This URL is from a person who served hard time in a totally different psychotherapy cult than RW.

[christianmarin.wordpress.com]

Those who read it may perhaps find material that rings true for what they went through in RW.

As for comparing oneself to Jesus here's this:

Christ took the consequences by all by himself, and in person.

He did hide behind an entourage or live in hiding. And in the end, Jesus was deserted by his entourage.

By contrast, when the poop hits the fan, most human potential entrepreneurs have had so many years being coddled by their entourage that they've lost what ever adult indpendent living skills they once had.

They're naked without their entourages and far more fragile than their hardworking disciples.

So very often they're the ones who run off and hide, leaving their disciples to make excuses for them, like parents trying to explain away the temper tantrums of a two year old. The leader will rationalize this retreat claiming to be God, or claiming to be in non stop enlightement, or 'in retreat' or 'working on the next book' or claim he or she is so sensitive that the slightest bad 'vibes' will make them ill.

A result of this is, the leader doesnt have the ego strength needed to face anyone and say good bye when that person decides to leave.

Quote

Michael could grow a pair of balls and personally say goodbye

Nothing shrivils up the nuts like years of living behind a guru mask and being coddled by an entourage. You dont need patience, because you dont need to wait in lines anymore--the entourage does your errands for you.

The Human Potential entrepreneurs do all they can to get their entourages to shield them from the pressure of face to face adult living.

Christ was not coddled by his inner circle. In fact, Christ was the one who was abandoned and betrayed by his inner circle. His own accountant sold him to the authorities.

And if Christ had been anything like todays human potential entrepreneurs, he'd have found a way to run off to a fancy resort on one of the Greek Islands, while persuading his beloved disciple to take the rap by being arrested and tortured in place of the Indispensible Leader who had to be protected at all costs.

Also too, according to the canonical narratives, Jesus Christ reportedly did very little teaching in controlled environments, such as hotel rooms, and he did not seem to arrange to have only a malleable and believing audience.

If you read the Gospel accounts Jesus, MG or Werner Erhard, often had skeptics and hecklers in his audience. He did not avoid them. He had arguments with them, but---he never reportedly had the ability or resourses to get his disciples to act as a bully squad and keep the skeptics away.

Jesus had zero way to pre-select an audience. He didnt have the ability to bin them up on a remote ranch to serve silent retreats for extreme periods of time. They'd perhaps do brief retreats, but nothing like the extended periods of silence reported earlier on this thread.

Jesus had lots to say about greed for money greed for social power. Ahem. All that Jesus owned when he died was one shirt. He didnt own property.

Jesus was the one who was left alone to face the authorities. And, he did not have an attorney at his side to help him. In that vital respect, he's totally different from today's for profit human potential entrepreneurs.

Modern human potential stars live in fancy apartments and houses where one has to know the code before being buzzed in by the gatekeeper.

Christ never had a home, let alone a home with a gate and coded doorbell out front.

So these folks cannot in any way compare themselves with Jesus.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2009 12:02AM by corboy.

That so-called letter, was obviously written by a member of Royal Way, maybe even the head-cheese himself.
It is almost identical in parts to what was written in this thread by RW members, using the same words...(vitriol, spewing of venom, etc.) That could be cross-checked against the thread, to see how much the wording matches.
Obviously its written by a senior RW member, in a question format, which then supplies the answer they want people to accept.

They are trying to "reframe" information posted on the internet, and to modify how people think about it.
They start off by saying a few things, and build it up to "It is all lies and falsehoods".
That is actually a falsehood, to say that.
Its certainly NOT "all lies", there are many many objective facts, and also a lot of personal experiences. They are trying to create a gross overgeneralization, to discount the evidence they don't want to talk about.


