Cult News

Ever wonder what happened to the Japanese cult leader responsible for gassing thousands of Tokyo subway riders in 1994?

Well it has been more than a decade and Shoko Asahara, convicted of murder and sentenced to death, is still taking up cell space in his own very special quiet way.

The once all-powerful and outspoken cult leader now just mumbles incoherently, makes bizarre gestures and wets himself.

His lawyers say Asahara was “unfit for trial” and they keep demanding more definitive psychiatric tests.

However, the Japanese courts have ruled otherwise and declared the guru “fit for trial” reports Ireland On-line.

“He’s incapable of any form of communication whatsoever,” says a psychopathology expert that visited Asahara in prison.

Apparently he suffers from “stress” brought on by “confinement.”

His lawyers shouldn’t expect any sympathy though from the Japanese courts or the public. Asahara is responsible for the murder of twelve subway riders and the injuries of thousands rushed to hospitals for emergency care.

Once the grand master that controlled a financial empire and ruled as a tyrant over an estimated 40,000 followers this self-proclaimed messiah can’t seem to adjust to the reality of life as a mere mortal supervised by prison authorities.

It’s no great shock though that Asahara has ultimately proven to be as crazy as other cult leaders from the past.

However, unlike Jim Jones, David Koresh, Luc Joret, Marshall Applewhite, or Joseph Kibwetere, Asahara decided not to do himself in when his luck ran out.

Instead he hid hoping to somehow get away with his crimes.

Now forced to face a life without the trappings of his former glory Asahara has shut down and shut out the world around him.  

In the end a living example of what makes cult leaders tick and often ultimately unwind.

Madonna seems to think that her teachers at the “Kabbalah Centre” can somehow save her marriage reports the Daily Mail.
But turning to them for advice may be like going “from the frying pan into the fire.” And further proof that once strong star known for her independent thinking has become far too dependent upon her spiritual advisors.

The “rabbis” at the center have supposedly advised Madonna to wait until after Passover to resolve the reported rift between her and film director Guy Ritchie, the father of her second child.

“She has confided in teachers about her fears for the future of her marriage because it is under a huge amount of pressure,” says a source from inside the London center that Madonna’s millions helped to create.

The same anonymous source added, “They have been discussing with her what she should do as being able to hold onto love and making marriage work …Kabbalism is supposed to help.”

However, after about a decade of involvement with the Kabbalah Centre’s and its brand of “Kabbalism” isn’t it time for Madonna to try something else?

The former “Material Girl” must know that the teachings of her mentor Philip Berg have often been derided by Jewish scholars as “McWisdom,” little more than slick marketing and magical thinking.

After all, if it’s broken why not fix it?

And why rely upon the mechanics that haven’t been able to keep her marriage running smoothly in the first place?

Continuing to wear the “red string” bracelet or gulping down “Kabbalah water” like other Berg believers is unlikely to help Madonna much.

The one-time music queen of the 1980s is reportedly “down in the dumps,” so why not dump the Bergs?

Rumor has it that Guy Ritchie has reconsidered his involvement with the Kabbalah Centre, so why not his wife?

“The teachers told her that hopefully she will see things more clearly after Pesach,” says the Kabbalah Centre insider.

But to really see things more clearly perhaps the pop icon needs to think this out alone or at least without her Kabbalistic handlers.

It may be too late to save her marriage, but it’s not too late for Madonna to save herself and once again be her own person, rather than a marketing tool for Berg Inc.

Scientology is not really known historically for its charity work.

The organization that was founded by pulp Sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard seems more adept at collecting fees for “religious services” through a price list of “suggested donations” rather than doling out funds or food to the needy.

But lately the controversial church, which has been called a “cult,” seems intent upon burnishing its image. So Scientology is engaged in what at times appears to be both a frantic and frenetic public relations blitz, through its so-called “volunteer ministers.”

