CULTS

CULTS

Two examples of their dangers and brainwashing.

I have repeatedly warned about the dangers of both organized religions and sects, cults, etc. The danger is not the shared path by like-minded people towards a goal but rather, the control of genuine seekers who are reduced to a sheep-like mentality (and a lot of real demons and robots of the Counterfeit Creation) by evil archons in these rigid, dogmatic, destructive institutions which are there to prevent any sort of spiritual freedom. They are there simply to harness True (non-evil) beings and minimize their chances of awakening while at the same time they are stripped of as much energy as possible in all sorts of both nefariously surreptitious ways and brazenly obvious, overt, unscrupulous ways, as these short essays below about one such cult by Justin, in which he had been caught for a time, and by Sarah, who had almost been, amply demonstrate.

Justin McFadyen, of Victoria, Australia, writes:

"Dear Dr Chiappalone

It is with great interest that I read what you and others of Annwn Publications wrote about Elizabeth Clare Prophet and her organization. As a former member of that organization, I agree with everything you have published. Further to that, I have written the following in the hope that it may be of some assistance to others.

The following has been written in hindsight of my experiences within Elizabeth Clare Prophet's Spiritual New Age organization originally founded as The Summit Lighthouse then later christened the Church Universal and Triumphant. It should be noted that what is written is not intended in any way to be in support of or empathy with the Teachings and beliefs of the Organization and its followers. I am in full support of the right that each of us has to choose that which we believe and the right to act according to our beliefs. However I believe that if we are seeking the Truth, with sincerity and good intentions, that the organizations we are involved with should not separate us and our common search for the Truth.

I know that those within this organization from which I escaped may not find this pleasant reading within their current mind-set, they may be called to give worldwide decree, prayer and mantra vigils against myself or others who speak out against such deceit and injustice. These decree, prayer and mantra vigils, I know to be a very real, vicious and destructive energy, when directed at one personally is no less than a form of intense black magic, hellbent on the destruction of the ones it is targeted at. My hope is that those truly sincere people who are still involved and committed to this organization will start to think for themselves and question all that is taught them. That they will not blindly swallow each and everything that is fed them. That they will remember the promise of Jesus that the Kingdom of God is within them. That they truly analyze and scrutinize the effects and impact of the Teachings and their practices upon themselves and their lives. I had always believed, that I had a reasonably strong will and self-determination, yet I wasn't prepared for what lay ahead. I spent three of the most intense years of my life deeply buried in a New Age organization known as The Summit Lighthouse, aka The Church Universal and Triumphant, led by Elizabeth Clare Prophet and based in Montana, U.S.A.

I was exploited and conned out of many thousands of dollars, exploited emotionally, mentally and physically, and gave incredible amounts of energy and time to what I now realize was a lost cause.

I eventually escaped from my imminent self-destruction under the guise of spiritual salvation. It was one of the most difficult and exhausting experiences of my life. I believe I escaped due to my desire to push everything to the limit to apply all that was taught to the extreme, to sincerely and truly make it all work and of course I acknowledge the help that was given me, known and unknown.

With a truly honest and determined approach I was eventually able to see that all that I had striven to achieve within this organization and in my life was coming to naught; worse still, everything was going backwards at a rapidly increasing rate. All the promises, hopes and dreams that were given me were eventually seen for the illusions and lies that they were.

However it brings me no peace to know that there are many others who may be still trapped within these vulturous lairs, where they are nothing more than a meal ticket of extraordinary proportions. They, like I was, are exploited and milked in every conceivable way. What's more, they applaud, cheer and fawn over their Leader, Elizabeth Clare Prophet and the so-called Ascended Masters, the spiritual benefactors of this organization, all the while they are being chewed up and spat out incessantly. I was from early on overwhelmed by the seemingly large proportion of insincere people in this organization who initially seemed welcoming and friendly. But very soon all this changes when you become a committed part of the organization. I remember saying out loud on several occasions that I do not want to end up like them after 10 years in this organization. I could never really understand why those who have listened and followed the teachings for over a decade did not seem to follow the fundamental spiritual principles which they, above all others, are supposed to know so well. There are, of course, those who are genuinely committed to doing what they believe is the right thing.