And who spewed the "venom" in this thread? When RW member by the name Paprika, was trying to "curse" people, with the "punishment" of Judas? The poster Paprika, called his critics JUDAS, and tried to "curse" them by saying they were going to end up like Judas.
[forum.culteducation.com]
QUOTE PAPRIKA: "R., I know who you are. ....R., you actually think you’re hurting Royal Way, when in fact you are destroying yourself. You have committed the worst kind of betrayal. Have you ever heard of Judas? When Judas betrayed Jesus, he didn’t hurt Jesus, he created a world religion for him. But do you know what happened to Judas after his betrayal? Maybe you should find out."


How did Judas end up? Dead, either by suicide, or his guts got blown-up.
[forum.culteducation.com]
What if that was the big-cheese himself posting as Paprika? Who is spewing vitriol and venom?



Then it gets pretty silly, and badly written.
Guess who is writing..."I cannot begin to understand what it must be for you. Yet I have never heard you say anything about it. Why do you not say anything? Why do you not get upset?"

That is about a subtle as an elephant in Times Square.
Well, since he is the one writing the letter to himself to answer, its kind of ridiculous, isn't it?

What is their answer?
DENIAL.
They want to try to get their people to block out reality.

Here is the irony.
The most vicious, aggressive, vile material posted in the thread is from who? Self-professed RW members.
So what are they talking about? They didn't have a choice either at the level of consciousness they were posting at?

And of course people have a "choice". There is a combination of all sorts of complaints about Royal Way, and also objective analysis of the methods and techniques of this highly secretive sect.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2009 09:28AM by The Anticult.

A radiance of light and a few words:

To my dear friends in Royal way,

IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO LEAVE RW!

THERE IS LIFE OUTSIDE OF RW!

I too like you was brainwashed by Michael and Maggi for many years. But I found the courage to leave and I am so happy and I have not looked back. I got tired of the lies and manipulations.

How long are you going to stay on the fence? How long are you going to force yourself to go to the force/collective?

I have personally experienced the good and the bad that RW has to offer. Take what you got and leave. I wish I had left earlier. There is a lot outside that you can enjoy and yes you can still grow outside of RW.

I am talking to you Drew, Cory, Cherry, Tom, Melanie, Janik, Laura H, Gabe, Jack, Yanette, Carol K, CJ, Erin, Ron B, Cathy L, Deana K, Randy........ and all of you who are thinking of leaving...

IT IS NOT TOO LATE!
THERE IS GOD OUTSIDE OF RW!
THERE IS LIFE OUTSIDE OF RW!

A Radiance of Light and a few words

Dear RW friends,

What are you waiting for?

Are you waiting for Michael to DIE before you can leave?

Do you keep thinking to yourself that he is old and he will stop teaching soon?

Well my friends you are wrong.

He is not dying!

IT IS YOU WHO IS DYING INSIDE!

Wake up!

Why should he die?

When he has beautiful women Cook for him, Dance for him, Write him poetry, Run his errands, Give him all their money, And best of all ... Strip for him.

Would you die if you were him?
This is heaven!

Maybe you should think twice every time you pray for his LONG life at the doodah!

Sellah!

I have to respond to Michael’s letter on the so called “terrible blog”.
For starters,it is totally contrived, it was either written by Paprika (Maggi) or Michael himself. Of course he comes off like the patient benevolent man he isn’t.
Second, the writer has asked “Yet I have never heard you say anything about it.(the internet) Why do you not say anything?” To that so called friend I say: Michael has openly written a letter(many years ago) on how he doesn’t like the internet and now he has a website to oppose the “terrible blog” That is far from saying nothing…wake up and become more aware of his psychological strategies!!! He speaks of higher consciousness, do you think people are that stupid?….give me a break. It is you, his followers who have limited choices because you live in an X rated fairy tale of RW.

Let’s use Michael as a measure of “higher consciousness”.
When someone in RW gets in a car accident, whether it’s their fault or not, according to Michael they caused it due to a lack of consciousness. Well, he caused a major accident by pulling into the intersection of High Rd. and Hwy 18 in front of two cars and a semi truck. Two people were critically injured and helicoptered to the ER. Michael’s followers held meditations for his recovery and worried about his well being. NEVER did he accept any responsibility. Is this higher consciousness?

