Menu
Eckankar

Eckankar review: Spiritual and business fraud 31

E
Author of the review
2:57 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Review updated:
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I have had association with Eckankar since the middle 1960s to current times. I have witnessed all of its phases trials and tribulations as a religious spiritual group. There was some integrity in the early years despite claims and proof of use of other religious groups written materials. Now let me focus on the here and the now as this is important. Have no doubt that the current Eckankar business is just that, a business and nothing more. It is geared to make money and keep people spending their money for Eckankar products.

If you look at the box it looks pretty much the same as the 1960s. However, if you examine the contents it is not the same as the 1960s. Individual spiritual achievement was propagated then. Now the propagation is in putting all the power in a singular man known as the Mahanta. Self empowerment and individuality is frowned upon and discouraged. Complaints are made against members who do not donate enough money for products, and they are put on a list, so they do not receive further initiations.in the field in all parts of the world members are sited for unacceptable behavior and put on computer, so they are singled out to be watched and passed up for advancement in the organization.

Unacceptable behavior is noted as not following the party line and not joining in personal attacks against those the local Eckankar centers deem as being a threat to the current Eckankar doctrine.in one written book their current Mahanta was really proud about writing how an old woman died for kicking his seat from the back in an aircraft.in another suppressed and censored book that was altered before publication there was a chapter on how to kill a person. Paranoia and feelings of being prosecution is widespread in the Eckankar group aimed at dissidents who appear to not agree to doctrine and behavior.

Members are routinely called by telephone or met in public to feel them out as being potential threats to their organization. It is not uncommon for Resas and his to drive hundreds of miles to check out threatening members and reduce them to feeble participants in the party line or suffer excommunication. Members who are of various professions are put under the microscope whether their respective profession is a threat to the organization. The most singled out are public servants, politicians, lawyers and doctors; those who have access to resources to put Eckankar under the scrutinizing microscope for the general public to view with clarity.

The reason the public has never read in detail any of the major court cases placed in motion in relation to Eckankar is evidence has been cleverly suppressed either through legal motion or gray area loopholes to cover critical glaring evidence. Witnesses have been threatened and attacked with voracity to wear them down and make them terrified to provide substantial evidence of illegalities and attack against the reputations and credibility of evidence. Numerous gag orders have been filed to shut up witnesses.

Eckankar has a very skilled legal counsel yet if they are correctly and legally cornered it will be found by the courts and the legal system that their corruption is apparent and of interest to the authorities. Eckankar is on numerous cult watch lists in various countries worldwide who consider their conniving cleverness to suppress evidence and its members to be of concern and worthy of investigation. Eckankar has been banned in countries due to bad reports filed by former members and the public in general. Now you may ask if all of what has been written in this report is true why has this not been reported in the major news services?

Instead of just asking this question why not try the following as an experiment. If you have some reasonable complaint against Eckankar go and file a motion of complaint for review at your local court. Let their counsel take the bite and see what happens. That will reveal some very interesting details to you. Eckankar is a business that should have been investigated ages ago but was not. The amount of suppression of evidence and scaring witnesses has been so pronounced that it would dwarf any of the so-called cults known traditionally in the American society. No one really ever gets the goods in Eckankar.

It is definite that many did many years ago before the Eckankar thought police arrived on the scene and edged into the personal thoughts of its members. Go and dig up the old fossil exist high initiates of maybe 40 years ago and be surprised that they have a mystic about them that current main players do not have now. Why? Because Eckankar is running a business and not a spiritual path. To all lawyers, solicitors, judges, IRS agents, respected government authorities ask yourselves what is hidden about Eckankar beyond supposed transparency?

What are you not seeing that is distressing so many people who are too afraid to come out and tell you about their personal experiences interacting with this group. I do not think money laundering internationally through the facade of a religious organization is what is classified as a bona fide spiritual movement. If you were to check out where the thread ends it would make your head spin and on every continent. Do not take my word for it. Authorities do your own secret intel investigations, and you will hit the jack pot.

I gave up a very long time ago trying to make heads or tails of why this group touts itself as a religious order. It is beyond me. Quite frankly the public would get more joy joining a common church. These people are as guilty as sin, and it is high time the public tears down the walls of their secrecy which they are not entitled to use. All persons who made a public expose of this group have been punished; legally, materially, mentally and emotionally.

The Eckankar organization sees this as the wrath of god striking the wicked yet if you force them to release secret files you will see techniques used to harm and injure in malicious and cunning ways. Am I just venting frustration? No, beyond the social good I am submitting this factual report so all of those I lead to this teaching are informed. Authorities believe me you will have to spar like hell with these people before they give over their smut, and they will only do it by force. They are capable of hiding evidence all over the world and quickly.

31 comments
I
I
ifitquackslikeaduck
, US
Mar 17, 2023 2:09 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Reply to comment of Connection Coach of May 30, 2018

The question asked was what type of mind finds Eckankar so appealing that it could be susceptible to mind control?

It’s not the mind that finds Eckankar so appealing and susceptible to mind control but rather the ego which, as Paul Twitchell explained, is an entity created by the mind.

As all con men have known for ages, the best way to gain the confidence of the “mark” is to appeal to the victim’s vanity and greed with the biggest lies possible.

To sincere people who are searching for a purpose and for more answers than their current religions can provide what could be more appealing to their vanity and ego than to be offered a chance to be a co-worker with God?

What could be more appealing to their vanity and ego than to be assured that the leader of their spiritual teachings holds the highest state of consciousness in all universes and on every plane of existence; can provide them with the highest spiritual guidance; has the ability to connect them to the light and sound of God; and, most importantly, can free them from the cycle of reincarnation?

What could be more appealing to the vanity and ego than to be promised ever more recognition and status through a structure of initiations as they progress along a spiritual path to ever higher states of consciousness?

Generally, “[F]fraud occurs when a person or business intentionally deceives another with promises of goods, services, or financial benefits that do not exist, were never intended to be provided, or were misrepresented. Typically, victims give money but never receive what they paid for.” [The link for this definition was lost]

There is no question that members of Eckankar are victims of the crime of fraud. Paul intentionally deceived interested members of the public by misrepresenting who he was and what he could provide for a fee.

The proof that he misrepresented himself with the intent to deceive is found in the huge volumes of text that he plagiarized and then sold as his own original works. That’s a fact, not an opinion. And, anyone who bought one of his books is a victim.

Consequently, the fraud that Paul committed and Eckankar has perpetuated is far more insidious than merely acknowledging that Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny are not real. There is no equivalency. Santa and the Easter Bunny have no intent to deceive for gain. There is no victim.

Instead, Paul purposely and with great intent uses subtle psychological devices to gain the trust of his followers and their continued donations. Paul’s own wife, Gail, according to testimony, confirmed the fact that Paul just made it all up. Darwin and Harold continued the lies with Harold building substantially upon them.

It’s all a colossal ego trap. Followers are charmed into Eckankar by thinking they are special, smarter, and more spiritual than all the other religions because Paul tells you so. He tells you that you are a member of a special club…a secret society…with few followers because the masses are not evolved enough spiritually to understand the deeper, esoteric teachings of Eckankar.

Then once he’s filled you with such great purpose and pride he threatens to take it all away should you decide to leave and/or say anything against Eckankar or the Living Eck Master. Paradoxically, the very same ego Paul uses to seduce and gain your confidence into believing you are so special he now vilifies as the cause for your doubting the teachings because you failed to fully surrender your ego to the Master.

What’s worse is that he warns that you will be stuck on the wheel of never-ending reincarnations which is the worst punishment possible given that the whole stated purpose of Eckankar is to break free of incarnations…a “service” not provided by most other religions.

The irony of it all is that straight from the start Paul tells you what he’s doing…he tells you his scam…throughout all his writings (well not really his writings). He tells you that any religious leader or group that makes this or that claim is not the true teachings. Then a couple of pages later he makes the very same claim! It’s disquieting when you first see it because you question it, but by that time he’s already won your confidence so you believe it…for a while.

