Cult News

Cult apologist Philip Arnold trotted out for a Davidian pep rally near Waco last month. And wouldn’t you know that Rev. Moon‘s Washington Times would pop in a plug.

The Moon-controlled newspaper ran the story “Davidians, friends gather in Waco to praise Koresh,” which read more like a press release from cult members, than objective journalism.

Arnold went so far as to compare David Koresh to “Jesus.”

He claimed, “Like Jesus, Koresh came into conflict with traditional theology and was handed over to authorities, who ultimately killed him.”

But does anyone recall passages in the New Testament about “Jesus” abusing women and children, or stockpiling weapons? In fact, didn’t Jesus urge his following to obey civil authority?

Maybe Arnold should brush up on his bible?

Apparently the apologist largely blames the FBI for the tragedy. He stated, “The FBI delivered the apocalypse of the Book of Revelations to the Davidians,” seemingly placing the responsibility for the tragedy with the government.

Arnold runs something called the “Reunion Institute” in Houston and has been touted by the Church of Scientology as a “religious resource.”

During the Waco standoff in 1993 Arnold and an academic friend James Tabor, another “resource” promoted by Scientology, set up shop in Waco and garnered attention with claims they could somehow work with Koresh to end the standoff.

They obviously failed, but don’t expect them to admit this. Instead, the academics insist more time was needed. It seems 51 days just wasn’t enough.

Both Arnold and Tabor were once associated with the controversial Worldwide Church of God, another group frequently called a “cult.”

Various Davidians and hanger-ons rallied for the 10th anniversary of the ill-fated standoff with Arnold, all holding forth with essentially the same refrain. That is, Koresh and his followers were “persecuted” and victimized by federal law-enforcement.

However, two congressional hearings, an independent investigation and a jury concluded otherwise.

Never mind.

Apologists like Arnold and the remaining Davidians are too deeply and personally invested in their positions to face the facts about the cult murder/suicide.

The Washington Times, which is controlled by a purported “cult leader,” likewise is invested in its own agenda and can be expected to slant news coverage accordingly.

Don’t expect a newspaper controlled by Rev. Moon to be interested in an exploration of how destructive cult leaders exercise undue influence over their followers. That might be bad for business.