Matthew 8:22: But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Luke 9:60 KJV: Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
The scriptures mentioned above are frequently cited by Pastor Isaac Noriega and his GDT leadership team as justifications for their actions related to death and funerals, a topic we will explore more deeply in the following article.
For those that are trapped but want to leave Golden Dawn Tabernacle, they are presented with two agonizing choices: excommunication or, tragically, waiting for death. Excommunication will cause one to be defamed, taken out of the blood, and ostracized from the church community, potentially even including one’s own family. Death offers an alternative escape from attending, but with a horrifying twist – even deceased members are used can be used pawns by Pastor Isaac Noriega. Their legacies can be either tarnished or rewritten entirely to serve the agenda of the church. Some of our previous posts explored the profound impact and heartbreak of excommunication, and the severing of ties from loved ones. This month, we focus on death and funerals within Golden Dawn Tabernacle. Death and funerals are a incredibly painful thing that all of us must go through, however, at GDT, this pain and suffering is tragically compounded by the latest rules enforced by the church. In this article, we examine how death and funerals sadistically manipulated by Pastor Isaac Noriega as another tool of control and vindictiveness.
Sidenote: in a future post, we will examine GDT's distinctive teachings on illness and healing, and discuss how their views on death, while being a natural part of life, sometimes contradict their own teachings.
History of Death and Funerals at GDT
In the past, when a member of Golden Dawn Tabernacle passed away, it was often announced over the pulpit by Pastor Isaac Noriega, and the church would host a respectful and solemn funeral service, often replacing a Wednesday service. While Isaac Noriega usually presides over both the church memorial and funeral services, the grieving family significantly influenced the service by selecting hymns, musicians, and speakers for eulogies, and arranging for the deceased to be present for a final viewing. They also chose pallbearers and would often sit in the front row to receive condolences. An obituary was printed out and shared, featuring photos, memories, milestones, testimonies and scriptures to remember the life lived. The service welcomed not just church members but also the wider circle of family, friends, and neighbors, reflecting a collective mourning (note: even former ex-communicated members were usually allowed to attend, albeit begrudgingly). The support extended into the next day with a graveside burial service and the provision of meals to the bereaved family, symbolizing the church's collective support. Alongside these traditions, gestures like sending cards, making phone calls, and giving flowers, which were displayed at both the memorial service and graveside, added layers of loving, respectful, and personal condolence and remembrance.
GDT Burial Locations
Most deceased church members are laid to rest at South Lawn Cemetery under Pastor Isaac's direction. This choice is presumably influenced by its proximity to the church compound, although some have suggested that it is not as well-maintained as other local cemeteries. The main exception is Isaac Noriega's late wife, Lucy Noriega, who was interred at East Lawn Cemetary. Coincidentally, East Lawn Cemetery is also the final resting place of Rebekah Branham Smith, the daughter of William Branham.
Church Funeral Services
In the early 2010s, Pastor Isaac Noriega's funeral rules grew increasingly authoritarian. Many of the aforementioned traditions and loving, respectful gestures towards the deceased and their family began to diminish. It began slowly, with Isaac Noriega taking over selecting the pallbearers for the memorial services. He then began prohibiting family that he did not approve of, from participating in the funeral service rituals (pallbearers, eulogies, song specials, etc.). He also began to forbid non-church family members from attending the church funeral service. This is probably partially due to him being upset to see "worldly" people in the church, not dressed in compliance to the restrictive GDT dress code. He also began to forbid excommunicated church members from attending the church funeral services. The control then expanded to the graveyard burial services, where non-church family members and excommunicated members were also prohibited from attending.
Isaac progressively phased out the practice of casket viewings within the church. The shift towards holding church funerals at GDT without the option for casket viewings started notably with Joseph Figueroa's funeral in September 2008, where a viewing was planned but ultimately not feasible due to the condition of the body. Following this event, the practice of casket viewings was discontinued. Although the state of the body may render some viewings inappropriate, the complete cessation of this tradition without compelling reasons appears to be excessive.
A former church member raised an interesting point about the inconvenience caused by Isaac's extensive funeral sermons, which frequently stretched on for several hours. This led the funeral directors to be waiting uncomfortably in the lobby, sitting on folding chairs, or feeling bored while waiting to perform their duties, such as opening the casket. The prolonged duration of these funeral services not only extended their length but also possibly contributed to the escalating costs of funerals. This factor could have influenced the decision to cease church funeral services.
