33 VOLUME 7 |ISSUE 2 |2016
state Probation and Parole Division approved a parole plan for
him. (Albuquerque Journal, 01/26/16 2/16/16)
Patriarch of Arlington’s Love Israel Family Ranch dies at 75
“Born Paul Erdmann, Love Israel died Feb. 1 [2016] at his
home in Bothell, Washington. He was 75. ..Members took the
surname Israel ‘right out of the Bible’. ..Serious Israel said first
names were discerned by Love Israel and others who witnessed
individual virtues. That tradition continued for the next
generation. The Love Israel Family has existed for decades, but
its history has been troubled by divisions, financial difficulties,
and land use regulations. In the early days, some parents even
hired ‘deprogrammers’ to remove their children from what they
saw as a cult ...While in the Arlington area, the Love Israel
Family became a vibrant part of the community. For more than
a dozen years it hosted a summer Garlic Festival, with food and
live music. The Israel Family owned The Bistro, a fine-dining
restaurant in Arlington, and had a construction business. Israel
Family children played sports for Arlington schools. ..‘While
we were all young, it lasted quite a good while,’ Confidence
Israel said. When members began having children, differences
in values arose. ‘The winds of change blew us in different
directions, like a dandelion getting blown and all the seeds
flying,’ he said. ‘Love tried to keep it all together. Overall, he was
a good man, a compassionate man. But in some ways, he was
blind to a lot of things.’” (HeraldNet, 3/29/16)
Maoist cult leader guilty of rape, child cruelty
Aravindan Balakrishnan, the 75-year-old Maoist cult leader
who led a secretive London commune from 1975 to 2013, has
been convicted of four charges of rape involving members
of his group, false imprisonment of his daughter, and child
cruelty. Balakrishnan was also convicted of six charges of
indecent assault and two charges of assault. Balakrishnan's
daughter, whose name was withheld, was imprisoned by her
father until she was 30 years old and escaped in October of
2013. She told the police she was beaten by her father, and
that her father told her he was God. (The Guardian, 12/4/15)
Pastafarian marriages approved in New Zealand
New Zealand has approved the right for the Church of the
Flying Spaghetti Monster to perform marriage ceremonies.
The church members call themselves Pastafarians. The
church’s leader, the Top Ramen, told Radio New Zealand that
the next step is to nominate a marriage celebrant for approval.
Pastafarians are earning legitimacy around the world. Recently,
a Massachusetts woman earned the right to wear a colander
on her head as a “religious accessory,” noted in her driving
license. (The Telegraph, 12/17/15)
Phoenix Goddess Temple leader found guilty on 22 counts
In Maricopa County, Arizona, Tracy Elise, the leader of the
Phoenix Goddess Temple, has been found guilty of 22
charges against her. Members of the Phoenix Goddess Temple
prided themselves on their temple being a “neo-Tantra Temple”
that offered spiritual and touch-based healing services to
seekers in exchange for donations ranging from $200 to $600.
Some of these healing services included sexual gratification.
Elise was found guilty of operating a house of prostitution and
of several counts of money laundering. In court, deputy county
attorney Edward Leiter displayed a PowerPoint presentation
listing the ways Elise’s management of the Phoenix Goddess
Temple applied to the prostitution statute and implored the
jury to “evaluate (Elise’s) credibility.” Elise’s sentencing date was
set for April 8. (Azcentral, 03/2/16)
Utah bill to make polygamy a felony crime fails
A proposal to make polygamy a felony crime in Utah again
has failed. The sponsor of the proposal, before legislators this
year, said passage of the bill would narrow the definition of
the crime and could halt the case now before an appeals court.
Polygamy advocates said the potential law would force families
like theirs into the shadows. They argue it is unconstitutional
to bar consenting adults from marrying whom they choose.
(KUTV CBS 2, AP, 03/11/16)
Police vow loyalty to polygamous leader in letters, feds say
The US Justice Department alleges in a lawsuit that the towns
of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah “discriminate
against nonbelievers by denying them housing, water
services and police protection.” Community officials deny the
allegations. “Attorneys for the towns have acknowledged past
problems with the police department but pointed out that the
officers who didn’t cooperate in the search for [Warren] Jeffs
are no longer working in law enforcement. They say no officers
have been decertified since then. ..Some letters professing
allegiance to Jeffs were written by then-Colorado City Mayor
Richard Allred, other town officials and two police officers,
including Fred J. Barlow, who was leader of the towns’ police
department.” (St. George News, 1/26/16)
Towns run by polygamist sect discriminated against
nonbelievers, jury finds
In a follow-up to the preceding report, “Two border towns
run by a polygamist sect violated the constitutional rights of
nonbelievers, a jury decided Monday after a dramatic seven-
week trial that included testimony from people who said they
were denied basic utilities like water and harassed by the
local marshal’s office. ..The Justice Department alleged that
the leadership of the towns is beholden to Warren Jeffs, the
religion’s prophet imprisoned for life for child sexual assault. ..