One of the main problems is that you are always made to focus on yourself and your own shortcomings as the traditional and well-known religious adages go, you have to "turn the other cheek" and also you are not to judge others, lest ye be judged. However these very principles are what keep you bound and trapped within such an organization. For you are forever excusing away the unexcusable, forever overlooking that which should necessitate closer scrutiny, and ultimately looking upon your own weaknesses and lack of spirituality as the cause.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet speaks and commands with such authority that none dare to question or doubt even the slightest thing that she says. She gives weekly dictations which are similar but, according to her, not channellings of the Ascended Masters, the Angels, The Elohim, the Archangels. It is proclaimed that she is the highest representative of God upon this planet and the beings that talk through her confirm this to be so.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet condemns clairvoyance, psychic powers and the like to be of the lower astral realms and dangerous for anyone to engage in. All the while it appears that she manifests these same phenomena which, of course, are supposed to have no relationship to the psychic or clairvoyant, that her followers are forever warned against engaging in.

Elizabeth Prophet has such command and control over her followers that it has to be seen to be believed. Looking back, it is very easy to see the incredible bluff by which people are held captive. Firstly all people are kept in bondage and slavery through mainly subtle threats of damnation and failure if any leave the teachings, although none of her brainwashed followers see her as anything other than an Un-ascended Master, holding the highest office of God on this planet. These are not over-embellished statements, but exact ones of the true situation. If anything they are understatements. A genuine, objective, honest researcher into this organization will prove this to be so.

I spent three full years in this organization, read several thousands of pages of the literature and listened to several hundred dictations and videotape recordings. I witnessed personally the behaviour and development of the people associated with the organization throughout my time there.

The following points indicate the fear and threat tactics that ECP uses, along with the so-called representatives of God that speak through her:

It should be known that ECP herself has claimed to have balanced her karma twice over!

So from all of the above points it can be seen that any person who was sufficiently brainwashed would suffer great anxiety and fear if ever confronted with the possibility of leaving or having to leave the organization. I know this to be true for I experienced it personally.

I would like to give an example of the most amazing control that Elizabeth Clare Prophet has over her followers. In 1993 she gave a lecture entitled "Nine Cats, Nine Lives", in which she herself proclaimed that she had been a prostitute in a past life and that it was God's will for her to be a prostitute to balance her karma!

I remember being approached by a long time follower (15 years +) who was so joyful at hearing this explanation, that she was literally bubbling with joy at the prospect of her exalted spiritual Guru being a prostitute. The only way I could later rationalize this was that it helped her equate with her own lowliness and insignificance that most people are conditioned to feel.

Of course there is always the odd pep talk and encouragement to make you feel as if you are one of the chosen of God. This pep talk encourages you when you are at your lowest to get up and give your all again, body, mind and soul for the cause. But mostly all that comes through the books, tapes, lectures, dictations (channellings) is just a constant form of subtle and not-so-subtle put-down. One dictation by the Ascended Master Morya even suggested that everyone wear badges saying that "I want to be pummelled!". This was a serious statement, not an intended pun, meaning that they wanted to be chastised and punished by the so-called Masters and leaders of the organization for their own good, benefit and discipline. Thank God, I left just before I got my badge! After all, I couldn't take any more pummelling than I already had.

The above mentioned audio tapes are still available through the organization.

Elizabeth Prophet in one lecture that I was listening to was discussing a past experience when a number of people left the organization. She was explaining how this had caused her great sadness and that she didn't understand why, until, of course, one of the Ascended Masters came to her and explained that those who left did not have enough love within them.

In my opinion, such a ploy was a very powerful one which could play on the emotions and fears of the followers if, and when, they were to ever contemplate leaving.

Another one of the main teachings of this organization was that of the "Threefold Flame" - a small flame that was said to be burning within our hearts at a spiritual level. This flame consists of three plumes each one representing Love, Wisdom and Power - pink, blue and yellow respectively.

