I am bumping this thread in my continued effort to bring light to the evidence that MasterPath is a scam. Gary Olsen, aided by his wife Joy, are using people that are truly searching for spiritual enlightenment to enrich himself, not to share a legitimate concept.

MP charges for virtually all the material and sessions that they offer. This includes $24.00 for an 8x10 photo of Gary.

Search the web, you will find a plethora of evidence that MP is not legitimate.

Here are a couple:
[www.angelfire.com]
[www.globalserve.net]

and, while we are at it:
[www.city-data.com]

This Thread is interesting because it really has some practical and truthful information about the 501(c)3 status of Masterpath. I am a lawyer with a busy litigation practice and I have a Masters in Anthropology. I've studied many spiritual communities and I've represented several people involved in a variety of alternative and mainstream religious paths. I've been doing this for 15 years. I can tell you some very salient things about Masterpath:

First - it and Gary Olsen are of the highest integrity and the purity expressed in this Path is such that those who are ready will be drawn to it and those who are not will easily move along to where they need to be. Secondly, the Path may take in a million or two in revenues or maybe even three every year, however, those funds find their way into administration, publication and the overhead required for setting up seminars and communicating with a few thousand people on a regular and intensive basis. I'm pretty sure there is no big bubble in Gary Olsen's bank account designed to blast him off to his own island in the Carribean. He has spent the entire second half of his life reading and answering communications from his students -the Chelas and will likely continue to do so to the end of his life. This is typical of all the teachers and Masters in the Light and Sound lineage - there are none known who "retired." They all died working to my knowlege. Not what you find in a cult centered on making a Guru rich and in control of peoples lives. "It ain't happenin" as they say. I've witnessed decadence and self-agrandizement in cults and am very familiar with same. Finally, in my brief time on this path I've found that people are encouraged to live normal lives and to fit into society and do better - the best description of a Chela of the Masterpath is "Be all that you can be!" The US Army is about as mainstream as we can get on this planet and they share that be all you can be concept with MP. Anyone disconnecting from their life, their job, their family or other connections will likely realize that Gary Olsen is not into that as a spiritual practice, period. What he shows his students is that the most mundane and common aspects of life can hold the most profound realizations of spritual truth. Thus, your husband, if he is getting it, will either be a better husband or empower the two of you to live the best lives possible and be realistic about what you really want and whetehr your goals and love are compatible. Gary Olsen would likely not tell your husband to leave you, rather he is the kind of guy that will encouarge him to be the best husband possible. If that is not working out, he will aslo counsel an honorable separation if you really are not meant for each other, but that has nothing to do with Masterpath - it has to do with you two. I hope you and others reading this can understand how this works so well. This path is definitley about becoming a better person and a spiritually realized person who honors others and who acts as a Master Saint would act - with love, compassion, understanding, wisdom, nurturing, patience, long suffering and keen insight into the most fundamental revelations about the human condition. With such high ideals there is no room for monkey business in the Masterpath. A teacher who continuously demonstrates integrity and who calls it like it is and students who continuously show improvement, peace and contentment in their lives are the best examples of a spiritual path. It reminds me of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts on a good day, or boot camp. People are changed and learn spiritual discipline and ways to engage in life that end old negative patterns such as drug addiction, alcoholism, anger and psychological problems and other issues that cause untold suffering. These breaktrhoughs are tangible evidence of the positive effect Masterpath has had without a lot of hokus pokus or magical thinking or fawning over the Master as some magical leader who can turn water into wine. It is the day to day wonder of MP that makes it a safe and effective spiritual path for sincere seekers of Truth and it is good to be able to share this with your readers just as I can share that the Methodist Church is a good place to learn about God's love for us and to meet people who are seeking to learn to live a moral and spiritual life where compassion for fellow humans has been taught and preached as a core value (in the Methodist Churches I was indoctrinated in). Thanks, John

To mccalljo and whom it may concern:

Gary Olsen seems to have essentially plagiarized the writings of Paul Twitchell (Eckankar) to create what he calls the "Master Path".

See [www.eaec.org] to better understand Eckankar.

Olsen has a troubled history of bad press, including complaints from former members and affected families, concerning his "guru" work.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Also see [forum.culteducation.com]

Olsen left his native state of North Dakota under a cloud of controversy.

If Olsen is not using his Master Path as a "cash cow" for personal gain, he might prove this by releasing an independently audited financial statement, which discloses in detail any and all compensation and salaries paid out from Master Path funds. I am not aware of any meaningful financial transparency regarding Mr. Olsen and/or his group's finances, which has been made public historically.

I have handled numerous complaints regarding the Olsen group over the years, including interventions in North Dakota during the early 1990s. All of those concerned ultimately left the group.

