It’s been quite a month… we have a lot to cover this time!
February was Auckland Pride, which we wholeheartedly support. Many cults suppress sexual and gender identity, and some push members through harmful conversion practices. It’s a human rights and mental health issue that affects many vulnerable people, especially teenagers, who are trapped in high-control religion.
Sadly, this time around, the annual rainbow community celebration was overshadowed by Destiny Church, a homegrown evangelical cult that recruits vulnerable Māori, spreads disinformation and runs the controversial Men Up programme. Leader Brian Tamaki took his hate and homophobia to the next level when his followers stormed a drag event at a public library where people got hurt. This led to a public outcry and finally elicited an ambiguous response from the Prime Minister (whose closeness to another homophobic Christian cult, the Exclusive Brethren, is on the record).
There is now a formal complaint from the Labour Party to revoke Destiny Church’s charitable status, and a petition in Parliament and on Change.org. Please sign them too!
REACTIONS TO OUR SHEN YUN CAMPAIGN
Our concens about the Shen Yun performance in Auckland – a show run by Falun Gong/Dafa (also a registered charity in NZ) – were picked up by the New Zealand Herald and 1News (TVNZ+) last week. Incredible media coverage, but very stressful for the former Falun Gong members who bravely came forward. Our volunteer Jaya flew to Auckland to protest and speak on camera, also for a US documentary, while the shows were under way at the Aotea Centre. A massive effort.
Hopefully, this will be Shen Yun’s last event at a public venue in New Zealand. Falun Gong has since pulled out the cultic playbook to discredit critics and activists. Some of their followers even accused us of receiving donations from the Chinese Communist Party (nothing so far, last time we checked – but if you want to beat them to it, scroll down for the donation button).
Seriously though: We’re not in any way connected with the CCP, nor are we condoning the persecution of Falun Gong and other dissidents in China. Don’t conflate a political agenda with cult awareness – or with the discernment we’re expecting from local officials.
In other news:
- The Truth (or 2x2s) had another arrest of an alleged pedophile, and the NZ police is working with the FBI on more cases. Watch this space.
- “Escaping Utopia”, the brilliant three-part docuseries about Gloriavale by director (and Decult speaker) Natalia Malcon, is now on BBC – with a 4-star review in the Guardian. Bravo!
- “Alofa”, a powerful film about our Decult 2024 MC Andre Afamasaga and his struggle as a gay pastor, was nominated as best short-form documentary at the AIDC. You can also watch him on “Queer Aotearoa: We’ve always been here” on TVNZ+.
- Last but not least, we’re stoked that our Decult Conference has its own Wikipedia page, which is no small feat – thanks to the meticulous work of Guerilla Skepticism, an initiative to counter disinformation and conspiracy theories online.
DECULT GROUP STARTING IN CHRISTCHURCH
The best news is that the first local Decult group for cult survivors will meet on Tuesday, 10th March at 6 pm in Ōtautahi Christchurch and then every two weeks. It’s for any adults who left a high-control community, church or organisation.
Counsellor Alisa Woodruff, who has worked as a professional group facilitator and did Dr Gillie Jenkinson’s cult recovery therapy training last October, will facilitate the group together with others who bring their lived experience, offering a trauma-informed inclusive space for people to support each other.
Decult groups are not group therapy but peer support, and there is a vetting process for participants to ensure their safety and privacy. If you’d like to join the inaugural Christchurch Decult group, fill out this form by 3rd March to receive the relevant info and location.
WANT TO LEAD A DECULT GROUP?
Other Decult groups are starting around the country soon – one of them in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) at Rationalist House, thanks to the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists (NZARH). For more info, email [email protected] or call them at (09) 373 5131.
If you’re a cult-informed mental health worker and would like to start or oversee a Decult group in your town, or you’re a cult survivor wanting to be involved, then please get in touch with us ([email protected]) and we can help you with the formalities, protocol and promotion.
And if you’re passionate about the work we do and want to support it, please consider making a small donation to our volunteer-run charity. It will be put to good use to create visibility and safe spaces for cult survivors, i.e. running local Decult groups and keeping us legally safe in these intense times.
Thank you, decultivists! Until next month – when Wellington and Christchurch will celebrate their Pride Festival.
Anke & the Decult team