Apocalypse House Web-Log

The book titled, THE COLORFUL APOCALYPSE, is a compilation of lies and half-truths. Author Greg Bottoms has twisted the truth and fabricated much of the information in the book. His colorful inventions are in many cases total falsehood.

Two thirds of the book is about Norbert H. Kox and William Thomas Thompson. They are disputing the book with the publisher at this time.

(Please read, and leave comment. Thank You.)


----- Original Message -----
From: Norbert H. Kox
To: sbielstein@press.uchicago.edu
Cc: Greg Bottoms2 ; greg bottoms ; William Thompson

Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 6:37 AM
Subject: Re: request recall of colorful apocalype book, please reply

Dear Susan Bielstein,

William Thompson has asked me to send something to you right away. I am reading the book again, since I did not mark anything the first time through. Right now I do not have time to build the entire list. William now has the book and can start putting together his own list.
If the whole book were correct, except for just one deliberate deception that would damage our reputations as artists and ministers, then that one statement would negate any good that had been written about us in the book. Without presenting an entire list at this time, one such damaging statement is submitted here:

"At the top of the painting it says, VICARIOUS, which Thompson explains is the word written on the pope's crown. Vertically down one side VICARIOUS is written again, but this time the letters are read by the artists as Roman numerals: V = 5; I = 1; C = 100. Thompson and Kox have this somehow adding up to 666 (Thompson did something similar, with the Latin word and VICIVILIID, in Revelation Revealed), though I keep getting 106, which deflates some of the conspiracy punch of the painting. Even after talking about it for several minutes, I'm still not, numerically speaking, getting it." (pp. 84-85, The Colorful Apocalypse)

Attached is a jpg detail of the section, of Idolatry, to which Greg Bottoms is referring in this text. In the picture you will see clearly the section of the painting that Bottoms was looking at with Thompson, while they stood before the painting at AVAM. Thompson has told me the above conversation never took place. This is evident to me, since Bottoms could not have made this statement while looking at the painting. We know that he is very intelligent and can add the simple numbers he is looking at. The letters which have roman numeral values are clearly displayed on the upper left side of the painting, but have conveniently been partially cropped from the image on the front cover of the book. It seems they had to be cropped or the cover of the book would have contradicted what Bottoms has written.

The cropped cover does not make sense, because the cropping shifts the painting to one side and puts it out of balance. Therefore it is quite certain that it was not cropped for aesthetic reasons. The only apparent reason for the cropping is to hide the fact that the Vicarius Filii Dei actually does add up to 666. If this were known, the readers would see the lie perpetrated by Bottoms and would wonder if they could trust anything else he said. The validity of the entire book would be jeopardized by that one discrepancy.

Bottoms makes it sound like Thompson and I are lying about it adding up to 666, when he is deliberately lying by saying it only adds up to 106. He says that "deflates some of the conspiracy punch of the painting," which seems to be exactly what he had intended to do. Evidently it is something he does not agree with, so he paints us to be deceivers. We have done our research thoroughly, and never paint anything that is not backed up with documentation.

William Thompson and I, have established our careers as serious visionary artists. People know what our work stands for and they take it seriously. If this book is allowed to go out to the world, with this deliberate deception about William and me, our careers will be over. No one will ever take us seriously again. This seems to be what Bottoms has aimed for in this writing. Many outsider and visionary artists are quirky, and their messages get laughed-off. Often rightfully. William Thompson and I do not fit that category, but if bottoms has his way with this book, we may be placed in the pigeon hole marked "Looney."

Thompson and I agree on what we paint as collaborations. Like anyone else, we do not agree on all things, in all areas of life. This book seems to give us one mind, as I am mentioned in Thompson's section, and he in mine. So much that what is said about him, becomes also said about me, at least often insinuated. And vise versa. We are made out to be somewhat white supremacist, racist, anti-Semitic, anti Christian, insane and more. The mixed up stuff about Jews, Israelites and Hebrews is ridiculous. Neither of us would have said it the way it is written. Either Bottoms had poor notes or he purposely contrived this, like he did with the "106."
Please let me know what you intend to do about the deliberate fabrication of the 666 only being 106, and the insinuation that we faked it.

Can you offer an acceptable solution to the matter at hand?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and intentions without delay.

Sincerely,
Norbert H. Kox
CC: William Thomas Thompson
CC: Greg Bottoms

(Please leave a comment. Thank You.)

________________________

----- Original Message -----
From: William Thompson
To: smb@press.uchicago.edu
Cc: awb@press.uchicago.edu ; gtbottoms@yahoo.com ; nhkox@yahoo.com

Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 9:28 AM

Subject: final request for recall of book colorful apocalypse

Final request for recall of the book The Colorful Apocalypse, March 29, 2007.
By now you should have disclaimed the author, we must assume you a full partner.

