Please don't post for others. If someone's post is not approved, it's not approved. In this case, as anyone can see, this Landmark devotee offers the same old repetitive and boring verbiage. The tired refrain, "that wasn't true for me." People like this don't post here to exchange ideas or discuss anything. This individual is simply attempting to
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Elizabeth Smart was abducted at knifepoint and held in a boarded pit as a prisoner for two weeks. See Brian Mitchell her captor was no groom. And the teenager's Mormon upbringing had nothing to do with the situation she was forced into. In fact, her abductor's prophetic claims would be dismissed by anyone that had a basic knowledge of the Mormon Church. There can be only on
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Ex-ISKCON and Supermonkey: Please understand that insulting people and/or their religious faith (e.g. Hindu) will not be allowed at this discussion board. Also, as said before to Supermonkey-- ISKCON is hardly "harmless" and promoting such false information is not helpful here. The Hindu religion and its beliefs have existed for thousands of years. Ex-ISKCON has correctl
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Marcos: Please use regular email. The message board is not for posting notes to me. Contact points are available throughout the website.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

You are very wrong about Krishna. The facts directly contradict your conclusions. Please take the time to do the research and read the facts. See So many times cults can convince people first-hand that they are benign and put on a good show. Initial impressions or visits can be quite deceiving. That is the nature of the beast. Of course I have witnessed first-hand literally hundreds
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Socrates: This message board is not about you, your theories or need to be right. Rather than go and on and on and on with you, suffice to say--read the links provided as they are self-explanatory. Pick up a few good books by Singer, Lifton and Cialdini and you will eventually "get it." See It seems like your purpose here is grandiose preaching and pontificating. Plea
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Supermonkey: You are dead wrong about ISKCON. And the objective evidence previously linked proves this. Regardless of what your personal experience was in 1989, the group has a well-established history that directly contradicts your assessment. Nori Muster is an authority on the group and has done considerable research. Ms. Muster is not "mad" at ISKCON, other than of course
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Socrates: Despite your supposed "firewall," you and/or anyone else can potentially be "brainwashed." And you are not immune or unsususceptible to the coercive persuasion techniques described. Frankly it seems like your intention at this message board is to pontificate and promote pet theories. That is not the purpose of this board. The hard research that disproves
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Socrates: No one said you have to leave. But if you would rather leave than post within the guidelines of this board, that's certainly your choice to make. Actually what you have said that is relevant to LGATs has already been covered within the writings of Margaret Singer, Robert Jay Lifton, Robert Cialdini and Richard Ofshe. See the following links: These aut
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Supermonkey: You are quite wrong about the Krishna organization. Krishna reps appearing at AFF conferences for talks is apparently a rather contrived effort to afford them some public relations spin. They put on their best face in such talks and hope people will buy it. Former member Nori Muster who wrote a book about her experiences in Krishna didn't buy it. See ISKCON (Kris
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

There is a complete section under "Getting Help" titled "Coping Strategies" that covers this area. See
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Get a lawyer.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Marcos: A comparitive study of Singer's Six Conditions as practiced within Landmark would be interesting. Also Lifton's eight criteria for thought reform. I have done such studies regarding other groups, but not Landmark. See the following reports: It seems the verbiage and outer visible facade changes from group to group, but most often the inner mechanics of
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Supermonkey: See Hare Krishna (ISKCON) has a horrible history of well documented abuse.
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Socrates: Please try to understand that this board is not about you, your "powerful thought," "knowlege" or the "places" you believe you have been to. This board is about specific controversial groups, leaders and movements. And members posting here are focused on that area of interest. If you cannot stay on topic and continue going on about your personal ph
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Socrates: Fine. But whatever you or anyone else considers "being a fully formed human being," is not the purpose of this board. The focus here is a relatively narrow one. The topics specifically focus on the dynamics, behavior and relevant facts regarding controversial groups, leaders and movements. You seem to want to share your personal philosophy and/or worldview, but
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Socrates: Just wanted to warn you about the rules and parameters of this message board. This is a moderated board and it does have rules/guidelines. Those who repeatedly break the rules may have their posts blocked/deleted and/or eventually be excluded.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Anyone interested in Satanism and the bogus claims made by alleged "survivros" should read the information archived through the previously posted link. This is not anything I have said, but rather reports from law enforcement, government agencies and news articles. The Ross Institute database includes this information for public education. The reports explain why the "Sata
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

