Originally published July 27, 2020 on The Berne Witness.
On Carrington Way in Berne and 100S in Monroe, foreboding signs have begun to multiply,
warning of the end of the world. They bear phrases like, “I am new Jesus,” “Stop to eat stone”
and “Come home.”
The signs were placed there by Larry and Jenny Lee, a married couple who moved to Berne from China. Based on their personal convictions, they are making and placing these signs to try to “wake up” the souls of people in Berne.
Larry and Jenny believe that “stone,” referring to salt, calcium, iron or other minerals, controls
people. Because people eat these minerals in their food, it causes them to have sex and cheat,
Larry said.
“Salt — is that not stone?” Larry said. “Why do we eat stone? Why do we put that in our
bodies?”
“Calcium,” Jenny pointed to the nutrition label of a cereal box. “That's metal. Why do you eat metal?”
Larry also believes this stone is corrupting soil, water and air. He predicts that without more
people becoming awake for the next generation, the human race will become extinct in 50-100 years. However, concepts like pollution are explanations from scientists that are controlled by salt, Larry said.
“Salt has made your stomachs weak,” Larry said. “You ask too many questions, but if you were not controlled by salt you would know what I know. Not even 1% of people will ever become awake because they are too weak.”
As for his connections to Christianity, Larry believes Jesus was the first person to “wake up,” but confused “his person” for God, whereas Larry is the first to realize cutting out salt will give
revelation. Larry’s concept for “his person” is similar to the concept of a soul, but exists as an
omnipotent spiritual being within oneself. Consequently, he believes his awakening makes him
the new savior. Larry has written literature and a “new bible” to wake souls that are in a coma.
Larry also firmly believes that he was called by “his person” to Berne for the Amish, which he
believes have already found the correct lifestyle. However, Christianity and all formalized
religion is also a result of salt, Larry said. Instead, he wants to gain credibility in the community by recruiting a local follower who can become a pastor for Larry’s ideology.
“My whole life nobody respects me — in China or America. I come to bring a new bible with
new information and no one wants to believe it. You are a Christian people. Why are you not
excited for a new bible? They make fun of me and —” Larry made obscene gestures to how
people had responded to him. “So, when that day comes, I will cry because finally, everyone will believe me. They will see that I’m right.”
While Larry and Jenny did cut out salt from their diet for seven months, reporting healed
diseases and lost weight, Larry said they did begin eating salt when their health declined again.
They currently live on Carrington Way with the money that Larry earned from owning and
selling a technology business in China. Although the couple aspires to work the land and live
without harming the environment, they said owning a home with electricity and a vehicle is
necessary to promote their message.
“We need a car to pick up our sign materials from Ace Hardware,” Jenny said. “Maybe we’d go to a horse and buggy in one or two years.”
While their signs have been continually stolen or damaged, Larry and Jenny plan to continue
making signs until someone from the area becomes awake like them. If someone would come to believe their faith system, they gave no concrete intentions or plans in Berne.
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