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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 10:42 am
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Hello - First time poster, my name is Shalom Abrahamson (Caples married name) and I would like any support from posters here by going to my facebook post in which I publicly shared an open letter to TLWF congregation. Support in any way; a like, a comment, sharing your own stories and abuses, would be helpful in continuing to expose the truth of this organization. I have been reading this forum for a while now and I know many of you and I believe you and I have privately supported you, but now I am publicly supporting you. Thank you for speaking out on this forum; it has and will continue to help me in my life.

"An Open Letter to The Living Word Fellowship Congregation from Shalom Abrahamson-Caples

Why am I writing this open letter to The Living Word Fellowship (TLWF) congregation?

1. A real problem exists, even after removing Rick Holbrook from the ministry and those in power should be held accountable.
2. I can no longer carry these secrets and their shame and I want to be free of the damage of these abuses.
3. I want the other girls and women and men and children who have also been abused to know that they are not alone. I am not being brave, I just believe that the truth will set me free and hopefully provide a way, a safe way, for others to come forth with their truth and be set free.
4. To start living unapologetically without regrets although I do not know if that is possible because exposing this truth is embarrassing to me and hurtful to many others. I was too trusting and allowed people to control my life decisions that in return hurt me and others around me. I was fearful and intimidated and even worse, I believed they were the only way to God, “Christ in the flesh”. I was raised in The Living Word Fellowship from age 3-35 yo and I did not know other Christian churches or Christian ways, but I am no longer fearful or intimidated. I am free.

Please click on the link below to read the rest of my open letter..."

#metoo #churchtoo #thelivingwordfellowshiptoo #tlwftoo #rickholbrooktoo

[thelivingwordfellowshipthewholetruth.org]
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 10:42 am
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Interesting article I found while reading some of Rick Ross’s information on cults.

“Cult leaders and con artists are opportunists who read the times and the ever-changing culture and adapt their pitch to what will appeal at a given moment. These manipulators survive because they adapt and because they are chameleon-like. So, at some times we get cults based on health fads, business-training programs, get-rich-quick schemes, and relationship improvement seminars; at others we get fundamentalist religious cults, Eastern meditation groups, identity or hate groups, longevity groups, and so forth.” -Margaret Singer

[harpers.org]
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 10:57 am
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puddington – “And now Gary is threatening to sue those that discuss any of this as invasion of privacy.”

I don’t know if this is really true or not, but prosecuting public figures for invasion of privacy is a high bar to overcome in my understanding – and I’m certainly not a lawyer. Does claiming to be God and ruling over other’s lives classify you as a public figure? Not too many people in the world can claim to have achieved the position of God. Information that would prove otherwise I’m sure would be of public interest – especially to those who have given decades of their lives in servitude to such a scam and may now have an opportunity for freedom.
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 11:18 am
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Shalom. My heart is breaking as I read your letters. This is so wrong and sick. I’d like to talk via PM, if that’s ok.
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Re: Mooji a cult?

October 25, 2018, 11:32 am
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@Constantin

thank you for sharing some of your experiences with Moo and at Sahaja.

First of all i hope you are doing ok yourself, as i know that even just this process of coming to grips with the desillusionment can be quite confronting, it is for me. Having followed Moo for probably around 8 years, i had never been very devotional by nature myself and consider myself to be very critical and an independent thinker. Still i have developed significant blind spots and illusions, which i think have been made possible by mechanisms of thought reform that are at play in moo's dealings.
To acknowledge my own faults and lack of discernment is painful enough, but i notice that having to let go of a blissful degree of trust might even be more challenging.

Secondly, you are helping us all to understand, and acknowledge whats wrong with moo.
Your report that he is controlling people's lives to the point of who they are having sex with is really shocking to me.
having people go round checking on this to me seems really outlandish, but it corroberates the allegations that there might be wiretapping and other forms of monitoring going on in and around the ashram.
These practices have been brought up in connection with former osho sanyassins being in moo's inner circle now, and since you also mention him wanting to emulate osho...
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Re: Mooji a cult?

