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because only you have the right to control your mind.

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October-December 1999

Inside

Scientology Copyright P.1
Jonestown 20 years later P.1
Happenings P.2
CULTinfo Conference
 P.2
Remembering Lisa McPherson
P.3
Scientology Indicted
 P.3
Newsbriefs P.3
Children of God P.4
Children Colombia P.4
Medical Care P.4
Scientology Refunds P.4
Events P.5
Announcements P.5

Happenings at FACTNet

Welcome to the October-December issue of FACTNet’s newsletter. Our limited resources have prevented us from publishing a newsletter every month, but we have been working on other exciting projects.

Internet users are visiting FACTNet’s web site in droves. In November, almost 17,000 people brought more than 400,000 hits to the site, viewing almost 2 billion bytes of information! In 1997, it took us six months to receive as many hits as we now get each week! It is wonderful and heartening to see that people are becoming educated and FACTNet is serving its mission on such a large scale.

FACTNet provided cult information packages to families of Concerned Christians members. Concerned Christians is the cult that disappeared from Denver in October. Some members have turned up in Jerusalem, thought to be their ultimate destination because leader Monte Kim Miller predicted he’ll die there next year. A mass murder-suicide is feared. FACTNet is at the disposal of these families to set up an Internet chat room or post letters to missing loved ones. We hope we may help these families and their loved ones safely through this time of crisis.

FACTNet is co-sponsoring a conference with CULTINFO, a new cult information resource. We hope you will join us! See article for details.

FACTNet helped bring a major court ruling against Scientology. In November federal judge John Kane made an important ruling in FACTNet’s favor in the FACTNet-Scientology lawsuit. Judge Kane vacated the January trial date and denied Scientology’s motion for summary judgment, saying FACTNet had presented substantial evidence to question the legality of the copyrights Scientology is accusing FACTNet of violating. Judge Kane also appointed a special judge to review all of Scientology’s 1,914 copyrights, many of which FACTNet believes were obtained illegally. If the federal court finds Scientology’s copyrights are fraudulent, there will be unprecedented positive repercussions for the many former members and critics Scientology has sued for alleged copyright infringements.

FACTNet’s good work is not going unnoticed. Here are some notes of support we have received lately:

"The cult destroyed relationships with my family, my friends, and my coworkers. To build up trust again takes time. Please keep me on your mailing list as it helps in my healing process." -J

"...Ah, and your site is really great. You really managed to get a great deal of information on cults. It is very well designed and invaluable for all those who care about the actions of cults worldwide." -Anon

"You are doing a TERRIFIC JOB! Thanks for your perseverance and courage." -A

I hope you will consider supporting FACTNet at this time, our holiday donation drive. Our goal is $15,000. Tax-deductible contributions of $500, $1,000, $5,000, or more are much needed, but all contributions help. And whether or not you are able to help us at this time, please accept our wishes for a joyful and healthy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Justine Janette, Executive Director

 

Your Donations at Work

We strive to stretch each contribution to its fullest. In so doing, we track use of the FACTNet web site versus operating costs incurred by FACTNet. For August through November:

FACTNet web site hits:

Aug: 205,044 Sept: 213,514 Oct: 362,822 Nov: 409,643

Web site pages viewed:

Aug: 45,285 Sept: 44,151 Oct: 79,732 Nov: 90,948

FACTNet expenses:

Aug: $17,038 Sept: $57,146 Oct: $8,250 Nov: $12,223

Cost per web site hit:

Aug: $0.08 Sept: $0.27 Oct: $0.02 Nov: $0.03

Cost per web site page viewed:

Aug: $0.38 Sept: $1.29 Oct: $0.10 Nov: $0.13

FACTNet Co-Sponsoring Cult Awareness Conference

Yes, FACTNet is still planning a conference! But rather than host an entire conference ourselves here in Denver, we have decided to co-sponsor a conference with a new cult awareness organization called CULTINFO. CULTINFO rose out of the ashes of the original Cult Awareness Network, Inc., and opened a national office in September in Bridgeport, CT under the auspices of its legal entity, Cult Information and Resource Center, Inc.

In addition to providing a hotline, newsletter, and resources for families, CULTINFO is hosting a conference in Stamford, CT Friday to Sunday, February 12-14, 1999 over Presidents’ Day weekend, an especially apt time to celebrate our freedoms of mind, religion, and speech. FACTNet is a proud co-sponsor of this conference, and has made good use of the conference questionnaires submitted by you, our readers. Many thanks!

The conference is shaping up to be quite an event. Featured speakers will host major presentations, and workshops will address a variety of timely topics, including FACTNet’s specialty, Cults and the Internet. Other workshops include:

Critical thinking: Cult proofing you and your kids. Presented by Dr. Steven Novella of Connecticut Skeptics, and the New England Skeptics Society.

Parents’ panel. Presented by Dr. Ed Lottick, who lost a son in Scientology, and Mr. & Mrs. Meader, parents who lost children in the Heaven’s Gate tragedy. Moderated by David Cole.

Cults on campus. Presented by Sandra Stephon, organizer of Maryland state legislation for a task force on cults on campuses; Dean Robert Thornberg, Boston University chaplain; and Glenn Davis, graduate of the University of Bridgeport. Moderated by Ron Loomis.

How to help a loved one in a mind control cult. Presented by Steve Hassan and Joe Szimhart.

Deceipt and manipulation. Presented by the Amazing Randy.

Illegal activities of cults and other extremist organizations. Presented by Dr. Herbert Nieberg, Detective Mark Roggeman, and Detective Steve Reigstad. Moderated by Larry Zilliox.

To register for the conference, contact CULTINFO at 203-338-9776 or PO Box 1180, Bridgeport, CT 06601. Join us!
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This editorial/opinion/news alert has been provided or distributed by FACTNet, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network.) Since 1993 we have been the largest online news and referral service as well as research archive for defending freedom of thought and mind from all forms of unethical influence tactics, mind control and mental coercion/torture used in destructive cults and fundamentalist groups. FACTNet is a tax deductible, IRS Approved 501(c)(3) non profit organization.

For breaking news, personal stories, recovery information, support groups, expert referrals, message boards, newsletters and books relating to destructive cults and fundamentalism, mind control, mental coercion and unethical psychological influence, please visit our web site at http://www.factnet.org  If you would like to comment on this editorial/opinion/news or to share your personal experiences, go to one of our many various message boards at http://www.factnet.org/discus/ .

Re-distribution and re-posting of this document using proper net etiquette when doing so, is appreciated!

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