News on New Religious Movements

China lashes out at US resolution on Falungong

2010-03-18T04:15:28Z

<div><p>China on Thursday lashed out at a US House of Representatives resolution that urged Beijing to end its "persecution" of the outlawed Falungong spiritual group.</p><p>The House voted nearly unanimously on Tuesday to call on China to free thousands of members of the movement who are said to ...

US House presses China on Falungong

2010-03-16T15:16:41Z

<div><p>The US House of Representatives on Tuesday urged China to end its "persecution" of the Falungong and rejected Beijing's charge that the banned spiritual movement is an "evil cult."</p><p>In a nearly unanimous vote, the House called on China to free thousands of practitioners who are said t...

China rights record worsening in areas: US

2010-03-11T10:17:43Z

<div><p> China's human rights record worsened last year as authorities increased harassment of activists and repression in the Xinjiang region, the US State Department said Thursday.</p><p>"The government's human rights record remained poor and worsened in s...

Woman says husband vanished before China-US flight

2010-03-10T16:16:27Z

<div><p>A New York-based musician is appealing for help to find her husband who vanished as he boarded a flight from China to the United States amid fears he was seized for his Falungong beliefs.</p><p>Mei Xuan, who fled to the United States from China in 2007, said she went on February 18 to Air Force Academy establishes worship area for Pagans, Wiccans, other Earth-centered believers</div><div><p>The Air Force Academy has set aside an outdoor worship area for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and other Earth-centered believers, school officials said Monday.</p><p>A double circle of stones atop a hill on the campus n...

Travolta says faith helped him through son's death

2010-02-22T13:41:00Z

<div id="subtitle">John Travolta credits his faith for helping him cope with 16-year-old son's death last year</div><div><p>John Travolta said Thursday that faith has helped him survive the tragic death of his 16-year-old son, Jett.</p><p>The actor, a noted Scientologist, walked the ...

Falungong says China blocked Hong Kong dance shows

2010-02-22T14:20:45Z

<div><p>The Falungong religious group, which is banned in China, Wednesday accused Beijing of forcing a dance troupe linked to the sect to cancel a Hong Kong performance tour by denying visas to key members.</p><p>The rejection of entry visas for seven production crew of the Shen Yun Performing Arts troup...

Travolta flies aid, Scientology to Haiti

2010-02-22T14:30:15Z

<div><p>Hollywood movie star John Travolta flew a plane-load of aid to Haiti along with a group of "ministers" from the Church of Scientology who performed Tuesday healing rituals on quake survivors.</p><p>Travolta, along with Nebraska man to plead guilty in Los Angeles in Scientology cyber attack</div><div><p>Federal prosecutors in California say a Nebraska man will plead guilty to participating in a cyber ...

Scientologists 'heal' Haiti quake victims using touch

2010-02-22T16:10:45Z

<div><p>Amid the mass of aid agencies piling in to help Haiti quake victims is a batch of Church of Scientology "volunteer ministers", claiming to use the power of touch to reconnect nervous systems.</p><p>Clad in yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the logo of the controversial

Restoration of lost Scientology materials complete

2010-02-22T23:41:54Z

<div id="subtitle">Scientologists release trove of Hubbard writings, recordings; call it religious 'renaissance'</div><div><p>More than 1,000 unreleased recordings of lectures by L. Ron Hubbard and reams of corresponding writings have been unveiled in the culmination of a 25-year project to locate, restore an...

Argentine judge asks China arrests over Falun Gong

2010-02-23T12:18:01Z

<div><p>BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - An Argentine judge has ordered the arrest of China's former President Jiang Zemin and another top official for "crimes against humanity" in the alleged persecution of the Falun Gong spiritual movement.</p>&a...

BRITAIN STONEHENGE SOLSTICE

2009-12-22T05:16:31Z

Revellers set light to some paper inside the Stone Circle at Stonehenge, southern England as Druids and revelers celebrate the Winter Solstice, Tuesday Dec. 22, 2009. Pagans and druids, many dressed in weird and wonderful costumes, celebrated the shortest day of the year at the mysterious monument with traditional ceremonies. The shortest day of the year often falls on December 21 but this year the druid and pagan community marked the first da...

Australian blames Scientology for brother's death

2010-02-24T01:49:03Z

<div id="subtitle">Man who blames Scientology for brother's death calls for Australian inquiry into the religion</div><div><p>A man who blames the Church of Scientology for his brother's suicide added his voice Monday to calls for an Australia Senate inquiry into the religion.</p><p&a...

NJ man sentenced in Scientology cyber attack

2010-02-24T03:47:27Z

<div id="subtitle">NJ man gets 1-year term for participating in cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites</div><div><p>A New Jersey man will serve a 366-day federal prison term for conducting a cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites in January 2008.</p><p>At a hearing Wednes...

Australian PM voices 'concerns' over Scientology

2010-02-24T03:59:27Z

<div><p>Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd voiced "concerns" about the Church of Scientology Wednesday after a senator detailed explosive allegations including torture, imprisonment and coerced abortions.</p><p>Rudd said the accusations, made by independent Sena...

Police probe of clinic cases nears end

2010-02-24T04:27:13Z

<div id="subtitle">Prosecutors expected to get results next month</div><div><p> At long last, Metro Police are winding down one of the Las Vegas ValleyÕs most complicated and anticipated criminal investigations in recent years.</p><p>After 21 months of investigating, detectives next month expect to turn over to prosecutors the criminal case stemming from last year...

Scientology foeÕs arrest raises issue of rights

2010-02-24T07:02:08Z

<div id="subtitle">Authorities feared his opposition crossed line, threatened violence</div><div><p> The arrest of a member of an anti-Scientology group on terrorism-related charges last month thrust Las Vegas into the forefront of a worldwide dispute between the group and the celebrity-laden church.</p>&...

Low key celebration for Selassie anniversary

2010-02-24T11:28:38Z

<div><p>The magnificent coronation ceremony for Ethiopia's last emperor Haile Selassie had a global impact, but 80 years on fewer than 100 people gathered on Sunday to mark its anniversary.</p><p>No official celebrations have been organised in Ethiopia -- just a few dozen Rastafarians and some of Selassie's former ...

Defections, court fights test Scientology

2010-02-24T11:28:58Z

<div id="subtitle">High-profile defections, court fights pose more challenges for Church of Scientology</div><div><p>The Church of Scientology is going through a difficult season.</p><p>Over the course of two days last week, a French court convicted the church of fraud and Oscar-winnin...