All About James Lloyd and the Christian Media Network®

The unauthorized biography by Craig Portwood

Chapter 26

Ralph and Kathy Haaff: The OOPS Show

Ralph Haaff is an bizarre character who played a significant part in the history of Christian Media Network. 

Unrefined, and without a natural sense of what might be called manners, Ralph comes off as abrasive, coarse, and boorish. Ralph Haaff  (Pictured at right with his wife Kathy and Rick Walters)

Ralph is unrefined, and without a natural sense of what might be called manners. Even to the least astute, he comes off as abrasive, coarse, and boorish. Nothing describes his personal attributes, nor illustrates his personality better than his verbal incontinence as relates to his constant use of what must be his favorite word, "CRAP".

Ralph Haaff Jr. was raised as an "Air-Force Brat", being the son of (now retired) Staff Sergeant Ralph Haaff Sr. who settled in Anchorville, Michigan, in the area of Selfridge  Airforce Base where he had served.  Although we do not know much about Ralph Junior's  formal education, it can be safely deduced that he did not apply himself to study, and his poor reading and comprehension skills are most likely a result of his failure to study in his youth.

Ralph was a regular caller years ago on  AM station WXYT  in Southfield, Michigan, (before a change in format) and when he discovered shortwave radio, he began to chime in on the old Republic Radio Network and after Republic folded, on the Genesis Radio Network. 

Ralph finally found his niche on Christian Media Network when James Lloyd requested a volunteer to handle his group.  Ralph and Kathy Haaff were all too eager to have contact with, exercise authority over,  give advice to, and play matchmaker for the listener-ship of the network.  From this platform (after the departure of another "friend" and former "brother" Lee who broke with Ralph early on), Kathy and Ralph began the "OPS Show".

Originally a “patriot type” with survivalist tendencies, Ralph, does not work due to some unspecified disability involving his kidneys and urinary sphincter leaving him without control of his bladder, necessitating the wearing of a urinary catheter. The question has arisen, as to whether he receives any disability payment due to his malady, and Ralph has avoided this question, perhaps because he has berated others who receive any financial sustenance from the government.

Until Ralph comes forward and gives an account of himself in this matter, the question will remain unresolved. He appears to be quite comfortable, being  supported by his wife and his parents with whom they now reside, in the basement of their home at 6365 Bethuy Road, in Ira Township, Michigan (Pictured to the right).

Perhaps the idleness of his infirmity, combined with his own need for recognition, caused him to seek a weekly radio “show” on the network.  This “need" for recognition goes far in explaining why such an individual with so little obvious formal learning, biblical or otherwise, would undertake a task for which he is so ill suited. (Which begs the question: why would anyone with discernment give him a forum to prove it?) It also explains why he is more than reluctant to own up to his own wrongdoing.

It is interesting that Ralph has admitted that he believes his urinary problems are a result of his prayer that God help him surrender his former habit of "cheating on" his wife Kathy (It's difficult I imagine, to "pick up girls" when you have a tube sticking out of the urinary meatus), which would also explain his readiness to accuse me of his former habit of committing adultery.

Ralph Haaff Attacks Rick Walters

My first conflict with Ralph, came in August of 2001, when he had suddenly taken exception to a comment one of the guests had made on the one of the new shows that had been added to the cults network month or two before.

 Hoping to keep the peace, and preserve network unity, I discussed the matter with Susan Lenox, asking if she had any suggestions on how to deal with what I saw to be undue interference into the networks content.  James was at the time on the 2001 Summer Tour. 

We were, at the time dealing with a very nasty forest fire, which had threatened to burn down James and Susan's property and destroy the network equipment.  In addition to the fire as mentioned before, Susan and myself were going up to the canyon daily, above the property, me to swing a pick and, Susan to haul dirt away from the spring head that had stopped the flow of water that we depended on for drinking and other household uses, so this new difficulty was most unwelcome. Susan asked me to do my best to keep a lid on things until James returned.

