Cult News

Yisrayel Hawkins, also known as “Buffalo Bill” Hawkins, self-styled “prophet,” polygamist and purported cult leader, has been busted for bigamy.

Hawkins is now being held by Texas authorities in jail pending bail set at $10 million dollars.

Subsequently, a child labor charge has also been filed against the incarcerated leader.

Hawkins created the so-called “House of Yahweh” (HOY) more than twenty years ago near Abilene, Texas, which he claimed would be the place of safety for humanity when judgment finally fell upon the earth.

However, as the faithful gathered around Abilene, it appeared that Hawkins used his prophecies to fleece his followers.

Many of the cult leader’s devotees lived in broken down trailers and paid Hawkins rent. They bought his teaching tapes, books, tithed generously and often either worked for free or were grossly underpaid.

And while HOY members suffered, some dying in poverty, Hawkins lived in luxury and maintained substantial real estate holdings.

Over the decades HOY has repeatedly been accused of child abuse, sexual exploitation of women and children, medical neglect, family estrangement and “brainwashing.”

CultNews (Rick Ross) hosted a television special late last year titled “Mind Control” for the A & E network that featured hidden camera footage of life inside the secretive HOY compound.

CultNews (Rick Ross) has also testified repeatedly as an expert witness over the years in custody cases regarding HOY, which resulted in the removal of several children from the group.

Last year authorities arrested one of Hawkins’ top followers, Yedidiyah Hawkins, who remains in jail accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl he was preparing to marry.

Many of Yisrayl Hawkins’ followers have changed their last name to Hawkins.

In 2006 Abilene police investigated the death of a 1-month-old boy whose death and burial had not been reported to authorities. The infants’ autopsy revealed that the cause of his death was malnourishment and traumatic asphyxiation.

No charges have been filed concerning the baby’s death.

Another Hawkins follower was convicted of bodily injury for helping perform surgery in 2005 on her neighbor’s 7-year-old daughter who later died. That woman later received probation.

HOY members have also been accused of breaking laws regarding food stamps.

On the network television special “Mind Control” one HOY member admitted that she was not only illegally in the United States on an expired visa living within the group’s compound, but also was working illegally for a dollar an hour at one of Hawkins’ businesses.

But despite this public disclosure authorities have not yet done anything concerning illegal adult workers within HOY.

It seems authorities in Texas have finally decided to crack down on Hawkins and his self-styled spiritual kingdom.

Yisrayl Hawkins has often predicted the end of the world, most recently he claimed in September of 2007 that the end of man’s governments would begin with nuclear war within 13 months.

This became yet another bogus forecast filed away by Hawkins with his other unfulfilled prophecies.

Ironically, it now seems that Hawkins the would-be prophet, couldn’t foresee his own end.

Update: A judge later reduced bail from $10 million to $100,000.00 on February 20th. Hawkins then made bail and was set free pending trial.

Critics of Wikipedia have often questioned the credibility of the on-line encyclopedia as a reliable resource for objective information.

Wikipedia’s disclaimer warns, “Please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by people with the expertise required to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information.”

Therefore the disclaimer concludes, “Wikipedia cannot guarantee the validity of the information found here.” And this statement does appear in bold black type.

Now it seems Wikipedia participants cannot even rely upon its editors to remain neutral and that some may have come to the on-line encyclopedia with an agenda.

Recently one Wikipedia adminstrator/editor has been outed by The Register regarding his bias and questionable behavior. It seems that this editor has used the Web site to promote his spiritual guru and attack any of his mentor’s critics.

Wikipedia administrator Jossi Fresco is a long-time devotee of the controversial Indian guru Maharaji, once proclaimed by his followers “Lord of the Universe.”

Guru Maharaji led the group “Divine Light Mission,” which was often referred to as a “cult” by the media.

Maharaji received so much bad press he later changed his name to “Prem Rawat” (see photo left), settled upon the title of “motivational speaker” and now calls his group “Elan Vital.”

Jossi Fresco has worked for Prem Rewat, though he is rather vague about his current job, which seems to include using Wikipedia to promote his guru.

Jossi not only has used his editor’s position to stiffle criticism of Prem Rawat, but has also more generally manipulated Wikipedia entries on the subject of cults and related topics. Jossi’s efforts have at times included the Wikipedia page about me (Rick Ross), creator of CultNews.

