2023/03/13

뜯어고칠 것은 세상이 아니라 바로 자신 : 이현주 목사: 한겨레

뜯어고칠 것은 세상이 아니라 바로 자신 : 벗님글방 : 휴심정 : 뉴스 : 한겨레

뜯어고칠 것은 세상이 아니라 바로 자신
이현주 목사
등록 :2023-03-13


이현주 목사와 함께 마음공부를 하는 전남 순천 사랑어린학교 공동체원들. 순천사랑어린학교 제공

# 꿈결에 어디서 들었는지 읽었는지 모르겠다. 요약하면 이런 내용이다. 큰 그것(IT) 안에 무수한 작은 그것(it)들이 있다. 둘러 말하면 무수한 작은 그것들의 총합이 큰 그것이다. 작은 그것들 가운데 어떤 그것이 자기가 ‘나’(I)라는 생각을 하면서 ‘너’(you)가 생기고 나와 너 사이에 당기고 미는 에너지가 작용하기 시작한다. 서로 당겨 마침내 하나 되는 에너지를 사랑이라 부르고 서로 밀어 갈 데까지 가는 에너지를 임시로 다툼이라 부른다. 왜 임시냐 하면, 작은 그것(it)들 모두가 큰 그것(IT)을 벗어날 수 없는 까닭에 ‘너’와 ‘나’가 끝내 서로 다투기만 할 수는 없고 언젠가 서로 당겨 하나 되는 사랑의 코스로 돌아서야 하기 때문이다. 이렇게 해서 모든 작은 그것들이 자기가 본디 큰 그것이므로 다른 작은 그것들도 모두 자기인 것을 깨치고 천상천하유아독존(天上天下唯我獨尊)이라는 사자후(獅子吼)를 토하게 되는 거다! 인생이 마라톤이란 말, 과연 맞는 말이다.


아침에 일어나 바깥 화장실 수도를 틀어본다. 물이 ‘쇄~’ 하고 나온다. 아, 고맙다. 서산 목사가 물탱크에 전선을 연결하고서 이제 수도관이 얼 걱정하지 않아도 된다고 했지. 효선이 뉴질랜드 집 앞에 흐르는 강을 사진으로 찍어 보여준다. 자연은 언제 어디서나 친숙하고 평안하다. 맞다. 강물은 지구가 안방이니 뉴질랜드라고 다른 모양으로 흐를 이유가 없다. 사람도 그 몸은 어김없는 자연인데 그래서 몸처럼만 살라는 건가?

# 셋이 어려서부터 단짝이었다. 전쟁이 벌어지고 셋 중 하나가 적에 포섭되어 둘을 배신한다. 둘 중 하나가 죽는다. 나머지 하나도 목숨이 위태롭다. 배신한 하나가 나머지 하나에게 최후의 일격을 가한다. 그런데 그 일격이 본인에게 치명타로 바뀌어 죽어간다. 살아남은 하나가 배신한 친구에게 말한다. “우리가 너를 ‘사람’으로 보았다. 그게 착오였어.” 잠들기 전 아브라함 헤셸의 <누가 사람이냐?>에서, 사람이 머리로 알 수 없지만 몸으로 경험할 수 있는 하느님을 중심에 모시고 그와의 관계 속에서 자기에게 주어진 길을 걸어야 비로소 사람이라는 내용의 글을 읽었더니, 그래서 이런 꿈을 꾼 것일까? “어두운 밤에 새벽을 확신하는 것, 저주를 축복으로 고뇌를 노래로 바꾸는 힘을 믿는 것, 이것이 우리가 할 일이다. 괴물의 격렬한 분노를 알면서 그 앞에 떳떳이 나서는 것, 지옥의 한복판을 걸으면서 하느님의 선하심을 신뢰하는 것, 이것이 참 인생에 주어지는 도전이요 길이다.”(아브라함 헤셸).

# 여러 갈래로 길들이 얽혀있다. 어디로 갈까 망설이는데 누가 말한다. “망설일 것 없다. 여태 온 길이 앞으로 갈 길이다. 굽이굽이 땅 위를 흐르는 모든 강물이 바다로 직진하듯이, 네 중심으로 내려가는 모든 길이 하늘로 가는 직진 코스다.” 꿈속에서 생각한다. 망설일 것도 없고 걱정할 것도 없다. 지금 네가 네 발로 가는 게 아니라 누구도 거스를 수 없는 힘에 이끌려 아니 갈 수 없는 곳으로 가는 것이다. 아멘! 소리치다가 깨어난다.

천지인 수업하고 점심 먹고 열차로 귀가. 왕복 열차에서 아브라함 헤셸의 <누가 사람이냐?>를 읽는다. “사람이 된다는 것은, 싫든 좋든, 얽혀 들어가는 것, 행동하고 반응하는 것, 놀라고 응답하는 것이다. 사람이 사람으로서 존재한다는 것은, 그가 알든 모르든, 우주적 연극의 한 역을 맡는 것이다.”


# 잠에서 나오는데 들어오는 생각. 다윗과 골리앗의 대결은 사람을 부리는 힘과 사람이 부리는 힘, 데이비드 호킨스의 말로, 자연의 힘(power)과 인위적 힘(force)의 대결이다. 이 대결의 연속이 이른바 인류 역사인데 ‘어느 편에 설 것인가’를 저마다 선택할 수 있어서 사람이다. 이 선택 자체를 할 수 없게 하는 무엇이 있다면 그게 진짜 폭력이다. 하지만 그런 폭력은 본인이 허용하지 않으면 아무 힘도 없는 허풍선이다.

# 일어나는 길로 명상하고 펼쳐 든 책에서 헤셸이 말한다. “사유 곧 삶이다. 어떤 사상도 두뇌의 동떨어진 세포에서 생겨나지 않는다. 어떤 사상도 섬(島)이 아니다. 그러므로 우리의 사고방식은 생활방식에 영향을 받고, 우리의 명상은 옹근 실존의 정수다. 지금 내가 이 펜, 종이, 책상이라는 존재와 어떻게 관계 맺고 있는가 하는 그 방법이 궁극적인 문제에 대한 나의 사고에 영향을 미친다. 자아도취적 사유에는 아무런 힘도 없다. 진정한 사유란 세계와의 만남에서 비롯되는 것이다.” 이런 말에 힘이 있는 까닭은 그것이 머리 아닌 몸통에서 나왔기 때문이다. 1972년에 타계한 아브라함 요수아 헤셸. 오늘 아침 동방의 한구석에서 곰지락거리는 한 벌레로 말미암아 그는 아직 죽지 못했다.

