Bolivia expels 20 foreigners from the fictitious state of Kailasa

Los Tiempos

March 24, 2024

The General Directorate of Migration confirmed the expulsion from the country of 20 members of the fictitious state of 'Kailasa' who attempted to settle in Bolivia's indigenous territories.

The regional director of the Immigration Office in Beni, Andrea Miranda, reported that three of these individuals were in the Cayubaba community, from where they were transferred to Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

"It was verified that they had signed documents for the transfer of land in Beni, which was illegal. We filed complaints with the Public Prosecutor's Office to have them expelled. They entered the country as tourists, violating the regulations, because they had come to the country for another purpose," Miranda explained.

Then, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Immigration raided a residence in the central region and detained 17 more foreigners. All were notified and forced to leave the country between Saturday and Sunday.

Land tenants for a thousand years

According to an investigation by the newspaper El Deber , at least three indigenous communities in Bolivia signed lease agreements for 480,000 hectares of public land for "a thousand years" in exchange for an annual rent to a sect that presents itself as a state and calls itself the United States of Kailasa.

The documents, signed between September and November 2024, include territories of the Baure nation and the Cayubaba and Esse Ejja communities, located in the departments of Beni and Pando, in the heart of the Bolivian Amazon.

Calderón reported that the nationalities of those expelled are Chinese, Indian, Swedish, American, German, British, and Portuguese. He also explained that some of them entered the country in November 2024 and the majority in January of this year.

During the press conference, the Director of Immigration stated that this group attempted to deceive the indigenous population for religious and economic purposes. "They posed as members of a false religion and sought to use documents signed by leaders for their own benefit, violating the communities' good faith and collective rights," she stated.

He also revealed that the group's legal representatives attempted to stop the expulsions with a petition for release, but the court ruled in favor of the Bolivian state. "The Fourth Sentencing Court of Santa Cruz denied the protection order and confirmed that Immigration acted within the law," he stated.

“Presumed nation”

Last Friday, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry denied that the Plurinational State maintains diplomatic relations with the "alleged nation of the United States of Kailasa," which, moreover, is not recognized as a state.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within the framework of the powers recognized by Law No. 465, as the Rector of Bolivian Foreign Policy, communicates that the Plurinational State of Bolivia does not maintain diplomatic relations with the alleged nation "United States of Kailasa," which, furthermore, is not recognized as a State by any other actor of the International Community within the framework of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961," states the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kailasa, led by Hindu guru Nithyananda Paramashivam, claims to be a country with a flag, a constitution, a central bank, and passports. Although it lacks international recognition, it has managed to enter two United Nations sessions and has sought to establish relations in Ecuador, Paraguay, and Bolivia.

https://www.lostiempos.com/actualidad/pais/20250324/bolivia-expulsa-20-extranjeros-del-estado-ficticio-kailasa

PLOS: Religiousness, sexual orientation, and depression among emerging adults in U.S. higher education: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study

Hans Oh, G. Tyler Lefevor, Edward B. Davis, Anna Zhu, Yaofang Hu, Trevor A. Pickering, Ai Koyanagi, Lee Smith

PLOS

"Religiousness has long been found beneficial for mental health, although its protective effects may be attenuated for sexual minorities. We sought to examine the associations between religiousness and depression and whether these associations were moderated by religious affiliation and/or sexual orientation. We analyzed the dataset (N = 103,161 undergraduate and graduate students) from the Healthy Minds Study (2020-2021), which was an online survey administered at 140 higher education institutions across the United States. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between religiousness (religious affiliation and importance) and depression, adjusting for age, gender identity, and race/ethnicity. We tested for effects moderated by religious affiliation and/or sexual orientation. Associations between religious importance and depression varied across sexual minority groups (gay/lesbian, bisexual, or other) and religious affiliations, although the differences across sexual minority groups were only statistically significant among Catholic students. Broadly, among Christian students, higher religious importance was associated with lower odds of depression, but this protective association was only evident among heterosexual students (and not among sexual minority students). Higher religious importance was also associated with lower odds of depression among Muslim students, but again this effect was only present among heterosexual students. Among students who identified as Hindu or Catholic, religious importance was associated with lower odds of depression among students who identified as heterosexual or queer/questioning/other. Among those who identified as Buddhist or Mormon, religious importance was associated with greater odds of depression for bisexual students. In conclusion, religiousness was associated with lower odds of depression for young adults generally. This association was moderated by sexual orientation, showing often weaker or non-significant effects among sexual minorities, depending on sexual orientation and religious affiliation."

