What are the criteria of a ‘cult’ ?

What are the criteria of a ‘cult‘ ?

A relatively new YouTube user, bradbavarde, compares a description from Webster’s Dictionary to his opinion of certain characteristics of a Large Group Awareness Training organization. Take a moment to watch this video about bradbavarde’s commentary on these criteria, and decide for yourself:

Here are some additional resources discussing ‘cult’ criteria:

What is a Destructive Cult? - FACTnet

Criteria for Determining If a Group is a Destructive Cult - Cult Awareness and Information Center

Dr. Robert Jay Lifton’s Criteria for Thought Reform - ex-cult Resource Center

Defining a Cult - The Ross Institute Internet Archive for the Study of Destructive Cults, Controversial Groups and Movements

Cults 101: Checklist of Cult Characteristics - International Cultic Studies Association

What are the Characteristics of a Religious Cult? - The Prem Rawat Talk Forum

And once again, a more humorous but also disturbing take on how to start a “Mind Control Cult”:

As always, you are encouraged to watch the above videos, read the information provided at the links, research more and educate yourselves - and decide for yourself.

Former ‘Landmark Forum’ Introduction Leader speaks out

Lars Bergwik was an “Introduction Leader” to the Landmark Forum course at Landmark Education. He is now speaking out publicly against Landmark Education in video posts on YouTube.

I think his videos speak best for themselves so I will just say go watch them. If you don’t have much time, just watch the first one.

Here are his videos about Landmark (there are seven so far):

Landmark Education Lars Bergwik part 1

Landmark Education Lars Bergwik Video part 2

Landmark Education - Lars Bergwik on Randy McNamara - FL

Landmark Education - Lars talks part one

Landmark Education - Lars talks part two

Landmark education -Lars talks part three

Landmark Eduction - Lars talks part four

Some links:

Discussion thread about it at Cult Education Forum

Discussion thread about it at alt.fan.landmark

Blog post at The Macho Response: Go, Lars, Go!!!

Why did Landmark Education Leave France? - Cult News

The Chaser's War on Everything - The Secret

The Chaser's War on Everything - The Secret

And who said Scientology was the only quack belief Jamie Packer has time for? - quote from the show.



These guys are absolutely hysterical. I will have to check out some more of there stuff, I'm sure there are probably other videos that are relevant to this blog's various topics as well.

Note: This blog's previous posts on The Secret include Comedian Mark Day is a cult hit, "The Secret" - David Schirmer exposed, and of course, The Secret... Cult?.

Comedian Mark Day is a cult hit

I have caught a few of comedian Mark Day's videos on YouTube, and they are really funny. These videos on YouTube have a cult following, and many of his videos have been watched thousands or hundreds of thousands of times. His Web site is his MySpace page.

Here are some of the more poignant comedic posts from YouTube that relate to phenomenon involving Large Group Awareness Training, as well as other topics that have been previously discussed on this blog :

Secret secrets of THE SECRET revealed


Note : Previous posts on "The Secret" - "The Secret" - David Schirmer exposed, and The Secret... Cult?.

Having Tom Cruise's Babies


FYI, an update on Tom Cruise and his plans for his other children: NOW Magazine, Tom Cruise sends kids to Scientology summer camp, or invariably also see Bang! Showbiz.

Secret secrets of TOM CRUISE BANNED IN GERMANY


See for more background BBC NEWS, Germany imposes ban on Tom Cruise, and Spiegel Online, CONTROVERSIAL CULT: German Parties Reject Bid to Ban Scientology.

Re: Mia the YouTube Editor


Beware, the "Cult Awareness Network" that Mark Day refers to in this last above video is now effectively controlled by the Church of Scientology. For more information, please see: 60 Minutes, December 28, 1987, CAN, the Cult Awareness Network (transcript), video here at XenuTV, CNN - Group that once criticized Scientologists now owned by one. Also see the Cult Awareness Network topic archive, from Cult News.

Hope you enjoyed these above videos. As you can see, Mark Day is both funny in an off-beat sort of way, but also informative about topics he clearly has researched and has some background info on.

Donald Rumsfeld - a Werner Erhard "disciple" ?

Donald Rumsfeld Known Unknowns



In a post from March 2005 entitled: IS DON RUMSFELD A WERNER ERHARD DISCIPLE? , blogger Cosmic Iguana wondered if this statement at a February 12, 2002 press briefing by Donald Rumsfeld sounded a bit ... odd.

