19990510 weeks Daily Newswire

F.A.C.T.Net Daily Newswire archives
for the week of May 10, 1999

May 14, 1999

Father wins custody of son from cult member wife

In 1997, Therese Lalande was granted full custody of her three children even though she admitted in court to be a member of a Montreal-area branch of a doomsday cult called the Vortex of the Star of David. The judge gave her custody with the stipulation that she not move to the cult compound. Lalande agreed, but moved there anyway six months later. The children's father, Roger Mercier, who had fought vigorously for custody of his children, especially due to their mother's cult involvement, became very worried when they moved to the compound. He began to dispute the custody decision last October, and a judge in Quebec did overturn the original decision in April. Thus, Mercier now has custody of his son, the youngest. The son had lost much weight while in the group, and his teachers had expressed concern for him. Two older daughters want to remain with the cult, and it appears they are no longer minors and can make that decision for themselves. Therese Lalande joined the Vortex after spending a weekend at a "spa"; she came home and notified her husband she was leaving. Vortex members believe the world will end soon, but that they will be rescued when their leaders arrive from outer space. According to the Ottawa Citizen, "They are also vegans and those who join must devote themselves entirely to the cult's beliefs and actions -- turning over all money and worldly possessions to the group. They must also steadfastly obey all directives from the heads of their branches and the group's leader. Otherwise, not much is known about the group's practices." [Source: The Ottawa Citizen, May 14, 1999]

Mutilated cats lead to suspicions of cult activity

A number of cats that disappeared and were later found mutilated in the community of St. Tammany, Florida has given rise to suspicions of cult activity in the area. Kathy Wiltenmuth's cat Cuddles vanished a month ago from her neighborhood. The cat was found later along a roadside, dead and cut from neck to tail and with its eyes removed. At least three other cats have been found similarly mutilated in the area, after disappearing several days earlier. At least twenty other cats and dogs have disappeared recently and have not been found. A gathering of 50 residents met at a local school to discuss the disappearances. Although police have no specific leads, some suspect the mutilations are part of satanic cult rituals. One woman at the meeting claimed to have heard chanting and the sounds of a dog in pain near her home. Others believe a bored and/or disturbed individual may be to blame. [Source: The Times-Picayune, May 14, 1999]

May 13, 1999

Prosecutors may ask for death penalty for Aum Shin Rikyo member

Aum Shin Rikyo senior member Masato Yokoyama is on trial for participating in the 1995 sarin gas attack in the Toyko subway, which killed twelve people and injured thousands. Legal experts observing his trial predicted yesterday that prosecutors will seek the death penalty. Another participant in the attack, Ikuo Hayashi, is serving a life sentence rather than facing the death penalty because he is regretful of his actions, cooperated fully with authorities, and has sought forgiveness from victims. On the other hand, Yokoyama has expressed no remorse for his actions and has not cooperated with authorities investigating the attack. In addition to releasing sarin on a subway line, he also allegedly helped manufacture the gas and illegally built automatic weapons for the cult. Yokoyama would be the first Aum member to receive the death penalty in conjunction with the subway attack. [Source: Mainichi Daily News, May 13, 1999]

BBC stops airing Scientology commercials

The British Broadcasting Company recently began airing commercials worldwide for "Dianetics" by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The commercials were broadcast a number of times a day for several weeks until the BBC responded to protests from German television viewers to stop airing the promotions and suspended the ads. About ten million households in Germany tune in to BBC World. Media institutions have been warned for the past couple months that Scientology might be launching a major promotional campaign at a cost of $40 million. [Source: epd (Germany), May 6, 1999]

Scientology asks Sweden to take "secret scriptures" from public view

After losing appeals in district court and the court of appeals, Scientology is appealing to Sweden's Supreme Court in an attempt to have its "secret scriptures" taken from public view. Currently, the coveted materials are open to the public at the Swedish parliament. In response to pressure from the United States, the Swedish government originally sealed the materials, but then overturned that decision after a brief time. The materials have been open to the public since then. [Source: Metro (Sweden), http://www.metro.se/, May 11, 1999]

