=== Aum Shinrikyo
1. Don't forget Tokyo subway gas attack: survivors and bereaved families
2. Subway staff remember victims of 1995 AUM gassing

=== Scientology
3. Tom Cruise Ends another Affair
4. Update: Cruise Still With Scientology
5. Cruise Dumps Scientology - NOT!
6. [harassment has become so commonplace that it is no longer newsworthy]
7. A Thorn in the MPAA's Side

=== Buddhism
8. 'Vietnam Buddhist burns herself to death'
9. Vietnam sect leader allowed home, status unclear

=== Islam
10. Cows slaughtered over delay in Buddha statues destruction
11. Taliban Explains Buddha Demolition
12. Muslim destroyers reach for the heart of Jewish holy sites

=== Mormonism
13. Visiting Reporters Complain Venues Tour Turned Into a Pitch for Church, State
14. Mormons under pressure on drink

=== Hate Groups
15. More teens buying white power music
16. Speakers with anti-Semitic ties coming to B.C. rally
17. Klan Highway Sign Isn't Welcome, Say Potosi, Mo., Residents

=== House of Prayer (Atlanta)
18. Church disputes claims of abuse
19. DFCS to take 10 more kids from members of Atlanta church in wake of abuse probe

=== Other News
20. French Sect Members Tried for Baby-Killing
21. Ex-dean of BU chapel on leave for illness
22. Families seek help from dangers of cults
23. 'Volatile' Prophetic Writings Set to Stir Further Controversy (Rick
Joyner)

=== Noted
24. False Prophets in Poland
25. Christian ministers to embrace Rainbow
26. The Work, the FBI and a habit of silence (Opus Dei)

=== Books
27. Religion researcher's 40-year quest to tabulate every believer on earth



=== Noted

24. False Prophets in Poland
Warsaw Voice (Poland), Mar. 20, 2001
http://centraleurope.com/
[Story no longer online? Read this]
The first cults appeared in Poland in the 1970s, and most cults today that are causing major problems have been around since the 1980s.

However, the real boom for new religious movements began after 1989, when economic and social transformations fostered excellent conditions for such movements. The new freedom of conscience and faith made it possible for individuals to register new religious movements, which is much simpler than listing a new association in the official register. The effect has been that cults which are illegal in other countries operate freely in Poland.

''The weakening of state structures after the transformation of the regime also favors the development of cults,'' said Krzysztof Wiktor, a representative of the Religious Beliefs Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration. ''As religious associations, they are exempt from all taxes, there is no control over them, no way of verifying the data they supply. Cults were very popular in the early 1990s. The open borders, the crumbling of Polish authorities, a decrease in support for the Catholic Church and political warfare all created a very good atmosphere for the development of cults.''

Only a few years ago, the biggest problem involved purely religious cults. Now it seems they are losing their dominant position. According to data collected by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) responsible for the registration of new religious movements and cults, psychomanipulative methods are being used more and more often by the organizers of various courses, in systems such as reikiki and feng-shui, promoting positive thinking, healing, improving relationships and assertiveness, to name a few.

''We suspect some of these courses are organized by cults,'' said Wiktor. ''They often offer such training sessions to large companies; there have been instances of a cult running recruitment services for companies.''
(...)

According to the Commissioner for the Protection of Victims' Rights, the fundamental difficulty in the battle against cults is proving that they have done harm, because very often they work under the patronage of legal and very influential companies, and have access to competent lawyers who protect their interests.
(...)

It's impossible to indicate the exact number of cults operating in Poland. Government and non-governmental organizations have yet to compile such a list. One of the reasons for this state of affairs is that there is no precise definition of a cult. Among the 250 so-called new religious movements, it is difficult to single out psychomanipulative and destructive groups.

According to Ministry of Internal Affairs data, there may be around 50, of which some 10 or 20 are particularly dangerous. The most dangerous of these are international cults which have been accused of terrorism in other countries on numerous occasions. They have their own intelligence, counterintelligence and gigantic incomes provided by their followers.

