Have some news reporters become cult apologists or stooges?Some journalists write hard-hitting news stories about destructive cults, which have often led to further action. They expose wrongdoing and the authorities often follow-up through criminal prosecution or some other enforcement action.
However, there are those reporters who seem to be more interested in presenting a pretty picture for their community, than exposing the truth about cults.
Three recent stories about well-known groups often called “cults,” expose what looks like a penchant for puff pieces. This is a term used to describe uncritical articles that are more positive spin and/or froth than substance.
In such puffery reporters largely let the “cult” tell the story, without asking anything really tough, or follow-up questions.
Here are some recent examples that seem to fit into the category of “puff piece” if not cult apology.
A recent story written about the notorious group “Ananda Marga,” which has been accused of violent crimes, child abuse and linked to suicide, described members as “covered in a life of peace.”
The journalist did ask a member about the “C” word (cult) though.
A devotee answered evasively, "You won't lose your mind and be brainwashed." And according to another member they are "not a religion."
Right.
I guess that resolves everything, well at least the reporter seems to think so at the Kingston Jamaica Gleaner.
However, P.R. Sarkar the founder and “God-Man” of Ananda Marga who died in 1990 did some time in an Indian prison. And that government felt he was important enough to publish a book about his group titled, Ananda Marga: Soiling the Saffron Robe.
This was not a “puff piece” and Sarkar comes off as little more than a "sociopath," hardly "covered in a life of peace." And not apparently respected by Hindus.
The next journalist to offer up what amounts to cult apologies works in Ithaca, New York. This time the group is the “Twelve Tribes,” a racist anti-Semitic “cult” led by Elbert Eugene Spriggs, a former carnival barker.
The Twelve Tribes has a horrific history of child abuse, terrible custody battles, kidnappings and harsh exploitation, which rivals some of the worst “cults” in America.
In numerous news reports former members have spoken out about the abuse they endured under Spriggs harsh totalitarian rule.
But the leader they now call “Yoneq” lives in luxury, travelling between his homes in France, the United States and South America.
Forget about all this.
The reporter for the Ithaca Times says the Twelve Tribes are a “unorthodox religious group…that worships Jesus.”
Right. Didn’t Jim Jones make that claim?
“And they have now chosen Ithaca as their newest community,” the reporter happily adds.
The upstate New York journalist then essentially dismisses virtually every allegation against the Twelve Tribes offering readers instead their version of events.
No former member is quoted, no other opinions offered except, “Much of the content found on the Web can be described as derogatory.”
Is this in-depth journalism?
The article reads almost like an infomercial with a plug for the group’s website at the end.
Such positive spin for “cults” in not limited to America. “Down under” an Australian journalist seems to be plugging away for Scientology.
This Sydney Morning Herald reporter tells us the story of Hindu boy named Raja who found happiness at the Athena School in Sydney run by Scientologists.
There is nothing said about the troubled history of this controversial church, that Time Magazine named the “Cult of Greed.”
Instead readers are regaled with how happy the little boy is at his new school, which teaches from text originated by L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology’s founder.
This Australian article puffs on almost like an ad campaign, complete with a price quote per school term and a mention for a booklet by Hubbard called The Way to Happiness.
However, Lisa McPherson didn’t seem to find her “way to happiness” and instead died after a breakdown, while under the care of her friends at Scientology.
Somehow the Sydney reporter didn’t bother to include that little titbit.
Certainly these articles will not be nominated for Pulitzers.
Instead of reflecting professional journalism at its best these reporters seem be treading down a different path.
They didn’t do their research and/or chose to ignore it.
Their motto appears to be; Make nice, be happy and ignore reality.
Maybe that is “The Way to Happiness”?
But cults have a nasty way of getting headlines, through bad behavior and shattered lives. And eventually that cannot be ignored, even in Ithaca, Kingston or Sydney.
[Posted by Rick Ross at 05:52 PM][Link]
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No more days to honor "cults" for one townGroups commonly called "cults" like Scientology and Falun Gong like to have holidays. Specifically, days set aside to celebrate their leader's birthday, their organization or some other special interest they may have.
Don't blame the "cults" for trying. It's free advertising, doesn't hurt their recruitment efforts, not to mention a dose of ego gratification.
But one local mayor has had enough of this nonsense.
Steve Berman, the mayor of Gilbert, Arizona, recently turned down an "L. Ron Hubbard Day" and rejected a proposed "Falun Dafa month."
No doubt some will claim it's "religious bigotry," but Berman feels sectarian interests are inappropriate themes for a city to celebrate, reports the Arizona Republic.
Sadly, there are still quite a few politicians that are either taken in by such proposals or cave in with a little pressure.
It's nice to know there is at least one town where due diligence has taken precedence over expediency.
[Posted by Rick Ross at 01:44 PM][Link]
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Another Scientology front organization?Scientology is now apparently using the continuing crisis in the Middle East and calls for peace in the region as a new excuse for another front organization.
The so-called “Association for Peace and Understanding in the Middle East” (APUME) seems to be little more than another ploy to promote Scientology.
On its website APUME says, “We are volunteers —American, Palestinian and Israeli” with offices in “Florida” and “Los Angeles,” two bastions of activity for Scientology.
How does APUME advance the cause of peace?
This is supposedly accomplished through the distribution of booklets. And their featured publication is titled The Way to Happiness by Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard.
APUME says it has handed out more than a million of these booklets in Hebrew and Arabic and hung up “thousands” of promotional “posters.”
It seems if all the Israelis and Palestinians would just embrace Hubbard’s philosophy everything would be alright.
APUME claims it is "not a religious group and does not have a religious agenda."
Right.
APUME says you too can help bring peace to the Middle East by giving them money to produce and distribute more booklets.
They advise, "Every dollar that you donate buys one copy of The Way to Happiness booklet for an Israeli family and one for a Palestinian family."
How about that, two for one.
However, APUME looks like a Scientology gimmick to get the public to pitch in for one more of its self-promotional schemes.
[Posted by Rick Ross at 02:21 PM][Link]
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Anti-Scientology activist deadRobert Vaughn Young was once a high ranking and trusted member of the Church of Scientology and served the organization faithfully for more than 20 years before leaving.
He once explained, "About 18 of those years was spent in or senior to Dept. 20 (now called the Office the Special Affairs or OSA), the section that deals with the ‘enemies' of the organization, which comes to mean anyone who disagrees with or criticizes any aspect of Scientology, Hubbard or ‘management.'''
Ironically, after leaving Scientology Young became one of its most effective critics and "enemies."
Young unraveled some of the spin any myths, which surrounded the organization. And who could better do it than a former insider and spin-doctor from its public relations department.
That work against Scientology concluded in 1999 when Young was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His final battle ended on June 15th.
Young held a masters degree in Philosophy and once taught for the University of California Davis.
Robert Vaughn Young will no doubt be vilified by Scientology as perhaps a traitor and/or "suppresive person" within its mythology.
But Young will be remembered by those who continue his fight against the "Cult of Greed" as a hero.
[Posted by Rick Ross at 01:37 PM][Link]
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