Mark and I had to take legal measures to counter an intensive smear campaign that lasted for more than 3 years between mid-2010 and mid-2013 in which we were cyberstalked, bullied, severely lied about, defamed, and had hatred incited against us. Lies were written about virtually every aspect of our lives; a death threat was made against Mark and we’ve had to live in hiding for years. It’s under these circumstances we created this website.
Legal measures successfully stopped them
We took a main contributor to court and the court issued an order stopping the contributor’s campaign towards us. We also personally submitted a complaint to a human rights commission about that same person and an additional complaint about another individual, who was independent of the campaign, but who repeated and promoted some of the campaign’s claims separately. Upon consideration the commission accepted both our complaints, and both individuals signed legally binding agreements that prevent them from attacking us again.
Campaign started out of revenge
The smear campaign was started by fanatical Gnostics after people were thrown out of the organization we were in (which closed in 2012) and launched a revenge campaign against us and the organization. Also involved were fringe Christians, the anti-cult movement, and we were informed that the Orthodox Church in a certain country was partly involved behind the scenes in some of it.
The sinister mechanism of the anti-cult movement
Some of the attacks can be found on anti-cult forums, which were used as a venue to abuse Mark, make false accusations about him, and frame him as a cult leader. The false allegations were made entirely anonymously and without any evidence – many by Gnostic fanatics posing as “neutral” readers under the pretense of “warning” the public. The anti-cult forums referred to are run by a person who is dedicated to destroying alternative spirituality, and is also a convicted felon.
They used the word cult (a bigoted word) to dehumanize Mark and then felt free to say whatever they wished, believing society supported them, allowing them to bully while cloaked by the anonymity of the internet. Many took pleasure in using the “cult” stigma to make people suffer, some believing themselves to be free of consequences. But if you remove the veneer created by the word “cult,” then you are just left with a bunch of lawbreakers – cyber stalkers, harassers, and bullies. Some joined in who were never part of the organization and never even knew us, yet they wrote about our life as though they were there – taking advantage of the chance to hurt someone, which many involved admitted they did for entertainment and enjoyment.
A stack of lies
They cunningly wrote about Mark as though they were victims revealing secrets, and who had the right of free speech to uncover wrongdoings – but that’s just a crafty facade to cloak their abuse. In reality they lied blatantly and without restraint in order to play on people’s worst fears, and to incite further hatred and abuse towards us.
Here’s me cooking up some canned soup in our kitchen – not exactly one you’d see in a fancy home.
They lied about our finances and claimed we have a huge home when we’ve lived in tiny apartments, a place with gun shootings next door, a small falling down house, hotels, and a garage apartment in someone’s backyard – moving from one place to another for years and years as we continue to write. They made grossly false accusations about our relationship, going so far as stating that we’re committing a crime just by being together. They carefully crafted their lies to fit Mark into the anti-cult movement’s criteria of a cult leader. Mark, who has dedicated the last 25 years to teaching completely free of charge, often enduring extreme personal and financial hardships to do so, they tried to make out as someone who has done everything for personal gain. The work which you see here on this website and in Mark’s books they paint as mind control and brainwashing – and so go on their false and ridiculous claims.
Over 100 witnesses
Fortunately there were over 100 witnesses that came forward which affirmed the falsity of their allegations.
We have continued in our work and don’t harbor any antagonism to anyone, we simply feel a sense of relief that we are now safer and freer.
We would like to thank everyone who has been following our journey for peace and justice for your support, and for standing up for the fundamental right we all have to pursue spirituality free from harassment.
~ Lara, June 2013
Read also
Online bullying, stalking, trolling, and using extreme lies to harm someone’s life is on the increase, and unfortunately is becoming a prevalent part of the internet and modern living. Here is a recent example of a case in which someone out for revenge used the internet to have a real impact on an innocent person’s life and family.
Find out how the anti-cult movement is being used to suppress spirituality
Jenny of Total View interviews David from The Conscious Reporter on his article How Fear is Used to Turn You Against Spirituality.
