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SW: →Zion oil's WorldNet Insider: Ralph Devore: fix refs
==Zion oil's WorldNet Insider: Ralph Devore==
WorldNet Daily's Hal Lindsey has been listed as a group member holding fifty thousand shares in Zion Oil & Gas since 2003. <ref name="ex9"/> On April 1st of 2004 Mr. Lindsey made direct claims about "oil in Israel" finds on his radio show to highlight his interest in Zion Oil, however Mr. Lindsey provided no disclaimer about owning any interest in Zion Oil. <ref name="ex9"/>
Another WorldNetDaily insider, WorldNet Director Ralph Devore, served as a Director of Zion Oil & Gas from June, 2001 until his resignation over a disagreement about Jewish participation in the company in December of 2004. Zion Oil documents filed with the SEC say this about Mr. Devore:
:"In July 2000, Zion entered into a financial advisory and services agreement with Ralph DeVore, before he was elected a director, whereby Mr. DeVore assisted us in a :number of areas, including business structuring, '''''investor relations, introductions to investment bankers and investors, and other related financial services'''''. (emphasis added) Mr. DeVore was elected a director in June 2001. In August 2001 the agreement was extended through September 30, 2001 and Mr. DeVore was awarded another warrant, :this one (as provided in the agreement) giving him the right to purchase 40,000 shares of our common stock at $0.20 per share until December 31, 2004. As the 120,000 :shares, upon purchase, would be restricted shares and there was no public market, the awards were valued at $0. Following the expiration of the agreement, Mr. DeVore :continued to provide financial advisory services on an as needed basis. <ref name="SEC">{{cite web | author = SEC Filing Zion Oil & Gas | url = http://www.secinfo.com/d12gpv.29.htm | title = Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration of Securities by a Small-Business Issuer, SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = Zion Oil & Gas, Securities and Exchange Commission | date = September 11, 2003 .}} </ref>
In January of 2005 WorldNet Daily's primary link to Zion Oil hit the skids when a new report appeared on the Zion Oil website dated January 5th, 2005, announcing that WorldNet Director DeVore had resigned as a Director of Zion Oil in December of 2004. <ref name="ex17">SEC Edgar Online archive, [http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1131312/000113131205000002/ex17-1.htm "Devore Letter of Resignation"], ''Exhibit 17.1(i) Resignation letter of Ralph F. DeVore.'', December 30, 2004</ref> However it is interesting to note that, despite the scandal, Devore did not divest his Zion Oil shares at that time, and Devore still holds considerable numbers of shares today, in 2009. [http://google.brand.edgar-online.com/PeopleFilingResults.aspx?PersonID=3801536&PersonName=RALPH%20DEVORE]
It seems the personal problems between Brown and WorldNet/Zion Director Devore began in July, 2004 over Jewish participation in the company <ref name="ex17"/>thus diluting its "evangelical" character; On July 26, 2004, Director DeVore subsequently hand-delivered an exceedingly bizarre and disjointed letter of resignation full of Biblical quotations, exclamation marks and ponderous capitalization, addressed to Brown and VP Parry; the letter is filed with the SEC as "Exhibit x": EX-17 2 ex17-1.htm LETTER OF RESIGNATION AND RELATED CORRESPONDENCE, <ref name="Jan05"> {{cite web | author = Zion Oil & Gas | url = http://web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}</ref>
:"Last night (Sat., 7-24) the Lord woke me up. I could not go back to sleep. He was troubling my spirit about Zion Oil! Lately I have been intensifying my prayer time, asking the Lord Jesus why Zion has not reached its minimum offering. I have been asking Him to show me what, if anything, is standing in the way of completing at least the $6.5 million minimum offering before August 31st."
:"Do the Majority of the Members of the Board of Directors reflect and will they fulfill and maintain the PRIMARY DIRECTIVE that applies to ANY group, body or corporate structure that professes, that openly proclaims to the world that it is an 'instrument of the Lord Jesus Christ,' that it is an 'Evangelical Christian Entity!' This profession, this open proclamation CANNOT BE ONLY WORDS! THE LORD DEMANDS THAT THERE MUST BE DEEDS, ACTIONS, AND UNDENIABLE EVIDENCE! If a bird walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck – then it must be a duck!" {{cite web | author <ref name= Zion Oil & Gas | url = http:"Jan05"//web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}>
After complaining about the lack of corporate prayer, DeVore gets down to what’s really bothering him:
Above, WorldNet/Zion Director DeVore claims Zion failed to strike oil in Israel because Jewish involvement amounted to "syncretism" thus angering God. Syncretism as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary is the reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief. This is most evident in the areas of philosophy and religion, and usually results in a new teaching or belief system. Obviously, this cannot be reconciled to biblical Christianity.
