I am in a mens support group that has been taken over by men who have joined The Mankind Project (also known as New Warriors).

The New Warriors make me uneasy.

There is a secret initiation weekend where they get some kind of new name.
These "training" weekends are very expensive, costing at least three times more than equivalent self awareness weekends.

There is a hierarchy of leaders with a group of wise men at the top who appear to pass wisdom down. I asked if this wisdom has been published anywhere so I can read about it but was told it was not available to the public.

Their approach to personal development or therapy appears to be very simplistic, as they seem to parrot out dogma. To me it seems like the McDonalds approach to therapy. I have tried to focus on a present issue only to be deflected to the New Warriors dogma.

One of the most worrying aspects is that they seem to worship the extreme expression of anger as a therapeutic tool. People in the group are criticized if they do not express anger loudly enough. This screaming and raging is dangerous in the same therapeutic space where people are making themselves vulnerable.

The key New Warriors man that I know is obsessed with creating a big group locally. In some ways it seems to be more important to him than his family. He appears to be dependent on this type of group, and I can see new recruits becoming dependent on the group. They say they are building trust and going deeper?

The New Warriors are keen to keep new recruits attending these follow up groups and quote statistics of the high percentage of men who stay connected. Recruits are encouraged to attend other training weekends to help recruit more men.

It seems to these men that the New Warriors dogma has all the answers.
For me it raises a lot of uncomfortable questions.

Chris

A thread was started a while back that fizzled out. We welcome your posts about The Mankind Project.

[board.culteducation.com]

My son came back very disturbed after the Mankind Project New Warrior weekend. He committed suicide two weeks later. I am interested in finding out other people's experiences with this group. Thank you.

So sorry for your loss.

Unfortunately, these groups are not the benign organisations they represent themselves to be.

If you do some reading here, you will find the evidence on abusive groups that target people who want to improve themselves or their lives and use that against them. Some people are particularly vulnerable.

Please write what you know so it will be on record here and perhaps help someone else who shows up with questions.



Ellen

The Mankind Project fits the criteria for an LGAT. They are using thought reform on the men and most of the men are not even aware of it. This group is very dangerous and anyone thinking about going should do their research. It is difficult to find the negative things about this group because, as cults do, they suppress the negative. If you look hard enough you will find the negative stuff. I have many articles about LGATs from psychiatrists that say these groups are dangerous. Please caution everyone you know.

I jsut typed a long reply about MKP, and hit "preview". When I did, the entire reply was zapped. I'm too tired to re-type it. But the bottom line is that the above information is simply factually inaccurate.

I have done MKP, so I know the FACTS.

No one is deprived of ANYTHING during a weekend. Quite the opposite. Safety and a man's needs are of paramount concern.

There is no mysterious "secrecy" - other than an agreement to keep the weekend activites confidential -- like in a fraternity. There are a bunch of good reasons for the confidentiality -- such as, who wants to tell the end of a good movie a friend has not yet seen? No one tells you not to go to the police. If a crime has been committed, men of MKP would be the first one to contact the police.

And, the list goes on.

Please get the facts before posting about an organization doing good things for good people.

postmanti;

The man's son committed suicide immediately after the weekend program.
I would think that you could find it in your heart to show a little compassion, even if you feel compelled to defend the group.

I've been on this board for a couple of years now and I have not seen anything quite as disgusting as "Posmanti's" reply to Concerned Dad who has lost his son to suicide through Mankind cult involment.

Posmanti's post highlights how someone's attitude can be towards the misfortune of another through the unethical processes of these LGATS/cults. This is a prime example of the loss of human empathy for others at the cost of manic focus on "self" and the group.

I hope that if anyone reading this who is considering enroling in an LGAT mentioned on this board will consider Posmanti's post as a consequence of cult indoctrination.

I Ask - Do you want to have this kind of an attitude to your fellow human beings???

Oz

You are right To be concerned Dad! It was only later I found out that it was intense, because they sleep deprived them, they ate when they were told, ran around naked in the woods to find their inter child body, and then after screaming out hateful things and anybody who has hurt you, you were initiated! (First of All) They pray on those who are always asking why? who are we? They also find out if you have money problems and if your depressed? They they tell you they are you friend so that you will feel important! They also use Native American rituals, which is a mockery to me. And if you don't want to join after the week end the make you feel as if you are just not ready! Worthless! So I can only imagine the how confused your son was! I am sooooo sorry for your loss!

There is little known about this hush hush group! In fact that is why I think they have you run around naked so if your a girl trying to expose them you would be found out and if your a man, then who the heck wants to admit to that! The only reason I know, is I did a lot of homework, and had to make up for lost time, found some pass words and you know doing the whole mom thing! Never stop trusting your instincts! Sorry, for you pain, Sorry this group played around with your son emotions, and the outcome was such a loss! These guys should be sued! Who the hell are they to bring out shadows, (as they would say) ?

[b:4b80e6c933]Moderator note:

"wquercus" posted information here about the Mankind Project, which he admitted attending. Subsequently, more than a year later "wquercus" returned to delete all his posts regarding the Mankind Project. However, portions of his statements remain as quoted/noted by other members posting here.

Apparently, "wquercus" came to realize that his statements provided proof concerning what goes on inside the Mankind Project and he therefore decided that he didn't want that information to remain here publicly visible.

The Mankind Project and its supporters have done everything possible to keep its practices secret, as anyone reading threads about that organization at this message board should readily realize.[/b:4b80e6c933]