As the General Counsel of Landmark Education Corporation, I am
Writing to advise you that the information on your Website
(steIling.nl/simpos/est.htm) includes links to Sites that
contain a number of false and libelous statements regarding
Landmark Education and its program The Landmark Forum.
I am
therefore providing you with information and enclosing
materials which set forth the accurate facts so that you have
the accurate facts on your Website.
Landmark Education Corporation
June 22, 1999
SIMPOS, p/a Koppenhinksteeg 2, 2312 HX, Leiden. The Netherlands
The information and materials are as follows:
A. Landmark Education is an employee-owned company that delivers educational programs to the public in the United States, The Netherlands and thirteen other countries. Landmark Education offers a four-part Curriculum For Living, with the basic program being The Landmark Forum, together with several other programs on subjects including communication and productivity.
The Landmark Forum is a philosophical inquiry which deals with the fundamental questions and issues which are key to shaping and determining people's effectiveness, creativity and satisfaction. As a result of participation in The Landmark Forum, people have the opportunity to create new possibilities for effective action in all aspects of their lives, and to act upon these possibilities.
1. I am enclosing material containing general background
information regarding Landmark Education and its programs.
Included in this information are the results of a study of
more than 1,300 people who participated in The Landmark Forum.
A noted U.S. social scientist and public opinion analyst
analyzed the study and commented as follows:
"Several of the study's findings surprised me quite a bit,
especially the large number of participants for whom The
Landmark Forum proved to be 'one of the most valued
experiences of my life'. This is not a sentiment that people,
particularly successfull, well-educated people, express
lightly. More than seven out of ten found The Landmark Porum
to be one of their life's most rewarding experiences. To me,
this suggests that it addresses many of people's most profound
concerns - how to improve their personal relationships, how to
be a more effective person, how to think productively about
their lives and goals.
I can understand why people recommend The Landmark Forum to their associates, relatives and friends."
2. Harvard Business School Case Study - In response to your
interest in Landmark Education, I am enclosing a copy of the
Case Study on Landmark Education which was recently published
by Harvard University Business School, one of the most
prestigious institutions of higher education in the United
States. Harvard Business School prepares cases to serve as a
basis for classroom discussion rather than to illustrate the
effective or ineffective handling of an administrative
setting. These cases do not in any way constitute an
endorsement or statement of official position, positive or
negative, regarding their subject matter.
The Case Study, which is currently being used in classes in
Harvard's Master of Business Administration program, was
prepared based on extensive independent research on Landmark
Education and its programs, including The Landmark Forum, done
by several Harvard professors and their assistants The Case
Study is copyrighted by Havard University and if you intend to
reprint any portion of the Case Study, you must obtain their
prior permission.
3. Packet of materials which Landmark Educaccion provides to the media
B. Sect or Cult The facts are clear that Landmark Education
and The Landmark Forum are not a sect or cult (the term used
for sect in the United States and other countries).
To this end, I am enclosing the following materials which make
clear that Landmark Education and The Landmark Forum are not a
sect or cult:
1. The Decision by C.J.J. van Maanen, acting President of the
District Court in Haarlem, issued on May 4, 1999 regarding an
article published about Landmark Education in Panorama
Magazine. Judge van Maanen stated in Sections 3,3,3.4 and 3.6:
"It is unmistakable that in Panorama's publication Landmark is
qualified as a cult, a word which, according to the first
lines of the publication, 'in usage has obtained a very
negative image'." "This qualification is unfounded because
Panorama could not even subsequently quote a definition of the
term 'cult' which is met by Landmark, and left it undisputed
that Landmark in any event does not even meet any of the
characteristics listed at the beginning of the article in the
frame 'how to recognize a cult' . . Panorama simply called
Landmark a cult, using a definition of 'cult' in its
publication which is not met by Landmark. Thus, Panorama has
acted wrongfully."
