Bronwyn Rideout

After some false starts over the past three years, I finally had the opportunity to attend a Gnostic Mass. As far as Occult/Esoteric groups go, the Gnostic Mass is one of, if not THE, most accessible ... (1695 words)

In part 2 of this study into the secretive group most commonly known as the Two-by-Twos (TBT), I'll give an overview of the current state of the sect and the numerous controversies it has faced in ... (1582 words)

Source| William Irvine (Center) and early followers The TL;DR version of this story is that the Two-by-Twos (TBT) is an international Christian home church movement of the protestant kind founded in ... (2324 words)

In no way was I properly attired for a prolonged counter protest. In fact, I was supposed to be all cozied up in the venue, catered with weak coffee and dry sandwiches, listening to Batchelor perform ... (908 words)

Source | Douglas Metcalf The goings on of the late “Bishop” Douglas Metcalf and the Full Gospel Mission/God Squad/Camp David have been on my list to profile for awhile. When I'm able to steer the ... (3471 words)

It's been a couple of weeks since the final episode of this season's (!!) Sex.Life podcast aired with a less than revealing Q&A. The poor folks at the Culty Conversations facebook page have had ... (1445 words)

For every Bill Gothard who terrorises his followers into believing that music with a fast beat will bring them closer to the devil, there is a Sri Chinmoy who is driven to play music, albeit ... (1664 words)

Something that has become a bit of a tradition for Mark Honeychurch and myself is attending the quarterly Prayers@Parliament event, where we join MPs and Christian leaders inside parliament to pray ... (531 words)

After the legal troubles and tabloid journalism of the 1980s, as I documented in my last article about ZAP, the furor around ZAP died down to barely a whisper. While the group claimed membership in ... (1155 words)

Amazon Prime released a 4-part docu series titled Shiny Happy People on June 2nd, 2023. If you are of a certain age, you can hear this image No, it's not about REM. Although you may want to use that ... (3692 words)

In last week's newsletter, I set as best of a scene as I could with regards to who John Dalhoff/Ultimate was up to the early years of ZAP. In short, Dalhoff was the only son in a very wealthy ... (3920 words)

John Dalhoff and the Zenith Applied Philosophy (Z.A.P), Part 1 The further I explore the rabbit hole of fringe groups, the more I find out about the kiwis who were a large part of the fabric of these ... (1759 words)

“An auditor and client using an E-Meter”, or the longest running stitch up in New Zealand History - you decide. The Beginnings of Scientology: Organisational Flux Throughout the 1940s, L. Ron ... (3229 words)

Because it has been a hot second since I wrote about Highden/ISTA, I thought it was time to provide an update on what's been happening since RNZ published their piece on Sacred Sexuality in October ... (1826 words)

Part 2 This week, we will look at how Franklin Jones led his followers through to the new millennium (including the legal tumult of the 80s), the New Zealand side of the story, and where the group ... (2908 words)

If you have a social media account, you may have found your feed clogged with advertisements for the new ecommerce platform TEMU. The company launched in NZ in March but has only ramped up its ... (316 words)

Part 1 In the book that keeps on giving (to me at least), Robert Ellwood's Islands of the Dawn: The Story of Alternative Spirituality in New Zealand includes a two paragraph profile on the Johannine ... (2258 words)

Part 2 Since publishing Part 1 last week, I've had the opportunity to do further investigating into the backgrounds of Paul Foster Case and Ann Davies. Some parts became verifiable facts, while ... (3276 words)

Part 1 Builders of the Adytum, or BotA, is a Western Mystery School that teaches esoteric psychology, tarot, Qabalah, and other new age practices via correspondence. It was established in the United ... (2094 words)

An unjolly look at a company that broadcasts right-wing, anti-vax, and transphobic advertisements in major NZ cities Jolly Billboards is an NZ media company that was incorporated on October 20, 2020 ... (1462 words)

It has been a while since I wrote about an MLM properly and, in some ways, Prüvit is both the best and worst MLM to dip into. The health and wellness claims it makes are of great interest to ... (2718 words)

Part 4 - Ray Comfort - Part 2 Source | Ray Comfort preaching in Hawaii in 1985 Ray Comfort's life seems quite blessed. His office in Regent Street survived a fire; footage confiscated from Comfort ... (2205 words)

Part 4: Ray Comfort Finally, we've reached the end of this series profiling major evangelical and fundamentalist Christians and their connection to New Zealand, whether they are home grown (like ... (2310 words)

I've been thrown into the editorial breach this weekend due to being the contributor who made the most…well…contributions. Fortunately, it is a job that for me has all the glory and none of the work, ... (252 words)

How the Labour government gave $90,000 to a “ghostbuster” When we started the NZ Skeptics Calendar project last year, the first place Mark Honeychurch and I turned to was our own archive. ... (1604 words)

Part 3: Geoff Botkin, continued Due to circumstances outside of my control, the edition of the newsletter in which Part 1 was published had to be removed from MailChimp - there were issues with a ... (2298 words)

