This story brings tears to my eyes. I will not add more, except for a heartbreaking memory of my one last hug to my baby who has to leave for no other reason but to separate from her disagreeing family. Since then, I hope and pray every day that she (and others like her) to get back to her senses first, then to those who truly love her unconditionally.

Bring back to life

Anna Lobaczewska, President of Ruch Obrony Rodzinki I Jednosti (Poland)

Summary

My Son was recruited to the Caytanya Mission cult at the age of 18. The cult is related to The
International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Jagad Guru/Chris Butler is the leader. In Poland
the Caytanya Mission began operations in 1991 with modest rented premises, inviting recruits for
yoga courses. After a year of complete involvement in the cult my son moved out of the house,
dropped out of college and completely broke off contact with his family. At that time, I made
contact with other families whose relatives were involved in a variety of destructive cults, while I
took part in the intense media campaign by presenting the true face of the Caytanya Mission
hoping that my son would hear me and understand that he has been cheated in a devious way.

Unfortunately, my actions have not yielded the expected results, moreover I was twice accused
by Caytanya Mission of infringement of personal rights: once in Gdansk in 1994 and then in
1996 in Lublin. The process that began in Lublin was a kind of demonstration to which members
of the cult came from across the country . My son has been called as a witness against me twice.
Each of the witnesses of Caytanya Mission was very well prepared, recited before the Court.

Even the testimony of parents and experts did not convince my son and he continued to be hostile
against me and the family. In the first instance, I lost the case. The Court ordered me to apologize
for wording in my article. However the Court found that Caytanya Mission was a destructive cult.

In the second instance (the Court of Appeal) Caytanya Mission abruptly withdrew the lawsuit.

Members of the cult and my son were convinced that the process had been won by the Caytanya
Mission and my pleas against them were false. After eight years, my son unexpectedly arrived in
Lublin as a sunglass street vendor. The whole family had to convince him to stay in the apartment
where we had lived before we moved to the suburbs. It took him a long time to accept the offer.

Unfortunately, he was manipulated so deeply that it brought confusion to his world of values.

Now he seems to be lost and can not find his way of life. His re-entry into normal life is very
difficult.

"Bring back to life..." – A mother’s testimony

I am a mother, whose son was recruited into the cult Caytanya Mission at the age of 18. The
cult is a branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. At the head stands Jagad
Guru / Chris Butler / Brahpupady known in Poland as a student founder of the Society for
Krishna Consciousness. There is no significant difference between Caytanya Mission and the
Society for Krishna Consciousness' teachings. In Poland, the Caytanya Mission began operations
in 1991 with renting a modest premises for its activities. My son Peter, on the first attendance at
the cult meeting was convinced that this is only a yoga course. At one point his behavior, manner
of speaking, nutrition, perception of reality and attitude to life, education, family, changed
radically and become worrisome. I asked him what had happened that had made him change so
quickly but received no reply. He saw demons: it was as if he was in a trance, constantly reciting
mantra and became obsessed about body purity. He was losing weight. He often disappeared
for days from home, hiding his whereabouts. After graduating from high school, when the time
limit came to submit documents to enter university, he hesitated. He decided not to go to college,
as he argued that science does not give happiness. My family and I tried to convince him to
study. I knew that the cult would prevent him from submitting the documents. For the cult
studying was a useless idea, they were bombarding Peter with arguments to dissuade him from
studying. As he had already been subjected to intensive indoctrination, he saw no sense in
science nor in acquiring education. Before that he was a good pupil, he had plans for his life, he
liked to hike, he was a scout, and enjoyed a game of chess. He was responsible and reliable.

I decided to go to an open meeting and talk with the guru. I was ready to ask guru for permission
to study for Peter. I thought that if I did not deny their assumptions, or criticize actions avoiding
sensitive issues, and would show a far-reaching tolerance, maybe then I could convince the guru
to allow my son to study.

At the meeting 70 people were present, mostly young people but among them there was a large
group of adults demonstrating commitment to the lecture and group singing. When the meeting
ended, there were only the members of the Mission Caytanya left. I went to the guru and
presented the problem peacefully. I said that I was worried that Peter did not want to study
although he had such plans before . The Guru called Peter and asked how old he was. He replied
that he was over 18. He was a little confused. The Guru told me: "You see, he is an adult, he's
already decided." A middle-aged woman listened to that conversation. At some point, she spoke
to me: "You are not his mother, he has a different mother." My composure vanished and I
exclaimed, "You are a cult”. Then Waldemar Kociuba - Guru - found himself in a situation
where in front of the members he could demonstrate his absolute power over my son and
commanded Peter: "take her out". My son took me by the hand, but did it lamely, the guru seeing
his indecision pointed to one of the young people and said to him: "help him." They managed to
pull me toward the exit. I saw to what extent my son was subordinated to the guru, and was
ready to obey to his every command. At home, Peter threatened me to send me to jail because I
offended his guru. How important his guru was to him, if he was ready to send me to jail just
for saying that the organisation was a cult. Then I realized that nothing mattered to him any
more except for the guru and the cult. He was totally devoted and obedient to them. However,
in spite all this he submitted the documents for university to study.

