Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
1981-1989 GROSS v ECKANKAR - A Summary of Historical Events
482 views
Skip to first unread message
Peetee Aitchei
Oct 18, 2014, 8:04:45 AM10/18/14
to
1981-1989 GROSS v ECKANKAR - A Summary of Historical Events
PART ONE of Two Parts
To the best of our knowledge, the following is an accurate historical summary of events based
on confirmed documented records, written publications, and individual personal reports.
Plus some personal conclusions and opinions along the way.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Discussions between Mr. Gross and Mr. Klemp to become the Living ECK Master began in March 1980.
At this time Klemp was a 5th Initiate of ECKANKAR. He was employed full time by ECKANKAR and had
been for some time.
Klemp had performed work duties in the head offices of ECKANKAR at both Las Vegas and Menlo Park.
Over and above his employment Klemp also performed volunteer 'spiritual duties' which included:
speaking at seminars, writings, training courses for members, reviewing initiate reports and
initiation processes. All this had been under the direction, training, and supervision of the
then Mahanta, the Living ECK Master, Sri Darwin Gross.
On October 22, 1971 Sri Darwin Gross had been appointed as the new Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
At that time, he was deemed by all to have accepted the Rod of ECK Power in the 'spiritual realm'.
Yet he was only a 6th Initiate of ECKANKAR, which he has confirmed in his court depositions. This
is still in line with the known Doctrines of ECKANKAR, as laid down by the founder Sri Paul Twitchell
before his sudden death on September 17, 1971.
Mr. Gross was first contacted by telephone and advised of his appointment by Mrs. Gail Twitchell,
widow of Paul Twitchell on September 22, 1971. [see the Steiger reference below]
In due course, and after his appointment to LEM, Gross was given the 7th, 8th and 9th Outer
Initiations of ECKANKAR by other High Initiates of the day. Some possible candidates include
Dr. Louis Bluth (the then President of ECKANKAR), Chet Tuttle, Vandilla Walker, Helen Baird and
Millie Moore. I believe, but cannot say for certain, that Darwin Gross did not get the 9th
Initiation until 1973. No one will really know, at least not publicly, until or unless, Gail
Twitchell-Gross-Anderson tells the whole truth about what she really knows about the history of
ECKANKAR. Last July she turned 72 years old, the same age as Harold Klemp.
Earlier in 1971 Patti Simpson had received her 6th Initiation from Dr Bluth, and Darwin Gross from
Paul Twitchell. Both had joined ECKANKAR in late 1968 after reading the book IMSIAF. I believe that
Harold Klemp joined very soon after they did. Most of the time between then and Twitchell's death he
was in Japan in the U.S. Airforce, so he had far less contact with Eckankar and Twitchell than either
Patti or Darwin did.
In late 1971 however, Harold Klemp was still only a 3rd Initiate. This is despite much later claiming
he had received 'God Realization' during 1971 in what I would describe as a 'psychotic event'. This
event actually got him arrested and placed by court order into a mental facility for several months
afterwards.
By the mid-1970s Harold Klemp was working full time at the Eckankar head office in Las Vegas and a
4th Initiate. Patti Simpson was now an 8th, and Darwin of course was a 9th or higher and the Mahanta,
the Living ECK Master of the day. For a year or so Doug Marman and Harold were working together in
the head office under Darwin Gross. Marman has many times reported that Klemp was a loner who kept
to himself and did not socialize very much. Quietly went about his work mainly in jobs associated
with printing and photography in the publishing department.
I believe it was 1978 or perhaps early 1979 when Klemp became a 5th Initiate, known as a Mahdi or
High Initiate in Eckankar.
--- --- ---
DARWIN GROSS BECOMES THE LEM
According to his sworn testimony, Gross first had 'spiritual / dreams' contact and
awareness of Paul Twitchell as his teacher and spiritual guide at the age on 3 years
old. This being in or about 1930. Twitchell, he said, was still in training himself.
Twitchell was then about 20 years old and a Highschool student in Paducah, Ky.
A 1971 article by Brad Steiger stated:
I was able to hold a telephone interview with the new master
after the announcement of his elevation had been made. Sri
Darwin spoke with quiet confidence regarding his future
position with Eckankar, and Mrs. Patti Simpson, ECK
director of publications, filled me in on some of Gross'
background."
Darwin Gross was born in North Dakota, the middle
child of five. When he was in his early teens, the Gross
family moved to Portland, Oregon. Ever since he was a
three-year-old child, Darwin, whose spiritual name is "Dap
Ren," has been aware of superior beings from another
plane of existence watching over him. One entity who
materialized before him on several occasions identified
himself as "Rebazar Tarz." Another entity who came often
to communicate with the maturing lad remained nameless
for many years, until Darwin learned to know him as "Peddar
Zaskq." [...]
"Strangely enough," he went on, "just two weeks before
Paul translated, I quit my job, resolving to go out into
world as a missionary for ECK."
Then, on September 22, 1971, FIVE DAYS AFTER Sri Paul
Twitchell's death, Gail Twitchell called Darwin Gross and
told him that he was to be Paul's successor, the new Living
ECK Master.
At the fifth Worldwide Seminar, Gail read an
unpublished poem that had been written by her husband,
handed a blue carnation to Darwin Gross as a symbol of
the transfer of the rod of ECK power.
"That was when a funny thing happened," Patti
Simpson, Eck director of publications, told me. "At that
very moment when Gail passed the blue carnation to Darwin,
Dap Ren, every television camera, every radio microphone
phone, every piece of recording equipment in the room
suddenly ceased to function. The momentous moment
simply went unrecorded, and Gail's presence is not down
for posterity. When Darwin mounted the speaker's plat-
form, however, all the recording and camera equipment
once more began to function."
"The Strange World of Brad Steiger" 1973 pp 160-162
So contrary to popular opinion, there was no consternation nor stalling over who was to be
the next Living ECK master. The decision had been made within 5 days of Twitchell's death.
Of note however, is the complete malfunctioning of the light and sound equipment at the
moment Gail Twitchell passed the blue carnation to Gross. Was it an esoteric representation
of a "kiss of death"? Who knows, for all kinds of beliefs are created out of mundane events.
Patti Simpson did have a solid reputation for hyperbole, exaggeration and wild conclusions.
Who could compete with her, Paul's supposedly closest confidant, and now the Eck Director
of Publications? Patti loved Paul deeply, and personally, to the end of her days. She
remained Paul's No. 1 Publicity and Press Officer! Everyone else, LEM or not, was always a
secondary or lower consideration to her. And, why not? It was her choice, and was only ever
her call to make. No one else. Darwin and Harold were irrelevant in most ways. But Patti was
very loyal to the Eckankar path that Twitchell had created, and was a dedicated employee and
High Initiate. Most people really liked her.
--- --- ---
The Mahanta and Historical Researchers
Sri Darwin Gross was known and presented as the MAHANTA, Living ECK Master from day one. There
was little to no doubt that he had received the Rod of Power in October 1971, according to the
tenets of Eckankar. Some members didn't accept him, or this change after Twitchell died, and they
did leave. Dr Bluth was one, though I am unsure how long after he decided that.
Word has it that both he and Chet Tuttle were of the belief that Twitchell's written Will had
stipulated Dr Bluth to be the next LEM and of course others disagree. Some like Marman claim this
is not true and that Twitchell did leave a written note of some kind for Gail recording Darwin
Gross to be his replacement. If such a note actually existed it has never been made public, and I
have never heard of anyone else, except Marman claiming such a thing.
He does that a lot. Says things, with zero substantiation bar people having to just 'take his word'
for it. I used to take what he said in good faith. The problem being his stories kept changing.
One day he was saying he had spoken to Brad Steiger about the tape recordings Brad had made of
Twitchell. He recounted this publicly, he was definite it was a true report. Years later, he rang
to speak with Brad about those, and Steiger said sorry, I have thrown them out. Marman, believed him.
Years later again, on another telephone chat with Steiger, the report comes back this time that
Steiger never made any tapes of Paul. The story had changed to one where no tapes were ever made.
Not only that, but Brad never had a face to face interview with Twitchell to prepare the biographical
book IMSIAF. Marman's reports this publicly, and now he, Doug, must have been 'mistaken' both times
before. And let's all move on shall we.
My opinion now, for over 6 years is, based on an uncountable number of such examples as above, that
Marman's personal reports, anecdotes and statements are totally unreliable without some other kind of
documented evidence to support his claim or opinion. Or at least another more credible witness to back
him up and confirm his report, his memory, is true and accurate.
This is important because the historical record is strewn with Marman's statements all over the
internet and publicly going back to 1983 and Fate Magazine letters to the Editor. Marman has made all
manner of claims about his researching Twitchell's manuscripts and archives in the early 1970s and
again in 1983, or wait, was it 1984. He can't quite 'recall', but he is sure of it. He took notes,
that no one has ever seen but himself.
Darwin said this, and Harold said that, back in the 70s and 80s. Marman was there, he knows for sure.
And a month or a year or a decade later he changes his 'story' yet again. Then a document shows up
proving what he said the second time must be in error too. Oh, sorry, I must have been mistaken. This
has gone for years and especially on the a.r.e. newsgroup, Lane's RSS group, and on Ford Johnson's
discussion board from 2003.
Now Marman, like anyone, can believe whatever they wish to. But he has no right to simply make up
historical facts off the top of his head. And then tell the world about them "as if" they were true
and credible reports about anything. He was there, he knows. Rubbish. I rang and spoke to Brad
Steiger, I know. I spoke with Gail years ago, I know. Patti Simpson told me that..., I know. I met
with Harold Klemp covertly in 1983 and 1984 in a restaurant car park. He told me all about the
plagiarisms he had found in Twitchell's archive, I know, says Marman. Rubbish.
Most of it is unreliable mythical thinking, muddled beliefs, poor memory, zero consistency, and just
not credible. Do not believe a word in Marman's book 'The Whole Truth' unless it is verified by
some other valid source. Frankly he does not possess the basic skills and talents to be a half decent
historian or journalist reporting the 'real facts'.
After 23 years of his life being a Twitchell 'great and knowledgeable researcher' arguing publicly
with David Lane and anyone up for a 'debate', his manuscript for TWT book was all but ready to send
off to the printers. Only then does he get in his car and go to Paducah Kentucky for the very first
time in his life. He walks into the Paducah Library, and says hey, anyone know anything about Paul
Twitchell? This is the person Brad Steiger says:
"READ MARMAN'S BOOK. IT IS THE FINAL WORD. A WORK OF EXACTING SCHOLARSHIP."
(Steiger's caps)
What Rubbish! About as accurate as Steiger's biography on Twitchell was, and his lies about never
seeing Twitchell face to face and never making tape recordings. Full of make believe BS rubbish!
And 'BS' btw, stands for Brad Steiger. Very apt!
Go here to read some of Steigers latest CRAP http://www.bradandsherry.com/ The guy is, and always has
been, a manipulative jerk and cheap hack writer. Will do, write, or say anything for a few buck$. Now
he is 78 years old and he is still working pumping out crazy useless garbage for the gullible and
idiotic of this world.
Fact is, I emailed Steiger more than once to check, and he didn't recommend Marman's book. Sorry Doug!
But it was worth the effort to contact him and find out what he was really like. 'Nough said.
So for years Marman talked and talked and talked endlessly about Twitchell and criticized Lane and
everyone else about how important real facts and proper research were as opposed to Lane's 'beliefs'
and 'assumptions'. People in glass houses really shouldn't bother.
Dean McMakin did a really good little Bio on Twitchell way back in 1992. Gosh the man even used real
historical resources like, um, the U.S. Census, Genealogy records, birth certificates, and Telephone
Directories. Marman had no clue until Ford Johnson shared that with everyone in 2003. Ooops, what, you
seriously didn't know about that Bio Mr Marman? Obviously you never checked at 'that temple within"!
Dean was an Eckist, grew up near Paducah, and he sent that Bio to Klemp in 1992. Who knew? Not our
Doug that is for sure. I use The Whole Truth as a door stop on a windy day. It's a brick. 'Nough said!
The bottom line is this. Marman says all kinds of things about Gross, Klemp, Patti, Gail, Twitchell,
Kirpal Singh, David Lane, Ford Johnson, Sudar Singh, Paris, Radhasoami, Ruhani Satsang, the Sikhs,
Academia, History, Journalism, Plagiarism, Two percent, Eckankar, Lies, Truth, Rebazar Tarzs, Mahanta,
The Pole of the World, Dialectics, Sophistry, Occam's Razor, Philosophy, Copyright Law, Rumi, the
Sukhmani and more. Doesn't make a word of it true nor useful. Buyer beware. Don't believe me either,
do your own research, if you are up for it.
