I was talking to a reporter for the Religion News Service today and he made a complaint that every journalist covering religion I know has made: that they rarely are able to write about the thousands of new religious movements that made them want to cover religion in the first place. Religion reporters must write constantly about the crimes of the Catholics and the policies of the Episcopalians and neglect meanwhile the wild quilt of small faith organizations that envelop this country.
After I hung up the phone, I decided that from time to time I would write here about these movements (they used to be called cults but no more).
First one in the spotlight? I AM!
I came upon this intriguingly named movement after my friend Gloria forwarded the obituary of Rudolph R. Sprungli to me this last weekend. Sprungli was the owner and chairman of the Lindt chocolate fortune. Interesting life on its own merits but in the obituary there's a mention of a peculiar event that piqued my interest:
"Mr. Sprüngli made headline news in 1992 when he divorced his wife of 45 years, Elisabeth, and announced his plans to marry his 44-year-old personnel adviser, Alexandra Gantenbein, a member of an obscure American religious sect called Iam.
Mr. Sprüngli called off the wedding at the last minute and hired an independent agency to establish whether the company had been infiltrated by sect followers. The company subsequently cleared Ms. Gantenbein and the couple then promptly married, infuriating some senior executives, who quit."
Now you all can probably type in "I AM" into Wikipedia as fast as I, so I won't recap that summary too much, or summarize the group's own internal description.
Briefly, I AM was founded in 1930 by a Midwestern husband and wife team, Guy and Edna Ballard. Both studied and were involved in the larger Theosophical movement that was sweeping the country at the time as well as various occult organizations. In 1934, Guy Ballard published "Unveiled Mysteries," in which he claimed to have had conversations with Saint Germain, who he called "the ascended master" (Jesus, George Washington, and Godfre Ray King were all also ascended masters in Ballard's pantheon).
In his canonical "A Religious History of the American People," Sydney E. Ahlstrom writes that the Ballards may have reached as many as three million people through classes and meetings around the country. "Like Christian Science,"Ahlstrom writes, "their vast program emphasized healing; like the later New Thought, it stressed the vast powers latent in man by virtue of his unity with Being (I AM) and the aid to be received from ascended cosmic beings."
Healings and teachings were in full swing around the country, but following Ballard's death in 1939, several lawsuits accused the organization of conspiring and using the mail for fraud. In one of these suits the jury was told to convict if they found that the Ballards "did not have a good faith belief in their religious claims." The Ballards were convicted and the case made its way to the Supreme Court, where in United States v. Ballard, the Court ruled 5-4 to vacate the fraud conviction, ruling that the question of whether the Ballards believed their religious claims should not have been submitted to the jury.
This became a landmark case because the court determined that the question of good faith was not one for the court to decide. Justice Douglas wrote, in part, "Men may believe what they cannot prove....Religious experiences which are as real as life to some may be incomprehensible to others."
So how exciting is this? A little known depression era theosophical movement gives us this wonderful precedent in First Amendment law where the question of religious experience is above scrutiny? Fantastic right?
Anyway, that's the end of today's New Religious Movement spotlight. I AM is headquartered today in Schaumburg, Illinois. They hold an annual pageant on "the Life of Beloved Jesus Christ" in Mount Shasta, California. It will be held August 8th year. Raise a glass to them for their notable contribution to religious freedom. As the Ballard's son said, "Whatever my mother wants, that's what St. Germain says."
Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
Comments (25)
Brilliant...
February 4, 2008 11:34 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 4, 2008 23:34
Steve, "Your God created everything, supposedly, which means he either created evil himself, or created humans with the capacity to commit evil.
Your own god is to blame for the evil in the world. Ask him, for example, why 4500 Congolese children are dying of hunger every month. Where's the manna from heaven?
I'm not going to thank a religious superstition any more than I'll thank Flying Anvils [tm]."
**************************************
If God is responsible for all evil by creating it then when you commit sin or a wrong did God create your sin too?? Or did you???
Evil people commit sin therefore they create evil. These people have the free will to commit good instead of evil, so explain to me why the don't choose to "good."
If these people would continue choosing good until it overtook the amount of evil in the world, would you then say God created all good??
February 3, 2008 8:12 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 3, 2008 20:12
Guy and Edna Ballard were frauds, period!
Their son is following the same footsteps as his parents.
February 3, 2008 7:58 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 3, 2008 19:58
M. Patrick writes: "Also, you better hope that you are right, because if not, then there is going to be a horrible place for your soul."
Demonstrate that such a thing as 'souls' exist, that there are gods that will do them harm if certain prescriptions aren't followed, and then attempt to coerce me with fear.
I'm afraid that the order is important.
February 1, 2008 6:21 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 18:21
I glanced briefly over the commentary and noticed that those who do not believe offended those who believe and vice-versa with both acting as if they have some concrete proof of their view of god or lack thereof.
