Any Wikipedians or German speakers here?

There is info about a certain cult's animal activist activities and clashes with mainstream vegan activists (I think Voice magazine in Germany, but I could be wrong since I don't read German) on the German Wikipedia page at http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universelles_Leben but it has not been translated into English at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Life I really want to read about this controversy, but unfortunately I only speak English.

Another problem is that I'm hoping maybe someone here can fix is that there is no link ":en:" to the English site on any of the pages for U.L. in other languages (German, Hungarian, and Polish).

Yet another problem is that it is an orphaned article. There are no links to it on other Wikipedia article pages, so it's difficult for surfers to stumble upon the English U.L. article.

It is also still a stub, so I'm hoping someone here can contribute more neutral info to the article, so the article becomes longer.

Has anyone heard of this strange Christian group before? It seems pretty unknown outside the German-speaking world. It is the only Christian denomination that takes animal cruelty seriously, in my opinion. There are other Christian denominations that promote vegetarianism, but they seem to do it for health reasons (like the Seventh-Day Adventists). Though, someone told me that they heard that they don't believe that animals are equal to humans, and someone else told me that they are not vegan, one of the reasons being that they think butter made from cow's milk isn't part of the cow's body (but the milk before it's made into butter is? Strange). I couldn't really understand her because English was not her mother tongue. U.L. produces a lot of materials in English and many other languages, but I have such a hard time finding attacking literature on them written in English. It's also disconcerting when I post on cult messageboards about them and get zero responses. Sure, stuff about Madonna and Tom Cruise and Jonestown get a lot of hits, but nothing for mine! Sheesh.:( :confused:

I haven't even read through it but this was done with babelfish...