I have been qualified and accepted as a court expert witness concerning cults and cult-like groups in nine states. This included US Federal Court, through what is called a "Daubert hearing" to establish my expertise according to federal court guidelines in an official proceeding.

In my opinion Gary Olsen's Master Path fits within the criteria of a "destructive cult".

I would not recommend the Olsen group to anyone for anything.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2011 07:51PM by rrmoderator.

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mccalljo
This Thread is interesting because it really has some practical and truthful information about the 501(c)3 status of Masterpath. I am a lawyer with a busy litigation practice and I have a Masters in Anthropology. I've studied many spiritual communities and I've represented several people involved in a variety of alternative and mainstream religious paths. I've been doing this for 15 years. I can tell you some very salient things about Masterpath

Hello mccallio. Just curious about this practical and truthful information to which you refer. There is almost no mention of 501(c)3 organizations in this thread other than someone simply saying MasterPath has 501(c)3 status. Is it your contention that 501(c)3 status is limited to gurus who are legitimate? Do you believe all 501(c)3 organizations report earnings and expenditures accurately to the letter? Are you under the impression that being a lawyer affords you credibility?

The MasterPath students who are dispatched to respond to online criticism often present this 501(c)3 status as some type of badge. As if to say "this is real, otherwise the government wouldn't give MasterPath non-profit tax status". How unfortunate that money related matters become a mainstay of their defense. There are a couple hundred pages of negative testimony online about MasterPath and Gary Olsen. Probably only 3% of the criticism deals with finances. Is repeating the 501(c)3 status mantra an attempt by MasterPath and it's followers to draw attention away from the real issue?

The real issues involve the legitimacy of Gary Olsen, his questionable character, and the tactics cult leaders use to gain power. The rest of your monologue is nice and all, but it doesn't address any of those issues. Actually, your words almost enforce the position of MasterPath's critics. For example:

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mccalljo
Gary Olsen would likely not tell your husband to leave you, rather he is the kind of guy that will encouarge him to be the best husband possible. If that is not working out, he will aslo counsel an honorable separation if you really are not meant for each other, but that has nothing to do with Masterpath - it has to do with you two. I hope you and others reading this can understand how this works so well.

When you say Gary would counsel an honorable separation, it implies that Gary would provide guidance and advice about one's marriage. May I ask, would Gary ever advise his followers to seek professional counseling? We both know the answer to that question.

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mccalljo
It reminds me of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts on a good day, or boot camp. People are changed and learn spiritual discipline and ways to engage in life that end old negative patterns such as drug addiction, alcoholism, anger and psychological problems and other issues that cause untold suffering. These breaktrhoughs are tangible evidence of the positive effect Masterpath has had without a lot of hokus pokus or magical thinking or fawning over the Master as some magical leader who can turn water into wine.

Except MasterPath DOES involve magical thinking, and the breakthroughs you cite as tangible evidence do not supersede the fact that it is a cult led by an ego-driven manipulative man. No one has discounted or denied that MP students can have profound spiritual experiences and breakthroughs. The mistake is in believing these experiences can only be had if one pledges to a "master" such as Gary.

Believe it or not, everything you've tapped into with your spiritual practice has been known to countless persons among us (who've never even heard of MasterPath or what has been labeled "light and sound"). You pass these people every day, but you don't realize that they've experienced what you've experienced. Because they don't have an 8X10 of Gary on their desk and they behave no differently than anyone else. They realize that they're here for the human experience and they live it...without desperation to escape by buying into some manipulatively advertised "shortcut" that glorifies another human being.

Dearest Violet, nice thoughts in the context of a philosophical debate, however, I would posit this is not the ground for philosophical or logical discourse as people base their lives on much more. Most important is the Love coursing through every nook and cranny of the creation in such measure as it is almost unbearable to know how it embraces us unconditionally. That said, and knowing that you and I are operating in the context of that most omnipotent of all powers and this discussion occurs in the context of how awake we are to that love in the context of our daily lives - let me lovingly respond below:

Violet says:
Hello mccallio. Just curious about this practical and truthful information to which you refer. There is almost no mention of 501(c)3 organizations in this thread other than someone simply saying MasterPath has 501(c)3 status. Is it your contention that 501(c)3 status is limited to gurus who are legitimate? Do you believe all 501(c)3 organizations report earnings and expenditures accurately to the letter? Are you under the impression that being a lawyer affords you credibility?

Response by mccalljo - I only mentioned this because the information is public record - get it and publish it here - the financials show what is happening - 501(c)3 is not cited in this thread for credibility - it is cited for the idea that there is transperancy (thank you Obama for making this a big deal your first day in office). So we have info on what the corporation makes and some idea of how it disposes of its assets!

