ok, here is the info, the online search engine is not very good.

The Royal Way is a registered Charity in California, but the info is not online for some reason.
Because there is such a complete lack of financial disclosure from The Royal Way, people should [b:a238d55237]avoid The Royal Way, at all costs. [/b:a238d55237]They should openly publish their information, instead of being so secretive.
Why is The Royal Way so secretive?

The most important info is the EIN, this can be used to access info about the Charity. Since the info is not online at this time, it could be accessed with a phone call, or over the counter. It would be quite interesting to see...anyone up in LA want to get those documents? This would show their financial information, and even if the proper documents are being filed.

Are they claiming to have assets under $25,000, and this is why there is no information online, or is the information only avalailable in hard copy?

Quote

California law requires charities and commercial fundraisers to register with the Attorney General's Office and to file financial disclosure reports. All charities must file the Annual Registration Renewal Fee Report, and those with gross revenue or assets of $25,000 or more must file annual Form 990 financial reports with the Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts.

Here is The Royal Way EIN.
[b:a238d55237]EIN: 95-3606070 [/b:a238d55237][/color:a238d55237]

Quote

Employer Identification Number (EIN): A nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. Every IRS-designated tax-exempt nonprofit organization has its own EIN.

[partners.guidestar.org]

THE ROYAL WAY
12340 SANTA MONICA BLVD STE 305
WLA ,CA 90025

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Programs/Activities
Information currently not available in database.

BASIC INFORMATION

[b:a238d55237]EIN: 95-3606070 [/b:a238d55237][/color:a238d55237]
CT Number:
Year Founded:
Ruling Year: 1981
No. of Board Members:
No. of Full-time Employees:
No. of Part-time Employees:
No. of Volunteers:
Chief Executive Name:
Board of Directors:

Excellent info, The Anticult. Please keep it coming!

There are over 16,500 views of this thread since its start in March 2003. Just a couple of weeks ago, it was 14,000. This amount of traffic is an implicit "THANK YOU" to all people who have posted real, factual information as well as personal observations and specific examples about the Royal Way's activities.

You will notice that the Royal Way members rarely post any examples, facts, or documents. They use vague, "fuzzy", and secretive language to describe and defend their organization--it is so WEAK! In light of the fact that they hundreds of pages of documents to potentially share, it is almost INCRIMINATING for them to keep the one document I called into quesiton secret. (my opinion)

For the record, my purpose of being involved in this thread is to discover about Royal Way through research and communication with others. RW is relevant to me because I am concerned about the long term mental health of a friend.

[Hopefully I headed off the stupid statements by Royal Way members such as, "if you want to learn about RW, go to a retreat". Ha! What a joke! This is along the same lines as paying $5,000 to get the flu to learn more about its symptoms!]

I recognize that many good people are involved in Royal Way. But currently, I am operating under the hypothesis that Royal Way is a manipulative psychotherapy cult run by a tax-hating leader named "Michael" with a program designed to fleece vulnerable people out of thousands of dollars per year. These good people in RW are victims, IMO.

Time and again, I have asked RW members to provide details on their "church", as they call it. They have refused.

Our method of research is our only option at this point, and it is making great progress and has an enormous amount of interest behind it. Let's keep the ball moving forward!

Wow. One friend leaves you behind and you go to pieces.

Interesting profile: your dippy pseudonym, your supposed friends in the espionage business, the thrill you find in accusing someone you don’t know of sinister doings you never witnessed, your shaky grasp on the difference between your fevered imaginings and reality, your obvious disinclination to go out and experience life.

Oh, and let’s not forget your rock-hard conviction that you know what’s right for everybody. Sounds a bit cultish doesn’t it?

Hey, Mr. Fish, we’re a church. We have spiritual beliefs and practices. That’s what churches do. We’re not forcing them on you. You’re the one who’s on a power trip, telling a bunch of nasty lies in an attempt to prescribe how everyone should run their lives. Take a look in the mirror and gag – if you have the sensibility.

