inifinitymike: Actually some groups called "cults" like Scientology and the Kabbalah Centre specifically target Hollywood stars and celebrities. And most stars don't join cults.
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Hi again, I have discontinued all contact with BB but my close brush has left me pondering on what actually happened in my time online with them. This has prompted me to reflect a bit on my experience and these are the conclusions I have come to, 1) Due to its lineage BB is basically an organization with values akin to orthodox Judaism, hence only married men do the bulk of the work, wom
Forum: Destructive Churches

hello I am/was a student at the Bnei Baruch online Kabbalah education centre. I have only been there for a few weeks. I've always considered myself a fairly intelligent, but open minded and stable person but with the commopn defect of always searching for something. Suddenly it seems that I have possibly started to induct myself into a cult (see thread 'bnei baruch anyone?). I think
Forum: Destructive Churches

i cannot say it is the way you are supposed to do it but my way was to stop calling the people i was hanging with / stop volunteering/ stop going to the centre to see if anyone needed help with anything/ stop going to services/ stop returning any phne calls/stop calling back anyone who needed help with events/stop giving anything of myself that i gave so freely to them/ stop tithing/ stop communi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

just spoke to a friend on the phone today who I used to do lots of volunteering at the centre with. reminiscing of the times when we would nearly drop frm exhaustion etc... so i found out there is this new rule you can't attend those grreat events at the centre UNLESS... you take classes and tithe-that is an absolute requirement EVEN TO VOLUNTEER! at least that is what i thought my friend ex
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

jaim--I fell for it for three main reasons: 1. The Kabbalah Centre is so obviously a money-making scheme and their teachings are so basic a thoughtful teenager could have created them. Finding a free resource that is much, much deeper and more complex caught my interest right away and didn't seem like there would be a problem. 2. Machsom, as a concept, doesn't seem too outrageous
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I signed up on the new BB board a little while back. I haven't posted anything there, at least not yet, but I have read a number of the questions/answers and I am alarmed. I swear things were not this out of hand in the past, although it seems from others' experiences that they really were this out of hand all along. Signing up is free and easy, so anyone can check out this board and ve
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Jain and everyone else. I am grateful for all the information on this forum about Bnei Baruch. I am too wary to ask anyone at BB my questions so I put them here. I have been a BB student for years now and I have also studied with the Kabbalah Centre (as have many of the BB students), and recently I started to experience the same type of feelings that I had before leaving the KC. My conc
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I am posting a reply to the original message sender. Your request for help is too general and it makes it difficult for me to know if I may help you. Since you posted the message some time ago, hopefully by now you need no help at all. Otherwise, being a little more specific could help others give you a hand. I might help specially in case your boyfriend enjoys the learning experience (h
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

i was a very active member for 2 years. i deprogrammed myself. it was very hard i thought many people were my friends. i sucked myself of energy volunteering and living in a bubble thinking i would reach that big pie in the sky went bankrupt too. my fault of course. gave up all the friends don't live in a bubble anymore. got most of my life back the term "lashonora" let m
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

this response is a form of manipulation (in my experience) having been a super student for 2 years and learning the ropes of manipulations to keep the chain going to draw more students in myself. as you participate in the "big open houses" and "big lectures" and "big this" and "big that" you meet new perspective students and jibber jabber and give them a
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I already read what you wrote there...It still does not answer why would someone hide their association to this organization?! From the Centres aspect it makes sense..let this fool fall for a girl and there is one more person to manipulate. From watching what goes on in this place and finding these homes where "chevras" live (volunteers who have given up on their own family and li
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

See There is much information within this subsection from former members, experts etc. It is a collection of news reports and information from a broad range of sources. It may answer many of your questions.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

