Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2005, Page 75
News Summaries
Electronic
Action Secte Secours Outaouis (ASSO)
New Group toAid Cult Victims
Monique Ostiguy, of Notre-Dame de-la-Paix, Québec, has created Action secte secours
Outaouis (ASSO), an organization to assist cult victims in the Outaouis [a region in western
Québec]. Ostiguy says that while the Montréal-based Info-Secte is playing its role of
education about cults, ASSO aims directly to help out-on-the-street victims of cultic groups
with food and clothing. She and her associates would also like to be able to form a group to
deprogram victims. (Petite-Nation, Internet, 10/31/04)
Branch Davidians
Koresh Car Auctioned
A 1968 Chevy Camaro ―muscle car‖ belonging to Branch Davidian leader David Koresh
was sold at auction in San Antonio in late September for $37,500. Prior to the sale, the
auctioneer said the car, with ―David‘s 427 Go God‖ stamped on the engine block, might
bring as much as $60,000 because: ―This is history. This is what David Koresh was all
about.‖ The car appeared in broadcasts of the 1993 Branch Davidian siege, in Waco, as a
tank pushed it out of the way. The buyer says he‘ll restore and resell it. (Reuters, Internet,
9/23/04 AP in Chicago Sun Times, Internet, 9/26/04)
Circumcision/Bible-based Misc.
Jailed for Circumcising Son
Oregonian Edwin Baxter, who founded his own home church, is now serving a three-year
jail term for trying to circumcise his eight year-old son with a hunting knife. He said the
attempt was in accordance God‘s law. (Wendy Owen, The Oregonian, Internet, 12/29/04)
False Memories
How False Memories May Be Remembered
Attempting to explain the existence of false memories, Northwestern University
researchers recently reported they learned from tests ―that parts of the brain used to
actually perceive an object and to imagine an object overlap. Thus, a vividly imagined event
can leave a memory trace in the brain that‘s very similar to that of an [actually]
experienced event. When memories are stored for perceived or imagined objects, some of
the same brain areas are involved. ...The remarkable finding is that brain activity during
the study phase could predict which objects would subsequently be falsely remembered as
having been seen as a photograph.‖ (Northwestern University, Internet, 10/19/04)
Freeman Group
Former Followers Warn of Couple
Former followers of Bill and Patsy Freeman, as well as local ministers and college
administrators, are concerned about the couple‘s recent purchase of three houses in
Spokane (WA) adjacent to Whitworth College. They expect an attempt to revive a 40-year-
old ministry that has ―left a trail of broken churches, families, and relationships.‖
Critics say Patsy Freeman manipulates and micromanages members‘ lives and urges
parents to discipline children by ―breaking their will.‖ Former members say that Bill
News Summaries
Electronic
Action Secte Secours Outaouis (ASSO)
New Group toAid Cult Victims
Monique Ostiguy, of Notre-Dame de-la-Paix, Québec, has created Action secte secours
Outaouis (ASSO), an organization to assist cult victims in the Outaouis [a region in western
Québec]. Ostiguy says that while the Montréal-based Info-Secte is playing its role of
education about cults, ASSO aims directly to help out-on-the-street victims of cultic groups
with food and clothing. She and her associates would also like to be able to form a group to
deprogram victims. (Petite-Nation, Internet, 10/31/04)
Branch Davidians
Koresh Car Auctioned
A 1968 Chevy Camaro ―muscle car‖ belonging to Branch Davidian leader David Koresh
was sold at auction in San Antonio in late September for $37,500. Prior to the sale, the
auctioneer said the car, with ―David‘s 427 Go God‖ stamped on the engine block, might
bring as much as $60,000 because: ―This is history. This is what David Koresh was all
about.‖ The car appeared in broadcasts of the 1993 Branch Davidian siege, in Waco, as a
tank pushed it out of the way. The buyer says he‘ll restore and resell it. (Reuters, Internet,
9/23/04 AP in Chicago Sun Times, Internet, 9/26/04)
Circumcision/Bible-based Misc.
Jailed for Circumcising Son
Oregonian Edwin Baxter, who founded his own home church, is now serving a three-year
jail term for trying to circumcise his eight year-old son with a hunting knife. He said the
attempt was in accordance God‘s law. (Wendy Owen, The Oregonian, Internet, 12/29/04)
False Memories
How False Memories May Be Remembered
Attempting to explain the existence of false memories, Northwestern University
researchers recently reported they learned from tests ―that parts of the brain used to
actually perceive an object and to imagine an object overlap. Thus, a vividly imagined event
can leave a memory trace in the brain that‘s very similar to that of an [actually]
experienced event. When memories are stored for perceived or imagined objects, some of
the same brain areas are involved. ...The remarkable finding is that brain activity during
the study phase could predict which objects would subsequently be falsely remembered as
having been seen as a photograph.‖ (Northwestern University, Internet, 10/19/04)
Freeman Group
Former Followers Warn of Couple
Former followers of Bill and Patsy Freeman, as well as local ministers and college
administrators, are concerned about the couple‘s recent purchase of three houses in
Spokane (WA) adjacent to Whitworth College. They expect an attempt to revive a 40-year-
old ministry that has ―left a trail of broken churches, families, and relationships.‖
Critics say Patsy Freeman manipulates and micromanages members‘ lives and urges
parents to discipline children by ―breaking their will.‖ Former members say that Bill
