Wow! I had no idea of the drama behind Wikipedia! It raises many interesting questions about how "democracy" works behind the scenes. Humans seem to organize themselves into "dominance hierarchies", like our primate cousins. Again, Critical Thinking and analysis seem to be the way to sort through these types of mazes. Coz
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

This is the suggestion/command to turn off your Critical Thinking faculty. They want you to suppress the very faculty of mind which can stop them from harming you. This is one of the most damaging things anyone can do to you. NEVER LET SOMEONE TAKE AWAY YOUR ABILITY TO THINK FOR YOURSELF. Coz Quoteparkito "Turn off that voice in your head" they say.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

That is my viewpoint, that it is all the power of Suggestion and Belief. Obviously, this is a massive subject, and people have different points of view. But to me, if i BELIEVE that Sai Baba can read my thoughts, and control my chakras, then i am going to feel those effects, just like if i BELIEVE that a Voodoo Hex is going to harm me. The world is full of charlatans, claiming they can talk
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I agree that a certain % of the population is highly suggestible. There is massive hysteria, distortion, and lies about hypnosis out there, much of it propagated by those who sell hypnotic services. I know a lot about hypnosis. I have been "hypnotized" countless times, and can perform "hypnosis", and have watched countless acts of hypnosis. In my opinion all it is, is the
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hypnosis cannot "take control" of people, and there is no need to "bring someone out" of a "hypnotic trance". There is enormous controversy about what hypnosis actually is. I think it is more accurate to talk about "Influence". In my view there is no need to get "mysterium" about it. Its hardcore Social Influence at work. Coz
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The Raelians.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hmmm. You just "happen" to meet his "Sterling friends" and then you just "happen" to "want" to go and do the course....and then you just "happen" to come and make your first post on this website about how "it intrigues me and I want to check it out". You obviously know little about "brainwashing" and Influence, but on the oth
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

That was just great. Great work, and nice job. What joy to read someone sharp enough to beat those clowns at their own game. I hope you post your speech all over the place. I think the internet, and free information could really damage Landmark. And in the words of Martha Stewart...That's a good thing... Coz
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If the credit card charge hasn't gone through yet, you can have your card "lost or stolen", and cancel the card right away. Beware though, if you signed a contract, they could sue you for the money. It all depends on the contract you signed. A last ditch effort is to go to the local media, cry fowl, and often this will spark a refund. Coz
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well, if its any consolation, i don't think you are "mean". Dealing with any type of a cult is an ugly business. Those who go through it can have intense anger. I don't have any problem with people using strong and colorful language to express their genuine outrage. Anger is part of the healing process. Just tell the emotional truth as you see it. Coz
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

One of the key aspects of fanaticism of any kind, is Absolutism. That is, rigid ideas about "absolute truth", and what ALL people must do, etc. For instance, what if all of these beliefs about God are wrong? What if Life arose through Evolution by Natural Selection over millions of years, in a Cosmos that is billions of years old, like the scientific evidence says? What if God is m
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It seems to me, that humans have ancient, biological tendencies to exist within a Dominance Hierarchy, like many other primates. They also have the tendency to submit to the leader/father of their "tribe" and let the Alpha do the thinking for them. There are very deep biological and evolutionary roots to all of this, in my view. Unfortunately, i see no easy answers to the problem o
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Profs are doing all sorts of crackpot stuff all over the place in the name of academic freedom, and they will continue to do so. I hate to be blunt here, but last time i checked, those groups they are promoting are legal. Academic freedom, and freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of association are very tricky things. They actually apply most to those who's ideas we disag
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes, that nutty academic freedom bytes both ways. No worries, the world is full of wacked out cultists and nutty professors, yet the world keeps on spinning. Never surrender. Coz
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The danger with these people, are that many of the techniques they use are extremely powerful, for those who know how to use them. Most psychologists who use some of these techniques are highly Ethical. They realize they have a lot of power, so they try to use this power responsibly. But these NLP clowns are sociopathic, in many cases. They have NO proper psychological training, and they ju
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Here is an audio interview with Robbins and this Robert Young guy. From what i know, Robert Young was a FORMER partner of Robbins, who Robbins was in some type of partnership with, then I guess they "broke up" and Robbins came out with his own line of related "health products", and his own brand of "Greens". Here is a bunch of anti-scientific ideas, which are
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Here is a thread about NLP. There are some good things about NLP, but its really populated by a bunch of hucksters trying to get rich by promising you the moon. Its basically Cognitive Therapy, that is, modifying your cognitions. Beware, the NLP field is full of bullshit artists. Coz
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well, there is certainly no money in polyamory! That sounds more like an expense! Coz
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Pandu is showing his true colors and intentions in posting here. Pandu, you will find people here with critical thinking skills, and common sense. They won't be convinced by flim-flam and mystical stories of enlightenment, or blatant lies. All of that cultic nonsense will blown out of the water in about 5 seconds. Rick Ross allows lots of criticism on this website. Name ONE cultish
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