The MasterPath students who are dispatched to respond to online criticism often present this 501(c)3 status as some type of badge. As if to say "this is real, otherwise the government wouldn't give MasterPath non-profit tax status". How unfortunate that money related matters become a mainstay of their defense. There are a couple hundred pages of negative testimony online about MasterPath and Gary Olsen. Probably only 3% of the criticism deals with finances. Is repeating the 501(c)3 status mantra an attempt by MasterPath and it's followers to draw attention away from the real issue?

Response by McCalljo - Hey, I was not dispatched - I'm a relative infant in this process of Masterpath but a 30 year veteran in spiritual pursuit of Truth. I've such a wide range of religious experience i've worked with mainstream religions and far out New Age experimental Religoius thought. Was an original progenitor of the Harmonic Convergence concepts and also have spent years working in the Christian Church. all of it wonderful and helpful, none of it even comparing to the level of integrity and Truth coming from the Masterpath simply because it is what it is. No pride or bragging - simply an observation by a person whose been around and had profound experiences in every major religion this world offers. But, no - I was not dispatched - I'm really just feeling this is okay and it is helpful to me to share a little of the experience from my humble perspective - I've been a train wreck of a person in some ways - although many see me as a successful person.

violet says:
The real issues involve the legitimacy of Gary Olsen, his questionable character, and the tactics cult leaders use to gain power. The rest of your monologue is nice and all, but it doesn't address any of those issues. Actually, your words almost enforce the position of MasterPath's critics. For example:

Gary Olsen and Character - and question are interesting words - i find his character impeccable - but only from experience - I've tested some of the greatest spiritual teachers of our time and I've found this guy - humble, not too well known and somewhat off-putting in some of his parochial mannerisms to some folks I know, is absolutely the most incredible example of the life of a saint I've ever met! And I've been to Indian and met a few well proclaimed saints and a few folks in some of the churches here too.

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mccalljo
Gary Olsen would likely not tell your husband to leave you, rather he is the kind of guy that will encouarge him to be the best husband possible. If that is not working out, he will aslo counsel an honorable separation if you really are not meant for each other, but that has nothing to do with Masterpath - it has to do with you two. I hope you and others reading this can understand how this works so well.

When you say Gary would counsel an honorable separation, it implies that Gary would provide guidance and advice about one's marriage. May I ask, would Gary ever advise his followers to seek professional counseling? We both know the answer to that question.

MccallJo Resonds - Absolutely he would - Many of his students are Counselors!! And, I have to do this all the time - i counsel criminal defendants with mental health issues and people getting divorced who are going through hell in their lives and i don't send them to Gary nor do I try to seek his advice for this. this stuff is the stuff that emerges in the world to teach us and we are in contact with our own inner guidance which is the essential teaching of Masterpath. I think I can say that you will find the Master within you without saying something you should not hear about the Masterpath - the ultimate goal of existence is to find and understand your own Mastery - someday you and I will stand in Gary's shoes - which is why I guess I'm drawn to write this and I feel a lot more love in this discussion than in most of my legal work!

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mccalljo
It reminds me of the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts on a good day, or boot camp. People are changed and learn spiritual discipline and ways to engage in life that end old negative patterns such as drug addiction, alcoholism, anger and psychological problems and other issues that cause untold suffering. These breaktrhoughs are tangible evidence of the positive effect Masterpath has had without a lot of hokus pokus or magical thinking or fawning over the Master as some magical leader who can turn water into wine.

Except MasterPath DOES involve magical thinking, and the breakthroughs you cite as tangible evidence do not supersede the fact that it is a cult led by an ego-driven manipulative man. No one has discounted or denied that MP students can have profound spiritual experiences and breakthroughs. The mistake is in believing these experiences can only be had if one pledges to a "master" such as Gary.

Believe it or not, everything you've tapped into with your spiritual practice has been known to countless persons among us (who've never even heard of MasterPath or what has been labeled "light and sound"). You pass these people every day, but you don't realize that they've experienced what you've experienced. Because they don't have an 8X10 of Gary on their desk and they behave no differently than anyone else. They realize that they're here for the human experience and they live it...without desperation to escape by buying into some manipulatively advertised "shortcut" that glorifies another human being.[/quote]