Inevitably, all but the most vain and egotistical leave Eckankar because everyone likes to be thought of as intelligent and nothing hurts more than to admit that you have been tricked or made a fool. The longer someone stays in Eckankar the harder it is to admit being duped.

There are a couple of ways that members come to the realization they have been deceived and that is after they get a few years and a few initiations under their belts they begin to realize (if they are honest with themselves) that they are not evolving or gaining any of the claimed spiritual capabilities that are supposed to come with each initiation.

Paul would say that you just aren’t practicing the spiritual exercises enough. He blames the student for being spiritually lazy. But, then you have to ask yourself, why would the master give me another initiation if I’m lazy and incapable of out of body travel at will? He’s supposed to know all things, right?

Another way members realize they’ve been scammed is that once they attain greater initiations and begin to be exposed to other high initiates they see that not all of them live by the ethical standards required in the Eck teachings. Some are overbearing bullies; some regularly drink alcohol or even do drugs; others use their congregations to sell products or services they probably don’t need; and still others knowingly or unknowingly succumb to the sexual advances of a bottomless pool of admiring young women seeking the attention of such obviously highly evolved spiritual beings as signified by their initiations. Any single, modestly attractive, male higher initiate is literally a rock star within the organization and has access to an unlimited number of women vying for their attention…which incidentally appears to have contributed to Darwin’s downfall.

The real “kill shot” for Eckankar though is the realization that while Paul claimed to be a Godman he stole almost every word he wrote.

If it wasn’t for Julian Johnson and his book, “The Path of the Masters” Eckankar wouldn’t even exist because Paul plagiarized almost every word of it. The knowledge of this deception was not readily known until after the internet became more available. So, you have to ask yourself, why would the highest manifestation of God on Earth need to steal another person’s words? You’d think a Godman could easily manifest his own original words by going straight to the source.

Paul could have just as easily compressed and compiled the writings of all the religions and philosophies without plagiarizing other’s works and offered this service to anyone interested. Instead, he chose to lie for the purpose of sustained monetary gain to satisfy his wife.

This brings to light another aspect of the fraud to consider. Why would a woman who had been married to two Godmen sell her rights to Paul’s books and disappear into Palm Springs, California if Eckankar is the highest spiritual teachings on earth as claimed?

Anyway, few things could be more arrogant and condescending than presuming to be the “adult” in the room and then ridiculing former members of Eckankar for whining and complaining like children about being victims of fraud since as everyone knows all religions are frauds.

Mocking others after boasting about being an active and high profile member of Eckankar who rubbed elbows with the “cool kids” for ten years seems to be merely an attempt to “take the high road” so as to avoid looking stupid or foolish at being duped by Paul’s deception.

On the other hand, anyone aware of Paul’s deception the whole time they were a member of Eckankar and in a leadership role would make them a hypocrite of the highest order and an accessory in the scam leaving little room to criticize the complaint that Eckankar is a spiritual and business fraud, or, worse, to claim that there were no victims of fraud.

K
K
kenneth walsh
, US
Jul 29, 2022 5:04 am EDT

I studied EK and Shabda yoga, as with all spiritual practices works well in the parameters of the practice.

I especially liked the anthropologic use of masters as an mnemonic device to describe states of consciousness.

G
G
Griswald1985
Little Falls, US
May 09, 2022 10:26 pm EDT

Somehow I never did encounter any of the above.

Look, long story short, if you have that free booklet Eckankar sends you and you find yourself stranded on a deserted island for the rest of your life guess what? You don't really need anything else. Yeah, to get "normal" initiations you need to be a member but that's if you want them- again, you do NOT absolutely need them.

If along with that booklet you have a Bible and you want to read it and learn more about the Christ then guess what? Nobody is stopping you. I stopped using "Jesus Christ" as a curse because of Eckankar- all right, every once in a while I still slip up but Rome wasn't built in a day.

The problem with Eckankar is it's proof of "as above so below" or "ask and you shall receive" which is as much a warning as a promise. You go in trying to be fleeced in anything you'll find a way to do it. Remember the PTL scandals of the 1980's? Did that make Christ a phony? Hardly.

Human beings have an amazing ability to take anything good and ruin it. That's the problem.

Nobody in Eckankar ever intimidated or bullied or ripped me off and I'm not exactly Walker Texas Ranger or Bruce Lee. That is because it just didn't work that way.

I never had these problems with Eckankar and it has helped me through some pretty terrible times. Because that's what I decided I wanted. Just as Christianity can be a huge help for many or a total rip-off (PTL Club). It's what YOU make of it in the end.

O
O
On Leaving Eckankar
, US
May 27, 2022 7:19 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

@Griswald1985, I am sure you know that just because these things didn't happen to you, that doesn't mean they don't happen to a lot of people. The same is true for any religion when people are hurt - there are those who experience trauma and those who don't. It is not a flaw of the individual that makes them experience a religion as traumatic, it is the religion that is causing the trauma.

Good for you. But your comments disregard the real problems people have faced by being involved in Eckankar. It is not what YOU make of it in the end. That is a thought-stopping cliche that basically blames the victim of abuse/trauma. Religion is traumatic for so many people. Eckankar is a religion and has harmed people with pushing false beliefs and causing people to think in harmful ways about themselves. Just because no one has bullied YOU or ripped YOU off, doesn't mean that the teachings are free from harm. Abuse doesn't have to be extreme to be abuse.

O
O
On Leaving Eckankar
, US
Feb 16, 2021 9:03 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Once a person starts applying critical thinking and skepticism, it doesn't take much to see that the teachings of this cult are false. Since a god-belief or any supernatural idea is unfalsifiable, it is intellectually dishonest to explain things by god or spirituality. It is more honest to say, "there simply isn't evidence to support this, so I don't know." Like all other religions, eckankar places 100% veracity in the individual's experience. However, individual personal experience is not enough to prove something is true. If that were the case, then we all would have to believe the claims of members of all other religions who also vehemently believe in their personal experiences. This is a long-standing cult tactic, to place so much emphasis on personal experience instead of critical thinking.

There is a wonderful book which does an excellent job describing the tactics and impacts of cult behavior - "Recovering Agency" by Luna Lindsey and it describes how a former member of the LDS church found her way out. If you give this a read, or listen, you will find the very same tactics are used in Eckankar, and every other religion.

Eckankar makes promises just like every other religion. Those promises are never fulfilled, however, except in the mind of the believer who has been indoctrinated to see the world through a spiritual point of view. For example, eckankar teaches that "everything happens for a reason" and an offshoot of this idea is the concept of "waking dreams" which is an experience that happens when you are awake, that is somehow teaching you something. This is simply confirmation bias is full effect. We as humans want to find evidence to support our beliefs and ideas, even if our beliefs are incorrect. So, we seek out confirmation and validation. so, the Eckist who finds "confirmation" in the world around them is simply in the psychological loop of confirmation bias.

Most people, when "looking for a sign" to prove that something it true or right will typically say to god or the universe, "show me a sign that this is what I am supposed to do." doing this is already setting up your brain to find only evidence that will support your desire. Instead, if you really want to test this method, say to god or the universe, "show me a sign that this is NOT what I am supposed to do." This would be a much more honest approach. However, since this method isn't a good method for making decisions in the first place, because it is only confirmation bias, I am not suggesting that god or the universe is actually answering you. I am saying that you will still interpret any sign you get as confirmation because that is what you are seeking.

There is much to say on this subject and how eckankar teaches followers to believe in harmful ideas. the foundations based upon plagiarism should be enough to ward off any potential seeker. However, even if the beginnings were Twitchell's original ideas, this by no means would prove that those ideas are actually true. Skepticism and critical thinking are still needed to decide if any god claim or spiritual claim in true.

