The Exclusive Brethren is an evil, corrupt cult that tried to silence former members who escaped its clutches, a judge heard today.
Three young Indian sisters, who say they are on the run from the controversial religious group, told Justice Tony North they feared for their lives because they were seeking to expose its criminal activities.
Kevin Rudd appears to have made peace with the Exclusive Brethren, whom he publicly derided as an “extremist cult” in his run to The Lodge, by allowing for secret talks between church and government representatives.
Many of the Exclusive Brethren movement’s teachings and practices are abusive to such an extent that this movement can rightly be labeled as an abusive church, and possibly even as a cult of Christianity.
In today’s Roundup: Front group for the pay-to-play Scientology cult gets free use of historic house · The ‘Religion of Peace’ has some explaining to do · Scholars are looking for missing Bible pages.
Also: A backless bridal dress · Why ‘worldlies’ (outsiders) are teaching at each and every school run by an extremist cult of Christianity.
Cult expert the Rev David Millikan said the original intention of the law was being undermined.
“If the purpose of the law is to protect religion from excessive and pernicious comments, then fair enough,” he told the Herald Sun.
“But if it means that journalists and experts have got to be careful when they’re doing nothing more than reporting matters of fact, then the law is allowed to become an ass.”
The Exclusive Brethren sect has attempted to prevent a sick 85-year-old former member from revealing her terrible life story by saying that if she remained silent she could be reunited before she dies with the children she was separated from 28 years ago.
Alison Alderton’s family was torn apart at the order of the sect’s world leader in 1980, and she has barely had contact with her children, who are “in fellowship”, since.
The Exclusive Brethren — a cult of Christianity — has accused Australian Greens leader Bob Brown of vilifying its church and members.
Senator Brown yesterday urged the Upper House to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into the activities of the Exclusive Brethren sect, saying it had prevented thousands of young Australians proceeding to tertiary education.
Three sisters from India who live in New Zealand are reportedly seeking a judicial order in Australia’s High Court to address the alleged involvement of the Exclusive Brethren in a variety of crimes, including immigration fraud in New Zealand.
But the religious group today said there was no basis to the allegations, which have not yet been detailed publicly.
Big Brother evictee David Tchappat wants to release a book about his experiences growing up in the Exclusive Brethren sect.
A contestant has begun to open up about his life with the Exclusive Brethren sect during the filming of Big Brother. He has described a life of no television – and countless rules.
In his bio, 32-year-old firefighter, David, claims the Exclusive Brethren “denied him the real world” until he fled the sect at the age of 19.