This is the first thing everyone who left
the Academy for Psychic Studies wants to say to them.
the Academy for Psychic Studies wants to say to them.
Actually, we still want to. Every day.
I know I had some things Bill wanted: computer and network knowledge, business knowledge, marketing skills, money. Especially money.
One thing I learned of later is what Bill said to his most controlled (my bad, I meant devoted) followers (obviously, he didn't consider me one of them). Bill told the dazed participants in his soporific Friday Night Trance class and the weary and decrepit students of his depraved Revelations class he had to treat me "with kid gloves" so as to not piss me off.
What he had to fear from me, no one at the time understood. Bill did say I bore an uncanny resemblance to someone at the Berkeley Psychic Institute who didn't like him. Those who know Bill's nemesis would tell you I don't look a damn thing like that person. Nor does my liberal dropping of f-bombs recall the kind of speech this person employs. Our only thing in common is our ethnic background. As Bill Duby was an un-apologetic trailer park gossip, racist, sexist, card cheat and child molester, I do not find his comparison surprising.
I believed what he said - no matter how crazy. Whether that was a reflection on my own state of mind or... uhh.. never mind that, Bill was a consummate con artist. Bill Duby could sell ice to the Eskimos and sell his mother the deed to the Brooklyn Bridge. Why wouldn't he sell me his own warped vision of the spirit world?
I mean, I was just another stumbling follower enamored at Bill Duby's odd psychic abilities (which, as it turned out, were as false as any phony faith healer) and stand-in for a guy Bill didn't like.
What was it that had Bill so tied up, he had to use anything but brute force to run his scam on me?
Steve Sanchez believes Bill saw a strong moral foundation in me. I do admit to have attended church regularly until my teen years, where I got really tired of hearing it every week. Actually I only got tired of hearing my same old church deliver the same message in the same mind-numbing manner every week. It wasn't just me, several younger people were bored of the delivery. Despite my frustration over the delivery, I never gave up the fundamental teachings and values I learned there.
Those fundamental values are so strong, I get pissed when I see someone being treated unfairly or if someone suffers from the ignorance or neglect of others. Run quickly if I see you bullying another. I carry the world's nastiest pepper spray and an expandable steel baton for just such events.
And I really don't care how others perceive me while I carry out my moral and civic duty to act. Honestly. Ask Joy. I have done one thing after another to assist someone in need. Sometimes that means giving a helping hand to those in need. Sometimes, it means swinging a hand across the face of the person causing trouble. Having values doesn't always mean you stop dead in your tracks and meditate while someone is being beaten or neglected. It means you act, using your moral base as a guide. And yes, kicking some ass may be necessary. If you were being mugged for your grocery money, would you rather I ask that your attacker join me in visualizing an end to violence or would you rather I take a baseball bat to the prick?
As for Bill's fear of making me mad, his prophecy was not realized until well after I left. Not until after I was able to start this blog. And it didn't culminate until the Witches of Ellsworth decided to file suit against myself and my wife for defamation.
The Witches of Ellsworth sent the most ferocious and unwarranted letter demanding the removal of this blog, saying that I defamed them because, well, because I told the world the truth about what was happening there. Their attorney improperly used my private information (I had once hired him as my personal attorney) to intimidate me into capitulation saying the Witches of Ellsworth would take me to court and force me to give them my home (and they get mad when I say they steal the homes of their followers - what do you think?).
Do the leaders of the Spiritual Rights Foundation conduct themselves honestly, dutifully, honorably and within the law? Does the last paragraph give you a clue to the answer?
Not only did they want to shut down this blog, they wanted me to identify and disclose contact information of all Anonymous posters (never mind that I have no idea who the Anonymous posters really are, because they are, you know, Anonymous). They wanted to file suit against the 99 John and Jane Does who read and participate on the blog. They were, in effect, trying to declare war on every ex-member of the Academy for Psychic Studies who exercised his or her right to free speech, guaranteed by the very same Constitution that allows the Academy for Psychic Studies to exist.
Now, THAT pissed me off.
As usual, the Witches of Ellsworth expected their targets to cower in the fetal position fearing the spiritual retribution that only the Witches of Ellsworth could conjure from their cauldron of evil. The Witches of Ellsworth were rubbing their gnarled hands together, salivating over their anticipated victory.
They never got it.
