(Reviewed by JD Jung)
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“The world is always ending, the government is always trying to poison you, and the church doesn’t know the truth.”
Furthermore, reptilians (aliens) disguise themselves as human and fight for the New World Order, planning world domination while engaging in pedophilia and cannibalism. Sounds crazy? Author and journalist Tony Russo maintains that these believers aren’t crazy, but “vulnerable people being driven to the limit”.
Specifically, Ohio housewife Sherry Shriner (who died in 2021), was able to rally thousands of followers through the internet to fight these lizard people by, of course, donating money. Much of this money supposedly went to making and buying orgone, a mystical substance which would protect them against these aliens.
Unfortunately, the procuring of money wasn’t the worse of Shriner’s doings. She banned those who disagreed with or questioned her, instructing internet trolls to further torment them.
Russo starts this book with interpreting his findings and focusing on Christian cults that promote conspiracy theories in general. He explains the history of the Christian Truther movement and the development of orgone. What drives people to abandon traditional religion to follow these cults? He then gets into the meat of the story, studying specific followers whose lives were destroyed at the hands of Sherry Shriner. Two even suffered untimely deaths.
Russo approaches this as an investigative reporter. He objectively states what happened with possible interpretations and admits when he is unsure. He notes when there are discrepancies in the accounts. Photos are included that help bring a sense of reality to this study.
I found myself googling Shriner as well as some of these theories and was stunned by the number of current believers. Dragged into the Light is a fascinating account of Sherry Shriner’s cult, but also reminds us of the danger that these religious con artists pose to our society.