"As we know,
There are known knowns.
There are things we know we know.
We also know
There are known unknowns.
That is to say
We know there are some things
We do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns,
The ones we don't know
We don't know."--
Feb. 12, 2002 news briefing

Hart Seely compiled some of the more amusing or even disturbing Donald Rumsfeld statements into poetry pieces, in Slate Magazine, in articles such as The poetry of D. H. Rumsfeld: Recent works by the Secretary of Defense. Here is a different site devoted to the subject with lyrics and clips: The Poetry of Donald Rumsfeld – Lyrics and Sound Clips. Hart Seely went on to compile some of these items into a book called Pieces of Intelligence: The Existential Poetry of Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Could it be that Donald Rumsfeld was a disciple of Werner Erhard or a devotee of the company Landmark Education's Landmark Forum training ? There is a long discussion about this in the comments section at the Cosmic Iguana post, IS DON RUMSFELD A WERNER ERHARD DISCIPLE? A message board thread from the Cult Education Forum section on Large Group Awareness Training provides some information on Landmark Education, which they call: "Accessing New Possibilities". Here is the info, which sounds almost verbatim like the Donald Rumsfeld blather above: "Standard educational methods enhance what you know and explore what you don’t know. Landmark Education gives you access to what you don’t even know that you don’t know." See message board thread on the topic, from the Cult Education Forum.

Incidentally, Landmark Education unsuccessfully sued cult expert Rick Ross in an attempt to learn the identity of anonymous posters on the Cult Education Forum message board. Cult News described the legal defeat of Landmark Education, in the article Landmark Education suffers humiliating legal defeat in New Jersey Federal Court. Attorneys Peter L. Skolnik and Michael A. Norwick also describe this litigation, in the Introduction to the Landmark Education litigation archive.

Two different Jamie Kennedy's and their views on cults

This sketch led by "cult leader" Jamie Kennedy for his show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment is absolutely hysterical.

Jamie Kennedy Experiment - Bliss Cult



Just another bit of comedy, to break up some of the more serious posts.

Ironically, a different Jamie Kennedy, who now goes by Jamie DeWolf, has also been critical of cults, in his slam poetry piece entitled: "Judas' Son."

Here is Jamie DeWolf, on the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show:

Scientology: L. Ron Hubbard's Great-Grandson



Enjoy.

"The Secret" - David Schirmer exposed

This is an investigation into one of the individuals that appeared on the motivational DVD, "The Secret." The investigation was done by Australia's Channel Nine on the program A Current Affair, with correspondent Ben Fordham, and so far appears in three segments.

Note: Previous post on related topic in blog post entitled "The Secret... Cult?"

Part One - "The Secret Exposed", May 28, 2007:


Part Two - "The Secret Con", June 1, 2007:


Part Three - The Secret's David Schirmer Under Investigation:


More news coverage:

"Trading Secrets", July 14, 2007, PerthNow, The Sunday Times
"In another development, the only Australian motivational speaker to feature in The Secret, investment guru David Schirmer, is under investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. It follows a report by A Current Affair, which raised serious questions over his business dealings and discovered a long line of unpaid and disgruntled investors."

Other related sites:

"The Truth About David Schirmer" - Some informative pieces, from July 2007

Get Rich Quack: David Schirmer of The Secret - Get Rich Slowly

"brain washing in a godless big business cult"

Note: That is the original title by the Youtube video blogger, "sablechicken". It is a most interesting and touching, moving, and inspiring video.



It will be most interesting to see how Youtube will affect exposing controversial groups, movements, and dangerous large group awareness training programs - as it becomes easier and more prevalent for individuals to post their experiences and thoughts online in a video format.

Rick Ross on Dogma Free America

Rick Ross, of Cult News and The Rick A. Ross Institue for the Study of Destructive Cults, Controversial Groups and Movements was interviewed on the online podcast show, Dogma Free America.

Topics discussed include Large Group Awareness Training, as well as other types of controversial groups and methodologies.

The show was "Episode 11 - Dogma Free America",
and was entitled: Destructive Religious Cults.

Mad TV - Dr. Phil's Plastic Surgery Show

Let's take a break from the potential dangers of Large Group Awareness Training for this post, and inject some humour into this blog with a funny Mad TV sketch entitled: "Dr. Phil's Plastic Surgery Show."



Some Interesting Links:

Phil & Werner - The Zero Boss

Natalee Holloway's parents sue ex-suspects, who sue Dr. Phil show - Bradenton Herald

Ex-Holloway Suspects Sue Dr. Phil - E! Online

Natalee Holloway's Parents File Suit - Associated Press

Slimming the Amway - Metro Times

MEDIA; Dr. Phil, Medicine Man - The New York Times

Class action sought for 'Dr. Phil' diet suit - CNN Law Center

Settlement Reached on Dr. Phil Diet Plan - ABC News

Interesting Discussion Threads:

Dr. Phil, Oprah, etc.