O
O
On Leaving Eckankar
, US
Feb 16, 2021 8:45 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I was a member for over 40 years and rose to the rank of clergy. I was raised in eckankar since childhood and was a very well-known member. It took me having some distance from it to see that I had been indoctrinated into many harmful beliefs, such as believing in karma (which blames the victim) and believing that anger is "bad". You will find numerous writings in Eckankar about how expressing or feeling anger is the work of the "negative force" so people are indoctrinated to experience shame if they feel anger as it means "they are not spiritual enough." This is harmful because it creates compliance and learned helplessness in the Eckankar member which keeps them hooked into the cult. Very dangerous psychologically indeed.

T
T
T’d Off
Phoenix, US
Mar 18, 2021 7:08 am EDT

Looking over all the complaints made about Eckankar and your reply also, troubles me because of my own past membership in Eckankar, which is still running a flimsy money making operation unabated hurting thousands of people, like they did to me. I’m still recovering from their mischief, but may never.

I noticed Eckankar designed a new website but their reasoning in doing this, is in order to try to force Minnesota law makers to reverse decisions to change what Eckankar has been termed as. A cult like organization. This website has been well thought out by them because in the future I’m sure there will be even more complaints aimed at them.

Eckankar offers a useful service if only the people who manned it truly were honest and had integrity. Yet since 1981 have made it a consistent practice to punish ferociously those opposing them. The premise behind their teachings, are sound, to support people in reaching higher states of awareness.

But Eckankar unfortunately slam dunks when it’s members do not adhere to rigid psychologically dangerous practices of holding their religious figures higher than one’s own, common sense. Religious practices put together even as late by past mental patients which I discovered in superseded court records. The founder of Eckankar was in a mental hospital and its current head was in one also.

However the most disturbing thing still going on after so many years is nobody has been able to successfully carry out the pining of criminal charges on all of those at the top of the Eckankar pyramid scheme.

Yes indeed Eckankar is a pyramid scheme that rewards those at the bottom who make it to the top by putting excessive pressures on the public, to buy and continue to buy membership goods of all sorts including attendance of events. Pressure in also eliminating Eckankar detractors by ferreting them out after sizing them up, and then exposing them to those at the top.

Eckankar will continue its tomfoolery and assault on members, with new comers included, as long as people need to be, victimized. To be made into victims, of theft and brainwashing. Schemed assault to be done with a soft touch, and conning cunning strategies all spruced up in an air of love, yet with a gun, pointed at love’s, head. Thus their legal counsel looks like an undertaker, and its Eckankar president primed and proper to appear, above reproach. So as to work around what really boils down to just religious prostitution with a heavy hand striking down those who feed it. Truly, Eckankar feels extremely dead and propagates death by advising the dying daily of its members, but in a sinister way.

There are previous court precedents - statutes combing other relevant classifications, of what these conniving Eckankar affiliates, HIs, RESAs, as well as other higher-ups are actively doing to people criminally. Yet, to catch them in the act you have to do what well trained investigators do in hard to prove cases, namely, record and video tape their conversations in plain view while they act out their crimes.

Devices can now be purchased online with the intent of legally recording criminal activity. These listening and recording devices are easy to use and hard to detect on a person’s body. Media News services join in with investigative teams regularly now to present programs for the public to watch on television.

Approaching said services carefully if you have reasonable, cause, will get your issues into the public eye. However don’t bother if you just want attention, or are psychologically disturbed. You have to have sincere genuine complaints that can be proven, for, the public good. Television Networks, Film Companies, You Tube Channels and Charitable Foundations for instance, have deep pockets in terms of legal protection, and they will support you. Use your imagination, I’m sure you will succeed. The reason why lawsuits against Eckankar have failed in the past was because of lack of monetary resources.

The inexperienced will cry out, “isn’t this illegal”? No, not in this case, because of an extensive damaging hate spree practiced by Eckankar done aggressively upon its membership and also; legal, as well as policing communities in general. Bad behavior orchestrating the establishment of hidden ordinances having been set up to net dodgy Eckankar subjects.

Think of it, Eckankar is considered so bad that it has brought down upon itself a legal netting worse than anything having been experienced before; by its original genesis in the church of Scientology! Even Hubbard and Twitchell would be impressed by the nasty SP (suppressive persons) weapons created by Eckankar that has been harming so many people through the control of their souls.

However, if you want to prove criminal activity you have to organize your surveillance carefully, by legally etching upon it, time and date, occurrence, whereabouts, and those who participated, in it. Clearly your efforts cannot be haphazard, or just frivolous. Thus, legal cause of concern must be explicitly explained in detail, backing your surveillance action on potentially, guilty parties.

You must also explain what exactly they did to warrant them being recorded; such as violation of various civil rights for instance, and the breaking of specific laws. Inclusive of slander and the passing on of confidential information outside legal constraints of a designated church, seeking to mar a person’s character, and their reputation in a community. Make triplets and pass these on to supportive persons, in case you are offed. You think I am making a joke here. I guess you never read the missing chapter, in one of Twitchell’s’ books.

A common Eckankar ploy for instance to silence dissent is to call a person criminal, a drug user, insane, or sexually immoral. There are other ones’ but you would almost have to figuratively waterboard their staff, to get the truth out of them. Thus, recoding is the very best, option, open to you. Get on their good side, and then, record away. Of course they will complain in court but, the law, is the law. Wrongdoers are subjected to the same law, as are good people.

These Eckankar heads are really slimy so you will have to get down in the dirt with them in order to trick them into converting their past opinions about you, into a converted and accepted confidence, in you. Thereby, give over their private confessions and also expose the rude behaviors which really displays, their true characters. Remember, in order to cross over the line from civil to criminal proceedings you must show a blatant violation of laws in criminal, and not civil, terms.

Regardless, enough damning dirt on Eckankar has been gathered to place them into legal straits which will, turn their lights off. Yet, legal protocol has to be followed to the T, so those responsible fit under the established umbrella of what they have been doing to their membership and other facilities for over 45 years. Consequently there are criminal specifics in law which they now neatly fit into. Yet better to have said walk into, to solidify evidence. Nonetheless, accurate explicit documentation is required, done by your hand or other’s digits, if they have credible evidence in hand, to present to courts and magistrates.

Thus, shop around to find the very best leaning magistrates, and counsel, motivated to put cultish interests out of business. The world will be a better place when the current form of Eckankar is done away with, successfully.

P
P
Patricio Da Silva
, US
Mar 22, 2021 1:49 am EDT

My mother, my father, my brother and cousin are all Eckists ( mom and dad have passed away ). I understand your issues with Eckankar fully. I never have confronted them about the truth of Eckankar, because I don't see the point. I mean, Eckankar is, essentially, a repackaged version of the Radhasoami sect in India, with all the austerity and discipline removed, so that it is palatable to the west. What difference does it make if they are Eckists, Sikhs, Hindus, or Scientologists? I mean, all religions are the same, pick one. Me? I just meditate, it's free and I don't have to surrender to anyone.

G
G
Griswald1985
Little Falls, US
Jan 09, 2021 2:40 pm EST

Normally I don't get involved in these sort of things, but- here goes.

I first became involved in Eckankar back in 1985 while studying psychic phenomena (in this case, Astral Travel). It actually took a bit of time to realize the difference involved here, but eventually I became an Eckist.

Sure I bought a couple of books and did order some of those initiation courses way back when, I was after all in college and the mid-1980's was certainly a brighter time than now. But was I EVER, at any point, pressured into buying anything? No.

In fact, at a little meeting place in Kirkland I used to post that famous "Bill the Cat Joins the Rahjneesh Cult" comic from "Bloom County." Nobody got mad, because it was funny ("START THE CAR!").

Aside from stuffing a few bucks in a donation jar for heating expenses from time to time, again nobody ever pressured me for money. Maybe some would say people were too scared to- I look like a hillbilly- but no, nobody was.

