The first week of February, I had the most bizarre experience of my life. I don’t know how it will play out, but I thank God I came home alive. Here’s what happened, with a bit of context.
In early December, I got an email from someone claiming to work for a video production company working on a documentary on climate change and energy policy. The producers said they appreciated Cornwall Alliance’s perspective and wanted to include it in the “round-table discussion.”
After two months of emails and phone calls with him and another person working with that company, we agreed that, covering my expenses, they would fly me to a city, with a representative of another organization, to record some of what would go into that documentary. Shortly before the recording date, however, they said the other person couldn’t come then, so they’d record me alone and him later.
So, on February 5 I flew to that city, where they put me up in a hotel. They’d told me the recording studio they would use and gave me its address. I Googled and saw photos of multiple big, sparkling white buildings and a nice parking lot. I planned to Uber to it.
But the next morning, they instead arranged an Uber to a Starbucks, where I met with a woman who purported to be their field producer. Afterward, she drove me to the filming location—only, when we got there, I thought, “That sure doesn’t look like what I saw at that address online.” As I recall it, this building was largely black or charcoal gray, with graffiti all over it, and the parking lot was in bad need of repair. I felt suspicious, but I was too trusting to back out.
Then another purported member of their staff led me inside. I’d expected a business-like setting, with a table and chairs and an interviewer dressed in “business casual”—which they’d asked me to wear. What I found was a dingy place with a backdrop that I can only describe as psychedelic (though I must admit I’m not graphically inclined, so that might not be the best word for it), and a couple of chairs angled toward each other, with two video cameras and cameramen positioned toward opposite ends of the stage and angled in on the two chairs.
And the interviewer? He was wearing a clown’s suit!
They said they’d decided to appeal to children and youth and had found this interviewer, who had, they said, a TikTok channel with millions of viewers. (My attempt to find him later failed.) The aim, they said, was to help calm young people’s fears about climate change.
I guess I was too guileless to realize what was up. I did the interview. But most of the questions were absurd to the point of ridiculous. I worked hard to say intelligent, interesting answers comprehensible to children, and several times I wove in the gospel and the message that if we fear God we need fear nothing else, but it was a challenge.
Then, after about 20 minutes, the interviewer stood and announced that he was going to change into another clown costume, hanging on a barrier just off stage. He asked me to hand it to him, and I figured, “Well, this is really strange, but I can be helpful,” so I did. He stripped down to underpants and socks, on stage, and put on the new outfit. After about another 15 minutes of interview, he stood and said he was going to change outfits again, which he did, again stripping to underpants and socks.
But this time he said I must do the same. I refused. They tried to persuade me, but they finally gave up, and we finished the interview—during some of which he began imitating mice, lions, or other animals, explaining that this was to hold the attention of the young TikTok audience, who would see his face transformed into the animals’ faces. He’d rattle out some such sound for a few seconds and then look to me to say something in response. A few times I tried to just say something intelligent about the intended subject, but much of the time I just looked puzzled and even laughed.
When the interview finally ended, they had an Uber take me to a rental car agency where I had a car reserved, since rather than flying home I’d be driving to a speaking engagement scheduled for the next day.
By now I was, I confess, traumatized. Clearly they hadn’t done what they’d said they would do, and they hadn’t recorded where they’d said they’d record, and they had about an hour’s worth of video of me struggling hard to say sensible things in response to questions and antics that were anything but sensible—and they could do anything they wanted with it.
Later I realized I had been wholly in their keeping, potentially in danger, because no one else I knew, not even my wife, knew where they’d taken me.
So, I thank God I came home alive—after a blessed time the next day with the wonderful leadership staff of a church along the way home, who encouraged and prayed for me before, as previously scheduled, I spoke to them.
I don’t know what will be done with that video footage. Will it surprise me by accurately depicting my words about climate and energy? Or, by creative video editing, will it make me look stupid, evil, or both? I suspect this is part of an orchestrated campaign to make climate realists, or climate skeptics—people who, like me, challenge the catastrophist narrative about climate change—look foolish, or worse. If that’s so, the aim is undoubtedly to discredit not only me personally but also the Cornwall Alliance
I wait and see. In the future, I’ll investigate more thoroughly before accepting future invitations to speak or be interviewed. But one thing this experience reinforced for me, and I hope it will impress on you as well, is that Cornwall Alliance’s battles are not just scientific, political, or economic, but spiritual as well, and prayer and the wise use of God’s Word in Scripture are crucially important. God is in control, working all things together toward good for those who love Him. I pray the Holy Spirit will use the words of the gospel, which I spoke to my hosts, to bring them to repent and trust in Jesus for forgiveness of their sins and reconciliation with God. Please join me in that prayer.
