.

Following her return from [[Douglas, Arizona]], McPherson was greeted at the train station by 30,000–50,000 people, more than for almost any other personage.<ref>Melton, J. Gordon ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena'', (Visible Ink Press, 2007) p. 218</ref> The parade back to the temple even elicited a greater turnout than President Woodrow Wilson's visit to Los Angeles in 1919, attesting to her popularity and the growing influence of mass media entertainment. Aircraft flew low overhead, dropping roses, which drifted around McPherson as she stood surrounded by white-robed flower girls from Angelus Temple<ref>Sutton, p. 103</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://framework.latimes.com/2011/06/20/president-wilson-visits-l-a/#/0 |title=President Wilson visits L.A. - Framework - Photos and Video - Visual Storytelling from the Los Angeles Times |publisher=Framework.latimes.com |date=2011-06-20 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>Melton, J. Gordon ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena,'' (Visible Ink Press, 2007) p. 218</ref>

The fire department was out in their parade uniforms and high ranking Los Angeles officials formally greeted her return. Already incensed over McPherson's influential public stance on evolution and the Bible, most of the Chamber of Commerce and some other civic leaders, however, saw the event as gaudy display; nationally embarrassing to the city. Many Los Angeles area churches were also annoyed. The divorcee McPherson had settled in their town and many of their parishioners were now attending her church, with its elaborate sermons that, in their view, diminished the dignity of the Gospel. The Chamber of Commerce, together with Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] leading the Los Angeles Church Federation, and assisted by the press and others, became an informal alliance to determine if her disappearance was caused by other than a kidnapping.<ref>Epstein, p. 301</ref><ref name="Sutton, pp. 120–122">Sutton, pp. 120–122</ref>

[[File:ASM returnFromDouglas01.jpg|thumbnail|left|Between 30,000 to 50,000 people greeted McPherson at the train station following her return from Douglas, Arizona, the town she convalesced in after stating she escaped from kidnappers.]]
In Los Angeles, ahead of any court date, McPherson noticed newspaper stories about her kidnapping becoming more and more sensationalized as the days passed. To maintain excited, continued public interest, she speculated, the newspapers let her original account give way to rain torrents of "new spice and thrill" stories about her being elsewhere "with that one or another one." It did not matter if the material was disproved or wildly contradictory. No correction or apology was given for the previous story as another, even more outrageous tale, took its place.<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, ''In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life'' (Boni and Liveright, New York, 1927) p. 54</ref>

Her mother, Mildred Kennedy was very cynical of the increased newspaper scrutiny and McPherson's lawyer advised against pursuing the matter further. Since McPherson was the injured party and sole witness to the crime, if she chose not to press her complaint, the case would have to be closed.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist,'' p. 119-120</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 303</ref> Earlier, when McPherson was interrogated in Douglas, Arizona by Prosecutor District Attorney [[Asa Keyes]] and Deputy District Attorney Joseph Ryan, both seemed empathetic to her story. Ryan said he could make the desert trip without scuffing or marking his commissary shoes.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist,'' p. 125</ref><ref>Cox, p. 68</ref> McPherson therefore presented herself in court as a victim of a crime seeking redress. Pressured by various influential Los Angeles business, media, political and religious interests <ref name="Sutton, pp. 120–122"/> Keyes and Ryan instead opened the grand jury inquiry with insinuating questions, implying McPherson and her mother were involved in a deception.<ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'' p. 123</ref>

Some were skeptical of her story since McPherson seemed in unusually good health for her alleged ordeal; her clothing showing no signs of what they expected of a long walk through the desert. This was disputed by most Douglas, Arizona, residents, the town where McPherson was taken to convalesce, including expert tracker C.E. Cross, who testified that McPherson's physical condition, shoes, and clothing were all consistent with an ordeal such as she described.<ref>Modesto Bee And News-Herald 20 October 1926, Page 1</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'' pp. 285-286, 291</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 85, 209–211. Note: persons who recovered and drove McPherson to the hospital in Douglas, Arizona, describe she showed much signs of stress. She was emaciated to the point of being unrecognizable by many who saw her. Her shoes were white with desert dust and her hands were covered with grime. A nurse picked some cactus spines from her legs and rubbed some preparation on the toe where a blister had broken. (Cox, pp. 71–72).</ref> A grand jury convened on July 8, 1926, but adjourned 12 days later citing lack of evidence to proceed with any charges against either alleged kidnappers or perjury by McPherson. McPherson was told they would be open to receive any evidence submitted by her should she desire to further substantiate her kidnapping story.<ref>Sutton, p. 107</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/fbi.shtml |title=History of the FBI |publisher=Policyalmanac.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}Note: Except as an limited resource to local authorities. The FBI did not actively investigate possible kidnappings until 1932; when Congress passed a federal kidnapping statute.</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Vanishing Evangelist'', pp. 101, 176. Note: After evaluating the numerous newspaper reports, one Los Angeles Superior Court judge, Carlos Hardy, informally advised McPherson to hire private detectives to assist her. In his view, law enforcement officials were making no effort to find any substantiating evidence of a kidnapping and were only interested in breaking down her end of the story.</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 184, 214. Note: Tracks matching the shoes McPherson wore were found as far out as 15 to 18 miles in the remote desert and reported on in some newspapers, but the location of the desert shack McPherson was held in could not be conclusively found at that time. A hidden shack was discovered later in September by Douglas, Arizona authorities, which fit closely the description McPherson provided, however, the Los Angeles police, declined to investigate. It was later reported that McPherson's attorneys would establish the fact that the prison shack is 21 miles below Douglas, Az. The evangelist herself was to be one of the witnesses, identifying photographs of the building (Emporia Gazette, - October 22, 1926, newspaper, Emporia, Kansas, p. 1) (The Miami News - Oct 21, 1926 (Associated Press, Los Angeles, Oct 11)).</ref>

The prosecution collected five witnesses who asserted to have seen McPherson at the Benedict <ref>http://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/cornell?a=d&d=CDS19260929.2.21&e=--------20--1-----all----</ref> seaside cottage in [[Carmel-by-the-Sea]], with the cottage being rented by Ormiston under an assumed name. It was pointed out that even though most of these witnesses knew of the $25,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/> reward for McPherson's return, with her pictures prominently appearing in the newspapers, none of the five stepped forward at the time they allegedly saw McPherson to claim it.<ref>Sutton, p. 124</ref><ref>Epstein, p .308</ref> Moreover, several other witnesses, including two the prosecution erroneously thought would testify for them, stated the woman was not McPherson.<ref>Cox, pp. 3, 194–195, 197. Note: The prosecution aided by Joseph Ryan, Deputy District Attorney, obtained the Five Carmel witnesses by first looking for people who at least got a brief glimpse of the woman with Ormiston. Ryan would take a sheath of photographs taken of McPherson, as provided by the newspapers and then show them to the prospective witnesses one photograph at a time. Once the witness finally agreed that a photo resembled the woman with Ormiston, Ryan would have his "identification" that McPherson was seen in Carmel, with Ormiston.

This photo-stack trick did not work on people who had actually gotten a closer look at the mystery woman, such as the landlord, H C Benedict, who rented the cottage to the couple. Benedict testified Ryan tried very hard to get him to identify the woman in his rented cottage as McPherson, but "I said I could not." When asked about the photos of McPherson, he answered, "he had a whole squad of them up there...and they been pulling these photographs and saying "do you recognize this" and another one "Do you recognize this?""(Cox, pp. 150, 166)</ref> Ormiston admitted to having rented the cottage but claimed that the woman who had been there with him – known in the press as Mrs. X – was not McPherson but another woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair.

The grand jury reconvened on August 3 and took further testimony along with documents from hotels, all said by various newspapers to be in McPherson's handwriting. These, though, were later revealed to be Elizabeth Tovey's, a woman traveling with Ormiston, whose handwriting did not at all resemble McPherson's.<ref>Cox, p. 160</ref> McPherson steadfastly stuck to her story, that she was approached by a young couple at the beach who had asked her to come over and pray for their sick child, and that she was then shoved into a car and drugged with [[chloroform]].<ref>McPherson, Aimee Semple, In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life (Boni and Liveright, New York, 1927) p. 265. Note: McPherson did not actually name the substance, but described it as feeling wet and sticky against her skin, smelling pungently sweet. When she awoke afterwards, she felt extremely nauseated. It was postulated by some the drug was most likely chloroform, possibly with an additive.</ref>


The Carmel cottage was further checked for fingerprints, but none belonging to McPherson were recovered. Two grocery slips found in the yard of the cottage were studied by a police handwriting expert and determined to be McPherson's penmanship. While the original slips later mysteriously disappeared from the courtroom, photo-stat copies were available.<ref>Thomas, Vanishing Evangelist, p. 284</ref> The defense had a handwriting expert of their own who demonstrated the grocery slips were not McPherson's but doctored to look like hers. The slips' suspicious origin was also questioned. The original slips would have been in the yard for two months, surviving dew, fog, and lawn maintenance before their discovery.<ref>Cox, pp. 151, 152</ref>

California grand jury members are bound by law not discuss the case to protect the integrity of the process in determining if there is sufficient cause for a formal juried trial. The Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] was told as much by a newspaper in response to an open demand he made for more disclosure in the ongoing inquiry.<ref>Shuler, Robert, ''Fighting Bob Shuler of Los Angeles'' Dog Ear Publishing, 2012 p. 179</ref> In the McPherson case, proceedings became quite public, as observed by journalist [[H. L. Mencken]]. A vocal critic of McPherson,<ref name="ralphmag1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ralphmag.org/menckenZN.html |title=Isadora Duncan, Aime Semple McPherson - H. L. Mencken |publisher=Ralphmag.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Mencken wrote of her, "For years she toured the [[Bible Belt]] in a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], haranguing the morons nightly, under canvas. It was a depressing life, and its usufructs were scarcely more than three meals a day. The town [he refers to Los Angeles] has more morons in it than the whole State of [[Mississippi]], and thousands of them had nothing to do save gape at the movie dignitaries and go to revivals" (from The American Mercury, 1930). Mencken had been sent to cover the trial and there was every expectation he would continue his searing critiques against the evangelist. Instead, he came away impressed with McPherson and disdainful of the unseemly nature of the prosecution.<ref>Sutton, pp. 120–121. Note: H. L. Mencken determined the evangelist was being persecuted by two powerful groups. The "town clergy" which included Rev. [[Robert P. Shuler]], disliked her, for among other things, poaching their "customers" and for the perceived sexual immorality associated with Pentecostalism. Her other category of enemies were "the Babbits", the power elite of California. McPherson's strong stand on bible fundamentalism was not popular with them, especially after taking a stand during the 1925 Scopes trial which gave "science a bloody nose." In addition McPherson was working to put a bible in every public school classroom and to forbid the teaching of evolution. [[The Argonaut]], a San Francisco newspaper, warned these actions made her a threat to the entire state which could place "California on intellectual parity with Mississippi and Tennessee."</ref> Mencken later wrote: "The trial, indeed, was an orgy typical of the half-fabulous California courts. The very officers of justice denounced her riotously in the Hearst papers while it was in progress."<ref name="ralphmag1"/> To combat the bad newspaper publicity, McPherson spoke freely about the court trials on the air during her radio broadcasts.<ref>Sutton, p. 135. Note: McPherson's preaching and radio delivery style largely avoided judging or accusing others directly. When she announced a sermon, advertised even in the ''[[New York Times]]'', to name "the biggest liar in Los Angeles", reporters thought at last she would openly criticize Prosecutor Keys, self-styled religious enemy Reverend Schuler, or perhaps the key witness against her, Lorraine Wiseman-Sielaff. The Angelus Temple was packed with reporters and others awaiting her scathing attack. The biggest liar in LA was none other than the Devil himself.</ref>

Theories and [[innuendo]] were rampant: that she had run off with a lover, had gone off to have an [[abortion]], was taking time to heal from [[plastic surgery]], or had staged a [[publicity stunt]]. Two-inch headlines called her a tart, a conspirator, and a home-wrecker.<ref name="Epstein, p. 309">Epstein, p. 309</ref> McPherson's near death medical operation in 1914,<ref name="Epstein, p. 74"/> which prevented her from having more children, was already part of the public record. When challenged about the abortion claim with a request to pay for the medical exam to prove it, the newspaper which printed the story backed down. Some prosecutor witnesses stated when they saw McPherson in Carmel, she had short hair, and furor ensued she was currently wearing fake hair swatches piled up to give the impression of longer tresses. McPherson, as requested by her lawyer, stood up, unpinned her hair, which fell abundantly around her shoulders, shocking the witnesses and others into embarrassed silence.<ref name="Epstein, p. 309"/> McPherson learned that in a celebrity crazed-culture fueled by mass media, a leading lady could become a villainess in the blink of an eye.<ref>Sutton, p. 176</ref>

The defense rested its case on October 28 and the judge, on November 3, decided enough evidence had been garnered against the evangelist and her mother for a jury trial case in Los Angeles, set for mid-January 1927. The charges were a criminal conspiracy to commit acts injurious to public morals, to prevent and [[obstruction of justice|obstruct justice]], and to prevent the due administration of the laws, and of engaging in a criminal conspiracy to commit the crime of subordination of perjury. If convicted, the counts added up to maximum prison time of forty-two years.<ref>Sutton, pp. 133–134</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 312</ref><ref>The People vs.Aimee Semple McPherson, et al., Case CR 29181, 10 January 1927, Superior Court of Los Angeles County, County records and Archives</ref>

The chief witness against McPherson was now Lorraine Wiseman-Sielaff. She first stated she was in Carmel as a nurse for Ormiston's mistress; and because she somewhat physically resembled McPherson, it was her that people were misidentifying as the evangelist. Later, after the Angelus Temple refused to post her bail when she was arrested for passing a bad check, Wiseman-Sielaff said McPherson paid her to tell that story. Her testimony was fluidly inconsistent, and it changed significantly yet again in late December, 1926. Prosecutor [[Asa Keyes]] eventually concluded Wiseman-Sielaff's story was not true and a "grievous wrong had been done." ''The Examiner'' newspaper reported that [[Los Angeles County District Attorney|Los Angeles district attorney]] [[Asa Keyes]] had dropped all charges on January 10, 1927.<ref>Sutton, p. 136. Note: The newspaper, the ''Record'' indicated "the McPherson sensation has sold millions of newspapers, generated fat fees for lawyers, stirred up religious antagonism... advertised Los Angeles in a ridiculous way." Keyes added his office was through with perjured testimony, fake evidence and ...he had been duped and a (juried) trial against McPherson would be a futile persecution.</ref><ref>It is frequently conveyed by contemporary commentators that the charges were dropped "allegedly because McPherson came up with $30,000 (about US$390,00 in 2013) to appease law enforcement officials."{{cite web|url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/popular-evangelist-aimee-semple-mcpherson-disappears |title=Popular evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson disappears — History.com This Day in History — 5/18/1926 |publisher=History.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}} Author Anthony J. Rudel even asserts "it came to light that McPherson had acquired a hush fund of $800,000 (about US$10.5 million in 2013) some of which had been used to pay off participants in the 1926 hearings including District Attorney Keyes." (''Hello, Everybody!: The Dawn of American Radio''; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008 p. 196). No mention of the $800,000 is given by biographers of McPherson to include Thomas, Blumhofer, Sutton, Cox, or Epstein. No evidence for the commonly quoted lower figure of $30,000 is found, details and the source of the rumor ambiguous.</ref><ref>Author Stephen J. Pullum, conveys, “...some have suggested that he [Keyes] may have been party to a $30,000 bribe.” (''Foul Demons, Come Out!'' Praeger Pub Text, Westport, Conn., 1999).

In late 1928, the Los Angeles County Grand Jury began looking into the possibility that Keyes had been bribed to drop charges against McPherson. An investigation was started and Keyes was acquitted (Shaefer, Silvia Anne; ''Aimee Semple Mcpherson'', Infobase Publishing, New York, 2004; p. 71). A November 13 ''United Press'' dispatch from London quotes the evangelist as saying: “I never paid a penny. The reason I was freed was that the woman who made the charges confessed she had lied and had been hired to tell the story. With her confession, I was automatically released.” Journalist Rodger M. Grace comments the reality was more complex, Keyes because of inconsistencies in Wiseman-Sielaff’s account, could not vouch for the truthfulness of her testimony, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Albert Lee Stephens Sr. dismissed the charges. {{cite web|author=Roger M. Grace |url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/2007/perspectives101507.htm |title=Keyes Drops Prosecution of McPherson After She's Bound Over for Trial |publisher=Metnews.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Regardless of the court's decision, months of unfavorable press reports fixated in much of the public's mind, a certainty of McPherson's wrongdoing. Many readers were unaware of prosecution evidence having become discredited because it was often placed in the back columns while some new accusation against McPherson held prominence on the headlines. In a letter he wrote to the ''Los Angeles Times'' a few months after the case was dropped, the Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]] stated, "Perhaps the most serious thing about this whole situation is the seeming loyalty of thousands to this leader in the face of her evident and positively proven guilt."<ref>Shuler, p. 188. Note: ''Los Angeles Times'', June 1927</ref>

Some supporters thought McPherson should have insisted on the jury trial and clear her name. The grand jury inquiry concluded while enough evidence did not exist to try her, it did not indicate her story was true with its implication of kidnappers still at large.<ref>Meed, Douglas V. "Soldier of Fortune--Adventuring in Latin America and Mexico with Emil Lewis Holmdahl," Halcyon Press Limited, 2003 p. 191. Note: No persons fitting the description of the kidnappers were identified, though, on June 29, 1926, an El Paso Herald reporter asked Emil Lewis Holmdahl, an American infantryman turned soldier of fortune, if he had been involved in the alleged kidnapping of famous California evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Holmdahl, who fought extensively in earlier Latin American turmoil wars and was cleared by a Mexican judge as a suspect in the February 6, 1926 theft of [[Pancho Villa]]'s head, enigmatically replied regarding McPherson, "Well, maybe I did and maybe I didn't." In contrast, unless intoxicated, he always emphatically denied participating in a grave robbery that stole Villa's head.</ref> Therefore, anyone could still accuse her of a hoax without fear of slander charges and frequently did so. McPherson, though, was treated harshly in many previous sessions at court, being verbally pressured in every way possible to change her story or elicit some bit of incriminating information.<ref>Epstein, pp. 313–314</ref> Moreover, court costs to McPherson were estimated as high as US $100,000 dollars.<ref>about US $1,300,000 in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 308</ref> A jury trial could take months. McPherson moved on to other projects. In 1927 she published a book about her version of the kidnapping: ''In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life.''

The 1926 grand jury case, the largest of its kind in California, had hundreds of reporters looking for discrediting evidence against McPherson. Almost $500,000<ref>about US $6.4 million in 2013</ref> was spent<ref>Epstein, p. 289</ref> (most by newspapers assisting in the investigation), 3,600 pages of transcripts generated,<ref>Thomas, Vanishing Evangelist, p. vii, NOTE Sutton writes 36,000, p. 133</ref> and agencies, officials and others continued to investigate, even years later, but were unable to prove her kidnapping story false.<ref>Sutton, p. 143</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 298–299, 309, 314</ref> In 1929, after a failed request by the state senate to reopen the older 1926 case,<ref>Sutton, p. 140; Epstein, p. 332. NOTE: In 1929 the California state senate conducted an impeachment trial of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carlos S. Hardy for providing legal aid to McPherson, violating the rules of office. McPherson was called to testify, but little interest was shown in prosecuting Hardy. The same witnesses and other persons from the earlier 1926 grand jury trial appeared; and McPherson was again in the headlines, being investigated. The impeachment trial cost another $50,000,(About US $660,000 in 2012) presumably borne largely by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', with the exception of the $25,000(About US $330,000 in 2012) taxpayer money it cost to print the 1,300 page trial transcript. McPherson had to endure the same humiliation she had endured in the 1926 trial, when the discussion was primarily about her hair, legs, and morals. Charges against Hardy were dropped and the state assembly instead called for Los Angeles prosecutors to reopen the case to criminally charge McPherson. The Los Angeles offices declined.</ref> Journalist Morrow Mayo noted it was the last chance in California to "ruin that red-headed sorceress", and "she is free to serve the Lord until the Marines are called out." <ref>Sutton, p. 141</ref>

The tale was later satirized by [[Pete Seeger]] in a song called "The Ballad of Aimee McPherson", with lyrics claiming the kidnapping had been unlikely because a hotel love nest revealed "the dents in the mattress fit Aimee's [[Buttocks|caboose]]."

The [[Court of Historical Review and Appeal]] in San Francisco, which holds no legal authority, is made up of members of the bench who examine and retry historical cases and controversies. In April 1990, a decision was handed down regarding the matter of McPherson's kidnapping story. George T. Choppelas, the then presiding judge of the San Francisco Municipal Court, ruling for the Court of Historical Review, found the issues involved both serious and fascinating. He concluded that "there was never any substantial evidence to show that her story was untrue. She may not have been a saint, but she certainly was no sinner, either."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1990-10-09/local/me-2159_1_sister-aimee |title=Faithful of 'Sister Aimee' Say Mock Court Has Redeemed Her - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Articles.latimes.com |date=1990-10-09 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

===Claims of extramarital affairs===
Numerous allegations of illicit love affairs<ref>Epstein, p. 386</ref> were often directed against McPherson. Suspected lovers generally denied involvement.<ref name="Sutton, p. 175">Sutton, p. 175</ref> For example, Kenneth Ormiston, a married man with a small son,<ref>Epstein, pp. 264, 287</ref> could have profited immensely from an expose' about himself and McPherson.<ref>Cox, p. 234. Note: Kenneth Ormiston did eventually sell his story to the press, identifying his companion as Elizabeth Tovey.</ref> It was not disputed the two had a good working relationship and were friendly with each other. During the 1926 kidnapping grand jury trial, his privacy in every way was invaded as reporters and investigators tried to link him amorously to McPherson.<ref>Epstein, pp. 289, 307</ref><ref>Sutton, p.135</ref> Ormiston told newspapers his name connected in such a way to the evangelist "was a gross insult to a noble and sincere woman."<ref>Thomas ''Vanishing'' p. 31</ref><ref>Cox, pp. 37–38.</ref>

[[File:ASM-reading blackmailNote1.jpg|thumbnail|right| Aimee Semple McPherson was often the target of numerous unsubstantiated sexually related allegations. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, June 4, 1936, this photograph depicts the evangelist reading a note demanding $10,000 else nude motion pictures of her and a friend would be publicly released. When inquired about it in an unrelated interview later that year, she tersely stated nude pictures of her did not exist because none were ever taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/U373542ACME/mcpherson-charged-for-slander?popup=1 |title=McPherson Charged for Slander - U373542ACME - Rights Managed - Stock Photo - Corbis |publisher=Corbisimages.com |date=1936-12-12 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>]] Alarmed by her rapidly changing style of dress and involvement with Hollywood and its "worldly" lifestyle, in 1929, an Angeleus Temple official<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webjournals.ac.edu.au/authors/john-goben/ |title=John Goben • Webjournals |publisher=Webjournals.ac.edu.au |date= |accessdate=2013-11-15}}, Blumhofer, p. 311, Note: Reverend John D. Goben was a successful Midwestern evangelist when he joined the Angeles Temple in 1927. A revival campaign in 1930 by Goben led to the establishment the Stone Church in Toronto, Canada. Goben served as treasurer to the International Foursquare Gospel Lighthouses, an association of satellite churches he helped manage. Because of a dispute with McPherson and her legal counsel, over property ownership by the churches, he was ousted as treasurer. His mounting discontent along with encouragement of some of the Church board members, in part, precipitated his expensive private investigation of McPherson. One evening at a board meeting, Goben, hoping to elicit a confession in lieu of evidence he could not obtain, confronted McPherson with his surveillance. But McPherson, so shocked by what he did, fainted. The board members turned against Goben and he was fired. His bitter departure resulted in his publication of a pamphlet entitled ''Aimee, the Gospel Gold-Digger''. Aimed at Temple supporters, he detailed alleged financial irregularities. A brief grand jury investigation was started, but come to nothing.</ref> hired detectives to shadow McPherson. Through her windows, the detectives frequently saw McPherson staying up until the early morning hours composing songs, drafting sacred operas and scribbling diagrams of her illustrated sermons.<ref>Epstein, pp. 334, 337</ref> They were looking for evidence of her indiscretions, but found nothing. No confirmation of adulterous misconduct,<ref name="Sutton, p. 175"/> with perhaps exception of her third marriage as a violation of Church tenets, was ever presented. McPherson herself, aware of numerous accusations leveled at her throughout her career, responded only to a small fraction of them, conveying the only thing she had time for was "preaching Jesus."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/a_lasting_legacy |title=A Lasting Legacy | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Posthumously, unsubstantiated allegations of extramarital affairs continued to emerge, this time by those who stated to have been her partner; claims not mentioned by them or others while she was still alive. Canadian journalist, [[Gordon Sinclair]], implied such a claim in his 1966 autobiography, ''Will the Real Gordon Sinclair Please Stand Up.'' Sinclair stated he worked on a story with McPherson and it was during one of those times in 1934, the incident purportedly occurred. Sinclair alludes to a sexual dalliance with McPherson one afternoon along with some gin and ginger.<ref>Sutton, pp. 175, 312</ref>

Thirty years after her death, another claim by comedian [[Milton Berle]], in a 1974 autobiography, alleges a brief affair with the evangelist. In his book, entitled '' Milton Berle: An Autobiography'', Berle asserts he met McPherson at the [[Shrine Auditorium]] in Los Angeles where both were doing a charity show. Upon seeing her for the first time, Berle recalled,
<blockquote>"I was both impressed and very curious ... She was all dignity and class when it came her turn. The house went wild when she walked out into the lights." Backstage, she invited him to see Angelus Temple. Instead, Berle wrote, the two of them went to lunch in Santa Monica, then to an apartment of hers where McPherson changed into something "cooler [...] a very thin, pale blue [[negligee]]." Berle said he could see she was wearing nothing underneath. She just said, "Come in." Berle said they met for the second and last time at the same apartment a few days later, writing, "This time, she just sent the chauffeur for me to bring me straight to the apartment. We didn't even bother with lunch. When I was dressing to leave, she stuck out her hand. 'Good luck with your show, Milton.' What the hell. I couldn't resist it. 'Good luck with yours, Aimee.' I never saw or heard from Aimee Semple McPherson again. But whenever I hear '[[Yes Sir, That's My Baby (song)|Yes, Sir, That's My Baby]]', I remember her."<ref>{{cite web|title=Milton Berle with Frank Haskel. ''Milton Berle: An Autobiography''|publisher=[[Delacorte Press]]|year=1974|pages=123–29 |url=http://www.ondoctrine.com/1mcphe05.htm}}</ref></blockquote>

Biographer Matthew Avery Sutton commented, "Berle, a notorious womanizer whose many tales of scandalous affairs were not always true, claimed to have had sex with McPherson on this and one other occasion", both during a year when McPherson was often ill and bedridden. Sutton noted that Berle's story of a [[crucifix]]<ref>Cox, p. 241. Note: McPherson was frequently photographed with the image of the Christian Cross, which differs from the crucifix, with its hanging figure of Jesus and its common association with Catholicism. Cox states anecdotally some persons adversarial to McPherson, who heard the Berle story wanted to believe it was true, "but that bit about the crucifix" convinced them otherwise.</ref> in McPherson's bedroom was not consistent with the coolness of Pentecostal-Catholic relations during that era.<ref>Sutton, p. 174</ref> Another book by Milton Berle, ''Laughingly Yours'', which had autobiographical content that was published in 1939 while McPherson was still alive, did not have this claim.<ref>Cox, p. 241</ref>

Author Raymond L. Cox states: "Mrs. McPherson's daughter, Roberta Salter of New York, told me, 'Mother never had an apartment in her life.' By 1931 she kept herself securely chaperoned to guard against such allegations." During 1930 the evangelist's appearances and whereabouts can be traced almost every day. She was incapacitated with illness a full five months of that year, and there is no place on her schedule as reported in her publications and church and travel records for the benefit Berle alleged. Besides, Roberta also told Cox, "Mother never did a benefit in her life. She had her own charities".<ref>Cox, Raymond L. The Verdict is In, 1983, p. 241</ref>

===Charitable work===
[[File:ASMcPherson, 1935.jpg|thumb|McPherson (left) prepares Christmas food baskets (about 1935)]]
Aimee Semple McPherson strove to develop a church organization which could not only provide for the spiritual, but the physical needs of the distressed. Though she fervently believed and preached the imminent return of Jesus Christ,<ref>Blumhofer, p. 210</ref> she had no idea of how soon that [[Second Coming]] might be. Two thoughts pervaded the mind of most devout Pentecostals of the time, "Jesus is coming, therefore how can I get ready," and "how can I help others to get ready?"

For McPherson, part of the answer was to mobilize her Temple congregation and everyone she could reach through radio, telephone and word of mouth to get involved in substantial amounts of charity and social work. "True Christianity is not only to be good but to do good," she preached. The Charities and Beneficiary Department collected donations for all types of humanitarian relief to include a Japanese disaster as well as a German relief fund. Men released from prison were found jobs by a "brotherhood." A "sisterhood" was created as well, sewing baby clothing for impoverished mothers.<ref>Epstein, p. 249</ref> Branch churches elsewhere in the country were likewise encouraged to follow the Angelus Temple's example. Even people who considered McPherson's theology almost ridiculous helped out because they saw her church as the best way to assist their community.<ref>Sutton, pp. 186–191</ref>

In June 1925, after confirming reports of an [[1925 Santa Barbara earthquake|earthquake in Santa Barbara]], McPherson immediately left the parsonage and interrupted a broadcast at a nearby radio station. She took over the microphone from the startled singer and requested food, blankets, clothing, whatever listeners could give for emergency supplies to assist nearby Santa Barbara. As the Red Cross met to discuss and organize aid, McPherson's second convoy had already arrived at the troubled city.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 269</ref> In 1928, after [[St. Francis Dam|a dam failed]] and the ensuing flood left up to 600 dead in its wake, McPherson's church led the relief effort.<ref>Sutton, pp. 189, 315. Note: author states over 400 dead</ref> Later, in 1933, an [[1933 Long Beach earthquake|earthquake struck and devastated Long Beach.]] McPherson quickly arranged for volunteers to be on the scene with blankets, coffee and doughnuts.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 348. Note: author indicates 1934 but probably a typo</ref>

An unwed mother's home was operated of the parsonage. Roberta Semple Star, McPherson's daughter, shared her room with one troubled or battered runaway girl after another. She recalled they came from all over the country and her mother could spot them in any crowd. McPherson herself would frequently contact the girl's presumably worried parents, offering to facilitate a reconciliation if needed. If the girl stayed on, after the baby arrived, McPherson made another call to the parents, letting them know wonderful news: their daughter just gave birth to a healthy eight pound baby boy or girl. McPherson's enthusiastically sincere, caring approach tended to result in reluctant parents accepting back their wayward daughter with their new grandchild.<ref>Epstein, p. 279</ref>

While McPherson, her two children and sometimes visitors shared dinner upstairs, frequently they were interrupted by knocks on the downstairs door. The Angelus Temple parsonage received an unknown number of abandoned infants left in all types of containers at its doorstep. People knew a baby left there would be well taken care of.<ref>Epstein, p. 280</ref> Because many baby abandonments were caused by mothers unable to care for their infants while they worked, she also established a day nursery for children of working mothers.