During the summer I hardly saw my son as he was constantly away from home, sometimes
coming for a few days, but not talking to us, not replying to questions. I tried to find out where
and with whom he was staying, with no result – he always managed to disappear. During the
semester, he had no time to study, and was busy with meetings of the cult. He could not keep up
with the increasing demands of the cult and study at the same time. At some point he began to
pack his things. It was in winter. I did not know or did not want to know that he was preparing to
leave home. This happened in late January. He said that he was leaving to study at the Institute
for Studies of Identity - known as the Caytanya Mission, registered as a religious association. I
asked him to leave me his address to keep contact with him. He did not answer. The cult people
were waiting for him in the street.

I did not lose hope because I did not believe that one could live in absurdity all one's life, and one
cannot change all that was part of you - for the family and for a society. Nobody was prepared
for it. Peter has not contacted us, we did not know his whereabouts.

But one evening he came. He looked strange, he was very aggressive and on the door step he was
screaming that I should apologize to the guru. I tried to calm him down, but unfortunately he did
not hear me. It was impossible to talk to him. He was yelling at me all the time, repeating the
same thing. He sat in front of the glazed cupboard and with all his strength struck his head on the
window. He did not care that he was injured, and still furiously demanded that I apologized to the
guru. The row ended late at night. He did not go to the Caytanya Mission, but slept in his room.

The next day he was completely different and had lost his previous aggression. I asked him
whether, before coming to the house he was in the Caytanya Mission and what had happened
him there. He nodded and blushed. I guess he realized that he was given something that had such
an influence on him. Soon he went and did not return.

I was brought before the Court by Caytanya Mission twice for infringement of personal rights. In
the first trial, which took place in Gdansk, the editor of the “Educational Review" who printed
the article "Intercontinental sectarianism" was accused along with me. At one of the last
hearings Caytanya Mission withdrew its claim which I accepted with relief.

After two years, I was called back to Court in Lublin. The trial was a peculiar show attended by
members of the cult from all over the country. Members were reimbursed their travel expenses.

In support of the indictment all my appearances: radio, press and television had been collected
and sentences quoted, when I had accused Caytanya Mission of manipulation, changing
personality and warning about addiction. Witnesses that testified before the Court did not confess
belonging to Caytanya Mission but they spoke of how happy they were and the positive impact
that it had on their lives. These were well-prepared and learned beforehand testimonials. The
Court received a stack of documents, that contained thanks proving the cult charitable activities
in Poland and abroad, and lists of Catholics supporting the education of Caytanya Mission and
even presented a letter of prominent politicians who supported their activities. The Court never
checked the authenticity of these documents. The cult called men of science of religion to
witness. They pointed to the diversity of the religion but did not see the negative impact it had.

They relied on documents and interviews with members of the Caytanya Mission. They heard
an unusual witness, David Muncie spiritual master from Thailand. His presence was meant to be
a very important event in this case for members of the cult and the Court. Between the
designated Court hearings, an emergency hearing was called. A spiritual master, with an
interpreter, in a Court room full of Caytanya Mission believers lectured for 4 hours on the
philosophical base of the cult. The lecture was an example of a sophisticated manipulation of
various elements drawn from the philosophy of Hinduism and Christianity. He had to convince
Catholic members and also the Court that the Caytanya Mission doctrine does not contradict
Christianity, and allowed to get rid of doubts, if they had any. One had to be confirmed
theologian to make a careful study and find a distortion and falsification. Unprepared persons
could not notice such differences. And such an assumption gave the leaders of the organization
courage to appear in Court.

My witnesses were parents whose children had been recruited by the cult and subject to its
destructive influence. Witnesses were also people who were acquainted with the cult: they spoke
of the unhealthy relationships prevailing there and those who frequented their meetings showed
up the manipulation, trance states, and hypnosis used during the lectures. Scientists and clergy
also testified.

The hearings were a kind of conversation, attend by my son. He was in the courtroom and
listened as ex-members were telling about the trauma they suffered at the time of commitment
to the cult, and their parents described their experiences. I was hoping that the testimony of the
victims' families would stimulate him into independent reflection, which would allow him to see
the harm caused to its members. I could not talk to him during breaks because he was strictly
isolated from me.