According to Michael, disease is also due to lack of consciousness…dis/ease comes from something in the psyche with which someone has not dealt. Michael has heart disease which according to him is an attacking of one’s own heart. He also has diabetes, high blood pressure, sciatica, knee problems and who knows what else. With what is he not dealing?

He once had a new group room built at the ranch and didn’t pull building permits . He didn’t want the government telling him what he could and couldn’t do.When he had the new lodgings built, it was too large of a project to go under the radar. When permits were pulled he got caught for not having permits for the group room. That cost RW a lot of money because they had to do a lot of retrofitting and paying off the city councilmen. Once again at the cost of donations (free money)…that’s higher consciousness???

Let’s talk about the money. RW is a so called non-profit organization. One of the ways Michael hides money is by manipulating the gifts he receives on his birthday. He and Paprika (Maggi) decide what car will be his surprise, and we’re talking Bentleys, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Austin Martin, Lexus (that one was given to Michael but was intended for Paprika), the list goes on. These cars were all bought with donations. One year he had everyone surprise him with gold coins which added up to well over 100k. Another year it was 180k in gold bars, another year it was 100k in fresh 100 dollar bills, and this is the short list. Maggi (Paprika) once told someone “at the end of the day RW is a business”, more like a scam that prays on its member’s deepest desires for Michael’s love….is this what Michael means by higher consciousness .?



The major skeleton in his closet is the sexual games he plays with a select group of women. I know this from a few ladies still in RW (in fear) and a few who are out(relief). He starts by having them sit on his lap in private, if they play he might have them give him kisses on the cheek, then it goes to the lips and then a little roll on the floor…you can fill in the rest (mostly women on a year of devotion and in silence). Afterward, in a public setting, he whispers sexual comments to them as some weird domination trip. Another game is getting women nude in a private session (cost of a private session is minumum$500) and having them masturbate under the guise of working through a sexual blocks . This is nothing new for a GURU. They all do it! They all think (pretend) they can change their followers karma and can do no harm. Go to [www.strippingthegurus.com] and you will get an education on the mess they create.

Michael keeps most of his people at a far enough distance to keep the relationship romantic and mystical. Most never get close enough to see his plethora of shortcomings.
Even Maggi struggles with how “HIGH MAINTENANCE” Michael is. Those who do get into the inner circle either leave out of sheer frustration or get off on the power and prestige the inner circle provides them within the community. What he is, is a MEGALO MANIAC….

My dear so called friend, you also say “They do it under the cloak of anonymity”. Does the word cult shed any light on why people want to remain anonymous?? When someone leaves, most x-members are excommunicated, lied about by Michael and Paprika, loose their friends and family members who remain in, some need therapy to recover from the psychological damage….some never recover!!!! My dear friend, you are a study in naïveté. You seem to be very young and looking at Michael from a very narrow perspective. Broaden you view, step away from the euphoric high he is so good at creating (like a dope dealer creating dependence) and see the corruption.

In the Teaching section of Michael’s website he says “There is only one law: Do not hurt anyone (including yourself) physically, emotionally, mentally, psychically, or spiritually. It seems he is exempt from this teaching! The bottom line is, he controls the supply and the demand of his love and attention…power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely!!!
I pray the members of the not so Royal Way wake up!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2009 01:04AM by Fred Stevenson.

To the "friend" who asked Michael about the Internet:

I have resisted responding to this blog for a long time. I now feel a need to respond.

You asked Michael for his stand on the internet. You say that Michael has remained silent. HE HAS NOT BEEN SILENT......

Many years ago Michael wrote the "Dot Com" letter. In it he denounced the entire concept. He explained even then that the danger to society would be greater from the internet than from television, his former nemesis. How prescient he was.

He resisted RW's entry into cyberspace for a very long time. He explained that contact with RW and with the teacher was to be personal; no advertising, no written materials made public, no internet. Now he has compromised his position to the shame of RW.

He has manipulated the "terrible blog" to serve his purpose by inserting ghost bloggers to respond to enemies along the party line. You can tell they are set up because their words and explanation are Michael's word and explanations.

