This week in history in these videos, find out what happened this week or any week. Thirteen people, including the leader, were put on death row. Were working on a podcast covering the early days of shoko asahara chizuo matsumoto and aum shinrikyo. Asaharas execution was the first of convicted members of the organization. Chronology of major events related to aum shinrikyo cult. Aum shinrikyo conducted a deadly nerve gas attack on a tokyo subway in 1995. Before we get to the interviews, its important that we get a fuller understanding of aum shinrikyos founding, and their history of violence. Break down the them and us, the attitude that holds that we are sane and they those who launched the attack are nuts.
What lay behind this ferocious lashing the cult had given to the orderly, uncluttered society japan was so proud of. With unprecedented access to former aum members, lifton has produced a pathbreaking study of the inner life of a. Aug 09, 2018 the members of the aum cult committed a grave crime, one that can never be undone, because they allowed themselves to become part of a group that had lost its sympathy for human values and human life. Therefore, aum shinrikyo was an organization that taught the truth about creation and destruction. Aum shinrikyo aum shinrikyo also spelled om shin rikyo was a religious group which mixed buddhist and hindu beliefs and was based in japan. The history of aum shinrikyo, japanese doomsday cult. Aum even used manga comic books to recruit members. Just 11 years later, it carried out a devastating sarin gas attack on a tokyo subway and made a name for itself as one of the worlds most frightening doomsday cults. Olson is adviser, consultant, and writer on hightechnology terrorism, the threat of chemical and. Vote for an upcoming episode of beyond the dark the poll closes once the beyond the dark specials are over so plenty of time, you can vote on. Since the earliest moments of recorded history, prophets and gurus have foretold.
It gained international notoriety in 1995, when a group of followers carried out a poison gas attack on the tokyo subways on the orders of. All belonged to aum shinrikyo, a cult fuelled by the beliefs of an inevitable apocalypse and that salvation could be provided through membership in the cult. Would be happy to be in conversation if youre interested. Approved as a religious entity in 1989 under japanese law, the group ran candidates in a japanese parliamentary election in 1990. Shoko asahara predicted several dates for the end of the world like 19971998, but he eventually settled on 1995. Apr 10, 2020 vote for an upcoming episode of beyond the dark the poll closes once the beyond the dark specials are over so plenty of time, you can vote on multiple so choose whomever or whatever you like. The following is a chronology of major events related to the aum shinrikyo cult. Shiva, which could explain the cult s doomsday attributes. With compelling immediacy, this book tells the terrifying story the cult. Aum shinrikyo japans unholy sect is kimuras latest foray into the literary world and with it, she hopes she has made some contribution, no matter how small, to the current universal need to fight terrorism in all forms so that everyone can live in peace and in safety. Two hundred aum shinrikyo members were convicted following the attacks. An apocalyptic cult built on a mixture of buddhist and christian teachings combined with yoga, the group had convinced its members that they needed to trigger an apocalypse as soon as possible. In the west, we often wonder why our young run away to join isis, an organization known for its brutality. Now rebranded as aleph, the cult has fallen from its 1990s heights but is still going strong.
Since the earliest moments of recorded history, prophets and gurus have. It carried out the deadly tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 and was found to have been responsible for another smaller sarin attack the previous year. Aum shinrikyo supreme truth asahara shoko assisted the realization of his doomsday prophecies by having his followers release sarin nerve gas in tokyo subway stations. He shows how aums guru shoko asahara charismatic spiritual leader, con man, madman created a religion from a global stew of new age thinking, ancient rituals, and apocalyptic science fiction, then recruited scientists as disciples and set them to producing weapons of mass destruction. Aum shinrikyo, which is also known as aum and aleph, is a japanese cult that combines tenets from buddhism, hinduism, and is obsessed with the. The 12 executed members of the aum cult, too, became complicit in a plot to take innocent lives without ever ceasing to be individuals with kind and gentle personalities in. In 1984, the japanese group aum shinrikyo was founded as a simple yoga class. Aum shinrikyo project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Aum shinrikyo article about aum shinrikyo by the free. Aum supreme truth aum a cult also know as aum shinrikyo and aleph established in 1987 by shoko asahara, the aum aimed to take over japan and then the world. Shokomatsu moto claimed to have received enlightenment while he. The attack killed 12 people and injured over 1,000, of whom. Aum shinrikyo currently aleph signs and symbols of cults. We discuss australian sheep ranches, the social lives of scientists, and the infamous hurricane ham of 2016. By the time japans bizarre aum shinrikyo cult launched its 1995 nervegas attack on the.
