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More support for Aust. Senate inquiry

sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Article about a woman who heads a support network for cult information, etc, in Queensland. A conference is being held in Brisbane in March.

Helen speaks for cult victims

Sarah Crawford | 12th December 2009

ABUSED but not defeated cult victim Helen Pomery has made it her life’s mission to shine a light on the underbelly of shady religious organisations in Australia.

The Maleny resident has written a letter to all senators in Canberra asking for an inquiry into religious groups linked to abuse.

It is not the first time Ms Pomery has written calling for a senate inquiry, but this time she was spurred on to put pen to paper after independent senator Nick Xenophon called for an investigation into the religious organisation Scientology.

Mr Xenophon used parliamentary privilege to table letters detailing claims of abuse, forced abortion and false imprisonment.

Ms Pomery said Scientology was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to cultist abuse in Australia.

More...

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2009/12/12/helens-speaking-for-those-who-cant
 

Carmel

Crusader
There's a high profile Aussie pollie who is involved with the Exclusive Brethren.

Needless to say, the "positioning" of our argument for an Inquiry, is indeed important. I'm not sure whether this woman's support, will help or hinder.
 

scooter

Gold Meritorious Patron
There's several high-profile pollies involved with the EBs (Exclusive Brethern) that I know of.:coolwink:

All that really needs to be pointed out is that, compared to the rapaciousness of the Co$, the EBs look like they've taken vows of poverty and charity.:D

I'm sure that's a relatively easy task, given the EBs don't coerce abortions, send people to gulags, crush-reg for ALL that you have and do actually pay their full-time staff more than enough to survive on.:yes:

We just need to "clarify" our positioning should there be a problem.
 

Once bitten

Patron Meritorious
Interestingly, the recent two part documentary 'How to Spot a Cult' put the EBs alongside Scientology in the same doco. There was some very similar cult behaviours which were exposed about the EBs, and last week there was doco about an EB that was given drugs to seemingly 'cure' his homosexuality. He is now out of the EBs and is disconnected from his family.

I'm not allowed to put the cult doco up on Vimeo, but if you PM me can can come to some arrangement. It's well worth watching, and I'd like to contact this lady as she should see the doco as well. It's something that should be shown in schools imo.
 

mate

Patron Meritorious
Hi Carmel,
I agree with you completely. In terms of human rights abuses, the scientology organisation is the most extreme. Sure Waco and Jonestown had disastrous endings, but their abuses up to the end paled when compared with the CofS. As you know, disconnection is common among sects as well as cults, for example, the Jehovah Witnesses. The Senate Inquiry will, without doubt, result in legislation which will apply to all cults.

Regards, David.

There's a high profile Aussie pollie who is involved with the Exclusive Brethren.

Needless to say, the "positioning" of our argument for an Inquiry, is indeed important. I'm not sure whether this woman's support, will help or hinder.
 

sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Interestingly, the recent two part documentary 'How to Spot a Cult' put the EBs alongside Scientology in the same doco. There was some very similar cult behaviours which were exposed about the EBs, and last week there was doco about an EB that was given drugs to seemingly 'cure' his homosexuality. He is now out of the EBs and is disconnected from his family.

I'm not allowed to put the cult doco up on Vimeo, but if you PM me can can come to some arrangement. It's well worth watching, and I'd like to contact this lady as she should see the doco as well. It's something that should be shown in schools imo.

The more the community talks about destructive cults the better. I've just spent some time with people who watched the documentary - it has certainly brought up awareness of cults and the real dangers they pose to society. Having seen the documentary these folk asked me loads of questions and we had a truly useful and heart-warming discussion. How to Spot a Cult has brought into line what scientology is - a destructive cult - albeit with much more sophisticated methods than others.

Oncebitten I am getting lots of requests from people who want to see (or re-see) How to Spot a Cult. Many who saw it want to show others, etc. It IS an edcuational tool for sure. Feel my frustration on how we get this documentary out into the world.

Re: the conference mentioned in the above article, here is the link providing the program.

http://www.cifs.org.au/conference.php

On the books link on this site it lists BlownforGood's book and John Duignan's The Complex.
 

anonymous1312

Patron with Honors
The more the community talks about destructive cults the better. I've just spent some time with people who watched the documentary - it has certainly brought up awareness of cults and the real dangers they pose to society. Having seen the documentary these folk asked me loads of questions and we had a truly useful and heart-warming discussion. How to Spot a Cult has brought into line what scientology is - a destructive cult - albeit with much more sophisticated methods than others.

Oncebitten I am getting lots of requests from people who want to see (or re-see) How to Spot a Cult. Many who saw it want to show others, etc. It IS an educational tool for sure. Feel my frustration on how we get this documentary out into the world.
It needs to be repackaged and put on YouTube for max exposure.
 

Purple Rain

Crusader
I have been hurt by a Christian cult as well as by Scientology. The pain and damage inflicted by disconnection and social ostracism is equally destructive regardless of which cult employs the mechanism and whether it is documented as policy or not. I would be pleased to see law that protected against all cults without infinging on genuine religious freedom.
 

Cherished

Silver Meritorious Patron
I'm so sorry, Purple. Wow.

Your comment reminded me of a book title by a guy called Phillip Yancey: "Soul Survivor: How my Faith Survived the Church".

<3
 

Purple Rain

Crusader
It's ok. I think the rejection has left a few scars particularly coupled with the rejection I experienced at school, and one day I might get some counseling for it if I can find somebody I feel safe with. I have heard of Philip Yancey and I used to buy a lot of those kinds of books by Christian authors but somehow never read them so I don't tend to these days. I haven't been to church for more than a year now and I can't imagine finding one that suits me, so I just try and go about my business and love people and help them if they're hurting. I am a very spiritual person, but the whole thing is terribly confusing. And I'm quite naive and gullible when all is said and done.
 

Cherished

Silver Meritorious Patron
It's ok. I think the rejection has left a few scars particularly coupled with the rejection I experienced at school, and one day I might get some counseling for it if I can find somebody I feel safe with. I have heard of Philip Yancey and I used to buy a lot of those kinds of books by Christian authors but somehow never read them so I don't tend to these days. I haven't been to church for more than a year now and I can't imagine finding one that suits me, so I just try and go about my business and love people and help them if they're hurting. I am a very spiritual person, but the whole thing is terribly confusing. And I'm quite naive and gullible when all is said and done.

He wrote "Disappointment with God" and "What's so amazing about grace?" Classics.

I know what you mean about buying books and not reading them. I'm about to cull a few hundred books. :( Most of them I've read or read all that I care to.

I guess having been "caught" twice, anyone might feel gullible. At least identifying a pattern that can be a source of learning about ourselves gives us something to work on.
 

Once bitten

Patron Meritorious
The more the community talks about destructive cults the better. I've just spent some time with people who watched the documentary - it has certainly brought up awareness of cults and the real dangers they pose to society. Having seen the documentary these folk asked me loads of questions and we had a truly useful and heart-warming discussion. How to Spot a Cult has brought into line what scientology is - a destructive cult - albeit with much more sophisticated methods than others.

Oncebitten I am getting lots of requests from people who want to see (or re-see) How to Spot a Cult. Many who saw it want to show others, etc. It IS an edcuational tool for sure. Feel my frustration on how we get this documentary out into the world.

Re: the conference mentioned in the above article, here is the link providing the program.

http://www.cifs.org.au/conference.php

On the books link on this site it lists BlownforGood's book and John Duignan's The Complex.

It's really annoying. I'm talking to the producer to see how we can get around it .... hopefully all will be revealed very soon.

Genny
 
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