[China Anti-Cult Network April 28, 2022 news, correspondent: Xiao Lin] According to the US media "Fox Channel Five Atlanta Network" (Fox5atlanta.com) reported on April 14, the US police recently arrested Eligo Bishop, the leader of the "Carbon Nation" cult, on charges of rape and illegal detention.
The 40-year-old Irigo has self-proclaimed himself with a number of titles, including "Child of Nature," "Messianic Demigod" and "Savior." Some supporters even called him "God," and this time the Dekalb County Jail in Illinois labeled him a cult "bishop." On the afternoon of 13 April, the Special Victims Operations Unit of the DeKalb County Police Department issued a search warrant and arrest warrant to arrest Iligo at his rental house in Apolchez.
Daylin Armstead, a member of the church, described the arrest this way: "I walked out and saw for the first time in my life that police officers jumped out of a hovering helicopter and then pointed a gun outside the door and at the door and window. ”
The followers of Ilico believe that the leader should not be arrested.
Iligo Bishop
Cult leader Iligo Bishop
Iligo Bishop is An American with relatives and friends in New York and Atlanta. On April 14, an obsessive believer told Fox Channel Five Atlanta: "The 'Three Gods' (Ilico) are good people, loving, helpful, and sacred. Illigo's self-styled "Child of Nature" title was reportedly derived from the 1948 nat King Cole song "Children of Nature," and other titles were also self-styled.
Ilico is addicted to social media: he posts his own music videos and life coaching videos on social media to recruit believers and raise donations.
On April 14, "low-carbon country" believers called Iligo Bishop the "Three Gods" in an interview.
Is the "low-carbon country" a cult or a counterculture?
Is The Low Carbon Nation a cult or a black countercultural group? It depends on how the outside world defines it. In 2020, Iligo slyly argued in an interview with The Associated Press: "When I first heard the term [cult], it felt pretty cool. But say I'm a black cult leader? But I'm just from the black community. Bishop also talked about being misunderstood everywhere in the interview, including Costa Rica. In 2017, his sectarian organization was expelled from Costa Rica, and "they reported us like crazy online." The group was also expelled from Nicaragua and Panama. In June 2020, Iligo and several members of the congregation were arrested and escorted back to California for violating quarantine policies.
Believers in the "low-carbon country" call them vegetarians and believe that all races are brown offshoots. Opponents have exposed that the faithful live in groups like "commune-style families" and have to hand over all their money. Opponents also say that at least two believers have said that once they join the group, they cannot leave. But Kayla Buckner, a current believer, said: "It's a revolving door that you can go in and out of as you please." No one will force you against your will. ”
On April 14, the "Low Carbon Nation" believers expressed their support for the leader, Elligo Bishop
Iligo Bishop faces charges
Currently, Iligo is still in custody, facing allegations of rape, unlawful detention and sending obscene messages.
Prosecutors said the charges came from a police confession left by a former believer who had left the church, accusing the sect of abusing women. Believer Dailin Armstedt argues: "We are teaching sex classes because we believe in nudity. And that has become one of the charges they charge us with 'saviors' – pornography revenge. At the time, the woman agreed to play it out for sex teaching. It's not pornography, it's teaching. Irigo believers insist that this is an "organized attack" by forces with ulterior motives against their church.
The police will continue to investigate to find out the real situation within the organization.