Back to Gross and The Mahanta
For example two quotes:
"I have every eck publication from the 1970s, Mystic Worlds, Eck World
News, special notices, Wisdom Notes, etc. Gross is referred to as the
Mahanta."
From the Eck World News, June, 1976:
"In this painting by Diana Stanley, the Ancient Order of Vairagi Masters
gather on October 22, 1971 to welcome the MAHANTA Sri Darwin Gross, the
972nd Living ECK Master in this unbroken line....."
"The spirit body of the MAHANTA, the Living ECK Master, known in the
physical body as Sri Darwin Gross,..." Picked at random from the pile.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/2Im8om2gteM/jTKmkRiLueQJ
"Just a quick point of clarification. Throughout his tenure as the spiritual
leader of Eckankar (1971-1981), Sri Darwin Gross was consistently introduced
as "Sri Darwin Gross, the Mahanta, the Living Eck Master." Also, if you
recall, from 1981-1983 (Sri Harold Klemp's first two years of tenure as the
spiritual leader of Eckankar) the operating paradigm was that, while Sri
Harold was indeed the current Living Eck Master, Sri Darwin retained the
Mahantaship.
Historical revisionism is not a pretty sight." Michael Turner.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/2Im8om2gteM/pJOMV6SXr9cJ
Of course these messages were posted because others had been claiming otherwise. Doug Marman was one
of many. However eventually Marman also put the notion out there that Gross was never the "Mahanta"
into print, in his 2007 book TWT. That's after pushing this theory and that of his 'friends and
co-opters' for years.
An historically important third quote is from Sri Harold Klemp himself:
The Wisdom Notes - March/April 1982
"Dap Ren [Sri Darwin Gross], Rebazar Tarzs, Fubbi
Quantz and Yaubl Sacabi have all passed through the
state of MAHANTAship and still RETAIN IT."
Adding: "During this current era, as always, whoever
accepts the Rod of ECK Power becomes the MAHANTA."
See: 1982-03 Klemp The Wisdom Notes - Who is now my Master?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/oXAFfXT_3EE/Pc98W0LVf5EJ
This text by Klemp is an early example of his life long pattern for 'understatement', 'vagueness',
and 'half truths'. Typically absent was the gumption to stand up and just come right out and say
something 'straight and direct' to his readers and listeners. To say what he means and mean what
he says. It is such an obviously entrenched pattern of behavior of Klemp's I am not even going to
bother offering another example. Read anything at all by him. Especially his 'seminar talks'.
On top of this pattern is another equally prevalent condition. Klemp repeatedly redacts his previous
statements. That too is everywhere to be found, just look. The classic example is his talks about
Twitchell in 1984-1985. There is what he actually said at the time. What ended up in the Mahanta
transcripts, and then what one will see now on the Eckankar website. None of the three add up to the
same thing.
Of course, the grand sophist Marman presents the ludicrous notion that, like he did about Twitchell,
anyone can redo their own words over again. There's nothing wrong in that. I say rubbish, for it
depends. On what has been changed, and why, and whether or not the person has openly acknowledged
the change and the purpose of it.
I am not speaking about a simple slip of the tongue or an editing issue intended to improve the
clarity of what was said first here, but the actual changes in intent of the take away "message" that
the average person is being given at each of the times the "story changes".
This is a serious matter when it comes to Klemp as much if not more than Twitchell's redactions and
changes he made to his core doctrines. Like how many initiations are there, a god-eater or a spiritual
traveler versus an ECK master. The sudden appearance of the term Mahanta in January 1969. With
usually, zero explanations.
Now let's be very clear about what Klemp is insinuating in his April 1982 Wisdom Note.
He states that: "Read a little bit about the MAHANTA and the Rod of ECK Power, then, in contemplation,
take your question to that temple within. If you are persistent and sincere, you will find the
solution yourself and know the secret of who is your Master."
First, it's a secret! Next, "It is not for anyone else to tell you", he says. You just go read what
the SKS et cetera have to say about the Living ECK Master, and who holds the Rod of ECK Power!
Then go "contemplate" on that, for a while. Any half-wit would be able to work out that Klemp is
stating here, somewhat vaguely of course, but the intent should be crystal clear. But no, no, he is
not telling anyone what to think, of course, that he is the Living ECK master, that he had accepted
the Rod of ECK Power last October, and therefore he IS THE MAHANTA. No nothing like that at all.
Sure, whatever.
Wow, that's some 'secret'! But of course, as any expert political spin master or sophist can do
easily, he himself didn't really tell anyone else what to think or what to believe. Did he? And if
anyone took his advice, and contemplated at "that temple within" and their take away message was:
1) he wasn't the Mahanta, and 2) he didn't actually receive the Rod of ECK Power last October either,
then what?
Say they then wrote a personal note to Harold and told him that ... what would be the outcome then?
Or in late 1983, or even today? According to Klemp's "half truths" above, the response should be:
"Well my blessed one, as I said back in 1982 - "It is not for anyone else to tell you", - and so I
totally accept your inner guidance, and I have absolutely no issue with that, nor with you personally.
Do and say whatever you like, anywhere you like, because this is your right to speak your own Truth
and to follow your inner guidance always. Even in an ECK center or at the next Eckankar seminar you
attend, please speak up, because it is all fine by me. Affectionately, Harold."
So hold that thought, and let's move along a little further before revisiting this issue later.
--- --- ---
CHANGES IN THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
In January 1982, as per the recently changed Corporation Articles and By-Laws instigated by Sri Darwin
before October 1981 when Klemp was promoted to the Living ECK Master position by Darwin, Harold Klemp
was Voted onto the Board of Trustees and Voted in as the new President-CEO of ECKANKAR.
The Board had also, under Darwin and Alan Nichols instigation been increased from five Trustees to
seven. This was a constructive step to make - seven heads should be better than five, as five had been
far better than one alone doing all the considerations and then making all the decisions. Such was the
'theory' anyway.
What one can see during 1981 and into 1982 is Darwin Gross actually dispersing his previous personal
power and control among more people, including but especially his sharing of the responsibilities with
Harold Klemp, for the good of the whole movement. Clearly that was based on accepted good business and
executive Board practice.
Alan Nichols' legal firm had been the primary Corporate lawyer for ECKANKAR since about 1976. He was a
specialist with an excellent reputation in the field of Non-Profit Organizations. He was also a
professional Lawyer of high integrity among his peers and the courts. Based on his legal and ethical
experience plus his long term knowledge of ECKANKAR, he was invited onto the Board ~1980 as a new
Trustee. Where is he now? http://www.explorers.org/index.php/about/explorers_club_president
It is my understanding, correct me if this is wrong, that Harold Ware had been a very long term
Trustee too, plus the President and/or Chairman of the Board. Then he gave notice to resign from his
'General Manager' job at the ECKANKAR Head Office and as a Trustee, which came into effect in October
1981. I believe this is when Alan Nichols was raised to be Chairman of the Board, and Darwin Gross
(temporarily) became the President. An 'Officer of the Corporation' a position which Gross had never
held before then, to my knowledge.
At this point in time Gross knew that he was about to raise Klemp to be the new LEM. At the October
30, 1981 annual meeting a final Board vote was taken. This was after months of consideration whether
or not to change the legally binding By-laws for the LEM to always also act as the President of the
Corporation. The most senior Officer of the Corporation under Law, and also as LEM the titular
'spiritual head' of Eckankar but in conjunction still with Darwin Gross, who was after all his mentor
and he was still an ECK Master, with far more experience than Klemp.
As the ECKANKAR lawyer, wearing two hats as it were, Alan Nichols' law firm implemented the required
changes of the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation. These were completed before the January 1982
Board of Trustees meeting. Proper votes were taken and the board was duly expanded to seven Members,
including the addition of Klemp. He was then voted in as President after accepting Gross' formal
resignation.
Alan Nichols, a professional lawyer was Chairman of the Board, Klemp was the new President-CEO, and
other Trustees had been duly voted in as Officers of the Corporation such as a new Treasurer and
Secretary. These were necessary due to staff and trustee changes in the previous four months or so.
Everything seemed fine, and everyone seemed happy with everything. All Votes by the Trustees were, as
was usual, very agreeable and unanimous.
See: 1982-01-09 Extracts Eckankar Board of Trustees meeting minutes - HK to President
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/zvoMX9WFOoQ/GO_nFGS-F7AJ
Then in APRIL 1982, the same month that Harold's Wisdom Note had already hit the membership around the
world, Klemp unexpectedly resigned as the President. This was accepted unanimously. Then Darwin Gross
was nominated and elected as the new President, by unanimous vote again where 7 of the 7 agreed,
including Klemp himself.
OK, so we have the picture clear, yes? Klemp is the LEM and was promoted to that position in Oct 1981.
He was a 5th Initiate a year before that. In 1981 he sped through his 6th, 7th, and 8th Initiations,
and Darwin Gross confirms in documents he received the outer 9th Initiation too. Of course, you may
make inquiries at that temple within, if you wish.
As the LEM, the By-Laws then stated that Klemp must be the President, but after only three months in
that role, he quit. The By-Laws that only recently had been changed, then needed to be re-voted on all
over again and changed legally by The Nichols Law Corporation asap.
As Alan Nichols and others confirmed in Depositions:
"I believe Mr. Klemp had said that he had been
president for several months and that he was
going to resign from that position pretty much
as stated in those minutes. Darwin said that he
was willing to take over again as the president."
See: 1984-09-19 Telephone Deposition of ALAN NICHOLS - pg 61
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/KLUpDZYbO7w/Ietl631Y2L8J
But Klemp and everyone else did absolutely nothing. Not a thing. Patti didn't complain and gather the
8ths together to send Klemp a formal letter of demand he get rid of Gross or else. Marman said not a
word and he didn't rush off to Harold's aid to have secret meetings in obscure restaurant and 711
car parks around Menlo Park. Joan Cross didn't freak out either, though she may have offered a
shoulder
on which to cry upon. I don't know.
In his Court Depositions Klemp didn't really say much at all about this event in April 1982. Just that
it happened. Instead he states that he first started having concerns over Gross in early 1983, over 9
months later or more. It's only in June 1983 that things became serious to him. Gross had packed house
and moved up to his new home at Gleneden beach, Oregon.
Whilst that happened a truck arrived with 16,000 copies of the new Letters to Gail III. It was set to
be the major book launched at the upcoming WW seminar in October 1983. It was summer, and I suspect
that Darwin was swimming happily in the Pacific Ocean. Oblivious to the storm brewing back down in
Menlo Park.
It's the middle of June 1983, Darwin and Bernadine Burlin had produced the new book without any input
or assistance from the then Director of Publications. It was the first book of Twitchell's published
for years.
"Difficulties of Becoming the Living ECK Master" was the last one and it came out in 1980. The one
with the 'mug shot' of Paul on the front. But that wasn't really a "Twitchell" book per se. In 1981 a
"real" biography on Paul was supposed to be coming out by April. It never appeared then, or since.
So there was some anticipation about new LTG III arriving. BB would have been right to it when the
truck arrived to see how it looked and felt. And right behind her was the Director of Publications -
Mrs. Patti Simpson-Rivinus! And Gail's best friend, who had only a year before sold all her rights
over to ECKANKAR for Paul's writings, for a cool half a million dollars.
Patti picked up two copies, and bolted out of the office to drive straight over to Gail's. Then they
sat down and started to read it. Not long after - as they say - the proverbial shit hit the fan!
"Oh shit!" yelled Gail. "Bloody hell on earth", screamed Patti. "OMG Patti, what are you going to do?"
implored Gail.
"Me? Jesus Gail, you're the idiot that gave it all to Darwin! It's not my damned problem, it yours!"
retorted Patti. "You're the one with the half a mill, not me Gail!"
At that moment the telephone rang. "Should I answer it," inquired Gail of Patti. "Sure, I'll put the
kettle on, we both need a Chamomile tea, and quick."
"Hello, Gail speaking," as she picked up the receiver. "Oh hi Gail, it's Doug here," said the voice on
the other end of the phone. "Is Patti there by any chance?"
"Yes she is Doug, but we're a little busy right now. Can it wait?"
"Um, sure. I'm just a little worried about her. We were supposed to meet at the local Tea House for a
chat at 4 p.m., but she hasn't showed up. Is she okay? Are you Okay?" he hesitantly asked.
"Oh gosh, not at all. Far from it, but we can't talk now. Can Patti ring you back later Doug?"
