Self-help guru receives 2-year prison term for sweat lodge deaths

James Ray at sentencing hearing

James Ray at sentencing hearingSelf-help guru James Ray was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for leading an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony that was supposed to offer spiritual enlightenment but instead ended with three people dying.

"When a person has your incredible abilities to gain people's trust, there is a large, large responsibility that goes with that trust, and that responsibility was not honored," the judge said before sentencing him to two years times for each death, running concurrently.


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D. Beeksma

One of the growing crowd of American "nones" herself, Deborah is a prolific writer who finds religion, spirituality and the impact of belief (and non-belief) on culture inspiring, fascinating and at times, disturbing. She hosts the God Discussion show and handles the site's technical work. Her education and background is in business, ecommerce and law.

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