In one hi-profile heavily reported disaster after another its ubiquitous volunteers show up to help out. Almost always wearing their bright yellow tops or jackets, which are so easily visible and readily photographed.

What do these volunteers actually do though to help?

Do they come with meaningful material assistance or does each new disaster simply provide another platform for self-serving promotion?

Scientology reportedly collects hundreds of millions of tax-exempt dollars from its faithful annually, but it can’t seem to scrape together a few million to buy food, medicines or other forms of conventional emergency relief.

Instead Scientology volunteers, who often pay their own expenses, hand out things frequently paid for by others. They also do something called “touch assists.” This means the Scientologists literally touch people, which supposedly can alleviate trauma or helps someone to “cope” with something confronting them.

However, these assists though very touching have no scientifically measurable effect and have more in common with the claims of magic than medicine.

A “team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers” recently turned up in South Africa and “set up operations to assist the firefighters and other emergency personnel by distributing food and supplies and providing Scientology Assists” reported the organization’s official Web site.

CultNews has reported before about Scientology’s special interest in assisting firefighters and rescue workers in New York. Tom Cruise even showed up and said he wanted to help too.

Of course whenever Tom Cruise offers charitable “help” it almost always seems to be linked somehow to Scientology.

Perhaps if the controversial church wants the public to perceive it as a kind and benevolent organization it should spend a few million dollars on some food and/or medicine. After all, that’s what other churches do all the time.

In this way Scientology might be taken seriously as a “church” rather than a business. That is, by providing more substance and less spin.

Apparently even a hernia operation couldn’t keep Madonna from her beloved “Kabbalah Centre.” Two days after a surgical procedure, which left the star “pale” with “no appetite,” she nevertheless showed up at the door of the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles reported E Online.

Rumors continue that the pop queen’s marriage to film director Guy Ritchie is on the rocks.

The two managed to weigh in for a brief, but it appears rather strained appearance, at the Brits Awards this week in London.

Almost a no show, Ritchie clocked just 30-minutes at the awards ceremony, where his wife picked up a Brit for “Best International Female.”

The two appeared somewhat cold and indifferent to each other. And in her acceptance speech Madonna thanked everyone but her husband reported Sky Showbiz.

Ritchie had no smiles for the camera and had lost his beard, which many of the men tied to the Kabbalah Centre seem to favor. Was this a visible sign of his newfound independence?

Elton John is supposedly offering the pair marriage advice.

“Elton and I have spoken to Madonna plenty of times lately. She and Guy are close friends of ours,” said David Furnish the long-time partner of the rock star reports Life Style News.

Maybe Sir Elton and his mate should talk to the troubled two about the Kabbalah Centre? 

It seems that whatever spiritual guidance and influence the organization and its teachers have provided Madonna with it hasn’t done much good for the 47-year-old diva’s second marriage.

News also surfaced that the former “Material Girl” may leave England without Ritchie. “She thinks an extended break will do them…good” a source told The People newspaper reports Stuff online adding, “She feels like she is living in a goldfish bowl in Britain.”

However, the “Kabbalah” bowl the star insists upon swimming in appears to be a problem for her husband. And addressing that issue may require more than a simple geographical solution.

Perhaps if Madonna invested more time in her marriage and less time in the controversial group things might just get better. That likely would not sit well with her “Kabbalistic” handlers, but it may help her five-year marriage survive. 

Deepak Chopra

Dr. Deepak Chopra recently has done “a guest editor stint for the Times of India” reports Starpulse and he has supposedly “exploded the myth” about the Beatles breakup with their 1960s guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

According to the good doctor Maharishi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation, “simply grew tired of the Fab Four’s drug use.”

The guru also didn’t really fool around with Mia Farrow as repeatedly rumored.

How does Chopra know?

Well, he bumped into the actress at an airport and she allegedly said, “she still loved” Maharishi.

Wow, isn’t that explosive?

Then there is yet another story about how George Harrison actually apologized to his former guru who then “forgave” him.