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash.
Mark Landsbaum says
Cal, that’s about the strangest thing I’ve heard in a long time.
Did these people have an organizational name or something they are affiliated with?
It would be a service if you could provide readers those names, locations, affiliations, etc. Who knows how many people they practice this ghoulish bait and switch on.
I’ll join you in your prayer, but add to it a prayer of gratitude that dthe experience didn’t get even uglier. That’s an experience way too close to very disturbing for comfort.
Allison Martinez says
Wow. Truly nuts. I am thankful you are alive and well, praying with you for those involved.
May God continue to protect and provide for you, your family, and this ministry.
Sincerely,
Allison Martinez
Jock Elliott says
Dr. Beisner,
Sounds like you were the victim of some sort of “op.”
It might be good if you shared the particulars . . . the name of the production company, etc., so that others might avoid them.
It also sounds to me like the Cornwall Alliance folk might benefit from some security training.
peace blessings says
I’m so sorry you had to endure the entrapment and abuse by that obviously evil group. Psalm 140 speaks about the spiritual abusers that attack us every day, especially if/when we are people doing God’s work in the public arena. “The plans of the wicked will come to NOTHING!”
Brian Is Praying says
I would strongly encourage you to insist, in the future, to only agree to meet with people you don’t know; in public – and WITH someone you trust. Jesus sent them out in 2’s.
Garner says
Wow. I also thank God that you are safe. Also thankful that you can point to a body of work ~ plenty of video interviews, and articles that clearly explain your positions, those of Cornwall Alliance, and the good work that you do. Also thankful that you are willing to share a horrible experience in order to warn others to be on guard. May God continue to protect you and bless you in your work to share the Gospel and provide integrity to discussions on climate.
MC says
I’m glad you were not harmed. The lies and deception they used are certainly right in keeping with the “science” they claim to follow. The reprobate mind of the morally insensate in Romans 1:28 knows no shame.
Steven Doyle says
That sounded horrifying. You are fortunate to be safe and sound now. Regardless of their nefarious intentions during the interview or in the future, you need a security adviser from this point forward. May God continue to Bless you and your work.
John Droz, jr. says
Cal: As a man of God, I’m sure you know that God was looking after you the whole time. You were given a brief glimpse of the underbelly of the beast.
It is puzzling why they went to that much trouble to pull off such a charade. You’re lucky that the airfare and hotel were actualy paid for. The Big Guy has a plan, and in time you’ll know what this was about…
Sam K says
Perhaps it’s these clowns. Glad to hear you’re safe!
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/prankster-activists-mobilize-clown-army-take-climate-change
Sam says
Clown protester
https://youtu.be/psRuhwkwt5Q?si=bFbajMguY3vHcO-X
David Konkol says
I don’t believe this is the end of the story. I bellieve some group that opposes what you do now has video and audio tapes that they are prepared to doctor and distort to use to discredit you and your organization. I wish you had walked out as soon as the venue was changed. But I would strongly encourage you now to talk to those with legal and social media and technoligy credentials and perhaps law enforcement to investigate this group.
Corey Reynolds says
A bit like Daniel with the lions, isn’t it? We’ll pray that all of the wicked plans of these foolish people will come to ruin.
David King says
Continue to speak the truth. Truth and honesty will win in the long run. Deception and half truths (lies)will fall away.
Ephesians 3:10+11. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
https://www.biblegateway.com Eph.3.10,Eph.3.11
Greg Robertson says
Cal, I work in prison ministry and these people remind me of the worst people of all who go to prison. They are the kind of people who would never go to a Christian prison ministry event or who might only attend to take advantage of the Christians in some way if they could.
It is a good thing you did not agree to dress up in some kind of costume. With tricky camera work, deceitful lying, and additional footage featuring Weinstein and Epstein, satanically inspired people could have destroyed you by publishing completely falsified information.
It is hard to imagine the depth of wickedness in this world. A booklet by the name, “Marx & Satan” by Richard Wurmbrand, opened my eyes to just how bad it is. The treatment of Christians who went to prison for their faith in Romania after the Communists took over, can only be described as satanic.
Larry Jones says
Cal,
As you well know you and CA are pushing back against a movement that is antichrist and capable of all manner of evil. We are very thankful you are physically safe but I fear you were set up and something awful will be done with that interview publicly. I sure hope and pray I’m wrong.
It might be wise to CCW? Only go to states that have reciprocity and if you fly it’s fairly easy to check your weapon and take it with you. If so may God be pleased to give you good solid gun control should the need arise.
Blessings from the Left Coast!