Cult News

Andrew Parker 23 murdered his 22-year-old brother and then killed himself, according to Morning Call. The older brother had battled depression for some time.

Both brothers were raised within a notorious “sex cult” now called “The Family,” but formerly known as the “Children of God.” The group was founded by pedophile “Moses” David Berg. The boy’s parents met within the group and still appear to be active members.

The “Children of God” has been the subject of much bad press for its strange sexual practices that included fund-raising through “flirty fishing,” which many saw as simply prostitution and the sexualizing of children at an early age. The group published tracts preaching such concepts.

Actor River Phoenix, nominated for an Oscar for his role in the film “Running on Empty,” was also raised within the group. Phoenix once said he lost his virginity at age four. He later died at 23, the result of a drug overdose.

Former members, especially those raised within the “Children of God,” often seem to struggle with emotionally and psychologically debilitating side effects. Some former members say it takes years to overcome the residual post-traumatic stress and depression caused by the group. Many have turned to drugs; especially young people with a history in the organization.

Who knows what demons drove Andrew Parker? Were he and his brother two more casualties of the “Children of God”?

For many yoga enthusiasts the practice is simply good exercise. But it seems for some it’s all about profits, ego and power. Some yoga schools and related businesses apparently are more concerned with maintaining their franchise and market share than the bodies of their clients, reports Business 2.0.

The article takes readers on a tour of prominent yoga entrepreneurs, who appear to be the antithesis of what you would expect, much more about the bottom line than something transcendent.

The yoga notables covered include seemingly status-driven celebrity name-dropper Bikram Choudhury, who likes flashy watches and John Abbot former banker and now the owner of “Yoga Journal” magazine, who seems intensely focused on his market share.

The article is an interesting look at how yoga has become little more than a business to make money for many of its advocates.

But another aspect of the yoga business is the use of the now popular and fashionable practice to proselytize. That is, some groups called “cults” or “cult-like” draw in adherents through an apparent kind of “bait and switch” process. These groups seem to feed off yoga as a vehicle to bring people into their subculture and/or mindset. And this process can be intensified through the use of “meditation,” often more like hypnotic trance induction, which makes students more malleable.

Yoga practitioners involved in this process may eventually become more than just exercise buffs. They can become devotees of some charismatic leader and/or sect.

This recruitment process is not uncommon. After all, yoga’s actual roots are religious not secular. Anyone interested in taking classes should check out the background of their school before becoming involved, to make sure it doesn’t have a hidden agenda.

Some groups, which have raised concerns are 3HO led by “Yogi Bhajan,” Integral Yoga International (IYI) and “Yogaville” founded by Swami Satchidananda, Dahn Hak Tao “Healing Society” led by “Master Lee” and a Patanjali Yoga Shala studio in Manhattan run by teacher Eddie Stern.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo says that he may have been “brainwashed,” reported Reuters.

Milingo was the center of an intense controversy regarding his marriage to a “Moonie.” His now former wife is a member of Rev. Moon’s Unification Church.

The Archbishop has released a tell-all book titled “Fished out of the Mud.” He says that the Unification Church actually wanted to use him to set up a “parallel Catholic Church” in Africa. Apparently the “brainwashed” bishop would have then become its figurehead, essentially a front man for Moon.

It seems like mass weddings and being a billionaire is just not enough for Mr. Moon. The octogenarian “cult leader” now apparently wants to be a Pontiff too. Maybe his devoted followers already kiss his ring, or whatever.

“Cult leader” Scott Caruthers is charged with conspiring to murder three people, reports the Baltimore Sun. The leader of the group called “BDX ” is now being held in jail, though he could be released on bail for $1 million dollars.

Caruthers believes he is an alien from outer space who communicates back to the “mother ship” through cats. Mr. Caruther’s attorney has requested that he be evaluated for an “insanity defense.”

Is it really surprising that some cult leaders might be crazy? Remember the leader of “Heaven’s Gate,” former mental hospital inpatient Marshall Applewhite? He thought he was part of an intergalactic “away team.”

Some people say you have to be crazy to join a cult, but perhaps it’s far more likely if you lead one.

John Trochman, the self-proclaimed Montana “militia” leader made it into print again within the Billings Gazette. Of course as usual, the former snowmobile parts seller saw conspiracies everywhere.

An interview with Trochman sounds like a “snow job” though, so maybe he really didn’t distance himself that much from his snowmobile business after all.

Trochman promotes for sale an array of conspiracy related survivalist wares at his much touted website.

He sells everything from a compass for $3.00 to “radiological meters” at $65 bucks apiece. Sleeping bags for the paranoid on the run are only $6.00, $20.00 for the waterproof model. There are frequent price cuts for double purchases, so two can be delusional for a discount. And of course there’s Trochman’s newsletter “Taking Aim,” which is $25.00 for twelve issues.

But the “militia” business hasn’t been good lately. Interest waned after the execution of Timothy McVeigh and the many arrests of “militia” participants certainly didn’t help to alleviate the slump. However, it seems that going back to snowmobiles is not appealing to John Trochman.