Touching isn’t it?

Again and again, readers just have to take the doctor’s word for it, since Harrison and John Lennon are gone and Paul McCartney appears disinterested.

But the consistent pattern to Chopra’s stories is that Maharishi is always right.

At no point does he in any way criticize his mentor or relate anything that the guru may have done wrong.

Doctor Deepak’s anecdotes were published by the Times of India, which afforded no less than two complete articles allowing him to essentially trash the Beatles and praise his guru.

One of these puff pieces is titled “Beatles are angels on earth, said Maharishi” and the other “When Maharishi threw Beatles out.”

Why were the Beatles “angels”?

Well, because Maharishi said so.

But they were bad little cherubs that had to be cast out of the guru’s heavenly kingdom.

At least that’s what Chopra wants readers to believe.

John Lennon told Johnny Carson a different story on the Tonight Show. He said that the supposed “holy man” was actually more like a “dirty old man.” And the revered rocker even wrote a satirical song mocking Maharishi called “Sexy Sadie.”

During the 1960s the guru that would one day go global used his association with the Beatles to launch a career that would eventually make him richer than all of them put together. The supposedly enlightened CEO rules over a religious empire estimated to be worth billions.

Chopra remains his steadfast and loyal disciple, despite all the bad press. And it appears that the medical doctor has also become Maharishi’s very own “spin doctor.”

Given the way Chopra has marketed himself, maybe he is after all just a “chip off the old block.”

And perhaps that chip wants a “piece of the rock” when the old guru passes away, after all Maharishi is now 89.

Who better than Deepak Chopra to take up or take over his substantial legacy?

Maybe there is a deal in the works?

Despite Maharishi’s advanced age the old guru remains a tireless self-promoter who comes up with one project after another, which almost always require copious amounts of cash for his corporate coffers to be fulfilled.

CutNews recently reported about his rather expensive “peace plans” and the Associated Press titled an article about him “All you need is love…and some cash,” an allusion to the Beatles hit somewhat modified to fit Maharishi’s style.

And the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported about the millions he says must be raised to build a new school.

In the end one thing is certain, Maharishi is no “Fool On The Hill.”

A source has told the press the “relationship” between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes is basically over” and added, “They both agreed that the marriage wouldn’t work and they wanted to end it before they learned to hate each other” reports the Boston Herald.

Have the days of the duo known as “TomKat” ended?

Supposedly a source says Holmes now has her own bedroom within Cruise’s Beverly Hills mansion and legal papers are already being drawn up to spell out the terms of their split and custody of Katie’s unborn child.

“The story is 100% false” proclaimed Cruise’s official spokesperson.

But in Hollywood such denials are often only the preview for marital and partnership breakdowns. And this relationship has been rather strange and/or strained from the beginning.

Has Katie Holmes conservative Catholic family finally weighed in?

Persistent rumors have circulated that the Holmes household is not happy that daughter Katie is planning to give birth as an unwed mother. Her father also reportedly is none too thrilled with Tom Cruise’s Sci-fi religion.

But despite the bad news circulating about him Scientology’s “Top Gun” was out partying.

Cruise was spotted at a LA concert venue and some of those attending said that the star was acting strangely.

Instead of his celebrated couch jumping this time it was balcony dangling and cable climbing reports Jeanette Walls for MSNBC.

One glib spectator summarized the scene saying the star “went nuts.”

Ever the crusading missionary Cruise also reportedly worked the crowd preaching for his church.

“Not true,” said the superstar’s probably overworked spokesperson once again.

So is Tom cruising into a nervous breakdown over another failed romance?

Despite a new spokesperson that replaced his sister, the middle aged man often called the “world’s biggest movie star,” continues to prove he can’t maintain that past perceived persona as a Hollywood good guy.

Whatever the truth is about “TomKat” its doubtful that the public image of Tom Cruise will ever be restored.

