I think I said this at some point earlier, so to reiterate, my Sterling ex told me there are two kinds of women: The kind you marry, and the kind you take to Vegas for the weekend. He made it pretty clear to me that he thought that men shouldn't have to be monogamous.
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Once a person learns the truth about the Sterling Men and other men's "empowerment" groups, I think paranoia is a reasonable, normal consequence. They are to society what potentially harmful bacteria is to our drinking water... Anyway, people can be unpredictable, so who knows what an unstable person is capable of doing once a group like this fills their head with a bunch of malark
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Wow. Good for you for acting so decisively, but sorry it had to end up this way.
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

If I was a TV writer, I'd pitch a dramatic series based on the Sterling Men to HBO. Combining elements of bizarre humor with psychological horror, the topic of the Sterling Men provides a wealth of material that seems ripe for commercial exploitation. Not only would it be a highly entertaining show, but it would create some much needed public awareness and hopefully harm the ability of group
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Tell him he can be a good man on his own without giving over all his time and money to a bunch of jerks who get their testosterone kicks by bullying other men into becoming a--holes. Tell him you've read that many relationships actually break up because of this cruel and destructive cult, and that you don't want your relationship to suffer the same fate.
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

I was happy to find this article suggesting that the Sterling Institute of Relationships is slowing down: "William Eichengrun, a Westchester County businessman negotiating the sale on behalf of Sterling, said his friend is selling the temple because his retreats were occurring less often than he expected — as seldom as four times a year. "He wasn't utilizing it suffic
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It is uncanny how almost everything that is written about Sterling in these posts is consistent with my own bad experience with a Sterling -- often in direct word-for-word quotes of things he said. After I clued in to what was going on and let him go, I did some research and made my own informal diagnosis of NPS, along with a whole buffet of other related personality disorders. It is scary that t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Very interesting about the Native American connection. The guy I was dating made some references to that as well, but it was more along the lines of doing charitable work for native communities than actively recruiting from them. However, it doesn't surprise me that these guys are trained to sniff out vulnerable people to exercise their control over, whoever and wherever they may be. I know
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Oh, and in regards to infidelity? According to the words of my ex-Sterling Man, having mistresses in addition to a wife at home is the way things are historically/naturally supposed to be. "Boys will be boys" is basically how it was explained to me. I also have a copy of a recruitment letter for a Mens Weekend that he allegedly wrote himself (although I get the impression that it is
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi Naivenomore, A lot of your concerns/ questions are the same as those I came out with in the end of my relationship with a Sterling man. I'm pretty sure that I know how you feel. That kind of manipulation is a pretty mind-boggling thing to have been through. I know that Dave Vanian is trying to create a balanced perspective, and I appreciate any information that comes to the table,
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Thanks. I really appreciate all your input. I like knowing as much of the story as possible. I'm glad you think he will eventually snap out of it. I hope so, but he's got some real problems. From everything I've read here about all these secular-type cults, "spiritual communities," MLMs, etc., he has an extreme case of brainwashing that goes far beyond what most peopl
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

That being said, I'd still take the advice of Rick Ross and the person who posted the "Warning to All Women: Stay Away from Men in the Sterling Men" (or whatever it was titled) to not associate with men from that organization. I don't know if your question "Has anything "Sterling" directly affected you in your life? Or friends/relatives?" was directed a
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Maybe it was just the guy -- it was at least partially the guy because he is still responsible for his own actions to some degree, but I've read enough tid bits in other people's posts to see some uncanny similarities in behavior and to get a better understanding of the philosophies that would condone emotional cruelty and physical violence towards women if interpreted to their extreme
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Thanks! I'm a lurker, for sure. Having come so close to something this weird and disturbing, it's hard not to be more than a little obsessed. Even from my limited exposure, I'm sure there's a lot more to Sterling than is currently known by the interested public, and I'd be surprised if any of it was good. I had hoped that more women would respond to my post, but maybe thi
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Woah. No problem about the long post; it's all so fascinating. I could write 1000s of words on the Sterling guy I was dating, and we were only together for a month or so (until I looked up "Sterling Men" on the internet and broke up with him almost immediately). He was seriously into it though, and lots of other weird stuff too for all I can tell; he is definitely the most complica
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If your soon-to-be-husband stays in Sterling, what will you do? I hope you will continue to update this group on what happens.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The person I know who is in Sterling told me a very improbable story about having an encounter with aliens that also involved a manifestation of his recently deceased father. I know that having some sort of closure with one's father is an important part of Sterling; the part of the story about aliens seemed to cross over into some kind of Raelian-type narrative (from the little I know about
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I recently broke up with a man who I discovered was deeply involved in the Sterling Men/ Sterling Institute of Relationships after a couple of months of dating. He appears to also be involved in several similar cult-like groups and organizations throughout the Western United States (-- the names of which I unfortunately do not know). Like most people who have posted their bad experiences with Ste
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I recently broke up with a man who I discovered was deeply involved in the Sterling Men/ Sterling Institute of Relationships after a couple of months of dating. He appears to also be involved in several similar cult-like groups and organizations throughout the Western United States (-- the names of which I unfortunately do not know). Like most people who have posted their bad experiences with Ste
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes