[Theme music playing]
**
Good evening.
I'm Helen Mirren, and you're watching "Documentary Now!"
season 52.
Now, what causes someone to start a cult?
And what causes someone to join one?
In 1980, a man known as Father Ra-Shawbard,
and his followers descended upon a small town in Oregon
to build a utopian community.
What followed is one of the strangest stories
in American law enforcement history.
This is "Batshit Valley."
**
Man: Even now, knowing what I know,
I have no regrets about my time as a Shawbardite.
**
My only regret is that Father Ra-Shawbard was born
before the world was ready for his message.
**
Woman: Being with Father Ra-Shawbard
was like having a wonderful dream.
And when you wake up and tell people about the dream,
only then do you realize how foolish it was.
Woman: Chinook is named for
the Indians who settled this land.
They would never have let anyone take it away from them, so...
why would we?
**
It's easy to look back and say we took it too far.
But when your town is under siege,
you'll do anything you can to protect it.
Woman: People always say if I had been nicer
to the townspeople,
none of this would have happened.
Maybe I would have been nicer to the townspeople
had they not been so fat and stupid.
**
Man: Chinook, Oregon, is a quiet town --
one not accustomed to visitors.
So it was quite a surprise two weeks ago
when strangers dressed in yellow and black
started arriving by the busloads.
**
They call themselves Shawbardites,
and they are followers of this man,
Father Ra-Shawbard,
a self-proclaimed spiritual leader
who is now calling Chinook home.
Woman: The sign to the gate at Shawbard Valley Ranch
says, "Everyone welcome."
And the days are filled with meditation,
light stretching, and meals prepared from their own garden.
But here at the Shawbard Valley Ranch,
the Shawbardites only eat the vegetables
after the vegetables give permission.
And it seems as though we're here on a good day,
as all of the vegetables have okayed themselves
for consumption.
**
The whole thing sounded pretty out there to me.
But at that point, it wasn't like they were bothering anyone.
**
Woman: It's strange to think
how things could have been so different
without that sign.
When I heard on the news that they talk to food,
I thought this would be the funniest sign.
People seem to like it.
It's been getting smiles from a lot of my customers.
Oh, that's lovely, yeah.
It's funny, though. Uh-huh.
When I read about the sign in the grocery store,
I was very upset. It was very disrespectful.
Very disrespectful. Very disrespectful.
I know they say that sign on the apples just proved
that we were dead-set against them from the beginning,
but, honestly, I don't think any of us
were upset that they were here.
You know, we were just wondering why they were here.
**
Ra-Shawbard was my father.
I had a biological father, but he wanted me to have a job
and take on responsibilities.
He never understood me.
But Father Ra-Shawbard did.
He just wanted me to be free and happy.
And isn't that what a father is supposed
to want for his children?
And that's why it was an honor to give him the money
my real father gave me when he died.
I first saw Father Ra-Shawbard in a newspaper ad.
Woman: The words on the ad were so simple,
but so profound --
purify, elevate, liberate.
I called the number, and they gave me an address to send $40
for some tapes of Father speaking.
I sent it in, and when it didn't arrive,
I called back and they said they didn't know what had happened,
and I should try again.
I sent more money, and the tapes came.
Anyone who listened to those tapes...
had their life changed.
There is the world we see,
but there's also a second world that we do not.
How do we unlock the door for that world?
And if there's a second world, could there be a third one?
A fourth one?
Could there be a sixth world?
I ordered a new tape every week.
And on my 20th, I received an invitation to
Shawbard Valley Ranch, and I never looked back.
**
* Babe, I want to tell you
Woman: By the second day,
I had completely forgotten about my husband
and two children that I left behind.
* I fell in love with you
* Ooh
* In the air, we can fly
* In the sea, we can dive
* Together, we could get high
**
Ra-Shawbard: This is your home.
But in order for it to truly be your home,
you have to abandon all the trappings
of your former life.
So I ask all of you to write down the names of
your family members that you are leaving behind...
and put them in this basket.
Along with their Social Security Number
and their banking information.
And then you will be free.
* I fell in love with you
Man: We had created a paradise.
* Fell in love with you
**
And I think we would still be there
if it wasn't for those awful townspeople.
**
Man: They'd have you believe we started the ill will.
But in the beginning, we actually tried to engage
with the Shawbardites.
Woman: Well, I would argue that we went out of our way
to make them feel welcome.
Oh, yeah, cover up that bird's head, we don't need--
The only problem was they were having these orgies.