The idea behind Eckankar is simple: there is a sort of science behind reaching God, and Eckankar just tries to consolidate it. Since other religions have a lot of truth in them about this, reading the Bible as an Eckist shows me this ("the Third Heaven" Paul spoke of in second Corinthians and Christ's reference to a mansion with many rooms, Buddha's "middle path, " etc.), they are valid paths to God for different people, like glass globes in a Galileo thermometer. Christ and Buddha are highly respected, and it was because of Eckankay I try not to say "Jesus Christ" as a curse, though I still slip up.

The biggest problem has is and will always be the same as anything else on this planet: human nature. Absolutely nothing on this planet can be free of it. Those insane SJWs and ANTIFA; the origins of the leftism that drives them was actually sensible and in fact good. The NRA merely was about protecting the Second Amendment. Animal rights was about ending the horrific abuses other life forms endure from us. But humans find a way to ruin EVERYTHING.

The basic idea behind Eckankar is and always will be good: finding a way back home to God and to understand other faiths and other ways. The same with true Christians, Krishnans, even Wiccans. Just as the most satisfied Christians are those who reach for the Christ, and those of other faiths remember the heart and soul of their beliefs, so it is with Eckankar. Long story short, it's what ECKISTS make of it, and after more than 3 1/2 decades I still believe. But I also understand humans are SERIOUSLY flawed, and anyone who thinks any organization with humans is going to be 100% crystal clear pure is going to be disappointed no matter where they are.

So may the blessings be, and to everyone in these crummy dark times, here's hoping for you and strength in whatever faith you have.

A
A
Anonymous Posting
, US
Sep 29, 2019 2:43 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I want to comment on eckankar because I notice on this website nobody has pointed out Twitchell never intended to continue his made up religion past his death.

Eckankar is a fraudulent sham based on observations from my own personal experience with its henchmen trying to live off the backs of those who did in some way benefit initially from ideas devised in part by Paul Twitchell.

Don’t misinterpret my intention though of presenting this text to you. Twitchell’s ideas were intriguing but in my own case as I discovered later on influenced me to the edge of disaster because they were not based on sound principles governing astute behavior.

I am writing this perhaps as the only person alive who can accurately describe last wishes and days of Paul Twitchell. Revealing what I know from the last period of his life to outsiders would not in his time be considered ok, yet he would probably support this letter, because of how deadly and destructive Eckankar has become today to those who join its ranks.

In Twitchell’s final days he wanted to provide a linkage to those he cared for through his writings, teachings and published materials, to guide these person’s continued self discovery after his death. I was around in the early 60s before the formation of Paul’s scientology based teaching which he shared as a contributor with the Dianetics founder as an extension of teachings above level OT8.

Despite what onlookers attempt to point out, Paul was no backwoods ignoramous hick as has been inferred copiously across the www. Twitchell was reasonably educated with college study requiring ability to read and write in English understandably. He plazerized much of his esoteric writings which was common practice during his lifetime because there was no internet available, not even the most basic copy machines to plazerize texts from; thus essentially the man was winging it to build an image of himself as a spiritual adept when actually he was just a caring beginner trying to free people from traditionalists holding a majority of people down, with no promise of them ever breaking out of limiting culturally biased paradgyms.

On appearance this may appear very noble of Twitchell but in his frantic attempt to break out, he has caused a lot of damage because he suggested and taught many things which are just not possible for people to achieve; so they stretch themselves dangerously thin right by the edge just shy of falling off and from my experience, many people did, and do today, from an even further distortion by eckankar to cover up the founder’s shady past, subsequently a need on Eckanka’s part to bring this tomfoolery forward to still dupe people today into thinking their teachings are legitimate but really just based on a hodgepodge of disassociative ideas which fractures people’s peace of mind and stability, in relationships and day to day interaction, with the world.

The practice during the 1940s through 70s was legitimate respected well known writers who lacked sophistication in philosophical matters, copied full sections of others people’s books authored elsewhere because getting to a library and forming their own ideas was time consuming. On top of that photo copying was reserved to those with access to very primitive machines. I know this as one of my friend’s parents owned and ran an offset press. We observed crap copy machines operating there sitting broken, with repair requiring qualified technicians traveling far to fix temperamental devices.

Initially Twitchell considered continuing on through an ongoing distribution camp after he died to propagate his home brewed teachings for ongoing support of those he had taught after demise, yet Hubbard had a hand in Twitchell’s pie. In reality Twitchell’s writings were extensions of both authors combined. Moreover Twitchell became seriously ill therefore not picking a replacement for his advanced scientology courses he constructed from various new thought sources, and offering them to the public. In late 1960 and early 1970 Paul gave a group of us eleven a request to disperse these teachings he had devised outside our early eckankar camp created initially with Hubbard’s hand.

Nevertheless again no suitable replacement was chosen before Twitchell died to carry out his joint spiritual venture. Twitchell’s thought was he did not want these writings up for grabs and an interpretation as high profit return by his overly cash conscious wife, and her manipulative female cronies, directed to make as much cash as possible off his writings. Twitchell’s wife was frantic about making her millions of dollars regardless of the consequences this would have as damage onto other people. In Twitchell’s wife’s estimation she was footing the bill for Paul’s pseudo esoteric lifestyle and getting no large monetary returns from this.

Later Twitchell’s wife made her millions of dollars off a vitamin company Twitchell co-founded, with a well known nutritionist. When Twitchell died his wife and her unscrupeoulous cronies spun a web of tall mystic tales, to keep their eckankar money maker going, and choosing Twitchell’s wife’s lover, as a master replacement, who built a formidable cash machine that made millions of dollars which he pocketed, to run a musical jazz band he formed, and being privately jetted across the United States, as the replacement’s bad health and addiction crept up on him in the late 1970s, to force him into retirement, just.

Compounding this pseudo spiritual fiasco evolving as a menace to society for over 50 years in duration, is another totally outlandish phenomena which acted to spur on the continuation of this fraudulent spiritual camp to assault the public.

If you examine carefully handwriting by Paul’s hand scribbled onto a poster given to Twitchell’s wife’s lover, who became the next eckankar master; knowing explicitly Twitchell’s personal handwriting script style, you will note that it is excessively feeble and faulty in placement onto the poster, caused by a shaky hand and excessive fatigue based on heart failure.

Later on Twitchell’s replacement as eckankar master, and his wife’s lover, would claim this hand written script written onto the poster given to him and displayed at the eckankar headquarters in Menlo Park California at one time; was in fact this new eckankar replacment master’s, spiritual name.

The hand written script written onto the poster was obviously scribbled mindlessly and haphazardly onto it which Twitchell’s wife’s female pseudo spiritual accomplices used in part later on to prove that this new master brought forward a continuation to carry Twitchell and Hubbards cash making creation. On close examination by those familiar with Twitchell’s handwriting, these people were not fooled and left in a concerned hurry.

This fabrication as a fake eckankar camp continuation giving out Twitchell’s captured writings, re-edited, censored, with most never published, has continued to this day, through the activities of flimsy maladjusted females pushed into action by totally fake eckankar masters, never meant to carry on Twitchell’s creation. With absolutely nobody in the know, speaking out to reveal a flagrant violation of Paul’s final wishes carried out in secret by loyal supporters of his, who knew where he was coming from and tried to propagate what they initially, thought were genuine spiritual teachings.

New Thought Teachings these designated persons believed they would disperse in a respectful manner to benefit those in need. Again, it may appear that I have supported this fiasco, or support it today. On the contrary it was just a small matter of time before Twitchells fold on the run knew that any association with Twitchell would lead back to Hubbard who was wanted on numerous continents for all kinds of misdeeds

There you have it in a nutshell. Each designated Twitchell propagation driver promised they would never tell this inside information to any one, but eckankar has just gone way too far, with no one putting them in check as has happened in the past with scientology, which eckankar is an extension of, regardless of eckankar refusing to admit this.
Thus the public is getting severely hurt and damage is being done to innocent people maliciously; which goes beyond what is right or deserved by sincere spiritual seekers, just out there seeking truth. If you have it in your self pass this information on for consideration, to any who would benefit with these hidden revelations.