He has set up an "internet task force" to deal with internet problems such as this very blog. Their work has been manipulative and brilliant but as yet not strong enough to stanch the free flow of information.

He has set up a website, a classy website, but nevertheless on the internet. Further, RW members have been encouraged to get on the site often in order to ratchet up the site's position on the Google list. That is a pretty sophisticated manipulation of the web and by the way, of his people.

Not only does RW now have a "Business website" to encourage renting of the ranch, it has now released an entire "Journal" to the masses. The "Journal" is a publication put out occasionally by RW that includes writings, art,etc extolling the wonders of the teacher. It seems to me that a writing submitted to the Journal would be very deep and personal. Suddenly, this very personal experience is available for the entire world to see. WHAT GIVES??

I understand the concept of joining them if you can't beat them but how low can you go???? It is my impression that Michael has compromised his integrity.

To the people of Royal Way,

A radiance of light and a few words,

There are several different groups of people in RW who keep it intact.

THE WORKERS:
These are the poor souls who work 12-15 hours in the kitchen doing service, or wash the toilets, clean the rooms, do the gardens and take care of the dirty stuff (basically the maids/housekeepers).
ie; Joan/Paula, Connie, Chris C, Firo, Shirin, Bruce B Flo, Linette. etc.

THE DO GOODERS:
These are the ones who have some brains and a degree. They handle all the legal work of RW.
They are so fanatic that they do not care about their names being associated with a cult on the internet. Maybe their only client is RW.
ie: Nader, John Z, Julie Sp, Bob Ru, Danica etc.

THE HIP CROWD:
This is a small, hip and exclusive group in RW. They are usually chosen as class co-leaders so that the new comers are impressed.
ie: Cory, Drew, Cherry etc. (although they are not that Hip)

THE BITCHES:
These are your Julie "Short of Compassion" and Kathy" Wood Pecker".
As the name suggests, these are the bitches of RW and Maggi who is the biggest bitch of all loves and adores them.

THE RICH SUCKERS:
These guys are the ones who are manipulated to donate all their hard earned money to RW thinking that the more they give, the more abundant their life will be.
ie: Nasser, Neil, Avi, Jeff B and (Ezra who is actually too cheap to belong to this category).

THE ABUSED GROUP:
These are the ones who get treated poorly and are constantly abused. They are tortured in class by Maggi or ignored on Pilgramage by Michael.
ie: Mary C, Antoinette, Doylena, Deana C, Heather D.

THE ODD COUPLES:
These are the matches made in hell by Michael:

DARIOUSH AND LINDA B
ALLEN B AND NANCY
RICK K AND DIANE
And his latest genius creation:
CORY AND JOHN Z
Best of Luck to you!!!



To all of you I say wake up!
It is not too late!
You can leave and have a normal, spiritual, fulfilled life outside of RW!


Sellah

It is important to remember, in a poetic sense, the reason we continue to stay in Royal Way. Even to the extent that I, although I have left the group, continue to be interested in what is going on and with whom. I often think about the mystified tangle known as Royal Way, and not only what happened to me, but what continues to happen to those who remain in the sty. Maybe, just maybe, they belong in Royal Way … maybe this “blessing” is the blasphemy they deserve, and they should be allowed to continue to believe in the lie that drives them … that their lives have changed for the better with Michael and Maggie’s guidance. After all, telling someone (repeatedly) to “wake up,” when they are destitute of the ability to hear anyone other than Michael, when they are convinced that antithetical of Royal Way is nothing but darkness, is an impossible plan.