The bottom line to me about the whole god thing is quite simple, really. We can't even understand our bodies totally, much less the planet on which we live. If we cannot understand the thing we use to traverse the planet, much less the planet itself, (set aside the solar system, of which we know virtually nothing), I find it ludicrous and presumptious that we could even know with certainty anyting about whether a god exists or not--and even more presumptious to assume we have any clue what that deity may or may not think.
It is my hope that someday, everyone finally acknowledges the reality we all hate to admit as a species: no one knows what's after this life and it's high time we stop acting like we did.
February 1, 2008 3:59 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 15:59
"You should 'thank' the collective actions of sinful human beings being responsible for the evil in the world."
For anything good, thank God. For anything bad, blame sinful human beings. Isn't that convenient? It just goes to show the truth of the saying that in religion, consumers blame themselves for product failure. Also, the God of the Bible admits to creating evil (look it up).
February 1, 2008 3:31 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 15:31
Given the pummleing of radical islam in the western press (mostly fully deserved) it is amazing that the rest of the West does denigrate the US for all the bogus religons and cults its had foisted upon western society in the last 200 yrs.
Mormons,
7 day adventists
Jehovah Witness
Scientologists
Evangeligals
to name a few.
In the end, they'll be as deadly to civilized society as Osama and his breed.
February 1, 2008 2:56 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 14:56
Thank you Terry for a thougtful and insightful comment.
The rest of you... do you have to spray your graffiti everywhere?
February 1, 2008 2:37 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 14:37
JESUGURU:
"You should "thank" the collective actions of sinful human beings being responsible for the evil in the world."
Your God created everything, supposedly, which means he either created evil himself, or created humans with the capacity to commit evil.
Your own god is to blame for the evil in the world. Ask him, for example, why 4500 Congolese children are dying of hunger every month. Where's the manna from heaven?
I'm not going to thank a religious superstition any more than I'll thank Flying Anvils [tm].
February 1, 2008 12:40 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 12:40
Little sins add up to big sins eh? Sex outside of wedlock in America means mass slaughter in Africa? Neat. You had better think of a better explanation than that. I do agree that religion does serve a purpose in allowing weaker beings to live off of the strengths of stronger beings by playing with their emotions and riddling them with guilt. So like, God does all the good stuff and like, man does all the bad stuff? No wonder the credibility of your religion is in question - all you can do is threaten. So much for strength...
February 1, 2008 11:34 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 11:34
The desire to be revered is a narcissist human impulse. The creator of the universe would be above that. We're supposed to believe that his(?) last act of creation was to create a special species whose sole function was to suck up to him 24/7 forever. Hogwash. That's like the mother who blackmails her kids with "I carried you for nine months. You owe me." Any kid who heard that replied "I didn't ask to be born!"
If whodunnit really mattered, an intelligent designer would not have left any doubt about who did it and why. That open question has resulted in terrible suffering since the very beginning of modern humanity.
February 1, 2008 10:02 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 10:02
M. Patrick: said:
"Also, you better hope that you are right, because if not, then there is going to be a horrible place for your soul."
Ah, Pascals wager again. It always seems to rear it's illogical head at least once in these debates. And you sir better hope that you are worshiping the right God. What if you have the wrong one?
February 1, 2008 9:44 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 09:44
Having spent a number of years in the Chicago area, I know that the parent organization of
I AM in Schaumburg is located just down the road in Wheaton, IL - that being the Theosophical Society of North America. The apple did not fall far from the tree, so to speak. It's interesting that Theosophy headquarters survives so successfully side by side with a fundamentalist bible school such as Wheaton College - in the same town.
Theosophy appears to be thriving as a micro-organization that provides a wide range of literature on esoteric and metaphysical topics, including the major Theosophical works of founder Madame Blavatsky e.g. 'The Secret Doctrine' and 'Isis Unveiled'. The are similar in scope to the Rosicrucian movement and the contemporary Gnostic movement in the USA.
Any number of fly-by-night religions did rise and fall in the 1930's and several were based on community-based (Christian) groups that probably banded together for survival during the Great Depression. America has always been a hotbed for all kinds of religion!!
February 1, 2008 9:39 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 09:39
Whenever some scoundrel devises a new religion the good Lord creates a fool to adopt it.
February 1, 2008 8:05 AM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on February 1, 2008 08:05
Who is Mrs. R*O*M*N*E*Y?????
Please see Linko's for:
1) R*O*M*N*E*Y : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney Thanks.
2) Mc*CAiN: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain Thanks
Where is Mrs. McCain????????? where are ye????? Come out come out where ever ye are!
January 31, 2008 11:50 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 23:50
I was wondering where that phrase came from when I wrote it the other day. May God protect you all from what is about to happen.
all my love,
sherry
January 31, 2008 10:48 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 22:48
"Think Globally Act Locally!"
DOWN with McCAIN,
DOWN with McCAIN, What a SHAME! Lies & Two faces is their game.
GOOD BYE JOHN McCain!
HELLO MRS. & MR. President R*O*M*N*E*Y!
VOTE! Vote! vote!
Mr. & Mrs. ROMnnnnnneeeey!
Mr. & Mrs. ROMNeeeeeeeeeeeeey For PREZ, YEA!
