Belief vs. Fact
Mark Twain once said, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” I was listening to this podcast, and it got me thinking about the reality that so many […]
Mark Twain once said, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” I was listening to this podcast, and it got me thinking about the reality that so many […]
This week, a 27-year old member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Canada lost her life because of her refusal to accept a life-saving blood transfusion. Éloïse Dupuis was admitted to the hospital after her planned
A Watchtower Tragedy Read More
There are many reasons to be saddened, disgusted, confused, outraged, scared, and even traumatized by Trump’s presidential campaign. He has just declared a “scorched earth policy” and is saying there is an “international conspiracy that
Does Trump Display the Stereotypical Profile of a Cult Leader? Read More
As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the day I left the Moonies, I want to take some time to acknowledge an individual who played an important role in my personal and professional development.
Robert Jay Lifton MD: An Interview with a Genius Read More
Imagine spending over twenty-two years of your life believing you are one of the select few who knows the secrets of the universe– only to discover the world that you live in is really a
Holy Hell Documentary Shows How Cult Leader Raped Followers for Years Read More
Earlier this month, former Ohio divorce attorney Michael W. Fine pleaded guilty to five counts of kidnapping and one count of attempted kidnapping. His crimes were not typical. Instead of using brute physical force, Fine used hypnosis.
In court documents Fine was accused of hypnotizing female clients for sexual purposes. According to my information, the first victim to step forward, Jane Doe 1, initially contacted police with her suspicions of sexual assault after she noticed she was unable to recall large portions of her time in meetings with Fine and that her clothes and bra were out of place after seeing him. At first, the police dismissed her complaints, advising her to simply find a new lawyer. However, Doe 1 persisted and allowed herself to be abused by Fine again so she could record what happened. After providing the recording to police and receiving the corroboration of a second victim, Jane Doe 2, the claims against Fine were examined more thoroughly and an investigation was opened. Eventually, Doe 1 helped police catch Fine in the act by wearing a listening device during a meeting. Law enforcement was able to hear and video record Fine using hypnotic techniques on his victim and catch him in the act before she was once again sexually assaulted.
Unethical Use of Covert Hypnosis to Rape Read More
Being a parent is perhaps the most difficult role a person can fill. It can be quite demanding to properly raise and nurture our children from infancy to adulthood. Some kids however, present more of
Raising Awareness About Institutional Abuse of Children and Their Parents Read More
This coming Sunday marks fifteen years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On the morning of September 11, 2001 our nation was changed forever. Many lives were lost, and many of us were left in shock
How Understanding Mind Control Can Prevent Future Terrorist Attacks Read More
Three weeks ago, 2,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a mass resignation in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Attorney Mark Naugle and others aided in filing paperwork which enabled
Mass LDS Resignations Help Ex-Mormons Heal Read More
In the United States, it is illegal for a prison guard to hit a death row inmate, it is illegal for a military sergeant to hit a private and it is illegal for a man to hit his wife. But, it is legal for an adult to hit a child. In all 50 states, the use of physical punishments on children is legal in the home. In 21 of them, it is still legal to use physical punishment in schools. Children, it seems, are the exception to the rule when it comes to physical assault.
Hitting, Spanking, Paddling and Using Belts to Discipline Children is Harmful Read More
Fox News channel boss Roger Ailes was recently forced to resign amid allegations of sexual harassment. The suit, filed by Gretchen Carlson, has opened up a window into what was apparently a pervasive work culture
Roger Ailes, FOX News, Right-Wing Talk Shows, and Undue Influence Techniques Read More
I recently read a NY Times book review of AMERICAN HEIRESS: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin and listened to an interview done with the author on NPR. Honestly, I was horrified at his lack of knowledge and understanding about undue influence and disagreed 100% with his conclusions. I felt like I was listening to a “cult apologist”- someone hired by cult groups to defend the group and say they are “fine”- for example, G. Gordon Melton flying to Japan after the sarin gas attacks to defend the Aum Shinrikyo cult. The cult leader, Shoko Asahara, is on death row for being guilty of the terrorist attacks on over five thousand of Japanese citizens.
New Book on Patty Hearst Falls Short of Understanding Undue Influence Read More