Chicago Tribune (USA), Feb. 24, 2004 By Lou Carlozo, Tribune Staff Reporter After seeing an advance screening of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" two weeks ago, I felt like Pilate pondering a host of questions: Was it anti-Semitic or fair to Jews? Was it true to the Bible or adapted, a la Hollywood, to accommodate dramatic flourishes? On one score I had littl
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I know people who when they were children freaked out when they saw the flying monkey soldiers in the Wizard of Oz. A guy I knew told me that when he was a wee youngster he cried his eyes out watching the scenes in Gone With the Wind that showed the burning of Atlanta. (His grandmother, who was a social snob sought to comfort him, saying, 'Oh, honey, dont cry. The people living down t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A very good checklist! Check it out right here at:
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

will probably be used by some worrisome groups and churches as part of thier indoctrination material. This is surely not Mr. Gibson's intention, but his film might be good material for inducing emotional crisis and shame/guilt. From what I have read about this movie, it is reportedly painful to watch, emotionally manipulative, and may produce the following effects: 1) Severe shame a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

'dating within one's species'.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

..or less employable. I've been taking a business communication class at the local city college. They tell us, again and yet again, that we must communicate clearly, and with as few words as possible. Other principles: First and foremost consider the needs of the person or group that receives your communication. Dont just think of yourself. Stay focused. Stay c
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

'So they say there is nothing wrong because this is all human nature, but then LE grads won't date non-LEs.' What 'human nature' are we talking about? Human nature that has been changed by heavy indoctrination, is IMO a different kind of 'human nature' that has not been so affected.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

1) Tell us how you code your data (eg which 'key words' your program searches for) 2) Which mathematical test/s you will use 3) Size of subject sample (watch out, if your subject sample is too large, it magnifies the power of certains statistical tests so that they'll identify trivial fluctuations as 'statistically significant' 4) Which computer program you will
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Arica is now virtually defunct. Its guru, Oscar Ichazo, is now quite old and lives in Hawaii. Ichazo keeps promising to publish a book, but never gets around to it. He was the propagator of the 'enneagon' which was later adapted to become the 'enneagram' a New Age fad. Ichazo was a freelance teacher who at times claimed to be a Sufi, or a Gurdjieffian/Fourth Way te
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This article describes the corrosive effect on the psyche of a normal (?) human being who decides to run for President of the United States. This is speculative, but some parts of the article may describe what can happen when someone becomes a cult leader--or a even a trainer in high demand LGAT OP-ED COLUMNIST You'll Never Walk Alone By DAVID BROOKS Published: February 21, 200
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This article describes the corrosive effect on the psyche of a normal human being who decides to run for President of the United States. IMO, some parts of the article may describe what happens when someone becomes a cult leader--or a trainer in a high demand LGAT OP-ED COLUMNIST You'll Never Walk Alone By DAVID BROOKS Published: February 21, 2004 New York Times You are runni
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

group and its leader. A pagan of my acquaintance said that it varies. She was on the fringes of a particular OTO group 20 years ago. ("I was friends with a member and got to tag along to all their parties") But she was a shrewd youngster and decided to stay well away from that particular group because she saw that the people used the philosophy of the group to justify too much beh
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

by Lilienfeld, Lynn and Lohr This article contains a valuable 10 point list of characteristics that distinguish pseudoscience from science. Here is my condensed version of this valuable 10-point list. Read it and see how many of these you can recognize! Especially take note of Point Five: Science puts the burden of proof on those making the claims; in pseudoscience, the proponent can
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

by Lilienfeld, Lynn and Lohr This article contains a valuable 10 point list of characteristics that distinguish pseudoscience from science. Here is my condensed version of this valuable 10-point list. Read it and see how many of these you can recognize! Especially take note of Point Five: Science puts the burden of proof on those making the claims; in pseudoscience, the proponent can
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I think this was at the UCSF Dental School. In double blind study people who had their wisdom teeth extracted were given either narcotics or a placebo ( a sugar pill). In a double blind study, the person administering the medication does not know whether the pill is the active drug or the inert drug (placebo). THe patients then rated their pain over the next couple of hours. Then, on
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The URL for this site is You'll need to pull your courage together. I know some of the people at the pokrov.org website and they tell me that many people have called them describing dreadful situations, but are afraid to give them them sufficient information to document the situation. And some of the callers will even try to get them to play guessing games, as in 'I cant te
Forum: Destructive Churches