Drawing from her childhood experience with the Salvation Army, in 1927, McPherson opened a commissary at Angelus Temple which was devised to assist the needy on a much larger, formalized scale. The Commissary was virtually the only place in town a person could get food, clothing, and blankets with no questions asked. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and became active in creating soup kitchens, free clinics, and other charitable activities as the Great Depression wore on. It is estimated that she fed 1.5 million people. When the government shut down the free school lunch program, McPherson took it over. Her policy of giving first and investigating afterward allowed waste and a certain amount of deadbeats to leech off the program, but it "alleviated suffering on an epic scale".<ref>Epstein, p. 369</ref>

McPherson got the fire and police departments to assist in distribution. Doctors, physicians and dentists were persuaded to staff her free clinic that trained 500 nurses to help treat children and the elderly. She encouraged individuals and companies of all types to donate supplies, food, cash or labor. To prevent the power from being turned off to homes of overdue accounts during the winter, a US $2,000<ref>about US $28,000 in 2012</ref> cash reserve was set up with the utility company. Many people, who otherwise would have nothing to do with the Angelus Temple, would receive a call from McPherson, and then loot their mansion closets or company stores for something to give. The Yellow Cab Company donated a large building and, in the first month, 80,000 people received meals there.<ref>Epstein, p. 370</ref><ref>Sutton, p. 316</ref>

Laboring under a sign "Everybody and anybody is somebody to Jesus", volunteer workers filled commissary baskets with an assortment of food and other items as well as Foursquare Gospel literature and handed them out. Even a complete kit designed to care for newborn babies was available. A reporter writes he had always thought the breadline was a "drab colorless scar on our civilization" but of the Angelus Temple commissary, he observes, was "the warm garment of sympathy and Christian succor."<ref name="Sutton, p. 317">Sutton, p. 317</ref> A note, which reflects the sentiment of many of those who received assistance, was left in June, 2010 at McPherson's virtual gravesite:

<blockquote>"My grandpa always talked about when he was a kid, he and his family moved to California from Missouri, during the depression, and his family was starving and they met you and you gave them a bag of vegetables, and some money, he never forgot it."
-Anonymous<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=dfl&GRid=700&FLsr=1 |title=Aimee Semple McPherson (1890 - 1944) - Find A Grave Flowers |publisher=Findagrave.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref></blockquote>

Establishing an employment bureau as well, McPherson desired to help "the discouraged husband, the despondent widow, or the little mother who wants extra work to bear the burden of a sick husband".<ref>Blumhofer, p. 346</ref> She expected everyone in her temple to be involved, 'let us ever strive to lighten our brother's load and dry the tears of a sister; race, creed or status make no difference. We are all one in the eyes of the Lord." She encouraged members to think of the commissary as widening "the spirituality of the whole church".<ref>Blumhofer, p. 348</ref>

In 1932, the commissary was raided by police to allegedly locate a still used to make brandy out of donated apricots. Some sauerkraut and salad oil were purportedly observed leaking from their respective storage areas. As a consequence, the commissary was briefly shut down. The press got involved and the public demanded an investigation. Since no one really wanted to stall the temple's charity efforts, the acceptable solution was to replace the immediate management. The staff was let go and students from her Foursquare Gospel Church's LIFE Bible College filled in. The newspaper media, generally cynical of the Temple and in particular, of McPherson, recognized "the excellent features of that organization's efforts" and "the faults of the Angelus Temple are outweighed by its virtues".<ref>Sutton, p. 194</ref> McPherson issued a statement declaring, "They have clashed loud their cymbals and blown their trumpets about a still and some sauerkraut,... our work is still before us. If...anybody abused his trust, it must not happen again."<ref>Epstein, pp. 375–376</ref>

As McPherson tried to avoid administrative delays in categorizing the "deserving" from the "undeserving," her temple commissary became known as one of the region's most effective and inclusive aid institutions. Few soup kitchens lasted more than several months, but McPherson's remained open.<ref name="Sutton, p. 317"/> Even as she transformed herself into a fashionable blonde Hollywood socialite, McPherson's vigor and practicality for social activism did not change, she loved organizing big projects.<ref>Sutton, pp. 191–192</ref> A 1936 survey indicated the Angelus Temple assisted more family units than any other public or private institution in the city. Because her programs aided non-residents as well, such as migrants from other states and Mexico, she ran afoul of California state regulations. Even though temple guidelines were later officially adjusted to accommodate those policies, helping families in need was a priority, regardless of their place of residence.<ref>Sutton, p. 195</ref>

Actor [[Anthony Quinn]] recalls:

<blockquote>"This was all during the height of the Depression, when hunger and poverty permeated America. Many Mexicans were terrified of appealing for county help because most of them were in the country illegally. When in distress, they were comforted by the fact that they could call one of Aimee's branches at any time of the night. There, they would never be asked any of the embarrassing questions posed by the authorities. The fact that they were hungry or in need of warm clothing was enough. No one even asked if they belonged to Aimee's church or not."<ref name="Anthony Quinn 1972 pp 122"/></blockquote>

===Later life and career===
[[File:ASM-cutting cake.jpg|thumbnail|right|Aimee Semple McPherson surrounded by flowers, cutting into Angelus Temple cake, 1927. Not one for settling into a predictable routine, she used her birthday, national holidays and other events to theme church services and gala festivities around.]]
Following her heyday in the 1920s, McPherson carried on with her ministry but fell out of favor with the press. They once dubbed her the "miracle worker"<ref>Blumhofer, p. 205</ref> or "miracle woman", reporting extensively on her faith healing demonstrations, but now were anxious to relay every disturbance in her household to the headlines. Her developing difficulties with her mother, Mildred Kennedy, were starting to take the front page. Yet, McPherson emerged from the kidnapping nationally famous. As much as ten percent of the population in Los Angeles held membership in her Temple.<ref name="ReferenceC">Roberts Liardon, God's Generals: Vol. 7, DVD 2005</ref> For a time, movie studios competed with each other offering McPherson long-term contracts.

Believing that talking pictures had the potential to transform Christianity, McPherson explored Hollywood culture and appeared in newsreels alongside other famous individuals such as [[Mary Pickford]], [[Frances Perkins]], and [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. She lost weight, cut and dyed her hair, and became stylish and well attired. A critic wrote McPherson "can out-dress the Hollywood stars". The solicitation of fame, justified to draw audiences to her and hence to Christ, was more than some in her church organization could accept. They yearned for Sister Aimee "in the old time dress," referring to her previous "trademarked" uniform of a navy cape over a white servant's dress; both purchased inexpensively in bargain basements.<ref>Sutton, pp. 153–160</ref> Other members, though, loved it and her Angelus Temple services were as popular as ever and remained so throughout her life. Unless parishioners arrived to a service early, frequently they could not get in, all seats were taken. Now that she could afford it, McPherson thought as well, she wanted her apparel and display to be the best she could present to Jesus.<ref name="pbs.org"/><ref name="ReferenceC"/>

In early 1927, McPherson immediately set out on a "vindication tour", visiting various cities and taking advantage of the publicity her kidnapping story created to preach the Gospel.<ref>She also traveled to England, Scotland and Wales for five weeks of revival services. Press reports, depending upon the sources, described her audiences as either lacking enthusiasm or multitudes filling the altars anxiously awaiting a return visit. {{Cite news |title=Poor Aimee |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,732031,00.html?promoid=googlep |quote=Those of the nobility and gentry and middle classes who reflected upon the matter appeared to feel that the Holy Bible still offers a sufficient choice of Gospels. But of course the London mob, the lower classes, rushed to attend the evangelistic First Night of Aimee Semple McPherson|publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date= October 22, 1928|accessdate=2007-08-21| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070930045728/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,732031,00.html?promoid=googlep| archivedate= 30 September 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref> Her visit to New York in fox-furs and a finely trimmed yellow suit was noted in the society pages. She visited even nightclubs, to include a famous speakeasy in New York: [[Texas Guinan]]’s Three Hundred Club on 54th Street. While McPherson sipped water at her table, Guinan asked if she would speak a few words to the patrons. Delighted, McPherson stood and addressed the jazzed and boozy crowd:

<blockquote>"Behind all these beautiful clothes, behind these good times, in the midst of your lovely buildings and shops and pleasures, there is another life. There is something on the other side. “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” With all your getting and playing and good times, do not forget you have a Lord. Take Him into your hearts." </blockquote>

The unexpected speech that did not judge, and had a conciliatory tone between them and the Divine, earned a thoughtful moment of silence from the crowd, then an applause that went on for much longer than the speech took. The revelers were invited to hear her preach at the [[Glad tidings tabernacle|Glad Tidings Tabernacle]] on 33rd street. The visits to speakeasies and nightclubs added to McPherson's notoriety; Newspapers reported heavily on them, rumors erroneously conveyed she was drinking, smoking and dancing; and her mother along with some other church members, did not understand McPherson's strategy of tearing down barriers between the secular and religious world, between the sinner and the saved.<ref>Epstein, pp. 318–320</ref>

In the summer of 1927, Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, left the Angelus Temple. In an attempt to curtail her daughter's influence and officially transfer more power to herself, Kennedy initiated a staff member "vote of confidence" against McPherson, but lost. The two had heatedly argued over management polices and McPherson's changing personal dress and appearance.<ref>Epstein, p. 325</ref> For similar reasons, 300 members of the choir left as well. The choir could be replaced;<ref>Blumhofer, pp. 308, 317. Note: A month later most of the choir members returned. Their leader, Gladwyn Nichols later returned as well, after publicly apologizing to McPherson.</ref> however, Kennedy's financial and administrative skills had been of crucial importance in growing McPherson's ministry from tent revivals to satellite churches and maintaining its current activities in the Temple. A series of less able management staff replaced Kennedy and the Temple became involved in various questionable projects such as hotel building, cemetery plots, and land sales. Accordingly, the Angelus Temple plummeted deep into debt. In response to the difficulties, Kennedy came back in late 1929, but because of continued serious disagreements with McPherson, tendered her resignation July 29, 1930.<ref>Epstein, p. 341</ref> The following month, in August 1930, McPherson suffered a physical and [[nervous breakdown]]. For ten months she was absent from the pulpit, diagnosed, in part with acute [[acidosis]].<ref>Epstein, p. 343</ref>

When she gained strength and returned, it was with renewed vigor that she introduced her moving "Attar of Roses" sermon, based on the Song of Solomon, with its Rose of Charon as the mystical Body of Christ. While journalists attending her Sunday illustrated sermons assumed her language was fit only for slapstick or sentimental entertainment, scholars who have studied her work for Bible students and small prayer groups, found instead the complex discourse of [[Neoplatonism|neoplatonic]] interpretation. The Old Testament book, the Song of Solomon, for example, she had hundreds of pages written about it, each "different from one another as snowflakes".<ref>Epstein, p. 356</ref>

In September, 1931, on her way to an eight-day revival in [[Portland, Oregon]], she visited former district attorney [[Asa Keyes]], in the [[San Quentin]] penitentiary. Keyes, who had been a vigorous prosecutor in attempting to prove her 1926 kidnapping story a fraud, was imprisoned on an unrelated matter. McPherson, with no apparent malice or gloating, wished him well and said he was in her prayers. A grateful Keyes thanked her. Afterwards, she arranged to visit Boston for an ambitious nine-day revival. McPherson trained for it by swimming 3 1/2 miles per day across [[Lake Elsinore, California]], paced by a rowboat.<ref>Epstein, pp. 366–367</ref>

The October 10–18, 1931 revival in [[Boston]] started out sluggishly and many predicted its failure. A Los Angeles newspaper ran headlines of the flop and expected more of the same in the days to come. On opening night, McPherson spoke to less than 5,000 persons in the 22,000 seating sports arena, and safety pins and rubber bands abundantly cluttered the collection baskets. The city had large populations of Unitarians, Episcopalians and Catholics, venerable denominations traditionally hostile to a Pentecostal / fundamentalist message. Afterwards, from her hotel room, McPherson, known to be a sports fan, asked for the afternoon's World Series scores and a Boston Herald reporter sent her a copy of the Sunday edition. The next day, the "Bring Back the Bible to Boston" campaign's tone shifted as McPherson took greater control and attendance climbed sharply.<ref name="Epstein, p. 368">Epstein, p. 368</ref><ref name="CoxBoston">{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/boston.htm|title=Dr. Raymond L. Cox : The Greatest Nine Days|publisher=oocities.org|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

A reporter took note of McPherson's stage presence, different from any other evangelist who spoke there, gesturing with her white Bible for effect as well as preaching. Answering him as to why she presented a dramatic sermon, she stated, "Our God is a dramatic God,... rolling back the Red Sea,... Elijah on the mountaintop,... the crucifixion, the resurrection, His ascension,... tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost." The final day of afternoon and evening services had 40,000 persons attending, the stadium was full and more than 5,000 had to be turned away. A total of 160,000 people attended the meetings; breaking historic attendance records of any nine days of revival services in Boston.<ref name="CoxBoston"/>

Her revival in [[New York City]] was not very fruitful, her sensationalistic reputation preceded her. The third marriage to David Hutton, rumored romances and her kidnapping was what its press and citizens wanted hear about. Therefore, after a brief pause in New York and [[Washington, DC]], she went on [[Philadelphia]] and other cities, traveling to 46 of them in 21 states; speaking to as much as two percent of the entire population of the United States. A full crew of musicians, scene designers and costumers accompanied McPherson. In this, her last national revival tour, between September 1933 and December 20, 1934, two million persons heard 336 sermons. Many more were reached by 45 radio stations.<ref>Epstein, p. 388</ref>

The Boston Evening Traveler newspaper reported:

<blockquote>"Aimee's religion is a religion of joy. There is happiness in it. Her voice is easy to listen to. She does not appeal to the brain and try to hammer religion into the heads of her audience. Rather, she appeals to the hearts of her hearers. She radiates friendliness. She creates an atmosphere that is warming. She is persuasive, rather than forceful; gracious and kindly, rather than compelling. Fundamentally she takes the whole Bible literally, from cover to cover."<ref name="CoxBoston"/></blockquote>

Nevertheless, she was not a [[Biblical literalism|radical literalist]]. In an informal meeting with some Harvard students, McPherson told them that Genesis allowed great latitude of interpretation, and that neither she nor the Bible insisted the world was created only 6,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://skepticism.org/timeline/october-history/9302-aimee-semple-mcpherson-uninvited-speak-harvard.html |title=Today in History: 15 October 1931: Aimee Semple McPherson Uninvited to Speak at Harvard |publisher=Skepticism.org |date=1931-10-15 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> In another meeting with students, she heard their assertion the teachings of Christ have outlived their usefulness; education, science and cold reasoning was the new savior of the world. Thus compelled, McPherson decided to travel and look at the world with new eyes.<ref name="GiveGod">McPherson, Aimee Semple, Give me my Own God, H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc., 1936</ref> In 1935 McPherson embarked on a worldwide six-month discovery tour to examine the social religious and economic climates of many countries. At one point it was earlier reported she wanted to study the women's movement in connection with the campaign for the Independence of India, and was anxious to have "a chat with [[Mahatma Gandhi]]".<ref name="newspapers1"/> She received an invitation from him and he gave her a sari made from threads woven from his simple spinning wheel. Impressed with Gandhi and his ideas, McPherson thought he might secretly lean towards Christianity; his dedication possibly coming from catching "a glimpse of the cleansing, lifting, strengthening power of the Nazarene".<ref>Matthew Avery Sutton, Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007), p. 233</ref>

Other highlights included traversing barefoot, in [[Myanmar]], the lengthy stone path to [[Shwedagon Pagoda|the Great Pagoda]], a gold covered 325 ft tiered tower enshrining relics of four [[Buddha]]s, which caught and reflected the rays of the sun; a "vision of breath-taking glory."<ref>McPherson, Give me my Own God, pp. 88–89</ref> She heard [[Benito Mussolini]] speak in Italy, and fretted war would again ensue. In the rain, at [[Verdun, France]], she sat on a wrecked military vehicle in mournful contemplation of the hundreds of thousands who died on the still uncleared battlefield. White, bleached, bones of the fallen poked out of the earth, and nearby, laborers toiled carefully at their dangerous [[iron harvest]], collecting old munitions for disposal.

As she sailed to New York passing by the [[Statue of Liberty]], McPherson was fascinated by its illumined torch. The flame represented to her some of the things missing from the other countries visited: truth and life; knowledge from schools and colleges, shelter of the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]], law, order, and progress. McPherson's concluded from her trip that though the United States might wander, a revival of faith in God would kill the "fatted calf of the Depression" and "again spread the banquet table."<ref>McPherson, Give me my Own God, p. 310</ref>

In mid-1936, a delegation who had been involved with the 1906 [[Azusa Street Revival|Azusa Street Mission Revival]]s asked if they could use the Angelus Temple for their 30th Anniversary Celebration. The original mission building was demolished and its land unavailable. African American Evangelist Emma Cotton and McPherson therefore organized a series of meetings which also marked her enthusiastic re-identification with the Pentecostal movement. McPherson's experiments of Hollywood celebrity ambitions co-existing with her ministry were not as successful she hoped. Alliances with other church groups were failing or no longer in effect and she searched for ways to start again. Therefore, she looked to her spiritual origins and allowed for the possibility of re-introducing even the more alarming aspects of the Pentecostal experience into her public meetings. Temple officials were concerned the Azusa people might bring in some "wildfire and Holy Rollerism." McPherson indicated she would turn hand springs with them as needed to see the power of God manifest.

The [[Azusa Street Revival]] commemoration events brought numbers of black leaders to her pulpit. The original attendees of the Azusa revivals filled the Angelus Temple along with every ethnic minority, "the saints who were once smelted together with the fires of Pentecost" were "being reunited re-welded and rejuvenated." McPherson recommitted herself to the dissemination of "classic Pentecostalism," and her concern now was that Foursquaredom was in the danger of becoming too "churchy." For the first time since the Temple opened, McPherson began to publicly deliver some of her messages in tongues. McPherson traversed the line between cold formality and wildfire and now decided it was easier to cool down a hot fanatic than to resuscitate a corpse. Future meetings to celebrate the [[Azusa Street Revival]]s included guest [[Charles Harrison Mason|Charles H. Mason]], a founder of the Churches of God in Christ. Mason, an Azusa leader, was also one of the most significant African American religious figures in United States history and was frequently hosted at the Angelus Temple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/mcpente.htm |title=Dr. Raymond L. Cox : Was Aimee Semple McPherson Pentecostal? |publisher=oocities.org |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

[[File:ASM Semple Crawford1935.jpg|thumbnail|left|Roberta Star Semple, (left) daughter of Aimee Semple McPherson, (middle) and Rheba Crawford Splivalo, assistant pastor,(right) at a parade in 1935.]]
Also in 1936, McPherson reassigned staff responsibilities in an effort to address the Temple's financial difficulties. This, together with other unresolved issues, accelerated simmering tensions among various staff members. Rumors circulated that "Angel of Broadway", charismatic evangelist Rheba Crawford Splivalo, who had been working extensively with McPherson for several years, planned to take the Angelus Temple from her. McPherson asked Splivalo to "leave town".<ref name="Epstein, p. 368"/> In the course of the staff controversy, McPherson's lawyer issued a strongly worded press release that upset Roberta Star Semple, McPherson's daughter, and led her to initiate a $150,000<ref>US $2.3 million dollars in 2012</ref> lawsuit against him for slander. Splivalo also sued McPherson for $1,080,000<ref>US $17 million in 2012</ref> because of alleged statements calling her a ‘[[Jezebel]] and a [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]]’ and "unfit to stand in the Angelus Temple pulpit".<ref>Thomas, ''Storming'', pp. 282-284, 297 NOTE: Splivalo did earn a loyal following of disciples at the Angelus Temple; one in particular who was in contentious strife with McPherson. Splivalo gathered a list of purported damaging statements together with the witnesses, places and times they were allegedly made by McPherson. However, the vocabulary of accused slanderous remarks as stated the lawsuit, were inconsistent with McPherson's known public sermons, writings, and statements.</ref><ref>Herald-Journal – May 11, 1937</ref>

The two lawsuits filed by Semple and Splivalo were not related, but McPherson did not see it that way. She saw both as part of the Temple takeover plot. Mildred Kennedy, McPherson's mother, was also involved and sided with Semple, her granddaughter, making unflattering statements about McPherson to the press. In these charged circumstances, McPherson's defense of herself and her [[lawyer]] in a public trial was dramatic and theatrical. She testified tearfully with swoons and faints about how her daughter conspired with others against her.<ref>United Press, April 15, 1937.</ref> Her daughter's lawyer, meanwhile, mocked McPherson by imitating her mannerisms and making faces at her.<ref>Epstein, pp. 413–414</ref> The trial did much to estrange McPherson from her daughter. The judge ruled for Semple giving a $2,000<ref>US $31,000 in 2012</ref> judgement in her favor. Semple then moved to [[New York]]. Splivalo and the Temple settled their suit [[out of court]] for the "cause of religion and the good of the community."<ref>Epstein, p. 416</ref>

With Kennedy, Semple, and Splivalo gone, the Temple lost much of its talented leadership. However, McPherson found a competent and firm administrator in Giles Knight, who was able to bring the Temple out of debt, dispose of the 40 or so lawsuits, and eliminate the more spurious projects. He sequestered McPherson, allowed her to receive only a few personal visitors, and carefully regulated her activities outside the Temple. This period was one of unprecedented creativity for McPherson. No longer distracted by waves of reporters, reams of lawsuits, and numberless individuals demanding her attention, she became very accomplished in her illustrative sermon style of gospel preaching. The irreligious [[Charlie Chaplin]] would secretly attend her services, enjoying her sermons. She later met and consulted with Chaplin on ways to improve her presentations. McPherson, who earlier blared across newspaper headlines as many as three times a week, in one alleged scandal or another, had her public image much improved. Her adversary, Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]], who previously attacked her by radio, magazine, pulpit, and pamphlet, proclaimed "Aimee's missionary work was the envy of Methodists".<ref>Epstein, p. 427</ref> He also expressed his support of her Foursquare Church application admittance into National Association of Evangelicals for United Action in 1943.<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/>

Her efforts at making interracial revival a reality at Angelus Temple continued. She welcomed blacks into the congregation and pulpit. While race riots burned [[Detroit]] in 1943, McPherson publicly converted the notorious black former [[heavyweight]] champion [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] on the Temple stage and embraced him “as he raised his hand in worship”.<ref>{{cite web|last=Updike |first=John |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/04/30/070430crbo_books_updike |title=Famous Aimee |publisher=The New Yorker |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 |title=Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America — Matthew Avery Sutton | Harvard University Press |publisher=Hup.harvard.edu |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

===War years===
[[Pacifism]], which was a component of Pentecostalism, was evaluated by the Foursquare Gospel Church in the 1930s with official statements and documents which were further revised by McPherson. A press quote attributed to McPherson, in reference to Mahatma Gandhi, appears to explore the concept, "I want to incorporate the ideals of India with my own...."<ref name="newspapers1"/> Additionally, Clinton Howard, the chairman of the World Peace Commission, was invited to speak at the Angelus Temple. In 1932 she promoted disarmament, "If the nations of the world would stop building warships and equipping armies we would be all but overwhelmed with prosperity."<ref>Sutton, p. 256</ref>

Foursquare leaders, alarmed at rapid changes of technology, especially sea and air, which challenged the United States isolation and security, decided to officially draw up an amendment inclusive of varied opinions in regards to military service. The idea that one could trust to bear arms in a righteous cause as well as believing the killing of others, even in connection to military service, would endanger their souls; both views were acceptable.<ref>Sutton, pp. 256–257</ref>

McPherson kept a canny eye on the international events leading up to the Second World War, citing the probability of a much more terrible conflict than the one that passed 20 years earlier. In a sermon, she described a recently conquered country which had the Cross and other religious symbols in their schools removed; in their place was a portrait of a certain man. Instead of prayer, their school day began with a distinctive salute to this person. The destructive [[apocalypse]] of [[John the Apostle]], with its expected high civilian casualties, followed by the Second Coming of Christ, it seemed, was at hand. Even if submarines were hiding in the depths of the sea, they could not escape the terror that would befall them.<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson Audio Tapes, Zero Hour Sermon, http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/103.htm#602</ref>
[[File:ASM 14hourService 1.jpg|thumbnail|left|Congregation at Angelus Temple during 14-hour Holy Ghost service led by Aimee Semple McPherson, Los Angeles, Calif., 1942]]
All night prayer meetings were held Friday nights at the Angelus Temple, starting in 1940, the year when [[Germany]] was overrunning [[Belgium]], the [[Netherlands]] and [[France]]. She asked other Foursquare churches around the country to follow suit. She sent President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s secretary, Mr. [[Stephen Early]], as well as some other leaders, an outline of her plans. Prayer, to her, was even more powerful than the implements of war. Various officials expressed their appreciation, including the governor of California.<ref name="foursquare.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/world_war_ii_and_angelus_temple |title=World War II and Angelus Temple | Foursquare Legacy | The Foursquare Church |publisher=Foursquare.org |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Early passed on a reply back from Roosevelt: a message of thanks for her work. A month later Roosevelt declared a [[National Day of Prayer]] to "beseech the Ruler of the Universe to bless our Republic." Foursquare leaders thought McPherson may have inspired it; and perhaps the President of the United States was looking to her for spiritual leadership of the nation.<ref>Sutton, p. 258</ref>

At the outbreak of [[World War II]], McPherson rejected the Christian pacifism of many in the Pentecostal movement including those of her own church. Her mind was set on doing what ever it took to assist the United States in winning the war, "It is the Bible against ''[[Mein Kampf]]''. It is the [[Christian cross|Cross]] against the [[Swastika]]. It is God against the [[antichrist]] of [[Japan]],... This is no time for pacifism."<ref>Aimee Semple McPherson, "Foursquaredom and Uncle Sam," Foursquare Crusader, 14 (February 1942) p. 24</ref> The Angelus Temple itself became a visible symbol of home front sacrifice for the war effort. If necessary, it was announced the building could be used for an air raid shelter. The distinctive white dome was painted over with black paint and its beautiful stained glass windows covered up. The Temple, like other buildings in the city, had to have any opening or window that could emit visible light at night, covered. One evening in May 1942, to advertise the need to conserve gasoline and rubber, McPherson herself drove a horse and buggy to the Angelus Temple.<ref name="foursquare.org"/>

[[Rubber]] and other [[Drive (charity)|drives]] were organized; and unlimited airtime on her radio station, KFSG, was given to the [[Office of War Information]]. She asked parishioners and other listeners to donate two hours a day for such tasks as rolling bandages "so that a soldier's bandage could be changed.... And let us give our blood to help every one." Money was raised to provide local military bases with comfortable furnishings and radios. ''Newsweek'' published an article about McPherson, "The World's Greatest Living Minister," in July 19, 1943, noting she had collected 2,800 pints of blood for the Red Cross; servicemen in her audience are especially honored, and the climax of her church services is when she reads the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|National Anthem]].<ref>Sutton, pp. 264, 333</ref>

McPherson gave visiting servicemen autographed Bibles. She observed they often had no religious affiliation and did not even own a Bible. She wrote:

<blockquote>"What a privilege it was to invite the servicemen present in every Sunday night meeting to come to the platform, where I greeted them, gave each one a New Testament, and knelt in prayer with them for their spiritual needs, and God’s guidance and protection on their lives. Later, when the altar call would be given, many of these same servicemen would make another trip to the platform publicly to receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior."<ref name="foursquare.org"/></blockquote>

She insulted [[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Hideki Tōjō]], and became involved in [[war bond]] rallies. Pershing Square's Victory House in Los Angeles never saw a bigger crowd. McPherson sold $150,000<ref>Note: A P47 Thunderbolt fighter was then priced about $85,000, P51 Mustang $50,000, M4 Sherman tank $50,000, B17 Flying Fortress $240,00</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panzerworld.net/prices.html |title=Product Prices |publisher=Panzerworld.net |date=2013-10-22 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ww2total.com/WW2/Weapons/Vehicles/Tanks/US/Sherman-tank/Sherman-tank-76mm.htm |title=Sherman tank - improved M4 models with 76mm gun, protection |publisher=Ww2total.com |date=1945-04-26 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>US 2 million dollars in 2012</ref> worth of bonds in one hour on June 20, 1942, breaking all previous records, then repeated the performance again on July 4, 1944.<ref>Blumhofer, p. 373</ref><ref>Sutton, p. 264</ref> The [[U.S. Treasury]] awarded her a special citation. The Army made McPherson an honorary colonel.

Her wartime activities included sermons that linked the church and American patriotism.<ref>Sutton, Matthew. ''[http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America]'', London: [[Harvard University Press]], 2007</ref> McPherson spoke to the men in uniform of her belief that military action against the Axis powers was long overdue. And more so than in almost any war previously, she felt that if they did not prevail, churches, homes and everything precious and dear to the Christian would absolutely be destroyed.<ref name="Sutton, p. 263">Sutton, p. 263</ref>

McPherson's embrace of the [[total war]] strategy of the United States, left her open to some criticism. The line between the church as an independent moral authority monitoring government became blurred, perceived instead, as complicit with that same governance. Wrongs being done to Japanese Americans through their internment in relocation camps, were being overlooked, for example. And she refused to allow her denomination to support Christians who remained committed pacifists. Even if conscientious objectors were willing to participate in non-combat roles, more was needed. Church members and leaders had to be willing to take up arms and fight for the United States. The pacifist clause which earlier existed, was by her proposal, voted upon and eliminated by Foursquare Gospel Church leaders.<ref name="Sutton, p. 263"/>

She articulated the history of Christianity, as a torch ignited first in the Near East with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus; moving to Europe, then England finally to arrive in the United States. Freedom of speech, assembly, and the press was being blotted out in Asia and Europe; the United States now had total responsibility for Christianity, to carry the Gospel to millions. McPherson announced, "the flag of America and the church stand for the same thing...they stand or fall together!"<ref>Sutton, p. 266</ref>

===Death===
[[File:Aimee Semple McPherson grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California.JPG|thumb|Aimee Semple McPherson's grave]]
On September 26, 1944, McPherson went to [[Oakland, California]], for a series of revivals, planning to preach her popular "Story of My Life" sermon. When McPherson's son went to her hotel room at 10:00 the next morning, he found her unconscious with pills and a half-empty bottle of capsules nearby. She was dead by 11:15. It was later discovered she previously called her doctor that morning to complain about feeling ill from the medicine, but he was in surgery and could not be disturbed. She then phoned another doctor who referred her to yet another physician; however, McPherson apparently lost consciousness before the third could be contacted.<ref>Epstein, p. 438</ref><ref>Robinson, Judith ''Working Miracles The Drama and Passion of Aimee Semple McPherson'' (James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers, Toronto, 2008) p.104-105</ref>

The autopsy did not conclusively determine the cause of McPherson's death. She had been taking sleeping pills following numerous health problems – including "tropical fever". Among the pills found in the hotel room was the barbiturate [[Seconal]], a strong sedative which had not been prescribed for her. It was unknown how she obtained them.