Citation: Oh H, Lefevor GT, Davis EB, Zhu A, Hu Y, Pickering TA, et al. (2025) Religiousness, sexual orientation, and depression among emerging adults in U.S. higher education: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study. PLOS Ment Health 2(3): e0000004. doi:10.1371/journal.pmen.0000004

Editor: Kyle Tan, The University of Waikato, NEW ZEALAND

Received: December 27, 2023; Accepted: January 31, 2025; Published: March 26, 2025

Copyright: © 2025 Oh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: The HMS data are available upon request at: https://healthymindsnetwork.org/hms/.

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000004

CultNEWS101 Articles: 3/28/2025 (Mindfulness, Event, Meditation, Research)

Mindfulness, Event, Meditation, Research

BDG: Metta's Gardening Leave

" ... I kept asking myself why information on the adverse effects of meditation was little known or discussed in meditation circles. With each new interview I listened to, it dawned on me that such transparency would probably be bad for the mindfulness "brand." It was oddly comforting to discover that the "fight to the death" manner in which I was interrogated and then abruptly asked to leave the center practically had a playbook. It also gave me new compassion that what had appeared as service-to-self indifference in those around me was possibly due to dissociation or even addiction to meditation.

Dr. Willoughby Britton's name came up again and again in these interviews, as well as that of Cheetah House, the non-profit organization she had founded to support people struggling with the adverse effects of meditation. Far from being anti-meditation, her work and interviews emphasize informed consent, and that the right meditation technique is a tool for the individual rather than a cure-all to be overused and even weaponized. It is a given that any medication can have side effects, yet somehow this is often ignored in the case of meditation. One person's medicine can be another's poison. These ancient practices were not designed with the modern-day aim of relaxation in mind.

These findings confirmed and challenged my thinking and understanding of my own meditation practice and experiences, and it was hardly surprising to hear Dr. Britton share some of the vicious backlash that she's endured as a consequence—to the point of building herself an off-grid cabin in the woods of Vermont to retreat to as needed.

The biggest "aha!" was hearing Dr. Britton liken choosing a meditation practice to choosing a life partner, and the importance of being aware that you both will change with time. Many people that Cheetah House supports had entered a meditation tradition for specific reasons, only to find that these traditions had slowly morphed over time to fit the agenda of a teacher, center, or sangha. Anyone who struggled with their practice or questioned this drift was either told to meditate more or flat-out dismissed."

Cheetah House: Does mindfulness suit all kinds of minds?

"An exploration of neurodiversity and the evidence on mindfulness for autistic adults.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Kelly Birtwell is a counsellor and mindfulness teacher, and currently works as a Research Fellow in the Centre for Primary Care & Health Services Research at the University of Manchester, UK. Her research focuses on two main areas: mindfulness for underserved groups, and the health and wellbeing of autistic adults.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will gain a general understanding of neurodiversity, and the evidence on mindfulness-based interventions for autistic adults.

• Participants will acquire principles and concepts that can be applied to their professional practice.

• Participants will gain critical thinking and appraisal skills by learning to assess the strengths and limitations of the research on mindfulness for autistic adults.