Another one of our enormous tasks was to balance this flame within our hearts, through the application of the teachings, decrees, services, karma balancing, etc. It was taught that this flame could be extinguished through one outburst of temper or anger! This meant that our Divine spark once extinguished is like a loss of one's Divinity, literally like a spiritual death of our being.

Another very popular teaching of ECP and the Masters was that of what they termed "Mechanized Man" - a robotic, totally godless creation that had no divinity within it. (This teaching had great appeal for me as I had independently observed that there were many people in life who by their behaviour and attitude, fitted this description. This godless creation was supposedly created by the fallen ones, those who rebelled against God, as typified in the Biblical fall of Lucifer and his angels.)

Due to the great burdens, responsibilities and stress that one feels within this organization it is very easy to have outbursts of anger on occasions and it is a common thing for many of ECP's followers to let out their pent-up repression, anxiety and stress. Then they would suffer the fear, anxiety and mental torment that they had extinguished their Divine spark (Threefold Flame), which would make them no different than the "Mechanized Man" or godless creation.

After leaving The Summit Lighthouse or Church Universal & Triumphant, I managed to obtain a copy of a book entitled "Lambs to Slaughter" by John Pietrangelo who was in the organization for 14 years. This book would never be read or believed by the loyal supporters of ECP. It is an insider's behind-the-scenes look at ECP, her ex-husband and founder of the Organization, Mark Prophet, who is now, supposedly, an Ascended Master. ECP is currently married to husband # 4. An ex-husband of ECP's, Randall King, features prominently. This book is almost incredible reading, by any standards and yet it is truthful, for I can verify much of what is written through my own experiences. Elizabeth Clare Prophet's ex husband Randall King confesses that for years he would secretly meet at night with ECP while she was still married to Mark Prophet to fulfil her sexual demands.

The rules in this organization are very strict. It would be closer to the truth to say that this organization is run like a dictatorship, where you must do everything that you are told or else suffer the consequences of your karma. One example I can give is where Lord Maitreya, states that his Chelas (disciples of a religious teacher) are not allowed to eat sugar in any form, including, honey, rice malt, barley malt, raw sugar and refined sugars. It was likely that you would not ascend if you ate sugar in any form also. I could never find a valid reason or explanation for this though. At the time, I was already practising a strict fanatical organic vegetarian diet that excluded most refined products. However, I could not understand why we could not use a little natural sweeteners. From my studies and experiences I failed to see the harm that this would cause to our spiritual wellbeing. Years later, after leaving the organization, I had a strong feeling that, in some way, the total exclusion of sugars in our diet may allow for greater brainwashing and control.

The Church Universal and Triumphant is said to be Lord Maitreya's mystery school.

In the organization run by ECP, the degree of how much sex married couples are allowed to have on a weekly basis is prescribed. The total was to be no more than half an hour per week. I know this to be true as I was elected to the Board of Directors for the regional branch of the Organization that I attended and was made to sign papers that vowed to the above requests.

A further point to the above, the week after I escaped from the organization, I had in my possession two videos of ECP, one when she was on the Oprah Winfrey show, in which she categorically and vehemently (and mendaciously) denied that the married members of the organization were only allowed to have 30 minutes of sex per week. This was, and is, utter hypocrisy, I had personally signed the papers as part of my election to the board of directors that stated exactly this time specification! These same papers stated that only married couples were allowed to have sexual relations.

Prophet is always in one way or another trying to milk her followers of money. There is always the requests for regular tithing to the organization and fund raising events. The promise of receiving tenfold what you give is perceived as a 10 to 1 bet that cannot lose. However, in reality, most of the followers are on the poverty line. I have not seen anyone receive anything in return for their constant giving and sacrifice. The problem is that everything can be rationalized. For example, you are said to have received many blessings of the Light of God in your life, the privilege of walking this Path, the gift of more and more opportunities to be of service to God, the books, teachings, protection of the Angels, balancing of your karma, etc... etc.. ad nauseam.

