Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2006, Page 80
John Daniel Kingston
A juvenile court in Utah has given polygamous clan leader and businessman John Daniel
Kingston the right to unsupervised visits with his eight children, now in foster care
following findings of child abuse against him.
Kingdom of Eden
Kingdom of Eden leader Lia Aminuden, whose teachings have been declared heresy by
several Indonesian Muslin clerics, including the Minister of Religion, has put together a team
of 50 lawyers to defend her in Jakarta against charges of causing public unrest. Her writings
urge followers to absolve themselves of all sins by setting themselves on fire with methanol.
Leadership
In his new book, ―The New American Ghetto,‖ photographer Camilo Jose Vergara notes that
congregations in poverty-stricken sections of the New York City region sometimes idolize
their pastors. He saw some leaders put intense pressure on worshippers to make large
donations, and one who asked congregants to mortgage their homes in order to contribute.
Legion of Christ
Backed by members of the Mexican elite, the Legion of Christ, a conservative Catholic
religious order that concentrates on ministering to the wealthy and powerful, has become an
important player in promoting the Vatican‘s social agenda. The Rev. Marcial Maciel, a
Mexican who founded the Legion, attended a recent gathering of billionaires and financiers
in New York, including Citigroup Chairman Sanford Weill, that raised $750,000 for projects
to alleviate poverty and educate children of both the poor and the wealthy. In Monterrey,
most important families have a son who is a Legion priest or a daughter who is
―consecrated,‖ and they are all part of the social elite whose activities are highlighted in
newspaper society pages.
A local psychiatrist talks of upper-class patients who suffer from ―Legionary syndrome,‖ a
dread of social ostracism if they divorce. ―They feel their children will have to leave school,
they will lose their friends, and there will be consequences for the husband at work as well.‖
Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission
Charges of child abuse and neglect have been dismissed against Love Holy Trinity
Blessed Mission members Jacqueline Crank, 44, and Ariel Ben Sherman, 76, accused in
the death from lack of medical treatment of Crank‘s daughter Jessica, 15. The judge ruled
that ―Haley‘s Law‖ applied only to cases where the child was under 13 when diagnosed. ―We
still don‘t know where you draw the line between parental privacy and religious freedom,‖
said the couple‘s attorney.
Mormon Church
The Mormon Church is adjusting the interpretation of its holy scriptures in light of DNA
evidence — brought forward by apostates —suggesting that Native Americans did not, in
fact, originate as one of the twelve tribes of Israel, but rather that they stemmed from East
Asia. The church is now arguing that only a small group of Jews came to Central America
and that their DNA can no longer be discerned.
Movement of Spiritual Integration into the Absolute
Sweden has granted political asylum to Movement for Spiritual Integration into the
Absolute founder Gregorian Bivolaru, and rejected Romania‘s request to extradite him,
on the ground that he may face religious persecution if he is returned to his homeland. The
Swedish Supreme Court noted that that the evidence against Bivolaru on charges of rape,
John Daniel Kingston
A juvenile court in Utah has given polygamous clan leader and businessman John Daniel
Kingston the right to unsupervised visits with his eight children, now in foster care
following findings of child abuse against him.
Kingdom of Eden
Kingdom of Eden leader Lia Aminuden, whose teachings have been declared heresy by
several Indonesian Muslin clerics, including the Minister of Religion, has put together a team
of 50 lawyers to defend her in Jakarta against charges of causing public unrest. Her writings
urge followers to absolve themselves of all sins by setting themselves on fire with methanol.
Leadership
In his new book, ―The New American Ghetto,‖ photographer Camilo Jose Vergara notes that
congregations in poverty-stricken sections of the New York City region sometimes idolize
their pastors. He saw some leaders put intense pressure on worshippers to make large
donations, and one who asked congregants to mortgage their homes in order to contribute.
Legion of Christ
Backed by members of the Mexican elite, the Legion of Christ, a conservative Catholic
religious order that concentrates on ministering to the wealthy and powerful, has become an
important player in promoting the Vatican‘s social agenda. The Rev. Marcial Maciel, a
Mexican who founded the Legion, attended a recent gathering of billionaires and financiers
in New York, including Citigroup Chairman Sanford Weill, that raised $750,000 for projects
to alleviate poverty and educate children of both the poor and the wealthy. In Monterrey,
most important families have a son who is a Legion priest or a daughter who is
―consecrated,‖ and they are all part of the social elite whose activities are highlighted in
newspaper society pages.
A local psychiatrist talks of upper-class patients who suffer from ―Legionary syndrome,‖ a
dread of social ostracism if they divorce. ―They feel their children will have to leave school,
they will lose their friends, and there will be consequences for the husband at work as well.‖
Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission
Charges of child abuse and neglect have been dismissed against Love Holy Trinity
Blessed Mission members Jacqueline Crank, 44, and Ariel Ben Sherman, 76, accused in
the death from lack of medical treatment of Crank‘s daughter Jessica, 15. The judge ruled
that ―Haley‘s Law‖ applied only to cases where the child was under 13 when diagnosed. ―We
still don‘t know where you draw the line between parental privacy and religious freedom,‖
said the couple‘s attorney.
Mormon Church
The Mormon Church is adjusting the interpretation of its holy scriptures in light of DNA
evidence — brought forward by apostates —suggesting that Native Americans did not, in
fact, originate as one of the twelve tribes of Israel, but rather that they stemmed from East
Asia. The church is now arguing that only a small group of Jews came to Central America
and that their DNA can no longer be discerned.
Movement of Spiritual Integration into the Absolute
Sweden has granted political asylum to Movement for Spiritual Integration into the
Absolute founder Gregorian Bivolaru, and rejected Romania‘s request to extradite him,
on the ground that he may face religious persecution if he is returned to his homeland. The
Swedish Supreme Court noted that that the evidence against Bivolaru on charges of rape,