More and more often, cults set themselves up as therapeutic, healing or even commercial and crypto-political groups using psychomanipulative methods. ''This is the new phenomenon of cults in Poland and in the rest of the world,'' said Wiktor. ''The problem of psychomanipulation is becoming of major importance. Over 10 years ago, the serious concern involved religious issues or problems of gurus sexually molesting their followers and mass suicides. Such traditional religious cults seemed to have quieted down. No one commits suicide because of a guru anymore. Today a guru is a cynical manager who takes advantage of his followers using psychomanipulation and then ''spits them out'' when they are no longer useful.''
(...)

''Cult membership is not only the individual problem of the member,'' said Wiktor. ''It also affects loved ones, friends and society, all of whom the convert has strong ties with.'' According to Wiktor, people who get involved with cults neglect or abandon their families, often depriving them of financial support, and move in with the guru for whom they work and in whom they place their blind trust. Often they try to become the irreplaceable employee in their company in order to learn about its secrets and then pass the information on to their guru, making 10,000 people able to influence 100,000 or even millions of people.
(...)

In Poland, as well as in other countries, the biggest problem is that cults disguise themselves very well and have ways of making themselves credible. The Moon cult organizes conferences on various subjects with celebrity participants. The presence of public figures at such events helps other participants believe in their legitimacy.

Invitations to conferences dealing with issues such as the family or world peace are sent to various institutions and participation is free of charge. They are often held in luxurious hotels or conference centers. Trained cult canvassers mingle with guests, singling out potential candidates. The last conference of this kind was held in November 2000 near Warsaw.

Former Polish President Lech Walesa's adventure proves how efficient the organizers of such world conferences are. A conference entitled Dialogue and Harmony Among Civilizations: The Family, Universal Values and World Peace was held Jan. 26-27, 2001 in New York. Walesa was invited-the director of the Lech Walesa Institute in Warsaw assured The Warsaw Voice that Walesa was unaware that the conference had been organized by Sun Myung Moon's Moon cult until his arrival. The event was being held at United Nations headquarters and the Hilton Hotel. In Spring 2000, Walesa had been invited to a similar meeting in Seoul-that time however, his advisers found out who was behind it.

In Western Europe, the number of crimes linked to cult activity is much higher than in Poland. For instance, in Germany there are around 800 such cases annually, while in Poland we count little over 10, consisting mostly of extortion, kidnappings and coercion. This does not mean that Polish cults are more law-abiding, but that prosecutors and courts do not recognize these cases for what they really are.
(...)

''In order to prevent cults from recruiting young people, we organize presentations at schools,'' said Father Tomasz Alexiewicz from the Warsaw Dominican Information Center on New Religious Movements and Cults. ''The interest is great. Students talk to us for a long time after the presentation even though they are held after school hours.''

According to Wiktor, the Ministry of Education is putting together a program which will help students-the most susceptible candidates-stay away from cults. ''If we warn young people about drugs and alcohol, we must also warn them about false prophets,'' said Wiktor.
[...more...]   [Need the full story? Read this]


25. Christian ministers to embrace Rainbow
The Spokesman-Review, Mar. 18, 2001
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/
[Story no longer online? Read this]
While many communities view the annual Rainbow Family Gathering as something akin to the plague, several Christian churches in Sandpoint and Spokane are preparing to welcome the countercultural group with open arms.

''Well, sure, it would be more practical if 30,000 paying tourists came to town rather than 30,000 people begging for food,'' said the Rev. Ken Lawrence, pastor of River of Life Church in Sandpoint. ''What I see is a wonderful opportunity to show them the love of Jesus Christ.''

The Rainbow Family is a loose-knit group of 60,000 or so hippies, Deadheads, beatniks, New Agers, radical environmentalists, Pagans and adherents of other alternative lifestyles. Once a year, thousands of them flock from all over the country to a national forest somewhere in the United States and camp for a week or two of drumming, partying and fellowship.