# 헤셸의 책에 인용된 오스카 와일드의 한 마디가 어깨를 툭 치며 빙그레 웃는다. “세상에 두 가지 비극이 있다. 하나는 사람들이 원하는 것을 손에 넣지 못함이요, 다른 하나는 그것을 손에 넣음이다. 후자야말로 진짜 비극이다.” 그러니 비극을 맛보지 않으려면 원하는 것이 없기를 간절히 원할 일이다. 음, 큰 것은 바라는 게 별로 없는데 작고 미미한 것들이 고물거리며 가슴을 성가시게 하니 딱한 노릇이다.

# ‘이즈 쉬 유징 허 캔’(Is she using her can?’·그 여자, 자기 캔을 쓰고 있는 건가?) 이 비슷한 문장 하나를 놓고 뒤척거리다 잠에서 깨어난다. 여기서 묻는 것은 그 여자가 자기 능력을 제대로 쓰고 있느냐, 아니면 빈 깡통을 두드리고 있느냐다. ‘캔’(can)을 ‘할 수 있음’과 ‘깡통’으로 동시에 읽는, 이를 테면 일종의 말장난이다. 누구에게나 힘이 있다. 그런데 그것은 스스로 만든 힘이 아니라 근본적으로 자기에게 주어진 힘이다. 데이비드 호킨스가 말하는 인위적 힘도 실은 자연스러운 힘의 작용으로 가능한 것이다. 예컨대 몸속에서 피를 돌리는 힘의 작용 없이는 아무 짓도 할 수 없는 거다. 폐로 공기를 빨아들이지 않고서는 사랑은 물론 살인조차도 할 수 없다. 그러니까 지금 제가 쓰고 있는 힘이 하늘에서 주신 것인 줄 알고 쓰면 제대로 힘을 쓰는 것이고, 그것을 제가 만든 자기 힘인 줄 알고 쓰면 빈 깡통을 두드리는 거라는 얘기다. 음, 근사하다. 그래서 어떤 사람의 행위는 혼신의 힘을 다 쏟은 것 같지만 그 몸이 사라짐과 동시에 물거품처럼 꺼지고 어떤 사람의 행위는 전혀 힘들인 것 같지 않은데 그가 죽은 뒤에도 살아남아서 끊임없이 세상에 작용하고 있는 거다.

---
# “인간이 자신의 곤경에서 벗어나는 유일한 길은 그 곤경이 곤경을 위한 곤경이 아니라 하나의 사명임을 깨달아 아는 데 있다. 우리는 ‘자기 앞에 있는 것에 응답하라’는 도전과 초대를 아울러 받고 있다.”(아브라함 헤셸) 아침에 펼쳐 든 책에서 헤셸이 한 뻔한 말을 읽는다. 문제는 이 뻔한 말을 너무 쉽게 망각하여 자기 앞에 있는 곤경을 곤경으로만 알고서 괜한 일로 허둥댄다는 데 있다. 그렇다, 곤경은 없다, 소중한 기회가 있을 뿐.

# 새벽 꿈. 낡은 책방 한구석에서 <너는 뭐냐>라는 제목의 소설책을 본다. 굵은 고딕체로 제목이 인쇄된 표지를 잘 드는 칼로 잘라 주머니에 넣으면서 “너는 뭐냐고 묻는 너는 뭐냐”고 말한 것까지는 기억나는데 나머지는 모두 지워졌다. 깨어나서 대답한다. “나는 나 아닌 것들로 에워싸인 나 아닌 것들의 총합이다. 그러므로 나 아닌 모든 것들이 나요, 나는 나 아닌 모든 것들이다. 더 묻지 마라, 할 말 없다.”

# 동네 뒷산 같은 산을 맨발에 흰 고무신 신고 올라간다. 만만하게 보여 금방 오를 것 같더니 오를수록 산이 높아지는 느낌이다. 누가 말하기를 이 산이 우리나라에서 으뜸 높은 백두산이란다. 아무리 높아도 천천히 걸으면 정상에 오를 수 있다고 속으로 다짐하며 한 걸음씩 발을 옮긴다. 후배 하나가 제 마음에 들지 않는 세상 뜯어고치겠다며 여기저기 온갖 말썽 다 부리고 다닌다. 힘이 세어서 말릴 사람이 없다. 그에게 정작 뜯어고칠 것은 세상이 아니라 너라고 속삭여 말해준다. 그가 깜짝 놀라며 “형님, 나 태어나서 그런 말 처음 들었소!”라고 훌쩍훌쩍 울더니 어디론가 자취를 감춘다. 저 친구 혼자 두면 안 되겠다는 생각은 들지만 있는 데를 모르겠다. 놔둬라, 그에게도 제 한님이 있다, 뭐 이런 음성을 꿈에서 들은 것 같다. 언제 어떻게 꿈 밖으로 나왔는지 모르겠다.

글 관옥 이현주 목사

***이 시리즈는 전남 순천사랑어린학교장 김민해 목사가 발간하는 <월간 풍경소리>와 함께합니다.

연재[휴심정] 월간 풍경소리
Posted by at

The Family: The Shocking True Story of a Notorious Cult : Johnston, Chris, Jones, Rosie: Amazon.com.au: Books

The Family: The Shocking True Story of a Notorious Cult : Johnston, Chris, Jones, Rosie: Amazon.com.au: Books





The Family: The Shocking True Story of a Notorious Cult Paperback – 13 February 2017
by Chris Johnston (Author), Rosie Jones (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

Kindle
$14.24Read with Our Free App
Paperback
$25.40

A powerful work of investigative journalism that reveals the legacy of a notorious cult.

The apocalyptic group The Family and their guru, Anne Hamilton-Byrne, captured international headlines throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Hamilton-Byrne, who some followers believed was Jesus Christ, was glamorous and charismatic -- and, many allege, very dangerous. She acquired children - some through adoption and some born to cult members - and raised them as her own, bleaching their hair blonde to make them look like siblings. The group, which grew out of Anne's yoga classes in the heady days of the countercultural movement, became surrounded by rumours of LSD use, child abuse, and strange spiritual rituals.