October 25, 2018, 11:38 am
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 12:18 pm
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Shalom, I know how much courage it took to post those letters, and I so deeply respect you for it. What happened to you was so wrong and violating. It makes me feel so upset to read the account of this young woman, trying to do right by God, being ignored and abused again and again by the people who were supposedly her "spiritual parents". It's sickening to read what you were going through.

I hope your message of truth will embolden others to tell their stories as well. All we want is the truth!
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 1:15 pm
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I have submitted Gary's definition of the right to privacy as well as his bizarre extension of the clergy-penitent privilege to a group of top-notch litigators in Los Angeles and hopefully, they will take the time to respond so I can give you the opinions of some pretty badass litigation attorneys.

In my very non-lawyer opinion, Gary's description of both the right to privacy and the clergy-penitent privilege is another example of clergy committing fraud on his congregation. I saw very little truth in the wild expansion of two principles that do not stand for what Gary is hoping they stand for.

I am also in touch with two law firms who are involved in lawsuits against the Catholic church who have said they would give us some input on how to think about these latest revelations so no one has to depend on the various (well educated and intelligent) opinions that have been voiced on this forum. Changedagain, Larry Bobo, kBOY, and many more -- Well Said.

Shalom - You Are A Champion who was made to feel victimized. But you are a brilliant light at the end of a dark period in history and a CHAMPION!
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Re: Mooji a cult?

October 25, 2018, 2:43 pm
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Hi Constantin,

I'm glad you came forward to share your story with everyone here. I think it will be helpful for those who are considering leaving the Moo cult.

That's really weird that Moo wants to know who is sleeping with who, within the cult compound. Why would he want to know something like that? It hardly makes any sense....

Unless...

Moo wants to know which female members are available for him to seduce himself! That could one possible reason. Of course, we just don't know the exact reason, yet. I'm pretty sure more information will come to light.

There is one conversation on record, which I posted a link to ages ago - where a young female devotee reports that Moo asked her to have sex with him.
Moo is reported to have said:

"Hush, this is fine. This is fine, guru share love with many."

The female devotee alleges that Moo is in multiple sexual relationships with various members of his inner circle.

Then there is the fact that if you look at the Satsung video material, you do see a lot of attractive young women making goo-goo eyes (tranced-out eyes!) at Moo.

And we know that plenty of gurus have been implicated in the sexual exploitation of women throughout the ages. Not that we should jump to conclusions! Of course we must not.

I posted a link to an article in the The Gardian a few days ago, where a guru in Thailand has been accused of multiple counts of sexual manipulation of female devotees, in association with mind-control and hypnosis.

I am just putting together a few interesting points. It's enough for me to be very, very, suspicious. If you were a concerned parent of a teenage girl who joined this cult, I think you would have cause to worry. That's all.
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Re: Mooji a cult?

October 25, 2018, 2:55 pm
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Steve Hassan offers advice in his chapter entitled "strategies for recovery":

"People can leave a mind control group in any of three basic ways: they walk out; they are kicked out (often in a very burned-out condition, both psychologically and physically); or they are counseled out."

Hassan, Steven. Combating Cult Mind Control: (p. 271)
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 3:22 pm
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Shalom -

I love you dearly.

That said, I just want to scream after reading your letters. I am so furious at what you have been through. It is so TLWF-ish for them to somehow interpret everything in a way that makes you look like the perpetrator. I read these, thinking how much we apologized a hundred times for anything we may have done (because we really are only human) while writing and spilling our guts. Every bit of their counseling and supposed guidance to you was to cover their asses. Your understanding of the situation, and emotional response was right on, and appropriate, yet you were made to feel like anything weird was your fault (because, gee, "that's just Rick").

You always were one of the strong ones. And, although heartbroken (and angry) by all of this, I am so very proud of you and the stand you have taken. Thank you for being brave and taking steps to begin a path of healing. You won't be ignored, we are listening. I'm counting on others reading your words and deciding that enough is enough.

