F.A.C.T.Net Daily Newswire archives
for the week of May 3, 1999

May 7, 1999

Russia affirms Jehovah's Witnesses not a cult

After a law was passed in 1997 in Russia requiring religious organizations to secure renewal of their federal registrations or face being banned, Russia's Justice Ministry spent six months investigating Jehovah's Witnesses. The ministry sought to determine whether the group's literature and practices indicated the group was a bona fide religion or a cult. Officials of Jehovah's Witnesses said yesterday that on Wednesday Russia renewed the group's registration as a religion. Church spokesman Alexei Nazarychev said, "The federal government is trying to follow constitutional principles and support, as far as possible, the freedom of worship," according to the Chicago Tribune. [Source: Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1999]

ZDNet reports on sporgeries of alt.religion.scientology

Kevin Poulsen of ZDNet reported yesterday on sporgery, the newest form of attack of the newsgroup alt.religion.scientology. An Internet assault combining elements of both spam and forgery, sporgery is a "new and unrelentingly malicious type of spam whose sole, mindless purpose is to destroy a bastion of free speech," according to Poulsen. He explains how the culprits have been opening e-mail accounts, posting thousands of nonsensical "poetry" to the newsgroup under other actual people's names, and then closing the accounts before being detected. Although alt.religion.scientology is not the only newsgroup under sporgery attack, it is under more consistent and massive attack than any other. ZDNet's full article is here.

May 6, 1999

China preparing for anniversaries of Tiananmen massacre, Communist takeover

Starting the day after last week's protest of the Zhongnanhai Palace by 10,000 members of the quasi-Buddhist Fa Lun Gong UFO cult in Beijing, police have tightened security measures throughout the city, both in public buildings and at major city crossroads. The palace houses top members of the Communist party, and the protest was probably intentionally staged close to a sensitive time for the government, the June 4th anniversary of the Tianamen massacre ten years ago. The protest was peaceful, but has rattled government leaders. The increased security procedures will continue through early October, the 50th anniversary of the Communist takeover. [Sources: Central News Agency, May 4, 1999; The Vancouver Sun, May 6, 1999]

Scientology blankets Swiss schools with anti-psychiatry booklet

Switzerland's Tages-Anzeiger is reporting that Scientology mailed out anti-psychiatry booklets to schools, social institutions, and politicians, among others. The booklet is entitled "Psychiatry deceives children and puts them on drugs" [translated from German]. Scientology listed its anti-psychiatry front organization, the "Citizens Commission on Human Rights" (CCHR) as the booklet's publisher, but the copyright page notes that Scientology funded the publication. Tages-Anzeiger reports that, "The cover of the latest booklet depicts a small, fearful child who is chained to a giant pill bottle. The tone of the professionally formatted publication is that psychiatrists are unscrupulous doctors and hired hands of the pharmaceutical industry who use electroshock therapy and pump students full of psycho-pharmaceuticals" [translated from German]. The CCHR, founded in 1969, is an outgrowth of L. Ron Hubbard's distrust of the psychiatric field. [Source: Tages-Anzeiger, May 5, 1999].

Hubbard fans skew list of century's top 100 books

Last year a division of publisher Random House, The Modern Library, began printing a list of the best 100 works of fiction of the twentieth century written in English. The list was intended to publicize The Modern Library's line of reprinted classics. The list, which was "absolutely unofficial" and "arbitrary," has drawn "furious criticism," according to the Sun-Sentinel, because the group of books - chosen by a panel of writers - seems somewhat random. Literati argue that works left off should have been included, and works included should have been left off. This year, the Modern Library is inviting Internet users to vote for books for their own top-100 list. According to the Sun-Sentinel, "Web site voting has produced an almost laughable response: As of Wednesday morning, books by Scientology founder Hubbard occupied three of the top six spots... It must be assumed that lots of Hubbard...fans use the Internet." Voting available at <www.randomhouse.com>. [Source: Sun-Sentinel, May 6, 1999]

May 5, 1999

European countries sign agreement on security procedures

Germany and Switzerland signed an agreement last week in Berne outlining cooperation on police procedures ranging from immigration to anti-drug efforts to undercover investigations. The agreement is being applauded as an important step toward greater partnership among European countries, particularly European Union countries. Switzerland also signed similar agreements with Austria and Liechtenstein, while agreements were also signed recently with Italy and France. Part of the German-Swiss agreement is a stipulation that temporary, limited undercover investigations will be allowed within each other's borders, with the host country's permission. Last year problems were caused when a German state agent was found to be investigating Scientology in Switzerland. The new agreement would allow such investigations to take place. [Source: Badische Zeitung, April 29, 1999]

Scientology may sue Austrian states

After states within Austria took steps to limit Scientologists from holding state service jobs, Scientology is planning to sue the states for violating its members' freedom of belief and conscience. [Source: Oberoesterreich Online May 3, 1999]

Sean Penn on "what Scientology really is"

A French periodical, Liberation, reported that upon being asked if there were a movie he would like to make, American actor Sean Penn responded that he wanted to make a movie that shows "what Scientology really is." [Source: Liberation, April 26, 1999; here].