The coroner said she most likely died of an accidental overdose compounded by kidney failure. The cause of death is officially listed as unknown.<ref>Note: In the 1993 obituary for her daughter-in-law, McPherson's life and death are mentioned. {{Cite news |title= Lorna McPherson, 82, Of the Angelus Temple. |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEEDF1738F93BA25755C0A965958260 |quote= Aimee Semple McPherson founded Angelus Temple in the early 1920s, when her brand of fundamentalist Christianity, stressing the "born-again" experience, divine healing and evangelism, was popular in the United States. She died on Sept. 27, 1944, of shock and respiratory failure attributed to an overdose of sleeping pills. |publisher=New York Times|date=June 18, 1993|accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref> Given the circumstances, there was speculation about suicide, but most sources generally agree the overdose was accidental, as stated in the coroner's report.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Sister Aimee's' Death Is Ruled An Accident |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/279794392.html|quote= Aimee Semple McPherson, famous evangelist who occupied the headlines almost as often as the pulpit, died of shock and respiratory failure "from an accidental over-dosage" of sleeping capsules, a coroner's jury decided today.|publisher=United Press International in [[The Washington Post]] |date=October 14, 1944|accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref>

Forty-five thousand people waited in long lines, some until 2 am, to file past the evangelist, where, for three days, her body lay in state at the Angelus Temple. Within a mile-and-a-half radius of the church, police had to double park cars. It later took 11 trucks to transport the $50,000<ref>US $630,000 in 2012 dollars</ref> worth of flowers to the cemetery which itself received more telegrammed floral orders than at any time since Will Roger's death almost 10 years earlier. A Foursquare leader noted that to watch the long line pass reverently by her casket, and see tears shed by all types of people, regardless of class and color, helped give understanding to the far-reaching influence of her life and ministry.<ref>Sutton, p. 270</ref>

An observer, Marcus Bach, who was on a spiritual odyssey of personal discovery, wrote:

<blockquote>"Roberta, who had married an orchestra director, flew in from New York. Ma Kennedy was at the grave, Rheba Crawford Splivalo had returned to say that there was never a greater worker for God than Sister. A thousand ministers of the Foursquare Gospel paid their tearful tribute. The curious stood by impressed. The poor who had always been fed at Angelus were there, the lost who had been spirit-filled, the healed, the faithful here they were eager to immortalize the Ontario farm girl who loved the Lord. Here they laid the body of Sister Aimee to rest in the marble sarcophagus guarded by two great angels on Sunrise slope. "<ref name="foundfaith">Bach, Marcus, They Have Found a Faith, (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis / New York, 1946) p. 74</ref></blockquote>

Millions of dollars passed through McPherson's hands. However, when her personal estate was calculated, it amounted to US $10,000.<ref>about $130,000 in 2013</ref> To her daughter, Roberta, went US $2000<ref>about US$26,000 in 2013 dollars</ref> the remainder to her son Rolf. By contrast, her mother Mildred Kennedy had a 1927 severance settlement of as much as US $200,000<ref>about US$2.5 million in 2013 dollars</ref> in cash and property; the Foursquare Church itself was worth $2.8 million<ref>about US$36 million in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Epstein, p. 440</ref>

Aimee Semple McPherson is buried in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]] in [[Glendale, California]]. Following her death, the Foursquare Gospel church denomination was led for 44 years by her son [[Rolf McPherson]]. The church claims a membership of over 7.9 million worldwide.<ref>http://www.foursquare.org</ref>

===Legacy and influence===
Aimee Semple McPherson's ministry continued to flourish even in the face of scandal. The newspapers which served to propel McPherson to fame and advertise her message, also were used to highlight her faults, real and imagined. Some modern televangelists who transgressed and faded into obscurity because of high profile news coverage, also learned how quickly modern communication media could hurt as well as help them. After her death, the largely negative aspect of her media image persisted, was cultivated<ref>Cox, p. 3. Note: as one example Cox lists, a reporter for The Los Angeles Times, Dial Torgerson, May 18, 1969; writes in his ''Aimee's Disappearance Remains a Mystery,'' story, that HC Benedict, owner of the Carmel cottage, was expected to be a witness against McPherson, but died apparently of heart trouble before he could testify. Cox notes that HC Benedict did indeed testify, but on her behalf, denying vehemently the woman with Ormiston was McPherson. HC Benedict died on November 20, 1926, some weeks after all testimony had been concluded.</ref> and became the dominant factor in defining McPherson for many in the public today.<ref>Sutton, p. 278</ref>

Reverend [[Robert P. Shuler]], whose caustic view of McPherson softened over the years, wrote he could not figure out why God chose such a person. The flaws he observed in McPherson, were by his opinion, many, yet she ultimately made a positive impact on Christianity, long lasting and enduring . He recognized her appeal was a combination of identifying with the average citizen as well as an ability to explain the gospel in simple, easily understandable terms, drawing them irresistibly to her services:

<blockquote>...while great cathedral churches closed their doors on Sunday night, the crowds pushed through her portals in one ever-flowing stream.</blockquote>

He saw her legacy extend far beyond the glamor of Hollywood, exerting itself through the thousands of ministers she trained and churches planted throughout the world. McPherson, together with the alliances she made, worked to reshape the evangelical Christian faith, making it relevant to American culture and personally involving for those in the audience.<ref>Sutton, p. 275</ref>

In [[Fresno]], California, 1924, nine-year-old Uldine Utley (1912–1995), became a fervent believer. After hearing McPherson's dramatic retelling of the David and [[Goliath]] story, the young girl tearfully gave her life over to Christ, and dedicated herself to be "a little David for the lord and fight Goliath, " With her parents as managers, she went on to preach to millions of people and converted many thousands. She frequently used the same metaphors as McPherson, referring to Christ as "the Rose of Charon" and invoking "Bride of Christ" imagery.<ref>George Hunston Williams, Rodney Lawrence Petersen, Calvin Augustine Pater, The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University, Truman State University Press, 1999, p. 308</ref>

Two years later, in [[New York City]], Dr [[John Sung]] (1901–1944), described as a brilliant scientist with a PhD in chemistry,<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/2009/02/dr-john-sung.html |title=The Taiwanese 台灣人 Tâi-Oân Lâng: Dr. John Sung 宋尚節博士 |publisher=Thetaiwanese.blogspot.com |date=2009-02-13 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> was expecting to see the well known Pastor Dr. I. M. Haldeman, whom he hoped would intellectually address his current crises of faith. Instead, as part of her extremely successful New York revival crusade, the eleven-year-old Uldine Utley took to the stage. Similar to McPherson's style of simplicity and power, but with childlike innocence, Utley preached her message. Awed, Sung fervently desired the same empowerment of God he saw in the 11-year-old girl. Dr Sung eventually returned to China and became a significant evangelist, leading perhaps as many as 100,000 Chinese to Jesus Christ in three years<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.ochristian.com/article2573.shtml |title=Timothy Tow - John Sung and the Asian Awakening |publisher=Articles.ochristian.com |date=1927-02-10 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Though not as extensively media covered as McPherson, both Utley's, and Sung's ministry included many instances alleged faith healing.<ref name="towel.mysitehosted.com">{{cite web|url=http://towel.mysitehosted.com/~awakeand//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43 |title=Awake and Go! Global Prayer Network - John Sung |publisher=Towel.mysitehosted.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rlhymersjr.com/Online_Sermons/2009/060609PM_JohnSung.html |title=The Real Conversion Of Dr. John Sung |publisher=Rlhymersjr.com |date= |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

Together with [[Billy Sunday]], McPherson and Utley were named as the three major names in revivalism in 1927<ref>1927 NYTIMES Oct 27 1927, SM4</ref> Dr John Sung has been called the "John Wesley of China,"<ref name="towel.mysitehosted.com"/> and the "Billy Graham of China."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblesnet.com/John%20Sung%20Billy%20Graham%20of%20China%20by%20Dr%20Paul%20Lee%20Tan.pdf |title=Dr. John Sung - "Billy Graham of China" |author=Dr. Paul Lee Tan |publisher=Biblesnet.com |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Ironically, the Chinese mission field was where McPherson herself started out, but was forced to abandon after the death of her first husband Robert Semple. McPherson wrote even under the best of circumstances the Chinese mission field was extremely difficult particularly due to cultural and numerous local language differences. Sung knew the culture, being born into it, however, even he preached using a regional language interpreter who relayed his message to the audience.

During the Great Depression years, as a child, Dr. [[Edwin Louis Cole]]'s mother attended LIFE Bible College and as he grew up, Cole participated in various Angelus Temple activities "witnessing the miraculous."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianmensnetwork.com/about/dr-edwin-louis-cole |title=Dr. Edwin Louis Cole |publisher=Christianmensnetwork.com |date=1981-04-24 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref> Cole went onto found the Christian Men's Network and influenced many to include Coach [[Bill McCartney]] (starter of Promise Keepers), [[Pat Robertson]] (president of the 700 Club), John Maxwell (president of Injoy Ministries), [[Kenneth Copeland]], [[Oliver North]] and as [[Chuck Norris]], the martial artist and actor, writes, himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mobile.wnd.com/2012/06/who-is-more-powerful-than-the-president |title=Who is more powerful than the president? |publisher=Mobile.wnd.com |date=2012-06-10 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

In the early 1900s it was expected traditional Protestantism would give way to rapidly developing new philosophical ideas and sciences that were being widely taught. McPherson contributed immensely to the forestalling of that predicted inevitability. [[Liberal Christianity]], which enjoyed strong growth starting in the late 19th century, regarded many of the miracles of Jesus to be superstitious interpretations of what actually occurred or metaphors for his teachings. McPherson's faith healing demonstrations instead gave credence to onlookers her claim was true: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. It was easy to deny a God who did something 1,900 years ago, but large crowds of people were now witness to the blind seeing, the lame walking and the deaf hearing. Alleged healings were occurring faster than the journalists could write them down. Crowds clamored to reach her altar to experience a New Testament conversion that transformed many of their lives. Even large portions of the secular public admired her. The old time gospel message was being dramatically marketed by the most technologically advanced means possible, reconstructing it into something far more interesting and desirable than it was previously.<ref>Sutton, pp. 277–280</ref><ref>Epstein, pp. 229–231</ref>

McPherson's [[Ecumenism|ecumenical]] approach assisted Pentecostals in learning how better to explain their faith in the context of [[Protestantism|historic church doctrine]]. Mainline churches became exposed to the more unusual [[Spiritual gift|gifts of the Holy Spirit]]. They also benefited by borrowing Pentecostal revival techniques<ref name="SuttonWildfire"/> such as more emotive expression, joyful praise worship and testimonials, forerunning the [[Charismatic Movement]].

Defying gender norms, Aimee Semple McPherson challenged what was expected from women. Females as preachers and her status as a divorcee with two failed marriages were of particular concern to many of the fundamentalist churches she wanted to work with, but her success could not be easily ignored. Meanwhile, secular society broadly labeled women as either Victorian ladies or whores,<ref>Sutton, p. 150</ref> and she bounced from one category to the other. She had her extensive relief charities and along with it, titillating scandals. Atheist [[Charles Lee Smith]] remarked publicly of McPherson, just before a debate, that she had an extraordinary mind, "particularly for a woman."<ref>''There is a God: Debate between Aimee Semple McPherson, Fundamentalist and Charles Lee Smith, Atheist'' (Foursquare Publications, 1100 Glendale BLVD Los Angeles. CA), 1934</ref>

Her continual work at church alliance building finally bore fruit in an impressive, official way, though she did not live to see it. Foursquare Gospel Church leaders were at last able to join the [[National Association of Evangelicals]] in 1952 and from there helped organize the [[Pentecostal World Fellowship]] which worked to keep the fires of religious revival burning into contemporary times.<ref>Sutton, pp. 275–276</ref> Pentecostalism which once advocated separatism and was on the fringes of Protestantism, became part of mainstream Christianity and grafted itself into American society at every level.<ref>Sutton, p. 280</ref>

==Works about McPherson==

===Books, periodicals, films, and plays===
* The character Sharon Falconer in [[Sinclair Lewis]]' ''[[Elmer Gantry]]'' (1926) was based on McPherson.<ref>Lingeman, p. 283.</ref>
* The faith-healing evangelist Big Sister in [[Nathanael West]]'s ''[[The Day of the Locust]]'' was based on McPherson.
* [[Upton Sinclair]] was fascinated with her history. After writing a poem about her dubious abduction, called "An Evangelist Drowns", he wrote her into his 1927 novel, ''[[Oil!]]'', in the character of Eli Watkins, a corrupt small-town minister. That character is called Eli Sunday in the 2007 film ''[[There Will Be Blood]]''.<ref name=mh>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamthing.com/2007/06/notebook-aimee-.html|publisher=Steamboats Are Ruining Everything|accessdate=2008-01-06|date=2007-06-29|title=Notebook: Aimee Semple McPherson|author=Caleb Crain|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071217120259/http://www.steamthing.com/2007/06/notebook-aimee-.html|archivedate=17 December 2007|deadurl=no}}</ref>
* The character of the American evangelist Mrs. Melrose Ape in [[Evelyn Waugh]]'s satirical novel ''[[Vile Bodies]]'' (1930) is thought to be based on McPherson.
* ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' published a satirical cutout [[paper doll]] based on her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/robertson/asm/cutoutdolls.html|publisher=Vanity Fair|title=Vanity Fair's Cutout Dolls – no. 2|accessdate=2008-01-06| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20080207101146/http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/robertson/asm/cutoutdolls.html| archivedate= 7 February 2008 | deadurl= no}}</ref>
* Aimee Semple McPherson appeared in ''The Voice of Hollywood No. 9'' (1930), one in a series of popular documentaries released by [[Tiffany (movie studio)|Tiffany Studios]].<ref>{{IMDb title|0978414|The Voice of Hollywood No. 9 (1930)}}</ref>
* [[Frank Capra]]'s film ''[[The Miracle Woman]]'' (1931), starring [[Barbara Stanwyck]], was based on [[John Meehan (screenwriter)|John Meehan]]'s play ''Bless You, Sister'' which was reportedly inspired by McPherson's life.
* The character of the "sensuous sermonizer" Reno Sweeney in [[Cole Porter]]'s musical ''[[Anything Goes]]'' (1934) is thought to be based on McPherson.
* [[Agnes Moorehead]]'s role as Sister Alma in the 1971 thriller film ''[[What's the Matter with Helen?]]'' was modeled after McPherson.
* A [[television film]] about the events surrounding her 1926 disappearance, ''[[The Disappearance of Aimee]]'' (1976) starred [[Faye Dunaway]] as McPherson and [[Bette Davis]] as her mother.
* A film adaptation of the story of her life, entitled ''[[Aimee Semple McPherson (film)|Aimee Semple McPherson]]'' (2006) was directed by [[Richard Rossi]]. The same director filmed a short film ''Saving Sister Aimee'' in 2001. (The film was retitled "Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story" and released on DVD April 22, 2008.) Rossi later penned the prize-winning play "Sister Aimee", honored with a cash award in the 2009 Bottletree One-Act Competition, an international playwriting contest. In 2013, both of Rossi's films on Sister Aimee were released in one collection with new material under the new title, "Richard Rossi 5th Anniversary of Sister Aimee." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bottletreeinc.com/richard_rossi.html|title=Sister Aimee by Richard Rossi|publisher=Bottletreeinc.com|accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>
* A documentary about McPherson, entitled ''Sister Aimee'', made for the [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] series ''[[American Experience]]'', premiered April 2, 2007.<ref name="pbs.org"/>
* Several [[biographies]] have been written about McPherson.<ref name=mh/>
*In the [[alternate history]] novel ''[[Back in the USSA]]'', she appears as the Secretary of Manpower Resources under President [[Al Capone]].
* ''[[Escape from Hell (novel)|Escape from Hell]]'' (fiction novel) by [[Larry Niven]] and [[Jerry Pournelle]] (Tor, 2009), features "Sister Aimee" in Hell after her death, in a supporting role as a guide and saint who is teaching the damned about Dante's route out of Hell.
* ''[[Saving Aimee (musical)|Scandalous]]'' is a musical about the life and ministry of McPherson with the book and lyrics written by [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] and music written by composer [[David Friedman (composer)|David Friedman]] and [[David Pomeranz]]; the musical ran in 2011 at the [[5th Avenue Theatre]] in Seattle, and had 29 performances in 2012 at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway, with McPherson portrayed by Carolee Carmello.
* "''An Evangelist Drowns''" (2007) a one-woman play based on McPherson's life. Includes fictionalized accounts of relationships with Charlie Chaplin and David Hutton.
* "''Aimee Semple Mcpherson and the Resurrection of Christian America''" (2007) A biography by Matthew Avery Sutton that chronicles McPherson's life in context to her influence on culture, politics and religion in America.
* "La disparition de Soeur Aimee" (2011) in Crimes et Procès Sensationnels à Los Angeles, book by Nausica Zaballos, pp. 103–140, Paris, E-Dite, (ISBN 978-2-8460-8310-2)
* The song "[[Hooray for Hollywood (song)|Hooray for Hollywood]]" lyrics by [[Johnny Mercer]], from the film ''[[Hollywood Hotel (film)|Hollywood Hotel]]'' mentions McPherson. "Where anyone at all from Shirley Temple to Aimee Semple is equally understood."<ref>Gottlieb, Robert; Kimball, Robert; ''Reading Lyrics'' (Random House LLC, 2000) p. 438</ref><ref>Osborne, Jerry; ''Mr Music'' column; Lakeland Ledger - Dec 20, 2001 p. 21</ref>
* "Aimee: The Gospel Gold Digger", 1932, Rev John D Goben, an Assistant Pastor at Angelus Temple

==Theatre==
A production of the musical ''[[Saving Aimee (musical)|Saving Aimee]]'', with a book and lyrics by [[Kathie Lee Gifford]] and music by [[David Pomeranz]] and [[David Friedman (composer)|David Friedman]], debuted at the [[White Plains, New York|White Plains]] Performing Arts Center in October 2005 and was staged at the [[Signature Theatre (Arlington VA)|Signature Theatre]] in [[Arlington, Virginia|Arlington]], Virginia, in April and May 2007.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} An updated, fully staged production opened September 30, 2011, at Seattle's [[5th Avenue Theatre]]. A revised version of the musical, now called ''Scandalous – The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson'' began a broadway run at the [[Neil Simon Theatre]] on October 13, 2012, with an official opening date of November 15. The musical starred [[Carolee Carmello]] as McPherson, and opened and closed within a month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-scandalous-20130215,0,173775.story |title=Broadway flop 'Scandalous' a costly investment for Foursquare Church - Los Angeles Times |publisher=Latimes.com |date=2013-02-14 |accessdate=2013-11-14}}</ref>

A play entitled ''The Wide Open Ocean'', a musical vaudeville, was performed at [[The Actors' Gang]] theater in [[Los Angeles]]. It was written and directed by playwright, director, actor, and educator [[Laural Meade]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

In 2003, a play entitled ''Spit Shine Glisten'', loosely based on the life of McPherson, was performed at [[California Institute of the Arts]] in [[Valencia, California]]. Written and directed by the experimental theatre artist Susan Simpson, the play used life-sized wooden puppets, human beings, and fractured and warped video projection.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

''[[As Thousands Cheer]]'', a musical revue with a book by [[Moss Hart]] and music and lyrics by [[Irving Berlin]], contains satirical sketches and musical numbers loosely based on the news and the lives and affairs of the rich and famous, including [[Joan Crawford]], [[Noël Coward]], [[Josephine Baker]], and Aimee Semple McPherson.

The musical, ''Vanishing Point'', written by Rob Hartmann, Liv Cummins, & Scott Keys, intertwines the lives of evangelist McPherson, aviatrix [[Amelia Earhart]], and mystery writer [[Agatha Christie]]. It is featured as part of the 2010–2011 season at the [[Carnegie Mellon School of Drama]] in [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania.

In 2007, a one-woman play titled ''An Evangelist Drowns'', written by Gregory J. Thompson, debuted at [[Rogers State University]] in Claremore, Oklahoma. In 2008, the show was produced at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The play is partly based on the life of McPherson, but it explores a fictionalized portrayal of her recalling lost loves, regrets, and remorse in the final hours before her death in 1944.

==Aimee's Castle==
Aimee's Castle is a mansion built by McPherson. She had a house near [[Angelus Temple]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], but McPherson built this mansion in [[Lake Elsinore, California]], as a retreat. McPherson convalesced there after an injury in 1932.<ref>{{Cite news |title=All Visitors Barred from Mutton Castle; Physician Fears Any Shock to California Evangelist Might Prove to Be Fatal. |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30E13F83E5513738DDDA10994DF405B828FF1D3 |publisher=New York Times |date= July 18, 1932 |accessdate=}}</ref>

In 1929, Clevelin Realty Corp. purchased land in Lake Elsinore's Country Club Heights District and was marketing the area as a resort destination for the rich and famous. To encourage celebrities to purchase there, the developers offered to give McPherson a parcel of land featuring panoramic views of the lake. She accepted the land and in 1929 commissioned the architect Edwin Bickman to design a {{convert|4400|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Moorish Revival mansion, with [[art deco]] details, on the hills above the lake's northeastern shore. The structure's white plaster wall and arches reflect an [[Irving Gill]] influence. Its large, cerulean blue-tiled dome over a prayer tower and a second silver-painted dome and faux-[[minaret]] give it mosque-like appearance from the exterior; the interior features art-deco wall treatments in several of the rooms. The domed ceiling of the formal dining room rises at least {{convert|15|ft|m}}. A narrow breakfast nook reflects an American-Indian motif.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/09/business/la-fi-home-20100509 | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Scott | last=Marshutz | date=May 9, 2010 | title=Home of the Week: Sister Aimee's castle in Lake Elsinore}}</ref>

To help dispose of Angelus Temple debt, the property was sold in 1939 for an estimated amount of $190,000.<ref>about 2.6 million in 2013 dollars</ref><ref>Thomas, Lately ''Storming'' p. 311.</ref>

==Publications==
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=The Second Coming of Christ: Is He Coming? How is He Coming? When is He Coming? For Whom is He Coming?|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=QeHYAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover|year=1921|publisher=A. McPherson|oclc=8122641}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=This is That: Personal Experiences, Sermons and Writings of Aimee Semple McPherson, Evangelist|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=_0VDAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover|year=1919, revised 1923|publisher=The Bridal Call Publishing House|oclc=1053806}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=In the Service of the King: The Story of My Life|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=F9ZZAAAAMAAJ|year=1927|publisher=Boni and Liveright|oclc=513458}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=Give Me My Own God|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=7UJDAAAAIAAJ|year=1936|publisher=H. C. Kinsey & Company, Inc|oclc=1910039}}
* {{cite book|author=Aimee Semple McPherson|title=The Story of My Life: In Memoriam, Echo Park Evangelistic Association, Los Angeles|publisher=|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=L3vOAAAAMAAJ|year=1951|oclc=1596212}}

==See also==
* [[Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson]] (2012 Broadway musical)
{{Portal bar|Biography|Christianity}}
*[[Kobus Van Rensburg]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

* Richard R. Lingeman, ''Sinclair Lewis: Rebel from Main Street'', Minnesota Historical Society Press, June 2005, ISBN 978-0-87351-541-2.

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Bahr, Robert|title=Least of All Saints: the Story of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=i4wcAAAAMAAJ|date=April 1979|publisher=Prentice-Hall|isbn=978-0-13-527978-6|oclc=4493103}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://www.wheaton.edu/Academics/Faculty/B/Edith-Blumhofer Blumhofer, Edith L.] |title=Aimee Semple McPherson: Everybody's Sister|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=xgrxp-5mG44C&printsec=frontcover|year=1993|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-0155-5|oclc=29184439}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://www.oocities.org/heartland/7707/factsht.htm Cox, Raymond L.]|title=The Verdict is In|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5g77GAAACAAJ|year=1983|publisher=R.L. Cox|oclc=11315268}}
* {{cite book|author=[[Daniel Mark Epstein|Epstein]], [http://www.danielmarkepstein.com/ Daniel Mark]|title=Sister Aimee: The Life of Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Lxod5IUlH5QC&printsec=frontcover|date=1 July 1994|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0-15-600093-2|oclc=26300194}}
* {{cite book|author1=Morris, James|author2=[[Jan Morris|Morris, Jan]]|title=The Preachers|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Wm5LAAAAIAAJ|year=1973|publisher=St. Martin's Press| isbn= 0-900997-41-9|oclc=704687}}
* {{cite book|author=[http://libarts.wsu.edu/history/faculty-staff/sutton.asp Sutton, Matthew Avery]|title=Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America| url=http://books.google.com/books?id=o4qvq8xcb78C&printsec=frontcover|date=31 May 2009|publisher=(at [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674032538 Harvard University Press])|isbn=978-0-674-03253-8 |oclc=77504335}}
* {{cite book|author=Thomas, Lately|title=The Vanishing Evangelist: the Aimee Semple McPherson Kidnapping Affair|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=1onTAAAAMAAJ|year=1959|publisher=Viking Press|oclc=1575665}}
* {{cite book|author=Thomas, Lately|title=Storming Heaven: The Lives and Turmoils of Minnie Kennedy and Aimee Semple McPherson|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=sA1DAAAAIAAJ| year=1970|publisher=Morrow|oclc=92194}}
* [http://www.koyre.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article544 Zaballos, Nausica] ''La disparition de Soeur Aimee'' (23 November 2011) in [http://books.google.com/books?id=DGh3tgAACAAJ Crimes et procès sensationnels à Los Angeles 1922-1962: Au-delà du Dahlia noir], pages 103-140, Paris, E-Dite, (ISBN 978-2-84608-310-2)

==External links==
* [http://www.aimeemcpherson.com/ "Aimee McPherson" Old Time Radio]
* [http://www.foursquare.org/ Foursquare Gospel church]
* [http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG00/robertson/asm/front.html Aimee Semple McPherson biography]
* [http://www.libertyharbor.org/aimee.htm Biography from Liberty Harbor Foursquare Gospel Church]
* [http://www.immortalia.com/html/categorized-by-song/with-music/a/aimee-mcpherson.htm Song about the McPherson kidnapping scandal], dating from when it was a current news story. [[Pete Seeger]] recorded this on the 1961 album ''Story Songs''.
* [http://www.womanthouartgod.com/aimee.php Woman Thou Art God: Female Empowerment, Spirituality & a biography on Aimee].
* [http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiAIMEEMC;ttAIMEEMC.html The Ballad of Aimee McPherson].
* [http://www.californiamuseum.org/trails/ Aimee Semple McPherson on The California Museum's California Legacy Trails]
* [https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/8942 The theatricality of revivalism as exemplified in the artistry of Billy Sunday and Aimee Semple McPherson. ]
* [http://www.radioheritage.net/Story52.asp Did McPherson send a "Minions of Satan" message] to Herbert Hoover, and another article by the same historian [http://jeff560.tripod.com/kfsg2.html later concluding she did not send such a message.]
* {{IMDb name|id=2492420|name=Aimee Semple McPherson}}
* {{Find a Grave|700|accessdate=August 5, 2010}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=67270403}}

{{Persondata
| NAME =McPherson, Aimee Semple
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Canadian-American evangelist
| DATE OF BIRTH =October 9, 1890
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Stratford, Ontario]]
| DATE OF DEATH =September 27, 1944
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Oakland, California]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Aimee Semple}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1944 deaths]]
[[Category:American Christian religious leaders]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Canadian descent]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)]]
[[Category:Canadian evangelicals]]
[[Category:Canadian evangelists]]
[[Category:Canadian Pentecostals]]
[[Category:Christian creationists]]
[[Category:Drug-related deaths in California]]
[[Category:Faith healers]]
[[Category:History of Los Angeles, California]]
[[Category:Members of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel]]
[[Category:People from Oxford County, Ontario]]
[[Category:Religious scandals]]
[[Category:Vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:American anti-communists]]
[[Category:American anti-fascists]]
[[Category:American temperance activists]]

The Banner Saga

2014-06-18T11:08:28Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{Infobox video game
|title = The Banner Saga
|collapsible =
|state =
|show image =
|image = [[File:TBS logo transparent.png|frameless]]
|caption =
|developer = Stoic
|programmer = John Watson
|artist = Arnie Jorgensen
|designer = Alex Thomas
|composer = [[Austin Wintory]]
|publisher =
|distributor =
|series =
|engine = Custom
|version =
|released = 25 February 2013 (''Factions'' multiplayer game) 14 January 2014 (''Chapter 1'' single player campaign)
|genre =[[Tactical role-playing]]
|modes =[[Single-player video game|Single-player]] and [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
|ratings =
|platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Mac OS X]], others planned
|media = [[Digital distribution]] ([[Steam (software)|Steam]], [[gog.com]]<ref>[http://www.gog.com/news/release_the_banner_saga Release: The Banner Saga] on gog.com (February 4, 2014)</ref> and others<ref>[http://stoicstudio.com/buy-now/ buy now] on stoicstudio.com</ref>)
|requirements =
}}
'''''The Banner Saga''''' is a [[Viking]]-themed [[tactical role-playing]] video game by ''Stoic'', a trio of [[indie game]] developers formerly of [[BioWare]]. It was released as a single player campaign, ''The Banner Saga'' – the first game of a projected trilogy – on 14 January 2014, as well as a separate [[free-to-play]] online multiplayer game, ''The Banner Saga: Factions'', in February 2013.

==Development==
The game's developers – Alex Thomas, Arnie Jorgensen and John Watson – left BioWare after working on that studio's [[Massively multiplayer online game|MMO]] ''[[Star Wars: The Old Republic]]'', with the intention of making a game for their own enjoyment.<ref name="Gamasutra 19 March 2012">{{cite news|last=Curtis|first=Tom|title=When ex-BioWare devs make their own strategy RPG|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/165823/When_exBioWare_devs_make_their_own_strategy_RPG.php|accessdate=19 March 2012|newspaper=[[Gamasutra]]|date=19 March 2012}}</ref> The project was financed through the [[crowd funding]] platform [[Kickstarter]]. It was opened to pledges on 19 March 2012<ref name="Gamasutra 19 March 2012" /> and met its funding goal of USD 100,000 in the course of the next day.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mattis|first=Jeff|title=The Banner Saga reaches Kickstarter funding goal in under two days|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/72973/the-banner-saga-reaches-kickstarter-funding-goal-in-under-two|accessdate=22 March 2012|newspaper=Shack News|date=21 March 2012}}</ref> The project eventually accumulated USD 723,886 from 20,042 backers.<ref name=Kickstarter>{{cite web|last=Kickstarter|title=The Banner Saga|url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stoic/the-banner-saga|accessdate=21 April 2012}}</ref>

On January 14, 2014 the game was released in the [[digital distribution]] via [[Steam (software)|Steam]] and on February 5 in the promised<ref>{{cite news |last=Watson |first=John |title=Get your Steam Key!: A DRM-free version of the game is under development now and we are still working with GOG to distribute soon. This will also be available to all backers even if you downloaded a Steam copy. |url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stoic/the-banner-saga/posts/718177 |accessdate=23 January 2014 |newspaper=Kickstarter |date=12 January 2014}}</ref> [[DRM-free]] version on [[gog.com]]. Initially released for the Windows and Mac platforms, later ports to [[Linux]], [[iPad]], [[PlayStation Network]] and [[Xbox Live Arcade]] are planned. Originally scheduled for a November 2012 release,<ref name=Kickstarter /> eventually in February 2013 the multiplayer game ''The Banner Saga: Factions'' was released, followed by the single-player campaign in January 2014.

Stoic's application for a U.S. [[trademark]] for "The Banner Saga" was opposed in January 2014 by [[King (website)|King]], the developer of the game ''[[Candy Crush Saga]]'', on the grounds of being "confusingly and deceptively similar" to King's trademark for the word "[[Saga]]". According to Stoic, this dispute could hold up the release of a sequel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Karmali|first=Luke|title=The Banner Saga Sequel Blocked by Trademark Claims|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/23/candy-crush-saga-dev-king-trademarks-the-word-candy?abthid=52e0e6209c7da55e4b000002|accessdate=23 January 2014|newspaper=[[IGN]]|date=23 January 2014}}</ref> However, on March 22, 2014, Stoic posted an update on their blog, stating that an agreement had been reached.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stoicstudio.com/stoic-update/|title=Stoic Update|publisher=Stoic|date=March 22, 2014|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref>

==Gameplay==
[[File:TBS Combat screenshot.jpg|thumb|A development screenshot of the game's turn-based combat component]]

===''The Banner Saga''===
The core of the game is a single-player campaign of turn-based combat engagements inspired by games such as ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics]]'' and ''[[Shining Force]]'', with the player controlling and being able to build up a party of characters with complementing abilities.

According to the developers, their aim was to create a "mature game for adults in the vein of ''[[Game of Thrones (TV series)|Game of Thrones]]'' or ''[[The Black Company]]''". They intend to engage players emotionally by allowing them to build relationships with the game's characters and shape the outcome of the story through an array of conversation choices.<ref name="Shack News 6 March 2012">{{cite news|last=Mattas|first=Jeff|title=The Banner Saga 'in the vein of Game of Thrones;' Kickstarter launching soon|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/72726/the-banner-saga-in-the-vein-of-game-of-thrones|accessdate=19 March 2012|newspaper=[[Shack News]]|date=6 March 2012}}</ref> The game eschews certain conventions of action-oriented computer role-playing games such as the focus on a young lone hero's story, looting and buying items, or reloading a saved game state after defeat. Instead, the developers intended to tell the story of the player's caravan as a whole, and encourage players to accept and deal with the consequences of any defeats they may encounter.<ref name="Live Pixel 22 August 2012">{{cite news|title=Interview with Stoic on Banner Saga|url=http://thelivepixel.com/2012/08/22/interview-with-stoic-on-banner-saga/|accessdate=22 August 2012|newspaper=[[Live Pixel]]|date=23 August 2012}}</ref>

The first game in the Saga centers on the return of the Dredge, a warlike race that despises humans led by the Bellower, a nigh invincible Dredge who leads them on a warpath on human and Varl. As a wandering army sent to fight against the Dredge and find a weakness for the Bellower, the caravan make many difficult decisions that would shape the fate of both man and Varl.

