SFist: UPDATE: Cult Alert -- Youth With a Mission

guest

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:16:52 -0800

Nice try Guest 30, but you're not fooling anyone. It's pretty obvious that you work for YWAM. I don't anyone believes for one minute that you're just some independent researcher who is looking into the accusations against YWAM. I was in YWAM's "Reach-up" program. I know what goes on there. If YWAM started firing people for making anti-Catholic remarks they'd have to let go of at least half their staff. And YWAM does "hold to what most conservative Evangelicals believe about homosexuality" which is that Jesus will make a gay person straight. Now I've often heard insanity defined as "doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results". I think trying to make a gay person straight would fall into that category. And if that gay person is homeless and comes to you for food and then you coerce him into your "gay healing" center where he becomes increasingly suicidal not only is that insane it's also highly unethical. Now, I'm no cult expert but this "cult" label seems to be applied to YWAM quite often and usually from their own former missionairies who have a pretty good idea of what's going on there. YWAM is listed as a cult on every major cult watch web site on the internet. Scion of Zion web site contains a list of 89 Evangelical missionary organizations http://www.scionofzion.com/missions.htm. Of those 89 only YWAM has had complaints from their former missionairies of "brainwashing" and "heresy" and other abuses. I Google searched the 88 others and couldn't find one complaint about anything. And lastly, YWAM's favorite son David Cunningham was not choosen to direct "Path to 9/11" because of his qualifications. In 2005 YWAM created The Film Institute (TFI) to work on a project called "Untitled History Project" (UHP). UHP later became known as "Path to 9/11". It's all on Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/08/origin-of-pt911/ If you want to get the whole story I suggest these links: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/8/133335/7036 http://altweeklies.com/alternative/AltWeeklies/Story?oid=171025 http://fuzzyandblue.blogspot.com/2006/09/lets-sum-up-path-to-911-lies-shall-we.html Patrick J. Flanagan IV Artistic Director www.LivingMiracleProductions.com

guest

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 20:23:36 -0800

You might find it interesting to know that I have been researching the accusations against YWAM San Fran (and have thoroughly researched YWAM's history and current practices/beliefs). First, the accusations against YWAM San Fran are largely false- either "creative" reinterpretation of events or complete fabrications. They are not anti-Catholic (in fact, they once dismissed a student from their own program for expressing repeated anti-Catholic ideas). While they hold to what most conservative Evangelicals believe about homosexuality, this in itself does not qualify them as being cult. As a matter of policy, they do not initiate conversations regarding homosexuality and will only pray/advise people who first come to them requesting it. YWAM San Fran has been exemplary in their selfless service of the poor (though by no means perfect). As anyone who works with the homeless will attest, you often find yourself serving the mentally ill. As a result, there are frequent false accusations. I have discovered that this is in part what is happening to YWAM San Fran (the posters misusing the COH as a prime example). As some other commenters have mentioned, Rick Ross is not a trust-worthy "cult expert". YWAM will offend many people (at times myself included), but it does not qualify as a cult by the vast majority of academic and sociological terms. As for the "Path To 9/11" film, despite the fact that it was a very poor representation of facts, the only connection to YWAM is that the son of the organizations founder was the director. YWAM in now way funded the film or shaped the script. In fact, it is a matter of public record that the script was determined long before the director was on board. This is the stuff of tabloids and conspiracy theorists. So, YWAM may be questionable to many, but I assure you that it is neither a cult nor a threat to homeless, Catholics or homosexuals (or any combination thereof). Hope that helps!