Certainly I'm aware - I've spent years on the streets and met Jesus-like folks on many ocassions. I don't think there is any denial of the incredible Light in our society and the spiritual practices of people all around us. I don't have a picture of Gary Olsen on my desk, I have a big picture of Jerry Garcia on my wall staring at me all day long in my office (I love the Grateful Dead and any music that sparks consciousness - but I'm not a cult follower of the Dead either). I have read a bit of the Tibetan Book of the Dead and spent a lot of time with Tibetan Lamas who are very high and simple and spiritual people. Great teachers and simple and humble too! And, I can tell you that Gary Olsen is not ego-driven - geez that is like saying Jesus was a Roman schill. And the magickal thinking thing is really important - The breakthroughs are mine to keep and I'm basing my statements on a personal and scientific endeavor in questioning every spiritual path I've encountered and seeking to feel the real power of God moving into my being when I encounter these folks - in this case I have personal experience to compare with other spiritual teachers and their communities and, ultimately, I've got tangible and non-sensational movements in my perspective, my attention, my consciousness that tell me I'm becoming a more refined spiritual being, a more refined father, worker and mate to my partner. All of these manifestations are welcome as, when I was young I did try to run off to the perfect spiritual world and I found out that I have to walk right through my mundane life to the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven. Now, I've got the company of a great group of people in the Masterpath students and I look with a critical eye and over and over again I find sincerity and integrity and a lot of love born of a lot of seeking. If I could find a major flaw I would - I've represented spiritual leaders in court and know the inner sanctums of their lives and their closest adherents. In this case i see amazing simplicity and one of the main points of Masterpath is that you are not going to find an ego-driven person anywhere near the core group of this Path and you are not going to find manipulation either - What you will find is exactly what you are supposed to find at this time and you may see things that are not there and that is just fine too. In any event, no danger, no threats and plenty of humility so far - from what I personally have found.

This is the wonderful aspect of these pursuits of Truth - once you eclipse the mind control cults and the worship of personalities or the rigid fundamentalism of some sects and religions you start to encounter the more spirtually scientific endeavors that allow you to test and probe the validity of the teachings. When you fully engage a path that puts you to the test and shows you whether you can rise to the ocassion and embrace self-transformative techniques and understandings that require you to exercise the depth of your discrimination, then you are really dancing with the Essence of yourself and your own divine reflection. That is a gift and a half for a spiritual seeker. Ultimately, you may stumble into something that is transcendent. But of course you have to determine whether it is True or not and the you that has to do that better be detached from ego and all your carnal natures before it makes a final determination about this. A Light and Sound teaching is a great place to jump on the opportunity because they have a long track record of Masters and students who've really left us messages that indicate the essence of the journey - People like Rumi and Hafiz who have just knocked the ball out of the park in describing the secret and sacred nature of these endeavors. So, yes, you are so true in describing how this awareness permeates all of our neighbors and friends and workmates (even the jail guards I deal with every day) There is the essence of the knowing of the presence of this Great Love in each one. AND . . . you can actually find a practice that will fit your very needs for this time in your existence and it may be a Path so profound that it will blow out the prior attachments and understandings you had. If so, you will experience spiritual growth. I see evidence of a lot of spirtual growth amongs the students of Gary Olsen because he teaches and they learn on many levels and with an eye for more awareness of spiritual realities permeating basic things like your marriage, your relationship with your children, your work, your care for the planet etc. etc. None of this is for Gary Olsen - All of it is for you (one caveat - he benefits only by being able to serve those who seek spiritual Truth). Call that a naive statement, however, try to remember that I'm approaching this with experience and a scientific eye - seeking to probe for any ego or self agrandizement, self-enrichment etc. - If it were there I think I would find it - so far - integrity 1 - ego driven manipulator 0. Thanks for engaging the discussion and adding some light for reflection.

mccalljo:

A few simple questions.

How long have you been associated with Gary Olsen and the "Master Path"?

Are you aware that Gary Olsen copied/plagiarized his teachings from Paul Twitchell and Eckankar?

Is there an independently audited financial statement, which is published, that discloses in detail how much compensation Gary Olsen receives through the Master Path.

Is there any meaningful financial transparency visible to the general public about how the funds contributed to this tax exempted charity are used?

What documents have do you know have been made public regarding the salaries and compensation paid out through the Master Path?

Did you know that Mr. Olsen left Fargo under a cloud of controversy? The reports published by local newspapers in ND were not favorable to Mr. Olsen and he was described as a "cult" leader.

Who is Gary Olsen accountable to?

Can he be fired?

Is there an elected board that oversees the Master Path that could fire Olsen?

If there is an elected board, how does the election process work? What is the length of the board's elected terms?

Please that bylaws of the Master Path that provide for financial transparency through published annual budgets, the election of board members, etc.

Answers to these questions would clarify whether the Master Path is run like Gary Olsen's personal business or a typical charitable institution. Your answers could also help people to understand whether the group is essentially totalitarian or a democratically governed with checks and balances.

