Why is Abraham-Hicks not a cult?

[Rodney]

I have created this topic to analyze the connections between Abraham-Hicks and cult status. I am hoping to have a discussion to learn What safeguards prevent Abraham-Hicks from being a cult? My intention is to come out of this discussion with certainty so that I am not a blind sheep that is headed for slaughter.

Yesterday I found a website called Cult Education Forum which had a 10 page topic about Abraham-Hicks (http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?3,21069,page=1). So I've been researching a bit about cults. You can read the definition of cults (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult).

A quote I found on the forum:

The Hicks' have clearly made a fortune out of this en devour. The untold story behind this is that often their followers are brought to the edge of financial ruin following a dream that never materializes.

What do you see are the connections between Abraham-Hicks and a cult? What do you see are the reasons Abraham-Hicks is not considered a cult?

[cigi]

rofl rofl Sorry, I know you're not kidding, but .... rofl rofl

I've seen that forum before....

Even the definition of the word "cult" has yet to be determined in any accurate way. Typically, in our society, cults are defined as such upon or after they are disbanded. They are usually deemed such because of a unilateral agreement of the members to separate themselves from general society in order to follow the group's instructions for living without question.

Abraham-Hicks does not ask anyone to separate themselves, nor do they ask that anyone follow their guidelines. As a matter of fact, Abraham-Hicks specifically says NOT to push these ideas on anyone who is not in alignment with them. Further still, the ABE philosophy encourages people to think for themselves, and accept the success/consequences of ones own life based on his/her predominant thoughts.

So here's what we have: a "cult" that not only encourages you to think for yourself & live your life according to how you personally think AND don't try to convince others to think like you do.

Sounds like an ANTI-CULT to me....

Thanks for starting this thread, 11:11. I LOVE this topic!! :clap:

[Star]

Its because people don't read completely. They take a tiny bit off the surface without putting it in context, which totally throws off the message. Its not a cult - nobody forces people to buy stuff, you don't have to live in some place away from everything, or ditch your friends and family.

Of course, there are those who decide to abuse the teachings and blow their fortune on seminars, tapes and books because they refuse to actually apply the teachings, and thus are thrust into ruin.

[Star]

OK, now that I read through the forum, any group who is not mainstream is a cult according to that board. Talk about a wonderful example of pushing against the unwanted.

[New Dawn Rising]

Good one Alex! I've seen that group rickross around before too. They are scared of their own shadow and condemn anything they don't understand. Pushing against is the name of the game for them.

But your question is excellent 11:11! Here's my long-winded answer:

There are so many definitions of the word cult so I assume you are meaning something like this: “… a group that tends to manipulate, exploit, and control its members. Specific factors in cult behavior are said to include manipulative and authoritarian mind control over members, communal and totalistic organization, aggressive proselytizing, systematic programs of indoctrination, and perpetuation in middle-class communities.”

Abraham’s teachings are the opposite of cult.

1. Abraham is constantly telling us to look within for our own answers… to listen to our own Inner Being… this is the opposite of authoritarianism.

2. There is ZERO proselytizing by Abraham-Hicks… some of us enthusiasts might be guilty of proselytizing only because we want to share with our loved ones… but Abraham specifically discourages us from doing that. Let LOA take care of any proselytizing.

3. There is NO program of indoctrination. Information is freely available… but you pick and choose what calls to you.

4. Abraham is constantly telling us that they are no different from us – except that they happen to be non-physical at the moment. They are constantly emphasizing that WE ARE GOD and that WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

5. Abraham empowers each one of us to think for ourselves, again, the opposite of cult.

The most important component, in my mind, that distinguishes Abraham-Hicks from a real “cult” is authority and power.

I was raised in an extremely authoritarian church with an authoritarian father who shoved that doctrine down my throat from the time I could walk until I left at 18. People in that church do not think for themselves… they must always first consult the church leaders to see what they say before deciding what to think about a situation. They conform to what they are told to think or do… despite how it feels inside… telling themselves: “The leaders says this is the way it is so it must be true”… even if it doesn’t feel true. Or, this is the pretzel I must bend myself into because the church says so… even though it feels like crap I will still bend myself into this pretzel. All the power is with the church leaders and the people are expected to act like sheep - and they do.

Abraham is the opposite of that. The teachings are so freeing and so empowering… ahhh… the opposite of cultdom. The teachings FEEL GOOD. In cults, it is not so much the teachings that feel good but the feeling of community and belonging to a group that appeals. They buy into the doctrine so they can be part of the community... or many times, they are born into a family in the cult... and are raised that way from the time they can walk... so that's all they know and they are too intellectually lazy to extricate themselves.

Ya know what? I've just described just about any fundamentalist church. Or hell, the whole history of Christianity is peppered with stories of how the church leaders manipulated, exploited, and controlled their members. Traditional churches are much more cult-like than anything Abraham teaches.

Do people listen to Abe-Hicks and skim off the top? Sure. Take only the most superficial teachings and then end up screwing up their lives? Sure – they’re idiots. That’s what The Secret is… a dummies version of LOA. So what? That has nothing to do with us.

(I know I'm a bit judgemental ;) - but I like it. 8-))

[Cantabile]

:heart:

Hi 11:11, Cigi, Alex and Dawn have all said it very well. :D I have nothing to add here anymore, but I'd like to say I couldn't agree more!

No wonder man has become lost and listless for as long as we can remember. Because they don't trust their own power. :dance2:

:love: :mrgreen:

[Pina Colada]

Guys,this is so funny!Just yesterday my mom asked me:This isn't some kinda cult is it? rofl
The synchronicities here are astounding.That never happened to me before.
O God I'm all over the place.I mean literally.I shold give a chance to other members to post somethin'. :biggrin:

[Osho Rewa]

One thing you'll notice about the "Abraham people" is that they are very open minded, right here on this forum you'll see so many other teachers discussed, we are active seekers who take the best from everywhere, everyone.

On a related topic, 11:11 I would prefer not to have the subtext 'Aber' under my id.
I love Abraham, but I am not part of any such group, Abraham just happens to be
a source of information that I benefit immensely from. Perhaps you could make it such
that we all had an option to edit it, or just leave it blank.

Love
Osho

[New Dawn Rising]

I would prefer not to have the subtext 'Aber' under my id.
.... Perhaps you could make it such
that we all had an option to edit it, or just leave it blank.
I like this idea. Having everyone identified as "Aber" makes us sound like we all belong to some kind of, uh... cult. :lol:

[cigi]

I'll happily keep my ABER status. :downstream2: The word (to me) embodies a spirit with which I like to view the world.

