Cult News

Los Angeles attorney Barry Fisher has made something of a career out of defending the interests of groups called “cults.”

Fisher was recently back in court for the Krishna organization (ISKCON), reports Associated Press.

Apparently a cause for this “activist” is fighting for ISKCON’s right to annoy people in airports. As any frequent flyer knows, Krishna devotees often work air terminals as a place to hawk books and solicit donations.

However, the courts have ruled repeatedly that free speech doesn’t really include soliciting people at LAX, which is not a “public forum” to promote book sales.

But that doesn’t deter Fisher, who historically can’t seem to find a “cult” he won’t defend.

In fact, Barry Fisher once had his expenses paid by the now infamous Japanese cult Aum, to come to its defense in Tokyo, shortly after the cult gassed the city’s subway system killing 12 and sending thousands to hospitals.

What did Mr. Fisher say? He claimed Japanese law enforcement’s response to the horrific attack was somehow an effort, “to crush a religion and deny freedom.”

Right.

Fisher comes with impressive recommendations. The “Cult Awareness Network” (CAN), largely controlled by the Church of Scientology since 1996, recommends him “for information about new religions.” Shortly after the members of “Heaven’s Gate” committed group suicide in 1997 near San Diego, CAN promoted him as a “religious liberty attorney.”

Defending “religious liberty” can be lucrative. Rev. Moon has billions and the Church of Scientology is certainly not poor. And though ISKCON says it may go bankrupt rather than pay damages to children sexually and physically abused within their schools, they seem to have enough cash on hand to cover Fisher.

No doubt Barry Fisher will continue his crusade for “religious liberty.” Probably at least as long as “persecuted” “new religions” can afford to pay his fees and/or expenses.

George Harrison once sang “My Sweet Lord” in honor of Krishna and he donated property to the Hare Krishna group (ISCKON) near London.

But in the end the former Beatle did not leave ISKCON, which has often been called a “cult,” anything from his $150 million dollar estate, reports the Times of India.

The group somehow believed Harrison would leave them $30 million. However, that appears to have been a delusion, perhaps brought on by excessive chanting.

Krishna devotees previously made the bizarre claim that Harrison’s ashes would be spread on the Ganges. This too proved false.

Maybe Harrison, like many disgruntled Catholics who are now cutting back on their donations to the church, was offended by litigation filed against the religious organization?

There is a $400 million dollar class action lawsuit currently moving through the courts, which exposes years of gross sexual and physical abuse suffered by children, at the hands of Krishna devotees.

Krishna Temples seem to prefer bankruptcy, rather than paying damages to the children who were abused. But it is likely that ISKCON’s actual assets far exceed George Harrison’s estate.

Whatever help the former Beatle naively provided ISKCON during his lifetime, he can now rest in peace. ISCKON can no longer use his name or his money to promote their interests.

An excellent editorial appeared in the Edmonton Journal written by Paula Simons regarding the background history of a Canadian “cult” child abuse case.

Lucille Poulin, the leader of the “Four Winds Commune” was convicted on five counts of assault for beating children within her group. Her defense was essentially that “God” told her to do it. However, the court found that invoking the name of God did not protect Poulin’s behavior.

Perhaps more disturbing than Poulin’s destructive delusions is how long it took authorities to take action.

According to records beginning in 1995 social workers knew what was going on—so why did it take so long to stop Poulin? Apparently they tried to protect the children seven years ago, but were frustrated by a judge who turned them away. Later one child died from medical neglect.

Reviewing the pattern of missed opportunities in the Poulin case is not unlike the sad histories of other “cults” that have abused children.

Groups that have been called “cults” such as the “Twelve Tribes,” “Children of God” and the so-called “Krishna Consciousness” movement have all at one time been the focus of child abuse allegations. Yet over and over again, such groups often escape law enforcement.

Child abuse was eventually proven to be rampant within the Waco Davidian sect, but Texas Child Protection workers once gave David Koresh a pass. Later, the testimony of one of Koresh’s young victims before Congress made it chillingly clear how wrong they were.

Krishna is now the defendant in a class action lawsuit filed by its former children who allege horrific acts of physical and sexual abuse.