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mccalljo
Dearest Violet, nice thoughts in the context of a philosophical debate, however, I would posit this is not the ground for philosophical or logical discourse as people base their lives on much more. Most important is the Love coursing through every nook and cranny of the creation in such measure as it is almost unbearable to know how it embraces us unconditionally. That said, and knowing that you and I are operating in the context of that most omnipotent of all powers and this discussion occurs in the context of how awake we are to that love in the context of our daily lives - let me lovingly respond below

Hi mccalljo. Just want to make a quick observation about how one might evaluate written and spoken word to determine what is authentically loving...versus what is carefully designed to give the impression of being loving. What I find interesting is that when someone is truly loving and expresses fully and authentically what they feel, they are less likely to overuse words such as “dearest”, and are less likely to repeatedly address people as “loved ones” or “dear ones”, etc. In other words, messages heavily dipped in sugar actually indicate ulterior motives, something patronizing or even phony…but certainly a need to frame or lace the message. It's like the writer/speaker has to TRY (try too hard!) as opposed to just speaking from the heart.

But more importantly, a person who is loving usually does not have to announce that they are being loving and or responding lovingly. There is no need for them to preface what they say with “listen up, everyone. I’m about to be super loving”…because it is something that comes through authentically without pretense.

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mccalljo
I only mentioned this because the information is public record - get it and publish it here - the financials show what is happening - 501(c)3 is not cited in this thread for credibility - it is cited for the idea that there is transperancy (thank you Obama for making this a big deal your first day in office). So we have info on what the corporation makes and some idea of how it disposes of its assets!

Actually I have seen MasterPath’s tax returns for 2003, 2004, and 2005. I have also seen tax returns prepared by other organizations and individuals, enough to know that a tax return does not necessarily equate to the reality of the organization’s finances. So let me ask you…have you only seen what was presented on MasterPath’s tax returns, or are you privy to all of their financial records? Have you seen all of Sky View Corporation’s financial records? Have you confirmed that all gifts and donations have been reported to the IRS? For instance, please point out where we can find the $400,000 donation from a chela that was used for lavish landscaping on the Morongo Valley “parsonage” property.

By the way, I personally don’t care what Gary’s salary is, but last I checked it was somewhere around $80,000, and his wife’s salary is also in that range. They do not have a mortgage because MasterPath paid for the “parsonage/spiritual retreat” (even though 99.9% of his students are not allowed access to the property).

So I think the Olsens are very comfortable financially, and neither of them has worked for 20+ years. By the way, if you believe Gary spends all of his time writing to his students and preparing for seminars, I would be interested to know how many hours you think that requires. Because the majority of those letters are prefabricated and are most likely put together by seva chelas. Listening to his seminars, it becomes obvious that very little preparation goes into them. In any case, Gary is probably jet-skiing, vacationing, golfing, and smoking pot a hundred times as many hours as he spends working on MasterPath.

Is Gary driving a Bentley? No. But does the fact that he is not living in a Beverly Hills mansion make him an honest and humble man? NO. Bottom line, I doubt Gary cares as much about the money as he does about having all of you believe he’s a saint. It is more about power and self-glorification than money. The salaries, large travel expense accounts, and free house (plus guest house) are just bonus gravy.

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mccalljo
Response by McCalljo - Hey, I was not dispatched - I'm a relative infant in this process of Masterpath but a 30 year veteran in spiritual pursuit of Truth.

While you may not have been dispatched directly to this forum and told what to say, in the past there were chelas who WERE given a script and asked to circumvent critical discussion of MasterPath online. You can find these posts in most of the forums; they're easily recognized and nearly identical in wording.

As you very well know, Gary Olsen has (in the past year or so) asked all of his chelas to begin “one-on-oneing” and spreading the word online about how wonderful MP is. Though you may not recognize this as a mandatory directive, I have heard the way Gary presents these “loving suggestions”, and it is very obvious that he made these “loving suggestions” as a way of using all of you to battle the many websites and forums where he has been exposed as a fraud. These tactics are similar to that of multi-level marketing schemes, such as Kevin Trudeau’s directives which reward his followers for plastering glowing reviews everywhere and creating websites recommending his scams all over the internet. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Gary or whoever advises him got the idea from watching someone like Kevin Trudeau.

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mccalljo
Gary Olsen and Character - and question are interesting words - i find his character impeccable - but only from experience - I've tested some of the greatest spiritual teachers of our time and I've found this guy - humble, not too well known and somewhat off-putting in some of his parochial mannerisms to some folks I know, is absolutely the most incredible example of the life of a saint I've ever met! And I've been to Indian and met a few well proclaimed saints and a few folks in some of the churches here too.

