Quote
Concerned Oz
* 23 Feb 2004 - I pass to her a document written by a local Uniting CHurch Minister explaining how the philosophy of Landmark is about "being God", creating all possibilities. This document made her realise that the philosophy of Landmark was counter to her religious beliefs.

Oz,

It looks to me as if the "religious beliefs" were crucial for helping your girlfriend out of Landmark. Is this a fair assumption?

Landmark is built on the New Age sets of beliefs which is a form of a new religion for many (being your own God, like Hindhu gurus said to be greater that God!). Werner Erhard said that the most significant contribution to est was Scientology and Hindhuism. According to the Judeo-Christian faith, these are pagan religions, like all of the New Age sets of beliefs actually.

There is a good documentary called "Gods of the New Age" filmed back in the '80s that I recommend. It explains many things about New Age that are far from being unique to Landmark. Except that landmark utilizes persuation and manipulation techniques in a deceptive way to instill new sets of (New Age) beliefs in the participants. I am glad that your religious values were able to help you, but not everybody have that chance in our modern society. In Quebec where I live, only 5% of the population now go to church, compared to 80% when I was a kid.

Mike - You are correct. My G/F's recovery from landmark was due to her religious beliefs and how those beliefs are counter to Landmark.

However, I would caution to hypothesise that if an LE participant does not have Jewish or Christian beliefs that they cannot be exited from the faulty LE constructs. One needs to just take a different strategy. My opinion is that LE faulty constructs can be debated against sucessfully through the application of reasoning and logic, explained through the philosophy. However, for people who have NOT been through the LE process, rigourus debate can work but LE and its ilk is a psychological process whereby reasoning is shut down. That is where CBT has been proven to work.

As regards to the major drop off in the traditional western faiths: Still, our legal system and gerneral daily philosophy of life is based on Jewish / Christian priniciples - "Do unto others" etc, and this is counter to LE. Pew representation is not the full story as to people's personal commitment to faith, morals or values.

Mike - I'm still hopeful for the veil of LE deception to be lifted from the gernal populous who have sucumbed to its web of lies.

Oz

PS - I'm quite well versed in the history and beliefs of the New Age Movement but would like to get a copy of the video you recommend :)