In 1987, police swooped on The Family's lakeside compound and rescued children who claimed they were part of Anne's future master race. The children recounted terrible stories of near starvation, emotional manipulation, and physical abuse. But Anne could not be found, sparking an international police hunt that involved Interpol and the FBI. Could they bring Anne to justice?

Today, the elderly Anne lives in a nursing home with dementia. She has only one criminal conviction to her name, but her estate is estimated to be worth millions. Her few remaining followers attend her bedside.

How did such a notorious group come to flourish in suburban Melbourne? How did Anne, one of few female cult leaders, maintain a hold over her followers? Drawing on police files, diary entries, recordings of Anne, and original interviews with survivors and investigators, The Family goes inside one of the most bizarre cults in modern history to expose its strange and shocking story.
Read less

===
Product description

Review


"Harrowing but humane. An extraordinary story, impeccably researched."
--Martin McKenzie-Murray

"Immaculately researched...This important book looks at how (and asks why) these abuses happened, defying the cult's motto: "unseen, unheard, unknown"."
--Readings

"It's a remarkable [story]: hair-raising, unfathomable and deeply disturbing."
--Irish Independent

"A powerful work of investigative journalism...pieced together in exacting detail"
--Reading Matters

"[A] compelling account of one of Australia's most notorious cults...The authors trace the extraordinary life of a woman who operated "at the edges of human belief"."
--The Saturday Age

"Everyone loves a good cult story. And they don't come much better. This is the gripping story behind one of the strangest, most fascinating episodes in Australian history."
--GQ
Book Description
A powerful work of investigative journalism that reveals the legacy of a notorious cult.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribe Publications (13 February 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1925321673
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1925321678
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.24 x 2.54 x 24.13 cmBest Sellers Rank: 137,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)168 in Religious Cults
704 in Criminology (Books)
3,894 in True Crime AccountsCustomer Reviews:
3.7 out of 5 stars 158 ratings



Tracesprite
5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent professionals hoodwinked by a strange charlatan.Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 19 March 2017

In the 1980s and 1990s wealthy Australian professionals were drawn into a cult called the Family, run by beautiful but not professional or overly intelligent, Anne Hamilton-Byrne. Liberal quantities of LSD increased the compliant intoxication that those professionals felt towards Hamilton-Byrne. Children were acquired by the Family and treated cruelly while Hamilton-Byrne accrued a fortune which has since then not been accessed to compensate her child victims. Lives were ruined. Chris Johnston and Rosie Jones have written a book, ‘The Family’ which I could scarcely put down as I rummaged through the extraordinary account of these multiple tragedies.
A hostile, rival cult centering in America but overflowing into Australia was the Church of Scientology. As with the Family, the Scientologists had leaders whose mental health was in doubt but who drew the unquestioning loyalty of rich people, the most famous of whom is Tom Cruise who has paid for his membership by losing two wives. Journalist Steve Cannane’s book ‘Fair Game’ provides the astonishing story of this cult.
It was Jesus who said that the path to perdition is easily found and these prominent people have found their way to personal tragedy all too readily. It seems that there is something so very unsatisfying about the lives of some of the very rich that they are easy pickings for gurus even when they lack all credibility.
My own theory is that we humans have a tendency to follow leaders who are slightly mentally ill. In earlier times in history, this may have had some value for our survival. A reckless, egotistical leader may have been more inclined to rush into battle. Perhaps their foolishness looked like great courage and inspired others enough to win battles, thus creating a situation where those who followed mentally ill leaders had a survival advantage.
We can certainly think of political leaders past and present whose behavior suggests mental illness and who were/are followed with the kind of adoration that people felt towards Anne Hamilton-Byrne and feel towards the leaders of the Scientologists. Such adoration would increase the confidence of those leaders, thus increasing the aura of attraction for their followers.
Erich Fromm wrote a book called ‘The Fear of Freedom.’ In it he suggests that, though we say we love freedom, many people can find burdensome the choices and responsibilities that freedom opens up and they long to hand over the management of their lives to others. In fact the more dictatorial those others are, the more attractive they seem to those who feel overwhelmed by life. This could be why people are drawn into the elaborate, overly structured world of Scientology, where people struggle through unnecessary artificial tests which give a false sense of meaning and challenge, and a sense of reward to those who survive the bullying that is integral to the experience.
Steven Hassan has written a book, ‘Combatting Cult Mind Control.’ I wonder if that can provide some answers.



HelpfulReport abuse

Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars DisappointingReviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on 6 January 2018
Verified Purchase
I was eager to read this book as I remember a lot of the publicity when the cult was exposed. However I was very disappointed. The book is poorly written and so disjointed that it was difficult to follow. The writing was all over the place and didn't do justice to the subject. I can't believe an editor would allow such poor writing.



HelpfulReport abuse

See all reviews


Top reviews from other countries

S Riaz
3.0 out of 5 stars The FamilyReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 9 December 2016
Verified Purchase

I came across the cult of The Family and of Anne Hamilton-Byrne – one of the few female cult leaders – through watching a television documentary. Interested to know more, I found this book which was written by a journalist and a documentary maker. I read it was probably the most comprehensive book about this cult and, after reading it, I can only feel that this is a book which is still to be written. Although this is an interesting account of events, there are a lot of gaps and not really enough depth.

To begin with, we read of Anne Hamilton-Byrne; born Evelyn Grace Victoria Edwards in Australia in 1921. Anne’s mother, Florence, was born in Wandsworth and spent twenty seven years in mental hospitals. The eldest of seven children, her father was largely absent and this was, obviously, very relevant to later events in her life. For example, she was a fantasist and made up stories about her parents and, later, many of the children she forcibly adopted had mothers who also had treatment for mental health issues. Although I would have expected Anne’s early life to be simply told in a documentary; here I would have liked far more information about her early life. We know that she had one daughter who, understandably, does not wish to discuss her mother – but there is really very little information about her childhood, her siblings or anyone who knew her.

