Rainbow Man

Father's Day, 2008

2008-06-09T21:40:00.002-04:00

Rollen is going to pray out loud without ceasing during Father's Day Week, June 9 - 15, 2008. He says that he has been persecuted in the past for doing this, and that he has been put on Paxil. He thinks something serious will happen to him because of this.

Rollen Update (About Time!)

2007-10-07T14:38:00.000-04:00

Rollen is still in jail. He has recently had a hearing to determine if he should be released, but he figures there's not much chance.

He spends his days writing to news organizations, trying to get his story out. Unfortunately, the longer that he's locked up, the more likely it is that people will forget about him. The young generation would only know of him if they saw old sports videos or the ESPN clip about him that came out a few years ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7J025JS5U

When I write to or speak with him (he's allowed to call out), I'm unable to convince him to do more for himself. He's determined that his mission from God is to preach to the inmates. This gets him in trouble - with both staff and the other inmates, who just want to serve their time and be left alone.

Meanwhile, the years go by.

"100 Days Left"

2005-06-04T14:58:00.000-04:00

Last night I received a phone call from Rollen, after not hearing from him for quite a few months.

He was distressed that everyone had cast him aside - most particularly his daughter and David, the fellow who was going to make up a website for him. When I mentioned that I thought that David was becoming apprehensive because of the kinds of things that Rollen was saying in his letters, Rollen said the following: All the years that he had been talking about John 3:16, he had been preaching the love. Now it was time to pay the reaper. There were 100 days left. Accountability was at hand.

Rollen seemed frustrated that there was no chance of getting out of prison. Even though his next appeal was next month, he had already received a copy of the psychiatrist's report - and it was the same report. "He just photocopied it," Rollen said.

"Prophets have been prosecuted throughout history," Rollen continued. It would be no different with him, he seemed to be intimating.

After the Super Bowl

2005-02-12T00:08:00.000-05:00

I know that I have become a disappointment to Rollen. He was so enthusiastic about getting back in contact with me, but I quickly realized that his joy was at reaching anyone in the world outside his cell.

Rollen wanted (and still wants) someone to spread his message of the upcoming Rapture. It's coming on Rosh Hashanah in October, 2005. That someone isn't me, however. It wasn't in 1980, when we first met, and it isn't now in 2005.

Rollen phoned and wrote constantly around the New Year, wanting someone to go to the NFL games to send the message. He wants a John 3:16 website. He's convinced that people will send tens of thousands of dollars to that website to carry on this campaign.

Like many who believe that the Rapture is nigh, Rollen has found plenty of "proof" in current world events. Yet he was also certain of Rosh Hashanah, 1980 and Rosh Hashanah, 1981 and Rosh Hashanah, 1982 and especially Rosh Hashanah, 1992 when he was found guilty of taking three hostages in a Los Angeles airport hotel.

Rollen's views are becoming extreme. (Maybe they have been all along, but either I brushed them off or they are evolving). He has to become careful that the state of California doesn't decide that Rainbow Man is where he needs to be. Prison.

Rollen Describes His Life

2005-01-08T17:24:00.000-05:00

The story of Rock'n Rollen Stewart is the story of the average, regular guy who is striving for the same goals as everyone else, but is given an opportunity by the grace and mercy of God to see the light.

God lets us go to the pit. So many people who don't experience some sort of disaster in their lives will never be drawn to God because their pride and ego won't allow them. God won't reveal Himself to someone who won't humble himself before God.

From Rollen's Christmas Letter, 2004

2005-01-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

As of January 1st, 2005:

Conceived 5-20-44
22,141 days
431,384 hours
25,883,040 minutes
1,552,982,400 seconds

Born Again 1-20-80
4,481 days
107,544 hours
6,452,640 minutes
387,158,400 seconds

Went to Prison 9-22-92
9,106 days
218,544 hours
13,112,640 minutes
786,758,400 seconds

The Limitations of a Blog

2004-12-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

It should have been apparent to me earlier that a blog has some limitations that a regular website doesn't.

Because each new blog message appears right at the beginning of the site, anything really important that you posted earlier gets pushed further back.
The address: http://therainbowman.blogspot.com is difficult to remember/find/put on a banner, etc.

These are important to me because:

People need to know right away that the website is about Rollen Stewart, the Rainbow Man, who they probably remember from years ago.
An address like http://therainbowman.blogspot.com generates fewer visitors, which I need both to learn of Rollen's attempts to start up his campaign and to donate toward that campaign.
An address like http://therainbowman.blogspot.com is hard to put on a banner which Rollen would like to have displayed at events. A banner would help, obviously, with informing people of the above two points.

