Sacrificial' cult headed by 'living Buddha' who banned followers from washing

https://ift.tt/2m8jKa0 WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES. Police burst into the compound and rescued 19 people after one follower of the Zhonghua Rixing Yishang - China Daily Virtue - was allegedly killed in a sick ritual SHARE COMMENTS ByJohn Feng 13:54, 27 SEP 2019UPDATED13:59, 27 SEP 2019 NEWS Click for Sound Cops Raid Buddha Exorcism Cult And Rescue 19 Cops Raid Buddha Exorcism Cult And Rescue 19 Pause Unmute Current Time 0:26 / Duration 1:01 Loaded: 100.00% Share Fullscreen COPS RAID BUDDHA EXORCISM CULT AND RESCUE 19 Get the biggest Daily News stories by email Subscribe We will use your email address only for the purpose of sending you newsletters. Please see ourPrivacy Noticefor details of your data protection rights This is the moment police raided a 'sacrificial' cult headed by a 'living Buddha,' who banned people from speaking or washing without permission. Police burst into the compound and rescued 19 people after one follower of the Zhonghua Rixing Yishang - China Daily Virtue - was allegedly killed in a sick ritual. Cult leader Lin Hsin-yue, 61, was among five people arrested at the remote mountain monastery in Nantou, Taiwan, which had been sealed shut by a large red metal gate and surrounded by chain-linked fences. The cult has around 100 members - ranging from two to 80 - across either side of the Taiwan Strait. Police burst into the compound and rescued 19 followers of the Zhonghua Rixing Yishang cult (Image: AsiaWire) This shocking image shows beaten followers of the cult (Image: AsiaWire) READ MORE 'Jealous' detective bombarded firearms policeman ex with thousands of messages Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said followers were not allowed mobile phones and were beaten for speaking out of turn and attempting to run away. Investigators with the CID’s 5th investigative unit seized cult propaganda, various rods, plastic and wooden sticks, as well as metal pipes wrapped in cloth used to beat followers in exorcisms or so-called ‘soul purifying’ ceremonies. The unit’s lead investigator, Lai Ying-men, said the beatings were carried out or authorised by the ring leader herself, who was referred to as the ‘Holy Mother’ or ‘Living Buddha’. Cult leader Lin Hsin-yue, 61, was among five people arrested at the remote mountain monastery in Nantou, Taiwan (Image: AsiaWire) The death of Taiwanese national Ms Fang, 20, in mainland China sparked police investigations across the Taiwan Strait (Image: AsiaWire) READ MORE Rose West 'moans about sleeping with pillow over head due to noisy prisoners' The raid on the compound came during a months-long investigation into the group - established by Lin in 2008 as a fusion of Eastern and Westerns religious teachings. Authorities became involved in March after family members of 20-year-old follower Ms Fang, from Taiwan’s western city of Taichung, reported that she had been beaten to death during a visit to mainland China with the matriarch. Lin allegedly ordered Ms Fang to be flogged during a purification ceremony in Nanning, capital of China’s southern Guangxi region, where she had hoped to open a new compound. Exorcism tools including wooden and plastic sticks, metal pipes wrapped in cloth, and mallets were seized at the cult's monastery in Nantou County, Taiwan (Image: AsiaWire) Horrific bruising left by beatings (Image: AsiaWire) She then fled back to Taiwan to avoid arrest by local authorities, the CIB, which is the bureau under the National Police Agency, said on September 25. According to reports, the religious cult’s alleged purpose is to inspire good virtues and promote physical and spiritual health, but those who joined found themselves unable to leave, often suffering violent and brutal beatings when they attempted to escape. All 19 followers rescued from the compound had been beaten for the purposes of exorcism, or for failing to follow the cult’s rules. According to reports, the religious cult’s alleged purpose is to inspire good virtues and promote physical and spiritual health, but those who joined found themselves unable to leave, often suffering violent and brutal beatings when they attempted to escape (Image: AsiaWire) A PowerPoint slide shown to followers shows a cult member being beaten in the name of exorcism and soul purification (Image: AsiaWire) READ MORE Top News Stories From Mirror Online Mum killed in arson attack laid to rest Children rescued from 'torture house' Prince Harry visits African minefield Girl killed in 'hit and run' pictured Reasons for being flogged included using the Holy Mother’s name in vain, speaking without raising one’s hand, disrespecting Buddhist teachings, and even asking for a second helping of food. CID investigator Lai said: “According to the followers, the cult leader claimed they had been possessed by evil beings which needed to be driven out through these exorcism beatings. “No religion treats its followers this way.” The Taichung District Court has ordered Lin to be remanded in custody and held incommunicado as investigations continue.