114. Manson's "Order of the Rainbow"

Some (i.e., Nikolas Schreck and Adam Gorightly) claim this clothing, which was part of Charles Manson's "Order of the Rainbow," was inspired by Krishna Venta's Fountain of the World.

Yeah, no one had ever worn clothing like that before...

113. Cool Krishna Venta photo

"The Culture of Simi Valley" (http://home.earthlink.net/~ridevirago/Blank%20Page%2013.htm) includes some cool photographs, including the one above. I've intentionally not posted this photo here in times past. However, seeing that it's already posted on Earthlink, what the hey...

112. John Ankerberg and Krishna Venta

One of the strangest mentions of the Fountain is found in an essay by Dr. John Ankerberg entitled "Satanism and Witchcraft: The Occult and the East—Part 2."

(See http://www.ankerberg.com/Articles/_PDFArchives/new-age/NA3W0604.pdf)

The excerpt is as follows:

Nevertheless, a major justification for such vicious murders was provided by Eastern philosophy and texts, a philosophy which is, unfortunately, increasingly permeating Western society: Charles Manson had claimed to be Jesus Christ, but he was also much influenced by Indian ideas which filtered through to him through such sects as OTO, "The Process," and "The Fountain of the World." From these ultimately Indian sources he derived the theory of reincarnation and karma.

As best I can determine from his footnotes, Ankerberg comes by his knowledge of the Fountain via R.C. Zaehner’s book Our Savage God: The Perverse Use of Eastern Thought, which in turn gets its facts about the Fountain from...you guessed it...Ed Sanders’ The Family.

(See http://krishnaventa.blogspot.com/2008/11/16-ed-sanders-and-family.html)

111. The Fountain and Jonestown

Yesterday, I caught a documentary on MSNBC about Jim Jones titled "Witness to Jonestown." It reminded me that I've been intending to post here a listing of the former members of Krishna Venta's WKFL Fountain of the World who died alongside Jones in the Guyanese jungle in 1978.

1. Erma Winfrey - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=962

2. David Elbert Vester Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=718

3. Gladys Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=720

Sadly, David & Gladys Smith's children also died in Jonestown:

1. Jeffrey Dale Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=722

2. Kelin Kirtas Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=725

3. Krista Lynn Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=729

4. Michael Vail Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=730

5. Karl Wayne Smith - http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/WhoDied/bio.php?Id=724

110. Just a random photo...

...taken during the relocation to Alaska. Krishna Venta (giving the "A-OK" signal) appears to be in a good mood.

109. More gossip presented as fact...

Then there's William H. Kennedy's book Satanic Crime: A Threat in the New Millennium (http://www.williamhkennedy.com/mvmsatanic1006A.pdf) that offers that the Fountain of the World's site was completely abandoned by the time the Manson Family was there. Of the Fountain, Mr. Kennedy writes:

This weird sect flourished in the 1950s and was founded by a religious con man named Krishna Venta (Francis Pencovic) who, like Charlie, thought he was Jesus Christ and demanded to be worshipped as God in sex rituals. He also asserted he was 244,000 years old and insisted he was immortal. Krishna Venta contended he was Christ Everlasting and seduced many of his female followers. In 1958, he died in a massive dynamite explosion ignited by the husbands of the women he was using in sex rituals. Whereas Pencovic only wanted to dominate a few followers for sexual purposes, Manson had much higher ambitions. (p. 21)

Dang! If even half of that were true, my book when published would explode off of bookstore shelves!

108. Wrong!

This weblink (http://www.chacha.com/question/what-was-the-name-of-the-manson-family-commune) poses the question "What was the name of the Manson family commune?" The answer, per this site anyway, is "The Fountein [sic] of the World commune in Box Canyon, CA."

Uh...wrong!

107. Mt. Redoubt errupts!

Mt. Redoubt, the volcano on Krishna Venta's beloved Kenai Peninsula, seems to be restless. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090323/ap_on_re_us/alaska_volcano_6

106. Random photo...

...courtesy of the U.S. Secret Service/Department of Homeland Security I've been meaning to include here.

