‘Crusader’ for religious freedom

Press, 20 January 1981, Page 6

‘Crusader’ for religious freedom

Mr Romily -Fraser, the founder and secretary of the Family Unity' and Freedom of Worship group in Auckland, and a former Scientologist, says he has ..financed much of its • investigative work; The Family . Unity <and Freedom of Worship group, which is not an incorporated society and which “ has :.:. a loosely based association 'of about 60 people throughout New Zealand, aims to investigate,.' as an independent body, "allegations of religious harassment of religious groups and individuals of ' all- denominations.’' > It brought to the attention of the Human Rights Commission and lodged a com-

plaint with the Broadcasting Corporation about the screening last year of an “Eye Witness” programme about the “God Squad”, the AFuli Gospel Mission religious sect based near Waipara, which made -the headlines when arms -wrefe? found -by' the police on. the prdperty, in 1977, •

In the ;10?months':that he has been making what he calls >an7-“in-depth investigation” of f the mission’s "activities and; the resulting, television programme, Mr . Fraser says he has paid for most-'of his expenses out of his Own pocket,V ~ J “Other-; -.niembers\, of' the group contributed both their time and .their talents, but most of the .work .we do is personally’ funded by me. Fve spent thousands, of dol-

lars on the ‘God Squad’ investigation alone,” Mr Fraser 5aid....,:.,. »• '■ Why does he do it? i“lt. is the way I want to spend my. money. I’ve earned it, and I feet there -is a need for the work I’m doing.'”- > He admits that his. wife is not ‘X quite' 1 so . enthusiastic about the financing :of J his personal crusade as, he is. Mr Fraser lives in Auckland with his wife and aged nine.'" ; J , ...- s He says it would be wrong to accept‘.financial aid from thej churches or individuals for whicfcp he conducts his investigations. •’ .; /‘We; are ? -a. voluntary agency. -We do not have any contractual- financial agreemehfswith any pt the groups we are presenting a case for.” He says he has nearly fin-

ished the manuscript for a book about his work, and he believes he has found a publisher in London, which will help to finance bis crusading work. - . ■ “The book contains some startling revelation that will be embarrassing to those people' in the anti-cult, movement,” Mr Fraser says. : ..'He says he has documented in depth the activities of “anti-cult’’ people and his manuscript will contain some hitherto unknown ; information."-/.;

"The anti-cult movement is in existence ;in- /Australia under the-name 1 of the Association Exposing PseudoReligious Cults, .and it has New ~ Zealand connections, although they are covert and have not formed an open society.

“They, deliberately organise the harassament of religious cults and their members. They are often militarist in their outlook and are anticivil liberties.” <

An example of such people would be the "de-program-mers” who work, usually in the United States, by asserting to .- “de-programme” young people who have been drawn into < such religious sects as the “Moonies.” . The term “de-program-ming” derives from, the belief held by its adherents that the members of some sects have been brainwashed, or programmed into belonging . to them, he; says. . Mr Fraser will leave;today for Australia to attend the trial or two . American “deprogrammers” who allegedly seized a “Moonie” (a mem-

ber of the Unification Church founded by the Rev. Myung Sun Moon, a Korean businessman) and tried to deprogramme him. “I believe there must be vigorous .and effective defence ot unusual or eccentric people. People must have freedom of worship,” Mr Fraser says.' Where does he draw. the line with ■ so many unusual cults , springing up? ; . “I draw the line at illegality. For example, I don’t agree with the Neo-Ameri-can Church in Auckland, who base their cult on marijuana. And I ■ don’t ! agree with 'churches’ in America that set themselves up as . a religious cult for tax evasion, citing the first amendment in defence.” , ,