To-The Chicago University Press, Susan Bielstein

Request for equal time.

From-William Thomas Thompson protesting defamation of character.

Dear Susan-

I have compiled about 7 pages of discrepancies in the book The Colorful Apocalypse and it gets larger daily. This is a very serious matter and I believe the biggest clear cut case of liable I have ever seen involving a writer and publisher. Greg Bottoms creates his own environment and writes for the subjects in his fictional book. He has so cruelly lied about my mother and my brother, my mother has never been hard of hearing.

I have already wasted a week on this, now I recommend we retain a lawyer to proceed.

Why this outrage, this descent into madness? Page-113 (I have a headache-the band mojo of alcohol,) Greg said this, maybe this is his problem. "Her lips were the color of over ripe cherries." I have never heard such hurtful lies about my mother. Greg Bottoms creates his own world in the book the way he wants to present it with just enough truth to make it sound believable. I intend to call his bluff on the tapes, the tapes are the best thing to prove the book lies. He slam dunks everything we stand for. Greg Bottoms is not a credible author, only my journal is unaltered.

You have enough information to know that this book is a distortion and ridicule of us and our work from Norbert's report of last Friday. In my opinion the author is insane and has left a trail of proof that what he says is not true. However, that does not protect you from responsibility. 117 of the181 pages are about us. Total recall is the only way to begin to correct this problem. This is outrage by Bottoms who seems to have multi personalities. Why is Chicago U. Press party to this descent into madness?

Greg Bottoms in colorful apocalypse even lied about my mother saying she was "made up, her lips were the color of over ripe cherries", my mother has never used makeup in her life or worn earrings. He said my brother had gold rings, a watch and a gold chain around his neck but this is a vicious lie against my brother who has never worn any gold jewelry. He used curse words (the S word) in the book and made it sound as though he was quoting me. He exploited my vision by describing in great detail my seeing revealed the Book of Revelation and told everything I saw except that is not what I saw and I never have said that. I saw the coming of the Lord and the world on fire. It was 5 years later before I felt lead to paint the Book of Revelation and that is the vision of the apostle John which I have never claimed. This is the biggest case of distortion I have ever known. He also used the N word in another publication that is on the Internet about a black artist who-painted the throne that is in the Smithsonian folk art museum in Washington.

We must aggressively defend ourselves against this abuse. This is the most hurtful person I have ever met.

Norbert has replied to you in a brilliant statement with absolute proof that Greg lied.

He says I lock myself away in the tower but that door has never had a lock on it, it is always open. He admits to having a hangover, he writes fiction about outsider artists. We were told it would be an art book but instead it is a shameful crucifixion.

The Dixie souvenir shop is another of Greg Bottoms inflammatory fabrications as to what I said and what the store owner said, he is a well-known regional artist I met when he was teaching at North Greenville College. He goes on and on with character assassinations.

His quoting me as saying Jesus was white is another one of his lies, I never said it ever.
Greg Bottoms is trying to cause us trouble. We are suffering severe damage everyday.

----- Original Message -----

From: Susan Bielstein
To: thompsonart99@hotmail.com ; nhkox@yahoo.com
Cc: 'Anthony Burton' ; gtbottoms@yahoo.com

Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 4:58 PM
Subject: RE: request recall of colorful apocalype book, please reply

Dear Mr. Thompson,

Let me introduce myself as the executive editor who sponsored Greg Bottoms's book at the University of Chicago Press. I am writing to let you know that we have received your email, and that we will be interested in receiving the list of factual errors that Mr. Kox is compiling. Once we have received that list we will be better able to assess the situation and what the next step should be.

Sincerely,
Susan Bielstein
Executive Editor
The University of Chicago Press


From: William Thompson [mailto:thompsonart99@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:36 PMTo: awb@press.uchicago.edu; gtbottoms@yahoo.com; nhkox@yahoo.comSubject: request recall of colorful apocalype book, please reply
University of Chicago Press March 20, 2007

The Colorful Apocalypse Book by Greg Bottoms.

We wish to give you a chance to voluntarily recall this book because it is mostly fiction and not the truth. It is no wonder Greg switched around to several publishers before he found you because it is my guess others would not publish it. You recall the New York Times had a journalist not long ago that made up stories and got them in a lot of trouble.

First of all the book is deceptive in that the title does suggest the book is full of colorful pictures of the Apocalypse which is and was and has been available to Greg Bottoms who promised us he was writing an art book to show our art but instead he has no images inside the book at all. If Greg wanted to criticize my art work that is acceptable so long as he presented it truthfully and not distorted. Even the paper cover of our art image as printed is obscure until it loses its real message. I had 700 paintings available to him and he promised to send a photographer later. I am sure the University of Chicago Press did not get to where they are in the publishing business by using trash authors.