"Sure," said Doug. "Is there anything I can do?"
"I wish," responded Gail, "But no, I have to go now, sorry Doug." And she hung up the phone.
"Honestly Gail," said Patti, "That man is lovely but he has the worst timing in the world. I've
completely forgot about our meeting. Doesn't matter I'll sort it out later, it wasn't that important.
He probably just needed to talk, and talk, and talk, and ask me more endless questions. Drives me nuts
that fella some days. Whatever!"
Patti brought the herb tea into the room, and poured a cup for each. As she was about to sit down this
strange bluish hue started to manifest in the corner of the room beside the lush pink curtains.
When a gentle Southern english gentleman's voice spoke to them, "Now now girls, what's all the fuss
about?" It was Paulji. They both competed with each other to rattle off the story of events over the
hopeless editing done in LTG III book and Darwin. "We have to destroy it Paul," said Patti. "And that
blasted David Lane has gone out and published this TMOASM paperback all about you. Just last April
and, and, well now, as if we didn't have enough to deal with, now this stuff of yours too, again. It
just never stops Paulji, and I'm sick of it, honestly I am!"
"Well girls, I don't see what all the fuss is about. No need to throw the baby out with the bath
water is there?"
"Oh Paul, that's a big help, not!" snapped Gail. "Well you did get that money I promised you didn't
Gail? I said I'd come through for you eventually, remember. No foul, but sorry it was a little late,"
said Paulji calmly but with a slight hint of a giggle in his voice. "Go take a holiday to England
and forget about it. Lovely over there this time of year. I just came back from Scotland myself."
"Anyway," he continued, "gotta run along, places to go and people to see, You take it easy y'all."
At that moment the blueish hue started to disappear back into the ether. Gail and Patti looked at
each stunned, and in unison loudly said "You Bastard!"
From a distance way off place they heard the sound of Paul's reply, "Now girls, you leave my mum out
of it..... and I told you they'd be s o r r y . . . "
"Lotta help he was," snapped Gail. "Let's ring Harold now," demanded Patti, "He's our only chance!"
---
At that very moment, as the sun was beginning to set over the distant golden horizon, Sri Darwin had
caught his last wave of the day and was strolling home joyfully to Salishan anticipating his first
luxuriously hot spa bath to wash of off the salt ... while wistfully dreaming of his future life in
paradise.
"Free at last, free at last, thank god almighty, I am free at last....." he muttered silently to
himself.
--- --- ---
Who's the real Master?
You decide - Pick the red door, the blue door, or the green door.
This is a good place for a disclaimer. I have no interest nor opinion, worth a dime, about who is
right or wrong in this ridiculous saga. I do not care about, nor believe in, the doctrine of Eckankar
of who what when or who is the LEM, Mahanta, President, real inner master of anyone, or even who the
local Arahata is. Sorry, if that offends you.
But one thing I do know. Klemp certainly cared about it and in spades. Then and now. A reading of his
Child in the Wilderness book will detail his and many others "opinions" about Darwin Gross before
Klemp was promoted. I know for a fact that Klemp has, since then to today, tried to rely upon the
'writings of Eckankar' by Twitchell to assert himself and his own authority above all others. Plus the
odd 'dream in an astral library' to assert his superior knowledge and opinions over anyone and
everyone. Well hey, now don't we all? (Actually, no we don't, but that's another story.)
So the accepted mythology within Eckankar became that Darwin Gross was already a "fallen master" long
before Klemp was promoted by Gross. Anyone with a quarter brain should be able to work out that a
"fallen master" is unable to promote anyone to anything. Right? I mean, that's simple logic isn't it?
It's only Maths, like Pythagoras was pretty good at, besides being one of those wonderful ECK Masters.
FYI please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlBA9_3zj9w MATHS ROCKS! ]
Of course when such a notion is presented, it gets shot down by another quote, such as 'the MAHANTA,
the Living ECK Master is really appointed by SUGMAD'. The physical chain of events are irrelevant!
Which is why Twitchell never needed Rebazar, Yaubl, or Fubbi to train him, choose him nor Initiate him
into ECK mastership, or hand him the Rod of ECK Power. Oops, hang on, better not go there either.
Back to our vague Harold speaking out of both sides of his mouth, and his Wisdom Note of April 1982.
Klemp asks rhetorically:
"Who is now my Master? There is a great interest, and a natural one,
of what is the MAHANTA, and who is the Living ECK Master?"
"As the present Living ECK Master, I represent the SUGMAD as ITS
vehicle in the lower planes just as Sri Darwin is continuing to do."
See: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/oXAFfXT_3EE/Pc98W0LVf5EJ
Did we notice anything important there? Like perhaps, and making it easier to grasp:
"Sri Darwin is continuing to represent the SUGMAD as ITS vehicle in the lower planes."
Well that pretty much kills any idea that Gross was a "fallen master" as of April 1982. Doesn't it?
Sure, if one chooses to believe Klemp speaks with any degree of AUTHORITY and TRUTHFULNESS in April
1982, barely 5 months after being anointed and accepted as the Living ECK Master of ECKANKAR, it
would.
However, if he is the LEM, then ...... YES, eureka! He must also be the MAHANTA too. We have loads of
"quotes" to support that. Just go read Harold at this time or Twitchell's writings long before him.
Remember, those writings that kept changing? But of course there is the "out" that Klemp likewise
regularly relied upon. Given HE is the biggest best-est ever Mahanta, way higher and better-er than
Paul or Darwin ever were, then he, with all this supreme authority, does have the inner advice of the
SUGMAD to change the teachings as needed. He is after all the AGENT of GOD on this earth and for all
ECK followers.
And so he did! Repeatedly. A cherry pick here, and a cherry pick there, a slight word change here,
and an insert here then: "If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck,"
then it's a RELIGION! The man is a genius.
But Paul never said that, he said and wrote it was the complete opposite. Bzzzzzzt, wrong. That's only
the 'writings', for the true teachings are from the inner. So please go check "that temple within"
again, if you please, or I will have to excommunicate you and then call you a Weed at the next World
Wide seminar! Tsk, tsk, yet another fallen ECKist who obviously 'doesn't get it' as pure as I do ...
is the line to use. It works, not.
Meanwhile, God's Agent on Earth is rolled as the President of ECKANKAR. The Mahanta of all people.
Rolled by his own Board of Trustees in April 1982. And to remind you all, at the very time that his
latest Wisdom Note claiming he was the MAHANTA, the Living ECK Master, a FOURTEENTH INITIATE from day
one, as he would later claim repeatedly ad nauseum. Greater than Gross, and far greater than Twitchell
even. In print mind you.
Please see LTG Vol III, and any number of the Master's Discourses, or Mahanta Manuscripts, and so on.
See: https://www.scribd.com/doc/19980986/Letters-To-Gail-3 Do read the Foreword and the Afterword by
Harold Klemp there. To see parts of the Original LTG III by Darwin Gross and Bernadine Burlin, printed
in June 1983, please go here:
http://pub32.bravenet.com/photocenter/album.php?usernum=2719877602#bn-photocenter-1-1-2719877602
As discussed elsewhere, it is this book that really triggered Darwin Gross' downfall in 1983.
For now, I have a simple question:
"Then why oh why is it, that Mr. Klemp and all his 8th Initiates, such as Patti Simpson-Rivinus, plus
all the Board of Trustees who possessed the power to act legally, didn't immediately recoil and revolt
against Darwin Gross, the "fallen master" then and there on April 14th, 1982?"
Or a few days later? A month later? What was the problem that caused God's Agent from asserting his
authority over the past ECK master in Darwin Gross? It worked fine 16 months later in August 7th, 1983
didn't it?
Why wait? Did SUGMAD advise Klemp in "that temple within" he had to wait? Why is it that the MAHANTA
did not know in March or early April 1982, that he was about to be ROLLED BY THE ENTIRE BOARD on April
the 14th? Really, there are no answers to such questions. As any good ECKist will inform you, the ECK
doth work in the most Mysterious of ways.
It sure does, and I know why that is so. Because it is only ever applied IN HINDSIGHT, that's why!
It's called writing history after it's happened, and then continually re-writing it after the first
recording of it, to ensure the history is neatly "fitted out" to suit the powers that be at the time.
That's why! Life:101 in fact.
--- --- ---
END OF PART ONE
More later.......
PART ONE of Two Parts
To the best of our knowledge, the following is an accurate historical summary of events based
on confirmed documented records, written publications, and individual personal reports.
Plus some personal conclusions and opinions along the way.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Discussions between Mr. Gross and Mr. Klemp to become the Living ECK Master began in March 1980.
At this time Klemp was a 5th Initiate of ECKANKAR. He was employed full time by ECKANKAR and had
been for some time.
Klemp had performed work duties in the head offices of ECKANKAR at both Las Vegas and Menlo Park.
Over and above his employment Klemp also performed volunteer 'spiritual duties' which included:
speaking at seminars, writings, training courses for members, reviewing initiate reports and
initiation processes. All this had been under the direction, training, and supervision of the
then Mahanta, the Living ECK Master, Sri Darwin Gross.
On October 22, 1971 Sri Darwin Gross had been appointed as the new Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
At that time, he was deemed by all to have accepted the Rod of ECK Power in the 'spiritual realm'.
Yet he was only a 6th Initiate of ECKANKAR, which he has confirmed in his court depositions. This
is still in line with the known Doctrines of ECKANKAR, as laid down by the founder Sri Paul Twitchell
before his sudden death on September 17, 1971.
Mr. Gross was first contacted by telephone and advised of his appointment by Mrs. Gail Twitchell,
widow of Paul Twitchell on September 22, 1971. [see the Steiger reference below]
In due course, and after his appointment to LEM, Gross was given the 7th, 8th and 9th Outer
Initiations of ECKANKAR by other High Initiates of the day. Some possible candidates include
Dr. Louis Bluth (the then President of ECKANKAR), Chet Tuttle, Vandilla Walker, Helen Baird and
Millie Moore. I believe, but cannot say for certain, that Darwin Gross did not get the 9th
Initiation until 1973. No one will really know, at least not publicly, until or unless, Gail
Twitchell-Gross-Anderson tells the whole truth about what she really knows about the history of
ECKANKAR. Last July she turned 72 years old, the same age as Harold Klemp.
Earlier in 1971 Patti Simpson had received her 6th Initiation from Dr Bluth, and Darwin Gross from
Paul Twitchell. Both had joined ECKANKAR in late 1968 after reading the book IMSIAF. I believe that
Harold Klemp joined very soon after they did. Most of the time between then and Twitchell's death he
was in Japan in the U.S. Airforce, so he had far less contact with Eckankar and Twitchell than either
Patti or Darwin did.
In late 1971 however, Harold Klemp was still only a 3rd Initiate. This is despite much later claiming
he had received 'God Realization' during 1971 in what I would describe as a 'psychotic event'. This
event actually got him arrested and placed by court order into a mental facility for several months
afterwards.
By the mid-1970s Harold Klemp was working full time at the Eckankar head office in Las Vegas and a
4th Initiate. Patti Simpson was now an 8th, and Darwin of course was a 9th or higher and the Mahanta,
the Living ECK Master of the day. For a year or so Doug Marman and Harold were working together in
the head office under Darwin Gross. Marman has many times reported that Klemp was a loner who kept
to himself and did not socialize very much. Quietly went about his work mainly in jobs associated
with printing and photography in the publishing department.
I believe it was 1978 or perhaps early 1979 when Klemp became a 5th Initiate, known as a Mahdi or
High Initiate in Eckankar.
--- --- ---
DARWIN GROSS BECOMES THE LEM
According to his sworn testimony, Gross first had 'spiritual / dreams' contact and
awareness of Paul Twitchell as his teacher and spiritual guide at the age on 3 years
old. This being in or about 1930. Twitchell, he said, was still in training himself.
Twitchell was then about 20 years old and a Highschool student in Paducah, Ky.
A 1971 article by Brad Steiger stated:
I was able to hold a telephone interview with the new master
after the announcement of his elevation had been made. Sri
Darwin spoke with quiet confidence regarding his future
position with Eckankar, and Mrs. Patti Simpson, ECK
director of publications, filled me in on some of Gross'
background."
Darwin Gross was born in North Dakota, the middle
child of five. When he was in his early teens, the Gross
family moved to Portland, Oregon. Ever since he was a
three-year-old child, Darwin, whose spiritual name is "Dap
Ren," has been aware of superior beings from another
plane of existence watching over him. One entity who
materialized before him on several occasions identified
himself as "Rebazar Tarz." Another entity who came often
to communicate with the maturing lad remained nameless
for many years, until Darwin learned to know him as "Peddar
Zaskq." [...]