With the church's transition to its third building in 2015, known as the third tabernacle, the use of caskets in funeral services was altogether halted. Funeral services within the church thus became purely memorial services, devoid of caskets, with graveside burials scheduled for later in the week.
Graveside Burial Services
Isaac Noriega eventually ceased all church funeral services, shifting exclusively to graveside services. The final service held in the church for a regular member was between 2016 and 2017. Pastor Noriega rationalized this decision by stating he needed to focus on spreading the "Word" rather than conducting funeral services, arguing that preaching was more important than attending to the dead. He controversially invoked the "Let the dead bury their dead" scripture to defend his stance.
The sole exception since then was for his late wife, Lucy Rivera Noriega, for whom the church organized multiple memorial services over three days in July 2020, amidst the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought further changes. Following the death of Lucy Rivera Noriega, the church mourned the loss of at least eight members to the pandemic, many of whom were founding members with decades of dedication to the church.
Isaac Noriega's response to these losses was notably minimal, often limited to brief tributes of under five minutes and occasionally a special song during regular services. Because of cemetery restrictions limiting burial services to six people during the pandemic, it's puzzling that Noriega didn't organize church memorial services to honor and remember those who passed. His ongoing decision to hold church services throughout the pandemic, disregarding health risks, and the organization of multiple memorials for his wife, contradicts any justification for not commemorating the lives of other devoted members. This disparity in commemorating his wife compared to other loyal members raises questions about his empathy and respect towards the congregation. The minimal acknowledgment of such significant losses to the church family suggests a troubling indifference to the dedicated members who served the church and a concerning disregard for their memory and contribution.
With graveside burials now serving as the sole formal church service to honor the deceased, these ceremonies have become notably lengthy, often lasting around 1.5 -2 hours. Congregants, including the elderly, are required to stand under the intense Arizona sun for the entirety of the service, leading to several instances of individuals fainting from heat exhaustion. Meanwhile, Pastor Isaac Noriega remains comfortably cooled, with deacons and elders providing shade using umbrellas and ventilation with fans.
An overly stringent rule enforced by the GDT deacons concerns the dress code for burial services. Traditionally, because burial services were held during weekdays it was understood and accepted that congregants could come directly from their jobs in work attire or uniforms to pay their respects. However, this practice has shifted, with deacons now reprimanding those not dressed in formal church clothes, insisting on suits, ties, and formal dresses for all attendees, as depicted in the article's main photograph.
Isaac Noriega frequently boasted to the congregation about the funeral directors' compliments to him about the church members' respectful demeanor, impressive attire, and overall conduct. He highlighted how the funeral directors admired the congregation's seemly great care and respect. However, this pride may be misplaced if one considers the broader context of how Isaac and his GDT leadership team impose strict regulations on the congregants. It raises the question of whether the funeral directors' opinions would change if they understood the full extent of the demands placed on church members and the leadership's treatment of them behind the scenes.
Current State of Deaths at GDT
Currently, in the event of a death within the congregation, Pastor Isaac Noriega will acknowledge the passing during the next church service from the pulpit. He dedicates a few minutes for a tribute, possibly including a special song. The details of the burial service are then shared, followed by a standard church service, after which obituaries are distributed by the deacons. The congregation, dressed in formal church attire such as suits, ties, and formal dresses, will gather at the graveside for the burial service. Since moving to the third church building, no deceased bodies have been present inside the facility, with the sole exception being Margie Telles, who unexpectedly passed away during a service.
Banning Excommunicated Members and Non-Church Family Members from Funerals
This part of the article addresses a deeply sad and painful issue for a lot of our readers. Pastor Isaac Noriega and the GDT leadership prefer to exclude non-church members from the funerals of GDT members, fostering a belief within the congregation that those outside the church are to be avoided. This extends to actively discouraging congregates from informing non-church family about the passing of a loved one. And individuals who have been excommunicated are expressly forbidden from attending funerals, even those of close family members such as parents, children, or grandchildren.
