CultNEWS101 Articles: 12/16/2016 (Opus Dei, Satanic Temple, Bikram Choudhury, Church of Wells, Scientology, Catholic Church, Regnum Christi,​Legionaries of Christ, Abuse-sexual, Abuse-child, legal, Obituary, Hungary, India)

Opus Dei, Satanic Temple, Bikram Choudhury, Church of Wells, Scientology, Catholic Church, ​Legionaries of Christ, Abuse-sexual, legal, Obituary,

​Hungary,​

 India

​GMX: ​Opus Dei boss Javier Echevarría is dead

"The controversial Catholic faith movement Opus Dei loses its leader: The Spanish priest Javier Echevarría died in Rome at the age of 84 years."

https://www.gmx.net/magazine/panorama/opus-dei-chef-javier-echevarria-tot-32058874

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Catholic​ News Agency: Leader of Opus Dei dies at 84

"Bishop Javier Echevarría Rodríguez, the Prelate of Opus Dei, died Monday evening at the age of 84 in Rome, several days after being hospitalized with pneumonia."

http://www.cultnews101.com/2016/12/leader-of-opus-dei-dies-at-84.html

​Jezebel: ​Satanic Temple Declares That Its Members Are Exempt From Ohio's Odious 'Heartbeat' Abortion Bill

“To us, the heartbeat is irrelevant to the claim of personhood,” TST spokesperson Lucien Greaves explains. “We do not advocate for a belief in the soul, therefore we feel that complex cerebral functions necessary for perception are what makes a person a person. The non-viable fetus (a fetus that cannot survive outside the woman’s body) is, we feel, a part of the woman’s own body, and it is her choice whether or not she continues the pregnancy.”

http://jezebel.com/satanic-temple-declares-that-their-members-are-exempt-f-1790005322

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American Bazaar: Yoga guru Bikram Choudhury settles sexual harassment lawsuit by former student

"Indian American yoga guru Bikram Choudhury and one of his former female students have settled a sexual harassment lawsuit, in which the victim alleged her teacher made unwanted sexual advances toward her."

http://www.cultnews101.com/2016/12/yoga-guru-bikram-choudhury-settles_12.html

​NewsWest9:​ Angelina County judge finds Church of Wells member guilty of disorderly conduct

"Taylor Clifton, 24, of Wells, was accused of disrupting the 2015 Lufkin Christmas Parade. On Friday, Judge Derrick Flournoy found Clifton not guilty of the municipal charge of interfering with an event but was found guilty of disorderly conduct."

http://www.cultnews101.com/2016/12/angelina-county-judge-finds-church-of.html

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Clarus Animus Foundation​

​: THE HUNGARIAN DATA PROTECTION AGENCY RAIDS SCIENTOLOGY OFFICES

"The Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Has Launched an Investigation into the Data Processing Practices of the Scientology Religious Association of Hungary.​"

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"​As part of the investigation launched by the Authority, an on-site inspection was conducted at the central Budapest offices of the organization, as well as at its mission in Nyíregyháza. In the course of the inspection, the Authority seized electronic data storage devices and paper-based documents. The Authority shall inform the public about the results of its investigation.​"​

http://clarusanimus.eu/en/2016/12/11/dataprotectionagencyraid/

Deccan Herald​: Kerala priest gets double life term for raping minor

"A 41-year-old Catholic priest was on Thursday sentenced to double life imprisonment after he was convicted for raping a minor girl. A special court in Ernakulam also ruled that Fr Edwin Figarez, who was vicar at the Lourdes Matha Church in Puthenvelikkara in Ernakulam district, will have to pay a fine of Rs 2.15 lakh. He will serve the two life terms concurrently."

http://m.deccanherald.com/articles.php?name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.deccanherald.com%2Fcontent%2F585578%2Fkerala-priest-gets-double-life.html

​Bloomberg: ​Mysterious Bond Billionaire Offers Rare Look at Finances

"Raised in Monterrey in northern Mexico, Martinez joined Regnum Christi, a group affiliated with the 

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Legionaries of Christ, a scandal-plagued Roman Catholic order that once counted Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest person, among its benefactors."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-12/mysterious-bond-market-billionaire-offers-rare-look-at-finances

Angelina County judge finds Church of Wells member guilty of disorderly conduct

By Caleb Beames
December 12, 2016
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE)

A Church of Wells member was found guilty of disorderly conduct by an Angelina County judge on Friday for an incident at the 2015 Lufkin Christmas Parade.

Taylor Clifton, 24, of Wells, was accused of disrupting the 2015 Lufkin Christmas Parade. On Friday, Judge Derrick Flournoy found Clifton not guilty of the municipal charge of interfering with an event but was found guilty of disorderly conduct.

