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Eckankar – A Scientology Clone

Leland

Crusader
I am still hoping that someone will be able to give me an answer on this.
Thanks.

I just googled " Paul Twitchell Scientology" and there is a whole page of links . Looks like he was in Scientology in 1958 or so. One link even states he penned a few articles for Scientology Ability Magazine. So google away.. Lots of links to look at.
 
I work training I attended recently had a breakout session discussing mind control /abuse perpetrated by individuals or groups. Of course, the "S" word came up within the first 30 seconds. The presenter made a couple of interesting points. One, that in her studies a cult is defined as any group with shared values. Two - that it is important to differentiate between those groups that can be defined as cults and those groups that meet the criteria of dangerous or abusive cults. And finally - she talked about the need to evaluate behaviors rather than ideology.

As GalacticPatrol and others talk about in the thread someone posted with his first video - it's not about the dogma/theology/ideology. It's about controlling and abusive behaviors.

There are several evaluation scales for looking at whether a group might be considered dangerous. Probably the one most people are familiar with here is Steve Hassan's BITE model - although there are others.

http://www.freedomofmind.com/Info/BITE/bitemodel.php

Blanky

That can imply that dogma/theology/ideology cannot be part of abusive behaviour, when in scientology and no doubt other cults, religions, and other groups, dogma/theology/ideology is a huge part of what leads people into being abused and or being abusers.
 

Lone Star

Crusader
I've always thought that Eckankar sounded like it could be a disease, as in The Eckankar Virus. LOL!!

And it always makes me think of Canker, as in Canker Sore.

--End of brief, intelligent, and insightful comment-- :p
 

hparadia

New Member
I just googled " Paul Twitchell Scientology" and there is a whole page of links . Looks like he was in Scientology in 1958 or so. One link even states he penned a few articles for Scientology Ability Magazine. So google away.. Lots of links to look at.


Thanks for your help!:)
I have been trying to find out which Ability mag, which org he was on staff with, and if he did go Clear.
I want to show these folk that their "founder" is not as he claims.
 

George Layton

Silver Meritorious Patron
Some of twitchell's books were very similar to Julian Johnson's https://archive.org/details/ThePathOfTheMasters, VERY similar.
Although twitchell writes what was in Johnson's book he seemed to have forgotten to mention that Johnson points out in his book that a master never charges for his discourses. I think in eckankar there are initiations up to 8th initiate. Might be that was some scientology influence or ideas he took away from there.
 

Lone Star

Crusader
I work training I attended recently had a breakout session discussing mind control /abuse perpetrated by individuals or groups. Of course, the "S" word came up within the first 30 seconds. The presenter made a couple of interesting points. One, that in her studies a cult is defined as any group with shared values. Two - that it is important to differentiate between those groups that can be defined as cults and those groups that meet the criteria of dangerous or abusive cults. And finally - she talked about the need to evaluate behaviors rather than ideology.

As GalacticPatrol and others talk about in the thread someone posted with his first video -it's not about the dogma/theology/ideology. It's about controlling and abusive behaviors.

There are several evaluation scales for looking at whether a group might be considered dangerous. Probably the one most people are familiar with here is Steve Hassan's BITE model - although there are others.

http://www.freedomofmind.com/Info/BITE/bitemodel.php

Blanky

I respectfully disagree that it's not about the dogma/theology/ideology. Of course controlling and abusive behaviors can happen within any organization, but often it is the dogma and ideology that leads to such behavior.

Take Hubbard's ideology that this Earth is a prison planet loaded with 20% SPs with 2 1/2% being the worst of the worst suppressives. These SPs are dedicated to keeping all Thetans in prison and so they are arch-enemies of Scientology. Therefore it's a war mentality. You must go up the bridge NOW before it's too late. You must donate NOW to the IAS before the SPs make Scientology illegal in this sector. You must smash the SPs and those PTS to SPs utterly because all survival of mankind is at stake. And of course one could go on about the "Reactive Bank", etc.....

This leads to paranoia, extremism, short fuses, frustration, anger, control tactics, and abuse. So the dogma and ideology came first. The controlling and abusive behaviors followed.
 

Intentionally Blank

Scientology Widow
That can imply that dogma/theology/ideology cannot be part of abusive behaviour, when in scientology and no doubt other cults, religions, and other groups, dogma/theology/ideology is a huge part of what leads people into being abused and or being abusers.

I respectfully disagree that it's not about the dogma/theology/ideology. Of course controlling and abusive behaviors can happen within any organization, but often it is the dogma and ideology that leads to such behavior.