If you need support and are a current or past eckankar member seek it through Twitchell’s original contacts who are based in religious science and new thought; as he was a member himself in a wide array of those teachings, which he belonged to, which included Asian religious teachings.

However, I am not talking about seeking support from scientology, although that is your business. There is still a connection with very genuine caring sincere people who will help you to find your way to stability beyond any deception, with those groups other than scientology, that Twitchell belonged to, and studied with. Yet despite the offered support by these groups I am refering to you have to know what is best for yourself, and what does not feel right, through any association with any person or group. Go with your gut and you will never be let down. New Thought is based on traditional world religions which have shown integrity in their support of all people in need regardless of class, sexual orientation or monetary condition. Seek them out, they really care.

P
P
Patricio Da Silva
, US
Mar 22, 2021 2:03 am EDT

You wrote:
" He plazerized much of his esoteric writings which was common practice during his lifetime because there was no internet available"

First, please learn the correct spelling of 'plagiarize'. Now then, in response, well, NO! Writing, esoteric or otherwise, was and is NEVER a common practice in the last few centuries since the advent of the concept of authorship and copyright. Moreover, your logic that he did it because there was no internet is absurd, as he did have access to libraries. But your point is a non sequitur. How does the presence of libraries or the internet have any bearing on plagiarism? It has no bearing on it whatsoever because it is a literary crime and it's all on the perpetrator. In fact, it's a rather asinine comment.

S
S
Shabda EK
, US
May 24, 2019 7:36 pm EDT

for previous comment :
Children.of.e k @gmail.com

S
S
Shabda EK
, US
May 24, 2019 7:34 pm EDT

I read the comments in this post. Some of them make sense and some of them are claims that are hard to believe. By the way, I was a registered member before and I stopped paying Eckankar Center since I believe they are a fraud.
I found ECK with my soul and my heart. Eckankar is a spiritual knowledge not a religion. it's a personal path. In fact, according to Sharyiat making religion and organization out of eck is against spiritual law. You can see the result of making religion in Christianity and Islam or other religions. Many people have suffered by religious rules and governments. Eckankar is no better. We are planning to file a lawsuit against Eckankar Center. For destroying many people by introducing Eckankar as a religion. We have gathered lots of documents. We are just regular eckists that really believe in eck but we believe after Paul there was no Mahanta, no living eck master. And what the eckankar has become is different from eck. If you can help me with legal information or any documents please send me an email : Children.of.eck@gmail.com

Best,

U
U
Uli S. Numberg
, US
Nov 20, 2018 1:21 pm EST

If for instance you were a professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene and arguing about all of the good Eckankar has done and represents, and what a fine bunch of people they are I would have to tell you your trying to misdirect the public from the damages that have been done by this cult to peoples peace of mind, resources, friendships and close family ties.

You are not telling people about Eckankar’s reputed not reported shady business deals done under the table involving very bad people who regularly contribute monetary gifts to Eckankar.

I am not much of a writer so I include what I found elsewhere on the World Wide Web recently. This entry pretty much sums up what Eckankar is about and, it is not spiritual, that is for sure. A religion having any ties with organized crime pretty much makes that group void. Eckankar is all about controlling the naive from the inside out, to fill the group’s finances chest.

So Here Goes:

I cant stomach another day without expressing an outrage that eckankar continues to exist off of the pain and suffering of other people based on deceit.

I am really shocked at the nativity of eckankar members, me being a former member that just could not deal with the outright lies and deception of higher initiates controlled by the church in Chanhassen. After decades of evidence revealing outright fraud in the making up of eckankar by Paul Twitchell, then brought forward by Darwin Gross and now masterminded into new forms to cover up its fraudulent past by the current president and the current master.
Despie knowing for years that all of us members had been lied to and robbed of membership money we contributed, no body bothered to tell us we had all been lied to, and kept us in the dark by higher initiates and the Eck master that tried to cover up the eckankar past.
 
 I find it shocking that members do not know that the resources they contribute, go toward criminal activity, by deceiving the public in presenting a made up lie, then knowingly covering up this fact and keeping paying members in the dark who would probably not support them if they knew eckankars roots. 
 
This point is summed up nicely by a person who wrote into this forum with the following concerns, as to the legitimacy of what others have wrote in, about eckankar member monetary resources that are used for profit, by private parties who are high up in eckankar. 
 
So I will write here an original commentary on what I know to be true, about the concerned parties questions, that I will answer.
 
The concerned party wrote in relation to the following, and is answered question by question: 
 
Thus Concerned Person’s Opening Statement as:  in Eckankar centers, numerous individuals have access to a non-profit bank account? (Sorry, but I find it very difficult to believe that so many people could possibly be allowed access to an organization's bank account.)
 
My Answer: Abroad for instance, and basically in other countries, far away from our safe U.S. shores, Eckankar has required Charity Business Accounts, that Eckankar officers have designated access to. 
 
Harry Kebbel now deceased, fortunately for himself, because the C.I.D. and IRS apparently have an interest in him. Kebbel was a high initiate and signer officer to an Eckankar charity banking account, which he used to launder his personal resources through, as well as other Eckankar finances from abroad. How do I know this? His widow in a troubling moment told me this at a seminar in the United States. She also got an instant 5th invitation from Eckankar, to remain silent to the government, if they pried further into this fact. In the United States designated center officers have access to tax exemption accounts, which they frivolously use for private purposes from funds given over to them by paid members of Eckankar.
 
Another unknown fact is that, key hackers in Anonymous,   are actual Eckankar paying members. These hackers tried to take Scientology down, because Eckankar, was designed by Twitchell and his boss Hubbard, that he paid with eckankar proceeds, because eckankar is a hidden Scientology unit.
 
In Nigeria, an ex-president of Eckankar, with the help of chelas there, laundered millions of dollars through charity bank accounts there, for their own private interests use, as higher up officers in Eckankar. Member supported funds which were supposed to go to study programs associated with paid membership service. Those same account users  with private interests, are still paid officers of Eckankar and despite court proceedings to expose other groups in Nigeria like them. That is so because, key banking authorities who regulate laws pertaining to charity accounts there in Nigeria, are eckankar high initiates. 
 
Space and time do not permit documenting other Eckankar Charity based accounts, doing similar scams in other countries, for private officers of the corporation, mostly carried out through shelf companies hiding real estate holdings, not charity associated, nor structured for charity status in the United States. 
 
France squashed one of those real estate charity scams, yet other countries in Europe who are over their heads in other matters, are unable to make quick conclusions to other Eckankar  real estate scams there, involving money laundering on the continent, based on dilapidated real estate holdings, hiding behind shelf companies.
 
Concerned Person Statement: (In my experience, the treasurer of a group monitors the account, and makes deposits and withdrawals. )
 
My Answer: Yes, this is supposed to be the way it is done by honest people, following legal protocol, established by the government for charity accounts. Nevertheless, Eckankar officers designated for this purpose, have acted outside of legal protocol, and thus moving resources into their own pockets, intended originally for paid membership purposes.
 
Concerned Person Statement: (If so many people have access to an organization's bank account, then any one of those unstable, unsavory, drug-addicted people could simply withdraw all the cash in the account - and drug addicts certainly would.)
 
My Answer: Yes absolutely, and these parties have over time, smartly procuring interest on deposits, as more resources continuously go into the charity based accounts that supports these persons.
 
Concerned Person Statement: (If you dislike the organization, just say so.  This is obviously fabricated lies which make no sense.  Thus, I won't even both commenting on the rest of the report.)
 