Prosecutor Clyde Herrington said Clifton was fined $100 for the incident. Clinton was released from the Angelina County Jail on Dec. 1, 2015 after he posted a bail amount of $1,000.

According to a previous story, on Monday Nov. 30, 2015, Clifton was heard yelling, "He doesn't want you to burn" and "it is an abomination," during pauses in the parade.

According to Lufkin police, dispatch received several calls from parade-goers that Clifton and other members were yelling and following attendees, even walking in front of floats.

When officers arrived near East Shepherd Avenue and First Street, they confronted church members and explained they could continue sharing their message as long as they didn't disrupt the parade. All the members complied, except for Clifton, who proceeded to yell, upsetting parents of young children frightened by the display.

Two officers attempted to calm Clifton and the parents, but Clifton refused to comply and was taken into custody.

"We arrested him just as much for his own safety," said LPD Corporal Dale Dodd. "Several people were in his face, trying to fight him. One member of the church was assaulted, but he said he didn't want to file charges."

After the parade, at least two church members began yelling at people on First Street outside of Standpipe Coffee House, upsetting many.

Some parade-goers confronted the church members and asked them why they were ruining the parade.

“This was a hard case,” Herrington said. “We didn’t have a lot of the civilian witnesses. The police didn’t get there until a lot of stuff had already gone on. Hopefully we don’t have this happen at a parade again. I am a Christian but I am afraid these people are doing harm. They are offending people and making them mad.”

http://www.newswest9.com/story/34031082/angelina-county-judge-finds-church-of-wells-member-guilty-of-disorderly-conduct

Family fears son was targeted by cult in Downtown Austin

Kris Betts
KVUE
November 4, 2016

A Georgetown family is pleading for their son to return home after learning he left Austin with members of a church that many believe may be a cult in East Texas.
It all started on Halloween night when 27-year-old Jordan Reichenberger told his family he was going to Downtown Austin to preach the Bible.
It was something Jordan regularly did with the organization Jesus Crew, according to his brother, Ian Reichenberger.
"On Sunday he mentioned to my grandma 'Hey pray for me Monday night.’ She said ‘why?’ He said ‘Halloween, I'm going downtown for Jesus Crew,’” Ian explained.

Several days later, however, Ian got a text from his dad that would change his whole world.
"My dad texted me saying 'have you heard from Jordan?' And so I called him and I was like ‘he didn't come home last night?’ He said no, he didn't come home for two nights."
Panicked and fearing the worst, the family sprang into action, calling the Georgetown Police Department. Detectives were able to track his phone.
"His phone had pinged at 5:30 a.m. (Tuesday) outside of Dime Box, Texas,” said Ian. Dime Box is a city in East Texas about an hour outside of Austin.
At the same time, Ian and his family began looking for video from bars and restaurants in Downtown Austin to see if they could confirm that Jordan had made it to Sixth Street Monday night.
Thanks to Iron Cactus, they found Jordan on camera walking with another man after the bars closed.
"There he is with the man in plaid and this guy in a hood at 2:47 a.m,” Ian pointed out, saying his brother then walks off with the man in plaid.
Ian searched through other videos posted on YouTube for any sighting of Jordan or the man in plaid and found one from a live video stream uploaded to YouTube.
About 21 minutes into that video you can see who Ian believes is the same man in plaid preaching to a man in a clown costume. The man in the clown costume angrily yells at the man in plaid about Christianity.
After watching both videos, Ian called an expert with the Heidi Search Foundation in San Antonio. The foundation’s executive director Dottie Laster specializes in finding missing persons.
"When I explained to Dottie that my brother left with a man in a plaid shirt, she said 'oh no, that sounds like the Church of Wells,'” said Ian.
The Church of Wells in East Texas has made national headlines before. An Arkansas family claimed their daughter Catherine Grove was brainwashed by the church.
Many have accused the Church of Wells as operating like a cult. Often, their members are cut off from friends and family if they do not support the church’s teachings.
Jordan's family's fears were confirmed on Thursday when they finally heard from him.
According to Ian, Jordan told him over the phone that “I don't think it's my time to leave yet” when Ian pleaded with him to return home.
Jordan also sent a text to several people that read “Do not fear for me my friend. I have decided to follow Jesus and forsake all; please forgive any pain or grief I have caused you.”
Now when Ian or his family tries to reach Jordan by phone, they get a message saying his voicemail is full and cannot accept any more messages.
Ian is praying that his brother hears their pleas and returns home.
"We love you, we miss you, we want you back Jordan."
The Sheriff in Wells, Texas checked on Jordan Thursday evening but told the family that because he is an adult and does not appear to be harmed, there is nothing they can do to forcibly bring him home.

http://www.kvue.com/mb/news/local/family-fears-son-was-targeted-by-cult-in-downtown-austin/347514678

Here’s why members of this creepy cult of screaming Christians keep getting arrested

SARAH K. BURRIS
Raw Story
April 12, 2016

Members of a controversial East Texas church seem to have taken the idea of a Crusade a little too literally. Church “elder” Jacob Gardner, 27, was one of six men charged after an incident last year at Lakewood Church made famous by Pastor Joel Osteen.

