Skeptical:
Quote
I saw the pages on Sharon Gans on this site, so I know there is cult use of the writings of Gurdjieff.
A girlfriend of a friend of mine got heavily into Gurdjieff and began going to meetings of some group that studied him after she and my friend had a harsh breakup. I don't know if this group she's in is connected to Gans. Fast forward a couple of years and now she is sharing a house with two other female members of the group, and they run a charity outreach program for homeless kids downtown.
Contrary to what another poster has asserted, the "no fraternization" rule is suspended once you become an "advanced" student-- sharing a house with two other students is quite plausible.
Quote
The group's aims sound fantastic -- they give homeless kids a chance to improve themselves and expand their worldview through the arts, teaching musical instruments, providing painting supplies and gallery shows, a safe space to get off the streets during the day, etc., etc. They have gotten positive write-ups in the local press. None of the press or the group's website have any mention of Gurdjieff. It's all very secular on the surface, and may be in practice as well.
One thing is likely-- just as some viruses can adapt to changing circumstances, so can shady groups once they have been discovered. Is it so far a stretch for one to believe that the same group of villains who are behind the "Artists and Orphans" documentary are trying another version in New York City? After all, the documentary was "on the surface" too. Also Sharon might have seen the writing on the wall and have decided to use the internet instead of demonizing it as part of her paranoid/Big Brother/conspiracy theory mindset. By the way, your acqaintance's outfit [i:ab6dc98839]is[/i:ab6dc98839] in New York or Boston, right?
Quote
This gal hinted that I should look into Gurdjieff, and I read one of his books and found it somewhat interesting but in the end kind of loopy as well. After awhile our friendship deteriorated and I no longer talk to her. I guess what I'm interested in are opinions regarding this homeless charity she runs. Does anyone suppose it's some kind of recruitment tool for a Gurdjieff-based cult? I'm not sure what they would want with homeless teens. This gal has quite a bit of money, so I can see what they would want with her, but why the kids?
The ranks of Sharon Gans' and Alex Horn's groups are quite likely thinning-- it is no doubt increasingly difficult to recruit people when all you have to do is Google and you get all this information on Sharon Gans and the others who have been her students for so many years: Fred Mindel, Robert Klein, Minerva Taylor, and others. It seems improbable at first glance that these professional predators would be cultivating their next revenue stream from homeless teens-- they need money probably more than they need power-- but one shouldn't put anything past them. It is worrisome-- these parasites might just be desperate enough and despicable enough to do it. But to convert homeless teens into future potential "students" seems a bit of a stretch. Alternatively, when someone is rich the carefully controlled ego-boosting and pseudo-fawning might extend to the point where this woman would be "instructed" to use her money and time doing good works-- further cementing a bond of trust to be exploited at a later date.
Quote
It all may be perfectly harmless and in fact philanthropic and admirable. Just curious as to the thoughts of others on this. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Even if there is a cult tinge to it all I'm not sure what I could do about it anyway besides keeping my distance, as I already am.
It is always a good idea to keep your distance, but given the content of your post some might be wondering what the fascination is for you with an "ex-friend of a friend" who you heard stuff about after their break-up and still manage to keep tabs on two years later? No attack here-- just curious.