本文書は８５年の裁判においてリー側の証人として証言した"カルト研究者"Ｊ．Gordon Ｍｅｌｔｏｎのプロファイルである。彼の研究者としてのスタンス、一般的カルトへの姿勢が分かる。彼は日本のオウム真理教を擁護するために同教団の負担によって来日したこともある人物である。要するに相当にバイアスのある人物であり、サイエントロジーなどのカルトが自分たちを擁護する証人として採用している人物である。ちなみに彼の趣味はドラキュラであり、下のリンクを見れば明らかであるが、オカルトとの関わりが推測される。こちらも参照のこと：Apologeticsindex: J Gordon Melton

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Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology,alt.support.ex-cult
Subject: Cult apologist FAQ
From: tilman@berlin.snafu.de (Tilman Hausherr)
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 16:48:58 +0100
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The cult apologist FAQ: exposing the cult's willing defenders



f) Dr. J. Gordon Melton <jgordon@rain.org>

aka The Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR)
http://www.americanreligion.org
aka CESNUR USA


The "father of cult apologists". Minister of the Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Evanston, Illinois until 1985. Graduated from Garrett Theological Seminary and Northwestern University (Ph.D., 1975). Is often quoted by the media. Has a library, and runs "ISAR", the "Institute of the Study of the American Religion". No other member except him known by me. No info about funding. Compiles reference works on religions that critics say are no more than puff pieces for the featured organisations.

Testified that the Chicago street gang "El Rukns" were "not a religion" but "more like a fraternity", but that their beliefs were "very close to orthodox Islamism and very close to black nationalistic tradition." (Chicago Tribune 21.11.1985, 2.6.1986)

Melton was allowed to teach at the University of Santa Barbara after he donated his library.

Testified at the trial of Neil Duddy, a critic of the "Local Church".

Took a trip to Japan in 1995 to investigate the "persecution" of AUM (together with James Lewis, Barry Fisher and Thomas Banigan). Through his friend Introvigne, he is now trying to redefine this "visit" as a trip to protest the mistreatment of average members.

Said that the white supremacist hate group "The World Church of the Creator" is "a real church" although they are atheists. (The Telegram & Gazette Worcester, 9.7.1999)

J. Gordon Melton is on the referral list of the scientology-run Cult Awareness Network (http://www.cultawarenessnetwork.org/referral/) and of "The Family" http://www.thefamily.org/dossier/referrals/experts.htm

His hobby: vampires. He is the founder of the American Chapter of the Transylvanian Society of Dracula. He claims that it is educational, but articles and photographs show how it really is: "There are 100 scholars coming to present papers on vampires, but it's really a party," said J. Gordon Melton, who is organizing the event with Massimo Introvigne. "The majority of people coming are just like us - people who like vampire and horror movies. It's going to be fun - a bunch of silly people dressing up and biting each other on the neck."

(The Los Angeles Daily News 23.7.1997)

http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/TSD/pics1.html
http://www-lib.usc.edu/~melindah/Drac97/elvira.htm
http://www.fsbassociates.com/books/videovampires.htm