Cult Signup: only $400! (681 hits)
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Submitted by Nuggs (View user info) at 2004-07-15 12:02:55 EDT
The room is the size of a standard meeting hall. It has the standard peach walls, the standard long rows of chairs separated by an aisle down the middle. The standard podium sits at the front. The standard name-tags lay on the table in the back.
Two chalk-boards in the front.
There is a mic in the back of the room. There are mics in the two front corners.
I cast quick glances at the people milling about. Nobody is talking, except for the Volunteers. I can hear them checking people in, handing off name-tags, telling people to feel free to sit.
Since it's 6 AM, and I normally wake up around 10- I'm tired. I'm also apprehensive. You see, I've paid $400 to be in this room with these people. Each day we must arrive by 6. If we are late we are not allowed in. No Breaks.
Lunch at 2. We are encouraged to go to lunch with the people sitting next to us.
No Breaks.
Dismissed at 11pm, but later if it's necissary.
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Three 17 hour days for $400.
No smoking, drugs, drinking or caffiene over the weekend.
Is this going to be WORTH $400?
I didn't want to come. My friends had all been there, and they told me I'd really get something out of it. "You'll see the world differently!" They always proclaimed.
"Why?" I'd ask, "What is it?" I'd ask.
"Oh, I dont know... hmm... I can't explain it, you'd have to GO to see."
Nobody could explain it. I had to go to see. I had to put $400 on the table in order to "see" if I might get something out of The Forum. Most of my friends had already gone- which is quite amazing, because we're ALL poor. They would group together and say things like, "That's just your racket" and "He's never authentic" and other catch phrases they had picked up at The Forum.
I had went online and viewed the website- it was as vague as my friends were. It said nothing about what I could expect. It only told me that it would change my life, put me at ease with people, strengthen my relationships... but HOW?
You have to pay $400 to see.
It took months for my friends to convince me to go. I didn't go because I wanted to change myself, or understand myself, or overcome some problem- I went because I was SO curious as to what happened over that weekend.
I get my nametag. I look for a seat. I don't like talking to strangers, so I didn't want to sit down next to someone and be forced to small talk untill this ordeal started. I also didn't want to sit at the back of the room because I didn't want The Forum People to think I was an outcast. I didn't want to sit in the middle and be just like everyone else, the people who choose the "safe" seats.
I sat in the very first row, directly in front of the podium.. It was an act of rebellion. I'll show these fuckers I'm not intimidated by there hoo-haa that they will invarriably spew on all of us over the course of the next few days.
When the Forum Leader approached the front of the room everyone fell silent. I took a quick glance over my shoulder to size up the other people in the room- most were white, most were middle aged. There were two young black guys sitting in the back row. One very small asian woman sat along the far aisle. A few hippies were in the row behind me. Some girls were wearing sweats, there were men in suits, some women were overdressed, but most of us had on jeans and t-shirts.
With the first sentence out of the Forum Leaders mouth I know one thing- he's from Boston. He looks Italian. Despite his age, weight, face, body-type, and height, I find him oddly attractive. He seems very friendly. He promises breakthroughs, miricales, and amazing things to come. He says we will be happy.
Okay asshole, just get started.
He tells us this won't work if we don't want it to. We MUST want it. If someone was forcing you to be here, you could leave NOW and get your cash back. If I was too stubborn to learn new things, leave now. This was our last chance to get a refund.
A few nervous titters and a bit of shifting in the uncomfortable seats.
The Forum Leader looks around.
Everyone stays seated.
"Now that we have that out of the way, we can really get started."
I feel as if I've been allowed into a secret room.
He tells us to let our gaurds down. Be free! When you are driving home after The Forum, roll down your windows and sing at the top of your lungs if it suits you! Talk to the person in line with you! Sign up for more Landmark Education classes if you want!
Then the sales pitch, "You will want to tell your friends about this. Be carefull not to abuse what you've learned. The coaching style that I, as your Forum Leader, will use, is very powerfull, and dangerous in the hands of someone who has not been extensivly trained. You will find that you're not ABLE to explain The Forum to your friends...".
Someone in the back grunts. The Forum leader stops talking, and raises his eyebrows. He invites the person to go to the mic in the back of the room. The guy stays seated and shakes his head and waves his arm, he says, "I didn't pay 400 dollars to hear a sales pitch. Why don't you just advertise if you want more people taking your classes?".