My Answer: You may believe previous reports in scam report are based on fabricated lies, yet the Unites States Justice System does not. The Federal Government does not consider the accumulated evidence, which has been gathered  as fact, as nonsensical, otherwise it would not have pursued due process as an expanding effort which is taking shape very meticulously. The United States Federal Court in Minnesota has designated Eckankar as a cult like organization, based on facts, furnished by frightened harassed witnesses, some of whom were jail confined, to gag presentation of evidence against them.
 
The New Mexico Attorney General is in process of bringing to trial and prosecuting private affiliates associated with Eckankar, who laundered resources, using Eckankar as a charity contribution option, and using shelf companies to hide behind, making real estate deals in the United States and abroad, then cleaning their resources through designated Eckankar charity facilities.
 
One of those affiliates is hiding behind a German “Bankers Passport”, and is wanted in New Mexico for fraud, however Germany, does not extradite its citizens, so this party apparently, thought out their scheming carefully. The wanted party lives in a protected suburb of Munich, that does not allow car access to an exclusive housing area, with the wanted persons house, owned by a corporate entity, and managed by a German attorney. Yet, in this subjects case other extraneous evidence waives their rights and precludes them. Fortunately, this particular subject is tied into other more alarming extraneous crimes tied into misuse of other particulars indirectly associated supposedly with the Clinton Foundation, as damning evidence, that therefore waives the parties non extradition rights, and precludes them.
 
If anyone has any further questions or concerns about charity fraud strategies and practices, pick up your telephone and call the F.B.I. or New Mexico Attorney Generals office, to become educated against any potential naivety.  In the United States, it is still a crime to use a charity facility designated as church exemption, to accumulate wealth for private interests not associated with charity status, regardless of where such activity takes place as it pertains to the Parent Organization located in United States territory.

C
C
Connection Coach
, US
May 30, 2018 3:03 am EDT

Reading the above comments is like taking an eye test to see if your eyes can identify black and white correctly. The topic and responses are very polarized. Eckankar is Evil, Eckankar is Wonderful. I was an active/high profile member of eckankar for about 10 years. I was involved in numerous meetings with H.K. and attended a few spiritual council gatherings as well. I was also friends with a woman who's father is a member of the Board of Directors of Eckankar the corporation. First off lets deal with the title of this "complaint": Eckankar Spiritual and Business Fraud. A religion, any public religion is first and foremost an "idea" which is supported by mythology, cosmology, history and the how-to requirements to attain the "idea" (ie spiritual exercises, initiations, satsang, etc). When you call eckankar a spiritual fraud - my question is compared to what? Is there any religion that has such absolute integrity that no one ever disputes it? Eckankar is a study of dreams and out of body experiences. How can you debate either? I'm not saying you can't poke holes in the overall data of eckankar, but what I am saying is that it is a religion with all its glory and imperfections.

Lets consider for a moment what any diety-based religion is (my way of framing it): A religion is an idea that requires the member/participant to believe in an invisible being(s) that have magical qualities that defy all current scientific knowledge. They then go on to require you to participate with these invisible beings so that you can benefit from their magical qualities/powers. They usually also teach of some long lasting/eternal negative consequences for not satisfying the invisible beings standards/requirements/expectations which might also be thought of as fear tactics or fear mongering.

Bringing this back to eckankar being a spiritual fraud - that sounds like a personal opinion based on a personal preference about other religions of invisible beings and magical qualities/powers. Logically speaking, if eckankar is guilty of being a spiritual fraud then every other deity based religion with invisible beings and magical powers are as well.

Business fraud is the next part of the complaint. Eckankar has no complaints on the Better Business Bureau's website https://www.bbb.org/minnesota/business-reviews/religious-organizations/eckankar-a-minnesota-nonprofit-religious-organization-in-chanhassen-mn-96095691 . So again I would ask what business practice do they perform in providing membership to a faith of invisible beings with magical powers that is fraudulent? They sell books, memberships which include discourses and perhaps a newsletter. They offer group religious experiences at seminars and classes and a whole list of other products and services throughout the world.

If you don't believe the idea of eckankar and you still pay for any of their products/services/membership, then wouldn't that make you a fraud or at least a hypocrite?

I agree that eckankar is a religion (spiritual path) that any person can chose to believe in and chose to study/practice/join. I also agree that eckankar is a business and makes whatever profit a non-profit religion can make. For all the victim speak in this thread and others like it all over the internet, water seeks its own level.

Meaning that eckankar is "right" for certain types of people with certain mindsets/needs and challenges. So when the word brainwashing or mkultra is mentioned in regards to eckankar or any other religion - my question once again is "what type of mind finds Eckankar appealing that could also be susceptible to mind control?"

For any adult reading this, you have a responsibility to choose what you focus your attention/time/money on, what you expose your brain/nervous system to and all the consequences that come with joining/participating/believing in any religion. If you are not dead you are not a victim, you are a survivor.

So I guess my complaint of this complaint and thread is that I find it perfectly acceptable for any human to give a review of anything including eckankar, but you are not a victim if you became disillusioned in something you once chose to believe in, you are merely growing up. If you survived eckankar, what are you going to do now?

To put my question into perspective, when you become 10 years old or whatever age you discovered Santa wasn't what you thought he was in your earlier years - does your outrage make you want to join a class action suit against Christmas and the Easter Bunny? Or do you just grow up and chose to believe in more complex ideas?

E
E
Eck Observer
, US
Aug 05, 2020 1:38 pm EDT

Eckankar is a fraud for a few main reasons:

1) Eck texts and books blatantly steal ideas from other religions, mash up the choice cuts into a nonsense-stew. Eck texts also actively discredit the religions they steal ideas from, saying they are failed or partial paths to god. Eck books say only Eck is the true path to god. This is fraudulent, unethical, and malicious behaviour.

2) Eckankar is a fraud because it claims to be a religion, but the book publishing portion is a business owned and copyright to H.K. - he makes all the money from the books. How can a religion simultaneously be a money making operation? HKs books are a joke, written at about a grade 6 level - they are really repetitive and regurgitated crap - nothing of any spiritual value - you can tell by reading them that HK doesn't even really try... he just sort of writes fluffy meaningless crap that is almost identical to the other 50 books he wrote. The books themselves even tell you to buy other ECK products such as CD's, and work books, study books, etc. The ECK meetings always aim to study the newest books, so Eckists have to constantly buy the newest books. This is the same trick as the college textbook new-revision-same-content racket.

3) Eck is a fraud because H.K. claims he is the one and only path to God. In essence, Eck says HK IS GOD. The publicly available website lies, claiming 'the master is respected but not revered or worshiped' but if you read ANY of the books the opposite is true. Every page reminds you who the master is... and tells you to think of the master always. Eck even gives you brainwashing techniques to use on your kids so they worship the master, like this quote from a recent newsletter (I'm going from memory here) "Tell your kids to imagine a flower - its beautiful and nice? Does it make them happy? Now imagine the nice flower has smiley face on it. A smiling, loving face. Does your child feel love now? Good. Next show your child a picture of HK - tell them the face in their mind on the flower was really HK all along! Now tell your kids that HK was source of their love and happiness - he is the master, who is with them always". How's that for "not worshipped". Saying one thing in public then doing another in private is FRAUD. I find it sick and disturbing how frequently ECK books written by HK tell you to think of him, and imagine him, and gaze upon his picture.

ECK: Sick, Twisted, Fraudulent.

Any other questions?

W
W
wiseasserpent
, US
Dec 03, 2020 4:08 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Thank you. Beautifully and accurately stated!

V
V
Valdis Vitols
, US
May 13, 2018 11:02 am EDT

I was a long time member of Eckankar for 40 years. I was happy and well adjusted in this spiritual path with no complaints. But we often recognize what is real through comparisons. I ran into a fellow named Duane the Great Writer and the comparison between Harold Klemp and Duane was quite dramatic. Harold's fortune cookie wisdom compared to Duane's Real and Street Wisdom is worth investigation for those of you disillusioned with Eck and have nowhere else to go. Duane is just sharing his experiences. There is no path, membership or followers. What he is presenting is not spiritual, religious, metaphysical or anything that can be categorized. So you are going to have to have a little initiative to find out what he is talking about. If you want someone to tell you what to do or lead you around by the hand then join another spiritual path.

