IN THE NEWS...
MORMONISM FASTEST GROWING RELIGION
NEW YORK, N.Y. (EP) - Mormonism is the fastest-growing religion in American
history, according to a study by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine
says that if present trends continue, there could be 265 million adherents
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world by
2080. The magazine attributes the growth in part to an aggressive missions
program. Last year the cult sent out nearly 60,000 missionaries to 120
countries, where they won 306,000 converts.
LDS CHURCH STRESSES OFFICIAL NAME
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (EP) - In an apparent effort to shed its image as
a cult, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will increase its
efforts to discourage the use of the term "Mormon Church" and instead emphasize
the name Jesus Christ when referring to the church. In an interview with
the New York Times, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said the church will urge
reporters to initially identify it by its full name, and subsequently call
it the Church of Jesus Christ. "I don't mind being called a Mormon, but
I don't want it said that I belong to the Mormon Church," said Oaks. The
name change isn't likely to change public perception of the group as a
cult. The church teaches that God has a physical body, that members may
achieve "deification" after death, and that Joseph Smith "restored" true
Christianity when he founded the Mormon Church.
SCIENTOLOGY LIBEL SUIT DISMISSAL UPHELD
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a libel suit
brought by the Church of Scientology against TIME magazine for a
1991 cover story, "Scientology: The Cult of Greed." The court determined
that the Church of Scientology failed to document that the magazine, or
the story's author, Richard Behar, had shown actual malice toward the church.
In the article Behar referred to Scientology as a "ruthless global scam,"
"classically terroristic," and claimed that the church intimidates members
and critics in a "'Mafia-like' manner."
CRUISE-KIDMAN DIVORCE LINKED TO DIFFERENCES OVER SCIENTOLOGY
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Just two months after renewing wedding vows on their
tenth wedding anniversary, Tom Cruise has filed for divorce from his wife
Nicole Kidman citing irreconcilable differences. While the couple's agent
said that time apart pursuing acting careers was the cause of the split,
others speculate that Kidman's growing dissatisfaction with Scientology
and its role in her adopted children's lives is the real cause. In interviews
Kidman has stated that her spirituality is a mix of "Scientology, Catholicism,
Judaism and the Eastern philosophies." She is also reported to have said,
"I would never have married Tom if he had insisted I become an out-and-out
Scientologist, that would have been forcing me to do something I didn't
want to do." Cruise and Kidman will share joint custody of their children.
SCIENTOLOGY LITERACY PROJECT RECEIVES CITY GRANT
BOSTON, Mass. - The City of Boston recently gave a $1,000 grant to H.E.L.P.
Boston in order to promote Scientology's "study technology" as part of
a literacy curriculum to be used by children in Boston's schools.
H.E.L.P. Boston is affiliated with the Church of Scientology, and critics
of the grant claim the funds will promote Scientology's religious ideology
in public schools. Boston officials and H.E.L.P. (Hollywood Education and
Literacy Project) claim study technology is non-religious, however, the
program is used by the Church of Scientology as a religious and educational
technique. Scientology, which considers itself an "applied religious philosophy,"
trains its members in study technology in church-led courses based upon
writings from L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology's founder. Hubbard's writings
are considered scripture by the church.
PRESIDENTIAL FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES GENERATE INTENSE CONTROVERSY
The Bush Administration's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
will consider government financial support of programs put on by religious
organizations, but in the process it has generated tremendous controversy.
The faith-based initiatives will focus on support of programs dealing with
literacy, sexual abstinence and substance abuse treatment. Evangelical
churches and organizations are seeking funding, and the International Society
for Krishna Consciousness, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification
of Rev. Sun Myung Moon and the Church of Scientology plan to seek support
as well. The possibility of the government providing financial support
for programs administered by non-traditional religions has generated controversy,
largely from conservative Christians, including Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.
The Bush Administration has stated that it will make no attempt to determine
what constitutes a legitimate religion, but will use positive results as
the criteria for federal funding.
MOON NATIONAL SPEAKING TOUR PROMOTES MORAL THEME
The controversial Rev. Sun Myung Moon has begun a series of speeches in
cities across the nation, often surrounded by supportive Christian clergy,
largely from African-American churches. Moon is the founder of the Family
Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly known as the Holy
Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity). Moon's message
seeks to move beyond ideology to unite all around a movement for God in
order to save America from moral decay. This message is in keeping with
the Family Federation's long-held teaching that Moon himself is the Lord
of the Second Advent, called to complete the failed mission of Jesus Christ
to restore God's Kingdom on Earth, and that he and his wife are our sinless
True Parents. Thus, Moon himself, as well as the Family Federation,
would serve as the foundation for the moral recovery and national unity
Moon seeks.
