official announcement here:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

People are getting away with this stuff because the world is not wise to their methods. We are doing something, we are educating ourselves.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

"In any case, it sounds like the book has some helpful chapters, and offers plenty of food for thought." Or if anyone has already 'spiritually bypassed' thought, let's hope it's food for their gut :)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I came across today this interesting quote today, from CIC's Ian Haworth, which makes the same point about instability being a blessing: Q: Do you believe intelligent, educated people are more likely to be recruited than people in turmoil or who may be considered unstable? A: This idea of troubled people is the eternal myth. People want to imagine this is the case because they don'
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I was very sad to see an article by a well known UK celebrity in a national newspaper lauding the Landmark Forum just yesterday. The article contains a link to Landmark with no other information other than the celebrity describing how it changed his life:
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

OK after my earlier comments today I had another look. I think really there are just two sections, one about addiction, and another about defining unconditional love which were interesting but too theoretical for me and seemed to go on for ever. They made good points, but in the end I skipped ahead. I'm now onto reading about an analysis of how Gurus use the concepts of oneness, awakening
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I've just realised I've perhaps done the same thing as the authors and made statements about the book without giving any evidence to back up my opinion! I may go back and try to find some examples of why I felt what I did. I don't want to focus on the negative too much though, it is a really good read in places, especially when there is such a lack of available reading resources
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I'm still reading it at the moment. It feels spot on in some places, and in others I'm put off by what seem to completely unsupported, general and manifesto-like statements about how the world is or should be. It is written by two people in the form of separate essays, which might explain why it changes tone intermittently. I've downgraded my initial excitement as I entered the sec
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Love this explanation of someone getting doubts in Scientology over a decade and then deciding to leave finally. Shows how some of us experience large events that cause a departure and others just finally act on creeping doubt.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It's a really good read, I've been glued to it all day. I wish I could transcribe the whole thing here!
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Very interesting book I've just come across called the "The Guru Papers" which takes apart the Eastern guru/disciple relationship. I'm working my way through it, but I'm looking forward to the section called "Healing crippled self-trust". I'm not receiving anything for this recommendation by the way! I did a lot of online research as the reviews are
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thanks that's helpful! On a side note I can totally relate to the quote in the first post about not being allowed to have friends. Any time I started to get close to anyone I found it being undermined, especially if I voiced frustration of any kind. Constantly being stressed into "taking it to Baba" if I had any problems, many of which Baba was no doubt instigating.
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

This apology he wrote almost sounds like an apology if you insert the word 'abuse' every time he writes 'tough love'. Horrible.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi all, During a recent, and hopefully the last, discussion with a current member of the group to which I used to belong, this phrase came up in various ways: "Yes, but that's not been my experience". The implication being of course that it is my fault what happened to me. It triggered me, but it also triggered a memory of reading something about how this subjective analy
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

Is this documentary still happening?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Concerning the video above which purportedly shows Mooji returning to the house of his master 'Poonjiji'. (there's no link, but it's this one . You may need a sickbag) Although this is one of the few apparent attempts to legitimize Mooji on the internet (presumably if anything else existed it would be everywhere), in fact his going there doesn't signify any special st
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I used to see Falun Gong members protesting outside the Chinese embassy in the city where I lived. Without knowing anything, my immediate assumption was that they were a victim of religious intolerance. But after further research it's more complex than that obviously. I wonder whether similar crackdowns on scientology in Russia provoke sympathy among the uneducated and unaware.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"