The realization is slowly dawning on me: especially when Alyb45 put the signs of a cult leader on there, it's a cult and they're frauds. If you substitute Abraham for "cult leader", everything qualifies. I didn't want to believe it because the majority of people say the teachings are so loving, how could it be a cult? There's always an answer for everything and so many people follow them, I thought they had to be right, otherwise who would follow them if they were wrong? If the Hicks thing was a fraud, surely I thought, someone would've spotted it by now, but noone did so I thought it couldn't be fraudulent. I've never heard of Amway, and who's William Atkinson? I thought The Secret just showed up and people were discovering it even if the Hicks's say it's not a secret at all. They have a way of justifying that, too. Yeah, it's not a secret at all, but not because people like 18th and 19th century used it. It's not a secret because there were previous writings that said the exact same thing, and they just maybe took the Secret from previously written books on Law of Attraction. Yeah, it's not a secret, they're right about that but they don't tell you why. So you have to agree with them they're right, it's not a secret, it's plain old psychology and positive thinking. And they say, "yes, it is." How can you argue with that?

I honestly thought I could tell a fraud or cult leader from a mile away just by hearing their voice. I can tell people's personalities from their voices (or thought I could, anyway). The Hicks's voices sounded so genuine, like real people, not like Billy Graham or Pat Robertson or those faith healers you see on TV. But their reluctance to talk about their past, that should've been a clue and I didn't see it, and now it's so obvious, why didn't I see it before? They justify it by saying the past isn't important, and I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

And the other new agers I followed, they were in their own happy little world, no empathy, that's the word. If you're happy no matter what, you don't have empathy for people. Be happy regardless of what's happening... that sounds like a way to control your feelings. Don't think negatively... that sounds like controlling your thoughts. But the new age says to give up control. They want you to give up control but they want to control your thoughts and feelings, or you to control them. I honestly thought if they preached the law of allowing, they wouldn't try to control anybody, but they do. It's weird.

Another glaringly obvious thing I overlooked, that I noticed a little before but more now, is that even though new agers seem like regular people at first, how come every time I go to their website, they're selling something? New agers, or enlightened/ascended people, make it a business and want you to buy their stuff. But then they say, "Most people don't do that. Lots of people involved in the new age are quiet, everyday people just like you. They don't make new-age a business like we're called to do." Really? I asked Karen Bishop's sister why it seemed to me that there was a high corolation between new-agers/psychics/healers who sell their goods and services, like a business. It makes it seem like you have to be attracted to mysticism to be involved in the new-age. You never see everyday, regular people with real occupations (paper boy, truck driver, custodian, mechanic) involved in it, unless it's healing, energy work or yoga. You never see a new-ager who hates metaphysics. There's so many new-agers who do nothing but write books, channel beings and travel the country/world giving lectures/seminars/workshops, it seems like that's what you have to do to be enlightened. Know what I mean? Seems like a boring life.


She got real defensive about that. Kinda nasty.

People want you to think critically, and when you do, they get mad. I don't know why. They were the ones who told you to think critically in the first place.

You gotta hand it to the Hicks's. Clever frauds, they are. Even I was fooled, and that's saying something. I've never seen stage performers, so I wouldn't know the skills one has to have to be one.

I was listening to a recording from an old workshop and found this glaring error. A questioner asked “Are we descended from apes?”

Here was the exchange:

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AbeHicks 04/19/1997 Silver Springs, MD

ABRAHAM: Is that which is now human an extension of that which was now ape? No. Did the human experience evolve as a result of the experience of the ape? Yes.

QUESTIONER: Is there a link between the two of them?

ABRAHAM: Vibrationally, yes. Physically, no.

Here, Abraham demonstrates their lack of knowledge about evolution. The correct answer is that there is a physical link between apes and humans. It's called DNA, and through DNA analysis, we can actually see the genes that we (chimps, gorillas, humans) share. In fact, the family Hominidae (aka “great apes”) includes chimps, gorillas, and...humans.

xoxo
Kyra
[www.abrahamhicksfraud.blogspot.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2010 10:00PM by kyra1985.

