FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Michael Kropveld (1-514-274-2333;
[email protected]) or Michael Langone (1-239-514-3081;
[email protected])
Ever since the 1978 mass murder-suicides at Jonestown in the jungles
of Guyana, when nearly 1000 people died, cults have periodically made
front-page news. Aum Shinrikyo’s release of sarin gas in the Tokyo
subway and the murder-suicides of Solar Temple members in Switzerland,
France, and Canada are two other well-known tragedies that captured
the media’s attention.
These are striking examples of cult-related harm. Many people do not
realize, however, that there are thousands of mostly small high-demand
groups, some of which psychologically and/or physically damage members
and families.
The researchers, mental health care professionals, families, former
members, and others who will be coming to Montreal for the annual
conference of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
share a common concern about group-related abuse. The conference is
open to the public and will take place from July 5-7. It is organized
jointly with Info-Cult/Info-Secte in collaboration with the Université
de Montréal, The International Centre for Comparative Criminology
(ICCC) of the Université de Montréal, and l’Association québécoise
Plaidoyer-Victimes.
Lorna Goldberg, President of ICSA, says that “the goals of ICSA’s
annual conference are to help victims and families, provide training
and support for helping professionals, and bring researchers together
to improve understanding of the phenomenon.”
Attorney Carolle Tremblay, President of Info-Cult/Info-Secte, says,
“We eagerly collaborate with ICSA on bringing this important
conference to Montreal for the first time. Since researchers consider
the province of Quebec to be fertile ground for alternative groups and
movements, we hope that many educators, mental health professionals,
and others come to the conference to learn more about this intriguing
phenomenon.”
This year’s conference will offer special sessions for former group
members and families, and will feature presentations in English or
French by more than 100 speakers from 16 countries on 5 continents.
Here are titles of some of the English sessions:
• "By their fruits ye shall know them” - perhaps: how good and bad
works can deceive - the case of the Legion of Christ
• Constructive activism: what can I do?
• Manipulation and victimization by the Exclusive Brethren:
conceptual, legal, historical, and psychological issues
• A practical approach for law enforcement when dealing with cultic
groups
• Recovering your sexual self after the cult
• From perception to reality: the case of ISKCON [“Hare Krishna”] in
Belgium
• Spiritual manipulation in pseudo-Christian cults: a panel discussion
with former members
• The neurobiology of belief
• Teen Mania: exploitation in a teen cult?
• The popularity of Christian evangelical patriarchy in the US and the
resultant vilification and abuse of women and children
• Listening to the still small voice: reclaiming the self after
leaving religious totalistic groups
• Cult-induced ecstasies, dissociation, and psychosis
• Healing the rift between ex-cult member parents and their second
generation adult children (SGAs)
• The case of freedom of belief vs. freedom of speech
• The guru pedophile unmasked
• An indirect cult experience in psychotherapy
Here are the titles of some of the French sessions:
• La dynamique des croyances
• Les sectes et nos enfants : pistes pour une liberté religieuse
responsable
• Discours sur le châtiment corporel des enfants chez les protestants
conservateurs québécois francophones : l’influence des différences
générationnelles
• Victimes de crime d’honneur : entre religion, culture et tradition
• L’isolement social : une situation pouvant justifier une
intervention en matière de protection de l’enfance en milieu religieux
fermé
• Criminalisation de l'abus de faiblesse
• Intégrisme religieux entre manipulation et victimisation
• Comprendre l'expérience de la polygamie
The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Select Montreal Centre
Ville Downtown.
For information on how to register :
http://infosect.freeshell.org/infocult/flyer_Montreal_Tourist_etc_English.pdf
or contact Info-Cult/Info-Secte at 1-514-274-2333 or at
[email protected].
Journalists interested in arranging interviews should contact Mike
Kropveld, Executive Director of Info-Cult/Info-Secte: 1-514-274-2333;
[email protected].
Dogpatch
JoinedPosts by Dogpatch
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Press Release International Conference in Montreal Brings Together Experts on Cults, Psychological Abuse, and New Religious Movements
by Dogpatch infor immediate release: contact michael kropveld (1-514-274-2333;.
[email protected]) or michael langone (1-239-514-3081;.
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Dogpatch
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How many ex-jws poster here now believe in Hellfire, immortality of soul, trinity, etc;
by booker-t ini am just curious about this because although i agree with many of the posters here that the wt society is guilty of many horrible deeds, i still believe they are right when it comes to doctrinal things as i mention.
especially hellfire.
i just don't see how anybody that has studied the bible for many years like many of the ex-jws here can make an about face and go back to believing hellfire.
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Dogpatch
Hellfire was invednted long before the New Testament by leaders seeking control. It is not in the Old Testament. The New Testament writers bought into it, as did the Pharisees, etc. Jesus even used it to scare people.
http://www.randallwatters.org/hellcomp.htm
Randy
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**MUST READ** AlanF's email to Knocking.org
by sf inthis is a must-read that, hopefully, will stay an "active topic" for all seekers and lurkers, by bumping it to the top as often as possible.
alan wrote it in randys {dogpatch} thread regarding knocking.org documentary and in reply to the email mr. engardio sent to barbara anderson.
however, it is so vital a read that it indeed needs its own thread:.