[spiceycamel]

I GET THE CD'S,DVD'S MOST OF THE BOOKS AND I'VE GONE TO A COUPLE OF WORKSHOPS AND I LOVE ALL THAT.MANY ABERS I KNOW NOW,CHOOSE NOT TO USE FORUMS LIKE THIS,BUT THEY USE THE CD'S ETC.IT'S ALL A MATTER OF DEGREE I THINK.AND CHOICE.I FOUND ABE ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO AND FOR THE FIRST 4 ,5 YEARS I JUST LIVED ON ALL THE FREE STUFF ON THE WEBSITE AND THE NOTES CONNEE PUTS ON THE APPRECIATORS PAGE..AND THE ABE LIST WHICH WAS THE ONLY FORUM AT THE TIME ,NOW OF COURSE WE HAVE 3 CHOICES ,WHICH SHOWS EVOLUTION ALREADY ,A MOVEMENT IN A NEW DIRECTION I THINK, AN AWARENESS OF OUR TRUE FREEDOM.SO FOR A LONG TIME I NEVER KNEW ANYONE THAT KNEW ABOUT ABE AT ALL.I WASN'T SURE IF THERE WERE ANY ABER'S (WHICH I PROUDLY CALL MY SELF) EXISTED IN ENGLAND.IT CHANGED HOW I LOOKED AT THINGS AND HELPED MY THINKING ENORMOUSLY.IT ENCOURAGED IMAGINATION.IT ENCOURAGED CONFIDENCE.WHAT I FOUND WAS FINDING THE LONDON GROUP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND LISTENING TO THE CD'S HELPED EVEN MORE.IT SHIFTED SOMETHING INSIDE.IT CONTINUES FOR ME A MORE CONSTANT VIBRATION.IT ALWAYS DID AND STILL DOES FEEL "TRUE" TO ME ,IT FELT REAL AND SOMETHING THAT I CLICKED WITH.i WAS A CHRISTIAN FOR 20 YEARS AND FOUND THAT I LOVED THE MYSTICAL FEELING SIDE OF THINGS AND MEDITATING BUT NEVER FELT ANYTHING FOR THE MYTHOLOGY .ABE "FEEL" GOOD.WHAT CULT FINDERS LIVE ON IS FEAR,THE EXACT OPPOSITE TO ABRAHAM WHERE THEY ENCOURAGE TRUST,IN OURSELVES AND THE UNIVERSE ,LIFE IT SELF.SOME PEOPLE ARE BETTER AT IT THAN OTHERS .OBVIOUSLY IT HAS TO BE REAL FEELING ,WE CAN'T GO GLIBLY SAYING THINGS WE DON'T MEAN FOR OURSELVES WHICH I FIND FRUSTRATING AT TIMES ,BUT I FALL DOWN WHEN I RUSH IN ,"QUANTUM LEAP" AS ABE WOULD SAY..,,UHMMM! STEVE.

[aurorainskye]

Thank you 11:11 for posting that link! I'm so enjoying it. I like reading about Jerry and Esther in their previous lives. I also like thinking of how those folks are misconstruing all of the information. I get to think in my head what the real message is from Abraham. It also makes me think I REALLY need to keep my mouth shut in this Bible Belt I live in. It's all so enlightening and enquireish.

As for being a cult, I got this quote off the recent Caribbean Cruise cd set - a woman asked Abraham if there was something they wanted to share with her IB and they said, "Receive it yourself and don't get hung up on the label 'Abraham.'" That's about the least cultist quote I've ever heard!

Thanks for asking the question.

cheers,
aurora

[honestly]

[quote="Osho Rewa":1hpxhbil]I would prefer not to have the subtext 'Aber' under my id.
.... Perhaps you could make it such
that we all had an option to edit it, or just leave it blank.
I like this idea. Having everyone identified as "Aber" makes us sound like we all belong to some kind of, uh... cult. :lol:[/quote:1hpxhbil]
It's no longer there. It wasn't meant to be taken so seriously. Oh well. ^^

[cigi]

It's no longer there. It wasn't meant to be taken so seriously. Oh well. ^^


I want a new title. In keeping with recent conversations, I think I want to be ABELISCIOUS!!

[honestly]

It's no longer there. It wasn't meant to be taken so seriously. Oh well. ^^


I want a new title. In keeping with recent conversations, I think I want to be ABELISCIOUS!!
Hey, I think eventually you'll be able to put your own title there. :biggrin: But I have figure out how it's done. :heart:

[New Dawn Rising]

[quote="Osho Rewa":1wl6mqpd]I would prefer not to have the subtext 'Aber' under my id.
.... Perhaps you could make it such
that we all had an option to edit it, or just leave it blank.
I like this idea. Having everyone identified as "Aber" makes us sound like we all belong to some kind of, uh... cult. :lol:
It's no longer there. It wasn't meant to be taken so seriously. Oh well. ^^[/quote:1wl6mqpd]
Hey ya Cat Boy... I wasn't taking it seriously at ALL. I was just joking about the cult thing. I like Osho's idea of everyone having an option to edit it... because the hallmark of this Forum is freedom... and it would be cool if we could all be free to identify ourselves however we want... like Aber, or Abelicious, or Asshole... whatever! It just makes for a little more fun and freedom... that's all. ;)

So I see you're looking into it... cool... 8-) If it's too much work then forget it. It's not a big deal...

Thanks for all the work you do for this lovely Forum Starbloom, I mean Cat Boy, I mean Ronald... :clap:

[Jen2174]

grr it makes me mad that theres a place online that think they are a cult. Anyone who makes money off of their beliefs is considered a cult. The Secret was completely trashed by writers, newspaper columnist so people have a hard time believing they can enjoy life. they would rather be miserable I suppose, its easier that way.

[cigi]

Allright, it's time for 11:11 to weigh in....

[Jen2174]

you get mad because its not your truth...but really--and this is the tough part for many of us because its so deeply ingrained...

your beliefs do not need you to defend them....your beliefs only need you to quietly go about the lovely work of believing in them...

these people have indeed chosen a different path from those on this board, but you know what? abraham would say that they are still source energy mixing it up here on earth for the expansion of all that is....and they have the same universe given rights as we do--

there is no right--no wrong--no good--no bad-only CHOICE....

and i choose what feels BEST to me--what brings ME joy--and so what they are doing, i can look at an chuckle at and think==not my pie!!! :)


yeah its not my pie i need to not care. still working on that one..:lol:

[Patricia b]

"Brought to the brink of financial ruin" because of Abraham? Huh? Who me? Don't think so! Well, guess the only ones that would apply to may be the Hickses themselves , when they shifted from their previous source of income to putting Abraham on the road.

All "religions" were once "cults," which means that there were a "small" group of "believers" who were creating something "new." I think it was Abraham that said that.

The key thing is to go one's OWN path, no matter what. Not give a RIP. Society has tremendous creativity in bringing forth derisve names to club something new and different to its knees. It is a form of SHAMING that has been very effective in the past.

That is all a big "SO WHAT"!