===''The Banner Saga: Factions''===
The turn-based multiplayer combat component was released on [[Steam (software)|Steam]] as a free standalone game, called ''The Banner Saga: Factions'', prior to the release of the single-player game. ''Factions'' became available to backers on 18 February 2013 and to the public on 25 February.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/02/20/banner-saga-out-now-for-backers-everyone-next-week/#more-142907 | title=Banner Saga Out Now For Backers, Everyone Next Week | publisher=[[Rock, Paper, Shotgun]] | accessdate=February 20, 2013}}</ref> It allows players to pit teams of six combatants, chosen from 16 classes, against each other.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pinsof |first=Allistair|title=Preview: The Banner Saga Factions|url=http://www.destructoid.com/preview-the-banner-saga-factions-235135.phtml |accessdate=21 September 2012|newspaper=[[Destructoid]]|date=19 September 2012}}</ref>

==Setting and style==
[[File:TBS Travel Bridge screenshot.jpg|thumb|Concept artwork from the game]]
The game is set in a Viking-inspired fantasy setting, chosen by the developers so as to avoid what they considered the "overdone 'elves, dwarves and orcs' dynamic".<ref name="Shack News 6 March 2012" /> With a visual style influenced by [[Eyvind Earle]]'s art for the 1959 Disney film ''[[Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)|Sleeping Beauty]]'', as well as the work of [[Ralph Bakshi]] and [[Don Bluth]], ''The Banner Saga''{{'}}s art features primarily hand-drawn animation sequences, characters and backgrounds.<ref name="Shack News 6 March 2012" />

''Factions'' uses the city of Strand as its main [[User interface|UI]], with players selecting different buildings of the city to access various playmodes and functionalities. Additionally, "the city will evolve as the story unfolds".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stoicstudio.com/forum/showthread.php?188-The-City-of-Strand&p=3288&viewfull=1#post3288|title=The City of Strand|date=13 July 2012|publisher=Stoic|accessdate=24 July 2012}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
The fully orchestrated score was written by [[Austin Wintory]], the composer of the soundtrack of ''[[Journey (2012 video game)|Journey]]''.<ref name=Kickstarter /> It features [[Malukah]], [[Peter Hollens]], [[Johann Sigurdarson]] and [[Taylor Davis (violinist)|Taylor Davis]] as soloists. The ensemble that performed the music was the [[Dallas Wind Symphony]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Wintory|first=Austin|title=The Banner Saga|url=http://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/the-banner-saga|publisher=[[Bandcamp]]|accessdate=13 January 2014}}</ref>

==Reception==

===''The Banner Saga: (single player)''===
On launch day, the first "chapter" of the projected single player campaign trilogy obtained an aggregate score of 82 out of 100 (based on 32 critical reviews) on the [[Metacritic]] website, signifying "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Banner Saga|url=http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-banner-saga|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=14 January 2014}}</ref>

According to [[IGN]], ''The Banner Saga'' excelled both in its art and in its varied story full of meaningful choices. The reviewer also approved of the game's tough, but rewarding combat system and bleak, but beautiful soundtrack, while considering that the game could have explained key gameplay mechanics better.<ref>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Leif|title=HIGH NORSEPOWER|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/14/the-banner-saga-review-2|accessdate=14 January 2014|newspaper=IGN|date=14 January 2014}}</ref> ''[[Eurogamer]]'' also praised the game's art and elegant combat system, while criticizing the lack of variety in combat.<ref>{{cite news|last=Harman|first=Stace|title=The Banner Saga review: Trooping the colour|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-14-the-banner-saga-review|accessdate=14 January 2014|newspaper=Eurogamer|date=14 January 2014}}</ref> [[Hardcore Gamer]] commended its feature-quality production values as well as its deep and engaging combat.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thew |first=Geoff |url=http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2014/01/14/review-the-banner-saga-chapter-1/69679/ |title=Review: The Banner Saga - Chapter 1 |publisher=Hardcore Gamer |date=2014-01-14 |accessdate=2014-01-19}}</ref>

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{official website|http://thebannersaga.com/}}
*[http://bannersaga.gamepedia.com Official wiki]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banner Saga, The}}
[[Category:2013 video games]]
[[Category:Episodic video games]]
[[Category:Fantasy video games]]
[[Category:Free-to-play video games]]
[[Category:IPad games]]
[[Category:Kickstarter projects]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:OS X games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Mythology-based video games]]
[[Category:Tactical role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:2014 video games]]
[[Category:Norse mythology in popular culture]]

Die Maschine steht still

2014-05-25T13:09:37Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Plot summary */

{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox short story |
| name = The Machine Stops
| author = [[E. M. Forster]]
| country = England
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Science fiction short story
| publication_type =
| published_in = ''[[The Oxford and Cambridge Review]]''
| publisher = [[Archibald Constable]]
| media_type = Print (Magazine, Hardback & Paperback)
| pub_date = November 1909
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
"'''The Machine Stops'''" is a science fiction short story (12,300 words) by [[E. M. Forster]]. After initial publication in ''The Oxford and Cambridge Review'' (November 1909), the story was republished in Forster's ''The Eternal Moment and Other Stories'' in 1928. After being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965, it was included that same year in the populist anthology ''Modern Short Stories''.<ref>''Modern Short Stories'', S. H. Burton ed., Longman Heritage of Literature series, Longman Group Ltd, Great Britain, first published 1965, sixth impression 1970</ref> In 1973 it was also included in ''[[The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two]]''. The story is particularly notable for predicting new technologies such as [[instant messaging]] and the Internet.

==Plot summary==
The story describes a world in which most of the human population has lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. Each individual now lives in isolation [[Underground city|below ground]] in a standard 'cell', with all bodily and spiritual needs met by the omnipotent, global Machine. Travel is permitted but unpopular and rarely necessary. Communication is made via a kind of instant messaging/video conferencing machine called the speaking apparatus, with which people conduct their only activity, the sharing of ideas and what passes for knowledge. The two main characters, Vashti and her son Kuno, live on opposite sides of the world. Vashti is content with her life, which, like most inhabitants of the world, she spends producing and endlessly discussing secondhand 'ideas'. Kuno, however, is a sensualist and a rebel. He persuades a reluctant Vashti to endure the journey (and the resultant unwelcome personal interaction) to his cell. There, he tells her of his disenchantment with the sanitised, mechanical world. He confides to her that he has visited the surface of the Earth without permission and that he saw other humans living outside the world of the Machine. However, the Machine recaptured him, and he has been threatened with 'Homelessness', that is, expulsion from the underground environment and presumed death. Vashti, however, dismisses her son's concerns as dangerous madness and returns to her part of the world.

As time passes, and Vashti continues the routine of her daily life, there are two important developments. First, the life support apparatus required to visit the outer world is abolished. Most welcome this development, as they are skeptical and fearful of first-hand experience and of those who desire it. Secondly, a kind of religion is re-established, in which the Machine is the object of worship. People forget that humans created the Machine, and treat it as a mystical entity whose needs supersede their own. Those who do not accept the deity of the Machine are viewed as 'unmechanical' and threatened with Homelessness. The Mending Apparatus – the system charged with repairing defects that appear in the Machine proper – has also failed by this time, but concerns about this are dismissed in the context of the supposed omnipotence of the Machine itself.

During this time, Kuno is transferred to a cell near Vashti's. He comes to believe that the Machine is breaking down, and tells her cryptically, "The Machine stops." Vashti continues with her life, but eventually defects begin to appear in the Machine. At first, humans accept the deteriorations as the whim of the Machine, to which they are now wholly subservient. But the situation continues to deteriorate, as the knowledge of how to repair the Machine has been lost. Finally the Machine [[apocalypse|apocalyptically]] collapses, bringing 'civilisation' down with it. Kuno comes to Vashti's ruined cell, however, and before they perish they realise that Man and his connection to the natural world are what truly matter, and that it will fall to the surface-dwellers who still exist to rebuild the human race and to prevent the mistake of the Machine from being repeated.

==Themes==
In the preface to his ''Collected Short Stories'' (1947), Forster wrote that "''The Machine Stops'' is a reaction to one of the earlier heavens of [[H. G. Wells]]." Although not all Wells's stories were optimistic about the future, this implies Forster was concerned about human dependence on technology.

==Adaptations==
A television adaptation, directed by Philip Saville, was shown in the UK on 6 October 1966 as part of the British science-fiction anthology TV series ''[[Out of the Unknown]]''.

Playwright [[Eric Coble]]'s 2004 stage adaptation was broadcast on 16 November 2007 on [[WCPN|WCPN 90.3 FM]] in Cleveland.<ref name="WCPNadaptation">{{cite web|url=http://www.ideastream.org/an/entry/7893|title=WCPN Program Highlights|accessdate = 12 November 2007}}</ref>

[[BBC Radio 4]] aired [[Gregory Norminton]]'s adaptation as a radio play.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}}

''TMS: The Machine Stops'' is a graphic novel series adaptation written by [[Michael Lent (producer)|Michael Lent]] with art by Marc Rene, published by Alterna Comics in February, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Machine Stops (mini-series) |url=http://alternacomics.com/#/the-machine-stops/4582365467}}</ref>

==Derivative works==
[[Stephen Baxter]]'s story ''[[Phase Space (book)|Glass Earth Inc.]]'', which refers explicitly to "The Machine Stops", is included in the book ''[[Phase Space (book)|Phase Space]]''.

The song "The Machine Stops" by the band [[Level 42]] not only shares the same title with the story but also has lyrics that echo Kuno's thoughts.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Seegert, Alf (2010), "Technology and the Fleshly Interface in E.M. Forster's 'The Machine Stops'", ''[http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/joe/article/view/98/ Journal of Ecocriticism]'' 2: 1.
* {{cite journal |last=Napier |first=Susan J. |authorlink=Susan J. Napier |date=November 2002 |title=When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and ''Serial Experiments Lain'' |journal=Science Fiction Studies |volume=29 |issue=88 |pages=418–435 |id=ISSN 00917729 |url= http://www.depauw.edu/sfs/abstracts/a88.htm#Napier |accessdate=4 May 2007}}
* Pordzik, Ralph. 2010. [http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/english_literature_in_transition/v053/53.1.pordzik.pdf Closet fantasies and the future of desire in E. M. Forster's "The Machine Stops"]. ''English Literature in Transition 1880–1920'' 53, no. 1 (Winter): 54–74. {{doi|10.2487/elt.53.1(2010)0052}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikisource}}
*[http://librivox.org/the-machine-stops-by-e-m-forster/ Listen to an audio recording of the story] from [[Librivox]]
*[http://www.freisebrothers.com Animated adaptation of the story by The Freise Brothers]
*[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2072180223855159236 Watch the 1966 BBC adaptation online]{{dead link|date=May 2013}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvrGUnIFuRs Adaptation of E.M. Forster's ''The Machine Stops''] which appeared on UK science fiction TV show [[Out of the Unknown]] on 1966-10-06. (50:38)
*[http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster (1909)] Online text

{{E. M. Forster}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Machine Stops, The}}
[[Category:Dystopian fiction]]
[[Category:Plays by Eric Coble]]
[[Category:1909 short stories]]
[[Category:Prometheus Award winning works]]
[[Category:Short stories by E. M. Forster]]
[[Category:Science fiction short stories]]
[[Category:Works originally published in British magazines]]
[[Category:Works originally published in literary magazines]]
[[Category:Constable & Co. books]]

Die Maschine steht still

2014-05-24T15:00:18Z

Proxima Centauri: /* External links */

{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox short story |
| name = The Machine Stops
| author = [[E. M. Forster]]
| country = England
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Science fiction short story
| publication_type =
| published_in = ''[[The Oxford and Cambridge Review]]''
| publisher = [[Archibald Constable]]
| media_type = Print (Magazine, Hardback & Paperback)
| pub_date = November 1909
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
"'''The Machine Stops'''" is a science fiction short story (12,300 words) by [[E. M. Forster]]. After initial publication in ''The Oxford and Cambridge Review'' (November 1909), the story was republished in Forster's ''The Eternal Moment and Other Stories'' in 1928. After being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965, it was included that same year in the populist anthology ''Modern Short Stories''.<ref>''Modern Short Stories'', S. H. Burton ed., Longman Heritage of Literature series, Longman Group Ltd, Great Britain, first published 1965, sixth impression 1970</ref> In 1973 it was also included in ''[[The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two]]''. The story is particularly notable for predicting new technologies such as [[instant messaging]] and the Internet.

==Plot summary==
The story describes a world in which most of the human population has lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. Each individual now lives in isolation [[Underground city|below ground]] in a standard 'cell', with all bodily and spiritual needs met by the omnipotent, global Machine. Travel is permitted but unpopular and rarely necessary. Communication is made via a kind of instant messaging/video conferencing machine called the speaking apparatus, with which people conduct their only activity, the sharing of ideas and knowledge. The two main characters, Vashti and her son Kuno, live on opposite sides of the world. Vashti is content with her life, which, like most inhabitants of the world, she spends producing and endlessly discussing secondhand 'ideas'. Kuno, however, is a sensualist and a rebel. He persuades a reluctant Vashti to endure the journey (and the resultant unwelcome personal interaction) to his cell. There, he tells her of his disenchantment with the sanitised, mechanical world. He confides to her that he has visited the surface of the Earth without permission and that he saw other humans living outside the world of the Machine. However, the Machine recaptured him, and he has been threatened with 'Homelessness', that is, expulsion from the underground environment and presumed death. Vashti, however, dismisses her son's concerns as dangerous madness and returns to her part of the world.

As time passes, and Vashti continues the routine of her daily life, there are two important developments. First, the life support apparatus required to visit the outer world is abolished. Most welcome this development, as they are skeptical and fearful of first-hand experience and of those who desire it. Secondly, a kind of religion is re-established, in which the Machine is the object of worship. People forget that humans created the Machine, and treat it as a mystical entity whose needs supersede their own. Those who do not accept the deity of the Machine are viewed as 'unmechanical' and threatened with Homelessness. The Mending Apparatus – the system charged with repairing defects that appear in the Machine proper – has also failed by this time, but concerns about this are dismissed in the context of the supposed omnipotence of the Machine itself.

During this time, Kuno is transferred to a cell near Vashti's. He comes to believe that the Machine is breaking down, and tells her cryptically, "The Machine stops." Vashti continues with her life, but eventually defects begin to appear in the Machine. At first, humans accept the deteriorations as the whim of the Machine, to which they are now wholly subservient. But the situation continues to deteriorate, as the knowledge of how to repair the Machine has been lost. Finally the Machine [[apocalypse|apocalyptically]] collapses, bringing 'civilisation' down with it. Kuno comes to Vashti's ruined cell, however, and before they perish they realise that Man and his connection to the natural world are what truly matter, and that it will fall to the surface-dwellers who still exist to rebuild the human race and to prevent the mistake of the Machine from being repeated.

==Themes==
In the preface to his ''Collected Short Stories'' (1947), Forster wrote that "''The Machine Stops'' is a reaction to one of the earlier heavens of [[H. G. Wells]]." Although not all Wells's stories were optimistic about the future, this implies Forster was concerned about human dependence on technology.

==Adaptations==
A television adaptation, directed by Philip Saville, was shown in the UK on 6 October 1966 as part of the British science-fiction anthology TV series ''[[Out of the Unknown]]''.

Playwright [[Eric Coble]]'s 2004 stage adaptation was broadcast on 16 November 2007 on [[WCPN|WCPN 90.3 FM]] in Cleveland.<ref name="WCPNadaptation">{{cite web|url=http://www.ideastream.org/an/entry/7893|title=WCPN Program Highlights|accessdate = 12 November 2007}}</ref>

[[BBC Radio 4]] aired [[Gregory Norminton]]'s adaptation as a radio play.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}}

''TMS: The Machine Stops'' is a graphic novel series adaptation written by [[Michael Lent (producer)|Michael Lent]] with art by Marc Rene, published by Alterna Comics in February, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Machine Stops (mini-series) |url=http://alternacomics.com/#/the-machine-stops/4582365467}}</ref>

==Derivative works==
[[Stephen Baxter]]'s story ''[[Phase Space (book)|Glass Earth Inc.]]'', which refers explicitly to "The Machine Stops", is included in the book ''[[Phase Space (book)|Phase Space]]''.

The song "The Machine Stops" by the band [[Level 42]] not only shares the same title with the story but also has lyrics that echo Kuno's thoughts.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Seegert, Alf (2010), "Technology and the Fleshly Interface in E.M. Forster's 'The Machine Stops'", ''[http://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/joe/article/view/98/ Journal of Ecocriticism]'' 2: 1.
* {{cite journal |last=Napier |first=Susan J. |authorlink=Susan J. Napier |date=November 2002 |title=When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and ''Serial Experiments Lain'' |journal=Science Fiction Studies |volume=29 |issue=88 |pages=418–435 |id=ISSN 00917729 |url= http://www.depauw.edu/sfs/abstracts/a88.htm#Napier |accessdate=4 May 2007}}
* Pordzik, Ralph. 2010. [http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/english_literature_in_transition/v053/53.1.pordzik.pdf Closet fantasies and the future of desire in E. M. Forster's "The Machine Stops"]. ''English Literature in Transition 1880–1920'' 53, no. 1 (Winter): 54–74. {{doi|10.2487/elt.53.1(2010)0052}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikisource}}
*[http://librivox.org/the-machine-stops-by-e-m-forster/ Listen to an audio recording of the story] from [[Librivox]]
*[http://www.freisebrothers.com Animated adaptation of the story by The Freise Brothers]
*[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2072180223855159236 Watch the 1966 BBC adaptation online]{{dead link|date=May 2013}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvrGUnIFuRs Adaptation of E.M. Forster's ''The Machine Stops''] which appeared on UK science fiction TV show [[Out of the Unknown]] on 1966-10-06. (50:38)
*[http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster (1909)] Online text

{{E. M. Forster}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Machine Stops, The}}
[[Category:Dystopian fiction]]
[[Category:Plays by Eric Coble]]
[[Category:1909 short stories]]
[[Category:Prometheus Award winning works]]
[[Category:Short stories by E. M. Forster]]
[[Category:Science fiction short stories]]
[[Category:Works originally published in British magazines]]
[[Category:Works originally published in literary magazines]]
[[Category:Constable & Co. books]]

Gott ist nicht tot

2014-05-17T17:33:42Z

Proxima Centauri: /* External links */

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = God's Not Dead
| image = God's Not Dead.jpg
| caption = Theatrical released poster
| director = [[Harold Cronk]]
| producer = Michael Scott Russell Wolfe Anna Zielinski
| writer = Cary Solomon Chuck Konzelman
| based on = {{Based on|''God's Not Dead''|Rice Broocks}}
| starring = [[Kevin Sorbo]] [[Shane Harper]] [[David A.R. White]] [[Dean Cain]] [[Newsboys]] [[Willie Robertson]] [[Korie Robertson]]
| music = Will Musser [[Newsboys]]
| cinematography = Brian Shanley
| editing = Vance Null
| studio = [[Pure Flix Entertainment]] Red Entertainment Group
| distributor = Pure Flix Entertainment
| released = {{Film date|2014|03|21}}
| runtime = 113 minutes<ref>{{cite web|title=''GOD'S NOT DEAD'' (PG)|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/gods-not-dead-film|work=Kingdom Cinemas|publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|date=April 7, 2014|accessdate=April 8, 2014}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $2 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/kermit-gosnell-tv-movie-kevin-sorbo/ |title=‘God’s Not Dead’s Kevin Sorbo Takes Hollywood & Media To Task As He Backs Crowdfunding Campaign For Telefilm On Convicted Abortion Doctor Kermit Gosnell | publisher=[[deadline.com]] | work=[Deadline] | accessdate=April 5, 2014}}</ref>
| gross = $58,186,352{{cite web|url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=godsnotdead.htm|title=God's Not Dead|work=Box Office Mojo |accessdate= May 16, 2014}}</ref>
}}
'''''God's Not Dead''''' is a 2014 [[Christian film industry|Christian drama film]] directed by [[Harold Cronk]], and stars [[Kevin Sorbo]], [[Shane Harper]], [[David A.R. White]] and [[Dean Cain]]. The film was released to theaters on March 21, 2014, by [[Pure Flix Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/gods-not-dead-film-review-690393 |title=God's Not Dead: Film Review |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |date=March 21, 2014 |accessdate=April 26, 2014}}</ref>

==Plot==
Josh Wheaton ([[Shane Harper]]), a [[Christian]] college student, enrolls in a [[philosophy]] class taught by Professor Jeffrey Radisson ([[Kevin Sorbo]]) who, as an [[atheism|atheist]], demands that his students sign a declaration that "God is dead" to get a passing grade. Josh is the only student in the class who refuses to sign and is required, by the professor, to debate the topic with him, with the class members deciding who wins.

Radisson's girlfriend, Mina (Cory Oliver) is a Christian whom he often belittles in front of his colleagues. Her brother Mark ([[Dean Cain]]) is a successful businessman and atheist who refuses to see their mother, who suffers from dementia. Mark breaks up with his girlfriend, Amy (Trisha LaFache), a left-wing blogger, when she is diagnosed with cancer. A girl named Ayisha (Hadeel Sittu), whose family (especially her father) are strongly devout Muslims, is secretly Christian; when her father discovers this, he throws her out.

Radisson gives Josh 20 minutes at the end of the first three lecture sessions to argue that God exists. In the first two debates, Radisson has counter arguments for all of Josh's points. Josh's girlfriend Kara (Cassidy Gifford) breaks up with him, fearing that standing up to Radisson will jeopardize their academic future. Ultimately, it comes down to the third and final debate between Radisson and Josh, who again both make compelling points. Josh then halts his line of debate to pose a question to Radisson: "Why do you hate God?" After Josh repeats the question twice more, Radisson explodes in rage, confirming he hates God for his mother's death that left him alone despite his prayers. Josh then casually asks Radisson how he can hate someone that doesn't exist. In the end, Martin (Paul Kwo), a foreign exchange student whose father had encouraged him not to convert to Christianity, stands up and says "God's not dead." The entire class follows Martin's lead, causing Radisson to leave the room in defeat.

After the final debate, Josh invites the newly born-again Martin to attend the [[Newsboys (band)|Newsboys]] concert that is in town. Radisson reads a letter from his late mother, and is moved to reconcile with Mina. While on his way to find her, he is struck by a car and fatally injured. Pastor Dave ([[David A.R. White]]) finds him and guides him in becoming a born-again Christian as he takes his last breath. Mark taunts his mother, who turns the tables on him and tells him that the devil has helped him to succeed, to keep him from turning to God. Amy confronts the Newsboys in their dressing room, only to admit that she wants to get to know God. Before the final song, the Newsboys play a video clip of [[Willie Robertson]] congratulating the 'young man' who successfully defended God against his professor. The Newsboys then play their song "God's Not Dead", dedicating it to the same person Robertson commended.<ref>[http://godsnotdeadthemovie.com/synopsis Godsnotdeadthemovie.com]</ref>

==Cast==
* [[Shane Harper]] as Josh Wheaton
* [[Kevin Sorbo]] as Professor Jeffery Radisson
* [[David A.R. White]] as Pastor Dave
* Trisha LaFache as Amy Ryan
* Hadeel Sittu as Ayisha
* [[Marco Khan]] as Misrab
* Cory Oliver as Mina
* [[Dean Cain]] as Mark
* Jim Gleason as Ward Wheaton
* Benjamin Ochieng as Reverend Jude
* Cassidy Gifford as Kara
* Paul Kwo as Martin Yip

The film also includes [[Cameo appearance|cameos]] by Christian pop rock band [[Newsboys]] and by [[Willie Robertson|Willie and Korie Robertson]] from the television series ''[[Duck Dynasty]]''.

==Production==
The film was shot in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], from October to November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schoen|first=Taylor|title=Christian movie filming on campus|url=http://www.lsureveille.com/entertainment/film/christian-movie-filming-on-campus/article_37b30f32-32d1-11e2-b1d3-0019bb30f31a.html?mode=story|work=[[The Daily Reveille]]|accessdate=August 30, 2013|date=November 12, 2012}}</ref>

Russell Wolfe, the CEO of Pure Flix Entertainment, stated that: {{quote|the inspiration behind the setting of the movie dates back a few years ago. I was in a meeting at Pinnacle Forum and [[Alan Sears]] from [[Alliance Defending Freedom]], was speaking. He was speaking about a young girl who was asked to do some things that went against her faith and got in trouble for not doing them. That story put my jaw on the floor and made me think about how many students go to college as a Christian and how few stay a Christian after they finish their four years. It was that story that inspired me to set the movie on a college campus.|Russell Wolfe<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/2014/02/14/exclusive-interview-with-gods-not-dead-movie-director/|title=Exclusive Interview With Pure Flix Entertainment for God’s Not Dead Movie|date=February 14, 2014|publisher=Alliance Defending Freedom|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref>}}

==Reception==

===Critical reception===
The film has been panned by critics, currently holding a score of 16/100 on [[Metacritic]] indicating "Overwhelming Dislike", based on 5 critics, and a 12% "rotten" rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] {{as of|2014|5|lc=yes}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/gods-not-dead |title=God's Not Dead Reviews |publisher=Metacritic |date= |accessdate=April 26, 2014}}</ref><ref>Rotten Tomatoes, "[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gods_not_dead/ Rotten Tomatoes God's Not Dead]". Accessed April 17, 2014.</ref> Writing for ''[[The A.V. Club]]'', Todd VanDerWerff gave the film a D-, saying "Even by the rather lax standards of the Christian film industry, God's Not Dead is a disaster. It's an uninspired amble past a variety of Christian-email-forward bogeymen that feels far too long at just 113 minutes".<ref>{{cite web|author=By Todd VanDerWerff |url=http://www.avclub.com/review/gods-not-dead-mess-even-christian-film-standards-202571 |title=God’s Not Dead is a mess even by Christian film standards · Movie Review · The A.V. Club |publisher=Avclub.com |date=March 24, 2014 |accessdate=April 26, 2014}}</ref> Reviewer Scott Foundas of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote "...even grading on a generous curve, this strident melodrama about the insidious efforts of America's university system to silence true believers on campus is about as subtle as a stack of Bibles falling on your head...."<ref>{{cite web|author=Scott Foundas Chief Film Critic @foundasonfilm |url=http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-gods-not-dead-1201142881 |title=‘God’s Not Dead’ Review: A Ham-Fisted Christian Melodrama |publisher=Variety |date=March 22, 2014 |accessdate=April 26, 2014}}</ref> Steve Pulaski of ''Influx Magazine'', however, was less critical of the film, giving it a C+ and stating "''God's Not Dead'' has issues, many of them easy to spot and heavily distracting. However, it's surprisingly effective in terms of message, acting, and insight, which are three fields Christian cinema seems to struggle with the most".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://influxmagazine.com/gods-not-dead/ |title=God’s Not Dead | Influx Magazine |publisher=Influxmagazine.com |date= |accessdate=April 26, 2014}}</ref>

A number of sources have cited the film's similarities to a popular [[urban legend]]. The basic premise of a Christian student debating an atheist professor and winning in front of the class has been the subject of at least two popular legends and a popular [[Chick tract]].<ref>{{cite web|title='Noah' Washes Away Competition At The Box Office|url=http://www.etonline.com/movies/144928_Noah_Washes_Away_Competition_At_The_Box_Office/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title="God’s Not Dead," But this Trope Is|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christandpopculture/2013/10/gods-not-dead-but-this-trope-is/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=If an anti-atheist story on Snopes were made into a film, it’d be this one|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/09/10/if-an-anti-atheist-story-on-snopes-were-made-into-a-film-itd-be-this-one/}}</ref>

===Christian appraisal===
The [[Alliance Defending Freedom]], [[American Heritage Girls]], Faith Driven Consumer, Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, [[Trevecca Nazarene University]], [[The Dove Foundation]] and Ratio Christi have all endorsed the film.<ref name="Endorsements">{{cite web|url=http://godsnotdeadthemovie.com/endorsements|title=God's Not Dead - Endorsements|publisher=Pure Flix Entertainment|accessdate=April 1, 2014}}</ref>

{{quote|I believe Christians should go see this movie because it will strengthen their faith and help them question situations about how they stood up or backed down for their faith. It will also encourage them to share their faith more.|[[Alliance Defending Freedom]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Exclusive Interview With Pure Flix Entertainment for God’s Not Dead Movie|url=http://blog.alliancedefendingfreedom.org/2014/02/14/exclusive-interview-with-gods-not-dead-movie-director/}}</ref> }}

Dave Hartline of ''The American Catholic'' gave ''God's Not Dead'' a positive review and hoped that other films like it will follow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the-american-catholic.com/2014/03/30/gods-not-dead-theres-something-happening-here/|title=God’s not dead; There’s something happening here|publisher=American Catholic|accessdate=April 2, 2014|quote=Slowly but surely with movies like God’s Not Dead, others will follow, and the old secular guard will not like it and force us to endure some trials and tribulations. - See more at: http://the-american-catholic.com/2014/03/30/gods-not-dead-theres-something-happening-here/#sthash.zZY7vFmh.dpuf}}</ref> Some Christian [[Protestant youth ministry|youth groups]] are colliding in the [[Methodist]], [[Catholic]], and [[Baptist]] traditions to watch ''God's Not Dead'' together, which have resulted in screenings of the film selling out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chattanoogan.com/2014/3/19/272244/Dallas-Bay-Baptist-Hosts-Movie-God-s.aspx|title=Dallas Bay Baptist Hosts Movie, "God's Not Dead"|date=March 19, 2014|work=[[The Chattanoogan]]|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crosbymethodist.org/calendars/youth-watches-gods-not-dead-movie/|title=Youth Watches "God's Not Dead"|date=March 13, 2014|publisher=United Methodist Church|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourladyqueenoffamilies.net/God-s-Not-Dead|title=God's Not Dead|publisher=St. Mary, Our Lady Queen of Families Parish|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref>

Evangelical [[Michael Gerson]], however, was highly critical of the film and its message, writing "The main problem with ''God’s Not Dead'' is not its cosmology or ethics but its anthropology. It assumes that human beings are made out of cardboard. Academics are arrogant and cruel. Liberal bloggers are preening and snarky (well, maybe the movie has a point here). Unbelievers disbelieve because of personal demons. It is characterization by caricature."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-gerson-noah-gods-not-dead-are-movies-lacking-grace/2014/03/31/6a57b63e-b8ec-11e3-899e-bb708e3539dd_story.html|title=Michael Gerson: ‘Noah,’ ‘God’s Not Dead’ are movies lacking grace - The Washington Post|last=Gerson|first=Michael|date=March 21, 2014|work=[[The Washington Post]]|publisher=The Washington Post|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref> John Mulderig echoed similar concerns in his review for the [[Catholic News Service]], stating: "There might be the kernel of an intriguing documentary buried within director Harold Cronk's stacked-deck drama, given the extent of real-life academic hostility toward religion. But even faith-filled moviegoers will sense the claustrophobia of the echo chamber within which this largely unrealistic picture unfolds."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicnews.com/data/movies/14mv038.htm|title= God's Not Dead|last=Mulderig|first=John|publisher=[[Catholic News Service]]|accessdate=April 2, 2014}}</ref>

===Commercial performance===
Although critically panned, the film has met with significant success at the box office. In its first weekend of release, the film earned $8.6 million domestically from 780 theaters, causing [[Entertainment Weekly]]'s Adam Markovitz to refer to it as "The biggest surprise of the weekend".<ref>{{cite web|last=Highfill |first=Samantha |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/03/23/box-office-report-divergent/ |title=Box office report: 'Divergent' heads straight for $56 million win | Inside Movies | EW.com |publisher=Insidemovies.ew.com |date=March 23, 2014 |accessdate=April 26, 2014}}</ref><ref name="boxoffice1">{{cite web|author=Boxoffice Media, Llc |url=http://www.boxoffice.com/statistics/movies/gods-not-dead-2014 |title=BoxOffice® — God's Not Dead |publisher=Boxoffice.com |date=March 21, 2014 |accessdate=May 5, 2014}}</ref> The film began its international roll-out in Mexico on April 4, 2014. The movie grossed $89,021 its opening weekend, with a total gross of $939,919 as of May 11, 2014. The film opened in Bolivia on April 17 and has grossed $29,417 as of April 27, 2014. The film was also released in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2014 and has grossed $239,870 as of May 4, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=godsnotdead.htm|title=God's Not Dead (2014) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |date=March 21, 2014 |accessdate=May 16, 2014}}</ref>As of May 11, 2014, the movie has a international total of $1,209,206 and a worldwide total of $59,395,558.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=godsnotdead.htm|title=God's Not Dead (2014) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |date=March 21, 2014 |accessdate= May 16, 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://godsnotdeadthemovie.com/}}
* {{IMDb title|2528814|God's Not Dead}}
* [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/camelswithhammers/2014/03/a-philosophy-professor-analyzes-gods-not-deads-case-for-god/ A Philosophy Professor Analyzes God’s Not Dead’s Case For God]

{{Newsboys}}
[[Category:2014 films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about Christianity]]
[[Category:Films about religion]]
[[Category:Films directed by Harold Cronk]]
[[Category:Films shot in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Films shot in Texas]]
[[Category:Independent films]]
[[Category:Pure Flix Entertainment films]]

Alexander Aan

2014-05-17T07:59:35Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Reactions */

{{Infobox person
| name = Alexander Aan
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Alexander Aan
| birth_date = c. {{birth year and age|1982|df=y}}
| occupation = Civil Servant
| years_active = Until January 2012
| known_for = 2012 arrest for comments on religion
}}