B
B
Bobzawatha
, US
May 04, 2018 9:12 pm EDT

I've been a member of Eckankar for 20+ years and I've experienced nothing but love and healing. Go meet the people in this organization and you'll find the kindest hearts you'll ever see. I don't understand why or how people have such negative reactions, but we're all on our own path and each person should do what's best for them.

I
I
IrmGrez
, US
Dec 20, 2018 6:09 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of Bobzawatha

When you wake up from your rude awakening, maybe you can read my experience that I had, that coffee should bring you out of your stupor, and if not then maybe after you crash and burn the lights might come on.
I am the designated spiritual coordinator for our eckankar center and area. I pass on information and orders given by the regional eckankar bosses originating from the main headquarters to others throughout our organization.

Main Eckankar headquarters contacted me to organize a big gathering to counter our bad reputation in our area. So I had to contact all the disgruntled people who have been described in bad ways by headquarters and use www public blogs, forums and websites to attack eckankar.

Also eckankar members showed up from all over the country with a vengeance to attack the constitutional authorities here because we are under investigation by them for money laundering, defamation of character lawsuits and spying on eckankar members illegally to pass this information on to eckankar headquarters in Chanhassen.

This was the biggest day of Eck function in our area which I have ever seen. The large turnout occurred because most of the attendees are eckankar members that had been invited from all over the country to show force against those who are suspected of working with the police and constitutional authorities to expose us.

We members were told not to speak to uninvited guests nor invite knowledgeable english speaking people to round table discussions there at our day with eck because headquarters feared that the outsiders would pass sensitive revealing information onto other members present about being investigated by the police and government.

Well spoken English speakers are a real nuisance at our events because our dubious activities could go back to headquarters and we could loose our initiations, although headquarters encourages some of that.

You have to become a completely aggressive mindless subservient zombie to get initiations in eckankar. If you do not become mean and manipulative you get nothing beyond the second initiation. But I was promised the 5th. initiation to organize this day with eck aimed at attacking our enemies and the constitutional authorities and their helpers. I feel terrible.
The eckankar event venue we used for our program was held at a friend and business partner of Willie a high initiate. The venue we used as the business address we used is under investigation by the local police authorities as well.

I felt so uncomfortable being there because I was forced to spy on other eckankar members headquarters is afraid of. Slick Willy was going around like a peacock talking to all the invited member guests and warning them not to talk to any outsiders and those members suspected of being in with the police and constitutional authorities investigating us.

I saw so many crazy maladjusted eckankar members who were afraid to talk to unknown strangers, being very guarded and smug. I also witnessed numerous uninvited guests being pointed in wrong directions when asked for exits from the eckankar venue. Because the designated welcoming guide woman, who was asked and is a known schizophrenic from our area was told not to, talk to any foreigners, outsiders or well spoken English language speakers. Marked uninvited guests wandered round and round trying to find exits out of the building on their own obviously not invited.

The venue owners under investigation by the police and constitutional authorities whose business premises our eckankar event was being held at told, wandering outsiders that this was a private house and, then the business owners lead the uninvited to the exits so they could be rid of those prying helpers of authorities.

The main Hi initiate eckankar speaker who spoke that day was very uncomfortable and bombastic in his spiritual talk to the invited members and was aiming his speech at the hidden police and constitutional authortities who had come to investigate and observe our group that day.

All of the most craziest HIs (higher initiates and regional spiritual aides) were invited to this eckankar event held in unrelenting heat and discomfort outside. These were invited Higher initiates well known for being enthusiatic about spying and discrediting our own members by besmirching their characters while fleecing as much money out of them as possible and, stringing them along with further hope of getting higher initiations the more money they paid. Of course no eckankar member gets to be a high initiate in eckankar unless they have previously crippled a fellow Eck members reputation and character to prove their worthiness to be used further in like manner by our bosses at eckankar headquarters.

The vicious venom coming out of these visiting administrative higher initiates at this day with Eck was appalling. Still I continue to work for this satsang eckankar center with our group members who make a regular practice of harming fellow members and suspicious outsiders with teachings that makes them mentally ill, and it gives nothing in return except monitored socializing with totally deranged and lost strangers.

I feel ashamed that I cannot help warn these newcomers of the dangers of joining eckankar. For our satsang group to spend so much of other people's money from our members who have given so much, in order to attack the government is so far, from being spiritual teachings which cares about others.

I just go day by day ignoring the harm I am doing to new people i recruit into eckankar. Recruiting and guiding new members knowing this is what I am giving them. New recruits receive a connection that eckankar headquarters manipulates them with while emptying their pockets and taking over their thoughts.

Reliable information has been passed recently to us designated members that our eckankar group has so many investigations and lawsuits against it globally by government authorities that our eckankar headcquarters bosses have put a lawyer in as acting de facto leader of our eckankar headquarters in Chanhassen to avoid a complete legal meltdown of our teaching headquarters and satsang groups around the world.

Associating with eckankar has for me become a grave concern. Please for your own safety don't mix with this world eckankar satsang class member organization. You will eventually find out if you join Eckankar that Chanhassen headquarters will just drop you off on another planet without supplies and expect you to survive giving absoultely no help but expecting you to pay for all of their expenses to beat you up with.

G
G
Griswald1985
Little Falls, US
Jan 09, 2021 2:51 pm EST
Replying to comment of IrmGrez

None of this is at all what I experienced back in 2002, when I last attended a meeting. After the pandemic has died down I will go again, but I doubt I'll experience what you describe. From when I did attend [protected] it was NEVER like that.

G
G
golden heart
, US
Apr 07, 2018 9:52 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My friend carole sterling died november 1997. she was 43 years old. her twin sister had worked for the cia. carole told me that she saw documents showing that the current leader of eckankar was naval intelligence. harold klemp. he did admit to having served in the navy. carole sterling had been investigating her sister's death { carole was written up in a feature article on the gov. mind control program mkultra...in ufo magazine. I only know what carole told me and I read the article in ufo magazine after her death. my only guess and it is just a conjecture from what she told me because it is not something I truly want to believe but that many groups have been infiltrated for experimental purposes and when you have a powerful charismatic leader that requires total submission and allegiance well people are open to manipulation. now a true leader tolerates different points of view and disagreement even paul twitchell said that a person should be able to challenge a leader with no fear of retaliation because a true leader will not be afraid of the contrary opinion and can provide proof of their real spiritual status. I truly think that paul was a spiritual giant and then darwin but the course of eckankar changed dramatically with harold klemp. he has edited and changed a lot of the original writings of paul twitchell. I do not know anything about him except the pr put out and the public talks. I do not even know if he has a middle name? all I know is that the president of eckankar was let go peter skelsky amid a scandal about sexual assault of his african nanny on youtube. I have no idea why he was let go. I also do not know the financial status of eckankar how much is the net worth of eckankar? I do know that a higher initiate in a foreign country alleged "money laundering" I do believe in full disclosure and that people who are members have a "right to know" all facts. I do believe that if you do not give enough money or not active enough it is held against you. I had a problem with an eck stalker male for a number of years at eck events making it dangerous for me as a woman to attend any official events. I was being stalked by a male member black belt in karate an ex felon who spent time in a florida jail for assault. eckankar eio told me that I am responsible for my own safety. I am a woman and I could not go to any eck functions because this demented man who had an obsession that I was his wife. last year he showed up and security was called to protect me but I had to call security and have an escort. there are a lot of unbalanced crazy people attracted to eckankar. I have another friend who was a high initiate and he was murdered in peoria, illinois body found in a quarry after disappearing three months a kim mortimer he was protecting a former girl friend an eckist from a stalker in illinois. she had to change her identity and go into hiding. her name was debbie coleman. eckankar cannot protect its membership! kim's death was in the news papers in illinois. it was being investigated as a homicide. anyway I ran into her in minneapolis. she had a different look and a different name and had a conceal and carry and was still in hiding from this stalker. if eckankar singing hu protects then why are so many of us being targeted? the issue of singing hu was not that prevalent during paul and darwin tenures. is this mind control hypnotic induced trance technique? I love the ancient teachings the ones that are spiritual and supportive of higher concepts and love but I have not experienced much love from some of the members. I have never gotten any emails nor phone calls from harold klemp although he did write me a letter about fermilab and physicists many years ago. I had wanted to be in the inner circle but I feel very isolated. I do not wish anyone ill in eckankar. I only wish that they had full disclosure. we are dealing with people and that is where the problems exist too many egos but the original teachings are very enlightened. the current program is about dismantling the christian history. harold is a former presbyterian ministry candidate and he has a lot to say about the history of the christian church. he does quote the bible when it fortifies his points in a talk but then goes on to talk about the negative aspects of christian viewpoint. I know nothing personally about harold and do not wish to be in conflict. I just am saying that he has taken eckankar in a completely different direction than the previous two leaders. I do not know if he has any connections with the mk ultra programs. I only know what my friend carole prior to her death revealed to me.

