The Words of the Bowles Family
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The Words of the Bowles Family |
Edward
Levine, a pro-deprogrammer and anti-new religions advocate, tried to
get rid of a pesky News World reporter by taking a swing at him.
What is a cult? A Jewish rabbinical association, involved in deprogramming, says that the Jews for Jesus is a cult; the evangelical Spiritual Counterfeits Project says that the Jews for Jesus is not a cult; a Hassidic rabbi and group which attacks a Hebrew Christian group for being a cult is itself called a cult by the president of yet another rabbinical conference. Anson Shupe, a University of Texas sociologist, notes that all three of these groups would then be "anti-cult cultists!"
This shows a little of the irony that is infused in the anti-cult movement or "anti-new religion movement" that is growing more and more visible in the world. Though people with a sense of the ridiculous may find humor in a paragraph like the one above, there is really nothing funny about the results which the movement is having on America and the world. The anti-religion movement is responsible for some of the worst tragedies in our church and in other new religious movements.
"ARM" has become the rather descriptive nick-name for the anti- religion movement, though they don't see themselves as anti-religious at all. They see themselves as lovers of religious freedom and haters only of "destructive cults."
There are many fingers to the ARM in the United States -- Citizens Freedom Foundation and Information Service (CFF-IS), American Family Foundation (AFF), Cult Information Center, Spiritual Counterfeits Project, Ex-Moon Inc., Citizens Engaged in Reuniting Families, and more -- but their counterparts exist in many countries around the world (see, list of the International ARM below).
These groups are surprisingly organized, with some of their activities including the following:
Deprogramming information and, in some cases, services rendered
Book, newsletter, article writing and publishing
Government lobbying
Media rousing
Harassment of parents of members
Anti-cult conferences and workshops
Giving lectures at schools and churches
Appearing in court to aid deprogrammers brought to court in lawsuits
Distributing "information" to media outlets
Meeting with editors of local news- papers
Meeting with television producers and editors
Sending letters of recommendation to the F.B.I., the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Department of the Treasury, the Securities Exchange Commission, the Federal Reserve Board, the Department of State and the IRS.
Just how organized and dangerous is the anti-religion movement, or ARM? The opinions differ, but one thing is certain: these groups are devout in their efforts to destroy not only the Unification Church, but any new religion at all which might "threaten" the old religious and archaic traditions. This includes new Christian outreach groups like The Way International and even the tiny Old Catholic Church, a charismatic sect of Catholicism.
Joy Irvine-Garrett is head of the Public Affairs Department of Unification Church at the New York headquarters. She said of the ARM: "They involve themselves in public affairs; mail letters and information to opinion makers all over the world; have computerized lists of members and parents of members; have branch offices in every state; and even have a public relations firm representing them. These are people dedicating their lives to work against us."
Here are quotes from the Nov. 1979 newsletter of Citizens Freedom Foundation and Information Service, CFF-IS:
"Your letters to key speakers of ICUS will show Moon we are in business to put him out of business. We can't stop his 1979 (ICUS) conference but with your help we may stop his 1980 and future affairs -- write today, please."
"(We) sketched out the new CFF-IS letterhead with a logo showing a child struggling in a sea of cults while a life- preserver tagged with CFF-IS is being thrown to him/her. Hopefully the printer will do a better design job and the next memo will see us with a very identifiable symbol. Then maybe we can come out with bumper stickers, etc. and make CFF-IS as well known as IBM, Red Cross and others."
"I spent an hour on the phone to Fred Ackerman. Fred is an aid, to N.Y. Assemblyman, Howard Lasher. Lasher is 100 percent dedicated to the exposure and elimination of destructive cults. So any of you New Yorkers in Lasher's district should give him facts and help his fight."
Though groups like CFF and American Family Foundation work actively -- many of the members full time -- against new religions in general, they concentrate a majority of their efforts against the Unification Church. In "Advisor," a large, bi-monthly newspaper about "cults" put out by AFF, a great percentage of the articles are about the Unification Church. The Unification Church is central to the ARM because, as one ARM member said, "If we can go after Moon, we can go after anyone."
The size and power of these groups vary. Some are so fanatic that no one can take them seriously, aside from an insignificant number of followers, such as a group called "Systems for the Assimilation of Youth" which used to lobby for laws making it mandatory that all "cult" members wear brightly colored arm bands to identify themselves (reminding us of the Stars of David that the Jews were forced to wear in Germany during the time of Hitler), and undergo psychiatric examinations and treatment if found on the streets without this proper identification! Fortunately this particular group doesn't exist any longer.