'''Alexander Aan''' (born c. 1982<ref name=AI>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA21/021/2012/en/9ce2ebf3-8112-49b3-9f5b-505d8b59dca0/asa210212012en.html |title=Indonesia: Atheist imprisonment a setback for freedom of expression |date=14 June 2012 |publisher=Amnesty International |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref>) is an Indonesian [[Atheism|atheist]] and [[ex-Muslim]] of [[Minangkabau people|Minang]] descent.<ref name=G35>{{cite web |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/03/indonesia-atheists-religious-freedom-aan |title=Indonesia's atheists face battle for religious freedom |author=Kate Hodal |date=3 May 2012 |work=The Guardian |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref><ref name=JP146>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/06/14/minang-atheist-sentenced-25-years-prison.html |title='Minang atheist' sentenced to 2.5 years in prison |author=Syofiardi Bachyul Jb |date=14 June 2012 |work=The Jakarta Post |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> He was imprisoned in 2012 for posting comments and images to [[Facebook]] that were judged to be "disseminating information aimed at inciting religious hatred or hostility" by the [[Muaro Sijunjung]] district court.<ref name=AI /><ref name="William Pesek">{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/commentary/from-lady-gaga-to-atheist-alexander-to-dbs-indonesia-is-sending-investors-bad-signals/525397 |title=From Lady Gaga to Atheist Alexander to DBS, Indonesia Is Sending Investors Bad Signals |author=William Pesek |date=20 June 2012 |work=Jakarta Globe |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/amnesty-calls-for-release-of-jailed-indonesian-atheist/524453 |title=Amnesty Calls for Release of Jailed Indonesian Atheist |date=14 June 2012 |work=Jakarta Globe |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref><ref name="Sara Malm">{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2159530/Indonesian-man-jailed-half-years-writing-God-doesn-t-exist-Facebook-page.html |title=Indonesian man jailed for two-and-a-half years for writing 'God doesn’t exist' on his Facebook page |author=Sara Malm |date=14 June 2012 |work=Daily Mail |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> The sentence sparked national debate<ref name=G35/> and caused [[Amnesty International]] to designate him a [[prisoner of conscience]].<ref name=AI />

==Arrest and trial==
Prior to his arrest, Alexander was a civil servant in the [[Pulau Punjung]] subdistrict of [[West Sumatra]] province.<ref name=AI /> Though he had been raised as a Muslim, Alexander ceased believing by age 11,<ref name=G35 /> and stopped participating in religious rituals in 2008. In January 2012, he posted to an atheist Facebook group he had founded, stating that God did not exist. His post asked, "If God exists, why do bad things happen? ... There should only be good things if God is merciful."<ref name=T256>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/indonesia/9027145/Atheist-Indonesian-in-protective-custody-after-being-beaten-by-mob.html |title=Atheist Indonesian in protective custody after being beaten by mob |author=Ian McKinnon |date=20 January 2012 |work=The Telegraph |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> He declared [[heaven]], [[hell]], [[angel]]s, and [[devil]]s to be "myths".<ref name=JP146/> He also posted an article describing [[Mohammad]] as "attracted to his daughter-in-law" and comic strips depicting him and a servant having sex.<ref name=AFP146 />

The posts were seen by the [[Indonesian Council of Ulema]], who reported him to the police for [[blasphemy]].<ref name=T256 />{{efn|Indonesia supports the [[freedom of religion]] of members of only six religions: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Members of religious minorities often face persecution.<ref name="kompas"/>}} On 18 January, an angry mob attacked Alexander on his way to work, causing police to take him into protective custody.<ref name=AI /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16644141 |title=Row over Indonesia atheist Facebook post |date=20 January 2012 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> Two days later, he was charged with "disseminating information aimed at inciting religious hatred or hostility", "religious blasphemy", and "calling for others to embrace atheism".<ref name=AI /> The district police chief also stated that Alexander had lied on his application for his government job, claiming to be Muslim.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chron.com/news/article/Indonesian-charged-with-blasphemy-for-atheist-post-2661891.php |title=Indonesian charged with blasphemy for atheist post |date=21 January 2012 |work=The Houston Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref>
Initially imprisoned in [[Padang]], Alexander was "badly beaten" by other inmates who learned that he had been jailed for blasphemy. Alexander was then transferred to another prison. Alexander later issued a public apology for his Facebook posts and converted to Islam.<ref name="G35"/>

On 14 June, the [[Muaro Sijunjung]] district court found Alexander guilty of "disseminating information aimed at inciting religious hatred or hostility" and sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment and a fine of 100 million rupiah (US$10,600).<ref name=AI /><ref name="Sara Malm"/> The charges of religious blasphemy and "calling for others to embrace atheism" were dropped. During the sentencing, the presiding judge described Alexander's actions as having "caused anxiety to the community and tarnished Islam".<ref name=AFP146>{{cite news |url=http://news.ph.msn.com/regional/indonesian-jailed-for-prophet-mohammed-cartoons |title=Indonesian jailed for Prophet Mohammed cartoons |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=14 June 2012 |work=The Straits Times |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> Alexander expressed regret for his actions in a written statement, adding that he "prayed for God's mercy".<ref name=JP146/>

On 31 January 2014, Aan was released from prison.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/01/31/atheist-alexander-aan-gets-prison.html |title= Atheist Alexander Aan gets of prison |date=31 January 2014 |website= |publisher=thejakartapost |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref>

==Reactions==
Alexander's arrest caused "outrage" among both domestic and international religious freedom activists, and several petitions were circulated calling for his release.<ref name=AFP146 /> [[Setara Institute]] director Hendardi described the requested sentence as "excessive", a demonstration of "the arbitrariness of the law and law enforcement officials", and a violation of the [[International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]], to which Indonesia is a signatory.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/activists-call-for-acquittal-of-embattled-atheist-alexander/523839 |title=Activists Call for Acquittal of Embattled Atheist Alexander |author=Febriamy Hutapea |date=13 June 2012 |work=Jakarta Globe |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> [[Amnesty International]] responded by designating Alexander a prisoner of conscience, describing the sentence as "a serious setback for freedom of expression in Indonesia". The organization called for Alexander's immediate release.<ref name=AI /> [[Human Rights Watch]] stated that Alexander's sentence suggested "a threat to Indonesia's religious minorities" in light of recent attacks by extremists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-15/news/32258951_1_religious-hatred-indonesia-human-rights-watch |title=Man jailed in Indonesia for atheist Facebook posts |author=Meghan Neal |date=15 June 2012 |work=Daily News |location=New York |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> The [[Asian Human Rights Commission]] also called for Alexander's release, stating that his actions did not "pose a threat to public order" and were covered by freedom of religion.<ref name=CP />

[[Atheist Alliance International]] began a campaign on Alexander's behalf, stating that his case "highlights the fundamental principles of freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and the discrimination faced by atheists, particularly in Islamic countries."<ref name=CP>{{cite web |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheist-group-launches-efforts-to-help-jailed-facebook-user-in-indonesia-76987/ |title=Atheist Group Launches Efforts to Help Jailed Facebook User in Indonesia |author=Michael Gryboski |date=20 June 2012 |work=The Christian Post |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> An opinion column in ''[[The Jakarta Globe]]'' described the charges as "a blight on Indonesia’s democratic credentials" and a threat to Indonesia's attractiveness to foreign investors.<ref name="William Pesek"/>

The [[Center for Inquiry]], first supporting the petition of the Asian Human Rights Commission,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/urgent_add_your_voice_to_support_jailed_atheist_in_indonesia/ |title=URGENT: Add Your Voice to Support Jailed Atheist in Indonesia |publisher=Center for Inquiry |date=25 April 2012 }}</ref> organized a protest outside the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC on 18 June 2012, calling for Indonesian authorities to release and exonerate Aan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/dc/events/protest_in_support_of_jailed_indonesian_atheist_alexander_aan/ |title=Protest in Support of Jailed Indonesian Atheist Alexander Aan |publisher=Center for Inquiry |year=2012 |accessdate=28 June 2012}}</ref> A second CFI-organized protest outside the Indonesian Consulate in New York City took place on July 6.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/nyc/events/alexander_aan/ |title=IMPORTANT: Protest in Support of Jailed Indonesian Atheist Alexander Aan |accessdate=28 June 2012}}</ref> CFI also sent a letter demanding for Aan's release to the Indonesia Embassy through its Office of Public Policy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/center_for_inquiry_calls_for_alexander_aans_freedom_in_letter_to_indonesian/ |title=Center for Inquiry Calls for Alexander Aan’s Freedom in Letter to Indonesian Ambassador |date=21 June 2012 |publisher=Center for Inquiry |accessdate=28 June 2012}}</ref>

The [[Islamic Society Forum]], a coalition of [[Islamist]] groups, stated that the potential five-year sentence was not enough, and that Alexander should be executed. The organization's secretary-general stated, "What he has done cannot be tolerated... it is important to prevent this group from spreading atheism in this country."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/02/02/192028.html |title=Indonesian atheist’s arrest sparks tension online |date=2 February 2012 |publisher=Al Arabiya |accessdate=25 June 2012}}</ref> The atheist Facebook group which he founded saw a surge in membership, up to 2,000. However, most of these were against atheists and Aan; postings included calls for atheists to be [[Decapitation|beheaded]] and calling them cowards.<ref name="kompas">{{cite web |url=http://english.kompas.com/read/2012/02/02/14074688/Indonesian.Atheists.Arrest.Sparks.Tension.Online|author=Jimmy Hitipeuw |title=Indonesian Atheist's Arrest Sparks Tension Online |date=2 February 2012 |work=Kompas |accessdate=27 June 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Human rights in Indonesia]]
*[[Religion in Indonesia]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME =Alexander Aan
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Indonesian atheist and prisoner
| DATE OF BIRTH = c. 1982
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aan, Alexander}}
[[Category:1980s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience]]
[[Category:Indonesian atheists]]
[[Category:Indonesian former Muslims]]
[[Category:Minangkabau people]]
[[Category:People from West Sumatra]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Indonesia]]

Jews for Judaism

2011-12-20T08:45:07Z

Proxima Centauri:

'''Jews for Judaism''', established by Rabbi [[Bentzion Kravitz]] in 1985, is an international organization designed to counter [[Christianity|Christian]] [[missionary|missionaries]] whose evangelistic efforts are directed toward [[Jews]]. They aim to help Jews strengthen and rediscover their [[Judaism]]. It is the largest [[counter-missionary]] organization in existence. It provides counseling services, education, and outreach programs to all [[Jewish denominations]].

The organization attempts to counter the efforts of "[[Jews for Jesus]]" and other [[Messianic Judaism|Messianic]] missionary organizations which believe [[Jesus]] to be God and one part of a [[Trinity]], and attempt to proselytize Jews, claiming to be a legitimate form of Judaism, but considered by most Christians and Jews to be a form of Christianity. "Jews for Judaism" maintains that these Christian groups that attempt to convert Jews specifically target unaffiliated, unobservant, old and young Jews, as well as specifically the Russian Jewish immigrant community.<ref>Max Gross, [http://www.forward.com/articles/7869/ "Countering Christian Missionaries and Messianists: Jews for Judaism’s Counselors Help Bring the People of the Book Back Into the Fold"], ''[[The Forward]]'', August 8, 2003.</ref><ref>Barry Yeoman, [http://jta.org/news/article/2007/11/15/104640/evangtwo "Saying ‘Shema,’ preaching Jesus"], [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]], November 15, 2007.</ref>

The name Jews for Judaism is a developed from Jews for Jesus, one of the principal missionary organizations it was founded to counteract. One of its prominent early members, Larry Levey, was a Jewish convert to Christianity who then converted back to Judaism and led the Baltimore office of Jews for Judaism for a number of years.<ref>Carol Brzozowski, [http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1988-03-04/news/8801140524_1_messianic-jews-jews-and-christians-bible-stories "Former Convert Fights Christians Who Convert Jews"], ''[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]'', March 04, 1988.</ref><ref>Jan Hoffman, [http://books.google.com/books?id=fOcCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42 "Inside Jews for Jesus"], ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'', April 28, 1986.</ref> In addition to its activities in response to Christian missionaries, Jews for Judaism has also been noted for its critiques of the [[Kabbalah Centre]].<ref>Tom Tugend, [http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/fraud_arrest_at_kabbalah_centre_20051111/ "Fraud Arrest at Kabbalah Centre"], ''[[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles]]'', November 10, 2005.</ref><ref>Gaby Wenig, [http://www.jewishjournal.com/los_angeles/article/against_the_stream_20020726/ "Against the Stream"], ''[[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles]]'', July 25, 2002.</ref><ref>Nadya Labi, [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,987398-1,00.html "What Profits the Kabbalah?"], ''[[TIME]]'', November 24, 1997.</ref>

==Offices==
Jews for Judaism has 6 international offices located in: [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]], [[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]]/[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] in the United States; [[Toronto|Toronto, Canada]]; [[Jerusalem|Jerusalem, Israel]]; [[Sydney|Sydney, Australia]] and [[Johannesburg|Johannesburg, South Africa]].<ref>[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=306&Itemid=470 Worldwide Centers], Jews for Judaism website, accessed November 14, 2010.</ref>

===Directors===

*Los Angeles, California, United States - [[Bentzion Kravitz|Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz]]
*Baltimore, Maryland, United States - Ruth Guggenheim
*Toronto, Canada - [[Julius Ciss]], a former [[Messianic Jew]]<ref>http://aztorah.com/Documents/ciss2001.pdf</ref>
*Sydney, Australia - Rabbi Eli Cohen
*Johannesburg, South Africa - Darryl Frankel

==Be-True==
Jews for Judaism formed the student organisation, Be-True as a response to missionary activity on university campuses. The organisation runs primarily through student representative volunteers. There are currently Be-True representatives in the United States, Canada and Australia.<ref>http://www.be-true.org</ref>

==Jews for Judaism forums==
Jews for Judaism Forums served as a home for many observant Jews, [[Noahide Laws|Noahides]], practicing Jews, non-practicing Jews, and [[Conversion to Judaism|converts]]. The forums discussed issues pertaining to interfaith couples and helped inquisitive minds answer their questions about Judaism. Additionally, there were frequent debates on the site between the members and visiting [[Evangelism|Evangelists]]. In 2007 Jews for Judaism decided to shut down the forum.

Jews for Judaism has recently started a [http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/blog blog] which is contributed to regularly.<ref>http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/blog</ref>

== References ==

{{No footnotes|date=November 2009}}
{{reflist}}

== External links and references ==
*[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org Jews for Judaism website]
* http://twitter.com/jewsforjudaism
*[http://www.jewsforjudaism.org.au Jews for Judaism Australian website]
*[http://www.be-True.org Jews for Judaism Student website]
*[http://shamash.org/trb/judaism.html Judaism and Jewish Resources]
*[http://www.kosherjudaism.org Kosher Judaism] for Jewish outreach, education.
*[http://www.kosherjudaism.org Kosher Judaism forum] the Kosher Judaism forum was created after the demise of the Jews for Judaism forum by former members and administrators with the permission of Jews for Judaism.
*[http://www.messiahtruth.com Messiah Judaism] for Jewish outreach, education and counter-missionary discussions, similar to Jews for Judaism.

[[Category:Christian and Jewish interfaith topics]]
[[Category:Orthodox Jewish outreach]]
[[Category:Jewish counter-missionaries]]
[[Category:Jewish apologetics]]
[[lt:Žydai už judaizmą]]
[[pt:Jews for Judaism]]
[[yi:זשוס פאר זשודיאיזם]]

Library of Birmingham

2011-06-23T08:24:17Z

Proxima Centauri:

[[Image:Libraryofbirmingham.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Library of Birmingham at [[Centenary Square]] with [[Birmingham Rep]] in foreground]]
The '''Library of Birmingham''' is a new library under construction in the [[Birmingham City Centre|City Centre]] city of [[Birmingham]], [[England]]. It is situated on the west side of Birmingham city centre at [[Centenary Square]] beside the [[Birmingham Rep]] and [[Baskerville House]]. It replaces the old [[Birmingham Central Library]] and will provide pedestrian street access extending from Centenary Square to the [[Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery]]. The new library is near the present central library but the new library is just outside the [[City Centre Core]] while the present library is just within the core. It is estimated the new library will cost £193 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capitasymonds.co.uk/projects/all_projects/library_of_birmingham.aspx|publisher=Capita Symonds|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref> and is seen by [[Birmingham City Council]] as a flagship project for the [[Big City Plan|Redevelopment of Birmingham]]. A model of the new library is on display on the ground floor of the present Central Library. The library will feature high towers with imposing views of Brimingham, there will be [[patio]]s with railings designed artistically among other features.

Upon completion, it will be the biggest public library in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-architecture-birmingham|publisher=The Guardian|title=Library of Birmingham plans unveiled as recession opens a new chapter for civic buildings|accessdate=2010-07-09 | location=London | first=Robert | last=Booth | date=2009-04-03}}</ref><ref>The British Library in London is larger, but is only open to the public by appointment</ref>

==Origins==
The council has looked into relocating the library for many years. The original plan was to build a new library in the emerging [[Eastside, Birmingham|Eastside]] district,<ref>''[http://www.gvagrimley.co.uk/x1719.xml Library of Birmingham and city centre park - outline planning application]'' - GVA Grimley, 19/12/2003</ref> which had been opened up to the city centre following the demolition of [[Masshouse|Masshouse Circus]].<ref>[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media/update%20spring%2005.pdf?MEDIA_ID=179780&FILENAME=update%20spring%2005.pdf Birmingham.gov.uk: Spring 2005 Update]</ref> A library was designed by [[Richard Rogers]] on a site in the area. However, for financial reasons and reservations about the location this plan was shelved. The Council had suggested that the Library be split between a new building built between [[Birmingham Rep|the Rep theatre]] and [[Baskerville House]] at [[Centenary Square]], which until 2009 was a public car park (to house the main lending library) and a building at [[Millennium Point (Birmingham)|Millennium Point]] in "Eastside" (to house the archives and special collections).

In August 2006, the Council confirmed the area between the Rep and Baskerville House as the future site for the library. Capita Symonds had been appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham. The council's intention was to create a "world class" landmark civic building in Centenary Square.<ref>''Capita Symonds appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham'' - Press Release by Birmingham City Council (1 September 2006)</ref>

Not long after this, the two-sites idea was scrapped and the archives and special collections will move to the site at Centenary Square.<ref>''[http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_headline=library-plans-could-be-shelved%26method=full%26objectid=18522486%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Library plans could be shelved]'' - Birmingham Post (24 January 2007)</ref><ref>*[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham Autumn 2007 update on move]</ref>

After an international design competition, run by the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], a shortlist of seven architects was announced on 27 March 2008. They were chosen from a list of over 100 architects. The architects chosen were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |title=Library Design Team Shortlist Announced |publisher=Birmingham City Council |date=2008-03-27 |accessdate=2008-03-27 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080410165119/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |archivedate = 2008-04-10}}</ref>

*[[Foreign Office Architects]]
*[[Foster and Partners]]
*[[Hopkins Architects]]
*[[Mecanoo]]
*[[Office for Metropolitan Architecture|OMA]]
*[[Schmidt hammer lassen|Schmidt Hammer Lassen]]
*[[Wilkinson Eyre]]

In early August 2008, Mecanoo was announced as the winner of the design competition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3119810&c=0 |title=Mecanoo scoops £193m Birmingham library |publisher=Building |author=Dan Stewart |date=2008-08-05 |accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref>

More detailed plans for the library were revealed by the council in conjunction with the architects at a launch event held on 2 April 2009.

==Reception==
Reception to the planned library has been overwhelmingly positive. Then-[[Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom|Poet Laureate]] [[Andrew Motion]] said that "These plans are properly ambitious to preserve the best traditional practice, while also opening the building to new ideas about what a library should be - the heart of the community, fulfilling all manner of social needs as well as scholarly, research-based and pleasurable ones." [[Philip Pullman]] said "The new Library of Birmingham sounds as if it will be lovely and should attract even more users than the present one with its impressive visitor total of 5,000 a day." [[Alan Ayckbourn|Sir Alan Ayckbourn]] said "I wholeheartedly support the proposed exciting new plans to develop the new Birmingham library" and [[Irvine Welsh]] said "[It's] an audacious and compelling initiative which promises to redefine and modernise the entire notion of public library services, and in the process create the greatest public information resource in Europe ... Writers will love it, and so will readers."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-birmingham |title=Top writers celebrate Library of Birmingham's audacity |publisher=The Guardian |date=3 April 2009 |accessdate=9 July 2010 | location=London}}</ref>

==Construction==
[[File:Library of Birmingham Boards.jpg|right|thumb|Boards surrounding the building site with images of the projected library]]
Preparation of the ground for building, and [[Archaeology|archaeological]] work between [[Baskerville House]] and [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre|The Rep]] had begun before planning permission had been granted<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/18/building-work-at-193m-library-of-birmingham-poses-safety-risk-to-pedestrians-97319-25196238/|title=Building work at £193m Library of Birmingham poses 'safety risk to pedestrians'|publisher=Birmingham Mail}}</ref>. Planning permission was finally granted and approved by [[Birmingham City Council]] in December 2009. Subsequently, building work commenced in January 2010 with a completion schedule of mid 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=6158|title=Work Begins on Library of Birmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|date=2010-01-04|accessdate=2010-01-07}}</ref>

The library will utilise an [[Geothermal heat pump|"aquifer ground source system"]] as a source of energy. Cold [[groundwater]] will be pumped up from within the earth and used in the air conditioning system. The water will then flow back into the ground via another [[Well drilling|drilled well]]. The use of groundwater as a source of [[Renewable energy#Geothermal energy|renewable energy]] will greatly boost the library's "green credentials" by lowering its CO2 emissions. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref>

In the meantime, '''Central Library''' has for the second time failed to gain status as a listed building. When the new library in Centenary Square is finished in 2013, immediate work will begin on knocking down the current building to make way for the redevelopment of [[Paradise Circus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/11/23/birmingham-central-library-to-be-demolished-within-five-years-97319-25233075/|source=Birmingham Mail|title=Birmingham Central Library to be demolished within five years}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Big City Plan]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{sisterlinks}}
* [http://libraryofbirmingham.com Library of Birmingham Official Site]
{{coord|52.4798|-1.9085|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Education in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Public libraries in England]]
[[Category:Libraries in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures under construction in the United Kingdom]]

Library of Birmingham

2011-06-23T08:23:10Z

Proxima Centauri:

[[Image:Libraryofbirmingham.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Library of Birmingham at [[Centenary Square]] with [[Birmingham Rep]] in foreground]]
The '''Library of Birmingham''' is a new library under construction in the [[Birmingham City Centre|City Centre]] city of [[Birmingham]], [[England]]. It is situated on the west side of Birmingham city centre at [[Centenary Square]] beside the [[Birmingham Rep]] and [[Baskerville House]]. It replaces the old [[Birmingham Central Library]] and will provide pedestrian street access extending from Centenary Square to the [[Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery]]. The new library is just near the present central library but the new library is just outside the [[City Centre Core]] while the present library is just within the core. It is estimated the new library will cost £193 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capitasymonds.co.uk/projects/all_projects/library_of_birmingham.aspx|publisher=Capita Symonds|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref> and is seen by [[Birmingham City Council]] as a flagship project for the [[Big City Plan|Redevelopment of Birmingham]]. A model of the new library is on display on the ground floor of the present Central Library. The library will feature high towers with imposing views of Brimingham, there will be [[patio]]s with railings designed artistically among other features.

Upon completion, it will be the biggest public library in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-architecture-birmingham|publisher=The Guardian|title=Library of Birmingham plans unveiled as recession opens a new chapter for civic buildings|accessdate=2010-07-09 | location=London | first=Robert | last=Booth | date=2009-04-03}}</ref><ref>The British Library in London is larger, but is only open to the public by appointment</ref>

==Origins==
The council has looked into relocating the library for many years. The original plan was to build a new library in the emerging [[Eastside, Birmingham|Eastside]] district,<ref>''[http://www.gvagrimley.co.uk/x1719.xml Library of Birmingham and city centre park - outline planning application]'' - GVA Grimley, 19/12/2003</ref> which had been opened up to the city centre following the demolition of [[Masshouse|Masshouse Circus]].<ref>[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media/update%20spring%2005.pdf?MEDIA_ID=179780&FILENAME=update%20spring%2005.pdf Birmingham.gov.uk: Spring 2005 Update]</ref> A library was designed by [[Richard Rogers]] on a site in the area. However, for financial reasons and reservations about the location this plan was shelved. The Council had suggested that the Library be split between a new building built between [[Birmingham Rep|the Rep theatre]] and [[Baskerville House]] at [[Centenary Square]], which until 2009 was a public car park (to house the main lending library) and a building at [[Millennium Point (Birmingham)|Millennium Point]] in "Eastside" (to house the archives and special collections).

In August 2006, the Council confirmed the area between the Rep and Baskerville House as the future site for the library. Capita Symonds had been appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham. The council's intention was to create a "world class" landmark civic building in Centenary Square.<ref>''Capita Symonds appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham'' - Press Release by Birmingham City Council (1 September 2006)</ref>

Not long after this, the two-sites idea was scrapped and the archives and special collections will move to the site at Centenary Square.<ref>''[http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_headline=library-plans-could-be-shelved%26method=full%26objectid=18522486%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Library plans could be shelved]'' - Birmingham Post (24 January 2007)</ref><ref>*[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham Autumn 2007 update on move]</ref>

After an international design competition, run by the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], a shortlist of seven architects was announced on 27 March 2008. They were chosen from a list of over 100 architects. The architects chosen were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |title=Library Design Team Shortlist Announced |publisher=Birmingham City Council |date=2008-03-27 |accessdate=2008-03-27 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080410165119/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |archivedate = 2008-04-10}}</ref>

*[[Foreign Office Architects]]
*[[Foster and Partners]]
*[[Hopkins Architects]]
*[[Mecanoo]]
*[[Office for Metropolitan Architecture|OMA]]
*[[Schmidt hammer lassen|Schmidt Hammer Lassen]]
*[[Wilkinson Eyre]]

In early August 2008, Mecanoo was announced as the winner of the design competition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3119810&c=0 |title=Mecanoo scoops £193m Birmingham library |publisher=Building |author=Dan Stewart |date=2008-08-05 |accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref>

More detailed plans for the library were revealed by the council in conjunction with the architects at a launch event held on 2 April 2009.

==Reception==
Reception to the planned library has been overwhelmingly positive. Then-[[Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom|Poet Laureate]] [[Andrew Motion]] said that "These plans are properly ambitious to preserve the best traditional practice, while also opening the building to new ideas about what a library should be - the heart of the community, fulfilling all manner of social needs as well as scholarly, research-based and pleasurable ones." [[Philip Pullman]] said "The new Library of Birmingham sounds as if it will be lovely and should attract even more users than the present one with its impressive visitor total of 5,000 a day." [[Alan Ayckbourn|Sir Alan Ayckbourn]] said "I wholeheartedly support the proposed exciting new plans to develop the new Birmingham library" and [[Irvine Welsh]] said "[It's] an audacious and compelling initiative which promises to redefine and modernise the entire notion of public library services, and in the process create the greatest public information resource in Europe ... Writers will love it, and so will readers."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-birmingham |title=Top writers celebrate Library of Birmingham's audacity |publisher=The Guardian |date=3 April 2009 |accessdate=9 July 2010 | location=London}}</ref>

==Construction==
[[File:Library of Birmingham Boards.jpg|right|thumb|Boards surrounding the building site with images of the projected library]]
Preparation of the ground for building, and [[Archaeology|archaeological]] work between [[Baskerville House]] and [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre|The Rep]] had begun before planning permission had been granted<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/18/building-work-at-193m-library-of-birmingham-poses-safety-risk-to-pedestrians-97319-25196238/|title=Building work at £193m Library of Birmingham poses 'safety risk to pedestrians'|publisher=Birmingham Mail}}</ref>. Planning permission was finally granted and approved by [[Birmingham City Council]] in December 2009. Subsequently, building work commenced in January 2010 with a completion schedule of mid 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=6158|title=Work Begins on Library of Birmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|date=2010-01-04|accessdate=2010-01-07}}</ref>

The library will utilise an [[Geothermal heat pump|"aquifer ground source system"]] as a source of energy. Cold [[groundwater]] will be pumped up from within the earth and used in the air conditioning system. The water will then flow back into the ground via another [[Well drilling|drilled well]]. The use of groundwater as a source of [[Renewable energy#Geothermal energy|renewable energy]] will greatly boost the library's "green credentials" by lowering its CO2 emissions. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref>

In the meantime, '''Central Library''' has for the second time failed to gain status as a listed building. When the new library in Centenary Square is finished in 2013, immediate work will begin on knocking down the current building to make way for the redevelopment of [[Paradise Circus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/11/23/birmingham-central-library-to-be-demolished-within-five-years-97319-25233075/|source=Birmingham Mail|title=Birmingham Central Library to be demolished within five years}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Big City Plan]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{sisterlinks}}
* [http://libraryofbirmingham.com Library of Birmingham Official Site]
{{coord|52.4798|-1.9085|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Education in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Public libraries in England]]
[[Category:Libraries in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures under construction in the United Kingdom]]

Library of Birmingham

2011-06-22T18:39:06Z

Proxima Centauri:

[[Image:Libraryofbirmingham.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Library of Birmingham at [[Centenary Square]] with [[Birmingham Rep]] in foreground]]
The '''Library of Birmingham''' is a new library under construction in the city of [[Birmingham]], [[England]]. It is situated on the west side of Birmingham city centre at [[Centenary Square]] beside the [[Birmingham Rep]] and [[Baskerville House]]. It replaces the old [[Birmingham Central Library]] and will provide pedestrian street access extending from Centenary Square to the [[Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery]]. It is estimated the new library will cost £193 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capitasymonds.co.uk/projects/all_projects/library_of_birmingham.aspx|publisher=Capita Symonds|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref> and is seen by [[Birmingham City Council]] as a flagship project for the [[Big City Plan|Redevelopment of Birmingham]]. A model of the new library is on display on the ground floor of the present Central Library. The library will feature high towers with imposing views of Brimingham, there will be [[patio]]s with railings designed artistically among other features.

Upon completion, it will be the biggest public library in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-architecture-birmingham|publisher=The Guardian|title=Library of Birmingham plans unveiled as recession opens a new chapter for civic buildings|accessdate=2010-07-09 | location=London | first=Robert | last=Booth | date=2009-04-03}}</ref><ref>The British Library in London is larger, but is only open to the public by appointment</ref>

==Origins==
The council has looked into relocating the library for many years. The original plan was to build a new library in the emerging [[Eastside, Birmingham|Eastside]] district,<ref>''[http://www.gvagrimley.co.uk/x1719.xml Library of Birmingham and city centre park - outline planning application]'' - GVA Grimley, 19/12/2003</ref> which had been opened up to the city centre following the demolition of [[Masshouse|Masshouse Circus]].<ref>[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media/update%20spring%2005.pdf?MEDIA_ID=179780&FILENAME=update%20spring%2005.pdf Birmingham.gov.uk: Spring 2005 Update]</ref> A library was designed by [[Richard Rogers]] on a site in the area. However, for financial reasons and reservations about the location this plan was shelved. The Council had suggested that the Library be split between a new building built between [[Birmingham Rep|the Rep theatre]] and [[Baskerville House]] at [[Centenary Square]], which until 2009 was a public car park (to house the main lending library) and a building at [[Millennium Point (Birmingham)|Millennium Point]] in "Eastside" (to house the archives and special collections).

In August 2006, the Council confirmed the area between the Rep and Baskerville House as the future site for the library. Capita Symonds had been appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham. The council's intention was to create a "world class" landmark civic building in Centenary Square.<ref>''Capita Symonds appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham'' - Press Release by Birmingham City Council (1 September 2006)</ref>

Not long after this, the two-sites idea was scrapped and the archives and special collections will move to the site at Centenary Square.<ref>''[http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_headline=library-plans-could-be-shelved%26method=full%26objectid=18522486%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Library plans could be shelved]'' - Birmingham Post (24 January 2007)</ref><ref>*[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham Autumn 2007 update on move]</ref>

After an international design competition, run by the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], a shortlist of seven architects was announced on 27 March 2008. They were chosen from a list of over 100 architects. The architects chosen were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |title=Library Design Team Shortlist Announced |publisher=Birmingham City Council |date=2008-03-27 |accessdate=2008-03-27 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080410165119/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |archivedate = 2008-04-10}}</ref>

*[[Foreign Office Architects]]
*[[Foster and Partners]]
*[[Hopkins Architects]]
*[[Mecanoo]]
*[[Office for Metropolitan Architecture|OMA]]
*[[Schmidt hammer lassen|Schmidt Hammer Lassen]]
*[[Wilkinson Eyre]]

In early August 2008, Mecanoo was announced as the winner of the design competition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3119810&c=0 |title=Mecanoo scoops £193m Birmingham library |publisher=Building |author=Dan Stewart |date=2008-08-05 |accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref>

More detailed plans for the library were revealed by the council in conjunction with the architects at a launch event held on 2 April 2009.