It hardly need be said, but I’ll say it anyway, that the statements and things you accuse Michael of uttering and doing never happened. Also, for the record:

-- Michael is a spiritual teacher, not a therapist.

-- Royal Way was founded over 25 years ago, and not by “patience”.

-- Rabbis are ordained, not licensed.

To Anon1234: How do you know how many hits this site gets?

And if you have a friend in Royal Way, isn't there a way for you to obtain this "one document" that you claim is so incriminating?

To Royal Way Members: Have you consulted Michael regarding this blog? If he is so open and doesn't hide anything, I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing some of his writings with us.

One interesting thing, earlier in the thread, someone mentioned that there was something related to The Royal Way sect on Olympic Blvd?

Quote

I asked if I can come to intro night to see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears. I went as far and contacted the W. LA office on Olympic Blvd. to ask if I can come to a meeting.

Then a professed member of RW said there was no such thing?

Quote

the LA office isn't even near Olympic Blvd.

Well, one of the "screen names" (John D. Zemanek) of one of the posters in this thread who claims to be from RW, corresponds to the name of a lawyer with an office on West Olympic Boulevard.

[www.lawyers.com]
[www.zemanekandmills.com]
[www.lawyers.com]

Whether or not that is the same person as the screename of the person posting in this thread, is not known.

But it seems there seems to be semantic word tricks going on here.
It gets curiouser and curiouser...

Although anyone can run a search on Mr. Zemanek, I find your post disrespectful and tacky.

This board is about the Royal Way, not about its members.

Quote
bells
Although anyone can run a search on Mr. Zemanek, I find your post disrespectful and tacky.
This board is about the Royal Way, not about its members.

Well, that's because you didn't read my post carefully enough!
As I carefully said, someone has posted here under that user name, but that does not mean he is that person who is posting here. I have not posted any personal information whatsoever.
But there is an interesting connection between earlier things said in this thread in terms of that address on Olympic Blvd, and even the Moderator of this board asked for a clarification on that issue.

What does it all mean? Is it a coincidence or conspiracy? Does Royal Way ever take calls at the office on Olympic Blvd? Or something else?

As far as what this thread is about, its about Royal Way.
The person posting as "Zemanek" has come on here several times, engaging in quite aggressive personal attacks against others who are posting their comments. Please read his last post, it doesn't sound very "spiritual" to me.
The people posting in this thread who have identified themselves as RW members, (but that does not mean they are members of RW) have been very aggressive and hostile.
Why?

It seems that Royal Way has gone to great lengths to remain secretive, and keep all information off the internet, there is almost nothing out there on them. That is by design, as part of their "blank slate" recruiting strategy.
Why do they want to keep such a low profile?

Are all documents for their religious nonprofit being filed in a correct and timely manner with the IRS?
Have all sources of their income been correctly declared, both cash and gifts?
Are their expenses correctly managed?
Do their assets filed with the IRS, match the assets on the ground?

Who knows, its all secret right now, there is no publically audited financial records for the nonprofit for us to look at.
That is a very serious warning sign to stay far far away.

Perhaps the IRS will want to take a look at what is going on.

That is the problem with "religious" nonprofits in the USA. No accountability, and rampant abuse, and not paying any taxes, and all the rest of it.

That is an interesting post made by the username "John D. Zemanek". First off, for a so-called spiritual person, its pretty nasty in terms of personally attacking whoever posted their viewpoint.

It also has some obvious errors in it.

-he says Michael is not a therapist. That is false. MICHAEL M GOTTLIEB was a registered MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST for 30 years!
(Issue Date: June 01, 1974 Expiration Date: May 31, 2004)
So, yes his license is now DELINQUENT, but he has been a therapist for 30 years, so that's mainly what he is/was.

-then he states that Michael Gottlieb is a Rabbi? ok, where was he ordained, and by whom? I think Madonna is also getting "ordained" any day now, so that does not mean much these days.

