Mar 18, 2024

CultNEWS101 Articles: 3/18/2024 (Yahweh Ben Yahweh, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ, Wealthiest Pastors, Forced Marriage, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Conspiracy Theories, Indian Guru's)

Yahweh Ben Yahweh, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ, Wealthiest Pastors, Forced Marriage, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Conspiracy Theories, Indian Guru's


LMN: Escaping Evil: My Life in a Cult | Part 1
A man blindly follows god-like cult leader Yahweh Ben Yahweh even when Yahweh unleashes a bloody campaign of murders and beheadings.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has acquired ownership of the historic Kirtland Temple in Ohio as well as several other significant buildings and artifacts in a deal that cost nearly $193 million.

The Utah-based Church announced Tuesday that it received several buildings and artifacts from the Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ("RLDS").

The purchase included the Kirtland Temple, which was the first temple built by Latter-day Saints. It was left behind in the 1830s during the saints' migration west to Utah. According to the press release, the Community of Christ has legally owned the title since 1901."
"Pastors are usually associated with humility and a simple life dedicated to serving others. While some pastors choose a modest lifestyle, others amass serious riches—some as high as $780 million! They tend to inherit fortunes, pen bestsellers, captivate audiences with speeches, or navigate intricate church investments. These top-earning pastors have experienced some fascinating journeys into wealth."
"Survivors of forced marriage fear cases will remain underground, despite a new minimum-age law designed to crack down on children being married.

It comes after the minimum legal marriage age in England and Wales was increased from 16 to 18, in 2023.

A government spokesperson said child marriage "destroys lives".

One woman who was held at gunpoint and forced into marriage to her cousin at 16, said the options she had were "death or marriage."

The government's forced marriage unit (FMU) provided support and advice to 302 cases in 2022, with almost one third affecting victims who were aged 17 or under.

After London, statistics show the West Midlands has the country's highest percentage of cases, with 17%.

The FMU, set up by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office, said it gave advice to 337 cases in 2021, compared to 759 in 2020, although it stresses the data was not directly comparable.

However, campaigners say the true number of cases in the UK has been "under-reported" as some people were reluctant to approach authorities.

Karma Nirvana reported its national honour-based abuse helpline was contacted 9,616 times in 2022-23."

" ... Fozia Rashid, 39, said some people sometimes get "tricked into going abroad" but "we can't forget that not everybody comes back".

"Forced marriage, it knows no religion, it knows no colour, it doesn't care about your background," she said."

" ... [W]hile some conspiracy theories might never be disproven, others remain stubbornly persistent, despite being repeatedly shown to be false. A case in point is the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. First serialised in a St Petersburg newspaper in 1903, it purported to be the minutes of a meeting of Jewish leaders, revealing their plans to rule the world by duplicitous means.

In fact, the text was partially an adaptation of an 1864 French satirical novel, that originally had nothing to do with Jews. The Protocols were debunked by The Times in the 1920s, and in 1935 a Swiss judge ruled that they were a fake after the distributors in Switzerland had been sued by the Jewish community in the country. And yet the conspiracy theories have persisted.

"Even when they have proven to be an outright forgery, a fiction, the Protocols continue to circulate widely today," says Professor Pamela S Nadell of the American University in Washington, DC. "There is no evidence that the Jews do the things that they say in the Protocols but somehow that doesn't gain any traction."

This is a conspiracy theory that has had serious real-world consequences. "Hitler's writings were definitely drawn from The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," says Nadell. "He's blaming the Jews. He's talking about international Jewish world finance. This is a conspiracy theory that helped to fuel the Holocaust." And in more recent times the Protocols have retained their invidious power, as Nadell explained to me."

Financial Express:  Beyond Jay Shetty: Osho to Asaram – Revisiting India's controversial self-styled 'gurus' and their murky past
"While the controversy around the life-coach has made headlines, India is no stranger to self-styled gurus and their not-so-ordinary lifestyles. Some of them have been jailed, facing charges of heinous crimes, while others have been M.I.A after disturbing issues surfaced."

" ... Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: The man who became an icon for being the so-called spiritual guide to The Beatles, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was at the centre of intense media frenzy back in 1960s. The band was so much in awe of the guru that they stayed at his Rishikesh-based Ashram. But later, the 'Fab Four' and the guru parted ways. Some media accounts said that Maharishi Mahesh had allegedly made sexual advances towards Mia Farrow. According to the New York Post report, Woody Allen's ex-partner had claimed that the godman had groped her in his cave. And final conclusion came when John Lennon famouly said – 'There's no guru.'"

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Mar 16, 2024

How A Religious Movement Infiltrated An Atheist Hardcore Scene

Alan Busch
The Pit
March 16, 2024

When it comes to punk and hardcore, a nearly palpable disdain for high-handed theology has long been the party line of the scene.