==Reception==
Reception to the planned library has been overwhelmingly positive. Then-[[Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom|Poet Laureate]] [[Andrew Motion]] said that "These plans are properly ambitious to preserve the best traditional practice, while also opening the building to new ideas about what a library should be - the heart of the community, fulfilling all manner of social needs as well as scholarly, research-based and pleasurable ones." [[Philip Pullman]] said "The new Library of Birmingham sounds as if it will be lovely and should attract even more users than the present one with its impressive visitor total of 5,000 a day." [[Alan Ayckbourn|Sir Alan Ayckbourn]] said "I wholeheartedly support the proposed exciting new plans to develop the new Birmingham library" and [[Irvine Welsh]] said "[It's] an audacious and compelling initiative which promises to redefine and modernise the entire notion of public library services, and in the process create the greatest public information resource in Europe ... Writers will love it, and so will readers."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-birmingham |title=Top writers celebrate Library of Birmingham's audacity |publisher=The Guardian |date=3 April 2009 |accessdate=9 July 2010 | location=London}}</ref>

==Construction==
[[File:Library of Birmingham Boards.jpg|right|thumb|Boards surrounding the building site with images of the projected library]]
Preparation of the ground for building, and [[Archaeology|archaeological]] work between [[Baskerville House]] and [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre|The Rep]] had begun before planning permission had been granted<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/18/building-work-at-193m-library-of-birmingham-poses-safety-risk-to-pedestrians-97319-25196238/|title=Building work at £193m Library of Birmingham poses 'safety risk to pedestrians'|publisher=Birmingham Mail}}</ref>. Planning permission was finally granted and approved by [[Birmingham City Council]] in December 2009. Subsequently, building work commenced in January 2010 with a completion schedule of mid 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=6158|title=Work Begins on Library of Birmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|date=2010-01-04|accessdate=2010-01-07}}</ref>

The library will utilise an [[Geothermal heat pump|"aquifer ground source system"]] as a source of energy. Cold [[groundwater]] will be pumped up from within the earth and used in the air conditioning system. The water will then flow back into the ground via another [[Well drilling|drilled well]]. The use of groundwater as a source of [[Renewable energy#Geothermal energy|renewable energy]] will greatly boost the library's "green credentials" by lowering its CO2 emissions. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref>

In the meantime, '''Central Library''' has for the second time failed to gain status as a listed building. When the new library in Centenary Square is finished in 2013, immediate work will begin on knocking down the current building to make way for the redevelopment of [[Paradise Circus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/11/23/birmingham-central-library-to-be-demolished-within-five-years-97319-25233075/|source=Birmingham Mail|title=Birmingham Central Library to be demolished within five years}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Big City Plan]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{sisterlinks}}
* [http://libraryofbirmingham.com Library of Birmingham Official Site]
{{coord|52.4798|-1.9085|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Education in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Public libraries in England]]
[[Category:Libraries in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures under construction in the United Kingdom]]

Library of Birmingham

2011-06-22T18:36:05Z

Proxima Centauri:

[[Image:Libraryofbirmingham.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Library of Birmingham at [[Centenary Square]] with [[Birmingham Rep]] in foreground]]
The '''Library of Birmingham''' is a new library under construction in the city of [[Birmingham]], [[England]]. It is situated on the west side of Birmingham city centre at [[Centenary Square]] beside the [[Birmingham Rep]] and [[Baskerville House]]. It replaces the old [[Birmingham Central Library]] and will provide pedestrian street access extending from Centenary Square to the [[Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery]]. It is estimated the new library will cost £193 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capitasymonds.co.uk/projects/all_projects/library_of_birmingham.aspx|publisher=Capita Symonds|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref> and is seen by [[Birmingham City Council]] as a flagship project for the [[Big City Plan|Redevelopment of Birmingham]]. Upon completion, it will be the biggest public library in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-architecture-birmingham|publisher=The Guardian|title=Library of Birmingham plans unveiled as recession opens a new chapter for civic buildings|accessdate=2010-07-09 | location=London | first=Robert | last=Booth | date=2009-04-03}}</ref><ref>The British Library in London is larger, but is only open to the public by appointment</ref> A model of the new library is on display on the groundfloor of the present Central Library.

==Origins==
The council has looked into relocating the library for many years. The original plan was to build a new library in the emerging [[Eastside, Birmingham|Eastside]] district,<ref>''[http://www.gvagrimley.co.uk/x1719.xml Library of Birmingham and city centre park - outline planning application]'' - GVA Grimley, 19/12/2003</ref> which had been opened up to the city centre following the demolition of [[Masshouse|Masshouse Circus]].<ref>[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media/update%20spring%2005.pdf?MEDIA_ID=179780&FILENAME=update%20spring%2005.pdf Birmingham.gov.uk: Spring 2005 Update]</ref> A library was designed by [[Richard Rogers]] on a site in the area. However, for financial reasons and reservations about the location this plan was shelved. The Council had suggested that the Library be split between a new building built between [[Birmingham Rep|the Rep theatre]] and [[Baskerville House]] at [[Centenary Square]], which until 2009 was a public car park (to house the main lending library) and a building at [[Millennium Point (Birmingham)|Millennium Point]] in "Eastside" (to house the archives and special collections).

In August 2006, the Council confirmed the area between the Rep and Baskerville House as the future site for the library. Capita Symonds had been appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham. The council's intention was to create a "world class" landmark civic building in Centenary Square.<ref>''Capita Symonds appointed as Project Managers for the Library of Birmingham'' - Press Release by Birmingham City Council (1 September 2006)</ref>

Not long after this, the two-sites idea was scrapped and the archives and special collections will move to the site at Centenary Square.<ref>''[http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_headline=library-plans-could-be-shelved%26method=full%26objectid=18522486%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Library plans could be shelved]'' - Birmingham Post (24 January 2007)</ref><ref>*[http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham Autumn 2007 update on move]</ref>

After an international design competition, run by the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], a shortlist of seven architects was announced on 27 March 2008. They were chosen from a list of over 100 architects. The architects chosen were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |title=Library Design Team Shortlist Announced |publisher=Birmingham City Council |date=2008-03-27 |accessdate=2008-03-27 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080410165119/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=128387&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276 |archivedate = 2008-04-10}}</ref>

*[[Foreign Office Architects]]
*[[Foster and Partners]]
*[[Hopkins Architects]]
*[[Mecanoo]]
*[[Office for Metropolitan Architecture|OMA]]
*[[Schmidt hammer lassen|Schmidt Hammer Lassen]]
*[[Wilkinson Eyre]]

In early August 2008, Mecanoo was announced as the winner of the design competition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3119810&c=0 |title=Mecanoo scoops £193m Birmingham library |publisher=Building |author=Dan Stewart |date=2008-08-05 |accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref>

More detailed plans for the library were revealed by the council in conjunction with the architects at a launch event held on 2 April 2009.

==Reception==
Reception to the planned library has been overwhelmingly positive. Then-[[Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom|Poet Laureate]] [[Andrew Motion]] said that "These plans are properly ambitious to preserve the best traditional practice, while also opening the building to new ideas about what a library should be - the heart of the community, fulfilling all manner of social needs as well as scholarly, research-based and pleasurable ones." [[Philip Pullman]] said "The new Library of Birmingham sounds as if it will be lovely and should attract even more users than the present one with its impressive visitor total of 5,000 a day." [[Alan Ayckbourn|Sir Alan Ayckbourn]] said "I wholeheartedly support the proposed exciting new plans to develop the new Birmingham library" and [[Irvine Welsh]] said "[It's] an audacious and compelling initiative which promises to redefine and modernise the entire notion of public library services, and in the process create the greatest public information resource in Europe ... Writers will love it, and so will readers."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/03/libraries-birmingham |title=Top writers celebrate Library of Birmingham's audacity |publisher=The Guardian |date=3 April 2009 |accessdate=9 July 2010 | location=London}}</ref>

==Construction==
[[File:Library of Birmingham Boards.jpg|right|thumb|Boards surrounding the building site with images of the projected library]]
Preparation of the ground for building, and [[Archaeology|archaeological]] work between [[Baskerville House]] and [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre|The Rep]] had begun before planning permission had been granted<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/18/building-work-at-193m-library-of-birmingham-poses-safety-risk-to-pedestrians-97319-25196238/|title=Building work at £193m Library of Birmingham poses 'safety risk to pedestrians'|publisher=Birmingham Mail}}</ref>. Planning permission was finally granted and approved by [[Birmingham City Council]] in December 2009. Subsequently, building work commenced in January 2010 with a completion schedule of mid 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=6158|title=Work Begins on Library of Birmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|date=2010-01-04|accessdate=2010-01-07}}</ref>

The library will utilise an [[Geothermal heat pump|"aquifer ground source system"]] as a source of energy. Cold [[groundwater]] will be pumped up from within the earth and used in the air conditioning system. The water will then flow back into the ground via another [[Well drilling|drilled well]]. The use of groundwater as a source of [[Renewable energy#Geothermal energy|renewable energy]] will greatly boost the library's "green credentials" by lowering its CO2 emissions. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraryofbirmingham|publisher=Birmingham City Council|title=Library of Birmingham|accessdate=2010-02-17}}</ref>

In the meantime, '''Central Library''' has for the second time failed to gain status as a listed building. When the new library in Centenary Square is finished in 2013, immediate work will begin on knocking down the current building to make way for the redevelopment of [[Paradise Circus]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/11/23/birmingham-central-library-to-be-demolished-within-five-years-97319-25233075/|source=Birmingham Mail|title=Birmingham Central Library to be demolished within five years}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Big City Plan]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{sisterlinks}}
* [http://libraryofbirmingham.com Library of Birmingham Official Site]
{{coord|52.4798|-1.9085|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Education in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Public libraries in England]]
[[Category:Libraries in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures under construction in the United Kingdom]]

Pype Hayes Hall

2011-05-30T17:02:24Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{Infobox building
| name = Pype Hayes Hall
| image = PypeHayesHall.jpg
| caption = Pype Hayes Hall, home of the Bagot family.
View of the rear of the house
| building_type = Mansion
| architectural_style = [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]]
| structural_system =
| location = [[Pype Hayes]], [[Birmingham]], [[England]]
| coordinates = {{coord|52|31|36|N|1|48|25|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| start_date =
| completion_date = 1630 (approx.)
| demolition_date =
| height =
| floor_count = 3
| main_contractor =
| architect =
| structural_engineer =
| services_engineer =
| civil_engineer =
| other_designers =
| quantity_surveyor =
| awards = [[Listed building|Grade II listed]]
}}

'''Pype Hayes Hall''' is a former mansion house in the [[Pype Hayes]] area of [[Erdington]], [[Birmingham]], [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]]. The hall is in [[Pype Hayes Park]] by by the gardens. It was formerly in the historic county of [[Warwickshire]] before being transferred into the new county of the West Midlands along with the rest of the city. It has [[Listed building|Grade II listed]] status.<ref>{{IoEentry|216903|Listing on Images of England}}</ref>

The history of the Manor of Pype is obscure, however it seems that the Manor was part of the dower of Dorothy Arden, daughter and co-heiress of Robert Arden of Berwood (now [[Castle Vale]]), on her marriage in about 1625 to Hervey Bagot, second son of [[Baron Bagot|Sir Hervey Bagot, 1st Baronet]].

Bagot enclosed many acres of land and in about 1630 built the new mansion house and park. He lived in the house for 15 years before being killed at the [[Battle of Naseby]] in 1645 as a Royalist Colonel in the [[English Civil War|Civil War]]. Members of junior branches of the Bagot family continued to live at the Hall for over 250 years. Later additions to the property include the stable block which bears the date 1762 and the house was much enlarged and improved in the mid 19th century.

The poet [[Robert Southey]] (1774–1843) worked at the Hall upon his 1833 biography of [[William Cowper]], a friend of the Bagots.

Between 1881 and 1888 the Bagots sold around {{convert|700|acre|km2}} of the estate to [[Birmingham Tame and Rea Drainage Board]] for the creation and expansion of the [[Minworth Sewage Works]]. The house was let out to tenants before eventually being sold by the Bagots in 1920 to the City of Birmingham. The City adapted the park (Pype Hayes Park) for public recreation and the Hall has since been put to various public social uses. As of 2007, it is occupied by a child adoption service.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22962&strquery=pypehayes ''A History of the County of Warwick, Volume 7, City of Birmingham'' (1964) pp 58-72 from British History Online]

==External links==
*[http://www.bosf.org.uk/directory/erdington_friends-of-pype-hayes-park-and-hall.htm Friends of Pype Hayes Park and Hall]
*[http://www.institutions.org.uk/pictures/CH/pype_hayes_hall.htm Images of Pypes Hayes Hall]

[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in the West Midlands]]
[[Category:Houses in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:History of Warwickshire]]

Russells Teekanne

2011-02-21T15:31:38Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Criticism */

{{Infobox Bertrand Russell}}
'''Russell's teapot''', sometimes called the '''Celestial teapot''', '''Cosmic teapot''' or '''Bertrand's teapot''', is an [[analogy]] first coined by the philosopher [[Bertrand Russell]] (1872–1970), to illustrate the idea that the [[philosophic burden of proof]] lies upon a person making scientifically [[Falsifiability|unfalsifiable]] claims rather than shifting the burden of proof to others, specifically in the case of [[religion]]. Russell's teapot is still referred to in discussions concerning the [[existence of God]]. The analogy has also been used by [[sociologist]]s to denote correlations with [[religion]] and social [[conformity]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}.

==Russell's original text==
In an article titled "Is There a God?" commissioned, but never published, by ''Illustrated'' magazine in 1952, Russell wrote:

{{quote|If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.<ref>[http://www.cfpf.org.uk/articles/religion/br/br_god.html Bertrand Russell: Is There a God?]</ref>
}}

==Contemporary usage==
[[File:Teach the Controversy - Russell's Teapot Messenger Bag, by ErynCerise.jpg|thumb|left|[[Teach the Controversy]] – Russell's Teapot Messenger Bag]]

=== Analysis ===
[[Peter Atkins]] said that the core point of Russell's teapot is that a scientist cannot prove a negative, and therefore [[Occam's razor]] demands that the more simple theory (in which there is no supreme being) should trump the more complex theory (with a supreme being).<ref>{{Cite journal|title=The Oxford handbook of religion and science|editors=Clayton, Philip and Simpson, Zachary R.|first=Peter|last=Atkins|authorlink=Peter Atkins|contribution=Atheism and science|pages= 129–130|postscript=}}</ref> He notes that this argument is not good enough to convince the religious, because religious evidence is experienced through personal revelation or received wisdom, and cannot be presented in the same manner as scientific evidence. The scientific view is to treat such claims of personal revelation with scepticism.

In his books ''[[A Devil's Chaplain]]'' (2003) and ''[[The God Delusion]]'' (2006), [[Richard Dawkins]] employed the teapot in a similar fashion as an analogy of an argument against what he termed "agnostic conciliation", a policy of intellectual appeasement that allows for philosophical domains that concern exclusively religious matters.<ref>{{cite book
| title = [[A Devil's Chaplain]]
| author = [[Richard Dawkins]]
| publisher = [[Houghton Mifflin]]
| release_date = 2003
| media_type =
| pages =
| isbn = 0-618-33540-4
}}</ref> Science has no way of establishing the existence or non-existence of a god. Therefore, according to the agnostic conciliator, because it is a matter of individual taste, belief and disbelief in a supreme being are deserving of equal respect and attention. Dawkins presents the teapot as a [[reductio ad absurdum]] of this position: if agnosticism demands giving equal respect to the belief and disbelief in a supreme being, then it must also give equal respect to belief in an orbiting teapot, since the existence of an orbiting teapot is just as plausible scientifically as the existence of a supreme being.<ref>{{cite book
| title = [[The God Delusion]]
| author = [[Richard Dawkins]]
| publisher = [[Bantam Books]]
| release_date = 2006
| media_type =
| pages =
| isbn = 0-618-68000-4
}}</ref>

=== Criticism ===
Literary critic and novelist [[James Wood (critic)|James Wood]], without believing in a god, says that belief in God is more reasonable than belief in a teapot because God is a "grand and big idea" which "is not analogically disproved by reference to celestial teapots or vacuum cleaners, which lack the necessary bigness and grandeur".<ref>{{Cite journal|first=James|last=Wood|authorlink=James Wood (critic)|title=The Celestial Teapot|journal=[[The New Republic]]|date=18 December 2006|issue=27|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/the-celestial-teapot|postscript=}}</ref> It is not clear why bigness or grandure makes an idea more likely to be true.

Another counter-argument, advanced by [[Eric Reitan]], is that belief in God is different from belief in a teapot because teapots are physical and therefore in principle verifiable, and that given what we know about the physical world we have no good reason to think that belief in Russell's teapot is justified and at least some reason to think it not.<ref name=Reitan>{{cite book | title = Is God a Delusion?|author = Eric Reitan|publisher = Wiley-Blackwell | release_date = 2008 | media_type = | pages = 78–79 | isbn = 1-4051-8361-6}}</ref> However it can be argued that the choice of a teapot is merely incidental. The teapot can be replaced with any abstract concept (such as the [[Flying Spaghetti Monster]],<ref name="Wolf2006">{{cite news | title=The Church of the Non-Believers | first=Gary | last=Wolf | date=November 14, 2006 | publisher=[[Wired News]] | url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/atheism.html}}</ref>) and the same conclusion may well be reached.

=== Parody ===
The concept of Russell's teapot has been extrapolated into more explicitly religion-parodying forms such as the [[Invisible Pink Unicorn]],<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Richard Dawkins]]|title=[[The God Delusion]]|publisher=Houghton-Mifflin|year=2006|isbn=978-0-618-68000-9}}</ref> the [[Flying Spaghetti Monster]],<ref name="Wolf2006" /> and [[The Demon-Haunted World|The Dragon in My Garage]].<ref>{{cite news | title=The Dragon in My Garage | first=Carl | last=Sagan| date=June 21, 2007 | publisher=http://www.RichardDawkins.Net | url=http://richarddawkins.net/social/index.php?mode=article&id=35}}</ref>

==See also==
*''[[The Root of All Evil?]]'', a television documentary written and presented by Richard Dawkins
*[[Parody religion]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{irreligion}}
{{philosophy of religion}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell's Teapot}}
[[Category:Bertrand Russell]]
[[Category:Atheism]]
[[Category:Criticism of religion]]
[[Category:Philosophical arguments]]
[[Category:Parodies]]
[[Category:Skepticism]]

[[ar:إبريق راسل]]
[[bn:রাসেলের চায়ের কেতলি]]
[[bar:Teekandl vom Russell]]
[[da:Russells tepotte]]
[[de:Russells Teekanne]]
[[el:Τσαγιέρα του Ράσελ]]
[[es:Tetera de Russell]]
[[eo:Tepoto de Russell]]
[[fa:قوری چای راسل]]
[[fr:Théière de Russell]]
[[ko:러셀의 찻주전자]]
[[hy:Ռասելի թեյնիկ]]
[[is:Teketill Russells]]
[[it:Teiera di Russell]]
[[he:קנקן התה של ראסל]]
[[lt:Raselo arbatinukas]]
[[hu:Russell teáskannája]]
[[nl:Russells theepot]]
[[uz:Russell choynagi]]
[[pl:Czajniczek Russella]]
[[pt:Bule de chá de Russell]]
[[ru:Чайник Рассела]]
[[sq:Russells Teekanne]]
[[fi:Russellin teekannu]]
[[sv:Russells tekanna]]
[[ta:ரஸ்சலின் தேனீர் கேத்தல்]]
[[tr:Russell'in çaydanlığı]]
[[uk:Чайник Раселла]]
[[zh:羅素的茶壺]]

Quentin Hubbard

2010-05-09T17:58:34Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{Infobox person
| name = Quentin Hubbard
| bgcolour = #f0de31
| image = Quentin Hubbard.gif
| imagesize = 150px
| caption = Geoffrey Quentin McCaully Hubbard
| birth_date = {{birth date|1954|1|6|mf=y}}
| birth_place = United States
| death_date = {{death date and age|1976|11|12|1954|1|6|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], United States
| occupation =
| salary =
| networth =
| spouse =
| children =
| website =
}}
'''Geoffrey Quentin McCaully Hubbard''' (6 January 1954 – 12 November 1976), was the son of [[Scientology]] founder [[L. Ron Hubbard]] and his third wife, [[Mary Sue Hubbard]]. He died at the age of 22 in an apparent suicide.

After Ron's eldest son [[Ronald DeWolf|Ron Jr.]] quit Scientology in 1959, Ron chose Quentin as his successor to lead the organization. Quentin went to sea with Ron when he established the [[Sea Organization]], living on the flagship ''Apollo'' and reaching the highest level of [[auditing (Scientology)|auditor]] training. He disagreed with his father's plans, sometimes saying that he wanted to be a [[aviator|pilot]],<ref name="BlueSky"/> and in 1974 that he would like to be a dancer. Soon after this, a friend found him in the midst of a suicide attempt. Quentin survived this attempt and was assigned to the [[Rehabilitation Project Force]].<ref name="Miller"/>

Former Scientologists have said that Quentin was [[homosexual]]<ref name="BlueSky">{{cite book | last = Atack | first = Jon | authorlink = Jon Atack | title = [[A Piece of Blue Sky]] | accessdate = 2007-06-25 | year = 1990 | publisher = Carol Publishing Group | isbn = 0-8184-0499-X | chapter = Chapter 6 - The Flag Land Base | chapterurl = http://members.chello.nl/mgormez/books/a_piece_of_blue_sky/bs4-6.htm}}</ref><ref name="Miller" /><ref>[http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/books/bfm/interviews/kima.htm Interview with Kima Douglas], Oakland, California, 27 August 1986</ref>, and that this clearly caused him a great deal of personal torment due to the [[homophobia]] of the era. [[homosexuality and Scientology|Scientology doctrine]] classified homosexuals as "sexual pervert[s]" and "quite ill physically."<ref name="DMSMH85">{{cite book | last = Hubbard | first = L. Ron | authorlink = L. Ron Hubbard | title = Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health | edition = 1985 edition | year = 1985 | month = | publisher = [[Bridge Publications]] | location = Los Angeles, CA | isbn = 0-88404-219-7 | chapter = Part 2, Chapter 5 | quote = The sexual pervert (and by this term Dianetics, to be brief, includes any and all forms of deviation in dynamic two such as homosexuality, lesbianism, sexual sadism, etc., and all down the catalog of Ellis and Krafft-Ebing) is actually quite ill physically. | page = 140}}</ref> Another source close to him claims that his alleged homosexuality was an act to avoid relationships that his father might not approve.<ref name="Pignotti">[http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/pignotti/#commendation Monica Pignotti's account of her time in Scientology]: "Quentin and I came very close to getting involved sexually, but we didn't because he told me that several years earlier, he had become sexually involved with a young woman and she had been sent off the ship when his father found out. He didn't want to get me into that kind of trouble, so we remained good friends."</ref> Quentin is described as having had a gentle demeanor, with none of his father's bombast.<ref name="BlueSky"/><ref name="Miller"/>

In 1975 the Sea Org moved to shore in [[Clearwater, Florida]]. Quentin was assigned to operations there but was often absent.<ref name="Miller"/> Police discovered him unconscious in his car in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] on October 28, 1976, without any identifying documents. L. Ron Hubbard was furious at the news, shouting, "That stupid fucking kid! Look what he's done to me!" Quentin died two weeks later without having regained consciousness.<ref name="Miller">{{cite book | author=Miller, Russell | title=[[Bare-faced Messiah]], The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard | publisher=Henry Holt & Co | location=New York | edition=First American Edition | year=1987 | isbn=0-8050-0654-0 |url=http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/bfm/bfmconte.htm }}</ref>
Although there had been a hose from the car's window to the tailpipe, a test for carbon monoxide was negative. There is speculation that Quentin Hubbard may have taken his own life or been murdered. <ref>http://www.lermanet.com/exit/quentincoroner.htm</ref>
<ref>Clark County Coroner's Office. Report of Investigation, Case #1003-76.</ref> Mrs. Hubbard told Scientologists that Quentin had died from [[encephalitis]].<ref name="BlueSky"/> L. Ron Hubbard is said to have deteriorated rapidly after Quentin's death, becoming dishevelled and increasingly paranoid.<ref name="Miller"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}
<REFERENCES/>
=== Further reading ===
{{refbegin}}
* [http://www.lermanet.com/exit/quentincoroner.htm Coroner's Report and Death Certificate]
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Scientology|Scientology e meter blue.jpg}}

{{LRH}}
{{Scientology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubbard, Quentin}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:1976 deaths]]
[[Category:American Scientologists]]
[[Category:Cause of death disputed]]
[[Category:L. Ron Hubbard family]]
[[Category:Scientology controversies]]
[[Category:Suicides by gas]]
[[Category:Suicides in Nevada]]
[[Category:Deaths connected to Scientology]]

[[ca:Quentin Hubbard]]

Quentin Hubbard

2010-05-09T07:56:13Z

Proxima Centauri:

{{Infobox person
| name = Quentin Hubbard
| bgcolour = #f0de31
| image = Quentin Hubbard.gif
| imagesize = 150px
| caption = Geoffrey Quentin McCaully Hubbard
| birth_date = {{birth date|1954|1|6|mf=y}}
| birth_place = United States
| death_date = {{death date and age|1976|11|12|1954|1|6|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], United States
| occupation =
| salary =
| networth =
| spouse =
| children =
| website =
}}
'''Geoffrey Quentin McCaully Hubbard''' (6 January 1954 – 12 November 1976), was the son of [[Scientology]] founder [[L. Ron Hubbard]] and his third wife, [[Mary Sue Hubbard]]. He died at the age of 22 in an apparent suicide.

After Ron's eldest son [[Ronald DeWolf|Ron Jr.]] quit Scientology in 1959, Ron chose Quentin as his successor to lead the organization. Quentin went to sea with Ron when he established the [[Sea Organization]], living on the flagship ''Apollo'' and reaching the highest level of [[auditing (Scientology)|auditor]] training. He disagreed with his father's plans, sometimes saying that he wanted to be a [[aviator|pilot]],<ref name="BlueSky"/> and in 1974 that he would like to be a dancer. Soon after this, a friend found him in the midst of a suicide attempt. Quentin survived this attempt and was assigned to the [[Rehabilitation Project Force]].<ref name="Miller"/>

Former Scientologists have said that Quentin was [[homosexual]]<ref name="BlueSky">{{cite book | last = Atack | first = Jon | authorlink = Jon Atack | title = [[A Piece of Blue Sky]] | accessdate = 2007-06-25 | year = 1990 | publisher = Carol Publishing Group | isbn = 0-8184-0499-X | chapter = Chapter 6 - The Flag Land Base | chapterurl = http://members.chello.nl/mgormez/books/a_piece_of_blue_sky/bs4-6.htm}}</ref><ref name="Miller" /><ref>[http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/books/bfm/interviews/kima.htm Interview with Kima Douglas], Oakland, California, 27 August 1986</ref>, and that this clearly caused him a great deal of personal torment due to the [[homophobia]] of the era. [[homosexuality and Scientology|Scientology doctrine]] classified homosexuals as "sexual pervert[s]" and "quite ill physically."<ref name="DMSMH85">{{cite book | last = Hubbard | first = L. Ron | authorlink = L. Ron Hubbard | title = Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health | edition = 1985 edition | year = 1985 | month = | publisher = [[Bridge Publications]] | location = Los Angeles, CA | isbn = 0-88404-219-7 | chapter = Part 2, Chapter 5 | quote = The sexual pervert (and by this term Dianetics, to be brief, includes any and all forms of deviation in dynamic two such as homosexuality, lesbianism, sexual sadism, etc., and all down the catalog of Ellis and Krafft-Ebing) is actually quite ill physically. | page = 140}}</ref> Another source close to him claims that his alleged homosexuality was an act to avoid relationships that his father might not approve.<ref name="Pignotti">[http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/pignotti/#commendation Monica Pignotti's account of her time in Scientology]: "Quentin and I came very close to getting involved sexually, but we didn't because he told me that several years earlier, he had become sexually involved with a young woman and she had been sent off the ship when his father found out. He didn't want to get me into that kind of trouble, so we remained good friends."</ref> Quentin is described as having had a gentle demeanor, with none of his father's bombast.<ref name="BlueSky"/><ref name="Miller"/>

In 1975 the Sea Org moved to shore in [[Clearwater, Florida]]. Quentin was assigned to operations there but was often absent.<ref name="Miller"/> Police discovered him unconscious in his car in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] on October 28, 1976, without any identifying documents. L. Ron Hubbard was furious at the news, shouting, "That stupid fucking kid! Look what he's done to me!" Quentin died two weeks later without having regained consciousness.<ref name="Miller">{{cite book | author=Miller, Russell | title=[[Bare-faced Messiah]], The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard | publisher=Henry Holt & Co | location=New York | edition=First American Edition | year=1987 | isbn=0-8050-0654-0 |url=http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/bfm/bfmconte.htm }}</ref>
Although there had been a hose from the car's window to the tailpipe, a test for carbon monoxide was negative.<ref>Clark County Coroner's Office. Report of Investigation, Case #1003-76.</ref> Mrs. Hubbard told Scientologists that Quentin had died from [[encephalitis]].<ref name="BlueSky"/> L. Ron Hubbard is said to have deteriorated rapidly after Quentin's death, becoming dishevelled and increasingly paranoid.<ref name="Miller"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

=== Further reading ===
{{refbegin}}
* [http://www.lermanet.com/exit/quentincoroner.htm Coroner's Report and Death Certificate]
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Scientology|Scientology e meter blue.jpg}}

{{LRH}}
{{Scientology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubbard, Quentin}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:1976 deaths]]
[[Category:American Scientologists]]
[[Category:Cause of death disputed]]
[[Category:L. Ron Hubbard family]]
[[Category:Scientology controversies]]
[[Category:Suicides by gas]]
[[Category:Suicides in Nevada]]
[[Category:Deaths connected to Scientology]]

[[ca:Quentin Hubbard]]

Nahtod-Studien

2010-02-27T19:08:38Z

Proxima Centauri: /* NDE (Near-death experience) */

{{Citation style|date=May 2008}}

'''Near-death studies''' is a school of [[psychology]] and [[psychiatry]] that studies the phenomenology and after-effects of a [[Near-death experience]] (NDE).

==NDE (Near-death experience)==

The NDE is an experience reported by people who have come close to dying in a medical or non-medical setting. According to a Gallup poll approximately eight million Americans claim to have had a near-death experience <ref name="Mauro, 1992">Mauro, 1992</ref>. Some researchers try to study the postulated role of physiological, psychological and transcendental factors associated with the NDE <ref> Parnia S, Waller DG, Yeates R, Fenwick P., 2001</ref>. These factors come together to form an overall pattern when numerous NDE reports are considered together. It is this pattern that is one of the main objects of interest for Near-Death studies.

Among the general characteristics of an NDE we find: subjective impressions of being outside the physical body; visions of deceased relatives and religious figures; transcendence of ego and spatiotemporal boundaries <ref>Greyson, 2003</ref>. Melvin Morse lists nine traits that he believes is characteristic for the Near-death experience: 1) a sense of being dead, 2) a feeling of peace and painlessness, 3) an out-of-body experience, 4) a tunnel experience (the sense of moving up or through a narrow passageway), 5) encountering "People of Light", 6) encountering a "Being of Light", a "force", or a similar figure, 7) being given a "[[life review]]", 8) a reluctance to return to life. 9) The experience may also involve after-effects, such as: personality transformation, loss of the fear of death, greater spiritualism, and greater ecological sensitivity <ref name="Mauro, 1992"/>. Many of the same traits are also mentioned by other researchers <ref name="Morse M, Conner D, Tyler D., 1985">Morse M, Conner D, Tyler D., 1985</ref>
<ref>van Lommel P, van Wees R, Meyers V, Elfferich I., 2001: Table 2. </ref>.

NDE-researchers have also found that the NDE may not be a uniquely western experience. The core experience seems to be similar across cultures, but the details of the experience (figures, beings, scenery), and the interpretation of the experience, varies a lot from culture to culture, and from individual to individual <ref name="Mauro, 1992">Mauro, 1992</ref>.

== Research - history and background==

Contributions to the research on near-death experiences have come from several academic disciplines, among these the disciplines of medicine, psychology and psychiatry. Interest in this field of study was originally spurred by the research of such pioneers as Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, George Ritchie, and Raymond Moody Jr. Moody's book "Life after Life", which was released in 1975, brought a lot of attention to the topic of NDEs <ref name="Mauro, 1992"/>. This was soon to be followed by the establishment of the International Association for Near-death Studies, IANDS, in 1981. [[IANDS]] is an international organization that encourages scientific research and education on the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual nature and ramifications of near-death experiences. Among its publications we find the peer-reviewed [[Journal of Near-Death Studies]], and the quarterly newsletter ''Vital Signs'' <ref>IANDS, Informational brochure</ref>
<ref>[http://www.iands.org/vital_signs/ IANDS: ''Vital Signs'']. Accessed 2008-05-19.</ref>. The organization also maintains an archive of near-death case histories for research and study <ref>[http://www.iands.org/nde_archives/ ''IANDS: NDE Archives'']. Accessed 2008-07-01.</ref>.

