Timmer: You have offered no scientific evidence to support any healing claim or even cited research or tests to prove anything. Sai Baba is someone with a deeply troubled history of scandal. His "ideas," reportedly have been to prey upon boys and young men for sex using his "guru" status to gain undue influence and advantage. If this is evidence of enlightened thinkin
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteCosmophilospherUnity is so decentralized, that many of the problems are LOCAL. Like the local Unity Church where the Minister was having sex with many women. Because he stacked the board, they could not get rid of him. Aren't the boards elected? Clearly, that group needed to oust its board. QuoteWhere are the FACTS to support their outrageous claims? There are ZERO facts, just s
Forum: Destructive Churches

Unity is so decentralized, that many of the problems are LOCAL. Like the local Unity Church where the Minister was having sex with many women. Because he stacked the board, they could not get rid of him. The Catholics were much worse, so don't get me started on those guys. But the larger Unity organization is not much better. Where are the FACTS to support their outrageous claims? Th
Forum: Destructive Churches

Timmer: Quotetar Unity with the "cult" label. Please understand that there is not even a Unity Church section within the Ross Institute database. But there is a very large database section regarding Clergy Abuse, which for the most part contains articles about Catholic priests, related arrests and litigation. See Sai Baba has a section though. See This guru has see
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuotebozmanIn theory, that is the case. However, ACIM people often do everything they can to stack the deck in their favor -- including working to get rid of ministers who don't want ACIM taught in the church. They have also gone to great lengths to keep church members ignorant of the many controversies surrounding ACIM, such as the Endeavor Academy cult (and attendant suicides), the copyr
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteSarahLQuoteDidn't the nice mainstream Catholics recently have a child abuse scnadal? As I recall, virtually none of those priests was defrocked. Yet you hold the reprehensible conduct of one Unity minister as a reason to dislike the movement, but I don't see you posting about the Catholics and their scandal. You're certainly not warning people to stay away from them. This is
Forum: Destructive Churches

I have never seen such a bunch of NewThought DoubleSpeak since dealing with a Landmarkian! So people can achieve/unfold the "Powers of Christ", eh? Says who? Its a delusion of Grandiousity, and even as an Atheist i realize it is blasphemy. It narcissism incarnate. Men are not Gods, they are HUMANS. The Fillmore's made CLAIMS to sell their religion. No evidence, just claims
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteTimmerQuotebozmanIn UNITY, unfortunately, those who would advocate the use of some sort of firewall are silenced or marginalized, at every level. I know of no one who has had such an experience. Well, that does not mean they don't exist, does it? QuoteIt is taboo to openly criticize ACIM, even in some cases the extreme forms such as Endeavor Academy, or the bogus teachers who
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteDidn't the nice mainstream Catholics recently have a child abuse scnadal? As I recall, virtually none of those priests was defrocked. Yet you hold the reprehensible conduct of one Unity minister as a reason to dislike the movement, but I don't see you posting about the Catholics and their scandal. You're certainly not warning people to stay away from them. This is a debating
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteCosmophilospherFirst, its a Catch-22. They believe you have to believe 100% with NO DOUBT to get a Demonstration. Not at all. You get the demonstration in proportion to what you ar eready to accept. But if you don't really believe that you'll get a million dollars, you will get a very good demonstartion of not getting it. QuoteThey also believe that Thought controls externa
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteCosmophilospherHere is a fun chart, i have no idea if it is accurate. New Thought History Chart It's pretty accurate, although I would add afew things and some of the current organizational connections require updating. For example, there are about 4 branches of Religious Science now, and there may soon be another, as the Agape International Spiritual Center of Truth is divorcing
Forum: Destructive Churches

Here is my main problem with the Unity church and ideologies. First, its a Catch-22. They believe you have to believe 100% with NO DOUBT to get a Demonstration. This sets you up to get extremely confused. They also believe that Thought controls external circumstances. They also believe you can attain the Christ Consciousness, which means you will have the Supernatural Powers of Jesus Christ,
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuotebozmanIn UNITY, unfortunately, those who would advocate the use of some sort of firewall are silenced or marginalized, at every level. I know of no one who has had such an experience. QuoteIt is taboo to openly criticize ACIM, even in some cases the extreme forms such as Endeavor Academy, or the bogus teachers who glom on to the movement such as James Twyman. Even the fake "gold-f
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuotebozmanUNITY is not a cult per se. However, because it has become so far removed from its own guiding priciples, it has become a perfect haven for cultic groups. In what way do you think it has gotten away from its principles? The Unity ministers, licensed teachers, and members I know are all teaching pretty much what they have always taught. Quote3HO, the Sai Baba groups and Endea
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteGold DustI have found so many people in the New Age movements of Channels and Gurus having financial problems. Yet, they will find a way to pay thousands of dollars to their teachers.... and let the needs of their children and self go in the name of God. That is unfortunate. Unity and the other New Thought churches do not practice channelling or have gurus or engage in psychic phenomen
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoteGold DustIn addition, true spiritualist will GIVE THERE WORK of the spirt for free... it will not be a money making business like so many make it. Well...there is a difference between a quick public reading, in the case of a Spiritualist, or a quick prayer ofered in other cases, and a session. If you set up a session, you're going to get charged for the person's training and exper
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuotejoannabenzIn my experience, Unity is totally a church for free thinkers. They do not have dogma, welcome other religions, and never force a minister's beliefs or a speaker's beliefs on anyone. This is a "do-it-yourself" religion, and people are expected to accept some teachings and disregard others, as they see fit. The object is to look at the teachings as theorie
Forum: Destructive Churches

