Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002, Page 69
Forty-two and divorced, Mrs. Huang has spent a total of 210 days in custody, at times
subjected to powerful drugs and electroshock therapy, although friends and family, experts
in Beijing, and even some of the psychiatrists who have hospitalized, her say she is
perfectly sane. "I would agree that I'm strong- willed and very determined, perhaps too
determined," she said recently, shortly after being released for the fifth time, after 52 days,
by doctors who concluded that they could not justify keeping her. Fearing that she would
be recommitted if she remained in her hometown, she has fled with her two teenage
children to Beijing, where she survives by selling discarded trash.
Although Beijing's two-and-a-half-year crackdown on the banned Falun Gong has stirred
fresh concern over the political misuse of psychiatry, there is little evidence to suggest that
the Chinese government routinely uses psychiatric hospitals to imprison political dissidents,
as was common in the Soviet Union. But far more common are cases in which local
governments try to employ psychiatric commitment as a convenient way to silence
troublemakers and pests. (Elizabeth Rosenthal, New York Times, 2/6/02, Internet)
Healing/Curanderismo
Use of Hispanic Folk Remedies Growing
Curanderismo, a system of folk healing that unites herbal medicine, psychology,
Catholicism, and the occult is growing more visible among Hispanics, for whom it is a balm
for physical and emotional woes frequently trusted more than conventional medicine. Many
doctors and nurses believe that traditional healers, usually known as curanderos, can be
valuable allies in promoting good health among Latinos, offering the comfort that time-
starved physicians often cannot. Yet they also believe that curandero cures can be
ineffective, fraudulent, or dangerous, and could discourage people from seeking necessary
medical care. Ari Kiev has written a book on the subject, Curanderismo: Mexican-American
Folk Psychiatry. (John Keilman, Chicago Tribune, 1/2/02, Internet)
Hebrew Israelites
Hebrew Israelites Buries Its First Victim of Mideast Violence
The Hebrew Israelites, African-Americans from Chicago who believe they are the true
descendants of the biblical tribe of Judah, have buried their first victim of the Mideast
violence. Aharon Bn-Ellis 32, who was working as a singer at the party, was shot dead when
a Palestinian gunman charged into a Jewish coming-of-age party and opened fire, killing six
and wounding dozens. The funeral ceremony, led by five priests dressed in white and sky
blue tunics with white crocheted skullcaps, featured a mix of Hebrew psalms and popular
music. Although Israel does not accept the polygamous group as Jewish, mourners included
the chief rabbi of Dimona, where the group is settled, the mayor, a representative of the
Israeli government, and a representative of the U.S. ambassador. One of the priests prayed
that the government would accept the Hebrew Israelites, who were granted residency in
1990, 21 years after they first settled, but not citizenship. The community has grown from
its original 39 followers of Chicago bus driver Ben Ami to more than 2,000. (AP, 1/20/02,
Internet)
House of Prayer
House of Prayer Members, Pastor Indicted in Abuse Case
A Fulton County (GA) grand jury has indicted 11 members of the House of Prayer, a small
northwest Atlanta church, on charges of cruelty to children and aggravated assault, capping
a nearly yearlong investigation into allegations of abuse of the congregation's children, 49 of
whom the state took into protective custody. Among those indicted is the House of Prayer's
pastor, the Rev. Arthur Allen, Jr. Conviction on the felony charges can lead to prison terms
of one to 20 years.
Forty-two and divorced, Mrs. Huang has spent a total of 210 days in custody, at times
subjected to powerful drugs and electroshock therapy, although friends and family, experts
in Beijing, and even some of the psychiatrists who have hospitalized, her say she is
perfectly sane. "I would agree that I'm strong- willed and very determined, perhaps too
determined," she said recently, shortly after being released for the fifth time, after 52 days,
by doctors who concluded that they could not justify keeping her. Fearing that she would
be recommitted if she remained in her hometown, she has fled with her two teenage
children to Beijing, where she survives by selling discarded trash.
Although Beijing's two-and-a-half-year crackdown on the banned Falun Gong has stirred
fresh concern over the political misuse of psychiatry, there is little evidence to suggest that
the Chinese government routinely uses psychiatric hospitals to imprison political dissidents,
as was common in the Soviet Union. But far more common are cases in which local
governments try to employ psychiatric commitment as a convenient way to silence
troublemakers and pests. (Elizabeth Rosenthal, New York Times, 2/6/02, Internet)
Healing/Curanderismo
Use of Hispanic Folk Remedies Growing
Curanderismo, a system of folk healing that unites herbal medicine, psychology,
Catholicism, and the occult is growing more visible among Hispanics, for whom it is a balm
for physical and emotional woes frequently trusted more than conventional medicine. Many
doctors and nurses believe that traditional healers, usually known as curanderos, can be
valuable allies in promoting good health among Latinos, offering the comfort that time-
starved physicians often cannot. Yet they also believe that curandero cures can be
ineffective, fraudulent, or dangerous, and could discourage people from seeking necessary
medical care. Ari Kiev has written a book on the subject, Curanderismo: Mexican-American
Folk Psychiatry. (John Keilman, Chicago Tribune, 1/2/02, Internet)
Hebrew Israelites
Hebrew Israelites Buries Its First Victim of Mideast Violence
The Hebrew Israelites, African-Americans from Chicago who believe they are the true
descendants of the biblical tribe of Judah, have buried their first victim of the Mideast
violence. Aharon Bn-Ellis 32, who was working as a singer at the party, was shot dead when
a Palestinian gunman charged into a Jewish coming-of-age party and opened fire, killing six
and wounding dozens. The funeral ceremony, led by five priests dressed in white and sky
blue tunics with white crocheted skullcaps, featured a mix of Hebrew psalms and popular
music. Although Israel does not accept the polygamous group as Jewish, mourners included
the chief rabbi of Dimona, where the group is settled, the mayor, a representative of the
Israeli government, and a representative of the U.S. ambassador. One of the priests prayed
that the government would accept the Hebrew Israelites, who were granted residency in
1990, 21 years after they first settled, but not citizenship. The community has grown from
its original 39 followers of Chicago bus driver Ben Ami to more than 2,000. (AP, 1/20/02,
Internet)
House of Prayer
House of Prayer Members, Pastor Indicted in Abuse Case
A Fulton County (GA) grand jury has indicted 11 members of the House of Prayer, a small
northwest Atlanta church, on charges of cruelty to children and aggravated assault, capping
a nearly yearlong investigation into allegations of abuse of the congregation's children, 49 of
whom the state took into protective custody. Among those indicted is the House of Prayer's
pastor, the Rev. Arthur Allen, Jr. Conviction on the felony charges can lead to prison terms
of one to 20 years.