May 12, 1999

Cult members storm TV station in South Korea to stop broadcast

Hundreds of members of the Manmin Chungang Sungkyol Church raided a television station in Seoul to interrupt the broadcasting of a documentary on the group. Five minutes after the documentary began, fifty cult members went into the station's main control room and blacked out screens, while another 20 assaulted a producer. The documentary was interrupted, and television managers quickly began broadcasting an alternate program during the raid. Meanwhile, 2,000 other cult members protested outside the station, listening to a speech by a cult leader. Police numbering over 600 took control of the situation, detaining six people. The group stated the documentary would distort facts and be defamatory. The Korea Federation of Churches has urged authorities to investigate alleged wrong-doings by the group. MBC TV is one of three major stations in South Korea. The raid marked the first time in the country that protestors stopped television programming. MBC TV plans to air the documentary tonight. [Source: Agence France Presse, May 12, 1999]

Scientology files motions to dismiss criminal charges

Scientology filed motions in Florida this week to have the criminal charges against it dismissed in the death of Lisa McPherson . In the motions, Scientology admits its staff were "negligent" in their treatment of McPherson at a Scientology facility during the 17 days leading up to her death, but says they were not acting on behalf of Scientology or under Scientology's orders. Thus, Scientology claims, the organization should not be held liable and the felony charges against it should be dismissed. Scientology asserts that its staff members were giving McPherson "spiritual assistance," and that such assistance is protected under Florida's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The St. Petersburg Times reports that staffers "isolated her in a room and forced food and medicines down her throat as they treated her for a mental breakdown, according to state investigators." Scientology is charged with abuse of a disabled adult, improper practice of medicine, and inexcusable delay in bringing McPherson to a hospital before she died. [Source: St. Petersburg Times, May 12, 1999]

May 11, 1999

Ex-member of Children of God details childhood abuse

A 23-year-old woman who was born into the Children of God cult and left at the age of twelve, tells her story today in The Mirror. Kristina Jones was raped for years by cult members including her stepfather beginning when she was nine, at cult communes in England and India. She was sexually abused in other ways beginning when she was two, and possibly even younger. Children of God believes that sexual "sharing" among members is God's will, and that refusing sex is refusing the will of God. David Berg, a Children of God leader, details in letters to members how he enjoyed being sexually abused by a babysitter when he was young, and how he wishes he'd had an opportunity to sleep with his mother. He also produced a pamphlet for cult children with pictures and instructions on how to give oral sex. F.A.C.T.Net cannot reprint the entire story because of copyright regulations. Following is an excerpt: "...When your earliest memory of your mother is seeing her walk into your bedroom, witness you being given oral sex by one of her friends, even though you were only two years old, and yet turn on her heel and walk away, it's hard to bury your own feelings just to make her feel better about it. When she joined the group in 1973, she thought they were just another religious organization. But, by the time she had met and married my father, Simon Peter, who was also a member, moved into a commune in Kent with about 20 other members, and my elder sister Celeste had arrived in 1975, they must have realized that the group believed free love, incest, and intercourse with their children were considered to be the will of God. I don't think either of them questioned Berg's words. After all, he was God's right-hand man. If they felt uncomfortable with this aspect of his teachings, they didn't dare show it. Probably it was easy to kid themselves that, disgusting as some of it sounded, it had to be all right. I can understand that, but now that I'm a mother myself I can't even begin to understand how they could have exposed their children to it... Little children were taught that nudity was good and that sex was the best way of showing someone that you loved them. Refusing to sleep with someone who wanted you was the biggest sin you could commit, and you were punished for it... Adults would come in to read us bedtime stories and have sex with us. In a way, you welcomed it. Discipline was very strict, and when you were constantly being criticized, beaten and punished you were grateful for any kind of attention." When Kristina's mother finally left the group, she still was - and is - in bad shape, and not of much help to her daughter. Kristina began using drugs and attempted suicide three times. She had a son at sixteen, who she parents with love and protectiveness. She was awarded pounds 5,000 from the cult in court. Kristina is now studying for a law degree and rebuilding her life. [Source: The Mirror, May 11, 1999]