We've been told by former GDT members of several occasions where individuals attempting to participate in a funeral service were turned away by deacons, purportedly acting on the bereaved family's wishes. One particularly heart-wrenching case involved an excommunicated grandchild who was barred from attending his grandfather's funeral by Rey Aguirre, who claimed the exclusion was requested by the grandchild's father, emphasizing that the grandchild was unwelcome.
It's also come to our attention that relatives not affiliated with the church often discover a GDT family member's death much later, to their astonishment and upset. A notable instance involved the direct family of Lucy Rivera Noriega, who were unaware of her death until a significant time had passed. The "he/him" mentioned in these accounts refers to Isaac Noriega. These family members, already estranged, were further deprived of the chance to communicate their own losses within the family, highlighting a profound disconnection enforced by the church's policies.
A particularly poignant case occurred with the passing of Margie Telles in 2023. Her family remained unaware of her demise until a relative happened to search her name online and found our article about her. Discovering the loss of a loved one through the internet, instead of receiving a phone call from family members, is an indescribably painful and tragic experience.
In an effort to control information, aligning with aspects of the B.I.T.E model, Isaac Noriega has employed the harsh measure of prohibiting public obituaries, whether in newspapers or online. This strategy aims to prevent non-church family members, friends, and colleagues from learning about the deaths of GDT church members, thereby minimizing the number of outsiders he needs to exclude and reducing the negative attention drawn to his harsh policies. A notable instance involves Andrea Rojas, whose late husband, Pastor Danny Rojas of Christ Tabernacle, passed away in June 2010 (detailed here). Following his death, Christ Tabernacle was aggressively absorbed by GDT, a situation Andrea found herself in the midst of when she attempted to publish an obituary for her husband, only to be vehemently opposed by Pastor Isaac Noriega.
Furthermore, the GDT church leadership has exerted pressure on South Lawn Cemetery to remove automated online obituaries for recent losses within the church. This has affected the memorials of members such as Martha Espitia, Margaret (Margie) Telles, Alex Miramontez, and Juana (Juanita) Chacon. We have taken steps to capture and archive these obituaries before their removal, making them available below for reference.
The complete disregard for the feelings of non-church family members is profoundly tragic and can only be characterized as callous, inhumane, and devoid of empathy. According to accounts from those directly impacted, Pastor Isaac Noriega's rigid and punitive measures have inflicted considerable pain. Such behavior is far removed from the essence of the teachings in Matthew 8:22 and Luke 9:60, which advocate for following Jesus and spreading the Gospel.
Rewriting The History Of GDT's Deceased Members
The creation of an obituary is a crucial aspect of mourning and celebrating the life of a departed loved one. Yet, the GDT church has repurposed this tradition to serve its own narrative, using obituaries primarily to highlight the deceased's association with Isaac Noriega's ministry and to glorify the church and pastor. This skewed perspective is evident in the authorship of these obituaries, typically crafted and edited by Reina Aguirre, the daughter of Church Elder and Assistant Pastor Reymundo (Rey) Aguirre, indicating a clear bias in how the memories and histories of the deceased are presented.
Several GDT obituaries provided for historical reference below (in ordered date of their passing):
Some key takeaways from these obituaries are:
There is a noticeable absence of non-church family members, except for brief mentions such as the deceased's parents or those they are survived by, often referencing interactions before the deceased joined Isaac Noriega's ministry.
Notably, excommunicated family members are deliberately excluded, to the extent of being edited out of photographs. For those familiar with GDT's history, the absence of these individuals in the obituaries is glaring, highlighting a sorrowful disregard for the significant roles they played in the deceased's life before leaving the church. This bleaching of former loved ones from obituaries is a stark and melancholy departure from the principles of love and inclusion that Jesus embodied.
The obituaries heavily emphasize the deceased's association with Pastor Isaac Noriega's ministry, frequently mentioning "Brother Isaac" and his "ministry." They narrate the deceased's journey of overcoming various challenges, including separation from their non-affirming families, to join and serve diligently within Noriega's ministry despite facing numerous hardships. This focus shifts the narrative away from celebrating the individual's life and contributions, centering instead on their loyalty and service to the church and its leadership.
In every obituary, the final page consistently features the phrase "I'll Meet You In The Morning," signifying a hopeful belief in reuniting with the deceased in heaven for a joyous gathering. Notably, this banner is absent from Veronica Horner's obituary. This omission invites reflection on the intentions of the GDT leadership. Does this imply a judgment on her faith, suggesting that despite her years of unwavering loyalty and dedication to the church, she might not be deemed worthy of this heavenly reunion?
