Ben gives some good advice, and lets off some much needed steam in his recent article, “Back off and let it go!”. Sometimes we do need to just let it go. Other times, we need to step up and speak out. For me, this Memorial Day weekend is a time of speaking out. Interviews have already been scheduled with various media outlets, regarding my experience with the highly secretive and curiously mysterious group we all know and.. ahem.. love. So I am speaking out, echoing the multitude of silent voices of former members and current members who wrestle with being trapped in the KOPAHN enigma. If there is anything I want to avoid, it is to avoid keeping a low profile. I seek to be as visible as possible.
FOUR FREE BOOKS!
To celebrate Memorial Day weekend, I am giving away all four of my books about our former group. The books are FREE on Kindle, and if you buy the paperback, you get the Kindle edition for free. Note that I enabled free loaning of the Kindle books as well. Enjoy. Dozens have already taken advantage of the free promotion. I do not write my books to make money, but to speak out and tell my story– our story.
Get all four Kindle books for free all Memorial Day weekend
Thank you everyone for the amazing support of my books and pushing me over my goal for the number of downloads! The free promotion ends sometime today, but I’m not sure what time today.
sober thinking replaces imagined greatness, feelings balance as excess limits dissipate, reality moderates behavior
@ BrianK I’m very glad you among others are speaking out publicly about your experiences. This so-called “ministry” has siphoned the happiness and faith among other virtues from countless people worldwide and its about time people take to whatever platform they use to sound off and expose the unfruitful works of these identity thieves and hold them accountable. If you don’t mind me asking could you provide a list of the media outlets who are interviewing you so we could tune in. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
@Rocket773
I think you nailed it by saying ubf has “siphoned the happiness and faith” out of so many young people–people like me who are so very interested in theology and Christianity. As Joe often said, it’s not that ubf failed to bear fruit, it is that they let the fruit wither on the vine…
I will certainly share the media outlets. You can count on that. For now though, people should watch my interview with Steven Hassan, the leading cult expert in America:
Hassan, Karcher interview
I must say if the day ever comes I hope ubf is made to face the families of the lives that were destroyed by UBFism the same way the RCC is being made to answer for the numerous pedophile priest scandals. One more thing regarding speaking out about 5 months ago I confronted one of the head missionaries (martin mun) in the Kansas City chapter va email regarding the testimonies of ex-members which he replied “you can judge according what you see”, (his exact words). It was like he was angry I asked the question. He was incapable of giving an answer either way. Talk about blindness, arrogance and vain glory.
Rocket, you’re right: the priest scandals is a good example why dismissing complaints by former members with the argument “judge according to what *you* see” or “I have not experienced evil myself” is invalid. And it’s not Biblical either, since the Bible supports the concept of witnesses. You must not have experienced everything yourself. If there are witnesses, and you see certain patterns, this cannot be simply swiped away as “slander”.
“Talk about blindness, arrogance and vain glory.”
summarizes useless/damaging/cultic religious practices:)
I am wondering if anybody ever filed a lawsuit against UBF for ruining their life.
I heard that UBF filed lawsuits against some former members although UBF leaders were the ones playing games with people’s lives.
They are probably still playing games with people’s lives to the point of harming them physically, emotionally and mentally.
I know of one person in Germany who sued his chapter director and got a 5-digit sum in a settlement. But it’s difficult to bring cult abuse to court, particularly if no direct physical force is involved. I know of another case where the director was not convicted because beatings happened “voluntarily” and were too long ago. If you bind people with a cord, it’s illegal restraint. But the kind of bondage that a cult imposes on people is hard to prove and prosecute by law. People are considered to have a free will, so if they do something voluntarily, then it’s their own fault. But the free will is the first victim of cults. It doesn’t really exist any more once you’re under mind control.
Hi, Chris,
My word of the day is “odd.”
I totally agree that “the free will is the first victim of cults.” I was so brainwashed that I approved of everything that went on and did whatever I was told no matter how odd it seemed.
Looking back it is so odd that grown people who finished college, had a career, and were raising children with their ubf-selected coworker (as a spouse was called in the past) had to get permission from their shepherd for just about anything, such as where to live, what to wear, what names to give to their children, etc. SL usually chose the names of children.
All this was normal. I heard about “voluntary” beatings at Bonn ubf. But even that didn’t seem odd to me. I never saw any red flags for over ten years. As a result,I did nothing to help myself or others during those long years. It’s amazing to see how slow I was to come to my senses.
Have a blessed day!
“It’s amazing to see how slow I was to come to my senses.”
Moriah, so many former ubf members express similar things. I remember thinking “How stupid I must be to submit for over 2 decades!”
