Editing Concerned Christians

{{Short description|Christian terrorist group}}
Monte Kim Miller formed a group known as the '''Concerned Christians''' in [[Colorado]], during the 1980s. Created to combat [[New Age]] religious movements and anti-Christian sentiment, it has shifted to more of an [[apocalypticism|apocalyptic]] [[Christianity|Christian]] movement as the group adopted the less mainstream views of the [[millennium]] held by Miller.<ref | name="RelTolerance">{{cite web | url= http://www.religioustolerance.org/dc_conc.htm | title= The "Concerned Christians" Cult – Originally of Denver CO | accessdate= 2008-05-28 | author= B.A. Robinson | publisher= Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance | date= 2002-02-20 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070630171607/http://www.religioustolerance.org/dc_conc.htm | archive-date= 2007-06-30 | url-status= usurped }}</ref> The group has been described as a terrorist group and is now inactive.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/concerned-christians|title=Concerned Christians {{!}} Terrorist Groups {{!}} TRAC|newspaper=Trac|language=en|access-date=2018-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217082449/https://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/concerned-christians|archive-date=2018-02-17|url-status=live}}</ref> They believe all Jews should be converted to Christianity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/dc_conc.htm|title=The Concerned Christians cult|access-date=2018-02-16|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703071019/http://www.religioustolerance.org/dc_conc.htm|archive-date=2017-07-03|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

== Beliefs and values ==
The Concerned Christians believe that the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|collapse of the Soviet Union]] in 1991 signaled "[[Christian eschatology|the time of the end]]". They interpret many biblical passages regarding the apocalypse through the lens of political events in world history. It is stated that they believe that the [[President of the United States|office of the U.S. President]] is the seat of the [[Antichrist]]. For example, in what is titled ''The Seed of Abraham'', the group reports that [[Abraham Lincoln]], the 16th President of the United States, was the archetypal Antichrist and helped build the "Babylonian nation that leads the entire world astray". They see [[American patriotism]] as a "foolish" compromise to their Christian beliefs. Founder, Monte "Kim" Miller proclaimed that he was "the Prophet of the Lord", and that [[God in Christianity|God]] spoke through his mouth.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Kim Miller Concerned Christians - Unsealing Bible Prophecy|url = http://www.kimmillerconcernedchristians.com/|website = www.kimmillerconcernedchristians.com|access-date = 2016-02-22|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160301003053/http://kimmillerconcernedchristians.com/|archive-date = 2016-03-01|url-status = live}}</ref>

A 1999 article published by ''[[The Guardian]]'' described it as originally an [[anti-cult movement|anti-cult group]] which worked alongside the police and established churches "to preach against the dangers of mind control by extreme religious groups" before at some later point turning itself into a cult.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharrock |first1=David |last2=Borger |first2=Julian |date=4 January 1999 |title=Case of cult-fighter who changed sides awakens Israelis to millennium danger |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/jan/04/davidsharrock.julianborger |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref>

== Arrest and deportation by Israeli authorities ==
After Miller predicted a city-ending earthquake in 1998, which did not occur, members of the cult began leaving Colorado and moving to Jerusalem.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brovsky-Eaker |first=Jess |date=2021-04-06 |title=A Brief History of a Colorado Cult |url=https://www.lawweekcolorado.com/article/a-brief-history-of-a-colorado-cult/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=Law Week Colorado |language=en-US}}</ref>

Between 60 and 80 members of the group disappeared from their homes and jobs in [[Colorado]] in October 1998 and were the subject of a search. On January 3, 1999, they gained notoriety when they were arrested and deported from [[Israel]] as part of an Israeli effort to protect the [[Qibli Mosque|Al-Aqsa mosque]] from extremist [[Christians|Christian]] groups, codenamed "Operation Walk on Water". According to Israeli police, the Concerned Christians were one of several independent groups who believed it must be destroyed to facilitate the return of [[Jesus Christ]]. The group members said that they were law-abiding religious pilgrims there to await the return of Jesus but had no plans to participate in any illegal activity.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/251815.stm |title=Cult members deported from Israel |access-date=2008-05-28 |date=1999-01-09 |publisher=BBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001201356/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/251815.stm |archive-date=2009-10-01 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9901/03/israel.cult.arrests.02/index.html |title=Apocalyptic Christians detained in Israel for alleged violence plot |accessdate=2008-05-28 |date=1999-01-03 |publisher=CNN |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070718135431/http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9901/03/israel.cult.arrests.02/index.html |archivedate=July 18, 2007 }}</ref>

The group is said to currently reside in [[Greece]] or the [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]] area and its potential threat level has since been disputed.<ref | name="RelTolerance" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.kimmillerconcernedchristians.com/ Official Website]

[[Category:Apocalyptic groups]]
[[Category:Christian denominations founded in the United States]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in the 1980s]]
[[Category:1980s establishments in Colorado]]