Intelligent Design is a horrible start. A convenient and arrogant way to show contempt for the diligence of so many trying to uncover the mysteries of existance and trying to remain objective. Of course, it would be foolhardy, dangerous even, to dismiss any argument or idea ... but to suggest the notion of Intelligent Design as a good starting point??? I suppose the Bible told us so! I better
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I agree: good article. Okay, it's easy to get pissed off with the knowledge that 95%+ of the human race is IDIOTIC and LAZY (I just can't fiddle the numbers any better - maybe I should try and manifest better results). But there is hope in the right circles. Some of us still value the results of hard work and careful planning. What's the option? Isn't it true that things we
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hey Prussian, the link you gave and my subsequent journey into the 'world' of michelle malkin ... I couldn't stop laughing until I realised how sad it all seems. I'll spend some more time reading her blogs et al, but I suspect it only gives one side of the argument. I mean, 'desecrating' the US flag like that must have more meaning than just trying to stir up hate am
Forum: Hate Groups

Anticult wrote:Quote... some of the New Thought type of ideas might simply be the mistake of taking a mythological image, and taking it literally. For instance, the idea that one day Man will have Godlike Powers, is sorta coming true in metaphorical ways. Take a single man in a loaded Harrier Jet, to a primitive man he would be a literal God, as he could destroy a city single handed. Or gen
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Gee, that really pushes the old saying, 'Sickness is a great healer.' So, what about those who do not survive (physically, mentally, emotionally)? Oh, yeah - I must be stupid - THERE'S THE SECRET et al. So, by my skewed logic, the new technologies of The Secret VII (7th sequel) will include bringing back life from death. I better just be patient - the answer's blowing in
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

And Australia! I'd been keen (yes, nervous, too) to do contract undercover reporting for a 'news' program here in Australia. I suppose it's not difficult to do it without the backing of a network, but mini-broadcast quality camera gear (plus microphone) is still probably out of my budget. Maybe I could hire equipment. The biggest hurdle is Landmark's fee, for which I&
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Oh, right. So a child is abused because of some intangible aspect of his life - it's got nothing to do with the sick bastard who comitted the act! And, I suppose, this 'bad karma' can be cleansed by some New Age healer for $199.95 (+GST) over a six-month period (no real guarantees, of course). Failing that, I'm sure there's a dozen or more equally useful methods for de
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I wonder when I can get the full box set (France, Sweden, Holland, etc)?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

What insane logic! Obviously, The Secret and its army have no time to think beyond its own self-serving doctrine. 9/11 and child abuse. How can anyone grimace at the victims? Using their logic, why haven't we been able to end the tyranny of this insane thinking? Landmark still thrives. The Secret still thrives. Many, many lost souls are still putting their faith in some 'super'
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

As a non-Christian, I don't think The Secret is any more 'dangerous' than any other 'magical' doctrine. I suspect that when we turned away from the divinity of the Earth and started longing for a spiritual identity off-planet we became susceptible to any number of religious ideas. On some level, I strongly feel that LGATs are a 'natural' by-product of this '
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Excalibur, you've done a good job of summarizing the ills of LEC. I think I'll print this out and hand it to my more obstinate Lekkie friends...
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteJosh... I've been described as both clever and sly when all that I'm doing is firing off questions as they pop into my head. Oh well better than being called naive I guess. QuoteJack Oskar LarmQuoteDave McKay He has very cleverly coaxed the others into admitting that even if I were taken totally out of the picture, they would still continue to attack the rest of you because of
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

And isn't it funny - a sad, old cliche - that we attract or become what we fear, ie. something like, if you're scared of spiders you'll be more aware of them. So, if you fear failure and/or being vulnerable and/or submissive and/or being a complete idiot - PRESTO! - you become that! What were we saying about the Law Of Attraction?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Dave McKay said:QuoteHe has very cleverly coaxed the others into admitting that even if I were taken totally out of the picture, they would still continue to attack the rest of you because of what we BELIEVE. SOURCE: Josh, what do you think about Dave's comment? The reason I ask is that you mentioned on a previous post that the JCs have always been good/nice/friendly towards you. It
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteVigilantConnie's Site is That's a great find, Vigilant! Regarding your mock-Oprah scenario, it's kind of sad how predicable it has all become. This wacky New Age stuff yearns for the same things and responds in exactly the same way. It must get frustrating for the fools and idiots to live such a stubborn life of DENIAL. I mean, thinking for yourself is kind of dangerous
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteThe AnticultI guess that is why you rarely see a cult leader "quit". Can anyone think of one? Assuming Jesus Christ was real, didn't he quit by accepting his fate on the cross?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I think they should be in the 'Romance' section. This whole self-empowerment trip is about 'falling in love' with yourself! Some will make a lifelong comittment, but many of these 'romances' will sour when the honeymoon is over ...
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I don't think there's any confusion, most of the time, for anyone, that the laws of a particular country are to be upheld. I think that crime or dissent is usually a result of desperation. Of course, this is never an excuse to do harm. A case in point, from an Australian perspective, are the many sad people locked away in Indonesian jails for breaking their laws, ie drug trafficking. A
Forum: Hate Groups