Then on August 6, 2004 Devore mailed a rather alarming letter to Zion President and COO Gene Soltero, expressing his displeasure at Jewish influence within Zion Oil:<ref>SEC Filing, [http://web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf name="SEC 8K filing 333-107042Jan05"], ''SEC 8K filing 333-107042'', Jan 5, 2005.</ref>
:I thought about just resigning from Zion's board. I cannot do that because of the almost $500,000 that has been invested by people into Zion (Oil & Gas) because they believed what I told them about Zion being an Evangelical company. Furthermore, the Lord placed me on Zion's board, and He has not given me the freedom to resign. The Lord made it clear to me that I was guilty of and must share in the responsibility for the things that He did not see in Zion Oil.
:"SINCE MY ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT ON SATURDAY NIGHT, 7-24-04 I AM NO LONGER CERTAIN WHO IS THE LORD OF THE MAJORITY OF ZION OIL'S LEADERSHIP? DOES ZION OIL'S MAJORITY OF LEADERS FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF JUDAISM OR THE TEACHINGS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST? WHAT DOES THE MAJORITY OF ZION'S LEADERSHIP BELIEVE IN- ARE THEY EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, AND IS JESUS CHRIST THEIR SAVIOR AND LORD OF THEIR LIFE?" {{cite web | author <ref name= Zion Oil & Gas | url = http:"Jan05"//web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}>
:"Some years ago, I introduced John Brown & Zion Oil to Hal Lindsey- For almost 50 Years Hal has been a EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN: Minister, Author, Apologist and an Outspoken Supporter of the Nation of Israel. Hal became interested in Zion Oil because I told him that John Brown & Zion Oil were Evangelical Christian in belief, and followed Jesus Christ as Lord! Hal's interest in Zion was and is because it was Evangelical, because of his love of Israel, and because John Brown followed the Leadership of the Lord Jesus! '''Hal, after spending much time in prayer and because he also desired to see Israel acquire oil, reported what Zion Oil was doing in Israel on his International TV show. I personally believe that over 90% of the shares that have been purchased from our current IPO are due in some way to Hal's TV reporting on Zion's oil exploration activities. On his TV show, Hal openly spoke about John Brown & Zion Oil being an Evangelical Christian organization with Evangelical Christian Leadership!''' (added emphasis) {{cite web | author = Zion Oil & Gas | url = http://web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}
:"Hal's love of Israel is because he is an EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, NOT BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IN JUDAISM OVER THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST!" {{cite web | author <ref name= Zion Oil & Gas | url = http:"Jan05"//web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}>
Brown then wrote to DeVore, urging him to resign or face being removed at the next board meeting in Israel. Concerning this meeting, Brown writes:
:In response to your many concerns voiced in our past discussions and in the letters and e-mails that you recently sent to Glen, Gene and myself, here are your two choices: the first choice is that sometime in late September (?) we will have our annual shareholder's and Board meeting in Tel-Aviv. Prior to that meeting you can resign or you can come to the meeting (at your own expense). Either way we are going to replace you with another independent director who would be legally qualified according to NASDAQ and SEC requirements (see Phil's memo attached). If you resign using this as the reason before the meeting you can do so with dignity, respect and save face with your family and friends. However, if you do not resign and choose to attend the meeting or choose to do nothing at all, the Board will still replace you. On the other hand, if you do attend, then I will expect that you will openly share your true feelings and concerns and tell our Jewish brethren exactly how you feel about them as non-believers in Jesus taking over Zion. Please keep in mind that the entire meeting and your personal remarks will then be a matter of public record and will then be distributed to all of our shareholders, i.e. did you tell Jacob Varon and the other Jews that you have solicited that Zion is '''only''' an evangelical :company? {{cite web | author <ref name= SEC Filing | url = http://www.sec.gov/Archives"Jan05"/edgar/data/1131312/000113131205000002/0001131312-05-000002.txt | title = SEC File 0001131312-05-000002.txt | publisher = Securities and Exchange Commission | date = January 5, 2005.}} >
Understandably, WorldNetDaily Director (''and now former Zion Oil Director'') DeVore takes offense to Brown's suggestion that he, Devore, is an anti-semite, so DeVore writes the following letter to Brown, which also documents how WorldNetDaily shilled for Zion Oil to attract Evangelical investors:
:Dear John:
