Has this video been posted in this thread yet? I can't remember and I can't find it. The video above is most illuminating. It's a demonstration of AK performed by James Randi, not James Ray. One difference between these 2 Jameses is that Randi's not trying to sell anyone anything. Shimon, all conmen use the principle first perfected by the witch in Hansel and Gretel
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

So it's definite Stephen Ray is not the brother? I've now seen conflicting reports.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuotebigskepticSince I was the one who started the victim blaming, let me appologize for that. I guess I am blaming the victims to a degree. I don't really understand how a person can become involved in something like this. These are not POW's, captured and held against their will for the 1st "module". They are willing participants... some who have read about the group on
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Spring is busting out all over, and so are new forum trolls! Lester Levenson is considered an American con man. There's enough crap to watch on YouTube without watching his videos. Better yet, watch something worthwhile: I know, I know, ignore the trolls. But sometimes they're just so cute I can't resist poking them in the tummy. QuotetruebutNo human should be FOL
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteYakaru PS That interview with Ray's brother is quite damning. Ray was cooling himself and Megan F with water during the lodge. I was not aware Ray's brother attended the Death Lodge. I don't believe he did; can someone confirm/deny?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This thread is drifting perilously close to victim blaming. Rather than theorize about who gets lured into cults and why, perhaps take a look at the extensive research on this topic? Pinkunicorn, if the ramifications of your "small set of reasons" weren't so sobering, I'd have busted a gut laughing. Surely you realize that a small set of reasons does not equal a small s
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Welcome, mews! I'm very sorry to hear about your broken relationship. First of all, please break up your paragraphs into much smaller pieces. Just a few lines at a time. It is very difficult to read chunks of text online. Second, I am a woman and I have subscriptions to GQ and Details. I feel it's important to know what the other side is up to, and guys I date seem to appreciate t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quoteshimon Then he started looking for answers, and found them in the motivation work of Anthony Robbins — visualisation, positive energy, and yes, walking on hot coals. The firewalking is the most controversial element of Ashley's teaching. He says firewalking is about tapping into "dormant resources" and elevating "the frequency of your energy to that of the fire — fire can
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuotePenelopeO.J. Simpson's acquittal was pretty much about race. The L.A.P.D had/has a long and ugly history of abusive treatment of the black community, so the whole 'frame-up' theory was much more plausible to the jury. James Ray isn't going to get to use the "race card". He might try the religion card, but he's a motivational speaker and quasi-new age aut
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Macumazahn, could you please break your posts into much smaller paragraphs? My eyes bleed when I try to read what you write, which means I skip what you write. Large chunks of text are almost impossible to read online. Thank you.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Let's all remember that OJ Simpson was acquitted. Does anyone know if he's found the real killers yet? Ray has hired very high-priced attorneys. I don't know if they're good, but if they are, well, anything can happen. I hope the prosecution hires experts in persuasion to explain to the jury how the techniques Ray uses work. I note with great interest that Ray will be t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I often write about these horrifying topics in a humorous way; otherwise I'd be too angry to write at all. Exploitation infuriates me. One thing I left out of my first post is the title of the song Raniere's human guinea pigs perform. It's "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. I believe he chose that song deliberately, because these twisted gurus often telegraph their opinions of
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well, I sure hope Roman likes surprises, because when he looks up the refund policy, he's in for a big one. There's no provision for refunds if James Ray cancels; in fact, your payment doesn't obligate JRI to offer the event. Because, as it turns out, Ray doesn't sell events --he sells event registrations. So Roman already has what he paid for! I'm sure he'll be hap
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

OHMIGOD. After a very depressing afternoon re-watching all 4 hours of Adam Curtis's Century of the Self, which is an educational though masochistic way to pass the time, I stumbled on the video below. It's a video of the a cappella group Raniere founded a few years ago. (What won't these gurus think of next? Why can't they just stick to pretending to teach yoga, acting,
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Bump because these comments are too important to be buried.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