I also hope that, through this forum, and you making public your story, the much needed addressing of a leadership group that chose to ignore your pleas for help, are sanctioned and brought to justice - and sorry, Gary, your little inclusion of your right to privacy is a stunt that just isn't going to work this time.

(I mean, really, way to go all you TLWF shepherds out there. This is how you cover your sheep? I'm disgusted by the actions of all of those mentioned. The years of emotional and sexual abuse in a supposed safe place is just sickening.) Sorry for that little rant - it just slipped out

Much love to you -

Your Long Ago Summer Mom in San Diego
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 5:05 pm
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SHALOM:

Everyone who has a heart is heartbroken in reading your post(s). As the other half of 'Your Long Ago Summer Mom From San Diego', and one who has known your family since 1980, it is hard to fathom the extent of the abuse you were forced to endure. Your repeated attempts to correct the situation and your pledges of loyalty to ones who deserved only to be indicted makes it all the more painful to hear.

With the rising tide of courage among victims such as yourself, it is only a matter of time before the entire house of cards comes tumbling down. (How about that for a prophecy?)
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 5:06 pm
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I would be interested in knowing which of the current shepherds was the dorm room leader. Shalom, I applaud your courage and hope that we as a group get through to the current members. Unless they are the ones writing no one else is told about we are discussing here. Is there a way to bypass the leadership and communicate with the sheep
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Re: Gangaji, Mooji, Om C Parkin, John de Ruiter

October 25, 2018, 5:43 pm
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Interesting conversations about de Ruiter here.

[www.gurusfeet.com]

Quote

Danger Danger
I have an employee that is ever on the brink of dismissal due to a large part in how his following of JDR's 'teachings' affect negatively on his work performance, interpersonal relationships, and inability to follow sensible and logical directions at the workplace. He is now attending his first trip to the 'Institute' in Edmonton, and we hope he returns with his sensibility intact and feet firmly re-planted on ground....or he will be the mastermind of his own demise (aka. terminated).

JDR is unequivocally DANGEROUS because his synergy of delusion and charisma is the perfect feast for weakened, confused, or damaged souls.

The danger lies in how he is able to cause these individuals to lose friends, strain relationships, or even to lose their jobs, for the sake of seeking the 'truth' at all costs.

I live this everyday and have done all I can to help my employee, short of organizing an intervention. You can not help those that won't help themselves, especially if they insist that they have no problem. This almost sounds like someone with a substance dependency, but in this case, it is a 'spiritual' dependency.

While JDR enjoys the high life and the trappings of being worshipped, he leaves a path of further-broken individuals, lost even deeper than they once were.....alone, without meaningful attachments, and rejecting all that is spiritually good that is around them.

and

Quote

Isayah | Fri, 04/06/2012 - 07:58
Isayah's picture
Epilogue
....this employee is lost to JDR.

Upon returning from Edmonton, he resigned. The only thing 'spiritual' about this entire 3 year ordeal, was that 'it was meant to be' for him to eventually either quit or be terminated.

The 'safety' of a hundred like-minded strangers, was more of a draw than the 'threat' of cautions from all those close to him who were looking out for his best interests. Shame.

Just like clock-work, he has managed to repeat history yet again: by self-sabotaging potentially good friendships, a place of employment that he loves, never resolving critical family issues that are the crux of his needy 'searching'.....all the while, declaring to himself that his sad failures are a victory, essentially wearing scars as trophies.

Sadly, this sums up this individual:

"A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart". - Confucious
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Re: Mooji a cult?

October 25, 2018, 6:56 pm
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Quote:
Re: Mooji a cult? new
Posted by: yourinlove ()
Date: October 24, 2018 10:26PM
...For me, it started getting weird during the 2017 Rishikesh season, when the Invitation technique was created. He started repeating himself and saying the same things over and over in every satsang...

