Follow Up - "Church or Cult?"

KPHO CBS News5/March 16, 2004
By Chris Hayes

Controversy at the Chandler Ostrich Festival Parade.

During the festival's parade, a valley church used images of the twin towers to pursuade people to become 'born again.'

It was sponsored by a church called 'The Door' -- an evangelical church that began in Prescott, Arizona.

One of the ministers said they brought a confrontational message because he believes they're running out of time.

James Martinez said, "Especially since we're living in the last days nobody wants to you know hear what Jesus -- he really wants to be in their lives."

Martinez added, "I believe that the Anti-Christ is setting his stage up right at this moment that we're talking about."

He's one of hundreds of members from the Door Christian Center church who walked the Chandler Ostrich Festival Parade.

A member yelled from a loudspeaker, "Tonight you have an opportunity to ask Jesus yourself into your heart."

Members spread messages that no matter what church you go to -- "..you must be born again to enter heaven."

"I grew up in church. I was two faced my friend, acting like an angel in church, acting like a devil in school," another member could be heard from the loudspeaker.

Many crowd members thought the church had a right to participate in the parade, but questioned the message.

Crowdmember Patty McCrary said, "It was almost like it was an angry type of narrative rather than a peaceful type of narrative.

The 5i-Team reported on this Arizona based church in February, which many people accuse of brainwashing members.

A five-year-old Girl said, "I think they're going to do it again if I go back."

Back in 19-96, family court judge ruled the five-year-old Indiana girl could never go back to the church.

The girl said a Prescott, Arizona pastor dressed as the devil and made her put her hands in a bucket of blood.

Pastor Dan Mazon responded, "That's the problem with this generation that does not understand fear."

Some members of 'The Door' out at the parade said their church's message is what got them away from drugs and crime.

Most members know all about the allegations they're a brainwashing cult.

Several of them compare that criticism to the attacks on early