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Tuesday March 9, 2010

Satanism:

Satan worshipers possible suspects in Kimberly Simon slaying

The last hours of Kimberly Simon’s life in 1985 were likely spent with a group of young men who worshiped the devil, tortured cats, used hallucinogenic drugs and sexually abused women, according to investigators who have been probing her homicide for the past 16 months.

By disclosing the new information, investigators hope to stir public interest in watching the “America’s Most Wanted” episode scheduled to feature Simon’s case.
» Full Story

Media:

Social Science Research Council Releases Report on the Religion Blogosphere

“The New Landscape of the Religion Blogosphere,” a newly released report by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), offers an extensive overview and analysis of the increasingly prominent role played by blogs in shaping the contemporary dynamics of religion, academia, and public life.

Drawing on a review of the work of nearly 100 blogs, as well as detailed survey responses, “The New Landscape of the Religion Blogosphere” provides both empirical data and reflection on the impact of blogging at the intersection of religion, academia, and public life.
» Full Story

Hate Groups:

U.S. Supreme Court to rule on free speech by Westboro ‘Baptist Church’ hategroup

The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether vitriolic anti-gay protestors who picket the funerals of US soldiers are protected by free speech laws.

The Westboro Baptist Church is a hate group that masquerades as a Christian church and uses free speech as an excuses for despicable behavior.
» Full Story

Faith Healing • Followers of Christ (Oregon) • Neil Jeffrey Beagley:

Jeffrey and Marci Beagley sentenced to 16 months of prison for their son’s faith-healing death

Judge Steven Maurer sentenced Jeffrey and Marci Beagley to 16 months in prison this afternoon, calling the couple’s decision to not seek medical care for their 16-year-old son, Neil Beagley, a “crime that was a product of an unwillingness to respect the boundaries of freedom of religious expression.”

The Beagleys and Worthingtons are members of the Followers of Christ Church. Members of the Oregon City church have a lengthy history of child deaths from lack of medical care that influenced a 1999 law eliminating the religious freedom defense in cases involving the welfare of a child.
» Full Story

Aum Shinrikyo:

Aum victim keeps memory alive via film

In March 1995 members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult carried out its infamous nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

The widow of a man killed in the attack has made a documentary film in which she interviews other people victimized in the sarin attack.
» Full Story

Monday March 8, 2010

Scientology:

Australia: More Scientology accusations exposed

In Australia the Scientology cult has been hit by a fresh wave of allegations, likely to give added weight to calls for a Senate inquiry into the church.

Several Australians have spoken out for the first time about their experiences with the church, accusing it of forced abortions, holding slave labour camps and exploiting child workers.
» Full Story

Friday March 5, 2010

Destiny Church:

Destiny Church ‘bishop’ Brian Tamaki defends high life

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki says his $1 million-plus home and $75,000 car are “not much” of a reward for decades of clean and righteous living and taking his message to the masses.

But a former high-ranking Destiny member told the New Zealand Herald he and others left because people were hearing less about Jesus Christ and hearing more about the church’s leader.
» Full Story

Destiny Church:

Pastor Brian Tamaki: God doesn’t want me to be poor

Destiny Church’s self-proclaimed Bishop, Brian Tamaki, said he feels uncomfortable with members of his parish giving him gifts but the rules were written by the church’s elders.

He said he had been ready to take a vow of poverty but that was not what God wanted.
» Full Story

Thursday March 4, 2010

Destiny Church:

Destiny Church pastors replaced after walk-out

New pastors have been appointed to run Brisbane’s Destiny Church after their predecessor and more than half the congregation walked out of last Sunday’s service.

Brian Tamaki dismissed reports of a split within Destiny as “grossly exaggerated” and accused the media of being “funny and weird”.
» Full Story

Destiny Church:

Destiny churches split triggers exodus

Destiny Church ministers and leaders are heading to its Brisbane branch after more than half the congregation – including its pastor – walked out.

“You might think I’m stupid for going into the church in the first place. But I [only] found out it was a cult after I went in,” one former member says.
» Full Story

Wednesday March 3, 2010

Schools and Religion • Witchcraft:

Wiccan altar puts teacher, officials at odds

A high school senior’s desire to build a Wiccan altar in shop class has forced a community debate about free expression.

Dale Halferty, who has taught industrial arts at Guthrie Center High School for three years, was placed on paid leave Monday after he acknowledged to district officials that he told the student he could not build the altar in class.
» Full Story

1 Mind Ministries:

Jury convicts 1 Mind Ministries cult members in boy’s starvation death

A Baltimore jury on Tuesday afternoon convicted three alleged cult members on charges of first-degree child abuse resulting in death and second-degree murder for starving a 16-month-old boy in their city apartment because he did not say “amen” before meals.

The defendants each face a maximum of 60 years in prison when they are sentenced, scheduled for May 18.
» Full Story

Tuesday March 2, 2010

FLDS • Polygamy:

Allegations of false testimony in 2007 trial of polygamous sect leader surface

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an allegation of dishonest testimony about medical records of the state’s key witness during the 2007 criminal trial of FLDS polygamous sect prophet Warren S. Jeffs.

