IF YOU plan on heading to Falls, Bluesfest, Splendour or one of the many other events that annually take place in Australia’s festival hub, please keep an eye out for Hermes Far Eastern Shining, a cult-like group that’s been targeting Byron festival punters.
As the Daily Mail reports, Hermes Far Eastern Shining has been targeting unsuspecting festival-goers and uni students, offering them the promise of enlightenment in exchange for their loyalty and working on artefacts they sell at more than $10,000 each.
The group was founded in the early ’90s by former clinical psychologist Gerald Hart Attrill who reinvented himself as a Leader-type figure, changing his name to Jessa O’My Heart and using his followers to create overpriced artefacts they claim bring spiritual enlightenment.
Before he died in 2012, Attrill instructed his followers to begin a recruiting drive at Byron Bay festivals and even Brisbane universities. The group has earned criticism from Cult Information and Family Support (CIFS) and even Senator Nick Xenophon.
As the Daily Mail notes, Xenophon has called for the group to be investigated by an ‘anti-sect’ government watchdog, whilst CIFS President Ros Hodgkins has warned potential followers of the group’s exploitative and manipulative tactics.
Why is this being refered to as a “Byron Cult” in the headline?
It’s got nothing to do with Byron except as a recruitment drive.
Shit like this really does piss me off.
If they recruited in Lismore, would it then become a Lismore cult? Can’t see it.
Dickheads.