guest

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:21:46 -0800

Group that once criticized Scientologists now owned by one ...the Cult Awareness Network... ...In a bizarre twist of fortune, the organization that was once the most vocal critic of Scientology is now owned by a member of the controversial church... CNN.com, December 19, 1996 You will also find a link to the news item above located at www.cultsoncampus.com/culawnetinne.html

guest

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:44:37 -0800

I went to YWAM with a friend who happened to be Gay. He was repeatedly berated with "Come to Jesus, Jesus will make you straight". He politely said "No, I don't want to be straight". But they wouldn't stop. So he left. Another friend of mine went there and was actually coerced into going to the "Gay Healing" Center. He said that the longer he stayed there the more suicidal he felt. If that's not brainwashing, I don't know what is. Another friend of mine who happened to be Catholic went to YWAM and was told he had to put his rosary away immediately or it was going to get thrown into the garbage. Don't believe me. Go there and judge for yourself. Express your own point of view about something and see how quickly they'll jump all over you and start talking to you like you're a third grader who just gave the wrong answer on a math test.

guest

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:14:32 -0800

Wasn't the Cult Awareness Group backed by Scientology?

guest

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:22:44 -0800

i'm sold; i want my lymph nodes to grow into extra legs, that would be awesome!

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:02:17 -0800

See what ReligiousTolerance.org says about Rick Ross the Cult "Expert" and his Cult Awareness Network (CAN): ">http://www.religioustolerance.org/acm2.htm There seems to have been a dark side to CAN. They were dragged into legal difficulties over the kidnapping and abusive deprogramming of Jason Scott. Jason was at the time a member of the Life Tabernacle Church. The congregation is affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International. In 1995-SEP, CAN, Rick Ross and two others were found guilty of conspiracy to violate the civil right to freedom of religion of Jason Scott. Ross was ordered to pay more than $3 million in damages; CAN was ordered to pay in excess of $1 million. Ross had been involved in hundreds of interventions with members of various religious groups over a 15-year period. He estimates that in about 20 cases, an intervention involved an adult held against their will. 2 Scott was one of these: after an allegedly violent, brutal kidnapping, he was forcibly confined for five days. Ross attempted to get Scott to abandon his church's beliefs. According to a 1998-APR-8 decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals: "Kathy Tonkin withdrew from the Life Tabernacle Church, convinced that it had a destructive effect on her six children. Three of Tonkin's sons refused to join her. Tonkin contacted Shirley Landa, a 'contact' person for appellant Cult Awareness Network (CAN). A CAN "contact" is an unpaid volunteer who is available to speak to members of the public on behalf of CAN. CAN operates nationally through a network of contacts and affiliates, and has only four paid staff members. Landa referred Tonkin to Rick Ross, a person who conducted involuntary 'deprogramming' of people who had become involved with religious cults. Landa was aware that Ross engaged in involuntary deprogramming because she had seen him do so on the television program '48 Hours.' Ross was known to, and received referrals from, other CAN members as well. Tonkin hired Ross to deprogram her three sons. Ross "successfully" deprogrammed Tonkin's two minor sons. Tonkin, Ross, and Landa knew that it would be difficult to deprogram Tonkin's eldest son, appellee Jason Scott, because he was over 18. Landa advised Tonkin that although there were legal problems involved, the only way to deprogram Scott was to abduct him and let Ross do his work. With the aid of two confederates, Ross abducted Scott and held him captive for five days. Scott feigned acceptance of Ross' deprogramming and escaped." 3 Ross charged about $3,000 for the kidnapping. (Some foes of CAN claimed $25,000, but that number appears to be fictitious.) Jason settled his claim against Rick Ross for $5,000 and 200 hours of Ross' time. Scott is now reunited with his family. Honestly, your readers are really being manipulated into paranoia by this story. Go meet these people--they're nice, normal and open.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:15:43 -0800

YWAM Sf actually doesnt fit the profile of a cult if you actually check into who they are. And they dont do any of the things they are accused of. And if you'd like to check it out yourself, you can visit the office and talk with the staff personally.

mariconsoy

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:21:18 -0800

Is Delancey Street the reincarnation of that weird group that was in Marin years ago called Synanon?