I called them both separately  to try and smooth over things between them. I called first Ralph and asked him why he was so upset about Rick having a brother named Billy Hoffman on his show as a guest. He replied that Billy had mentioned while he was on the air that he had been blessed by reading a poem written by a young woman named Chantre Rodriguez, who was associated with the man who was at that time Christian Media public Enemy Number One, the aforementioned Chris Blodgett. (Eventually he was supplanted by Steve Quayle, whom I have since replaced in that role.) 

This seemed petty, as Billy mentioning what he considered to be a blessing was fact regardless of the source. For Ralph however, no mention of anyone who was associated with any person at odds with the cult could be tolerated.  Anyone with such associations must be vilified in Ralph's mind, because in his world, no dissent is allowed.  No thought outside of the parameters of approved cult thought patterns should be sanctioned; that is a thought-crime, and thought-crimes equal sin.

Big Brother Haaff cannot fathom reasoning as being anything other than dialectic thought. His "opponents" must accept his opinion, or he will hammer them with stubborn determination until he wears them out to the point where they will either give up to keep the peace, or he will berate them without mercy. I had not yet, come to that understanding. I just thought that since Ralph is not very bright (something he readily admits) he is slow to understand what he is doing, but did it with a "good heart". The bare truth is that he is a bully, and likes bullying as some immature schoolboys without proper upbringing do.

He also complained that he had made several calls to Rick which were not returned, and seemed to feel slighted that Rick did not drop everything he was doing to return the call quickly from an important man such as himself.

Still attempting to be a peacemaker, I called Rick to ask if he had gotten Ralph's message and was told that Ralph had such an insulting tone that Rick (who at that time didn't even know who Ralph was) was in no hurry to get back to him. This is the way Rick Walters (as I found out later) handles confrontation. He has regularly chosen to avoid unpleasant confrontations, and never deals with them directly unless he can do it from a distance. I gave him assurance that Ralph meant well, which I sincerely believed at the time.  

 Eventually, the personal difficulties between Rick Walters and Ralph Haaff were resolved (as Rick backed down) and a close personal friendship began between them, with almost nightly conversations taking place, many times into the early hours of the morning and as a result of Ralph's continual pressure on Rick, things from that time began to deteriorate between Billy Hoffman, and Rick Walters. 

The issue of Billy's support for the 501(c)(3) organization, Voice of the Martyrs, along with Billy's appearance before a meeting of Legislators in Virginia to testify of Jesus Christ, were used as justification for Rick's break in fellowship with Billy.  Feeling somewhat uneasy, but relieved that a major network confrontation had been averted, I chose to focus on some other crisis de jour.

James returned to Jacksonville and I proceeded with my recreational plans. I had booked a flight to Detroit Michigan which was scheduled to depart on Thursday September 6th 2001. Yahweh however had other plans which would supercede my own. Not knowing that in less than a week I would be returning to Oregon, I prepared to enjoy  three weeks of rest and relaxation, and to attend the First Annual Clifty Falls Conference in Madison Indiana. 

Ralph Haaff is well known for going after the cults enemies in his aggressive broadcast, and had received the not totally undeserved label, of the Christian Media Network henchman by  Steve Quayle.  However, Ralph's newfound celebrity had not come without a cost.  He began to be boastful on the air and began to seek more prey, having discovered a taste for blood; he could not seem to go back to the simple, although abrasive persona he had before. 

He continued to seek out others who had for one reason or another in his opinion, slipped out of line and had become game to satisfy his newfound appetite. It is interesting to note, that OPS was the Roman goddess of the earth and fertility.  She is the sister and wife of Saturn. But what's in a name?

