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blueskies2
While I can certainly see why some are frightened by these groups, one should not dismiss them entirely.
Erm, yes, they should be dismissed entirely. They prey on the weak and the vulnerable. Period.
Please note that those that post over and over again on these sites are the same handful of people. They espouse the same complaints over and over, but offer little proof, other than they 'say so'. While I am not discounting their supposed experiences, I would question their actual physical, mental and emotional stability upon entering these programs. Don't believe everything you read on the internet, folks, especially in open forums. These forums often became a dumping ground for angry, bitter people that have no where else to vent. Do your own homework. If these groups were truly cults and detrimental to society, the criminal and legal system would have shut them down, and they certainly would have been subject to some TV or written media investigation. All I have ever seen are ramblings and rantings from the disenchanted.
"Disenchanted"? Does this mean you are one of the so-called "enlightened" ones? Where do you get off by downplaying someone's experience? These groups aren't shut down because they know the language just enough to run just inside of the law.
I have been through Millennium 3's program, and a lot of what is being posted about the program is true.
You do hit a bat on a chair and scream; Note that no one makes you do this. This is a voluntary exercise, just like all the others. To scream so hard that you break a rib (is that even possible?) is ludicrous, and I would seriously wonder why one would continue to pound a bat and scream if they were in pain! That is just crazy! Why would someone wait to go to the doctor if they were in pain....? Things that make you go 'hmmm'
I'd be perfectly happy to meet you in person along with the MRI and x-rays of my cracked ribs if you'd like. Along with doctor's copies of the pain killers I had to take all the while as I healed. You also weren't there to witness what happened to me. I was pulled aside into another room and told that I wasn't hurting, they refused to let me go seek medical help.
You do spend a lot of hours in session but absolutely no one tells you that you can't go to the bathroom, leave the room, or get something to eat. That option is entirely up to you. You can also leave the entire session if you so desire.
This is true....
There is an exercise called LifeboatThe entire purpose of that exercise is to make one realize he is important to others in his life and his life does affect those around him. Breaking the sticks, as discussed by a previous poster, just smacks of immaturity--it is just a game, after all, and cheating in a game just cheapens the outcome.
Ah, no. It means that one isn't playing their ridiculous game. If they don't like it, they can stuff it up their nose. It was a very cruel game and if I could save another life, then wonderful! But I'll play the game my way and not their way. Again, if they don't like it, they can stuff it.
There is a lot of support and communication between participants. That is just a fact of the program; a strong, secure relationship shouldn't be threatened or damaged by the being connected to people outside of that relationship. If it is, then there are issues larger than attendance at LGAT going on.
Ahhh, baloney. The "support" was induced to make participants have to trust one another. Remember the hand behind the back game and then revealing if you trusted that person or not?
Many of the exercises were silly to me, but I am mature enough to understand what I may not appreciate could be meaningful to someone else. I don't care for HipHop music, but does that make it bad? No...it is just a matter of opinion. So play the game....You don't have to buy into it, but why ruin it for someone else. I didn't like the cradling, but many really thought it was cool--who am I to take that away?
These LGAT's do not promise to fix all of your problems; they are simply designed to teach one how to look at life differently, from more than one perspective, and to take control of your life. Sometimes, that means shedding a toxic, controlling relationship, and the person being shed is certainly going to spout off about what an evil program LGATs are....she/he are losing control over the participant....and are scared.
Did it ever occur to you that perhaps people may have been manipulated into participating in the first place? By being told that it's the greatest thing ever and you just gotta do it? I was told that and it was suspicious, like too good to be true. It's all about making that next big score. Getting that next victim to fork over their money and then paying them to have you work for them. Baloney to that! People have better things to do. It's called LIFE.
These programs are designed for those wanting to move ahead in life, not as therapy for deeper issues. M3 is good about evaluating potential participants and turning away those that are too unstable or fragile; they also do not let those that meet that same criteria continue in other programs. If they were truly after just money, this would not matter to them. For someone who discussed having a psychotic break, it would seem obvious to me that deeper issues were at work there and emerged during an exercise. These exercises truly are laughably benign! I am puzzled by some of the reactions posted here!
Perhaps for those who want to do that and are led to believe that. The language that Millennium 3 uses is very convincing. They make you think of all of the possibilities, of being stuck in a rut, what racket someone runs, etc... What racket are you running by making it seem as though Millennium 3 is harmless? Do you get off on making people feel bad or do you thrive on hurting others? It's a feeding ground for sociopaths. NO ONE needs that in their life no matter how convincing the language is that's used. It's a feeding ground for sociopaths. Nothing more, nothing less.
I am sorry for those of you that have had a bad experience, but ultimately, you controlled what happened to you--no one made you do anything; it was completely voluntary, so I fail to see how you are able to point a finger and say otherwise. M3 teaches to focus outward instead of just inward on yourself--it looks to me that some of the poster on this forum missed that. They are still crying 'poor me' and getting attention by doing so. Time to let go and move on, don't you think?
Really? Were you manipulated into losing a friendship unless you went? Were you called names and had your feelings hurt if you didn't go? My "angel" did that to me. Made me feel guilty if I didn't go. Remember how in Basic you had to look inward at yourself? Then in Advanced, you still had to look inward and then on to looking outward? It's not easy for those who are natural introverts. Until you learn some compassion which you obviously failed to do at Millennium 3 because all they teach is ME, ME, ME and teach how everything is all about you, then you have no place to downplay others experiences or to be condescending to them. I'd strongly suggest compassion be a part of the new YOU.