LoriS: There are some resources for recovery and support listed on the Links page under "Recovery and Support." See Wellspring Retreat is a licensed mental health facility with two clinical psychologists on staff. They are an excellent resource for mental health professionals to turn to for advice on treatment. Bill and Lorna Goldberg of New Jersey are well-recognized profe
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

At this point it seems important to make some points and distinctions. Landmark has awell-documented troubled history, which is reflected through numerous press articles, reports and personal testimonies. They have been sued for personal injury and there are breakdowns reported. I would not recommend taking the risk of attending such a troubled program under any circumstances. It is c
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Socrates: I am not personally, but instead professionally concerned about Landmark and other LGATs. The Ross Institute (RI) database has thousands of documents about hundreds of groups, movements and leaders. Landmark is actually only one relatively small subsection, though the group does generate substantial complaints. The concern of this website is education (i.e. RI is an educatio
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Socrates seems to imply that it's possible to outthink LGATs like Landmark and someone properly briefed will be immune to their techniques. At this point it seems important to point out the obvious. Why engage them at all? Landmark, Lifespring, EST, the Forum, Sterling Institute of Relationship are all LGATs listed within the Ross Institute database. See They have well-docume
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Plato: Please help to further enlighten members of this discussion board. Was your Forum experience generally positive or negative? Did you take additional courses through Landmark Education? Would you recommend Landmark or the Forum to others under certain circumstances?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The Sterling Institute of Relationship is essentially a spin-off of EST, though it incorporates various aspects of its format from controversial writer Robert Bly ("Iron Man") and John Gray ("Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus). For more information about John Gray see "Sterling Husband" is attempting to mislead visitors to this site and those concerned about
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Sorry Warytraveller2, did confuse you with another apologist. I am Jewish, which is posted at the Ross Institute main page under About Us. My work has included serving on two national committees for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the largest Jewish denomination. So, yeah I guess people who post here do believe in something, just not EST/Landmark and other groups that appear
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Be wary of "Warytraveller2" First he posts comments critical of the Catholic Church, then he says he likes it. Back and forth we go and around and around. Again, Warytraveller2's purpose here seems to be to create conflict, generate apologies and do whatever he can to disturb the board. It seems he has attended quite a few groups listed on the Ross Institute database.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Socrates: To a certain point, but it may become a waste of space and a bother to others on the board. E.g. "flames" (diatribes) are edited out. This board does have rules, which each user agrees to in advance. It is also a moderated board, which is understood and advised in advance. People who post here as apologists ("Trolls") are not really welcome or appreci
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

OK Socrates, but Warytraveller2 is here to essentially undercut criticism of EST/Landmark and generally muddy the water. The Catholic Church has its problems and "holy mysteries," but Landmark is not so mysterious, it's a for-profit privately owned business and the complaints keep pouring in. And the excerpt you previously posted was written by an evangelical Protestant. No s
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

About Warytraveller2: Again and again he sounds like a cult apologist and it seems repeatedly that his purpose on this board is to obfuscate and do whatever he can to confuse visitors and/or readers regarding issues raised. Warytraveller2's remark about the Roman Catholic Church is evidence of this. See The issue of what is a "cult" is reviewed and defined in-depth thr
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Warytraveller2: Again, Landmark is good at convincing people through its controlled environment and persuasion techniques that they got "it" and that getting "it" is good. It is not surprising at all that a poll reflects this. It seems to me though, that if they really believe their programs are so good they would follow-up with people. This could easily be done throu
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"