WE are Together-Forever Mitt Romney & SOURCE-ONE!
Ya Ya Yo! Ya Ya YO! Ya Ya YO!
DOWN with McCAIN,
DOWN with McCAIN, What a SHAME!
PS: It is TiME to TERMiNATE 'Liquid-Metal' John McCain, & his "TERMiNATOR" Arnold himself!
Go get'm MITT!
Do the ROMNEY roll-over the 'Governator' thing & any one else whom cometh ye way!
Eeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaa ME Cow Boy's & Gal's!
Hello Hollywood!
GOOD BYE Mr. & Mrs. JOHN McCain!
HELLO MRS. & MR. President R*O*M*N*E*Y!
VOTE: BLUE BLOOD who bleeds RED, NOT Arnold & Drunkin citizen McCAIN who bleeds BRiNE.
Ya Ya Yo!
Ya Ya YO!
Ya Ya YO!
Remember; It was the R*O*M*N*E*Y's who stuck it out 'Thick-n-Thin' when His Hon. Martin Luther King Jr. [pbuh] needed the ROMNEY's the Most!, not McCAIN. Not Huckabee, not Giuliani!
To Learn more about good HUMATES , then please see this Link on folks like Elvis Presley
et al, rumored to be LDS or connected somehow and more Trivia. thanks.
http://famousmormons.net/rumor.html
Please also help with "ASTRONOMY W.OUT BORDERS" to educate indigent Kids & Parents & supply them with Free or near free Telescopes, On Sweet Sweet Space-Ship Momma Poppa resilent EARTH, aka S.S. GAiA, aka S.S. GEOiD, aka S.S. TELLUSng something! Thanks.
http://www.astronomy2009.org/
"Think Globally Act Locally!"
(((((> Peace Love Rockn Roll nRap, Mitt-ROMNEY for Prez 2009 YEA! Thanks HUMATES! >)))))))))>
January 31, 2008 7:06 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 19:06
Ms Hoffman,
Seems there were quite a bit of these fringe-y sects emerging -- particularly in the midwest -- during the Depression. Not too dissimiliar from the "burned-over district" of NY state in the 1800s.
Were these Depression-era "mom-and-pop" sects in fact commonplace? Did they share any common characterstics?
Have any of them emerged in the last 70 years or so to become national in scope (ie, as examplified by Christian Scientist, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness growth out of the 19th century?)
Best regards
M
January 31, 2008 5:04 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 17:04
Ms Hoffman,
Seems there were quite a bit of these fringe-y sects emerging -- particularly in the midwest -- during the Depression. Not too dissimiliar from the "burned-over district" of NY state in the 1800s.
Were these Depression-era "mom-and-pop" sects in fact commonplace? Did they share any common characterstics?
Have any of them emerged in the last 70 years or so to become national in scope (ie, as examplified by Christian Scientist, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness growth out of the 19th century?)
Best regards
M
January 31, 2008 5:04 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 17:04
patrick are you serious? are you really advising rob to adopt an insincere belief 'just in case' there is a god? or are you maybe saying that is why you choose to 'believe'? i think you are proving rob's point.
January 31, 2008 4:21 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 16:21
In response to Castanea,
You should "thank" the collective actions of sinful human beings being responsible for the evil in the world. The micro-evil each and every one of us individually perpetrates daily (including you and me) cumulatively adds up to the macro-evil in the world that you read about in the headlines, such as those you listed. We like to point out the bad around us, while conveniently ignoring/justifying that inside of us.
Speaking of the Pats and ignoring/justifying evil, if only Belichick would show even an ounce of admission/contrition... they could still be America's team. Yet they too are redeemable. (Go Giants...)
January 31, 2008 4:19 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 16:19
In response to Castanea,
You should "thank" the collective actions of sinful human beings being responsible for the evil in the world. The micro-evil each and every one of us individually perpetrates daily (including you and me) cumulatively adds up to the macro-evil in the world that you read about in the headlines, such as those you listed. We like to point out the bad around us, while conveniently ignoring/justifying that inside of us.
Speaking of the Pats and ignoring/justifying evil, if only Belichick would show even an ounce of admission/contrition... they could still be America's team. Yet they too are redeemable. (Go Giants...)
January 31, 2008 4:18 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 16:18
In response to M. Patrick,
If Rob should thank God for waking up this morning and breathing, whom should I thank for all the slaughter in the Middle East, rampant hunger across the globe, intestinal parasites, the New England Patriots, and other unspeakable horrors that humans have to deal with every day?
January 31, 2008 4:05 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 16:05
In response to Rob:
While I respect your right to voice your opinion, I do disagree with that assessment. If you believe that you were able to wake yourself this morning and breathe, then you should thank the God that you don't believe in. Also, you better hope that you are right, because if not, then there is going to be a horrible place for your soul.
January 31, 2008 3:31 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 15:31
Religion is fraud. God is fraud. A figment used by wolves to herd sheep by.
January 31, 2008 2:49 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on January 31, 2008 14:49