One well-known statement of the Ascended Masters and ECP was that our reward was the opportunity for more service and giving to the Ascended Masters and the organization, and there was unlimited opportunities for that!

Here is another example of one of the most cunning and deceitful manipulations of her followers to gain money: ECP announced that the Ascended Master, El Morya, was calling for each of his Chela's to send in $1000 to the organization. After all, who would dare refuse such a request from an exalted being of God? I certainly didn't, and I was twice a fool because I sent the equivalent of US dollars which totalled at that time $1,500 Australian, for I felt that it would not be $1000 if it arrived as say $US 650. With the request was the much promoted promise that we would receive tenfold in return that which we gave to God. Well here is what happened to me: At the time, I had a total of $3000 dollars in the bank which I had just managed to put together in the last three months. Prior to this I had been in debt for three years paying off loans for various things and for specialized education. I finally had saved a little collateral, a little slice of financial freedom. Well, I enthusiastically made the decision to send off the $US 1,000 ($AU 1,500) and believed that my Masters would be well pleased, and that I would be looked after in the future if I needed help. Later that same week the engine in my car blew up and I was forced to cough up not only the remaining $1500 dollars in my bank but quite a bit more. As if that wasn't enough, my little old car was never the same again. The mechanics did an appalling job. I was soon forced to take out another loan for yet another car which bound me to debt for another 3 years.

I was so pre-occupied with trying to serve and please those whom I believed to be my benevolent Spiritual Masters and benefactors, that I forgot to check the oil in my car. I was attending 3-4 services a week at a distance of one hour's drive, holding personal decree, prayer and mantra vigils for 2-4 hours daily, and on weekends for 4-10 hours. At this time I was also tithing 10% of my net wages to the local branch in Melbourne "The Summit Lighthouse Study Group of Melbourne", and giving regularly at each of the services, as well as to the regular fund-raising programs. I estimate that the net loss to me for my involvement with the organization would be $20,000, at least. That is not to mention all the additional work I gave up to attend services and fulfil my spiritual obligations, the travelling costs over 3 years, and most importantly, all the time and energy I gave with such goodwill and intentions. Fortunately, I had left several months before making the trip to Montana I had planned.

Other people wasted over 10-15 years of their time in the organization, spent up to, or over, $100,000 dollars, in their devotion and commitment to the Organization. This included several trips to the organization's headquarters in Montana, U.S.A., the purchase of bomb shelters, the purchase of emergency food supplies - in the event of world cataclysm which ECP and the Ascended Masters were so fond of predicting - tithing, constant giving to all the fund-raising events, "Love Offerings" (as they were called at each of the regional services where, at the end, a bowl was passed around for contributions) attending the Summit University Courses in Montana and so on.

The Summit University courses are exalted to such a degree that a member of the Organization is made to feel as if she/he must attend, otherwise they will not Ascend. Many gave up their jobs to attend these courses as they run for 2-3 months each and there are several levels known as SU 1 & SU 2, etc. A member of the local organization who held such lightly concealed enmity, jealousy and hatred towards me, lorded it over me on occasions, citing how he had attended two levels and that he had etheric stripes on his spiritual bodies to show for it. He stated that I should do everything possible to attend Summit University and that I should pray very hard that I may be able to do it. It was reported to me by a friend, and long-time member of the organization, that at one time ECP requested that everyone should sell their house and give 10% of it to her. One particular little old lady who was quite sincere but naive and innocent had to be reassured that she should not do this.

I believe it was in 1987 when ECP announced that earth changes and major cataclysms were about to occur. At this time many members of the organization sold, homes, businesses, quit jobs, moved families, nationally and internationally. Then when nothing happened ECP, of course, was adept at saying in lectures that she never said such and such, etc., etc. One member of the Organization whom I knew, related to me how ECP had personally called for them to go from Australia to Montana because of these predictions.