Increasingly, the superstar just seems to be getting stranger and stranger.

Did that make 27-year-old Katie Holmes head for the proverbial Hollywood Hills baby and all?

CultNews has reported before about the outrageous claims and bizarre behavior of Ronald Lloyd Spencer, who calls himself “Buddha Maitreya” and runs the self-proclaimed “Tibetan Foundation.”

In fact, Spencer is a former truck driver and has often been called a “cult” leader rather than a “Buddha.” He has also been repeatedly denounced by Buddhist leaders, such as an official representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet. 

Spencer’s rampant megalomania has now reached new heights. It seems that the truculent ex-trucker has taken to bullying Buddhist monks.

Apparently not satisfied with past self-anointed titles and grandiose claims, such as his radio announcement that he would one day be “sitting on [a] throne” next to the Dalai Lama, Spencer now wants to be recognized as the reincarnation of “Buddha” and “Jesus.”

Does this mean he thinks that Christians and Buddhists should bow down to him?

So much for Rev. Moon’s messianic pretensions, he has been topped by the man who claims to be both messiah and Buddha too.

Apparently some Buddhist monks refused to bow down to Spencer and the supposedly fully enlightened sage got nasty.

Spencer had sponsored seven Tibetan Buddhist monks on a visit to the United States, but when they refused to recognize him as the reincarnation of “Buddha” and “Jesus,” they were “abandoned without money in Arizona” reported the New York Times.

Eventually the monks managed to make it to Omaha, Nebraska where they were arrested by immigration officers in riot gear.

Sounds like this lucky seven will no doubt return to their native land with glowing accounts of American hospitality.

Who informed the authorities?

Could it have been our very own American “Buddha”?

If so, the one-time trucker isn’t exactly a benign Buddha now is he?

But this type of behavior fits well within the profile of Ronald Lloyd Spencer, the man some former friends seem to see as a grifter, who has been accused of theft, sexual abuse, fraud and brainwashing.

One former associate said that he is little more than a “con man.”

Sadly, it looks like Spencer for a time successfully conned the monks into believing he would be a good sponsor and kind host for their journey.

However, in the end not only does Spencer come up short as someone who has achieved full enlightenment or the role of supposed savior, he doesn’t even measure up as a decent human being.

Don’t worry about Iran getting the bomb or the spread of global terrorism. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM) has a “peace plan” to save the world, but like many of his plans it’s expensive.

His “perfect and supreme defense system for every nation of the world” is called “Vedic Defense” according to a recent press release.

“Governments…will be wise to adopt Vedic Defense,” says  the 89-year-old guru who was once spiritual mentor to the Beatles in the 1960s.

“Vedic Defense means defense on the grounds of Veda, the Constitution of the Universe,” says the man many have called a “cult leader.”

What is this defense plan?

It’s based upon the “Sounds of the Veda,” which means chanting.

Supposedly these “sounds” somehow “prevent a dangerous confrontation between two nations.”

However, these sounds require more than a mouth to make them, they also require a place to be mouthed, and that means cash.

Maharishi wants everyone to pay for so-called “peace palaces” where his devotees will do all this chanting. This is what he calls the “secret of creating an effect from a distance,” which supposedly culminates in a “Transcendental field.”

As usual Maharishi wants people to “put their money where the mouth is,” or that is pay for chanting.

Some might say that’s ridiculous and that no matter how much the guru’s followers chant a mantra it won’t make the world any more peaceful.

However,  buying up pricey properties  for all those proposed palaces could certainly expand the guru’s global financial empire.

Maybe he can’t create a “Transcendental field,” but Maharishi has proven to be quite adept at scooping up good real estate and at times flipping those properties for profit rather than peace.

Maharishi Global Financing, a Dutch foundation affiliated with the Indian guru is also now marketing as much as $10 trillion of “World Peace Bonds” reported Bloomberg Financial News. 

All of his financial deals and shrewd investments over the years has made the guru perhaps the richest purported “cult leader” in the world.