"Strangely enough," he went on, "just two weeks before
Paul translated, I quit my job, resolving to go out into
world as a missionary for ECK."
Then, on September 22, 1971, FIVE DAYS AFTER Sri Paul
Twitchell's death, Gail Twitchell called Darwin Gross and
told him that he was to be Paul's successor, the new Living
ECK Master.
At the fifth Worldwide Seminar, Gail read an
unpublished poem that had been written by her husband,
handed a blue carnation to Darwin Gross as a symbol of
the transfer of the rod of ECK power.
"That was when a funny thing happened," Patti
Simpson, Eck director of publications, told me. "At that
very moment when Gail passed the blue carnation to Darwin,
Dap Ren, every television camera, every radio microphone
phone, every piece of recording equipment in the room
suddenly ceased to function. The momentous moment
simply went unrecorded, and Gail's presence is not down
for posterity. When Darwin mounted the speaker's plat-
form, however, all the recording and camera equipment
once more began to function."
"The Strange World of Brad Steiger" 1973 pp 160-162
So contrary to popular opinion, there was no consternation nor stalling over who was to be
the next Living ECK master. The decision had been made within 5 days of Twitchell's death.
Of note however, is the complete malfunctioning of the light and sound equipment at the
moment Gail Twitchell passed the blue carnation to Gross. Was it an esoteric representation
of a "kiss of death"? Who knows, for all kinds of beliefs are created out of mundane events.
Patti Simpson did have a solid reputation for hyperbole, exaggeration and wild conclusions.
Who could compete with her, Paul's supposedly closest confidant, and now the Eck Director
of Publications? Patti loved Paul deeply, and personally, to the end of her days. She
remained Paul's No. 1 Publicity and Press Officer! Everyone else, LEM or not, was always a
secondary or lower consideration to her. And, why not? It was her choice, and was only ever
her call to make. No one else. Darwin and Harold were irrelevant in most ways. But Patti was
very loyal to the Eckankar path that Twitchell had created, and was a dedicated employee and
High Initiate. Most people really liked her.
--- --- ---
The Mahanta and Historical Researchers
Sri Darwin Gross was known and presented as the MAHANTA, Living ECK Master from day one. There
was little to no doubt that he had received the Rod of Power in October 1971, according to the
tenets of Eckankar. Some members didn't accept him, or this change after Twitchell died, and they
did leave. Dr Bluth was one, though I am unsure how long after he decided that.
Word has it that both he and Chet Tuttle were of the belief that Twitchell's written Will had
stipulated Dr Bluth to be the next LEM and of course others disagree. Some like Marman claim this
is not true and that Twitchell did leave a written note of some kind for Gail recording Darwin
Gross to be his replacement. If such a note actually existed it has never been made public, and I
have never heard of anyone else, except Marman claiming such a thing.
He does that a lot. Says things, with zero substantiation bar people having to just 'take his word'
for it. I used to take what he said in good faith. The problem being his stories kept changing.
One day he was saying he had spoken to Brad Steiger about the tape recordings Brad had made of
Twitchell. He recounted this publicly, he was definite it was a true report. Years later, he rang
to speak with Brad about those, and Steiger said sorry, I have thrown them out. Marman, believed him.
Years later again, on another telephone chat with Steiger, the report comes back this time that
Steiger never made any tapes of Paul. The story had changed to one where no tapes were ever made.
Not only that, but Brad never had a face to face interview with Twitchell to prepare the biographical
book IMSIAF. Marman's reports this publicly, and now he, Doug, must have been 'mistaken' both times
before. And let's all move on shall we.
My opinion now, for over 6 years is, based on an uncountable number of such examples as above, that
Marman's personal reports, anecdotes and statements are totally unreliable without some other kind of
documented evidence to support his claim or opinion. Or at least another more credible witness to back
him up and confirm his report, his memory, is true and accurate.
This is important because the historical record is strewn with Marman's statements all over the
internet and publicly going back to 1983 and Fate Magazine letters to the Editor. Marman has made all
manner of claims about his researching Twitchell's manuscripts and archives in the early 1970s and
again in 1983, or wait, was it 1984. He can't quite 'recall', but he is sure of it. He took notes,
that no one has ever seen but himself.
Darwin said this, and Harold said that, back in the 70s and 80s. Marman was there, he knows for sure.
And a month or a year or a decade later he changes his 'story' yet again. Then a document shows up
proving what he said the second time must be in error too. Oh, sorry, I must have been mistaken. This
has gone for years and especially on the a.r.e. newsgroup, Lane's RSS group, and on Ford Johnson's
discussion board from 2003.
Now Marman, like anyone, can believe whatever they wish to. But he has no right to simply make up
historical facts off the top of his head. And then tell the world about them "as if" they were true
and credible reports about anything. He was there, he knows. Rubbish. I rang and spoke to Brad
Steiger, I know. I spoke with Gail years ago, I know. Patti Simpson told me that..., I know. I met
with Harold Klemp covertly in 1983 and 1984 in a restaurant car park. He told me all about the
plagiarisms he had found in Twitchell's archive, I know, says Marman. Rubbish.
Most of it is unreliable mythical thinking, muddled beliefs, poor memory, zero consistency, and just
not credible. Do not believe a word in Marman's book 'The Whole Truth' unless it is verified by
some other valid source. Frankly he does not possess the basic skills and talents to be a half decent
historian or journalist reporting the 'real facts'.
After 23 years of his life being a Twitchell 'great and knowledgeable researcher' arguing publicly
with David Lane and anyone up for a 'debate', his manuscript for TWT book was all but ready to send
off to the printers. Only then does he get in his car and go to Paducah Kentucky for the very first
time in his life. He walks into the Paducah Library, and says hey, anyone know anything about Paul
Twitchell? This is the person Brad Steiger says:
"READ MARMAN'S BOOK. IT IS THE FINAL WORD. A WORK OF EXACTING SCHOLARSHIP."
(Steiger's caps)
What Rubbish! About as accurate as Steiger's biography on Twitchell was, and his lies about never
seeing Twitchell face to face and never making tape recordings. Full of make believe BS rubbish!
And 'BS' btw, stands for Brad Steiger. Very apt!
Go here to read some of Steigers latest CRAP http://www.bradandsherry.com/ The guy is, and always has
been, a manipulative jerk and cheap hack writer. Will do, write, or say anything for a few buck$. Now
he is 78 years old and he is still working pumping out crazy useless garbage for the gullible and
idiotic of this world.
Fact is, I emailed Steiger more than once to check, and he didn't recommend Marman's book. Sorry Doug!
But it was worth the effort to contact him and find out what he was really like. 'Nough said.
So for years Marman talked and talked and talked endlessly about Twitchell and criticized Lane and
everyone else about how important real facts and proper research were as opposed to Lane's 'beliefs'
and 'assumptions'. People in glass houses really shouldn't bother.
Dean McMakin did a really good little Bio on Twitchell way back in 1992. Gosh the man even used real
historical resources like, um, the U.S. Census, Genealogy records, birth certificates, and Telephone
Directories. Marman had no clue until Ford Johnson shared that with everyone in 2003. Ooops, what, you
seriously didn't know about that Bio Mr Marman? Obviously you never checked at 'that temple within"!
Dean was an Eckist, grew up near Paducah, and he sent that Bio to Klemp in 1992. Who knew? Not our
Doug that is for sure. I use The Whole Truth as a door stop on a windy day. It's a brick. 'Nough said!
The bottom line is this. Marman says all kinds of things about Gross, Klemp, Patti, Gail, Twitchell,
Kirpal Singh, David Lane, Ford Johnson, Sudar Singh, Paris, Radhasoami, Ruhani Satsang, the Sikhs,
Academia, History, Journalism, Plagiarism, Two percent, Eckankar, Lies, Truth, Rebazar Tarzs, Mahanta,
The Pole of the World, Dialectics, Sophistry, Occam's Razor, Philosophy, Copyright Law, Rumi, the
Sukhmani and more. Doesn't make a word of it true nor useful. Buyer beware. Don't believe me either,
do your own research, if you are up for it.
Back to Gross and The Mahanta
For example two quotes:
"I have every eck publication from the 1970s, Mystic Worlds, Eck World
News, special notices, Wisdom Notes, etc. Gross is referred to as the
Mahanta."
From the Eck World News, June, 1976:
"In this painting by Diana Stanley, the Ancient Order of Vairagi Masters
gather on October 22, 1971 to welcome the MAHANTA Sri Darwin Gross, the
972nd Living ECK Master in this unbroken line....."
"The spirit body of the MAHANTA, the Living ECK Master, known in the
physical body as Sri Darwin Gross,..." Picked at random from the pile.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/2Im8om2gteM/jTKmkRiLueQJ
"Just a quick point of clarification. Throughout his tenure as the spiritual
leader of Eckankar (1971-1981), Sri Darwin Gross was consistently introduced
as "Sri Darwin Gross, the Mahanta, the Living Eck Master." Also, if you
recall, from 1981-1983 (Sri Harold Klemp's first two years of tenure as the
spiritual leader of Eckankar) the operating paradigm was that, while Sri
Harold was indeed the current Living Eck Master, Sri Darwin retained the
Mahantaship.
Historical revisionism is not a pretty sight." Michael Turner.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/2Im8om2gteM/pJOMV6SXr9cJ
Of course these messages were posted because others had been claiming otherwise. Doug Marman was one
of many. However eventually Marman also put the notion out there that Gross was never the "Mahanta"
into print, in his 2007 book TWT. That's after pushing this theory and that of his 'friends and
co-opters' for years.
An historically important third quote is from Sri Harold Klemp himself:
The Wisdom Notes - March/April 1982
"Dap Ren [Sri Darwin Gross], Rebazar Tarzs, Fubbi
Quantz and Yaubl Sacabi have all passed through the
state of MAHANTAship and still RETAIN IT."
Adding: "During this current era, as always, whoever
accepts the Rod of ECK Power becomes the MAHANTA."
See: 1982-03 Klemp The Wisdom Notes - Who is now my Master?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/oXAFfXT_3EE/Pc98W0LVf5EJ
This text by Klemp is an early example of his life long pattern for 'understatement', 'vagueness',
and 'half truths'. Typically absent was the gumption to stand up and just come right out and say
something 'straight and direct' to his readers and listeners. To say what he means and mean what
he says. It is such an obviously entrenched pattern of behavior of Klemp's I am not even going to
bother offering another example. Read anything at all by him. Especially his 'seminar talks'.
On top of this pattern is another equally prevalent condition. Klemp repeatedly redacts his previous
statements. That too is everywhere to be found, just look. The classic example is his talks about
Twitchell in 1984-1985. There is what he actually said at the time. What ended up in the Mahanta
transcripts, and then what one will see now on the Eckankar website. None of the three add up to the
same thing.
Of course, the grand sophist Marman presents the ludicrous notion that, like he did about Twitchell,
anyone can redo their own words over again. There's nothing wrong in that. I say rubbish, for it
depends. On what has been changed, and why, and whether or not the person has openly acknowledged
the change and the purpose of it.
I am not speaking about a simple slip of the tongue or an editing issue intended to improve the
clarity of what was said first here, but the actual changes in intent of the take away "message" that
the average person is being given at each of the times the "story changes".
This is a serious matter when it comes to Klemp as much if not more than Twitchell's redactions and
changes he made to his core doctrines. Like how many initiations are there, a god-eater or a spiritual
traveler versus an ECK master. The sudden appearance of the term Mahanta in January 1969. With
usually, zero explanations.
Now let's be very clear about what Klemp is insinuating in his April 1982 Wisdom Note.
He states that: "Read a little bit about the MAHANTA and the Rod of ECK Power, then, in contemplation,
take your question to that temple within. If you are persistent and sincere, you will find the
solution yourself and know the secret of who is your Master."
First, it's a secret! Next, "It is not for anyone else to tell you", he says. You just go read what
the SKS et cetera have to say about the Living ECK Master, and who holds the Rod of ECK Power!
Then go "contemplate" on that, for a while. Any half-wit would be able to work out that Klemp is
stating here, somewhat vaguely of course, but the intent should be crystal clear. But no, no, he is
not telling anyone what to think, of course, that he is the Living ECK master, that he had accepted
the Rod of ECK Power last October, and therefore he IS THE MAHANTA. No nothing like that at all.
Sure, whatever.
