LOWELL D. STREIKER, Ph.D.
February 16, 1993
Dear Herr Kristensen:
I have been informed that Landmark Education is listed by your
organization as a "cult." For seven years, I have worked in
the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Africa, and
Japan as a counselor and had occasions to come in contact with
numerous cults and to deal with the damage they did to
individuals and their families. I have also written several
books on the subject of cults. I am considered a leading
expert in the field. I first became aware of The Forum in 1985
and I personally participated in The Forum in 1987. I have
also had an opportunity to examine very closely the work done
by Landmark Education. The programs offered by Landmark
Education provide individuals with a unique and valuable
educational opportunity that allows them to thoughtfully
inquire into their own lives. Nothing at all would lead to the
conclusion that The Forum is a cult. On the contrary, what I
have observed are people becoming more engaged with their
family and community lives rather than removed from them.
There is a strong emphasis on responsible behavior within
one's family, business, and civic life. I can state
unequivocally that The Forum is not a cult. I arrive at this
conclusion by attempting to determine if a number of "cult"
characteristics manifest themselves in The Forum/Landmark
Education. While the term "cult" is pejorative and does not
have a precise scientific meaning, I have dealt with families
and individuals whose lives had been disrupted by involvement
with certain kinds of religious movements. These movements
shared common characteristics:
A cult is a nontraditional religious group based upon the
teaching of an authoritarian leader. A cult is a highly
structured, strictly disciplined group which demands the total
time, dedication, and resources of its members. A cult sees
itself as the only possessor of truth and see those outside
the cult as enemies. Primary cult activities are recruitment
of new members and the raising of funds for the group. Cult
initiation techniques are frequently based upon deception and
psychological coercion. Money is often obtained under false
pretenses. Members of cults are encouraged to cut off
communications with family members and friends. Cultists allow
the cult leader to make important decisions concerning career
and marriage for them. In many instances, cult members give
their possessions and earnings to the group and, in turn, are
totally dependent on the group. Most cults encourage
systematic forms of consciousness altering practices which
make individuals amenable to group direction rather than
self-determination. None of these characteristics is to be
found in The Forum or Landmark Education. The Forum is not a
cult in any sense of the word, religious or otherwise.
Sincerely, Lowell D. Streiker, Ph.D.