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CultINFO 2001:

Dates: October 26-28, 2001 Location: The Hilton Cleveland South Hotel 6200 Quarry Lane Cleveland, OH 44131 (216) 447-1300 Direct or (800) 774-1500 for U.S. Reservations Guest Room Rate: $79.00 per night single or double occupancy (This rate is guaranteed three weeks before the conference) Conference Participants will Include:

Frederick Clarkson, is a veteran journalist and author who has written about the intersection of politics and religion for nearly 20 years. His groundbreaking exposès include the first report on the plans of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition to take control of the Republican Party; the first report on far-right activists calling for the formation of militias; and the first investigation into the alliance between Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church and Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam. He has contributed to many scholarly publications. He has been frequently been cited as an expert by the media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio and the CBS Evening News, among many others. He is author of the highly regarded book, Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy. Mr.

Clarkson will give the keynote address: Overcoming the Cults' Assault on Religious Freedom.

William Zellner, Ph. D, retired professor of sociology at East Central University, Oklahoma and author, has spent much of his academic life studying and writing about cults and alternative religions. Dr Zellner has served three terms as president of the Association for the Scientific Study of Religion and was appointed in 1995 as a reference source for foreign entities by the U. S.

Information Agency. Of his several books on unconventional groups, two recent publications, Counter Cultures: A Sociological Analysis, and Extraordinary Groups: A Study of Unconventional Lifestyles, are used in over 600 colleges and universities in the U. S. Dr Zellner will present: Cult Apologists: Are They Blind?

Stephen Kent, Ph. D., is a sociologist of religion at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, specializing in the study of non-traditional and alternative religions. He has published extensively in a variety of both social science and religious studies' journals, encyclopedias and books. His latest book, From Slogans to Mantras, discusses the shift among disaffected youth from political protests to sectarian conversions that occurred in the early seventies. Dr Kent will present his recent paper: Child Sexual Abuse in International New Religious Movements.

Linda Kramer, Ph. D., spent thirty years in Christian Science before leaving for doctrinal reasons and then fought a long battle for emotional freedom. She now ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of others touched by this religion, both through private correspondence and through her work with Christian Way, an outreach to current and former Christian Scientists. Dr.

Kramer authored the book, The Religion That Kills, which uses Christian Science writings and Robert Lifton's mind control criteria to examine how Christian Science attracts, controls and harms its followers. Dr Kramer will present:

God's Perfect Child: The Denial of Matter.

David Clark, is a former member of The Church of the Living Word (1972-74).

After leaving the group Dave became actively involved in exit-counseling members wanting to leave abusive groups. He has served in the following capacities: court-certified cult expert; chairman of the American Family Foundation's, "Exit Counseling Studies Group;" contributing author and co-editor of the "Exit Counseling: A Practical Overview," contributing author, Recovery From Cults (Norton); national and international conference speaker and media consultant; former president of the national Association of Thought Reform Consultants; and currently board member of the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation. Mr. Clark's workshop examines The Falun Gong and the Anti-Cult Movement in the Context American Political Activity and the Chinese Government Campaign against the "Evil Cult"

Linda Jayne Dubrow, Ph. D., is a psychologist in private practice with the Verree Psychology Group and RETIRN (Re-Entry Therapy, Information & Referral Network), which she co-founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has served as an expert witness and forensic examiner in numerous malpractice cases against therapy cults, and has been a contributor to Cultic Studies Journal. Dr. Dubrow will present Providing Psychotherapy to Children and Families affected by Destructive Groups.

Steve K. Dubrow-Eichel, Ph. D., ABPP, is a licensed and Board Certified Counseling Psychologist. Dr. Dubrow-Eichel is a co-founder of RETIRN (Re-Entry Therapy, Information & Referral Network) in Philadelphia, PA and was a 1990 recipient of the John G. Clark Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Cultic Studies. He has provided expert testimony in numerous custody cases involving cultic groups, and has been a contributor to Cultic Studies Journal. Dr.

Dubrow-Eichel will present Providing Psychotherapy to Children and Families affected by Destructive Groups.

Come see familiar faces, and meet new friends at the 2001 CULTinfo conference.

Conference Prices Full conference with meals.......$269 Full conference without meals..$179 Friday with meals....................$109 Friday without meals...............$79 Saturday with meals................$149 Saturday without meals...........$109 Saturday Special: Attend Saturday major address and the awards dinner for $99 (Hotel costs are not included) If postmarked by September 21 $245 $169 $100 $70 $140 $95
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE Friday, October 26 9: 00 a. m. Registration and coffee - Bookstore (all day) 10: 00 a. m. Committee meetings 12: 00 p. m. Priscilla Coates: President's Opening Welcome Speaker -Paul Martin, Ph. D. -Thirty Years of Reflection on the Cult Phenomenon 1: 30 p. m. Workshop #1 Children in Christian Science: Dealing with Illness - Linda Kramer, Ph. D.

There is Hope: Successful Exits After Longtime Cult Involvement - Mary Alice Chrnalogar, exit counselor and author of Twisted Scriptures Crazy Therapies: Reparenting and Rebirthing - Patricia Crossman, MSW Cult Awareness Educational Programs for Colleges and Universities and Support Groups for Parents of Cult Members -Ron Loomis, cult educator 3: 00 p. m. Break 3: 30 p. m Workshop #2 Personal Stories: Growing up in Scientology -Former Members Falun Gong and the Anti-Cult Movement in the Context American Political Activity and the Chinese Government Campaign against the "Evil Cult" -David Clark Providing Psychotherapy to Children and Families affected by Destructive Groups. -Linda Dubrow, Ph. D. and Steve Dubrow-Eichel, Ph. D.