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Dogpatch
mouthy mom!
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The Watchtower Punished: Society loses legal battle over child abuse case
by cedars init's taken a while, but i've finally managed to put up an article on this remarkable court case.. a link to my article is below:.
http://jwsurvey.org/general-information/the-watchtower-punished-society-loses-legal-battle-over-child-abuse-case.
i've tried very hard to make the article as factual as possible by reading and comparing the various documents available.
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Dogpatch
My correction: Technically Candace was never baptized, her mother was DF'ed twice but was reinstated so is still technically a JW. The father never became a JW.
Randy
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Update on Alan Feuerbacher's heart attack that he had last Sunday
by AndersonsInfo inalan'swife, julie, talked to the cardiologist this morning.
the news about alan's heart is good.
he described the heart attack as mild and said that although there is damage to the lower portion of his heart, the pumping action probably won't be affected much.
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Dogpatch
Thanks for posting that Barb.
We both love Alan and Julie.
Randy
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**MUST READ** AlanF's email to Knocking.org
by sf inthis is a must-read that, hopefully, will stay an "active topic" for all seekers and lurkers, by bumping it to the top as often as possible.
alan wrote it in randys {dogpatch} thread regarding knocking.org documentary and in reply to the email mr. engardio sent to barbara anderson.
however, it is so vital a read that it indeed needs its own thread:.
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Dogpatch
Dear Alan,
I wish you a strong recvovery, and give my love to Julie.
I met you years ago out here in Calif. with several other key apostates from H2O and BRCI. We had a great time, didn't we?
Keep going and get your strength back. If you would like to do an online interview sometime, let me know, would love to.
It has benn 30 years since then, and most of us are still around.
For the benefit of the newer ones, I will share some articles about or from you for their cenlightenment.
Alan ALWAYS had a great sense of humor! You could never take him TOO seriously, which is why we got along.
Here they are:
Biology and the Watchtower Society
Rutherford's Propaganda Machine
Alan Feurbacher's email to Joel Engardia of Knocking.org
Watchtower Corporate Interests Trump Gross Negligence with Ted Jaracz (interview on phone with Jaracz)
May you have peace and healing my friend.
Randy Watters
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Wondering about this Child abuse thng,How do I file a case?
by aquagirl inkinda wondering about this,because our p.o.used to take me,and probably other young girls out,alone,in field service,and let his penis hang out of his pants.i was so young,that i really wasnt sure what it was.being raised on a farm,and slaughtered many animals,i though it was some sort of entrail'..i know,ignorant country girl.this happened for years tho..another girlfriend had an elder try to touch her on several occasions,and was publicly reproved when she told her mum{a devout jw} about it...not looking for any money,but it would be nice to get all of them.the guy that i had my issues with had an airplane and always counseled others on materialism.my brother got 'counseled'by this clown, because he put an 8track in his car!!
!.
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Dogpatch
Sorry, I am no expert on this issue. Contact an attorney with a good record. Barb and Kerry Louderback-Wood can help you in that.
Randy
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WTS cannot take a "kinder, gentler" stand on GLBT
by irondork inin another thread, socrateswannebe shared district convention notes:.
a kinder, gentler jehovah emerges at the 2012 dc?.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/227660/1/a-kinder-gentler-jehovah-emerges-at-the-2012-dc.
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Dogpatch
irondork says,
LET IT BE KNOWN that this is a load of crap! Even if that statememnt were written on page one of every piece of WTS literature from now until the end of the overlapping generations, it would still be a load of crap. The truth of the situation that actually exists on the ground, in the halls, by elders and drones alike is a complete and utter disdain and disrespect for any GLBT person who is "out" and open about it. In-house shunning, jokes, laughter... don't be fooled by the statement above. It's like the U.S. Congress passing a Bill of Rights and then saying, "There! Problem Solved."
Again, we see the nature of the Unholy Trinity:
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Your most DISTURBING WATCHTOWER Bethel/Branch experience? (No full names please)
by Balaamsass inok.. you 70 plus bethelite members.... this is your chance to share stories!
inquiring minds want to know !no full names please..follow t.o.s.
to avoid borg libel lawsuits).. i will start the ball rolling with week one.
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Dogpatch
Quendi says,
I don't believe the remark about testing was meant to endorse the notion of deliberately putting others through the wringer to find some kind of breaking point.
You are correct. Actually Kite had a sense of humor, and it really didn't mean any more than that. If you listen to a few of his sermons, which I still have somewhere on cassette, plus I have watched him speak, he mixed an unusual brew of humor with WT fear tactics. That's why so many JWs liked him, he was almost human and provided comic relief to the dire messages.
Randy
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65
The Watchtower Punished: Society loses legal battle over child abuse case
by cedars init's taken a while, but i've finally managed to put up an article on this remarkable court case.. a link to my article is below:.
http://jwsurvey.org/general-information/the-watchtower-punished-society-loses-legal-battle-over-child-abuse-case.
i've tried very hard to make the article as factual as possible by reading and comparing the various documents available.
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Dogpatch
Now that it is public that Candace and her mother are talking to apostates, I would think that would cause her more trouble and prevent an interesting song and dance with the WT, as they find good reasons to DF her and her mother. Are we sure that's a good idea?
Randy