John Pietrangelo, in his book of exposès of Elizabeth Clare Prophet jokingly but accurately called her Elizabeth Clear Profit! When one understands that she owns literally everything including the 33,000 acres of land that is The Church Universal and Triumphant, and the minds of all her followers, and yet claims to just take for herself a modest wage, each week, which is quite a ridiculous concept to the objective observer who would see Prophet forever parading in the most expensive, new designer clothes on many frequent occasions. The staff of the organization are no more than underpaid (if paid at all), overworked servants and slaves.

I have first hand information and experience from those who lived and worked at the Montana headquarters, who worked fulltime (rather all the time), for tiny quarters and meals and a small allowance per month of sometimes no more the $US 64. Non-permanent staff had to pay for the privilege of working for the Organization. The staff worked extremely long hours and then in their spare time they had to attend all the services, lectures, dictations. They were expected to be up at 5 a.m. to commence daily decree and prayer vigils, lunchtime decree sessions and evening decree sessions. On top of this, you were expected to read all the literature produced by the organization, study the lectures, listen repeatedly to the taped dictations that were given through ECP. One was expected to read material, not once, but 3 times. The harder you worked, the more energy, money, time and effort you contributed, the more you were led to believe you were truly on the way, when, in truth, everyone was going nowhere, but was being conned and milked of every last ounce of energy, sanity, money and time. I was elected to the Board of Directors of the Melbourne Group and I know first hand what one is expected to do.

Prophet raised, in one fund-raising event only, over 1 million dollars, which was for the "Save Our Church" fund. This fund-raising was for the defense of the Church's tax exempt status which was reported by ECP and the organization to be under threat from the IRS. I was a member of this Church at the time and well remember the countless requests for donations or "Love Offerings" as they called them, as well as the large number of prayer and decree vigils we dedicated to this cause.

The Church announced that it had retained its tax exempt status and members were congratulated for their efforts. But how the money raised by this fund was really used is anyone's guess. Any money left over was certainly not sent back. There is no doubt about that.

The "Pearls Of Wisdom" are the transcribed weekly dictations of (supposedly) exalted beings as Archangel Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Jesus, Mother Mary, Buddha, Zoroaster, Hercules, The Elohim, Saint Germaine, El Morya, Kuthumi, etc., etc. One quote that sticks in my mind vividly is that one of these exalted beings admonished us to "give that we may receive browny points in heaven"! Of course I had left when I read this and could see the clear ridiculousness of such a statement.

I had many experiences that were very contradictory to the whole teachings and promises of the organization. Most would not even believe them to be true. Countless nights I awoke from my sleep with the very real physical feeling of being suffocated and strangled in my sleep. At other times I actually had

clear perceptions of some monstrous type of entities sucking the life force out of me. All this occurred after saying hours of prayers for protection and appeal to the so-called higher powers of the Ascended Masters. I could not understand how the millions and billions of Angels that were claimed to be protecting the loyal followers could not protect one person from attacks by forces of evil intent that manifested themselves more and more in my life as I was striving to achieve a level of spirituality and truth.

One of the trickier aspects of this organization is that a great part of the Teachings were focused on the great Evil being perpetrated in the world. Elizabeth and her spiritual overseers were so busy pointing and directing our attention to the Evils of this world, that it is almost impossible to look back upon their source as being of evil intent itself. Our attention was constantly directed 7 days per week to giving hours of long prayer & decree vigils, to calling for the judgement of evil, by the powers of God. On top of this we had to seek our own salvation through the many supposedly necessary practices which had to be enacted on a daily basis. I ended up spending 40 hours at work and close to that tending to what I believed were all my spiritual obligations, which, at the time, I willingly and enthusiastically carried out.

Elizabeth Prophet teaches and lectures upon all of the world's Religions, which becomes all the more confusing for the poor spiritual seekers who are within her organization. It is enough for one to try and understand and assimilate the Christian Bible as it is today, let alone all the world's major Religions. I know I could never really stomach much of the Bible, except for a few passages of the New Testament. I was genuinely attracted to this ECP organization initially because I was able to make the logical conclusion based upon my observations that Religion was the source of many wars, racism, hatred and violence that occur every day on this planet. Yet I had no idea how I would be embedded in these very things within the ECP organization.