First, a disclaimer. The Church of Almighty God (全能神教会) aka Eastern Lightning (东方闪电; EL) has made a big enemy out of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).While it initially avoided the official ... (2910 words)

Part 3: Geoff Botkin - Part 1 Source | Geoff Botkin Geoff Botkin is a man with many titles, labels, and accolades you could attach to his name. With a significant portion of his career lost to the ... (2382 words)

Part 2: Nancy Campbell Colin and Nancy Campbell If you listened to the February 8th episode of the Yeah…Nah Podcast, then this profile should not come as a surprise. If only because I gave spoilers ... (2641 words)

Part 1: Bill Gothard Bill Gothard I was in 9th grade in Canada when Columbine occurred, and alongside that tragedy came a burst of energy in Christian youth culture that arrived to save us poor ... (1680 words)

Part 1: The New Zealand connection to Hare Krishna offshoot the Science of Identity Foundation. In his book, Islands of the Dawn: The story of alternative spiritualities in New Zealand, Robert ... (2269 words)

I spend a lot of time on Youtube and I often opine, as others in the anti-MLM sphere do, that the Youtube algorithm loves to show me ads that are not reflective of my viewing habits. I've seen more ... (1400 words)

It has been a while since I edited a newsletter, and what better time than near the end of the year to take on the mantle again. We are starting to wind down our activities for the holidays, but the ... (184 words)

Cottagecore, but make it alt-right In her “purest form”, a traditional wife (or the more hashtaggable Tradwife) is a woman who takes a traditional gender role in their marriage and household, and ... (784 words)

YouTube creators revolt against Established Titles sponsorship Back in the distant past of … checks calendar… March 2022, I first wrote of a long running scheme of Scottish souvenir plots. In brief, ... (1075 words)

Our year in NZ Skeptical History is still moving along, with the goal of getting it finished (or as close as possible) by the end of 2022. December 5th to December 11th is surprisingly full of ... (237 words)

As I am in the early- to middle-part of my COVID infection, I've decided that my contribution this week is essentially a redirection to a New York Times Opinion piece by Dr. Elisabeth Bik. Dr. Bik is ... (790 words)

The last time I wrote about Highden Temple, I noted that Bruce Lyon had been able to escape public and media scrutiny despite Highden's association with the controversial International School of the ... (523 words)

How is the company surviving the 21st century? In Part 1, I hoped to have painted a picture of Dr. Bronner as an Ideas man above all else. Sure, he had the skills necessary to make a decent soap ... (922 words)

Part 1: The myth, the man, the label Newsletter readers and podcast listeners have probably picked up by now that my errand run takes me into stores and up aisles that many skeptics wouldn't tread ... (1310 words)

In June, I wrote about controversial haircare MLM Monat. The MLM has long been dogged by accusations that its haircare products caused haircare and skin damage, and was the subject of multiple ... (1211 words)

Source At-home testing is not a new concept. More than likely you or someone you know tests their blood sugar levels regularly and needs to treat a low blood sugar at some point. Home pregnancy and ... (859 words)

How much would you pay to be led in a chant before drinking a bitter cup of cacao? $33? $48? $55? $200 for a virtual, 2 hr ceremony? Maybe you want to lift your game (and thicken your wallet) by ... (793 words)

Skeptics, I'm mad. I mean, look at these headlines Stuff.co.nz: The Tupperware Party is over NZ Herald: After half a century, Tupperware closes lid on NZ operation But yes, it is true. Tupperware, ... (545 words)

Back in the March 21, 2022 edition of the Skeptics Newsletter, I wrote about the scheme/scam of becoming a fake Scottish Lord (or Laird as the case may be). One of the new sales tactics is to take on ... (1015 words)

Work on the NZ Skeptical calendar (our attempt to find a New Zealand skeptical event for every day of the year) continues apace, with 346 individual events recorded and now only 140 days remaining to ... (711 words)

How the jewel of the Manawatū became a modern-day mystery school and the controversy currently embroiling its association with the International School of the Temple Arts. Part 2 Before you read ... (4025 words)

How the jewel of the Manawatū became a modern-day mystery school, and the controversy currently embroiling its association with the International School of the Temple Arts. Highden Manor House ... (1742 words)

I know my contributions tend to call back to the prehistoric time of 2002 to 2006, when I was completing my first of three (and in three years, fingers crossed, four) degrees. This time, rather than ... (1811 words)

Curses, Inc | Tristan Elwell Has anyone noticed that NZ stoner supplies mainstay, Cosmic Corner, has been taking a more witchy route as of late? Increasing its stores of tarot cards, smudge sticks, ... (1195 words)

As one of the oldest treatises on medical ethics, The Hippocratic Oath is understood to be a reflection of the beliefs and practices of the ancient Greek physicians for whom it was intended. The ... (2090 words)

Warning: The subject matter of this article may be distressing to some due to discussions about children, death, and handling of dead bodies. Source At Skepticon 2021 (our combined conference with ... (1347 words)