But here is the real kicker.

If anyone thinks that Jossi Fresco’s actions at Wikipedia represent a “conflict of interest” what can be done?

Well, complaints would likely go to Wikipedia’s “Conflict of Interest Noticeboard.”

But don’t be shocked if you receive something less than a “fair shake” at this Internet location.

After all, Jossi Fresco created this board.

So it seems there is a “conflict of interest” at the Wikipedia “Conflict of Interest Noticeboard.”

Reportedly Wikipedia’s “elite” have been informed and are “well aware” regarding the details about Jossi Fresco. And those informed notably includes Wikipedia creator Jimmy “Jimbo” Wales (see photo right).

But nothing has been done about Fresco to date.

Jossi Fresco is a glaring example of why Wikipedia is at times a less than credible Internet resource and per its disclaimer no one should automatically accept “the validity of information found” there.

Mahesh Prasad Varma, better known as “Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,” was born near the Indian town of Jabalpur, into a scribe caste family. He died last night at the age of 91.

At times referred to as a “cult leader,” one BBC website called him a “Rasputinesque” figure.

The Indian guru promoted “Transcendental meditation,” known as TM to its fans and followers. This practice involves reciting a mantra over and over again to still the mind.

However, TM critics saw the technique as little more than self-hypnosis or trance induction.

Classes to learn TM don’t come cheap. The current list price is $2,500 for a five-day session.

Mahrishi launched his public career as the “Beatles guru.” In 1968 the British group journeyed to his Himalayan ashram to study.

But it wasn’t long before the popular band dumped their would-be teacher.

John Lennon felt that Maharishi’s claim to celibacy was a lie. Lennon said in interviews that the Beatles song “Sexy Sadie,” which includes the lyrics “Sexy Sadie, what have you done, you made a fool of everyone” was originally called “Maharishi.”

This year on January 11th the guru announced his retirement, but apparently he was already quite ill and died in less than a month.

Maharishi and his followers often made ridiculous claims regarding the power of TM, such as a mass meditation session of 7,000 followers somehow being linked to the fall of the Berlin wall and the end of the Cold War.

Maharishi’s mantra almost always included money.

The TM Web site states, “When the group cannot be maintained financially, new tensions arise in the world.” Such statements almost seem like spiritual blackmail.

Perhaps Maharishi will be most remembered for his shrewd business sense. He leaves behind the legacy of a multi-billion dollar spiritual empire.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported that TM has been marketed “with all the zeal of a multinational corporation — which is, effectively, what it became.”

In 1990 Maharishi moved to the Netherlands where he turned a historic former Catholic retreat into his home. The guru created considerable controversy when he attempted to demolish the landmark to suit his own taste.

One of Maharishi’s last fund raising pitches took place in 2002. The guru claimed he wanted to combat world terrorism and war through meditation.

The price tag this time was $1 billion dollars to train 40,000 TMers.

In the United States alone TM accumulated assets of about $300 million, including Maharishi University in Iowa.

Many of the guru’s remaining devotees live in Maharishi Vedic City, which is located a few miles from Fairfield, Iowa.

Maharishi may have been one of world’s most successful “cult leaders.”

That is, if measured by money, rather than mantras.

“Living Epistle Ministries” (LEM) of Port Jefferson Station, New York is run by Sheila Vitale, a self-taught evangelist, who is not affiliated with any established denomination.

A small group also follows Ms. Vitale (photo left) located in McGregor, Minnesota.

LEM appears to fit well within the criteria established by psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton in a paper published by Harvard University in 1981 titled “Cult Formation.”

Within his paper Lifton lists the following three most salient and defining features of a destructive cult:

1. a charismatic leader who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose their power;
2. a process [he calls] coercive persuasion or thought reform;
3. economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.

LEM explains at its Web site within a subsection titled “Who We Are” that, “The Lord Jesus Christ asked Sheila Vitale, the Pastor, Teacher and Founder of Living Epistles Ministries, if she would teach his people.”

The LEM site further identifies Ms. Vitale as a “Prophet and a Teacher of Apostolic Doctrine.”

Ms. Vitale seems to fulfill the role of a “charismatic leader” as described by Lifton. She occupies a singular position of absolute authority over her followers through claims of direct revelation and without any meaningful organizational accountability.

