19 VOLUME 7 |ISSUE 3 |2016
Correspondents
,
Reports
the city’s religious diversity.” When the
city board heard about this notice, they
retracted the invitation.
Groups of Asian Origin
During February and March 2016,
the Peace Run, an initiative of the
Sri Chinmoy movement, took place
in several Spanish cities. Along the
way, the participating torch-bearing
athletes visited schools and were
photographed with local authorities.
On March 30, two former followers of
the Spanish Dharma Tradition gave
court testimony against their leader
and three followers accused of sexually
abusing a minor. According to the
former members, the leader exercised
strong psychological control they
alleged that not only sexual abuse but
also financial abuses took place. They
stated the accused had his followers
terrorized.
Esoteric Groups
A couple of visionaries, who said they
had “secret powers” and carried out
Cuban Santería rites, were detained in
Spain in March 2016 for defrauding a
number of people. Under the pretext
of performing “cleansings” from bad
spirits and other rituals, they got
jewelry and large quantities of money
from their clients.
In April 2016, a girl died in Teresina
(Brazil) after being hospitalized for
two weeks with signs of torture and
intoxication. Her mother said the child
had participated in a cleansing ritual
during a celebration of Umbanda
religion (a syncretistic cult that is a
mixture of African spirituality, Catholic
elements, and Spiritism). The Umbanda
members promised the mother they
would cure the girl from her asthma
after she paid $140.
In May 2016, the College of
Psychologists of Cordoba Province
Ethics Committee in Argentina
published a communique rejecting
“esoteric, mystical and astrological
practices carried out in the name of
psychology which negatively impact
the community’s mental health.”
Concerned about their growth, the
College pointed to some alternative
groups such as “Picotitic, PsicoKarma,
Psicotarot.” The College went on to say
these techniques “increase suicide risk,
mental deterioration, psychotic breaks
and disruption of family ties in the
community.”
In Santiago de Compostela, Spain, a
German citizen was brought to court
for the murder of her daughter, a
6-month old baby, during the Samael
and Litelantes Gnostic Institute of
Anthropology’s International Congress.
In June of this year, the mother was
condemned to 26 years’ detention in
a psychiatric facility. She had been
hearing voices that told her that her
daughter was “evil” and that she had
to kill her to “save the world.” Lawyers
stated that she did not have control of
her actions because she was suffering
from an attack of acute paranoid
schizophrenia they did not take into
account the influence of the sect she
belonged to.
Satanism
On March 1, 2016, in Chihuahua
State, Mexico, the body of Edwin
Miguel Juárez, a 24-year-old male, was
discovered. Investigators found that
the murder was the result of a Satanic
ritual that he celebrated with friends
as he attempted initiation into the
Sons of Baphomet I cult and to turn
into a vampire. The cause of death was
strangulation.
Report From Sweden
Noomi Andermark
News From Sweden, Norway, and
Finland
From Victim to Resource is
Hjelpekilden1 Norway’s new project
to support volunteer work. Former
sect members and other volunteers
receive education in order to assist
other former members who reach out
for help.
A similar program has existed in
Sweden since 2007. The volunteer
education includes lectures by
professionals and provides a space for
helpers to discuss best practices, issues
that may come up, ways to maintain
their own health, and how to deal with
triggers related to the assignment.
Much has been written in Norwegian
media in 2016 on the subject of
unhealthy religiosity. Coverage started
with a book by Anders Torp entitled
The Jesus Soldier, and the debate is
still ongoing. Some representatives
of religious groups are starting to
pay attention to practices that could
be considered harmful to children
within their own movements. Former
members from various sectarian
groups have contributed to this new
awareness by stepping forth and
telling their stories.
Hjelpekilden is also arranging a
youth workshop on human rights, in
collaboration with Save the Children
Norway. The results will be part of
a report to the UN Children’s Rights
Committee on how children and youth
perceive the fulfillment of their rights
in practice.
A state investigator in Sweden (Margó
Ingvardsson) has suggested that
children under the age of 12 should
not be exposed to religious pressure.
At the same time, Sweden is planning
to include the UN Declaration of
Children’s Rights in the law, starting
in 2018. The declaration states that
children have the right to spiritual
development under the guidance of
their caretakers. What are the practical
consequences of this? This question
was discussed in a debate during
the Swedish political week, which is
held every year in Almedalen with
representatives from the Swedish
Church, Swedish Salvation Army,
the Ombudsman for Children in
Sweden, the Christian Democrats, and
Hjälpkällan.1
Correspondents
,
Reports
the city’s religious diversity.” When the
city board heard about this notice, they
retracted the invitation.
