Tag: Unification Church

Despite Moon’s promise: a power struggle in the Unification Church

The late Sun Myung Moon, a fantasist who claimed to be the Messiah, once said that after he died, “I will continue to lead the church from the spirit world.” If that’s so, why is the cult going through a power struggle?

Muslim cleric Yousuf Badri is belligerent and rude during a television interview, but the female hosts puts him in his place.

And we go back to the Seventies, with the Source Family.

Woman pleads guilty in cult killings

A woman has been jailed for up to 30 years for her part in the murders of two people — one a woman who wanted to leave the cult; the other a 4-year old boy shot by the cult’s leader.

The wife of a cult leader in the Mexican ‘slavery cult’ raided last week has told reporters followers were treated with cruelty, including humiliation and psychological torture.

Cult leader Tony Alamo has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in the hope it will overturn a ruling in a civil lawsuit against him.

And the Moonies, whose failed ‘Messiah’ recently died, have put on another mass wedding.

Fellowship of Friends protests Federal search for marijuana

Robert Earl Burton Today: Critics call The Fellowship of Friends a cult. Members say it’s a school of spiritual development. The Feds says the group’s members support themselves cultivating marijuana on properties surrounding the religious compound.

Also, a look at the real saint behind Santa Claus.

Jailed cult leader Tony Alamo again appeals a lawsuit alleging he ordered the beatings of two young boys in his ministry. Plus: the reason a pastor and his wife cannot change their last name to ChristIsKing.

Self-proclaimed Messiah Sun Myung Moon buried

Sun Myung Moon buried Today: Sun Myung Moon is the latest is a long string of self-proclaimed saviors to be buried. Also: Scientology watcher Tony Ortego is leaving The Village Voice in order to pursue a book about the cult in its time of crisis.

Plus: followers of the ‘religion of peace’ riot, pillage and murder in a temper tantrum about a movie deemed offensive to Islam founder Muhammad.

Jailed ‘Home Bible Study’ pastor faces felony charges

Michael Salman In today’s issue of Religion News Briefs: Already jailed for violating residential zoning codes, ‘home bible study’ pastor Michael Salman now faces a series of felony charges.

Plus: the condition of cult leader Sun Myung Moon worsens.

A daughter-in-law of Samuel Mullet, the leader of a breakaway Amish group on trial on hate crimes charges, says he coerced her into sex. Meanwhile his sister says Mullet’s group is a cult.

The Israeli government has distanced itself from a new Scientology cult center in Jaffa.

Also: the authors of a new study say the common assumption that natural and supernatural explanations are incompatible is psychologically inaccurate.

Plus, the latest issue of ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) Today has an in-depth article about the history of the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center — non-profit residential treatment facility that provides a program of counseling and instruction to victims of cultic abuse, religious abuse and/or mind control.

Washington Times Sold For $1

Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon is regaining control of the Washington Times after allies of the South Korean cult leader agreed to acquire the paper for just $1 and assumption of most if its debts, according to an internal memo.

The memo contradicts rumors that a feud among the Moon’s sons over control of the Washington Times prompted the father to buy it back for tens of millions of dollars.

The deal is financially similar to the one the Washington Post cut in selling its money-losing Newsweek to businessman Sidney Harmon.

Paul Bedard details the deal — and the internal feuding in the Moon family — in U.S. News & World Report. Mind you, he also writes that Moon “started the newspaper in 1982 as a conservative and Christian voice in Washington.” Theologians know that the Unification Church is, at best, a cult of Christianity. As such, it is impossible for the paper to provide a “Christian voice.”