And, hey, I don't have a problem with orgies.
If that is your thing, more power to you.
But they were very loud.
Well, we had to have a town meeting to discuss the...
orgies.
It was decided that I would go up to the ranch
and see if I could convince them to...
you know, at the very least, close their windows.
But it did not go well.
Hello there.
I'm Marge Middleton. I'm Mayor of Chinook.
Yes, we know who you are.
Well, we just wanted to formally welcome you.
Is there something that we can help you with, Marge Middleton?
Their spokesperson was a woman named Ra-Sharir,
and she was not an easy person to deal with.
Well, it's about the orgies.
And?
I'm sorry, have I done something to offend you?
We saw your sign.
What sign is that?
The one in the grocery store.
"We are happy to be here, love, the apples."
Gosh, that's just Pam doing her Pam thing.
I hope you weren't offended by that.
Oh, you will know when I am offended.
You will know.
Now, please disperse.
This is a private property.
So, you know, we went home.
**
You know, I think we would have been willing to chalk it up
to different world views, but...
that night, they installed a speaker system
and hooked it up to the orgy room.
[Amplified moaning]
**
They used a lot of specific words about body parts and...
and where they wanted them put.
**
The next morning, I did what I had to do.
I issued them a $100 fine for violating the sound ordinance.
Man: A lousy hundred bucks.
They treated it like an act of war.
It's only been a month, but tensions are starting
to rise between the town of Chinook and the Shawbardites,
who don't seem to want to follow their rules.
[Echoing] This is not about sound.
No!
This is about one religion exerting power
over another religion.
Woman: Most of us were of the mind
that Ra-Sharir was overreacting.
And, mercifully, Father agreed.
We are not here to make enemies.
We're here to make peace with ourself.
The world has enough aggression and escalation
without us adding to it.
Plus, I don't think we want people
digging around in our thing.
Do...
What do you guys think?
**
Well, she paid the fine.
I came into my office the next day to find
$100 worth of pennies spilled all over my desk.
There was also a dead snake, but it was just a little one.
**
Man: Halloween.
It's usually a night where the town gets together
for some spooks and scares.
But tonight, the spooks and scares
were a little too real as Ra-Sharir,
a member of the Shawbardites,
made it clear that when it comes to judging carved pumpkins,
Mayor Middleton doesn't know jack...
'o-lantern.
It is my honor to announce that this year's Pumpkin Patch Pal
is Sally Walters!
Congratulations.
What?! What madness is this?
Are you the Mayor of Stupid?
Man: Sit down.
You sit down!
All of you sit down.
Nobody thinks that is the best pumpkin.
No one!
Give me one reason why my pumpkin is not the winner!
Now, I'll concede that Ra-Sharir had a well-carved pumpkin,
but it didn't seem right to award an adult
for what was clearly a children's contest.
Ra-Sharir, you're an adult.
And this isn't a contest for adults.
Where does it say that?
Huh? Show me in the rules where does it say that?
I demand to speak with someone.
You want to talk with someone?
Yeah.
I'll admit, I said something I shouldn't have,
but I was upset, and it just came out.
Why don't you go talk to your vegetables.
[Laughter]
Man: There was no doubt that Marge hit a nerve.
We all assumed it was only a matter of time
before Ra-Sharir retaliated.
Man: A break-in last night
at the local paper here in Chinook,
nothing stolen, nothing broken.
But something added to today's paper --
an obituary for the still very alive Mayor Marge Middleton.
There was no proof that Ra-Sharir did it.
But it was definitely in her voice.
**
"Today, Marge Middleton lost her long battle with stupidity.
She will not be remembered by her friends and family,
as they are too stupid to do so.
Services will be held wherever stupid people are buried."
Man: Yeah, you had to give Marge credit.
She kept her cool through the whole thing.
Right up until the story went national.
Tonight, a small town in Oregon may lose its name,
thanks to the efforts of newcomers
who intend to use the power of the ballot box.
We are currently in the process of registering our members
to vote in the next municipal election.
The first act of our majority will be to give this town
a name worthy of its beautiful surroundings...
"Ra-Shawbarda."
Man: They had the votes. There was no doubt.
But Marge saw the writing on the wall,
and God love her, she took action.
We felt that for the next nine months,
there was a more fitting name.
Man: For over 200 years, this small part of Oregon
has been known as Chinook.
But today, it has a new name.
When motorist enter town, they will see this sign
as they drive into
Ra-Shawbard's Butthole.
