Difference between revisions of "Eckankar"

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==History==
 
==History==
  
[[File:Harold_klemp.jpg|150px|thumb|right|"Eckmaster" Harold Klemp]] Eckankar is a cult founded 1968 by Paul Twitchell. Before foundingEckankar, he lived in Ashrams with Kirpal Singh
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[[File:Harold_klemp.jpg|150px|thumb|right|"Eckmaster" Harold Klemp]] Eckankar is a cult founded by Paul Twitchell in 1968. Before founding Eckankar, he used to live in Ashrams with Kirpal Singh, from which he was expelled after engaging in a fistfight with another member. Later, he studied a certain Kirpal Singh, Master of "Sant Mat", the teachings of Radhasoami and Ruhani Satsang. Despite being influenced by eastern spirituality, Twitchell never visited India before founding Eckankar. Some time after founding Eckankar, Twitchell's relations to Kirpal Singh deteriorated and he claimed he never accepted him as master. Apparently Twitchell had sent Singh his manuscript "The Tiger's Fang" to receive Singh's approval, which he did not obtain. Twitchell also studied Scientology and became a so-called clear. For some time he had the support of L. Ron Hubbard, and there are claims of Twitchell having copied several Scientology techniques.<ref>http://www.eckist.info/doku/paul.htm</ref>
where he was kicked out after a fistfight with another member. Later, hestudied a certain Kirpal Singh, Master  
 
of "Sant Mat", the teachings of Radhasoami and Ruhani Satsang. Despite being influenced be eastern spirituality, Twitchell never visited India before founding Eckankar. Some time after founding Eckankar, Twitchells relations to Kirpal Singh deteriorated and
 
he claimed he never accepted him as master. This happened because Twitchell send Singh his manuscript "The Tiger's Fang" to get
 
Sings approval, which he did not get. Twitchell also studied Scientology and became a clear. For some time he
 
had the support of L. Ron Hubbard, and it is claimed he copied several Scientology techniques.<ref>http://www.eckist.info/doku/paul.htm</ref>
 
  
Twitchells founding scriptures of Eckankar are plagiarized from other esoteric sources, just changing names  
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Twitchell's founding scriptures of Eckankar were plagiarized from other esoteric sources, just changing names in the process. This is a taboo amongst cult members and never talked about, as is reported by former members. Sources include Hubbard, Blavatsky and eastern mystics.<ref>http://www.eckist.info/doku/plagiarismus.htm</ref> The current "Living ECK Master" (LEM), "Mahanta", "Outer Master",  "Inner Master", and "Dream Master" is one Harold Klemp.
in the progress. This is a taboo amongst cult members and never talked about, as reported by former members.
 
Sources include Hubbard, Blavatsky and eastern mystics. <ref>http://www.eckist.info/doku/plagiarismus.htm</ref> The current "Living ECK Master" (LEM), "Mahanta", "Outer Master",  "Inner Master" and "Dream Master" is a Harold Klemp.
 
  
 
==Doctrine==
 
==Doctrine==
Eckankar is hierarchically organized, with the Eckmaster at the top, who has the sole authority to hire and fire Board members.
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Eckankar is organized hierarchically, with the Eckmaster at the top, who has the sole authority to appoint and dismiss board members.
Disciples are told that Eckankar is the sole path to god and that leaving Eckankar is detrimental to their Karma <ref>http://www.eckist.info/doku/furcht.htm</ref>. There are reports of members spending substantial amounts of money on teachings, cult material and travel expenses. Eckists are encouraged to spend their own money upon vahana/missionary advertising efforts and materials and this can add up to a substansial amount when including gas and other incidentals. The annual "donation" of the EK Membership Fee is required. Eckists are also encouraged to name Eckankar, in their Will, as a beneficiary. Service, with time and coin, and Silence, from questions and criticisms, are the mainstays of Klemp's Eckankar.
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Disciples are told that Eckankar was the sole path to god and that leaving Eckankar was detrimental to their Karma <ref>http://www.eckist.info/doku/furcht.htm</ref>. There are reports of members spending substantial amounts of money on teachings, cult materials, and travel expenses. Eckists are encouraged to spend their own money on vahana/missionary advertising efforts and materials which may add up to substantial amounts when including transport and other incidentals. The annual "donation" of the EK Membership Fee is required. Eckists are also encouraged to name Eckankar as a beneficiary in their Will. Service, with time and money, and Silence, i.e. to abstain from questions and criticism, are the mainstays of Klemp's Eckankar.
  
  

Latest revision as of 01:04, 3 November 2014

History

"Eckmaster" Harold Klemp

Eckankar is a cult founded by Paul Twitchell in 1968. Before founding Eckankar, he used to live in Ashrams with Kirpal Singh, from which he was expelled after engaging in a fistfight with another member. Later, he studied a certain Kirpal Singh, Master of "Sant Mat", the teachings of Radhasoami and Ruhani Satsang. Despite being influenced by eastern spirituality, Twitchell never visited India before founding Eckankar. Some time after founding Eckankar, Twitchell's relations to Kirpal Singh deteriorated and he claimed he never accepted him as master. Apparently Twitchell had sent Singh his manuscript "The Tiger's Fang" to receive Singh's approval, which he did not obtain. Twitchell also studied Scientology and became a so-called clear. For some time he had the support of L. Ron Hubbard, and there are claims of Twitchell having copied several Scientology techniques.[1]

Twitchell's founding scriptures of Eckankar were plagiarized from other esoteric sources, just changing names in the process. This is a taboo amongst cult members and never talked about, as is reported by former members. Sources include Hubbard, Blavatsky and eastern mystics.[2] The current "Living ECK Master" (LEM), "Mahanta", "Outer Master", "Inner Master", and "Dream Master" is one Harold Klemp.

Doctrine

Eckankar is organized hierarchically, with the Eckmaster at the top, who has the sole authority to appoint and dismiss board members. Disciples are told that Eckankar was the sole path to god and that leaving Eckankar was detrimental to their Karma [3]. There are reports of members spending substantial amounts of money on teachings, cult materials, and travel expenses. Eckists are encouraged to spend their own money on vahana/missionary advertising efforts and materials which may add up to substantial amounts when including transport and other incidentals. The annual "donation" of the EK Membership Fee is required. Eckists are also encouraged to name Eckankar as a beneficiary in their Will. Service, with time and money, and Silence, i.e. to abstain from questions and criticism, are the mainstays of Klemp's Eckankar.


Web resources

References