Later researchers, such as Bruce Greyson, Kenneth Ring, and Melvin Morse, introduced the study of Near-Death experiences to the academic setting. The medical community has been somewhat reluctant to address the phenomenon of NDEs, and grant money for research has been scarce<ref name="Mauro, 1992">Mauro, 1992</ref>. However, both Greyson and Ring developed tools that can be used in a clinical setting. Important contributions to the field include the construction of a ''Weighted Core Experience Index'' <ref>Ring, 1980</ref><ref name="Greyson, 1983">Greyson, 1983</ref> in order to measure the depth of the Near-Death experience, and the construction of the ''Near-death experience scale'' <ref name="Greyson, 1983"/> in order to differentiate between subjects that are more or less likely to have experienced an NDE. This scale is also, according to the author, clinically useful in differentiating NDEs from organic brain syndromes and nonspecific stress responses<ref name="Greyson, 1983"/>. The NDE-scale was later found to fit the Rasch rating scale model <ref> Lange R, Greyson B, Houran J., 2004</ref>. Greyson <ref name="Greyson, 1997">Greyson, 1997</ref> has also brought attention to the near-death experience as a focus of clinical attention, while Morse and colleagues <ref name="Morse M, Conner D, Tyler D., 1985"/><ref> Morse M, Castillo P, Venecia D, Milstein J, Tyler DC., 1986</ref> have investigated near-death experiences in a pediatric population.

Near-death experiences can have a major impact on the people who have them, and they may produce a variety of after-effects. Many of these effects are associated with changes in personality and outlook on life<ref name="Mauro, 1992"/>. Kenneth Ring has identified a consistent set of value and belief changes associated with people who have had a Near-death experience. Among these changes we find: a greater appreciation for life, higher self-esteem, greater compassion for others, a heightened sense of purpose and self-understanding, desire to learn, elevated spirituality, greater ecological sensitivity and planetary concern, a feeling of being more intuitive (sometimes psychic). Changes may also include: increased physical sensitivity; diminished tolerance to light, alcohol, and drugs; a feeling that the brain has been "altered" to encompass more; and a feeling that one is now using the "whole brain" rather than just a small part <ref name="Mauro, 1992"/>. However, not all after-effects are beneficial <ref> Orne RM., 1995 </ref> and Greyson <ref name="Greyson, 1997"/> describes circumstances where changes in attitudes and behavior can lead to psychosocial and psychospiritual problems <ref> The diagnostic label of "Religious or spiritual problem" is included in DSM-IV under the category of "Other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention". See American Psychiatric Association (1994) "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", fourth edition. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association (Code V62.89, Religious or Spiritual Problem). </ref>. Often the problems have to do with the adjustment to ordinary life in the wake of the NDE.

On September 17, 2008, 25 UK and US hospitals doctors (from [[Addenbrookes]] in Cambridge, [[University Hospital]] in [[Birmingham]] and the [[Morriston]] in [[Swansea]], and 9 US hospitals), announced they will examine near-death experiences in 1,500 [[heart attack]] patients-survivors. The 3 years research, co-ordinated by [[Southampton University]], will determine if people without [[Cardiac cycle|heartbeat]] or brain activity can have "[[out-of-body experience]]." Dr. Sam Parnia, an [[intensive care]] doctor, heading the research, said: "If you can demonstrate that consciousness continues after the brain switches off, it allows for the possibility that the consciousness is a separate entity. It is unlikely that we will find many cases where this happens, but we have to be open-minded. And if no one sees the pictures, it shows these experiences are illusions or false memories. This is a mystery that we can now subject to scientific study. Contrary to popular perception, death is not a specific moment. It is a process that begins when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working and the brain ceases functioning - a medical condition termed cardiac arrest. During a cardiac arrest, all three criteria of death are present. There then follows a period of time, which may last from a few seconds to an hour or more, in which emergency medical efforts may succeed in restarting the heart and reversing the dying process. What people experience during this period of cardiac arrest provides a unique window of understanding into what we are all likely to experience during the dying process."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7621608.stm news.bbc.co.uk, Study into near-death experiences]</ref>

==Journal of Near-Death Studies==
IANDS is also responsible for the publishing of the ''[[Journal of Near-Death Studies]]'', the only scholarly journal in the field. The Journal is cross-disciplinary, is committed to an unbiased exploration of the NDE and related phenomena, and welcomes different theoretical perspectives and interpretations that are based on scientific criteria, such as empirical observation and research <ref>[http://www.iands.org/pubs/jnds/index.php IANDS ''Journal of Near-Death Studies'']. Accessed Accessed 2008-05-19.</ref>. It is published quarterly by IANDS and is printed by Allen Press <ref>[http://apt.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-moreinfo&issn=0891-4494 Allen Press ISSN 0891-4494]. Accessed 2008-05-19.</ref>.

==See also==

* [[Near-death experience]]
* [[Pam Reynolds' NDE]]
* [[Transpersonal psychology]]
* [[Parapsychology]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==

* Engmann, Birk: ''Near death experiences. Attempt at a rational interpretation''. MMW Fortschr Med. 2009 Jun 11;151(24):7. PMID 19645189

* Greyson, Bruce (1983) ''The near-death experience scale. Construction, reliability, and validity''. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Jun;171(6):369-75.

* Greyson, Bruce (1997) ''The near-death experience as a focus of clinical attention''. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, May;185(5):327-34.

* Greyson, Bruce (2003) ''Near-Death Experiences in a Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic Population''. Psychiatric Services, Dec., Vol. 54 No. 12. The American Psychiatric Association

* IANDS. ''Near-Death Experiences: Is this what happens when we die?'' Durham: International Association for Near-Death Studies. Informational brochure available at www.iands.org

* Lange R, Greyson B, Houran J. (2004) ''A Rasch scaling validation of a 'core' near-death experience''. British Journal of Psychology. Volume: 95 Part: 2 Page: 161-177

* Mauro, James (1992) ''Bright lights, big mystery''. Psychology Today, July 1992

* Morse M, Conner D, Tyler D. (1985) ''Near-death experiences in a pediatric population. A preliminary report''. American Journal of Diseases of Children, Jun;139(6):595-600.

* Morse M, Castillo P, Venecia D, Milstein J, Tyler DC. (1986) ''Childhood near-death experiences''. American Journal of Diseases of Children, Nov;140(11):1110-4.

* Orne RM. (1995) ''The meaning of survival: the early aftermath of a near-death experience''. Research in Nursing & Health. 1995 Jun;18(3):239-47. PubMed abstract PMID 7754094

* Parnia S, Waller DG, Yeates R, Fenwick P (2001) ''A qualitative and quantitative study of the incidence, features and aetiology of near death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors''. Resuscitation. Feb;48(2):149-56. PubMed abstract PMID 11426476

* Ring K. (1980) ''Life at death. A scientific investigation of the near-death experience''. New York: Coward McCann and Geoghenan.

* van Lommel P, van Wees R, Meyers V, Elfferich I. (2001) "Near-Death Experience in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest: A prospective Study in the Netherlands" in The Lancet, December 15; 358(9298):2039-45.

==External links==
*[http://apt.allenpress.com/aptonline/?request=get-archive&issn=0891-4494&volume=023 Allen Press - Journal of Near-Death Studies]
*[http://www.iands.org/home.html The International Association for Near-Death Studies, Inc]
*[http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/personalitystudies/ University of Virginia Health System - Division of Personality Studies]

{{Death}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Near-Death Studies}}
[[Category:Death]]
[[Category:Transpersonal psychology]]
[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Parapsychology]]

Sleeping Giant (Connecticut)

2009-11-02T17:42:46Z

Proxima Centauri: /* See also */

{{Infobox Mountain
| Name = Sleeping Giant
| Photo = SlGiant.jpg
| Photo size = 220
| Caption = View from the Giant's Chin
| Elevation = {{convert|739|ft|abbr=on}}
| Location = [[Hamden, Connecticut|Hamden]], and [[Wallingford, Connecticut]]
| Range = [[Metacomet Ridge]]
| Prominence =
| pushpin_map = Connecticut
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_caption =
| pushpin_mapsize =
| coordinates_ref=
| latd= 41|latm= 25|lats= 50|latNS=N
| longd= 72|longm= 53|longs= 27|longEW=W
| Coordinates = {{coord|41|25|50|N|72|53|27|W|type:mountain}}
| Type = [[Fault-block]]; [[igneous]]
| Age = 200 Ma
| Last eruption =
| First ascent =
| Easiest route = casual uphill walk (via Tower Path)
| Listing =
| Translation =
| Language =
| Pronunciation =
}}
'''Sleeping Giant''' (also known as '''Mount Carmel''') of south-central [[Connecticut]], with a high point of {{convert|739|ft}}, is a rugged [[traprock]] mountain located {{convert|8|mi|0}} north of [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]. It is part of the narrow, linear [[Metacomet Ridge]] that extends from [[Long Island Sound]] near New Haven, north through the [[Connecticut River Valley]] of [[Massachusetts]] to the [[Vermont]] border. A prominent landscape feature visible for miles, the Sleeping Giant receives its name from its anthropomorphic resemblance to a slumbering human figure as seen from both the north and south. The Giant is known for its expansive clifftop vistas, rugged topography, and [[microclimate]] ecosystems. Most of the Giant is located within '''Sleeping Giant State Park'''. The mountain is a popular recreation resource; over {{convert|30|mi}} of [[hiking]] trails traverse it including {{convert|5|mi|0}} of the {{convert|23|mi|adj=on}} [[Quinnipiac Trail]].<ref name="EF">Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. [http://www.mmmtrail.org/NaturalResourcesAssessmentFinal.pdf "Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment."], 2004. PDF file. Cited Nov. 20, 2007.</ref><ref name="CWB">Connecticut Walk Book: A Trail Guide to the Connecticut Outdoors. 17th Edition. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association. Rockfall, Connecticut. Undated.</ref> [[Quinnipiac University]] is located at Mount Carmel's foot in Hamden.

==Geography==
The Sleeping Giant, {{convert|2.75|mi}} long by {{convert|1.75|mi}} wide, is located in [[Hamden, Connecticut|Hamden]] with its eastern edge falling into [[Wallingford, Connecticut|Wallingford]]. The Giant's profile features distinct "head", "chin", "chest", "hip", "knee" and "feet" sections topographically represented by traprock outcrops and ridge crests. The highest point is the Left Hip, {{convert|739|ft|abbr=on}}, followed by the Chest, {{convert|710|ft|abbr=on}}, and the Left Knee and Right Leg, {{convert|700|ft|abbr=on}} each, and so on. The Giant's Head, {{convert|670|ft|abbr=on}}, is marked by a {{convert|400|ft|abbr=on}} cliff. A stone observation tower located on the Left Hip, built by the [[Works Progress Administration]] in the 1930s,<ref name="CWB"/> offers 360°{{fact|date=April 2008}} views of the surrounding Mill and [[Quinnipiac River]] valleys. An old rock quarry, closed since 1933 and now part of the state park, has left scars on the Giant's Head.<ref name="CWB"/>

The Metacomet Ridge extends west and south from Sleeping Giant as Rocky Top and [[West Rock Ridge]]. The west side of Sleeping Giant drains into the Mill River thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound; the east side into the [[Quinnipiac River]], thence to New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound.<ref name="D">DeLorme Topo 6.0. Mapping Software. DeLorme, Yarmouth, Maine</ref>

== Geology ==
[[Image:Horst graben.jpg|left|thumb|120px|Faulting]] Sleeping Giant, a [[fault-block]] ridge that formed 200 million years ago during the [[Triassic]] and [[Jurassic]] periods, is composed of traprock, also known as [[basalt]], an [[extrusive]] [[volcanic]] rock{{Fact|date=May 2008}}. In fact, scientists have recently studied this range and found that it is an active volcano, but magma has been seen in only some areas [citation needed]. Minor earthquakes have also been measured by seismographs and reported by residents. Basalt is a dark colored rock, but the iron within it weathers to a rusty brown when exposed to the air, lending the ledges a distinct reddish appearance. Basalt frequently breaks into octagonal and pentagonal columns, creating a unique "postpile" appearance. Huge slopes made of fractured basalt [[scree]] are visible beneath many of the ledges of Sleeping Giant. The basalt cliffs are the product of several massive [[lava]] flows hundreds of feet deep that welled up in faults created by the [[rifting]] apart of [[North America]] from [[Eurasia]] and [[Africa]]. These basalt floods of lava happened over a period 20 million years. Erosion occurring between the eruptions deposited deep layers of sediment between the lava flows, which eventually lithified into [[sedimentary rock]]. The resulting "layer cake" of basalt and sedimentary sheets eventually [[fault (geology)|faulted]] and tilted upward. Subsequent erosion wore away the weaker sedimentary layers a faster rate than the basalt layers, leaving the abruptly tilted edges of the basalt sheets exposed, creating the distinct linear ridge and dramatic cliff faces visible today. One way to imagine this is to picture a layer cake tilted slightly up with some of the frosting (the sedimentary layer) removed in between.<ref>Raymo, Chet and Maureen E. ''Written in Stone: A Geologic History of the Northeastern United States''. Globe Pequot, Chester, Connecticut, 1989.</ref>

==Ecosystem==
[[Image:Traprock 1.jpg|right|thumb|100px|Close-up of traprock on the Sleeping Giant]]Sleeping Giant hosts a combination of [[microclimate]]s unusual in [[New England]]. Dry, hot upper ridges support [[oak savanna]]s, often dominated by [[chestnut oak]] and a variety of understory grasses and ferns. [[Juniperus virginiana|Eastern red cedar]], a dry-loving species, clings to the barren edges of cliffs. Lower eastern slopes tend to support [[oak-hickory forest]] species common in the surrounding lowlands. Narrow ravines crowded with [[Tsuga canadensis|eastern hemlock]] block sunlight, creating damp, cooler growing conditions with associated cooler climate plant species. Talus slopes are especially rich in nutrients and support a number of calcium-loving plants uncommon in eastern Connecticut. Because the ridge generates such varied terrain, it is the home of several plant and animal species that are state-listed or globally rare.<ref name="EF"/><ref>[http://www.connix.com/~harry/twep.htm The Traprock Wilderness Recovery Strategy]. Cited Dec. 13, 2007</ref>

Sleeping Giant is also an important seasonal [[birds of prey|raptor]] migration path.<ref name="EF"/>

==History==
{{Infobox_nrhp | name =Sleeping Giant Tower
| nrhp_type =
| image = Gianttower.jpg
| caption = Lookout tower at the summit of the Giant. October, 2004.
| location= [[Hamden, Connecticut]]
| lat_degrees = 41
| lat_minutes = 25
| lat_seconds = 50.29
| lat_direction = N
| long_degrees = 72
| long_minutes = 53
| long_seconds = 26.76
| long_direction = W
| locmapin = Connecticut
| area =
| built =1936
| architect= [[Works Progress Administration]]
| architecture= Other, Romanesque
| added = September 4, 1986
| governing_body = State
| mpsub=Connecticut State Park and Forest Depression-Era Federal Work Relief Programs Structures TR
| refnum=86001754<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
}}

According to [[Native Americans (United States)|Native Americans]] of the [[Quinnipiac|Quinnipiac Tribe]], the giant stone spirit Hobbomock (or Hobomock), a prominent wicked figure in many stories (see [[Pocumtuck Ridge]] and [[Quinnipiac]]), became enraged about the mistreatment of his people and stamped his foot down in anger, diverting the course of the [[Connecticut River]] (where the river suddenly swings east in [[Middletown, Connecticut]] after several hundred miles of running due south). To prevent him from wreaking such havoc in the future, the good spirit Keitan cast a spell on Hobbomock to sleep forever as the prominent man-like form of the Sleeping Giant.<ref name="PA">[http://www.sgpa.org/history/about.html Sleeping Giant Park Association]. Cited Dec. 25, 2007</ref>

During the mid-1800s, spurred by the painters of the [[Hudson River School]] and [[transcendentalist]] philosophers such as [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]] and [[Henry David Thoreau]], an interest in mountains as a respite from [[industrialization]] and [[urbanization]] took hold in New England.<ref name="EF"/> Summer cottages were built on the Sleeping Giant and many other locations on the Metacomet Ridge. In 1888, John H. Dickerman built a [[carriage]] road on the Giant and opened what he called ''Blue Hills Park.'' He held picnics with ice cream on the ledges for local residents.<ref name="PA"/>
Conservation of the Giant began in 1924 with the creation of the Sleeping Giant Park Association (SGPA) by a group of local residents concerned with ongoing traprock quarrying on the Giant's head. A cottage owner, Judge Willis Cook, had leased his property to the Mount Carmel Traprock Company for the purpose of quarrying traprock for building materials. The blasting away of what was a beloved landscape feature resulted in public outrage, well reported by local newspapers at the time. Under the leadership of James W. Toumey, a [[Yale University]] forestry professor, the SGPA undertook a ten year struggle with the traprock operation. The property was purchased by the SGPA in 1933, during the Great Depression, for $30,000; the money was raised through private donations and the property became the Sleeping Giant State Park. A complete history of the Giant has been published in Nancy Davis Sachse's book ''Born Among the Hills – The Sleeping Giant Story.''<ref name="PA"/>

The Sleeping Giant Tower was built at the top in 1936 by the [[Works Progress Administration]]. It was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1986 as part of the Connecticut State Park and Forest Depression-Era Federal Work Relief Programs Structures.<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

==Recreation==
Sleeping Giant State Park is a popular outdoor recreation destination among residents and visitors of the greater [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]] region. The clifftops offer long views of much of [[New Haven County, Connecticut|New Haven County]] and some of [[Hartford County, Connecticut|Hartford County]] over more than 270 degrees of the compass, and (atmospheric conditions permitting) across Long Island Sound to the [[Shoreham, New York|Shoreham]] area on [[Long Island]].<ref name="PA"/>

Sleeping Giant is open until sunset year-round; parking inside the main entrance, on weekends or holidays during roughly the summer costs $4 to $10 for most who have not bought the $50 statewide annual pass,<ref>[http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325082&depNav_GID=1650&depNav= Department of Environmental Protection: Parking and Camping Fees - CT State Parks and Forests]</ref> but other parking is nearby outside the park, or at trailheads further east or north. Activities permitted on the Giant include [[hiking]], [[snowshoeing]], [[picnicking]], [[bird watching]], and other passive pursuits. Trails specifically designed for [[horseback riding]] and [[cross-country skiing]] are located on the lower reaches of the Giant, and [[fishing]] is allowed in the abutting Mill River. [[Rock climbing]], closed for several decades on the Giant because of accidents, was permitted as of 2007; the Ragged Mountain Foundation, a non-profit rock climbing group, advises climbers to "please observe [state] park regulations."<ref>[http://www.raggedmtn.org/pn/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=19&meid=13 Ragged Mountain Foundation.] Cited Dec. 26, 2007.</ref> Youth [[camping]] only is allowed on the Giant (by permit). Seasonal facilities include restrooms, a picnic shelter, and picnic tables. The {{convert|23|mi|adj=on}} [[Quinnipiac Trail]]—the oldest trail in the {{convert|700|mi|adj=on}} [[Blue-Blazed Trails|blue blazed trail]] system managed by the [[Connecticut Forest and Park Association]]—traverses the length of the Giant from the Quinnipiac River west over the Giant's high points to the Mill River then continues north over [[West Rock Ridge]] and [[Mount Sanford (Connecticut)|Mount Sanford]].<ref name="PA"/><ref>[http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325264&depNav_GID=1650 Sleeping Giant State Park.] Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Cited Dec. 25, 2007</ref>

==Conservation==
Most, but not all, of the Sleeping Giant has been conserved. The trails and facilities on Sleeping Giant are collaboratively maintained by the Sleeping Giant Park Association and the State of Connecticut, with the bulk of the trail maintenance done by the association. Sleeping Giant State Park encompasses {{convert|1500|acre|km2}}; the SGPA remains active in securing additional parcels to add to the property. The SGPA has also been instrumental in defeating attempts to log the Giant, build communications towers on its summits, and close the state park altogether. SPGA runs a regular recreational and interpretive hikes on the Giant and volunteer trail maintenance programs. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association also has a working investment in the conservation of the Giant and trail building on it.<ref name="PA"/><ref>[http://www.ctwoodlands.org/ Connecticut Forest and Park Association]. Cited Dec. 25, 2007.</ref>

== Literary influence ==
In 1948, the children's author [[Eleanor Estes]] published the collection "Sleeping Giant and Other Stories". In the title story, the Sleeping Giant decides to get up and leave.

==See also==
*[[Metacomet Ridge]]
*[[Quinnipiac River]]
*[[Quinnipiac Trail]]
*[[West Rock Ridge State Park]]
*[[Old Man of the Mountain]] a face that used to stand out from a clif in [[New Hampshire]]
*[[Old Man of Hoy]] a rock pillar off [[Scotland]] that resembes a standing man

* '''Adjacent summits:'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"
! ↑ North !! South ↓ !!
|-
| align="center" width="120pt"|[[Mount Sanford (Connecticut)|Mount Sanford]] (no image) ||align="center" width="120pt"|[[Image:Ct church wrockA.jpg|center|thumb|120px|[[West Rock Ridge]]]]||
|-
|}

==References==
{{Connecticut portal}}
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.sgpa.org/ Sleeping Giant Park Association]
* [http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325264&depNav_GID=1650 Sleeping Giant State Park]
* [http://www.sgpa.org/colormap.pdf SGPA color trail map of Sleeping Giant]
* [http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/stateparks/maps/sleepgiant.pdf Connecticut DEP color trail map of Sleeping Giant]
* [http://www.sgpa.org/trailmap.pdf SGPA Traditional black and white trail map of Sleeping Giant]
* [http://www.sgpa.org/ski-trail.html SGPA Cross-country skiing map of Sleeping Giant]
* [http://www.raggedmtn.org/pn/index.php?module=ContentExpress&file=index&func=display&ceid=19&meid=13 Information on rock climbing on the Sleeping Giant (Ragged Mountain Foundation)].
* [http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result?newaddr=River+Rd+At+Tuttle+Ave&taddr=Tolles+Rd+at+Hartford+Turnpike&csz=Hamden%2C+CT+06518&country=us&tcsz=North+Haven%2C+CT+06473&tcountry=us Yahoo map of adjacent roads]



{{Protected Areas of Connecticut}}

[[Category:Mountains of Connecticut]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Connecticut state parks]]
[[Category:Metacomet Ridge, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of the United States]]
[[Category:New Haven County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Hamden, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Wallingford, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in New Haven County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Towers in Connecticut]]

Hanging Lake

2009-09-01T10:17:33Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Travertine */

{{nofootnotes|date=May 2009}}
{{Infobox lake
| lake_name = Hanging Lake
| image_lake = Glenwood Canyon.jpg
| caption_lake =
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Glenwood Canyon]], [[Colorado]]
| coords = {{coord|39.6016497|-107.1919967|region:US-CO_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = United States
| length =
| width =
| area =
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands =
| sections =
| cities =
| frozen =
}}
'''Hanging Lake''' is located in [[Glenwood Canyon]], about 7 miles east of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado]]. The lake is reached via a trailhead located near [[I-70]] in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows [[Dead Horse Creek]], a tributary of the [[Colorado River]].

[[Image:Hanging_Lake_Above.jpg||thumb|View from up above Hanging Lake. Photo by [http://photos.jstechs.com JS Nature Photos].]]
[[Image:Hanging Lake.jpg|thumb|Hanging Lake.]]

== History ==

Early tales of the discovery of the lake tells of a man searching for gold in the canyon when the Colorado River was called the Grand River. The man found a dead horse at the opening of a gulch (the possible origin of Dead Horse Gulch). When he followed the gulch up through the steep hillside through the canyon he came around the backside of the lake. This is how he first saw the small bowl-like basin hanging onto the cliffs below.

In the years following the area served as a homestead, and a private family retreat until it was purchased by Glenwood Springs after the Taylor Bill was passed by Congress in 1910.

Following the purchase it began its long history as a public tourist stop, and later during the 1940's hosted a resort and cafe until the construction of Interstate-70 began in 1968.

In 1972 the trail and the lake were returned to the protection of the Forest Service and has been an increasingly popular tourist destination since.

== Travertine ==
The fragile shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of [[travertine]], created when dissolved limestone from the Mississippian aged [[Leadville Formation]] (through which the Dead Horse Creek flows) is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.

The oils from human skin help to speed along the erosion of the travertine so it is suggested that hikers not wade in the water in an effort to help preserve the lake for future generations.

For similar Travertine influenced scenery in [[Europe]] see [[Plitvice Lakes National Park]] which is a [[World Heritage Site]], .

==References==
*{{gnis|174097}}

==External links==
*[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 Hanging Lake — a fragile paradise] at [[The Aspen Times]]
*[http://www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html Hiking in Colorado - Hanging Lake]
*[http://www.glenwoodblog.com/2006/10/28/hanging-lake/ Hanging Lake Trail videos and reviews]

{{Colorado-geo-stub}}

Hanging Lake

2009-09-01T10:15:49Z

Proxima Centauri: /* Travertine */

{{nofootnotes|date=May 2009}}
{{Infobox lake
| lake_name = Hanging Lake
| image_lake = Glenwood Canyon.jpg
| caption_lake =
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Glenwood Canyon]], [[Colorado]]
| coords = {{coord|39.6016497|-107.1919967|region:US-CO_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow =
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = United States
| length =
| width =
| area =
| depth =
| max-depth =
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation =
| islands =
| sections =
| cities =
| frozen =
}}
'''Hanging Lake''' is located in [[Glenwood Canyon]], about 7 miles east of [[Glenwood Springs, Colorado]]. The lake is reached via a trailhead located near [[I-70]] in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows [[Dead Horse Creek]], a tributary of the [[Colorado River]].

[[Image:Hanging_Lake_Above.jpg||thumb|View from up above Hanging Lake. Photo by [http://photos.jstechs.com JS Nature Photos].]]
[[Image:Hanging Lake.jpg|thumb|Hanging Lake.]]

== History ==

Early tales of the discovery of the lake tells of a man searching for gold in the canyon when the Colorado River was called the Grand River. The man found a dead horse at the opening of a gulch (the possible origin of Dead Horse Gulch). When he followed the gulch up through the steep hillside through the canyon he came around the backside of the lake. This is how he first saw the small bowl-like basin hanging onto the cliffs below.

In the years following the area served as a homestead, and a private family retreat until it was purchased by Glenwood Springs after the Taylor Bill was passed by Congress in 1910.

Following the purchase it began its long history as a public tourist stop, and later during the 1940's hosted a resort and cafe until the construction of Interstate-70 began in 1968.

In 1972 the trail and the lake were returned to the protection of the Forest Service and has been an increasingly popular tourist destination since.

== Travertine ==
The fragile shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of [[travertine]], created when dissolved limestone from the Mississippian aged [[Leadville Formation]] (through which the Dead Horse Creek flows) is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.

The oils from human skin help to speed along the erosion of the travertine so it is suggested that hikers not wade in the water in an effort to help preserve the lake for future generations.

For similar Travertine influenced scenery in [[Europe]] see [[Plitvice Lakes National Park]].

==References==
*{{gnis|174097}}

==External links==
*[http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060828/RECREATION05/60828004 Hanging Lake — a fragile paradise] at [[The Aspen Times]]
*[http://www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html Hiking in Colorado - Hanging Lake]
*[http://www.glenwoodblog.com/2006/10/28/hanging-lake/ Hanging Lake Trail videos and reviews]

{{Colorado-geo-stub}}

Leben auf dem Mars

2009-01-31T17:36:51Z

Proxima Centauri: /* See also */

{{otheruses}}
[[Image:TerraformedMarsGlobeRealistic.jpg|300px|thumb|An artist's impression of a living Mars.]]
Scientists have long speculated about the possibility of '''life on Mars''' owing to the planet's proximity and similarity to [[Earth]]. Although fictional [[Martian]]s have been a recurring feature of popular entertainment, it remains an open question whether life currently exists on [[Mars]], or has existed there in the past.

==Early speculation==
[[Image:Karte Mars Schiaparelli MKL1888.png|150px|thumb|left|Historical map of planet mars from [[Giovanni Schiaparelli]].]]
[[Image:Lowell Mars channels.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Mars canals, as seen by astronomer [[Percival Lowell|P. Lowell]], 1898.]]
[[Geology of Mars|Mars' polar ice caps]] were observed as early as the mid-17th century, and they were first proven to grow and shrink alternately, in the summer and winter of each hemisphere, by [[William Herschel]] in the latter part of the 18th century. By the mid-19th century, astronomers knew that [[Mars]] had certain other similarities to Earth, for example that the [[Timekeeping on Mars|length of a day on Mars]] was almost the same as a day on Earth. They also knew that its [[axial tilt]] was similar to Earth's, which meant it experienced seasons just as Earth does - but of nearly double the length owing to its [[Darian calendar|much longer year]]. These observations led to the increase in speculation that the darker [[albedo feature]]s were water, and brighter ones were land. It was therefore natural to suppose that Mars may be inhabited by some form of life.

In 1854, [[William Whewell]], a fellow of [[Trinity College, Cambridge|Trinity College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], who popularized the word ''scientist,'' theorized that Mars had seas, land and possibly life forms. Speculation about life on Mars exploded in the late 19th century, following telescopic observation by some observers of apparent [[Martian canal]]s — which were however soon found to be optical illusions. Despite this, in [[1895]], American astronomer [[Percival Lowell]] published his book ''Mars,'' followed by ''Mars and its Canals'' in [[1906]], proposing that the canals were the work of a long-gone civilization.<ref>''Is Mars habitable? A critical examination of Professor Percival Lowell's book "Mars and its canals''.", an alternative explanation, by Alfred Russel Wallace, F.R.S., etc.'' London, Macmillan and co., 1907.</ref> This idea led British writer [[H. G. Wells]] to write ''[[The War of the Worlds (novel)|The War of the Worlds]]'' in 1897, telling of an invasion by aliens from Mars who were fleeing the planet’s desiccation.

[[Spectroscopy|Spectroscopic]] analysis of Mars' atmosphere began in earnest in 1894, when U.S. astronomer [[William Wallace Campbell]] showed that neither water nor oxygen were present in the [[Martian atmosphere]].<ref name="chambers">{{Citation
| first = Paul | last = Chambers
| author-link =
| title = Life on Mars; The Complete Story
| place = London
| publisher = Blandford
| year = 1999
| doi = | isbn = 0713727470 }}</ref>
By 1909 better telescopes and the best perihelic opposition of Mars since 1877 conclusively put an end to the canal theory.

==Mariner 4==
{{main| Mariner 4 }}
The photographs taken by the [[Mariner 4]] probe fly-by in [[1965]] showed an arid Mars without rivers, oceans or any signs of life. Further it revealed that the surface (at least the parts that it photographed) was covered in craters, indicating a lack of plate tectonics and weathering of any kind for the last 4 billion years. The probe also found that Mars has no [[Magnetosphere|global magnetic field]] that would protect the planet from potentially life-threatening [[cosmic rays]]. The probe was also able to calculate the atmospheric pressure on the planet to be about 0.6 kPa (compared to Earth's 101.3 kPa), meaning that liquid water could not exist on the planet's surface.<ref name="chambers"/> After Mariner 4, the search for life on Mars changed to a search for bacteria-like living organisms rather than for multicellular organisms, as the environment was clearly too harsh for these.

==Viking experiments==
{{main|Viking biological experiments}}
[[Image:Sagan Viking.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Carl Sagan]] poses next to a replica of the Viking landers.]]
The primary mission of the [[Viking program|Viking probes]] of the mid-1970s was to carry out experiments designed to detect microorganisms in Martian soil. The tests were formulated to look for life similar to that found on Earth. Of the four experiments, only the Labeled Release experiment returned a positive result, showing increased 14CO2 production on first exposure of soil to water and nutrients. All scientists agree on two points from the Viking missions: that radiolabeled 14CO2 was evolved in the Labeled Release experiment, and that the GC-MS detected no organic molecules. However, there are vastly different interpretations of what those results imply.

