Religion News Blog

Scientology’s feet held to the fire in Australia: Struggle between a church and the state

Religion News Blog — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:15:49 +0000

'Scientology is evil; its techniques evil; its practice a serious threat to the community, medically, morally and socially; and its adherents sadly deluded and often mentally ill.''

The above statement was not made by Nick Xenophon under the privilege of the Senate this week, but by a Victorian barrister, Kevin Anderson, QC, who had led a two-year government inquiry into the Church of Scientology in the 1960s. Then, as now, former Scientologists alleged that ''mind control'', physical and emotional abuse, and financial deception were standard practices, not exceptions, and integral to the church's ''brainwashing'' of its parishioners.

Guyana’s Jonestown suicide site gets plaque

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:12 +0000

It has taken more than 30 years, but the government of Guyana has erected a memorial plaque at the site of the Jonestown cult massacre, a dark episode the South American country had long sought to downplay.

A simple, white stone plaque was unveiled with little fanfare Wednesday at the jungle clearing where more than 900 members of the cult led by the American preacher Jim Jones died in a night of mass murder and suicide on Nov. 18, 1978.

Scientology practices ‘putting people at risk’

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:10:24 +0000

Dangerous dismissal of psychiatry and mental health problems must be part of a Senate inquiry into the Church of Scientology, a Melbourne cult-counsellor said yesterday

Cult Counselling Australia director Raphael Aron said Scientologists put vulnerable people at risk by taking them off psychiatric drugs and treatment, instead treating them with vitamins and E-meter readings.

Appeals court upholds removal of children from cult leader’s compound

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:41:16 +0000

Among other things, the rulings said the children faced danger of beatings and forced fasts ordered by 75-year-old evangelist Tony Alamo convicted earlier this year of transporting underage girls across state lines for sex and sentenced this month to 175 years in prison.

In one of the appeals court rulings today, Judge Robert J. Gladwin wrote that the evidence “presented a clear picture of the danger to children in the ministry compound at Fouke.”

Recession: Muslim schools in UK under threat of closure

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:13:31 +0000

Many independent Muslim schools in England are under threat of closure, according to the Association of Muslim Schools (AMS).

The organisation, which represents almost 100 independent Islamic institutions, said many could not afford to stay open.

Born in U.S., a Radical Cleric Inspires Terror

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:03:22 +0000

In nearly a dozen recent terrorism cases in the United States, Britain and Canada, investigators discovered the suspects had something in common: a devotion to the message of Anwar al-Awlaki, an eloquent Muslim cleric who has turned the Web into a tool for extremist indoctrination.

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Tex., on Nov. 5, is only the latest suspect accused of perpetrating or plotting violence to be linked to the cleric.

Australian police take up complaints about Scientology

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:43:30 +0000

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd raised concerns about the Church of Scientology yesterday, as police began investigating complaints from seven former Scientologists.

As highlighted by senator Nick Xenophon, the former cult members allege abuses including coerced abortions, assault, imprisonment, the covering up of sexual abuse, the embezzlement of church funds and blackmail. [video]

1-year prison term for man who participated in cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites

Religion News Blog — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:03:24 +0000

A New Jersey man will serve a 366-day federal prison term for conducting a cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites in January 2008, Associated Press reports.

At a hearing Wednesday in Newark 19-year-old Dmitriy Guzner of Verona also was sentenced to two years' probation after his release from prison.

Australian senator tells Parliament of widespread criminal conduct within the Church of Scientology

Religion News Blog — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:36:34 +0000

The Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has used a speech in Parliament to raise allegations of widespread criminal conduct within the Church of Scientology.

Senator Xenophon says he's received letters from former followers of the religion detailing claims of crimes and abuses. [video]

Israel Charges Extremist With Attempted Murder Of Messianic Family

Religion News Blog — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:17:20 +0000

Israel has charged Jack [Yaakov] Teitel, a Jewish-American extremist, with shooting to death two Palestinians and trying to kill others, including a Messianic Jewish family, who received a booby-trapped package in March 2008 that left their son critically injured.