May I ask...have you ever actually met and spent time with Gary outside of seminar? Are you visiting him at his home frequently and observing his private interactions and behaviors? What is your reaction when you read the disturbing testimony of four or five former chelas who were once in his closest inner circle and spent time a lot of time with him and his family?

While I don’t know him myself, I have personally listened to a dozen or so of his seminars and frankly I find him to be patronizing, self-centered, mean, condescending, disrespectful, and completely out of touch with reality…to say the least. One example of this is the tape “Master Satsangs The Bird Flu” from 2006.

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mccalljo
Absolutely he would - Many of his students are Counselors!!

My question should have been more specific: would Gary recommend counseling for anyone if the counselor is not a MasterPath chela? No. And if you need proof of this, I can provide you with some truly disgusting and heartbreaking excerpts found in “Letters From The Master” which clearly demonstrate that he does not want mentally ill chelas to seek treatment or therapy. They are advised instead to “take it to the master”.

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mccalljo
Certainly I'm aware - I've spent years on the streets and met Jesus-like folks on many ocassions. I don't think there is any denial of the incredible Light in our society and the spiritual practices of people all around us. I don't have a picture of Gary Olsen on my desk, I have a big picture of Jerry Garcia on my wall staring at me all day long in my office (I love the Grateful Dead and any music that sparks consciousness - but I'm not a cult follower of the Dead either). I have read a bit of the Tibetan Book of the Dead and spent a lot of time with Tibetan Lamas who are very high and simple and spiritual people. Great teachers and simple and humble too! And, I can tell you that Gary Olsen is not ego-driven - geez that is like saying Jesus was a Roman schill. And the magickal thinking thing is really important - The breakthroughs are mine to keep and I'm basing my statements on a personal and scientific endeavor in questioning every spiritual path I've encountered and seeking to feel the real power of God moving into my being when I encounter these folks - in this case I have personal experience to compare with other spiritual teachers and their communities and, ultimately, I've got tangible and non-sensational movements in my perspective, my attention, my consciousness that tell me I'm becoming a more refined spiritual being, a more refined father, worker and mate to my partner. All of these manifestations are welcome as, when I was young I did try to run off to the perfect spiritual world and I found out that I have to walk right through my mundane life to the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven. Now, I've got the company of a great group of people in the Masterpath students and I look with a critical eye and over and over again I find sincerity and integrity and a lot of love born of a lot of seeking.

That’s great mccalljo. As convinced as you are that you have looked at MasterPath in a an objective and scientific way, I can assure you that I have also looked at it in an objective and scientific way. Believe it or not, I have also read some of the Tibetan Book Of The Dead, the Bhagavad Gita, and many, many similar spiritual texts (including RSSB staples, Paramahansa Yogananda/Sri Yuketswar, Rumi, and even MasterPath’s recycled Eckankar materials)…and I’m absolutely positive that Gary is not who he claims.

To put it simply once again, what you are attributing to Gary and Garji actually has nothing to do with Gary and Garji. But Gary Olsen wants you to believe it does, and he uses manipulative tactics that are designed to deceive you into voluntarily hypnotizing yourself. The “proof” ends up being created by you, but the result is what Gary wants: you become his loyal disciple (a.k.a. paying member).

For me to explain why I know this would take pages and pages. So perhaps later I will post some links to information you can peruse at your convenience. Long story short, the good news is that you are indeed connecting with the divine on some level (at least in my view). The bad news is that your mind has inserted Gary/Garji into the experience. He coaches you that it is your reactive mind that leads you astray in doubting him...but it is ALSO your mind that he uses to inject himself as the ruler of your soul.

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rrmoderator
mccalljo:

A few simple questions.

How long have you been associated with Gary Olsen and the "Master Path"? Two years

Are you aware that Gary Olsen copied/plagiarized his teachings from Paul Twitchell and Eckankar? I was into Eckankar in my teens - Gary Olsen has not plagarized Eckankar - Eckankar is the extension of the Light and Sound Teachings in India and Pakistan and revolves around the long lineage of light and sound teachings going back to the Ten Sikh Gurus and various other disciplines that involved actual living teachers interacting with the Students in the Tradition. Gary Olsen has used some materials that are related but, gosh, if there is one thing that history will show it is that Gary Olsen has revolutionized some key aspects of the spiritual practice that has maintained core consistency in India for likely 4000 years and that was also revealed in the middle east and Egypt throughout the time of Christ. That revolutionary impulse will likely be very noticeable and highly honored in about 70 years and it has to do with his writings and it definitely has an historical context but you have to be very much steeped in the history of religion and the writings of Saints and Masters of the Past to get this - I have a Bachelors in Social Studies Education with a minor in History and I taught History for many years, but it would take a lot to show you all the detailed connections that the various paths have and the impact of the current writings on the transitional period we are in in terms of Humanities' spiritual evolution and expansion in awareness and consciousness. We keep getting closer to understanding the presence of God within us and that keeps this whole thing changing and the pace of change is accelerating at this time (at least according to the people I talk with, Masterpathers or Not) So, accusing him of plagarizing - I'd say read the works and look at Echankar and the history of Paul Twitchell and Kirpal Singh and see if you make the connections of what is really going on here.

