Gary Olsen's "Master Path" - anybody familiar? (soul, Jehovah's Witness, grace)

[end_of_faith]

What constitutes a cult? Some define it by the following. Based on my experience, I would have to check all of the below in describing MasterPath.

1. Authoritarian in its power structure
2. Leaders tend to be charismatic, determined, and domineering
3. Leaders are self-appointed, messianic persons who claim to have a special mission in life
4. Tends to be totalitarian in control of the behavior of members
5. Tends to have a double set of standards
6. Has a purpose of actively recruiting new members and fund raising
7. Presents itself as innovative and exclusive
8. The leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves.


How does MP define a cult? They say that a cult is the worship of a personality, or the personage of an individual. I’ve heard Gary call the church a cult because people are ‘worshipping the personality of a dead master Jesus.’ But when you have a picture of the “Sri Gary” in every room, on every table, dresser, and wall in your home, it’s called true devotion to the master…why, because he’s living? What a crock. Did Gary forget the ‘cliff-note’ of Radha where no pictures of the ‘master’ were taken for ‘marketing purposes,’ or for the ‘chelas’ to use as some kind of outer altar upon which to worship. Radha’s reason: to avoid personality worship.

I view all of those ‘posed pictures of Gary’ as cheap marketing of what he’s not, not a reminder of who he is. But hey, on the MP, depending on the size of your contribution, donation, or valuable seva performed, you might be gifted with a giant size image of him to inconspicuously hang somewhere in your house as a symbolic gesture of his heartfelt appreciation. In my opinion, Masterpath and groups like it are nothing but crafty marketeers selling faith to those willing to buy it. Sorry to say that I was one of the gullible ones who initially bought the bill of goods MP is selling.

And do I now see it as a cult? Absofrigginlutely!

[end_of_faith]

To: Time is not absolute

You charge a person on this bog with making a declarative statement without evidence, and yet, are you not doing the same? Are you offering 30 years of studying a number of religious belief systems as evidence of an educated mind that we should automatically respect, and therefore, you speak with authority and knowing on this subject matter? Are we then to accept that you are a voice of reason in determining whether or not MasterPath is a cult? Have you studied MP for 30 years? Do you know Gary Olsen personally? Or, is your argument based on a perusal of the website? You offer a declarative statement that the MP clearly states individual inquiry over groupthink as though that one line is the criterion for arriving at an intelligent conclusion. You also state that some may be predisposed to ‘cultish’ involvement while others are just looking for more information. Are you saying that those who view MasterPath as a cult have a predisposition to cultish involvement, while those who herald it as the real deal are honest seekers of more information?

You compare a headline of “run out of town” with the persecution of Jesus and other great men of the past. Puh…lease! You can’t be serious. Based on that ‘leaky logic,’ are we to assume that anyone who speaks out about their experience with MasterPath, that they are somehow persecuting the ‘self-appointed’ Gary? Your argument for MP strikes me as extremely incongruous.

You defend and compare the plagiarism with the endless translations of the Bible, Lao Tzu, and others. Given that you hold a degree from Princeton, it is surprising to me that you do not hold a scholarly contempt for plagarism. Most colleges and professors do not express such simple-minded rationale for that form of deception. It’s called cheating! They teach students NOT to plagiarize, they don’t rationalize it as the mark of a respected philosopher or enlightened being.

And regarding the ‘deprogramming of two former students in Fargo.’ Were you there? Do you know the story? What qualifies you to speak about what you don’t know?

It is most curious that a person such as yourself who has studied the range of religious doctrines that you present as part of your vast educational knowledge base would find the time or inclination to blog about such small fry as MasterPath. I mean, let’s face it, in the vast scheme of life, Gary Olsen is a gnat on the wall.

[end_of_faith]

Ok, Time is not absolute:

The questions asked in previous post are rhetorical, and that is for Gary himself. He's famous for offering rhetorical questions, while teaching no questions should be asked from the chelas.

I do not expect, or even care to receive an answer. This will be my last post regarding MasterPath. There is no joy in keeping the ghost of a dead past alive. Contemplating MasterPath breeds disappointment and contempt in my heart and mind. I embrace a new life free of all things Gary or MasterPath.

Best wishes

[end_of_faith]

ok, so this is it really it for me... but something about your "time is not absolute" post is still bugging me, and here it is.

You are arguing that a declarative sentence without evidence is bigotry (an intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself). Yet, you freely infer a complete strangers is a bigot for stating his or her impression of MasterPath.

Is not your declarative statement of this person the same form of bigotry? I mean, after all where’s your evidence supporting him or her as a bigot? Do you know that person?

It’s a blog! That’s what people do on blogs: share their opinions. I believe it is called freedom of speech. And oh yea, we also have the right to freedom of belief.

[end_of_faith]

You know what, I'm not done. There is something that I would like to say re: Time is not absolute posting. Given your knowledge of all things spiritual, I'm sure you've heard of intuition. If a complete stranger intuits something to be amiss with MasterPath, then they should trust it! That's why it's call intuition. It doesn't require evidence OUTSIDE yourself. That is individualism over groupthink!