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sewbusy06@yahoo.com
What is really interesting is Christianity is the only Religion that doesn't believe in reincarnation and karma. Those things were intentionally left out of the Bible as a form of control. The Bible was written 325 years after the death of Christ by a Pagan and a group of Clerics. Many things were omitted intentionally. Furthermore, the dates of Christs birth and death are not accurate. What is even more of interest is that the teachings of the Bible go back to the ancient Samaria that lived thousands of years before Christ. So how did these ancient people know these stories if they hadn't unfolded yet? Why is it that all the people in the Bible are also in the book of Mythology?

sewbusy06@yahoo.com - I am surprised by your argument against Christians. They are not the only ones who believe the Hickses are a cult. In fact, there are those who would consider Christianity and the Abraham Hicks' material equally useless and detrimental. I do not like the word 'cult' because it can be used to describe so many different things. I will say that Abraham Hicks is led by a charismatic leader who indoctrinates their enthusiasts with their philosophies. Their teachings are based on faith, because their followers have no way of validating Abraham's concepts of afterlife, nonphysical energy, morality (or lack thereof), emotional guidance, and so much more. Even the Law of Attraction cannot be tested because it lacks falsifiability. If something is wrong, it must be the person's fault; not the law. Similarly, 'faith' has always fallen into that same category. It cannot be tested, because if it isn't working for someone, they must not have had enough faith.

And you are correct. There is no commune for Hicks' supporters. However, many who listen to the teachings develop a sort of dependency on the CDs, tapes, books, and spend quite a lot of time on the processes and techniques (as offered by the Hickses).

Abraham Hicks makes books and other learning tools available. They are also all about self-help in the real sense of the word. They frequently remind attendees that no purchases or continued workshop attendances are necessary in order to practice that which they are teaching.

There is no cult and, in fact, there is a means of validating what they espouse: just try it! It is a simple matter of being aware of the thoughts you are thinking and how those thoughts are making you feel. If they are thoughts that are creating nervousness, anxiety, anger, depression, you can teach yourself (YOURSELF) to redirect your thoughts to ones that evoke more pleasant feelings. It takes a little practice but it also takes very little time to begin to experience first hand the reality that we each do have control over the way we feel; we do not have to be victims of depression or rage or other habitual negative feelings that are always, always associated with thoughts. We can choose a better feeling thought and feel the improved emotion, sometimes only for a second. But, like anything, practice makes, if not perfect, then certainly better and better until, invariably we can really believe through personal experience that we have power and control over our own thoughts and their corresponding emotions. When we choose to think more positively, things really do change; people respond differently to us, our experiences become more positive, we are looking for and looking at the positive aspect with more regularity. A new habit of thought is formed. And environment responds to it. It is the law of attraction at work and every one of us has experienced it first hand already; it is just that many do not recognize it as anything more than coincidence. It isn't. Try it for a week. It's pretty amazing and it is foolproof. More importantly, what have you got to lose?

I challenge anyone to find legitimate reason to condemn this sort of teaching. It offers only good! It empowers the individual. It does not encourage any sort of unkindness toward anyone else. It does not try to separate you from family or money. In fact, on their website you can avail yourself of a great deal of information that is free, including video clips, Q&A, and more.

Abraham may or may not be "blowin' and flowin'" through Esther Hicks. I really don't care. What I do care about is that what is taught not only makes sense in the hearing of it, it bears out in practice. And I don't know a soul who wouldn't want to learn how to be more peaceful, more loving, and generally more joyful more often. Do you?

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dh07
Abraham Hicks makes books and other learning tools available. They are also all about self-help in the real sense of the word. They frequently remind attendees that no purchases or continued workshop attendances are necessary in order to practice that which they are teaching.

And Spiritualist medium Margery never charged a dime for her services. She was still caught in her fraudulence.

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dh07
There is no cult and, in fact, there is a means of validating what they espouse: just try it!

I tried it for many years, and nothing that ever happened was a result of anything more than post hoc fallacy, selective thinking, confirmation bias, law of very large numbers, and the placebo effect. Also, you cannot "try" what they say about the nonphysical or reincarnation. As for anecdotes, they are not a way of validating anything. Someone could pray to Satan for a healing of a headache and feel relief because of the placebo effect and then use it to validate whatever screwy teaching they're reading.