Abstract: Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in the way that human minds work. However, we live in a world that is more often than not designed to suit the average or 'neurotypical' mind. Those of us who diverge from this culturally constructed norm are 'neurodivergent'. This includes people who are dyslexic, ADHD, autistic, and have synaesthesia, among many other types of neurodivergence. Mindfulness is widely used across the general population, yet does it suit those of us with different kinds of minds, and autistic individuals in particular? This talk will explore neurodiversity, the impact of language and terminology on mindfulness course participants, and what it means to be autistic, including masking and the double empathy problem. Dr. Birtwell will present a critical overview of the research on mindfulness for autistic adults, and adaptations that can be made to mindfulness-based interventions to improve their accessibility for autistic individuals."

Psyche: In therapy or meditation, is it normal to feel worse at first?

" ... In a recent analysis of nearly 900 meditators, my colleagues and I found that 58 per cent had experienced an unexpected, negative event that they attributed to the practice. Among the most common of these adverse effects were the recurrence of distressing thoughts or images, anxiety, bodily tension or pressure, exhaustion or fatigue, and feeling socially disconnected. Estimates of adverse effects in psychotherapy are similar in type and occurrence. The recurrence of unpleasant memories is the most common. Sleep problems and feeling more stressed, worried or generally unpleasant are also relatively frequent. Together, these findings underscore that many people experience at least temporary negative effects from undertakings that are fundamentally intended to provide help."

The Guardian: Dining across the divide: 'She casts meditation as a cult. I don't think retreats mean harm'

They bonded over studying languages and becoming teachers. Would they see eye to eye on meditating?

" ... Lizzie  [said] I was encouraged to get into meditation at university, which provided mindfulness programmes. Through those, I went on a retreat, which prompted some significant problems. I've had harrowing experiences, with very negative, long-lasting impacts. I'd say they were some of the worst experiences that can be had with meditation. I was involved with it for about four years; it was another two before I felt normal again. A certain percentage of people are wired in a certain way, and will not respond well – how do we safeguard young people from that possibility? Data suggests we should have increased concerns about mindfulness interventions, whether they're with adults or children. Obviously the risks are greater with intensive retreats, but courses are still a cause for concern."

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Dr. Mara Einstein visits Seton Hall following the release of her book, “Hoodwinked"

Dominique Mercadante

The Setonian

March 26, 2025

   

Dr. Mara Einstein, an author and professor at Queens College (CUNY), visited Seton Hall on March 19 to discuss her latest book, “Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults.”

Einstein worked in advertising and marketing for five years before she received her Ph.D. in media. For the past 30 years, she has conducted research and written books about the dark side of marketing, specifically how marketers trap people into buying things they don’t need.

Earlier this year, Einstein released her eighth book, “Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults.” The book was inspired by documentaries she watched during the COVID-19 lockdown from her home in Queens, New York, according to Einstein.

“Every morning, I went downstairs, got on my elliptical, and I [watched] various documentary series,” Einstein said. “Two I started watching back to back are ‘The Vow,’ which is about the NXIVM cult, and ‘LuLaRich,’ which is about LuLaRoe.”

After watching the two documentaries side-by-side, Einstein had a realization. 

“I said, ‘Holy cow, those are the same thing we're talking about,’” Einstein said. “The first one is about a cult. One's about multi-level marketing. Those two things are the same thing.” 

This realization led Einstein to new research: multi-level marketing. She said she spent three years researching this topic, finding that she was not the first person to have this realization. She redirected her focus. 

“I took a step back and said, ‘Okay, what do I know about the intersection of marketing and cults, and brands?’” Einstein said. “I had done work on brand cults, starting back in 2012 when I wrote my book, ‘Compassion, Inc.,’ and so I began to think, is there a broader way for us to think about the intersections of cults and marketing?” 

Throughout her presentation, Einstein emphasized that brands aid in identity creation as they help define who we are. They tap into our want to be a part of a community. Marketers use cult tactics for this reason, according to Einstein.

