The WORD: The Universal Spirit/UNIVERSAL LIFE: The Inner Religion

Has anyone heard about this new religious movement? I have tried to access information on it on various cult-watching websites, but I haven't been able to find any info. The only info I've been able to find has been produced by the group itself. The few exceptions are a few animal rights organization websites that only list the books as one of the few free resources for activists (ie. I doubt the animal rights groups are interested in promoting the sprituality. Most of the animal rights activists I know are either atheist or agnostic). Anyhoo, why can't I find any critical info on this group? Is it sort of like how Suma Ching Hai used to be, where cult experts had no idea who she was until recently? I'm surprised there isn't more talk about The WORD because they have their website translated into quite a few languages. They have three mailing addresses: One in the U.S., one in Canada, and one in Germany (I think Germany is their headquarters).

Any info on the group from non-members of The WORD would be appreciated.

Nobody has responded with some criticism of this group. Is there any info on the Rick Ross site about this group? Has Margaret Singer said anything about them? I am wondering what cult experts have to say about it. Here is some more info on the group, from various websites (some are from the WORD itself, and other sites are made by people outside the WORD):

[www.steinadler-schwefelgeruch.de] (The Golden Eagle and it’s Sulphurous Smell)

[www.germanytodayfreedom.org] (I think this is by the Scientologists)

[www.germanytodayfreedom.org]

[www.sceneandheard.ca] (This also mentions Ching Hai (Quan Yin Method) and the Hare Krishnas

[www.all-creatures.org]

[www.ablewise.com] (seems to be an ad by the group)

These websites seem to be run by the group themselves:

[www.radio-santec.com]

[www.universal-spirit.cc]

[www.universelles-leben.org]

I finally found a site containing critical info on Universelles Leben!

Here is an English site: [members.aol.com]

Here is a site containing links to sites in various languages: [www.stelling.nl]

Unfortunately I don't speak German, and I tried Babble Fish but it didn't do a very good job. If anyone wants to translate those pages, I'd be very grateful.

If any of you have other links in English that have critical info on Universelles Leben, please post them here.

Oh, I found one more! It just briefly mentions Universelles Leben, though:

[www.dci.dk]

Does anyone know if these books have been translated into any other languages other than German?

"Universelles Leben: Die Prophetin der Endzeit und ihr Management." by Hans-Walter Jungen

"Was ist Universelles Leben?" by Logos Aufklarung (I think this one is critical but I'm not sure)

I wish I knew how to speak German! I read that in Germany, this group is as high-profile as the Scientologists.

I find the group fascinating.

I'm an Agnostic, by the way.

[b:57d8d2d434]Finally[/b:57d8d2d434] someone created an English Wikipedia article for Universelles Leben: [en.wikipedia.org] but I am still yearning for more. The article, so far, doesn't get into some of the more controversial practices of U.L. The German article is much better. The English article is still a stub.

Another problem is that it is an orphaned article, meaning there are no links to it on other Wikipedia articles. This makes it difficult for Wikipedia surfers to stumble upon it.

Yet another problem is that there is no link to the English page on the German, Hungarian, and Polish pages in the "in other languages" box found on the left-hand side. So readers of the German page might not be aware that an English page on Wikipedia exists for U.L.

The negative and neutral info I've been able to find in English on U.L. on the internet has been scarce. I'd really like to read more, because there are so many pro-books and pamphlets produced by U.L. itself in English and many other languages (mostly European languages).

I'm surprised that I've been the only one responding in this thread. I could understand it if U.L. only produced literature in German, but they produce lots of their stuff and have their website in English too.[/b]