What Pandu describes sounds to me like a hallucination, or a delusion, or slipping into Mania, or even just a dream while partially awake, or could be related to a mental illness. Or of course, he/she could have just made it all up, to use as a "sales-pitch" to get people interested in this sort of thing. Personal psycho-emotional experiences have little to do with the structure and
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

This is an exquisite example of the power of persuasion. Above is a thread from the Robbins website, about Robbins birthday next week, i guess. The thread was started by one of Robbins own moderators. He started the thread, as its part of their Social Influence strategy. Robbins seems to want to make his fans LOVE him. He wants to be their "Best Friend". Not just "like&q
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I don't want to kick a man when he is down, but the plea for financial help on that guys website is interesting, considering his claims as a Master of: Druidism, Paganism, Witchcraft, magic(k), liturgical design, polytheology, and polyamory. Just scroll down a little bit. Coz Quotecorboy A very good checklist! Check it out right here at:
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

What Madonna is doing is not "real" Kaballah. Its just some new-agey goofy pseudo-philosophy, and they call it Kaballah for some reason. Any legitimate spiritual tradition can be perverted, and bastardized. "Kaballah" in that sense is just a "word label", what matters is what is actually being done. Coz
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Creating a "private language" is a technique of Mind-Control. It is one of the most powerful techniques, as language literally CREATES our internal realities. I made a post in the Robbins forum about this. Coz * Create JARGON: (Private words and a "common language" for the group) What the leaders of their group do, is to create a series of words, or acronyms, or giv
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

And it would seem to me, that this would form a "schism" in the victims mind. One one hand, they are TRYING to believe all the Landmark gobblygook, and yet UNDERNEATH, their private thoughts would be racing... what is wrong with me? Why don't i "get it"? Why am i failing? etc... It reminds me of Christian (Anti)Science. Those folks TRY to believe that stuff, but
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This is another psychological technique of manipulation. Karen Horney talked about "The Tyranny Of The Shoulds" and about the negative effects of having an Idealized Self-Image, and overidealized SHOULDS and MUSTS about other people. That creates enormous dysfunction in relationships, and within the Self. Its perfect for Landmark, (and Tony Robbins, etc) to use this technique, as t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This "Jack" guy/girl is obviously just trying to play amateurish mind-games, or as the Landmark Jack-asses i have known call it, a mindf*ck. Seriously, its obvious he is arguing in "bad faith" so there is no point letting him "jack" you up. Perhaps its just best to push Jack-off our radar screens. ;) Coz
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Here is a recent news story explaining the placebo effect in pain relief. Perhaps these Gurus should just be called Placebo's? Except placebos are harmless, whereas many gurus have toxic side-effects. Coz Placebo effect is all in the head Thu 19 February, 2004 By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A brain scan study shows the placebo effect
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

By the way, what i say is just what i take to be accurate. I am not saying my viewpoints are "true", but i do have a strong point of view on things, and i will just speak my mind. To try and help a loved one get out of a cult, is extremely difficult. All i would do is try and tell the truth as i see it. From a laymans point of view, you cannot "reverse" what is going on
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This is all mental suggestion, in my view. Hypnosis is used to relieve pain. There is no need for mystical magic. The human mind is very powerful, and if people go manic, and "believe" 100% on some guru, they can get some of these "effects". This "ecstatic condition" is probably some type of mania and hallucination. For the record, i know of no scientific eviden
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"