We really get to know Anne in the 1950’s when she is teaching yoga and is targeting middle aged, mainly wealthy women, and begins to make some influential contacts. She was considered by her followers to be a reincarnation of Jesus and was glamorous and charismatic, whose third husband became a co-conspirator in her cult. Gradually, the cult began to target children. Anne and her followers helped organise adoptions and the children were told that they were siblings and, bizarrely, had their hair dyed blonde (or most did). As the children got older, it seems that Anne and the ‘aunties’ that were largely in charge of them began to lose control. Previously, they had wielded iron discipline – with strict time-tables, physical punishment and the withholding of food as forms of control.

The book then goes on to the police involvement in the cult, the allegations of the children and the attempts to bring justice to the victims. However, the book lacks a coherence and is emotive, rather than presenting any real facts or evidence. Obviously, it is difficult to get to the bottom of the allegations and the police, and legal case, against the cult were badly handled. Still, I really felt at the end of this book that I still really had very little knowledge about why Anne Hamilton-Byrne felt the need to control so many people, in particular children, and yet was rarely actually there. I did feel that much of the reasons behind her behaviour lay in her childhood and yet this was not properly explored. Overall, an interesting, but frustrating, read.
Read less

10 people found this helpfulReport abuse

A. Non
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but Incomplete AccountReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 26 January 2017
Verified Purchase

*minor spoilers*

I first heard of Anne Hamilton-Byrne (one of the few female cult leaders and one of the only - so far as I can see - female cult founders) and "The Family" several years ago. I found the information available at the time fascinating...Fascinating, but incomplete.

This book, written by a journalist and a filmmaker is considerably more thorough, taking information from her current followers (long, rambling speeches that testify - even while they deny it - the deeply confusing and traumatic effect Hamilton-Byrne has had on human minds), police officers and journalists who hunted her for decades, and the children she stole and raised (dyeing their hair blonde, calling them "Hamilton-Byrne" and drugging them with anti-psychotics and LSD).

It's more thorough. But it's not complete. Much of Anne Hamilton-Byrne's childhood (spent mostly in orphanages, abandoned by her mentally-ill mother and ne'er-do-well father) is unknown. While we can applaud their journalistic integrity that Johnston and Jones aren't tempted to infer what may have happened in those lost years, not knowing what happened to form Anne Hamilton-Byrne's character (the need for control, the lust for Jaguar cars, the preoccupation with eternal youth, the determination to be worshipped as special by Australia's VIPs) is frustrating.

Where "The Family" is most thorough is on the treatment of the children, the unfortunates taken from their parents (their mothers drugged and forced to sign their baby over having never seen them, or cult members who "gifted" their child willingly to their leader) and ensconced at Lake Eildon. Denied food as punishment, the children were so hungry they raided the bins of neighbouring properties. Drugged daily with drugs such as Valium to keep them docile, at the age of 14, they had to undergo an LSD trip that lasted several days. Anne Hamilton-Byrne (distant for most of their childhood, allowing them to be raised by "Aunties") was always there for their LSD initiation, ready to drip-feed ideas into their suggestible heads: like they were a reincarnated Martian, or there was a snake coming out of their eye.

This is a fascinating story of how some of the most respectable, educated professionals in Australia (including doctors, nurses, and lawyers) were convinced to do the unthinkable by a woman who taught (among her "kitbag of delusions and known theosophical tropes") that she was the female reincarnation of Christ.
Read more

2 people found this helpfulReport abuse

Mr. Damian Burrell
5.0 out of 5 stars Cult BehaviourReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 11 October 2018
Verified Purchase

This e book on The Family cult is probing and telling on cult patterns of behaviour and sect belief systems people put in place for members within a cult such as The Great White Brotherhood.
I thought the information brought to light in this e book revealed the dark side of the cult and the people who suffered from those who were in charge of the cult.
As a Christian Soldier we are taught to love our neighbours as Jesus and his Heavenly Father loves us. Jesus also suffered greatly at the Cross because he claimed to be the Son of God therefore making himself equal to God.
We can learn lessons from The Bible on how to treat others from the golden rule : treat others as you want them to treat you.

One person found this helpfulReport abuse

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 18 July 2017
Verified Purchase

good read .

One person found this helpfulReport abuse

Avid reader
2.0 out of 5 stars Two StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 26 June 2018
Verified Purchase

Slow

One person found this helpfulReport abuse




===




===
isplaying 1 - 10 of 41 reviews


Susan
2,593 reviews599 followers

Follow
December 9, 2016
I came across the cult of The Family and of Anne Hamilton-Byrne – one of the few female cult leaders – through watching a television documentary. Interested to know more, I found this book which was written by a journalist and a documentary maker. I read it was probably the most comprehensive book about this cult and, after reading it, I can only feel that this is a book which is still to be written. Although this is an interesting account of events, there are a lot of gaps and not really enough depth.

To begin with, we read of Anne Hamilton-Byrne; born Evelyn Grace Victoria Edwards in Australia in 1921. Anne’s mother, Florence, was born in Wandsworth and spent twenty seven years in mental hospitals. The eldest of seven children, her father was largely absent and this was, obviously, very relevant to later events in her life. For example, she was a fantasist and made up stories about her parents and, later, many of the children she forcibly adopted had mothers who also had treatment for mental health issues. Although I would have expected Anne’s early life to be simply told in a documentary; here I would have liked far more information about her early life. We know that she had one daughter who, understandably, does not wish to discuss her mother – but there is really very little information about her childhood, her siblings or anyone who knew her.

We really get to know Anne in the 1950’s when she is teaching yoga and is targeting middle aged, mainly wealthy women, and begins to make some influential contacts. She was considered by her followers to be a reincarnation of Jesus and was glamorous and charismatic, whose third husband became a co-conspirator in her cult. Gradually, the cult began to target children. Anne and her followers helped organise adoptions and the children were told that they were siblings and, bizarrely, had their hair dyed blonde (or most did). As the children got older, it seems that Anne and the ‘aunties’ that were largely in charge of them began to lose control. Previously, they had wielded iron discipline – with strict time-tables, physical punishment and the withholding of food as forms of control.

The book then goes on to the police involvement in the cult, the allegations of the children and the attempts to bring justice to the victims. However, the book lacks a coherence and is emotive, rather than presenting any real facts or evidence. Obviously, it is difficult to get to the bottom of the allegations and the police, and legal case, against the cult were badly handled. Still, I really felt at the end of this book that I still really had very little knowledge about why Anne Hamilton-Byrne felt the need to control so many people, in particular children, and yet was rarely actually there. I did feel that much of the reasons behind her behaviour lay in her childhood and yet this was not properly explored. Overall, an interesting, but frustrating, read.