“There are specific tools that cults use as part of their recruitment and retention tactics, and there's a series of about nine of them,” Einstein said. “It is almost one-for-one, [brands use] the same pattern that cults use.”

She added that companies manipulate us into buying their products, making us feel that we need to fill a void that only they can fill. Einstein referred to her research that it is a new way of thinking about how marketers grab us by the throat to get us to buy.

“I was recently in the documentary, ‘Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy,’ and it's all about how companies manipulate us to get us to buy things,” Einstein said. “[My book] is in conversation with that documentary to say that we need to think about why we are buying. What is that hole that exists in us that is telling us that we need to fill [it]?”

She explained how the methods companies use to influence people to buy their products resemble how cults convince people to join them by playing with their need to be in a community.

“What cults fundamentally do is to play on our need for being part of a community, and so because there are so few places where we find a community, now, the marketplace has come in to fill that void for us, and at the extreme, those turn into cults,” Einstein said.

But, Einstein emphasized, that doesn’t mean everything around us is a cult.

“If something is a cult, it doesn't mean that everybody who interacts with the product is part of the group that is the cult,” Einstein said. “The rule of thumb for advertising is that 20% of the people buy 80% of your products, so…somewhere in that 20% are the people that you're going to find that are going to be part of the cult.” 

Dr. Ruth Tsuria, an associate professor of communication, invited Einstein to Seton Hall to discuss her book for an event hosted by the Institute for Communication and Religion (ICR). Einstein said that the two have been friends for more than a decade.

“I love the kind of work that Dr Einstein does. I think it's really influential,” Tsuria said. “When her book came out, [Einstein] asked me to review the book, and the moment I finished reading it, I was like, she needs to talk [at Seton Hall].” 

Tsuria said that both she and Einstein are members of the International Society for Media, Religion, and Culture. Tsuria is also a part of Seton Hall’s ICR, which is dedicated to the exploration of communication topics important to religion in society within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media. 

Tsuria said that the most important message she took away from Einstein’s book was about anxiety and knowing that there are intentional tactics when we use social media.

“We're harming ourselves,” Tsuria said. “[We should think critically] about those needs that we have as religious beings…and how, when we fill that gap with friends or influencers. We have to remember that those relationships are made based on financial benefit for them, not for us.” 

Dominique Mercadante is the head editor of The Setonian’s Campus Life section. She can be reached at dominique.mercadante@student.shu.edu.

https://www.thesetonian.com/article/2025/03/mara-einstein-visits-seton-hall

CultNEWS101 Articles 3/27/2025 (Term Cult, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Book Review, Fountaingrove, Jehovah's Witnesses, Canada, Legal)

Term Cult, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Book Review, Fountaingrove, Jehovah's Witnesses, Canada, Legal

NY Post: Cults like us': Why cults are as American as apple pie

" ... 'The word cult conjures a mental picture: a group of beautiful young people dancing trancelike in the sun, probably aspiring actors in Los Angeles who took a wrong turn at the beach and landed in an orgy.'

But that image couldn't be further from the truth and in "Cults Like Us" Borden charts not just the murky history of cult ideologies in America, but how the country remains a breeding ground for cult-like thinking.

"It informs our suppositions about American identity and our very understanding of the immutable self," she writes. "It undergirds every vote, purchase, prejudice, and social-media post. Like fish that don't know water, we swim through it without recognition."

Ever since the Pilgrim Fathers arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 with almost cultish puritanical beliefs, the nation has been susceptible to cult ideologies.

"But their Puritan doomsday beliefs didn't go away; they became American culture," she says."

People: Teen Escaped a Cult After a Forced Marriage to a Stranger. Her Husband Did Too — Then They Fell in Love

"Angela and Cade Johnson were married at a laundromat in 2003 when she was 16 and he was 19.

They exchanged vows not by choice, but because the notorious polygamist cult they grew up in — the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints — forced them to do so.