Take Hubbard's ideology that this Earth is a prison planet loaded with 20% SPs with 2 1/2% being the worst of the worst suppressives. These SPs are dedicated to keeping all Thetans in prison and so they are arch-enemies of Scientology. Therefore it's a war mentality. You must go up the bridge NOW before it's too late. You must donate NOW to the IAS before the SPs make Scientology illegal in this sector. You must smash the SPs and those PTS to SPs utterly because all survival of mankind is at stake. And of course one could go on about the "Reactive Bank", etc.....

This leads to paranoia, extremism, short fuses, frustration, anger, control tactics, and abuse. So the dogma and ideology came first. The controlling and abusive behaviors followed.

I don't disagree at all that ideology can and does set members up for abuse. Clearly we see that in scn, and we see it in other groups as well. The christian ideology of women and children as "lesser than" has set up generations of women and children being abused or suppressed is just one mainstream example. I think the idea behind looking at behavior rather than ideology, when discussing what is wrong with a group, is to avoid getting into a discussion about whose faith is more right. If we can red flag behaviors and get members to look at how they are being abused we can begin to create cracks in the ideology.

Blanky
 
Does anyone have the dates that Paul Twitchell became a Clear(if this indeed occurred) and when he was declared?

I have also read online that he was on staff-- anyone have info on this?

I am asking as a local Eckankar group mentioned that in one of their discourses Paul wrote he never was associated with the church , nor did he need the state of Clear. They are curious as to if there is data to dispute this.

Much thanks!

[ MODERATORS - SORRY if this is a DBL REPOST .. am a new member - said I wasn't logged in but I was - unsure if prior posted or not ]



Hello, I am ex-Eckankar, and have spent 5+ years doing historical research on Paul Twitchell. I'm not exscn.
What I do know about Twitchell related to your query:
His first contact was in 1951/52 when it was still only Dianetics - had an original news story, now somewhere


lost in thousands of files LOL
Twitchell lived 1950-1959 in a Maryland "ashram" of Swami Premananda's, who was ordained by Sri Yuketswar and


raised by Yogananada to a Swami.
On border with west DC. So the majority of contact with Scn was in DC area.
I am unsure if he was really a Clear. Some with knowledge of him in the 60s say he said he was a Clear, others


say not.
Twitchell avoided the subject "in print", plus the leaders who followed him post-1971
I would really like to know if he was - I saw somewhere that in 1959 there was only a handful of "clears" in


Scn so at this point it is doubtful.
Like Hubbard, he was a pulp fiction author from the 1940s post war until ~1963 - genres were Detective,


Westerns, and later Sci-Fi.
Like Hubbard he was in the US Naval Reserve rising to Lieutenant JG, honorable discharge Jan 1942-Aug 1945
He knew "mutual" author associates of Hubbard, mainly via NYC, unsure if he met Hubbard in the Navy.
1957-1959 he was DEFINITELY doing Scn and on "Staff" in DC
I had suspected he may have been in St Hill UK in early 1959, but unable to confirm with reliable evidence.

Rosina Mann was a "good friend" (?). A personal letter to some Scn friends in Canada 1961-05-06 sent from


Seattle WA
shows up as photocopied onto Scn Letterhead, with Rosina Mann sig. as "Dept of Registration". Why, how would


that happen?
Maybe Rosina, simply forwarded the letter on Twitchell's behalf to the correct address? Or Scn were tracking


him at that time?
exscn refs:
1) http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?2258-Demographics!&p=40609&viewfull=1#post40609
2) Paul Twitchell (Eckankar) was in FCDC's central files. His CF file had an entry where he showed up wanting


to see Hubbard about something and, in LRH's handwriting on the sheet of paper, it said something like "get rid


of this guy." http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?1464-EST-and-Forum&p=74012&viewfull=1#post74012
3) http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?24384-Two-interesting-Scientology-spin-


offs&p=605618&viewfull=1#post605618
4) Roy Eugene Davis, SRF Clery/teacher, knew Twitchell via Premananda's and confirmed the following, words to


the effect "Hubbard has his Scientology,
http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthre...piritual-being&p=598143&viewfull=1#post598143


Roy said in a interview ~2003
"Paul contacted me after seeing a notice of my public lectures and
after our initial conversation we continued to meet at his apartment
from time to time." ~1958 Maryland
"During one of my visits [in 1959] Paul pointed to some notebooks and binders on
a shelf by his writing desk and said, 'One day those are going to make
me rich.' At a later meeting [San Diego 1965] he said,
'To be successful in a big way, you have to have your own movement.
Paramhansa Yogananda had his Self-Realization fellowship; L. Ron
Hubbard had his Scientology; Eckankar is my thing.'"
Tell your Eckankar followers this WAS TRUE confirmed by Eckankar HI Doug Marman (Apologist for Twitchell) who


also interviewed Roy ~2006 by phone.