Chris Blodgett, Steve Quayle, and Bill Brumbaugh, had been easy targets, and weekly he presented a seemingly endless parade of witnesses to their bad behavior on the Ops show, to keep the frenzy going.  As time went on he had to be content with smaller targets, and he began using the three-hour round table broadcast to pillory those with whom he had disagreed on the air.  One such attack surrounded a man, which had been a network supporter, John Broger (a.k.a. John from Minnesota) with whom he had once been friends. 

John had always seemed to be a thoroughly likeable man, and as sincere a believer as any you would care to know. He had a knowledge of things that seemed to come from the depth of personal experience as opposed to the sometimes superficial text book type, and he had a kind of tenderness about him that did not disappear when confronting those with whom he disagreed. He was a regular caller, and a friend of the network.

However, for Ralph, friends and brothers alike could be discarded easily to satisfy his own ego and sense of self-importance.  It seems that this very attack upon John, and my defense of him, inflamed Ralph's ire.  For this, he sought occasion to attack me for daring to stand up for the truth, and for insisting that we prove all things as the scriptures say. (1st Thessalonians 5:21 )

This incident took place on the Christian Media "Roundtable" broadcast which aired live on Tuesday April 30th, 2002.

Preceding this attack, Ralph Haaff  also accused a man I do not know, except for exchanges on the Network 54 Bulletin Board, named Chuck Mooreland, and his wife Audrey.  Again believing that the attack was unfair, and hoping to avoid the impression that Christian Media Network was in the business of attacking people unfairly, and trying my best to be a good steward of the position I had been given at the network, I insisted upon a fair hearing for the second time and was later attacked off the air for not being on Ralph's side of the issue. 

This disgraceful practice of pillorying someone before others, is a trick the Chinese communists use, attacking people in public, without a fair hearing, and trying to drum up antipathy for the victims and attacking those who might come to their aid in an effort to shout down any opposition. To ridicule those who might insist on Biblical dealing with those who name Christ as their Savior in this fashion has no precedent in scripture, but has a history instead of use in mind control cults.  It is also reminiscent of the secret services of the NKVD, the Cheka and the KGB in the Soviet Union which bully all who oppose their methods by implied threat that, should you get out of line, the same thing could (and would) happen to you.

We are told to come to our brothers privately (that is one on one) with any offense we find against us and then go to two or more brothers if they will not hear you, and lastly to the church.  It is described in Matthew Chapter 18, privately and in humility, as opposed to the more common practice of trying to build a consensus, finding individuals who feel a loyalty to individuals instead of to the truth. 

This practice of going to a brother privately and in humility (as we are commanded in Matthew Chapter 18,) is known in the Christian Media® circle as "Diaprax", (practicing dialectic thought) where a group is pressured to conform to save a relationship, not wanting the other individual (their friend) to be upset.  Often this process is done in whispers, behind the backs of the target so the victim can make no defense (because of the duplicitous nature of gossip), not realizing  they are being attacked. Ralph Haaff and Rick Walters (and others) have no history of going to the brother or sister privately, as we are told in Mathew 18, but instead go to the brethren they plan to use against their target (privately) ,and then go to the target (if at all) having already built a coalition against their target.

I asked Ralph Haaff about this on the air after he had made accusations against John from Minnesota and was told by Ralph that he didn't need to go to John privately because John hadn't “offended” him.  This seemed to me to be dishonest because Ralph did indeed appear to be offended and thought to attack publicly rather than privately.  Apparently, this  (unbeknownst to me at the time) placed me on the Ralph Haaff enemies list, and rather than to let me know privately, as the scriptures command, which he obviously feels is beneath him, he waited for his opportunity to "get even".

I also questioned him about another caller, "Kat" Fruchy, who with her husband Stan, was considered to be an avowed enemy of Christian Media Network, after she complained on the same call-in broadcast, that Ralph Haaff had used a study that was placed on their website, on his Op's broadcast. He was "caught" when they noticed that his bible study used verses were taken not from the King James Version, which Ralph says is the only English version that is inspired of God (as do I), but which is the translation Stan and Kat use. 