The case was based on a 2001 spiritual marriage Jeffs performed between Elissa Wall, then 14, and Allen G. Steed, then 19.
» Full Story

1 Mind Ministries:

1 Mind Ministries: closing arguments expected in trial of reputed cult members

Closing arguments are expected today in the Baltimore trial of three members of an alleged cult — the now defunct 1 Mind Ministries — who are accused of starving a toddler to death because he didn’t pray properly.

The defendants, who are representing themselves, rested their cases within minutes Monday without calling any witnesses.
» Full Story

Brian Mitchell and Wanda Barzee • Elizabeth Smart:

Mitchell ruled competent to stand trial in Elizabeth Smart abduction

Brian David Mitchell is competent to stand trial in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart despite his personality disorders, a judge ruled Monday.

In a 149-page decision, U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball said Mitchell can understand the charges against him and help his lawyers in his defense, the standard for mental competency.
» Full Story

Monday March 1, 2010

Islam:

Christians Arrested after Muslim Attack in Pakistan

Some 150 armed Muslims assaulted the Christian colony of Pahar Ganj in North Nazimabad, Karachi, damaging two churches, shooting at houses, beating Christians and burning shops and vehicles after a fruit stand vendor attacked a Christian boy for touching his merchandise.

Christian leaders said Muslim extremists helped gather and inflame the assailants, but they said the fruit stand vendor upset with the 14-year-old Christian boy for touching plums on his hand-pulled cart initially instigated the attack.
» Full Story

Crime:

Arson suspects grew up together in Texas church

Even as authorities closed in, one of the two suspects in a string of east Texas church fires attended a Sunday service and went to a Baptist ministry on his junior college campus for a free meal.

But officials say they found weapons and books detailing atheism and devil worship during a pre-dawn raid at a home where Bourque was arrested Feb. 21.
» Full Story

Friday February 26, 2010

1 Mind Ministries:

Witness: Accused cult leaders had her committed to keep quiet

A woman who once lived with three accused cult leaders testified Thursday that they had her involuntarily committed to a mental hospital to keep her quiet about a toddler’s starvation death.

Members of the culthave been charged with murder in the death of baby Javon Thompson.
» Full Story

Islam • Pakistan • Religious Persecution:

Pakistani Christian Beaten for Refusing to Convert to Islam

The four older Muslim brothers of a 26-year-old Christian beat him unconscious here earlier this month because he refused their enticements to convert to Islam, the victim told Compass.

Riaz Masih, whose Christian parents died when he was a boy, said his continual refusal to convert infuriated his siblings and the Muslim cleric who raised them, Moulvi Peer Akram-Ullah.
» Full Story

Indonesia • Islam • Religious Intolerance • Religious Persecution:

Indonesia: Muslim Groups Demand Closure of Large, Legal Church

Religious intolerance by Muslims in Indonesia

Hundreds of Muslims from outside the area where a 600-member church meets in West Java staged a protest there to call for its closure this month in an attempt to portray local opposition.

Demonstrators from 16 Islamic organizations, including the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), gathered on Feb. 15 to demand a stop to all activities by the Galilea Protestant Church (GPIB) in the Galaxy area of Bekasi City.
» Full Story

Thursday February 25, 2010

Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz • Michael and Debi Pearl • No Greater Joy Ministries:

Plea entry delayed in fatal beating of Paradise girl

Because the wife has retained new counsel, a Paradise couple charged with the murder of one adopted daughter and torture of her sister, did not enter pleas to the charges in court Thursday.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have disclosed that a book by a Tennessee-based fundamentalist Christian ministry, espousing “biblical chastisement” with the same quarter-inch plumber’s supply line alleged to have been used in the ridge beatings, was found in the Paradise home of Kevin Schatz, 46, and Elizabeth Schatz, 42.
» Full Story

Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz • Michael and Debi Pearl • No Greater Joy Ministries:

Beating death of Lydia Schatz draws national attention

Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz are expected to enter a plea today. They are accused of killing Lydia Schatz and severely beating their 11-year-old adopted daughter, Zariah Schatz.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said he has a direct connection between the Schatz case and No Greater Joy Ministry, a fundamentalist religious organization founded by Michael and Debi Pearl.
» Full Story

1 Mind Ministries:

Mother says she agreed to starve son to rid him of demonic spirit

The mother of a dead child testified Wednesday that she agreed to starve her toddler son, who refused to say “amen,” to rid him of a demonic spirit that was potentially placed there when her own mother offered the boy up to the devil.

She still believes God will resurrect her son.
» Full Story

Wednesday February 24, 2010

Kingdom Seekers Fellowship:

Kenya: Thousands pray for pastors to rise from dead

Two pastors in Kenya’s Kingdom Seekers Fellowship International church were killed in a road accident on Monday last week. The faithful believed that God would resurrect them if they prayed hard enough.

If the pastors will not have risen from the death by Thursday, their bodies will be buried. [video]
» Full Story

Tuesday February 23, 2010

Church and State • The Fellowship (Washington):

C Street house target of clergy’s IRS complaint

Three times now, including a complaint they plan to file today against the secretive C Street Center in Washington, D.C., the activist pastors have challenged the tax-exempt status of religious organizations they believe have improperly dabbled in partisan politics.

Their numbers fluctuate, but their mission is always the same: protect the divide between church and state.
» Full Story

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Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, new religious movements, alternative religions, abusive churches and - to a lesser extent - related issues (e.g. ethics, human rights).

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