Eckankar review: Spiritual and business fraud 31

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...

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

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

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.

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.

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.

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.