The Non-Negotiable Factors in Cult Recovery -Paul Martin, Ph. D.

5: 00 p. m Break 6: 00 p. m. Dinner 7: 00 p. m. Speaker -William Zellner, Ph. D. -Cult Apologists: Are They Blind?

9: 15 p. m. Film -Surprise presentation Saturday, October 27 7-9: 00 a. m Breakfast on your own. (The hotel has several restaurants) 9: 00 a. m. This program will feature Calvin Lehman, a former elder and overseer of the Jehovah's Witnesses' Theocratic Ministry School. Lehman's daughter, Traci Sonney, will share her childhood experiences and the problems she encountered growing up as a third generation Witness.

10: 00 a. m. Break 10: 30 a. m. Workshop #3 The Non-negotiable Factors in Cult Recovery -Paul Martin, Ph. D.

Growing up in Scientology -two former members Life in a Fundamentalist Polygamist Marriage -Ex-wives from Tapestry, a support network for former members of polygamist families.

How Law Enforcement Can be Proactive in Assisting Families Affected by Cults -Mark Roggeman, member of Denver Police Department and cult specialist 12:00 p. m. Luncheon Speaker -Stephen Kent, Ph. D. -Child Sexual Abuse in International New Religious Movements 1: 30 p. m. Workshop #4 There is Hope: Successful Exits After Longtime Cult Involvement - Mary Alice Chrnalogar Children in Christian Science - Linda Kramer, Ph. D.

Providing Psychotherapy to Children and Families affected by Destructive Groups - Linda Dubrow, Ph. D., and Steve Dubrow-Eichel, Ph. D.

Cult Awareness Educational Programs for Colleges and Universities and Support Groups for Parents of Cult Members -Ron Loomis, cult educator 3: 00 p. m. Refreshment Break 3: 30 p. m. Workshop #5 Life in a Fundamentalist Polygamist Marriage -Ex wives Crazy Therapies: Reparenting and Rebirthing -Patricia Crossman, MSW How Law Enforcement Can be Proactive in Assisting Families Affected by Cults -Mark Roggeman, member of Denver Police Department and cult specialist Falun Gong and the Anti-Cult Movement in the Context American Political Activity and the Chinese Government Campaign against the "Evil Cult" -Dave Clark 5: 00 p. m. Break (Cash Bar and social hour) 6: 30 p. m Awards Banquet 7: 30 p. m. Keynote Speaker -Frederick Clarkson, noted journalist and author of Eternal Hostility -The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy Overcoming the Cults' Assault on Religious Freedom SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28 9: 00 a. m. Continental Breakfast 10: 00 a. m. Former Members' Panel Moderator --William Goldberg, MSW One of the most looked-forward-to panels of previous conferences 12: 00 p. m. Adjournment --Board Announcements --2002 Conference

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The LJREFoundation is a private association and reserves the right to decline or refund any registration. Any person attending the conference who engages in demonstrations, outbursts or harassing activities will be removed from the conference. Application to come to the conference is consent to being removed by conference security for such activity. If an applicant is not accepted, full registration will be refunded. Cancellations may be subject to a $40 handling fee. No refunds will be given if requested after October 16, 2001. Please call us at 203-366-5500.

If you like, use the 2001 Conference Brochure for ordering.
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The Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation has scheduled its third annual conference October 26-28, 2001, at the Cleveland Hilton South in Independence, Ohio.

Volunteers from Cult Information Services of NE Ohio (CISNEO) will assist the LJREF in hosting the conference. Many of the same volunteers who organized the highly successful Cleveland Cult Awareness Network Conference in 1995 will assist the Foundation with their conference this year. CISNEO president Dr.

Robert Geary remarked:

"The site was chosen for easy accessibility by both air and automobile. The hotel is only fifteen minutes from Cleveland airport, which typically boasts many inexpensive fares. In addition, the hotel is at the intersection of both north-south and east-west interstates, making it very easy to reach by car.

Cleveland is within 500 miles of 2/ 3 of the population of the United States, so we ex-pect as good a turnout as we had in 1995."

CISNEO vice-president Ron Taggart has been involved in the planning activities surrounding the conference. Ron attended last year's LJREF conference in Connecticut regarding which he said:

"The Leo Ryan Conference in 2000 was equal to or better than any conference I attended in the ten years I was associated with the former Cult Awareness Network. This even includes the Cleveland one of which I was chairman. My hope is that we can com-bine the excellence in programming that we had last year with the better accessibility and affordability that we will have in Cleveland."

Speakers this year include Frederick Clarkson, a stellar investigative journalist who has uncovered con-nections between the Moon organization, the Bush family, and the Christian Right. Dr. Paul Martin, director of Wellspring Retreat Center, an ex-cult member recovery center, will speak on current issues of recovery. Sociologist and college textbook author William Zellner, Ph. D, will present a fascinating look at cults from the sociological standpoint and why the dis-cipline of sociology has become the bastion of cult apologetics in academia. This year, the conference committee will focus on the cults which have larger memberships and impact a larger percentage of our citizens.

Ex-members from the Jehovah's Witnesses and the International Churches of Christ are scheduled to speak.

Attendees at the conference may wish to extend their stay and visit some of the attractions that have contributed to Cleveland's revitalization: The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, The Great Lakes Science Center, the world renowned Cleveland Museum of Art, the Flats and Warehouse District, and Playhouse Square, featuring four opulently restored old theatres. Also nearby are the National Football League Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

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