Sheila Vitale’s teachings are not seriously questioned and/or challenged by her followers. Instead, they are referred to simply as “The Doctrine of Christ.”

Questioning Ms. Vitale therefore is essentially equated to questioning and/or opposing “Christ.”

The LEM McGregor group is led by Jesse Aldrich (photo right).

Sheila Vitalie describes on the LEM Web site what she calls “Unconscious Mind Control.”

This subsection of the LEM Web is titled “A Study In Unconscious Mind Control.” It is here that Ms. Vitale explains her methodology of what can be seen as coercive persuasion in some detail.

Essentially, LEM followers are taught that every thought, perception, emotion or feeling must be categorized and subsequently labeled as either the “Carnal Mind,” which is evil and negative, or the “Mind of Christ” that is good.

Those thoughts and feelings that coincide with and/or confirm Sheila Vitale’s teachings and instructions are apt to be labeled as the “Mind of Christ,” while those that do not are most often categorized as the “Carnal Mind.”

Ms. Vitale instructs her followers to “fight off the thoughts of the Carnal Mind, not only from within ourselves, but from others who are both physically and spiritually near to us.” She then explains that “a perfect man restrains his carnal mind” and also will “police [his]¦thoughts” to “fight off invading thoughts from any source¦”

This “mind control,” as described by Ms. Vitale, provides the framework for her to ultimately manipulate LEM followers. She can then easily designate whatever thoughts and feelings should be policed, fought and subsequently suppressed or purged.

Ms. Vitale also teaches that those outside LEM will attempt to “control” her followers. And she states at her Web site when someone attempts “to take control of a situation” it can be seen as “the sin of witchcraft.”

Another aspect of LEM “mind control” is characterized as “deliverance,” which includes Ms. Vitale’s followers invoking protection from perceived spiritual enemies and/or attacks.

In an email made available to CultNews that Sheila Vitale sent to Jesse Aldrich she specifically instructed him in a prayer, which he was to repeat “at least twice a day,” in order to “aggressively resist” attacks through what was called “spiritual warfare.”

In such exercises of what can be seen as a type of “guided imagery,” Ms. Vitale promotes a “we vs. they” mentality and stimulates unreasonable fears, which further solidifies her “mind control.”

Sheila Vitale also attempts to exploit her members financially through repeated tithing demands.

In an email Ms. Vitale sent to a follower last year shared with CultNews she stated, “I heard from the Lord. He said that the tithe is 10% of the amount that appears on your federal income tax as gross business income.’” She then warned, “not tithing properly could be the source of your business falling off this year.”

Sheila Vitale’s teachings have at times caused emotional damage and led to family estrangement.

Ms. Vitale also often interprets the dreams of her followers.

In one email she warned a follower that his wife was “carrying some kind of a dangerous burden.” Ms. Vitale then speculated that the woman had “picked up something spiritually unclean.”

Sheila Vitale then told the husband that his wife was “afraid of exposure¦because she knows that she has a spiritual problem.”

The solution suggested by Ms. Vitale is that the “demons” should be “cast out” and that the Minnesota man’s wife required “deliverance.”

Such warnings had a devastating effect upon the man’s relationship with his wife. She had questioned the teachings and behavior of the group, and for this apparent transgression she was at times negatively labeled in spiritually terms.

Aldrich also warned the woman’s husband in Minnesota about the “Jezebel spirit that tries to control the moving of Christ in a believer,” and that “the emotions of his carnal mind” were “fueled by Satan” and “witchcraft control.”

Jesse Aldrich also has characterized Christians and others outside the group as “dogmatic¦arrogant, prideful, controlling and domineering.”

But ironically Aldrich’s description actually seems to fit LEM, Sheila Vitale and her followers like a glove.

Coercive Persuasion: Treating Victims of Abusive Relationships, Destructive Cults, and Coercive Groups

Brisbane, Australia (Queensland)

March 17 “ 18, 2008 and March 19 “ 20, 2008

Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane
23 Leichhardt Street (cnr Wickham Terrace)
Ph. 07 3831 4055 Fax: 07 3831 5031

These workshops are being held for mental health professionals. Also, special travel and tour option arrangements are being made for Japanese mental health professionals to attend the workshops through a special tour company that provides educational tours for Japanese professionals (interpretor will be arranged). Please contact Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center for more information, to register for the workshops, as well as information regarding accommodations to attend the workshop.