The more sophisticated groups, such as AFF, number psychiatrists, psychologists, "experts" in cults, ministers and even a few government officials among their members, supporters and advisors.
Certain members of the board of CFF-IS are also members of AFF or other groups and they use many of the same sources, but they claim no official tie. AFF says it "is developing a close working relationship with CFF-IS."
Another question is where these groups get their funding. Large amounts of money, coming in regularly, are required for the newspapers they publish, their offices, research, travel, court costs, fees paid to their "mental health experts," distributing pamphlets, and the large campaigns which they sponsor in certain towns where new religions would like to put training centers or temples. Much of their income is in the form of donations from parents of members or ex-members and their own membership fees. Contributions also come from the public; they solicit donations through their newspapers. Churches have been said to take up collection. or the groups or give them a set fee for lectures, workshops and conferences on the new religions or "dangerous cults," as they call them. But they also receive huge grants on occasion, such as the one American Family Foundation received last year. It was proudly announced in the AFF newsletter in November: "AFF received $10,000 for activities which will include a model training program for clergy, a workshop for helping professionals in New York City, two educational booklets for the general public, ("Cults: What Every Parent Should Know" and "Cults: What Every Teen Should Know"), and an audio tape pro- viding advice to parents with children in a cult." The newsletter did not mention where the money came from.
The News World has featured an irregular series of articles during the past five years about the anti-religion movement (most recently was a series published between late September and early October this year, entitled "Target: Rev. Moon -- A Study In Organized Bigotry"). Investigative reporters have taken a hard look at the more militant individuals and organizations opposing Father, following the pattern of articles written by Ted Agres, Hal McKenzie and Robert Morton in 1978 during the Fraser hearings. Donald Fraser's motivation for investigating Father was clearly expos, thanks to The News World. His reason for investigating Father was shown to be directly tied to his own anti-South Korea sentiments and even pro-communist groups and individuals with which he was involved.
Another recent story (July 14, '82) was headlined, "Ex-diplomat key part of anti-church drive," a story about one of the church's arch-enemies, Robert Boettcher, who the staff director on the Fraser committee. Boettcher has continually held the position of advisor for several of the activities sponsored by AFF and CFF: He also contributed anti- Unification Church statements to circulars printed by AFF and distributed to delegates attending the 7th annual ICUS in Boston, trying to persuade scholars that they were being duped by Father. Boettcher also wrote a book about the Unification Church called "Gifts of Deceit" which even the New York Times book review described as "assaults heavily delivered, but with lightly supported charges." The Church is beginning proceedings on a libel suit against Boettcher for alleged lies in the book.
Are there connections between the ARM and leftist and/or communist groups? If there are, they are deeply hidden. Robert Morton, of The News World, believes that in time it will all come out. But Sara Towe, a foreign correspondent for FPI in London, wrote in an article that "Many of the anti-cult groups in Europe, formed for the most part in the mid-70s, involve one or two radical leftists in the organization who have no direct connection with new religions (that is, no religious reason for being against the new religions and no relatives involved in a new religion).
"In London, Chris Yapp, a young man instrumental in the forming of FAIR, ("Family Action, Information and Rescue," a London ARM group) is now actively involved in radical politics. Mark Hosenball, another founding member, was an American journalist working in Britain, who "exposed" the CIA in London, and was subsequently deported.
When a Unification Church member hears the word "kidnapping" he usually doesn't think of a child of rich parents being picked up by thugs at a playground; and who, among the church members, can hear the name Ted Patrick without a shudder? We all know very well the word "deprogramming" and all the things that word brings to mind: boarded up motel room, weeping parents, ex-"cult" members standing by to guard, and some character (with a none- too-wholesome life-style himself) telling horror stories to a young prisoner about his religious leader.
The term "deprogramming" has various meanings, sociologists Anson Shupe and David G. Bromley say in a study called "The Deprogrammer as Moral Entrepreneur: The Development of a Deviant Occupation." It could mean merely talking someone out of his commitment to a new religious movement or it can mean coercive abductions, imprisonment and lengthy browbeating sessions to break their faith.
There are definite connections of cooperation between the ARM groups and the deprogramming elite. The ARM has assisted in kidnappings and members of ARM groups have been present at "deprogrammings."