 To use the enemy of your friend for convenience sake seems to show poor judgment, laziness, and a lack of discretion, not to mention originality. When asked why he had done so, Ralph admitted to it, and then, stated, “I have repented of that.”  It seems as though Ralph enjoys the luxury of repentance even as he denies it to others.  How embarrassing to be caught red handed on the air, using your enemy's bible study, claiming it to be your own.

In the mean time, he continued to attack publicly individuals who had no opportunity to defend themselves.  I went to Ralph privately and suggested that the scripture “a soft answer turneth away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1) might be appropriate in this situation, and was rebuked for standing with Christian Media Network's "enemies". I told James I could no longer be a part of the so-called “roundtable” because of the performance Ralph gave and the embarrassment I felt personally and for the network.

James then called Ralph and asked him to take a break from the air until things “cooled down” which further infuriated him and gave him more reason to seek revenge upon myself.  However, it was announced on the air that Ralph would be going on a hiatus to “prepare his property” up north, in Michigan's wooded areas.  Once again, it seems that James Lloyd chose the cowards way out, and swept the dirt under the rug, rather than facing  with courage, the unpleasant but necessary task of reigning in his unruly host.

Ralph is just as he says, "a bull in a china cabinet". He is big and kind of (gee how do I say it without sounding mean?) dumb. Aside from a lack of cerebral fortitude, he shares yet another personal "quality" with his pal Rick Walters, that of being without discernment. Always looking for a "fight", Ralph is a bully, who for some unfathomable reason, thinks that being a brutish lout is an admirable, and even a Christian quality.

His spirit and personality represent the finest tradition of the Spanish Inquisition, where unmerited accusation, allegation, and refusal to submit to the "Mother Church" and Pope, were all that were required to justify the most unspeakable acts of cruelty without conviction of conscience.

 This spirit can only be quenched by fire, either by burning it's enemies, or after being thrown into the Lake of Fire and brimstone.

This doctrine of "the end justifies the means" also suits the needs, doctrines, and practices of James Lloyd.

This combative proclivity which both Ralph and his wife Kathy have shown is not limited to outsiders only. There have been many occasions where "one-upmanship" between them has been so keen, that it has sometimes led to friction between the two in public when Ralph tries to assert himself, to the point of their having an argument at the Clifty Falls Gathering of 2002, over which of them would eat the last baked potato. It was a pathetically petty display.

James Lloyd wasted no time in using the willingness of Ralph and Kathy participate in unsavory practices against Lloyd's enemies that James could disavow upon discovery.

On one "Ops Show" in December of 2002, The Haaff's (along with their friend Tom Spencer), began singing mocking "Christmas" songs, and some observers have stated their belief that they were all drunk on the air. I do not know if that was the case, but you can decide for yourself by clicking this link. The audio track is about 3 minutes long, but if it becomes unbearable, you can simply click on the stop button on your media player.

Some songs were indeed strictly Christmas songs, some were not. They also mocked me in song, all with the seal of approval of James Lloyd, who now complains bitterly that he is being "attacked", simply because I have recorded his words, writings, and voice, and presented these records side by side with the admonitions and teachings of Jesus Christ.

At one point, Lloyd had Ralph spy on the hotel room where I had taken residence from a lot next door. He was discovered hiding in the shadows (he's too big to hide!) and scurried away like a cockroach once a spotlight was shined on him. This was not the only "spying assignment" he had undertaken for Lloyd, as we shall see .

It also explains why he is more than reluctant to own up to his own wrongdoing. or his lack of knowledge of the Bible.

Ralph even openly challenged me to a fistfight on the radio. He clamed that I had "provoked" him.

The only provocation I remember an incident which occurred after I had explained to the listeners that “It is easy to get into the flesh when people are lying about you and calling you names on international short wave, but that is not what we are called to do". Getting "into the flesh" does include violence, as well as a number of other behaviors which are motivated by the desires of the "natural man".