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dh07
It's pretty amazing and it is foolproof. More importantly, what have you got to lose?

Again, you have no evidence that it is foolproof (a play off full-proof, I'm assuming). And there is a lot that people can lose by believing in these teachings. Physical and psychological health come to mind. I discuss this below.

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dh07
I challenge anyone to find legitimate reason to condemn this sort of teaching.

I have done that, repeatedly, but here I go again. It is wildly dangerous for people to neglect medical treatment in exchange for the STILL UNPROVEN idea of releasing resistance (as Abraham describes it). Abraham has suggested that even going to the doctor's office is "looking for trouble." This is wildly dangerous and has the potential to cause people enormous physical harm. There is also the frightening danger of them attempting to self-cure themselves and feeling guilty when they aren't able to do so.

Also, at the core of these teachings is an arrogant premise that you create everything in your life. This can be incredibly psychologically damaging for people who have had a trauma in their life and are trying to figure out what they did wrong (I repeat: trying to figure out what THEY did wrong) to attract disease, rape, etc. Also, there is a very unhealthy dependency that many listeners have on the CDs, and a lot of them have replaced any internal guidance they may have had with Abraham. They walk around, using Abraham's vocabulary (the vortex, vibrational escrow, allowing, constructing thought-ways) rather than their own. That isn't healthy...it's disturbing.

The teachings also discourage critical thinking. They do this when they say that it doesn't matter what is true...just what feels better. Critical thinking is vital to life. In fact, it's our means of discerning the world around us. To replace it with unreliable emotional "guidance" is dangerous.

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dh07
It offers only good!

Not so. It offers self-deception and delusion.

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dh07
In fact, on their website you can avail yourself of a great deal of information that is free, including video clips, Q&A, and more.

So do Cosmo and Men's Health via their website, but it doesn't mean they don't want your money.

People who listen to Abraham like to bring up this free information thing (fyi, Abraham has pointed out to their listeners when they have asked about the high seminar prices). The fact is, many don't just get the free information. They go to workshops, on cruises, buy the books, the CDs, etc.

The self-help industry is like any industry. They market to the same audience over and over and over again because those are the people who are going to buy their materials. People who buy self-help materials do not just get one book. They buy books repeatedly. Cosmo and Men's Health haven't had any revelations on weight loss or beauty, but people continue to purchase them despite the plethora of free information dished out via their websites. People continue to purchase them because they believe that doing so will make their lives better. The same is true about Abraham's materials.

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dh07
Abraham may or may not be "blowin' and flowin'" through Esther Hicks. I really don't care.

It's interesting that you mention this. This is actually an idea that "Abraham" via Esther has presented. Many Abers don't care about the messenger, because Abraham has told them that the messenger doesn't matter. Another example of where Abraham's logic has been adopted by their "open minded" listeners.

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dh07
What I do care about is that what is taught not only makes sense in the hearing of it, it bears out in practice. And I don't know a soul who wouldn't want to learn how to be more peaceful, more loving, and generally more joyful more often. Do you?

I don't know a soul that wouldn't want to learn how to be more "peaceful, more loving, and generally more joyful more often." These teachings are not the way to achieve that.

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Abraham has suggested that even going to the doctor's office is "looking for trouble."

Jerry Hicks seems to be looking for big trouble then. He is ill with something that he is being incredibly vague about but has decided to use heavy chemotherapy for it.

According to Abraham

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"We could take an example of the person who is noted by medical doctors to be the sickest of the sick, and if we could hold them in suspended attention for an afternoon, their diagnosis would change."

It doesn't seem Jerry is confident that Abraham's advice will "bear out in practice."

