The interdisciplinary conference organized by Exeter Law School, Dr. Vadim Atnash, MEJORA Foundation, and the Human Rights & Democracy Forum brought together scholars, religious leaders, and NGOs to discuss major challenges in religious freedom.

They examined government restrictions and discrimination, highlighting troubling examples: Norway deregisters peaceful religious organizations, and France finances anti-religious movements. Despite being in the 21st century, many governments still prosecute nonviolent religious activities of both traditional and non-traditional religious groups. Additionally, some countries enforce laws that prohibit atheism or restrict religious conversion, further limiting freedom of belief.

Social hostilities also remain a serious concern, particularly in Asia and Europe, where religious minorities often face violence and harassment. This ranges from armed conflicts and violent extremism to discrimination over religious attire, severely impacting targeted communities.

The conference also emphasized best practices such as policies promoting integration, equality, judicial protections, and interdisciplinary research to counteract state violence and social hostilities, fostering tolerance and respect for religious rights.

The conference consisted of three main blocks:

1.     Religious Minorities: from Integration to Discrimination and Genocide

Mr. Ivan Arjona-Pelado (President of MEJORA Foundation) highlighted ongoing systemic discrimination against individuals from certain academic or religious backgrounds, such as Scientologists and minority faiths. Under the pretext of security, many are unfairly excluded from professions like teaching, public service, or even municipal cleaning. Using policy to justify prejudice leads to social isolation and stigmatization, often forcing people to hide or renounce their beliefs to remain professionally or socially accepted. Europe’s strength lies in its commitment to human rights and diversity, and true security must be rooted in solidarity, not suspicion.

Prof. Emma Loosley Leeming (University of Exeter, UK) -“Russkiy Mir and the Antichrist: How Moscow Casts a Shadow over Religious Freedom in Georgia.”

Georgia has a rich religious and cultural diversity, with Tbilisi as a symbol of long-standing coexistence. However, the post-Soviet trauma has shaped a narrow national identity increasingly tied to Orthodox Christian values.

Prof. Leeming highlighted concerns over this shift, where being a “true Georgian” is linked to traditionalism, large families, and support for the Church — with troubling signs like the normalization of domestic violence under patriarchal beliefs.

As an example was mentioned a vegan restaurant attacked for promoting “disturbing ideas,” showing how alternative lifestyles are seen as threats. Dissenting voices, especially on social media, face marginalization or job loss, raising alarm over declining pluralism and freedom of belief. Georgia risks abandoning its diverse heritage in favor of a rigid, exclusionary national narrative.

Dr. Mustafa Baig (University of Exeter, UK) “Muslims Living in Non-Muslim Lands and Living by the Laws of the Land.”

Dr. Baig, drawing on his Turkish background, emphasized that migration has long shaped Turkish identity, with nomadic traditions influencing social and religious life. Today, with over 7 million Turks in Europe, migration remains a central reality.

He highlighted how Islamic teachings guide Muslims in balancing their faith with the laws of non-Muslim societies, especially when migration is driven by oppression or the pursuit of justice. For many, he noted, migration is not just political or economic — it’s also a deeply spiritual and moral journey within the Islamic tradition.

2.     The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light: A Discriminated Shia-Derivative Religious Movement

Speakers:

Massimo Introvigne (CESNUR, Center for Studies of New Religions, Torino, Italy) - Repression of Religious Minorities in Iran and the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light

In Iran, Islam is the official religion and the foundation of all laws, which must align with the Qur’an, severely restricting religious minorities’ legal and civic rights. While some Christian practices, especially Catholicism, are tolerated, public preaching is banned, limiting religious freedom. Lesser-known groups like the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light face harsh persecution with little to no protection.

Hadil El-Khouly (The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, United Kingdom) - Why Is the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light Persecuted? An Emic View - 

The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light faces persecution because it rejects the finality of Muhammad’s prophethood by affirming a current prophet, Abu Al-Sadiq, and promotes radical reinterpretations of faith, such as flexible prayer, a solar calendar, and optional hijab. These beliefs are seen as heretical by traditional Islamic authorities, leading to severe state and social repression including arrests and torture of its members.

3.     Another session, which is a today, is very hot topic:

Talk “Tantra-Based New Religious Movements: Sacred Eroticism, Sexual Abuse, and Transnational Repression”

Speakers:

Camelia Marin (Soteria International, Copenhagen, Denmark) - “Who Is Afraid of Sacred Eroticism?” 

Marin described spiritually erotic movements like MISA as syncretic, nonviolent, and devoted to freedom of belief. MISA teaches esoteric yoga and erotic amorous continence, using sexual energy transmutation for spiritual growth. While these practices aim for divine union, they are often misunderstood and persecuted in Western societies, which tolerate casual sex but reject sacred eroticism. Marin highlighted this double standard and warned against the cultural bias that criminalizes such groups, likening it to modern-day witch hunts and moral panic rather than evidence-based concerns.

Her presentation sparked a lively and nuanced discussion among participants, touching on several key issues:

• The hijacking of sacred eroticism by the commercial pornography industry and the broader distortion of its original spiritual intent.

• The pursuit of altered states of consciousness not through substances, but via disciplined energy transmutation, producing euphoric and transcendent experiences.

• The recognition that Tantric practices, though historically rich, have often been misrepresented or degraded in Western interpretations.

• The distinction between sexual life and erotic life as understood in spiritual versus secular frameworks.

• The role of non-dual philosophies in sacred eroticism, guiding practitioners toward ultimate reality or divine union, marking these practices as authentic religious experiences.