Gardner believes that his church in Wells, Texas are practicing the true form of Christianity while others, such as those at Lakewood Church, are not. “All throughout the centuries Christianity was persecuted,” Gardner told KPRC 2 News in Houston. “All I need to do is step outside and be a Christian and I’ll be persecuted.”

Gardner thinks that God is compelling him and the members of his church to warn the world of an impending judgment day. His “brothers” stand with him including Richard Trudeau and Mark DeRouville who were arrested last month for disrupting services at a Baptist church in the New York town of Saranac Lake.

They were arrested a second time when the two spotted a pregnant woman in the neighboring town of Alto. When they learned she was unmarried they “started telling her that she was living in sin and would burn in the pits of hell if she did not repent,” according to the police report.

Gardner defended the men’s need to heckle other churches by claiming they are simply preaching about God’s love and “lifting up their voices,” not screaming or attacking anyone. Gardner also rejects any claims made by the pregnant woman that they were harassing her because “the members of our church have never spoken like that and will never speak like that.”

But those two are not the only members who have had run-ins with the law. Church member Taylor Clifton was arrested after causing a disruption during the annual Christmas parade in Lufkin, a town just southeast of Wells.

“I lifted up my Bible, just kind of lifted it up to the sky and started quoting some scripture and already there was just like this violent reaction from this woman,” Clifton explained. He “ignored officers,” according to the police report and “continued yelling at parade attendees.” Officers also noted that they feared for Clifton’s safety as well as the safety of the parade-goers, many of whom were frightened children.

“The Lord told me it wasn’t His will to stop preaching and they were threatening to arrest me if I continued preaching the Gospel,” said Clifton. “So I chose to obey God rather than man, by God’s grace.” He told KPRC 2 News that the parade was finished by the time he started scaring people. He also swears he was merely quoting scripture and “preaching” and believes his First Amendment Rights to diss Santa Claus was violated by his arrest.

“The reason these officers arrest us, the reason why these judges judge us, is because they can,” Gardner said. “We’re just sheep to the slaughter.” He believes jail time is something that is inevitable and all persecuted Christians will and must face.

“If the devil can’t pick us off through discouragement, personal discouragement, then he will finally resort to invading the very infrastructure of the justice system,” Gardner said.

ABC News covered The Church of Wells in 2014 after a young woman left home to join the church and her parents were concerned for her well-being. The camera crew follows the desperate parents as they search the streets for a daughter they say they’ve only seen on the church’s YouTube videos. Nightline attempted to get some of the church “elders” to answer the criticisms against the church, but they were ignored. One father whose son Brett joined the church described it as being like a death in the family because he simply disappeared.

In February, a small group tricked Church of Wells members into joining them to preach on a street corner. Their goal was to capture footage of the church members claiming that salvation is only attainable by attending their church and that only they can determine if someone is saved or not. Characteristics a man in the video says defines them as a cult.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/heres-why-members-of-this-creepy-cult-of-screaming-christians-keep-getting-arrested/

Church of Wells members found guilty of trespassing at Nacogdoches restaurant

KTRE
Caleb Beames
August 6, 2015

NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) - Two members of the controversial Church of Wells were found guilty of criminal trespass in a Nacogdoches County court-at-law on Thursday because they came back to a McDonalds after a police officer gave them warnings not to return back in April.
The sentencing has been reset.

The two Church of Wells members represented themselves when they made an appearance in a Nacogdoches County court-at-law Thursday in reference to allegations that they violated a criminal trespass order to speak to customers at a McDonald’s restaurant a second time.
During the hearing County Attorney Paige Pattillo argued that Church of Wells members Troy Dannenberger and James MacPherson entered McDonalds on April 24 after they were told by police not to go inside the restaurant again.
Both men claimed they aren’t guilty of criminal trespass.
Pattillo said at about 2:30 a.m. on April 12, the two men were speaking under their breath and glaring at customers.  

2 Church of Wells members found guilty of trespassing at Nacogdoches restaurant http://flip.it/olwmQ