Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 235
Actress Lobbies for Scientology on Drugs
Actress and Scientologist Juliette Lewis lobbied on Capitol Hill in March in support of
Scientology‘s effort to prevent educational authorities from requiring problem school
children to take mood-altering medication. (Lloyd Grove, Washington Post, Internet,
3/5/03)
Presley Praises Scientology in Song
The title track of Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley‘s forthcoming CD, ―To Whom It May
Concern,‖ aims to spread the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The CD
reportedly will also deal with the dangers of overmedicating children [which is a Scientology
cause]. (Amy Reiter, Salon, Internet, 1/30/03)
Presley‘s web page promotes Scientology‘s Citizen‘s Commission on Human Rights [an anti-
psychiatry organization] whose purpose, ―besides lobbying and promoting Scientology,
seems to be to raise money for the group.‖ (Roger Friedman, Fox News, 3/31/03).
Shamanism
―Native‖ Healing Approved
An Ecuadorian shaman whose healing potion killed a native woman in an Ontario reserve,
received a sentence of 150 hours of community service in a ruling that nonetheless
approves native healing ceremonies. The shaman was forbidden to continue using the
banned hallucinogen ayahuasca (hermaline). Shaman Juan Uyunkar told victim Jane
Maiangowi, 71, to stop taking her diabetes medication during the healing ceremony, during
which numerous other participants also drank the mixture of ayahuasca and nicotine to
induce vomiting. (Francine Dubé, National Post, Internet, 4/26/03)
Elizabeth Smart/Emmanuel
Mental Illness Claimed
A mental health worker who knew Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper, Brian Mitchell, and his
wife, Wanda Barzee, says that both suffer from mental illness. Vicki Cottrell believes that
the couple‘s bizarre religious beliefs, including the notion that they are prophets, even God,
are typical of schizophrenia.
But this seems too simple an answer to why the kidnapping happened, no better than the
claim that Elizabeth was simply ―brainwashed.‖ Mitchell‘s belief in polygamy probably
helped stimulate his ―menticidal‖ actions. So the lesson of this affair is the same lesson in
any disaster rooted in false and fearful religion: Belief systems that allow no alternative
interpretations are almost inevitably calamitous.‖ (Bill Tammeus, Knight Ritter Newspapers,
Internet, 3/31/03.
Theory of ―Conversion‖
Cult exit counselor Steven Hassan says that the shared Mormonism of Elizabeth Smart
and her abductor, Brian Mitchell, helps explain his control over her. He was able to start
―religious indoctrination,‖ Hassan says, ―from the very first moment. Waking up a 14-year-
old and carrying her off at knifepoint is very disorienting and traumatic. The adaptive
response is to conform and do whatever she was told to do.‖
Hassen thinks that Mitchell told the girl he was a prophet and that she was meant to be one
of his wives. She was probably given a new identity and a new name—‖Augustine‖—
different clothing, and a nomadic lifestyle, thus forming a new, ―pseudo identity.‖ Hassan
says that all of this was part of a 3-step brainwashing‖ process: ―unfreezing the current
identity, changing it, and refreezing a new cult identity.‖ Hassan predicts that Elizabeth
Actress Lobbies for Scientology on Drugs
Actress and Scientologist Juliette Lewis lobbied on Capitol Hill in March in support of
Scientology‘s effort to prevent educational authorities from requiring problem school
children to take mood-altering medication. (Lloyd Grove, Washington Post, Internet,
3/5/03)
Presley Praises Scientology in Song
The title track of Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley‘s forthcoming CD, ―To Whom It May
Concern,‖ aims to spread the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The CD
reportedly will also deal with the dangers of overmedicating children [which is a Scientology
cause]. (Amy Reiter, Salon, Internet, 1/30/03)
Presley‘s web page promotes Scientology‘s Citizen‘s Commission on Human Rights [an anti-
psychiatry organization] whose purpose, ―besides lobbying and promoting Scientology,
seems to be to raise money for the group.‖ (Roger Friedman, Fox News, 3/31/03).
Shamanism
―Native‖ Healing Approved
An Ecuadorian shaman whose healing potion killed a native woman in an Ontario reserve,
received a sentence of 150 hours of community service in a ruling that nonetheless
approves native healing ceremonies. The shaman was forbidden to continue using the
banned hallucinogen ayahuasca (hermaline). Shaman Juan Uyunkar told victim Jane
Maiangowi, 71, to stop taking her diabetes medication during the healing ceremony, during
which numerous other participants also drank the mixture of ayahuasca and nicotine to
induce vomiting. (Francine Dubé, National Post, Internet, 4/26/03)
Elizabeth Smart/Emmanuel
Mental Illness Claimed
A mental health worker who knew Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper, Brian Mitchell, and his
wife, Wanda Barzee, says that both suffer from mental illness. Vicki Cottrell believes that
the couple‘s bizarre religious beliefs, including the notion that they are prophets, even God,
are typical of schizophrenia.
But this seems too simple an answer to why the kidnapping happened, no better than the
claim that Elizabeth was simply ―brainwashed.‖ Mitchell‘s belief in polygamy probably
helped stimulate his ―menticidal‖ actions. So the lesson of this affair is the same lesson in
any disaster rooted in false and fearful religion: Belief systems that allow no alternative
interpretations are almost inevitably calamitous.‖ (Bill Tammeus, Knight Ritter Newspapers,
Internet, 3/31/03.
Theory of ―Conversion‖
Cult exit counselor Steven Hassan says that the shared Mormonism of Elizabeth Smart
and her abductor, Brian Mitchell, helps explain his control over her. He was able to start
―religious indoctrination,‖ Hassan says, ―from the very first moment. Waking up a 14-year-
old and carrying her off at knifepoint is very disorienting and traumatic. The adaptive
response is to conform and do whatever she was told to do.‖
Hassen thinks that Mitchell told the girl he was a prophet and that she was meant to be one
of his wives. She was probably given a new identity and a new name—‖Augustine‖—
different clothing, and a nomadic lifestyle, thus forming a new, ―pseudo identity.‖ Hassan
says that all of this was part of a 3-step brainwashing‖ process: ―unfreezing the current
identity, changing it, and refreezing a new cult identity.‖ Hassan predicts that Elizabeth