Moreton Island, Queensland Australia
Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort (75 minute ferry ride from Brisbane)
Recovery from Cults and Cultic Relationships (workshops for former members of cults, coercive groups, and cultic relationships) March 24 (arrival) “ March 29 (departure March 29 or 30), 2008

These workshops are designed for former members of cults and cultic relationships. Psycho-educationally based workshops will be offered in the morning and afternoons for individuals as well as free time to explore the island and to relax on this beautiful island. These workshops are not designed to be a substitute for mental health treatment, however, they may assist the former member in the healing process after leaving these particular destructive groups and relationships. Please contact Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center for more information, to register, and for accommodation information and reservations.

Moreton Island, Queensland Australia
Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort
Workshops and Counselling Treatment Sessions for Former Members of Destructive Cults, Coercive Groups, and Cultic Relationships March 24 (arrival) “ April 4 (April 4 or 5 departure), 2008

For a limited number of clients, counseling sessions will be offered by Wellspring counselors to assist in the recovery of individuals who have left cults, coercive groups, or cultic relationships. The set-up up this treatment program will be very similar to what is offered to our clients who travel to our treatment facility in Albany, Ohio in the United States. Counseling sessions will be offered in the morning, and workshops delivered by Wellspring staff will be offered in the afternoons. Ample time will be allotted for rest and relaxation at this extraordinarily beautiful resort area. Please click on this link for more information on this resort. Please contact Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center for more information, to register, and for accommodation information and reservations.

Wendy Pishvazadeh, BS
Wellspring Retreat & Resource Center
PO Box 67 Albany OH 45710
740-698-6277
fax 740-698-2053
wendy@wellspringretreat.org

By Benjamin Spector

Dear Congressman Ackerman:

You seem to be a very compassionate man. You spoke eloquent words of praise about Sri Chinmoy as you looked into the eyes of his disciples and tried to comfort them for their current loss.

The disciples you spoke to are in mourning now and do feel a loss for Sri Chinmoy, who was their strength and their hope.

However, when you spoke to them you failed to mention or even notice a even bigger loss they have sustained.

Have you not been aware that Sri Chinmoy has robbed them of their identities as human beings, of their ability to intellectually reason and think for themselves?

Were you not aware that Sri Chinmoy has exploited his followers and made many of them work below minimum wage and with no health insurance?

Do you not know that many of Chinmoy’s disciples will go into their senior years with no social security and ineligible for Medicare?

Do you not know that many of them are illegal aliens working for rent and food?

This was not the first time you have been with Sri Chinmoy’s disciples, why didn’t you notice or discuss these things?
I was once a student of Sri Chinmoy just like those you spoke to yesterday.

The Guru promised us all “a ticket to heaven” and all we had to do was to become his devoted unconditional slaves and willingly sacrifice our current lives for the promise of a heavenly future.

Most of us gave up college and our careers for him.

We stopped seeing our parents’ relatives and former friends.

We became celibate monks and gave up any dream of having a family.

And most unforgivably, while most of us tried following his doctrine of celibacy, Sri Chinmoy was seducing his female students. There are at least three brave women who have come forward with testimonials.

You mentioned that Sri Chinmoy was “humble.”

He was a man that literally stalked celebrities, and politicians for photo ops. He even lifted sheep and airplanes on a mechanical contraption (the contraption did all the work) to get his name in the paper.

He sent out his disciples to the far corners of the world, not to feed the poor or spread spirituality, but to get parks, bridges and streets named after him for the aggrandizement of his own ego.

He even became friendly with the Military Junta in Myanmar and gave the Junta money in the name of his “Peace Meditation Group” at the United Nations.

You speak of the visionary and the vision.

However, now that this exploiter is gone, I cannot envision anyone who will look after those that have been exploited.

After ten, twenty, thirty years of living in a cult, who will look after these “weird” people in whites and saris?

They have no job skills, and most were too poor to ever see a doctor or dentist.

They have no money and have, at Sri Chinmoy’s request strained, and in most cases broken off relationships with their families.

You said while looking into the eyes of these real people “¦.You cannot kill a thought. They do not come with expiration dates. They are eternal. And good lives on. If Guru was anything, he was good. If he reached anywhere and had any influence, it was into the better part of each and every human being whose life he touched.”

