stake president refused to renew Gritz's temple recommend until Gritz could prove that he had paid federal income tax. In response, Gritz resigned his membership in the LDS Church. In 1999, Gritz and his then fourth wife Judy Kirsch became involved in the Church of Israel, a group that originated within the Latter Day Saint movement and has become involved with the Christian Identity movement, from which he has later distanced himself. While he was married to Judy, Gritz was accused of supporting the Christian Identity ideology, in which people of Celtic and Germanic descent can be traced back to the "Lost Tribes of Israel". Many adherents consider Jews to be the Satanic offspring of Eve and the Serpent, while non-whites are "mud peoples" created before Adam and Eve. He has been accused of White supremacy by some, although he denounced the belief in an interview with The Militia Watchdog, saying "I've served with black, white, yellow, brown, red; all religions; nobody ever asked you about your religion, your blood bleeds red the same as everyone else." Gritz also openly denounced racism during his SPIKE (Specially Prepared Individuals for Key Events) training courses, and welcomed all who wanted to join in the training, regardless of race. In 1994, together with former Arizona State Senator Jerry Gillespie and other partners, Gritz established a 200-acre survivalist community and paramilitary training center in Kamiah, Idaho (contiguous to the Nez Perce people) called Almost Heaven. He left Almost Heaven in late 1998, following his suicide attempt (a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest with a .45 Colt pistol while dressed in full military regalia with all his medals). Under influence of the Church of Israel ideology, Gritz then moved to Nevada where he rebranded his Center for Action (originally dedicated to "putting accountability back into government") as the more spiritual Fellowship of Eternal Warriors, a selected group of "warrior-priests" dedicated to oppose the forces of evil (defined by him as a globalist cabal of feminists, male homosexuals, "and other liberal activists ... promoting abortion, pornography, pedophilia, Godless laws, adultery, New Age, international banking", and led by "the worshippers of Baal with their roots still in Babylonian mysticism".). Five years after Gritz had left Almost Heaven, the community was described as almost defunct. Several times, Gritz used his influence and reputation in the Christian Patriot movement in attempts to negotiate conclusions between legal authorities and