38 ICSA TODAY
Women accuse Agama Yoga founder Swami Vivekananda
Saraswati of sexual assault
“The founder of the Thailand based yoga and tantra school
Agama, Swami Vivekananda Saraswati, has been accused
by multiple women of sexual assault. He claims to be the
‘brilliant exponent of a unique and modern trend of thinking
in Yoga’ who ‘has reached high states of spiritual realization.’
Agama is one of the world’s largest yoga training centers.
Swami’s teacher is the infamous Romanian yoga guru
Gregorian Bivolaru. He was sentenced to six years in prison
for having sex with an underage girl. Swami warns those
who dare to speak against him that they are under ‘demonic
influence’ and face ‘infernal consequences for many lives to
come.’ Several of his most senior teachers have also been
accused of rape or sexual assault. Former staff have stated
Swami says he is paying off the Thai authorities. This article
draws from interviews of several former students and staff,
most of which chose to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal
and retaliation.” (Medium, 7/24/18)
Judge sentences leader of New Mexico religious sect
“A New Mexico judge sentenced a paramilitary religious
sect [Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps]
leader Wednesday to more than seven decades in prison
after her conviction in a child sex abuse case that authorities
say involved a victim who was taken from Uganda as a baby
and mistreated throughout her life. KRQE-TV reports that
the 72-year sentence for Deborah Green in Grants followed
emotional testimony from a victim, who told the judge she
had 11 surgeries for broken bones suffered during years of
abuse. She also said she has yet to recover emotionally and
physically from what she described as torture by Green.
On [September 25th], a jury found Green, 71, guilty of
kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration of a minor and child
abuse.” (Midland Reporter-Telegram AP, 09/26/18)
Boy died in religious ritual at New Mexico compound,
prosecutors say
“The young boy whose remains were found at a compound
in New Mexico died in a religious ritual conducted because
his father believed he was possessed by demons, prosecutors
alleged [August 13th]. The boy’s remains were discovered
Aug. 6 after Taos County authorities raided the ramshackle
compound near Amalia, where they found five adults and
11 children, ages 1 to 15, at least two of whom prosecutors
said Monday were being trained to attack schools, banks and
other institutions.” (NBC News, 8/13/18)
China launches crackdown on “Christian CULT”: Almighty
God leaders facing action
“A Chinese court has launched proceedings against leading
members of the banned religious group ‘Almighty God,’
state media reported, the latest crackdown on what the
government has labelled a dangerous cult. China has already
sentenced dozens of followers of Quannengshen, or the
Church of Almighty God, since the murder of a woman at
a fast food restaurant by suspected members of the group
in 2014 sparked a national outcry. In the latest case, an
unspecified number of members of the group have been on
trial in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang since July
31, state news agency Xinhua said late on Sunday. ‘The report
said, citing local police: Heilongjiang police arrested the
leader and some key members of the cult branch in northeast
China in June 2017.’” (Express, 08/13/18)
Aleph members instructed to follow Asahara
“Teaching materials obtained by NHK show that Aleph, a
renamed successor to the Aum Shinrikyo cult, is trying
to make its members faithfully follow the teachings of
executed leader Shoko Asahara. His real name was Chizuo
Matsumoto. NHK acquired copies of 3 books and 2 CDs
distributed by Aleph to its members several years ago. One
of the books is titled ‘Precious words that make the wishes of
new members come true.’ It begins with the written passage
‘I’m Shoko Asahara. You have finally joined us.’ Another
passage reads ‘Great demons, primarily media outlets, control
the world. I will confront the demons and crush them, and
I will never fail to attain my ultimate enlightenment and
nirvana.’” (NHK World, 07/12/18)
On the hanging of Shoko Asahara, Japan’s nerve-gas guru
“...Two days after the [Aum Shinrikyo/Shoko Asahara]
subway attack, 2,500 [police] raided a dozen cult properties
with riot gear, gas masks and caged canaries. (With a straight
face, a spokesman said they were investigating a kidnapping.)