After I had escaped from this organization, I came to realize fully that this was just another cleverly disguised organization that was not much different to any of the world's Religions and used much of the same tactics upon its followers.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet and all the supposedly high spiritual beings and agents of God which speak through her, use all of the fear tactics to keep the followers bound and trapped by fear, such as the fear of damnation, the fear of leaving the organization, the fear of not being reunited with God, the fear of loss of Divinity, the fear of failing to balance one's karma and having to reincarnate countless lifetimes, the fear of karmic retribution for every thought, word, and deed outside the will of God, etc., etc.

Her followers were led to believe that this was the True organization or Church of God on this planet and that eventually all those who are to be reunited with, or Ascend to, God must eventually find this path to do so. She does mention a few exceptions to this, but they are rare.

I never believed it possible for myself to be so brainwashed, so controlled and so much at the mercy of one such as Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Everyone in the organization is so controlled and brainwashed, it has to be seen to be believed, yet not one would admit it. I must have had some semblance of independent thinking left within me, for I was never able to rationalize one of the main thrusts of the Teachings, that of the Law of Karma. As I looked around me, within my family, and in the world, all those not-so-nice people seemed to be having the best time of it. Later I was able to realize that, if Karma was true and fair, all the Good people would be running this planet.

Most, if not all, of the followers whom I personally interacted with, did not think with their own minds, they did not question anything, but accepted everything that was given them at face value. When they spoke, often it was "The Mother said this", or "The Masters said that", or "By the Grace of God", etc. This now is a sure sign to me that indicates such people are candidates for easy brainwashing and control.

This is really scary stuff when I think about it now. This would indicate total submission and laying of one's self at the feet of ECP and to the Masters, to that which they will, and believe me they will and want an extraordinary amount!!!

Suffering in this organization was seen as an essential part of balancing our karma and achieving a better Resurrection, as Jesus suffered and died upon the Cross, and was resurrected. The Ascended Master El Morya stated that "Suffering is the spice of life!". This was a hard concept for me to understand. We were all taught to believe that suffering was/is, not only good for us, but that we should welcome our returning bad Karma as an opportunity to repay our debts and progress towards a higher level of spirituality and eventual liberation.

Everything was always rationalized to our own disadvantage by ECP and the Ascended Masters, and the self-proclaimed exalted beings, Angels, Archangels, Elohim, etc., etc., who dictated through Prophet. For example, if one was to suffer an injury or accident, even after giving hours of prayers, decrees, and mantras for the purpose of protection, purity, karma-balancing and judgement of evil, it was still taught that it was our karma and that it was not only God's will, but that it was necessary to experience the return of what we originally sent out, and ultimately we were just receiving the return of the evil that we ourselves were said to be responsible for.

A member of the organization who died in an automobile accident was said by ECP and the Masters to have been speeding and that we cannot be protected by the prayers, decrees, mantras, and Angels of God if we are simultaneously breaking the laws of this world which we must obey at all times. I myself cut my finger on one occasion to the point of probably needing stitches, (which I did not get), after a 4 hour prayer, decree & mantra vigil. I do remember pondering this deeply as to how and why this could possibly happen after what I had done. Eventually I just rationalized it away as my karma, the will of God, and the balancing of a portion of something wrong or evil I committed in some time past which I had no possible way of ever knowing what the heck it was.

TRUE GNOSTICISM - The Writings of Dr J.S. Chiappalone & Annwn Publications

I can now put all of the above experiences into perspective through my understanding of Gnosticism. I was fortunate to find understanding of my situation and experiences in life through a study of the books written by Dr J.S. Chiappalone on Gnosticism, which have become my greatest source of understanding of my experiences and of life as we know it. These writings and teachings have also provided me with a liberation that I never dreamed possible.