[Freshmixture]

People who are looking for cults will find cults because they are in that mind set. They already have "whats normal" locked into their head and everything else is just plain nonsense

In short.....you always find what your looking or feeling for.........

Cheers!

Fresh........The Freshmaker

[SeattleSekhmet74]

I don't think it's a cult at all, although I do think that some followers, online at least, are somewhat in that mindset. I actually just posted something sort of related to this on the forum, that I'm sure will get pulled within the next 5 minutes anyway. What I mean is I've seen so much, instead of asking THEMSELVES what is the truth about a situation or even others opinions on the board, it's always "what would/does Abe say" on a particular topic--and while of course, these are Abe forums, I think that with *some* people it is to the degree that if it doesn't come directly from Abe and Abe alone, that it has no value, that they need to go to this source outside of themselves to find any Truth...and to be honest I find that somewhat disturbing.

To add a little bit to that, too, and I haven't seen this brought up at all (and of course, no way would it ever be brought up, or at least stay up, on the other board), but the preface (by Jerry) in TAPOE put me off a bit and left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. For myself, I had to acknowledge that Jerry's perspective and Abraham's teachings were "separate"...I don't have the book in front of me, but if anyone read it, there is a section where Jerry kind of admonishes other teachers of the Law of Attraction out there for stealing their material (not at all those exact words, however the same message)...what bothered me about this is that the Law of Attraction---and THAT wording has been around far longer than Abraham teachings, and there are many many books, far older than any of the Abraham books that have a lot of the same wordings that they use--THAT does not bother me, it is that Jerry sort of laid claim to these principles as if they invented or discovered them, and that is so far from the truth.

So I guess going back to the original question, no the teachings themselves of course are not at all a cult--I love the books and teachings of Abraham as they have opened up my world beyond description...but I do think that there are *some* out there that study their material that could possibly have the tendency to take it in that direction (I am not at all, by any means, directing that towards anyone on this board, btw--hopefully I am being clear about that). There is a difference between choosing a spiritual path (as each of us are truly on our own INDIVIDUAL path) and finding one teacher and taking THEIR word alone as the only word, excluding all others including themselves as any source of Truth. And I would say, yes, I have seen a bit of that on the other board.

[Crane]

Well, I don't know, but it seems to me we are all very addicted to this cult. It's the "Think for yourself and get happy cult." The world would be better off if we just stopped all the free thinking and making anyone else on the plains of Nebraska and the hills of Carolina so fucking nervous. Why should be be out there making a big deal about what we've learned that we can use to be happy and fulfill our greatest desires? Is that fair to the status quo? Why should all those judgmental others be made uncomfortable by our breezing around with smiles on our faces? What nerve!

I grew up in the Sixties when we were trying to break out of the dreadful conformity we saw around us and be ourselves. When I grew my hair a tiny bit over my ears, hard to believe now, but it was a scandal in my local community. I'd like to take you in memory to the first time our car passed a woman without a bra–my God! They move!

I practiced the LOA of attraction before I knew it's name. Thanks to Jerry and Esther, a mist cleared, and I could see my life in perspective. Yes, I got everything I ever wanted and still do. More than, actually. My biggest shortcoming was in not looking for more, more, more and letting it in. So, the Hick's made money on me and others from the books we bought and subscriptions we paid... Scandalous! All cults should be not for profit. That'd get attention. The fact is that Abraham is smart to speak in the language of the day. Financial success gets attention. Self-sacrifice, not nearly so much.

So, let's be a cult of whatever anyone wants to call us. Party on! Get jiggy! It works for me. With that I'm out of cliches, except one I never forgot from the Sixties: If it feels good, do it!

:lol:

[Deva]

Okay i haven't read all the posts but I just wanted to type the first thoughts that came to my mind! Abraham is the best of it all!

Abraham has the best bits that cults have - its offering a fresh new alternative to what organized religion has been teaching for along time but its totally voluntary

It has the best bits of religion - well documented channeled material that can be perused and discussed by all

Its has the best bits of spirituality meaning its empowering and enlightening and fun!... hehehe!

I just thought, if you focus on the positive aspects of cults then i'm sure we Abers can be culty if we choose too! I really don't care what you label it as... I love me some Abraham!

Shari

[Patricia b]

[quote="SeattleSekhmet74"]
To add a little bit to that, too, and I haven't seen this brought up at all (and of course, no way would it ever be brought up, or at least stay up, on the other board), but the preface (by Jerry) in TAPOE put me off a bit and left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. For myself, I had to acknowledge that Jerry's perspective and Abraham's teachings were "separate"...I don't have the book in front of me, but if anyone read it, there is a section where Jerry kind of admonishes other teachers of the Law of Attraction out there for stealing their material (not at all those exact words, however the same message)...what bothered me about this is that the Law of Attraction---and THAT wording has been around far longer than Abraham teachings, and there are many many books, far older than any of the Abraham books that have a lot of the same wordings that they use--THAT does not bother me, it is that Jerry sort of laid claim to these principles as if they invented or discovered them, and that is so far from the truth.

I agree with this....I had the distinct feeling in reading this/hearing the CD, that those words were a reaction to the "Secret" "issue." Jerry has made it clear in subsequent statement---- I believe he stated this on the Hawaiian Cruise--- that the phrase "Law of Attraction" goes way back to writings in the late 1800's. I have seen it in H. Emily Cady's landmark book, Lessons in Truth, and I am pretty sure you will find it in so many words (example: "As above, so below" of the Hermetics from ancient Egypt.

I think what Jerry was taking issue with there was the wholesale lifting of phraseology that is specifically ESTHER'S as she puts the vibrational message into wording that his HERS. THAT was all over the "revised" "Secret" coming out of the mouths of the stand-in teachers.

And the "Secret" video got in its own way by using people as "authorites" who had credentials that were viewed as pretty tenuous by the public who was seeing this for the first time. Those who were listed as "metaphysicians" or "chiropractors" were laughed at in the several groups that I viewed it with.

[sara]

I want a new title. ... I want to be ABELISCIOUS!![/size]


ME TOO!!!!
:downstream1: :kiss: :downstream1:

[Lori]

Fantastic thought-provoking subject, 11:11!!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

I jumped on here thinking of posting, and this thread just leapt out at me (like, "COOL!!!") and my IB considered it for only a few seconds then said, "BECAUSE CULTS DON'T TEACH YOU TO THINK FOR YOURSELVES".....

So, there's my thoughts on it :biggrin:

As a note to all you lovely Abers: I can't post much right now, too busy w/creating - but I do read on here as often as I can....You all WICKED ROCK!!!!!

Namaste :pray:

Lori :wave:

[Lori]

AND HELL YEAH, ROCK-N-ROLL GODDESS!!! I ALREADY BELONG TO A CULT!!!!

"WE UNDERSTAND, WE UNDERSTAND, AND SO DO I...." rofl rofl

TOO MUCH FUN, MAN, WAY TOO COOL..... :queen: I'VE HAD A GOOD DAY....

