Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 122
Scientology
End of Surveillance
A court in Germany‘s Saarland has, on appeal, ordered an end to seven years‘ surveillance of
the 20 Scientologists in the state, saying wiretaps and infiltrators had found no significant
evidence of subversion or bullying of former members who renounced the group. (Expatica,
Internet, 4/27/05)
Cruise Leads Film Execs on Tour
Tom Cruise earlier this year invited film executives involved in distributing his new film, ―The
War of the Worlds,‖ on a four-hour tour of three Scientology facilities in Los Angeles. The
president of United International Pictures said no one was forced to go on the tour, but one
executive said some saw it as an unwelcome business obligation. Cruise‘s spokesman has said
that he wants to combat what he sees as prejudice against an organization some have
characterized as an exploitative cult. (Sharon Waxman, New York Times News Service in San
Diego News-Tribune, Internet, 5/1/05)
Head of Youth Organization Addresses Rotary
Claire Kevitt, the 14-year-old head of the Scientology-linked Youth for Human Rights
International (YHRI) spoke in Los Angeles to a chapter meeting of Rotary International on the
importance of teaching youth about human rights. (Pressbox (UK), Internet, 4/20/05)
Cruise May Be Courting Beckham
Scientologist Tom Cruise may be trying to interest soccer star David Beckham and his wife in
Scientology, which is known for cultivating wealthy stars and for its celebrity members. A
Hollywood source says: ―David and Tom have grown particularly close. Tom has become
increasingly influential in David‘s life and the decisions he makes.‖ (Tom Carlin, The People,
UK, Internet, 6/5/05)
Distorting Buddhist History
Scientologists, supposedly in Sri Lanka to aid tsunami victims, have been passing out a 30-
page full-color booklet in Colombo suburbs entitled Santhoshayata (The Path to Joy)
[apparently a version of Scientology‘s Way to Happiness] that includes ―maliciously distorted
facts on Buddhism‘s history.‖
A Buddhist clergyman called the Scientologists ―wolves in sheep‘s clothing‖ who ―have found
tsunami victims‘ suffering from depression fertile area for harvesting souls.‖ If they‘re sincere
about their charitable intentions, he said, they should stick to such work instead of craftily
trying to wean away Buddhists and Hindus from their traditional religious beliefs. Charity
demands nothing in return—neither political nor religious conversions, he added. (Janaka
Perera, Asian Tribune, Internet, 6/8/05, 6/10/05)
Symbionese Liberation Army/Patty Hearst
TV Documentary
Among the ―most bizarre, and also hilarious‖ parts of the recent documentary, ―Guerilla:
The Taking of Patty Hearst,‖ are taped messages that include ―Hearst‘s flat, bland directives
to her family and the authorities [that] sound like Thorazine-drenched readings from ‗How
to Speak Like a Revolutionary Every Time.‘ ― (Clint O‘Connor, Cleveland Plain Dealer,
Internet, 4/21/05)

Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 123
Twelve Tribes
Concerned Over Group’s Proposed Coffee House
Some residents of Oneonta, NY, are concerned about the Twelve Tribes‘ plan to open a
coffee shop at the Body and Soul Lifestyle Centre, on Main Street, because of allegations
that the group is racist, uses child labor, and otherwise abuses children. ―What worries me
most, says a local resident who has researched the Twelve Tribes on the Internet, ―is that
they target the community. I feel our community has to take a very clear stand that they
don‘t want this in our community.‖
A Twelve Tribes representative in Oneonta says that while the group believes in corporal
punishment, ―We don‘t harm our children or hurt our children. We train them. We just don‘t
leave our children to themselves.‖ A local professor of religion, remarking on the fact that
members don‘t watch TV or movies, said: ― ‗We‘re insulated, not isolated,‘ is the way they
like to put it.‖ (Amy L. Asbridge, Daily Star, NY, Internet, 5/15/05)
Assault on Member Stimulates Local Support
The attack in Plymouth, MA, on a 14-year-old member of the Twelve Tribes indicates that
some hostility still exists toward the group, said by some to be a brainwashing cult that
abuses children through harsh discipline, which Twelve Tribes promotes as a sign of love.
But declarations of support from other residents in the wake of the incident suggest that the
Twelve Tribes has made friends since its arrival four years ago. The local commune — there
are 35 in the U.S. and elsewhere — now consists of about 65 members living in three
houses. They own a furniture store and food store employing both adults and children, and
plan to open a café. In 1984, police raided the Twelve Tribes‘ Island Pond, VT, community
and removed 112 children, whom a judge soon ordered returned to their parents.
Following the recent attack, Twelve Tribes organized a public meeting in Plymouth and
screened a video that depicted the Vermont raid. The video included interviews with
individuals who were among the children removed from the commune. (Karen Eschbacher,
Patriot Ledger, Internet, 6/4/05 Dennis Tatz, Patriot Ledger, Internet, 6/14/05)
Northeast Kingdom Community Church (Island Pond) Remembers Raid
Members of the Twelve Tribes commune in Island Pond, VT — formerly called the
Northeast Kingdom Community Church — joined by members of other Twelve Tribes
communities, and some local non-church members, recently presented a program
memorializing the state‘s raid on their settlement in 1984 that temporarily removed 121 of
the group‘s children on suspicion that they were being abused through corporal punishment.
The video they screened, entitled ―The Children of the Island Pond Raid: An Emerging
Culture,‖ reveals what local public defender — now group member — Jean Wiseman calls
the illegal, unconstitutional actions of the raid and the anti-cult scheming behind it. (Robin
Smith, Caledonian-Record News, Internet, 6/23/05)
Witchcraft/Exorcism
Suspected Child Abuse
London police, investigating five cases in which children were abused after being accused by
their families of being witches, have reportedly uncovered a ―trade‖ in young African boys
brought to the city to become human sacrifices. Also in London, Sita Kisanga, 35, was
recently convicted of torturing an 8-year-old girl whom she accused of being a witch. In
addition, many London churches whose members are mainly West Africans, sanction
aggressive forms of exorcism. (Richard Edwards, Evening Standard, Internet, 6/17/05)