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The term hate group has a fairly specific and narrow meaning when used the way most people understand it. It refers to racist and homophobic groups that typically promote violence as a means to their ends. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps track of such groups in the States.
The cult has misappropriated the term, as it has done with many other words like peace, for their own purposes. But because of the charged element in this term, by labeling critics of the cult as a hate group, it works as a kind of extortion. Who wants to be thought of as being in a hate group?
In addition, and I consider this to be the greater crime, it trivialises the term. If the world were to follow Elan Vital's lead, we would be calling The Brussel Sprout Haters Club, the I Hate Comic Sans group and the Britney Spears Haters Club – hate groups.
Still those groups at least hate something in common to one degree or another. I feel confident to say that the majority of posters on this forum neither hate Prem Rawat nor Premies, though they would certainly like to see him stop ripping people off.
The whole hate group label is one more attempt by the cult to silence critics on baseless grounds and using base tactics. As always, the reason is because they can never address the criticism head on.
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The cult has misappropriated the term, as it has done with many other words like peace, for their own purposes. I would never have imagined that Prem Rawat and his followers could ever have done this when I was a premie. It's bad enough that Rawat has co-opted the usual terms like beauty, breath, surrender, love, and peace, but hate-group? It's difficult to grok, but I'll be damned if I'm going to respond to premies' constant repetition of their newest form of mind control that calls me a hater.
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You're both right of course, but discreditting cult-concerned citizwens as hateful is a growing trend in cults - they dismiss their critics as hateful and intolerant of their beliefs. It is of course concern about harmful practices and easily consequences that concern us. If someone wants to believe the world is flat that's up to him - if he starts destroying round earth text books and obliging his supporters to share his notions, he needs to be challenged. Similarly with Maharaji. He will continue to think of us as hateful unless we just ignore him and go away and that ain't going to happen. That he hates me more than I could hate him is obvious.
http://www.lulu.com/content/757452 My book on Maharaji - BRAINWASHED! A CULT SURVIVOR'S TALE
Arthur Chappell arthur@chappell7300.freeserve.co.uk
My Space. http://www.myspace.com/56954240
Web site www.arthurchappell.clara.net/
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In a way ...I couldn't care less if Rawat and a few premies call those of us who post here a 'hate group' because I can be quite secure in the knowledge that it is not true. By contrast, premies tend to react badly to the allegation that they are in a 'cult' ......because they, in fact, are. ....and all the objective evidence points that way. best Tim
Modified by tommo at Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 18:19:33
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We know we are not a 'hate-cult' true enough - but cults are good at playing to the politically correct brigade and apologists who will see the cult as an oppressed minority - with us as the ogres - that an innocent message of mine can be quashed asnd for the people responsible for that to be left free to post a message comparing my words to the 'protocols of the elders of zion' and terrorism - to quote Lawrence Lustbader - "The science fiction and fantasy version of him created by those with a need to abuse their power of imagination is especially creepy in it's similarity to the Protocols of Zion hoax which precipitated a good deal of the anti semitism and unnecessary deaths of the twentieth century. That was another case of baseless and biased assertions against the innocent made for personal gain and the sheer thrill of the excitement starved who would resort to the most base or even terroristic tactics to stir up trouble for their own entertainment" is about as extreme as it gets - There are sadly people who will take their word for such extreme claims against us so we need to counter their assertions at every turn or they could well gain more powerful supporters. Sadly, most people don't think about the cult threat until a Waco or a Jonestown type event and by then it is too late. That Amazon can cut my message and leave this kind of vitriol so far unchallenged - and I have now reported this and other messages to them -for which I await a response - now that is abuse.
http://www.lulu.com/content/757452 My book on Maharaji - BRAINWASHED! A CULT SURVIVOR'S TALE
Arthur Chappell arthur@chappell7300.freeserve.co.uk
My Space. http://www.myspace.com/56954240
Web site www.arthurchappell.clara.net/
Modified by arthurchappell at Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 20:08:35
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so it doesn't really matter what any of us are called who post here. He is so unimportant to the rest of the world, that the only people who ever even see the words "hate-group" are those who mindlessly follow him, or those who accidently wander across him. The reason he tries to attach himself to celebrities, apart from the money, is because he is just so unimportant in this world, and that bothers him. So he tries to become more important through association with people who are famous and/or rich. There is another guy who claims to be God - he is Spanish I think. Another god in the world. It is really pathetic, but let's face it - they only matter to their followers, to everyone else, they are just jokes. And yes, another Jonestown would be sad, but there are lots of little god-men running around, and they don't want their followers to die because then they would have no money -- treat rawat like some old homeless bag-man, and then there is nothing to think about any more.
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From Prem Rawat's talk called the "Final Step". From the Shower Of Grace, Malibu, California, June 11, 1978. As printed in the Divine Times, June/July 1978, Volume 7, Number 4, Guru Puga Speacil, Page 36.
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But since he is, or rather was  how can it be a cult.
Nomorefootkissing, great moniker, maybe even a moniker lewis 
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There are plenty of cults not headed by a Lord of the Universe. Being Lord is of course the highest qualification, but sometimes just being 'right', whatever the evidence, is enough. Inspirational speakers are of course, always right (otherwise they'd be inspirational debaters, or just speakers ).
Inspiration - such a positive, irrefutable, undeniable, apple pie thing.
