Media Bias, Cult Accusations & Persecution | ft. Prof. Massimo Introvigne

In this follow-up to “A Professor Investigates Mahdi Headquarters,” we sit down with renowned sociologist of religion Prof. Massimo Introvigne — founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) and editor of Bitter Winter— to discuss his academic cooperation with the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) and the growing challenges of religious freedom in today’s world.

From his reflections on the 2025 Crewe academic conference to the persecution of new religious movements and the role of the media in spreading misinformation, Prof. Introvigne shares unique insights into what drives bias against emerging faiths — and why academic investigation and firsthand dialogue matter.

0:00 Welcome & Introductions
4:08 Why Two Conferences (2024 → 2025)
8:09 104 Detained at Turkey–Bulgarian Border
15:00 Heavyweight Scholars in the Room
27:22 Language Matters: Avoid Trigger Terms
33:36 Implicit vs Dogmatic Faith
55:26 Editing The Goal of the Wise
1:09:08 Media Slander: Who Benefits?
1:16:10 Ex-Members and Apostates
1:37:00 Iran: Anti-Cult Law & Western Influence

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Download the books of our faith - The Mahdi's Manifesto, Divine Jurisprudence, and The Goal of the Wise by the Mahdi Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq (from him is peace) for free on our website: https://theahmadireligion.org

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