Is Gary Ackerman good?

Will Gary Ackerman reach out and have any influence, to better the lives of these human beings?

Will Gary Ackerman touch their lives, and help these unfortunate cult victims?”

Will you ever again look into their eyes and help them recover from the abuse they experienced in the Sri Chinmoy cult?

Most of them still cling on to the dream that Sri Chinmoy will make them immortal.

Many of them still see Sri Chinmoy as God himself.

But Congressman Ackerman, you must be wise enough to know that this is not the case.

The bubble will burst.

It may happen tomorrow or in a year or two. And these people are your constituents. They will soon be unemployed, without health care, without social security or Medicare.

Will you still talk to them about visionary dreams or will you be there to help them to survive in the real world?

How to contact Congressman Ackerman:

House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2601
Fax: (202) 225-1589

Bayside Office
218-14 Northern Boulevard
Bayside, NY 11361
Phone: (718) 423-2154
Fax: (718) 423-5053

Postscript: CultNews received the following statement from another former follower of Sri Chinmoy.

“I joined Sri Chinmoy when I was only 19-years-old and a runaway. During that time, ‘disciples’ were brought in by a husband and wife team. The wife taught yoga (this was in about 1970) and the husband was supposedly a psychologist.

The yoga was helpful, but the psychotherapy degenerated into sexual abuse, which I was too naive to understand. This was being done to me in the guise of ‘helping’ me with my insecurities, etc.

I was introduced to ‘Guru’ in an elaborate ceremony, given a spiritual ‘name’ and attended additional group gatherings, including some with then-famous and very gifted musicians, not Mr. Santana but at least two others who were world-renowned and drawn into Chinmoy’s web for shorter or longer periods.

During my discipleship I was discouraged from contact with my family, worked a ‘day job,’ meditated many hours a day (upon arising, during lunch, after work, at night before bed) plus group meditations and continuing yoga classes.

Other ‘assignments’ included participation in athletic ‘events,’ work in other “disciples” restaurants, etc.

I was instructed to turn over a large percentage of my money for the therapy, yoga lessons and ‘love offerings.’

Chinmoy and his paramour lived in a house in Queens at that time, and I was baffled, upon being called there for some event or other, to notice there were barred gates to the upper floors, where money was kept. This did not gibe with the hippie culture I had been living in, of openness and generosity, nor with the tradition of poverty in my own original Christian faith. This was the first tip-off that something was not right.

Later it became clear that Chinmoy was putting people together in arranged marriages, and doing things like instructing one disciple to quit college, work in a shoe store and turn his money over to the Guru.

I became engaged to a fellow disciple without the Guru’s interference or approval. Chinmoy and his paramour went to great lengths to interfere, finally managing to convince my fiancé to dump me because “our souls were from different soul groups.”

My fiancé was a college student and I am fairly sure he was also persuaded to leave school and work for one of Chinmoy’s businesses. I subsequently returned to college and never heard from him again.

I am not sure why all of the endorsements, from U Thant, Mother Theresa and the like, have been showered on Chinmoy, if in fact they actually were.

The whole deal felt like smoke and mirrors to me.

It was an incredibly vulnerable time in my life.

I wanted to generally improve society. But I realized I had to rejoin ‘real life’ and reaffirmed my commitment to be a part of society again, working to end war and trying to complete my studies.

My experience with Chinmoy was not only disappointing, and a waste of time, but very destructive to my life.

I am very amazed at how strong a reaction I am having to the news of his passing and didn’t realize how damaged I was by him until reading the news tonight.

In my opinion Chinmoy’s vanity and greed led him very far from the path to true communion with God.

I learned a hard lesson through my involvement with him, hurt my family, and did damage to my own development.”

CultNews has been told that a notorious guru, Chinmoy Kumar Ghose known as “Sri Chinmoy,” died this morning at the age of 76.

Chinmoy was often referred to as a “cult leader” and had perhaps as many as 2,000 dedicated followers, many living near his house in Jamaica Queens, New York.

CultNews last reported about “sleazy Sri” when he released a new book during December 2005.

Chinmoy’s disciples once included musician Carlos Santana, singer Sheena Easton and track star Carl Lewis.

The guru, who immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh, would do almost anything for attention, staging weird stunts such as hoisting the Prime Minister of Iceland, two San Francisco 49ers, and Eddie Murphy into the air.