Rated 2.5








16 likes
Like
Comment



Kimbofo
758 reviews152 followers

Follow
December 28, 2016

“She is skeletal and pale, 95 years old and living in a nursing home in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. There are dense layers of secrecy surrounding her, as there have always been. Her followers have been told since the beginning to protect her, and never betray her. To these followers, Anne Hamilton-Byrne is a reincarnation of Jesus, a living god.”

So begins The Family, a powerful work of investigative journalism, by newspaper journalist Chris Johnston and documentary filmmaker Rosie Jones, which looks at the cult Anne formed in the 1960s. Known simply as “The Family”, this cult hit the headlines in 1987 when police raided its property in the hills outside of Melbourne and rescued dozens of children who lived there.

The children, who had all been adopted by Hamilton-Byrne and her husband Bill, reported serious crimes of physical and psychological abuse. They had been raised to believe they were all siblings (they weren’t) and that Anne was their real mother. Their hair was dyed blond and they wore old-fashioned clothes — think frilly dresses and buckled shoes — hugely reminiscent of the von Trapp family from The Sound of Music.

When it came to answering her accusers, Anne was nowhere to be found. It took police on three continents more than five years to track her and Bill down. The couple was then extradited to Melbourne (from their home in the Catskills in New York State) and charged with conspiracy to defraud and to commit perjury by falsely registering the births of three unrelated children as their own triplets. They were fined $AU5,000 each after they both pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of making a false declaration.

Their lives barely changed, while “their” children’s lives were left in tatters, none of them entirely sure who their birth mothers were or why they had been subjected to so much cruel and unusual punishment throughout their childhoods.

To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog.
2016-reviews
4 likes
1 comment
Like
Comment



Tez
834 reviews217 followers

Follow
April 1, 2017
WARNINGS: Child abuse, forced adoptions, neglect, LSD dosing, cult.

4 likes
Like
Comment



Rachel
44 reviews1 follower

Follow
January 12, 2022
I am a huge fan of true crime and investigative journalism. I hear the word “cult” and my ears automatically ping and tune in.

This book was horrifying and yet I couldn’t put it down.

What happened to these poor children was awful. Johnston and Jones really creeped me out in this. For all the information they had, despite a few missing pieces that have gone to the graves of the perpetrators, this book was a fantastic read.

I think my interest mostly lied within the day to day lives of the cult and the poor children. The law / court stuff was a bit of a bore for me.

My heart goes out to all the exploited people in this story.

3 likes
Like
Comment



S.C. Skillman
Author 4 books34 followers

Follow
December 2, 2016
Having studied the notorious Australian cult "The Family" via several sources, I found this to be the most comprehensive account I've come across. I learned several new things about the cult, as the authors draw upon the testimonies of everyone involved; the cult leader herself, Anne Hamilton-Byrne; the children she abused; present and ex-cult members; the investigating police officers, and Dr Raynor Johnson whom she captivated in her "master-stroke" and upon whose mantle of respectability she relied, as she developed her cult. I also recently watched the BBC TV documentary Storyville: "The Cult That Stole Children" and this too fully fleshes out the story from all sides.

I met Dr Raynor Johnson myself, in 1976 in London, and having listened to him lecture, I too was entranced by his teachings, as expressed in his many books. I now know those teachings to have been derived from Anne Hamilton-Byrne. I had until recently tended to think of him as a kindly professor who was indoctrinated and used by Anne, and was unaware of her cruelty and abuse, but now I think he was aware of her criminal activities, and the level of her mind-control put him into a state of denial.

Having read this book, you will become aware of the full scale of the deception and folly Anne practised, and the cruel and manipulative control she exercised over the lives of many. The story also serves as a shameful indictment of the Australian justice system, which failed and betrayed her victims, and allowed her to live freely with a small fine, insignificant in comparison with the vast wealth she had accumulated from followers.

I did feel the structure of the book was slightly unsatisfactory and this may be because of the large number of named individuals who are constantly introduced, and the fact that the authors gave full rein to the verbose and rambling testimonies of some. These could have been sharply edited for more impact. I also sometimes felt an odd "woolliness" in the account, a lack of resolve and clarity, almost as if her mind control is still operating over all those who concentrate on her. In one respect, from reading the story it might even seem as if the younger Anne was simply a good yoga teacher who went astray. She discovered her beauty and charisma were effective tools she could use to make people do what she wanted, and she fell in love with control and power. Of course the reality behind all this was far deeper and more disturbing.

However, at the end the authors sum up Anne very deftly: "She invented a religion from a kitbag of delusions and known theosophical tropes at the perfect time in the perfect place and she appointed herself in charge. She gave herself magical powers. She drove Jaguars and Daimlers and wore sophisticated red dresses and high heels. She plied people with LSD to make them believe her."

Finally, a very astute observation can also be found in Film Ireland's review of the newly released film "The Family": "evil and abuse masked by the cloth of goodness and (non-official) religion flourishes everywhere in the world."

2 likes
Like
Comment




Aurora Dimitre
Author 26 books114 followers

Follow
August 23, 2018
|This book was won in a Goodreads Giveaway|

This is a cult that I hadn't heard about before--granted, I don't know much about cults beyond the Big Ones, more specifically the Big American Ones--and I was extremely excited to read more about it, especially since this isn't a cult that LPOTL hasn't done an episode on, so I didn't have that knowledge swimming around while reading this.

And this... shit, man, this is intense. Obviously. But on a more writing-centered, book-centered, story-centered note.... it was very well written. This is maybe one of the most engaging true crime books I've read lately, while still being supremely informative. It caught me and all I could do was sit back in horror and read about the terrible things that happened to these kids. Anne Hamilton-Byrne may be a rare female cult leader, but other than her sex, there is very little separating her from the heavy hitters we really think about when we think about cult leaders. She is textbook cult leader.
august-2018 first-reads god-damn-it-i-learned-something
...more
2 likes
Like
Comment



Maree Kimberley
Author 5 books25 followers

Follow
September 29, 2017
I read this book, which I bought after seeing co-author Rosie Jones on a panel at the Brisbane Writers Festival, soon after I'd finished Sarah Hamilton-Byrne's memoir Unseen, Unheard, Unknown. Hamilton-Byrne's book told her story about growing up in The Family so it was interesting to learn more about this cult from a different perspective.

