Lakewood conference to explore cults, hate groups

A 25-year-old research and education foundation that studies cultic phenomena is meeting this weekend.

There will be plenty of talk about religious faith turned into deadly dogma at a forum on cults that will be held in Lakewood this weekend.

Other topics include the influence of hate groups like the White Aryan Resistance and the National Alliance, the whereabouts of polygamous-sect leader Warren Jeffs and the problems faced by gay and lesbian Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Taking it all in will be Patti Allread, who will be happy to talk about her faith – the Church of Scientology – at the International Cultic Studies Association conference.

“I’m not going so much to see what is being said about Scientology,” said Allread, “but to answer real questions about the church.”

She is among about 200 people signed up to learn the latest about cult and hate groups from a list of experts that includes police, former cult members and therapists. The conference starts today and runs through Saturday at the Sheraton Denver West Hotel in Lakewood.

Last year’s gathering was in Madrid, Spain, and next year it’s slated for Brussels, Belgium.

The Denver area was picked to host this year’s confab because it is centrally located in the United States and relatively easy for panel members to get in and out of, said Michael Langone, a psychologist and the association’s executive director.

“It’s a large population center and big enough to support this conference, which is growing more popular every year,” he said.

The 25-year-old association is an interdisciplinary research and education foundation based in Florida aimed at studying cultic phenomena.

It also offers help to people who want to escape abusive groups and situations. The group is not interested in labeling all organizations and religions

Read Another Article

FLDS tax bill to be monumental
Defining cults is complex

Related News Articles Topic(s): Cults Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Cults Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog