The following information provided by a former member of the group:
Description:
There is a fair amount of information on the web about this group,
so I won't go into exhaustive detail. It was founded by Robert
Burton in 1970 in No. California. Early on, the group purchased
a large amount of property outside Chico, Ca. It was founded as
a "4th Way School" along the lines of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky's
organizations. The leader's lifestyle can be read about in a lawsuit
that has been published on the web, along with several newspaper
articles detailing his activities. The group maintains a central
facility on the California property, with a well-regarded winery
and art museum. The leader is charismatic, controlling, largely
inaccessible and prone to making dire prophecies that never come
to pass. Imitation of the leader permeates the organization, held
in place by fear-based peer pressure and religious zealotry. Criticism
of the leader and the organization is strictly forbidden. Burton
claims his spiritual development is second only to Christ's --
!! that he is "enlightened," "conscious," "an angel in a man's
body," and so on.
The BITE Model As Applied to Fellowship of Friends
Behaviors:
1. All of these aspects are strictly regulated. Members are
strongly discouraged from associating with those outside the
group, and even with family members. Though this changes over
time, rules about clothes and personal appearance abound. There
are rules regarding how members eat, and on occasion, what they
eat and drink. (For example, for a time soft drinks and bacon
were forbidden.) The leader at one time suggested sleeping no
more than 6 hours per night, and there was strong peer pressure
to conform. As a result, some members' health was damaged (mine
included). The financial commitment was large at first, and
increased until it was enormous. 10% of your income was the
base payment, plus a constant series of "special donations"
(required) and "special requests" (not required, but strongly
"encouraged"). Members who chose to live and work on the Fellowship
property were paid less than minimum wage, to my knowledge,
while being asked to work excessively long hours. Those not
living on the property were "encouraged" to spend their vacations
there, generally spending their time participating in the manual
labor.
2. At the time of my membership, students were encouraged
to live in group houses called "teaching houses." Those who
didn't were tangibly judged as being "less serious about work
on themselves." This seems to be less the case these days, however,
as the general population of students has aged. There were generally
two 2-hour meetings per week, along with special activities
and dinners, but again, students were strongly pressured to
spend any leisure time in the company of other students, and
to avoid unnecessary contact with outside people.
3. This definitely happened, but in reality, there was a rule
or "suggestion" for virtually every aspect of a student's existence,
so there was generally little question as to what "the Teacher
wished one to do." I do know that at one point he issued a proclamation
that anyone in a relationship should either get married or terminate
the relationship. Most people took this seriously and did as
they were told.
4. I suppose there was some inclination to "confess" one's
"failures in the work." More likely, though, was the tendency
to "tattle" on others who had broken rules. There was and is
a strict no-smoking rule, with large fines for offenders; students
took to sniffing one another for signs of offense, and would
turn in suspected smokers.
5. Punishments for breaking rules included fines and even expulsion
from the group. Failing to keep monthly dues current barred
one from attending meetings and other group events. Rewards
were more subtle -- acceptance and praise for successfully being
able to act the part of the "good student."
6. Individualism was all but banned outright. Students were
told what music, art, clothing, etc. they should like. Non-compliance
resulted in being shunned as someone with a "negative attitude"
toward the teaching. To enjoy music etc. that was not sanctioned
by the "Teacher" was seen as a personal defect and weakness
to be ashamed of. There is also a very insular language peculiar
to the group, where catch-phrases quickly take the place of
real thought.
7. See above.
8. Questioning the teacher's insights, commands, requests etc.
was strictly forbidden, though the means for enforcing this
were more covert and had to do with engendering shame, fear
and guilt.
Information:
1. Any negative talk about the "teacher" was regarded as gossip,
against which there were strict rules. A search of the web regarding
lawsuits against Robert Burton will reveal the extent of his
abuses of power, yet that information rarely if ever reached
the students. The "Teacher's" indiscretions were always interpreted
in the most positive light possible, as in, "everything he does
is for the good of our spiritual evolution."
2. There was a time when reading newspapers and watching TV
were forbidden, though now that is not the case, to my knowledge.
Any information critical of the "Teacher" was quickly and effectively
suppressed. There were and are strict rules forbidding contact
with former members.
3. Us vs. them is a huge component of the Fellowship. Those
not in the group are called, derogatorily, "life people," and
are considered "sleeping machines" and "food for the moon."
Burton has predicted a coming Armageddon, in which only Fellowship
members will survive, and will be solely responsible for carrying
on with civilization. The rest of "life" will be "expunged"
according to Burton.
4. There is some of this, see above.
5. When I was a member (1981-89), there were monthly journals
that were very substantially edited and "improved" transcripts
of meetings. Occasional communiques with Burton's thoughts would
be issued. He has since written a book titled "Self-Remembering."
Certain books somewhat critical of the 4th Way in general, such
as Webb's "Harmonious Circle," were discouraged.
6. The system of thought behind this group is quite complex,
and tends to engender the tendency to do this to oneself.
Thought:
1-6: All of these occur, constantly and intensely, with the
exception of chanting, praying, speaking in tongues, and singing/humming.
Emotional:
1-7: Yes to all these, in a very big way. Burton claims that
those who leave his organization lose all chance of spiritual
evolution. I quote: "When a student leaves, all the light that
was available to them disappears down a black hole and is forever
lost." Staying in the organization, on the other hand, guarantees
eternal life.
Other Sources of Information: The Fellowship has vigorously
suppressed, through the use of lawsuits, information critical
of them. They successfully squelched the airing of, I believe,
a "20/20" segment that featured a former student speaking out
against the organization. However, there are some legal documents
and newspaper articles that can be found on the web that will
give you an idea of what really goes on behind its very well-groomed
facade.
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does not necessarily mean they are a destructive mind control cult.
They appear because we have received inquiries and have established
a file on the group.
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