Johnston and Jones' non-fiction book is more focused on the police investigation into the empire created by cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne. There is some information about the cult leader's early life, which gives a little insight into what formed the adult woman who was able charm her way into convincing people she was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. It sounds ridiculous and unbelievable, but she was able to influence hundreds of people, many of them wealthy, into believing her (and handing over their money). There are still loyal followers today who continue to believe Hamilton-Byrne is a god, despite the fact she has dementia and living in a nursing home.

Hamilton-Byrne created a labyrinth of lies and legal mess, and at times it is hard to follow who is doing what in this complicated true story. But what The Family does well is reveal the true extent of the damage caused by this one woman, and the followers who were under her spell. Hamilton-Byrne was responsible for fake adoptions, child abuse, and causing ongoing trauma from which some -particularly the children she illegally took into her "care" - have never recovered.

I was sad to read at the end of The Family that Sarah Hamilton-Byrne (also known as Sarah Moore), who was the first of The Family's "children" to break free of the cult and lead the way for others to escape, died in 2016. She had struggled throughout her adult life but nonetheless managed to study medicine, and worked as a doctor for many years. Sarah was a brave woman, the complete antithesis to the evil Anne Hamilton-Byrne who (until her mind deteriorated with dementia to the point that she was unable to express herself rationally) remained unrepentant.

The Family is a complicated but well-researched look into this fascinating and bizarre cult, which flourished in part due to the help of well-connected and prominent members of Melbourne society. Highly recommended for those who enjoy good investigative journalism and insights into what makes a religious cult tick.
Show more
2 likes
Like
Comment



BOOK BOOKS
747 reviews22 followers

Follow
ReadMarch 12, 2020
I BOUGHT THIS BOOK ABOUT THIS WEIRD LOLSTRALIAN CULT AND IT'S JUST SO BADLY WRITTEN. I'M SO DISAPPOINTED.

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT. IT WAS SUPER DULL AND RAMBLING.
australia nonfiction
2 likes
Like
Comment


Scribe Publications
561 reviews91 followers

Follow
ReadMay 18, 2018
The Family is remarkably clear-sighted. The writers have a gift for temperate yet compelling prose that unflinchingly reveals the delusions and unreflective righteousness of much of what emerged from the counterculture. In this book, the best of what journalism should be – honest, unsentimental, incisive – is combined with the craft and storytelling skills of born writers.
Christos Tsiolkas

Harrowing but humane. An extraordinary story, impeccably researched.
Martin McKenzie-Murray

Immaculately researched ... This important book looks at how (and asks why) these abuses happened, defying the cult’s motto: “unseen, unheard, unknown”.
Readings

It’s a remarkable [story]: hair-raising, unfathomable and deeply disturbing.
Irish Independent

A powerful work of investigative journalism ... pieced together in exacting detail.
Reading Matters

[A] compelling account of one of Australia’s most notorious cults … The authors trace the extraordinary life of a woman who operated ‘‘at the edges of human belief’’.
The Saturday Age

Everyone loves a good cult story. And they don't come much better. This is the gripping story behind one of the strangest, most fascinating episodes in Australian history.
GQ
australian cult history
...more
1 like
Like
Comment




Rania T
497 reviews22 followers

Follow
December 8, 2019
3.5 stars. This was an in depth account of the havoc wreaked by the now deceased Anne Hamilton-Byrne on many vulnerable individuals, including children. It is still hard to comprehend how she managed to recruit so many educated professional people into her cult, and get them to do her bidding. Though the story was well told, my only gripe was that there should have been some type of glossary or family tree at the beginning of this, as it got confusing as to who was who whenever somebody new was introduced throughout the chapters. This would have strengthened this book overall.

1 like
1 comment
Like
Comment

Posted by at
Labels:

Great White Brotherhood - Wikipedia

Great White Brotherhood - Wikipedia

Great White Brotherhood

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with White Brotherhood.

The Great White Brotherhood, in belief systems akin to Theosophy and New Age, are said to be perfected beings of great power who spread spiritual teachings through selected humans.[1] The members of the Brotherhood may be known as the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom, the Ascended Masters, the Church Invisible, or simply as the Hierarchy. [1] The first person to talk about them in the West was Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (Theosophy), after she and other people claimed to have received messages from them. These included Helena Roerich, Aleister Crowley, Alice A. Bailey, Guy Ballard, Geraldine Innocente (The Bridge to Freedom), Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Bob Sanders, and Benjamin Creme.[1]

History[edit]

Karl von Eckartshausen

The idea of a secret organization of enlightened mystics, guiding the spiritual development of the human race, was pioneered in the late eighteenth century by Karl von Eckartshausen (1752-1803) in his book The Cloud upon the Sanctuary; Eckartshausen called this body of mystics, who remained active after their physical deaths on earth, the Council of Light.[2][3] Eckartshausen's proposed communion of living and dead mystics, in turn, drew partially on Christian ideas such as the Communion of the Saints, and partially on previously circulating European ideas about secret societies of enlightened, mystical, or magic adepts typified by the Rosicrucians and the Illuminati.[4]

The Mahatma Letters began publication in 1881 with information purportedly revealed by "Koot Hoomi" to Alfred Percy Sinnett, and were also influential on the early development of the tradition. Koot Hoomi, through Sinnett, revealed that high-ranking members of mystic organizations in India and Tibet were able to maintain regular telepathic contact with one another, and thus were able to communicate to each other, and also to Sinnett, without the need for either written or oral communications, and in a manner similar to the way that spirit mediums claimed to communicate with the spirits of the dead. The letters published by Sinnett, which proposed the controversial doctrine of reincarnation, were said to have been revealed through this means.[5]

Helena P. Blavatsky

Eckartshausen's idea was expanded in the teachings of Helena P. Blavatsky as developed by Charles W. Leadbeater, Alice Bailey and Helena Roerich. Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society, attributed her teachings to just such a body of adepts; in her 1877 book Isis Unveiled, she called the revealers of her teachings the "Masters of the Hidden Brotherhood" or the "Mahatmas". Blavatsky claimed that she had made physical contact with these adepts' earthly representatives in Tibet; but also, that she continued to receive teachings from them through psychic channels, through her abilities of spirit mediumship.[6]