The Forum Leader explains that he is NOT pitching a sale- he is letting us know that we can help the people we love. We can help them by letting them experience The Forum.
Everyone who works at the Landmark Events is a volunteer. They are people who have taken previous Landmark courses. These people have paid anywhere from $2000 to $7000 for varrious courses, and now they devote their weekend to passing out nametags and cleaning up after the event.
The first Landmark Course is The Forum. There is an advanced course that is $700, which we are regularly encouraged to sign up for. There are mini-courses here and there that vary in price. There is a mastery course. They tell us, "You can decide to ONLY take The Forum, and you will have got something out of it- but without taking the Advanced Course, you won't TRULY know everything we have to offer". Landmark Education brings in 3 million in PROFIT a year.
Over the weekend we are subjected to new philosophies and new viewpoints. There is some interesting subject matter. They point out that we're always thinking and judging. We're always sizing people up. Always consious of how others see us.
We are in total control of our minds and our bodies.
"Does anyone have a headache?" He asks, with a chuckle and a smile. Most of us do. After no caffine or nicotene for a day, my head is pounding. "Focus on the very spot that hurts... see it as a bright white light. Let yourself FEEL the pain. Don't fight it... accept the pain and it will go away."
A few surprised sounds come out of people. "Wow!" says the lady next to me, "I can't believe that worked!!".
At varrious points through out the weekend people go to the mics and tell their sob stories. Some people are truly damaged. One woman said that her father molested her, and now she can never trust men.
"Forgive your father. He had no control over what he did. Something in his own childhood made him into the person he is today. Forgive him and free yourself." The womans face is red and wet with tears.
"I'll call him tonight...!" She exclaims through her sobs.
They tell us that there are points in our childhoods that made us who we are. There are times when we said things like, "I'll NEVER do this again!" that still affect us in adulthood. You have to let those go, or they will keep you prisoner.
One of the young black kids comes to the mic. He had something to say, but was shy about saying it. The Leader encouraged him to talk, we all sat silent, turned around in our chairs, attentive. Many people in the room were crying.
"Someone ran into my wife and daughter" he said. Time stopped. "They were driving, and got hit head on by a drunk." His face was contorting. He was losing his composure. I could see him struggle to stay calm, I could almost hear him telling himself not to cry.
"Let Go" said the Leader.
He let go, tears bursting from his eyes, snot running down his nose, his body raked with sobs. Nearly everyone was crying, myself included.
"What upsets you?" asked the Leader.
"I was only married for two months!! My daughter was only 3 years old!! Someone took both of them from me!!" he was nearing rage.
"Where is the man that hit them?"
"Prison"
"Do you hate him?"
"Yes!"
"Why?"
"Because he wanted to have a good time, and got drunk, and killed my family." He was starting to calm down a bit.
The Leader drew out the line of questioning for a long time. In the end he pointed out the fact that you can never know what drives other people to do the things they do. He told the guy to visit him in prison, talk to him, forgive him. Otherwise he will never be happy.
On the last day he tells us all to close our eyes. Experience fear. Think of the one thing that you are unable to handle thinking about. Now, believe that you are terrified of the person on your right. Feel what it would feel like if you knew this person was a killer. Now you're afraid of everyone in your row- then the room- then the city- then the state- the country- the world.
Let yourself FEEL THE FEAR. It's okay to cry.
Feel the fear of being alone and debilitated in the world. THIS is reality!! Go on, cry if you want, don't hold back. Nobody cares. Keep your eyes closed.
The woman next to me lets out a horrific scream, and starts wimpering. It scared the shit out of me, and I looked over at her. The Leader saw me. "Eyes closed".
Fuck. It WAS scary to hear everyone in the room snivel and whine. What the hell?? The woman next to me sounded like a wounded cat.
NOW LET IT GO!
Come back, people. Come back. You are in control. That is the worst thing you have to fear. It's over.
What?
Fuck man. That alone was worth my $400.
User Reviews
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 18:41:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Apollo- You better be replying to that email soon.
SOON!
(aka right now)
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2004-07-15 18:33:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"""Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 13:08:38 (#)
Ranking: 0
Apollo... something tells me you don't like the idea of this?
If it were my own money I wouldn't have went. But hey, it WAS interesting. I go to church once in a while, too. Not because I believe that jibber-jabber, but it is fun to hear how others think. """
Don't like it?
It makes my skin crawl.
Submitted by I_Have_a_Kristen_Fetish (user info) at 2004-07-15 17:43:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Too goddamn long!
