Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2003, Page 55
Annual membership payments for dues to the national organization, meeting space,
religious regalia, books, and tapes, can reportedly amount to 10% of take home pay.
Teaching that ―loving is giving and expecting nothing in return,‖ the movement collected
some $1.8 million in dues last year — $600,000 from Asia a Japanese woman gave
$57,000 — down 11% from the preceding year, and has some $13 million in assets. The
authors of the recent Sun Media [of Canada] exposé [which this report summarizes] say
they paid about $2,000 during the nine months they were associated with the group,
undercover. (Bridgette McCann in Edmonton Sun and Sun Media, Internet, 10/7,8, 10/03
Kevin Connor, Sun Media, 10/11/03)
Rajneesh
Spreading Ideas in Nepal
Swami Anand Arun, a 59-year-old civil engineer and disciple of the late Osho Rajneesh,
who has established a number of prosperous centers in Nepal devoted to the teachings of
the late guru, now plans to focus on starting centers in India. Regarding reports of
Rajneesh‘s extravagant lifestyle, free sex in his Ashrams, and criminal activities of some of
his disciples in the U.S., Arun says: ―People thought he was corrupting us. But then, it‘s the
lot of every master. Even Jesus was accused of corrupting the morals of the youth.‖
(Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS, Internet, 1/6/04)
Reiki
Members Allegedly Harass Fellow Exxon Lab Employees
A former Exxon Mobil Corp. employee is suing supervisors at the Baytown, TX, facility whom
he alleges harassed and fired workers who rejected efforts to recruit them for a Reiki ―cult.‖
Technician William McCracken, 63, complains of religious discrimination in the activities of
the defendants who, he says, ―adhered to certain spiritual, religious teachings (of the cult
leader) and a ‗new age‘ belief system, including a practice known as Reiki.‖ (One of many
Reiki Web sites defined it as ―a method of natural healing based on the application of
Universal Life Force Energy.‖)
McCracken says a co-worker was fired after she refused to let a supervisor, allegedly the
cult leader, treat her cervical cancer. He alleges another colleague was terminated for
refusing to attend meetings at the supervisor‘s home. ―Favorable treatment‖ for Reiki
followers was the norm, and others were treated ―unfavorably,‖ he said. (Harvey Rice,
Houston Chronicle, Internet, 12/18/03)
Repressed Memories
Brain May Be Able to Bury Unwanted Memories
A team of researchers says in the January issue of Science that unwanted memories can
be expunged from the brain through the action of a particular circuit that is activated when
a person tries to forget something. The findings support the theory that memories can be
repressed and buried in the subconscious. Dr. David Spiegel, a professor of psychiatry at
the Stanford University School of Medicine, said the study supported the idea that people
can suppress traumatic memories and regain them later. (Anahad O‘Connor, New York
Times, 1/9/04)
Sikh
Canadian Leader Excommunicated
―The Body of Sikh Holy Men in Punjab‖ has excommunicated British Columbia-based
Harnek Singh Grewal, controversial leader of the Nanaksar sect, which has
congregations in Canada, the U.S., England, and India, for allegedly drinking liquor and

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having sex with parishioners despite sect rules that prohibit drinking and enforce celibacy.
The decree has led to conflict over the sect‘s assets in both Canada and India.
Last year, Nanaksar dissidents petitioned the British Columbia Supreme Court to remove
Grewal, saying he used temple funds to build a large house for himself and a woman from
India, promoted the belief that free sex was a path to enlightenment, and gambled in Las
Vegas. The court ruled the dispute was a religious issue and refused to get involved. (Fabian
Dawson, CanWest News Service in National Post, Internet, 1/7/04)
Scientology
Members Release Group from Liability for Spiritual Healing
Scientology requires members who receive the church‘s ―spiritual assistance‖ to sign a
release form and contract consenting ―to participate in Scientology Religious Services and
receive Spiritual Assistance under the terms, conditions, covenants, waivers, and releases I
agree to by signing this contract.‖
The release was crafted in response to the wrongful death suit brought against Scientology
by the family of Lisa McPherson, who died after 17 days in Church care for psychiatric
problems [following her removal from a hospital to which she had been taken for
evaluation].
The signatory agrees that Scientology is exclusively religious in nature and ―unalterably
opposed, as a matter of religious belief, to the practice of psychiatry‖ and that mental
problems are spiritual and should not be treated in non-religious ways. The contractor also
agrees ―to memorialize my desire to be helped exclusively through religious, spiritual means
and not through any form of psychiatric treatment,‖ and not to be denied this no matter
what the government, doctors, or family members say. Moreover, if forced to undergo any
confinement or treatment, the signatory wants it understood that ―I fully desire and expect
that the Church or Scientologists will intercede on my behalf to oppose such efforts and/or
extricate me from that predicament.‖
The signatory also agrees that if it is determined he or she should need psychiatric
treatment, the treatment should be Scientology-based, which includes ―being isolated from
all sources of potential spiritual upset, including but not limited to family members, friends,
or others with whom I might normally interact.‖ The signatory also agrees to the 24-hour
presence of Scientologists during such treatment, which is indeterminate in length, and ―I
accept and assume all known and unknown risks of injury, loss, or damage resulting from
my decision to participate in the Introspection Rundown and specifically absolve all persons
and entities from all liabilities of any kind, without limitation, associated with my
participation or their participation in my Introspection Rundown.‖
Finally: ―I fully understand that by signing below, I am forever giving up my right to sue the
Church, its staff, and any of the releasees named in the General Release I signed, for any
injury or damage suffered in any way connected with Scientology religious services or
spiritual assistance.‖ (Harper’s Magazine, Internet, 11/1/03)
Scientology Declared Not Tax-Exempt
The Dutch High Court has ruled that the Church of Scientology is not ―an institution for the
common good‖ and is therefore not tax exempt, and payment to Scientology for courses or
donations is not tax deductible. ―Potential believers as well as full-fledged Scientologists
from now on [according to this report] will think twice before they pay tens of thousands of
Euros for Scientology courses.‖