Today: stories about the Palmarian Catholic Church, how easily people get radicalised, and what IS jihadists have in mind for Europe’s cities.
Also: tongue-in-cheek, How do Operating Thetans get in touch with eachother? And is Crossfit a religion?
Finally: Religion News Blog’s new design.
Why and how do young people get recruited by Muslim extremists?
Alex Gibney’s Scientology documentary will debut on HBO at the end of March.
Also: Psychic Daniel Perez has been convicted in the drowning death of a woman at his commune, plus 27 other criminal charges.
Plus: cult expert Steve Hassan’s YouTube channel.
There are indications that the demise Harold Camping’s Family Radio Network is imminent. Camping, a heretic of Christianity, is best known for his failed doomsday predictions.
A mayoral candidate in North Miame claims she is endorsed by Jesus Christ.
Plus: a doctoral student at Harvard University proposes that Muslim clerics with poor job prospects are more likely to preach violence.
A collection of links and blurbs highlighting religion news, cult stories — and anything else we think you might like.
Today: New York fails to stop noisy Scientologists. Religious devotees line up to have coconuts smashed on their heads. Nigerian prophet wants to represent a Japanese cult.
Also: South African white supremacist guilty of high treason in Mandela murder plot.
Plus… our yummiest new Twitter follower.
Muslim suicide bombers attacked the heart of liberal Islam yesterday with two deadly blasts at Pakistan’s most revered Sufi shrine, killing 41 people and injuring 175 more in an attack that appeared designed to inflame sectarian tensions.
Lahore is a sort of mecca for Sufism, the liberal, mystical arm of Islam that rejects the concept of jihad and promotes spiritual enlightenment through music and prayer.
In an authoritative report, Quilliam, a counter-extremism think tank funded by the UK’s Home Office, claims “mismanagement” by the Prison Service is helping Al Qaeda gain recruits and risks “strengthening jihadist movements”.
For instance, Abu Qatada, described by MI5 as “Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe”, has published fatwas — religious rulings — on the internet from Long Lartin prison, in Worcestershire, calling for holy war and the murder of moderate Muslims, it reveals.