In five coordinated attacks, the perpetrators released sarin on three lines of the tokyo metro then part of the tokyo subway during rush hour, killing people. Japanese cult aum shinrikyo allegedly used sarin nerve gas on a subway car in japan, killing 12 people and injuring more than 5,000 others. The cult attracted young, elite university students and graduates who believed. Aum shinrikyo was founded in 1984 as a yoga and meditation class, initially known as oumu shinsen no kai. Background of the cult a case study on the aum shinrikyo. In the early 1990s, asahara published a book in which he declared. Jul 05, 2018 aum members first released it in 1994 in the central japanese city of matsumoto, in a failed attack on three judges set to rule on the cult, nevertheless killing eight people and making hundreds ill. Tokyo court orders aum shinrikyo cult successor aleph to pay. The supreme truth had thousands of followers all over japan who believed in their doomsday prophecies. From now until the year 2000, a series of violent phenomena filled with fear that. Much of the faith from the aum shinrikyo cult is based in a strange combination of buddhism and hinduism. A short history of aum shinrikyo, their murders, and the. Vote for an upcoming episode of beyond the dark the poll closes once the beyond the dark specials are over so plenty of time, you can vote on multiple so choose.
Aum shinrikyo s most famous act is the 1995 sarin gas attack in the tokyo subway. Mar 18, 2020 the gas attack was instituted by the aum shinrikyo which means supreme truth cult. The aum shinrikyo supreme truth was founded in 1987 by shoko asahara, a fortyyear old legally blind former yoga teacher. One year after the founder and 12 former senior members of the aum shinrikyo cult were executed for crimes including the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack in. Japan forward leave your thoughts japan forward japans minister of justice yoko kamikawa announced on friday, july 6, that the guru. Aum shinrikyo, currently known as aleph, is a listed as a terrorist organization by several countries. On the 26th of march 1995, sarin gas was released in a tokyo subway station crammed with morning rush hour commuters and all hell broke loose. Aum shinrikyo currently aleph signs and symbols of. The aum shinrikyo executions and a society in denial. In a book entitled shivering predictions by shoko asahara, asahara stated that. After years on death row, the cults leader shoko asahara was put to death on 6 july. Aum shinrikyo is a japanese cult movement founded by shoko asahara which carried out a terrorist attack on a tokyo subway in 1995. His book consists of interviews with people who were on the subway that morning, followed by a few interviews with members of aum.
Aum shinrikyo is a religious group which started in the 1980s, but gained official status in 1989. Aleph, formerly 19872000 aum shinrikyo, japanese new religious movement founded in 1987 as aum shinrikyo. Oct 19, 2000 break down the them and us, the attitude that holds that we are sane and they those who launched the attack are nuts. Aum shinrikyo also had a number of commercial enterprises, even a company that manufactured computers. Seven members of the cult responsible for the 1995 tokyo metro sarin gas attacksincluding cult leader shoko asahara and six accompliceswere executed in tokyo on friday, july 6. Asahara was born on march 2, 1955 as chizuo matsumoto in yatsushiro, japan. The cult, whose name means supreme truth, began in the 1980s as a spiritual group mixing hindu and buddhist beliefs, later working in elements of apocalyptic. Aum shinrikyo was a doomsday cult founded by shoko asahara in the. Cult leaders daughters call for him not to be executed. Most notable is the fixation on the hindu goddess of destruction. However, they are also known for the sarin gas attack the groups goals in their attacks have either been the elimination of opposition, like authorities and lawyers, or the mass murder of as many civilians as.