http://babelfish.altavista.com

Universal life from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia changes too: Navigation, search the universal life is not universal to confound with the American Life Church of Kirby Hensley. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The neutrality of this article or paragraph is disputed. The reasons stand on the discussion side or on the side for neutrality problems. Remove this component only, if it is no longer necessary, and communicate if necessary the result on the neutrality side. Head office of universal life into pepper-castle-universal life is the name of a disputed new religious movement, which is arranged by trailers of the grouping under the new revealing movements. The original designation was home getting work Jesu Christi, since 1984 carries the grouping for the names universal life. Sometimes also the abbreviation UL is used, universal life uses this designation however not. Table of contents [ hide ] 1 organization 2 history 3 spreading 4 teachings 5 service and practice 6 Oekumene 7 organizations and enterprises 8 controversies 8,1 Voice magazine 8,2 reproach of anti-Semitic tendencies 8,3 criticism at the internal structures 8,4 criticism on the part of the traditional Christian churches 8,5 reproach of the infiltration of the bio market 9 literature 10 sources 11 Web on the left of Organization Fundamentally for the universal life are the teachings obtained by the Gabriele Wittek. These are considered as revealing of Christ or other spirit natures, who the "Gabriele", as them are called, only as Prophetin received and continued to give. They are apart from the mountain lecture and the ten requirements the faith basis. The individual municipalities are called "places of urchristlicher meeting", whose members maintain intensive contacts to each other. Trailers of the universal life maintain among other things a school, a nature hospital, a publishing house and lead agricultural enterprises, where according to the criteria of control-ecological agriculture one works and beyond that (no keeping of domestic cattle, without muck and liquid manure). These enterprises are however not officially connected with the universal life. The universal life exclusively finances itself by donations. History After the death of the nut/mother Gabriele Wittek heard the first "internal words". After one year you appeared their dead nut/mother and in the context of a mirror-image-ritualistic circle can speak it with it. Mrs. Wittek indicates later further features to have experienced: a spirit nature named "brother Emmanuel" and Jesus Christ are finally it meet. To the past of the "universal life" belong also a contact from the range of the UFO Spiritismus, in particular to Mairadi [ 1]aus the universe. On 18 April 1987 Christ in a large revealing spoke among other things about the "internal way". It concerns a mystischen training course way, with which one proceeds with it that God in humans and in all ways of life can be found, in accordance with the word from Jesus: "the realm of God is ` in` you". Spreading Exact numbers are difficult to indicate, since there is no formal membership with the universal life. George Schmid estimates the number of trailers in "churches, sparkling wines, religions" world-wide on 100.000, of it 40,000 in Germany. Other estimations proceed from approximately 10,000 members world-wide, on whom 3000 in the area peppering castle lives. The association universal life e.V. has approximately 500 members. The internal circle calls itself also as "federation municipality new Jerusalem". This lives particularly in the area around Michelrieth in the region peppering castle, there this region according to statements of the sparkling wines a particularly high-swinging Ortskarma hat[2 ]. Here the members in group houses live and work particularly in enterprises, which belong to members. In addition, the activity of the universal life concentrates on Bavaria, the organization is active in other regions of Germany as well as in Austria, Italy and in Switzerland. Teachings The universal life understands itself as the urchristliche religious community, which ties Jesu Christi to the teachings. Bible and Christian tradition were consciously falsified after the theory of the community of the church fathers and repaired only by the "Propheti word" in the universal life. The details of the teachings come of the revealing, which received the foundress Gabriele Wittek according to its statements since 1975 from different spirit natures, under it brother Emmanuel (in the prophet the Jesaja to have been inkarniert is) and from Jesus Christ. In addition it means in a publication meanwhile out of print that extraterrestially named Mairadi to it spoke many years ago. Gabriele Wittek, internally also the Prophetin mentioned, applies with the trailers of the universal life as the largest prophet since Jesus of Nazareth, lets themselves however, according to universal life in no way be admired, but refers again and again to "Christ". The teachings consist of elements, which are called of theologians "like a Christian, hinduistisch and gnostisch", whereby Christian and hinduistische terms were often filled with new contents. God is considered as impersonal principle, as "ether", which penetrates everything its and in itself all positive and negative forces saves. This "Urkraft" created spirit natures like "God father" and "God son", in addition, the female principle "Satana", which revolted against God. It became "Lucifer" and trailers around itself collected, which are called "drop natures". These "drop natures" are materialisiert to humans. The spirit nature "Christ" planted as human covering Jesus a spark of the "Urkraft" in each humans. Thus it was again made possible for each soul to return to God. This "home getting" by Jesus Christ consists thus of fetching the materially loaded spark back into the pure "universal life". Humans must go through, depending upon his mental load, sometimes numerous wiedergeburten, and so its Karma, which sum of all good and bad acts of all lives, to regenerate. Christ erased the "Menschheitskarma", but each particular must open its goettliches inheritance with Christi assistance again. In accordance with the "revealing" given by the Gabriele Wittek are present in the Bible falsifications, twists and contradictions. Unreservedly as true to be recognized and as guide for ethical acting be taken above all the 10 requirements and the mountain lecture. Further revealing mean the fact that from the Urbild of the Christian church far it departs the Christian churches and falsified the Christian teachings and in the opposite would have partly turned. Characteristically of the theory of the universal life is also the strong faith in a close circulation time, which a "thousand-year old realm of the peace" will follow. Whether certain humans may step into this realm, determine his Karma, which developed during its times as a materialisiertes nature. This threatening "world end" requires intensive clearing-up work. Special value is put nature and animals thereby on the peace between humans, from which itself in practice among other things. Animal and nature protection, vegetarian nutrition and "more friedfertiger", thus ecological agriculture result in. In the revealing Christ of humans, who for his Erloeserwerk wants to use itself intensively, demands also economic and social activities, whose success adjusts itself as direct consequence of a life after the goettlichen laws. Service and practice the meetings of the universal life will transfer into many places, which call it "places of the urchristlichen meeting", abroad the in and. The trailers are stopped to recognize each other daily and to ask what separates them from God, to repent, for it in order assigning, others to assign, bad again-good-closed and than bad recognized not again to do (internal way, cycle of the clearing). In order to reach the condition of the "advanced God human being" faster, by the trailers it is expected that they determined "terrestrial things" like drugs and food, how more and more practice meat to renounce, with the sexual intercourse restraint. The extended family in group houses is regarded as ideal. New trailers are enlisted by posters, announcements and handbills. In addition the Urchristen in the universal life publicises a vegetarian way of life and indicates an office of the community as source for far going information. After own representation of the organization any Fanatismus is rejected concerning all these things. Rather each humans are to act after best knowledge and certain voluntarily and by conviction. Oekumene Each kind of Oekumene is rejected by the universal life, because the other churches in the course of the centuries strongly of the ideal picture of the Urkirche departed and Jesu Christi would have falsified so the teachings. Requires organizations and enterprises of these articles or section a revision. Details are indicated on the discussion side. Please to improve it and removes afterwards this marking