Wow, that's some 'secret'! But of course, as any expert political spin master or sophist can do
easily, he himself didn't really tell anyone else what to think or what to believe. Did he? And if
anyone took his advice, and contemplated at "that temple within" and their take away message was:
1) he wasn't the Mahanta, and 2) he didn't actually receive the Rod of ECK Power last October either,
then what?
Say they then wrote a personal note to Harold and told him that ... what would be the outcome then?
Or in late 1983, or even today? According to Klemp's "half truths" above, the response should be:
"Well my blessed one, as I said back in 1982 - "It is not for anyone else to tell you", - and so I
totally accept your inner guidance, and I have absolutely no issue with that, nor with you personally.
Do and say whatever you like, anywhere you like, because this is your right to speak your own Truth
and to follow your inner guidance always. Even in an ECK center or at the next Eckankar seminar you
attend, please speak up, because it is all fine by me. Affectionately, Harold."
So hold that thought, and let's move along a little further before revisiting this issue later.
--- --- ---
CHANGES IN THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
In January 1982, as per the recently changed Corporation Articles and By-Laws instigated by Sri Darwin
before October 1981 when Klemp was promoted to the Living ECK Master position by Darwin, Harold Klemp
was Voted onto the Board of Trustees and Voted in as the new President-CEO of ECKANKAR.
The Board had also, under Darwin and Alan Nichols instigation been increased from five Trustees to
seven. This was a constructive step to make - seven heads should be better than five, as five had been
far better than one alone doing all the considerations and then making all the decisions. Such was the
'theory' anyway.
What one can see during 1981 and into 1982 is Darwin Gross actually dispersing his previous personal
power and control among more people, including but especially his sharing of the responsibilities with
Harold Klemp, for the good of the whole movement. Clearly that was based on accepted good business and
executive Board practice.
Alan Nichols' legal firm had been the primary Corporate lawyer for ECKANKAR since about 1976. He was a
specialist with an excellent reputation in the field of Non-Profit Organizations. He was also a
professional Lawyer of high integrity among his peers and the courts. Based on his legal and ethical
experience plus his long term knowledge of ECKANKAR, he was invited onto the Board ~1980 as a new
Trustee. Where is he now? http://www.explorers.org/index.php/about/explorers_club_president
It is my understanding, correct me if this is wrong, that Harold Ware had been a very long term
Trustee too, plus the President and/or Chairman of the Board. Then he gave notice to resign from his
'General Manager' job at the ECKANKAR Head Office and as a Trustee, which came into effect in October
1981. I believe this is when Alan Nichols was raised to be Chairman of the Board, and Darwin Gross
(temporarily) became the President. An 'Officer of the Corporation' a position which Gross had never
held before then, to my knowledge.
At this point in time Gross knew that he was about to raise Klemp to be the new LEM. At the October
30, 1981 annual meeting a final Board vote was taken. This was after months of consideration whether
or not to change the legally binding By-laws for the LEM to always also act as the President of the
Corporation. The most senior Officer of the Corporation under Law, and also as LEM the titular
'spiritual head' of Eckankar but in conjunction still with Darwin Gross, who was after all his mentor
and he was still an ECK Master, with far more experience than Klemp.
As the ECKANKAR lawyer, wearing two hats as it were, Alan Nichols' law firm implemented the required
changes of the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation. These were completed before the January 1982
Board of Trustees meeting. Proper votes were taken and the board was duly expanded to seven Members,
including the addition of Klemp. He was then voted in as President after accepting Gross' formal
resignation.
Alan Nichols, a professional lawyer was Chairman of the Board, Klemp was the new President-CEO, and
other Trustees had been duly voted in as Officers of the Corporation such as a new Treasurer and
Secretary. These were necessary due to staff and trustee changes in the previous four months or so.
Everything seemed fine, and everyone seemed happy with everything. All Votes by the Trustees were, as
was usual, very agreeable and unanimous.
See: 1982-01-09 Extracts Eckankar Board of Trustees meeting minutes - HK to President
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/zvoMX9WFOoQ/GO_nFGS-F7AJ
Then in APRIL 1982, the same month that Harold's Wisdom Note had already hit the membership around the
world, Klemp unexpectedly resigned as the President. This was accepted unanimously. Then Darwin Gross
was nominated and elected as the new President, by unanimous vote again where 7 of the 7 agreed,
including Klemp himself.
OK, so we have the picture clear, yes? Klemp is the LEM and was promoted to that position in Oct 1981.
He was a 5th Initiate a year before that. In 1981 he sped through his 6th, 7th, and 8th Initiations,
and Darwin Gross confirms in documents he received the outer 9th Initiation too. Of course, you may
make inquiries at that temple within, if you wish.
As the LEM, the By-Laws then stated that Klemp must be the President, but after only three months in
that role, he quit. The By-Laws that only recently had been changed, then needed to be re-voted on all
over again and changed legally by The Nichols Law Corporation asap.
As Alan Nichols and others confirmed in Depositions:
"I believe Mr. Klemp had said that he had been
president for several months and that he was
going to resign from that position pretty much
as stated in those minutes. Darwin said that he
was willing to take over again as the president."
See: 1984-09-19 Telephone Deposition of ALAN NICHOLS - pg 61
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/KLUpDZYbO7w/Ietl631Y2L8J
But Klemp and everyone else did absolutely nothing. Not a thing. Patti didn't complain and gather the
8ths together to send Klemp a formal letter of demand he get rid of Gross or else. Marman said not a
word and he didn't rush off to Harold's aid to have secret meetings in obscure restaurant and 711
car parks around Menlo Park. Joan Cross didn't freak out either, though she may have offered a
shoulder
on which to cry upon. I don't know.
In his Court Depositions Klemp didn't really say much at all about this event in April 1982. Just that
it happened. Instead he states that he first started having concerns over Gross in early 1983, over 9
months later or more. It's only in June 1983 that things became serious to him. Gross had packed house
and moved up to his new home at Gleneden beach, Oregon.
Whilst that happened a truck arrived with 16,000 copies of the new Letters to Gail III. It was set to
be the major book launched at the upcoming WW seminar in October 1983. It was summer, and I suspect
that Darwin was swimming happily in the Pacific Ocean. Oblivious to the storm brewing back down in
Menlo Park.
It's the middle of June 1983, Darwin and Bernadine Burlin had produced the new book without any input
or assistance from the then Director of Publications. It was the first book of Twitchell's published
for years.
"Difficulties of Becoming the Living ECK Master" was the last one and it came out in 1980. The one
with the 'mug shot' of Paul on the front. But that wasn't really a "Twitchell" book per se. In 1981 a
"real" biography on Paul was supposed to be coming out by April. It never appeared then, or since.
So there was some anticipation about new LTG III arriving. BB would have been right to it when the
truck arrived to see how it looked and felt. And right behind her was the Director of Publications -
Mrs. Patti Simpson-Rivinus! And Gail's best friend, who had only a year before sold all her rights
over to ECKANKAR for Paul's writings, for a cool half a million dollars.
Patti picked up two copies, and bolted out of the office to drive straight over to Gail's. Then they
sat down and started to read it. Not long after - as they say - the proverbial shit hit the fan!
"Oh shit!" yelled Gail. "Bloody hell on earth", screamed Patti. "OMG Patti, what are you going to do?"
implored Gail.
"Me? Jesus Gail, you're the idiot that gave it all to Darwin! It's not my damned problem, it yours!"
retorted Patti. "You're the one with the half a mill, not me Gail!"
At that moment the telephone rang. "Should I answer it," inquired Gail of Patti. "Sure, I'll put the
kettle on, we both need a Chamomile tea, and quick."
"Hello, Gail speaking," as she picked up the receiver. "Oh hi Gail, it's Doug here," said the voice on
the other end of the phone. "Is Patti there by any chance?"
"Yes she is Doug, but we're a little busy right now. Can it wait?"
"Um, sure. I'm just a little worried about her. We were supposed to meet at the local Tea House for a
chat at 4 p.m., but she hasn't showed up. Is she okay? Are you Okay?" he hesitantly asked.
"Oh gosh, not at all. Far from it, but we can't talk now. Can Patti ring you back later Doug?"
"Sure," said Doug. "Is there anything I can do?"
"I wish," responded Gail, "But no, I have to go now, sorry Doug." And she hung up the phone.
"Honestly Gail," said Patti, "That man is lovely but he has the worst timing in the world. I've
completely forgot about our meeting. Doesn't matter I'll sort it out later, it wasn't that important.
He probably just needed to talk, and talk, and talk, and ask me more endless questions. Drives me nuts
that fella some days. Whatever!"
Patti brought the herb tea into the room, and poured a cup for each. As she was about to sit down this
strange bluish hue started to manifest in the corner of the room beside the lush pink curtains.
When a gentle Southern english gentleman's voice spoke to them, "Now now girls, what's all the fuss
about?" It was Paulji. They both competed with each other to rattle off the story of events over the
hopeless editing done in LTG III book and Darwin. "We have to destroy it Paul," said Patti. "And that
blasted David Lane has gone out and published this TMOASM paperback all about you. Just last April
and, and, well now, as if we didn't have enough to deal with, now this stuff of yours too, again. It
just never stops Paulji, and I'm sick of it, honestly I am!"
"Well girls, I don't see what all the fuss is about. No need to throw the baby out with the bath
water is there?"
"Oh Paul, that's a big help, not!" snapped Gail. "Well you did get that money I promised you didn't
Gail? I said I'd come through for you eventually, remember. No foul, but sorry it was a little late,"
said Paulji calmly but with a slight hint of a giggle in his voice. "Go take a holiday to England
and forget about it. Lovely over there this time of year. I just came back from Scotland myself."
"Anyway," he continued, "gotta run along, places to go and people to see, You take it easy y'all."
At that moment the blueish hue started to disappear back into the ether. Gail and Patti looked at
each stunned, and in unison loudly said "You Bastard!"
From a distance way off place they heard the sound of Paul's reply, "Now girls, you leave my mum out
of it..... and I told you they'd be s o r r y . . . "
"Lotta help he was," snapped Gail. "Let's ring Harold now," demanded Patti, "He's our only chance!"
---
At that very moment, as the sun was beginning to set over the distant golden horizon, Sri Darwin had
caught his last wave of the day and was strolling home joyfully to Salishan anticipating his first
luxuriously hot spa bath to wash of off the salt ... while wistfully dreaming of his future life in
paradise.
"Free at last, free at last, thank god almighty, I am free at last....." he muttered silently to
himself.
--- --- ---
Who's the real Master?
You decide - Pick the red door, the blue door, or the green door.
This is a good place for a disclaimer. I have no interest nor opinion, worth a dime, about who is
right or wrong in this ridiculous saga. I do not care about, nor believe in, the doctrine of Eckankar
of who what when or who is the LEM, Mahanta, President, real inner master of anyone, or even who the
local Arahata is. Sorry, if that offends you.
But one thing I do know. Klemp certainly cared about it and in spades. Then and now. A reading of his
Child in the Wilderness book will detail his and many others "opinions" about Darwin Gross before
Klemp was promoted. I know for a fact that Klemp has, since then to today, tried to rely upon the
'writings of Eckankar' by Twitchell to assert himself and his own authority above all others. Plus the
odd 'dream in an astral library' to assert his superior knowledge and opinions over anyone and
everyone. Well hey, now don't we all? (Actually, no we don't, but that's another story.)
So the accepted mythology within Eckankar became that Darwin Gross was already a "fallen master" long
before Klemp was promoted by Gross. Anyone with a quarter brain should be able to work out that a
"fallen master" is unable to promote anyone to anything. Right? I mean, that's simple logic isn't it?
It's only Maths, like Pythagoras was pretty good at, besides being one of those wonderful ECK Masters.
FYI please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlBA9_3zj9w MATHS ROCKS! ]
Of course when such a notion is presented, it gets shot down by another quote, such as 'the MAHANTA,
the Living ECK Master is really appointed by SUGMAD'. The physical chain of events are irrelevant!
Which is why Twitchell never needed Rebazar, Yaubl, or Fubbi to train him, choose him nor Initiate him
into ECK mastership, or hand him the Rod of ECK Power. Oops, hang on, better not go there either.
Back to our vague Harold speaking out of both sides of his mouth, and his Wisdom Note of April 1982.
Klemp asks rhetorically:
"Who is now my Master? There is a great interest, and a natural one,
of what is the MAHANTA, and who is the Living ECK Master?"
"As the present Living ECK Master, I represent the SUGMAD as ITS
vehicle in the lower planes just as Sri Darwin is continuing to do."
See: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/oXAFfXT_3EE/Pc98W0LVf5EJ
Did we notice anything important there? Like perhaps, and making it easier to grasp:
"Sri Darwin is continuing to represent the SUGMAD as ITS vehicle in the lower planes."