Daniel Samorano With Mustache
In Daniel Samorano's 2007 obituary, among the photographs included is one from his youth, notably featuring him with a mustache.
However in the 2020 obituary of his late wife, Francisca "Panchita" Samorano, the same photograph of him is used, but his mustache has been noticeably and poorly edited out through Photoshop.
The apparent aversion to mustaches is often presented as a matter of religious or "ministry" principle, yet it more accurately reflects a personal preference of Isaac Noriega. He harbors a strong dislike for mustaches, citing a claim that William Branham advised him a man with a mustache is to be regarded with suspicion. The decision to digitally remove the mustache in the photograph likely carried out by Reina Aguirre, seems to be an effort to align with and satisfy the preferences dictated by Isaac Noriega's "ministry."
We invite our readers to reflect: how does the practice of excluding excommunicated family members from obituaries and altering photos to remove mustaches differ from the historical actions of Joseph Stalin during the "Great Purge"? Stalin, known for being among the first leaders to employ photo manipulation, systematically erased perceived enemies from photographs as a means to rewrite history. Given the information provided, it is evident that the obituaries are crafted not only to laud Pastor Isaac Noriega and his "ministry" but also to deliberately alter family histories. This is done by conspicuously omitting significant family members, removed out of spite and malice, in a manner reminiscent of Stalin's revisionist tactics.
Source: https://www.history.com/news/josef-stalin-great-purge-photo-retouching
Conclusion
Pastor Isaac Noriega frequently misinterprets the Bible verses Matthew 8:22 and Luke 9:60, "Let the dead bury their own dead," to justify both the discontinuation of church funeral services and his absence from them, taking these passages out of their intended context.
Here is a reasonable explanation for these versus from a Bible study article:
When you think of burials today, our process is rather straightforward. A person dies and within days there is usually a funeral. Once the funeral is complete, you go to the gravesite and proceed with burying the body. This is typically done within the same day or at most the funeral is one day and the burial the next. Regardless of how it’s done, the process isn’t long and drawn out, and is completed within a short span of time.
This man’s situation was a little bit different. For starters, the man’s father wasn’t dead yet. In Jesus’ day the statement this man made had a completely different meaning than it would have today.
In his article, Billy Graham explains what the man is really saying: Jesus I will follow you but first let me stay with my father, until he dies. I am not sure how long that will take but once that happens then I will bury him. When that is done then I will come and follow you.
There is something else this man may have been considering…his inheritance. It’s possible this man was waiting to claim an inheritance from his father. So he wasn’t just saying he wanted to wait until his father died. He was also saying – Lord I have some money coming to me and I want to secure my financial future. Once that happens, I will be ready and at that time I will come and follow you. It was a matter of priority.
Regardless of the primary reason – this man was hesitant in following Jesus. He felt there was something more important for him to do right now. He was telling Jesus I will get back to you later. Following Jesus was important but it wasn’t important enough. His priorities were out of order and Jesus recognized it.
Even if Pastor Isaac Noriega's interpretation of the verses Matthew 8:22 and Luke 9:60, "Let the dead bury their own dead," were contextually accurate, it's essential to recognize that the individuals we've discussed are already followers of Jesus, thereby fulfilling Jesus' commandment to follow Him. Hence, the act of burying their GDT family members, who are also believers, should not contradict Jesus' teachings.
Moreover, it's critical to reflect on the profound negative effects that Pastor Isaac Noriega's and the church's actions have on non-church family members. These harsh practices undoubtedly alienate them from the Gospel.
Given that Pastor Isaac Noriega is among the eldest in the church, now 81 and soon to be 82, it's time for him to contemplate the legacy he's creating. Will he be remembered as a compassionate shepherd who nurtured his flock, or will his legacy align more closely with that of a dictator, akin to Joseph Stalin?
We aim to highlight a crucial point: The actions of Pastor Isaac Noriega and the GDT church leadership, marked by disrespect, unmistakably show a profound lack of empathy for the deceased and their grieving families.
These disrespectul actions are:
- Glossing over and diminishing their deaths by refusing to no longer hold a church funeral/memorial service to allow for people to pay their respects for the deceased.