helps. Organizations and enterprises in accordance with critics are organizational or idealistically connected with the universal life or by members to be operated: Christ school helping hands social services e.V. Well to the life - food of field and yard GmbH Hg nature hospital Michelrieth publishing house the word GmbH Controversies Voice magazine in the year 2002 reported the animal right magazine "Voice" on strongly increasing activities of prominent members of the universal life within the German animal right scene, under anderm one the "initiative for the abolishment of the hunt" with prominent Fuersprechern[3 ]. Further structures were more near lit up within the universal life and the connecting network of the organization. In the consequence the magazine received several requests to the delivery from omission explanations and complaints from the universal life, among other things because of the title page, illustrations the same and to individual formulations, in particular due to the illustration of a swastika in connection with the universal life. The title page was only censored published in the consequence. The klageschriften of the religious community refer to the title page as well as secondary texts, e.g. press releases and fax messages as well as enamels with partly falsified and invented addresses. The actual report of the magazine was not made by the universal life the the subject of the judicial argument, what was justified with the fact that in Germany von Gerichten the liberty of opinion is very far laid out and in contrast to this the protection of the personality rights often comes under the wheels. The magazine VOICE had to be adjusted as consequence of the process avalanche. While opponents condemn this procedure as attempt to make critics "mouth dead" trailers of the universal life see in an attempt achieving at least a minimum protection from malicious character assassination. In this connection became e.g. from the universal life against Andreas high from, whom imposing an order money requests former publisher of the magazine, since he offended against a provisional order. The court gave to the universal life a refusal, since it preserved large doubts about the reliability of the evidence, on the other hand one high from of the regional court Hamburg on 23 December 2002 was forbidden to state and/or state let as well as spread and/or spread let that the universal life evidence had falsified (Az: 324 O 634/02)[4 ]. Anti-Semitic tendencies see reproach of anti-Semitic tendencies critics direct in the writings the "universal life". Thus UL foundress Gabriele Wittek in the writing by program leads "that is my word" for example out: "in this way many become the Judas. They will not have no more carry for it - if in this incorporation, then in the soul realms or in one of the next meat becoming; because which humans sow, which it will harvest. For almost 2000 years harvest the Jews from a meat becoming to the other one that they sowed at that time and also in their further incorporations - until they on and take up their Erloeser and which repent, which they caused." Thus make it allegedly the Jews for example for Jew pursuit during the time of the national socialism for verantwortlich[5 ]. Also the citizen of Berlin senate has sparkling wines in his publications all - or which? (2002) and risks and side effects (1997) maintains that in the writings of the universal life also anti-Semitic prejudices geschuert wuerden.[6 ] The moreover critic sees the organization than connecting factor between the ecological movement oriented rather left and neofaschistischen Stroemungen.[7][8 ] Totalitarian structures accuse criticism at the internal structures some critics to the "UL". The Bavarian administrative court says to it: "the arrangement of the municipality life, as it follows from" the gemeindeordnung "" of the universal life ", may be called in sharp and exaggerated formulation without condition offence totalitarian structure." (Az. 7 CE 93.2403/M 7 E 93.1976)[9 ]. In contrast to this the universal life explains that there no hierarchy e.g. in the catholic church would be and instead the equality of all humans would apply. With criticism and discussion attempts the community refers each particular ("who according to own statement to the free decision it wants to seize, it seizes. Who wants to leave it, leave it"). Critics refer to the numerous court processes, which lead the universal life. Criticism on the part of the traditional Christian churches from view of the traditional Christian churches is the universal life a synkretistische new obvious religion with some Christian elements [ 10 ]. Such statements are called by the universal life "excrescences" "modern Inquisition". The universal life presents itself as of that to the catholic and Evangelist church pursued urchristliche community and compares this "pursuit" with religious pursuits in history, as for instance with the crusades, Ketzerverfolgungen, Jew pursuits or witch burns [ 11 ]. Reproach of the infiltration of the bio market the neutrality of this article or paragraph is disputed. The reasons stand on the discussion side or on the side for neutrality problems. Remove this component only, if it is no longer necessary, and communicate if necessary the result on the neutrality side. Critics accuse an infiltration of the bio market to the movement. Essentially the company Gut to the life, claimant by members of the universal life, operates meanwhile in 61 German cities and places selling of biologically cultivated food, which was cultivated almost exclusively in enterprises by organization members. Critic, e.g. the author, are afraid Werner Pazcian of the magazine nature a creeping infiltration of the bio market by the Bewegung[12 ]. Also in the animal right newspaper Voice[13 ] and in the youth environmental newspaper green sheet became this fear geaeussert[14 ]. Literature Per: Universal life (Hg.):'Das is my word - alpha and omega - the gospel Jesu - the Christ revealing, which know in the meantime the true Christians in all world ', ISBN the 3892011532 Gabriele Wittek: The generalist, GOD, directly Christian Sailer speaks by his Prophetin into our time ISBN 3892011265: The campaign of the queue and working the pigeon - the Gottesprophetie in the turn of an era, ISBN 3892011079 Matthias's wood farmer, ' the stone eagle and its sulfur smell - the new Middle Ages - the pursuit of religious minorities in history - the pursuit of the Urchristen in the universal life today ', ISBN 3980832236 Hubertus Mynarek: The new Inquisition: Sparkling wine hunt in Germany. Mentality - motivation methods church and national sparkling wine representatives. Market heath field 1999, ISBN 3-9808322-1-X retort: Hans walter boy: Universal life. The Prophetin of the end time and its management. The practices of the sparkling wine guide Gabriele Wittek, Droemer/Knaur 1995, ISBN 3629006752 tungsten me brook: Universal life. Those only protect Christians? A new religion between requirement and reality, Herder 1996, ISBN 3451236192 Wolfgang Behnk: "parting from the Urchristentum"? Gabriele Witteks "universal life" between pursuit illusion and institutionalizing resident of Munich of texts ISBN 3583502108 Sources ? See also quotation collage of a brochure of the "home getting work Jesu Christi"? See http://www.michelrieth.de/frames.htm? Universal life - a danger for the animal right movement (on-line version (pdf))? See http://www.free speech.info/html/informationen.html? See http://www.projektwerkstatt.de/ul/index.html? See http://www.senbjs.berlin.de/familie/...og_sekten.asp? Political ecology, booklet NR. 34, Nov./December. 1993, article green as bridge to brown?, Paragraph religious communities as Knotenpunkte(Seite 9 FF), author: Justus H. Ulbricht? Reason of the erstinstanzlichen appointment in the procedure universal life e.V../. Andreas's multistoried building, paragraphs 4. Sign for Antisemitismus, hatred of foreigners and Basic Law adversity, vouchers, file reference 324 O 556/02? See http://www.bbs-wertheim.de/bvg_1.htm and http://www.bbs-wertheim.de/bvg_2.htm? See http://www.religio.de/dialog/297/297s18.html? See http://www.steinadler schwefelgeruch.de/? ? Source: Voice, expenditure 31, article a danger for the animal right movement - which is really behind universal life, 2. Edition, paragraphs of Christ enterprises for the peace realm (page 8 FF), animal rights in the universal Leben(Seite 16 FF), author: Andreas's multistoried building? Source: green sheet, expenditure summer 2005, page 4, universal life?, Paragraph universal life in the health food animal protection and animal right sector - coincidental overlaps or purposeful infiltration?, Author: Espi Twelve Web on the left of Universal life - official Website universal life with relinfo.ch universal life with confessio.de Pfarrei Michelrieth over the universal life Wiki Artikelsammlung to the universal life of "http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universelles_Leben" categories: Wikipedia:Neutralitaet | Wikipedia:Ueberarbeiten | newobvious

