Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 29
assessments we play a minor role in the Solar Temple deaths, Wessinger writes in a section
titled, ―The Persecution‖:
In 1991, a disgruntled defector, Rose-Marie Klaus contacted a Montreal anti
cult organization, Info-Secte, which then put out a letter warning of the
dangers of the Solar Temple to other Quebec organizations. (p. 224)
As mentioned above it was Lucien Zecler of ADFI Martinique, not Info-Cult, who sent out the
letter. Yet according to Wessinger‘s inaccurate version of events, Info-Cult becomes, if not
a major contributor, at least partly responsible for pushing the OTS into making their fatal
decision. This is most unfortunate, for Wessinger‘s book is a major resource in this area.
Her error, which could have been avoided if the proper sources had been consulted,
contributes to the perpetuation of stereotypes about the ―anti-cult movement.‖
Médecins du Ciel
The ―médecins du ciel‖ refers to a number of healers/channelers who attracted attention in
the province of Quebec in the early 1990‘s. They counseled followers who had physical
ailments to believe their channeled ―medical‖ advice. Four followers eventually died and a
coroner‘s investigation into three of the deaths recommended that police investigate the
healers for criminal negligence. However, no charges were filed. They were subsequently
pursued by the College of Physicians and pleaded guilty to the illegal practice of medicine
and fined (Desjardins, 1994, March).
The channelers also predicted that certain areas of the province of Quebec were to be hit by
natural disasters and so they moved with a number of followers to a ―safe area‖ in the
Laurentians, a region north of the city of Montreal.
In his book, Massimo Introvigne (1996), using the ―médecins du ciel‖ as an example,
presents Info-Cult as a ―classic anti-cult‖ group. He writes,
Ils donnent alors lieu à un modèle complet et engendrent des insinuations
disant que beaucoup de nouveaux mouvements religieux pourraient être
―exactement comme l‘OTS.‖ Un bon exemple de ce que nous affirmons est
fourni par la réaction combinée, au Québec, du mouvement anti-sectes et de
la presse à la prédiction des guérisseurs Yves Bianchi (sic) et Moniques
Forgues (qui vivent avec une centaine de fidèles dans le village de Val-David
au Québec), selon laquelle un gigantesque déluge devait détruire les trois
quarts de la planète le 28 septembre 1995. (p. 232)
English translation:
It gives rise to a model that insinuates that a lot of new religious movements
could be ―exactly like the OTS.‖ A good example of this is provided by the
combined reaction of the anti-cult movement and the media, in Quebec, with
a prediction made by healers Yves Bianchi (sic) and Monique Forgues (who
live with about a hundred of their followers in the village of Val-David,
Quebec), that a giant flood would destroy three quarters of the planet on
September 28, 1995.
Introvigne continues,
...des opposants locaux, dans le village, et Info-Sectes (sic), une organisation
anti-sectes de Montréal, ont déclaré après le 28 septembre non seulement
que les deux guérisseurs animent ―une secte fermée ou l‘on pratique le
lavage de cerveau sur les membres vulnérables,‖ mais aussi que ― groupe
restreint de partisans inconditionnels du couple représente la plus grande
menace pour le Québec depuis l‘Ordre du Temple Solaire.‖
assessments we play a minor role in the Solar Temple deaths, Wessinger writes in a section
titled, ―The Persecution‖:
In 1991, a disgruntled defector, Rose-Marie Klaus contacted a Montreal anti
cult organization, Info-Secte, which then put out a letter warning of the
dangers of the Solar Temple to other Quebec organizations. (p. 224)
As mentioned above it was Lucien Zecler of ADFI Martinique, not Info-Cult, who sent out the
letter. Yet according to Wessinger‘s inaccurate version of events, Info-Cult becomes, if not
a major contributor, at least partly responsible for pushing the OTS into making their fatal
decision. This is most unfortunate, for Wessinger‘s book is a major resource in this area.
Her error, which could have been avoided if the proper sources had been consulted,
contributes to the perpetuation of stereotypes about the ―anti-cult movement.‖
Médecins du Ciel
The ―médecins du ciel‖ refers to a number of healers/channelers who attracted attention in
the province of Quebec in the early 1990‘s. They counseled followers who had physical
ailments to believe their channeled ―medical‖ advice. Four followers eventually died and a
coroner‘s investigation into three of the deaths recommended that police investigate the
healers for criminal negligence. However, no charges were filed. They were subsequently
pursued by the College of Physicians and pleaded guilty to the illegal practice of medicine
and fined (Desjardins, 1994, March).
The channelers also predicted that certain areas of the province of Quebec were to be hit by
natural disasters and so they moved with a number of followers to a ―safe area‖ in the
Laurentians, a region north of the city of Montreal.
In his book, Massimo Introvigne (1996), using the ―médecins du ciel‖ as an example,
presents Info-Cult as a ―classic anti-cult‖ group. He writes,
Ils donnent alors lieu à un modèle complet et engendrent des insinuations
disant que beaucoup de nouveaux mouvements religieux pourraient être
―exactement comme l‘OTS.‖ Un bon exemple de ce que nous affirmons est
fourni par la réaction combinée, au Québec, du mouvement anti-sectes et de
la presse à la prédiction des guérisseurs Yves Bianchi (sic) et Moniques
Forgues (qui vivent avec une centaine de fidèles dans le village de Val-David
au Québec), selon laquelle un gigantesque déluge devait détruire les trois
quarts de la planète le 28 septembre 1995. (p. 232)
English translation:
It gives rise to a model that insinuates that a lot of new religious movements
could be ―exactly like the OTS.‖ A good example of this is provided by the
combined reaction of the anti-cult movement and the media, in Quebec, with
a prediction made by healers Yves Bianchi (sic) and Monique Forgues (who
live with about a hundred of their followers in the village of Val-David,
Quebec), that a giant flood would destroy three quarters of the planet on
September 28, 1995.
Introvigne continues,
...des opposants locaux, dans le village, et Info-Sectes (sic), une organisation
anti-sectes de Montréal, ont déclaré après le 28 septembre non seulement
que les deux guérisseurs animent ―une secte fermée ou l‘on pratique le
lavage de cerveau sur les membres vulnérables,‖ mais aussi que ― groupe
restreint de partisans inconditionnels du couple représente la plus grande
menace pour le Québec depuis l‘Ordre du Temple Solaire.‖