The cult Angela and Cade were born into made headlines when its infamous "prophet" and leader Warren Jeffs was accused by numerous young victims — including his own children — of molesting them.

Named one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted after fleeing the cult to avoid arrest, Jeffs, now 69, was finally taken into custody in Las Vegas in 2006. He was convicted five years later of two counts of child sex abuse and sentenced to life in prison.

Because of the tumult in the church at the time, "We didn't have too much to do with him," Angela says. "But if you've ever met him, he's just a creep. Full of arrogance."

She didn't like how girls and teens in the cult were forced to wed men they didn't know. One man she knew had 24 wives."

Oxford Academic: Unholy Sensations: A Story of Sex, Scandal, and California's First Cult Scare

"Unholy Sensations tells the forgotten but fascinating story of a sex scandal that erupted in the 1890s around a multiracial spiritualist colony called Fountaingrove in northern California. Out of the scandal came a new kind of public menace—what newspapers called the "cult." The Fountaingrove sex scandal helped establish for the first time popular ideas of "cults": groups or movements that violated religious, familial, and sexual norms to such an extent that they seemed dangerous to the dominant moral order. Thomas Lake Harris, the leader of Fountaingrove, became the archetype of the villainous "cult leader," supposedly brainwashing and manipulating his followers through his powerful charisma. The Fountaingrove scandal also established California as a breeding ground for cults, a reputation that remains strong today. Throughout the 1890s, the scandal's twists and turns captivated the public with a volatile mix of sex, religion, and racial exoticism due to the presence of Japanese immigrant men at Fountaingrove. From the Fountaingrove scandal onward, calling a group a cult was to mark it as outside religious, racial, sexual, and gender norms, all at the same time. Unholy Sensations tracks the emergence of the "cult" as a cultural concept while exploring the lived day-to-day realities of the Fountaingrove colonists, their beliefs, and their sexual practices, as well as considering the motives of those who attacked Harris and the colony."

Oak Bay News: Grand Forks Jehovah's Witnesses lose privacy law appeal

Court rules against Jehovah's Witness appeal to withhold former congregants' personal information.

"An appeal by the Jehovah's Witnesses in Grand Forks over holding the personal information of two former congregation members has been dismissed and is being hailed as a victory for the privacy rights of individuals.

The B.C. Court of Appeal ruled unanimously on March 21, that B.C.'s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) did not infringe on the religious freedom rights of two congregations of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case started in June 2022, when two former Jehovah's Witnesses requested access to their personal information under the control of the Grand Forks and Coldstream congregations. The congregations and their elders have fought to keep certain information, arguing disclosing these records would violate their Charter right of religious freedom.

An appeal by the Jehovah's Witnesses in Grand Forks over holding the personal information of two former congregation members has been dismissed and is being hailed as a victory for the privacy rights of individuals.

The B.C. Court of Appeal ruled unanimously on March 21, that B.C.'s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) did not infringe on the religious freedom rights of two congregations of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case started in June 2022, when two former Jehovah's Witnesses requested access to their personal information under the control of the Grand Forks and Coldstream congregations. The congregations and their elders have fought to keep certain information, arguing disclosing these records would violate their Charter right of religious freedom. "

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CultNEWS101 Articles: 3/26/2025 (Legal, Canada, Dera Sacha Sauda, Twin Flames)

Legal, Canada,  Dera Sacha Sauda, Twin Flames

City News: B.C. court voids 'cult' marriage, finding woman didn't 'truly consent'

"A British Columbia judge has annulled the marriage of a woman to a fellow member of an India-based "cult group," saying she didn't "truly consent" to the 2023 wedding.

The B.C. Supreme Court ruling issued this week says Arshnoor Kaur Jaura claimed she was manipulated and overwhelmed by a "barrage" of overtures from Napinder Singh Jaura and his family that began in October 2022.