I would think that the people in Royal Way are not so contrived that they can be neatly categorized and arranged, or explained as such (workers, bitches, etc.). Or, maybe they are. On one of the pilgrimages, we got into groups and were instructed to discuss the question “what came before God?” The discussion, in the various groups, went on for an uncomfortably long time… especially since the ability to think critically, philosophically, or rationally was difficult, if not impossible since Michael had not written a letter, yet, to guide our thinking on this subject. The most popular answer (in a nutshell) was that “we are not capable of knowing God …” (From Michael’s letters: “only the heart can know God, the mind cannot know God,” and “a computer/machine will never know or understand the man that created it.”) A good follow-up question to this discussion would be: “if my life has improved with Michael, and I am further enlightened with his presence and teachings, etc, then why was I not capable of answering or having an in-depth discussion of this topic?” Or “was I always a blockhead, or is that just the price I had to pay for higher consciousness/personal growth?”

Not everyone who decides to join Royal Way is a “seeker” and wanting to improve their life, or to improve the world by improving their life, or wanting to develop the proverbial “higher consciousness.” Those who came to Michael, looking for such, were mostly impressed upon with the lack thereof, with the meddling, controlling, lies, obsessed focus on money and affluency … all with little emphasis on really “becoming a better human being.” Those who come to Michael with good hearts are disappointed, left with empty hands and pockets, because Michael cannot give them this. But, those who come to Michael for other reasons may have no problem supporting him and his farce. Maybe they should just stay there. It takes guts to leave. It’s not easy, as one poster put it “I felt like my heart was being ripped out.” Well, who wants to feel that? It’s easier to just stay … and not listen to that part of you that is so sick and tired of all the phony pretense.

It was mentioned in a previous post: ....."Broaden your view, step away from the euphoric high he is so good at creating (like a dope dealer creating dependence) and see the corruption. "......
I have seen this "euphoric high" in my friend. What causes it and how is it sustained? I imagine that eventually a person comes down from this "euphoria". Is that too, explained away by the leadership? Is that why they stay with the group because they keep looking for that feeling?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2009 02:14AM by Popcorn.

A reply to Popcorn:

It was mentioned in a previous post: ....."Broaden your view, step away from the euphoric high he is so good at creating (like a dope dealer creating dependence) and see the corruption. "......
I have seen this "euphoric high" in my friend. What causes it and how is it sustained?

What you see is a person who wants to bring you into their Royal Way world. They think there is a big karmic prize for doing that. Also, it is a bold statement that they are better than you, after all, Royal Wayans think they are "one cut above."

That euphoric high is not exclusive to Royal Way. It is available to ANYONE who seeks it. In my humble opinion, Michael is a pseudo teacher. He is a manipulative psychological genius or maybe his followers just created a monster. Now is a good time to reiterate, POWER CORRUPTS and absolute power absolutely corrupts.

I imagine that eventually a person comes down from this "euphoria". Is that too, explained away by the leadership?

The first letter Michael sends out to attendees of the first level retreat begins the explanation of the come down. It reads, "I am not speaking of a temporary low. Sooner or later, you lose the high. This is bound to happen. One cannot indefinitely remain on a high. Highs and lows are in the very nature of this plane of existence…and it is good that it is so. It affords us an opportunity for continual growth. The lows make it possible for the highs. Without valleys there can be no mountains. In fact, the lower the valley, the higher the mountain peak. The question to ask is: Where do you live and where do you visit? Some people make there homes in the in the deepest darkest lows; sporadically, they make it up the mountain…only to quickly to slip back down. The fortunate few, like the Himalayas, live at the peak of life. They also go down, but only to climb the next higher peak."

Can you see how he begins the hook with that statement? If closely examined, all of our lives are just that, with or without Royal Way. But look at the manipulation "the fortunate few"…. And so the physiological journey begins.

Is that why they stay with the group because they keep looking for that feeling?

I think people stay with the group, even when the euphoria goes for various reasons:

1. There are those who enjoy being the "big fish" in the small pond.
2. Some are just determined to be good students (old habits die hard)
3. There are those who don’t function in the real world. They have nothing - only Royal Way.
4. The majority fear the wrath of leaving. Which is a complete myth, but cleverly constructed by Michael.
5. There are many who think everything they have (only the good of course) is due to Michael. So there is great fear that they will lose it all if they go.

Hope that shed some "light" on your questions.