But this is not amazing or surprising at all. UBFism is a system of thought reform, and it is addictive. The other term is “mind control” but usually this is a misunderstood term. The concept is the same though: we controlled our minds to conform to UBFism (both the ideology and the methodology).
I learned a lot from the concept of thought reform, especially Lifton and Spranger. Here is a good reference:
Thought Reform – Summary
Abraham T Kim’s latest message from the self-praise celebration in Korea is an great example of classic thought reform. He and the other leaders are trapped in a mental cage.
Perhaps I will examine his message and expose the mind control/thought reform in it.
Note: I had a typo – should be “Singer”. Margaret Singer is so very helpful to understand UBFism.
If it’s okay with the side administrator I will upload the emails and replies between myself and Missionary martin mun in KC.
Rocket that is ok with me. I would recommend sending me these so we can make an article. Also we need to remove any names or email addresses as well as any personally identifiable info like phone numbers. You can use the contact link to send me an article.
Admin notice: I just fixed the Contact Form. I’ll reply to the emails to ubfriends that were stuck in the queue.
You asked for it. Here you go: Student Club Connected to An Organization Accused of Cult-like Activities
UBF loves to create front groups on campus who claim to not be Korean and not be part of the international UBF group. These are lies of course.
Remember that El Camino chapter near LA that goes by the name “Shepherds Church”? I believe that they also have “Shepherds Clubs” at Cal State Long Beach, El Camino College, and USC, I believe. Nothing about being tied to UBF on any websites of course.
Yes there are numerous such clubs. That is just what the Moonies do as well. I hope you got my email and sorry for not responding sooner! I will publish your article if you want.
Hi, Brian,
Thank you for recommending Margaret Singer. I just read an article by her on thought reform (which she may have written shortly before her death in 2003).
Singer, Margaret. “How Thought Reform works.” refocus. 2003. Web. 10 June 2016.
In this article, she lists Robert Lifton’s eight point model of thought reform: Environmental Control, Mystical Manipulation, Demand for Purity, Cult of Confession, Sacred Science, Loaded Language, Doctrine over Person, Dispensing of Existence (2-3).
Singer concludes, “If most of Robert Jay Lifton’s eight point model of thought reform is being used in a cultic organization, it is most likely a dangerous and destructive cult” (2).
In a previous comment, I used the term “odd” to give my impression of some aspects of UBF. “Odd” doesn’t even come close to describing what really went on.
I ordered Singer’s last book “Cults in our Midst.” Along with ubfriends, I believe that I will see more clearly what I got myself into (and out of fortunately).
Thank you again.
Have a great day!
Singer and Lifton will help a lot to understand the “oddity” of UBFism. They explain why UBFism makes UBF a TACO– “totalist aberrant Christian organization”.
Another good book that John Armstrong recommended to me to understand these new religious movements:
The Kingdom of the Cults
More info on TACO’s by Larry Pile (who by the way endorsed my book!)
What is a TACO group?
Hello Brian,
I just read Larry Pile’s article on TACO’s. All the issues he raises about such organizations apply to UBF perfectly in every way.
When you mentioned UBF front groups, I could not but wonder if these people – with some exceptions of course – ever did anything out of compassion, empathy, the goodness of their hearts, genuine concern for the welfare of others, or love for their neighbors.
Not too long ago, I realized that kindness and overwhelming attention in the initial stages of membership were just lies to make people commit. It’s sad when even kindness is a lie.
Why did I do anything? For example, why did I “go fishing?” – Mostly to meet my fishing quota and to do what everyone else was supposed to do, that is, convert people to UBF. I had no real concern for others.
These days I am trying to establish genuine relationships with people who want and need Jesus. Actually, I am tired of all kinds of pretend relationships.
Thank you for your book recommendations. I ordered “The Kingdom of the Cults.” I also read the books you wrote.
Thank you for all you do.
Best wishes to you and your family.
they illegally profit at the expense of the innocent; they use social issues to smokescreen their practices;
they buyoff members/leaders/security;
they reveal money is their god/greed is their game;
yet they lack wisdom of being watched/recorded/revealed;
they are betrayed by insiders fearing loss;
they return resources to harmed to reduce liability;
like the priest who pandered & the bishop who covered, their day of reckoning has finally come
Look at this; another example of a UBF club disguising its affiliation to the organization as a whole was recently published in this article: http://www.martlet.ca/student-club-connected-to-an-organization-accused-of-cult-like-activities/
@ BrianK what’s your email address so I can email you some information.
Hi Rocket,
I emailed you privately. Also, anyone can contact me with our contact page (which I recently fixed)
http://ubfriends.net/contact/