*Testeria (TM) - a neurosis characterized by the presentation of a physical ailment without an organic cause and various other mental and behavioral aberrations. Excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic. [Lat. testericus, testerical - Gk. testerigos - testera, testes ( - the former idea that disturbances in the testes caused testeria).]

A review of writings by and about Colson reveal a penchant for testeria and tears. Examples follow:

"And I fear, I tremble, I shudder at what will happen to American culture."(1)

"As I retold the story for the cameras, the interviewer broke down and waved her hand, saying, 'Stop, stop.' Tears mixed with mascara were streaming down her cheeks. She excused herself, repaired her make-up, and - injecting confidence back into her voice - said, 'Let's film that sequence once more.' But hearing the story again, she could not hold back her tears."(2)

"The Tuesday night Bible study ended, and everyone except 'Charlie' filtered out. Fighting back tears, Charlie told me he'd first heard about Jesus from his Grandma when he was just a kid. He said he hadn't felt God's presence or love since then . . . 'until now.'"(3)

"I was known as the toughest of the Nixon tough guys (the White House hatchet man I was called in the newspapers), ex-marine captain. I found that evening that I couldn't drive the automobile out of the driveway of my friend's house because I couldn't get the keys into the ignition - I was crying too hard."(4)

"It was a holocaust survivor who exposed this myth most eloquently. Yehiel Dinur was a witness during the trial of Adolf Eichmann. Dinur entered the courtroom and stared at the man behind the bulletproof glass - the man who had presided over the slaughter of millions. The court was hushed as a victim confronted a butcher.

"Then suddenly Dinur began to sob, and collapsed to the floor. Not out of anger or bitterness. As he explained later in an interview, what struck him at that instant was a terrifying realization. 'I was afraid about myself,' Dinur said. 'I saw that I am capable to do this . . . Exactly like he.'"(5)

Colson uses the Yehiel Dinur story shamelessly throughout his writings. He used it in an American Tract Society publication entitled, THE DANGER OF BEING NORMAL. In it he absolves himself with the Dinur story. It's not that Colson did a bad thing in his crimes against the state and the American people, it's that everyone has it in them to do evil, it's NORMAL!

Targeted to teens THE PICTURE PHONE is a CD-ROM publication allowing access to baseball's Dave Dravecky, football's Danny Barrett and has-been felon Chuck Colson.

The copy reads, "Buttons beside the list allow you to call, hang up or mute the message. After you choose the person you want to hear, you will be provided a list of questions. Click the mouse on a question and that will activate the recorded answer from that person."

I wonder if it comes with a plate glass divider to make conversations with Colson more realistic.

In Chuckie's world the innocent lives of the unborn are sacrificed to prolong the depraved lives of those in at-risk groups. That this bitter fiction was penned for profit and gobbled whole by his Christian constituency should prove that calls for compassion and understanding are wasted when there's a dime to be made with Right-wing testerics.

Now why would anyone be upset about Chuckie winning a cool million? Sir John Marks Templeton, of The Templeton Award for Religious Freedom, and of the respected Templeton mutual funds, is the author of at least one crackpot book on the merging of the invisible hand of free market economics and Christian ethics.

Templeton and his son were also good buddies to John G. Bennett, Jr., founder of the now bankrupt Foundation for New Era Philanthropy.(8) In what has been termed a "ponzi scheme" Bennett promised Christian groups that he would double their investments within six months. Bennett was previously a drug-and-alcohol-abuse program administrator (any relation to William Bennett?). He was described as inspiring, warm-hearted and, adds the Wall Street Journal, "had a reputation for Christian values and commitment to Christ."

Bennett filed for bankruptcy with $551 million in liabilities and $80 million in assets. Scores of Christian organizations lost their money to this swindler.

Sounds like Chuckie's associating with a higher class of criminal these days.

Prison Fellowship International

Colson's main site, very nicely done, little salient information.

Prison Fellowship Ministry

A more "local" arm of Colson's group. This one gives more info on politicizing for "Biblically-based justice" and prison industries. I knew there had to be a money-making angle for him in there somewhere.

Way of Life Ministries: "Chuck Colson Organization Spreading Misinformation"

Publishers of O TIMOTHY, a baptist magazine have published an exceptional anti-Colson rant, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. For them he's a radical!

Thank God for Watergate

Now you can have a cassette copy of your own. Find out what prison can do for your flagging publicity. Jump start your own career, in 5 to 10 years.

Breakpoint

Colson's ludicrous writings have been hidden at obscure ftp sites for years, with pleading admonitions to use them in the spirit for which they were intended. Yeah, I promise. Don't get your hopes up with this site, it's one of the biggest UNDER CONSTRUCTION signs on the web.

G. Gordon Liddy

Another patriot sounding off for God and nation

Oliver North

Why, they're just coming out of the woodwork, yet another patriot defending American values and our government.

(2) CHARLES COLSON: Wanted: Christians Who Love Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine

(3) From the Editor: Paradigm "Lost," by Dean Ridings

(4) LIFE STORY, Christian Testimonies on Tape

(5) "The Enduring Revolution," by Charles Colson

(6) CHURCH & HOME SCHOOL: The Old, Old Story Told to a New Generation, By Bob Dasal (CompuServe #74152,714)

(7) PHILIP YANCEY: The Church's New McCarthyism Copyright (c) 1994 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine

(8) NEWS: Ministry Funds Lost in New Era Bankruptcy, By Thomas S. Giles Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine

(9) NEWS: Colson, Publishers Settle Libel Case,Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine, December 1995