Well that pretty much kills any idea that Gross was a "fallen master" as of April 1982. Doesn't it?
Sure, if one chooses to believe Klemp speaks with any degree of AUTHORITY and TRUTHFULNESS in April
1982, barely 5 months after being anointed and accepted as the Living ECK Master of ECKANKAR, it
would.
However, if he is the LEM, then ...... YES, eureka! He must also be the MAHANTA too. We have loads of
"quotes" to support that. Just go read Harold at this time or Twitchell's writings long before him.
Remember, those writings that kept changing? But of course there is the "out" that Klemp likewise
regularly relied upon. Given HE is the biggest best-est ever Mahanta, way higher and better-er than
Paul or Darwin ever were, then he, with all this supreme authority, does have the inner advice of the
SUGMAD to change the teachings as needed. He is after all the AGENT of GOD on this earth and for all
ECK followers.
And so he did! Repeatedly. A cherry pick here, and a cherry pick there, a slight word change here,
and an insert here then: "If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck,"
then it's a RELIGION! The man is a genius.
But Paul never said that, he said and wrote it was the complete opposite. Bzzzzzzt, wrong. That's only
the 'writings', for the true teachings are from the inner. So please go check "that temple within"
again, if you please, or I will have to excommunicate you and then call you a Weed at the next World
Wide seminar! Tsk, tsk, yet another fallen ECKist who obviously 'doesn't get it' as pure as I do ...
is the line to use. It works, not.
Meanwhile, God's Agent on Earth is rolled as the President of ECKANKAR. The Mahanta of all people.
Rolled by his own Board of Trustees in April 1982. And to remind you all, at the very time that his
latest Wisdom Note claiming he was the MAHANTA, the Living ECK Master, a FOURTEENTH INITIATE from day
one, as he would later claim repeatedly ad nauseum. Greater than Gross, and far greater than Twitchell
even. In print mind you.
Please see LTG Vol III, and any number of the Master's Discourses, or Mahanta Manuscripts, and so on.
See: https://www.scribd.com/doc/19980986/Letters-To-Gail-3 Do read the Foreword and the Afterword by
Harold Klemp there. To see parts of the Original LTG III by Darwin Gross and Bernadine Burlin, printed
in June 1983, please go here:
http://pub32.bravenet.com/photocenter/album.php?usernum=2719877602#bn-photocenter-1-1-2719877602
As discussed elsewhere, it is this book that really triggered Darwin Gross' downfall in 1983.
For now, I have a simple question:
"Then why oh why is it, that Mr. Klemp and all his 8th Initiates, such as Patti Simpson-Rivinus, plus
all the Board of Trustees who possessed the power to act legally, didn't immediately recoil and revolt
against Darwin Gross, the "fallen master" then and there on April 14th, 1982?"
Or a few days later? A month later? What was the problem that caused God's Agent from asserting his
authority over the past ECK master in Darwin Gross? It worked fine 16 months later in August 7th, 1983
didn't it?
Why wait? Did SUGMAD advise Klemp in "that temple within" he had to wait? Why is it that the MAHANTA
did not know in March or early April 1982, that he was about to be ROLLED BY THE ENTIRE BOARD on April
the 14th? Really, there are no answers to such questions. As any good ECKist will inform you, the ECK
doth work in the most Mysterious of ways.
It sure does, and I know why that is so. Because it is only ever applied IN HINDSIGHT, that's why!
It's called writing history after it's happened, and then continually re-writing it after the first
recording of it, to ensure the history is neatly "fitted out" to suit the powers that be at the time.
That's why! Life:101 in fact.
--- --- ---
END OF PART ONE
More later.......
Peetee Aitchei
Oct 18, 2014, 9:22:18 AM10/18/14
to
On Saturday, 18 October 2014 23:04:45 UTC+11, Peetee Aitchei wrote:
> 1981-1989 GROSS v ECKANKAR - A Summary of Historical Events
>
PART TWO of Two parts
> 1981-1989 GROSS v ECKANKAR - A Summary of Historical Events
>
--- --- ---
Darwin Gross' Point of View
Surely though, Mr. Darwin Gross had a view about this. While you read this section may I humbly
suggest you have a think back at what Mr. Gross had said under oath, and via other forums from 1981
through to the day he died in 2008. And by all means, after seeing the known records of such for
yourself, do take it to "that temple within" and contemplate on what your own "inner master" might
have to say about it.
Let's see now what Mr. Gross, the fallen master et al, had to say about it himself:
"Nowhere will you ever find anything written or spoken by me saying I transferred the Rod of Power
to you in October 1981, or at any other time. This I was unable to pass on to you. I regarded my
silence to speak for itself. However, I did state publicly I would provide you with the same
opportunity to unfold into higher consciousness as was provided to me by Paul. Ignoring that all
important qualification, your supporters began almost immediately to assert you had received "the Rod
of Power" from me, declaring you to be the new "Mahanta." Rather than setting them straight, as you
were honor bound to do, you led the chorus.
"The "Rod of Power" is simply the love of God pouring out to all the spiritual students, equally
divided, and incapable of animosity, exclusivity or domination. In the minds of the chelas, by my
handing you a flower, they assumed that it was representative of your receiving the rod of power,
which is false thinking. As you know from your own experience, the imaginary faculty is very great
and can guide a person down the wrong pathway.
"I lifted the daily workload from your shoulders to help you discover this for yourself, to get your
consciousness open to that divine flow. However, I could not exempt you or anyone else from working
through the tests leading to unfoldment in consciousness of soul. It is the function of the training
master to supervise, to provide guidance as requested, and to monitor progress. Beyond that each must
struggle for the higher consciousness for himself. It is the law of Sugmad.
"My good faith and intention on your behalf is attested to, both in my promotion of you and in my
efforts to lighten your load as much as possible. You have complained of the discipline but faced
considerably less than Paulji established for me. The value of spiritual testing is to strengthen
the seeker for mastering levels of responsibility to which he aspires. It was a grand opportunity
for you, an opportunity which you heedlessly threw away on August 8, 1983, in an act of rebellion and
disloyalty against me and all I represent as Paulji's successor.
"This made a mockery of the distinction between what I have received as guardian for Paul's works and
what you have done in an opposition gone berserk. Individual choice is the heart of all true spiritual
works and of democracy itself. People cannot make good decisions when they are systematically denied
access to information relevant to that decision."
[end quote]
In that letter to Klemp, for which ECKANKAR instigated immediate legal action against Gross for saying
what he said, Mr. Gross also pointed out the following important points:
"Harold, recall the verbal agreement we made together. You would help me with my spiritual work and I
would work with the Board of Trustees and the Corporation International Office to keep the physical
workload from interfering with your spiritual duties. [...] You had time to think it over. Your duties
were discussed in my office several times, and again over dinner with yourself and your former wife,
which you agreed upon wholly and without reservation."
"In reliance upon your word, I promoted you to a position of responsibility under my supervision. That
trust was misplaced. You conspired with others of like mind to violate your agreement, thereby
failing to uphold the ethics of the spiritual path you promised to serve. [...] When I designated you
as a Living Master in October 1981, I hoped you would develop a spiritual understanding of Paul's
works, both as to their originality and proper presentation. It was the goal established for you at
the time of your appointment; a promotion which depended upon your agreement to assist me
spiritually."
"The living Mastership is an intermediate training position for the Mahantaship and its overall
spiritual responsibility for the works of Paul and the Masters. That some are able to develop into the
required higher consciousness and some are not is described by Paulji in "The Spiritual Notebook."
[...]
[end quotes]
See: 1989-10-14 Dear Mr. Klemp - a letter from Darwin Gross
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/QI4RaRBOrBs/cd0kKGB78gkJ
Whose story is the correct one? Is either of them telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth? How would you know for certain if they were, or they weren't either talking spin, half
truths, or the hard facts of the matter?
I'll tell you ... you need to look at everything and draw your own conclusions. Or simply pick a side,
and believe who ever you want, and no matter what. The shut the door on everything that counters that
belief.
Of course, many will state: "It doesn't matter to me. I don't really care. I know the ECK masters are
real and that X was/is the real Mahanta and the real ECK master, and that is all that counts. I know!
I have checked at 'that temple within' already. All this historical research is a waste of time.
You're just ANGRY, that's your problem, get over it!"
OK, then. fair enough. Obviously, you must be 100% right. I should have asked you first years ago, and
then you could have set me straight and saved all this wasted time and effort. Blast! I'm a first rate
idiot. Obviously.
--- --- ---
DARWIN's ENDLESS DRAMAS
Darwin Gross' original plan was to raise Klemp to LEM in October 1980. Two main events led to this
being stalled. Klemp himself speaks about October 1980 in his semi-fictional autobiography book "Child
in the Wilderness." Klemp, still a 5th initiate mind you, rocks up to the World Wide seminar, sits in
the back row and waits for Darwin to suddenly announce him as the new LEM.
Klemp hadn't heard from Darwin for months. Such is the level of his personal imaginative delusions and
slowness, he still couldn't work it out all by himself. He went home disappointed and empty handed.
Darwin was waylaid by the pressures of the work he was doing. First was the hangover from the
expose done on ECKANKAR by the Christian based "Spiritual Counterfeits Project" (SCP) magazine.
It had been sent to almost every ECK center in the world. In 1980 management and lawyers were
even in discussion with David Lane as well, who they invited to Menlo Park on Darwin's request.
"The Spiritual Counterfeits Project first began to research this
group in 1976, and we were greatly aided by the acquisition of
many of their esoteric texts. This information, along with
interviews of former top Eckists and other investigative research,
was combined with a superb paper on Eckankar written by a Berkeley
graduate student in Theology, David Lane. The end product was a
manuscript which was eventually published as a 53-paged Journal by
the SCP."
Ref: Eckankar: A Classic Study of a NRM by Mark Albrecht 1980
Secondly was the Sedona Arizona lawsuit over the deceased estate of Helen Frye, a very rich high
initiate who had already donated millions of dollars of cash and property to ECKANKAR. This dramatic
court case ran throughout 1980 and caused a lot of grief for Darwin along the way.
"Helen Frye joined Eckankar in 1969, was an EK 8th Initiate, became
[romantically] 'involved' with Darwin Gross and in 1979 had a riff
with him after she discovered Twitchell's Plagiarisms!" (by Elizabeth)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EckankarSurvivorsAnonymous/message/3644
Helen befriended many within Eckankar along with the then leader Darwin Gross and was on good
terms with him initially. Eckankar was 'gifted' 330 acres, about half, of Helen's Sedona property
circa 1976. Eckankar controlled and staffed the ranch running it alongside with Helen from about
1972 to 1981.
"In the early 1970's, a developer purchased the remaining 330+ acres
of the Smoke Trail Ranch from Helen Frye. The developer intended to
build a resort complex, but a shortage of funds caused them to lose
the property. In 1976 Eckankar, a religious group that Helen Frye was
a member of, became owner of the property. Eckankar (described as an
"alternative religion") was developing the property as a religious
retreat for their members."
http://azstateparks.com/parks/rero/history.html
Circa 1978-79 several public claims are made about this period. ECKist [Charly] Charlie Wallace
supposedly became Helen's 'common law' husband or lover. Word had reached him first regarding David
Lane's college paper, and also the upcoming SCP article. Charlie claims in court, under oath,
obtaining information from Gail Twitchell (and old acquaintance through Eckankar of his), Camille
Ballowe (Paul's ex-wife), Brad Steiger (IMSIAF author), and Mattie Twitchell (Paul's sister-in-law)
in Paducah, Ky..
Charlie and his friend David Parker (aka Tuzahu DavidP111) claim to have tape recorded some of these
discussions face to face and on the telephone. Charlie Wallace has never, subsequent to his trial
testimony, explained nor written up anything publicly about this. However, his friend and associate
investigator, David Parker has several times online over two decades. Various comments about this
are scattered across several discussion groups.
Most connected with ECKANKAR simply discounted these comments out of hand as the ravings of a
disturbed individual. Of course almost all had no knowledge about the court case itself. Later,
despite initially discounting everything that David Parker said, Doug Marman chose to still include
many "cherry-picked quotations" from David Parker in his book "The Whole Truth."
Marman did not include them all, only those items most favorable to Twitchell. So much his ideal of
the "whole truth". Despite labeling Parker as a totally unreliable not credible witness for years
online, Marman still chose to use his statements in print. Go figure.