We've reached the part of the thread where I recommend Adam Curtis's 4-part documentary, The Century of the Self. No discussion about engineering consent, self-serving gurus, or the elite's manipulation of the meaner classes (cf. Oprah's retailing of personal growth to unsuspecting soccer moms) is complete without a review of this extraordinary work. This is the only 4 hour
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Janice Wheeler is a Scientologist at the highest level, OT VIII. Here's the link to her records: She is also a member of Scientology's business front group, World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE). You might want to google the new HR person's name + "scientology completions" to see if s/he is a Scientologist and/or WISE member. L.Ron Hubbard created WI
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I find this very alarming. I've stayed at one of the hotels you listed. Can you post more info, please?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteYakaru Great plan where you pay $79 a month and 10% goes to a badly planned and probably racist and stupid "charity" scheme. And the rest of the money, well look at the diagram in the link. Why would this stupid "charity" scheme be racist?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteStoicThere was a post on the Droid site by someone claiming to know the Ray family as teenagers. Link?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe Anticult This is part of what has been said about James Ray in these threads for 3 years now. People have terribly misunderestimated this guy, yes he is a reckless maniac who's greed drove him to hurt people and have them die at his seminars. But he knew that, he carefully planned that. Part of his propaganda posted on his own website, says he told people some people could DIE d
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quoteitsashamelet's keep wi warnings front and center Hey, I'm all for that. Ex-WI people, or shills pretending to be concerned parents, where y'all at?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Slightly off-topic, but related. I read somewhere (blogcomment on Droid, I think) that Tony Robbins lost $400 million dollars in 2 years. I have not been able to verify this. Can someone point me to some evidence? The person who wrote the comment seemed to have a good understanding of LGATs; good enough to know the difference between "lost" and "caused to disappear".
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe Anticult James Ray has chosen to remain in a jail cell, for strategic positioning and propaganda. Being in the clink would probably make him feel more confident, as if Paris Hilton survived jail, so can James Arthur Ray. At this point, James Ray would use whatever internal techniques he can to try and convince himself he is going to get out and win, and would be incredibly angry and
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteStoicRoss Jeffries is taking a leaf out of the James Ray marketing manual and beginning to marry the pick-up artist manipulation with spiritual concepts. This video is chockful of manipulative tactics and NLP patterns, I'd advise great care on viewing as Jeffries is at his seductive 'best' here. ross jeffries sales spiel Best line in this video: "Get out of that a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteCCGALQuoteChrista Unconferences are workshops in which people share information about how to do things. And I do have an idea about how Pat came up with the name. I'm sure you know a lot more about unconferences than I do, given that all I know is what I was able to Google after you mentioned them. After reading about them, I had the idea that the people attending were also th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteJimmyCI've been a disciple of Rajneesh for 30 years...All that has happened for me has been beneficial. Trust this. QuoteJimmyCGo fuck your stupid ignorant self! What a fucking phony jackoff! You've been snagged dipshit! All that has happened has been beneficial? My God, what were you like before?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteCCGALUnseminars are nothing like unconferences. The closest comparison I can make, based on my own experiences, would be a "how to" workshop taught by a person who knows how to do something. I have no idea how Pat came up with the "Unseminar" name, though I've wondered if it was related to 7-Up's "Uncola" branding. Unconferences are workshops in w
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteCCGAL I attended Pat O'Bryan's Unseminar4. SNIP Thank you for your posts, CCGAL. I thought what happened to you was extremely unprofessional and quite brutal. My comment is related to something you wrote that I find very alarming. "Unseminar". The use of this term disturbs me. For those who don't know, the whole Unconference phenomenon comes out of the
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Scientology has Fair Gamed its last victim. Aaron Saxton, a former SeaOrg member, has been working with Sen. Nick Xenophon and a group of ex-Scientologists in Australia to give the government the evidence it needs to consider launching an investigation into Corporate Scientology's ongoing human rights abuses and violation of tax laws. He's also released several devastating YouTub
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"