New Zealand Cults, Sects, Religions, Christian Organisations, and other groups.

Groups List: D

Hot picks: Rob DeLuca, Destiny Church, Dianetics, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Drunken Revival Movement

D

Dalhoff, John. John Dalhoff (1944-2001) was the founder of Zenith Applied Philosophy (ZAP).

Dance With Me. An apparently former front group of Providence cult at Victoria University in Wellington. The Providence leaders are said to have moved on, so the group is no longer a recruiting tool for Providence.

Davis, Ellyn. Ellyn Davis is the author of various books targeting homeschoolers, and also wrote several of the chapters of the very New Age book The Physics of Heaven, co-authored by Bill Johnson, Beni Johnson and others. She acknowledges she is a New Ager, and embraces a lot of New Age practices because she believes they can be taken back for the Kingdom of God.

Daszak, Peter. It's not often that one man successfully gaslights the whole world, but at time of writing that's what Dr Peter Daszak has mostly achieved for almost a year and a half. Up to the beginning of 2021 Donald Trump very successfully gaslighted much of the population of the United States, while another notable world leader has mostly failed in his recent attempts gaslighting the world, but Dr Peter Daszak has been remarkably successful, significantly affecting the narrative around the origin of SARS-CoV-2 even in New Zealand. (SARS-CoV-2 is the virus which causes the COVID-19 disease.)

Dr Daszak is without question a coronavirus expert, and holds a PhD in parasitic infectious diseases. Originally from Manchester in the UK, he is now based in New York, USA, and is the president of a US taxpayer-funded non-profit called EcoHealth Alliance. His gaslighting appears to have started on 18 February 2020 with the online publication in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet of a letter which he drafted and co-signed. The letter strongly promoted the idea of a natural origin of SARS-CoV-2, and assigning any consideration of a laboratory leak, accidental or otherwise, to the realm of conspiracy theory. The letter finished "We declare no competing interests." The problem with that is that Ecohealth Alliance paid the Wuhan Institute of Virology US$600,000 to research bat coronaviruses, and apparently alter the viruses to make them more infectious to humans. Peter Daszak thus has an extremely strong interest in the source of SARS-CoV-2 not being found to be a lab he paid to work on that very group of viruses (or, for that matter, any lab being the source). At least two, possibly four, other workers at EcoHealth Alliance also signed the Lancet letter – and thus also had competing interests – but Peter Daszak has personally been at the forefront of a fight against acknowledging a laboratory leak as a possibility that needs investigating, and has been interviewed by many mainstream news outlets around the world who have mostly omitted any mention of his conflict of interest. The gaslighting has not been completely successful, with funding of the Ecohealth Alliance cancelled in April 2020, a possibly political move.

Much more information can be found in the lengthy article The Stakes of Finding COVID-19’s Origins, or the also lengthy article The origin of COVID: Did people or nature open Pandora’s box at Wuhan? which the other article refers to many times. Dr Peter Daszak is listed here for gaslighting, and deliberately deceiving New Zealanders, which is particularly disappointing considering his scientific achievements.

Update, November 2021. Peter Daszak's gaslighting continues. Just days after Peter Daszak publicly supported a new report which suggests there may have been no COVID-19 cases before cases associated with the Wuhan wet market (the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market), emails leaked from Peter Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance show they arranged for bat coronavirus samples to be transported from Laos to the lab in Wuhan (1600 km away) so the lab could work on the viruses. Why are bat viruses from Laos particularly relevant? A virus sample called BANAL-52, discovered in September 2021 by researchers from the Pasteur Institute in France and the University of Laos, is, at 96.8% the same, closer to SARS-CoV-2 than any other naturally occuring virus, including those found in Yunnan, China. Very importantly, the receptor binding domain of BANAL-52 allows it to use the ACE2 receptor on human cells to enter the cells – something no other naturally occuring possible source virus can do. Once again, Peter Daszak has been hiding information relevant to the investigation into the origins of SARS-CoV-2.

Dead Sea Beauty (2006) Ltd. A company that features young Israelis (and other nationalities) selling cheap beauty products in shopping malls for grossly marked up prices. In New Zealand they have been called a scam, and in the United States, predators. High pressure and deceptive selling techniques are used, along with illegal labour (in 2011) and possibly money laundering. Even just signing up for free trial samples can result in bills of hundreds of dollars. A front company is LVS Retail, which in 2012 trashed a rental property. Also known as Dead Sea Premier, and Dead Sea Spa (or Deep Sea Spa – probably a typo). In June 2014 TV3's Campbell Live ran a story about the company selling $5,000 of Dead Sea products to an 82 year old, and the following night a story about two men who lost thousands of dollars to the products. They show reports the Commerce Commission is investigating the company.