A quick summary of events goes like this:
1979-09 SCP Eckankar Report published through Christian magazines
1979-12-04 Helen Frye passes away in Sedona AZ
1979-12 SCP sent out to most Eck centers worldwide
1980-03 Harold asked first time by Darwin to be LEM
1980-10 Eckankar loses the Helen Frye Estate court case (accusations of bribery)
1980-10 Eckankar applies for 220 cabins spiritual retreat (eventually fails)
1980-10 Arizona Governor Babbit gets tossed off the property by Eckankar staffers.
1980-10 New Oregon Corporation, Dharma Aircraft Ltd donated to ECKANKAR, begins being set up by
Darwin/Eckankar to be his semi-retirement retreat/office. Planned by Gross to operate as a new
publishing Corporation of ECKANKAR. It was renamed Glen Eden Press in July 1983.
Of course Gross was terminated in August 1983, so that all led to nothing and was sold off by
ECKANKAR, as was the remnant Sedona property in due course. But clearly Darwin Gross had his hands
full during 1980.
Claims were also made in Court of the existence of an original manuscript copy of Twitchell's
"The Tiger's Fang," obtained from his family in Paducah. That supposedly had Kirpal Singh's name
in it and no mention of one Rebazar Tarzs.
However, it must be said that has never been sighted since. Nor have the "tapes" which were said to
have been made by Wallace and Parker. These included recordings of Gail Twitchell, Brad Steiger and
an ECKANKAR representative offering the "bribe" to Charlie Wallace to give a particular testimony in
Court in ECKANKARs favor.
It was also claimed that Wallace and Parker had listened to tapes recorded by Steiger of Paul
Twitchell. Those made in 1968 as part of Steiger's interviews of Twitchell for the writing of his
somewhat mythical biography by Steiger found in the book IMSIAF.
Search online for the following newspaper reports:
1980-09-24 "Tape from Frye estate battle damaged" - Prescott Courier AZ
1980-10-01 "Jury rules against church in will dispute" - Prescott Courier AZ
1980-10-15 "Court rules against Eckankar will claim" - Prescott Courier AZ
--- --- ---
So the upshot of all this, for Harold Klemp at least, was being passed over by Darwin in October 1980.
Harold Klemp details his "side of this story" in his book Child in the Wilderness. Published after
Gross had well and truly been given the Boot!
During 1981, discussions recommenced with Darwin. Harold was quickly taken through his 6th, 7th and
8th Initiations. And then just before being promoted in October, Darwin Gross might have given the
outer 9th Initiation. The highest possible. All higher ones, according to the doctrine, are only Inner
Initiations. What was Darwin's as at October 1981? 10th? 12th? 14th? Who knows?
Harold should know by now? Yeah? Ask him.
Klemp was, supposedly on the inner, given the Rod of ECK Power, and became the new Living ECK Master,
in October 1981. Gross maintained his entire life, including under oath repeatedly, that Klemp was
specifically promoted "under ongoing training" to be continued. Yes, Klemp was promoted to the
position of Living ECK master, but he was NOT given the Rod of ECK Power. That was to wait until he
was ready and proven himself to the Vairagi ECK masters overall.
The urgency, remembering that the current Mahanta, living ECK master does have the authority to make
his own decisions and make adjustments to the doctrine, the teachings and so on if needed, and Gross
needed to step aside due to his increasing health concerns asap. I also suspect it was a matter of
"sheer physical exhaustion" as well from being under all the accumulated stresses in the role for so
long. In particular his divorce from Gail, normal human loneliness, and the public attacks coming at
Eckankar for years.
The membership had grown by tens of thousands under his leadership. It was a completely different
situation and the physical and mental demands on the LEM had become immense compared to 1971. He
needed help, he needed some level of relief, and a break to take care of himself better.
Stepping away from the lime light and daily impositions by becoming more of a behind the scenes
'writer' in a more relaxed space near the Gleneden Beach, instead of a day to day CEO manager had
everything to do about this his permanent relocation to live up in Oregon. The man planned this long
ahead of time, and long before Klemp was chosen as his replacement.
Before he could do this he needed another to step into the public role as the LEM and the President of
the Corporation as well. Obviously to share the work load. He chose Klemp. Gross repeatedly referred
back to *their agreement*. An agreement Gross later claims that Klemp did not honor, nor fulfill.
-- --- ---
Klemp had a totally different point of view
In hindsight, with the benefit of historical research, it seems abundantly clear that Klemp took his
new title *literally* from the very start. Klemp assumed it meant he had become the historical and
inner Mahanta without compare from day one.
He has repeatedly emphasized his stepping into the breach as fully enlightened 14th Initiate, world's
agent of God in human form, the highest consciousness on this earth, and a fully fledged ECKANKAR
Master.
From day one, did this simply go to his head! Did Klemp really have what it took to lead such a large
diverse worldwide organization like Eckankar was at that time? Did he have the personal attributes
needed for such a responsible position, be it mentally or maturity and experiences wise?
He undoubtedly truly believed he did, yet this does not make it so. He zipped from a 5th to a 14th
initiate in less than a year he thought, and others accepted it must be true. Perhaps by assuming his
1971 flip out was a genuine God Realization experience, when it was nothing of the kind, may have
convinced him wrongly.
Privately, Klemp told us, Twitchell himself had told him he could be the LEM one day! And it came
true. What about all the other men in Eckankar Twitchell had said the exact same thing to, in private?
Possibly all the men he ever had in an initiation session, or presented a past life Eck Vidya reading
his followers had paid for. Just as Klemp had done. Would you Klemp have any idea what Twitchell had
said to others in private conversation - the old confidential "Priest penitent communication" that
Klemp relied upon to not answer questions under oath?
Mr Klemp would surely have written his IRO to Twitchell in 1971, or sent in a confidential letter to
him directly, about his 'god-realization experience' on the bridge? That report or letter would have
been kept in Klemp's confidential Initiate Member file. Darwin gross would have had more than anyone
else absolute access to that personal file of Klemps. No doubt about that. Gross would certainly had
more than a few peeks inside Klemps file before ever speaking to Harold directly about the possibility
of become the next LEM.
There is no way on God's earth that wouldn't have been done by Gross. But what did Klemp in fact send
in as his Monthly IROs and other communications during the 1970s. That we do not know. Likely, never
will. And thank goodness too. For I do not want to know! Gross, on the other hand states under oath
that he knew absolutely nothing about this event that Klemp says he experienced with Peddar Zaskq!
Human Nature is, well, human nature.
Klemps surface shyness was taken as a genuine humility, when in truth it is also a form of vanity, and
a deep seated distrust of others. An aberrated ego unable to manifest in any genuine way except as
one's own self-importance, perhaps? I'm no expert, but we all do get to observe each other. And those
in the public sphere, more so than Neddy Normal of the unwashed unseen masses. Fact is people who
attain a position as a public figure cannot avoid others making observations of them.
Such observation and comments about those may well be critical and unsavory or disliked, but that is
the way of the world. To avoid personal criticism, the first step is be unseen. A faceless person a
crowd of humanity. Judgments, opinions, insults as much as applause comes from being in the lime light
as a public figure.
The notion put out by Marman that criticism of public figures is somehow a "less than honorable' way
for humans to behave or speak is utterly ridiculous, childish, and naive. It's also factually
illogical and dumb. It's sophistry. Or to be more blunt about, Marman's three decades of apologetics
and his hysterics over Twitchell being publicly criticized and judged (rightly or wrongly) is just
Bullshit!
The same goes for Gross, and Klemp, no less than it does for O.J., Hitler, or the Khmer Rouge, or any
other celebrity. If you are going to go public making claims about you being an Agent representing God
here on earth, and you do this as a form of promotional advertising and proselytizing your Religion,
well what comes with that is people will judge you, and they will talk about you, privately and
publicly.
Just like Klemp publicly spoke critically about Gross, and told all the HIs in October 1983 how much a
"fallen master" he was. About what Gross' salary was. How much money he tried to 'steal' from the
'membership of Eckankar' for his own use up in Oregon. And about Twitchell. And Ford Johnson, and the
latest mentally disturbed individual in Eckankar who imagined they were about to replace Klemp as the
Living Eck master next October seminar. AS he did in his 2012 "My Mission Renewed" talk after his
broken hip problem.
Yes, Klemp has no issue with insulting such people on stage during his talks. Calling people Weeds.
He has no problem giving Marman and Patti Simpson a public slap down in the next talk after Marman
published his story about Twitchell offering the LEM job to her before he died, but she refused.
It happens. And if Klemp cannot handle Gross speaking publicly about their personal conflict and court
cases, and view of history, then well tough cookie Harold. Deal with it or get lost and become an
unseen one of the masses again!
Instead Klemp breaks open the bank accounts of donated Eckankar funds and spends $ millions in
lawsuits across the world. Maintains over 400 internet web domain names so that no one else can use
them and pays the labor and the cost to keep that up to date and paid in full.
He gets the head office staff to waste their time chasing down anything negative ever said about him
on the internet and generating legal action to have it removed, or having letters sent out to Google
or Yahoo, or web hosts over "breach of copyright" issues, and to the local ECK Centers ECK Stazi to
shake down the latest disruptive influence of the great man's spiritual mission.
The guy's really a loser in this regard. And that is what needs a really good look at by the Board of
Trustees, and the 8th Initiates of ECKANKAR. Yeah, about one or two or three decades ago actually.
But whatever. I know nothing will happen anyway. It's just become another joke about the emperor
wearing no clothes again.
The man has an issue about the entire world revolving around himself, not only Eckankar. So do quite
a many RESAs ESAs and High Initiates. Everyone knows this. Maybe not. The apple doesn't fall very far
from the tree. And every day is "harvest day in ECK". Even the flies on stage get a mention. During a
talk he speaks to the flies because, obviously, they are there because HE is on the stage, and not
just some ordinary person.
--- --- ---
What's going on here, really?
Arrogance; Pressure; Shyness; Vanity
"No cause more frequently produces bashfulness than too high an
opinion of our own importance. He that imagines an assembly filled
with his merit, panting with expectation, and hushed with attention,
easily terrifies himself with the dread of disappointing them, and
strains his imagination in pursuit of something that may vindicate
the veracity of fame, and show that his reputation was not gained
by chance." - Samuel Johnson: Rambler #159 (September 24, 1751)
http://www.samueljohnson.com/shyness.html
"So many people are shut up tight inside themselves like boxes,
yet they would open up, unfolding quite wonderfully, if only you
were interested in them." (Initiation) - Sylvia Plath,
"The iron mask of shyness is riveted before his face, and the man
beneath is never seen. Genial words and hearty greetings are ever
rising to his lips, but they die away in unheard whispers behind
the steel clamps. His heart aches for the weary brother, but his
sympathy is dumb."
"Contempt and indignation against wrong choke up his throat, and
finding no safety-valve whence in passionate utterance they may
burst forth, they only turn in again and harm him. All the hate
and scorn and love of a deep nature such as the shy man is ever
cursed by fester and corrupt within, instead of spending
themselves abroad, and sour him into a misanthrope and cynic."
- Jerome K. Jerome, Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
"We met a great many other interesting people, among them Lewis
Carroll, author of the immortal "Alice"--but he was only
interesting to look at, for he was the silliest and shyest full-
grown man I have ever met except "Uncle Remus." - Mark Twain
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/shyness
Harold Klemp's 2012 Easter seminar talk is another occasion of many where Harold himself confirms
these matters as being very close to home. He openly spoke about how much he was unable to handle
all the basic responsibilities he took on from Oct 1981.
His many personal issues that he struggled with, such as even being unable to enter the Menlo Park
office through the front door. His long known pattern of behavior working alone in his darkroom,
rarely a team player, and a very private individual then morphed into his insistence of working from
home. Instead of going into the office whenever possible working alongside everyone else or with
Darwin Gross especially.
Klemp was so NOT tuned into "that temple within" he had several car accidents - this was the ECK
speaking to him and showing him he had to do something different. Like not work so many long hours
writing. He needed to have a car accident that injured himself, almost killed others, to work out how
to manage his time?
This is the Mahanta, the Agent of God, the man who is to teach others how to listen to that still
quiet voice on the inner!
Every accusation made against Darwin Gross, as outlined in the material presented here already,
suggests that Gross was totally innocent of all charges. Bar one ... making fun of Harold, and
possibly even being insulting towards Klemp behind his back by the time 1983 had rolled around. I
suspect that Darwin could not understand exactly what Harold's problems actually were. It's natural
if he became somewhat agitated by it, and felt frustrated at times. Why was Klemp so evasive,
argumentative, working in seclusion, uncommunicative, and suspicious of almost everything.