I was a theology major and studied many religions. There are common threads concerning Faith. In my lifes travels I have run across many cults. Typically they rely on controls and payments for steps to enlightenment. You must join and submit to an elder of sorts who contols your actions. The teachings of Abraham by Esther Hicks do not fit that mold. In my view it is not a cult. Whether or not you can accept channelling, I find their available teachings to be very practical and wise. In essence the teachings set a scale for using your emotions to figure out where you are and excercises for lifting your emotions to feelings of joy and anticipation. Keeping you in a vortex of radiance. I know in my own life there are profound differences which come from whether i am joyful or stressed. When i approach life with joy and grattitude the world around me responds more positively. I am more approachable and people are attracted to me, when i am consumed with negativity the world around me responds with avoidance leaving me alone and surrounded with my problems. Turning my frown into a smile brings solutions, people want to help me and i find solutions more easily because of confidence and taking positive action. Whats wrong with that?

We all know that certain people we know seem to be on a roll of good fortune and confidence and this gives them people-power and magnetism. I think it is human nature to want to deal with, hire, promote and be around positive loving people and avoid those who are full of despair, doubt, and misery. This is the root of The Secret of the laws of attraction.
Sure some people take this to mean if they think about winning the lottery they will, but this is NOT what the Hicks teach. It's much deeper than that. However, when I practice joy and expectation it brings good things to me, even miraculously at times. If I am certain nothing good will happen that is usually what I get. The teachings help my stay out of misery and i feel more empowered to make my life better, and others want to be a part of it, they are drawn to me. My positive actions create positive reactions and often surprising results that amaze me and my friends. Magic? No, more like the natural order of things. Attraction.

The teachings of Abraham are widely available for free . Of course they sell books and teachings, but you are not required to belong to their group or purchase or tithe or attend meetings. Take it or leave it. For me it works and i am grateful for the teachings. Faith works in logical as well as mysterious ways. But in essence involve practical and helpful steps to live life in grattitude, acceptance, expectation and love of life and avoid delving into negative self defeating resistance to the opportunities of life.

I am surprised at how many people judge the Hicks and yet admit they haven't read or listened for themselves. We have all had great things happen on our best days and bad things happen on bad days. What could it hurt to try to have more good feeling days than bad ones? You are more likely to meet people and find answers when you are magnetically charged than when you are a bundle of anger that people would rather avoid.

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seattlesage
I am surprised at how many people judge the Hicks and yet admit they haven't read or listened for themselves. We have all had great things happen on our best days and bad things happen on bad days. What could it hurt to try to have more good feeling days than bad ones? You are more likely to meet people and find answers when you are magnetically charged than when you are a bundle of anger that people would rather avoid.

I had 5 of their DVDs, two of their CD sets. I have read and listened for myself. I've tried their advice.

Stress can take a toll on people's physical and emotional health, I agree that it's a good thing to find things that help you de-stress and relax and be happier. But the Hicks claim that if you think the wrong thoughts horrible things will happen to you, that you shouldn't watch the news or you'll attract bad things, that if someone is sick avoid them until they get back into "alignment", that you shouldn't bother trying to help others. They teach people to be afraid of their own thoughts. That is extremely stressful. I remember being on an Abraham forum and a woman was blaming herself for her miscarriage because she believed her negative thoughts caused it. The Hicks think that victims of violence and natural disasters attracted these things due to having the wrong thoughts.

They tell people that going to the doctor is looking for trouble. That a cancer or AIDs patient can completely cure themselves without medical intervention just through their thoughts and emotions. That's very dangerous advice.

Yet when Jerry Hicks gets Leukemia, he doesn't hesitate to get the best medical treatment he can. He doesn't seem to believe much in this law of attraction after all.

" When you become so determined that you want to feel good- you have become as your Inner Being is, in such a pure place of Positive Emotion- then that which is "negative energy" simply can't mix with you. It defies Law. If you are very strong and clear about your positive wanting, and feeling it, then "bad" things simply can't get in. Colds can't get in, murderers can't get in, car accidents can't get in, anything that you are not wanting cannot be your experience."-- Abe 2/23/91



I've had bad days when I felt completely down and miserable and good things seemed to happen anyway. I've had great days when I felt on top of the world and it didn't stop rotten things from happening. So I've managed to defy this "law". How do you explain that?

In recent news, a former Abraham Hicks employee talked about her experience with Esther and Jerry Hicks. [kyrasdiary.blogspot.com].