They arrested Aum acolytes for jaywalking and bicycle theft
and questioned them for weeks to find out where Mr Asahara
was hiding. (Suspects can be held for 23 days without charge
in Japan.) They eventually found him in a crawl-space in a
News Desk
Edited by Ana Rodriguez and Patrick Ryan
36
Women accuse Agama Yoga founder Swami Vivekananda
Saraswati of sexual assault
“The founder of the Thailand based yoga and tantra school
Agama, Swami Vivekananda Saraswati, has been accused
by multiple women of sexual assault. He claims to be the
‘brilliant exponent of a unique and modern trend of thinking
in Yoga’ who ‘has reached high states of spiritual realization.’
Agama is one of the world’s largest yoga training centers.
Swami’s teacher is the infamous Romanian yoga guru
Gregorian Bivolaru. He was sentenced to six years in prison
for having sex with an underage girl. Swami warns those
who dare to speak against him that they are under ‘demonic
influence’ and face ‘infernal consequences for many lives to
come.’ Several of his most senior teachers have also been
accused of rape or sexual assault. Former staff have stated
Swami says he is paying off the Thai authorities. This article
draws from interviews of several former students and staff,
most of which chose to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal
and retaliation.” (Medium, 7/24/18)
Judge sentences leader of New Mexico religious sect
“A New Mexico judge sentenced a paramilitary religious
sect [Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps]
leader Wednesday to more than seven decades in prison
after her conviction in a child sex abuse case that authorities
say involved a victim who was taken from Uganda as a baby
and mistreated throughout her life. KRQE-TV reports that
the 72-year sentence for Deborah Green in Grants followed
emotional testimony from a victim, who told the judge she
had 11 surgeries for broken bones suffered during years of
abuse. She also said she has yet to recover emotionally and
physically from what she described as torture by Green.
On [September 25th], a jury found Green, 71, guilty of
kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration of a minor and child
abuse.” (Midland Reporter-Telegram AP, 09/26/18)
Boy died in religious ritual at New Mexico compound,
prosecutors say
“The young boy whose remains were found at a compound
in New Mexico died in a religious ritual conducted because
his father believed he was possessed by demons, prosecutors
alleged [August 13th]. The boy’s remains were discovered
Aug. 6 after Taos County authorities raided the ramshackle
compound near Amalia, where they found five adults and
11 children, ages 1 to 15, at least two of whom prosecutors
said Monday were being trained to attack schools, banks and
other institutions.” (NBC News, 8/13/18)
China launches crackdown on “Christian CULT”: Almighty
God leaders facing action
“A Chinese court has launched proceedings against leading
members of the banned religious group ‘Almighty God,’
state media reported, the latest crackdown on what the
government has labelled a dangerous cult. China has already
sentenced dozens of followers of Quannengshen, or the
Church of Almighty God, since the murder of a woman at
a fast food restaurant by suspected members of the group
in 2014 sparked a national outcry. In the latest case, an
unspecified number of members of the group have been on
trial in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang since July
31, state news agency Xinhua said late on Sunday. ‘The report
said, citing local police: Heilongjiang police arrested the
leader and some key members of the cult branch in northeast
China in June 2017.’” (Express, 08/13/18)
Aleph members instructed to follow Asahara
“Teaching materials obtained by NHK show that Aleph, a
renamed successor to the Aum Shinrikyo cult, is trying
to make its members faithfully follow the teachings of
executed leader Shoko Asahara. His real name was Chizuo
Matsumoto. NHK acquired copies of 3 books and 2 CDs
distributed by Aleph to its members several years ago. One
of the books is titled ‘Precious words that make the wishes of
new members come true.’ It begins with the written passage
‘I’m Shoko Asahara. You have finally joined us.’ Another
passage reads ‘Great demons, primarily media outlets, control
the world. I will confront the demons and crush them, and
I will never fail to attain my ultimate enlightenment and
nirvana.’” (NHK World, 07/12/18)
On the hanging of Shoko Asahara, Japan’s nerve-gas guru
“...Two days after the [Aum Shinrikyo/Shoko Asahara]
subway attack, 2,500 [police] raided a dozen cult properties
with riot gear, gas masks and caged canaries. (With a straight
face, a spokesman said they were investigating a kidnapping.)
They arrested Aum acolytes for jaywalking and bicycle theft
and questioned them for weeks to find out where Mr Asahara
was hiding. (Suspects can be held for 23 days without charge
in Japan.) They eventually found him in a crawl-space in a
News Desk
Edited by Ana Rodriguez and Patrick Ryan
36
