The Parowan Prophet, Leland Freeborn, gestures to a framed image of an atomic blast. His survivalist followers meet every Monday at his home to discuss prophecies, the Bible and survival guides. Freeborn, a former Mormon, believes there will be a nuclear attack on the U.S. before Christmas. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Leland Freeborn’s followers read through material prepared by Brian, third from left, for a discussion on uranium. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Carolyn, right, listens to her husband, Samuel, reads passages from the Bible that Leland Freeborn says support his prophecy of a nuclear explosion. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Leland Freeborn heads off on an errand. He says he is shunned in his town of Parowan, Utah, and that his property has been vandalized. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
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A rainbow appears across the desert in Parowan, amid the red rocks in southwestern Utah. Leland Freeborn has had a recurring dream of seeing nuclear flashes to the west. In the dream, he is shopping during the Christmas season. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Leland Freeborn crashed his airplane in 1975 and fell into a three-week coma, during which he went through to the other side and emerged a prophet. He now uses crutches and a wheelchair. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
After he began having visions, Leland Freeborn forfeited his wealth and began spreading word of his prophecies. He appears to live mainly on sales of newsletters and survival information packets advertised on his website. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
