Bumping because this is a great resource that needs to be visible.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

eaglecage, I didn't mean to be accusatory at all. It's hard to communicate nuance online. I'm truly just genuinely astonished you're having a hard time finding info on Scn, because there's nothing easier to find than info on Scn. There's so much online about this very dangerous cult that I thought it was impossible for anyone to miss it. Here are some links to
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Am I the last person to know that Sashen's wife, Lena Phoenix, is the author of the book The Heart of a Cult? It's a novel that's based on her personal experiences in at least one cult. I had a real WTF?!? moment whan I discovered that. I wonder if she posts here? Link to site:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I second what Sparky said, and I'm going to add more info. eaglecage, for someone who claims to be interested in Scientology, your questions and remarks are consistently shallow and uninformed. Wikipedia didn't ban Scientology because it's an evil, criminal enterprise. If that were the reasoning, Wikipedia would also ban entries on the Mafia and North Korea. Those entries re
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is the entire, unexpurgated text of the email I received from citygirl after her visit to her daughter. Judge for yourselves. Re: I need help From: citygirl To: Christa Date: 05/14/2009 09:40PM Christa, i just read the link you gave me on cults through "you tube". I found this very offending . Wright is simply not anywhere on this level. I just got back from my v
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quotecitygirl I hope that clears my view up, my heart goes out to all of you that have suffered. Save your heart for yourself. You're going to need it.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

citygirl's PMs to me after her visit to her daughter contained enthusiastic endorsements of Wright, and stern reproaches about how wrong we all are about Wright's cult status.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

That's true, Anticult, but I was still shocked that this group was able to get him. I know that many of its main backers are extremely wealthy and powerful, but to give a group as bad as this any sort of cachet at all seems dangerous to me. So many people seem to take any sort of connection to a famous person as a kind of legitimacy. I just got a note about the Wright Group, and the perso
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have received assurances that the Wright Institute is not a cult. Rather, they offer ways to engage in "growth." I'm going to paraphrase the letter I received. I'm not going to unravel all of its flagrant logical flaws, however illustrative those flaws might be. I'll just comment on a couple of facts. To paraphrase, I was told that Judith is famous and very charis
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Thank you for posting this.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

VERIFIED. The show is in production and they are looking for ex-cult members. Tony Robbins would know all about cults; he uses so many of mind-control methods himself. Those gigantic teeth must be made of chutzpah. ++++++++++++ Here's the email the show's reps sent to an inquiring mind: Originally Posted by Tony Robbins Casting It looks like that post has been taken
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There is some hope/fear that this is a fake of some sort. I'm not one of the people researching that, but I will post here as soon as there's a definitive answer. I don't know how I'll feel if it is fake. Tony Robbins could really harm ex-cult members, so could someone who wants to lure them into a fake non-Tony Robbins casting call. Obviously, I think the best advice fo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I'm going to reject Luca's invitation to use more measured language. There are so few places, on the net or in IRL, that really push back against exploitative groups. It's important to be forceful and clear. corboy is absolutely right, Luca, and the fact the you feel insulted does not make him wrong. The experience of the person who pays money to Option for a one week course
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Has anyone else seen this casting call from Craigslist? This OUTRAGES me! It's almost as bad as Werner Erhard or Byron Katie doing this kind of show!! *****Ad From Craigslist LA:***** LEFT CULT OR RELIGIOUS SECTOR AND FIND SELF PYSCHOLOGICALLY DAMAGED? Reply to: TonyCastWest@gmail.com
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I see several problems with a parent's requesting a meeting with her child's employers, starting with the fact the we are not in third grade anymore. An adult child who is engaging in the developmentally appropriate activity of separating from her parents would probably not appreciate her mommy's asking to speak with her employees. No worker wants to give an employer the impressio
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I believe you mean Julianne Moore's movie "Safe." It's very good.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes, I know what you mean. We've actually been trying different ways to index that thread or break out some of the info. That whole thread is truly an extraordinary ongoing contribution; it's on the level of a graduate seminar. The link below will take you to a post by corboy where he links to several parts of the Katie thread and suggests search terms to use. corboy's posts, wh
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Maybe I'm missing something, but I cannot discern the OP's gender from his/her post, and regardless of gender, didn't sense that romance is on offer here. Obviously, it's just about finding fresh prey, but I didn't get anything other than a (false) friendship vibe. Romance or not, OP, you've gotten some great advice here. It's important to be very firm, clea
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Citygirl I think you are right to be alarmed. I want to post a little bit about my experience. I think it's relevant to your daughter. Cults do not have to be confined to physical spaces. Members do not have to wear orange, shave their heads, and live in a remote compound (or even in a townhouse in Manhattan). They do not have to be under the direct physical control of a charismatic
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It's too bad someone who misspells "therapeutic" as "therapudic" probably is too benighted to appreciate all the great jokes that immediately come to mind. Etymology: New Latin, singular of Latin pudenda, from neuter plural of pudendus, gerundive of pudere: to be ashamed
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

corboy-- OMG the Human League! Is that the song you meant? It's Eighties Revival Night on the Rick Ross forum! With all the grimness and horror on this thread, we can all use a lift. Here's the lyrics. I hope it's not a copyright violation to post them. Don't You Want Me --The Human League You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar When I met you I picked
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I want to emphatically second what Corboy said in response to Susan's message, and add a couple of points of my own. Today I read about the singer Rihanna, who is reportedly still in love with the singer Chris Brown, the boyfriend who punched up her face. Her family is horrified, his family blames her, and, according to the NYT, many teen-age girls blame her as well. "She must have d
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

From The Anticult: "Stephen Mitchell,... Byron Katie is his main gig. She is the star, he is basically Mr Byron Katie, in reality. (which he would not like very much!) But notice in the BK seminars, people are "taught" what an amazing writer Stephen Mitchell is...who added that to the curriculum?" Hmmm. To focus on just one part of your very thought-provoking post, I
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I've known about Karla for several years. She wrote an essay that appeared in one of the skeptic magazines. I deeply admire her. I think she's a great example of the sort of person who could make it as a guru, yet decides not to; she's obviously intelligent, perceptive, and possessed of a conscience and a strong moral sense. Says something about those who decide to stay in the g
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I just found this story by clicking on the the comments link on janaki's blog. I'm including the link to the comment. I am reposting this here to give it wider distribution and also to prompt more people to come forward. Just the few stories we've come across have done so much good! Telling your story matters-- not just to you but to others around the world. I'm also tr
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I don't know about everyone else, but the more I learn about Katie the scarier it gets. I'm close to concluding "the work "is potentially worse than Scientology. I didn't think that was possible. I feel compelled to repeat and expand on a fact that appears much earlier on this epic thread. Katie's son, Ross Robinson, the "Godfather of Nu Metal," is a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Boy, this thread moves fast! I'm not so sure there's no more mystery to Katie. I'd appreciate more NLP and textual analysis of her works, and more inside info. I also feel there's more that needs to be on the record. So, I'd like to react to Anticult's spot-on analysis of the article "Fasting Friends" from my perspective as a member of the target audien
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I don't believe this has been posted-- Footage from the School. IMPORTANT TO WATCH the last 40 seconds.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Wow, thanks for doing this!
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Oh, thank you, Anticult. Now I think I understand what you were saying :-) And that understanding leads me back to a point you made on March 3, 2009, in the Guru 1.0-5.0 post. (At this rate, this is going to be the first thread in history with footnotes and bibliography) I've had a huge insight about my own situation because of the last couple of days' posts, so this post might be
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"