The ARM certainly has a long reach. From America, to Europe, to Australia, to Asia.
There is the story of Michael Tracy, an Australian who was kidnapped and who underwent a traumatic "deprogramming-ordeal by American deprogrammers in Australia, showing some possible connection between the Australian ARM group, Association Exposing Pseudo-religious Cults, AEPC, and the American ARM.
There is also some evidence that English and American ARM groups had something to do with the banning of the Unification Church in Singapore through letters to the Singapore government and Christian churches there.
To again quote Ms. Towe from her story on the international connections of the ARM and deprogrammers:
"The same deprogrammers have shown up in different countries around the world. The same literature is used, using the same terminology to discuss the religions and the "necessity" for deprogramming."
"Eileen Barker, a sociologist with the London School of Economics who studied the Unification Church for three years, sees the deprogrammers as using semantics to turn coercion into 'liberation.'"
"The 'innocent victim' has been `brainwashed' into a 'bizarre cult' with an 'unbelievable' dogma and has been exploited and 'forced' to lead an `unnatural' life which no one in their `right mind' could 'conceivably' choose. In the name of freedom and in his own best interest he must be 'rescued' and be 'allowed' to see how he has been `manipulated' and 'deceived.'"
"...a religion becomes a 'cult'; proselytizing becomes 'brainwashing'; persuasion becomes 'propaganda'; missionaries become 'subversive agents'; retreats, monasteries and convents become 'prisons'; holy ritual becomes `bizarre conduct'; religious observance becomes 'aberrant behavior': devotion and meditation become 'psychopathic trances.'"
"The deprogrammers rely heavily on a few psychiatrists who play a key role in the construction of this concept (deprogramming) and its legal defense: Dr. John Clark, Margaret Singer, William Sargant, Susan Shulman and Robert Lifton (who first coined the term `deprogramming'), are five of the psychiatrists who work *kith deprogrammers and have set themselves up as experts on diagnosing 'cult-brainwashing.' They effectively eliminate competition by claiming that only they are competent to diagnose this new mental condition. The same reports are referred to around the world as 'proof.'"
While deprogramming was originally aimed at the new religions, it now has involved attempted deprogrammings of several Baptists, members of fundamentalist Bible Churches, a few Episcopalians, a Roman Catholic priest, members of some charismatic groups and even a 35 year-old woman Ph.D. for her political views. If we take this to its logical conclusion, it would mean that anyone could be "deprogrammed" from any religion, political party, occupation, or choice of major at college, for any reason, however insignificant, provided someone had enough money to pay the deprogrammers.
The National Headquarters of the Unification Church has projects designed to counteract some of the activities of the ARM. A one-time missionary and seminary graduate, William Connery, has written a twelve page dissertation to inform members and non-members of new religions about some important aspects of the ARM. The paper explains who is behind the ARM in general and what the goal of the ARM is. Much of his information has come from the book "New Religions and Mental Health," which is a collection of articles about new religions and their effect on society, edited and with an introduction by Herbert Richardson; it is an excellent book for parents.
Mr. Connery's paper explains that there are five basic groups composing the ARM:
1) "Traumatized parents/ex-members"
Mr. Connery here touches on history and tells of how the parents of some historical Christians, such as Thomas Aquinas, tried to force them to recant their decisions to live a devoted life. He gives present-day examples of how history is repeating itself in the families of members or ex-members of new religions who are most involved in anti-cult groups and deprogramming.
2) "Christian Heresy Hunters"
In this section, Mr. Connery gives examples of three groups which fall under this category: a) Former members of new religions who now attack their former beliefs from the viewpoint of their new-found traditional Christian doctrine. Chris Elkins, Jeffrey Brodsky, and Gary Vesper are cited. b) Ministers of Protestant churches who feel it is their duty or mission to attack the new religions. The paper names Rev. David Hondorp, Bob Losie, and Rev. Larry Wilson as examples of minister parents of members or ex-members, of new religions. Some ministers have formed groups to "inform the public and battle the menace of the cults," such as Brooks Alexander, Steve Scott, Jerry Yamamoto with their group "Spiritual Counterfeits" of California; Rudy Mitchell, Dr. Walter Martin, Rev. Ron Carlson, and Gary Fust, all with their own groups. Finally, c) Catholic priests involved in campaigns against new religions. The most well- known are Fr. James LeBar of New York City, Father Kent Burtner of Portland, Ore. Both are often involved directly In faith-breaking or "deprogramming."