Jul 06, 2018 the culprits were aum shinrikyo, an obscure religious group who believed the end of the world was coming. The japanese killer cult that wanted to rule the world sarin wrap they made weapons of mass destruction, worked with the yakuza, and killed anyone in the way. Aum shinrikyo, currently known as aleph, is a listed as a terrorist organization by several countries the name aum shinrikyo, omu shinrikyo, usually rendered in english as supreme truth, derives from the first letter of the phoenician, hebrew and arabic alphabets and replaced its logo. In 1984, an unlicensed, alternative medicine specialist named asahara shoko born matsumoto chizuo, 19552018 founded the aforementioned cult. Chronology of aum shinrikyos cbw activities introduction six years ago, on march 20, 1995, five members of the japanese cult aum shinrikyo supreme truth boarded subway trains in tokyo, japan, and released the deadly chemical nerve agent sarin.
The cult also ran a chain of restaurants in tokyo and several other japanese cities. One year after aum shinrikyo executions, scant debate. Aum shinrikyo was also linked with other cases, for a total of 29 deaths. Aleph, formerly 19872000 aum shinrikyo, japanese new religious movement founded in 1987 as aum shinrikyo aum supreme truth by matsumoto chizuo, known to his followers as master asahara shoko. The podcast serves as a primer for our documentary the cult leader and me which follows atsushi sakahara in conversation with hiroshi araki currently leader of aleph. The leader, who gave himself the name of shoko asahara, was born in 1955. Tokyo district court judge shoji ogawa, after 8year trial, sentences shoko asahara, former leader of religious cult aum shinrikyo, to death for masterminding sarin gas attack in tokyo subway in. Aum shinrikyos most famous act is the 1995 sarin gas attack in the tokyo subway. Now robert jay lifton offers a vivid and disturbing case in point in this chilling exploration of aum shinrikyo, the japanese cult that released sarin nerve gas in the tokyo subways. His book consists of interviews with people who were on the subway that morning, followed by a few interviews with members of aum shinrikyo, the secret society that set off the gas attack. The culprits were aum shinrikyo, an obscure religious group who believed the end of the world was coming. Leader shoko asahara drew on various asian religions when he established the cult in 1987. National book award winner and renowned psychiatrist robert jay lifton reveals. Aum shinrikyojapans unholy sect is kimuras latest foray into the literary world and with it, she hopes she has made some contribution, no matter how small, to the current universal need to fight terrorism in all forms so that everyone can live in peace and in safety.
Asahara shoko, founder of aum shinrikyo supreme truth. Shiva, which could explain the cults doomsday attributes. It carried out the deadly tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 and was found to have been responsible for another smaller sarin attack the previous year the group has never confessed. The gas attack was instituted by the aum shinrikyo which means supreme truth cult. It mixes elements of yoga, buddhism, and other religions and begins recruiting college students and intellectuals. Apr 24, 2018 in 1984, the japanese group aum shinrikyo was founded as a simple yoga class. Imported components from taiwan were assembled in a cult factory at kamakuishki and sold in aums computer store in downtown tokyo. The men responsible were astrophysicists, doctors, and electronics engineers who graduated at the top of their classes hudson, 1999. Ahead of the 20th anniversary of aum shinrikyos deadly sarin attack in. Here is the reasons why japanese government hurried the executions. Directory of books about japanese religious cult aum shinrikyo. Aum shinrikyos power of persuasion ahead of the 20th anniversary of aum shinrikyos deadly sarin attack in tokyo, we talk to three people with intimate. Asahara and members of his sect were found guilty of carrying out a 1995 sarin gas attack on the tokyo subway system that killed people and injured some 5,500.