- Inconsistent acts for funeral/memorial services (3 services for Lucy Rivera Noriega vs. 5 minutes for the rest)
- Writing and editing censored obituaries that only shine a positive light on Isaac Noriega and his ministry, while blatantly omitting excommunicated members in words or photos.
- Controlling all aspects of the graveside funeral service, including strict dress code and attendance.
- Forbidding GDT members from notifying their non-church family members about the death.
- Public censorship of obituaries in newspapers or online to prevent former friends, colleagues and family members from finding out about the death.
- Banning excommunicated GDT members from attending the graveside funeral service, even from a distance.
We urge the funeral directors at Funeraria del Angel and South Lawn Cemetery to prevent GDT church officials from imposing such harsh and inhumane acts on their premises. Families should be allowed to attend services peacefully and with respect, enabling them to properly honor their loved ones. It is not only their right but also the moral thing to do.
Do you have any information you'd like to share about this topic? Feel free to comment below, or you can contact us directly at our Contact Us page or via our social media accounts below.
Archived Comments#
10 comment(s) imported from the original site:
Golden Dawn — April 6, 2024#
Este tema es uno de los mas pesados para todos los miembros de GDT, ya que todo es extremadamente controlado por isamael Noriega, (Issac)…. En primer lugar porque para la mayoria de los miembros, el dia de su muerte lo es todo!! ya que el famoso OBITUARIO, definirá, la opinion que este hombre , (con tantos trantornos mentales), Tuvó de ellos… En otras palabras toda su vida la dedican a que se hable bien de ellos en ese OBITUARIO… que miseria de pensamiento!!! En segundo Lugar es la explosion atomica de mentiras, es cuando se desatan las mentiras en todo su explendor y fuerzas!! Issac, decide cada movida de el evento, se le miente a la Iglesia sobre la vida de esta persona, pues todo gira alrededor de la interaccion que tuvo en vida, el difunto y el , modificando eventos, para aparentar una coneccion espiritual con el y el difunto , se le miente a la familia inmediata que no son miembros de alli, para engañarlos y dar datos falsos sobre las ceremonias , dando fechas falsas y asi evitar la presencia de estos familiares, Issac tiene tan controladas las mentes y vidas de sus miembros que no se les permite llorar o mostrar tristeza alguna, durante las ceremonias… Me recuerdo la cara y actitud de margarita Noriega y sus hijas en el entierro de su esposo, sentadas enfrente y con sus lentes obscuros y con esa cara de fingimiento y amargura, reteniendo las emociones que cuando llegó a sentarse alli con ellas la hna Lucy Noriega , ellas se recorrieron para dejarle lugar con una sonrisota como si estubieran en una fiesta!! , ya que margarita es una victima favorita de Issac, no lo hiba a desagradar esta vez. Durante la ceremonias en el panteón, Issac le pide a la Iglesia que lo rodien , que se acerquen y lo protejan en un circulo cerrado, ( pues el sufre de transtorno de persecucion) acto que la Iglesia es obligada y humillando a padres y madres a obedecer, ¡¡ Alli parados rodeando Al hombre que poco les va acabando y separando a sus familia,!! destruyendo sus vidas, y acabando solos y viejos, como la hna Juanita Chacon, sola , sin nietos, sin la mayoria de sus hijos, desolados y deprimidos. Mueren abandonados y en completa Soledad. Y para acabarla le tienen que hacer comida a Issac, e invitarlo a sus casas, el mismo dia del entierro y soportar sus platicas aburridas y llebas de mentiras de su vida… Y como siempre ser el protagonista de el evento. Que horror!!!
Sleepy Church Member — April 6, 2024#
Wow I had forgotten all this. So much has changed. I still can’t believe Isaac treated Bro John, Jr and Pete like they didn’t matter. The only funerals he seemed to care about was for jesse, Frankie and his wife. And with Lucy it was all about how guilty he felt for mistreating her and blaming the church
Crusader 101 — April 8, 2024#
At GD there is no difference between a wedding and a funeral. They are both sad, depressing, full of tension, filled with misunderstandings that he turns into lies with the help of his cronies. And don’t even think about trying to explain anything to him. It all turns into you defending yourself and having a rebellion spirit. So you just take it. And suffer thru the wedding and funeral. He has no empathy or cares for the poor people. He controls everything it’s crazy. Even the new “dinners” they are having all of a sudden ( which in part is funny because this website is making him shake and he’s trying to change things around so no one leaves.) that everyone hates are so controlled by him. He hates the kids running around and playing. He hates loud voices so everyone whispers . He recently banned all cameras. Except for the church’s photographer.