2. Numerous cult experts, psychiatrists, psychologists, clergy
members, judges and other qualified professionals have
participated in The Landmark Forum and have given their
Opinion that The Landmark Forum is not a cult. These include
the following:
(a) Raymond Fowler, Ph.D., the executive Vice President and
Chief Executive Officer of the American Psycliological
Association, in a letter dated February 22, 1995, stated his
personal opinion that The Landmark Forum in no way resembles a
cult and has no cultlike characteristics. Dr. Fowler stated:
"The Forum, in my personal opiaion, does not remotely resemble
a cult and it puzzles me that any reasonable person could
think that it does,"
(b) Lowell Streiker, Ph.D., a recognized expert in the United
States on cults, in a letter dated Februay 15, 1993,
identified common characteristics of cults and concluded as
follows: "None of these characteristics is to be found in The
Forum or Landmark Education Education. The Forum is not a cult
in any sense of the word, religious or otherwise."
(c) Judge Shiomo Shoham, who is the Legal Advisor on cult
matters for the Israeli Knesset and charged with addressing
the cult issue on behalf of the State of Israel, participated
in The Landmark Forum and other Landmark Education programs
and stated in a letter dated April 23, 1996: "I must emphasize
that The Forum and the other related workshops have none of
the characteristics found in the definition of a cult."
(d) Bishop Otis Charles, a Bishop of the Episcopal Church
(Anglican) in the United States and the former Dean of the
Episcopal Divinity School in Boston, Massachusetts, stated in
a letter dated September 24, 1992: "By no definition that I
know of can The Forum or Landmark Education's programs be
considered part of a cult. In fact, quite the opposite, the
organization and courses are conducted in a way that is
entirely consistent 'with any accredited educational
intitution."
(e) Letters from 6 ranking law enforcement officers, including
the Assistant Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, all
of whom have participated in The Landmark Forum.
(f) Letters from 6 psychiatrists and psychologists who have
participated in The Landmark Forum.
3. Anti-cult organisations and their experts, after having
reviewed the facts, changed their previous position and
concluded that Landmark Education and The Landmark Forum are
not a cult. These include the following:
(a) Landmark Education reached an Agreement in November, 1997
with the Board of Directors of the Cult Awareness Network
("CAN"), the most prominent anti-cult organization in the
United States, in settlement of Landmark Education's lawsuit
brought in Chicago, Illinois in 1994 for statements made and
materials distributed that alleged or implied that Landmark
Education and The Landmark Forum are a cult. The Settlement
Agreement was reached with the Board of Directors of the
original CAN, the organization against which Landmark
Education's lawsuit was brought, NOT with the new organization
holding itself out as the Cult Awareness Network Hotline
whichis operated by the Foundation for Religious Freedom and
in some way related to Scientology.
Under the Settlement Agreement signed by the Board of
Directors of the original CAN, CAN agreed that:
(a) "CAN does not hold the position that Landmark Education or
any of the programs of Landmark Education, including The
Landmark Forum, is a cult."
(b) "CAN has never had evidence that would justily taking the
position that either Landmark Education or any program of
Landmark Education has the charcteristics of a cult."
I am enclosing a copy of the Resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of the original CAN which reflects this Agreement
(b) Dr. Margaret Singer, a well-known cult expert in the
United States and author of the book "Cults in our Midst",
stated in writing in May, 1997 that "I do not believe that
either Landrnark Education or The Landmark Forum is a cult or
sect or meets the criteria of a cult or sect."
(c) Herbert Rosedale, the President of the Board of Directors
of the American Family Foundation ("AFF"), a prominent
anti-cult organization of long-standing in the United States,
confirmed in writing on April 10, 1997 that AFF does not
consider Landmark Education as a cult.
4. Retractions were published by major publications in response to Landmark Education objections to their having erroneously referred to Landmark Education or The Landmark Forum as a cult. The publications are as follows:
(a) Panorama Magazine, a major magazine in the Netherlands
(b) Hervormd Nederland, a major magazine in the Netherlands
(c) FACTS Magazine, a major magazine in Switzerland
(d) Self Magazine, a major magazine for women in the United
States
(e) Redbook Magazine, a major magazine for women in the United
States
(f) Guidepost, the publication of the American Counseling
Association.
I am enclosing copies of such retractions.
5. This is to advise you that Landmark Education and The
Landmaik Forum do not meet any of the following major
characteristics of cults:
(a) The members are required to give over to the organization
ownership of all or a substantial portion of their assets.
(b) The members are separated from their families and friends,
often to the point excluding any contact with such people.
(c) There is a theology or dogma or doctrine that the members
are required to believe in and follow and in some cases
worship.
(d)The members are restricted in their actions so as to no
longer be involved in activities outside tile cult.
People who participate in The Landmark Forum do not give over
the ownership of their personal assets to Landmark Education
other than payment of tuition for the program (f 895). In
contrast to a cult having its members cut themselves off from
their families and friends, many people who have participated
in The Landmark Forum have reported stronger relationships
with their families, friends and work associates as one of the
major results of their participation. There certainly is no
communal living situation involved people participate in The
Landmark Forum over three full days and one evening and return
to their homes at the end of each part of The Landmark Forum
and when the program is completed.
Landmark Education does not use coercive pressure or deception
to get people to join. There is nothing in Landmark Education
for people to join. Landmark Education offers The Landmark
Forum and other programs to the public, and people pay tuition
for the programs as they would for adult education programs
offered at any other educational organization Landmark
Education has a strict policy that participation in The
Landmark Forum and its other programs must be voluntary, and
coercion is inconsistent with such policy.
Based on all of the extensive evidence, including thc enclosed
letters from cult experts, clergy members, judges,
psychiatrists, government representatives and other people of
esteem, that Landmark Education and The Landmark Forum are not
a cult or cultlike, it is inconceivable that any responsible
person would raise the allegation of cult or even mention or
imply such allegation.
As evidence of this, I am enclosing the article on Landmark
Education published in the March 16, 1998 issue of "TIME
Magazine. The reporters undertook an extensive investigation
of all of the facts and allegations about Landmark Education
and concluded that there was no factual basis to even mention
the cult allegation.
C. Brainwashing - The facts are clear that The Landmark Forum
and Landmark Education's other programs do not involve
brainwashing, mind control, thought reform or anything that
remotely resembles such techniques. As evidence of this, I
refer to the letter from Edward Lowell, M.D., included in the
material enclosed in B, above. Dr. Lowell, a medical doctor
specializing in psychiatry and licensed to practice medicine
since 1955 in New Jersey, New York and California, in a letter
dated November 14, 1996, stated the following:
"I am familiair with The Landmark Forum and have personally
experienced and examined closely the work and programs of
Landmark Education. Furthermore, I have spoken professionally
and personally to over two thousand people of all sorts:
patients, neighbors, friends, relatives and medical and
psychiatric coileagues about their actual personal experience
with The Landmark Forum... After my careful observation, I
have seen nothing at all that would lead me to the conclusion
that The Landmark Forum or any other Landmark Education
program or Landmark Education itself does or even attempts to
engage in any sort of brainwashing, thought reform, hypnosis
or thought modification whatsoever."
The Landmark Forum does not tell participants what to think.
Instead, it encourages people to think for themselves.
Your Site links to several Sites in Germany regarding the book
by Martin Lell that was published in Germany. The facts are as
follows:
(a) Landmark Education did not bring legal action to stop the
publication of the book. Rather, Landmark Education's action
for injunction was to eliminate the use of the word
"brainwashing" in the sub-title of the book since such
statement was totally false and defamatory. At the Hearing,
the Court decided that the term "brainwashing" was a matter of
opinion, which I consider to be a highly questionable result.
The Court therefore denied Landmark's request for an
injunction and the book was allowed to be published with the
full sub-title. Landmark Education never intended to stop the
publication of the contents of the book.