Because the government prevailed, police and government
services could be handed over to a receivership that answers to
the federal government, but the government hasn’t said what
relief it will seek.” (Los Angeles Times, 3/7/16)
Things to know about polygamous-sect food-stamp fraud
case
In the sister cities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona,
“Federal prosecutors say FLDS church leaders orchestrated a
yearslong [sic] scheme instructing members how to use food-
stamp benefits illegally for the benefit of the faith and avoid
state Probation and Parole Division approved a parole plan for
him. (Albuquerque Journal, 01/26/16 2/16/16)
Patriarch of Arlington’s Love Israel Family Ranch dies at 75
“Born Paul Erdmann, Love Israel died Feb. 1 [2016] at his
home in Bothell, Washington. He was 75. ..Members took the
surname Israel ‘right out of the Bible’. ..Serious Israel said first
names were discerned by Love Israel and others who witnessed
individual virtues. That tradition continued for the next
generation. The Love Israel Family has existed for decades, but
its history has been troubled by divisions, financial difficulties,
and land use regulations. In the early days, some parents even
hired ‘deprogrammers’ to remove their children from what they
saw as a cult ...While in the Arlington area, the Love Israel
Family became a vibrant part of the community. For more than
a dozen years it hosted a summer Garlic Festival, with food and
live music. The Israel Family owned The Bistro, a fine-dining
restaurant in Arlington, and had a construction business. Israel
Family children played sports for Arlington schools. ..‘While
we were all young, it lasted quite a good while,’ Confidence
Israel said. When members began having children, differences
in values arose. ‘The winds of change blew us in different
directions, like a dandelion getting blown and all the seeds
flying,’ he said. ‘Love tried to keep it all together. Overall, he was
a good man, a compassionate man. But in some ways, he was
blind to a lot of things.’” (HeraldNet, 3/29/16)
Maoist cult leader guilty of rape, child cruelty
Aravindan Balakrishnan, the 75-year-old Maoist cult leader
who led a secretive London commune from 1975 to 2013, has
been convicted of four charges of rape involving members
of his group, false imprisonment of his daughter, and child
cruelty. Balakrishnan was also convicted of six charges of
indecent assault and two charges of assault. Balakrishnan's
daughter, whose name was withheld, was imprisoned by her
father until she was 30 years old and escaped in October of
2013. She told the police she was beaten by her father, and
that her father told her he was God. (The Guardian, 12/4/15)
Pastafarian marriages approved in New Zealand
New Zealand has approved the right for the Church of the
Flying Spaghetti Monster to perform marriage ceremonies.
The church members call themselves Pastafarians. The
church’s leader, the Top Ramen, told Radio New Zealand that
the next step is to nominate a marriage celebrant for approval.
Pastafarians are earning legitimacy around the world. Recently,
a Massachusetts woman earned the right to wear a colander
on her head as a “religious accessory,” noted in her driving
license. (The Telegraph, 12/17/15)
Phoenix Goddess Temple leader found guilty on 22 counts
In Maricopa County, Arizona, Tracy Elise, the leader of the
Phoenix Goddess Temple, has been found guilty of 22
charges against her. Members of the Phoenix Goddess Temple
prided themselves on their temple being a “neo-Tantra Temple”
that offered spiritual and touch-based healing services to
seekers in exchange for donations ranging from $200 to $600.
Some of these healing services included sexual gratification.
Elise was found guilty of operating a house of prostitution and
of several counts of money laundering. In court, deputy county
attorney Edward Leiter displayed a PowerPoint presentation
listing the ways Elise’s management of the Phoenix Goddess
Temple applied to the prostitution statute and implored the
jury to “evaluate (Elise’s) credibility.” Elise’s sentencing date was
set for April 8. (Azcentral, 03/2/16)
Utah bill to make polygamy a felony crime fails
A proposal to make polygamy a felony crime in Utah again
has failed. The sponsor of the proposal, before legislators this
year, said passage of the bill would narrow the definition of
the crime and could halt the case now before an appeals court.
Polygamy advocates said the potential law would force families
like theirs into the shadows. They argue it is unconstitutional
to bar consenting adults from marrying whom they choose.
(KUTV CBS 2, AP, 03/11/16)
Police vow loyalty to polygamous leader in letters, feds say
The US Justice Department alleges in a lawsuit that the towns
of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah “discriminate
against nonbelievers by denying them housing, water
services and police protection.” Community officials deny the
allegations. “Attorneys for the towns have acknowledged past
problems with the police department but pointed out that the
officers who didn’t cooperate in the search for [Warren] Jeffs
are no longer working in law enforcement. They say no officers
have been decertified since then. ..Some letters professing
allegiance to Jeffs were written by then-Colorado City Mayor
Richard Allred, other town officials and two police officers,
including Fred J. Barlow, who was leader of the towns’ police
department.” (St. George News, 1/26/16)
Towns run by polygamist sect discriminated against
nonbelievers, jury finds
In a follow-up to the preceding report, “Two border towns
run by a polygamist sect violated the constitutional rights of
nonbelievers, a jury decided Monday after a dramatic seven-
week trial that included testimony from people who said they
were denied basic utilities like water and harassed by the
local marshal’s office. ..The Justice Department alleged that
the leadership of the towns is beholden to Warren Jeffs, the
religion’s prophet imprisoned for life for child sexual assault. ..
Because the government prevailed, police and government
services could be handed over to a receivership that answers to
the federal government, but the government hasn’t said what
relief it will seek.” (Los Angeles Times, 3/7/16)
Things to know about polygamous-sect food-stamp fraud
case
In the sister cities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona,
“Federal prosecutors say FLDS church leaders orchestrated a
yearslong [sic] scheme instructing members how to use food-
stamp benefits illegally for the benefit of the faith and avoid