This year's Rainbow Family Gathering is scheduled for July 1-7 somewhere along the Washington-Idaho border. Longtime observers are betting somewhere near Priest River. No one will know for certain, until the month before the gathering.

The pattern is for people to start trickling into the area in June. A cleanup brigade of several hundred usually stays for weeks afterward to restore the forest to its original state.

Last year the Forest Service estimated that 23,000 people camped in the Beaverhead National Forest near Missoula. Beaverhead County later billed the Rainbow Family $137,000 for extra law enforcement, garbage cleanup and unpaid medical bills at the county hospital. They said they didn't expect the bill to be paid, because the Rainbows have no hierarchy, no staff and no official address or headquarters.

The Rainbows cleaned out the local food bank and exhausted other social services, such as homeless shelters and free medical clinics. Communities near previous Rainbow Gatherings have reported a rise in panhandling, shoplifting and burglaries that coincided with the massive camp-out.

No one affiliated with the Rainbow Family could be reached for comment. However, the group says its gatherings are intended to be celebrations of love and peace.

Christian ministers in the Inland Northwest hope that by organizing, they can minimize the impact of the Rainbow Family as well as gain some converts.

''This thing is so big,'' said Dan Grether, director of Free Indeed Ministries of Spokane. ''To the extent that we ignore them, we will stay the sleepy little church that we are. To the extent that we engage them, we will be changed.''
Spiritually, the Rainbow Family is eclectic. There are Hare Krishnas, traditional Native American practitioners and people who believe in UFOs.

But they are all searching for the meaning of life, said Joshua Hanson, founder of the Jesus Loves You Ministry based in St. Louis. A former Rainbow, he and 10 others now drive around the country to various counterculture events, such as Phish concerts and Bikeweek, an annual gathering of motorcycle riders. They set up a large tent and provide food, clothing and counseling for teenagers and young adults at such gatherings.

Hanson dabbled in dozens of spiritual disciplines before 1997, when he became a born-again Christian while heading to a Rainbow Family gathering in the Ochoco National Forest in Oregon. He and several friends stopped at a soup kitchen in Kansas City. The volunteers took the group back to their church and treated them for lice infestation. Then they prayed.

''That was my road to Damascus,'' said Hanson, 28. ''After that I realized I had been a false teacher. I knew I had to go back and set things right.''
These days, while he feeds and clothes runaways, drifters, drug users and Deadheads, he preaches the Gospel.

His reception among the Rainbows is mixed. Once a man burned his Bible. But because Rainbows are curious about all things spiritual, they are often eager to discuss different beliefs.

Last year, by the end of the gathering, as many as 100 people were baptized in a nearby lake, said Tedd Craven, a former prison minister now dedicated to converting the Rainbows to Christianity.

Craven and Hanson led a retreat at a church camp outside of Hayden, Idaho, two weeks ago for 45 ministers and church members from the Inland Northwest. They showed videos and gave lectures about the Rainbow culture, what works and what doesn't.

''We have to be very careful not to charge in there with hellfire and damnation,'' said Grether of Spokane's Free Indeed Ministries. ''That's what we are prone to do and that's exactly what won't work.''

Instead, the ministers want to encourage Christians to approach the Rainbow Family with respect.

They hope to help supply money and volunteers to provide the encampment with fresh water, toilets, medical aid, food and transportation to and from town.

They are also lining up churches and households that will take in new converts looking for a Christian home.

''A good deal of them are people who have had a negative church experience,'' Grether said. ''They have been rejected by the church because they don't fit in.''

Several of the ministers said they hope to correct mistakes churches have made in past by rejecting people who didn't look or act like mainstream Christians.
Lawrence, of Sandpoint, said he has lived through one cultural revolution and would like the chance to do it over.

''I'm 60 years old,'' he said. ''I see this as the chance to correct a mistake the church made 40 years ago when we frowned on all the hippies.''

Conservative Christians and the Rainbow Family actually have a lot in common, Craven said. Both groups identify themselves as fighting against the dominant culture of materialism.