Ideas about this secret council of sages, under several names, were a widely shared feature of late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century esotericism. Arthur Edward Waite, in his 1898 Book of Black Magic and of Pacts, hinted at the existence of a secret group of initiates who dispense truth and wisdom to the worthy.[7] A young Aleister Crowley, reading this, wrote to Waite and was directed to read von Eckartshausen's book. Crowley's search for this secret wisdom eventually led him to become a neophyte in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which represented itself to be the visible and earthly outer order of the Great White Brotherhood.[8] Within the Golden Dawn itself, its teachings claimed to be derived from a similar body of initiates which in that tradition were called the Secret Chiefs.[9]

The actual phrase "Great White Brotherhood" was used extensively in Leadbeater's 1925 book The Masters and the Path.[10] Alice A. Bailey also claimed to have received numerous revelations from the Great White Brotherhood between 1920 and 1949, which are compiled in her books known collectively by her followers as the Alice A. Bailey Material. Since the introduction of the phrase, the term "Great White Brotherhood" is in some circles used generically to refer to any concept of an enlightened community of adepts, on Earth or in the hereafter, with benevolent aims toward the spiritual development of the human race, and without strict regard to the names used within the tradition.[11] Dion Fortune adopts the name to refer to the community of living and dead adepts.[12]

The ritual magicians of the Western mystery tradition sometimes refer to the Great White Brotherhood as the "Great White Lodge", a name that appears to indicate that they imagine it constitutes an initiatory hierarchy similar to Freemasonry. Gareth Knight describes its members as the "Masters" or "Inner Plane Adepti", who have "gained all the experience, and all the wisdom resulting from experience, necessary for their spiritual evolution in the worlds of form." While some go on to "higher evolution in other spheres", others become teaching Masters who stay behind to help younger initiates in their "cyclic evolution on this planet". Only a few of this community are known to the human race; these initiates are the "teaching Masters".[13] The AMORC Rosicrucian order maintains a difference between the "Great White Brotherhood" and the "Great White Lodge", saying that the Great White Brotherhood is the "school or fraternity" of the Great White Lodge, and that "every true student on the Path" aspires to membership in this Brotherhood.[14] Some of Aleister Crowley's remarks appear to indicate that Crowley identified the Great White Brotherhood with the A∴A∴, his magical secret society.[15]

Bulgarian Gnostic master Peter Deunov referred to his organization of followers as the Universal White Brotherhood, and it is clear that he too was referring to the Western esoteric community-at-large. When ex-communicated as a heretic on 7 July 1922, he defended the Brotherhood as follows:

‘Let the Orthodox Church resolve this issue, whether Christ has risen, whether Love is accepted in the Orthodox Church. There is one church in the world. But the Universal White Brotherhood is outside the church - it is higher than the church. But even higher than the Universal White Brotherhood is the Kingdom of Heaven. Hence the Church is the first step, the Universal White Brotherhood is the second step, and the Kingdom of Heaven is the third step - the greatest one that is to be manifested.’ (24 June 1923).

Similarly, Bulgarian teacher Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov (Deunov's principal disciple) formally established Fraternité Blanche Universelle as an "exoteric" esoteric organization still operating today in Switzerland, Canada, the USA, the UK and parts of Scandinavia.[16]

The term Great White Brotherhood was further developed and popularized in 1934 with the publication of "Unveiled Mysteries"[17] by Guy Ballard's "I AM" Activity.[18] This Brotherhood of "Immortal Saints and Sages"[19] who have gone through the Initiations of the Transfiguration, Resurrection, and the Ascension[20] was further popularized by Ascended Master Teachings developed by The Bridge to Freedom, The Summit Lighthouse and the Church Universal and Triumphant, and The Temple of The Presence.

Benjamin Creme has published books — he claims the information within them has been telepathically transmitted to him from the Great White Brotherhood.

Founding of the Great White Brotherhood[edit]

In 1952, Geraldine Innocente, messenger for The Bridge to Freedom, delivered this address purported to be from Sanat Kumara describing the founding of the "Great White Brotherhood":

" . . . I had nothing to work with but Light and Love, and many centuries passed before even two lifestreams applied for membership - One, later became Buddha (now, Lord of the World, the Planetary Logos Gautama Buddha) and the Other, became the Cosmic Christ (Lord Maitreya, now the Planetary Buddha). The Brotherhood has grown through these ages and centuries until almost all the offices are held now by those belonging to the evolution of Earth and those who have volunteered to remain among her evolution. . .."[21]

Members of The Bridge to Freedom believe that on July 4, 1954 Sanat Kumara stated through Geraldine Innocente:

" . . . Thus We took Our abode upon the sweet Earth. Through the same power of centripetal and centrifugal force of which I spoke (cohesion and expansion of the magnetic power of Divine Love), We then began to magnetize the Flame in the hearts of some of the Guardian Spirits who were not sleeping so soundly and who were not too enthusiastically engaged in using primal life for the satisfaction of the personal self.
"In this way, the Great White Brotherhood began. The Three-fold Flame within the heart of Shamballa, within the Hearts of the Kumaras and Myself, formed the magnetic Heart of the Great White Brotherhood by Whom you have all been blessed and of which Brotherhood you all aspire to become conscious members. . . . "[22]

Great Brotherhood of Light[edit]

The Great White Brotherhood, also known as Great Brotherhood of Light or the Spiritual Hierarchy of Earth, is perceived as a spiritual organization composed of those Ascended Masters who have risen from the Earth into immortality, but still maintain an active watch over the world.[23][24] C.W. Leadbeater said "The Great White Brotherhood also includes members of the Heavenly Host (the Spiritual Hierarchy directly concerned with the evolution of our world), Beneficent Members from other planets that are interested in our welfare, as well as certain unascended chelas".[25]

The Masters of the Ancient Wisdom are believed by Theosophists to be joined together in service to the Earth under the name of the Great White Brotherhood. The use of the term "white" refers to their use of white magic, as opposed to black, and is unrelated to race besides common psychological relation and its implications. The later versions of Blavatsky described the masters as[26] ethnically Tibetan or Indian (Hindu), not European. Recent skeptical research indicates, however, that this description was used by Blavatsky to hide the real identity of her teachers, some of whom are said to have really been well known Indian rulers or personalities of her time.[27]