Many writers have written about our work but never with such a gross disrespect and twisted distortions which create the implications using the politically correct buzz words to charge the atmosphere to make us look like racist and anti-Semitics. Perhaps Bottoms thinks we are two helpless artist that cannot defendthemselves but then he has another thought coming. There is so much good in our art work to write about but he chose to be naive and butcher us taking the short cut to persecution and crucify us. I compare him to Doeg the Edomite who betrayed King David in the Old Testament. What does it take to sell books? Somebody's blood! Greg is an opportunist that discredits true journalism.

Now that you have been informed of the lies and distortions deliberately written into this book, if you continue to distribute them you will be part of the fraud and conspiracy deception we will charge in seeking to have it banned with punitive damages. We're not being paid for you to walk on our backs and use us as guinea pigs to frame all at our expense. Such misinformation is disgusting, damaging and even dangerous in today's atmosphere. It can also be considered Christian persecution. The book is altogether a disgrace. Meanwhile, any review of the book we will do our best to make sure they include our rebuttal. Again I request the book be recalled immediately.

William Thomas Thompson

Below is a letter to Los Angeles Times, to let them know of the inaccuracies in the book, before they wrote their review. It did no good. They made us look very bad due to the falsehoods Greg Bottoms has written.

(Please read and leave a comment. Thank You.)

----- Original Message -----
From: Norbert H. Kox
To: Ron.Neal@latimes.com
Cc: Anthony Burton ; William Thompson ; greg bottoms

Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:41 AM
Subject: colorful apocalypse deception

Dear Mr. Neal,

I have just obtained a copy of The Colorful Apocalypse, by Greg Bottoms, from the local Barnes & Nobles. Much of the writing is accurate, but in many places the text has been twisted and fabricated by Bottoms, so that it does not resemble our conversations. He has done such a tremendous job of writing that it becomes extremely sad that he has distorted some areas to complete falsehood. In places he has changed our words to say things totally out of character for either William or myself. In other instances he has actually invented things, to which he sometimes attaches quotation marks, to make it look like one of us said it. I have seen journalism students do this in college, but in the real world this is not acceptable.

When I read the book and saw bottoms' disregard for accuracy, and his tendency toward fabrication, I was shocked and sickened. I have worked many years as a visionary artist and have established a reputation for seriousness, sometimes softened with a little "dark humor," but always backed up and documented with solid research facts. None of my work is done haphazardly. Everything is proven and documented 100% before it is recorded to canvas.

Bottoms presented himself as looking out for our best interests, while in reality he seems to have had his own agenda, which was basically to write a novel rather than a documentary. If the book were sold as a novel people would regard it as fiction, then the erroneous documentation would be less of a detriment. After befriending us, if Bottoms had made us look bad with his own words, it would be his opinion, it would be lawful, although unethical. But when he distorts and invents quotations to present untrue statements it becomes not only unethical, but unlawful as well.

Where he accurately records the facts, it is wonderful. He is a great writer. But where his erroneous and fabricated words enter in, it is very disturbing and damaging. Those who know us will recognize what is out of character, but others will have a false impression. A few well placed, colorfully doctored quotations, destroy any reputation that William or I may have had. Some things that were divulged in confidence, and off the record, were inaccurately stated, when they should not have appeared at all. Mr. Bottoms is a very intelligent man and would not have accidentally made the number of errors that appear in the book, therefore, I can only assume that his defamatory and sometimes libelous statements were not at all accidental. This is very hard to understand, when he was so careful in other areas to present an accurate representation.

I intend to assemble a precise list of the fabrications and distortions, by page number.

Even though it has many good points, the gross errors make me sad that this book was written.

Wanting our painting, Idolatry, to be properly interpreted, William has asked me to send you the description. It follows below.


Thank you.


Sincerely,

Norbert H. Kox



This email was sent to:
LA Times

Copies to:
University Press of Chicago
Greg Bottoms
William Thomas Thompson

(Please leave a comment. Thank You.)


Following is our true description of the painting:


IDOLATRY: THE DRUGGING OF THE NATIONS
2002
Collaborative Painting
by
William Thomas Thompson
and
Norbert H. Kox.

Visionary artists, William Thomas Thompson and Norbert H. Kox, both known internationally for their Apocalyptic art, have worked together on an individual canvas, 9.5 ft. x 7 ft., to create a powerful indictment of the apostate universal church system and the traditions of men. It is the first collaborative effort for either of these artists. The piece titled "Idolatry: The drugging of the nations", is a warning against the dangers of religious addiction.