(but you wouldn't know it from the spree of hate crimes here in the land of the long, white cloud) On Friday, June 2nd 2022, homophobic and antisemetic slurs were grafittied on both sides of Glora of ... (687 words)

Website|Wikipedia|Facebook (AUS) Country of Origin: Doral, Florida, United States Year Founded: October 2014 Founded by: Luis and Rayner Urdaneta Year MLM established in New Zealand: Not established ... (1354 words)

Website | AUS/NZ website | No Wikipedia Page | Facebook (AUS/NZ| Country of Origin: Norway Year Founded: 1994 Founded by: Bjørn Nicolaisen Year MLM established in New Zealand: April 1st, 2015 ... (2102 words)

Femtech, period trackers, and the threat to Roe V. Wade The Ishango Bone - photo by Joeykentin The Ishango bone, dated to at least 11,000 years ago, is considered one of the earliest examples of ... (1492 words)

Website | Wikipedia | Facebook (AUS/NZ) Country of Origin: Gilbert, Arizona, United States Year Founded: 2002 Founded by: Kathy Coover, Jim Coover, John Anderson Year MLM established in New Zealand: ... (2490 words)

Reach out and touch gauze: The exposure of a Medium in 1890s Petone, NZ On May 17th, 1894, news of an arrest made in Petone the previous night hit the broadsheets and started spreading across the ... (2082 words)

(or Scamway, if you are so inclined) Official Site | Wikipedia | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Country of Origin: Michigan, United States Year Founded: November 9, 1959 Founded by: Richard ... (2396 words)

Wikipedia Site | NZ website | Australia & NZ Facebook Country of Origin: Orem, Utah, United States Year Founded: 1980 Founded by: Petter Mørck Year MLM established in New Zealand: June 7, 2016 ... (1468 words)

Wikipedia site Country of Origin: Pleasant Grove, Utah, United States Year Founded: April 25th, 2008 Founded by: David Stirling, Emily Wright, David Hill, Corey B. Lindley, Gregory P. Cook, Robert ... (1582 words)

Trigger warnings: Mentions of Suicide and infant death Country of Origin: Lehi, Utah, United States Year Founded:1993 Founded by: Donald Gary Young and Mary Young Year MLM established in New Zealand: ... (2094 words)

April is Autism acceptance month, and amidst the annual articles reminding everyone that lack of eye contact and an inclination for stimming isn't the worst thing in the world, the ghost of Andrew ... (683 words)

Country of Origin: Texas, United States of America Year Founded:1963 Founded by: Mary Kay Ash Year MLM established in New Zealand: Opened in Australia in 1971/1992 in New Zealand Year MLM closed in ... (1449 words)

While current geopolitical matters might have some Finns wishing they were a tad more invisible, at first pass this is hardly a skeptical topic. But this modern conspiracy is worth a chuckle, ... (363 words)

What do Avon, Tupperware, Doterra, and Arbonne have in common? They are all businesses in New Zealand that utilise multi-level marketing (MLM) strategies. If you aren't familiar with the names or the ... (1497 words)

The New Zealand HPCA Act and what's in a name The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 intends to protect the public from serious or permanent harm while also protecting health ... (734 words)

The many Lords and Ladies of Glencoe and the matter of souvenir Scottish titles No true Scotsman…buys souvenir plots Advertisements for a small block of land and an accompanying Scottish title have ... (1106 words)

On March 13th Dr. Darren Saunders (Associate Professor of Medicine at UNSW, Cancer Biologist) made international headlines for his takedown of a new trend hitting social media: Methylene Blue. ... (521 words)

Welcome to the Skeptics Newsletter! As I've been a prolific writer this week, Craig and Mark decided I should have the honour of crafting the intro of this week's Newsletter. We had such a great ... (616 words)

Despite the impromptu music festival happening on its front lawn, the New Zealand Parliament passed The Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill, colloquially known as the Conversion Therapy ... (439 words)

In Part 1, Sri Chinmoy (whose full name was Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, and who will herein be referred to by his initials: CKG) left his job at the consulate to seize an opportunity that awaited him amidst ... (2615 words)

Bronwyn Rideout investigates the connection between the Lotus Heart restaurant in Christchurch and Sri Chinmoy. The Lotus Heart Restaurant has been on my radar for almost as long as I have been ... (1181 words)

What do the Brontosaurus, Harry Houdini, and a phrenology bust have in common? Each played a part in my journey towards skepticism. I would wager that at one point in their lives, the readers of this ... (608 words)

The 96-hour fireworks industry is both a source of joy and dread for New Zealanders nationwide. Fireworks can only be sold privately in this country between November 2nd and November 5th, and while ... (1180 words)

I was scrolling through my Instagram feed when a post by a favourite local café stopped me mid-swipe. The words “Christmas” and “shoebox” in the same sentence caused a brief moment of dread to call ... (1736 words)