The ruling by Justice Ian Caldwell says the woman was an 18-year-old permanent resident in Canada when she was first contacted by the man, who lived in New Zealand and was around 32.

The ruling says she did not wish to marry but the man and his family "persisted," bringing a "sacred food gift" to her workplace and claiming the union was "blessed" by a priest of the Dera Sacha Sauda religious group.

The man's sister warned that refusing the marriage would invite "the wrath" of the religious community.

Caldwell's ruling found the marriage "voidable," saying the man "pursued, harassed, and perhaps even stalked" the teenager who was under duress when the wedding occurred in Abbotsford, B.C.

The ruling says the woman had finally agreed to marry on April 25, 2023, and was picked up from work the next day by Singh Jaura's relative.

She was driven to a home where a Punjabi wedding suit was waiting for her, and the ceremony happened that day without her family present.

CTV:  We're Not a Cult: Inside Twin Flames Universe

Accused cult leaders deny allegations of brainwashing, forced labour and coercing followers to change genders. Special W5 Investigation with Avery Haines.

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A court orders the Unification Church in Japan dissolved

MARI YAMAGUCHI

AP

March 25, 2025

"The Unification Church in Japan was ordered dissolved by a court Tuesday after a government request spurred by the investigation into the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The church said it was considering an immediate appeal of the Tokyo District Court’s revocation of its legal status, which would take away its tax-exempt privilege and require liquidation of its assets.

The order followed a request by Japan’s Education Ministry in 2023 to dissolve the influential South Korea-based sect, citing manipulative fundraising and recruitment tactics that sowed fear among followers and harmed their families.

In the ruling, the court said the church’s problems were extensive and continuous, and a dissolution order is necessary because it is not likely it could voluntarily reform, according to NHK television.

"“We believe our claims were accepted,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshiasa Hayashi told reporters. He added that government will continue efforts to support victims of the church.

The Japanese branch of the church had criticized the request as a serious threat to religious freedom and the human rights of its followers.

The church called the court order regrettable and unjust and said in a statement the court’s decision was based on “a wrong legal interpretation and absolutely unacceptable.”

The investigation into Abe’s assassination revealed decades of cozy ties between the South Korea-based church and Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party. The church obtained legal status as a religious organization in Japan in the 1960s during an anti-communist movement supported by Abe’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.

The man accused of killing Abe resented the church and blamed it for his family’s financial troubles.

The church, which officially calls itself the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, is the first religious group subject to a revocation order based on violations of Japan’s civil code. Two earlier case involved criminal charges — the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system, and Myokakuji group, whose executives were convicted of fraud.

To seek the church’s dissolution, the Education Ministry had submitted 5,000 documents and pieces of evidence to the court, based on interviews with more than 170 people.

The church tried to steer its followers’ decision-making, using manipulative tactics, making them buy expensive goods and donate beyond their financial ability and causing fear and harm to them and their families, seriously deviating from the law on religious groups, officials and experts say.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs said the settlements reached in or outside court exceeded 20 billion yen ($132 million) and involved more than 1,500 people.

A group of lawyers who have represented people suing the church welcomed the court decision as a major first step toward redress. They demanded an apology and compensation from the church as soon as possible.

The church, founded in Seoul in 1954, a year after the end of the Korean War, by the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the self-proclaimed messiah who preached new interpretations of the Bible and conservative, family-oriented value systems.

It developed relations with conservative world leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as his predecessors Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

The church faced accusations in the 1970s and 1980s of using devious recruitment tactics and brainwashing adherents into turning over huge portions of their salaries to Moon. In Japan, the group has faced lawsuits for offering “spiritual merchandise” that allegedly caused members to buy expensive art and jewelry or sell their real estate to raise donations for the church.

The church has acknowledged excessive donations but says the problem has lessened since the group stepped up compliance in 2009.