Is there an independently audited financial statement, which is published, that discloses in detail how much compensation Gary Olsen receives through the Master Path. Not that I know of - I make $260,000 a year myself, gross, and I pay a lot of people who work with me and for me - I live a modest life but I am comfortable - I observe the same around Gary Olsen. I work 18 hours a day. I know Students of his who are rich beyond belief and those who live paycheck to paycheck - no one is turned away - charity is always given to those who need it and it is silly to think that this is anything like the gaudy and horrifying televangelist scandals we've seen. The reality is the rich will always seek to give to the poor and those who are spiritually respected - just as in India I saw rich folks giving to Neem Karoli Baba - (Ram Das's Guru) One friend here in America - his Uncle was the minister of the Interior in India - he would do anything for Neem Karoli Baba - and he helped Ram Das when his passport ran out - he had unlimited power and money and decided to help this acid expermenting psychotherapist with the white robes and strange beard who was from America because he was a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba. So, people who want to help their teacher do - I personally have done things for my teachers in school because I admired them. I once did a full moon circle with Margot Adler of National Public Radio (I think she wrote Drawing Down the Moon) for my Anthropology Teacher at the Institute for Social Ecology at Goddard College because I wanted to show him my appreciation for all the work he did with the Mayan women of Chiapas in the early 70s and for all of us Students. So, it is natural to see some gifting like this in life in general - but Gary Olsen is a very good spiritual teacher and so I hope he is rewarded - he works his ass off reading and writing with people involved in the MasterPath and doing that for 20 or 30 years is, to quote Mily Cirus "Pretty Cool."

Is there any meaningful financial transparency visible to the general public about how the funds contributed to this tax exempted charity are used? I don't know - it's not my issue - I noted that the 501(c)3 status allows people to look at the books as was noted previously in the thred - as you can see above I have my own financial house to keep in order. I used to live on $6,000 a year in a small village in Northern New Mexico where my neighbors took care to make sure I was okay and we all worked the acequias and grew food and worked in town 30 miles away when we needed money. I was happier then than most times of my life and I lived like a King on top of a Mountain! So, I'm not sure that $80,000 a year for Gary Olsen is a big deal in my world. I know what is free and what is not.

What documents have do you know have been made public regarding the salaries and compensation paid out through the Master Path? None that I know of, and you can see above for my take on it - also someone comments herein that Olsen makes $80,000 - I gross $260,000 so I don't have much room to talk down to anyone about making large sums of money - but I do work 18 hours a day a lot of the time.

Did you know that Mr. Olsen left Fargo under a cloud of controversy? The reports published by local newspapers in ND were not favorable to Mr. Olsen and he was described as a "cult" leader. yes - I've seen one report of a controversey - don't know if he left under that controversy but I know there was a person who left the Masterpath and my understanding is that person returned and was happily received back (I may be wrong about that - but really - I'm glad Gary Olsen left North Dakota - it is not much of spiritual hub in America) Now, in Sedona, he would be considered a mild piece of cheese compared to say Israel Regardie et al! It is like getting divorced though - I mean are we going to condemn spiritual leaders when some of their students determine it is not the right time and place to be with that person? If we did that with respect to relationships everyone married is under mind control and needs deprogramming and everyone divorced is an escaped refugee from a manipultive and self agrandizing and enriching person. Well my mother use to think that - honestly - about my girlfriends and lovers, but I realized that there are often disillusioned people in the world who will only accpet their ego's idea of perfection as satisfactory to what is supposed to be in the world.

Who is Gary Olsen accountable to? His Boss - and his Boss is watching him constantly.

Can he be fired? yes, he has mentioned the fact that he can be fired - we are all being tested and we are all subject to re-assignment. One of the Ten Sikh Gurus had his head cut off by the Muslim ruler of that part of India.

Is there an elected board that oversees the Master Path that could fire Olsen? From what I have seen - one is not needed (I don't know if there is one in the corporation) and, having worked with hundreds of business organizations, churches and other groups I find that any business model can work - it depends on the people involved and what they want and what they get out of it. Even the most egalitarian and pluralistic institutions can utterly and comletely fail (US Congress) as can a one man show (Libya) however sometimes a one man show may satisfy enough people to keep it going (Syria and Saudi Arabia, Microsoft and Apple) are they cults - well maybe - but so is any personality based institution including your own (I respectfully note)!