From the very beginning, I was accused of being an overprotective mother of a mature adult,
able and conscious to make choices. Mission Caytanya applied psychological terror to me.

They presented my family as pathological, citing drastic scenes that never took place, indicating
that this was the reason why my son left home. They sent me letters that were supposed to
cause a feeling of guilt. Crown evidence was to be Peter's testimony . He recited, like the others
adepts the well learned lessons, trying to prove that he had taken the decision and said he
didn’t like the way of our home was run. That it included alcohol, cigarettes and meat. But when
I asked him directly whether there was something he wanted to criticize about us as parents, he
spontaneously replied that he accused us of nothing. This was in sharp contrast to that what he so
widely described. It was as if the two different personalities were fighting inside his mind. He
was not frightened, but subdue and sometimes criticized reality. I felt that he was not completely
lost . That what happened in his life before Caytanya Mission has not been completely buried,
and certainly Caytanya Mission is not the only power that can plan and direct Peter’s life.

I decided to call my son as a witness for a second time. It was a way of keeping in touch with
him but also to stop the Caytanya Mission from sending my son abroad (as they had such plans).

When my agent asked my son how much money he was giving for Caytanya Mission, he
answered without hesitation, 200 dollars a month. Everyone in the room burst out laughing. I do
not know until today, what that laugh was about.

In first instance, the verdict was not in my favour. The Court made a selection of certain phrases
from my appearances and ordered me to apologize to Caytanya Mission in the mainstream press.
The Court however admitted that this organization was a cult.

After an appeal the case began right from the start before another court. When the Caytanya
Mission realized that the trial was going in a negative direction for them, it decided to withdraw
the lawsuit. I did not want to have anything to do with them, and waived their financial claims.

But that did not worry the leaders of the Mission Caytanya, they broadcast in the media and
above all persuaded their members to date, that they had won a case against me and that my
charges against them were completely unfounded.

Suddenly, after seven years, my son appeared in Lublin as a street trader. Surprisingly, we were
able to meet him on neutral ground. Family and many people who knew Peter, as if by chance,
started talking. Inquired about his life lessons. Certainly this did not leave him indifferent. It
gave him a chance to return to a time before the cult, recall memories and forced him to reflect
on his situation. At that time my family had moved house and we suggested that he could live in
the flat that we had left. Initially, he did not want to hear about it saying it was useless to him.

However, after a long persuasion he accepted. The flat needed renovation, so he had to stay with
us in our new house. I was able to observe closely the devastation which the cult had caused in
Peter's mental state. Perhaps by then he was not so fully engaged in the activities of the cult, but
it was easy to see how the cult had brought confusion into his life, guided by the principles that
have been taught to him there. The greatest evil, according to him was eating meat. He abided
with the principles of vegetarianism, not because of taste or health, but because of the belief in
reincarnation. He believed that even a dish that has come into contact with meat could result that
in a future life his soul would return on earth in the shape of a swine and thus of spiritual
degradation.

He stopped intellectual development when he joined the cult. Long periods in trance states and
meditation, isolation from science, destruction of his personality and the street trade, which was
to the cult benefit had resulted in a lack of further educational ambitions. Depression and
emotional swings which I could observe, were the consequences of staying in the cult. His entry
into normal life was very difficult. He was still hostile to the family and especially towards me.

One time we talked about the Court case. He was convinced that the cult won the case. When
we proved that this was not the case, having no other arguments, already desperate, he accused
me of calling false witnesses. I never went back to that conversation. I tried to engage my son in
the small domestic operations to enter the world of normal duties and responsibilities. Currently,
he is very slowly rebuilding relationships with the family and re-reentering life with his past
cult ballast. His long stay in the cult, cast a shadow over his life. He is not the last victim of this
cult.

Caytanya Mission ceased to use his name on the posters inviting to its lectures. It uses different
names, so that no one can associate them with the compromising process. Its main activities
moved to the coast, where there are many benefit from members trading on beaches. They
developed the production of dietary supplements. They employ many people who are drawn
into to the cult often breaking up family bonds and exploit them as their employees.

Caytanya Mission ceased to use his name on the posters inviting to its lectures. It uses different
names, so that no one can associate them with the compromising process. Its main activities
moved to the coast, where there are many benefit from members trading on beaches. They
developed the production of dietary supplements. They employ many people who are drawn
into to the cult often breaking up family bonds and exploit them as their employees.

fecris.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Lobaczewska-EN.pdf

[fecris.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2015 10:42PM by dharmabum.