The “Twelve Tribes,” just like the Poulin group was investigated for child abuse, but a judge also stopped that process and returned more than a hundred children to the group’s Vermont compound. Years later its children have recounted their experiences of abuse.

Former childhood members of the “Children of God” have discussion/support groups to help each other heal and recover from the abuse they experienced. The group’s founder David Berg has been exposed as a pedophile who engaged in incest and preached a doctrine of sexually stimulating children beginning at the age of four.

Another Canadian group “Church of God Restoration” was also recently found guilty concerning the abuse of its children through brutal beatings. But many within the Canadian press seemed to defend the parental prerogative of group members to inflict such punishment. In another case involving the same church in California a child also died due to medical neglect.

“Cult leader” Dwight York now faces more than 200 criminal counts for sexually abusing and exploiting minor children in his group called the “Nuwaubians.” According to the charges filed against him that abuse was apparently ongoing for years.

Arthur Allen Jr., the leader of the group known as the “House of Prayer” just began serving his jail sentence for a child cruelty conviction. Allen actually made such abuse a spectacle by brutally beating children publicly before his flock.

The story of Lucille Poulin is hardly unique. And the blunders made by authorities that allowed her to continue unchecked for so long are not uncommon either. Sadly, within the bureaucratic maze and legal due process of North America many children within “cults” are victimized.

Authorities seem to be reluctant in dealing with abuse within religious groups. Such groups almost always claim that any interference regarding their behavior is somehow “religious persecution.”

The lot of children born or brought into destructive cults like so much baggage is a scandal. Who will protect them? As Paula Simons laments in her editorial for the Edmonton Journal, “So much unnecessary suffering. So many unanswered questions.”

Perhaps the precedents recently set by court cases in both Canada and the United States will help. But it seems that so often, it is too little or too late.

The burgeoning growth industry of self-improvement within the United States continues to include exotic spiritual mentors. And India has been a fount for a litany of purported “gurus,” “swamis,” “yogis” and other would-be “god-men” that have enthralled Americans.

But in India such supposedly “spiritual” types are increasingly seen as simply tricksters or confidence men. And the police in Bombay are busting them, reports Reuters.

One Indian official who has exposed more than a few explained, “[Our] campaign is meant to be an eye-opener. We want to put a complete stop to those posing as god-men.”

But in the United States the First Amendment precludes putting a “complete stop” to any “religious” endeavor. So many of the “god-men” of India have immigrated to a more open market. After all, why work Bombay when you can come to America and make the big bucks?

Since the sixties a virtual wave of Indian gurus has washed upon the shores of North America. And seemingly gullible Americans have proven over and over again that they are willing to buy the wares of these “god-men” and a few “god-women” too.

The list of such spiritual entrepreneurs keeps growing.

There was Swami Satchidananda (now deceased), Guru Sri Chinmoy (still carrying on in Queens New York), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (perhaps the richest guru on earth), Guru Maharaji (a boy wonder), Swami Prabhupada (deceased founder of “Krishna Consciousness”), Sai Baba, Swami Muktananda (deceased founder of Siddha), Yogi Bhajan of 3HO, Swami Rama and let’s not forget the notorious Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh who was deported before he died.

A new female “guru” is breaking into the American market named “Chalanda Sai Ma.” She is apparently a former pupil of Sai Baba and others, but is now touring solo.

Of course the United States appears to have plenty of homegrown flim flam, which includes an assortment of psychics, faith healers, mediums and even snake handlers. And American authorities are often far less vigilant than their Indian counterparts, when it comes to protecting the public.

Still, despite easily accessible homegrown holy men, there seems to be something about flowing saffron robes, mantras and exotic India that exicites the imagination of many within the US spiritual marketplace. Many “god-men” seem to know how to tap into that market, or that is, turn on the tap to cash in.

The historic success of Indian gurus in the US seems to have inspired a growing list of American wannabes that have taken on Indian names and titles.

Frank Jones from Brooklyn is now “god-man Adi Da,” Fred Lenz was called “Zen Master Rama,” a former New York housewife Joyce Green calls herself “Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati,” Mike Shoemaker became “Swami Chetananada” and Donald Waters became “Swami Kriyananda,” just to name a few.