[Lori]

In one of the recordings on Ramtha's site, the origin and meaning of the word "occult" is disussed a bit....It basically says that there were small groups of people who really "got it" about the nature of this wonderful place....Anyway, it's another word that's been bastardized over many years (particularly in this century) into something that has very little to do with what it actually means....
Ramtha's "mini-teachings page" - another view of LOA and history! http://ramtha.com/html/community/teachings/default.stm

And thank you, RnRG!!! I love that we can just post whatever we want on here!!! :dance:
As an artist, I would tell Buck and Co. that their music makes me feel creative, because their music is so freakin' creative in so many ways....That's about the best compliment I could give anyone (I listened to BOC through quite a bit of this one, hehehe.....
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x257/hillbilly_filly/lizard1-1.jpg

Addressing that issue of people losing their ass because they learned about LOA, here's my story....I was getting $10-12 average on ebay for gourds of this quality, cranking them out like crazy and getting nowhere...I was burnt out artistically, and all I could think of was the money - and I kept getting less and less for them...Some of you here were with me on part of that journey :love:
....Now I'm all crazy and I only do gourds when I really want to, and guess what I got for this one tonight???
$37.82!! And it's not a fluke - since I started working on gourds again (but only when I feel ARTISTICALLY INSPIRED) they have sold higher than they did a year or two ago....And the only thing I changed was my thinking....

[Rodney]

Good find Lori. Wikipedia leads to that as well. It says that in other countries the translated word Cult has a positive connotation.

[The Messenger]

11:11, thank you very much for creating this amazing thread of information... i'm reading it closely with much interest as are many others.

[Crane]

In reality, the only way to get the advanced teachings is by subscribing to the current sessions. Abe's teachings are always evolving and growing in subtleness. :clap:

I do like reading all the new writings and going back to old recordings, but those are refreshers and mostly geared toward the basics. They are not directly mainly for this group. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE EACH OTHER! WE ARE THE ADVANCED ABRAHAM TEACHERS!

Was that too loud? Sometimes you have to shout. Anyway, in interacting with each other, we expand awareness, and the sharing of experiences is mind blowing. I go places on the forum I'll never have time for anywhere else.

Keep up the show, folks! It's sheer pleasure to share with you.

[Crane]

:dance: So, Alex, exactly how did you know I had you in mind when I wrote that?

[SeattleSekhmet74]

P.S. Or you could listen to me ;-)


you are so funny rofl

[Rodney]

"Abraham-Hicks cult" is one our most popular keywords on Google. rofl
I guess a lot of people must be concerned.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/6385/abrahamhickscultho9.gif

[tj_uk]

its not a cult but even if it was, then so what!!!

[AttractionFactor]

STEVIE'S FASHION STYLE FOR THE WEEK. BLACK TSHIRTS ARE NOW IN!
rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl

[cigi]

"Abraham-Hicks cult" is one our most popular keywords on Google. rofl
I guess a lot of people must be concerned.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/6385/abrahamhickscultho9.gif

Hey 11:11! I just noticed that the people who came to the site through these keywords, spent quite a bit of time on the site. AND the people who didn't even know to put the dash between Abraham & Hicks spent MORE time on the site & looked at more pages than even those who specifically searched abetalk. Maybe they were getting educated.

Personally, I LOVE it when people are directed to this site through their curiosity about the possibility that this is a cult. Whether they come to Abe's philosophy through negativity or positivity - the message is the same.

[Crane]

The negative term "cult" is of concern only to the nonconformity hating status quo. If it doesn't fit inside their narrow bounds of "should be," they try to control the crowd by making difference strange or perverse.

I'm officially starting the Who Gives a Shit? Cult. It's for those of us who don't give a damn what most people think.

Plenty of cool people, I'm sure, have waltzed right into and through a cult on their way to a bliss most will never even get a whiff of.

Party on! :grouphug:

[allthoughtswork]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ChristinaofTX]

To add a little bit to that, too, and I haven't seen this brought up at all (and of course, no way would it ever be brought up, or at least stay up, on the other board), but the preface (by Jerry) in TAPOE put me off a bit and left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. For myself, I had to acknowledge that Jerry's perspective and Abraham's teachings were "separate"...I don't have the book in front of me, but if anyone read it, there is a section where Jerry kind of admonishes other teachers of the Law of Attraction out there for stealing their material (not at all those exact words, however the same message)...what bothered me about this is that the Law of Attraction---and THAT wording has been around far longer than Abraham teachings, and there are many many books, far older than any of the Abraham books that have a lot of the same wordings that they use--THAT does not bother me, it is that Jerry sort of laid claim to these principles as if they invented or discovered them, and that is so far from the truth.

When I first read that introduction it made me feel uncomfortable too. I wish I had been around to help Jerry write that preface. I believe that other authors did violate copyright laws and steal intellectual property from the Hicks' material. I could have worded that preface better for them I think.
I was a beginning Abe student/studier "aber" at the time that book came out so it did help me very much with the samples of how to move up the scale -- by the time I read it all the way thru I did experience a shift in the way I understood using the emotional scale. The publishers always tout each book in a way that "markets" the material and stretches or magnifies a books importance so that didn't surprise me. I can see why more advanced law of attraction and Abe students would have been let down by it.
Anyway, I'm loving this thread because it's a real thought provoking one!!!!! And I am glad to see others were also put off by the preface remarks. I will simply have to make my writing and editing skills available to them next time! :queen:
~Chris~

[Timo]

Maybe Abe-Hicks is just misunderstood by some, maybe they think it's some kind of insight information - a secret. Well, they just remind us to take things easy. How can going the way of least resistance ever be hyped or called a cult? I don't know.

[Crane]

Sounds like The Cult of Adal to me!

I love it. You're always a breath of fresh air. No, make that fired up fresh air.

Long live The Adal Cult! :clap:

[Chamber]

I'm going to design some new cult Tshirts.

[Chamber]

http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p321/siegeay/Man.jpg

http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p321/siegeay/woman.jpg

http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p321/siegeay/allgood.jpg

There...my gift to you. Print em and wear em.

[sausage]

Hi All,

Very interesting topic. I agree that this is not a cult. There is choice in what you decide to believe or how you behave. You do not have to "pay" to follow the advice. I think it is extremely important that threads such as this can exist on these forums. I have seen an alternative Abraham Hicks forum where critical questioning or doubt of the Hicks teachings (with the intent to gain clarity rather than to be negative or destructive) is not allowed. To me this smacks of fear and judgement of people who like to question things rather than being a "sheep".

Thanks for this thread. Very interesting!

