Vaj wrote:
> http://tmfree.blogspot.com/2007/02/program-pedophilia.html
>
> Program Pedophilia
> Posted by Gina at 2/13/2007 11:55:00 PM
>
> Thank you, Paul, for your incredible perspective on the source of TM
> teachings.
>
> Being raised in the Movement, or any cult, is different from
> experiencing a conversion. Upon leaving the group, most therapists
> advise former cult members to rebuild life based upon their pre-cult
> persona.
>
> Someone raised in a cult lacks a pre-cult persona. We normalized the
> group-think in all facets, because it's all we knew.
>
> My entire life was based upon TM, as I was raised in the TMO from a
> young age. There are many good people in the TMO. I have no criticism
> of the individuals. I criticize the leader's methods, and ensuing
> destructive group dynamics.
>
> One of my good friends is Jim Jones Jr, formerly of Jonestown. Oddly
> enough, he and I share a similar worldview. We both agree that we were
> raised as-if in Disneyland. And we loved it! Then the Haunted House
> took over. We've both moved on, and are doing what we can to reach
> others through our twisted histories. Making lemonade where life gave
> us lemons.
>
> For a preview of a compassionate movie about a tragic history, click
> on the movie title, "Jonestown, the Life and Death of People's Temple."
> My daughter was eleven when we left Fairfield. She was teary watching
> this movie, remembering her sweet idealistic childhood community, and
> knowing our loved ones' ensuing painful stories.
>
> Maharishi twisted his Hindu tradition to his own ends, just as Jim
> Jones twisted evangelical Christianity and social activism to his
> ends. It is not the teachings that define a "cult"; destructive
> behaviors define a cult.
>
> While my mother was in Switzerland with Susan, Sudarsha and Joseppi, I
> lived at MIU Santa Barbara and Fairfield as a teenager. No one had
> custody of me. Maharishi told my mother I was better off at MIU
> unsupervised. My mother's children would benefit from her prolonged
> rounding to purify the family.
>
> Many TM parents leave their children for months on end, while parents
> attend TTC or other advanced programs. Children are often left with a
> hodge podge of caretakers.
>
> Does statutory rape, as often occurs with TM young girls while parents
> are in Program, count as a family "benefit" or "side effect" to
> familial devotion with TM?
>
> Of course, such occurences are blamed upon the girl's negative karma,
> and the ignorance or stress (release?) of the perpetrators.
>
> Such occurences generally are not reported, lest the victim(s) would
> be denied admission to the TM Sidhi program or to Maharishi School of
> the Age of Enlightenment (MSAE).
>
> One young girl in elementary school (now an adult coming to visit me
> this weekend) was refused admittance to Maharishi School of the Age of
> Enlightenment (MSAE), after thorough interogation before an all male
> board of well-suited MSAE faculty. They interogated her in detail
> about a prior childhood sexual molestation. Her mother's presence was
> forbidden for this unique "admissions interview," as the interview
> board wanted an objective evaluation of the child. Of course, none of
> the interview panel were child therapists, as Maharishi abhors
> therapy. After this grueling voyeristic experience, the child was
> denied attendance to MSAE as "her impurity would taint the rest of the
> student body." She said that experience of blame-the-victim was more
> damaging than was the original sexual molestation.
>
> When someone attempted to be sexually inappropriate with my then six
> year old, I intervened and spoke to the man in question. I also spoke
> to mothers of other little girls with whom he played. The other
> mothers denied there was a concern, saying he played an innocent game
> with little girls by pulling down their panties and tickling their six
> year old bottoms. This "Governor" stayed home from group program,
> providing childcare free of charge for other TM parents while they
> meditated for hours daily.
>
> This IS the TMO at work where many families are concerned. I know many
> personal accounts of sexual, physical, drug abuse and neglected
> children as parents pursued enlightenment. The numbers are too high
> for coincidence. The parents are, by and large, well intentioned
> under-the-influence, True Believers. We've all been there.
>
> Many middle aged TM married men left their wives for their teenage
> babysitters.
>
> One story on trancenet, by an anonymous contributer, details personal
> abuses of a TM-child. I do not know this young woman. I know many
> similar stories. From my life, and those coming through my home on a
> regular basis. I safely vouch for the authenticity of her experience.
> I admire her courage to come forth on trancenet. I am familiar with
> the settings and common social dynamics that she describes.
> "Annie's Story" can be read here.
>
> Not everyone had tragic experiences. However, neglected children's
> stories should not be denied.
>
> They tell me, "Things are changing for the families now.
> Administration tells parents to stay home from Program if their child
> has more then two problem incidents."
>
> Why must parents be told to be present for their children? Why wait
> until after trouble occurs? Why is child-trouble so commonplace, that
> TM administration creates a policy around the issue? What created the
> follower-mentality?
>
> Sometimes it is hard to distinguish the effect of TM-the-technique
> from TM-the-organization. For practical purposes, they are one and the
> same. That is why the term "cult" is appropriate.
>
> Three generations of my family are affected by TM.
> I have three wonderful TM-born children. That IS something good from TM!
>
> Happy Valentine's Day.
When I was involved in the TM movement back in the 1970's it was mostly
a fun social club where everyone had their TM meditation in common. I
never regarded it as cult because at that time no one went after anyone
who walked away from it. Sure we had a few "kooks" or "busy bodies"
with their "Maharishi says" finger wagging but we just ignored them.
They only became a pain in the ass after the Sidhis program came into
being and they thought they'd been appointed gestapo. That's when
people wholesale began leaving the TM movement behind.
