Federal court bans Bradenton 'church' from selling bleach as miracle COVID-19 cure

May 5--A Bradenton organization that peddles drinking industrial-grade bleach as a cure for 95 percent of the world's known illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, autism, Alzheimer's, leukemia, and most recently, COVID-19, was openly defiant after a federal court issued a temporary restraining order on the sale of its products.

"We are doing good, so we have no fear of you AND you still have NO authority in our Church or its practices," wrote Mark Grenon, leader of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing in an email addressed to U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams on April 24.

Grenon, who said he has written President Donald Trump about his product, also told the judge to cancel all orders against the organization.

"Do not dig yourself a deeper hole," Grenon wrote. "You might never get out of it and then ETERNITY!"

Now the federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction that extends a ban on the organization from distributing its MMS product, also known as "Master" or "Miracle Mineral Solution."

"The Court finds that the United States has shown a cognizable danger that Defendants will continue to violate the FDCA in the future unless a preliminary injunction is issued," Judge Williams stated her in May 1 order.

Miracle 'cure' unproven and dangerous, FDA says

When used as directed, the MMS product creates chlorine dioxide, a chemical agent used as bleach in multiple industries and as a disinfectant at water treatment facilities in minuscule amounts.

At the amounts that Genesis II recommends, its ingestion can be harmful and potentially fatal, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

"The FDA has received reports of consumers who have suffered from severe vomiting, severe diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration, and acute liver failure after drinking these products," the agency said in a public warning about MMS in late 2019.

Genesis has marketed its product as safe for adults, including pregnant women, as well as children and animals.

"Don't fear this coronavirus," a recent post on the Genesis website said. "Fear the Vaccine and meds!"

The post then gave advice on MMS dosages for adults and "small children under 50 pounds" to cure the coronavirus.

The instructions also noted that MMS could have side effects, including stomach pain and diarrhea.

In a complaint filed by U.S. attorneys seeking the preliminary injunction, FDA further classified MMS as a misbranded, mislabeled and unapproved new drug with "no published adequate and well-controlled studies" to support treatment claims made about it.

The case against Genesis II was brought by the Department of Justice on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration after church leaders ignored a cease and desist letter from the FDA in early April. That letter was sent after undercover FDA agents obtained MMS product by placing an order through the Genesis II website.

"There will be NO corrective actions on our part," Grenon replied to the cease and desist, according to court documents. "You have no authority over us! . . . Never going to happen."

A hearing on whether the defendants should be held in contempt of court is scheduled for May 11.

The organization operates from a residence in the 2000 block of Garden Lane in Bradenton, where Genesis II Church of Health and Healing signs are still posted on the home's facade and planted in the yard -- along with a "no trespassing" sign.

Church leaders contradict themselves

Genesis II has presented itself as a religious organization, describing itself as a "church," its founders as "bishops" and MMS as a "sacrament."

The group also uses its religious status as a reason why it cannot be regulated by federal agencies.

"Our Sacraments are based on the Word of God and NOT an unjust law made by man that you seem to try to defend," Grenon said in a 23-page letter addressed to Judge Williams and U.S. attorney Matthew J. Feeley on April 21. "You can't make a Law against the practice of our Sacraments so you surely can't enforce and unlawful law. So, why are you, the FDA and DOJ committing this GROSS Negligence against a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ that has the freedom to practice our religious convictions that our President defends?"

But it in a recent video interview with Age of Truth, an "alternative media platform" that explores the paranormal and conspiracy theories on YouTube, the group's leader Mark Grenon admitted that Genesis II was established as a church to avoid governmental regulation.

When Grenon was asked why he chose to create a church to promote MMS, he said:

"Why? Because everything you do commercially is under the Universal [sic] Commercial Code, OK. A church is completely separate from that [sic] codes, statutes and laws. That's why a priest can give a kid wine in church, probably, and not get arrested, because it's a sacrament. You can go into a church like an embassy and get political asylum. Why? Cause it's not under any law. I knew this cause as a pastor they tried to arrest us for proclaiming stuff on the street in Boston, and they threw it out of court, cause we were a church. You can't arrest us from doing one of our sacraments."

"We could have done temple, we could have done synagogue, we could have done mosque," Grenon also said. "They all have the same right. But we just chose church, People who are a member of a mosque -- stay a member of your mosque. This is about health."

When asked if Genesis II was a Christian organization, Grenon said:

"No, not all. ... Genesis just means beginning. We started this by saying, I personally am a Christian. But Jim says, well, I believe this. (Jim Humble, a co-founder of the church, is a noted ex-Scientologist.) And I said just start it like a hospital. When you go to a hospital, they might ask your religion, but they're not going to stop you from being helped. ... Let's start a church for everyone. We have atheists in our church. We have every person, every gender you could imagine."

The host of the YouTube show then said: "So, it wasn't really about religion-- it was in order to, in a way, legalize the use of MMS and the fact that you discovered through Jim Humble and yourself that it could actually heal people."

"Right. It wasn't at all religious," Grenon responded. "We wanted to make it non-religious. Cause I want the guy that doesn't agree with me philosophically, religiously, or whatever, to still learn how to do this --to help his kids, his wife... That's how we're going to grow organically."

The Grenons have also fluctuated on whether or not MMS is bleach.

"Yes, it is a bleach. It's a bleach," Mark Grenon said in the YouTube interview posted in March.

"Chlorine Dioxide is NOT bleach," Joseph Grenon wrote in a April 3 Facebook post.

Genesis emboldened by Trump

In a April 19 video update, Mark Grenon claimed that he sent a letter to President Trump touting the effectiveness of MMS as a disinfectant and cure for COVID-19.

There is no evidence that the president received or read the letter before his controversial comments about the possibility of injecting disinfectant into COVID-19 patients as a possible treatment for the disease.

Nevertheless, Grenon and other believers in MMS were heartened by the president's comments.

"Trump has got the MMS and all the info!!!" Grenon posted on Facebook on the day following the press briefing. "Things are happening folks! Lord help others to see the Truth!"

Grenon has since continued to appeal to the president on behalf of Genesis II Church and has encouraged others to do so as well through social media posts and the organization's website.

"I respect President Trump but not your proven corrupt agencies!" Grenon wrote in his April 21 letter. "He is getting bad counsel like Haman gave King Ahasuerus. Haman ended up hanging because his deception and so will your agencies! I would welcome a call from President Trump to express my grievances!"

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