In April 2017, a Belgian tourist was found dead at a resort in Thailand, authorities have said it was cult ritual suicide. The victim, Elise Dallemagne , was with a group called Sathya Sai Baba, that is led by alleged miracle worker, Raaman Andreas, since the passing away of the founder and groups namesake. The group has allegations ranging from sexual abuse of its members to fraud. The mother of the tourist believes that her death was a homicide and this is being covered up, however, this is not an isolated incident there have been several cult related deaths especially in the Far East that have brought attention to this ongoing religious explosion, especially after the advent and passing of the year 2012, which according to several cultures was looked at as a potential end of the world.
Incidents involving religious cults are unfortunately nothing new in the 20th Century. Such mass suicides such as the Peoples Temple in Africa in 1978, Heaven’s Gate group in 1987, in the United States, and the Aum Shinrikyo group in Japan who carried out a deadly Tokyo subway sarin gas attack in 1995. Although dangerous cults can be found all over the world, the past several years a new wave of secretive, controlling have arisen in several areas of the greater Asian continent. Several of these groups have satellite offices and chapters in varus parts of the world including the United States.
There is also the Eastern Lightning group in China which is carried out various attacks against the government and individuals. They have led riots as recently as 2012 and in both 2013 and 2014 that committed disturbing acts of violence towards members of the public. Recently the term new religious movement have tied new ideas and practices that have unique origins but sometimes are actively connected to religions which are part of pre-existing versions or offshoots of the Church of Latter-day Saints, hinduism, and Hare Krishna. Many of these newer cults are usually are more interested in non-traditional Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or Buddhist ideologies then they are interpreting these religions through a mix of new age sensibilities and theosophical thought.
However, extremists, highly charismatic and enthusiastic leaders such as the Eastern Lightning and those who led attacks upon innocent bystanders, have shown that there are movements that may have more violent or sinister tendencies. Although we in the United States enjoy the right and privilege of freedom of religion, we must be careful in choosing, if we choose to participate, a religion, to learn as much as we can about it so we do not engage and practices that may be harmful to us or anyone else. Also it is wise to be aware of the roots of your involvement and the true meanings behind the group associated with it. For example, Eastern Lightning claims to attack the government and others in the name of God and Christ but breaks many tenants of the Christian faith. Although Christians may not agree with other religious ideas, for the most part, they follow concepts such as love thy neighbor as thyself and love thy enemy. When such values are destroyed by actions of violence that indicate a deeply troubled theological and philosophical system, and those who wish to join must be wary.