How Fear is Used to Turn You Against Spirituality
Fear is a weapon of social control used to manipulate thoughts and actions without people even knowing it. Today it’s used to control and alienate would-be practitioners of alternative spirituality. How has this happened and who stands to gain from it? By understanding how fear is used we can be free of manipulation in our choice of spirituality…
Spiritual freedom in the West: Are we drifting into a culture of suppression?
Increasingly in the West practitioners of alternative spirituality are subjected to discrimination and censorship. It’s sobering to look at the possible outcomes of living in a society where spiritual freedoms are heavily restricted. This article looks at the Chinese government’s oppression of spirituality as an example, to illustrate why we should not take our spiritual rights and freedoms for granted…
The Rise of Online Harassment
Online harassment is a problem of epidemic proportions that is increasing around the world at an alarming rate. Frequently cloaked in anonymity and with an air of moral righteousness, online trolls and cyberstalkers reveal the worst side of human nature in their efforts to attack and suppress the expression of free will and freedom of belief. There have always been people with a predisposition to preying on others. The schoolyard bully, the jealous friend or ex, the boss hiding feelings of inferiority by putting down his employees…
Exposing Manipulative Media Techniques that Restrict Spiritual Freedom
The use of propaganda and negative framing techniques is rampant in both print and broadcast media. These techniques are used to portray alternative spirituality in a negative light, manipulating mass media consumers to fear and despise new religious movements as a criminal evil to be avoided at all costs. This article examines the framing techniques used to harm spirituality…
The Anti-Cult Movement: History and Impact
Small religious groups, are at particular risk of being labelled a “cult” and considered potentially dangerous or harmful. This can happen quite easily, not because of anything a group has done, but simply because they are a small religious movement, which today is becoming synonymous with being a “cult”. But who gets to decide which spiritual groups are “cults” and which are legitimate?…
How the “Cult” Stigma Destroys Freedom of Belief — A Fundamental Human Right
Today, religious liberty continues to exist on paper in the west, but remains threatened by those who perpetuate moral panics, putting minority beliefs at the mercy of mob mentality – a recurring historical trend. The designated slur, and rallying cry, by which alternative groups and teachers are targeted has shifted from “heretic” to “cult”, but the mentality driving the stigmatization is the same.
Mass Media Cult Scare: How the “Free Press” Targets Spiritual Minorities
Mass media outlets around the world are overwhelmingly negative towards small spiritual groups. This article explores the origin of this bias and the harm caused by positioning all new religious movements as criminal groups or dangerous “cults” which should be feared and despised. For over 30 years positive media coverage for small spiritual groups has been virtually non-existent. But why?…
Breaking Down the “Cult” Formula
Let’s try a quick experiment: think of the word “cult.” What does it make you feel? What concepts are associated with it in your mind? What would you think of a group if someone told you it was a “cult”? What would you think of someone who joined that group? “Cult” has become one of the few remaining socially acceptable slur words. It provokes fear and suspicion and is used to vilify and discredit alternative spiritual groups. The “cult” concept is almost universally recognized and is generally associated with a set of stereotyped characteristics…
The Anti-Cult Movement and its Suppression of Spiritual Rights and Freedoms
The anti-cult movement is a loose collection of individuals and organizations who are involved in attacking alternative spiritual teachers, small religious movements or groups, and support those who are against non-mainstream religions. On the surface that movement appears to care about the welfare of others. They use words like support, victim, protect, care and family, and use convincing terminology. They place themselves apparently at the center of society’s moral good and generally find support among the media and some politicians. But in my view, far from being concerned with the welfare of others, they are a shelter to and facilitator of bullies and anonymous lawbreaking internet trolls, and they promote the kind of propaganda that instills religious bigotry and intolerance within a society…
Jonestown Massacre: The 9/11 of the War on Alternative Spirituality
It was the largest death toll of US civilians by human acts until 9/11 , but was it really “mass suicide” or were people murdered? What’s to be made of the spectre of CIA conspiracies looming over Jonestown? This article examines how the Jonestown narrative was manipulated, and the claims of covert government connections to a massacre that fuelled a war against alternative spirituality…