I need a regular website, one that is short and easy to remember. Until I get one, please continue scrolling down this website to get more of the story.

Born Again - for life.

2004-12-07T18:27:00.000-05:00

In an era when people regularly switch houses, partners and even religions, Rollen Stewart is approaching twenty-five years as a Born Again Christian.

On January 20th, 1980, after walking around at the Super Bowl in Pasadena in a fur bikini bottom, Rollen Stewart went back to his hotel room, turned on the television and saw born-again Christian preacher, Dr. Charles Taylor, on Today in Bible Prophecy.

As Rollen observes in an upcoming book on his life:
"At that moment, Dr. Taylor offered an altar call to the viewing audience. I got down on my knees and made this prayer: 'Heavenly Father, I admit that I am a sinner. I am truly sorry for my sins. Please forgive me and save me, for I ask in the name of Jesus Christ who died for me and bore my sins. I do now by faith accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior, and I believe that His perfect blood cleanses me from all my sins. I thank you Lord for hearing my prayer and giving me eternal salvation. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.'

"Upon saying that prayer, I was born again of the Spirit and became a Child of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

"Dr. Taylor said that if you accepted Christ, you wouldn’t have to worry about where you’d be spending eternity. What went through my mind was that I now understood why I was born, why we’re all here on this earth, why we’re here to witness. Some people are chosen, and I understood that I was one of those. He chose me – I didn’t choose Him. So I knew I was going to be an evangelist and go out and use TV as a tool, just as I had been doing.

"I was Born Again. Jesus would use me as he used John the Baptist before His First Coming. I was to warn people that Judgment Day was at hand before Christ’s Second Coming."

Even after his arrest in 1992, Rollen has not wavered from his ministry. The envelope of his last letter to me declares:

RAPTURE! FEAST OF TRUMPETS!
ROSH HASHANAH! 2005!

Missing the Point?

2004-12-04T17:05:00.000-05:00

I find it interesting, but not that surprising, that Rollen Stewart is remembered after all these years. Whether you feel that it was a calculated "fifteen minutes of fame" or that he was true to his beliefs, there is no denying that he was "in our faces" for over a decade. Perhaps as important, people still remember him and they remember John 3:16!

Like many media sensations, Rollen's story suffers from the same urban myths or "broken telephone" misconceptions.

I found a weblink that talked about how Rollen "... would purchase the best seats possible at the greatest sporting events" and then went to Los Angeles with a plan "... to hijack a jet to another continent," but that something went wrong "... probably at check-in, and he ended up taking hostages." Sounds like it would make a great movie, but where did this person get his info from?

First of all, not once did Rollen purchase the best tickets. Occasionally, these were given to him. Instead he would either walk down to those seats and sit in the aisle or get the people sitting there to make room for him. And of course, some people would offer up their seats, if only for a few minutes, because they agreed with his message and wanted to help him get it out.

Secondly, the event in which Rollen found himself arrested was in an L.A. airport hotel. Rollen took two Mexican immigrant workers with him to gain access to the hotel, and after they ran away, he barricaded himself in a hotel room with the goal of getting world-wide satellite time to spread his message. He didn't realize that a maid was in the room. She locked herself in the bathroom and had nothing more to do with him - nor he with her.

A dumb idea - sure. But one which resulted in three life sentences - for kidnapping? No way. Rollen of course sealed his fate by not accepting the crown's offer for a twelve-year sentence because he wanted more media attention.

Rollen's case and the resulting sentence is hardly on par with history's grave injustices, but the fact that 2005 is approaching and that there seems to be no end to his jail term does strike me as unfair. I have agreed to help Rollen raise money for paper, stamps and incidentals and later - if more money does come in - to hire people to continue his John 3:16 campaign, if he cannot, because of this injustice. Agree or not, Rollen's sentence exceeds the penalties usually laid out for an equivalent crime. Perhaps being the Rainbow Man worked against him.

Rainbow Man Hated Sports

2004-12-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Even as far back as 1980 when I first met him, I was astounded that Rollen actually hated sports. After all, he'd be seated behind home plate at the World Series or shown on
eleven Monday Night Football games in a row, or at most of the PGA stops in Florida or California. These would be the meccas for sports junkies.

Before being Born Again in January, 1980, Rollen's goal was to be "the most famous person in the world that no one knows anything about."

