Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 6, 2006, Page 54
the charisma, eloquence, and personality of Louis Farrakhan ...more than the physical
presence of any individual."
Nxivm
Nxivm, also known as Executive Success Program (ESP), the personal development course
now expanding its presence in Colonie, NY, near Albany, is drawing renewed criticism. Nellie
Forst, a math teacher from Philadelphia, says the long classes, probing personal questions,
and ―sensory deprivation,‖ caused her great distress. ―I consider the 11 hours I spent at the
place to be psychological rape. It left me a totally different person with all this fear I never
had before.‖ She has only recently renewed contact with her father. It was was he who
suggested she attend Nxivm because, he says, the experience had been a good for him. He
said, ―I think that if you have an experience of any significance, you want to share that with
a loved one. You want a common language. It‘s a scary thing to look at your self.
Intimidating. If the other person doesn‘t want to be there, it could cause a breakdown in the
relationship.
Lawyers for [cult critic] Rick Ross, say Nxivm employed the private investigation firm
Interfor to support its suit against him, alleging that the agency used bribes to obtain his
bank and phone records and other personal information. Keith Raniere, who founded
Nxivm, ostensibly to train executives to reverse childhood stigmas and remove negative
influences from their lives, paid the state of New York $50,000 in settlement fees in 2004
when his multimillion-dollar discount buying club — allegedly a pyramid scheme —
collapsed.
Past Life Regression
Malibu psychiatrist Adrian Finkelstein supports the claim of Sherrie Lea Laird, lead singer of
the Canadian rock band Pandamonia, that she is the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe. He
says he uncovered the previous existence by hypnotizing the singer as part of a
controversial therapy called past life regression. Finkelstein, a graduate of the prestigious
Meninger School of Psychiatry, says he scientifically established, through many dialogues
with his patient that revealed telling details of the late movie icon‘s private life, that the
singer is, indeed, Monroe‘s second coming. Critics say the therapy, which numerous well-
credentialed psychiatrists believe is very useful, can lead to the creation of false memories.
Laird and Finkelstein are now promoting his new book, Marilyn Monroe Returns: The Healing
of a Soul.
Phoenix First Assembly Church
Howard J. Leonard, head of Wall Watchers, an investment guide for church goers, based in
Charlotte, NC, says that, contrary to assurances by televangelist Joyce Meyer that she
uses collection money exclusively to help the poor and needy — and not on herself — her
Phoenix First Assembly Church, in Arizona, has in fact used such funds to buy five
houses, a private jet worth $6.5 million, and expensive artwork for her, her ministry, and
her family. ―If donors would stop being so dumb and start thinking like investors, then there
wouldn‘t be so much fraud and misuse,‖ said Leonard. Meyer, who says she and her
husband get most of their living from royalties on sales of books and tapes and a line of
greeting cards, declared, ―We give back more than we earn.‖ Leonard, a former investment
manager who keeps a list of ministries with questionable financial practices, also sends
researchers to church services to learn how ministers ask for money. Meyer‘s sermons
promote wealth building among her parishioners, and she asks frequently during services
for donations. Thanks to criticism of Phoenix First Assembly generated by Leonard‘s report,
the ministry negotiated a settlement with the county to pay a tax bill and began to send
financial statements and information about its board to Wall Watchers.
the charisma, eloquence, and personality of Louis Farrakhan ...more than the physical
presence of any individual."
Nxivm
Nxivm, also known as Executive Success Program (ESP), the personal development course
now expanding its presence in Colonie, NY, near Albany, is drawing renewed criticism. Nellie
Forst, a math teacher from Philadelphia, says the long classes, probing personal questions,
and ―sensory deprivation,‖ caused her great distress. ―I consider the 11 hours I spent at the
place to be psychological rape. It left me a totally different person with all this fear I never
had before.‖ She has only recently renewed contact with her father. It was was he who
suggested she attend Nxivm because, he says, the experience had been a good for him. He
said, ―I think that if you have an experience of any significance, you want to share that with
a loved one. You want a common language. It‘s a scary thing to look at your self.
Intimidating. If the other person doesn‘t want to be there, it could cause a breakdown in the
relationship.
Lawyers for [cult critic] Rick Ross, say Nxivm employed the private investigation firm
Interfor to support its suit against him, alleging that the agency used bribes to obtain his
bank and phone records and other personal information. Keith Raniere, who founded
Nxivm, ostensibly to train executives to reverse childhood stigmas and remove negative
influences from their lives, paid the state of New York $50,000 in settlement fees in 2004
when his multimillion-dollar discount buying club — allegedly a pyramid scheme —
collapsed.
Past Life Regression
Malibu psychiatrist Adrian Finkelstein supports the claim of Sherrie Lea Laird, lead singer of
the Canadian rock band Pandamonia, that she is the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe. He
says he uncovered the previous existence by hypnotizing the singer as part of a
controversial therapy called past life regression. Finkelstein, a graduate of the prestigious
Meninger School of Psychiatry, says he scientifically established, through many dialogues
with his patient that revealed telling details of the late movie icon‘s private life, that the
singer is, indeed, Monroe‘s second coming. Critics say the therapy, which numerous well-
credentialed psychiatrists believe is very useful, can lead to the creation of false memories.
Laird and Finkelstein are now promoting his new book, Marilyn Monroe Returns: The Healing
of a Soul.
Phoenix First Assembly Church
Howard J. Leonard, head of Wall Watchers, an investment guide for church goers, based in
Charlotte, NC, says that, contrary to assurances by televangelist Joyce Meyer that she
uses collection money exclusively to help the poor and needy — and not on herself — her
Phoenix First Assembly Church, in Arizona, has in fact used such funds to buy five
houses, a private jet worth $6.5 million, and expensive artwork for her, her ministry, and
her family. ―If donors would stop being so dumb and start thinking like investors, then there
wouldn‘t be so much fraud and misuse,‖ said Leonard. Meyer, who says she and her
husband get most of their living from royalties on sales of books and tapes and a line of
greeting cards, declared, ―We give back more than we earn.‖ Leonard, a former investment
manager who keeps a list of ministries with questionable financial practices, also sends
researchers to church services to learn how ministers ask for money. Meyer‘s sermons
promote wealth building among her parishioners, and she asks frequently during services
for donations. Thanks to criticism of Phoenix First Assembly generated by Leonard‘s report,
the ministry negotiated a settlement with the county to pay a tax bill and began to send
financial statements and information about its board to Wall Watchers.
