Adidam (Adi Da)
A New Age sect that practiced sexual experimentation and received several allegations of abuse
1972 - present
Adi Da, the founder of Adidam, grew up in a Christian household and planned on becoming a Lutheran pastor. However, he began to experience doubts about his Lutheran Faith. After earning degrees at Columbia and Stanford University, joining various religious movements, and experimenting with a considerable amount of psychedelics, he emerged as a religious leader of a new religious movement influenced largely by Hindu religious traditions.
His teachings soon became increasingly unconventional, advocating non-traditional sexual practices, encouraging the spiritual use of psychedelic drugs, and denouncing moral norms. Shortly after he moved to Fiji to live communally with a core group of followers, various people began publicly accusing Adi Da of abuse and misconduct, resulting in widespread media coverage and multiple lawsuits against the cult. However, Adi Da was not convicted of any wrongdoing and continued to maintain his following.
Adi Da passed away in 2008, but his movement continues through his followers.
Religion: New Age
Founder: Franklin Albert Jones ("Adi Da Samraj")
Founded: 1972
Size: 1,800
Location: California, United States
Also called: The Dawn Horse Communion; the Free Communion Church; the Laughing Man Institute; the Crazy Wisdom Fellowship; the Way of Divine Ignorance; and the Johannine Daist Communion
Website: adidam.org
In April 1985, the San Francisco Chronicle published a series of articles that quoted former members accusing Adi Da of exploitation, false imprisonment, brainwashing, sexual abuse, assault, and involuntary servitude (source)
Additional media outlets covered allegations of abuse in 1985, including the San Francisco Examiner, Mill Valley Record, and local news programs, as well as a two-part exposé on The Today Show (see below) (source)
1985 Lawsuit accused Adi Da and his cult of sexual abuse, humiliation, and greed, but it was later dropped (source)
A former member claimed to have gotten herpes from Adi Da and that he forced her to participate in a pornographic film (source 5:40)
Adi Da was part of a paid experiment in which he tested the effects of psychedelics. He believed that there was a spiritual benefit to ingesting these drugs and continued to use them after the experiment had ended (source)
Hosts parties in December and January in which smoking and drinking are permitted, and members are not required to adhere to their dietary restrictions (source)
Nudism (and possible pedophilia): In 1982, children 14 years and older were encouraged to participate in drunken, nude parties, although the church later admitted this was a mistake (source 1:00)
Polygamy: Adi Da once had nine wives, including a Playboy model, and encouraged some members to practice polygamy or polyamory (source)
Members engaged in "sexual experimentation" (source)
Adi Da opposed traditional marriage and forced couples to split up or switch partners (source)
Practices "yogic masturbation" (source)
Books by Adi Da:
Other tags:
Famous Today Show exposé that resulted in strong public criticism of the cult (Part 1)
Famous Today Show exposé that resulted in strong public criticism of the cult (Part 2)