Where art thou Peacemaker? — April 9, 2024#
Waiting on GDT member and Banner Health employed Apologist “Peacemaker” to weigh in on how all of the above Ismael’s actions are justified and totally ok…
Blank — April 10, 2024#
The thing is, when we leave GDT do they think we DONT love or miss our families there at the church? Do they think we become brute beasts? So when a loved one passes away do they not realize we also carry a heavy heart? Just because we leave doesn’t mean we don’t hurt just like they do when a family member passes. So why all the anger when us outsiders find out a loved one passed away !?? We love and hurt just like they do, the only difference between them and us is that they are stuck in a highly controlled religious system and we are not. We left a religious group, we didn’t leave our feelings for our loved ones behind. I Remember years ago, a funeral where outsiders were made aware that this loved one had passed and the blame was unbelievable. The anger that Ishmael had and how he forced the blame on people that were not even responsible for it. He is so interested in us and what we do, if he is a “WORD” preacher he should just focus on preaching his doctrine instead of wasting his time and energy on those of us that have left.
Crusader 101 — April 11, 2024#
All valid points. But I’ll give you the answer they gave me when I asked this. Answer: “if you love your family and friends here why did you leave? Don’t leave and you won’t lose your family and friends. You left GD, we didn’t leave you. You left us. If you want to talk or see them talk to The pastor and come back” This is how they defend their crimes. The fault is always ours. The abuser blames and guilts the abused. What comforts me is that even inside the church families don’t talk to each other. Parents don’t talk to their children. And vice versa. Noriega system is broken. He has successfully broken up the families at GD. That means that when he kindly passes away it will crumble. It’s rotten from the inside. He broke up families. Hence all the division inside GD. People won’t leave because they know that they will lose their loved ones. Many see thru the BS. We can only pray and hope.
Shalom — April 11, 2024#
Poor Mery Chacon 😢😢Issac take away his house, and send her to that pricion.
GDT Research — April 11, 2024#
Do you have any more info? Isaac is taking over her and her late parent’s house? How so? Is he making her sell it?
Richard — April 14, 2024#
Funerals and death, what a topic! I remember when we were younger, we believed that as God’s chosen ones we would have certain privileges in those dark hours of our life. In fact, we didn’t even think about physical death. We were part of the chosen bride, awaiting the heavenly rapture, the journey home, the millennium with Christ—all good and holy things meant for us. Suffering, torment, and despair were for others, for the unbelievers. Not us, we were the chosen, the beloved… How naive and foolish to believe oneself privileged or to seek privilege in things like death and suffering. The more you believe you are spiritual and privileged, the more foolishly you behave, and I say this from personal experience. Death must be accepted for what it is, something as natural and necessary as birth. We have our entire lives to get used to, recognize, and accept that death is necessary and comes for everyone. And it seems that along the way, as we feel strong (like we’re never going to die) it’s others who die and suffer, not us. We don’t want that for ourselves. That’s when these indecent and fraudulent propositions appear: Eternal Life, the Heavenly Rapture, the Millennium with Christ, the marriage supper of the Lamb, which strangely all include suffering and despair for the unbeliever. Yes, it seems that our parents fell into the trap, the deceit, into something fraudulent. They were promised eternal life, heaven, escape from suffering and death, and they got hooked in the game of manipulators and exploiters of fearful, insecure, and ignorant souls unaware of the traps and scams of men. And they all ended up suffering and enduring the “eternal” narcissist of the moment, the manipulator and subjugator of their minds, lives, and souls. For my part, no more believing in or seeking those illusions or privileges. They are all traps; they seduce you with words of salvation, and you get hooked in something you can’t escape from. And worst of all, you end up being part, victim, and perpetrator of all that.
David Alcantar — May 14, 2024#
Well …Issac does not like to work…This is too much work for him…it is a means of excluding people as well…he is al about control…He is obsessed with control…the man does not even know what his calling is anymore..