-he also states that people are telling others how to run their lives. No one is saying that. This is simply called people having a personal viewpoint and engaging in free discussion.


People in these sects are not used to being criticized and analyzed and questioned. They are used to everyone falling into mental lock-step like a zombie.
From what I have seen from the alleged members of RW posting on this forum, there is nothing much spiritual going on. I see very aggressive hostility, name-calling, personal attacks, and conscious distortion.

All they have to do is post their IRS audited nonprofit financial reports for everyone to have a look at, to see if they make sense. And yes, they are nonprofit, so they are spending tax payer money, so that means we have a right to see where our tax-money is going, and to whom.

Also, the Royal Way is about "abundance". So I wonder, what kind of salary do they give themselves? Just enough to not pay any personal income tax, or a fat paycheck?

In some of these groups, their Leader and others take a legal "vow of poverty" and thus have to pay zero tax. Then they put luxury homes, cars, property, etc all in the name of the "church" and live like Kings, while paying zero tax.

How is King Michael living?

Also, lets see some of Michael Gottliebs writings. Why doesn't he publish a book? Because keeping everything hidden makes it more "mysterian" and is good marketing.

In my personal opinion The Royal Way meets almost all of the Warning Signs on this list. [www.culteducation.com]

Soon someone will access the public financial documents for The Royal Way, and one day someone will probably start posting Michael Gottliebs writings on the internet. The truth always come out.

Now I have to run off to my nude marriage counselling appointment...
(joke)

But like the founder of Scientology said, if you want to get rich quick, start a "new" religion. No taxes, and you can live like a King.

Quote
John D. Zemanek
Wow. One friend leaves you behind and you go to pieces.

Interesting profile: your dippy pseudonym, your supposed friends in the espionage business, the thrill you find in accusing someone you don’t know of sinister doings you never witnessed, your shaky grasp on the difference between your fevered imaginings and reality, your obvious disinclination to go out and experience life.

Oh, and let’s not forget your rock-hard conviction that you know what’s right for everybody. Sounds a bit cultish doesn’t it?

Hey, Mr. Fish, we’re a church. We have spiritual beliefs and practices. That’s what churches do. We’re not forcing them on you. You’re the one who’s on a power trip, telling a bunch of nasty lies in an attempt to prescribe how everyone should run their lives. Take a look in the mirror and gag – if you have the sensibility.

It hardly need be said, but I’ll say it anyway, that the statements and things you accuse Michael of uttering and doing never happened. Also, for the record:

-- Michael is a spiritual teacher, not a therapist.

-- Royal Way was founded over 25 years ago, and not by “patience”.

-- Rabbis are ordained, not licensed.

This appears to be the RW Ranch, which is apparently owned by Royal Way.

Rw Ranch [is in] Lucerne Valley, CA [...]

[Moderator note: Please avoid specific contact information like exact street address]

Wow, look at that, another "religious non-profit" with luxury properties. What a "great" tax system...starting a "religion" seems to be the way to build wealth fast. After all, no capital gains tax, no nothing!

One wonders what else will turn up next week?


[img:9c13db8c19]http://www.visionquest-spiritualretreats-womensretreats-yoga.com/images/rw_cover.jpg[/img:9c13db8c19]

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A modern, 4,300-square-foot conference building is the heart of the Ranch.
RW Ranch spread across 700 acres of desert foothills at the base of the San Bernadino Mountains, two hours northeast of Los Angeles.

[img:9c13db8c19]http://www.visionquest-spiritualretreats-womensretreats-yoga.com/images/rw_pool.jpg[/img:9c13db8c19]

seems there's some questions about the "wacko" group which now controls the "RW Ranch".

Quote

...Which wacko group now controls the big place up "High Road" on the way too AV? I sware, that place probably had a dozen different wacko groups up there in the years I lived there. Wasn't ever sure what the heck they were doing up there... probably don't want to know either....

[bbs.lvca.info]