From the Kansas City Star newpaper, link courtesy of Religion Headlines: "A religious cult leader convicted of killing a family of five from Independence in 1989 will be executed Oct. 10, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Jeffrey Lundgren, 56, was convicted of shooting to death a man, his wife and three daughters. The family had moved from Missouri in 1987 to follow Lundgren’s teachings. He referred to the killings as “pruning the vineyard.”

The case riveted the Kansas City area for months, and memories remain strong with many people today.

Lundgren formed a religious cult after he was dismissed in 1987 as a lay minister of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, today known as the Community of Christ." Read entire article.

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Note: the RLDS, now know as the Community of Christ, regard themselves as the true followers of Joseph Smith and regard Mormons as heretics. The RLDS was formed by followers of Joseph Smith who refused to accept the leadership of Brigham Young and did not follow Young in the migration west. Their headquarters are in Missouri.

We've seen it too often: Jim Jones, David Koresh, a charismatic individual who leads a group to destruction having harnessed the power of religious belief to create and/or lead a community. How to prevent such abuse, how to recognize it as it is happening? In these instances and others, we see the pattern of the lone individual commanding authority, and isolating others from the world, including the faith-world, beyond the group. Be very suspicious of any pastor or religious leader who does not submit himself or herself to another authority. For example, I am a pastor of the Reformed Church in America and am under the oversight of the Board of Elders of the congregation. If I stray in life or doctrine and will not listen, then I am to be brought to the classis (our local grouping of congregations). I must confess I have a basic distrust of any group or congregation that proclaims itself independent of any outside group or body.