Deception, Deceptive Recruitment. A mind control technique. See the deception entry in the Cult FAQ.

Deeks, Claire. Claire Deeks is a conspiracy theorist, co-founder of conspiracy group Voices for Freedom, and board member of Advance NZ. She is rated Danger for the risk of death and long-term disability her disinformation poses to the general public.

Deepavali. See Diwali.

DeLuca, Rob. Rob DeLuca was the pastor of His Way Church (there was a leadership change in August 2013). He has strong links to Todd Bentley and the False Revival Movement and has made use of false signs and wonders in his meetings, notably gemstones. He strongly endorses William Branham, prosperity doctrine from the Word Faith Movement, Kathryn Kuhlman, Rodney Howard-Browne and Benny Hinn. Rob DeLuca is assigned a Danger rating here because of his endorsement of and association with proponents of strongly unbiblical teaching, and his willful deception in using false signs and wonders.

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

– Matthew 24:24 (NIV).

See Kathie Walters for more about false signs.

Density Church. A satirical web site (currently offline) based on Destiny Church and their web site. Allegedly pastored by Brian Tamariki, it apparently fooled Destiny Church members occasionally.

Destiny Church. Cult. With the very unbiblical swearing of an oath of loyalty to Senior Pastor/Bishop Brian Tamaki at Labour Weekend 2009 (the oath was written by Richard Lewis) there is now no doubt that Destiny Church is a cult. This is not something that has happened suddenly; it's been shaping up for many years, with (for example) Cultwatch labeling them an emerging cult in a television item in October 2004, and in December 2010 reclassifying them as a cult. This was reported in the NZ Herald in February 2011, and columnist Garth George highlighted it at the same time. This 2009 report from a former member:

I used to be a member of Destiny Church but I left over 5 years ago when Tamaki said he was the spiritual father, the shepherd (and that his sheep hear his voice) and the significant voice (where we were not permitted to listen to Radio Rhema or attend any other Christian ministry – this was considered "spiritual adultery") of the church. That sounded like father, son and holy spirit to me – the Bible says people like this will come, and that they carry an anti-christ message.

Update June 2012: Brian Tamaki and Destiny Church appeared in an item on TV3's Campbell Live. There are signs that Destiny Church is becoming a worsening cult, including the claim that Destiny members are the firstborn and that they are above other Christians. Brian Tamaki wants all Destiny members from around New Zealand to come to his new City of God he will be building in Wiri, Auckland, which seems directly opposed to Jesus Christ in Mark 16:15 saying "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

A review of a typical Destiny Church service (from November 2003) is online at Ship-of-Fools. (No, you shouldn't read anything into the name of that web site. No, we don't have anything to do with that review or that site.) Submissions for this listing are now being accepted. Please see the Contact page. If you are a Destiny Church member who has been told to write to us, please don't bother. We already know you are required to defend Brian Tamaki.

Old listing material, which is believed to be quite outdated: Total of at least 20 branches: Kaitaia (since February 2002, formerly Kaitaia Elim Church), Whangarei, Auckland, Thames, Hamilton (Te Rapa, started March 2002, reported to have 60% Maori and Polynesian attendees), Tauranga, Te Puke, Rotorua (formerly Lake City Church), Whakatane, Opotiki (cell church), Gisborne, Hawkes Bay (Napier), Taumaranui, Taranaki (New Plymouth), Wanganui* (started May 2004), Porirua, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin* and Brisbane. A Queenstown branch is apparently on the way.

* Branches soon to be closing.

Density NZ. A satirical web site based on Destiny NZ and their web site. [This listing out of alphabetical order deliberately.]

Destiny NZ. An unashamedly Christian political party (now disbanded) officially started on 4 July 2003. Party Leader was Richard Lewis. While it had very close ties to Destiny Church (for example, Brian Tamaki spoke at the formation event), they were technically independent from that church. They aimed to have candidates for most electorates by the September 2005 general election. Destiny NZ was disbanded in September 2007, making way for The Family Party.

Destiny Television. Television show run by Destiny Church.

Devantier, Steven. Steven Devantier is the director of infamous clamping company Elite Parking Services. He is listed for his defence of a business which routinely uses fear and intimidation.

Dharmic Trust. A charity set up by con artist and self-proclaimed medium Jeanette Wilson. The charity gets a Danger rating because of Jeanette Wilson's move into psychic healing.

Dianetics. Name used by Scientology cult for a completely bogus set of ideas and practices that purport to describe how the body and mind interact. Stay well clear of it! Its inventor, L Ron Hubbard, intended it as a form of psychotherapy, but it was rejected by psychiatrists, leading to Hubbard to come to despise genuine psychotherapy and psychiatry. Also the name of a book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health.

Direct Democracy New Zealand. See Advance NZ.