More than music, these bands are traditionally known to espouse a full-throated rejection of the dogma that many had force-fed to them during their formative years. Even those who weren’t raised with religion and therefore dodged the personal indoctrination bullet can’t turn a blind eye to Bible-thumpers influencing policies that clamp down on reproductive rights, gut social services, and fan the flames of international conflicts.

Of course, there’s been a Christian hardcore scene smashing it out since the late ‘80s, parading their faith around right in the heart of a community that’s built on giving the proverbial middle finger to tradition. And then there’s hardline zealots like Vegan Reich, who somehow married the teachings of fundamentalist Islam with hardline fury. These groups have always lingered on the fringes, tolerated rather than embraced.

In the early ‘90s, a different kind of religious fervor began to snake its way into the scene, gaining a level of acceptance that was without parallel or precedent.

Invoking the serenity and communal ethos of the peace and love flower children of the 1960s, the Hare Krishnas represented a significant cultural and spiritual extension of the hippie movement. Disillusioned by the Western religious traditions they were raised in, these seekers pivoted towards the East in their quest for a form of enlightenment that promised a more profound connection with the divine and an escape from the materialistic trappings of modern society.

Easily identifiable by their distinctive shaved heads and saffron robes, Krishna devotees became a familiar sight in cities across the U.S. and Europe in decades past. They were often seen selling flowers, stickers, and spiritual literature or engaging passersby with their melodic chanting. Although walking a fine line between being labeled a cult and embraced as a legitimate religion, their peaceful, rhythmic voices and acts of kindness echoed the flower-power ethos, appealing to those seeking spirituality beyond the confines of the conventional.

In the 1980s, a unique convergence occurred as groups of straightedge hardcore kids from New York City and surrounding areas began to show an interest in the path towards enlightenment espoused by the movement. This road emphasized self-realization over sensory gratification—a principle that resonated deeply with the willful abstinence from drugs, alcohol, and casual sex that many were already practicing.

Disillusioned by the hedonism and nihilism that often surrounded people in the hardcore scene, the discipline and purpose offered by the Hare Krishna faith provided a means of personal improvement and greater meaning in life.

The origins of the Krishnacore can be traced back to New York hardcore bands like Antidote and Cause For Alarm, whose members were known to frequent Temples and openly utilized Krishna imagery in their visual art. The movement saw its ideas propelled into the wider punk consciousness with the release of Cro-Mags’ debut, The Age Of Quarrel. This seminal album drew its title from Vedic scriptures, referencing a time of widespread conflict and sin referred to as the Kali Yuga.

As the legendary hardcore band Youth of Today began to wind down in the late ‘80s, frontman Ray Cappo found himself increasingly drawn to Krishna Consciousness. This spiritual gravitation was fueled by his in-depth study of religions that embraced his vegetarian lifestyle and resonated with his straight-edge ideals. Becoming a devotee, Cappo turned into an outspoken proponent of the ideologies found within prominent Krishna texts, particularly the Bhagavad Gita.

Inspired by his newfound faith, Cappo envisioned creating a final Youth of Today album that would express his deep-seated beliefs. However, this project marked a significant departure from the band’s established aesthetic. Recognizing the distinctive nature of his latest work, Revelation Records decided to release it under a new name. This marked the birth of Shelter, a band that carried forward the established tenets of hardcore while openly infusing it with the spiritual teachings of Krishna Consciousness.

Building on his spiritual dedication and recognizing the need for a platform to promote music infused with its teachings, Ray Cappo initiated an offshoot of Revelation Records called Equal Vision. Initially envisioned as a vehicle to release Shelter’s music, this new label quickly became synonymous with the burgeoning Krishnacore scene, providing a home for bands eager to meld hardcore’s intensity with a divine message. This strategic move solidified the link between hardcore music and Krishna Consciousness while fostering a unique community within the overarching punk scene.

The rise of Shelter, under the auspices of Equal Vision Records, acted as a catalyst for a new subgenre in the early 1990s that caught the attention of both the hardcore scene and spiritual seekers. Prominent bands like 108, Inside Out, Prema, and Refuse To Fall emerged as key proponents of this movement, each contributing their distinct sounds and lyrical themes that revolved around spiritual awareness, unity, and personal enlightenment.

It… was a weird time.
https://www.wearethepit.com/2024/03/how-a-religious-movement-infiltrated-an-atheist-hardcore-scene/

Mar 15, 2024

50 killed in anti-sorcery rituals after being forced to drink "mysterious liquid," Angola officials say

CBS/AFP
March 14, 2024 

About 50 people have died in Angola after being forced to drink an herbal potion to prove they were not sorcerers, police and local officials said Thursday. The deaths occurred between January and February near the central town of Camacupa, according to Luzia Filemone, a local councilor.

Police confirmed that 50 people had died.  