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Hard to imagine Maharaji being an 'inpirational' speaker' - towards the end of my time in the cult I actually found him boring and a few people who were not members but who saw him, ie, coach drivers who somehow got in to festival events, wondered what all the fuss was about. M is the least charismatic of all spiritual leaders. He's about as inspirational as Mogodon. We took it in from the way his visits were hyped so we were hysterical when he came on - the big mistake is actually listening to him.
http://www.lulu.com/content/757452 My book on Maharaji - BRAINWASHED! A CULT SURVIVOR'S TALE
Arthur Chappell arthur@chappell7300.freeserve.co.uk
My Space. http://www.myspace.com/56954240
Web site www.arthurchappell.clara.net/
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Hi Tim, I agree with you. I'm quite secure that the label isn't true. I also don't care what premies think of me, and I especially don't care what Prem Rawat thinks of me. But, the hate-group label is quite awful to have attached to my real name and I admit it bothers me enough to keep posting just to make sure Rawat and EV, and his inner circle premies won't get away with further pressing that image into innocent minds. Watching the interaction between Arthur, Close Watch (Saph) and premies at Amazon taught me (again!) how easily premies' minds are controlled by him. What he does is insidious. All his preaching about gratitude makes me feel so wonderful that I was able to see my way through his garbage and walk towards the real truth: Rawat's a fraud and a conman.
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I feel confident to say that the majority of posters on this forum neither hate Prem Rawat nor Premies, though they would certainly like to see him stop ripping people off. Well, I am in the minority, then, and I am not ashamed of it. That's just how I feel. My life was ruined by this guy.
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Living well is the best refutation of the teachings of the fraudulent Rawat. I could have let that selfish bastard ruin my life, but I for one state here that I am free and my life is far from over! I don't mean to diminish in any way the hurt you have suffered at his hands. I hope that you can find healing. Mostly, I just think he is pathetic. I also think his followers are stubborn fools. With all the information out there, how can they still believe? Karen
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I can see why many would feel embittered to Maharaji, and even hate him - moving on with our lives to be more than just those folk who were victims once is the right way - and I do but I don't want to completely forget or supress my concerns in that. Karen adds "I also think his followers are stubborn fools. With all the information out there, how can they still believe?" It seems strange doesn't it but I was like that too - most of the history up to 1981 was known to me by the time I joined and did little to stop me - I think boredom in the end did more for me than moral reasoning - the whole thing stagnated for me - I could see the light but it did nothing more for me - it was like an endless repeat or something out of Groundhog Day - I realised Maharaji had nothing more to offer me - I hung in for a while even and that's when I saw it all as it was, cheap and ugly
http://www.lulu.com/content/757452 My book on Maharaji - BRAINWASHED! A CULT SURVIVOR'S TALE
Arthur Chappell arthur@chappell7300.freeserve.co.uk
My Space. http://www.myspace.com/56954240
Web site www.arthurchappell.clara.net/
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The idea of hating Rawat for me is not even a remote possibility. He was such an anonymous figure for me in the end, and I wasn't involved long enough to cause that much damage. He is mostly irrelevant for me at this point.
But there are people in my family and also someone I had a relationship with whom I could hate, and have at certain points in my life, for I think similar reasons as you have for hating Rawat. So I can empathize with you. Hating someone because of what they have done to you probably isn't a healthy thing, but sometimes there is no other choice left open to us. Christians say forgive, but then again, they say a lot of things.
In any case, hating someone on a personal level like that is, for better or worse, our perogative and has nothing to do with the notion of hate groups. Hate groups hate other groups of people anonymously and impersonally for what they are, not for what they have done to them on an individual level. I just had to say that, as it was the topic of this thread and something fairly important to me. That is why I made my original post in the first place.
I hate hate groups. I've had ugly encounters with skinheads and the like on more occasions than I care to think about. I also hate racism in general. Those are things worthy of hating.
Modified by aunt bea at Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 19:04:48
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stay away from evil people; written all over the book. I hate meeting rawat. I hate that moment. I pray for evil people but I do hate them. Rawat disgusts me. I hate the evil in his type of people, the evil they worship and their actions for wich they are 100% responsible. Hate evil with all your heart. How can a reasonable person like evil or evil people? Abusers are under a dark influence, and liking it. Nevertheless, in a split of a second when the cosncience speak and the person does the wrong/crime, THEY are accountable. God ALWAYS gives a chance. In that moment a person choses to hear the dark one.... tricky, but not. Forgive, yes! I forgave Rawat long ago, what happens is that his evil ways seem to keep growing. I hate his evil ways. I hate his rotten, stinky, abusive behavior; his soul? There, I feel sorry for the guy. He is such a total fool. I pray that I can see his photo on the news sooner, than later. The forgiveness part is because is harmful to a person's health to hate and because God understand what power is behind each and every crime; he will forgive ANYONE who repents, without measuring the crime in any way; God is in the saving of souls, not judging that way, after one confesses. Mortals, transgrations with eachother? If the sinner or transgressor repents and then goes and appologize to the one offended or harmed, returns the stolen goods, whatever, the mortal got EVEN with God, doing what is right, following God's laws. Jesus teachings, oh, all so much taken out of contest. I am no pastor, but can say this. Jesus went to that sinagogue and told those hipocratas what he thought, throwing everything around and giving his account toward their evil ways, as we Christians could do today, without the throwing around. LOL. Someone may call the police. Confront the abuser, maybe they get a chance to repent, if they have any conscience left. The voice may have become too soft for many to hear it, but is there. Is very healing. I want an appology from Rawat. Davids, please, tell Rawat that! That will be VERY appropiate. Instead, he made a loved ones hate me. Not fair. Oh, and I want it in writting. LOL Silvia, a Christian listening to REAL holy music.
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