Well, I have called them a religion, but I have also dubbed them a cult. They are a cult, and I think you answered your own question:
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Impacted
So I think there's a deeper reason why they have chosen to stay only in SLC, but I'm not sure what it is. Maybe someone here has more insight into this.
with:
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Impacted
But what they don't share very openly is that the "dark side" they are preparing to fight against, at least initially here in the SLC vally, is the mainstream LDS church (because, according to Hans and Sally, it has gone into apostacy from what Joseph Smith originally taught). Apparently there is some mainstream LDS prophesy about SLC becomming apostate and the true LDS returning to Missouri? Leaving Hans and his "Army of Lightworkers" alone here to restore the valley.
I didn't hear Hans say it myself, but others who I trust reported he has said "We don't need to come into alignment with the (LDS) Church, it needs to come into alignment with us."
Why any Mormon (or anyone else) would choose to support this, remains a nearly complete mystery to me.
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The majority of their clientel are LDS. Some members are dissatisfied to some degree or another with the church's impractical answers to many modern moral question. Members are also already indoctrinated into an unpopular religion (among many non-LDS people, irreligious or not) before they even walk into Quest, and so the switch from LDS to TITLDS may be easier for them to make. This is speculation you understand, and for the sake of brevity, simplification to some degree, but I saw it happen (made it happen at times) over and over and over and over again. Impact stays in SLC because the marks are easier targets here. No other reason. The LDS have a [i:62512c5198]VERY[/i:62512c5198] strong sense of responsibility to family and Impact uses that to their advantage, enrolling almost exclusively from that pool of profits they call "loved-ones". The church's investigations into the matter have been sloppy, negligent, irresponsible etc. That warning about LGAT's from the bretheren is a [i:62512c5198]joke[/i:62512c5198].
The change from LGAT to full blown cult occurred, as you said, in 2002-2003. New TIT 1 and 2 groups were being trained, and "invitations" were being given out to those grads to join the TIT 3 family. Which by the by, it was said to the trainees at that time, once you join, you can never go back. Like the dark side, no?
I think J.J. was forced out. I remember in the Harmony days that he would get undeserved flak from his Berger-ex behind his back. I think she had something to do with it, but that is a guess.
Whole heartily agree with you that the majority of the decisions made for the training's business model revolve around Sally's need to control every aspect of the training.
Thanks for joining, Impacted
EX-impact :)