I was certain  that the listeners understood (as I had explained on the same broadcast ) that prayer is the only way we can have victory aside from our testimony.

On his next show, Ralph called me by name and said "...if you want to come over to my house and get in the flesh with me, you know where I live!" I Imagine he was inviting me to a fistfight (at least I hope that is what he was talking about, I sure hope he wasn’t inviting me to get into the sheets with him!)

Against every admonition in the Bible we have about how we are called to deal with our neighbors,  here is a self proclaimed "vessel of honor", challenging me to come over to his house and fight him in a display of fisticuffs and violence. I could not believe it, right there on international shortwave radio there he was, inviting me to sin with him, and James Lloyd showed not the slightest bit of embarrassment that this was taking place on his own "Christian" network!

Did Christ teach violence?

In the 3rd Chapter of James we are admonished:

Rick and Ralph: The Reapers of God?

At every step, Ralph continued to offer excuses as to his unsavory on air displays. An example of his unlearned attempts to justify his own un-Christian behavior, can be best illustrated by an "OPS Show" he did in September of 2003.

On that date, Ralph Haaff along with his buddy Rick Walters, began to defend their perennial attack dog routine, by quoting the parable of the man who sowed good seed in his field in Matthew Chapter 13.

The story describes a man who sowed good seed in his field and had an enemy sow weeds while everyone was asleep. His servants ask if they should pull up the weeds, and the master said no, because they might pull up some of the wheat with the tares.

He told them to let both grow side by side and then pull the weeds during harvest time, when identification would be certain, and the wheat would be sufficiently strong to withstand the process of the uprooting of the neighboring tares.

This parable has been used many times by James Lloyd to condemn those who might report the postal fraud that is a regular part of the business practice at Christian Media®. Judging from their behavior, James and his followers do not believe themselves to be under the same restriction.

 Lloyd asserts that anyone who puts their hand against him is in effect judging him to be a tare (a weed) and says that even if he were a tare (which James most piously asserts is not the case), that Christians are not to pull the weeds because the judgment of who is a tare and the job of pulling them belong to Christ and his angels solely.

After that passage was read on that particular Ops Show, they began to assert that they were THE REAPERS  mentioned in that passage! (maybe they meant to say that they were  "rape-ers" which would at least be understandable, though not justifiable.)

By their reckoning, they were OBLIGATED to "pull the tares", which justified all manner of slander, stalking, and interference in the lives of those deemed by James Lloyd and themselves to be operating in the power of the Devil!

James Lloyd of course, neither rebuked, nor corrected them, simply allowing the loose cannons to drift freely aboard the S.S. Christian Media without a care. Why should he care, as long as he could assert the privilege of "plausible deniability", which would insulate him from culpability from all but The Lord?

 He will always pass the buck unless it fits comfortably into his wallet.

I suppose we could accept their assertion as to their place in bible prophecy (overlooking all their other "bad fruit") if not for the fact that Jesus Christ himself spelled out identities of the players in this parable, which seems to exclude Ralph Haaff and Rick Walters as the "reapers" referred to in that scripture.

So if we are to accept the teaching of Ralph Haaff and Rick Walters, they are not mere men, but ANGELS OF GOD,  whom he placed at the disposal of James Lloyd, and ordained to uproot those who question the "authority" that God has so plainly given to the "leader" of Christian Media®. If they truly believe this, how then are they to be called to repentance, seeing that they believe that they are in a position that is "beyond need" of salvation?

If mere men are allowed by doctrine, to elevate themselves to the status of angels, where does it end. Do they attempt to exalt their thrones "above the stars of God"? At what point do we as believers rebuke them for their own good, and if we don't, do we share the blame for those who might be injured spiritually?

