The Aum Supreme Truth cult could have toppled the government and taken power, even only for a short period, by committing mass murder in Tokyo with 70 tons of deadly sarin gas and 1,000 automatic rifles, a former Supreme Court justice said in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Meanwhile, New Religious Movements scholars — paid for by Aum Shinrikyo itself — defended the cult.

When describing each phenomenon, J. Gordon Melton’s tone whipsaws between critical and credulous, often without obvious justification.

Among scholars, research specialist J. Gordon Melton is known for his encyclopedias of spiritual beliefs. He's also been known to sink his teeth into the study of vampires.

Six weeks ago, 11 UCSB students set out to map the "new religious movements" in Santa Barbara and Ojai.

An ecumenical group that provides information and advice for families of people involved with religious and other cults has been dismayed by a decision by the Archbishop of Canterbury not to follow his predecessors by becoming its patron.

Sociology of Religion, Spring 2003

Daily Nexus

The Associated Press, Jan. 31, 2003

Associated Press, Jan. 27, 2003

Peacemaking conference is held near Seattle

It's in His Blood; J. Gordon Melton, Author and Minister, Has Long Been Fascinated With . . . Vampires