Experts say Japanese followers are asked to pay for sins committed by their ancestors during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, and that the majority of the church’s worldwide funding comes from Japan.

https://apnews.com/article/japan-unification-church-dissolution-d5e1fdf3cb671d6ffeb45d75620ef8b2

CultNEWS101 Articles: 3/25/2025 (Jehovah's Witnesses, Legal, Brazil, Legionaries of Christ, Book Review, 764)

Jehovah's Witnesses, Legal, Brazil, Legionaries of Christ, Book Review, 764

Correio: Former Jehovah's Witnesses prepare lawsuit against religious organization in Brazil

"Former members of Jehovah's Witnesses are gathering documents to sue the religious organization in Brazil, accusing it of practices such as covering up cases of pedophilia, pressuring people to avoid higher education, public humiliation and what they call "inducing suicide" — referring to the prohibition of blood transfusions, even in life-threatening situations. The lawsuit, which could include up to 28 dissidents, seeks compensation for moral damages. The information was released in a report by UOL.

Among the main complaints is the practice of ostracism, which forces believers to cut ties with family and friends who leave the religion. This policy led Norway to cancel the church's registration in the country in 2021, a fact that inspired Brazilian dissidents to seek similar measures here. "It's as if I had been buried alive," says Ester Lopes Bueno, 42, who has not spoken to her family since leaving the church in 2019.

Reports of sexual abuse are also common among former members. Psychologist Lucas Vasconcelos, 24, claims he was molested at age 15 by a church leader who made him drunk until he lost consciousness. When he woke up, he says he found marks of abuse on his body. Journalism student Mirela Costa, 25, reports having been sexually abused at ages 10 and 12 by two church members and says she was not treated as a victim. "The second time, they asked me if I wasn't in love with the abuser," she says.

The organization, in turn, denies the accusations. In a statement, it stated that it considers sexual abuse "a malicious and repugnant act" and that it complies with the law by reporting cases to the authorities. Regarding ostracism, it argues that "followers should limit contact with the person who is removed from the congregation." Regarding the prohibition of blood transfusions, spokesman Laércio Ninelli highlighted that the practice is based on "biblical instruction" and has been recognized as a right by the Supreme Federal Court (STF).

Another point of conflict is the devaluation of higher education. The organization discourages believers from attending college, claiming that this could expose them to "moral and spiritual dangers." Lara Prado, 27, who left the church at 23, regrets not having followed her dream of studying history or journalism. "I lost everyone I knew. And, most of all, I lost my mother. She is alive, but she treats me as if I were dead," she says.

The lawsuit is also expected to address the ban on blood transfusions, which the dissidents call "inducing suicide." Jacira Araújo, 72, showed a notarized document in which she renounces the procedure. "I have legalized my death in a notarized document. This is a sacrifice of life," she said. Ninelli countered, stating that refusing a transfusion is a guaranteed right and that the church does not induce suicide.

The organization maintains its position, stating that the accusations come from "people making false and slanderous statements." Meanwhile, former members remain mobilized, seeking justice and reparations for the impacts they claim to have suffered."

Readers House: Kevin O'Sullivan Shares His Journey of Resilience, Writing, and Psychological Insight

"From Ireland to Australia: A Journey of Self-Discovery

Kevin O'Sullivan discusses his literary journey, from A Good Boy to Cheaper than Therapy, sharing insights on storytelling, psychology, resilience, and the power of reclaiming one's narrative through writing.

Kevin O'Sullivan is a writer of remarkable depth and honesty, a storyteller who weaves together personal history, psychological insight, and an unflinching curiosity about the human experience. His work spans poetry, memoir, and fiction, each piece infused with a profound understanding of the resilience of the human spirit. Born and raised in Ireland, Kevin's journey has taken him across continents—from the strict confines of a religious order to the liberating landscapes of Australia, where he now calls home.

His memoir A Good Boy (Atelier Books, 2022) is an extraordinary account of survival, self-discovery, and the courage to break free from an oppressive past. In it, he recounts his early years in the Legionaries of Christ and his eventual escape, a story that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. His forthcoming second volume, Cheaper than Therapy, promises to be just as compelling, chronicling the formative years that shaped his path as a psychologist and writer.