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:59:56 -0800

I second Delancey Street and all of their franchises. The cult is an outgrowth of Synanon which sucked in many counter culture burnouts of the 70s and 80s, including Cesar Chavez who began to insist that all leaders within the UFW engage in weekly sessions of "The Game"; a synanon brainwashing technique. Lately I've noticed lots of "SynerTel" trucks parked outside of their restaurant and I can't tell if they are affiliated in some way. It wouldn't be a stretch to say this is where SynerTel is getting their workforce or that the "syner" in SynerTel is a nod to "Synanon". Like The People's Temple, The Delancey Street Foundation has many rich and powerful friends in the Establishment - including a certain Mr. and Mrs. Feinstein. Ah, San Francisco! Cult city like no other!

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:32:54 -0800

Landmark forum, I know few friends from SF State that were asked time and time again to join their "workshops."

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:24:55 -0800

Don't forget the restaurant operated by the Gav's favorite cult: Delancey Street

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:22:43 -0800

guest 17, here's one article: http://www.landmarkeducationnews.info/2007/06/26/cafe-gratitude-a-new-restaurant-concept-and-brainchild-of-two-landmark-education-graduates/

davey k

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:18:47 -0800

I consider the Coalition on Homelessness to be somewhat of a cult..

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:45:33 -0800

I'd love to know more about the Landmark/Cafe Gratitude connection. Any good websites on them?

gba

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:40:06 -0800

i'm going to tip-toe around calling these place "cult run", ymmv: 'golden era vegetarian restaurant': supreme master! 'ambiance': mmm, Scientology management techniques. -g

Cement Brunette

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:19:09 -0800

Female Prostitute Ministry-- that sounds awesome. Going to strip clubs and massage parlors. Awesome. Playing Uno with Polk Street hustlers? Damnit! That was what I wanted to do for my birthday this year.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:46:31 -0800

If someone wants serious information about cults from respected *professional* counselors and cult expert -- people *qualified* to determine whether or not a particular group is or is not a cult -- should check the information at the International Cultic Studies Association: http://www.csj.org/ instead of relying on someone who got his education from newspaper clippings.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:44:39 -0800

There's nothing quite like banging a cult chick.

mattymatt

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:34:02 -0800

They find lost vegan kids and turn them into scary drones. What a profound transformation.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:47:37 -0800

My friend's roommate worked at Cafe Gratitude. If you work there for a certain length of time, they make you join Landmark (a cult). They find lost vegan kids and turn them into scary drones.

mariconsoy

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:27:22 -0800

Dearest Guest 7, How do you know all of this, R U one of them? You may not think they are a cult, but that's what all "true believer" think after they have been drawn in. Just ask those who went to Jonestown. Oops! You can't ask them because they all died from poisoned Kool-Aid. I'd love to go down and visit YWAM, but I will insist on not accepting any drinks from them. R they in the 300 block of Ellis, right near Glide Memorial?

Jas

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:22:49 -0800

Spoken like a true believer, guest#7. Considering the post is about the flyers that someone else has posted, methinks you protest too much.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:20:17 -0800

Landmark forum.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:11:32 -0800

You don't know what you are talking about. Youth With A Mission San Francisco is NOT cult and are NOT being investigated. Youth With A Mission did NOT produce and direct Path to 9/11. David Cunningham was the director and happens to be the son of Loren Cunningham the founder of Youth With A Mission, but that is all. Why don't you go down and visit them and get to know them before making the accusations you are making!

mariconsoy

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:06:18 -0800

These kids look like they are hatched in a droid lab. Is it legal to mace them?

MarkBallew

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:56:27 -0800

Cafe Gratitude is ran by a couple associated with Landmark (but I'll still eat there!).

mcgordonliddy

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:45:19 -0800

They left after they shut down La Rondalla.

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:36:34 -0800

What happened to the GARBAGE EATING cult, here in SF, that people were talking about a few years ago?

rroseselavy

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:32:18 -0800

guest [1], I at first thought this was a joke about the cultish quality of restaurant admiration (French Laundry, Blue Bottle Coffee), but now I realize you are serious -- right? Would love to get more details!

guest

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:15:26 -0800

Cults (with restaurants) in SF: Ananda Furara Cafe Gratitude Goat Hill Pizza (this one is purely rumor, no evidence) Axis Cafe (possibly not a cult, but run covertly by a church)