Most occult groups assign a high level of importance to the Great White Brotherhood, but some make interaction with the Ascended Masters of the Brotherhood a major focus of their existence. Of these several, the most prominent are the "I Am" Activity, founded in the 1930s, The Bridge to Freedom, the Church Universal and Triumphant, and The Temple of The Presence.[28] Belief in the Brotherhood and the Masters is an essential part of the syncretistic teachings of various organizations that have continued and expanded the Theosophical philosophical concepts.[29][30][31][32][33] Information given by the Summit Lighthouse and the I AM movement is suspect, since none of the writers of these groups are Masters of any Brotherhood. Examples of those believed to be Ascended Masters would be, according to different unconfirmed sources are the Master Jesus, Confucius, Gautama Buddha, Mary the Mother of Jesus, Hilarion, Enoch, Paul the Venetian, Kwan Yin, Saint Germain, and Kuthumi. These sources say that all these peoples put aside any differences they might have had in their Earthly careers, and unite instead to advance the spiritual well-being of humanity.[34]

Agni Yoga[edit]

The Great White Brotherhood is the name given in some metaphysical/occult circles to adepts of wisdom in or out of earthly incarnation who have assumed responsibility for the cosmic destiny of the human race, both individually and collectively. Nicholas Roerich and his wife, Helena Roerich, inspired by the Theosophical writings of H.P. Blavatsky, published the "Agni Yoga" series of books. Their contents, claimed to be inspired by the Master Morya, described the work of the White Brotherhood and the Spiritual Hierarchy.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b c Barrett, David (1996). Sects, 'Cults', and Alternative Religions: A World Survey and Sourcebook. London: Blandford. ISBN 0-7137-2567-2.
  2. ^ von Eckartshausen, K., The Cloud upon the Sanctuary (Isabelle de Steiger, translator). (Weiser: 2003. ISBN 0-89254-084-2)
  3. ^ The Cloud on the Sanctuary Archived 2018-09-21 at the Wayback Machine (PDF etext; accessed Dec. 14, 2007)
  4. ^ Godwin, J. The Theosophical Enlightenment (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994), ch. 1.
  5. ^ Godwin, J. The Theosophical Enlightenment (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994), ch. 15.
  6. ^ Hutton, R. The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft (Oxford, 2000; ISBN 0-19-820744-1), p. 19
  7. ^ Arthur Edward Waite, The Book of Ceremonial Magic (first edition title: The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts), conclusion. (London, 1913)
  8. ^ Aleister Crowley (Symonds, John and Grant, Kenneth, eds.), The Confessions of Aleister Crowley (Bantam, 1971), pp. xiv-xv (Symonds introduction)
  9. ^ Crowley, supra, p. 347 et passim.
  10. ^ Leadbeater, C. W., The Masters and the Path (Theosophical Publishing House, 1925; expanded, 1927)
  11. ^ Crowley, supra.
  12. ^ See generally, Fortune, Dion, The Training and Work of an Initiate (1930; rev. ed. Weiser, 2000; ISBN 1-57863-183-1) and The Esoteric Orders and their Work (1928).
  13. ^ Knight, G, A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism (1965; repr. Weiser, 1978; ISBN 0-87728-397-4), v. 1 ch. X "Chesed", ss. 14-16.
  14. ^ Lewis, H. S., Rosicrucian Manual (AMORC, 1938), pp. 139-140.
  15. ^ Crowley, Aleister (1969). Magick in Theory and Practice. Sangreal. Book 4. Part 3, Appendix II.
  16. ^ "Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov". Fbu.org. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  17. ^ King, Godfre Ray. Unveiled Mysteries. Chicago, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 1934
  18. ^ Saint Germain Foundation. The History of the "I AM" Activity and Saint Germain Foundation. Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press 2003
  19. ^ Vyasa, Krishna-Dwaipayana. Mahabharata. Chapter 23 - Arjuna's Quest: Indra addresses Arjuna saying: "This area is the abode of Immortal Saints and Sages. War and war-weapons are just unknown here."
  20. ^ Besant, Annie. London: Theosophical Publishing House 1912
  21. ^ The Bridge to Freedom Journal November 1953 (Reprinted by Ascended Master Teaching Foundation).
  22. ^ The Bridge to Freedom Journal November 1955 (Reprinted by Ascended Master Teaching Foundation).
  23. ^ Blavatsky, H. P. Isis Unveiled Volume 2 page 100: ". . . the Secret Association is still alive and as active as ever"
  24. ^ Roerich, Nicholas and Helena Hierarchy Agni Yoga Society, Inc. 1931 (reprinted 1977): "Certainly, when the black lodge directs its arrows against the White Brotherhood, the consequences are self-destructive, and the manifestation of a rebounding blow is unavoidable. What you heard is a consequence of self-destruction, because the aimed arrow returned to the sender."
  25. ^ Leadbeater, C.W. The Masters and the Path. Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House 1925 (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing 1997).
  26. ^ Sinnett, Alfred Percy. The Occult World. Boston: Colby & Rich, 1882.
  27. ^ K. Paul Johnson: The Masters Revealed. Madame Blavatsky and the myth of the Great White Lodge. Albany, NY 1994: SUNY press
  28. ^ White Paper - Wesak World Congress 2002. Acropolis Sophia Books & Works 2003.
  29. ^ I AM Ascended Master Dictation List Saint Germain Press Inc., 1995, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity
  30. ^ Schroeder, Werner Ascended Masters and Their Retreats Ascended Master Teaching Foundation 2004, Listing of those who are believed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity and The Bridge to Freedom
  31. ^ Luk, A.D.K.. Law of Life - Book II. Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications 1989, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity and The Bridge to Freedom
  32. ^ Booth, Annice The Masters and Their Retreats Summit Lighthouse Library June 2003, Listing of those who are believed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, and The Summit Lighthouse
  33. ^ Shearer, Monroe & Carolyn I AM Adorations, Affirmations & Rhythmic Decrees Acropolis Sophia Books and Works 1998, Listing of those who are claimed to be Ascended Masters by The I AM Activity, The Bridge to Freedom, The Summit Lighthouse, and The Temple of The Presence
  34. ^ Sinnett, Alfred Percy. The Occult World. Boston: Colby & Rich, 1882.

External links[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Great White Brotherhood.
Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)