Beyond his literary pursuits, Kevin has spent decades as a clinical and forensic psychologist, bringing the same depth of empathy and understanding to his therapeutic work as he does to his writing. His insight into the human psyche, shaped by both personal trials and professional expertise, makes his reflections on belief, resilience, and identity especially compelling."

The Fifth Estate: Exposing 764: On the trail of an extremist 'cult' of online predators (video)

"'764/ is a global cult of online predators — many are teenagers targeting vulnerable children. They coerce minors to self-harm and have even plotted acts of mass violence. Police are struggling to contain what's being called a growing terror threat."

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources about: cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations, and related topics.

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The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not mean that Patrick Ryan or Joseph Kelly agree with the content. We provide information from many points of view to promote dialogue.

Please forward articles that you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.

Thanks,

Ashlen Hilliard (ashlen.hilliard.wordpress@gmail.com)

Joe Kelly (joekelly411@gmail.com)

Patrick Ryan (pryan19147@gmail.com)

CultNEWS101 Articles: 3/24/2025 (Video, Scientology, Jehovah's Witnesses, LDS, Event, Traumatizing Narcissists, Dan Shaw)

Video, Scientology, Jehovah's Witnesses, LDS, Event, Traumatizing Narcissists, Dan Shaw

Melissa Dougherty: Scientology: The Most Bizarre Cult in America

"Scientology is an odd religion (If it is even a religion). My friend Lindsey Medenwaldt knows a ridiculously random amount of information about this religion. So, naturally, I couldn't resist luring her onto my channel to spill the tea on all things Scientology. Where did this "religion" come from? What do they believe? And why are so many celebrities a part of the most bizarre cult in America?"

Stop The Shunning: CENSORED: 10 Things Jehovah's Witnesses Can't Say

Mormon Discussion Inc.: Latter-day Saint Insider Exposes Secret Surveillance!

"In this ... episode, a former Mormon Church employee who worked with confidential records and the Strengthening Church Members Committee (SCMC) comes forward to expose the behind-the-scenes machinations of the LDS Church. From secret surveillance of members to how the Church tracks and manages dissent, to how the Church handles those who ask their names to be removed, this insider reveals ... details that the Church doesn't want you to know."

Event: The Rise of the Traumatizing Narcissists  (Dan Shaw)

Saturday, March 29th, 10am -1pm EST, Zoom

About the Event: The world is witnessing a surge of nationalist cults led by authoritarian demagogues who combine sociopathy with narcissism—malignant narcissists. Daniel Shaw developed the theory of traumatic narcissism from his experience with cult leaders and followers. After working with patients who described relationships similar to cult dynamics, Shaw profiled the traumatizing narcissist and how they use undue influence to subjugate and exploit others.

Shaw explores the traumatizing narcissist's "delusion of omnipotence" and outlines eight controlling behaviors they use to construct systems of subjugation. Anticipating his third book on the topic, Shaw's presentation will clarify for clinicians how to identify traumatizing narcissists and address challenges when working with their subjugated victims.

As more patients report abuse by unregulated figures—coaches, wellness gurus, psychics, healers, and facilitators of psychedelic journeys—the need for clinicians and patients to understand who the traumatizing narcissist is, what they do, and why they do it has never been greater.

REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-rise-of-traumatizing-narcissists-tickets-1022891314457

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources about: cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations, and related topics.

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The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not mean that Patrick Ryan or Joseph Kelly agree with the content. We provide information from many points of view to promote dialogue.

Please forward articles that you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.

Thanks,

Ashlen Hilliard (ashlen.hilliard.wordpress@gmail.com)

Joe Kelly (joekelly411@gmail.com)

Patrick Ryan (pryan19147@gmail.com)

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