Otts:

You seem to be ignoring what has been said on this thread.

That is, as the linked research repeatedly demonstrates, LGATs have many features in common, which lead to the same inherent problems.

Note the 13 liabilities listed.

Note the four danger signs.

LGATs most often have the same basic seminar structure and functional/operational dynamics. It's only the group's vocabulary or jargon that changes and its stated purpose, such as one group says its about relationships, another about manhood, yet another supposedly about executive success, etc. etc.

But what all the LGATs share in common is the same "technology," or essentially the same delivery system to download the group's philosophy, which subsequently influences participants to share a similar mindset or world view.

There is a good video called "the century of self" out there online that you can watch for free. It's about the brainwashing of society, its evolution from the 1920's through the use of marketing, how the government has been involved, and also tells about Werner's Est and the human potential movements and how they haven't worked, etc. I found it to be very insightful. It tells how most people get involved w/ these techniques as a means to help themselves, and these groups thrive off of people's desires to do so, when really all they are actually doing is getting everyone to conform to rules, and rules to create societies that will follow those rules.

[best.online.docus.googlepages.com]

is the link to the documentary page...that particular video is under "anthropology" but there are also a lot of other really interesting videos on there that you can watch for free as well.

Hope this helps.

KIKI NUTKIN- That WAS an interesting video-Thanks!
There is also a two hour documentary on cults that comes on the History Channel every once and a while. A person can sit down with the Discovery Cult manual and compare it to the famous cults of the past. It shocked me how these crooks use so many of the same tactics. And no one seems to notice.

So you got this gas station tycoon and his friend the Lawyer. They are now in the business of fixing people, solving life's woes, and making some SERIOUS cash on the side.
They mentally abuse people one weekend a month and sit on the beach the rest of the time. You know, its a pretty sweet scam. I think I'm ready for my first Discovery Abuse Class. Do TA's get extra money, or do they get to take home the jar of tears or something? WHERE DO I SIGN UP???
Discovery IS A CULT>STOP D NOW!

Hey all you straight shooters out there. Ever notice that the Discovery plants who post on this thread always stop posting in unison. And in a few days they start back again, usually three or four will come back on the same day. I wonder who is directing them on when and what their next post is. It would be funny if they weren't so warped. Hey Discovery-come back to the GROUP. None of you even checked in with me this past Tuesday. ARE YOU WORKING YOUR CONTRACTS?? Quit that culd and go tell your families that you are back and tell them you are sorry for turning your backs on them while you persue your JOY. Your family IS your joy, if your living right-that is giving and taking at appropriate intervals. STOP DISCOVERY CULT NOW!

I would like to say I attended Discovery training in 2001 and it changed my life completely.
I am a Christian and would never stand for being hypnotized. I had so many walls up in my life I would not let people get close to me and could not look someone in the eyes because I had no self worth. I now know I am not stupid and that I can let people in and love everyone. I don't have a problem looking anyone in the eyes anymore.
I also had so much anger and it had got so bad I didn't even know why I was so angery or at who but by the time I got through Discovery I no longer had the anger and I had forgiven the one that I was really angery at.
When I came home the first week I went to work for the little lady I worked for and her dog walked up to me while I was cleaning the sliding glass door and I even felt so much love for him I hugged him and told him I loved him. I loved everyone and I really loved the ones that went through Discovery with me (my other family as some of you on here have called them) Well I didn't even know them untill the Friday that I went to Dallas but by Sunday night they felt like family and I loved them and it was hard to say bye to them.
Of course they probably knew me better than some of my own family did by then also.
As for the money they make on the people coming there I don't believe they are making a lot of money, I have friends that have gone back to TA (be training assistance) Their hotel and everything is paid for and there are several of them that go.
I want you people to know that other than Salvation that this was the most spiratual thing I have ever been to. I saw so many people set free, people that had a lot of things to deal with.
My daughter went to Discovery before I did and when I saw the differance in her I knew that I had to go. Of course she wanted me to so I went and then my son and daughter in law went. God used Discovery training for all of us.
I wouldn't take for my experience.
I was not ask to donate any money for a CD or music. I hope the people that really need to go through Discovery will go and not try to make the ones that have got free go back to the way they were.
I would hate to think I would ever be the person I was before.
I had an exhusband that totally controled me and I brought that baggage into my other marriage but when I came back it was gone also.
Well this might not mean anything to anyone else but I just had to tell you what Discovery Training did for me. It is not a cult I can tell you that. It is wonderful.

angellady:

Bashing victims and repeated posts making the same statements over and over again will not be approved.

Read the rules again that you agreed to before posting here.

Angellady- It’s a horrible thing what they did to you, though back in 2001 the group hadn’t gotten so abusive and out of control. You say that “I am a Christian and would never stand for being hypnotized.” Does that mean that Christians can’t be hypnotized, or that somehow YOU and YOU ALONE are immune to the effects of mind control techniques? Group hypnosis is one way I’ve heard the tactics of Discovery described. Brainwashing, extreme peer pressure, emotional abuse, and even torture are some other terms that might not be too far from the mark. The North Koreans perfected this form of mental coercion against American GIs, and our guys were trained to resist. What makes you think that someone with no training or prior knowledge of said techniques would be able to resist such time proven methods? My point is that it could happen to anyone, regardless of how smart they think they are or whether or not they believe in God.

Coercive Persuasion- What else would you call being cooped up in a hotel conference room with way too little personal space while you are inundated with strange riddles and pointless stories that all seem to end in terms like “meet me where I am” and “don’t let others steal your joy?” You see, readers, others are STEALING your joy when they tell you the unappealing truth, and they aren’t meeting you where you are when you take a rigid stance on an issue that you should rightfully be compromising on. It doesn’t make much sense to those of us who haven’t been deprived of food, water, and sleep for hour upon hour leading up to the pointless gibberish that’s supposed to solve every problem you’ve ever had. The whole “training” session is done to the tune of the music that will later serve as a trigger to the brainwashing after you purchase the CD.
Yes Angel, they DO sell CDs. It was one of the last things from Discovery Cult that my lady friend threw out. And they’re burned, those crooks! What kind of a “religious” organization sells bootleg CDs?? Crooks!

It saddens me that you have brought your family into this cult to be abused and subsequently brainwashed into believing that it’s ok. After all, we all need to have our human rights and personal boundaries demolished in a public forum every once in a while, right? It makes us better to be abused and to pay for it, right? When you finally do see the light be sure that you pull out every single person that you pulled into that sickness. It’s the right thing to do. And there will still be those of us willing to help you on this site. Its why I’m here. To keep other victims and their families from going through what some of us have gone through. Its not like my motivation is downing Discovery to promote the competing cult that I operate. I just want people to know the truth about D.

Ask questions Angel. Even if you THINK you already know the answers, ask the facilitators, or the other facilitators if that’s the case, about some of the tactics they use. If you start to show even a slight sign of critical thinking you will see an entirely different side of your group.
STOP DISCOVERY CULT NOW!

Wow!
A true poster child for LGATs. How sad she does not realize the damage that has been done to her and her family. She even refers to them as her "other family". How sad.

This quote speaks volumes, "other than Salvation that this was the most spiritual thing I have ever been to".
Well they are called Discovery training ministries? Maybe they are starting a new religion?

EC

STOP DISCOVERY CULT NOW!

EC-Good to hear from you. Hope you and your boy are keeping your sanity. OTHERS on this site clearly are not! They can come on here and make as many false claims as they please, but in the end they are just poor, cluless souls being taken advantage of by Discovery Cult.

Anyone know if the Austin affiliate is working. Nothing would be sweeter than to have a training ready and no one show!