(1) Mr. Lell was not "brainwashed". As the record at the
Hearing indicated, following completion of The Landmark Forum
Mr. Lell did not see a doctor; was not hospitalized; did not
seek or obtain medication; and was not diagnosed by a medical
professional as being brainwashed or having any mental
problem. In fact, Mr. Lell did not even say he was
brainwashed; apparently his parents, after his speaking with
them following The Landmark Forum, stated they thought "he
sounded like someone who was brainwashed". Given Mr. Lell was
not in fact brainwashed, Landmark Education brought its action
to seek the injunction against the use of such word in the
sub-title of the book.
(c) In an interview on June 15, 1997 on SWF TV in Germany, Mr.
Lell stated that Landmark Education and The Landmark Forum
were not a sect or psycho-group and Landmark Education has no
connection to Scientology.
D. Psychotherapy - The facts are clear that The Landmark
Forum as well as the other programs offered by Landmark
Education do not constitute psychology or psychotherapy. The
Landmark Forum is not based in psychology or upon any
psychotherapeutic model. It is not therapeutic in design,
intent or methodology; is not a substitute for psychotherapy
or any health program; and does not address issues which are
best dealt with by psychotherapists or other health
professionals.
Dr. Raymond Fowler, the Executive Vice President and Chief
Executive Officer of the American Psychological Association,
in his letter enclosed in B, above, stated that as a
psychologist for 40 years who has studied psychotherapy
extensively, his personal opinion is that The Forum "was
nothing remotely like psychotherapy". In his letter Dr. Fowler
stated:
Dr. Fowler further stated:
E. Religion - The facts are clear that Landmark Education and
The Landmark Forum are not a religion or religious in nature,
are not contrary to religion and do not interfere with the
religious beliefs of participants in The Landmark Forum. As
stated in B, above, The Landmark Forum provides no theology,
dogma or docrine to believe in and follow, there is nothing to
worship and there are no practices to repeat. In addition,
many participants in The Landmark Forum have reported that
their participation in fact enhanced their own religious
beliefs and practices.
I am enclosing letters from several of the many clergy members
from major religious denominations who have participated in
The Landmark Forum and have recommended it to others. It is
inconceivable such clergy members would do that if they
considered Landmark Education or The Landmark Forum to be a
religion or otherwise religious in nature. The letters are as
follows:
"While I have never known Landmark's programs to deal with
God, worship, divinity or theology, each person's religious
preference and practice is considered his or her private
concern and is completely respected. At the same time, these
programs have actually allowed me to enhance my own grasp of
faith tradition, and to be more effective in my religious
responsibilities and practice."
2. Father Basil Pennington, a well respected Trappist monk,
participated in The Landmark Forum and stated in a letter
dated March 8, 1993:
"While The Forum is not religiously oriented, the full human
enlivenment which it brings about leads to the person becoming
more lively in the practice of his or her particular faith. It
is a purely natural or human program but can be used by the
faithful Christian in service of living a more lively
Christian life. I have therefore without hesitation encouraged
persons to take advantage of this excellent course."
3. Letters from 7 other respected clergy from major religious
denominations who have participated in The Forum and have
endorsed participation by other members of the clergy.
F. Damaging - As reflected in the letters included in the
material enclosed in B, above, the facts are clear that The
Landmark Forum and other Landmark Education programs are not
damaging to people. In particular, I refer to the letter from
Dr. Raymond Fowler which sets forth his personal opinion about
The Landmark Forum based on his participation in The Landmark
Forum and his 40 years as a psychologist. Dr. Fowler stated:
"I did not experience any personal sense of harm, danger,
threat or coercion at any time and I saw no evidence that
anyone else did."
Dr. Fowler also stated:
"I have talked to psychotherapists who encouraged certain of
their patients to attend a Forum session when they felt they
were ready to do so and they uniformly felt that the
experience was non-harmful and perhaps encouraged insight."
G. est - The facts are clear that Landmark Education is not
formerly est. Landmark Education, an employee-owned company,
was organized in February, 1991, more than 6 years after the
est Training ceased being delivered and est ceased operations.
In addition, The Landmark Forum is not the est Training. The
Landmark Forum is a completely different program from the est
Training in both content and methodology.
