Brian:
Your response illustrates a primary point about Landmark graduates, they respond to criticism about Landmark with blind devotion, much like the members of destructive cults. No meaningful critical analysis, little evidence of critical thinking and denial concerning the historical facts.
Werner Erhard, est, Landmark Education, the Forum and the latest name Landmark Worldwide (whatever name the operation chooses) has a long history of scandal, bad press, personal injury lawsuits, labor violations etc.
For you to deny that is ridiculous and demonstrates you unwillingness or inability to think critically about Landmark.
See [
www.culteducation.com]
See [
www.culteducation.com]
Also see [
www.culteducation.com]
This is just the latest scandal concerning Landmark training in Canada. Anyone interested can read many other news reports regarding Landmark that reflect its bad behavior, controversial training methods and philosophy.
See [
www.culteducation.com]
This is the archive within the Cult Education Institute, which includes news reports over the years about Landmark and its history of bad prss, scandal and controversy.
You may wish to pretend that doesn't exist, but the proof is online and we live at a time when people can simply find such proof and read it easily almost anywhere through a smart phone or other device with access to the Web.
Landmark's long history of litigation is interesting. They have been sued repeatedly and have attempted to silence critics through lawsuits. Landmark once attempted to silence me and purge information from this message board. That lawsuit utterly collapsed and in the end Landmark was publicly humiliated by having to dismiss its own lawsuit. Needless to say Landmark's attorney tried to spin the defeat as best he could, but Landmark failed in its effort to remove anything from this message board or database.
See [
www.culteducation.com]
My lawyers constructed a partial review of Landmark's history of litigation.
I have received serious complaints from the spouses of Landmark devotees that the the training has strained marriages. Likewise, other family members feel that Landmark has damaged and at times destroyed family relationships.
Werner Erhard, the creator of the Forum and Erhard Seminar Training (est) has a deeply troubled of history of divorce and family problems. Moreover, former employees and close associates describe him as apparently a deeply troubled man given to disturbing behavior.
See [
www.culteducation.com]
Reportedly Erhard once said at staff meetings, "I am God." Sounds a bit like a cult leader.
The history of EST and the Forum is deeply troubled and mired in controversy.
See [
www.culteducation.com]
Also see [
www.culteducation.com]
Here is just a sampling of complaints that I have received about Landmark and its LGAT (large group awareness training).
See [
www.culteducation.com]
Some examples as follows:
"As a survivor of the destructive E.S.T. and Forum, I applaud you for showing the world what a horrible and deceptive bunch of creeps these people are. I am going to post my story about the damage Warner Erhard did to my life. In short, he ruined it. I was abused as a child at home by my parents who attended this training. They forced me to raise myself, and they told me that I created all the bad things that happened to me. They in essence were programmed to believe that they didn't have to raise me because I was already a grown human being who was responsible for all my actions and tragedies. E.S.T. destroyed my life in so many ways. If I could save one person from these people, I would. I wish they would be put out of business. The children are the saddest victims because they don't get a choice in the matter. I hope these people rot in hell. I know those are strong words, but it is the nicest thing I can say about them. The world needs to know the truth about this cult."
"I attended the Landmark Forum last weekend and tonight was the evening that I was suppose to bring a guest to join. As the day went on, I could not help replaying a couple of scenes in my head that would be described as abuse in any other situation. Needless to say, as the day wore on, I decided to end my forum and not go to the last session tonight. When I attended the Forum, I sat in my chair and was appalled at the Leader who called this 37-year-old woman a 'brat' and to 'grow up' in front of 109 people as she stood there at the microphone talking about her dead father, and her mothers new boyfriend. As the leader reamed her from every direction, she took it and completely fell apart crying. He later told her that she had no hope and that he could not coach her. She courageously responded, 'Then I want another coach.' He continuously shamed her for almost 40 minutes. It was ridiculous. What was even more ridiculous was that I sat and watched it. I told my girlfriend (who introduced me to the Forum and is still going on her third seminar) that in any other situation, we would consider his name calling, shaming, and demeaning behavior ABUSIVE. He told another man, 'You are a loser, just like your father,' who happened to be an alcoholic and had obviously done much to create pain for this young man. He told this young man that he was a JERK and to call his father on his next break and take responsibility for being a jerk. While I understand that we need to 'take responsibility' for our lives, the measures that this organization uses are no less than mean, demeaning, and without meaning. If you are wondering if the Landmark Forum is for you. Consider that 'you are not you, you are just a machine,' and 'the meaning of life is meaningless.' 'Then you die and they throw dirt over your face.' I am glad that I had a gut feeling to not continue this nonsense anymore. Now that I have read your page, I know I can expect some harassing phone calls probably tomorrow. When they ask me why I am not continuing the Landmark Forum, I will use their answer. I am not continuing the Landmark Forum because I am not continuing the Landmark Forum. So in Landmark Lingo, they will only get a choice' answer from me. Not a 'decision' answer, which always gives a reason for why we are not doing something. When they start to give me feedback, I will tell them, those are your 'rackets' talking. Why can they have an opinion, if we can't? It goes both ways."
"I attended a Landmark session and it led me to contact an abusive brother who despises me. I endured one and a half hours of devastating abuse from him as I apologised thanks to my Landmark brainwashing. Afterwards I was disoriented, but was lucky enough to have a boyfriend who came and collected me, where I stood lost on the street in a very familiar city. I wanted to walk out under a bus. When he got me back to the hotel I broke. All I wanted was to kill myself, though out of moral duty was willing to go to a mental hospital for the rest of my life instead. I had signed up for the advanced course, but in fairness Landmark agreed to refund my deposit for that, though I haven't seen the money yet. Thanks to wonderful friends and your website I'm OK now (I think). It's a total scam, and potentially life-threatening."
Thank you for admitting that Landmark is "beliefs" and not education. The LGAT is simply a means of persuading participants to embrace Erhard's composite philosophy, which he copied from of a number of sources.
Again, Landmark produces no objective results just anecdotal evidence like your personal subjective experience. There is no scientific peer reviewed and published study that demonstrates otherwise.
The detailed report by a psychologist that attended Lifespring is an analysis based upon research and first hand observation. Lifespring and Landmark are both LGATs and Werner Erhard and the founder of Lifespring John Hanley Sr. were once involved in Mind Dynmics. They both based their subsequent LGATs in part on that experience.
See [
www.culteducation.com]
It is not a matter of opinion that accredited institutions of higher learning, licensed counselors accountable to state boards and social services likewise accountable to public regulation are safer and more credible than a private for-profit company like Landmark, mired in controversy and scandal.
This is called history and those are the facts.
To say otherwise puts you in the category of a "true believer' unable to think rationally and reflect upon the facts.
You say, "I Don't ask you to accept them as your own beliefs, but I do ask you to accept these as being my beliefs, and to accept and respect them."
Again, this statement puts Landmark in the category of a belief system not education. However, it is a for-profit privately owned company selling beliefs, rather than a nonprofit church.
BTW--In my opinion Werner Erhard still runs Landmark, through his ownership of "intellectual" property rights and licensing. His brother, sister and former lawyer apparently take care of the day-to-day business. It is not a publicly held company so no one knows exactly how the company profits are disbursed or the terms of the sale of est now known as Landmark.
If you want to post here--post something meaningful rather than a sing-song about Landmark without substance. Your testimonials and opinions are in no way really responsive to my last post. You offer little more than your anecdotal experience. And unlike the psychologist's careful research and analysis, you offer nothing objective to back it up.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/2014 10:57PM by rrmoderator.