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.
Among today’s religion news briefs: a Canadian community tries to keep Scientology’s Narconon quacks from establishing a ‘drug rehab’ center.
A judge rules that a Jehovah’s Witness can be given blood if necessary.
Cult expert Steve Hassan talks with a representative of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, and with a survivor.
And read this before you donate clothes to Planet Aid.
A Christian minister who sold a phony cancer cure that included suntan lotion and beef flavoring has been jailed and fined.
Cult expert Steve Hassan joins the Board of Advisor of Child-Friendly Faith Project.
And the leader of a church whose wealth is “impossible to calculate” tells world leaders what to do with their money.
Plus: You won’t believe what people claim is going on inside the Kashi Ashram. And the head of Saudi Arabia’s religious police makes our ‘Religious Insanity’ file.
A cult victim and a cult expert address the mind control that could be a factor in the beliefs and behavior of the Boston bombers.
Meanwhile, a Muslim extremist demonstrates
Two former Narconon executives will expose the Scientology front group to daylight in a broadcast on NBC’s Rock Center.
Also: a panel of cult experts looks at the question, Are Cults a Hidden Epidemic?
Among the items in today’s edition of Religion News Briefs: ‘Come to church and give us your money: We’re buying a mall.’
Plus: the Muslim cleric at the foreground of the campaign to prosecute a young Pakistani girl accused of blasphemy may have planted the evidence — burned pages from the Koran — himself.
From the religion beat: the popular Faith & Reason column at USA TODAY is closing down.
A breakaway Amish groups considered by prosecutors to be a cult goes on trial today for hate crimes. Also: A young man convicted for his involvement in a vampire cult murder wants to have his sentence reduced.
Plus: In Spain a fresco of Christ, disfigured in a botched restoration attempt, draws throngs of tourists (and is a worldwide internet sensation).
The murderous Aum Shinrikyo cult, best known for its nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system, is still recruiting new followers. And cult expert Steve Hassan has written
Today: Authorities probe deaths at Scientology-related Narconon facility; The great grandson of Scientology cult founder L. Ron Hubbard explains why he considers Hubbard to be a conman.
Also: Four in 10 Muslim congregations in Sweden are exposed to criminal attacks of various kinds; Cult expert Steve Hassan’s new book; and ‘evangelical’ Rich Mouw is still trying to whitewash the Mormon Church.
Plus more…
NECN reporter Greg Wayland takes a closer look at where fear, fascination and our deepest worries all come together. His report includes comments by cult expert Steve Hassan.
Video: Listen in on a casual conversation between cult expert Steve Hassan, ex-Scientologist Paul Grosswald — a long-time anti-cult activist, and ex-Scientologist Karen Pressley, who was a top person at the cult’s Celebrity Centre, a Seo Org member, and who worked directly for David Miscavige for 4 years.
Karen talks about her presentation at the ICSA conference with ex-Children of God member Miriam Boeri (who wrote Heaven’s Harlots), suppression of her new book by the Scientology cult, and its forthcoming release.