Blasphemy

This incident pales in comparison to the open blasphemy uttered during one OPS performance. During that show, in which Rick Walters was a guest of the Haaff's,  Kathy Haaff, in an apparent attempt to bolster Rick Walters image among the listeners (which had taken a beating after Rick's regular diatribe against me had begun to wear thin) stated about Walters, "If you don't know this man, you don't know the Father".

This blasphemous statement was not rebuked by Rick Walters, who assented by his silence. 

Compare the words Jesus Christ spoke of himself in John 14:7:

Is Rick Walters then, "...the way, the truth, and the life?"  Does "...no man come unto the Father", but by Rick Walters?

Likewise, this blasphemous statement was not rebuked by James Lloyd either, who gave his ascent, refusing to correct, rebuke, or condemn the remark! 

Although it is still listed as being part of the network schedule, "The Ops Show featuring Ralph and Kathy Haaff" was removed from the network lineup without fanfare in or about November 2003. James Lloyd has made no public statement about it, and although Ralph had previously been a regular guest on the "Acts One Eight Show", Rick Walters has not had him on his show since.

Whatever the reason, it seems to be a secret.

Rick Walters has since left the network.  The only statement Lloyd has made about him is that Walters left because he didn't agree with the direction Lloyd has taken. In one of his few accurate statements, Lloyd added that Walters "...Doesn't have a clue".

This "Bullying" mentality is being sold to the unsuspecting sheep as the true gospel of Christ. It is instead the "strong-arm"  gospel of thugs. Jesus Christ was NOT a thug roaming about looking for the weaker element to bully.

That description is apt of the "accuser of the brethren" (Revelation 12:10) who "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1st Peter 5:8).

It is this penchant of all associated with Christian Media Network®, which displays not only their willingness, but their eagerness to forge the words of God contained in the Holy Bible, to conform to their own image. This practice is not only given sanction by James Lloyd, but is one which he has employed countless times to justify his own false predictions, vitriolic public displays of temper, and commercial pandering to any doctrine he can sell to the unsuspecting believers as well.

It is perhaps this element of the doctrines of James Lloyd which are the most damaging to the believers in Christ with which they come into contact.

God tells us to conform our thoughts, our actions, and our lives to his Holy Word, that we might bear witness of Him and and his ways, which lead to eternal life.

James Lloyd and those whom represent him as "hosts" on the Christian Media Network®, work without ceasing to make the scriptures conform to their thoughts, actions, and deeds, which can only lead to eternal damnation, and which bear witness as having no discernable difference with the "spirit of the age", which has led mankind to his own destruction for millennia.

It seems as though the Prophets have become Profits in these end times. Rather than being concerned about their brethren, they  are obsessed with being leaders. They look for opportunities to climb a ladder that will burn before they can reach the top. In their zeal to have authority over the flock, they have forgotten what Jesus Christ made known about who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Christianity today has taken the form of multiple, commercial enterprises, all competing for dominance and supremacy, hoping to monopolize a marketplace. In their competitive efforts, they have become mere merchants who peddle whatever the people want, without conscience, justifying the practice with slogans and out of context scriptures. The deceivers are themselves deceived.

This pandering to commercial interests in the name of God has led to excesses and anti-Christian practices and must stop. God will stop it. Are we as believers called to sit in silence while our brothers and sister are injured by all this? If we choose to do nothing and simply turn our eyes away, will we not have their blood on our hands? How then will we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven?

The rewards promised us by our Savior are much too important to be endangered by petty, picayune attitudes which will not survive Judgment Day. The very real sorrow of all those who once believed but were drawn away from the truth because of real or imagined personal sleights will be felt for eternity.

The spirit of mankind has already demonstrated its corruptibility and greed. Should we not all surrender our loyalty to and faith in men, to Christ anew? 

It is my hope that we ALL place it the God of Heaven and Earth, trusting the sacrifice His Son made for all of us to wash us from the uncleanness of the flesh by walking away from the hopes of this life and the things that are only important in this world, in repentance and obedience to Him.

What is YOUR hope?