Yeah, I used Babelfish on the article along time ago but it didn't help me much. It doesn't translate all the words (for example, "neofaschistischen Stroemungen", "Ketzerverfolgungen", "Fuersprechern") and always gives me the phrase "sparkling wines" a bunch of times. I'm thinking this must be some sort of German idiom but I don't know what it means. I have tried Babelfishing non-Wikipedia pages about U.L. and I get the same "sparkling wines" term popping up all over. Annoying.

I am German, and I have heard of this group before, while I was living in Germany. I doubt it's an issue outside of the German-speaking world though.
Basically, the group believes that the traditional Churches have developed in the wrong direction, and that the Bible has been falsified. They believe in what Gabriele Wittek says, because she is thought to be a prophet. On the whole, they promote a lifestyle based on the 10 Commandmends, and a vegetarian diet.
They have been accused of fostering anti-semitic tendencies, though, because some of Wittek's writings attack jews. There have been some law cases on and off, and the German Senate saw the problem as serious enough to deal with it.
Also, many accuse them of undermining organic farming. They have a chain of organic stores, must be in about 60 towns now, but they only sell and promote produce from members of their group. Also, they are quite hands-on in their recruitment and promotion, with huge billboards, handouts etc. The German vegan scene, as, for example, on a German internet forum, is very critical of this organisation.
Hope this helps a bit. If you have any questions I might be able to answer - don't hesitate to ask.