I don't think an 18 year old guy deciding on what he wants to believe in is outlandish or should be the concern of his mother. Fly the coupe at some point. But what I do find alarming is that this even went to court. Why does the cult feel so threatened and not just look at the situation as "god sending us a challenge". It's always amusing how religious people will get very affected by you telling them that their ideas are silly or foolish. Yet, they are allowed to go around and spread their ideas and remain protected etc. So a cult can have your son by the balls and full control over him, but the cult and it's leaders will go to extremes to shut you down if you question their level of control over your son. But seriously, let the bird fly. 18 is a good age to let em go and explore for themselves. It's not always happy news to find them shaved up and clad in pink robes trying to sell you a copy of BG As It Is, but hey, life goes on. Could be worse. They could join ISIS or start using crack.

The other thing I find very controlling is that this guy just ended up doing what a lot of Krishna youth end up doing for their temples and gurus—selling cheap glasses to tourists or t-shits or paintings or some other "peddling" to make a quick buck and funnel it to their "mission" to "spread the good word". Propaganda machine? Certainly. But oddly, I don't know of many guru's historically who abandoned their full education unless they were poor. But instead, they went to university, learned about the world around them and various subjects and became at least conventionally educated before they opted to "surrender" to a guru themselves.

In other words, is it responsible for a cult to deny or promote or support a person who is not conventionally educated or wants to forgo that as a reasonable stepping stone for developing critical thinking. How can someone be a good preacher for your "mission" if they don't have a complete spectrum of conventional knowledge under their belt (certainly studying the sciences, art, business etc—is of value even to spiritual people). How can they discuss things intelligently and make arguments and hope to attract quality minds if they are just parroting some information they read in a religions text of heard at a lecture. Certainly it's to the value of a religious institution to support conventional education. Most people out there need some crafty and educated "university-level" explanations to be convinced to surrender their life to a blue god who dances with cowherd girls at night and fights holy wars. I'm just saying.

Ian wrote:
I don't think an 18 year old guy deciding on what he wants to believe in is outlandish or should be the concern of his mother. Fly the coupe at some point.

True. But right or wrong, parents feel the same way. Just because a child turns 18 the bond automatically shuts off. The opposite is what is disturbing, when the parents themselves become instrumental in submitting the child to the above dysfunction, to the dogma cults like the Haribols believe that parents are not to be attached to. What I know about parents, they tend to follow the beat of the heart rather than the age limit delineated by the law. Ask any Jewish parents. This is a fundamental truth across the board even among the fiercest animals. It's not gonna change. If the cults continue to challenge that, then just watch us.

I agree. I also don't know the details of the case or the relationship between the son and mother to know if he was using the cult as an escapism from a dysfunctional home etc. my remark was not meant to make light of parental attachment, which, for better or worse can last a lifetime, but rather that people are rightful in making life choices by 18, mature or not. For the sake of keeping it about the cults using legal measures as a fear tactic or to stop or make communication difficult between families, I think we can understand that at 18, a young man can and should be able to go off and do as they please. The larger issue is the drastic measures that a cult will go through to retain a follower and also how much trauma they cause by doing so. I don't know the details of the case but it's also not isolated. Legal cases involving parents and kids in cults abound. At the heart of the issue is the unneeded rift they cause in the family dynamic. A dynamic that had a lot deeper history for those involved than a stint in the cult. Instead of responsibly telling the man that he should honor his mother and finish his formal education, they blow the issue up to make examples and drag families through a living hell. It's an exercise of ego and power by an organization that preaches/professes tolerance, humility and compassion as core virtues.

It's not that it's wrong, it's just that the result is often unsatifactory.

Meaning that often the matter is pushed to a no-return point by forcing the choice:

"Choose between family and your life"

And by life, it can mean the job we don't agree with or the wife we don't dig or the guru we don't like.

And often the young son or daughter will choose the life.

For each parent complaining about an evil guru you'll find at least one complaining about an evil daughter-in-law twisting the mind of the beloved son.

And my point isn't that gurus are equal to daughter-in-laws, but that in difficult situations, an impulsive reaction based on feelings can increase conflict and worsen relationships.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/2015 10:18PM by SeePony.

By age 18, you are a person, not parental property, certainly not a group's property. Chairs, tables, buildings, investments -- those are property. Adult
human beings, lucid and capable of having their own hopes, dreams and preferences -- no.

Voters of Hawaii, this is the context in which Tulsi G was reared.

It takes a special arrogance for a group to hinder a disciple's adult son
from leaving the group.