Roy was also connected for a long time with Orion magazine, as manager, editor and later Chairman until 1977
"On one occasion they [Orion Magazine] informed me [ie Roy Eugene Davis] that they had rejected Paul’s then


most recent article because he had used entire paragraphs from a book on Mental Science by Judge Thomas


Troward. After that incident his articles were no longer accepted by the editors of Orion Magazine. I knew


about this situation long before David Lane wrote about [it] in his book, which was published years later."


This must have occurred in Spring-Summer 1968, due to other known facts.
Orion Magazine is where Twitchell published his first full book [The Flute of God] in a series from 1966 to


1968, on a special advertising deal.


So Twitchell was a prolific lifetime "plagiarizer" from the time he started he became a freelance writer in


1939. Eckankar Myths due to intentional distortions suggest he only copied 1-2% at most of his writings. The


real figure is more likely +90%, and there is clear evidence of this pattern of behavior which goes far beyond


anything ever produced by Prof David C Lane whose first book about Eckankar came out in 1983.


Twitchell profusely copied from Scientology literature, including reproducing his own articles written when in


SCN.
Twitchell and Eckankar were listed on the 1968 Subversive Persons/Orgs list (into the 70s) by Hubbard - can't


recall my source.
Bzzzt yes I can 1969-02-16 Hubbard’s Suppressive Persons List includes Paul Twitchell & Eckankar
Despite mentioning his association with Scn & Hubbard a few times very early on 1963-66, by the time he died it


was totally avoided and buried.


In 1984 Eckankar Sri Harold Klemp did say: "During these years [1956-60?], Paul Twitchell came in contact with


Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard.
They knew each other, and Paul learned a lot from him. Strange as it may seem, even as late as 1961 Paul was


still trying to find a shelter and
a haven here on earth." see http://www.eckankar.org/Masters/Peddar/hisStory.html Klemp side steps (lies about)


the extent of Twitchell time with Hubbard.
His reference is from a secretly held archive of Twitchell's writings, letters, and personal information of his


life history.
Lied about his DOB and SSN on multiple official docs, such as marriage Licences x twice, corporation, navy,


employment, author payments, IRS etc.
Also used different variatons of his name, Jacob Paul Twitchell, all Copyright office has is a listing for Paul


Twitchell Born 1908, and only for Eckankar writings.
And yet he wrote full-time, kind of, from 1939 to 1965. Some in UK and elsewhere he was more successful.
But POOR all his life, at times homeless and living in his car. All covered up or minimized by Eckankar and


dissembled repeatedly.
OOBEs Exteriorization and Soul travel, basiclly one and the same and was twitchell's #1 hook for recruitment


from 1965 when he started ECKANKAR.


The Ability Congress Lectures 31 December 1957 - And this is a gentleman who takes care of press, Paul


Twitchell.
Ability Congress 7 Responsibility 31-12-57 (PT Press Officer)
Ability Issue 54 1957-07 Paul Twitchell Counsellor SCN Academy
Ability 61 (1957, 21 of 23) Psychology of Slavery original by Twitchell
Ability 70 (1958, 7 of 23) Outsight original by Twitchell


He was Definitely an AUDITOR, and Lecturer / Trainer .. working alongside people like Rosina Mann, and via the


ACADEMY in DC


--- ---


I would appreciate any other information on Twitchell, especially more info from circa 1952 and Dianetics


period; St Hill in the UK; confirmation of being a CLEAR or not; and DATA anecdotes from his FCDC's central


file!


Also seeking info on Drs Louis BLUTH and wife (Chiropractor/Herbalists) confirmation they were in SCIENTOLOGY


circa 1957 as well.
He became early recruit in 1965ish and High Initiate, then one time president of ECKANKAR, also former


Radhasomai Beas Initiate
REF: Drs. Louis and Dorothy Bluth Berrien Springs, Mich. - The Aberree Volume 3, Issue 9
January-February 1957 page 13 & 14 http://www.aberree.com/v03/n09p13.html

Regards TES
 
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