This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 25, number 4 (2003). For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org SYNOPSIS Primitive cultures are often portrayed in books and the media as a sort of “Eden,” in which noble savages live in harmony with one another and [...]

There are men dead because they attacked us… There are men bankrupt because they attacked us,” wrote L. Ron Hubbard, the late founder of the Church of Scientology in his Manual of Justice. And concerning those who write critical articles on Scientology, the Hubbard Com­munications Office instructed: “Hire a private detective of a national-type firm [...]

Summary The Church of Scientology is a controversial new religion developed by L. Ron Hubbard as an extension of his earlier psychological theories of Dianetics. Drawing on ideas from Buddhist and Hindu religious philosophy, science fiction, and Western concepts in psychology and science, L. Ron Hubbard produced a religion that sees all human beings as [...]

When 12 bodies were dug up in early April near Mata­moros, Mexico, law officials initially blamed the deaths on a satanic cult of drug smugglers. According to Cameron County (Texas) Sheriff’s Lt. George Gavi­to, cult members ritually sacri­ficed the victims and prayed to the devil “so the police would not arrest them, so bullets would [...]

No matter how fulfilling life becomes, there are always certain regrets when one looks back. My deepest sense of loss involves my father. So much has hap­pened since his death. I often wonder what it would be like to share it all with him, and what his reaction would be. We never shared anything in [...]

Of the 760-800 million Hindus in the world, approximately one million reside in the United States. In Part Two of this article, we will offer specific pointers on witnessing to Hindus. But first it is important for readers to have some understanding of the historical and philosophical background of Hinduism, and that is what this [...]

Growing up in an orthodox Hindu home is to enjoy limited freedoms — spiritually speaking. It was more than true in my case. I was raised in a rigidly structured and despotically ruled Hindu home with well-preserved traditions, well developed customs, and well-formulated expectations, along with, of course, a great deal of love, understanding, and [...]

It’s a tightrope the Chinese government would rather not walk, with the sensitive 10th anniversary of Tiananmen Square just gone by. Falun Gong, however, is pressing its own issues with communist leaders. The sect, a popular quasi-religious movement gaining followers worldwide, desires official recognition and respect. This has precipitated a power struggle that has tensions [...]

This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 26, number 1 (2003). For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org SYNOPSIS Is the increasingly popular decorating philosophy called feng shui just another way to bring beauty to your home or office? Behind the seemingly harmless facade of [...]

Residents of Chanhassen, Minnesota, have been rallying against Eck­ankar in a bid to prevent the Eastern/occultic sect from building its first church in the subur­ban Minneapolis area. But on May 22 the Chanhassen City Council ruled to issue a condi­tional use permit, which would allow Eckankar to build an 850-seat step pyramid-shaped church on the [...]