3) "Jewish Anti-Conversionists"
Here, Mr. Connery cites some famous Jewish opponents such as Rabbi Maurice Davis, a long-time activist and pro- deprogramming advisor. Also the active organization of B'nai B'rith which has been in the forefront of taking a strong position of opposition to new religions, supporting bills of legislation and writing letters to senators, judges and governors. They have also cooperated with CFF in publishing an anti-cult brochure. Other Jewish organizations are mentioned.
4) "Atheistic Mental Health 'Experts"
A new group of opponents which has arisen during the last 5 years or so is a group of experts who have begun to decide what religions are proper ones for people to follow. In this section the focus is on Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman, whose "findings" have been broadcast through the sensationalist media, and through famous anti-cult psychiatrists like Dr. John Clark and Dr. Margaret Singer. Conway and Siegelman openly approve of faith-breaking. Their book "Snapping -- America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change" presents analyses of religious experience from the viewpoint of atheistic materialism. Mr. Connery states in this section of the booklet, "If psychiatry has the power to determine mental illness based on religious beliefs, it is conceivable that 'treatment' could include such infamous psychiatric techniques as electro-shock, lobotomy, and forced drugging...."
5) "Sensationalist Media"
In this section Mr. Connery shows how the press is not always on the side of truth and how the media can be used to provoke mass hysteria as in the case of Brazil, 1981, when as a result of a sensationalist "expose" about the Unification Church, twelve church buildings were destroyed by a violently emotional mob.
The paper, on the whole is very educational and will hopefully be accepted by the scholarly world, but it is more probably going to be used by Unification Church public relations departments for circulation to the public. If members would like copies, they are available at the American headquarters of the Unification Church, Public Relations Department.
The Church of Scientology has proven to have the skill and financial ability to do some deep research and positive action against the ARM. The Scientologists are strongly attacked by the ARM and have often been allies of the Unification Church in this fight. They publish a newsletter, have formed a group called Association for the Preservation of Religious Liberties, and have published a book about the ARM called "The Anti-Religion Movement: An Abstract of Contemporary Terrorism, Kidnapping and Violation of Religious and Civil Liberties in America." The book is dramatically written and is more emotional than intellectual, but uses verified information and has facts as its groundwork. The book cites examples of kidnappings and deprogrammings, showing the deprogrammers for what they are: self-proclaimed vigilantes and, in some cases, even people with police records for rape and murder. (Ted Patrick was at one time charged with sexual assault of a 14 year-old girl, and John Hresko, an employee of Patrick's, had been charged with the beating death of a man in 1976. Neither crime was against people who were being "deprogrammed.")
With the exception of Fredrick Sontag's book, "Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church," (currently on sale at U.C. headquarters) the only relatively unbiased books about the new religions and their enemies, available to the public, are by David G. Bromley and Anson D. Shupe. These two sociologists have written a series of three books on this subject: "Strange Gods," "Moonies in America" and "The New Vigilantes."
"Strange Gods" tells of the new religions in general and the anti-cult movement that threatens their religious liberty. The book takes no stand supporting the new religions or their goals, but the book is definitely against the loss of religious liberty. "Strange Gods" clarifies several important points:
"There is no avalanche of rapidly growing cults."
"There is no mysterious brainwashing process used to enslave millions of young Americans."
"There is no convincing evidence that all new religions are merely out to rip off every available dollar from the American public."
"There is no reason to believe that all modem gurus and spiritual leaders are complete charlatans."
"There is no bona fide mental health therapy called deprogramming that works as its practioners and promoters claim."
"Deprogramming is a deliberate attempt to horrify and anger us." In the first chapter Bromley and Shupe quote these moving words from civil libertarian Dean M. Kelly, "Let us not forget that the anguish of parents is not the only anguish involved here. Let us give equal consideration to the feelings -- and rights -- of the young people who go about in daily dread of being physically seized and subjected to protracted spiritual gang-rape until they yield their most cherished religious commitments."
What should America's role be, concerning this continued attack on Father? we might ask. Robert Morton, editor of The News World, explains that, "The role of the Archangel nation includes passing on vital information and know- how to other nations, maintaining the security of the free world, eventually liberating the communist world, and attending the Messiah. Attending the Messiah means not only supporting his worldwide mission but also protecting him from hostile forces. Given our unique role in the providence we should be more concerned than any other country about this but I'm afraid we're too casual.
