Desteni
Posted by:
Darryl Thomas
()
Date: December 12, 2008 11:25PM
rr moderator 1. A charismatic leader, who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose power.
Bernard Poolman is not a "guru" or else you would have seen his face all over the media. He is not an "object of worship" in any way, and if you are dumb enough to do so anyway, he breaks you off a new one.
rr moderator 2. A process [is in use] call[ed] coercive persuasion or thought reform.
Well, you score one goal here. We do have a process of self-forgiveness and self-honesty to purify our being, and to stop the mind and its artificial personalities that exist entirely of the accepted opinions of yourself and others. This sounds like madness due to the programming you have accepted as yourself. But it is not real.
rr moderator 3. Economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.
Exploitation in any sense is self-interest, and not considered valid in any way.
So we score 1 out of 3. I guess that gives Desteni a .333 "Cult Ranking," lol.
rr moderator Margaret Singer, clinical psychologist and once Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley was the preeminent cult expert of the 20th Century. She counseled and/or interviewed thousands of people affected by controversial groups often called "cults." Dr. Singer offered meaningful definitions of unsafe groups or "cults" in her book Cults in our Midst.
According to Singer, unsafe groups or cults can generally be defined by three factors:
1. The origin of the group and role of the leader.
2. The power structure, or relationship between the leader and the followers.
3. The use of a coordinated program of persuasion, which is called thought reform [or more commonly, 'brainwashing'"].
1. I don't understand this indicator. All cults have an origin (Christianity had Galilee) and a leader (Jesus, Son of God). According to the Romans and the Jews, the Christians were a cult. Desteni does not venerate any being that is "more" than another. The equal and one principle applies to to all things, and is the starting point that Religion has failed to make, and with that oversight has lost all moral credibility and force because the claims of Religion can not be justified. Religion has become a dry, waterless canal that can only 'opine' and judge others while failing to look at Itself.
2. The power structure of Desteni exists within the equal and one principle as life for all.
3. We indeed use the persuasive application of common sense, but most cannot hear due to the cultivation of the programmed, self-interested mind system which stands as the directive principle instead of the being. We can't remove it, but we can shut it up and allow our true being to take directive control of our lives instead of being prodded along by programs within the mind that are only there because of accepted opinion of yourself. Obviously common sense cannot be taught. I mean, look at the world as it exists today. What a mess. Something drastic and effective needs to happen, and now.
Waiting for Jesus or 'God' to return doesn't help, by the way. It doesn't help children being raped or sold into slavery. That there are those who "believe in 'God'" who can sit by and allow this to happen proves common sense cannot be taught, for if you were 'God,' and the entire existence that you created of Love and Happiness depended on the eternal suffering of one child, would you allow such an edifice to exist as your Creation? Well, that's what we have now. Only multiply that one child by untold millions.
The Equal and One Principle has never been brought through by any Religion. Is it common sense to build an existence who a few have everything and the rest doodley-squat? Or is it common sense that all have the same? Which world do you thing it would be safer, fun and cool to live in? That's what we are about. And since 'God' can't answer us, we will get YOU to answer us. Don't worry. We don't bite.
So again, Desteni scores a .333 on the Cult-O-Meter. That's only 1/3 Cult goodness. LOL.
Bernard Poolman is not a "guru" or else you would have seen his face all over the media. He is not an "object of worship" in any way, and if you are dumb enough to do so anyway, he breaks you off a new one.
rr moderator 2. A process [is in use] call[ed] coercive persuasion or thought reform.
Well, you score one goal here. We do have a process of self-forgiveness and self-honesty to purify our being, and to stop the mind and its artificial personalities that exist entirely of the accepted opinions of yourself and others. This sounds like madness due to the programming you have accepted as yourself. But it is not real.
rr moderator 3. Economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.
Exploitation in any sense is self-interest, and not considered valid in any way.
So we score 1 out of 3. I guess that gives Desteni a .333 "Cult Ranking," lol.
rr moderator Margaret Singer, clinical psychologist and once Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley was the preeminent cult expert of the 20th Century. She counseled and/or interviewed thousands of people affected by controversial groups often called "cults." Dr. Singer offered meaningful definitions of unsafe groups or "cults" in her book Cults in our Midst.
According to Singer, unsafe groups or cults can generally be defined by three factors:
1. The origin of the group and role of the leader.
2. The power structure, or relationship between the leader
3. The use of a coordinated program of persuasion, which is called thought reform [or more commonly, 'brainwashing'"].
1. I don't understand this indicator. All cults have an origin (Christianity had Galilee) and a leader (Jesus, Son of God). According to the Romans and the Jews, the Christians were a cult. Desteni does not venerate any being that is "more" than another. The equal and one principle applies to to all things, and is the starting point that Religion has failed to make, and with that oversight has lost all moral credibility and force because the claims of Religion can not be justified. Religion has become a dry, waterless canal that can only 'opine' and judge others while failing to look at Itself.
2. The power structure of Desteni exists within the equal and one principle as life for all.
3. We indeed use the persuasive application of common sense, but most cannot hear due to the cultivation of the programmed, self-interested mind system which stands as the directive principle instead of the being. We can't remove it, but we can shut it up and allow our true being to take directive control of our lives instead of being prodded along by programs within the mind that are only there because of accepted opinion of yourself. Obviously common sense cannot be taught. I mean, look at the world as it exists today. What a mess. Something drastic and effective needs to happen, and now.
Waiting for Jesus or 'God' to return doesn't help, by the way. It doesn't help children being raped or sold into slavery. That there are those who "believe in 'God'" who can sit by and allow this to happen proves common sense cannot be taught, for if you were 'God,' and the entire existence that you created of Love and Happiness depended on the eternal suffering of one child, would you allow such an edifice to exist as your Creation? Well, that's what we have now. Only multiply that one child by untold millions.
The Equal and One Principle has never been brought through by any Religion. Is it common sense to build an existence who a few have everything and the rest doodley-squat? Or is it common sense that all have the same? Which world do you thing it would be safer, fun and cool to live in? That's what we are about. And since 'God' can't answer us, we will get YOU to answer us. Don't worry. We don't bite.
So again, Desteni scores a .333 on the Cult-O-Meter. That's only 1/3 Cult goodness. LOL.
Re: Desteni
Posted by:
rrmoderator
()
Date: December 13, 2008 01:56AM
Darryl Thomas:
Comparing your group to Christianity is a failed apology, which is often used by groups called "cults."
The issue of leadership concerns a living leader walking the earth today.
Here are some additional "warning signs"
See [www.culteducation.com]
Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
9. The group/leader is always right.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1. Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.
2. Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.
3. Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".
4. Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.
5. Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.
6. Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede any personal goals or individual interests.
7. A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.
8. Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.
9. Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.
10. Former followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.
Comparing your group to Christianity is a failed apology, which is often used by groups called "cults."
The issue of leadership concerns a living leader walking the earth today.
Here are some additional "warning signs"
See [www.culteducation.com]
Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
9. The group/leader is always right.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1. Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.
2. Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.
3. Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".
4. Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.
5. Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.
6. Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede any personal goals or individual interests.
7. A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.
8. Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.
9. Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.
10. Former followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.
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