The Rainbows have adopted this Native American prophecy as their mantra: ''When the Earth is ravaged and the animals are dying, a new tribe of people shall come unto the Earth from many colors, classes, creeds, and who by their actions and deeds shall make the Earth green again. They will be known as Warriors of the Rainbow.''

Many of the ministers who have dedicated their lives to making the Rainbows into Christians, believe the group is preordained by God to play an apocalyptic role in end times predicted by the Book of Revelation.

''They have an in-built expectation to be Christ's people,'' Grether said. ''They just don't understand yet that this is their mission.''

• Staff writer Kelly McBride can be reached at (509) 459-5449 or by e-mail at kellym@spokesman.com .
[...Entire item posted with the kind permission of the author, Kelly McBride...]


26. The Work, the FBI and a habit of silence
National Post (Canada), Mar. 20, 2001
http://www.nationalpost.com/
[Story no longer online? Read this]
It's the stuff of cloaks, daggers and, well, missals and crucifixes. Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent accused of spying for the Russians, was a member of the very secret and very Roman Catholic organization Opus Dei. So, reportedly, is the FBI's director, Louis J. Freeh. Which must make every conspiracy theorist juggle his X-Files video collection in sheer delight. As for Opus Dei, its response is pretty much as usual. In other words, there isn't one.

Literally ''Work of God,'' this conservative group within the Roman Catholic Church is as respected as it is reviled within Catholic circles. Loved for being faithful and loyal to the Pope; hated for being right-wing and sinister. The truth is, as I'm sure FBI agents are routinely told, somewhere in the middle.

Opus Dei was founded by a Spanish priest named Josemaria Escriva in 1928, as a largely lay organization of Roman Catholics with the purpose of sanctifying ordinary work and maintaining orthodoxy within their faith. The holy and the religious are within everyday people, doing everyday things, he said, but they need guidance. It is now an international group with houses and followers throughout the world. It has 80,000 members, 1,800 of them priests. In Canada there are 500 members, but the number of followers is dozens of times larger. It is also a Personal Prelature of the Pope, which means it has clout.

Escriva was an active student of the history of the Church and was acutely concerned with its progress and evolution. He was more keenly aware than most of the split between theological liberals and conservatives. His followers claim that Opus Dei is very much within the spirit of Vatican II, the Papal council that, it was said, opened up the windows of the Church and let in the light.

Opponents claim that ''The Work,'' as insiders call it, looks back to a time of unquestioned authority and Catholic triumphalism.
(...)

A friend of mine was interested in attending a religious conference in Ontario, but being a faithful Catholic wanted to make sure it had the right credentials. If it was Opus Dei, she knew it would be okay. She telephoned the organizer. ''Is this an Opus Dei conference?'' It's a conference. ''Yes, I know. But is it Opus Dei?'' It's ecumenical in nature. ''Yes, yes. But is it Opus Dei?'' It has a Catholic emphasis. ''Look, I'm only coming if it's Opus Dei!'' Yes, it's Opus Dei.

Critics will argue, however, that the secrecy has darker implications, and that this is a cult. Hard to maintain that allegation really, although there are some parents who have claimed their children were brainwashed and taken away from them. Little evidence for that, though students have been invited to pizza parties without being informed of the affiliation of those buying the mushroom and pepperoni.

In fact, actual membership is not easy, and most of its adherents simply go along for evenings of ''recollection,'' to hear a talk and to pray. Others, however, commit themselves to celibacy and devote a certain part of their income to Opus Dei.

There have also been rumours of fascist sympathies. Again, not strictly true.
(...)

At a time when relativism still has a footing within Catholicism, Opus Dei offers certainty. Some of its members to whom I have spoken describe what are actually the fairly mundane activities of The Work as miraculous, magnificent, life-changing. They speak of the founder, a man who has been rushed through the Papal pecking order toward official sainthood with remarkable alacrity, as a God-like figure. Actually his writings are usually far from profound and even, with all due respect, almost banal.
[...more...]   [Need the full story? Read this]

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