Some of the “god-men” have turned out to have feet of clay. There have been several scandals and a few lawsuits regarding sexual misconduct and other allegations.

The old consumer adage “buyer beware” seems to be equally appropriate advice within the spiritual marketplace.

One Indian activist intent upon exposing “god-men” as simply con-men said, “It’s easy money — without any investment. As long as fear exists among people such god-men will thrive.”

Pat Robertson the head of Christian Broadcasting Network once condemned the Bush “faith-based initiative,” which is designed to give money to religious groups for social service programs. The TV preacher said he was worried that “cults” would exploit such funding.

However, Rev. Robertson apparently has changed his mind and accepted $500,000.00 from Uncle Sam for his “Operation Blessing” reports the Washington Post.

The grant to the Robertson charity was one of 25 dispersed yesterday by the Department of Health and Human Services.

There are many groups called “cults” that have programs, which they claim, are designed to help the larger community. Critics have charged that such programs are often little more than fronts for proselytizing.

Scientology promotes “Applied Scholastics,” which has been endorsed by President Bush Sr., Barbara Bush and Mr. and Mrs. Colin Powell. The Krishna Consciousness movement runs soup kitchens. And Rev. Moon’s Unification Church has sponsored abstinence programs through “Pure Love Alliance.”

It is not clear what “cult” organizations may receive a share of the $30 million dollars being doled out by the Bush program this year. But it is likely that some “cults” will at least try to get their own piece of the pie.

It seems improbable that religious groups known for fervent proselytizing can somehow compartmentalize their core beliefs when doing “social work.” But President Bush thinks so. And Pat Robertson once a staunch critic of this controversial formula, has now become its first “poster boy.”

The last album made by former Beatle George Harrison is titled “Brainwashed,” Capitol Records will soon release it, reports Entertainment Weekly.

It seems eerily odd that Harrison, as a long-time devotee of the “cult” known as the ‘International Society of Krishna Consciousness” (ISKCON), chose to name what became the album’s title song “Brainwashed.”

Harrison claimed his history with a former manager inspired the composition. In an almost therapeutic sense he explained, ”I need to get that last song out of my system.”

However, to the day he died Harrison never purged the Krishna group from his system. He ended his life amidst friends chanting “Hare Krishna,” the refrain that epitomizes the group’s devotees. Harrison also left a large part of his estate to the “cult,” including a mansion in England.

A Krishna spokesperson said, “We are eternally grateful for all George has done for us. His generosity allowed the Krishna movement to take root in Britain.” Some observers might credit the former Beatle as the single person most responsible for the spread of the movement worldwide.

George Harrison said, ”To have someone sit at your table with your family every night and then betray your trust is one of the worst experiences imaginable.” Again, he was referring to the focus of his song “Brainwashed.”

But Harrison seemed to have little understanding or public sympathy for the many children whose trust was betrayed by their Krishna teachers and caregivers in its schools and communes. Certainly, the ex-Beatle knew of such abuse, which was eventually acknowledged publicly by ISKCON’s leaders before his death. However, he didn’t sing or even speak out about this betrayal of trust and continued to support the organization.

Harrison summarized his song “Brainwashed” as one way he could “respond to the outside world” and “exorcise its demons.” Perhaps the former pop star should have done something meaningful to respond to and/or help the children “brainwashed” and caught within the world of ISKCON? Their horrific experiences seemed to reflect the effects of “demons” worthy of an exorcism.

Lucille Poulin was once a Roman Catholic nun, but she left the church, declared herself a “prophet” and started a commune called the “Family,” reports the National Post.

Life in the Canadian cult included constant beatings and “brainwashing,” according to former members. Finally, some escaped from Poulin’s control and notified authorities.

Poulin now is in court facing charges.

Nine children were brought into this group by their parents. A twelve-year-old boy died due to a viral infection three years ago.

Kids have no choice when their parents decide to join a cult. Many are then schooled within the group and largely isolated from outsiders. Most abused children in cults don’t escape and many have endured years of abuse. A lawsuit filed by the former Krishna children is a frightening example. The class action lawsuit cites horrific physical and sexual abuse that went on for years.