QuoterandomfactorI agree Unity Church tends to be very open and sometimes awfully trusting. It has become, however, a place a new cult is operating. Basically, the general beliefs of the New Age have now been codified into a single belief system, and members of this group are using the "Spiritual" churches to gain converts. I really don't think that's accurate. New Thoug
Forum: Destructive Churches

In UNITY, unfortunately, those who would advocate the use of some sort of firewall are silenced or marginalized, at every level. It is taboo to openly criticize ACIM, even in some cases the extreme forms such as Endeavor Academy, or the bogus teachers who glom on to the movement such as James Twyman. Even the fake "gold-filling miracle" preachers are tolerated, because they bring peo
Forum: Destructive Churches

Thank you for that insight, corboy. It's also come to my attention that Unity churches can be very very different in different parts of the country. A lot depends on the social climate in a particular area.
Forum: Destructive Churches

one can use to understand what Boz is describing: The vulnerablity of the Microsoft Windows operating system to various computer viruses, worms, etc. The program is very useful, lots of people benefit from it. But the MS program has certain vulnerabilities, deficiencies in its boundaries, that permit alien and disruptive programs (viruses, worms) to enter the system, then be carried by the
Forum: Destructive Churches

UNITY is not a cult per se. However, because it has become so far removed from its own guiding priciples, it has become a perfect haven for cultic groups. 3HO, the Sai Baba groups and Endeavor Academy all operate in various Unity churches -- and in the case of Endeavor Academy there are persons who were trained by them in the leadership of the Association of Unity Churches. There has also be
Forum: Destructive Churches

Sunday, January 9, 2005 Gentle Wind Project sues couple over Internet postings By GREGORY D. KESICH, Portland Press Herald Writer The Gentle Wind Project collected millions of dollars in donations by distributing plastic healing instruments that believers say alleviate suffering through the regeneration of human energy fields damaged by trauma. But when two of the group's fo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thank you, Gold Dust, for sharing with us. I believe it's important at this point in time to share our "weird stuff" and our Light with others, even if it may seem a little risky revealing ourselves in a public forum. You do have a good point about self esteem. But whatever label you put on it, it is just another form of Fear. The world is moving faster and faster. Lig
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Toni, joannabenz and All, Thank you so much for your many responses. You are ALL so right about the RIGHT USE of names and groups.... that is a great idea. I was just a little concerned becuase here is the first place I have every written to the public (smile) about some of my life expereinces. The whole world of the human psychology can be so complex, I am sure there is no one white
Forum: Destructive Churches

To Gold Dust -- Thank you for your thoughtful reply, but you did not offend me. It was very interesting to read about how you "downloaded" information from Spirit. I have had the same experience myself. To supermonkey -- I was merely trying to point out that Spiritualism, in my opinion, is not a cult. To All -- Yes, I agree that some Spiritualist forums present a circus atmosp
Forum: Destructive Churches

There is still so much yet to be discovered. for enjoyable and interesting read, by a keen intellect: "Travels" by Michael Chricton He purposely waited until he was famous to publish this book - hoping that people would then take it seriously. Of course, no such luck.
Forum: Destructive Churches

In addition, true spiritualist will GIVE THERE WORK of the spirt for free... it will not be a money making business like so many make it. These gifts are the added thing in your life, a blessings from spirit. This is the point, for many spiritualist, it is all about money.!!!!!
Forum: Destructive Churches

I am very sorry if I over stepped on your toes, yes, I will acknowledge that some do have the ability to KNOW and communicate... but when you are reading their dead loved ones, you are only picking up the EMOTIONS THOUGTHS of the person you are reading for. Your totally mis understood my post... I have seen Auros and been extremely intuitive since I was a child.... What I was talking about
Forum: Destructive Churches

I can see how you might think that Spiritualism is a cult if you are unable to see spirits. I started exhibiting my psychic abilities as a very small child. And no, I was not influenced by anyone else. In fact, I was the only "weird" one in my family. All of us have some form of psychic abilities, even if they only show up in dreams. But each of us has our own path to Truth. I
Forum: Destructive Churches