105. March 29, 2009

While I was thinking about it, I thought I'd mention that Sunday, March 29, 2009 would have been Krishna Venta's/Francis Pencovic's 98th birthday...had he not been murdered in 1958...

104. Meanwhile...

...Manson lives to be an old man...

103. Documentary regarding Box Canyon

Just a quick entry to let it be known that Back From Mars Productions is currently at work on a documentary about the history of Box Canyon tentatively titled "The Box - The History and Mystery of Box Canyon, California."

The film, I'm told, will feature a brief segment on Krishna Venta and the WKFL Fountain of the World.

The moderator of this blog has provided documents and data to the producers of this documentary regarding the history of both the Fountain and Krishna Venta.

Can't wait to see it!

102. Additional perspective (George Reeves)

In a continuing effort to provide those blog readers who were not around in 1958 with some perspective regarding what the landscape of America was like when Krishna Venta died, it must be noted that this coming June will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of actor George Reeves. The actor died within six month of the explosion that killed Krishna Venta, et al. From everything the moderator has heard and read, the day Reeves died was apparently a pretty traumatic one for the kids of America.

Those wanting to learn more about the life and death of George Reeves are encouraged to seek out Jan Alan Henderson's book Speeding Bullet, which is a much more responsible piece of journalism than is Hollywood Kryptonite.

101. Freebie regarding Jewel

In the course of researching my book, I've discovered that Ruth & Yule Kilcher (below), the grandparents of singer/songwriter Jewel Kilcher (above) made frequent visits to the Homer, Alaska branch of the Fountain of the World in the 1950s.

Of course, they were not alone. As a registered nurse, Fountain member Neria Kamenoff was about the only medical professional in the area at the time. Hence, a lot of people in and around Homer, including the Kilchers, made the trek to the Fountain just to see her.

100. Boston University

http://sthweb.bu.edu/index.php?option=com_awiki&view=mediawiki&article=Krishna_Venta&Itemid=360

Pretty cool: the Wikipedia text I wrote regarding Krishna Venta is now included at the Boston University School of Theology's website. (See above)

Three of the links included at the Wikipedia Krishna Venta page, as well as the above link, are mine:

1. Link to the International Cultic Studies Association article;

2. Link to this blog; and

3. Link to the semi-defunct Yahoo Group.

99. Hmmm....

98. Burma

The Fountain of the World owned a Burma truck such as this...and it apparently broke down with great regularity...

97. Paul Coates

In the weeks before his death, Krishna Venta was interviewed by Paul Coates on the latter's Los Angeles television program.

96. Krishna Venta in Worcester, Mass.

And another photo provided to me by David Lackstrom, this one featuring Krishna's wife, Ruth Venta.

95. Krishna Venta in Worcester, Mass.

Another photo provided to me by David Lackstrom.

94. Krishna Venta in Worcester, Mass.

This photo was one of three provided to me by David Lackstrom.

93. Portrait of Krishna Venta by Reuben Lackstrom

This portrait of Krishna Venta was painted by Reuben Lackstrom in the 1940s. You will note Krishna Venta's hair is shorter in this portrait than in later photos.

The artist's son, David Lackstrom, has provided to me several source documents, as well as information and remembrances. This is truly appreciated!

92. Brochure photo

This photo, which has also been posted at the Wikipedia entry, is taken from a Fountain brochure printed in the 1950s. Albeit in weather-worn shape, I am proud to say the brochure is today in my possession.

91. Additional perspective (Barbie)

Additional perspective regarding what was happening in America when Krishna Venta died: the Barbie doll from Mattel was introduced fifty years ago this week...approximately ten weeks after the death of Krishna Venta.

By the way, the week Krishna Venta died, "Charlie Brown" by The Coasters was tearing its way up the music charts.