Chinmoy claimed he could lift 7,000 pounds. He once reportedly lifted 200 sheep in New Zealand.

However, for the record, this peripatetic weightlifter never really lifted much, that is without the aid of a mechanical device, which did the real work.

Chinmoy’s followers also sought to break world records in an effort to gain attention for their guru, their most recently reported publicity stunt was the “world’s largest pencil.”

One disciple Ashrita Furman broke about 150 Guinness World records and reportedly still holds 61 titles. His often humorous efforts have included balancing a pool cue on his finger, stilt walking, underwater juggling and piggyback running.

Not so funny was the death of one Chinmoy disciple in 1979 who apparently hoped he could hold his breath underwater long enough to garner attention for his guru.

But he died instead at the age of 27 in his bathtub.

Chinmoy encouraged extreme devotion, even expecting his devotees to meditate on a photograph of him daily.

A string of businesses run by the group included vegetarian restaurants and clothing shops, which kept Chinmoy well supplied with money and living a comfortable life. He often traveled during the winter to warmer climates with a troop of his followers in tow, something like a perpetual portable adoring audience.

Not everyone saw this itinerant guru as a benign figure.

Carlos Santana, who became disenchanted with Chinmoy and left the group later said, “This shit is not for me–I don’t care how enlightening it is.”

Some tagged Chinmoy’s devotees “spiritual slaves” and repeated allegations depicted the supposedly celibate holy man as a “sleazy” sexual predator that preyed upon vulnerable female followers.

Once dubbed the “Gonzo Guru” by the Chicago Tribune there seemed to be no limit to his egomania.

Sri Chinmoy’s followers are currently busy churning out press releases thinking that their guru just might nab the Nobel Peace Prize. The Chinmoy-linked “World Harmony Run” claims he was nominated by “Icelandic members of Parliament” that “signed a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee.”

However, the New York Times once reported that Chinmoy was the “guru – who isn’t” and saw his so-called “peace message” as little more than self-promotion.

No doubt the guru’s dutiful devotees will want to canonize him or somehow lionize their dead leader. But the legacy that the man has left behind is dubious at best.

There is certainly a residue of sizable assets though, which Chinmoy’s loyal lieutenants will be vying over.

However, wouldn’t the best use of whatever money and property the guru left behind be setting up some sort of fund to help the many people and families he reportedly hurt?

Benjamin Spector, once a disciple of the guru wrote, “My one-time leader Sri Chinmoy encouraged many of us to work below the minimum wage and without benefits, at businesses owned by senior group members in New York and other locations. Many workers were illegal aliens.”

Spector explained, “The followers of cult leaders are very frequently well educated, sophisticated and sensitive, but authoritarian leaders rob them of their ability to think independently as individuals and dominate them.”

Chinmoy’s remaining disciples may think he is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize, but as Ben Spector knows “cult leaders… become rich at the expense of their followers…”

Sri Chinmoy is dead, but does anyone really seriously think he rates a postumous Nobel Peace Prize?

Al Gore certainly is a better bet than the “gonzo guru.”

Postscript: The New York Daily News ran a piece about Chinmoy’s death the day after CultNews. Apparently the newspaper’s reporters didn’t bother to Google the guru and instead relied upon his disciples and their spin-machine for information.

Endnote: Al Gore did win the Nobel Peace Prize. No surprise that a purported “cult leader” wasn’t seriously considered.

More spin: Chinmoy devotees have kept busy spinning press releases. Some news outlets apparently went with whatever they received going into the weekend, while others did a bit more investigating. The New York Post blasted the Daily News for not doing more fact checking about the “guru’s dark side.” But the New York Times, which had previously dubbed Chinmoy “a guru who-isn’t” now has seemingly decided he was an “athletic spiritual leader.” The Times also reported that Al Gore and Mikhail Gorbachev faxed condolence letters to the guru’s devotees. Meanwhile Associated Press took a more balanced approach to the story noting that “some considered Chinmoy’s group a cult,” but “to his followers, Chinmoy was not a cult leader but a spiritual adviser and mystical figure.” As is often the case many newspapers ran a shorter version of the AP report, which didn’t include the “C word” (cult). However, Fox News bluntly called Chinmoy a “longtime cult leader” and “self-appointed guru,” while noting his historical links to well-known “music celebrities.” And Daily India reported that Chinmoy “has been accused of running a ‘cult’ and ordering his female followers to engage in sexcapades.”