Speaking to Angola National Radio broadcaster, Filemone accused traditional healers of administering the deadly concoction.

"More than 50 victims were forced to drink this mysterious liquid which, according to traditional healers, proves whether or not a person practices witchcraft," she said.

Belief in witchcraft is still common in some rural Angolan communities despite strong opposition from the church in the predominantly Catholic former Portuguese colony.

"It's a widespread practice to make people drink the supposed poison because of the belief in witchcraft," provincial police spokesperson Antonio Hossi told the radio network, warning that cases were on the rise.

Angola does not have laws against witchcraft, leaving communities to deal with the issue as they see fit.

Allegations of sorcery are often settled by traditional healers, or "marabouts," by having the accused ingest a toxic herbal drink called "Mbulungo." Death is believed by many to prove guilt.

Last year, Bishop Firmino David of Sumbe Diocese in Angola told ACI Africa that socio-economic challenges in the country are forcing some to "resort to the practice of witchcraft because they believe that with witchcraft, they can get what they want and thus free themselves from poverty and get everything they need to survive."

Firmino encouraged his fellow Angolans "to help rescue people who try to make a living from practices that are harmful to society, including witchcraft and drugs."

During a 2009 trip to Angola, Pope Benedict urged Catholics to shun witchcraft and sorcery.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/50-dead-anti-sorcery-rituals-mysterious-liquid-angola-officials/

Mar 14, 2024

Zimbabwe police rescue 251 children used as labor and find graves in religious sect compound raid

Ishmael Chokurongerwa
FARAI MUTSAKA
March 14, 2024

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe police on Wednesday said they have arrested a man claiming to be a prophet of an apostolic sect at a shrine where believers stay in a compound and authorities found 16 unregistered graves, including those of infants, and more than 250 children used as cheap labor.

In a statement, police spokesman Paul Nyathi said Ishmael Chokurongerwa, 56, a “self-styled” prophet, led a sect with more than 1,000 members at a farm about 34 kilometers (21 miles) north-west of the capital, Harare, where the children were staying alongside other believers.

The children “were being used to perform various physical activities for the benefit of the sect’s leadership,” he said. Of the 251 children, 246 had no birth certificates.

“Police established that all children of school-going age did not attend formal education and were subjected to abuse as cheap labor, doing manual work in the name of being taught life skills,” said Nyathi.

Police said among the graves they found were those of seven infants whose burials were not registered with authorities.

He said police officers raided the shrine on Tuesday. Chokurongerwa, who called himself the Prophet Ishmael, was arrested together with seven of his aides “for criminal activities which include abuse of minors.”

Nyathi said more details will be released “in due course as investigations unfold.”

A state-run tabloid, H-Metro, which accompanied police during the raid, showed police in riot gear arguing with female believers in white garments and head cloths who demanded the return of children who were put into a waiting police bus. It is not clear where police took the children, and some women who accompanied them.

“Why are they taking our children? We are comfortable here. We don’t have a problem here,” shouted one of the women in a video posted on the newspaper’s X, formerly Twitter, account.

According to the newspaper, police officers armed with guns, tear smoke and trained dogs “staged a spectacular raid” on the shrine. Believers described the compound as “their promised land.”

One of Chokurongerwa’s aides gave an interview to the newspaper.

“Our belief is not from scriptures, we got it directly from God who gave us rules on how we can enter heaven. God forbids formal education because the lessons learnt at such schools go against his dictates,” he said, adding that “God told us that it won’t rain if we send our children to school. Look at the drought out there, yet we are receiving rains here. We have the gift of a spiritual ear to hear God’s voice,” he said.

Apostolic groups that infuse traditional beliefs into a Pentecostal doctrine are popular in the deeply religious southern African country.

There has been little detailed research on Apostolic churches in Zimbabwe, but UNICEF studies estimate it is the largest religious denomination with around 2.5 million followers in a country of 15 million. Some of the groups adhere to a doctrine demanding that followers avoid formal education for their children as well as medicines and medical care for members who must instead seek healing through their faith in prayer, holy water and anointed stones.

Others have in recent years begun allowing their members to visit hospitals and enroll children in school following intense campaigns by the government and non-governmental organizations.

In April last year, police in Kenya arrested a pastor who allegedly ordered congregants to starve to death in order to meet Jesus.

The country’s top prosecutor in January ordered that the pastor, Paul Mackenzie, and over 90 people from the doomsday cult be charged with murder, cruelty, child torture and other crimes in the deaths of 429 people believed to be members of the church.

___
AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

https://apnews.com/article/religious-sect-infants-graves-children-rescued-188941df5eeead95f5f5f174e0c1d3ba?fbclid=IwAR16F_ZDEAu9uV9ux94woRkt003j9OVV4T84dQgbdT9NsW1s5H-lYuxxIQc