=== Aum Shinrikyo
1. AUM guru may undergo mental tests

=== Falun Gong
2. falungong leader savages ''wicked'' Chinese leadership
3. China's crackdown on falungong sect rooted in fear and ignorance: members
4. China Jails 13 More Falun Gong Activists

=== Unification Church
5. Ministers upset by Moon visit
6. Rev. Moon's event raises local hackles
7. In Oakland, Moon Stresses Family
8. Rev. Moon delivers message in Oakland
9. The Reverend Moon's Comeback

=== Islam
10. 2 Bamyan Buddhas completely destroyed, reports AIP
11. Taliban vows to keep thumbing nose at the world
12. Taliban close BBC Kabul office
13. The anti-Buddhist fury in Afghanistan

=== Catholicism
14. Ranking Congressmen Support Suspect Religious Group

=== Mormonism
15. Skinhead Church
16. 'It Isn't A Sunday Religion. It's A Lifetime Change.'

=== Hate Groups
17. FindLaw Forum: Court should have heard KKK case
18. Haider the Rightist Is Firing Up Vienna's Election With Slurs

=== Other News
19. Novato 'Diploma Mill' Shut Down by State
20. Leader Of Religious Group, Son Charged With Molestation
21. Man charged with DUI and fired after drinking kava sues employer
22. Elementary may be closed due to polygamists withdrawal
23. 'Fairy' pictures fetch £6,000

=== Faith-Based Initiatives

24. Christian leaders pan Bush's faith plan
25. Cult fear hits Bush plan to fund by faith
26. Poll: Americans approve of Bush
27. Delay on Faith-Aid Plan Puts Time on Bush's Side
28. Senate To Introduce Religion Plan

=== Human Rights Violations

29. Amnesty International Condemns Sentencing of 14-year-old Boy to Life Imprisonment Without Possibility of Parole

=== Noted
30. Hearing From Dearly Departed Proves a Hit on Sci-Fi Channel

=== Trends
31. Claim of 'Post-Denominational Era' Defied
32. It's chic to be a Protestant in France


=== Noted

30. Hearing From Dearly Departed Proves a Hit on Sci-Fi Channel
Los Angeles Times, Mar. 5, 2001
http://www.latimes.com/
[Story no longer online? Read this]
(...) The format is simple: A noncelebrity host communicates with guests who have ''crossed over''--in other words, are dead. He then relays their messages to their living loved ones in the studio audience.

No booking wars here. The Sci-Fi Channel's ''Crossing Over With John Edward'' is a hit and is one of the cable network's first entrees into nonscripted programming.
(...)

Since premiering in July last year, ''Crossing Over'' has boosted ratings 33% over the same time period the previous year, to a daily average of 533,000 households. Perhaps more importantly, the show is attracting more female viewers to the traditionally male-skewing Sci-Fi Channel. While women generally make up 45% of Sci-Fi's audience, ''Crossing Over's'' audience is 60% women.

The sudden success has come as a shock to everyone involved. Well, not exactly everyone.

''I'm not shocked,'' says John Edward, the psychic medium namesake of the show. ''I know what peoples' interests are.'' He notes that, in general, people are ''developing a new sense of spiritual understanding universally.''
(...)

When Edward hosts the show, he stands in front of the audience and with no fanfare or props--like Tarot cards or crystals--starts communicating with the dead family and friends of audience members. He determines who the information is meant for by where the energy is pulling him in the audience and by the ''facts'' that the dead are giving him to validate their presence.

These details often sound downright bizarre to the viewer, such as ''I'm getting a Devil Dog connection here,'' or ''Do you have a part of her body with you?'' but often cause the recipient to dissolve in emotion, believing that the only way Edward would have this information is if their dead loved one is supplying it.

Yet, Edward never chokes up or betrays a trace of sentimentality as he delivers information rapid-fire. He's like a psychic short-order cook, barking out personal messages then moving on to the next person. Put plainly, there's nothing remotely warm and fuzzy about the guy and that's the way he likes it.
(...)

Edward maintains there are no differences between doing televised readings or doing group or private readings that aren't aired. He prepares the same way by meditating and praying before he begins. Edward says regardless of the venue, it's all the same for him.

But for the spirits, it's not. Some are private and just don't like the limelight.

''If somebody has a family member who was in life shy or whose family doesn't want them to disclose a lot of their business, it's not going to happen,'' he says.

But apparently, plenty of spirits do not suffer from stage fright.
(...)

And now that the show is a hit, Sci-Fi's sister company, Studios USA, is planning to take the show to the next level by bringing it to the syndicated marketplace.

The show will continue to be shown on Sci-Fi as well. But will ''Crossing Over's'' success spawn a spate of knockoff psychic shows? Bill Carroll, vice president and director of programming for Katz Television Group, which advises stations on programming decisions, says that it's a distinct possibility.
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