[Vision2020] News of the Weird: Religion Evolves

Thu, 20 May 2004 08:40:40 -0700

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Editor's Choice
The Week in Weird News, May 7-14, 2004
(links verified as of May 14)
(to find original stories, enter proper name or other distinguishing
words into search box at http://news.google.com or
http://news.yahoo.com)

O Yr Editor has a special place in his professional heart for the
World War II "cargo cults," those South Seas islanders who were
mightily impressed when U.S. airmen and sailors dropped by to set
up staging areas for the war against Japan.  Great quantities of food
seemed to magically appear in outdoor lockers on the islands,
without the need for growing and harvesting (the natives having
somehow missed the actual re-stocking, from the aircraft and boats
over to the lockers).  Result:  The islanders began to pray to the
miraculous cargo lockers, and in one post-Vietnam-era dispatch
from Tanna, in Vanuatu, that I chronicled in one of the News of the
Weird paperbacks, one cult overheard discussion of the American
god Johnson (i.e., Lyndon) and began to worship an old Johnson
brand outboard motor.  (This Associated Press story was widely
circulated and never withdrawn, which, combined with the fact that
Jayson Blair was still in middle school at the time, argues for its
authenticity.)  Anyway, all hell has broken loose recently on Tanna,
according to Sydney's weekly Sun-Herald.  The traditional cargo
people (called the John Frum movement) have been fighting with
Christian breakaways led by "Prophet Fred" Nasse, who says,
naturally, You cargo people are nuts.  Police from Vanuatu's
capital, Vila, said about 25 people have been hospitalized.
Sydney Morning Herald

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</FONT><B><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D5>Editor's =
Choice</FONT></B><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>
The Week in Weird News, May 7-14, 2004
<I>(links verified as of May 14)
(to find original stories, enter proper name or other distinguishing
words into search box at <A =
href=3D"http://news.google.com">http://news.google.com</A> or
<A href=3D"http://news.yahoo.com">http://news.yahoo.com</A>)

</I>O Yr Editor has a special place in his professional heart for the
World War II "cargo cults," those South Seas islanders who were
mightily impressed when U.S. airmen and sailors dropped by to set
up staging areas for the war against Japan.  Great quantities of food
seemed to magically appear in outdoor lockers on the islands,
without the need for growing and harvesting (the natives having
somehow missed the actual re-stocking, from the aircraft and boats
over to the lockers).  Result:  The islanders began to pray to the
miraculous cargo lockers, and in one post-Vietnam-era dispatch
from Tanna, in Vanuatu, that I chronicled in one of the News of the
Weird paperbacks, one cult overheard discussion of the American
god Johnson (i.e., Lyndon) and began to worship an old Johnson
brand outboard motor.  (This Associated Press story was widely
circulated and never withdrawn, which, combined with the fact that
Jayson Blair was still in middle school at the time, argues for its
authenticity.)  Anyway, all hell has broken loose recently on Tanna,
according to Sydney's weekly Sun-Herald.  The traditional cargo
people (called the John Frum movement) have been fighting with
Christian breakaways led by "Prophet Fred" Nasse, who says,
naturally, You cargo people are nuts.  Police from Vanuatu's
capital, Vila, said about 25 people have been hospitalized.
<A =
href=3D"http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/08/1083911455208.html">Syd=
ney Morning Herald</A>
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