G
G
God Seaker
, US
Feb 22, 2018 8:37 am EST

The lies and deceit of eck, and its self proclaimed godman are plain to see. on their website they say one thing to look less cult-like, but in their publications they say another. this is why the state of minnesota has classified eck as a 'cult-like organization' despite the best efforts and appeals of eck's aggressive legal team. why does a religion 'based on love' need high-powered lawyers anyway? eck is a classic cult of the master, klemp, who is a very rich and wealthy man living a life of opulence surrounded by servants. harold's books encourage members to only think of him, to pray to him though 'spiritual exercises'. klemp writes that god's love is only available through him - what a joke. a true leader would write about god, not about himself. god's love exists in all living things, and is available directly from your own soul. it is a spiritual crime (and too bad not a federal crime) for a man to say he is the gate keeper of god. please read http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/04/prweb120175.htm to learn the truth, witch includes proof from eck court cases and quotes from eck books. freedom of religion should not include the freedom to lie and manipulate. this cult is sick, and should be shut down by the feds. the crime of (mis) representation should be applied to klemp and all who profit from eck. if you are an eck member, please seek out true spiritual texts, and true spiritual authors so that you may advance spiritually and heal your damage soul.

W
W
wiseasserpent
, US
Dec 03, 2020 3:59 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of God Seaker

A friend of mine was on this so called "spiritual path". I poked holes in so many of Twitchell's teachings. I wanted to have a discussion and hear my friend's opinion . He flipped out. He accused me of trampling his spirituality and calling it a cult. I did do that. I also told him he was brainwashed. Paul Twitchell tells members when they are learning about Eckenkar not to listen to any other religion or other information regarding God, etc.. Isn't that indoctrination? (filtering information) Paul Twitchell steals words from the Bible and passes them off as his own. However, he twists the words to fit his agenda and to manipulate and lead others astray. This person who was my friend believes that the "thought police" destroyed a thought force on another plane for attacking him mentally and not allowing him to sleep for months. He said that a leader he spoke to told him that he traveled to that spiritual plane and they worked it out with the thought police who were there to protect him from the evil forces. This guy who was a friend of mine, despises me for questioning his spiritual path. He could not answer one question that I asked him. He said it is all over his head and he just accepts it. He believes according to Eckenkar, that God doesn't answer prayer, that God is not concerned with human's problems and that he cares only about the survival of the soul. It was baffling to listen to him try to defend it with nothing and do it with so much anger and hysteria. He has no family or friends to speak of. That made him the perfect candidate as he was extremely vulnerable. How sad. Now he doesn't even have me.

A
A
Anti-ECK
, US
Feb 19, 2018 9:36 am EST

Eckankar is a sick and evil money making sham. I have read (and subsequently burnned) many books written by the con man hk. I know a poor soul who was indoctrinated as a child and want to help her escape, but there are sick members of her family that keep sending her hk's brainwashing books. hk is a sicko, and his multitude of books all say one thing, and one thing only "worship me, think of me, pray to me, as I am your god". hk writes about himself on every page, but rarely writes about god. I have not seen one example of actual spiritual knowledge in his writing. often his trash money making books flat out tell you to go buy hu cds. the marketing is right there in the books. this kind of self exultation should be illegal.

L
L
LindyGirl
, US
Apr 23, 2017 8:22 pm EDT

Why is eckankar being sued in a federal court in 4 major cities in 2017? deception in the underbelly is coming to light

J
J
janet pattison
, US
Jan 21, 2017 10:46 pm EST

The comments left by the owner of the so-called "complaint board" are lies upon lies upon more lies. absolute junk, garbage, that has no basis in reality at all. i've been a member of eckankar for over 40 years, and the trash written above is in the active imagination of the writer(s). check out the path for yourself if you're curious, it is all upfront, as it's all about love, and nothing else. the spiritual leader, harold klemp is not worshiped, nor would he ever encourage such delusional behavior. membership is what one can afford, books are all over the place for little money, tithing is not a part of the religion, and the seminars are cheap. the basis of the religion have absolutely nothing at all to do with the pack of lies on this website. the singing of the sacred, ancient word for god, the hu is of great value, for building one's own relationship with god. people are advised repeatedly to have their own experiences, and take no one else's word for what is real or what is truth. go to eckankar.org if you'd like, there you can learn a lot more, listen to thousands of people sing the hu and listen to 4 or 5 minute talks from major seminars. there is no pressure in eckankar to join or to not leave, everyone is free to do as they wish, like I study alone, but others may want to attend worship services or a class. there is one god in eckankar and god and the sacred hu are love.

W
W
W. Federschmidt
, US
Jul 03, 2017 2:00 am EDT

I am shocked but not surprised that eckankar is being prosecuted and sued for years of abuse of its members which entails brainwashing with fear tactics on every conscious and subconscious level imaginable. I thought how foolish for some people to make fools of themselves in court until I grasped the depth of their suffering backed by documented evidence. twitchell spung a lucrative tale and klemp keeps it going pocketing a substantial income from harming those he is responsible for. what a guy! wont tell his students that twitchell borrowed money from the mob who finished him off when he did not pay his debt. cunning eckankar; if people only knew.

W
W
W. Federschmidt
, US
Jul 03, 2017 2:04 am EDT

Borrowed money to start eckankar with to which even his iwn wife dud not know.

W
W
wiseasserpent
, US
Dec 03, 2020 4:13 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

You have been brainwashed my friend.

D
D
Dogz
, US
Dec 20, 2015 1:45 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi. I am a long time member of this path. I have recently found through reading that ron hubbard and paul twitchell were long time friends in search of a profitable living. I read that mr. twitchell and mr. hubbard both verbally agreed that one of the best ways to make money was to create a religion and promote it. both did so, mr. hubbard, scientology, mr. twitchell, eckankar, asost. both are strong and wealthy now in the 2015's with not much negative information or opinions coming out about eckankar.

For the current leader of eckankar I also have a strong dislike. this man, harold klemp, began seeking early in life and went to a religious school to become a minister. he followed this teaching, something like lutheran or episcopalian, until he did not disagree with it. he switched to following mr. twitchell and rested quietly in the offices of eckankar. there he knew that his dream of becoming leader of a church, the same dream he had as a kid, would come true and he would have the power and the following and the financial support to drive it as he saw fit. this has come to pass and is continuing as I write this. there is nothing being said or written about eckankar in the media, blogs and any other source as to where one who needs to talk openly with a true objective observer/listener may go. it just leaves a very bad taste in my mouth and gut. thanks...