Mooji shows the guidance (at this video record 2:20)) on a piece of paper to prepare the audience on questions, that Mooji asks during the Invitation to the Freedom-excesses. Everybody (500) in the audience in Monte Sahaja receives this copy of paper to know what to answer in advance. Everything is simply prearranged and nobody speaks and answers the questions directly from the true Self during the Invitation technique. Mooji and his team want to trick out the YT‘s listeners and to make a huge spiritual impression, but it's only foul play from the both sides.
[www.youtube.com]
on G+/Moojiji with 64 members
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 8:40 pm
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Definition provided to the TLWF leadership from “an attorney”:

The clergy-penitent privilege protects a person from being forced to discuss evidence in a legal proceeding. The privilege applies to confidential communication made by a penitent to a member of the clergy. The communications do not have to be confessions. They just have to be made in confidence. The communication can be made orally, in writing, or by email. Any communication between a clergy member and a penitent is presumed confidential. A penitent is any person who has made a confidential communication to a clergy member. A clergy member is a minister or religious practitioner, within a church. It is someone who is authorized to hear these confidential communications and who has a duty to keep them private under the principles or beliefs of their church. In California, either the clergy member or the penitent can invoke this privilege. That means they cannot be forced to testify or otherwise give evidence about the confidential communication. They can also keep any third party who overhears the communication from giving evidence about it; in fact, each person can keep the other from disclosing the communication.


Reading this, I’m guessing a lot more people are being ordained in TLWF right now. Although clergy-penitent privilege never stopped a congregant’s personal and private information from being shouted from the pulpit until it was necessary to cover for Rick’s disgusting behavior.
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 25, 2018, 11:22 pm
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Shalom,

Reading your words and the words of others on Facebook is boring a hole in me. I love you and cannot even begin to tell you how thankful I am that you came forward. Our thoughts on this forum have been dismissed over and over with G man's ability to deflect and discredit. But now the truth is there in the blazing fire. We have not been making shit up. We were telling the truth. But we did not have the proof -- and now you have given the proof—the worst of it. There is so much more—but this is the ship sinker.

Gary Hargrave is a liar. He will do anything to save his ass. He never gave a shit about you and neither did Marilyn. We all thought they did because that is what they brainwashed us to believe--that the horrible rejection and worthlessness is somehow cured when they give a stamp of approval only to be cast into darkness in the following minute over and over. In your letters-- parsing words in your honesty to keep them from rejecting you like trying to keep a dog from biting or something worse. We get it --we really do. And we are here for you.


We are all here for you and anyone else -- we will stand behind our words and yours. I just want to cry a river.
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Re: Universal medicine

October 26, 2018, 1:02 am
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Thank you Essay for your kind words. Hopefully this thread has helped some people. I know of a few who left the cult after spending time reading it, and that’s very gratifying. I hope there are many more who changed their minds about joining it after reading of the experiences of everyone who has contributed to the thread over the years. Nearly 1/4 million views now!

The good news continues as local organisations in Lismore shed themselves of contact with UM. Benhayon has been removed from The Northern Star’s “70 Most Influential People” list. His ex wife resigned from the Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board - that would seem to be a case of leave before you’re kicked out judging by the huge response on Twitter and Facebook to her remaining in the role after the NSW Supreme Court verdict was made public. Many, many locals in Lismore now are expressing their true feelings on UM and more extractions are to be expected.

In the UK hub of UM, Frome, the local FB pages are filled with comment on UM. There’s some very lively debate, and well worth reading as it gives an insight in to just how integrated UM has become in the local community there too. It will be interesting to see how locals choose to act upon the information now available on UM and Benhayon, especially as the travelling circus is about to arrive. The next workshop begins on 2nd November at The Lighthouse.
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 26, 2018, 2:15 am
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When you advertise a theology who's central figure was known for LOVE, and then perpetrate a culture infamous for the opposite, you have a paradigm as nefarious as deception gets.
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Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens

October 26, 2018, 2:44 am
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Our progressive loss of spiritual sight is what blinded us from acknowledging the transgressions being perpetrated in our midst.
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