In the News...

"Parent of the Year" Linked to Cult

LONGMONT, Colo. (EP) - A Colorado man linked to a cult that once prostituted its female members received the 1999 "Parent of the Year Award," an honor created by Congress in 1994. Questions about Zack Prendergast's involvement with the Children of God cult [now called "The Family"] led him to return the award. Former members of the cult said Prendergast and his wife are members of the group, which has been linked to child pornography in South America and to the use of "hookers for Jesus."

The non-profit organization that selects the annual winner, the National Parents Day Foundation, reportedly has ties to the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. The foundation shares office space with one of Moon's organizations and receives most of its funding from Moon's enterprises.

French Court Rules Scientology a Recognized Religion

PARIS, France (EP) - Scientology is entitled to be recognized as a religion, France's Supreme Court ruled June 30. The decision means that members of the Scientology cult are entitled to practice their faith and proselytize without government restriction. The court did not address the religious nature of Scientology since France is a secular state and does not distinguish among religions. The decision follows similar legal victories for Scientology in Italy and Germany.

Mormon Church Tax Exemption Questioned

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (EP) - A member of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors called for an investigation into the tax-exempt status of the Mormon church after members were urged to support a drive to ban same-sex marriages.
The church sent letters to 740,000 Mormons in California, urging them to support the ballot initiative. Supervisor Mark Leno, who is a homosexual, asked City Attorney Louise Renne and state Attorney General Bill Lockyer to look into the issue. "This is an out-of-state religious organization weighing in on a political issue here, and it should be investigated," Leno said.

Alleged Church Arsonist Had Fascination with Satanism

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (EP) - A man accused of arson attacks on 12 churches in Georgia and Indiana has been indicted for setting fires at 17 additional churches across the U.S. Jay Scott Ballinger, 36, is charged with burning 29 churches in California, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee since 1994. His girlfriend, a stripper, reportedly accompanied him during 16 of the attacks.

Ballinger has been in federal custody since February, when he was arrested after an Ohio church fire that left him severely burned. He has admitted to burning 30 to 50 churches in 11 states between 1994 and 1998. If convicted, he could face up to 215 years in prison and a fine of $3.25 million. The motive for the attacks is unclear, although Ballinger reportedly has a longstanding fascination with Satanism. Ballinger is white, and the churches he attacked were predominately white.

Guru Bhagwan's Ranch Now Christian Camp

ANTELOPE, Ore. (EP) - Land once owned by cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is being used by a Christian youth ministry. In June, Young Life opened Wildhorse Canyon Camp, one of two youth camps planned for 64,000 acres of ranch land once owned by Rajneesh. Young Life took title to the property formerly known as Big Muddy Ranch on Dec. 31, 1997. In the early 1980s, the land was home to the Indian guru Rajneesh and his followers.

The Rajneshees left more than 300 buildings, including an 88,000 square-foot building once used for community gatherings. Young Life currently occupies 50 of the 300-plus buildings. Part of the 140-room hotel has been converted into dorm rooms for campers. Capacity this summer is around 200 per week. Within one week of opening up reservations, the camp was filled to capacity. By next summer the camp will be able to house 540 teens each week.

One building no longer standing is the house where the Bhagwan remained secluded much of the time. "It gave us the creeps and we felt it drew attention to the property," said McAlonen. "We decided that if we took possession of the property we wanted to tear it down."

A short time later a brush fire swept through the ranch and one of the only buildings destroyed in the fire was the Bhagwan house. "We felt that was a sign from God," McAlonen said. "It was like God was saying, 'I took care of that. This is your property now.'"

Future plans for the property include a staff training center and a separate middle school camp. "Our goal is to give students the finest camping opportunity possible," said Lonac. "It's a real first-class deal for kids because we believe that's how they'll come to understand how much God loves them."

Intellectualism and Occultism Replace Christianity in France

NIMES, France (EP) - The government and segments of the population of France are becoming increasingly hostile toward evangelical Christians. France was once a largely religious nation that struggled with Italy for control of the papacy, but missionaries in France today acknowledge that the nation is no longer Christian. A recent estimate suggests that of French people who consider themselves Christians, only eight percent actively practice their faith. A small fraction of the population consider themselves evangelicals. Average church congregations number between 20 to 30 members. Two centuries of atheistic intellectualism have closed many people's minds to the Gospel.