One of the accusations presented as a direct example of Gross' true intentions was made by Morris,
Spall and Windholtz. They said that Gross told them not to speak to Harold about "business". This they
assumed was some kind of proof of Darwin trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Harold. He must have
been up to no good. Why else would he be trying to "keep secrets" from Harold?
Well here's a logical thought - how about he simply wanted to keep the pressure off Harold in 1983
because Gross had realized how poorly Klemp was coping with the complexities of Eckankar? The need
to make fast but well grounded and rational decisions - and quickly moving on to the next issue to
deal with.
Were they all mad back then? Is the Eckankar head office still filled with, well meaning but, immature
naive GOSSIPS like were all over Klemp in 1983? He invited these negative reports about Gross. But
refused for more than a year to speak with Gross unless absolutely necessary. Who says this lack of
communication was all FROM Gross' end?
At the end of the day, what Klemp believed and accused Gross of doing - making a power grab - creating
a schism in Eckankar - ends up being exactly what Harold Klemp did himself. By 1985 Klemp had made
legal moves to remove ALL THE POWER from the Board of Trustees and to install that power, plus the
Legal Ownership of all ECKANKAR assets, property, and cash in himself.
This is exactly the legal effect of Klemp's "The Living ECK Master Sole Corporation"!
1985-02-26 ECKANKAR Articles & Changes - LEM & Successors Corporation Sole
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.religion.eckankar/pLLzjYBVnpQ/Tm2cgZEA5nwJ
Now anyone who adhere's to the notion of the Living ECK Master's highest state of consciousness on
Earth, the default assumption of his love and care for all ECKists and the entire Universes of God,
plus his infallible SUGMAD given right to rule, will not have any problems with this action by Klemp
in any way.
So how would they judge it if it was Darwin Gross who did that in 1981 instead of promoting Klemp.
Maybe you really do believe that the ECK or Rebazar would have stepped in to block it. It never
stopped Klemp.
ECKANKAR is a Hierarchical Religion after all, and Klemp is it's supreme leader.
So, it makes perfect sense to most. And if that is what you're happy with and willing to proselytize
everywhere you go, then all power to you. Other people have other opinions, and they have as much
right as anyone inside Eckankar to speak them publicly. If you do not like then, move to China or
North Korea, or the Islamic State!
Everyone has the right to their own beliefs, and their religious choices too. That does not mean that
everyone else on the planet MUST RESPECT THOSE BELIEFS, remain silent lest you get "offended". Nor
does anyone have to accept and remain silent on their opinions and judgement about the behavior and
nor the actions taken in this world by the leadership of said Religions. Search Child Sexual Abuse
and the Catholic Church. Search Scientology and Hubbard, and then maybe, just maybe, wake up and/or
grow up, just a little!
Just as this makes perfect sense to Catholics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility -
leaving your common sense on the shelf when it comes to Harold Klemp is your choice.
Until The Pill in the 1960s appeared, and violence, murder, and child sexual abuse became an
unacceptable practice for Bishops, Priests, Brothers, Nuns and Lay people in the modern world.
For those more open minded and genuinely interested in the historical truths of events ECKANKAR, I
offer up the following website summaries. It may be useful in finally lining up the last few pieces
of the still scrambled up jigsaw puzzle. This is not intended as Medical Advice. Nor is it a Medical
Diagnosis of anyone.
It is only basic information for those interested. Do your own research, and make up your own mind
based on the known historical facts and your own conscience, common sense, intuitions or inner
guidance. You do have the right to make your own choices, after all. Do check in with "that temple
within".
I will start with one of my most favorite quotes of all time:
"When people who are honestly mistaken learn the truth,
they either cease being mistaken or they cease being honest."
-- Anonymous
Personality Disorders Diagnosis
People with personality disorders have inflexible behaviors that interfere with their ability to
function in society.
Personality is a combination of lasting emotional and behavioral traits. Usually a person's
personality is established by the end of adolescence, and persists throughout adult life. People
with personality disorders--an estimated 9% to 10% of the population--have extremely rigid behavioral
patterns. Their rigid behavior impairs their ability to function or get along with others, and causes
them emotional distress. People with personality disorders are said to regard their behavior as being
right and normal despite distressing feedback from others. People with a personality disorder often
believe that other people are responsible for their problems.
There are three types of recognized personality disorders: odd-eccentric, dramatic, and anxious-
fearful.
People with odd-eccentric personality disorders tend to withdraw socially and detach themselves from
others. They are often suspicious, distrustful, and uncomfortable with close relationships. This group
includes paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizotypal personality
disorder.
http://www.pdrhealth.com/diseases/personality-disorders/diagnosis
---
Paranoid Personality Disorder Symptoms
Individuals with Paranoid Personality Disorder are generally difficult to get along with and often
have problems with close relationships. Their excessive suspiciousness and hostility may be expressed
in overt argumentativeness, in recurrent complaining, or by quiet, apparently hostile aloofness.
Because they are hypervigilant for potential threats, they may act in a guarded, secretive, or devious
manner and appear to be "cold" and lacking in tender feelings. Although they may appear to be
objective, rational, and unemotional, they more often display a labile range of affect, with hostile,
stubborn, and sarcastic expressions predominating.
Their combative and suspicious nature may elicit a hostile response in others, which then serves to
confirm their original expectations.
Because individuals with Paranoid Personality Disorder lack trust in others, they have an excessive
need to be self-sufficient and a strong sense of autonomy. They also need to have a high degree of
control over those around them.
They are often rigid, critical of others, and unable to collaborate, and they have great difficulty
accepting criticism.
Symptoms of Paranoid Personality Disorder
Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others
such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent. This usually begins in early adulthood and
presents in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
1) Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
2) Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or
associates
3) Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used
maliciously against him or her
4) Reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
5) Persistently bears grudges (i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights)
6) Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others, and is
quick to react angrily or to counterattack
7) Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/paranoid-personality-disorder-symptoms/
--- --- ---
I think of the reaction to Ford Johnson, simply wishing to share someone's journal, and get Klemp's
help in the matter. How not only wouldn't Klemp see Ford face to face, but then busted about
5 people by letter. And sent Ford packing to go read the Shariyat.
The topics covered in the "My Mission Renewed" talk of 2012. Fits. Marman's article posted about Patti
in late 2011, fits with the comments made at that talk. It fits with Marman's comments that he had
been emailing with Klemp during 2011, and the topic of discussion was about "retiring".
It fits with the comments made by Patti Simpson to initiates all over the world the last decade of her
life. It fits with Marman running an invite only, non-Eckankar sanctioned secret discussion group for
HIs online for years.
It fits with the book Karma Seeker, a thinly veiled journey as a HI Eckist. With only doing two talks
a year. Managing by edict, not personally. Makes so much sense regarding the listening to negative
gossip about Gross and not stopping it immediately. Of working from home. Of the level of distrust and
lack of understanding or empathy for Darwin as a human being. It fits with endless legal actions
taken out against others, on the unconscionable basis it is all about "defense" of the teachings.
It fits with the creation of the LEM Sole corporations. Og Patti packing up her kit in 1985 when that
began, and when the revised LTG III first came out as a High Initiate Discourse series. It makes sense
of some aspects of the talks given in 1984 onward about Twitchell. The ties between Patti, Gail and
Marman, and several others. It even fits with the astrology and numerology charts too. Just as
Twitchell's fitted him to a T as well. There's lots of ways to read the ECK Vidya.
Hey maybe it fits me, and I'm only looking in a mirror. Anything is possible. And each to thine own
self be true. Eckankar's history for good or ill, seems to have been an interest of my own,
unexpectedly so as that may be, the ECK doth work in the most mysterious ways. Yes?
If there is one thing I would like to be very clear about. It is that, in my
opinion, Darwin Gross was majorly screwed over by Eckankar. I think it was
totally unnecessary and served no good to no one. The actions of Eckankar
against Sri Darwin Gross across decades was unconscionable and undeserved.
That it is my view he was publicly lynched by a mad crowd of fools, after being
found guilty of a crime he never committed, and his life was trashed as a
result. And that the sworn depositions given by all those in defense of
Eckankar was extremely tainted, extremely unethical, misguided and not
credible.
It is impossible to lay out every relevant factual detail or personal comment by the players in any
summary, or even a book or a treatise of four volumes. Such is the complexity and disinformation and
range of beliefs held by thousands. To that end then, I simply suggest to anyone who wants to look at
more of the historical events for themselves and draw your own conclusions based on the available
knowledge as opposed to other peoples beliefs and biased opinions, please keep an eye out for:
- GROSS v ECKANKAR 1983-1984-1985-1989 INFO LINKS -
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!forum/alt.religion.eckankar
And work it out for yourself by any means possible. Including 'that temple within' that Klemp keeps
talking about but more often than not utterly fails to walk it himself. That being my own 'biased'
opinion only.
Decide for yourself. It's your life. Just keep in mind that everyone else has the right to decide for
themselves. No matter how 'offended' you might feel about what people say about your choices, your
beliefs, and your religion. My research, and writings isn't about the followers of Eckankar nor any
individuals personal beliefs. Have at it. That's your own business, not mine. Eckankar on the other
hand is a publicly known entity, and as such it's fair game. Try not to take it personally,
because it isn't personal. Far from it.
If Harold has a problem with what I say about him or Eckankar, then he can go ahead and sue me, or
just suck it up and simply ignore it. A miracle might happen and someone might actually learn
something and decide to do something about it. That's what a real grown up does. In my dreams maybe.
Peace!
Peetee Aitchei
Oct 19, 2014, 1:55:50 AM10/19/14
to
On Sunday, 19 October 2014 00:22:18 UTC+11, Peetee Aitchei wrote:
> On Saturday, 18 October 2014 23:04:45 UTC+11, Peetee Aitchei wrote:
>
> > 1981-1989 GROSS v ECKANKAR - A Summary of Historical Events
>
--- --- ---
> On Saturday, 18 October 2014 23:04:45 UTC+11, Peetee Aitchei wrote:
>
> > 1981-1989 GROSS v ECKANKAR - A Summary of Historical Events
>
ADDENDUM
APRIL 1983 - The Making of a Spiritual Movement -
"19. In 1982 I [David C. Lane] moved to Del Mar, California. Brian Walsh moved there shortly
after me. In 1983 he wanted to publish a legitimate paperback version of the book. He put up
3,000 dollars and started 'Del Mar Press' - we both agreed to share the work and eventually
start a journal (which we did), called 'Understanding Cults.'
"20. 1,000 copies of the Making of a Spiritual Movement were published and the book sold
steadily for two years, eventually exhausting its initial print run. (By the way, Brian gave
100+ copies for free to an interested Eckist in Lagos, Nigeria)."
Based on: http://www.beyond-the-illusion.com/files/Occult/Misc/eckankar.txt
---
1983-08-20 - Eckankar vs. Darwin Gross
"ECKANKAR has initiated legal action against me [Darwin Gross], dated August 20, 1983, and
I was forced to go out and find a lawyer in Portland. This is not the way of honorable
and ethical human beings. . ."
Based on: http://webspace.webring.com/people/de/eckcult/chapters/tmsm9.html
---
1983 - The Mahanta, The Living ECK Master, Sri Harold Klemp:
"Klemp became the ECK master in 1981, but struggled for supremacy within the Church
with Twitchell's immediate successor Darwin Gross, who maintained the title of
Mahanta, and as such was still Klemp's superior. In 1983, amid numerous court
challenges and other conflicts, Klemp achieved both titles."
(2nd paragraph - as of 05/14/06)
Based on: Biography section @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Klemp
---
1983-10-31 - Darwin Removed
See: Process of picking LEM explained; Gross accused of Heresy - p07
http://www.thetruth-seeker.com/scanindexsubtitleAcss.aspx?SubtitleNo=29
---
Peetee Aitchei
Oct 19, 2014, 2:04:17 AM10/19/14
to
"Another interesting development in the August 7 meeting was the appointment, by resolution,
of Patricia Simpson Rivinus [married in 1983], Paul Twitchell's secretary, as the new [Corporate]
Secretary of Eckankar. Only one day later, she was, by resolution, summarily removed from this
position and told that ... her services as an officer are hereby terminated, both such removal
and termination being effective immediately. [....]
Joan Cross (later Harold's wife) was ... appointed as Secretary of Eckankar, effective
immediately, to serve the unexpired portion of the current term of Secretary."
See: Ford Johnson, Confessions of a God Seeker: A Journey to Higher Consciousness
p. 233-234 - https://archive.org/details/ConfessionsOfAGodSeeker
0 new messages