I cannot remember whom he quoted, but Geoffrey Falk, author of Stripping the Gurus quoted a law professor who suggested that intead of taking issue with a cultic groups belief system, that that a far more effective strategy by which to set limits on abusive cults would be to invoke or do the following:

1) Laws that prohibit slavery

2) Investigate them in terms of violations of labor law, fair wage, pension, workmen's compensation

3) Workplace safety and local ordinances against hostile workplace practices (bullying shunning, harassment, etc

4) Ordinances against stalking and cyberstalking

5) False imprisonment/(confiscation of passports, ID papers, credit cards, withholding letters and telephone calls, forbidding access to internet, keeping people under surveillance or guarding their rooms if they express a desire to leave--this has been reported at Andrew Cohen's ashram)

And, where applicable:

5) Immigration fraud, smuggling contraband

(Corboy note: It is outrageous that Cohen was never called to account for any of this. If Cohen had treated a single DOG the same way he treated his human disciples, he would have been in jail by now.)

Cults are experts with the law. Their lawyers know full well that the law is like cheese — it's full of holes. Like worms they wiggle out from anyone of the holes. Chances are you can only afford to peg one and they will pop out from another. Before you know it you're as poor as a rat. You can never out-fund the Butler cult when they have tons of drug-money from the drug-smuggla and from the Q-tip pyramid racket.

The law is not perfect, but that's all we've got. For parents, my advice is to join an advocacy as in this group. Bring your argument here instead. It's free and it's guaranteed to drive the guru crazy, plus your helping to educate the public. Don't get mad, get even. Hey, this is just my opinion, but I'm sticking to it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2015 12:38AM by dharmabum.

I spent the day reading the 4 or more new blog posts from Ian Koviak, They are some of the most amazing pieces I have ever read.

Here is one http://baguiobrahmacharislive.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-frightening-thing-about-my-time-in.html

I wrote this piece a little while back but did not post it here, I don't think.

Illegal Drug Money Funded Cult Boys School

https://ramaransonvsthecult.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/illegal-drug-money-funded-cult-boys-school/

Check Ian's graphic of a torn and defaced image that may or may not be a certain US congresswoman we all love so much.

A congresswoman who, in point of fact, is about as Hindu as I am.

Ongoing threats from Gayle Hedge:

It appears I am now being directly threatened by Chris Butler's group, make what you will of it. putting it here for the record. If I am attacked or murdered I know of only one group with the motive to do this to me.

I believe this would be the religious cult that worships Chris Butler Siddhaswarupananda. Major players in this group are Chris Butler, Patrick Bowler, Allan Tibby, George Ormond, Mark Fergusson, Wai Lan Butler, Robyn Ranson, Laksmana Ranson, Jackie Foster, Blake Foster, Jan Ormond, Prahlad Webb Nanda Ormond, Nimai van Den Boss, Jivana Wills.

If any or all of you get this message you should try to find out where these threats are coming from, and be sure you are not implicated in any possible violence against me.

message 1:

Quote
Why dont you cut ties to the cult and change your name?? I am in hiding myself and all you will get for not shutting up is a bullet to the head. Your story is told, now go live a wonder full life, b4 its too late. Bowler, Gabbard, and their body guards are focusing on buying up new zealand under Trust Names and multi names. They wont be stopped. To many top men are playing the property market game and everyone has a price

message 2:

Quote
Snitches get snitches. You are playing with the BIG BOYS NOW.

message 3

Quote
No i meant 'SNITCHES' IDIOT! YOU ARE A NARK! AND AN INFORMER! in the REAL WORLD.... SNITCHES GET SNITCHES!...NARKS GET NARKS!...INFORMANTS GET INFORMANTS! WITNESSES GET TAKEN OUT FOR FREE! SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU DUMB FUCK OR I'LL SHUT IT FOR YOU!! I'M WATCHING YOU

The above three messages came from a Facebook profile named Gayle Hedge and I just received the 3rd one, the 2nd one came 3 days ago.

I am Rama Das Ranson of San Francisco and this is public record of threats I am receiving from someone within the Chris Butler cult, as far as I can tell.

I responded with the following, and I repeat it here as a message of intent to the criminal mafia of international money laundering drug traffickers who work on behalf of Chris Butler Siddhaswarupananda Paramamhamsa and the Science Of Identity Foundation. This criminal mafia has deceived and implicated my entire family.

A message from Rama Ranson to any and all within the Chris Butler cult:

Well Patrick Bowler is a bigger "Narc" (someone who turns on their criminal associates, turning them in for a reduced sentence.) than anyone in the world, and I never asked to be part of a criminal group led by Chris Butler and his money.

My family was lied to and mislead into a criminal Mafia .

Your gangster rules apply to willing gangsters, not innocent people and young kids raised to believe this cult bullsh*t.