A bizarre story links a purported “cult” leader from Wisconsin to an Orthodox Jewish school in Baltimore.

Affidavits filed in a Wisconsin court claim that R. C. Samanta Roy, formerly known as “Rama Behera,” is now using the name “Avraham Cohen” in Baltimore, Maryland reported the Shawano Leader.

“Dr. Avraham Cohen” was pictured on the Web site of Yeshivat Rambam and identified as “a neurosurgeon” that has pledged a half million dollars to the institution.

However, according to an affidavit filed in a Wisconsin lawsuit the man in the photo is actually R.C. Samanta Roy.

“I have known him for some time and recognize him in the picture,” states a member of the Shawano city commission in the affidavit.

Rebecca Gietman, Roy’s attorney stated, “No, Dr. Roy is not living in Maryland as a neurosurgeon. That allegation is completely false.”

The story about the doctor published within the Yeshivat Rambam’s newsletter does seem just a bit incredible.

“Dr. Cohen” supposedly grew up within a Jewish community in India. And his “family was in the import export business, trading products with the merchants on the islands of Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. He went into medicine and then went into the hospital business.”

The article was titled “A Shining Example.”

But R.C. Samanta Roy seems something less than a “shining example” according to his disaffected former followers that have said Roy’s influence caused “the disintegration of families” and that he was given to “frequent humiliating verbal attacks.”

One former Roy follower said, “It doesn’t have to be logical, it doesn’t have to make sense; Rama [also known as Roy] says so and that’s it.”

Maybe Roy beleives because he “says so” he is a member of a religious group and “that’s it”? And not only is he “Jewish,” he is also a doctor, a “neurosurgeon” no less.

Former members also cite Roy’s “lack of consistency,” which perhaps explains the contradiction of a man that once led a group known as “The Disciples of the Lord Jesus,” claiming that he is an Orthodox Jew.

“Now I belong to a Jewish school and a Jewish community, Yeshivat Rambam,” he is quoted as saying, adding the school’s teaching stems from the Torah.

“I am so glad and feel so secure that my daughters will grow up here at Yeshivat Rambam and will become great women academically and mothers of Yisrael who will preserve our culture, our dignity, and our excellence.”

Former members have also said that Roy encouraged them to take “Jewish names,” perhaps his own adoption of the name “Cohen” is somehow part of that idiosyncratic practice.

Interestingly, after a photograph of “Cohen” was posted on the Ross Institute Web site subsection about Rama Behera protests were launched by both Roy’s attorney in Wisconsin and Yeshivat Rambam of Baltimore.

The Baltimore school claimed the photo was its property and could not be run without explicit permission, but subsequently provided no proof of intellectual property rights or copyright.

CultNews now runs the photo of both “Rama Behera,” also known as R. C. Samanta Roy, along with the one taken of “Dr. Cohen” with his two “daughters” in Baltimore.

Let readers judge if these photographs are of the same man.

But CultNews thinks they sure look like the same guy.

Note: CultNews is now accepting submissions to be published. If you are interested please make your submission of 400 words or less and about a related subject of interest (e.g. note the many categories to the right).

Mayor Gavin Newsom has officially declared today “Ilchee Lee Day” to honor a man many consider a “cult leader.”

CultNews has previously reported about Ilchee Lee and his organization know as “Dahn Yoga.”

Lee and Dahn are currently being sued in New York for wrongful death by the family of Julia Siverls, a 41-year-old professor of education at Queensborough Community College that died during a Dahn retreat.

But according to Mayor Newsom’s proclamation the man some say is promoting a “dangerous con” should be lauded and acclaimed as “a leading philosopher and brain educator.”

However, others that have looked into Dahn with a bit more due diligence have described Lee’s so-called “brain education,” as more like “brainwashing” and “mind control.”

One former Dahn student in Las Vegas told a local TV news team, “I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat. I felt like I was drugged.” She was later hospitalized for three days. Her treating physician told a reporter that she was mentally abused and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.

Ilchee Lee seems to be following in the footsteps of fellow South Korean and purported “cult leader” Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church.

Both Lee and Moon’s followers see their leaders as messianic figures here to “save the world.”

