Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 52
forth only one part of the story. My offer to provide him with access to the rest of the story
and bring objectivity rather than selectivity to his reporting went unmentioned nor did he
respond to it.
Accordingly, I am writing this response because I am disturbed by perpetuation of slanted
reporting and the failure to publish portions of a letter which supports my claims of bias. ..
and leaves open the opportunity for an artificially truncated response to the criticism of the
article you published. That really is not fair journalistic practice.
Mennonite Church of God
Ban Lifted on “Spanking” Trial Details
An Ontario judge has lifted a ban on publishing details of the trial involving the right of
social workers to remove children from their parents. Social workers, supported by police,
last year removed children from the home of the Mennonite Church of God Congregation
in Alymer, because parents, citing Bible teachings — were administering corporal
punishment with belts, sticks, electric cords, clothes hangars, and a broken metal fly
swatter. The children were soon returned to their homes, but the parents‘ refusal to promise
to stop hitting them with objects led to the trial.
Corporal punishment administered by parents or caretakers is legal in Canada, but the use
of objects for the purpose is considered excessive. Several countries, including Israel,
Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, ban corporal punishment. In the United States,
only Minnesota has restrictions against corporal punishment within the family, and 27 states
ban it in schools. The children, in videotaped interviews, defended their parents, saying that
the discipline was administered with love. And none of the children had marks of bruises
when interviewed
The Church of God says that the charges amount to discrimination against their beliefs, and
a website on the case questions how a country like Canada can challenge the church‘s
beliefs and practices. (AP, Internet, 6/30/02)
Movement for The Restoration of The Ten Commandments of God
Uganda Rights Commission Judges Kanungu Massacre
A team from the Uganda Human Rights Commission has concluded that the deaths by
burning of over 500 members of the Movement for The Restoration of The Ten
Commandments of God two years ago in Kanungu, Uganda, was not a mass suicide. The
Report concluded that it was, rather, a well-planned mass murder by leaders of a group that
had all the characteristics of a ―cult.‖
The report details how the group‘s leaders violated followers‘ human rights, including: the
freedom to speak freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment the
right to property the right to health and the right to marriage and children. Leaders
prevented followers‘ contact with their home communities and separated children from their
families while restricting communication between them. Children who cried at night were
taken out and left in the cold until they stopped.
The report, which calls the group‘s leaders ―psychopaths pretending to deliver their
followers to heaven,‖ documents ―20 ways the cult recruited and retained followers. Laced
with threats of the apocalypse, the cult leaders manipulated the predominantly peasant
followers into submission. Not questions, but obedience and patience in anticipation of the
end of the world, were expected of them.‖ (David Mukholi, New Vision/All Africa Global
Media via COMTEX, Internet, 5/24/02)
The two main leaders of the Movement, Cledonia Mwerinde, and her lover Joseph
Kibwetere, are probably themselves dead, the report says. Police have said that they
forth only one part of the story. My offer to provide him with access to the rest of the story
and bring objectivity rather than selectivity to his reporting went unmentioned nor did he
respond to it.
Accordingly, I am writing this response because I am disturbed by perpetuation of slanted
reporting and the failure to publish portions of a letter which supports my claims of bias. ..
and leaves open the opportunity for an artificially truncated response to the criticism of the
article you published. That really is not fair journalistic practice.
Mennonite Church of God
Ban Lifted on “Spanking” Trial Details
An Ontario judge has lifted a ban on publishing details of the trial involving the right of
social workers to remove children from their parents. Social workers, supported by police,
last year removed children from the home of the Mennonite Church of God Congregation
in Alymer, because parents, citing Bible teachings — were administering corporal
punishment with belts, sticks, electric cords, clothes hangars, and a broken metal fly
swatter. The children were soon returned to their homes, but the parents‘ refusal to promise
to stop hitting them with objects led to the trial.
Corporal punishment administered by parents or caretakers is legal in Canada, but the use
of objects for the purpose is considered excessive. Several countries, including Israel,
Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, ban corporal punishment. In the United States,
only Minnesota has restrictions against corporal punishment within the family, and 27 states
ban it in schools. The children, in videotaped interviews, defended their parents, saying that
the discipline was administered with love. And none of the children had marks of bruises
when interviewed
The Church of God says that the charges amount to discrimination against their beliefs, and
a website on the case questions how a country like Canada can challenge the church‘s
beliefs and practices. (AP, Internet, 6/30/02)
Movement for The Restoration of The Ten Commandments of God
Uganda Rights Commission Judges Kanungu Massacre
A team from the Uganda Human Rights Commission has concluded that the deaths by
burning of over 500 members of the Movement for The Restoration of The Ten
Commandments of God two years ago in Kanungu, Uganda, was not a mass suicide. The
Report concluded that it was, rather, a well-planned mass murder by leaders of a group that
had all the characteristics of a ―cult.‖
The report details how the group‘s leaders violated followers‘ human rights, including: the
freedom to speak freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment the
right to property the right to health and the right to marriage and children. Leaders
prevented followers‘ contact with their home communities and separated children from their
families while restricting communication between them. Children who cried at night were
taken out and left in the cold until they stopped.
The report, which calls the group‘s leaders ―psychopaths pretending to deliver their
followers to heaven,‖ documents ―20 ways the cult recruited and retained followers. Laced
with threats of the apocalypse, the cult leaders manipulated the predominantly peasant
followers into submission. Not questions, but obedience and patience in anticipation of the
end of the world, were expected of them.‖ (David Mukholi, New Vision/All Africa Global
Media via COMTEX, Internet, 5/24/02)
The two main leaders of the Movement, Cledonia Mwerinde, and her lover Joseph
Kibwetere, are probably themselves dead, the report says. Police have said that they