I also intuit that you may very well be one of Gary's minions trolling the internet keeping an eye out for any disparaging comments about MP. Your post is filled with MP buzzwords. And the last line of your post has that eerily strange circle of mumbo-jumbo that serves them so well.

[end_of_faith]

To: “Time is not absolute”
Your post defines the ‘real essence’ of MasterPath perfectly: false superiority of supposed spiritual authority.

To: “remembering you”
Your post is intensely perceptive, and I couldn’t agree more.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Is this gary olsen guy any kin to that photographer kid in all the superman comics and tv programs, if so, he may be more entertaining than the cult guy who stole his name. OH, WAIT...you are talkin' about the cult guy!

[end_of_faith]

Well, here’s a glimpse into Masterpath and Gary Olsen for your reading enjoyment. ☺

May 2006: Gary Olsen holds a seminar in which he instructs his students that he has a most serious issue to discuss with them, and they need to attend his Sunday morning meeting awake, prepared, and focused. The topic: His prediction of the impending Bird Flu pandemic. His ‘ill-conceived’ prediction: that the Avian Flu would mutate, become airborne, and sweep across the US within 3 months to 1 year from the date of his talk. It would be a major pandemic that descended on the world, ‘blanketing major cities like a dark cloud.’ All arteries into/out of cities would be completely shutdown and major cities quarantined. The medical community would be the first to go, with the elderly and young dying first, and that they would just have to do a body count later. This is the short version of his bizarre talk.

He instructed his chelas to begin their preparation by stockpiling rice, beans, water, etc. He sent out preparation lists and asked that they not be shared with anyone outside of MP. Students sold homes, took out second mortgages to purchase solar paneling, buying huge stand alone water tanks, some bought guns to protect themselves from the hungry marauders who would be seeking food, water, shelter from the dying cities, like Los Angeles. He encouraged students to search for property in remote areas where they would be insulated from the general public that would be unable to go anywhere without exposure to this deadly airborne pandemic. He instructed all “CEO’s” to prepare their employees accordingly. He provided lists of Internet sites supporting this data, and the proper preparation in a follow-up written direction. Everything from food, medicine, locks for gas tanks, provisions for your special diet desires: chocolate, candy, cigarettes, etc.

I was no longer a student at this time, however, I did listen to a tape recording of the talk, and Gary also told me that there was an 80-90 percent chance of this manifesting, and that I should prepare accordingly. I chose to ignore his blathering idiocy and fear inducing apocalyptic prediction of doom and gloom. His students spent their summer completely entrenched in securing 3 to 5 years worth of rice, beans and necessary provisions. I heard that one student had his home on the market within hours of Gary’s talk, even before leaving the seminar, and then relocated his family to another state within days of this infamous talk.

Several months later, Mr. Olsen speaks to his students, giving a 10 – 15 minute update to this “most serious issue”, and instructs his students that anyone who acted in an extreme manner from his May 2006 seminar simply did not understand his message to begin with. I’m surprised that he didn’t lose half his membership base due to that talk. But, again, people worship him, and will do whatever he asks, without question. Bizarre. Go figure.

He also instructed his chelas that if they knew of anyone that left the MP after 10 or more years, not to worry, as the people who choose to leave are on a messianic trip, and just not ready for the spiritual journey. His catch-all explanation for all that escapes his attention or consciousness. If he is a master at anything, it is the mastery of manipulation over the thoughts and feelings of his followers. And that is my personal opinion based on actual experience.

[allan1015]

Originally Posted by rememberingyou

Time is not Absolute, you do what MasterPath students do so well: show thinly veiled disdain for any opinions other than your own (or Gary's own) and a false superiority toward other human beings. Basically your post puts down everyone...you think people are judging Gary by his picture, but you fail to recoginize that what people are reacting to is the whole vibraiton around MasterPath. You can't see it, because you are in a cult!

I am seriously wondering, givent he standards set in the post above how a MP Chela/student could respond in anyway that isn't automatically discredited or labeled as an attack? Its like each party is discrediting the other.

I don't really care if you all want to react to a 'vibration' you feel, but its hardly evidence of any hard kind. I have a vibration against roman catholic practices, I hardly think that would be useful to a young Christian as serious data to consider.

And anything I 'say' is seemingly going to be discredited as I can't see your truth because I am a student?

But, I'll give it a try and see what kind of attacks, or hopefully thoughtful comments this place has to offer.

As an aside, I only a few years into MP, and still open to checking it out. I'm pretty well briefed in cults and have friends that are really knowledgeable on cultism, and we've reviewed and discussed my experiences to date, nothing comes away with any red flags.

I am a software engineer, I manage and operate as a hobby several spiritual discussion boards, Conversations with God, Tolle, etc. I am also a working lawyer, no law degree yet, but the point is my critical thinking skills as well as my exposure to others opinions is pretty much goes in the face of I am just some blinded chela who can't think for himself.
Of course I suspect someone will attack my logic and writting skills -s et myself up for that I guess

Ok with all of that let me read and see if anything of interest comes up.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by allan1015

I am also a working lawyer, no law degree yet

Wow - who pays you for the unaccredited legal advice?