As with all of liftons reflections on politics and psychology, this one has many powerful and compelling insights. Although it claims to be a new religious movement, several governments regard it as a terrorist movement. Japanese novelist haruki murakami wrote a nonfiction book about the. After years on death row, the cults leader shoko asahara was put to. Aum shinrikyo simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Former leader of japanese doomsday cult hanged over 1995.
Executed former aum member yoshihiro inoue left over 5,000 pages of personal notes. With unprecedented access to former aum members, lifton has produced a pathbreaking study of the inner life of a modern millennial cult. Aum shinrikyo is a japanese religious organization, better known for its terrorist activity, mainly the for sarin attack in the tokyo subway on march 1995. The tokyo subway sarin attack subway sarin incident, chikatetsu sarin jiken was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated on 20 march 1995, in tokyo, japan, by members of the cult movement aum shinrikyo. Thirteen people were killed, and thousands were injured. Although it claims to be a new religious movement, several governments regard it as a terrorist movement aum members used a poisonous gas called sarin for their attack. The book is in digital form entitled butterfly in the wind. The spiritual beliefs of the aum 2644 words bartleby. Aum shinrikyojapans unholy sect is kimuras latest foray into the literary world and with it, she hopes she has made some contribution, no matter how small, to the current universal need to fight terrorism in all. Aum shinrikyo cult leader shoko asahara executed 23 years after deadly tokyo sarin attacks. Aum shinrikyo was a japanese doomsday cult founded by shoko asahara in 1984. Founded by shoko asahara in the early 1990s, aum shinrikyo was a doomsday cult based in japan.
Strategy, tactics, techniques, and weapons aum shinrikyo. Aum shinrikyo cult leader shoko asahara executed 23 years. I n 1987 asahara shoko born chizuo matsumoto established aum shinrikyo, a cult with several hundred members. After years on death row, the cult s leader shoko asahara was put to death on 6 july. Masterminded a deadly attack on japans subway system on march 20, 1995, members of aum shinrikyo supreme truth, founded by asahara in the 1980s, released the poisonous. Those interested in cults and extreme human behavior.
By summer, it was clear that aum shinrikyo was responsible. However, they are also known for the sarin gas attack the groups goals in their attacks have either been the elimination of opposition, like authorities and lawyers, or the mass murder of as many civilians as possible. The tokyo gas attack and the japanese psyche, andaguraundo, 19971998 is a book by japanese novelist haruki murakami about the 1995 aum shinrikyo. Conversations with history, institute of international studies, university of. Jul 06, 2018 aum shinrikyo was also linked with other cases, for a total of 29 deaths. One year after aum shinrikyo executions, scant debate over. His books included claims that he was the second coming of jesus christ and that he had the ability to. In five attacks, they released sarin on several lines of the tokyo subway. In the aftermath of anguish, death, painful injuries and broken lives, the deadly action was traced back to a cult called aum shinrikyo. He was the fourth son of seven children five boys and.
We discuss aum shinrikyo, or as jess likes to call them, that cult i totally could have joined if i lived in japan. The name aum shinrikyo, omu shinrikyo, usually rendered in english as supreme truth, derives from the first letter of the phoenician, hebrew and arabic alphabets and replaced its logo. Aum shinrikyoaleph is a syncretic belief system that draws upon asaharas idiosyncratic interpretations of elements of early indian buddhism and tibetan buddhism, as well as hinduism, taking shiva as the main image of worship and incorporating millennialist ideas from the christian book of revelation, yoga, and the writings of nostradamus. Jul 05, 2019 one year after the founder and 12 former senior members of the aum shinrikyo cult were executed for crimes including the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack in the tokyo subway system, the debate over. Cult education institute group information archives. Aum members first released it in 1994 in the central japanese city of matsumoto, in a failed attack on three judges set to rule on the cult, nevertheless.
Britannica explains in these videos, britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions. But the book is much more than a story of a single cult. Aum shinrikyo, the japanese doomsday cult that poisoned tokyo. Arefu, formerly aum shinrikyo, oumu shinrikyo, is a japanese doomsday cult founded by shoko asahara in 1984.
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