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dazedandconfused
...I have to admit though anytime anything comes up about the bible or religion my eyes gloss over and I shut down...

I've got that too...

Religion-Dictionary Definition

We all have our own notions about this word and about the extent to which Impact is a religion. Perhaps Webster could expand the common ground of contributors to this thread. The very word “thread” fits the underlying etymology of the word “religion.” The word rely comes from religare-to tie back, restrain. Ligare means to tie, bind, a filament as a thread used in surgery—ligature. Rely means to be dependant, to have confidence based on experience. The word “religion” comes from religio, supernatural constraint, sanction, service or worship of God or the supernatural, commitment, devotion to religious faith or observance. It further means a personal set or institutional system of religious attitudes beliefs and practice. Also it can mean scrupulous conformity, or a cause, principle or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.

Certainly Impact is a religion under all of the above definitions. We all have our notions on whether or not Impact is of God or not; at least those of us do who are not under Impact’s constraint and influence.

When first confronted with the reality that persons close to me were involved with Impact, I ran across Steven Hassan’s 2000 book, “Releasing the Bonds, Empowering People to Think for Themselves.” Hassan was a former high official in the Unification Church, (Moonies). I did not need to read far into the book to realize that Hassan’s Mooney experience had many similarities with what I was seeing in Impact results. I knew I had a big problem and that Impact was using the same techniques of mind control used by the Moonies. My purpose is not to promote any book, just to say that study of cultic entities yields much understanding of Impact Trainings. I will just tick off a few topics dealt with in this book that I found useful: mystical manipulation, cult of confession, destructive mind control, thought control, understanding cult beliefs and tactics, interacting with dual personalities, cult self vs. authentic self, promoting freedom of mind, loaded language, and thought stopping.

Hopeful

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exImpact

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dazedandconfused
...I have to admit though anytime anything comes up about the bible or religion my eyes gloss over and I shut down...

I've got that too...

I've had that since I was young...a friend to me to a Baptist revival type service and right before I was about to get dunked in the water, I had to stop and think: what the hell am I doing? I don't know anyone in the congregation! Am I going to be "saved" because people are saying "c'mon, do it!" or because they _seem_ like friends or friendly people? The day before was "bible study" which was being in a small uncomfortable room for hours praying, reading the bible, "chanting" if you will. I lasted about 20 mins before I had a panic attack and left the building. I was outside while they were inside the majority of the day.

I declined being dunked and saved, and didn't go back. My friend eventually became disillusioned with organised religion some years later, but I found that out later after years on not having any contact.

Since then, I've had an allergy to cults or anything BUT a 45 minute Catholic mass.

Someone talks about the bible or religion, I literally tune it out and look for an exit.

Why do I feel like Alice in Wonderland?

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Mystical manipulation is the perception of coincidental or inevitable events as spiritual signs. Recruits are trained that such signs are symbols of the greatness of the group.

That's from "Cults 101"

[www.orange-papers.org]

An example of mystical manipulation:

Hopeful Soul wrote:

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The symbolism here is strong with the fig tree cursed by Christ for advertising and promising what it did not deliver. The fig tree died from the roots, the billboard just disappeared. Once again we see Impact attempting to cleverly pervert something good to serve their own selfish ends. I'm not saying that Christ cursed the billboard, just that it mysteriously disappeared.

I hate to resort to my kitchen utensil metaphors, but isn't there a bit of the pot calling the kettle black here? :?

hi SaneAGain,

I found "cults 101" quite informative and helpful....- did you?

'shad'

a friend of mine was nearly kidnapped by the Moonies. Her ex-husband literally dragged her away from them where they were waiting in the line-up at the border crossing at the Peace Arch.

She later showed me a couple of shoe-boxes full of the literature they had given her, and explained to me how they had slowly infiltrated her life. After befriending her they kept her captive in her own apartment, two of them guarding her day and night, never allowing her to sleep. The emptied their bank account, and when she was finally completely broken down, they took her and her dog and her van and were heading South. I was just dumb luck that her ex-husband found her!

What was so extraordinary was that only a few months before I heard her story I had been approached by two very young and attractive people, a man and a woman, telling me about some charity they were collecting money for. I had no cash on hand, they said I could write them a cheque. I ACTUALLY HAD MY CHEQUE IN HAND, was getting ready to write a cheque when I felt this weird lurch in the pit of my stomach. I thought: "what the hell am I doing?" - I made some lame excuse about not having enought in my account. Said I would mail them a cheque. They gave me one of their little pamphlets, being a pack rat I kept it, so when my friend showed me her box full of reading stuff, it was similar to the one they had given me. CRUMBS...i was amazed at my narrow escape!!!!!

We are all potential victims of these incredibly clever "emotional gangsters".....

'shad'

that is scary....I believe that is very extreme

For what its worth I am feeling much better. I don't want to be here too much either. Moderation is best for me. My wife is still 'foggy' but will be ok. Thanks for the support.

More 'impact-like' happenings in Salt Lake City... it's everywhere...

[www.metalogia.com]

If nothing else, scroll down and read about the 'bodytalker' device and how it helps one get 'unstuck'... sound familiar?

More Definitions

Once again I resort to dictionary definitions because the word “cult” means many things to many people. Webster says the word cult comes from the Latin cultus, to cultivate, to care, adoration, formal religious veneration, a system of formal religion or worship. It means formal religion. The third meaning is a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious, a system of religious beliefs, and ritual and its body of adherents. A forth meaning is a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator. A fifth meaning can be a great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work.

So there are cults and there are cults. There are cults which edify, and there are cults which tear down, exploit, injure and mislead. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” I put Impact clearly in the latter category. As to any of the more prominent religions in Utah or the world, I would apply a few tests to see which category they fall into. The first test would be, to ask do they financially enrich the cult leadership? Each of us can apply our own standards to this exercise. Impact does not do well in any of the tests I can think of.

It is definitely appropriate to examine Impact in a religious context. The most powerful tools with which to critically examine Impact lie in religious doctrine, but for me to do so would be to proselytize, which is against Forum rules so I will abstain. The greatest perversion of the word “proselytize” is by Impact. They call it “enrollment.” They unashamedly put extreme and unbelievable pressure on prospective trainees and current trainees alike to enroll others. Webster says this word “proselytize” means: to induce someone to convert to one’s faith, to recruit someone to join one’s party, institution or cause. When any religion uses manipulative, coercive, deceptive, mind control tactics to gain adherents it has crossed the line into the realm of a destructive cult. In doing so Impact has robbed trainees of their agency, which is the ability and freedom to choose good or evil. In summary, Impact fails the guile test. Webster says “guile” means: 1. deceitful cunning: DUPLICITY 2. stratagem, trick. It is related to the words divination and witch. Surely these two words fit TIT.

Hopeful

Rather than ask whether a particular organization fits the definition of a "religion" or a 'cult" I think a more useful question is whether the organization is destructive.

Is participation in the group harmful to people? Does this organization uplift the human spirit, or kill it? That is really the point isn't it?