• A shared concern that groups like MISA - who offer structured, initiatory paths toward these metaphysical goals - face persecution precisely because of the depth and seriousness with which they approach these practices.

 

Massimo Introvigne (CESNUR) - Sacred Eroticism and Sexual Abuse: Social and Legal Issues

Introvigne addressed the highly sensitive intersection between erotic religious rituals and allegations of abuse. Referencing the work Witnessing for Sociology by Jenkins and Kroll-Smith, Introvigne emphasized the responsibility of scholars when their writings become part of legal proceedings. He examined four cases in which he was directly involved or had written extensively:

1. The Monster of Florence (Italy): A series of ritualistic double murders in the 1970s-1980s led prosecutors to investigate fringe Masonic groups allegedly practicing sex magic. Introvigne provided expert context on the historical and cultural plausibility of ritual elements involving body parts.

2. The Death of Father Govoni (Italy): A Catholic priest falsely accused in 1997 of leading a satanic sex cult based on a young child’s testimony interpreted by a social worker. Introvigne argued this was part of a wider “ritual abuse scare,” imported from discredited American sources. Though initial convictions occurred, appellate courts cleared the accused, but not before Father Govoni died of a heart attack in court. Introvigne and the Diocese saw him as a victim of moral panic.

3. Loup Blanc Trial (France): In 2024, the French shaman “White Wolf” was sentenced to 15 years for rape and "abuse of weakness." His tantric teachings include erotic initiations and sexual continence. While many women described positive experiences, a few later claimed coercion. Introvigne noted the difficulty in determining whether these were genuine rituals or veiled abuse. The court ruled even one coerced participant constituted criminal liability, a point Introvigne accepted in principle but flagged as problematic in cases involving contested spiritual frameworks.

4. The Bivolaru Case (France): Romanian yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, founder of MISA, was arrested in 2023 in France on similar accusations involving sacred eroticism and claims of brainwashing. The state pursued charges based on the testimony of seven former members.
   None of the women who were found in the houses that were raided made a complaint against Mr. Bivolaru or the yoga school. Several of them complained about the police abuses during the raid. 

Introvigne explored the broader tensions between freedom of religion and protection from abuse. He warned against the binary framing of women as either victims or brainwashed adherents, particularly in cases where adult practitioners willingly engage in non-traditional religious experiences. He challenged the notion of a singular “authentic” Tantra, referencing scholars like Keith Cantú and Julian Strube who argue that Western and Eastern traditions have long been intertwined.

Key reflections included:

• Sexual abuse trials involving spiritual rituals require careful navigation - standard legal assumptions may not apply cleanly.

• The state has a duty to investigate abuses, especially where consent is withdrawn.

• However, not all erotic rituals are abusive, and equating all such practices with exploitation risks suppressing religious freedom and stigmatizing adult consensual choices.

Introvigne concluded that the true test of freedom of religion or belief lies in society’s willingness to tolerate spiritual practices that, while unconventional or uncomfortable to the mainstream, are freely chosen by informed adults.

 

Rosita Šorytė (EFFB) - Sensationalized Media Representations of Sacred Esotericism Groups

Šorytė highlighted the historical and ongoing role of media in constructing moral panics around religious movements - especially those involving sacred eroticism.

Šorytė began by tracing the longstanding fascination of the media with the intersection of sex, religion, and scandal, referencing infamous 19th-century hoaxes and anti-religious propaganda, such as the fabricated confessions of Rebecca Reed and Maria Monk, which described supposed sexual orgies in Catholic convents. She also pointed to Leo Taxil's anti-Masonic frauds, which sensationalized claims of “sexual rites” in Masonic lodges.

Moving to contemporary examples, Šorytė examined two recent media portrayals, The Czech TV Series “Guru” and BBC’s “The Bad Guru” – a documentary on the MISA movement and its founder Gregorian Bivolaru. Šorytė criticized the program for overreliance on apostate testimonies, especially the highly publicized story of Miranda, without cross-examining or contextualizing those claims.

Šorytė emphasized that apostate narratives, while relevant, should not be the sole basis for public or legal judgments about religious groups. She argued that complex and nuanced realities are often flattened by the media into simplified stories of exploitation, which both mislead the public and may prejudice legal proceedings.

 

Discussant: Mrs. Naina Gupta (University of Exeter, UK) TBD
The audience showed a strong interest in the topic, prompting an immediate exploration of what it truly means for eroticism to be considered sacred. One discussant contributed insights from her research on altered states of consciousness, raising an important ethical question: how can one discern whether an experience within such a state was genuinely consensual, particularly when doubt or reinterpretation arises afterwards?

Massimo Introvigne emphasised the critical role of transparency within new religious movements, stating, "Providing clear information in advance enables informed consent." Similarly, Camelia Marin highlighted a key practice within the MISA Yoga School - the technique of consecration, performed before undertaking an action. This inner gesture helps practitioners align with their intentions and get insights into whether they are truly integrated into the experience.

The discussion included a candid exchange on the concept of sacred eroticism across various spiritual traditions and texts. Notable examples included the Czech school of Guru Jára, the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA), and certain practices within the Buddhist monastic tradition—all of which incorporate initiatory techniques that frame eroticism within a sacred or transformative context.

We thank both the University of Exter in UK and the MEJORA Foundation for this important opportunity to reveal the many challenges that religious minorities are faced with in our society.

Thank you for reading! 

https://sites.exeter.ac.uk/humanrightsanddemocracyforumblog/2025/01/20/call-for-papers-on-limits-of-restrictions-religious-minorities-in-europe-and-asia-law-school-university-of-exeter-30-april-2025/