Cult Group Controversies:

Maryland Cult Task Force

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Documents Submitted for the Record
Listed alphabetically by submitter

Casino, Bruce J., Esq. Partner, Baker & Hostetler, LLP, President, International Coalition for Religious Freedom

"Defining Religion in American Law,"

Paper presented at the Conference on the Controversy Concerning Sects in French-Speaking Europe sponsored by CESNUR and CLIMS (May 15, 1999). Submitted for the record of the Task Force Proceedings on June 11, 1999.

Dan Fefferman, Executive Director, International Coalition for Religious Freedom

"Will Maryland Lead U.S. into European-Style 'Sectophobia'?"

Article by Fefferman appearing in International Religious Freedom Report. Submitted for the record of the Task Force Proceedings on June 11, 1999.

Ronald Loomis, Lecture slides: "Cults on Campus: Totalistic Groups and Mind Control"

This is a slide presentation of a lecture used by Mr. Loomis for presentation on college campuses. His presentation to the Task Force on May 25 closely follows this outline. Submitted by Mr. Loomis to the Task Force for the record.

Ronald Loomis, Memorandum to Chairman Wood

Communication to Chairman Wood enclosing three documents in support of Loomis' presentation to the Task Force on May 25.

Ronald Loomis, Code of Ethics for Christian Evangelists, Boston University Christian Chaplains, 1988.

Loomis drafted this code of ethics for Boston University chaplains who, in turn, approved the document in June, 1988. Submitted by Loomis in support of his presentation to the Task Force on May 25.

Ronald Loomis, Proposing a "Bill of Inalienable Rights" for Intentional Communities

This article by Benjamin Zablocki was submitted by Loomis in support of his presentation to the Task Force on May 25.

Ronald Loomis, Memorandum to DIMPAC (May 11, 1987)

This memo is directed to the Members of the Task Force on Deceptive and Indirect Methods of Persuasion and Control from the Board of Social and Ethical Responsibility for Psychology of the American Psychological Association. This document was submitted by Mr. Loomis to refute an Open Forum questioner who noted that the APA had not only rebuffed the concept of mind control, but distanced itself from this view. Contrary to what Mr. Loomis told the Task Force, this document is unequivocal in its rejection of a draft report submitted by Margaret Singer on behalf of the DIMPAC committee she chaired.

Ronald Loomis, Memorandum to Chairman Wood offering resources for a June 18 meeting.

The subject of this memo is the problem of defining "destructive groups" and "destructive behaviors." The contents of the documents Loomis says were enclosed resources are not available to us at this time. The intent of the memo would appear to be an effort to move the work of the Task Force away from a focus on religious groups and, thus, attempt to neutralize the issue of religious freedom.

Ronald Loomis, Memorandum Concerning Injunction of IC0C at SUNY, Purchase Campus

Mr. Loomis promised to provide copies of a judges ruling which sustained a ban of an individual member of the International Church of Christ from the campus of SUNY, Purchase, but overturned an injunction against the ICOC. In this memo, Loomis notes that the judge's opinion was 53 pages long. Thus, Loomis elects to submit this one page memo instead.

Ronald Loomis, letter from Margaret T. Singer

Margaret Singer is a clinical psychologist residing in Berkeley, California. Her writings and court testimony has made her a leading spokesperson for the concept of "brainwashing" or "mind control." The letter if directed to Ronald Loomis who submitted it to the Task Force for the record on July 27, 1999.

J. Gordon Melton, letter to Chairman Wood

This letter from J. Gordon Melton is addressed to Task Force Chairman, William T. Wood, in reponse to the letter from Margaret Singer which was submitted for the record by Ron Loomis.

Herbert Rosedale, Esq. President, American Family Foundation

Mr. Rosedale testified before the Task Force on June 29, but did not submit a prepared text of his testimony. He did, however, submit two printouts from the American Family Foundation web site. This one, entitled, "On Using the Term 'cult'" is co-authored with AFF Executive Director, Michael D. Langone.

Herbert Rosedale, Esq. President, American Family Foundation

Mr. Rosedale testified before the Task Force on June 29, but did not submit a prepared text of his testimony. He did, however, submit two printouts from the American Family Foundation web site. This one, entitled, "Checklist of Cult Characteristics" is authored by AFF Executive Director, Michael D. Langone.

Rubenstein, Richard L., President, University of Bridgeport

Report to Dr. Charles Cook, Director Commission on Institutions of Higher Education New England Association of Schools and Colleges on the University of Bridgeport submitted by Barbara Brittingham, Dean, University of Rhode Island for the Visitation Committee. The visiting committee found no evidence to support the charge by a Boston Globe investigative reporter that the Unification Church was engaging in inproper activities on or off the University of Bridgeport campus.

William Taft Stuart, Professor of Anthropology, University of Maryland, College Park

Paper identifying difficulting in defending the rights of religious minorities. Presented at a conference in Berlin, Germany in May, 1998. Submitted for the record.

Synfax Weekly Report, June 21, 1999

Article entitled "Religiosity, Religious Diversity and 'Cults,' Part I." (authored by Gary Pavela)

Submitted by William Thomas, Vice-President for Student Affirs, University of Maryland, College Park.

Synfax Weekly Report, June 28, 1999

Article entitled "Religiosity, Religious Diversity and 'Cults,' Part II." (authored by Gary Pavela)

Submitted by William Thomas, Vice-President for Student Affirs, University of Maryland, College Park.

Thomas Communication to Gulick

Math Professor and anti-cult activist Dennis Gulick complained to Vice President William Thomas that the University of Maryland was not being fully cooperative with the work of the Task Force. This memo is Thomas' response to Gulick.