One of the designers of the LR experiment, [[Gilbert Levin]], believes his results are a definitive diagnostic for life on Mars.<ref name="chambers"/> However, this result is disputed by many scientists, who argue that [[superoxidant]] chemicals in the soil could have produced this effect without life being present. An almost general consensus discarded the Labeled Release data as evidence of life, because the gas chromatograph & mass spectrometer, designed to identify [[natural organic matter]], did not detect organic molecules.<ref name="Levin">The Carnegie Institution Geophysical Laboratory Seminar, "Analysis of evidence of Mars life" held 05/14/2007;
Summary of the lecture given by Gilbert V. Levin, Ph.D.
http://arxiv.org/abs/0705.3176, published by Electroneurobiología vol. 15 (2), pp. 39-47, 2007</ref> The results of the Viking mission concerning life, are considered by the general expert community, at best, as inconclusive.<ref name="chambers"/><ref>{{cite journal|title=The Viking Biological Investigation: Preliminary Results |journal=Science|date=1976 - 10 - 01|first=HAROLD P.|last=KLEIN|coauthors=GILBERT V. LEVIN|volume=Vol. 194.|issue=no. 4260|pages=pp. 99 - 105|id= {{doi|10.1126/science.194.4260.99}} |url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/194/4260/99|format=|accessdate=2008-08-15 }}</ref>

Since Mars lost most of its magnetic field about 4 billion years ago, the Martian ionosphere is unable to stop the [[solar wind]] or radiation, and it interacts directly with exposed soil, making life, as we know it, impossible to exist. Also, liquid water, necessary for life and for [[metabolism]], cannot exist on the surface of Mars with its present low atmospheric pressure and temperature, except at the lowest shaded elevations for short periods<ref>{{Citation
| journal = Journal of Geophysical Research | date= 2005-05-07 | last= Heldmann et al. | first= Jennifer L. | title= Formation of Martian gullies by the action of liquid water flowing under current Martian environmental conditions | url= http://daleandersen.seti.org/Dale%20Andersen/Articles_files/Heldmann%20et%20al.2005.pdf |format=PDF| volume=110 | pages=Eo5004 | doi=10.1029/2004JE002261 | accessdate=2007-08-12
| format= }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | journal=Geophysical Research Letters | volume = 33 | pages = L11201 | date=[[June 3]], [[2006]] | last=Kostama | first=V.-P. | last2=Kreslavsky | first2=M. A. | last3=Head | first3=J. W. | title=Recent high-latitude icy mantle in the northern plains of Mars: Characteristics and ages of emplacement | url=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2006/2006GL025946.shtml | doi=10.1029/2006GL025946 | accessdate=2007-08-12}} 'Martian high-latitude zones are covered with a smooth, layered ice-rich mantle'</ref> and liquid water never appears at the surface itself.<ref> {{cite journal|title=Transient liquid water near an artificial heat source on Mars|journal=Mars, The International Journal of Mars Science and Exploration|date=2006 - 12 -14|first=Michael H.|last=Hecht|coauthors=Ashwin R. Vasavada|volume=2|issue=|pages=83-96|id= |url=|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-08-13 }}</ref>

On 2007, during a Seminar of the Geophysical Laboratory of the [[Carnegie Institution]] ([[Washington]], [[USA]]), [[Gilbert Levin]]'s investigation was assessed once more.<ref name="Levin"/> Levin maintains that his original data were correct, as the positive and negative control experiments were in order.

Ronald Paepe, an [[Edaphology|edaphologist]] (soil scientist), communicated to the European Geosciences Union Congress that the discovery of the recent detection of [[Silicate minerals|phyllosilicate clays]] on Mars may indicate [[pedogenesis]], or soil development processes, extended over the entire surface of Mars.<ref name="Paepe"> {{cite journal|title=The Red Soil on Mars as a proof for water and vegetation|journal=Geophysical Research Abstracts|year=2007|first=Ronald|last=Paepe|coauthors=|volume=Vol. 9|issue=01794|pages=|id= |url=http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/EGU2007/01794/EGU2007-J-01794.pdf?PHPSESSID=e|format=PDP|accessdate=2008-08-14 }}</ref> Paepe's interpretation views most of Mars surface as active soil, colored red by eons of widespread wearing by water, [[vegetation]] and microbial activity.<ref name="Paepe"/>

A research team from the [[Salk Institute for Biological Studies]] headed by Rafael Navarro-González, concluded that the equipment used (TV-GC-MS) by the [[Viking program]] to search for organic molecules, may not be sensitive enough to detect low levels of organics.<ref name="Navarro">Navarro-González, R; Navarro, K. F.; de la Rosa, J., Iñiguez, E.; Molina, P.; Miranda, L. D.; Morales, P; Cienfuegos, E.; Coll, P.; Raulin, F., Amils, R. and McKay, C. P. (2006), "The limitations on organic detection in Mars-like soils by thermal volatilization-gas chromato-graphy-MS and their implications for the Viking results", Proc. Natl. Academy of Sciences 103 (44), 16089-16094.</ref> Because of the simplicity of sample handling, TV–GC–MS is still considered the standard method for organic detection on future Mars missions, Navarro-González suggests that the design of future organic instruments for Mars should include other methods of detection.

===''Gillevinia straata''===
[[Image:Gillevinia straata.jpg|thumb|200px|Newly proposed [[taxonomy|taxonomic]] system.]]
The claim for life on Mars, in the form of ''Gillevinia straata'', is based on old data reinterpreted as sufficient evidence of life, mainly by professors [[Gilbert Levin]],<ref name="Levin"/> Rafael Navarro-González<ref name="Navarro"/> and Ronalds Paepe.<ref name="Paepe"/> The evidence supporting the existence of ''Gillevinia straata'' microorganisms relies on the data collected by the two Mars ''Viking'' landers that searched for [[biosignature]]s of life, but the analytical results were, officially, inconclusive.<ref name="chambers"/>

In [[2006]], [[:es:Mario Crocco|Mario Crocco]], a neurobiologist at the [[:es:Hospital Municipal José Tiburcio Borda|Neuropsychiatric Hospital Borda]] in [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]], proposed the creation of a new [[Taxonomy|nomenclatural rank]] that classified these results as '[[metabolism|metabolic]]' and therefore belonging to a form of life. Crocco proposed to create new biological ranking categories ([[taxon|taxa]]), in the new [[kingdom (biology)|kingdom]] system of life, in order to be able to accommodate the genus of Martian microorganisms. Crocco proposed the following taxonomical entry:<ref> {{cite journal|title=Los taxones mayores de la vida orgánica y la nomenclatura de la vida en Marte: |journal=Electroneurobiología|date=2007 - 04 -14|first=Mario|last=Crocco|coauthors=|volume=15|issue=(2)|pages=pp. 1-34|id= |url=http://electroneubio.secyt.gov.ar/First_biological_classification_Martian_organism.htm|format=|accessdate=2008-08-14 }}</ref>
* Organic life system: Solaria
* [[Biosphere]]: Marciana
* [[kingdom (biology)|kingdom]]: Jakobia (named after neurobiologist Christfried Jakob)
* [[Genus]] et [[species]]: ''Gillevinia straata''

As a result, the ''Gillevinia straata'' would not be a bacterium (which rather is a terrestrial taxon) but a member of the kingdom 'Jakobia' in the biosphere 'Marciana' of the 'Solaria' system.

The intended effect of the new nomenclature was to reverse the burden of proof concerning the life issue, but the taxonomy proposed by Crocco has not been accepted by the scientific community; and is considered a single ''[[Nomen nudum]]''. Further, no Mars mission has found traces of [[biomolecules]].

== Meteorites ==

The interpretation of whether meteorite deposits are really proof of (ancient) life on Mars are controversial but of enormous interest to biologists. Single celled life on Mars, even if extinct today, would corroborate origin of life theories. The [[NASA]] maintains a catalog<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/snc/index.html |title=Mars Meteorites |accessdate=2008-08-15 |publisher=NASA }}</ref> of at least 57 [[Mars meteorite]]s, which are extremely valuable since these are the only physical samples available of Mars. Speculation has grown as a result that studies show that at least three of them may have evidence of possible past life on Mars. Although the scientific evidence collected is reliable, its interpretation varies. To date, no fatal strikes have been made to any of the original lines of scientific evidence despite several misconstrued press releases.<ref name="meteoritos-Bio">[http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/sci/fifthconf99/6142.pdf Evidence for ancient Martian life]. E. K. Gibson Jr., F. Westall, D. S. McKay, K. Thomas-Keprta, S. Wentworth, and C. S. Romanek, Mail Code SN2, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston TX 77058, USA.</ref>

Over the past few decades, eight criteria have been established for the recognition of past life within terrestrial geologic samples. Those criteria are:<ref name="meteoritos-Bio"/>
#Is the geologic context of the sample compatible with past life?
#Is the age of the sample and its stratigraphic location compatible with possible life?
#Does the sample contain evidence of cellular morphology and colonies?
#Is there any evidence of biominerals showing chemical or mineral disequilibria?
#Is there any evidence of stable isotope patterns unique to biology?
#Are there any organic biomarkers present?
#Are the features indigenous to the sample?

For general acceptance of past life in a geologic sample, essentially most or all of these criteria must be met.

;ALH84001 meteorite
[[Image:ALH84001 structures.jpg|right|200px|thumb|An electron microscope reveals bacteria-like structures in meteorite fragment [[ALH84001]]]]
The [[ALH84001|ALH84001 meteorite]] was found on December 1984 on [[Antarctica]] by members of the [[ANSMET]] project; the meteorite weighs 1.93 kg.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://tin.er.usgs.gov/meteor/metbull.php?sea=alh+84001&sfor=names&ants=&falls=&stype=contains&lrec=50&map=ge&browse=&country=All&srt=name&categ=All&mblist=All&phot=&snew=0&pnt=no&code=604 |title=Allan Hills 84001 |accessdate=2008-08-21 |month=April | year=2008 |publisher=The Meteorolitical Society }}</ref> The sample was ejected from Mars about 17 million years ago and spent 11,000 years in or on the Antarctic ice sheets. Composition analysis by NASA revealed a kind of [[magnetite]] that on Earth, is only found in association with certain microorganisms;<ref name="meteoritos-Bio"/> Then, in August 2002, another NASA team led by Thomas-Keptra published a study indicating that 25% of the [[magnetite]] in ALH 84001 occurs as small, uniform-sized crystals that, on Earth, is associated only with biologic activity, and that the remainder of the material appears to be normal inorganic magnetite. The extraction technique did not permit determination as to whether the possibly biologic magnetite was organized into chains as would be expected. The meteorite displays indication of relatively low temperature secondary mineralization by water and show evidence of preterrestrial aqueous alteration. Evidence of [[polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]] (PAHs) have been identified with the levels increasing away from the surface.

Some structures resembling the mineralized casts of terrestrial bacteria and their appendages (fibrils) or by-products (extracellular polymeric substances) occur in the rims of carbonate globules and preterrestrial aqueous alteration regions.<ref name=disbelief>{{cite web | title=After 10 years, few believe life on Mars | url=http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/ap_060806_mars_rock.html | last=Crenson | first=Matt | publisher=[[Associated Press]] (on [http://www.space.com space.com] | date=2006-08-06 | accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title= Search for Past Life on Mars: Possible Relic Biogenic Activity in Martian Meteorite ALH84001|author= McKay, D.S., Gibson, E.K., ThomasKeprta, K.L., Vali, H., Romanek, C.S., Clemett, S.J., Chillier, X.D.F., Maechling, C.R., Zare, R.N.|journal=Science|volume= 273|pages=924–930|year=1996|doi= 10.1126/science.273.5277.924|pmid= 8688069|accessdate=2008-08-17}}</ref> The size and shape of the objects is consistent with Earthly [[fossil]]ized [[nanobacteria]], but the existence of nanobacteria itself is controversial.

;Nakhla Meteorite
[[Image:Nakhla meteorite.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Nakhla meteorite]]
The [[Nakhla meteorite]] fell on Earth on June 28, 1911 on the locality of Nakhla, Alexandria, Egypt.<ref name="NASA"> {{cite web|url=http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/snc/nakhla.html |title=The Nakhla Meteorite |accessdate=2008-08-17 |last=Baalke |first=Ron |year=1995 |work=Jet Propulsion Lab |publisher=NASA }}</ref><ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/virtual-wonders/vrmeteorite5.html |title=Rotating image of a Nakhla meteorite fragment |accessdate=2008-08-17 |year=2008 |publisher=London Natural History Museum }}</ref>

In 1998, a team from NASA's Johnson Space Center obtained a small sample for analysis. Researchers found preterrestrial aqueous alteration phases and objects<ref>{{cite news | first=Paul | last=Rincon | coauthors= | title=Space rock re-opens Mars debate | date=8 February 2006 | publisher= | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4688938.stm | work =BBC News | pages = | accessdate = 2008-08-17 | language = }}</ref> of the size and shape consistent with Earthly [[fossil]]ized [[nanobacteria]], but the existence of nanobacteria itself is controversial.
Analysis with [[gas chromatography]] and [[mass spectrometry]] (GC-MS) studied its high molecular weight [[polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]] in 2000, and NASA scientists concluded that as much as 75% of the organic matter in Nakhla "may not be recent terrestrial contamination".<ref name="meteoritos-Bio"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/antmet/mmc/Nakhla.pdf |title=Mars Meteorite Compendium |accessdate=2008-08-21 |last=Meyer |first=C. |year=2004 |format=PDF |publisher=NASA }}</ref>

This caused additional interest in this meteorite, so on 2006, NASA managed to obtain an additional and larger sample from the London Natural History Museum. On this second sample, a large dendritic [[carbon]] content was observed. When the results and evidence were published on 2006, some independent researchers claimed that the carbon deposits are of biologic origin. However, it was remarked that since carbon is the fourth most aboundant element in the [[Universe]], finding it in curious patterns is not indicative or suggestive of biological origin.<ref>{{cite news | first=David | last=Whitehouse | coauthors= | title=Life on Mars - new claims | date=August 27, 1999 | publisher= | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/289214.stm | work =BBC News | pages = | accessdate = 2008-08-20 | language = }}</ref><ref>Compilation of scientific research references on the Nakhla meteorite: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/antmet/marsmets/nakhla/references.cfm</ref>

;Shergotty meteorite
The [[Shergotty meteorite]], a 4 kg martian meteorite, fell on Earth on [[Sherghati|Shergotty]], [[India]] on August 25, [[1865]] and was retrieved by witnesses almost immediately. <ref>[http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/snc/shergotty.html Shergoti Meteorite - JPL, NASA]</ref> This meteorite is relatively young, calculated to have been formed in Mars only 165 million years ago from volcanic origin. It is composed mostly of [[pyroxene]] and thought to have undergone preterrestrial aqueous alteration for several centuries. Certain features in its interior suggest to be remanents of biofilm and their associated microbial communities.<ref name="meteoritos-Bio"/> Work is in progress on searching for [[magnetite]]s within alteration phases.

== Liquid water ==
[[Image:History of water on Mars.jpeg|thumb|right|A series of artist's conceptions of hypothetical past water coverage on Mars.]]
No Mars probe since Viking has tested the Martian [[regolith]] directly for signs of life. NASA's recent missions have focused on another question: whether Mars held lakes or oceans of liquid water on its surface in the ancient past. Scientists have found [[hematite]], a mineral that forms in the presence of water. Many scientists have long held this to be almost self-evident based on various geological landforms on the planet, but others have proposed different explanations—wind erosion, oxygen oceans, etc. Thus, the mission of the [[Mars Exploration Rover Mission|Mars Exploration Rovers]] of 2004 was not to look for present or past life, but for evidence of liquid water on the surface of Mars in the planet's ancient past.

In June 2000, evidence for water currently under the surface of Mars was discovered in the form of flood-like gullies.<ref name=underground>Malin, Michael C., Edgett, Kenneth S., [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;288/5475/2330 "Evidence for Recent Groundwater Seepage and Surface Runoff on Mars"]. [[Science (journal)|Science]] (2000) Vol. 288. no. 5475, pp. 2330 - 2335.</ref> Deep subsurface [[water]] deposits near the planet's liquid core might form a present-day habitat for life. However, in March 2006, astronomers announced the discovery of similar gullies on the Moon,<ref name=moon>[http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UANews.woa/1/wa/SRStoryDetails?ArticleID=12376 "University of Arizona Press Release"] March 16, 2006.</ref> which is believed never to have had liquid water on its surface. The astronomers suggest that the gullies could be the result of micrometeorite impacts.

In March 2004, NASA announced that its rover ''[[Opportunity rover|Opportunity]]'' had discovered evidence that Mars was, in the ancient past, a wet planet.<ref name=wet>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20040302a.html Opportunity Rover Finds Strong Evidence Meridiani Planum Was Wet"] - March 2, 2004, [[NASA]] Press release. URL accessed March 19, 2006.</ref> This had raised hopes that evidence of past life might be found on the planet today.

In December 2006, NASA showed images taken by the [[Mars Global Surveyor]] that suggested that water occasionally flows on the surface of Mars. The images did not actually show flowing water. Rather, they showed changes in craters and sediment deposits, providing the strongest evidence yet that water coursed through them as recently as several years ago, and is perhaps doing so even now. Some researchers were skeptical that liquid water was responsible for the surface feature changes seen by the spacecraft. They said other materials such as sand or dust can flow like a liquid and produce similar results.<ref> {{cite journal|title=Mars Orbiter's Swan Song: The Red Planet Is A-Changin'|journal=Science|date=2006 - 12 - 8|first=Richard|last=Kerr|coauthors=|volume=314|issue=5805|pages=1528 - 1529|id= {{doi| 10.1126/science.314.5805.1528}}|url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/314/5805/1528|format=|accessdate=2008-08-13 }}</ref>

Recent analysis of Martian sandstones, using data obtained from orbital spectrometry, suggests that the waters that previously existed on the surface of Mars would have had too high a salinity to support most Earth-like life. Tosca ''et al'' found that the Martian water in the locations they studied all had [[water activity]], aw ≤ 0.78 to 0.86 - a level fatal to most Terrestrial life.<ref>Tosca, N J., Knoll, A H., McLennan, S M. ''Water Activity and the Challenge for Life on Early Mars'' Science '''320''', 1204 (2008)</ref> [[Haloarchaea]], however, are able to live in hypersaline solutions, up to the saturation point.

== Methane ==

''See also: [[Atmosphere of Mars#Methane|Methane in the Atmosphere of Mars]]''

Trace amounts of [[methane]] in the atmosphere of Mars were discovered in 2003 and verified in 2004.<ref>Mumma, M. J.; Novak, R. E.; DiSanti, M. A.; Bonev, B. P., [http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2003DPS....35.1418M&db_key=AST&data_type=HTML&format= "A Sensitive Search for Methane on Mars"] (abstract only). American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #35, #14.18.</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Mars Methane Boosts Chances for Life | author = Michael J. Mumma
| publisher = Skytonight.com | url = http://www-mgcm.arc.nasa.gov/MGCM.html | accessdate = 2007-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = Detection of Methane in the Atmosphere of Mars | author = V. Formisano, S. Atreya T. Encrenaz, N. Ignatiev, M. Giuranna | journal = Science | volume = 306 | issue = 5702 | pages = 1758–1761 | year = 2004 | url = | doi = 10.1126/science.1101732}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = Detection of methane in the martian atmosphere: evidence for life? | author = V. A. Krasnopolskya, J. P. Maillard, T. C. Owen | journal = Icarus
| volume = 172 | issue = 2 | pages = 537–547 | year = 2004 | url = | doi = 10.1016/j.icarus.2004.07.004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Mars Express confirms methane in the Martian atmosphere | author = [[ESA]] Press release | publisher = [[ESA]] | url = http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/SEMZ0B57ESD_0.html | accessdate = 2006-03-17}}</ref><ref>Moran, M., et al., “Desert methane: implications for life detection on Mars, Icarus, 178, 277-280, 2005.</ref> The presence of methane on Mars is very intriguing, since as an unstable [[gas]], it indicates that it must have a source on the planet in order to keep such levels in the atmosphere. It is estimated that Mars must produce 270 ton/year of methane,<ref>{{cite journal | title = Some problems related to the origin of methane on Mars
| author = Vladimir A. Krasnopolsky | journal = Icarus | volume = Volume 180 | issue = Issue 2 | pages = 359-367 | month = February | year = 2005 | url = http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WGF-4HTCW36-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a614a9e35a422b94cc2611ccdc4bf180
| doi = 10.1016/j.icarus.2005.10.015}}</ref><ref>[http://www.pfs-results.it/ Planetary Fourier Spectrometer website] (ESA, Mars Express)</ref>
but [[asteroid]] impacts account for only 0.8% of the total methane production. Although geologic sources of methane such as [[serpentinization]] are possible, the lack of current [[volcanism]], [[Hydrothermal vent|hydrothermal activity]] or [[Hotspot (geology)|hotspots]] are not favorable for geologic methane.
The existence of life in the form of [[microorganism]]s such as [[methanogen]]s are among possible, but as yet unproven sources. If microscopic Martian life is producing the methane, it likely resides far below the surface, where it's still warm enough for liquid water to exist.<ref>{{cite news | first=Bill | last=Steigerwald | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=Martian Methane Reveals the Red Planet is not a Dead Planet | date=January 15, 2009 | publisher=NASA | url =http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html | work =NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center | pages = | accessdate = 2009-01-24 | language = }}</ref>

== Formaldehyde ==

In February 2005, it was announced that the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) on the [[European Space Agency]]'s [[Mars Express Orbiter]], detected traces of [[formaldehyde]] in the [[atmosphere of Mars]]. Vittorio Formisano, the director of the PFS, has speculated that the formaldehyde could be the byproduct of the oxidation of methane, and according to him, would provide evidence that Mars is either extremely geologically active, or harbouring colonies of microbial life.<ref> {{cite journal|title=Formaldehyde has been found in the Martian atmosphere|journal=Nature - News|date=Published online February 25, 2005|first=Mark|last=Peplow|coauthors=|volume=|issue=|pages=|id= {{doi|doi:10.1038/news050221-15 }}|url=http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050221/full/news050221-15.html|format=|accessdate=2008-08-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Jenny | last=Hogan | coauthors= | title=A whiff of life on the Red Planet | date=16 February 2005 | publisher=New Scientist magazine | url =http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7014 | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-08-18 | language = }}</ref> NASA scientists consider the preliminary findings are well worth a follow-up, but have also rejected the claims of life.<ref name=PFS>[http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050905/full/050905-10.html "Martian methane probe in trouble"] - September 25, 2005 http://www.nature.com news story. URL accessed March 19, 2006.</ref><ref name='NASA Releasease : 05-052'>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=NASA Statement on False Claim of Evidence of Life on Mars | date=February 18, 2005 | publisher=NASA | url =http://www1.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2005/feb/HQ_05052_mars_claim.html | work =NASA News | pages = | accessdate = 2008-08-18 | language = }}</ref>
 

== Silica ==
In May [[2007]], the [[Spirit rover]] disturbed a patch of ground with its inoperative wheel, uncovering an area extremely rich in [[silica]] (90%).<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Mars Rover Spirit Unearths Surprise Evidence of Wetter Past | date=May 21, 2007 | publisher=NASA | url =http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/mer-20070521.html | work =NASA Mission News | pages = | accessdate = 2008-08-18 | language = }}</ref> The feature is reminiscent of the effect of [[hot spring]] water or steam coming into contact with volcanic rocks. Scientists consider this as evidence of a past environment that may have been favorable for microbial life, and theorize that one possible origin for the silica must have been produced by the interaction of soil with acid vapors produced by volcanic activity in the presence of water. Another could have been from water in a hot spring environment.<ref Name="20071210a">{{cite web | last = Webster | first = Guy | title = Mars Rover Investigates Signs of Steamy Martian Past | work = Press Release | publisher = Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California | date = December 10, 2007 | url = http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20071210a.html | format = Web | doi = | accessdate = 2007-12-12 }}</ref>

== Dark Dune Spots ==
[[Image:Moc2 166b msss.gif|thumb|left|150px|[[Dark dune spot]]s appear every spring.]] [[Image:Mars Global Surveyor 1.jpg|thumb|150px|Image obtained by the [[Mars Global Surveyor]] of [[dark dune spot]]s.]]
[[Dark dune spot]]s are features that can be seen mainly in the southern polar region (between 60°-80° latitudes) of Mars, on or under the polar ice sheet. The spots were discovered by images obtained by the [[Mars Global Surveyor]] in 1998 - 1999. The spots appear at the beginning of the Martian spring and disappear by the beginning of the winter. A theory of the spots' possible biological origin is made by a Hungarian team; they propose that the spots are colonies of [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic]] Martian microorganisms, which over-winter beneath the ice cap.<ref> {{cite journal|title=Dark Dune Spots: Possible Biomarkers on Mars?|journal=Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres|date=October 31, 2003|first=Tibor|last=Gánti|coauthors=András Horváth, Szaniszló Bérczi, Albert Gesztesi and Eörs Szathmáry|volume=Volume 33|issue=Numbers 4-5|pages=515-557|id= {{doi|10.1023/A:1025705828948}}|url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/ut8r78131173254n/|format=|accessdate=2008-11-18 }}</ref> As the [[Sun]] returns to the pole during early spring, light penetrates the ice, the microorganisms photosynthesise and heat their immediate surroundings. A pocket of liquid water, which would normally evaporate instantly in the thin Martian atmosphere, is trapped around them by the overlying ice. As this ice layer thins, the microorganisms show through grey. When it has completely melted, they rapidly desiccate and turn black surrounded by a grey aureole.<ref>Gánti, T. et al, [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2003/pdf/1134.pdf "Evidence For Water by Mars Odyssey is Compatible with a Biogenic DDS-Formation Process"]. (PDF) Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XXXVI (2003)</ref><ref>Horváth, A., et al, [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2005/pdf/1128.pdf Annual Change of Martian DDS-Seepages]. ([[PDF]]) Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XXXVI (2005).</ref> The 'salt-loving' bacteria ''[[haloarchaea]]'' has been proposed to be used as a "model" to study hypothetic [[extremophile]]s on Mars.<ref>{{cite web | last = DasSarma | first = Shiladitya | title = Extreme Halophiles Are Models for Astrobiology | url=http://www.asm.org/ASM/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000002127/znw00306000120.pdf |format=PDF| accessdate = 2007-03-17 }}</ref>

NASA's current theory is that the patches are composed of either basaltic ash fragments or aggregates of a minor, dark dust component of the layered deposits that forms as a sublimation residue.<ref> {{cite journal|title=SURFACE PROPERTIES OF MARS’ POLAR LAYERED DEPOSITS AND POLAR LANDING SITES.|journal=NASA|year=1999|first=A.|last=Vasavada|coauthors=K. E. Herkenhoff|volume=|issue=|pages=|id= |url=http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/sci/fifthconf99/6086.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-08-21 }}</ref> While the European Space Agency ([[ESA]]) has not yet formulated a theory, it has stated that the location and shape of the spots is at odds with a physical explanation.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Martian spots warrant a close look | date=March 13, 2002 | publisher=European Space Agency | url =http://www.esa.int/esaCP/ASE4YZ9KOYC_FeatureWeek_1.html#subhead2 | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-11-18 | language = }}</ref>

== Cosmic radiation ==

On 1965, the [[Mariner 4]] probe discovered that Mars had no [[Magnetosphere|global magnetic field]], that would protect the planet from potentially life-threatening [[cosmic radiation]] and [[solar radiation]]; observations made in the late 1990s by the [[Mars Global Surveyor]] confirmed this discovery. Scientists speculate that the lack of magnetic shielding helped the [[solar wind]] blow away much of [[Atmosphere of Mars|Mars's atmosphere]] over the course of several billion years.

On 2007, it was calculated that [[DNA]] and [[RNA]] damage by [[cosmic radiation]] was limiting life on Mars to depths below 7.5 metres.<ref name="Dartnell, L.R. 2007">Dartnell, L.R. et al., “Modelling the surface and subsurface Martian radiation environment: Implications for astrobiology,” Geophysical Research Letters 34, L02207, doi:10,1029/2006GL027494, 2007.</ref> Therefore, the best hopes for a story of life on Mars are at environments that haven't been studied yet, subsurface.<ref>[http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20080215a.html NASA - Mars Rovers Sharpen Questions About Livable Conditions]</ref>

== Missions ==
===Phoenix lander, 2008===
{{main|Phoenix (spacecraft)}}

[[Image:Pia09344.jpg|150px|thumb|left|An artist's concept of the Phoenix spacecraft.]]
The [[Phoenix (spacecraft)|Phoenix]] mission landed a telerobot in the polar region of Mars on May 25, 2008 and it operated til November 10, 2008. One of the mission's two primary objectives was to search for a 'habitable zone' in the Martian [[regolith]] where microbial life could exist, the other main goal being to study the [[Geology|geological]] history of [[water]] on Mars. The lander has a 2.5 meter robotic arm that is capable of digging a 0.5 meter trench in the regolith. There is an electrochemistry experiment which analysed the [[ion]]s in the regolith and the amount and type of [[antioxidant]]s on Mars. The [[Viking program]] data indicates hat oxidants on Mars may vary with latitude, noting that [[Viking 2]] saw fewer oxidants than [[Viking 1]] in its more northerly position. Phoenix landed further north still.<ref name="MarsDaily">[http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Piecing_Together_Life_Potential_999.html Piecing Together Life's Potential]</ref>
Phoenix's preliminary data revealed that Mars soil contains [[perchlorate]], and thus may not be as life-friendly as thought earlier.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=NASA Spacecraft Confirms Perchlorate on Mars | date=August 5, 2008 | publisher=NASA | url =http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/multimedia/audioclips-20080805.html | work =NASA | pages = | accessdate = 2009-01-28 | language = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-phoenix6-2008aug06,0,4986721.story |title=Perchlorate found in Martian soil |date=2008-08-06|publisher=Los Angeles Times |last=Johnson |first=John}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080805192122.htm |publisher=Science Daily |date=2008-08-06 |title=Martian Life Or Not? NASA's ''Phoenix'' Team Analyzes Results}}</ref> The [[pH]] and salinity level were viewed as benign from the standpoint of biology. The analysers also indicated the presence of bound water and CO2.<ref>{{cite web | last = Lakdawalla | first = Emily | title = ''Phoenix'' sol 30 update: Alkaline soil, not very salty, "nothing extreme" about it! | work = [http://planetary.org/blog/ The Planetary Society weblog] | publisher = [[Planetary Society]] | date = 2008-06-26 | url = http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001526/
| accessdate = 2008-06-26}}</ref>

===Future missions===

* [[NASA]] is planning to launch the [[Astrobiology Field Laboratory]] in [[2016]], to help answer questions about life on Mars. The Mars Exploration and Payload Analysis Group is responsible for deciding what experiments will fly on the mission.<ref name="MarsDaily"/>

* Deep drills have been advocated for future missions to sample various depths beneath the surface where, some believe, liquid water may be found and where microorganisms might survive [[cosmic radiation]].<ref name="Dartnell, L.R. 2007"/>

* [[Mars Sample Return Mission]] - The best life detection experiment proposed is the examination on Earth of a soil sample from Mars. However, the difficulty of providing and maintaining life support over the months of transit from Mars to Earth remains to be solved. Providing for still unknown environmental and nutritional requirements is daunting. Should dead life forms be found in a sample, it would be difficult to conclude that those organisms were alive when obtained. This also raises ethical questions. Carl Sagan said in COSMOS chapter "Blues For a Red Planet" that "If there is life on Mars, then I believe we should do nothing to disturb that life. Mars then, belongs to the Martians, even if they are microbes."

==See also==
*[[Astronomy on Mars]]
*[[Colonization of Mars]]
*[[Face on Mars]]
*[[List of artificial objects on Mars]]
*[[Martian]]
*[[Planetary habitability]]
*[[Terraforming]]
*[[Terraforming of Mars]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links ==
*[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060420_mars_water.html Study Reveals Young Mars Was A Wet World]
*[http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/ NASA - The Mars Exploration Program]
*[http://www.phenomenamagazine.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Area%2051&action=page&type_id=&cat_id=&obj_id=123 Arthur C. Clarke sees life on Mars]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3560867.stm Scientists have discovered that Mars once had saltwater oceans]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3577551.stm BBC News: Methane on Mars could signal life]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3896335.stm BBC News: Ammonia on Mars could mean life]
*[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_microorganisms_040803.html Scientist says that life on Mars is likely today]
*[http://www.space.com/news/science_top10_041216.html Ancient salty sea on Mars wins as the most important scientific achievement of 2004 - Journal Science]
*[http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/snc/nasa1.html Mars meteor found on Earth provides evidence that suggests microbial life once existed on Mars]
* [http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=00073A97-5745-1359-94FF83414B7F0000 Scientific American Magazine (November 2005 Issue) Did Life Come from Another World?]
* [http://www.monochrom.at/dark-dune-spots/ Audio interview about "Dark Dune Spots"]
* [http://home.comcast.net/~tdehel/site/ Discussion of Phoenix's chances to find life on Mars]

{{Mars}}

[[Category:Astrobiology]]
[[Category:Mars]]
[[Category:Microbiology]]
[[Category:Extraterrestrial life]]

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[[it:Vita su Marte]]
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[[nl:Leven op Mars]]
[[pt:Vida em Marte]]
[[sk:Život na Marse]]
[[sl:Življenje na Marsu]]