Sausage

[Crane]

Doesn't matter if it is a cult. All kinds of paths can lead to bliss. Why inhibit anything by hanging negative tags on it? Abe teaches us to be FOR things, against nothing. :flex:

Let's not be judgmental about what anyone else does. If use freedom as a gauge, nobody has absolute freedom. By that standard, our city with it's laws and social conventions is a cult–or a group of cults. We all adopt our cultures and take certain standards as givens. We call these cults only when they threaten the status quo. In the US, Islam has cult status in many places as does American commercialism in religious conservative cultures. These are useless, harmful labels that diminish others. Yuck!

Chamber, great Ts. :clap: I'd love to find a way to circulate them. We could form the Cult Club.

[AttractionFactor]

Tonite I expect everyone to give up all their personal belongings, and then
go to Adal's house, wearing Chamber's tshirts, and do 100 jumping jacks,
and then drink orange juice mixed with cyanide, and wait for the Non Physical
entities to take care of our earthly bodies.

All the money taken from our offering will be used to fund Abe Talk,
but of course all of us will be gone, so there will be no cult left to worry about.

Ok there solves the cult problem!!!!! rofl rofl rofl

:grouphug: :grouphug: :clap: :clap:

[AttractionFactor]

I will come back in the next life as a cow.

I will also form the cow cult. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

eat more chicken - not beef!

[Better Every Day]

That's funny...I knew that this (the only real dispute that I have found...not that I am looking) would surface here one of these days. I came across it a few months ago, and thought about bringing it up, but rather dismissed it, and did not bother, not wanting to harsh anyone's mell (not that you did wonderful young 11:11).

No matter what thing you like, you will find a forum, saying that what you like (and you along with it) suck. The internet and forums give a wonderful platform for people who are unhappy to give voice to their BS.

I like meat..... you suck and are evil because you like meat
I am a vegetarian...you suck and are stupid because you are a vegetarian.

Whatever it is, a TV show, a band, a hobby, whatever, there is someone in cyberspace to tell you that you are wrong liking for it. It's so un-Abe.

What I found hilarious about that thread are all the people who start their posts with something like "well, I don't know anything about it, but here's my opinion..." KISS MY ASS, BLOWHARD!


We are supportive a loving and positive in this community.

Oh, and just a few reasons Abe is not a cult: You can get the teachings for free, or near free, nobody asks you to give up your shit (no tithing, so surrender of property of other wealth), you can be an active member of a religion if you chose....there are a million more, but you get it. Fear not, 11:11. you are a free thinking individual, and NOT a cult member.

[Rodney]

Fear not, 11:11. you are a free thinking individual, and NOT a cult member.

If I was in a cult, that is exactly what they would want me to believe -- that I am not a cult member, that I am there by choice.

Think about it. rofl

[yeslist]

Thinking is secondary with Abrahams teaching. Feeling is the key.
The only disipline Abraham promotes is to pay attention to the way we feel and choose thoughts that feel the best.
Besides ...in my reality there is only my relationship with well being and that is my pie. It does not matter to me what anyone else thinks because thinking is part of the reason we get ourself in the way of the Universes step two in the three step process.
Cheers
Simon

[tj_uk]

If Abraham did cults, then it would be the best cult ever!

[yeslist]

Exactly!!!

[Crane]

Hey, Steve. I was at Adal's with my Chamber T-shirt. Where the heck were you? McDonalds, pondering the end of your next incarnation?

[AttractionFactor]

Hey, Steve. I was at Adal's with my Chamber T-shirt. Where the heck were you? McDonalds, pondering the end of your next incarnation?

Mooooooooooooooooo!



(I'm already in my next incarnation.

One of you cult members are about to eat me so I can make the next transition.

(gulp) BYE!!)

[cigi]

Hey, Steve. I was at Adal's with my Chamber T-shirt. Where the heck were you? McDonalds, pondering the end of your next incarnation?

Mooooooooooooooooo!




YAY!! Look everybody! Steve came back as a cow who can type! rofl

[Crane]

Yup! There's Steve out on the leading edge, a hoof-typing virtuoso. :clap:

Can't wait for his next achievement.

[AttractionFactor]

Hey, Steve. I was at Adal's with my Chamber T-shirt. Where the heck were you? McDonalds, pondering the end of your next incarnation?

Mooooooooooooooooo!




YAY!! Look everybody! Steve came back as a cow who can type! rofl

Moooooooooooooooo! I AM COW.

There is nothing you cannot BE, do or have!

My next goal is to manifest one you cult members on one of my milk mustache commericals.

http://www.planetc1.com/n/images/farm_cow_milk_200.jpg

Here is Super Aber:

http://inventorspot.com/files/images/superman-got-milk-ad-commercial.jpg

[Chamber]

If you wanna see a great Channeler cult check out Ramtha.

Ramtha is a warlord from the time of Atlantis 35,000yrs ago. His channel is JZ Knight...a female.

Essentially the same LOA/Abe teachings are there from what I've seen.

Ramtha apparently has a taste for red wine. The 'seminars' include wine rituals in which the entire audience takes part. A couple stories I've read...Ramtha has had trouble holding his wine(or maybe it's just his channel that does) and can be a slobbering drunk by the end of the 'teaching'....so much that he/she has vomited on stage.

Sounds like my kinda cult. rofl

He how many of you would pay me like $300...I'll provide the wine...we'll all get drunk and you can just listen to me rant and rave about life and spirituality on a stage for 4-5hrs? Hell...I'd even do it for free if you bring the wine. :lol:

Just gimme the word and I'll have a website up where you can reserve seats. :dance:

[Crane]

No whine, either.

Just figured if you had the cost of the seminars stuck in your head, you might not know that. ;)

[Chamber]

The Abraham workshops are $200. I thought wine was included!

Yes, but I'm way hotter than Ester and I use a LOT of profanity....that's well worth an extra 50%.

I'm shooting for the younger hipper crowd instead of the Oprah crowd.
:lol:

[cigi]

Chamber -

I'll throw in an extra $50 if you'll vomit in private & do at least 1 kegstand....

[Chamber]

Hey I'm a motivational speaker...not a circus chimp.

Then again with the current culture the fratboy/jackass antics seem to be pretty motivational.

Tony Robbins has people walk on hot coals and stuff....so why the hell not...

rofl

The alcohol thing is interesting though as RnRG mentioned.

Society says that it makes you do things you wouldn't normally do. I define it as it makes you more uninhibited. If you really want to see what a person is like inside...see what they're like when they're drunk. The resistance goes almost to zero.

It quiets a lot of the fear and anxiety in your 'programed' mind and makes it easier to just go with the flow. That's why so many mystical native tribes and shaman use some kind of sacred drug or concoction in their rituals. That's why so many brilliant musicians end up dying from drug problems.

I'm not advocating people should be drunk or drugged 24/7...although it would be funny to see. I think everything should be treated with respect and responsibility.

But acting like you're drunk and you don't give a shit...that really is the way to go about life. Look at how kids act...they're like little drunken monkeys running around...they're having a blast.