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 17:37:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Wait- are you saying I'm strange or not strange?
And I may have told you about this- or you probably just read it on my first post.
Submitted by Herpes (user info) at 2004-07-15 17:25:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Aren't that strange... damn me for typing faster than I'm thinking.
Waking up at 4 A.M. sucks balls.
Submitted by Herpes (user info) at 2004-07-15 17:24:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You've told me this story before... right?
Seems familiar, and I know I could have only heard about it from you. Most of my other accquaintances are strange enough to give that a first shot.
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2004-07-15 16:52:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
cults have always facinated me.
Submitted by vodka7tall (user info) at 2004-07-15 15:01:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Jeez... you coulda watched a few episodes of Six Feet Under and saved yourself $400. Actually, now that I think of it, I think the cult... I mean seminar they showed on that one was called "The Plan". It's all the same shit though.
Can you say "pyramid scheme"? You got screwed.
Submitted by SAECULUM.AUREUM (user info) at 2004-07-15 13:33:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
You poor sucker...what a waste of time and money. Do people really need other people to tell them things like this?
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 13:32:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
ha, of course I won't go back.
This was years ago... I think maybe 5 years ago.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-07-15 13:26:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sounds like an interrogation tactic. Draw something out for hours. Make people cry. Create a sheltered atmosphere. Once a person's mental defenses are low, they are quite susceptable to the power of suggestion.
You got ripped off. Don't go back.
Submitted by wazzawazzayo (user info) at 2004-07-15 13:21:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Just don't start handing out pamphlets at the mall or bus station. I can't stand those freaks.
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 13:08:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Apollo... something tells me you don't like the idea of this?
If it were my own money I wouldn't have went. But hey, it WAS interesting. I go to church once in a while, too. Not because I believe that jibber-jabber, but it is fun to hear how others think.
Submitted by Hysteria (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:58:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:42:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
And your FRIENDS told you to go to it?
Jebus.
Submitted by DamienX (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:39:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You got burned.
And I want the last 2 minutes of my life back.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:34:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
SCIENTOLOGY.
It is the same model.
I would rather hack my own ear off with a spoon than pay $400 to listen to some cock tell me to cry.
jeeze.
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:31:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
oh, and psychologically speaking, things I noticed...
Since the hours were so LONG and we weren't allowed to feed our addictions, most of us were VERY suseptable to what they were presenting. We were tired and withdrawled.
Since we were told it would ONLY work if we accepted it and didn't fight it, we WANTED to accept it so it would work. If it wasn't working, and you didn't feel a HUGE change, they said it was your own fault for fighting it. (win win situation for THEM, eh?)
They have catch phrases that are nearly impossible to explain to people who have NOT been through their courses, therefore encouraging relationships with other Landmark members, and discouraging relationships outside of the institution.
You have to sign up/pay for more classes in order to get more out of it. You have to sign up your friends. If your friend can't afford it- maybe you can pay? Maybe you can set up a collection? Find a way!
Group mentality- "it's okay to cry" made people cry. Shit, I cried a lot... mainly because I was tired and emotional.
A lot of the people who went are the type of people that are depressed and will try ANYTHING to help.
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:23:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
wow
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:17:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Crash, I really couldn't say.. you'd have to take it to find out.
ahem.
Who knows what it was about. What did I get out of it? I don't take things personally, I almost never get mad at people, and when I DO it's very hard for me to STAY mad because I realize people all have different reasons for doing what they do, and it's not up to me to regulate that.
I'm also more outgoing. Before I'd be very quiet around big groups or bosses... because I didn't want them to "think" any particular thing about me. Now I realize that I am "who I am", and people will either accept that or not.
Um...? I dunno. Before I could never talk in front of big groups, and now I do it on a daily basis.
I would never open up to people about my feelings before, and now I do it on a daily basis.
It encourages you not to cut any ties. A lot of it is about forgiveness... not forgiving because it's the "right" thing to do, but because if you don't forgive people you can't move on in your life... you'll hold those "wrongs" against them, and it'll hinder YOU.
BUT
Everyone gets something different out of it... everyone would describe it differently.
I'm glad I went, but I'm also glad I'm smart enough to see through some of the bullshit.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:13:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fucking hell.
I know this is a fatuous question but, is this real?
Submitted by Crash (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:09:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm confused. So what the hell was The Forum about?
Submitted by spedmonkey (user info) at 2004-07-15 12:06:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wierd...