May 4, 1999

London bomber arrested, home searched

A man believed to be responsible for the London bombings that killed three people has been arrested, and his home has been searched. About a hundred people were evacuated from the area while anti-terrorist detectives removed numerous boxes and bags of bomb-making equipment from the room the bomber rented in a house in Hampshire. The materials were taken to police laboratories at Fort Halstead. Not much is known about the 22-year-old bomber, but police believe he was acting alone and was not associated with right-wing groups who have claimed responsibility for the bombings. Engineer David Copeland was arrested on Saturday, and on Monday he was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of causing explosions with intent to endanger life. The first bomb exploded in a predominantly black neighborhood April 17, the second in a Bangladeshi area on April 24, and the third, which killed a pregnant woman and two men, and injured many, exploded in a gay pub. Prime Minister Tony Blair urged people to "unite against hatred," while Prince Charles said, "The important thing is realize that these are not just attacks on particular communities but on all of us really." A memorial in London Park Sunday brought thousands of mourners. [Sources: CNN, May 3, 1999; Scottish Daily Record, May 3, 1999]

Federal trial against Amway begins

On Monday in Houston a federal trial began in which Amway distributors are charged with defaming Proctor & Gamble by spreading rumors that P&G is associated with Satanism. Rumors that the bearded man in P&G's logo was a Satanic symbol began in 1981, following which P&G filed lawsuits to punish those responsible for eroding its customers' trust. In 1995, Houston-area Amway distributors allegedly rekindled the rumors in a voice mail sent to thousands of customers saying that P&G gave some of its profits to Satanic cults. Amway Corporation denies the charges. A similar trial between P&G and Amway in Utah in March was dismissed by a judge who ruled that the Satanic rumors did not defame P&G and that no specific damages were proved by P&G. The current trial in Houston will likely last two weeks. P&G manufactures Ivory, Tide, and Crest, among many other household products. [Source: Associated Press, May 03, 1999]

Aum Shin Rikyo hosts "concert" for several hundred

Although a company called "Arefu" reserved the hall at the Nagoya City Performing Arts Center for a concert, the event was more likely a recruiting seminar by Aum Shin Rikyo, the group responsible for the 1995 subway gas attack in Tokyo. Arefu has the same address as Aum's Nagoya office, and officials believe most "concert" attendees were current or new members of the cult. The corporation in charge of renting out the hall monitored the event. [Japan Economic Newswire, May 3, 1999]

F.A.C.T.Net bids farewell to directors

As of May 1, 1999, Stacy Brooks and Bob Mintonresigned from the F.A.C.T.Net board of directors. F.A.C.T.Net would like to thank Stacy and Bob for their contributions to this organization over the past year and a half. Both have donated many hours of work and support for F.A.C.T.Net. We wish them well in their future endeavors.

F.A.C.T.Net responds to letter from James Randi

F.A.C.T.Net has issued a response to the letter posted by professional debunker James Randi.

May 3, 1999

Ex-Scientologist wins rights to see files

A High Court judge ruled that Irish businesswoman Mary Johnston should be allowed to see files of notes taken about her as she progressed through Scientology courses. Johnston, who owns a sports equipment shop in Dublin, is alleging that "while undergoing 'treatment' offered by the church she suffered increasingly with a 'disassociative stress reaction', became intolerant and rejected family and friends. She claimed she suffered a distinct personality change, would often adopt a fixed stare and simulated smile while switching off her feelings. She became increasingly confused, and her general health suffered" [The Irish Times, May 1, 1999]. Scientology opposed Johnston's request to view her folders on the basis of "sacerdotal privilege," which is meant to protect the confidentiality between a parishioner and a spiritual leader, as in a confession, and is similar to attorney-client privilege. Johnston says she needs the notes to prove her case, which are from Scientology auditing sessions. Scientology claimed that if an auditor were to disclose parts of sessions, he or she could face "damnation." However, Scientology could not present documents showing such damnation was part of its doctrine. And the judge ruled that in any case, sacerdotal privilege did not apply since Johnston herself waived that privilege. The judge also noted that Scientology's claims to be a religion were controversial. [Source: The Irish Times, May 1, 1999]

F.A.C.T.Net to respond tomorrow to James Randi

James Randi, professional debunker of numerous frauds, including those related to cults, and head of the James Randi Educational Foundation posted a letter entitled "Ignored, Insulted, and Deeply Offended" to the Internet on Thursday, April 29, 1999. In the letter, Mr. Randi expresses concern regarding his treatment by F.A.C.T.Net and CULTinfo following a lecture he was invited to give at the CULTinfo conference February 12-14, 1999 in Stamford, CT. F.A.C.T.Net will post a response to Mr. Randi tomorrow, in which we hope to clarify what appear to be several misunderstandings on the part of James Randi. We also hope to show that F.A.C.T.Net did not intend nor take steps to ignore, offend, or offend Mr. Randi, although we are sorry that it seems that way to him. Please see tomorrow's newswire or the F.A.C.T.Net web site tomorrow for our response.