That's how we as a culture need to get back to living....like drunken monkeys enamored with the wonder of life.
:clap:

[AttractionFactor]

TSK. TSK. THIS THREAD TALKS ABOUT DRUGS, ALCOHOL, CULTS AND ACTING LIKE MONKEYS. WHAT KIND OF SPIRITUAL THREAD IS THIS?????????
:scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :twisted: :twisted:

[AttractionFactor]

BUT IF IT FEELS GOOD THEN THAT'S ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS!!!!

rofl :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Chamber]

You guys wanna know a little secret about drugs?

The drug itself does nothing to you. It is not the drug or alcohol that makes you feel funny or high.

All any drug does is tell your brain to either produce more of a substance or less of a substance.

The actual chemicals that get you "high" are produced by your brain and your brain ONLY.

Your brain is the most advanced well stocked pharmacy on the planet.

So what does that mean? It means you can manually go in and train your brain to produce different highs whenever you want.

This is an NLP method used to treat heroin and cocaine addicts. They would put them under hypnosis and set a trigger where they could, whenever they felt the itch, get high without actually having to do the drugs.

Meditation, relaxation techniques...it's the same exact thing.

[chuxarino]

Abraham is a source of information - and that's all they claim to be. I don't even consider the information spiritual. The teachings are technical tips on how to think for your better good. If the Abraham-Hicks teachings are a cult then what does that make FOX NEWS or CNN? Big dark upstream cults - that's what! I'll stick with the group that keeps me light and happy thank you.

[Crane]

Hey, Chuxerino. Nice to see you here. :welcome:

The point you make is accurate. Abraham describes themselves as teachers who are passing along knowledge FOR THOSE WHO ARE READY TO HEAR IT. Major point. All voluntary.

It's spiritual only because that's all we are anyway and their goal (I think) is to teach us more self-realization–in other words, how to be more spiritual.

What I like about the best people on the forum is that they are passionate and full of fire about whatever subject has grabbed them, yet each expresses themselves differently.

Five people I always read are Alex (RocknRollGoddess), Shari, Chamber, Steve (attraction factor) and Pat. They write interesting, touching, irritating, thoughtful, insightful comments, but the only thing you'll see in common among them is spirit, spirit, spirit, overflowing spirit.

Pretty spiritual gang, I think.

Dave

[AttractionFactor]

Five people I always read are Alex (RocknRollGoddess), Shari, Chamber, Steve (attraction factor) and Pat. They write interesting, touching, irritating, thoughtful, insightful comments, but the only thing you'll see in common among them is spirit, spirit, spirit, overflowing spirit.

Pretty spiritual gang, I think.

Dave

Who else writes about Super Abers and Cows going Mooo? Now if that's not spiritual, I don't know what is! Ha! Ha! Thanx for the nice comments Dave.

[AttractionFactor]

What I like about the best people on the forum is that they are passionate and full of fire about whatever subject has grabbed them, yet each expresses themselves differently.

I think all the people on this forum are the best people! :biggrin:

yeah. everybody makes me feel good. ya! :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

[Dance of Joy]

What I like about the best people on the forum is that they are passionate and full of fire about whatever subject has grabbed them, yet each expresses themselves differently.

I think all the people on this forum are the best people! :biggrin:

I agree, Lisa. I LOVE YOU ALL! :heart: :grouphug: :heart:

[AttractionFactor]

What I like about the best people on the forum is that they are passionate and full of fire about whatever subject has grabbed them, yet each expresses themselves differently.

I think all the people on this forum are the best people! :biggrin:

I agree, Lisa. I LOVE YOU ALL! :heart: :grouphug: :heart:


CULT HUG!!! :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl

... just kidding! GROUP HUG!@ :grouphug: :grouphug:

[chuxarino]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome! I'm only speaking for myself on the use of the word spiritual. For me the word spiritual has a slight tone of mysteriousness to it - and I love a mystery... except in my mental studies. So I surgically remove the word spiritual from my Abraham experience and it takes some of the mystery out of the work. I know this sounds wonky - probably even weird - but it works for this current brain :? which is inexplicably not affected by any other's use of the word in the context of higher consciousness. :P I love you all and am pleased to be with you.

[cigi]

I know this sounds wonky - probably even weird - but it works for this current brain :? which is inexplicably not affected by any other's use of the word in the context of higher consciousness. :P I love you all and am pleased to be with you.

Chux :welcome:

NOTHING sounds "wonky" here. Have you met our friend Steve the COW?

Anyway, you're on the wrong cult. We are now on the Cow-Chamber-Kool-aide-Cult - complete with T-Shirts & source-models. We meet in Mexico at Adal's house.

Sorry friend, the consciousness is not higher here.....

[chuxarino]

I'm IN!

[Crane]

dreamer, of course, you're right, but a distinguishing trait is that some of us moo, some of us rant, and some of us write novels.

We're the best people, but we're also the sexiest, the best looking, the most diverse, the most curious, the most mooosical, the most ignorance adverse, the most motivate and the most anything else good and positive and creative you can think of.

Now, put on your Chamber designed T-shirt and meet Steve and I at Adals...

Oops, I guess we're already there.

[Deva]

You guys wanna know a little secret about drugs?

The drug itself does nothing to you. It is not the drug or alcohol that makes you feel funny or high.

All any drug does is tell your brain to either produce more of a substance or less of a substance.

The actual chemicals that get you "high" are produced by your brain and your brain ONLY.

Your brain is the most advanced well stocked pharmacy on the planet.

So what does that mean? It means you can manually go in and train your brain to produce different highs whenever you want.

This is an NLP method used to treat heroin and cocaine addicts. They would put them under hypnosis and set a trigger where they could, whenever they felt the itch, get high without actually having to do the drugs.

Meditation, relaxation techniques...it's the same exact thing.

I LIKE THIS CHAMBER... Rampages of appreciation, Loving, Abetalk all releases happy chemicals in my brain and send me buzzing! I got all the joy juice i need within me baby!

I am my own big spliff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D :D :D


I thought this was funny! :biggrin: :

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q80/testingradar/marijuana-restaurant-a7c.jpg

[Deva]

Anyway, you're on the wrong cult. We are now on the Cow-Chamber-Kool-aide-Cult - complete with T-Shirts & source-models. We meet in Mexico at Adal's house.


I PLEDGE!

http://images.cafepress.com/product/68404432v3_240x240_Front_Color-AshGrey.jpg

http://images.t-shirts.com/printed/jpegs/CHA001/medium/66-301-17.jpg

http://www.theempire.com.au/images/2005-08-12/Family%20Guy%20Mind%20Control%20TShirt.jpg

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/TEE_SIGN/9CTB20713~The-Cult-Love-Album-Posters.jpg

How about that last one - I belong to the cult of love. It is my dominant intent to love as much as i can and feel better under every circumstance no matter what! I love to feel good!

