Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2005, Page 49
Exorcism
Ritual Killing
A 10-year-old Thai girl‘s throat was slashed repeatedly by her mother, grandmother, and
two aunts in a deadly exorcism ritual aimed to banish an evil spirit, according to police.
The child was found in a pool of blood as the women chanted upstairs to a Hindu goddess
around whom they had built a cult. ―We suspect they committed the crime in a trance-like
state without even knowing what they had done,‖ said a police spokesman. Earlier, the
family frightened neighbors when they said they could communicate with gods and spirits.
(Herald Sun, Australia, Internet, 10/5/04)
Women Beaten for Cure
Hundreds of women in Madhya Pradesh state, India, are gathering to have ghosts beaten
out of them by a broom at the annual ghost fair in an 18th century Hindu temple dedicated
to the Guru Maharaj Deoji, a saint. They believe that the power to exorcise demons has
been inherited though generations of Deoji‘s disciples. A local politician says most of the
women are actually suffering from epilepsy, schizophrenia, or depression. AP in Sydney
Morning Herald, Internet, 2/2/05)
Faith Based Initiative
Grant Blocked Due to Proselytizing
A judge has blocked the federal government from providing Department of Health and
Human Services funds to the Phoenix-based MotorKids USA because the organization used
public money, part of the administration‘s faith based initiative, to directly support
religious activities.
MotorKids hired only Christians as mentors, who were then encouraged to share their faith
with the children for whom they were providing social services. The mentors were also
required to introduce children to scripture and to provide monthly reports on whether the
children had discussed God, participated in Bible study, or attended church. A watchdog
group says that many other groups are using public money to promote religion. (AP in New
York Times, Internet, 1/15/05)
Faith Healing
Leader Buried Alive
Four members of a religious cult that believes in resurrection are being investigated for
burying their leader, Mr. Song, in an underground room and then covering it with concrete,
in JoongAng, South Korea. Song was a faith healer whose failure to cure them apparently
upset followers. Police believe a struggle over property led to Song‘s entombment. But a
police spokesman also said: ―Mr. Song was confined and killed by his followers because they
wanted to experience eternal life and resurrection.‖ (Chung Chan-min, JoongAng Daily,
Internet, 12/14/04)
The Fellowship
Book on “Fractured Families”
Morag Swartz‘s new book, Fractured Families: The Story of a Melbourne Church Cult, tells
about The Fellowship, a 400-member group with several congregations, connected to the
Presbyterian Church, that she describes as pious, elitist, and controlling. A chief
characteristic, she writes, is the destruction of families and friendships, the result not only
of doctrinal disputes but, among other things, an emphasis on public confession that
borders on mental harassment. Followers also reportedly exhibit an almost ―superhuman‖
holiness, and they refuse to reconcile with people who have differing views. Moreover, the
Exorcism
Ritual Killing
A 10-year-old Thai girl‘s throat was slashed repeatedly by her mother, grandmother, and
two aunts in a deadly exorcism ritual aimed to banish an evil spirit, according to police.
The child was found in a pool of blood as the women chanted upstairs to a Hindu goddess
around whom they had built a cult. ―We suspect they committed the crime in a trance-like
state without even knowing what they had done,‖ said a police spokesman. Earlier, the
family frightened neighbors when they said they could communicate with gods and spirits.
(Herald Sun, Australia, Internet, 10/5/04)
Women Beaten for Cure
Hundreds of women in Madhya Pradesh state, India, are gathering to have ghosts beaten
out of them by a broom at the annual ghost fair in an 18th century Hindu temple dedicated
to the Guru Maharaj Deoji, a saint. They believe that the power to exorcise demons has
been inherited though generations of Deoji‘s disciples. A local politician says most of the
women are actually suffering from epilepsy, schizophrenia, or depression. AP in Sydney
Morning Herald, Internet, 2/2/05)
Faith Based Initiative
Grant Blocked Due to Proselytizing
A judge has blocked the federal government from providing Department of Health and
Human Services funds to the Phoenix-based MotorKids USA because the organization used
public money, part of the administration‘s faith based initiative, to directly support
religious activities.
MotorKids hired only Christians as mentors, who were then encouraged to share their faith
with the children for whom they were providing social services. The mentors were also
required to introduce children to scripture and to provide monthly reports on whether the
children had discussed God, participated in Bible study, or attended church. A watchdog
group says that many other groups are using public money to promote religion. (AP in New
York Times, Internet, 1/15/05)
Faith Healing
Leader Buried Alive
Four members of a religious cult that believes in resurrection are being investigated for
burying their leader, Mr. Song, in an underground room and then covering it with concrete,
in JoongAng, South Korea. Song was a faith healer whose failure to cure them apparently
upset followers. Police believe a struggle over property led to Song‘s entombment. But a
police spokesman also said: ―Mr. Song was confined and killed by his followers because they
wanted to experience eternal life and resurrection.‖ (Chung Chan-min, JoongAng Daily,
Internet, 12/14/04)
The Fellowship
Book on “Fractured Families”
Morag Swartz‘s new book, Fractured Families: The Story of a Melbourne Church Cult, tells
about The Fellowship, a 400-member group with several congregations, connected to the
Presbyterian Church, that she describes as pious, elitist, and controlling. A chief
characteristic, she writes, is the destruction of families and friendships, the result not only
of doctrinal disputes but, among other things, an emphasis on public confession that
borders on mental harassment. Followers also reportedly exhibit an almost ―superhuman‖
holiness, and they refuse to reconcile with people who have differing views. Moreover, the