QuotePrussian BlueYou are either African, Mexican, Cuban, German or American. You can not be both. Some people who claim to be “African American” have never even been to Africa. I do not care what the color of a persons skin is, It does not afford them any more rights than I have. A woman is either pregnant or she is not. Therefore you are either American or you are not. I believe immigrants mus
Forum: Hate Groups

For what it's worth, I also think that Josh is an Internet Troll and/or Apologist. His line of questioning is naive to the point of being robotic. His motives seem clear - he intends to undermine the thoughts, beliefs and experiences of ex-members. If Josh can't accept the testimonies here, then, perhaps, he needs to experience some of his own by joining the JCs (which I suspect is a ve
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I think you guys are onto 'The Secret'! :lol: Look on the bright side: if you look at yourself 10+ years ago and you had the means to manifest wealth via something like The Secret, you probably would have just bought more New Agey books ... The moral of the story: why is the magic of The Secret believed by idiots? Yeah, give those fools money so they can do equally stupid things
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Who is behind all of this? Money is a prime motivator. And we usually invest our cash in things we believe. Look at Mel Gibson's investments because he's a 'devote' Catholic: Passion of the Christ. I'm sure there are many examples of investment inspired by our belief in some crazy ideology. I think it's the same deal with 'movies' like The Secret. In man
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

:D Large Group Ego Training (LGET) 8) Large Group Narcissus Training (LGNT) :mrgreen: Large Group Zombie Training (LGZT) Because awareness is related to consciousness and, therefore, related to alertness and wakefulness, I can see that Landmark Forum could be defined as training to stay awake.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quotequestion ladyThe use of the term "Large Group Awareness Trainings" appears to be a misnomer. It makes it sound like a good thing... I think the term (Large Group Awareness Training - LGAT) is supposed to define the most general principle of this phenomena. The term tries to be objective but, obviously, suffers from our individual definitions of awareness. I think it's natura
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteEudaemoniumTurning your question on its head, what makes the Christian God an entity worthy of worship or veneration? Good point. As you state, many 'pagan' cultures believed that everything had a soul, ie trees, rocks, a single thread in a tapestry, the knife that cut the bread, etc. A healthy dose of worship was spread around to those things that were part of one's life. I
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

So, my question is how can Satan (or its likeness) be considered a deity worthy of worship? Without knowing more than I do, it would seem that any person or entity could be elevated to the status of a god or goddess: 8) gandalf, :shock: yoda, :wink: spiderman, :?: Uluru, :twisted: Mickey Mouse ... I think you get the drift. Miss Ann, could you direct me to better information?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes, a parade of psychologists waving banners saying, 'YOU ARE BEING CONTROLLED. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE. YOU ARE BRAINWASHED. IT'S NOT TOO LATE. THINK OF THE OZONE LAYER ...' New Age stuff, guru hocus-pocus and dodgy snake-oil salespeople come in Mexican waves. We're so hungry for meaning that we'll eat SH*T and piss on ourselves if we're convinced of
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

There's a lot to be said for 'staying positive'. I don't think anyone in their 'right mind' can deny it. But, and this is a big BUT, anyone in their 'right mind' can see that single-minded postive thinking/feeling will either lead to single-minded depression or a need to refill that Prozac prescription. The Secret, like What The Bleep?, is being hailed b
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quoterachel1965Here's the crux of the problem: how do you argue with someone who is vehement that God has told him to eradicate all those who don't believe a certain faith? That's been a dilemma for such a long time. I would think that the usual solution is to diagnose the disorder (multiple personality, schizophrenia, etc - I'm not a psychiatrist) and then administer the a
Forum: Terrorist and Extremist Groups

Let them do what their resources allow them to do. I can't help thinking that they're playing the same sort of game as the government in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 - burning books to crush any opposing ideas. It's a push by them for a single, brainwashed society sold as the cure for our ills and sorrow. However, as we've seen over and over, it will lead to more breakdo
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"