If there is an elected board, how does the election process work? What is the length of the board's elected terms?

Please that bylaws of the Master Path that provide for financial transparency through published annual budgets, the election of board members, etc.

Answers to these questions would clarify whether the Master Path is run like Gary Olsen's personal business or a typical charitable institution. Your answers could also help people to understand whether the group is essentially totalitarian or a democratically governed with checks and balances.

See my statemetns about that above - I am always trying to get information from the US and State governments and they are much more difficult to deal with - I create nonprofit corporations every week for people who are organizing themselves to make a difference in the world. I do not know how the business is run - however, this is not a charity or really a church in the traditional sense - I am familiar with how wonderful it is for people who benefit from the tax relief a church provides and many people of spiritual mind and action choose to pursue this format for good reasons. Masterpath, not being a typical Church per se is centered around each individual, not Gary Olsen, and each individual benefits tremendously from the expenditure of the Corporation's funds when attending events and receiving materials. As a result the primary understanding I have of this institution is it allows me to engage my own spiritual advancement with a very moderate investment which is much less than the 10% a year I was encourage to give and attempted to honor in the Methodist Church. And I have no regreets about that either - it was perfect for me at the time.

I have to write a Brief for some people in Court who claim they are the ancestors of the Israelites who went to Morocco and now currently are immune to law in America under the Moroccan Treaty of 1789 (obviously not my belief but a sincerely held one of theirs). They are facing child abuse charges in court resulting from a police officer's drawing guns on them while they were holding a 9 month old baby in their hands (may have been becasue they had dreadlocks) - the cop is now fired from the force because of a completely separate incident - she got drunk and got in an argument with her husband - a sergeant in the police force - and she drove drunk in her patrol car - so it is an interesting case - but I'll be back to address the other issues in this thread - I kid you not - that case was assigned to me by the public defender - i did not go looking for it!

mccalljo:

You appear to be a deeply loyal follower of Olsen and his "Master Path" group. And you are here as an apologist to defend your group and leader.

But based upon your answers you admit that there is no meaningful financial transparency or accountability through any bylaws and/or published financial disclosure at the Master Path.

You claim that Olsen says he can be fired, but you offer no specific means (bylaws or structure of accountability to a board) through which that could be done.

The Master Path is not democratic and essentially totalitarian, i.e. run by Gary Olsen.

Unlike your business or a privately held company Master Path is a tax-exempted religious charity.

However, despite its charitable status Olsen seems to run Master Path for his personal profit and benefit.

Thank you for acknowledging that Olsen did in fact not originate his teachings and that they were essentially copied from Twitchell/Eckankar. Ironically, Twitchell has also been accused of plagiarism and Eckankar has also been called a a "cult".

See [www.angelfire.com]

Attempting to describe former followers of Olsen that see him as a "cult" leader as somehow similar to unhappy divorced spouses is a spin to say the least. What the former members of Master Path reflect is that Olsen has a deeply troubled history, which was recorded by the press. Apparently this caused him to move to California and New Mexico.

Can you think of anything Gary Olsen has done that is wrong? What mistakes do you think he has made?

Just wanted to add that MasterPath does not contribute to humanitarian causes...not only that, but Gary essentially advises against it. He preaches about karma, but does not support the idea that charitable acts have a positive karmic effect. His position is that everyone is where they are supposed to be, including homeless, hungry, etc. and that we are not really supposed to mess with the perfect plan. However, he does recommend ways to leave your estate to MasterPath and implies that giving money to his group absolves karma.

Self-proclaimed gurus capitalize on techniques and practices that bring one into union with soul, creator, infinity, God, etc. (ie. out of body experiences, sound current, soul travel, etc.). These spiritual practices are powerful, but it should be emphasized that many people successfully utilize these meditation techniques without visualizing the image of the guy who told them about it, and without surrendering themselves to him. That is where it becomes less about infinite truth, and more about another human being's need for validation and glorification. Here are some links that help paint the picture of what I'm saying:

[www.ex-premie.org]

[www.youtube.com]

[www.indiadivine.org]

[docs.google.com]

[docs.google.com]

[docs.google.com]

[docs.google.com]

[docs.google.com]

[docs.google.com]

[docs.google.com]

[www.yoga4fitness.org]

[www.thetruth-seeker.com]

While I realize listing a bunch of links without first explaining what each one of them are may not be ideal, I'm short for time at the moment. So for now I'm just throwing out helpful pieces of info demonstrating that Gary is misleading his followers to believe he is something he is not (ie. "word made flesh").