There is yet another self-styled enlightenment-guru-with a messianic complex going around helping people to see the light!!
His name is John de Ruiter and he is best known in Edmonton, Canada where he gives his, er - talks, to people looking for spiritual direction.
You'll know him by his fruits: here is a story about JDR starting a relationship with two women, who are actually sisters (!) and his poor wife having to deal with it.
_http://www3.telus.net/public/sarlo/Yjohn.htm
and here is a spot-on observation from his ex-wife which includes another observation about how he holds sway over people:
_http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/2006/04/homegrown-guru-freaks-out-edmonton.html
As always, it seems that having some ability to hypnotize one's followers, and remain vague enough to "help" people disengage themselves from their critical faculties, comes into play.
His name is John de Ruiter and he is best known in Edmonton, Canada where he gives his, er - talks, to people looking for spiritual direction.
You'll know him by his fruits: here is a story about JDR starting a relationship with two women, who are actually sisters (!) and his poor wife having to deal with it.
_http://www3.telus.net/public/sarlo/Yjohn.htm
and here is a spot-on observation from his ex-wife which includes another observation about how he holds sway over people:
_http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/2006/04/homegrown-guru-freaks-out-edmonton.html
"Critical thinking is the first thing to go, and the last thing one realizes has left," says [his ex-wife.] "Critical thinking was discouraged. Since most of the discussion is based on abstract theology and constructs, there really is hardly any way to disprove or prove any of it.
That sounds like a grade A m******k to us. Cult expert and long time deRuiter critic Steven Kent sure thinks so:
"The silence enables the followers to attribute superhuman status to de Ruiter," he says. "They create their own illusion of him during these times. He says something esoteric and the silence gives them time to reinterpret it in ways specifically relevant to the particular needs that they have.
"I also noticed it being used as a punitive function. Someone would challenge John or call him out on these esoteric things and say, 'Please explain this, I don't know what it means.'
"Then he would remain silent and he would glare. And if the person in the chair breaks down and starts pleading for answers, then it becomes a demonstration to everyone in the room that wow, this guy is amazing and powerful."
As always, it seems that having some ability to hypnotize one's followers, and remain vague enough to "help" people disengage themselves from their critical faculties, comes into play.