Cultic Studies Journal, Volume 17, 2000, Page 137
―brainwashing hoax,‖ diversity in religion, and how to judge and not judge a group. The text
ends in a spirit that encourages the reader to be open and accepting of new ways of belief.
The first section contains advice familiar to most cult information volunteers of any
persuasion: calm down, collect information, and stay in communication without using a lot
of negative words. But there are peculiar assumptions. One is that the cultist even wants to
talk to the family another is that everyone overreacts when someone they know joins a
strange group. The book claims that really bad groups are rare, and that there are no
victims (p. 36), merely people who choose differently. On page 18, the author suggests that
a person who can maintain a supportive communication with a member, despite disagreeing
with the beliefs of the group, is ―a rare diamond.‖ Page 21 offers general advice on how to
fix communication once it breaks down, for example, asking an intermediary or friend to
help. Common sense suggestions for gathering information include visiting the group,
reading group literature and websites, and talking to scholars who have studied the group.
―Do Not‖ advice takes up more than half of the booklet. To summarize: The media is not a
good source as it concentrates on the sensational. Never pay anyone called an exit
counselor (―mercenary haranguer‖ on page 56), and by all means stay away from illegal,
brutal deprogrammers [though they are rare these days]. ―Free‖ help is available by calling
the hotline. Do not read books by ex-members as most are biased and cannot be accurate.
Do not listen to those religionists who preach against the theology of groups they do not
like.
Brainwashing and thought reform theory is said to be a hoax. Pages 89 to 90 targets
psychiatry and ―most psychology‖ as anti-religion and pro-drug: ―Possibly there are
members of the psychiatric clique that come from a place of deep spirituality. Please let us
know if you find one.‖ The book suggests that one find a counselor who ―has spiritual
grounding,‖ but does not offer a clear definition of what that means.
Only two scholars are mentioned, David Bromley and Anson Shupe, in reference to a satire
―latched onto by the media‖ about a sect called TNEVNOC (p. 47). Bromley and Shupe
invented a group that ―pried‖ females away from their families, compelled them to eat the
flesh and drink the blood of the dead leader, and even marry that dead leader. If you have
not noticed, the group is convent spelled backwards. This is one example of the crude effort
to demean ―anti-cultists‖ in “Cult” Alert.
The book is a crude addition to the cult awareness literature. Over 100 cartoons illustrate
the text. 108 are male figures as compared to only 8 female. Almost all of them appear
derivative of simple cartoon styles from the late 1930s and early 40s. The 800 number is
printed in large type around twelve times throughout the book. The book‘s parting advice is
that it is ―okay to judge‖ these groups, but ―judge them by the results they produce.‖ Yet
the very next sentence asks: ―Do they promote peace and goodwill?‖ As if promotion equals
results.
The book offers no specific leads, no bibliography, no counselors or resources other than its
own contact information via e-mail or phone. No address is listed. If you contact this ―CAN,‖
you may be asked to give out your name and address and information about the group that
concerns you. Do that with caution, and ask yourself: Do they really give out ―free‖
lunches?
Joe Szimhart
Cult Information Specialist and Consultant
Pottstown, PA

Cultic Studies Journal, Volume 17, 2000, Page 138
400 Years of Imaginary Friends: A Journey into the World of Adepts,
Masters, Ascended Masters, and Their Messengers. Kenneth Paolini and
Talita Paolini. Livingston, MT: Paolini International LLC (52 Cascade Lane
Livingston, Montana 59047 -406-333-4475 http://www.factsource.com
paolini@factsource.com). 2000, 411 pages, paperback, $26.95 plus shipping ($3.55
for one book, $1.50 for each additional book) ISBN: 0-9666213-0-1.
This reviewer could easily relate to this book, and he applauds its publication.* As anyone
can see from the publisher‘s address, this is an author-published book. 400 Years of
Imaginary Friends is a mix of autobiography, spiritual history, and applied skepticism about
a sect and related groups that profoundly affected the Paolinis‘ lives. Primarily, it is about
their ten year journey in, as individuals, and out, as a couple, of one of America‘s
controversial new sects, Church Universal and Triumphant. ―CUT‖ grew out of the Summit
Lighthouse founded by Mark Prophet in 1958. Prophet (his real name) was an avid student
of Theosophy and one of its sects, the ―I AM‖ Activity.
Following the ―I AM‖ model, Prophet claimed to be ―Messenger‖ or medium to an array of
ascended masters and a Great White Brotherhood of spiritual beings who guide the destiny
and evolution of planet Earth. Prophet married the much younger, and former, Elizabeth
Clare Wulf in 1961 when his new movement had a mere few dozen followers. He ―trained‖
Elizabeth to be his co-Messenger. Mark died in 1973, but Elizabeth guided the newly named
CUT successfully, drawing many recruits from the burgeoning New Age Movement. Her
organization may have had 10,000 devotees worldwide at its peak. Lately, CUT is in a
serious decline, especially since Elizabeth Prophet developed a debilitating brain disease.
CUT was most in the news in 1993 during and after the Waco, Texas debacle that left the
Branch Davidian sect‘s headquarters in ashes after a gunfight and standoff with the
government. Many news reporters asked: Could CUT become the next Waco?
Kenneth and Talita Paolini were part of CUT staff when it was stockpiling weapons after
moving to Montana from the Los Angeles area in the early 1980s. Kenneth was trained for
an elite, CUT security guard force. He was privy to CUT‘s secretive, massive underground
shelter construction and internal operations.
Elizabeth Prophet had predicted a ten-year, ―dark cycle‖ based on astrological indications
that would begin around 1989. This doom prophecy included the strong possibility of war
with Russia and of natural and economic catastrophes. Over 2000 CUT members worldwide
flocked to Montana to be in the area most protected by their Ascended Masters, and to help
build the huge shelters. The Paolinis, becoming weary of CUT‘s bizarre teachings and
internal conflicts, write about their struggle to break free in 1987. They discuss their efforts
later to cooperate with government officers [INS, FBI] who were investigating the sect. CUT
owned an armored vehicle, and the leader‘s husband was arrested for illegal weapons
violations.
They also write about what attracted them to this New Age group that preached
conservative values within a fantastic cosmology. Kenneth had experimented with drugs and
dabbled with spirituality before seriously considering this new path.
Talita‘s parents exposed her to Theosophical and New Age teachings throughout her young
life. At age sixteen, when she first encountered CUT in 1977, it was already familiar to her.
The two young recruits were immediately attracted to one another after they met. The
authors present their courtship and fascinating personal experiences in the group all
through Part I, or the first third of 400 Years.
Part II is a short history of the ascended master cults that the authors say began with the
Rosicrucians of the early 17th century --thus their title, 400 Years. They cover the Gnostic