H. Werner Erhard - Mr. Erhard created part of the technology
that was acquired by Landmark Education and is utilized in
programs delivered by Landmark Education. However, Mr. Erhard
has never been a stockholder, officer, director or employee of
Landmark Education and has never been involved in the
management or operation of Landmark Education.
Nevertheless, given the close identification of Mr. Erhard
with Landmark Education's programs in the public's mind,
Landmark Education considers that false and libelous
statements which are made regarding Mr. Erhard are libelous to
Landmark Education and its programs.
Your Site has links to several Sites which contain false
statements regarding Mr. Erhard. To provide you with the
accurate facts, I am enclosing the following documents and
providing the following information:
(a) Materials conceing Mr. Erhard.
(b) As stated in the TIME Magazine article which is enclosed
under B, above, the allegations against Mr. Erhard regarding
family and income tax matters were false.
(c) The Correction published earlier this month in Elsevier
Magazine.
(d) Mr. Erhard was never a member of the Church of
Scientology. More than 30 years ago, he took 2 Scientology
courses as well as over 50 other courses offered by many
different organizations as part of a program of self education
on various disciplines. These included courses on Gestalt
Therapy and Eastern philosophy.
4. Landmark Education has no connection or association with
Scientology. This is confirmed by the following documents
which are enclosed:
(a) Correction published in FACTS Magazine, which is enclosed
under B, above.
(b) Retraction broadcast on Fox Television Station WTTG in
Washington, D.C.
Conclusion
Based on the infonnation set forth above and inl the materials
enclosed, I demand that you remove the links to the Sites
containing characterization of Landmark Education and The
Landmark Forum as a sect or cult, as well as any of the other
false and libelous statements regarding Landmark Education and
The Landmark Forum identified in my letter. Your inclusion of
links to the Sites containing these false and libelous
statements has damaged the reputations of Landmark Education,
its program The Landmark Forum and the more than 400,000
people around the world, including several thousand people in
the Netherlands, who have participated in The Landmark Forum.
I also demand that you agree to refrain from publishing such
false and libelous statements elsewhere in your Website.
This is to put you on notice that in the event you fail to
remove the links to the Sites containing these false and
defamatory statements, Landmark Education will instruct its
attorneys in The Netherlands to take appropriate legal action
against your organization and your officers for the damage
that has resulted form your Website. I trust that after
reading the information and materials I have provided, you
will act responsibly and remove the links to the Sites
containing these false and defamatory statements so that such
action will not be necessary, and also agree to refrain from
publishing such statements elsewhere in your Website.
Please let me know by fax (at 1-415-616-2411) whether you will
remove the links to the Sites containing these false and
defamatory statements regarding Landmark Education and The
Landmark Forum from your Website, and will refrain from
publishing such statements elsewhere in your Website. I will
await receipt of your fax response at your earliest
opportunity.
Sincerely, Art Schreiber, General Counsel
"I am certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and
Neurology since 1962 and have spent 39 years practicing
general psychiatry and psychotherapy... My psychiatric
trauning included a residency in a U.S. Army Hospital in 1955
during which time, in order to deal with American military men
who were mentally manipulated by their Chinese captors, I was
trained specifically about the technology and techniques of
'brainwashing', 'mind-control', and 'thought reform'.
"I want to point out that what I experienced was nothing
remotely like psychotherapy . ..It certainly was not probing
or intrusive or demanding. It did not expose old wounds, make
interpretations or inferences about motivations and early
experiences and it was not strongly confrontive. There was no
psychological transference in evidence and there hardly could
have been in such a large group with such distant
relationships with the workshop leader."
"In my opinion, anyone conducting such program and calling it
psychotherapy would be guilty at least of false advertisement
and perhaps of fraud. No one seeking psychotherapy should
expect to find it in a Forum session ..."
1 Bishop Otis Charles, of the Episcopal Church (Anglican) in
the United States, stated in his letter of September 24, 1992,
referred to in B, above: