The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON ) which I represent, was established in 1966 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. He hails from an orthodox line of Hindu Vaishnavism dating back approximately 5000 years to the appearance of Lord Krishna. The practices and beliefs of this ancient and monotheistic religion embody tenets of Sanskrit scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada's English renderings of these texts have brought new meaning and purpose in life to thousands of Westerners. These books, now translated in over 30 languages, form the basis of what is popularly known as the "Hare Krishna Movement." ISKCON has sixty-five temples and farm communities in America and nearly two-hundred missionary centers in seventy countries worldwide. In the last decade alone, ISKCON Food Relief distributed some fifty million plates of free food to needy people worldwide. In America, ISKCON assists the needy with eighteen free food distribution and temporary housing centers. Leading international theologists, philosophers and indologists praise ISKCON's sound scriptural foundation and its humanitarian effort. Yet some label ISKCON a destructive cult. Consequently, ISKCON members sometimes suffer vicious phenomena unique in American history. This phenomema threatens the safety and well-being of all free thinking God conscious Americans. It is religious deconversion (deprogramming), a coercive act imposed upon members of many religions, both "new" and "established." Victims endure intensive persecution, false imprisonment, and physical, mental and sexual abuse. Deprogrammers have been supported by the courts in many states although their acts are blatantly unconstitutional. Futher, the FBI has generally failed to track down these Constitutional offenders. This testimony will first bring to light the illegality of "deprogramming" and then outline steps to prevent it. We will focus on these specific topics: 1. 2. Deprogramming: What is it? The use of court ordered conservatorships. 3. Special investigations of new religions. 4. Department of Justice: The FBI's "hands off" policy. 5. Ex-members filing suit against their religious. organizations. 6. The tax exempt status of deprogramming organizations. WHAT IS "DEPROGRAMMING" ? Religious persecution is nothing new. History shows how St. Francis of Assissi, St. Thomas of Aquinas, and countless others were restrained and pressured to change their religious convictions.1 Today, religious persecution has taken the form of highly organized a nationwide effort to restrict targeted individuals from maintaining freely chosen religious beliefs. "Deprogramming" is a term coined by Ted Patrick (Black Lightning), a man who has been convicted, jailed and sued for his It is an forcibly kidnapping and assaulting religious victims. attempt to remove an individual from his or her involvement in a religious group and convince them to renounce their adherence to that faith or belief. Patrick claims to have been involved in over 1600 deprogrammings himself. The exact figure of attempted deprogrammings is hard to calculate because practitioners are reluctant to advertise. However, experts in the field estimate that since 1976 between 2,500 to 3,000 American citizens have been subjected. 2 "Deprogramming" has three basic stages. First is the abduction of the individual, by force and deception. In this stage the kidnapped victim is often bound, gagged, and transported across state lines to a location specifically designed to facilitate intensive interrogation. During the second phase, the victim is often confined and subjected to physical and sexual abuse, belligerent criticism of his or her religion, sleep and food deprivation, and other calculated tortures. "Deprogrammers" aim to break the victim's faith in his religious belief. Phase two generally continues for a period of five to ten days. By that time, the victim generally submits to his captors, either to stop the torture, or because his faith is actually shattered. "rehabilitation." The third phase is The victim is transported to a rehabilitation center in another part of the country. (Presently, known rehab centers are located in Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.) There the victim remains confined for approximately one month, a period meant to "readjust" him to the "real" world. 3 According to Sociologist Anson Shupe, three types of persons engage in deprogramming attempts. The largest category is the parents and relatives of the victim. They pay between $10,000 and $20,000, plus expenses, regardless of whether the deconversion was successful or not. Former members make up the second category. These persons become enemical toward their former churches having been converted to the "deprogrammings" cause. The third category consists of "sympathetic sideliners" such as psychiatrists, physicians, social workers and journalists. This small but vocal group "lends scientific credance to claims of brainwashing enslavement', reinforcing the and 'psychological suspicions and fears of families. Such scientific legitimacy is an important component of the deprogramming rationale." It is this group that has developed a rationale for destroying the victim's individual rights and liberties." However, little has Organizations such as the American Family Foundation and Citizens Freedom Foundation would have us believe that kidnapping and confinement have been replaced by milder forms of deprogramming called 'exit counciling'. changed. Just two months ago, a member of the Hare Krishna Movement was dragged into a van by hired thugs and taken halfway across the country. He underwent an eight day deprogramming session, then was transported to a rehab center in Ceder Rapids, Iowa. He was finally rescued by the city attorney and members of the ACLU. Gentlemen, this act of violence orginated within two blocks of the Capitol building. Such rights. actions clearly infringe upon one's constitutional Steps must be taken to preserve those rights. Included in the common "deprogramming" are the illegal acts of false imprisonment, kidnapping, transportation assault, rape and civil rights violations. across state lines, Section 1985(c) of the Civil Rights Act states: Two or more people cannot act on an agreement to deprive This section protects individuals from conspiracies intended to deprive them of equal protection by the law. Therefore, not only has the "deprogrammed" individual been deprived of his First Amendment Rights to exercise religious freedom; he has also been deprived of his rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. ABUSE OF CONSERVATORSHIPS from religious In an effort to remove adult children organizations, parents have turned to the use of court ordered conservatorships. As ACLU attorney Jeremiah S. Gutman points out, |