Research, Joel Osteen, Traumatic Narcissism, Book, Scientology, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mindfulness, Meditation
Cults and Media Stereotypes: Does Media Coverage of Current and Former Cult Members Hinder Victims' Recovery?
Researcher: Dhyana Levey
I'm a graduate student from the University of Salford MSc Psychology of Coercive Control Program seeking former members of cults to survey their reactions to media coverage about cults for my dissertation research project entitled "Cults and Media Stereotypes: Does Media Coverage of Current and Former Cult Members Hinder Victims' Recovery?"
The purpose of this study is to examine whether any perceived bias or unfair coverage affects former cult members' emotional wellbeing and desire to reach out to others for mental health counselling. The hope is to understand whether media coverage encourages a stigma against people who were in cults and if that stigma hinders former members' recoveries after they have left their groups. This information could be used to educate film producers, news outlets and other media content providers about more ethical and accurate ways to portray current and former members of cults.
The televangelist net worth and colossal mansion have hit the internet along with pictures of his luxury Ferrari.
"Social media users were enraged after preacher Joel Osteen's net worth, gigantic estate and opulent Ferrari surfaced on Twitter, Sunday.
The preacher was recently spotted driving a Ferrari that reportedly costs $325,000.
Osteen's sermons are seen by more than 7 million people on TV and online. His 2004 book Your Best Life Now was on the New York Times bestseller list for over 200 weeks.
"Remember that one time Joel Osteen helped the poor instead of himself? Yeah, me neither," one angry social media user wrote.
"What would Jesus think of Joel Osteen's $325,000 Ferrari?" a second wondered.
"My take on Joel Osteen having a $325,000 Ferrari and getting a $4.4 million dollar PPP loan: Tax the f*** out of the churches," a third chimed in."
"This book looks at the trauma suffered by those in relationships with narcissists, covering topics such as surviving a cult, dysfunctional families, political dysfunction, and imbalances of power in places of work and education.
This new volume by author and psychoanalyst Daniel Shaw revisits themes from his first book, Traumatic Narcissism: Relational Systems of Subjugation. Shaw offers further reflections on the character and behavior of the traumatizing narcissist, the impact such persons have on those they abuse and exploit and the specific ways in which they instill shame and fear in those they seek to control. In addition, this volume explores, with detailed clinical material, many of the challenges mental health professionals face in finding effective ways of helping those who have suffered narcissistic abuse. From within a trauma informed, relational psychoanalytic perspective, Shaw explores themes of attachment to internalized perpetrators, self-alienation, internalized aggression, and loss of faith in the value and meaning of being alive."
This book will be especially illuminating and rewarding for mental health professionals engaged in helping patients heal and recover from complex relational trauma, and equally valuable to those individuals who have struggled with the tenacious, often crippling shame and fear that can be the result of relational trauma.
Independent: Former Church of Scientology employee apologises for obscene phone call that left mother-of-five 'scared' and 'in shock'
" ... A FORMER employee of the Church of Scientology in Dublin apologised in court to a mother of autistic children whom he had subjected to an obscene, indecent and menacing phone call.
Nathan Moore (24) apologised from the witness box at Cork Circuit Appeals Court in Skibbereen after Judge Helen Boyle ruled that the State had proven the facts of the case.
Moore of Allenton Park, Tallaght, Dublin, had denied the charge brought contrary to Section 13 (1) (a) and Section 13 (2) (a) of the Post Office (Amendments) Act 1951, relating to the alleged call made on December 4, 2017.
He had appealed a Bantry District Court conviction.
The Cork mother of five who received that call, Fiona O'Leary, recorded the entire conversation four years ago.
Moore identified himself as "Nathan" in the call and referred to Ms O'Leary a "sp***ic g**bag" and said he would "box her up and down".
She was so upset she reported the matter to Gardaí."
"Try this Latter-day Saint trivia question: Which apostle founded the seminary and institute programs, served as mission president to a future church president and helped pioneer the use of media and technology to spread the gospel message?
The answer is Joseph F. Merrill, who served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1931-1952.
Casey Griffiths referred to Elder Merrill as a "forgotten" apostle.
"Few people have ever heard of him," said Griffiths, who had no idea himself until he was a BYU graduate student in 2007. "He's probably the most important forgotten apostle that we have."
Griffiths, a Brigham Young University professor in the Department of Church History and Doctrine, has published the biography of a relatively unknown church leader titled, "Truth Seeker: The Life of Joseph F. Merrill, Scientist, Educator, and Apostle." The book's release date is July 27."
" ... A range of studies have found mindfulness to be beneficial for the people who practice it in a number of ways.
However, very little research has examined its effects on societies, workplaces and communities. As a social psychologist at the University at Buffalo, I wondered if the growing enthusiasm for mindfulness might be overlooking something important: the way practicing it might affect others.
A booming market
In just the past few years, the mindfulness industry has exploded in the U.S. Current estimates put the U.S. meditation market – which includes meditation classes, studios, and apps – at approximately US$1.2 billion. It's expected to grow to over $2 billion by 2022.
Hospitals, schools and even prisons are teaching and promoting mindfulness, while over 1 in 5 employers currently offer mindfulness training.
The enthusiasm for mindfulness makes sense: Research shows mindfulness can reduce stress, increase self-esteem and decrease symptoms of mental illness.
Given these findings, it's easy to assume that mindfulness has few, if any, downsides. The employers and educators who promote it certainly seem to think so. Perhaps they hope that mindfulness won't just make people feel better, but that it will also make them be better. That is, maybe mindfulness can make people more generous, cooperative or helpful – all traits that tend to be desirable in employees or students.
Mindfulness migrates
But in reality, there's good reason to doubt that mindfulness, as practiced in the U.S., would automatically lead to good outcomes.
In fact, it may do the opposite.
That's because it's been taken out of its context. Mindfulness developed as a part of Buddhism, where it's intimately tied up with Buddhist spiritual teachings and morality. Mindfulness in the U.S., on the other hand, is often taught and practiced in purely secular terms. It's frequently offered simply as a tool for focusing attention and improving well-being, a conception of mindfulness some critics have referred to as 'McMindfulness.'"
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