The first book I read, that was lent me, upon leaving the organization, was a book entitled "Revelation of the Truth". This book totally validated and confirmed not only my experiences in life but also my experiences in the ECP organization. For example, one chapter in this book alone, Chapter 29 - The Law of Reward and Punishment (Karma), which was only 5 pages in length, made me understand my entire predicament with ECP and her organization. If Karma is a creation of Evil, which observation of this world would indicate is correct, for there is little, if any, justice, then the foundation of this entire ECP organization falls to pieces. I truly felt and was treated in this organization as the bad guy, as the one who needed to be punished, who needed to suffer, who needed to experience the return of my evil deeds committed over many lifetimes that I could not even remember.

While I was within this ECP organization I always felt disappointed that we were not allowed to remember our past lives, for I believed that it would be more useful if I could remember all that I had learnt in past lives.

Dr Chiappalone's writings also state that Reincarnation is an evil-created system that is designed for us to forget purposely. This was like a huge bell ringing in my head! Of course, that explains it all. I somehow knew this to be true without a doubt. And so, many of my answers and questions were found in these Gnostic writings.

Many of my experiences were not only defined but also confirmed by my study of the books of Dr J.S. Chiappalone, and Annwn Publications. One of the most significant day to day experiences was my inability to function in the presence of certain people. These certain people had the ability to drain me of energy, to make me feel extremely suppressed, depleted of energy, totally at a loss and dejected within my work environment. To make things worse, I felt this way with many I worked with. Dr Chiappalone explains that the purpose of the entire evil-created system that we live in at present is set up for the extraction of energy from those of the True Creation.

He describes energy suckers that certain beings have on the energy level which attach to you and drain you of your energy. Well I could certainly relate to this for this experience was common to me, even though at the time I didn't understand it. I erroneously believed it to be a problem of my own make-up, and a daily occurrence at work. Wherever I would go, I could not escape this very real feeling of energy depletion. The writings of Dr J. Chiappalone not only helped me to recognise specific instances of this, but they also helped me so that I was soon able to deal with it to such a degree that I could prevent it to a large degree. I do not doubt I have managed the problem, because those same people, and there were many who previously drained me, no longer have this effect on me. My mind is clearer, I can now function within my work environment, and I am instantly able to recognize those who are depleting my energies. This was perhaps my greatest obtained liberation and freedom.

Now I can recognize that the ECP organization was all about how much energy they could obtain from you. All the surface things, all the small truths, all the glamour, books, teachings, lectures, smiling so-called spiritual do-gooders, and structures were irrelevant. After all, why else would we sit and give incredibly intense prayer decree and mantra vigils for hours upon hours, day after day, sometimes shouting, yelling, jumping, clapping, but always with all of our energy from body, mind and soul, so that we would go home literally feeling washed out and exhausted, only to have to come back again and again and do the same thing. Why did God need our energy we were giving? Did He not have enough of His own? After all, He created everything in the known and unknown universes didn't he? Gnosticism again answers these questions through the understanding that there are two creations and the false creation which came about as a result of what is termed the Celestial Error, needs the energy of the True creation to survive and it obtains it by stealing it, for the false creation should never have existed. I realize these are difficult points to understand, and I urge any who want greater understanding to read the books."

ESSAY TWO

Sarah Lang of California writes:

Dear Dr. Chiappalone,

I have just finished reading what you have to say about the dangers of cults in your book Making Sense of the Madness, Volume One, and it brought back to me some of the traps I almost got caught in during my lengthy search for answers to the meaning of life. One in particular comes to mind. It operates as a church, although I believe that it is more as a tax dodge than as a genuine church. During the time when I almost became involved with it, it was known as "The Summit Lighthouse" although I believe it is now called "The Church Triumphant" or something like that. It was founded by a Mark Prophet who took over a group called "I am".

After Mark Prophet's death, his wife, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, took charge and has been running the show ever since. When I say she has been running the show, that is exactly what she puts on -- a show. In fact, when I first experienced her performance, it was under a Big Top circus tent at Mount Shasta sometime in the 1980s, I believe, although it could have been earlier. I had never been to Mount Shasta and I thought this might be a good opportunity to visit the area as well. I remember that there was an unseasonal snowfall while we were there.