According to Louis DeMeo, a missionary and founder of Nimes Church and DeMeos Bible college, the French government has started an active campaign to suppress evangelical activity within the country. The government has recently placed several Christian groups on a list of organizations officials believe are a threat to society. People who identify themselves as charismatic, evangelical or Pentecostal are considered members of dangerous sects. Pastors are labeled "gurus" and Christianity itself is considered an "extreme" religion. While several Christian organizations have been stereotyped as "cults" by the government, many truly cultic organizations have been exempted from such an official description.

This comes as no surprise to DeMeo, who believes occultism is widely practiced and accepted across the country by the general population and government officials.

Since the government took this stance on Christianity, DeMeo and his organizations have experienced persecution from the French government. DeMeo reports to Religion Today that his people have endured phone taps, forced confessions of cultic activity and unjustified government audits. The French media has joined in the attack, printing reports that DeMeo states are completely false.

Neighborhood vandals are suspected in arson attacks on cars on DeMeo's property. Police report that the gas tanks of the cars were stuffed with rags and then set on fire. DeMeo, a missionary to France for 17 years, plans to continue his ministry in spite of the recent attacks.

Governing Body Member Dies

Lloyd Barry, a member of the Governing Body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (the legal corporation of the Jehovah's Witnesses), died from a heart attack on July 2, 1999.

Barry collapsed in front of 1,055 Jehovah's Witnesses while giving the final presentation at the Friday afternoon session of the annual District Convention in Waikiki, Hawaii. He was pronounced dead shortly after in a local hospital.
Barry was appointed to the Governing Body in 1974, and spent several years as the branch manager of the Japanese headquarters for the Watchtower Society. He was widely respected by Jehovah's Witnesses as an author for several Watchtower publications.

Recruiting Practices of Alternative Religions Criticized in Russia

The Russian Orthodox Church asked authorities in eastern Russia to investigate the recruiting methods used by Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, and a splinter group of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishnas).

According to a July 14, 1999, story by the Associated Press, the Orthodox Church alleges that the three religious groups are "aggressive churches that harvest souls in the region by using deception and totalitarian methods."
Jehovah's Witnesses are accused of breaking Russian law by engaging in door-to-door evangelism, approaching users of public transportation, and compiling lists of residents in neighborhoods in which the Watchtower Society engages in missionary activity.

Seventh-day Adventists are accused of breaking Russian law by posting leaflets advertising lectures, without stating that the speaker is an SDA missionary.

Finally, the Hare Krishna group, called the Institute of Knowledge on Identity, is both unregistered and distributes unapproved literature.

The Watchtower Society denies engaging in illegal activity.

Church Universal and Triumphant President Resigns

Gilbert Cleirbaut, who presided over efforts to move the New Age-oriented Church Universal and Triumphant more firmly into the religious mainstream, resigned as president of the group. Cleirbaut stated that he wants to spend more time with his family, and that continuing in a leadership position would make it harder for him to impartially institute changes within the organization.
At the fortieth annual church conference, Cleirbaut told attendees that the goal for the church is to shift the organization's focus from the headquarters to spreading the religion through the CUT's 200 worldwide teaching centers.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet, the central figure for the CUT, previously retired due to the effects of Alzheimer's.

A Battle Rages for Souls in Italy

ROME, Italy (EP) - Why do most first-time missionaries to Italy never return for a second term? Because the satanic influence is so great, says longtime missionary Chuck Hall.

"In Italy today, there are three times as many witches, fortune tellers and spiritual magicians as there are Catholic priests," said Hall. "They outnumber missionaries, from all denominations, more than 300 times. In fact, the headquarters for the Church of Satan is located in the city of Torino, and part of their daily prayers include the failure and removal of all evangelical missionaries from the country!"

Hall and his wife, Nora, founded "Christian TV in Italy," a highly effective television ministry that broadcasts an evangelical program throughout the country. They host a daily program called Per Lodare Te ("To Praise You"), and encourage viewers to write or call them for a free copy of the Bible. They usually receive requests from more than 300 people every month.

"Nearly every television station throughout Italy (ours being the exception) sells air time to witches, card readers and psychics who feed the airwaves with their lies and deceit," Hall adds. "Unfortunately, many hurt, confused and needy persons call and reach out to these spiritual charlatans. In turn, they charge unimaginable fees for their false and dangerous advice, many times taking the life savings from the elderly with promises to provide the answers to their problems. We're thankful that we can use those same airwaves to fight the spiritual warfare with the truth of God's Word."