------------------------------------------------------------------- F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, Incorporated) a non-profit computer bulletin board and electronic library 601 16th St. #C-217 Golden, Colorado 80401 USA BBS 303 530-1942 FAX 303 530-2950 Office 303 473-0111 This document is part of an electronic lending library. F.A.C.T.Net does not sell documents, it only lends them according to the terms of your library cardholder agreement with F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD CATALOG ENTRY ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 "Satanic Cults" on the Beach Satanic cults that gather at the beaches to perform late-night animal sacrifices to the tune of ritual chants are attracting dozens of teenagers across the country, parents told the Knesset [Israeli parliament] Education Committee in November. "The phenomenon exists, even if only on a small scale, and it is dangerous," said committee chairman Michael Bar-Zohar (LaborParty). He called on the police and the Education Ministry to investigate the matter. Police representatives, however, told the committee that no evidence of an organized satanic cult has been found. They noted that "social phenomena," such as the wild dancing at clubs, were not illegal. "We can only deal with drug and alcohol abuse," said Deputy Commander Ruth Gadot. The cults in Tel Aviv apparently start their evenings by going to drink and dance wildly to heavy metal music at several of the city's night clubs, Tel Aviv Parents' Association leader Hana Michelin said. Jerusalem Post International Edition, Dec. 1, 1990. 2 Britain: From the FAIR News (London) Autumn 1990 2 Britain: Church of Christ The CCC [Central London Church of Christ, related to the Boston, USA, Church of Christ movement], after causing quite a stir in Birmingham and Manchester, turned its attention to the northeast and is targeting young people in Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne. Reporter John Merry of the Sunday Sun was told that the group concentrated on universities because students had pliable minds which could retain information. A TV report on the CCC featured the stories of two families that lost daughters to the group and tried coercive deprogramming to get them back. One action succeeded, the other failed. 3 Britain: Rajneesh Some assumed that the Rajneesh movement would die with the founder, but this has not happened. The group 's London center appears to be flourishing, and both basic and advanced training courses are running in Holland for teenagers. Consent of parents or guardians is requested for these courses. 4 Britain: Children of God From the group's publication The New GoodNews, it is clear that members are afraid of having children taken away from the communes (as in the raid by Barcelona police earlier this year). One of the chief intemal problems expressed in New Good News is the conflict over child custody between spouses who have left the group, and those who remain. A report by a 15-year COG member Dalva Lynch in the Christian Research Journal (Brazil) tells of the group's great emphasis on child sex -- recently much denied by the group. The ex-member, whose children remain with the COG, claims that because of the early introduction to sex, promiscuity is rampant among the group's second generation, now aged between twelve and eighteen. Since many FarEastern outposts were abandoned, COG houses in Brazil have been flooded with new arrivals. In order to avoid overcrowding, the leadership simply throw out "problem cases," namely those with financial, legal, or personal difficulties. ("We're not a hospital," says COG leader David Berg.) Discussing changes in COG, Dalva Lynch says there are no more families. They still use the term but it no longer means mother, father, and their children; it means, rather, threesomes, foursomes, and any number of allocated children. Feelings, emotions, romance, and parent-child affection have been ruled out as "devilish." In order to destroy emotional attachments between parents and children, says Lynch, they are separated. The children are sent to schools where they become "little rocks." "They have no emotional ties, you can control them, [they are] just little robots. That is why I am so desperate to get my kids, because they are still there!" Despite all this, the cult is currently enjoying great success in selling its literature, videos, and audio tapes to unsuspecting Christian churches and schools at exorbitant prices in many parts of Brazil. 5 Britain: "Top Ten" Cults From September 1989 to September 1990 FAIR received inquiries about 138 cults and fringe groups, 77 of which are very obscure. The "Top Ten" in the "FAIR charts" are: 1. Unification Church 2. Scientology 3. Central London Church of Christ 4. Children of God, 5. EST (and other self-improvement groups) 6. Sahaja Yoga 7. New Age 8. ISKCON [Hare Krishna] 9. Rajneesh 10. Jesus Army 6 Germany: Fertile Ground in East Germany The German newspaperDie Zeit reports on a visit of the Sahaja Yoga leader Mataji to Dresden and the boliefofa West German promoter of Mataji that the group can find fertile ground in the fluid situation in East Germany. This view is supported by comments of an East German psychoanalyst who says that his countrymen are suffering from authority dependency and emotional in hibitions, as well as from a psychological deficiency syndrome which hides great, unfulfilled longing for love and acceptance. Mataji warned her Dresden audience of "many false gurus ," probably referring to rival groups like the Mooni es and Scientologists who are putting up posters and selling books in pedestrian zones. 7 Sweden: Meditating for Gulf Peace [TM] About 5,000 people gathered in a Stockholm stadium on Nov. 2 under the auspices of the Transcendental Meditation organization for a group meditation to send good virations to the Persian Gulf and help avoid war. Organizers had hoped to fill the 15,000-seat stadium, but only about a third of that number paid $35 each to attend. TM psychologist David Orme-Johnson said that the 20 minutes of meditation is "kind of a start" to result in world peace, but the event may result in some "softening, some kind of statement that is more reconciliatory." Star Ledger (Newark, NJ), and AP, 11/3/90 ================================================================= DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: CO0990AC.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: CO0990.TIF ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: OK SECURITY CODE: SCO DISTRIBUTION CODE: RO DESCRIPTION FOR BBS FILE LISTING: The Cult Observer, November/December 1990 SORT TO: AFF CONTRIBUTOR: American Family Foundation (AFF) LOCATION OF ORIGINAL: American Family Foundation (AFF) NOTES: Back issues and selected reprints of the Cultic Studies Journal are available from the American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 33959-2265. This edition of the Cult Observer was scanned by an electronic scanner, introducing the possibility of a few scanning errors. Please see the printed issue if there are textual questions. FOREIGN STORIES | 1 "Satanic Cults" on the Beach | [Israel] | 2 Britain: Church of Christ | 3 Britain: Rajneesh | 4 Britain: Children of God | 5 Britain: "Top Ten" Cults | 6 Germany: Fertile Ground in East | Germany | 7 Sweden: Meditating for Gulf | Peace [TM] For additional verification see the contributor of the document. UPDATED ON: 9/28/94 UPDATED BY: FrJMc =================================================================