Landmark - EST - the Forum

[KDoerr]

There’s much written on this being a cult. Anyone know anything about it or have someone close involved?

 

[Ray_Marshall]

KDoerr:

There’s much written on this being a cult. Anyone know anything about it or have someone close involved?

I did it over 20 years ago. I don’t think it’s a cult. It got me back to the Church after not having practiced my faith the previous twenty years.

“Cult” is a word that is used a lot and it’s definition is very subjective. Many Protestants think that we Catholics are members of a “cult.”

I haven’t done anything with Landmark for over ten years but they offer programs that may be helpful to some people.

If you are comfortable with your religious beliefs at the present, I very much doubt that you will be torn from them.

The Landmark programs deal with relationships, self-improvement, integrity, responsibility and other aspects of your self. Sometimes change is very dramatic; sometimes it is very subtle; and some folks claim that they didn’t change at all.

It’s like life. Different for everybody because we all create our own experiences, through action, or reaction or inaction.

 

[Katholikos]

KDoerr:

There’s much written on this being a cult. Anyone know anything about it or have someone close involved?

Landmark is a Baptist denomination. Is it also a name associated with EST? I knew a couple of people who got involved with EST a few years ago. They both got really quirky. One said the founder of EST was going to end world poverty by the end of the (20th) century. Yeah, sure. One divorced her husband over Est. I don’t know much, but what I do know gives me cause for concern. I refused all attempts to get me to an EST meeting. I thought it had died – haven’t heard of it for years.

JMJ Jay

 

[KDoerr]

It hasn’t died, just changed names several times. Thank you both for your replies.

I hadn’t considered it for myself Ray and wouldn’t. My concern is for my daughter. Her husband convinced her to participate (he’s agnostic or an atheist) and I’ve seen some changes that are very disturbing.

I’m with you Jay, everything I’ve read on it is very disturbing. The medical groups are also disturbed. People with no past mental health problems need extensive care after attending these seminars.

Sadly, they put my step-grandchildren through the mess too. My daughter has guardianship of her half brother’s boys and both were alcohol and drug babies so already have problems. The oldest is diagnosed with FAS and the other with FAE so neither needed that type of stimulation. The doctor just put the oldest on meds and I’m sure EST helped this along.

I’m worried but don’t know how to handle it. I keep quiet and pray but it’s keeping me awake

 

[debi]

I thought ESThad died a natural death - there was some sort of scandal years ago and yes name changes. I went through the training as did most of my family.

It was not cultish, more about personal responsibility to ourselves and our world (including our personal world). Just as everything in life each of us garnered something different from the training. You might even think we did not participate in the same program. At the time we took it, it was rather harsh but I understand that it has toned down it’s weekends.

I am glad that I took the training, I am also glad that I did not get involved in the continuing life of the programs as one member of my family did and it consumed him.

hope this helps

 

[Medic2810]

I just started dating a lady who is is into all this landmark stuff. I have heard that its a cult, which I am very leery of. Does anyone have any advice.

Thanks in advance.