As we were all seated under the tent waiting for the arrival of the one who was referred to as the Mother, one would have thought we were waiting for the Messiah, so great was the build-up and anticipation in the crowd. As I think back on this woman in the very fancy floor-length gown, I can remember pushing back the thought that she had a very ostentatious and arrogant air about her when she finally arrived at the front of the make-shift "temple". I could not help but wonder at the very obvious obsequious fawning that was going on around her.

My memory of specific points of the event is a bit hazy at this point in my life but I recollect a lot of chanting, or what was referred to as "decreeing", until my voice was hoarse. It seemed like a huge energy warm-up in preparation for the main event -- direct "dictation" by some of the Ascended Masters. I remember St. Germaine was one, Jesus was another and I believe Kootoomi was included. There were others as well. The interesting thing was, they all sounded exactly the same -- voice-wise, content-wise, energy-wise -- and nothing very startling or unexpected was said. In fact, after a while, I found it all quite boring.

I continued to doubt the authenticity when one of the so-called Ascended Masters talked about abortion and how it was against God's law and a great sin; how all children were a blessing and it seemed the more the better; that a pregnant woman was special and I believe it was also stated that contraception is also against the will of God. As I understand Elizabeth Prophet changes her "facts" and doctrines to suit the time, this may not be what comes "through" her now, but it definitely was on that crisp, snowy day at Mt. Shasta.

The only other thing that vividly comes to mind about the production is how the woman stressed the need for everyone to decree constantly as an aid to certain "trouble spots" in the world. She insisted that it was everyone's duty to assist the world in this way.

During my week-end stay I met a woman who with great effort spoke in a very husky voice. She said that the doctor had told her she must not use her voice for a time or she was in danger of permanently losing her ability to speak. She very proudly stated that it did not matter to her, that it was too important for her to continue doing as Elizabeth Prophet commanded and decree and decree and decree, even if it might mean permanent loss, that nothing was too great a sacrifice.

It seemed that tithing was an important part of the doctrine of the so-called church. One should give at LEAST 10% of one's gross income. However, tithing involved more than money; it involved giving 10% of one's time (or 2 hours, 40 minutes each day) to the sacred act of decreeing (affirming out loud special decrees from the book of decrees or special ones added by Prophet), etc. The violet flame of St. Germaine was always emphasized. I also learned from some of the followers that it was important to dress in a particular color for each day of the week. I no longer remember which color goes with what day.

Although it was claimed that vegetarianism was the order of the day, the daughter of Elizabeth Clare Prophet was later to expose various practices of her mother which were in variance from those she preached. These included her charge that while the underlings were not to eat meat, she and her family often did.

It is also difficult to reconcile E. C. Prophet's belief that blacks are intrinsically inferior, in view of her expressed belief in reincarnation. Although Prophet had nothing good to say about the organized religions, she borrowed a great deal from them, especially Catholicism with its saints and rosary beads.

One has to wonder why this person has devoted so much energy and money in building an underground city to ward off anticipated nuclear fallout if she really believes in the immortality of the spirit and that life is better on the other side. Is it that she fears what awaits her when death finally overtakes her? Is this pain-filled world of suffering so appealing to her that she will go to such extreme lengths to maintain her control here?

I later made the acquaintance of a young woman who was getting ready to sell her home in order to send the money to Elizabeth Prophet and nothing could talk her out of doing that. All her money went in that direction and all her time went into the many, many activities that were carried on in Prophet's name. She ended up leaving her husband who did not share her enthusiasm. I soon lost all contact with this otherwise very personable and intelligent person. As her goal was to join E.C. Prophet wherever her headquarters were at the moment, I suspect this is where she ended up.

As I read your books, Dr. Chiappalone, I become ever more grateful that I did not also end up there, prey to this particular cult. I do not know how the present day Prophet presents herself or her dogma. However, thanks to your writings, I can see with clearer eyes the insidious evilness that comes forth from her direction and can recognize Elizabeth Clare Prophet as the EVIL IMPOSTER she is.

With many thanks,

From a grateful reader in Pleasanton, CA.

Sarah Lang