Dr. Phil and est

Troubled Teen Industry

Second EFF Interview on Landmark Education

Jason Schultz at EFF on DMCA Take Down Notices - Part IV

This is another interview by Enric Cirne with Electronic Frontier Foundation representative, Jason Schultz.

Enric Cirne's description of the interview:

Continuing the discussion with with Jason Schultz at the Electronic Frontier Foundation on using the DMCA to inhibit internet speech. Landmark Education's DMCA usage and a new users response to DMCA notices is discussed.

The video in question is "Voyage to the Land of the New Gurus", a French expose film on Landmark Education. Recent events surrounding the film and attempts to suppress it from the internet are detailed at the Cult News report: Landmark Education wants to make French news report a “forbidden video” on the Net.

Related Prior Posts:

Interview with Electronic Frontier Foundation

Protecting Children from LGATs

LGAT News Blog Update - Take 2

LGAT Updates from the Blogs

Self Improvement or Selfish Profit?

Interview with Electronic Frontier Foundation

EFF on Landmark Education's DMCA subpoena

From Enric Cirne:

On November 8th, 2006 I interviewed EFF lawyer, Kurt Opsahl, on EFF's defense of the Internet Archive from the Landmark Education DMCA Subpeona. Landmark Education subpoenaed the Internet Archive, Google Video and YouTube to reveal the identity of who uploaded the France TV 3 video on the Landmark Forum. Kurt recommends bloggers, whether using text, audio or video, review the EFF: Legal Guide for Bloggers. Another source of information for online rights is the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse with a database of take down notices. Should you receive a Cease and Desist notice(s) they can be put up there.

More information on this continuing saga of litigation and threats of litigation across the globe by Landmark Education:

Voyage to the Land of the New Gurus
Rick Ross Institute informative page about the France 3 documentary

Landmark and the Internet Archive
Electronic Frontier Foundation's legal case page

Freedom of Speech
Posts related to Free Speech at the Electronic Frontier Foundation

Self-help Group Bullies Net Critics
Kansas City Infozine

Landmark Education vs. a link on Apologetics Index
Landmark Education threatens Religion News Blog in Amsterdam over a hyperlink to a website in hosted in Australia - Cult Awareness and Information Centre.

Landmark Education wants to make French news report a “forbidden video” on the Net
Cult News report

Google faces legal challenges over video service
The Washington Post, originally from Reuters

Nobody Joins a Cult

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

This is a trailer for the film, "Jonestown: The Life and Death of People's Temple".

The opening text of the trailer begins with:

On November 18th, 1978 in Jonestown, Guyana, 909 members of Peoples Temple died in what has been called the largest mass suicide in modern history.

Deborah Layton, author of the book Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple, is quoted in the trailer:

"Nobody joins a cult. Nobody joins something they think's going to hurt them. You join a religious organization, you join a political movement, and you join with people that you really like."

This quote is extremely ominous and telling at the same time.

It certainly hits home why the resources contained in the previous posts are so vitally important to anyone who is considering or who has friends or relatives considering becoming involved in organizations or Large Group Awareness Training groups that they consider to be suspect:

Six Danger Signs of Harmful LGATs
To learn what to watch out for in friends/family members newly involved in Large Group Awareness Training.

Mind Control Made Easy
To watch a short film that accurately spoofs key characteristics of cult groups and cult leaders.

Seven Key LGAT Articles
To read articles from seven sources that research Large Group Awareness Training.

Doing Due Diligence
To begin to learn how to question and start the due diligence into these groups. When educating yourself about "personal life transformation" you should check out potential groups/companies as thoroughly as you would when buying a new car or house.

Mind Control Made Easy

Mind Control Cults

Mind Control Made Easy, or How to Become a Cult Leader -
a film by Carey Burtt

This 12-minute film has already been mentioned in the posts Doing Due Diligence and Why am I doing this? It is a great short-film that both spoofs cults, and describes some of their most dangerous aspects.

Right from the get-go, the narrator warns that cults often "establish front groups." The "cult members" then appear on camera and state which front group they are from:

"We're a bible study group."

"We're a management course."

"We're a meditation center."

"We're a world peace organization."

"We're a personal development center."

"We're a drug rehab center."

At the YouTube location where the video is posted, some users have posted comments comparing the video to groups they feel resemble aspects portrayed in the film. Some of these comments are amusing, while others are quite revealing.