According to Webster, addiction is the state of being given up or over to, as a constant practice; habitual devotion to. Breaking an addiction sometimes produces severe withdrawal symptoms, as in the case of many drugs. Withdrawal means pain. Thus many addicts choose to remain addicted to avoid the pains of withdrawal. Religious addiction, like any addiction, renders the user to a state of irrational behavior. The religious addict clings to false doctrine with a belligerent pride equivalent to that of the drunken alcoholic, refusing to acknowledge his intoxication. He is unwilling to let go of that which is making him feel good even if the security it provides is based on a falsehood. When the truth does not fit organized religion it is rejected by the religious.

This painting is referenced from Revelation 18:23, where the King James translation of "sorceries" comes from the Greek word pharmakia, literally "drugging", symbolically "idolatry". The piece warns against the deceptions of false teachers. It also points out the use of counterfeit images as modern-day idol worship. It is a depiction of and warning against the idolatry that is drugging the end time church, resulting in "religious" addiction, bondage, and death.

Some of the common fatal mistakes are spelled out specifically on the gravestones in the pattern of the Earth Mother’s blue robe: idolatry, harlotry, adultery, necromancy/seance, Sabbath breaking, lies, stealing, witchcraft, false witness, hatred, murder, coveting/envy, haughtiness/pride, swearing/cursing, drunkenness/drugs/alcohol, carnal lust, abortions, falsifying Yahweh’s name, strife, greed, and self-righteousness.

The main idolatry gripping the world and the church today is the love of money. Scripture says, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6: 10). This is symbolized in the golden-jeweled crown from which the churches are sprouting. On the crown is the word NOITROBA, which is “abortion” spelled in reverse. The Hebrew word for abortion also means “to fall” or “fallen down”, which describes the state of the modern so-called Christian Church. The bloody paper dolls represent the Slaughter of the Innocents, in three ways: 1- Abortion of the unborn; 2- Victims of the physical molestation and sexual abuse by a perverted clergy; 3- Spiritual desolation and destruction due to falsehoods presented as truths by a blinded hierarchy. Scripture says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4: 6).

The churches on the crown represent the conglomerate one world church system that is to introduce Antichrist for acceptance in the last days.

Kox and Thompson, having both emerged from the clutches of religious addiction, warn against the deceptions of false teachers. Kox came out of a Catholic background, Thompson from the Protestant. Both have had Pentecostal experiences. Their combined diversity of religious knowledge contributes to a balance in identifying the false doctrines of the modern church, with scripture based facts. They identify false religious beliefs and the use of counterfeit images as modern-day idol worship.

The 1940 "Head of Christ", by Warner Sallman, is targeted as a counterfeit Christ. The Greek word anti means "instead of", or "in place of", as well as "opposed to." The Antichrist described in the Bible is an imitation capable of deceiving even the very elect (Matthew 24:23-25; Mark 13:21-23). The elect spoken of are the followers of Christ.

The Sallman image is being correlated to the "idol" shepherd in Zechariah 11:17, with the sword upon his right eye, symbolic of lack of truth. It also symbolizes the head of the Beast (Anti-Christ) that had the wound by the sword but did live (Revelation 13:3). Scripture foretold the people would create an icon of this Antichrist and worship it (Revelation 13:14-18).

In this painting the seven churches and ten steeples symbolize the seven-headed ten-horned beast of the revelatory visions of the apostle John. He sounds the warning, Come out of her and be not partakers of her sins (mistakes). The New Testament word "church" comes from the Greek ekklesia, meaning "called out." The Scriptural church does not refer to a building. It refers to the people who are called out of spiritual bondage into the freedom of truth (principle, John 8:31-32).

This painting also presents historical and etymological references to the name of Jesus being the result of a gradual progression in the English Language, from the Biblical name of Iesu (Yesu: yay-soo): A change which took effect in the 18th century. The gist of the whole piece is to entice the viewer to question traditions and inherited beliefs while embarking on an active search for and investigation of truth. Look to the word of God, not the traditions of men. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and search for truth in the Scriptures: "Seek and ye shall find".

These two seasoned visionary artists hope that the revelations in this work will shake the world (or at least a small part of it) from its complacency, to question traditions and inherited beliefs while embarking on an active search for and investigation of truth. They see the true path of spiritual enlightenment as an individual road which must be navigated with the utmost of care, to avoid the pitfalls and disasters associated with the herd-mentality that leads unsuspecting sheep hurdling headlong into the pit (grave) directly on the heels of their blind religious leaders.

This painting should not be perceived as a threat to the true church. That which is true will not be harmed. When all the rotten bark is chipped away and the dead branches are broken off and cast into the fire, that which remains will be healthier and stronger. Sometimes pain is involved in the healing process. Perhaps you can face the temporary discomforts of withdrawal when you realize the only alternative is death.