But what these men seem to do best is save money.

Moon has built a multi-billion dollar financial empire that includes the Washington Times and United Press International.

Lee now controls millions of dollars in real estate holdings, including the Sedona, Arizona retreat where Julia Siverls died and another retreat property recently purchased in Ellenville, New York.

There are reportedly 147 Dahn Centers in the United States.

Dahn’s Web site is touting Gavin Newsom’s proclamation as apparent proof that Ilchee Lee is the great man his devotees imagine. And Dahn members will undoubtedly celebrate today.

But San Francisco’s mayor, known at times for his poor judgement, seems to have made another stupid mistake.

After all groups called “cults” are nothing new to Newsom. He once dated a Scientologist, actress Sofia Milos star of the TV series CSI Miami. And that brief romance included attending a Scientology fund-raising event.

It seems like Mayor Newsom may not only be a public servant, but also a public relations pawn, used by one “cult” after another.

The apparent “double suicide” of a New York couple leaves friends in the art world “shocked,” “confounded and disturbed” reports the Los Angeles Times.

Jeremy Blake (35) and Theresa Duncan (40) were considered a “glamorous, intellectual couple, ” but in the wake of what appears to be two suicides, there are more questions than answers.

On July 10th Duncan was found dead, an apparent suicide.

One week after her death Blake was seen “wandering into the ocean.” He is now presumed dead. His wallet and a suicide note were found near the beach.

Blake was a rising artist reportedly “well on his way to bona fide star status with museums.”

Duncan was according to reviews “brilliant,” an accomplished woman with a gift for creating CD-ROM games or girls.

What made this couple that seemed to have everything give it all up?

According to friends “the two believed they were being stalked and harassed by Scientologists.”

“They thought Scientologists were really harassing them. They would say, ‘They are following us, harassing our landlord,'” one close friend told the press.

Blake had done an album cover for rocker Beck, who is a Scientologist. But the musician’s manager said through a publicist that they hadn’t talked in “three years.”

The couple moved from Los Angeles to New York in February.

An official Scientology spokesperson said, “Never heard of these people.” And pronounced their claims of harassment “completely untrue.”

Scientology though does have a habit of harassing its perceived enemies.

As reported just recently by BBC journalist John Sweeney, who said the group stalked him.

Eventually the former British war correspondent exploded, screaming at a Scientology official on camera.

Sweeney said that Scientologists “dogged him for six days” reported The Observer.

Another British citizen Bonnie Woods left Scientology and was reportedly subjected to “a six-year campaign of hate.” In 1999 the church was officially ordered by a court to apologize to Woods and pay her £155,000 for what was called a “dirty tricks campaign.”

Scientology had a historic policy once promulgated by its founder L. Ron Hubbard regarding retaliation, which essentially made anyone that gave the group a hard time “fair game.”

Scientology wreaked its considerable revenge upon the former Cult Awareness Network (CAN), after it cooperated with Time Magazine for its May 1991 cover story “Scientology the Cult of Greed.”

CAN was harassed and ultimately legally hounded into bankruptcy after dozens of lawsuits. The organization’s executive director was also personally targeted.

Time Magazine reporter Rich Behar was “dogged” like Sweeney too.

And Scientology has a history of hurting people.

The church settled a wrongful death claim with one family in Florida three years ago.

And in 2002 Scientology paid a man $8.7 million dollars because it pushed him until “he actively contemplated suicide.” A California court said that the “church’s conduct was manifestly outrageous.”

According to friends Theresa Duncan and Jeremy Blake’s story about Scientology was “woven in paranoia and conspiracies,” which eventually “took over part of their lives.”

Scientology has reportedly taken over a part of many people’s lives through its influence.

Movie stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta say that Scientology has improved their lives.

But former members brave enough to speak out often tell a different story.

Duncan’s last entry on her blog was this cryptic quote from author Reynolds Price: “A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens — second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence; the opposite of silence leads quickly to narrative, and the sound of story is the dominant sound of our lives, from the small accounts of our day’s events to the vast incommunicable constructs of psychopaths.”

Update: Police believe they have recovered the body of Jeremy Blake.

Note: CultNews is now accepting submissions to be published. If you are interested please make your submission of 400 words or less and about a related subject of interest (e.g. note the many categories to the right).