Groups of Asian Origin
During February and March 2016,
the Peace Run, an initiative of the
Sri Chinmoy movement, took place
in several Spanish cities. Along the
way, the participating torch-bearing
athletes visited schools and were
photographed with local authorities.
On March 30, two former followers of
the Spanish Dharma Tradition gave
court testimony against their leader
and three followers accused of sexually
abusing a minor. According to the
former members, the leader exercised
strong psychological control they
alleged that not only sexual abuse but
also financial abuses took place. They
stated the accused had his followers
terrorized.
Esoteric Groups
A couple of visionaries, who said they
had “secret powers” and carried out
Cuban Santería rites, were detained in
Spain in March 2016 for defrauding a
number of people. Under the pretext
of performing “cleansings” from bad
spirits and other rituals, they got
jewelry and large quantities of money
from their clients.
In April 2016, a girl died in Teresina
(Brazil) after being hospitalized for
two weeks with signs of torture and
intoxication. Her mother said the child
had participated in a cleansing ritual
during a celebration of Umbanda
religion (a syncretistic cult that is a
mixture of African spirituality, Catholic
elements, and Spiritism). The Umbanda
members promised the mother they
would cure the girl from her asthma
after she paid $140.
In May 2016, the College of
Psychologists of Cordoba Province
Ethics Committee in Argentina
published a communique rejecting
“esoteric, mystical and astrological
practices carried out in the name of
psychology which negatively impact
the community’s mental health.”
Concerned about their growth, the
College pointed to some alternative
groups such as “Picotitic, PsicoKarma,
Psicotarot.” The College went on to say
these techniques “increase suicide risk,
mental deterioration, psychotic breaks
and disruption of family ties in the
community.”
In Santiago de Compostela, Spain, a
German citizen was brought to court
for the murder of her daughter, a
6-month old baby, during the Samael
and Litelantes Gnostic Institute of
Anthropology’s International Congress.
In June of this year, the mother was
condemned to 26 years’ detention in
a psychiatric facility. She had been
hearing voices that told her that her
daughter was “evil” and that she had
to kill her to “save the world.” Lawyers
stated that she did not have control of
her actions because she was suffering
from an attack of acute paranoid
schizophrenia they did not take into
account the influence of the sect she
belonged to.
Satanism
On March 1, 2016, in Chihuahua
State, Mexico, the body of Edwin
Miguel Juárez, a 24-year-old male, was
discovered. Investigators found that
the murder was the result of a Satanic
ritual that he celebrated with friends
as he attempted initiation into the
Sons of Baphomet I cult and to turn
into a vampire. The cause of death was
strangulation.
Report From Sweden
Noomi Andermark
News From Sweden, Norway, and
Finland
From Victim to Resource is
Hjelpekilden1 Norway’s new project
to support volunteer work. Former
sect members and other volunteers
receive education in order to assist
other former members who reach out
for help.
A similar program has existed in
Sweden since 2007. The volunteer
education includes lectures by
professionals and provides a space for
helpers to discuss best practices, issues
that may come up, ways to maintain
their own health, and how to deal with
triggers related to the assignment.
Much has been written in Norwegian
media in 2016 on the subject of
unhealthy religiosity. Coverage started
with a book by Anders Torp entitled
The Jesus Soldier, and the debate is
still ongoing. Some representatives
of religious groups are starting to
pay attention to practices that could
be considered harmful to children
within their own movements. Former
members from various sectarian
groups have contributed to this new
awareness by stepping forth and
telling their stories.
Hjelpekilden is also arranging a
youth workshop on human rights, in
collaboration with Save the Children
Norway. The results will be part of
a report to the UN Children’s Rights
Committee on how children and youth
perceive the fulfillment of their rights
in practice.
A state investigator in Sweden (Margó
Ingvardsson) has suggested that
children under the age of 12 should
not be exposed to religious pressure.
At the same time, Sweden is planning
to include the UN Declaration of
Children’s Rights in the law, starting
in 2018. The declaration states that
children have the right to spiritual
development under the guidance of
their caretakers. What are the practical
consequences of this? This question
was discussed in a debate during
the Swedish political week, which is
held every year in Almedalen with
representatives from the Swedish
Church, Swedish Salvation Army,
the Ombudsman for Children in
Sweden, the Christian Democrats, and
Hjälpkällan.1