Afterwards, he felt his mission was to give the message of John 3:16 to all those whose attitude was: "I don't know anything about Jesus - I only watch sports." Now they would have no excuses, according to Rollen, because whenever they would watch sports, they would constantly see "John 3:16."

Olympic Trials and Tribulations

2004-12-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

Did you know that, despite being interrogated and held for a short time by police at both the Moscow Olympic games in 1980 and the Sarajevo Olympic games in 1984, Rollen was probably most frustrated at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic games.

The other two were mostly inconveniences, but the problem with L.A. was the cost of the events. He ended up going to very few events - instead, he ministered to people outside the venues.

Yesterday's letter from Rollen

2004-11-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

After spending the past six months in Solitary Confinement, Rollen is worried that the football season is half over, and anxious that no one has started a "John 3:16" banner campaign.

Yesterday I received a quickly-compiled letter from him. I knew that he had rushed because, in the past, he has used plenty of colored markers to write Bible citations and messages on the envelope. This one was all in pen and simply declared:

Rapture! Feast of Trumpets! Rosh Hashanah! 2005!

In the letter, he gave instructions to his supporters on how to make banners, where to place them, and how to ensure that they get on TV.

He needs financial assistance to get people to make up the signs, to go to the events and to continue his monthly media mailings. You can help Rollen in different methods.
1. go to http://www.paypal.com and donate to the account set up for Rollen -rainbowman@gmail.com .
2. Send a cheque or money order made out to "Rainbow Man" and send to Rainbow Man, Box 131, 3353 Credit Woodlands, Mississauga, ON Canada L5C2K1

If you wish to leave messages for me and/or for Rollen, please use the same email address: rainbowman@gmail.com.

Rollen's letter ends with: "I must obey Jesus rather that earthly authority!" Acts 5:29

John 3:16

2004-11-25T12:35:00.000-05:00

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This Rainbow Man Blog

2004-11-22T20:12:00.000-05:00

How did this blog get started? First some history:

I met Rollen Stewart, the Rainbow Man at a golf tournament in 1980, the year that he was saved. He stayed at my house for a few days and I took him around to meet some of the local press.

After that, whenever he was anywhere at an event within a few hundred miles, he would come stay with me. In 1984, we began a book of his life. We lost touch for many years. Recently, I've found Rollen, we've written back and forth, and I have again picked up the book project. Keep in mind that Rollen has been in a Maximum Security Institution since 1992.

Rollen would like his "John 3:16" banner campaign to start back up. He also needs stamps and writing materials.

There are two ways that you can help Rollen.
1. go to www.paypal.com and donate to the account set up for Rollen - rainbowman@gmail.com.
2. make cheques or money orders out to "Rainbow Man" and send to "Rainbow Man"
Box 131, 3353 Credit Woodlands, Mississauga, ON Canada L5C 2K1
If you wish to leave messages for me and/or for Rollen, please use the same email address: rainbowman@gmail.com.

Through this blog, I plan to keep everyone - supporters, the curious, etc. up to date.

Please help. And keep coming back to read future and previous blogs.

Rainbow Man

2004-11-21T21:51:00.000-05:00

You already know Rainbow Man, "John 3:16 Shirt and Banner Man," Rock'n Rollen Stewart if you watched any sports in the late 1970's, all of the 1980's and the early 1990's.

Rainbow-colored wig, John 3:16 shirts and banners.

Behind home plate at the World Series, at the Superbowl, the Olympics, World Cup Soccer, on and on.

And it didn't just have to be sports - Rainbow Man was in Alaska when the Pope was there, he was the first to yell out "President Reagan" on the day that Reagan was elected before the votes had even been counted, and he danced in front of Buckingham Palace just after Charles and Diana kissed after The Wedding of the Century.

Rainbow Man has been in jail in California since 1992 and he needs your help, both personal and financial. He needs money for stamps and writing materials and he would like to start up the John 3:16 banner campaign.

There are two ways you can help financially:

1. go to www.paypal.com and donate to Rollen's account: rainbowman@gmail.com. 2. send cheque, money order, etc. to Rainbow Man, P.O. Box 131, 3353 Credit Woodlands, Mississauga, ON Canada L5C 2K1. Make cheques payable to "Rainbow Man."

Please feel free to send messages to/for Rollen or to me at that same email address: rainbowman@gmail.com.

It may take a while, but Rollen may also be able to write to you.

Please keep watching this site for updates.