There are so many questions that I would like to ask and exchange experiences with people in regards to the Kabbalah Centre. I was dating a girl for about 8 months ... her mother and her are involved . Her father and grandparents which are not involved were hiding this from me. Could anyone please think of why this is? Since most people I spoke to amongst specialists found this very odd becau
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I feel for you. My boyfriend too is deeply involved with the kabbalah center of New York (some years now). He spends all his free time with them. He trusts them completely. They've encouraged him, among other things, to distance himself from me. He doesn't tell me that, but by now, I know. I am distraught. I completely understand your situation. Since we are going through almost t
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

If there are any ex-KC people out there, or anyone, who can offer me some advice? Thanks. Drummerchick- I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend and his involvment in KC. Please respond if you're interested in discussing his situation with me. I'm working on a documentary about people in your position - with a loved one in a high demand group - and I've done a ton of researc
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

See
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I need help--my boyfriend is gradually being sucked into the Kabbalah Centre. I was fine and supportive of him taking classes there until he started telling me some things about the class that concerned me. I then did a TON of research, and now I am very concerned it is a cult. I am trying to not be argumentative with him, but it is very hard. He perceives my attempts to warn him as attempts at c
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

MikeBB: Based upon your responses and Jama's comments BB seems to be a questionable and problematic organization, which I would not recommend to anyone. Thank you for acknowleding Jama as a reputable source. BTW--There is no private messaging function until after 10 approved posts. Fortunately, though you seem to be unable to identify any by name specifically as equal to BB, ther
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

"outtathere" -- Yes, I enjoy the study of Kabbalah. I have no problem with that at all. You are more than welcome to be an atheist or agnostic or whatever term you feel best applies to you. But to expect others to just agree with you is unfair. I came here for information on Bnei Baruch not because I had any suspicions but because it's the smart thing to do. There are so many po
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thank you, Rick. How many warning signs are too many based on your experience? Here's a rundown of things I've seen. Maybe Renee can add or share more information from her experiences. With Bnei Baruch I haven't seen any financial disclosures, although you can donate if you wish (not pushed at all... the most "pushing" I've seen was a blanket request that if you c
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hey Renee, I came here wondering the same thing... I've scoured the web for information on Bnei Baruch and the ARI Online Learning Center, but keep coming up empty-handed. I don't suspect there is a problem for the following reasons: - Everything is free. All of the books that you can buy can also be downloaded for free and they don't try to hide that fact. The articles, music,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Aid comes with red strings, say Madonna foes Madonna's personal and Kabbalah Centre reps rallied round her yesterday to deflect criticism of her recent activities in Africa. The pop star has been hit with a claim by the father of her adopted son, David, that he didn't know what adoption meant. On top of that come concerns about the use of a Kabbalah Centre curriculum in the Af
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

This Madonna is one sick-puppy. She appears to have told blatant lies about the father and family of the child she adopted. And she has supposedly already put the child into her Kabbalah sect. This whole thing stinks to high heaven. I have seen Madonna blatantly lie many times about various things in the media. Looks like for once she is going to be caught. You know what I think might be g
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

thelambchopkid: The Kabbalah Centre has a sordid and troubled history. See It does seem to be more like a business than a relgion despite its tax-exempt religious status. And it is run much like a family business by the Bergs. Attacking the Roman Catholics doesn't change that. Please try to avoid "flaming."
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Note the links higher up on this thread to the subsection within the database about the Kabbalah Centre run by Philip and Karen Berg. The database contains quite a bit of information.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quoterrmoderator No complaints seem to be coming out about any other group studying Kabbalah. When I was a child and involved in Chabad, they did study the Kabbalah. This group had a lot of Hasidic influence though. I do not know if all Chabad groups all like this.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

No relation whatsover.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

just noticed the Bergs mentioned and wondered if they are distant relation of the infamous David Berg?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I wish to share my .02 cents worth with my unfortunate dealings with the Kabbalah Centre. This is something I strongly urge for you to read as soon as you can!!! For several years now I have been reading the numerous books, listening to tapes, etc. from the Kabbalah Centre run by Philip Berg. Thankfully my local library had many of those books/tapes in their system. Regretfully last yea
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"