Organization: City University of New York
From: <KEVXU@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Subject: Re: Info about New Age!
 <1dx802lO40Rq01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com>
 <1993Apr26.231845.13843@digi.lonestar.org>
Lines: 46


In article <1993Apr26.231845.13843@digi.lonestar.org>
qpalo@digi.lonestar.org (Gerry Palo)

>The danger of anti-cult groups is that while they can expose a lot of
>deception, they can also become inquisitors.  As one who agrees with
>much of what they say, I am also on the receiving end, and it makes me
>realize the importance of respecting the freedom of belief of every
>individual and also of not jumping to conclusions and making accusations
>based on a priori assumptions about an individual or group.

For my money the primary danger of anti-cult groups is that they are
every bit as wacky as the groups they oppose and that by and large
they have no compunctions about printing lies, half-truths and
misleading innuendos as part of their exposes.  A recent book on
cults I picked up by a "Christian" author quite simply mixed in
all non-Christian religions (except the Jews) and various New Age
groups with various fringe groups of dubious intent and legality.

>On the other hand, the Watchman Fellowship does a good service in
>exposing deceptive practices that are far too common among the
>groups they monitor.

Given the record of American Christianity, any group that falls
into the category of fundamentalist or born-again is automatically
into the Inquisition business.  It is an unavoidable affliction
of those who have a proprietary license on The Truth (tm).
And let's not forget that Jonestown and the Branch Davidians are
just as much a part of the Christian tradition as the Missouri Synod
Lutherans, and may in fact be the Massadas of true Christian believers.

I am far more concerned about the encroachment of overtly Christian
indoctrination into public schools than I am about yoga classes there.

For those concerned with religious freedom without a selective
inquisitiorial bent:

People for the American Way
P.O. Box 96200
Washington, DC 20077-7500

Americans United for Separation of Church & State
8120 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910-9978

Jack Carroll