Instead of a swift victory, they got slapped across the face by the even hand of justice. And justice doesn't wear kid gloves.
That scared the Witches of Ellsworth.
Their idiotic move served only to promote our cause: to give more credibility to this blog, more exposure to the evil practices of the Spiritual Rights Foundation, and focus on SRF even more public disapproval.
And they never got a chance to silence those who must speak and we SLAPP-ed them across the face with all the lies, distortions and just plain bogus crap they have been foisting on the public for years.
Today, the Academy for Psychic Studies and the Spiritual Rights Foundation are a shadow of their former selves. Ex-members are becoming more and more open about the abuse. More members are leaving. Fewer prospective members are joining.
I wrote to a young woman who enjoyed the classes, readings, healings and the so-very-nice people at the San Jose Psychic Academy. She liked it so much, she was ready to join the "Year Class" blindly, as we all did.
This situation was untenable to me. I wrote her and gave her some things to think about and some things to consider. She replied to me (which was a shocker) and promised to do some research into the place - like read this blog.
I hope she considers this information and makes up her mind to stay away from SRF. I hope she thinks twice before joining the "Year Class" - I think me telling her our "Year Class" lasted up to ten years opened her eyes. She thought she'll be done in 9 months.
That soul may be saved because of information. Our information. The information we can share here on this blog and elsewhere.
And ultimately, that may be the real reason Bill Duby had to treat me "with kid gloves". I think Bill was afraid. Afraid of what might happen to his cash cow, the Spiritual Rights Foundation, if he made me mad and I spoke out. Afraid his Witches of Ellsworth would be more occupied with fighting me than miking the cash cow. Afraid that more and more and more people would be able to hear our side of the story. Afraid that more people will find the truth and that he couldn't do a thing to stop it.
They can't do a thing to stop it. Our freedom to speak is guaranteed - no matter how much the Witches of Ellsworth hate what we say. They tried to stop us and failed. Our stories are true, our opinions are our own and no one can stop us from speaking out.
That doesn't stop the fear. I understand it. I felt it. Many of you still do. Many of us react strongly to what is written here, while they despise the Spiritual Rights Foundation and all they have done to disrupt and destroy lives. Many are still silent, reading but unable to speak out. I can understand that, but think about it: while you can still protest in silence, you heal only when you can tell someone, somewhere, in private or not that you are a cult survivor.
One day, Bill walked near me and I felt a sudden wave of discomfort and fear. It was evident. I am not one who finds it easy to hide my emotions. Especially when it comes to how I feel about another. Bill stopped and said, "hey, do I scare you?".
Not any more Bill. Nor do your Witches scare me.
And I won't let them scare anyone else.
2 comments:
- steve said...
- Yes indeed. In a matter completely separate from SRF that Mike confided to me, I have seen him be the one person to act, under a lot of pressure, to help a teen. He stood up and took action with the school invlolved, without being ovemeddling, or over concerned with the consequences to himself. He simply did the right thing, and directly or indirectly good came out of it. Now the girl is starting to think about her life, instead of being self-destructive. She is starting to stand up to negative influences herself. In fact I used this particular instance in a sermon as someone who stands up to hereditary evil and initiates a process of regeneration. I compared it to Isaiah when he was inundated by the inequities of his people, and the angel came to him and put the coal in his mouth and he began to prophecy. The Lord said, 'who will take my message to the people', and Isaiah said, "I will". I believe Mike's moral fiber helped to listen to the Holy Spirit. This comes from his Buddhist upbringing, which teaches a lot about wholesomeness, and his love for Christ. Mike and Joy also stood up to the SRF bullies. He stood up to them firmly and soundly, kept his wits about him, and did the right thing. He defended his and our right to speak our truth about our experience. He also keeps his commitments, and is helping many people. It is particularly difficult to stand up to a cult as a former member, because their whole effort is to instill in the member fear of themselves and of the consequences of speaking out. A lot of people who leave just get really agitated and angry, and don't find a functional way to deal with it. This blog helps a great deal. I am thankful to Mike for standing up, and count him as a great friend. Steve Sanchez
- April 24, 2010 7:51 PM
- PsychDoctorate said...