Despite his rhetoric Mr. Trochman appears to be more about merchandising and mailing lists than “militias.” So is all his talk about dark conspiracies little more than a “snow job” to promote sales?

It is now one year since the most heinous attack ever launched against America took place. More than 3,000 died in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But what have we learned in the past year about the dynamics of groups like al-Qaeda?

It seems like we are still struggling to understand why well educated men from mostly affluent Arab families would throw away their lives to serve the agenda of one madman.

Osama bin Laden, not unlike Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh and Shoko Asahara had a self-obsessed dream, which became a nightmare for others. He too believed that horrific murders would somehow fulfill his prophetic view of the world. And as David Koresh twisted the bible, Shoko Asahara maligned Buddhism, Jones and Manson manipulated racial tensions and politics, bin Laden came up with his own bizarre, destructive world view and version of Islam.

Rather than looking at the Arab-Israeli conflict, United States foreign policy or the living conditions within the Arab world to explain the motivation for bin Laden’s brand of terrorism, perhaps we should examine more closely the history of destructive cults and the psychopaths who frequently lead them, to better understand September 11th.

And Indian publication “The Week” ran an article about “Fake Healing,” which reports the exploits of one supposed healer named Alex Orbito.

Orbito is a so-called “psychic surgeon.” This means he can somehow penetrate the body and literally pull out illness, such as cancer, tumors or whatever. However, it seems Orbito and his entourage became rather “testy” if not hostile when pressed for objective proof of the healer’s work.

No meaningful evidence was forthcoming and Orbito appears to be little more than a con man exploiting the frailties of others. But his stage show, complete with “blood” after psychic incisions, offers more visually than many American healers.

Benny Hinn is an itinerant Pentecostal healer from the United States who gathers thousands to witness his healing crusades at various venues around the globe. Hinn’s organization draws millions of dollars in contributions annually, which affords the pastor a very comfortable lifestyle.

Interestingly Hinn has an extravagant comb over hairstyle, which is an obvious effort to conceal his receding hairline. Why can’t the preacher heal himself? It would seem a simple task from a man who claims he has witnessed cancer remissions and limbs grow through his crusades. Can’t he grow some hair on his own head?

Perhaps the Lord does work mysteriously. Hinn like Orbito, can’t produce objective proof of his healing either. A good book to read about this burgeoning business is “The Faith Healers” by James Randi, a noted skeptic.

Rulon Jeffs died Sunday September 8th at the age of 92. He was the leader of the so-called “Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints” (FLDS), which is believed to be the largest polygamist group in North America, reported Associated Press.

Jeffs had 19 wives and fathered 60 children. His extended family gatherings might seem to most, like a town hall meeting.

The FLDS is primarily based within the two twin communities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. These towns are situated on the Arizona/Utah border and include thousands of FLDS members.

Despite the recent prosecution of polygamists and investigation of their activities the powerful Jeffs clan seems to be immune from such scrutiny.

Rulon Jeffs lived a very comfortable life, often shuttled about on a private aircraft. He had a luxurious home in Utah and ruled over a virtual kingdom as its unchallenged leader and “prophet.” Like some despot who governed by “divine right,” his edicts were final and his commands obeyed.

The FLDS throne is now vacant and the struggle for succession will soon begin. Someone will certainly want the crown, since the assets and cash flow of the organization are quite considerable. As in most kingdoms the FLDS appears to have a dynastic line, so it is likely a Jeffs will soon be designated its new ruler.

It seems a new trend amongst Neo Nazis is tattooing children with a swastika.

In Logan, Utah it’s alleged that one family decided to do this. A home care worker observed the mark on an 8-month-old child’s head, according to the Associated Press.

Authorities acknowledged that White Supremacists are migrating to the rural areas of Utah. If they will disfigure their own children, what are they capable of doing to their neighbors?

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was famous in the 1960s as the Beatles’ guru. But after the Beatles dumped him he kept going on and on, something like that little erstwhile Eveready battery bunny. Today in his eighties he’s still beating his drum, most recently about a proposed “peace plan,” reports the Washington Post.

But please understand that the Maharishi’s plan is not free. Like most of his other ventures, this plan has a price tag too. The guru apparently wants everyone to buy his new “Global Country of World Peace” bonds. Hey, he even pays interest, though how this will be accomplished seems vague. You might be better off picking up Iraqi peace bonds instead.

The guru’s plan involves building thousands of “peace palaces” for his followers to hop around in—or as he prefers to call it “yogic flying,” an advanced form of “Transcendental Meditation.” He says that all this frenetic hopping will somehow generate world peace. Paul and Ringo are you listening?

By the way Maharishi, like most cult leaders, doesn’t see democracy as a good thing and it certainly isn’t part of his peace plan. The guru said, “I call it ‘damn democracy,'” quoting himself. Of course his country is a dictatorship and he is its ruler. Interestingly though, despite this Maharishi inspired “The Natural Law Party” founded by his followers, which is now suing Kansas to get on that State’s ballot, according to Associated Press.

The Beatles may have sang “all you need is love,” but Maharishi seems to think what he needs is power and cash.