As always, I'm just a layperson expressing my opinions and observations. While "Ignore them and they'll go away" might have worked on those giant advertisements in that Simpsons Halloween special, I don't think you can apply that same logic to religious movements with strong cultish symptoms. Many of the cults mentioned on this site alienate the inductee from their
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

My opinion remains the same as it was before; that essential tenets of Christianity are under attack. Hope has seen entire videos and felt put off by the messages. This in my opinion, describes the discrepancies of the Christian references in a lucid manner. Nonetheless, if that's just a film excerpt, then we should disregard it and watch the same film in its entirety. However, from what
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotemjr40Reposting this message elsewhere is NOT OK. Oooooo, you're in trouble :D
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This is not legal advice, I am merely discussing as an interested member of this forum. Anytime you have an alleged cult involved with a child custody case like the author of this thread may have, I think it is prudent to look up the attorney representing the parent who is in the alleged cult. See if he represents other alleged cult members, or the alleged cult itself. Also see if the attorney
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuotebonnieI know the group quite well through friends outside of Hawaii. Lectures on a military base? Very interesting. Do you know that the devotees have strong right wing leanings? Not what you'd expect. And I was very interested to find out that the had a republican front man running for public office. I'm interested, now. It's been said that Butler was a driving force behind
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteoliviaMuch appreciated. Do not need exact location. Seeking more details if they become available about activities at this school, who directs the kid's "schooling", conditions there,any and all available info. Appreicate your efforts very much. I met a former director of that center once, but couldn't get much information out of him. Please share any information you ge
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It would be nice to have all inquiries consolidated into this one thread where so much information has already been posted :) I have cut and pasted your question with my reply.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteI have had no success finding out about this school which apparently is run by Butler (off-shoot Krishna guru) somewhere in Phillipines. Young people attend, Americans and other. I would appreciate any information please. According to what I have been told by various Krishna devotees, including one former disciple of Butler, The Phillipines school is not merely for local devotees but for t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteLet's remember, also, the importance of micro-managing members' lives to ensure control and debilitate decision-making abilities. Reminds me of SIF.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteToniOne woman left ISKCON and founded her own cult w/ her (now deceased) husband. "Miracle of Love" Founded by David Swanson and Carol Seidman - Names changed to Lord Goursana and Kalindi La Gourasana (have to sing her name), later along came "Lady Gayle" Does anyone know her history in ISKCON? Who her guru was, any major ventures there, etc? It may serve as pertinen
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

QuoteHow many times I'd heard that the cults' dysfunction "does not come from (name your guru), it comes from the lack of awareness of those volunteers who are doing the work. They have not reached the level of (guru) and so screw it all up. I just wish we could get to (guru) and tell him/her of all that is really happening." But of course, the leader is inaccessible and mysti
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I apologize if I gave anyone the wrong idea, I'm all for awareness of these bad organizations and the crazy gurus who control them. I'm very sorry to read about EB's experiences; I too briefly experienced an eastern organization where there was a moneyminded guru who wasn't devoted to pure spirituality. It took me a few months to see it, and even though it wasn't so much
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Implicit within Eric Blair's missive of all the imperfections of eastern religion is the assumption that western religion completely transcends all of these problems, and has in the past and continues to remain morally dominant. I get chicken skin when Eric Blair alludes a western utopia of spiritual logic and moral supremacy. Don't spit on my cupcake and tell me it's frostin
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteEric BlairImplicit within Dervish's opinion that ISKCON may be riddled with "false gurus" is the assumption that there may in fact somewhere be an entity that is a "true guru". A scary prospect indeed. I feel it is only a scary prospect to those who only see eastern religion in terms of ISKCON, TM, Sai Baba, and other talked about cults which found their way in th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Recently there are these massively online games (like ultima online, star wars galaxies, ever quest, world of warcraft, etc) where you're in a Tolkienesque fantasyworld with thousands of others. People form guilds here, they are like gangs of sorts that help each other, and in many cases have some sort of heirarchy. In many cases, this heirarchy is for fun and games, but I feel in some cases
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I have to second the assertation by Eric Blair. I attended ISKCON programs briefly, and even helped prepare this prasadam, and have never seen any instance where a cook or somebody was drugging any food. Granted, ISKCON has horrible problems with false gurus running around throwing their weight. They also have problems with proliferating very narrow views that they are the only bonefide Gaudiya V
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I've heard that the SIF people send their young ones to this Phillipines center for one year as a sort of rite of passage. Several years ago, the manager of their temple was canvassed by Narayan Maharaj and left to join his temple in India. Other than that, no more information at this time.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This was a note recently written in public by the wife of a prominent ISKCON Guru who very recently stepped down. In my opinion, it shows the prevalent dysfunctionality of families and married couples in ISKCON. Quote10/2404 Dear GBC members, Godbrothers and Godsisters, Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. It is not my desire to challenge my good hus
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I have a friend who encountered a place with a bunch of pentagrams and the word tetragrammaton and IO HE VAE HE (Jehovah?) as well. I'm thinking they might be freemasons, but really I have no clue. I'm worried it may be a cult whatever it is. Anyone have any idea? Image sample (not a direct copy of what was seen, but basically ...)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteWhy do you feel compelled to serve a blue man from Hindu mythology? For the same reason many people in the US feel compelled to serve a Jewish Carpenter from Judeo-Christian "Mythology". Millions of people, especially in Orissa and Bengal worship Krishna, and have no connection to ISKCON or any cult. Hundreds of millions adhere to to the "Hindu Mythology". Some people
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear Bhakta Max, I'm not sure if anyone here is condemning Gaudiya Vaishnavism or Krishna as a whole. All I see here are posts wary of ISKCON, and other cults which have taken the name of Krishna and abused it in one way or another. While the bhakti process and eastern guru tattva are certainly not bad within themselves and can render spiritual enlightenment, the nature which one can surr
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Finding a skilled, trustworthy lawyer who will fight on your side is extremely rare. Still, one option you might want to try is get in touch with the prosecution team in Georgia that went after that other cult that abused children. It was reported on Rick Ross' site, but I can't remember the name or the details. Perhaps another poster can remember.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A lot of people are aware that Gaudiya Vaishnavism has been around for just over 500 years. The sad thing is, not only did ISKCON put Krishna worship "on the map" as millions of people were exposed to the sankirtans, etc., it also gave people a very bad impression of Krishna. Any eastern system of worship has a risk involved, due to the dogma of the power of the guru. A lot of people
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

SLAPP lawsuits aren't helpful for the filers. They usually have to pay the victim's legal fees, as can be seen in Church of Scientology v. Wollersheim
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I hope this hasn't turned you sour toward Yoga and the east. Due to the nature of submission to the preceptor, many unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage by amassing followers and using subtle manipulation techniques to take control of people and money. But we all feel suspicious when it's a bad situation, the bottom line is, we need to be informed when such ill cults are found.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteYou are divided into groups and there is a group leader who works with a limited amount of people. You can't leave to go to the bathroom or anything you must stay with the group. Huh. Just like Landmark in that way.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Two more websites:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Are we talking about the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Somebody recently e-mailed me this essay regarding the Hawaii US Congressman election (Ed Case, Democrat incumbent, and Mike Gabbard, Republican challenger). I found it quite interesting. I can't lay claim to any of the points made, but I had a good time reading it. ---- Ed Case made a mistake. His mistake was not his questioning Gabbard's religious affiliations. Rather, his mi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

We were discussing MOL months ago on this forum. Do any of you know who Kalindi's ex-guru was when she was a member of ISKCON? It could shed some light as to what sort of cult tricks she learned.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"