PROPOSED LAW COULD ENDANGER RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN FRANCE
PARIS, France (EP) - Religious rights groups expect the French Senate to
vote shortly on a controversial "anti-sect" bill that proposes restrictions
on religious institutions and ministries the government deems "dangerous."
Rights groups claim the law is excessively vague and could endanger legitimate
religious organizations with frivolous litigation.
One such organization is the Institut Theologique de Nimes (ITN), a
Baptist college and seminary founded by an American pastor, Louis DeMeo.
DeMeo told journalist Michael Ireland of ASSIST News Service that government
persecution of ITN began in 1996, when the National Assembly of France
labeled it and 172 other organizations as "dangerous cults." Also included
on this report are Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Scientologists.
"Our inclusion in the government cult list was not only unexpected but
extremely unjust, given the fact we have never been given an official hearing
or explanation for our inclusion on this list," said DeMeo. This was the
first time in ITN's 17-year history that it had been singled out by the
government as disruptive. Since then the persecution, both by the government
and others, has continued.
In 1999, DeMeo was invited to testify before Congress about the persecution
the College has faced since 1996. His testimony is cited in the 2000 Annual
Report on Religious Freedom, distributed by the U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom. DeMeo said that when he returned from the U.S. after
testifying the persecution intensified. One violent attack came just a
week after his return; an unidentified assailant sabotaged a car parked
at the college and caused an explosion that destroyed it and three other
vehicles.
Other incidents of persecution have been less direct. "Some of the students
have not been able to get bank accounts. We wanted to build a church on
our own property, our Bible college property, and the government refused
us," said DeMeo.
Such persecution is expected to increase if the anti-cult legislation
is passed. Religious groups across France have expressed concern that such
a law would encourage and enable discrimination on the basis of religious
faith.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a Christian human
rights group, the vague wording and definitions in the bill would allow
"anyone with an interest to begin potentially costly and damaging legal
proceedings" against religious organizations, Christian and otherwise.
CSW said the bill broadens the term corporate entity to "include entities
that are legally distinct but 'how through their name or their statutes
pursue the same purpose and are united by common interests.'" This could
give the government the right to dissolve groups that have not even had
cases brought against them, but are merely similar in mission to those
that have.
This blurring of corporate and institutional lines is common, says DeMeo.
Evangelical Christians, a small religious minority in France, are often
seen as synonymous with Mormons and Scientologists. They "can't see the
difference," said DeMeo. "The French really cannot make a distinction between
evangelical Christianity and cults, such as Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses,
and - their number one enemy - Scientologists. So they sort of mix evangelical
Christianity with Scientologists." There are only 300,000 evangelical Christians
among France's 60 million people, less than one-half of one percent.
The French government is to blame for the anti-religious sentiment and
the French people "don't want to talk about it," asserts DeMeo. "They don't
want to confront the French government. it has to do with being a Socialistic
country, where they don't necessarily feel they have the access to their
politicians that we would see in America."
DeMeo told Ireland that the issue is more than just an argument over
religious beliefs-it is an issue of human rights, and CSW agrees. "It is
essential that the French Senate remembers not only their human rights
obligations under international law but also the precedent they will set
as a founding member of the European Union for states in Eastern Europe,"
said Anna Lee Stangl, liaison officer for CSW.
EVANGELICALS AND ADVENTISTS SEEK UNITY
BASEL, Switzerland (EP) - Evangelicals and Seventh-day Adventists will
seek greater unity. A series of meetings is planned between Adventist leaders
and representatives of the World Evangelical Fellowship. Though the groups
have some significant differences in doctrine and practice, there is hope
that greater understanding can be achieved. "We want to move beyond false
stereotypes, to see where we agree and disagree, and to explore areas where
we could mutually benefit by working together, such as on religious liberty
issues," said Bert Beach, director of interchurch relations for the Seventh-day
Adventist church. The groups will exchange scholarly papers on various
subjects during the coming years.
T.D. JAKES NAMED NATIONAL SPIRITUAL LEADER
NEW YORK, N.Y. (EP) - TIME magazine recently named T.D. Jakes as one of
the nation's top "spiritual innovators." Jakes, pastor of Potter's House
church in Dallas, was featured in TIME along with a Catholic priest,
a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew and a New Ager. Jakes told the magazine that
his definition of success is "to be able to birth out every creative thought
God has breathed into me before I die." TIME said Jakes' "emotive
preaching" has "pulled African-American Pentecostalism onto center stage."
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