The true story of how Arthur Chappell got sucked into a sinister religious cult called Divine Light Mission, and how he escaped four and a half years later in 1985. He takes you step by step through the whole brainwashing process. Arthur goes on to tell the cult's own story, and how its leader, Maharaji, was publically dismissed as a charlatan by his own mother, and presents an essay explaining just what a religious cult is, and how meditation really works, before finishing with an essay on UFO cults.
"Re: The tale of a paranoid psychotic" Some very good points there John. Thanks for your thoughtful and insightful observations. I too was mystified how Chapell could have found such delightful and wholy innocent people to be in any way covert or threatening. The truth is he didn't, but it suits his purpose very well now to revise history for insidious dramatic effect.
"In need of help" This guy needs some serious help. The numerous spelling and grammar errors could be forgiven if this "Arthur" had something to say that was worth reading. From the hilarious to the utter nonsense this is a narrative constructed by a feeble minded individual with too much free time in his hands, an obsession with UFOs and cults, and follies de grandeur. Dunno if to laugh, or to fell sorry for the poor guy. (He even goes and write about himself in the third person in the description... As if it is not clear that this is a self-publishing platform, LOL!) I guess that wonderful tools such as Lulu opens the stage for people as Mr. Chapell's diatribes. Nevertheless, I think it is actually great: let these people be judged by their own words. :: Mia ::
"Mindless" This book certainly does prove sonmeting That you can get a book published with no writing talent, no spell checker and no real undrstanding of what you are writing about. Peace is Possible by Andrea Cagan is a much, much, much better book. This book is utter crap
".... more than just a victim?" Oh my .... As someone who works closely, with folks trying to recover from alcoholism and drug addiction, the tenor of Arthurs book is patently familiar to me. I did read the preview, as far as it would let me, but the Autobiography sketch on page 3, says it all; “Arthur writes to prove that he is more than just a victim...”, the operative word here being “victim”. Anyone in the helping professions knows exactly what I mean. Arthur was a victim before he met the “divine lighters”, and if he hadn’t met them, he would have sought refuge from his inner demons, at the next bus stop, or the next one after that. That’s what victims do. Just working the numbers, it is a fact that there was a quite a few folks back in the 70’s and 80’s that were “religious fanatics” looking for something to make a religion out of, whether it was a spiritual movement, or a historical re-enactment society. (Which is also a “cult”ure, by definition.) I have had more... More > than my fair share of interractions with “ex cult members”, and almost without exception, they have all shared perceptive pathologies that, if you remove the drugs or alcohol, appear exactly like the alcoholic or drug addict, who wants to blame “them” (as in everbody else. “It’s not my fault!”) I have to say, I don’t intend this review to be unkind, and I mean that. That said, it never fails to amaze me, when someone has the audacity to call hogwash “a true story” (page 1), and even more so, when they direct their distortions at another with the intent to lay blame. But forget about that for a moment! Golly dang dude, didn’t you even consider getting some help from a real writer on this? (I’m sorry. It’s just really bad.) I sincerely hope Mr. Chappell, eventually, some sunny afternoon when the weather is just right, has an Aha! moment, and realizes what we all know, or should know. The only singularly clear fact, about all the troubles he has ever had, is that he, himself, was always there. If such a thing could happen, Mr. Chappell can graduate from the ranks of being a “victim”, move on, and as a collateral benefit, his life would get better than he can imagine as a result.< Less