[AttractionFactor]

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q80/testingradar/marijuana-restaurant-a7c.jpg

May I have an order of happiness with two shots of neverending joy. Don't forgot the ketchup please!

Also I'd like a strawberry shake when I whiff up the order. Ahhh... It feels good!

Thanks for getting me high on life!

[jonquil]

Why is Abraham-Hicks not a cult?

First, it is logically impossible to prove a negative. So the question must be posed as a positive so that a more plausable (alibi) explanation can stand in it's stead.

Why is Abraham-Hicks an amorphous expansion?

In my opinion, it is because there is no membership other than that which is self-professed.

You can not be ex-communicated any more than you can be inducted as a member.

There is no code of conduct, only a recommendation with regards to the positivity of your own personal thoughts.

There is no true hierarchy, initiation, confirmation, or application. There is no test. There is no requirment. You are invited to take what you WILL, and leave the rest.

You are not judged upon your ability to agree, conformity, enthusiasm, or attainment.

You are not asked to proslytize, nor be secretive.

You are only asked to CONSIDER making your own deliberate decisions, and the consequences thereof.

You can be the most ardent of Abraham devotees and openly denegrate their teachings without reproach.

If that isn't the most liberating of all beliefs, I don't know what is!

jonquil

[Rodney]

Very well said, thanks jonquil. :clap:

[Chariot]

I don't think it's a cult at all, although I do think that some followers, online at least, are somewhat in that mindset. I actually just posted something sort of related to this on the forum, that I'm sure will get pulled within the next 5 minutes anyway. What I mean is I've seen so much, instead of asking THEMSELVES what is the truth about a situation or even others opinions on the board, it's always "what would/does Abe say" on a particular topic--and while of course, these are Abe forums, I think that with *some* people it is to the degree that if it doesn't come directly from Abe and Abe alone, that it has no value, that they need to go to this source outside of themselves to find any Truth...and to be honest I find that somewhat disturbing.

To add a little bit to that, too, and I haven't seen this brought up at all (and of course, no way would it ever be brought up, or at least stay up, on the other board), but the preface (by Jerry) in TAPOE put me off a bit and left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. For myself, I had to acknowledge that Jerry's perspective and Abraham's teachings were "separate"...I don't have the book in front of me, but if anyone read it, there is a section where Jerry kind of admonishes other teachers of the Law of Attraction out there for stealing their material (not at all those exact words, however the same message)...what bothered me about this is that the Law of Attraction---and THAT wording has been around far longer than Abraham teachings, and there are many many books, far older than any of the Abraham books that have a lot of the same wordings that they use--THAT does not bother me, it is that Jerry sort of laid claim to these principles as if they invented or discovered them, and that is so far from the truth.

So I guess going back to the original question, no the teachings themselves of course are not at all a cult--I love the books and teachings of Abraham as they have opened up my world beyond description...but I do think that there are *some* out there that study their material that could possibly have the tendency to take it in that direction (I am not at all, by any means, directing that towards anyone on this board, btw--hopefully I am being clear about that). There is a difference between choosing a spiritual path (as each of us are truly on our own INDIVIDUAL path) and finding one teacher and taking THEIR word alone as the only word, excluding all others including themselves as any source of Truth. And I would say, yes, I have seen a bit of that on the other board.

I agree with you 100%.



You are not judged upon your ability to agree, conformity, enthusiasm, or attainment

jonquil

Ummm Apparently you haven't visted the Abe forum. rofl

This judging thing has been surfacing more and more with Aber's and it does feel somewhat cultish at times. You must agree, You must be happy, You must have bouncing off the walls enthusiam. If not, we'll kick you off the forum because you're hurting our agenda.

[salonkitty]

I was raised in a cult, so I do not consider the message of Abraham/Seth to be a cult, just take precautions to protect yourself, do not spend your entire life waiting to become rich, live your life, move forward, use the gifts we have all been give to enhance your life, there is bad and good in life, do not fall into the trap of thinking you are causing bad things to happen, focus on the positive but do not become oblivious to real life situations, this is the only problem I see with this type of message.

They are making definite statements about God and our existence, most importantly death, in my parent's cult I was not allowed to cry at death because it was considered an act of not being faithful, there are some similarities between cult thinking and the message, however she has made it clear that it is channeled information, a very safe stance.




We are at the mercy of the unknown because the average person can not channel, Ester will tell you herself that she is not trying to change you world view, I do not think they are sinister, I think they are zealous in their message because it has helped them so much and they want others to have the same experience. They will tell you not to just follow what they say, look around and get your own perception of the Law of Attraction.

[Pina Colada]

We are at the mercy of the unknown because the average person can not channel,
Huh?:confused:

[Starchild]

salonkitty, I have a policy of not replying to newbies before they've posted five times, but I like your mind. Being raised in a cult appears not to have done you any harm.

Welcome to Abetalk!

love
Leah

[Zesty]

salonkitty, I have a policy of not replying to newbies before they've posted five times, but I like your mind. Being raised in a cult appears not to have done you any harm.

Welcome to Abetalk!

love
Leah

lol what kind of elitist policy is that

[Starchild]

The kind that makes handsome young men lol, which is one of my more ambitious aims these days.

Apart from that, at one stage we had a rash of folks posting in great enthusiasm about having found us, and everyone rushed in and welcomed them because that's the kind of folks we used to be here, and then they'd never post again. And I felt stooged. And I hope that kittyperson won't stooge me.

[Zesty]

The kind that makes handsome young men lol, which is one of my more ambitious aims these days.

Apart from that, at one stage we had a rash of folks posting in great enthusiasm about having found us, and everyone rushed in and welcomed them because that's the kind of folks we used to be here, and then they'd never post again. And I felt stooged. And I hope that kittyperson won't stooge me.

mission success :D

[Zingdad]

There are two types of teachers in the world:

The first type is those that say "I have the truth and you must come to me always or you will be lost" and the second type is those that say "you hold your own truth but I am willing to share mine with you in the event that you might find it useful".

The former type strives to create dependence. It locks the searcher into a relationship of need with the teacher. It give the teacher power and control. This is MY definition of a cult.

The latter type creates INDEPENDENCE. It assists the searcher to find his/her own path and truth whilst simply helping and supporting or, at most, guiding. It gives the searcher all the power and control of their own process, path and destiny. Such a thing can never be a cult.

In my opinion then the Abraham-Hicks material is not a cult. People are free to use the teachings and materials as they see fit to find their own way. So someone somewhere took the Abraham-Hicks teachings and applied them in a half-assed manner and made a bit of a bollocks of their life and ruined themselves financially. Hmmm. So this means that the Abraham-Hicks teachings are a cult how exactly? Why do these individuals refuse to take responsibility for their lives?