"The problem is compounded because America lacks national unity and has an individualistic culture. Korea is family-centered, Japan is more nationalistic. Japanese members have very strong feelings about the role of the Eve nation, but Americans don't think so much about what being the Archangel nation means. For that reason we haven't supported and protected Father the way we should have against forces which would like to destroy him."
Mr. Morton said further that although The News World is a general interest newspaper, its editors consider the highly-organized and well-funded opposition to Father as a legitimate news story.
"My attitude is that Americans ought to take responsibility for America's role," said Mr. Morton, who stressed that he was speaking only as an individual and not in his official capacity.
What can American members do to help fulfill America's role as the Archangel and protect Father? Kate Reese, of the legal department at the headquarters of Unification Church, says that there are several things that members can do to combat, at least to a small degree, the activities of the ARM:
"Members should keep informed about the world and our activities as a church in relation to the world. The ARM likes to bring up things like 'heavenly deception,' so we have to be exemplary individuals, completely above board."
She went on to say that we should "of course, keep close contact with our parents. Find out if our parents have been contacted by one of the ARM groups and help our parents understand more clearly what we are doing."
"Be aware of anti-religious activities in your town or city. If there is an `anti-cult' lecture or workshop being held, find out as much as you can about it; attend it, if you can, and inform Headquarters about it."
"Seek out support groups and friends among other new religions. We need organization with other new religious groups like Church of Scientology, Hare Krishna or The Way International, all of which are fiercely persecuted by the ARM."
Joy Irvine said "The main effort against the anti-religion movement is if brothers and sisters pursue their home church work."
In home church we are coming face to face with the people who are, or will be, affected by the ARM. When these people see us, know us and learn to love' us, the truth will be known and the truth will make us free of the grip of the ARM.
Citizen's Freedom Foundation and Information Service –
CFF-IS
Redondo Beach
California
Council on Mind Abuse, Inc.
Box 575, Station 2
Toronto,
Canada M5N 226
Cult Information Center
Box 1000, Station G
Montreal,
Quebec, P.Q.
Director of Cult Project
B'nai B'irth Hillel
3460 Stanley
Street, Montreal, P.Q.
43A 1B8, Canada
B'nai B'rith International
1640 Rhode Island Avenue, N.
W
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-857-6580
Spiritual Counterfeits Project
Post Office Box 4308
Berkeley,
CA. 94704
Task Force On Missionaries And Cults Jewish Community Relations
Council of N.Y.
111 W 40th Street
New York, N.Y.
10018
212-921-5505
Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services
Cult Hot-Line
and Clinic
1651 Third Avenue
New York, New York
10028
212-860-8533
Freedom Counseling Center
1633 Old Bayshore Highway Suite
265
Burlingame, CA 94010
415-692-1430
Citizens Engaged in Reuniting Families
Jewish Community
Center
252 Soundview Avenue
White Plains, NY 10606
Options for Personal Transition
2288 Fulton Street, Suite
307
Berkeley, CA 94704
415-843-7376
Donna Hunzeker
Contact Information Center
Post Office Box
81826 Lincoln, NB 68501
617-893-0930
American Family Foundation
Post Office Box 336
Weston, MA
02193
617-893-0930
Organizations Outside The United States
Association Pour La
Defense de L'Individu et La Famille A.D.I.E
41 Rue de
Gergovie
75014 Paris, France
EA.I.R.
BCM Box 3535
Post Office Box 12
London, WC1N 3XX
Assoc. Pro Juventud Muntaner 292
Barcelona 21, Spain
Concerned Parents A.C.
Post Office Box 1806
Haifa, Israel
Assoc. Exposing Pseudo-religious Cults
Post Office Box 900
G
Melbourne, Australia 3001
Irish Family Foundation
Post Office Box 1628
Balls
Bridge
Dublin, 4, Ireland
Ministerialrat Klaus Karbe
Bundesministrerium Der
Finanzen
Rheindorfer Str. 108
D-5300 Bonn, West Germany
Pastor Friedrich W. Haack
Evan.-Luth. Kirche In Bayern
8
Munchen 50
West Germany
Helmuth K. Kohrer
Konrad-Vogel-Strabe 2a
Postfach 504,
A-402I Linz
Austria