Dissociative Identity Disorder. More commonly known by its old name Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD).

Divett, Hamish. Hamish Divett was the pastor of the Christian City Church which invited Rodney Howard-Browne to New Zealand on RHB's first visit in early/mid 1990s. Hamish Divett publicly admitted that he had problems with a number of RHB's emphases. He is reported to have endorsed an Auckland 1998 Benny Hinn healing crusade. Mr Divett has a degree in psychology. (FYI listing.)

Diwali. Hindu celebration, the Festival of Lights. Also called Deepavali (literally "Row of Lamps"). It falls in October or November depending on the phase of the moon.

Doctors Speaking Out With Science. See NZDSOS.

Dollar, Creflo A, Jnr. Televangelist. See the Creflo A Dollar Jnr listing on the TV page.

Dominion Theology. According to EndTimePilgrim.org:

[Dominion theology] teaches that it is our Christian duty to take over the world, in a political sense, and if necessary, in a military sense, in order to impose Biblical rule. Christ will not return, (they say), until the church has "risen up" and "taken dominion" over all of the world's governments and institutions. Dominionists affirm that this is not a matter for us to discuss. As they see it, this is a mandate from God.

...

Dominion Theology is not Biblical. It is not a doctrinal belief that emerges from a careful study of the Holy Scriptures. Typically it emerges in the heady milieu of a wave of success in a nation's economic, political, and military successes. Religious enterprises soon follow this. So in this sense Dominionism is really a form of religious populism.

Compare to Jesus' words in John 18:36 – "My kingdom is not of this world." Also see Kingdom Now Theology and New Apostolic Reformation.

Dowsing. Also called "water divining" or "water witching". An occult method for finding water using sticks, metal rods, pendulum, etc, which are alleged to twitch, cross, or otherwise move when the dowser comes near water. In reality, thorough testing has shown dowsing is no more effective than random chance. For more information see Christian Research Institute's article on Dowsing (it's quite a long read).

Dr Dino. See Kent Hovind.

Drug Free Ambassadors. Front group for the Scientology cult. Stay clear.

Drunken Revival Movement. Part of the False Revival Movement. Key practitioners are Rodney Howard-Browne (who calls himself the "Holy Ghost Bartender"), Todd Bentley and John Crowder; also John Scotland. In New Zealand the Drunken Revival Movement is supported by Jack and Gaye Stradwick and Godfuel Media Ministries. In October 2009 Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine, wrote (emphasis in the original, which has since been removed):

With all of this emphasis on Holy Ghost intoxication, did anybody notice that the Bible clearly commands us to be spiritually sober?

If soberness wasn't mentioned in the New Testament, then I wouldn't be beating this drum so loudly. But I find numerous references, from both Peter and Paul. "But you, be sober in all things," is Paul's admonition to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:5, NASB). He tells the Thessalonians, "But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation," (1 Thess. 5:8).

Peter hammers the same point. He wrote, "Prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:13) and "The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer" (1 Pet. 4:7).

The soberness here is not primarily a reference to abstaining from alcohol (although it's worth mentioning that believers who drink will find it more difficult to obey these commands). To be sober can be defined "to show self-control," "to be sane or rational," or "to be free from excess or extravagance." A sober Christian knows the heights of God's inexpressible joy, but he is never ruled by emotions, passions, lust or any other category of temptation that has the power to dull the spiritual senses.

When I look at the state of our nation today, and consider our spiritual challenges, it's obvious the last thing we need are Christians who are so sloshed in emotional euphoria that they can't pray intelligently and work diligently.

This is not a time for God's people to be incapacitated. We need to be thinking, planning, strategizing, researching and building — all using the Holy Spirit's wisdom. Yes, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit like never before — but He is not going to fill us so we can act like giddy freshmen at a frat house keg party. Let's put the childish things behind us. It's time for us to grow up and sober up.

Added to that, I'll include 1 Peter 5:8: "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." Many of the manifestations seen in the False Revival Movement are also seen as Kundalini manifestations. Andrew Strom warns against the False Revival Movement and its practices and at the end of October 2010 released Part 3 of his Kundalini video series. On 31 October Andrew Strom asked, in response to comments to this video: In fact, "Self Control" is a 'fruit' of the Holy Spirit. So? why do you guys think it is of the Spirit to be totally "out of control"?

Dungeons & Dragons. A role-playing game with a fantasy theme. The first version came out in 1974. A new version, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, came out in 1977.

Dunn, Benjamin. A colleague of John Crowder, and teaches in a similar vein (no pun intended regarding their drug culture). Benjamin Dunn has taught in New Zealand and is mentioned in Part 3 of Andrew Strom's Kundalini documentary. See Drunken Revival Movement.

Duval, Maria. See Maria Duval scam.