Woman: You heard me right, the new name of the town
is Ra-Shawbard's Butthole.
I thought it was pretty funny.
But I had never seen Ra-Sharir more angry.
This is a sacrilege!
This is the mockery of a holy man!
A man of who every part is sacred,
including his butthole,
of which this town knows nothing.
Father had already admonished Ra-Sharir once,
so we just assumed
he would put his foot down to stop her escalation.
**
But this was when we started to realize,
something was...
off with him.
[Muttering indistinctly]
**
Woman: He was always in a daze.
And he seemed unable to walk.
So his chair was attached to a motorized wheelchair
that brought him on stage.
Man: This was when Ra-Sharir announced
that he had taken a vow of silence.
Father will use his silence
to contemplate solutions
to what plagues this world.
Okay.
It was such a trusting place that I don't think it ever
occurred to any of us that his diminished state,
followed by his vow of silence
had been chemically induced by Ra-Sharir.
**
Man: Ra-Sharir had always been Father Shawbard's mouthpiece,
but now she was taking control of his checkbook.
I always felt like we were using our money
to make a better life for ourselves.
But now she spent it to make lives worse for others.
Well, if the people of what was formerly Chinook
were looking for a reaction with their name change,
they got one.
It seems that the Shawbardites
have been secretly purchasing
all the land around the town
and now have it encircled.
Man: Heck, I tip my cap to their ingenuity.
Buying up land is the American Goddamn dream.
But now they've installed these speed bumps.
So many speed bumps that at 500-feet worth to be exact.
We decided to take the News 9 van
over the speed bumps to give you an idea
of what it feels like.
Back to you, Bob.
It was destroying our mufflers.
And then to make matters worse,
the Shawbardites had secretly purchased the town muffler shop
and converted it into a green juice stand.
Ra-Sharir: I think the people of this town
should see this as an opportunity.
If your muffler shop is closed, buy green juice.
You'll be healthier and happier.
You're a monster!
What are you gonna leave us alone?
Why don't you go back to your butthole!
This is America.
You cannot open a juice bar in a muffler shop.
I don't care who your god is, you need permits.
Man: They used to fix mufflers, then they served juice.
Then the juice was muffled.
But have we heard the last of it?
This is war.
We figured war meant she'd T.P. the grade school.
**
Ra-Sharir: Advance! Positions.
Man: We didn't think she'd go so far as to arm themselves.
Fire!
[Gunfire]
It was terrifying!
Man: It was a scary time.
The shooting range was very near the room we had orgies in.
And more than once, a bullet came through the wall.
It was clear that the only person
who could stop Ra-Sharir was Father Ra-Shawbard.
But he was out of it.
He was certain that Ra-Sharir had been giving him a cocktail
of Valium and barbiturates.
He said he need to speak to the whole community,
but he would need something to get his energy back.
It did surprise me that a man
who spoke of the purity of mind and soul had cocaine.
A good deal of cocaine,
as it turns out, in his bedside drawer.
Ra-Shawbard: Yeah, talky, talky, talky.
Back back, baby back.
They think I can't hear, but I hear everything.
I hear the mice think, I hear the plugs conspiring,
and I realize in my silence,
that I am not communing with God.
I am God, and my power will be challenged
by no man and no mouse.
Woman: In the state he was in,
it was easy for Ra-Sharir to manipulate him.
This is wonderful news!
I believe she convinced him to prove that he was a god.
Ra-Sharir: Today, Father Ra-Shawbard
will prove his divinity
by allowing an automobile to harmlessly pass
through his corporeal body.
-Who? -You, Father.
Man: One of the Shawbardites jumped in a car
and barreled down towards Father Ra-Shawbard,
who was going to prove to us that he was a god.
I should have said something,
but I actually believed it might be true.
And if it was, I wanted to see it.
**
Where... Where are you going?
Send someone to get my blue hat.
I'm a little chilled.
[Engine revving]
Ra-Sharir?
Oh, my God!
**
Woman: It was troubling
that he was asking for a hospital,
as he had sworn off the use of modern medicine.
And then...
he said the words that brought our whole world crashing down.
And after we heard that...
you are surprised with what happened next?
**
* Got together
* Splendors of before
* When you go down
Breath is the answer to everything.
Oh, yeah.
Feel it?
Look up to the sky.
Let your body feel it.
Oh, yes.
Oh.
Feeling it this morning.
Body's saying thank you.
Gracias.