The TM global portfolio of assets has reportedly been estimated at between $5 to $9 billion dollars. Making Maharishi probably richer than Rev. Moon, the billionaire leader of the Unification Church.

How about that?

Maybe Maharishi hasn’t brought the world peace, but he certainly controls quite a piece of the world.

A Jewish housewife from Brooklyn that transformed herself into a purported “cult leader” has now been proclaimed “Mata Maha Mandaleshwar” a “Hindu senior Abbott.” This is supposedly “the first time that an American has been given this great honor” reports India Monitor.

The recipient of that honor is a 65-year-old woman born Joyce Green, who now calls herself “Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati.”

Ms. Green, whose devotees prefer to just call her “Ma,” runs the “Kashi Ashram,” located in Roseland, Florida near Palm Beach.

“Ma” is a controversial figure that has at times been mired by scandal. This has included a widely reported and bitter divorce that involved a former follower turned outspoken critic. That man, once a designated spokesperson for the group, said he was “brainwashed.”

In another scandal during 1989 a SWAT team with a court order retrieved a minor child from Ma’s 47-acre compound and returned the girl to her mother, yet another disenchanted ex-disciple.

A Web site “Ma Jaya and the Kashi Ashram Revealed” offers a “critical look” of the controversial group and its leader as seen by former members.

Ms. Green began her journey to Ma-hood in 1973, when during a private meditation she claimed to receive a personal vision and divine dispensation. Jesus supposedly told Joyce to “teach all ways, for all ways are mine.”

As rumors persist that Madonna’s five-year marriage to film director Guy Ritchie is winding down the Kabbalah Centre keeps coming up as one possible cause of their marital problems.

The pop diva recently felt it was important to deny reports that she has forced Ritchie to study with the controversial group reported the Daily Record.

“I didn’t meet him and say, ‘You have to believe in the same things I believe in.'” she said.

However, her husband certainly didn’t come to the Kabbalah all on his own, but instead only after he became “Hung Up” on the pop queen.

Madonna is to the Kabbalah Centre what Tom Cruise is to Scientology, its number one booster and cash contributor.

Cruise didn’t waste time getting Katie Holmes hooked up with Scientology and Madonna apparently did the same with Ritchie. It is unlikely that either group would be very happy if their top stars did anything else.

CultNews has received repeated complaints of marital and romantic breakups supposedly due to the influence of the Kabbalah Centre.

The scenario goes something like this; if a current or would-be significant other does not demonstrate an interest in the group and its teachings committed students have been warned that this may mean that they are not “spiritually right” or a “good match” for them.

A frequent analogy used by the Kabbalah Centre is that its students are in and/or receiving “the light.” Therefore those that are disinterested or worse persistently critical, may actually be in “spiritual darkness.” Such people subsequently represent a potentially negative influence, which might pull those who are enlightened back into the dark.

Is Guy Ritchie in the dark?

Madonna says, “I would say he studies (Kabbalah), but probably not as enthusiastically as I do. He does it in his own way. He’s into more of the intellectual side of it than I am.”

More and more Madonna is appearing in the media spotlight alone. She visited the US recently without Ritchie.

Attempting to laugh it all off the star told Ellen DeGeneres, “Really? We split up? OK. Well, he’s still calling me every five minutes.”

However, Guy Ritchie did not accompany his wife to the Grammys and he will not be with her for the Brit Awards coming up next week reports Entertainment Wise.

“There is a real power struggle going on…” a source told the Daily Mirror.

But who is struggling? Is it just between Madonna and her man, or is the Kabbalah Centre also pulling in this tug-of-war?

“Brits are kind of allergic to the idea (of God),” Madonna told Ratethemusic to explain Ritchie’s less than enthusiastic embrace of her beliefs.

Maybe the explanation is far simpler and much more specific, Guy Ritchie’s is sick of the Kabbalah Centre.