Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2003, Page 95
him for salvation or risk eternal damnation. If they break rules they pay fines from their
government checks or from the $10 per day they get for roadside soliciting on behalf of
the church.
Such soliciting, involving meers‘ children as well, has apparently brought in millions
from donations to the 38 churches affiliated with Deeper Life from Virginia to Texas and
north to Michigan. Jefferson, meanwhile, lives in a 10,000 square foot mansion and
drives a Bentley. ―It‘s a fraud,‖ according to Keith Dixon, a former Deeper Life pastor,
who says he raised millions for the church. ―If I have a bucket that says ‗Help feed
needy women and children‘ and I take the money and go buy a Rolls Royce, that‘s
fraud.‖ (Tampa Tribune, Internet, 9/23/03 AP in the Ledger, Lakeland, FL, Internet,
9/23/03)
Destiny House (Word of Life)
Denies "Cult" Label
Destiny House (formerly Word of Life) pastor Jim Addison, fighting a landlord‘s attempt
to evict the group from it‘s facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, denies that Word of Life practices
included members‘ vomiting and screaming sessions to rid themselves of evil, and
preventing contact with people outside the congregation.
Addison denied the charges, as well as allegations that members were forbidden to watch
TV or read newspapers. He also denied he had received an eviction notice and refused to
say why Word of Life had changed to Destiny House. (Gayle Ritchie, Evening Express,
Internet, 8/3/03)
Elizabeth Smart
Captivity Not Life-Altering
Elizabeth Smart, who spent nine months under the control of kidnappers David Mitchell and
his wife Wanda Barzee, says the experience did not change her much. ―It‘s not like I was,
like, all happy and all of a sudden I come back and I‘m not, because I‘m still happy. It‘s the
same. It‘s like it never happened,‖ although she adds that she is now more compassionate
toward the homeless.
Mitchell and Barzee are charged with kidnapping Smart to be his second wife and holding
her against her will in the hills hear her Salt Lake City home and then at a California
campsite. They are also accused of sexually assaulting her while trying to strip her of her
identity. (AP in New York Times, Internet, 10/25/03)
Executive Success Programs/NXIVM
Sues Over "Cult" Label
Executive Success Programs (ESP) has sued three critics who characterized the
organization as a ―cult‖ and publicized its confidential manual. The defendants are [cult
expert] Rick Ross and his Ross Institute of New Jersey California psychiatrist John
Hochman M.D. [a cult educator] and Stephanie Franco [a former ESP student.]
Ross and Hochman have been accused of describing ESP programs as dangerous and
expensive forms of brainwashing. ESP alleges that this has been bad for their business, and
wants compensatory damages of $2.4 million and punitive damages of $7.3 million. Ross
says the suit, brought in Federal District Court in Albany, NY, is an attempt to silence critics
and will be dismissed.
ESP has a staff of 300 that trains business managers and chief executives in the U.S. and
Mexico to reach the highest level of their potential. Hochman and Ross see ESP as a
recycled version of self-help programs like Scientology and est. The New York state
him for salvation or risk eternal damnation. If they break rules they pay fines from their
government checks or from the $10 per day they get for roadside soliciting on behalf of
the church.
Such soliciting, involving meers‘ children as well, has apparently brought in millions
from donations to the 38 churches affiliated with Deeper Life from Virginia to Texas and
north to Michigan. Jefferson, meanwhile, lives in a 10,000 square foot mansion and
drives a Bentley. ―It‘s a fraud,‖ according to Keith Dixon, a former Deeper Life pastor,
who says he raised millions for the church. ―If I have a bucket that says ‗Help feed
needy women and children‘ and I take the money and go buy a Rolls Royce, that‘s
fraud.‖ (Tampa Tribune, Internet, 9/23/03 AP in the Ledger, Lakeland, FL, Internet,
9/23/03)
Destiny House (Word of Life)
Denies "Cult" Label
Destiny House (formerly Word of Life) pastor Jim Addison, fighting a landlord‘s attempt
to evict the group from it‘s facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, denies that Word of Life practices
included members‘ vomiting and screaming sessions to rid themselves of evil, and
preventing contact with people outside the congregation.
Addison denied the charges, as well as allegations that members were forbidden to watch
TV or read newspapers. He also denied he had received an eviction notice and refused to
say why Word of Life had changed to Destiny House. (Gayle Ritchie, Evening Express,
Internet, 8/3/03)
Elizabeth Smart
Captivity Not Life-Altering
Elizabeth Smart, who spent nine months under the control of kidnappers David Mitchell and
his wife Wanda Barzee, says the experience did not change her much. ―It‘s not like I was,
like, all happy and all of a sudden I come back and I‘m not, because I‘m still happy. It‘s the
same. It‘s like it never happened,‖ although she adds that she is now more compassionate
toward the homeless.
Mitchell and Barzee are charged with kidnapping Smart to be his second wife and holding
her against her will in the hills hear her Salt Lake City home and then at a California
campsite. They are also accused of sexually assaulting her while trying to strip her of her
identity. (AP in New York Times, Internet, 10/25/03)
Executive Success Programs/NXIVM
Sues Over "Cult" Label
Executive Success Programs (ESP) has sued three critics who characterized the
organization as a ―cult‖ and publicized its confidential manual. The defendants are [cult
expert] Rick Ross and his Ross Institute of New Jersey California psychiatrist John
Hochman M.D. [a cult educator] and Stephanie Franco [a former ESP student.]
Ross and Hochman have been accused of describing ESP programs as dangerous and
expensive forms of brainwashing. ESP alleges that this has been bad for their business, and
wants compensatory damages of $2.4 million and punitive damages of $7.3 million. Ross
says the suit, brought in Federal District Court in Albany, NY, is an attempt to silence critics
and will be dismissed.
ESP has a staff of 300 that trains business managers and chief executives in the U.S. and
Mexico to reach the highest level of their potential. Hochman and Ross see ESP as a
recycled version of self-help programs like Scientology and est. The New York state