- I also applaud Mike (and Steve to) for standing up to this incredibly destructive and ultimately dysfunctional organization. I for one cannot stand bullies or unfair treatment. When I first started my own blog about BPI, I got a few reponses, but as time passed, more and more people came out and said the same thing; It is a cult and they don't like the way they were treated there. No it is not like SRF, but the foundation is the exact same. Lewis S Bostwick took from Scientology and created BPI, then Bill Duby coppied from BPI to create his own little shop of horrors. We once supported it, wholeheartedly I might add, but in retrospect we found out that we were giving to the wrong places. Even today, as I surf the net, I find names of ministers whom I used to know at the institute. They make no mention of their inovlement whatsoever. Either out of embarassment, shame or other feelings (rage and disgust). Few speak out publicly. As I have freed myself from the mind control poison of BPI, I began finding my own moral and ethical backbone again. One of my exes told me that it was there all along and he saw it all the time and was very proud of me. Even today I am still friends with this man even though we have not seen one another in 10 years. Knowing that I made that much of an impact on him and today we are still friends means a lot to me. And it also said to me that I probably never let go of my moral backbone ever, even through the hardships and abuse I have taken. They say that the more one sticks to their principles, the stronger and more peaceful they become. They also start to become more centered, focused and empowered. Although some of us who stick to our princpiles will be ostracized and go it alone, we are not affraid of lonliness. We are in a way fulfilled that helps us tolerate the solitude. Don't be affraid to stick to your principles, it will eventually take you far!
- April 25, 2010 11:27 PM
Yes indeed. In a matter completely separate from SRF that Mike confided to me, I have seen him be the one person to act, under a lot of pressure, to help a teen. He stood up and took action with the school invlolved, without being ovemeddling, or over concerned with the consequences to himself. He simply did the right thing, and directly or indirectly good came out of it. Now the girl is starting to think about her life, instead of being self-destructive. She is starting to stand up to negative influences herself.
ReplyDeleteIn fact I used this particular instance in a sermon as someone who stands up to hereditary evil and initiates a process of regeneration. I compared it to Isaiah when he was inundated by the inequities of his people, and the angel came to him and put the coal in his mouth and he began to prophecy. The Lord said, 'who will take my message to the people', and Isaiah said, "I will".
I believe Mike's moral fiber helped to listen to the Holy Spirit. This comes from his Buddhist upbringing, which teaches a lot about wholesomeness, and his love for Christ. Mike and Joy also stood up to the SRF bullies. He stood up to them firmly and soundly, kept his wits about him, and did the right thing. He defended his and our right to speak our truth about our experience. He also keeps his commitments, and is helping many people.
It is particularly difficult to stand up to a cult as a former member, because their whole effort is to instill in the member fear of themselves and of the consequences of speaking out. A lot of people who leave just get really agitated and angry, and don't find a functional way to deal with it. This blog helps a great deal.
I am thankful to Mike for standing up, and count him as a great friend.
Steve Sanchez
I also applaud Mike (and Steve to) for standing up to this incredibly destructive and ultimately dysfunctional organization. I for one cannot stand bullies or unfair treatment. When I first started my own blog about BPI, I got a few reponses, but as time passed, more and more people came out and said the same thing;
ReplyDeleteIt is a cult and they don't like the way they were treated there. No it is not like SRF, but the foundation is the exact same. Lewis S Bostwick took from Scientology and created BPI, then Bill Duby coppied from BPI to create his own little shop of horrors. We once supported it, wholeheartedly I might add, but in retrospect we found out that we were giving to the wrong places.
Even today, as I surf the net, I find names of ministers whom I used to know at the institute. They make no mention of their inovlement whatsoever. Either out of embarassment, shame or other feelings (rage and disgust). Few speak out publicly.
As I have freed myself from the mind control poison of BPI, I began finding my own moral and ethical backbone again. One of my exes told me that it was there all along and he saw it all the time and was very proud of me. Even today I am still friends with this man even though we have not seen one another in 10 years. Knowing that I made that much of an impact on him and today we are still friends means a lot to me. And it also said to me that I probably never let go of my moral backbone ever, even through the hardships and abuse I have taken.
They say that the more one sticks to their principles, the stronger and more peaceful they become. They also start to become more centered, focused and empowered. Although some of us who stick to our princpiles will be ostracized and go it alone, we are not affraid of lonliness. We are in a way fulfilled that helps us tolerate the solitude.
Don't be affraid to stick to your principles, it will eventually take you far!