When you're really infected by a cult, your own rationality is no longer yours. It has become a sock puppet that is operated by the cult personality, while your own personality is suppressed.
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

‘Progressvely though, the “guru’ has begun to intrude in their private life a lot, right down to advising her on day to day matters and matters pertaining to her and her family’s future.’ What you have described is classic for a cult. A genuine spiritual teacher does NOT try to take over people’s lives in the manner you have described, but will do everything possible to put people in touch wit
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

sucked in. I recommend contacting some cult monitoring groups in the UK and see if you can get some legal assistance. Dont threaten your brother. See if you can get info about bad fallout from Tony Quinn--that might be of use if you find you need to go to court. But be discreet. You dont want to alienate your brother before you learn what (if any) legal remedies are available to you. Conce
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

arts, thats the group to try and educate. 1) Craigslist.org is a very good way to get your warning out there for free. 2) If there is any way to fundraise, so you can purchase space in magazines like Common Boundary, that would be highly valuable. 3) Information booths at various 'whole life' expositions, psychic fairs, etc. 4) Alert places like California Insitute of Integr
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is a story about subliminal influence. We have someone in our neighborhood who owns a black French bulldog. One day, I ran into (lets call her Sheila) and her dog. I started laughing my ass off. Then I realize I didnt know why I was laughing. 'Sheila' I said, 'I dont get it. Something is hilarious, and I dont know what it is.' Sheila grinned. She pointed
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

make sure you have a superb lawyer. As they say in the Scouts, 'Be prepared.' The old hands on this site can give you more detailed advice.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The book was mostly written for men trying to get child custody or who have been falsely accused of spousal or child abuse. But if you make the necessary gender pronoun substitutions, the advice is just as relevant for women who have lost husbands to bad groups. The ability to write inspirational books or give inspirational lectures is a different 'skill set' from the bundle
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

you would've been caught in the whole stinking mess if you'd still been married to him when he was arrested. It would be interesting to know if your ex started abusing alcohol or drugs at some point. Drugs can dis-inhibit and cause people to act out agendas they could have otherwise suppressed. And if you start believing you're on a mission from God or the astral powers, that
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It was written for people who are married to mentally ill, vindictive spouses (or ex-spouses) and have to go to court for divorce, child custody, or to protect themselve from false, malicious accusations of violence. The issues covered in the book are remarkably similar to what you're up against if dealing with a family member who has been sucked into a cult and is waging legal war
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

thanks for alerting us to this new one. There's a detailed history of Eckankar and earlier spin-offs described on this thread:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is an earlier thread. A lot of weird encounter group stuff spawned in the 1970s. Some of it became legit. Others turned cultic. I think Hoffman process was taken over othrs after Hoffman retired or died, but kept his name. The thread will tell you more. Am sorry you went through all this. You might try posting on Craigslist.org and see if others have been through this. Onl
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

who was friends with a professor in a psychology department at a good university. That professor tried to recruit her into an LGAT. Luckily for her, she posted on CL, and I told her to go to RR.com. She did so, researched the LGAT, and tried to tell her professor it was a bad set up. They are not friends any more. Civilization isnt a given, and neither is democracy. Both have to b
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

has tenure at your place or if he's had to move from campus to campus. 'Public displays of criticism will result in disciplinary action'-- Ive been through college, did 4 years in a Ph.D program and got an MA at a seminary. Never, ever in all that time did a professor make such a statement in person or on a syllabus. Whether this is his intention or not, your instruc
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

is behaving strangely. First he invalidates all dissent as evidence that people are not doing their assigned coursework. He allows no room for the possibility that someone can have a valid disagreement with him. That's the essence of an authoritarian mind-set--thats not compatible with high education at all.. Two, he's discouraging students from discussing their concerns and m
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"