Nostradamus popular in Japan

The Associated Press is reporting that "As the end of the century nears, Japan has come under an odd spell, the apocalyptic preachings of the 16th century soothsayer Nostradamus. Bookshelves are lined with Nostradamus spin-offs. Celebrities comment earnestly on his predictions. The Internet is awash with thousands of Japanese Web sites devoted to the French prophet of doom." Since the 1970s when a Japanese author wrote about Nostradamus' predictions, and the book sold over two million copies, Nostradamus and apocalyptic notions have been popular in Japan during crises. In the 70s, it was the oil crisis; today it is the Asian economic crisis bolstered by the war in Kosovo. Two dozen Nostradamus-related books were published in Japan last year. In the 1500s, Nostradamus predicted a millennial apocalypse in a collection of verse called "Centuries." The AP reports that a recent survey found twenty percent of respondents in Japan "give some credence to the Nostradamus prophecies." Aum Shin Rikyo, which proclaims the world will end in September, is among a number of cults that use the predictions of Nostradamus. Aum's deadly sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995 was an attempt to hasten doomsday. [Source: Associated Press, May 11, 1999]

Aum Shin Rikyo followers to leave factory

A group of 48 people occupying a vacant factory in Kawaguchi, Japan have stated their intention to leave the factory, following a demand by the building's manager that they leave because of an invalid lease. The people occupying the factory are believed to be members of Aum Shin Rikyo and have been there since mid-April. [Source: The Daily Yomiuri, May 8, 1999]

Amway to open Quixtar, new company to sell via Internet

Amway plans to try an alternative to its direct selling technique with an Internet company called Quixtar, which is slated to open for electronic business September 1. Quixtar will sell the same products as Amway, and will sell them through distributors as Amway does. Like Amway, distributors will earn commissions for their sales, as well as for the sales of other distributors they recruit into selling. Amway leaders hope Quixtar will one day be bigger than Amway. They also hope the Quixtar name will provide the new company some distance from its progenitor. According to Rebecca Schmitt, an Amway distributor, "The Amway name is often a hindrance when it comes to recruiting other people, because of a preconceived notion." [Source: USA Today, May 11, 1999]

May 10, 1999

Aum banned from public facilities

Aum Shin Rikyo used a public hall in Nagoya last week to host what it said was a concert, but what officials believe was more of a recruiting conference. Thursday, Nagoya Mayor Takehisa Matsubara said the group and entities related to it would be banned from hosting such events in city facilities in the future. Last Monday's "concert" was put on by an Aum-affiliated company, whose affiliation was not discovered by hall managers until a few days before the event. This step to regulate Aum is unprecedented in Japan. City officials cite a provision by which applications to use public facilities may be denied if such use would result in difficulty in the facilities' management. They said Aum's use of the hall caused distress to city residents. [Source: The Daily Yomiuri, May 8, 1999]

Clearwater opts for low profile thanks for library donors

As the city of Clearwater, Florida has begun plans to construct a new library, concerns have arisen regarding the recognition to give major contributors to the project. Of particular worry is whether to provide prominent recognition to Scientology, which has a strong presence in the city, if Scientology makes a substantial donation. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Clearwater city commissioners announced their decision Thursday without mentioning Scientology, saying "that they would rather collect less money for the new main library than allow controversial groups that make large donations to be recognized prominently." Rather than naming library rooms for large contributors, commissioners voted unanimously to recognize donors discretely through wall plaques. They also voted to receive donations from anyone (i.e., not to turn down contributions). The Times reported that library officials warned commissioners that "naming rooms is the 'accepted means of recognizing donors' and...that the city would probably receive less money because of the restrictions on recognition." One commissioner responded, "Too bad. That's just reality." [Source: St. Petersburg Times, May 8, 1999]

Amway reorganizes sales strategies in China

After the Chinese government banned pyramid-type selling by a number of companies last year including Amway, Amway is preparing to restructure its sales strategies to take advantage of the Chinese market. The direct selling banned by China in April 1998 is Amway's only type of sales worldwide, according to Asia Intelligence Wire. After the ban, Amway's sales there dropped 93%. Dick DeVos, president of Amway, has stated his intentions to introduce new products to the market such as nutrition and skin care products. Amway also plans to invest another $21 million towards developing sales in China, on top of the $80 million already spent since 1991. And, since its usual mode of direct selling is banned, the company is now looking to open retail outlets. [Source: Asia Intelligence Wire, May 9, 1999]