:The memo from me that was given to you and Glen on Monday, 7-26-04, was strictly about concerns for the Spiritual state of Zion! It was written as one Christian Brother to another. It had nothing to do with political correctness, corporate legalities, discrimination or trying to violate someone's Constitutional rights. I have never been accused of being a bigot or prejudice in my entire life. John, as you know, in my 25 years of ministry I have mentored, taught and counseled hundreds of Afro-Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and people of other faiths. My e-mail to Gene was only written because you and Glen failed to respond in any manner to my genuine concern regarding Zion's present direction. The Holy Spirit just would not allow me any rest on this primary issue. The Spiritual issues were the direct results of several weeks of intensified prayer asking the Lord Jesus to reveal anything that might be standing in the way of Zion completing its Evangelical purpose. What I wrote to you was the result of those weeks of prayer! The prayer issue and Zion's primary purpose for being were directed to you and the other Evangelical followers of Jesus Christ, not to unbelievers, persons of other religions or people only interested in monetary gain. My prayer issue was similar to your recent e-mail asking everyone to pray for Israel and Zion Oil. I fail to comprehend how this issue differs from your recent prayer request. I am deeply troubled that you allowed someone with no Spiritual discernment or biblical understanding to respond for you. This appears to only confirm what the Holy Spirit revealed. What Gene believes about Jesus Christ is his concern, and was not the point of my question to him! However, if for some reason Gene does gain the control of Zion's future direction, then I believe I have earned the right to know what his vision for Zion would be. The following is what I now understand Zion's official position is according to Karen Soltero: Zion is a multi-cultural, multi-religious organization that corporately believes in everything and stands for nothing in particular. Zion Oil is more concerned about corporate legalities, the Constitution and offending someone, than in keeping the Word of God or the Leadership of Jesus. '''''Hundreds of seed IPO investors purchased Zion shares after they were told by Hal Lindsey, you and me that Zion was an Evangelical Christian company.''''' (added emphasis) Jesus Christ as the Lord now appears to be unimportant, and it seems as though no one has the right to raise this issue with John Brown or anyone else! Karen Soltero is a nice person. But she has not demonstrated any discernible evidence of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. {{cite web | author <ref name= Zion Oil & Gas | url = http:"Jan05"//web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}} >
Remember, Zion Oil is allegedly an Oil Exploration company. But the final document from former CEO Soltero to DeVore reveals the real reason for DeVore’s sudden objection to non-Evangelicals working at high levels within Zion Oil:
:I have reviewed with John and other directors our conversation today and the emails we exchanged this week. Here is the corporate position: Effective August 6, 2004 you resigned from providing any director services. John Brown requested your formal resignation as a director which we have not yet received. You last communicated with us on August 10, 2004, in spite of repeated attempts to contact you. In our board meeting tomorrow the directors will ratify the decision of management to cease paying director's fees to you effective with the accrual of the fees through July 2004. Upon receipt of your resignation letter, we will send you a check for $7,000 past due director's fees. You are not welcome at our board meetings. Prior to and during the public offering registration process you repeatedly committed to organize presentations by John to large groups of prospective investors in the Houston area. After the effective date of our registration you failed to organize a single meeting. Based on your representations and commitments we went through the expensive process of qualifying by exemption to sell to Texas residents. This required us to have a minimum offering of $6.5 million which we failed to meet. Your inaction severely harmed Zion in two ways. If we hadn't relied on you for Texas investors we could have not required such a high minimum and our offering would have succeeded with the $3.7 million we did raise. We didn't see any of the money we thought would be coming from your arrangements and commitments. Attached are the minutes from the four meetings you missed, including board discussion relating to your behavior. Please do not call my cell phone again or bother me at home. You may communicate with me solely at the office."{{cite web | author = Zion Oil & Gas | url = http://web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}
Soltero explains to Devore that Zion Oil failed to reach its minimum offering because Zion took DeVore’s advice, but DeVore failed to keep his end of the bargain. DeVore's failing then caused him to cop out by claiming to 'receive a message from God' blaming the Zion rights offering fiasco on the fact that Jews were involved with the company, thus undermining Zion's Evangelical 'Born Again' character. <ref name="barth"/>
The reason for the foregoing bias is because Evangelicals believe Jews and non-Christians are living in error, and destined for damnation and destruction in the End Times. When WND discovered Rinberg was taking over as CEO and Jewish Zionists insisted on lead positions within management - in exchange for ZN exploration rights in Israel - WND flew the coop.{{cite web | author <ref name= Zion Oil & Gas | url = http:"Jan05"//web.archive.org/web/20050217071209/www.zionoil.org/8kjan5.pdf | title = SEC File 333-107042 | publisher = archive.org | date = January 5, 2005.}}> But Brown had to get WorldNet Daily back in the fold to lure in more investors, and by 2007 he had done so.{{fact}}
But by early 2007 Brown acquiesced that ''WorldNet Daily'' was so essential to his "Vision" he could not afford to remain at odds with Devore. To appease WorldNet Director Ralph Devore after their big bust-up, Brown expressed his gratitude to DeVore and presented Devore with a gift of appreciation at the Stockholder’s meeting in 2007; <ref name="barth"/> this was unexpected after Devore's spectacular falling-out with Brown over Jewish participation in the Zion Oil venture, when Brown forced Devore's resignation from Zion's BOD over the issue of Jewish participation in what Devore had assumed to be an "evangelical" corporation which excluded Jews.