No, I'm afraid I think this site is peddling an agenda. And if yoiu give it a minutes thought it is actually the existing mainstream religious and political structires that are the most deeply cult-y. They all try very hard to tell you that you are powerless and without knowledge and truth and that only their experts and leaders and sundry old-white-men-in-suits can save your soul from hell, your body from ill-health, your country from political ruin, your business from legal destruction etc. etc.

[jak3b]

Thank you Zingdad,
You clarified some points I was attempting to make in my post yesterday.I hadnt had the proper amount of caffiene yet so it rambled a little.Basicly we are taught to believe in "experts".We are invalidated from day one.So we give our power away to people we believe have knowledge/power we dont.When their covers gets blown we are screwed
because we dont have our own foundation to stand on.We blame them for our problems,our pain.Look at the situation now.The oil in the gulf,the wars,the economy.People are hoping for a solution from the top,Come save us!.Isnt going to happen.The government cant find its own ass with both hands let alone come up with solutions.I feel like we are coming into an age of truth collectively and individualy.Noticed how things being exposed?.I need more coffee.

[Starchild]

We are invalidated from day one. And we are signed over to the government when our parents register our birth. That's why there are seat-belt laws, and I have to wear a stack-hat to ride my bike, and if anyone fails in an attempt to commit suicide they are severely punished by weeks or months in a psychiatric facility until staff consider them unlikely to try again.

We each belong to our governments, you see. We are openly referred to as collateral. Even the elderly who sit about in wheelchairs without a clue where they are generate GDP. People on life support generate GDP. Jack Kavorkian had to be stopped. Abortion is still illegal in many parts of the world.

The unwaged (raw nerve here) generate heaps of GDP while they're creating jobs for hundreds of paper-shufflers who treat them (us, actually) like shit.

The homeless (another raw nerve) ditto.

My gay brother and the lesbian couple who have daily care of my niece fought to change a law by which my niece's birth certificate could refer only to my brother and the biological mother. They delayed registering her birth because my brother spends a lot of time out of the country, and if anything had happened to the biological mother my niece would automatically have become a ward of the state instead of being cared for in her own home by her other mommy.

The law was changed on January 1 this year. The registration was a bit of a compromise in that the biological parents were named in the usual places, and the mother's partner was named in an appendix. They got it through two weeks after my niece turned two, which should have got them a whopping fine, sothey fought that too and didn't have to pay.

After all, the government still got its collateral. By law she must still go to school, create work for teachers and doctors, and grow up to be a good little consumer; or perhaps a drug addict creating work for do-gooder agencies; maybe a tax evader creating work for auditors, court staff, prison warders; or a great athlete, scientist or artist bringing glory and more importantly $$$$$ into the country.

Abraham-Hicks can be labelled a cult because it teaches people to think and do for themselves. Alternative medicines generally aim to empower us to heal our own bodies. The late Jane Goodrich was hounded and fined and lord knows what else because she was teaching the world how she reclaimed her vision without wearing glasses.

This won't do. It won't do at all. Abe-Hicks could easily replace every shrink in the world if we didn't scare most people away from them. Jane Goodrich was putting opticians and spectacle manufacturers out of work.

It's a bit like the government warnings and scary pictures on cigarette packets. We care about you, and this is a Bad Thing to do. But on the other hand, we get four of the five bucks you spend on a pack and loads of GDP for treating your emphysema, so please keep it up. Only don't do it around non-smokers, please, because we care about them too. We want all of you alive and spending as long as possible. Yes, funerals are very expensive tis true, but that's our last chance to get as much money out of you as we can. Give us a break. We need the money for our Defence budget.

Dear me.
Starchild foaming at the mouth so early in the morning.

[Chamber]

The same could be said about Students....2 types.

http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.154589794.jpg

[Jobo Pooks]

Abe Hicks is a business....just like Chopra and Dyer and so on and so forth.......:facelol:

[cigi]

Abe Hicks is a business....just like Chopra and Dyer and so on and so forth.......:facelol:

yep.

[Jobo Pooks]

If you keep it complicated and you're good at saying the same thing in a different way then people will always want to know more and they will sometimes pay you for it.....:facelol:

If you simplify it so that people "get it," they realise that there's not really a lot to understand and then they can spend their money on either a six week vacation on a tropical island staying in a top hotel or spend the same amount filling up the tank of their car......:facelol:

[Zingdad]

Abe Hicks is a business....just like Chopra and Dyer and so on and so forth.......:facelol:

Hey Jobo

I'm quite curious...

Is simply an observation or a criticism?

Many people seem to feel there is something a bit off about these teachers making a good living from their teachings... in them being quite comfortable or even wealthy.

I feel somewhat the other way about this. If they are professing to teach about how to find success and abundance then surely they should at the very least have found it themselves? Or otherwise they are like a sick doctor. Surely?

I mean, if you can't make a good business out of teaching people how to be more successful then you seriously suck! LOL!

[Chamber]

The money is made on the Treatment.....not the Cure.

If doctors cured people....they'd be out of business real fast.

Just sayin'

[Rodney]

If doctors cured people....they'd be out of business real fast.

I think that's inaccurate. Because people would continue getting sick, so there would always be plenty of clients.

[Jobo Pooks]

Hey Jobo

I'm quite curious...

Is simply an observation or a criticism?

Many people seem to feel there is something a bit off about these teachers making a good living from their teachings... in them being quite comfortable or even wealthy.

I feel somewhat the other way about this. If they are professing to teach about how to find success and abundance then surely they should at the very least have found it themselves? Or otherwise they are like a sick doctor. Surely?

I mean, if you can't make a good business out of teaching people how to be more successful then you seriously suck! LOL!It's an observation and it's funny. If you study all these teachers and gurus closely you will spot the flaws in them all. I first discovered this as a teenager when I started reading Lobsang Rampa material. He had me hooked for a while, but then on re-reading I began to notice little inconsistencies so I delved and analysed and found things of contradiction...From then on I read with an open mind, but many don't - they are taken in and suffer delusion...nothing right or wrong about this as ultimately and in my reality, everyone is just a part of a big self-regenerating jigsaw puzzle and each part is vital for the whole to be what it is at any given point.

These gurus and teachers are like the people who "sell you" the secret to winning the lottery......:facelol:

I think that's inaccurate. Because people would continue getting sick, so there would always be plenty of clients.Everyone is unique and shining their light or justifying their own existence to the other parts of themselves.....perhaps?:facelol:

[Starchild]

I first discovered this as a teenager when I started reading Lobsang Rampa material. He had me hooked for a while, but then on re-reading I began to notice little inconsistencies so I delved and analysed and found things of contradiction... Did you also find out Lobsang Rampa was a London milkman who travelled no further than Clapham Junction?

[Jobo Pooks]

One's vocation and movements on this planet has nothing to do with things relating to what one knows, observes or believes...does it?:facelol: