Konigun Ninjers

Share Your Wisdom

2012-02-09T16:29:00.000-06:00

WARNING!!! The blog that is linked to below is not for children!

Don Roley, infamous scourge of many a ninjer wannabe, has posted a rant to his blog containing some rather pointed advice that every ninjer should read.

CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE! NOT FOR KIDS!!!

http://web.me.com/keldaerismaster/Colorado_Springs_Bujinkan/Blog/Entries/2012/2/6_Grow_the_Fuck_Up!.html

He Wanted to Put the Past Behind Him

2012-01-05T07:49:00.000-06:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/01/aum-shinri-kyo-fugitive

Aum Shinrikyo cult fugitive turns himself in after 16 years
Police arrest Makoto Hirata, a member of the doomsday cult responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway

A member of the doomsday cult behind a deadly Tokyo subway gas attack and other crimes has turned himself in to police after 16 years on the run.

A Tokyo metropolitan police official said Makoto Hirata, a member of Aum Shinrikyo, conspired with several other members in kidnapping a notary official in 1995 and causing his death. The victim, Kiyoshi Kariya, then 68, was the brother of a follower trying to quit the group.

Hirata, 46, who had been on the run since the summer of 1995, turned himself in at a Tokyo police station and was detained early on Sunday, the police official said. Public broadcaster NHK said Hirata told police he wanted to "put the past behind him".

Aum Shinkrikyo is most famous for releasing sarin nerve gas in Tokyo's subway system in 1995, killing 13 people and injuring more than 6,000 in Japan's deadliest act of domestic terrorism. The cult had amassed an arsenal of chemical, biological and conventional weapons in anticipation of an apocalyptic showdown with the government.

Police say Hirata and other cult members kidnapped Kariya off a Tokyo street and held him at the group's tightly guarded commune at the foot of Mount Fuji. They allegedly used anaesthetics on Kariya to get him to talk about his sister, who escaped from the group after being pressed to donate her land. Kariya died from a drug overdose, police said. According to court testimony, cult members burned Kariya's body in an incinerator in the commune and threw the ashes in a nearby lake to destroy the evidence.

Hirata told police he only drove Kariya to the cult compound and denied other allegations, NHK said. He is also suspected in the near-fatal shooting of Japan's then top police chief, but the high-profile case was closed last year after the statute of limitations expired.

Hirata was one of the last three wanted cult members. The other two are still at large. Nearly 200 members of the cult have been convicted in the gas attack and dozens of other crimes. The cult's founder, Shoko Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, is awaiting execution after his death sentence was confirmed in 2006. Twelve other members are on death row; no one has been executed.

Hirata's arrest could help fill in missing pieces of the investigation. "As a member of the victim's family, I just want to know the truth," Kariya's son Minoru said in a televised interview. "I hope the new witness will help bring new revelations."

The cult,now renamed Aleph, once had 10,000 members in Japan and another 30,000 in Russia. It remains under police surveillance.

Post Mortem - 1 Year Later

2011-12-14T08:53:00.000-06:00

Thoughts on dallas’ death

It’s been one year since Mr. dallas died at 2a.m. December 14, 2010 (yes, I do have an alibi). It has been left to others to comment on this publicly until now, so here are a few thoughts on the death and aftermath of the former cult leader:

My first reaction to hearing the news was that this was either a bad joke in very poor taste, or it was a pathetic attempt at faking his death in order to dodge the IRS. It was the kind of ridiculous stunt he would have pulled to evade the law yet again. There are some who still believe dallas has faked his death, went “underground” and will someday reemerge. Just a friendly warning, if someone is harboring dallas, they are aiding and abetting a twice-convicted felon and could very well face criminal charges when caught. I say “when” instead of “if” because dallas is not so adept at covering up his criminal activities as he imagines.

After some initial skepticism, I was glad that he would never be able to victimize anyone ever again. Mr. dallas has done irreparable harm to dozens, perhaps hundreds of people, either directly or indirectly. To any of his victims - you are not alone. There are plenty of other victims who will lend a sympathetic ear and any support they can. Don’t remain silent. Tell your story to someone and shrug off the burden of any guilt you may feel. It’s not your fault. Mr. dallas is solely responsible.

Then I was disappointed and angry that he had escaped mortal justice once more. Mr. dallas committed dozens of crimes in his lifetime, but only paid a fraction of the enormous debt he owed society. He had robbed all his past, present and future victims of obtaining even a small measure of satisfaction at seeing him in prison yet again.

Then I was disappointed that Mr. dallas had not lived to see the debut of Friendly Force. I would have loved to see his reaction to its publication. There would have been the inevitable lawsuit, of course, no telling what mad accusations he would have leveled against anyone and everyone involved in its publication. I was looking forward to having him in a courtroom, under oath on the witness stand committing perjury again. All his lies would have been laid bare for the world to see. He would finally have been forced to either provide evidence to support his lies, or admit the truth and justice would have been served at last.

One year on, the cult is trying to rise again like a phoenix from the ashes under the direction of Jay Green (an appropriate metaphor, considering how many times dallas forced cult members to commit arson and insurance fraud by burning down houses and schools). It will be some months yet before Friendly Force is published, there is still so much more information to gather and examine. Something new seems to come to light almost every week. Everything that has been gathered so far is only the tip of the iceberg. The book’s publication will certainly rock what remains of the cult to its core, perhaps resulting in another mass exodus and hopefully resulting in an enormous reduction in the number of future potential victims avoiding the cult altogether.

Stay tuned for future updates.

Present and Future for the Legal System

2011-12-02T05:11:00.000-06:00

Economic Power and the Legal System

Totalistic groups wield economic power and use it for social and legal leverage. There is no counting the number of people who have discovered that holding a valid legal right is worthless against a group that can make it economically impractical to enforce. As a lawyer, I am keenly aware of the deficiency in our legal system when one side has a "deep pocket" of economic resources. An opponent with fewer resources may be prevented from obtaining justice because of a seemingly limitless horde of opposing lawyers imposing overwhelming costs and obtaining interminable delays.

I have been approached by many people who possess written acknowledgment that sums are due them from certain groups, yet they cannot enforce their rights because the legal fees would cost more than the amount involved. Sometimes groups are willing to spend far more than is at issue to defeat and delay recovery on a claim, just to deter others.

It is not that a new set of laws is needed. Totalistic groups can be brought within the legal system rather than allowed to remain outside or above it. Totalistic groups are not entitled to special treatment or protection. They should become responsible members of our community.

THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE
The role of the legal system in addressing problems arising out of the presence of destructive cults in our society has gone through a period of slow evolution. Existing legal modalities have been adapted to deal with the problems created by destructive cults (Rosedale, 1989). In reaching these conclusions significant controversies remain concerning the following: relationships among family members, the balance between church and state, the preservation of individual liberty and freedom of thought, and the application of laws governing fraud and misrepresentation without regard to the motive of the person or group committing these acts.

In many instances the legal system comes up short of being just. It is hobbled by the economic cost of enforcing legal rights. It is limited by the effort required to cut through the use of myth and the perversion of language common to totalistic groups.

An example of this appeared in an exchange of letters (Rosedale, 1992; Small, 1992) in The American Lawyer after its publication of an article (Home, 1992) about the Church of Scientology's legal representation. A lawyer who had represented the church pointed out that in his view the differences between the Church of Scientology and ordinary litigants was that the church made decisions "as a matter of principle" and was willing to litigate over principle more vigorously than other citizens. His statement is morally neutral until you determine what the principle is. If the "principle" is to crush dissent or financially punish critics by using the legal system as a weapon, then the morally neutral statement becomes a road map for oppression. When I confronted a lawyer about his tolerance of his client's criminal conduct in a Scientology-related case, he told me, "You do what you have to do to win." So much for "principle."

I understand all too well that the decisions of totalistic groups to fight their critics to the death may be a matter of principle. That principle is anathema in our pluralistic society and in an adversarial legal system which still requires commitment to the survival of the disenfranchised.

The legal system provides some aid to those in the process of recovery and disengagement from totalistic groups. It does not provide emotional satisfaction in redressing a wrong, nor does it adequately compensate for harm done. However, over a period of time it has enabled people who left totalistic groups to at least partly pull themselves out of the morass that they have entered into, to readjust their family relationships, to complete their severance, and to impose upon the totalistic groups a degree of accountability previously unknown. In this, the system has performed a useful function, provided its limitations are acknowledged and understood. As we move forward, I hope that the law will continue to address the wrongs that have occurred and that it will be an instrument of private redress and a vehicle for the reformation of behavior through accountability.

REFERENCES

Delgado, R. (1977). Religious totalism: Gentle and ungentle persuasion under the First Amendment. Southern California Law Review, 5(1),1-97.

Delgado, R. (1979). A response to professor Dressler. Minnesota Law Review, 63, 361-365.

Delgado, R. (1982). Cults and conversion: The case for informed consent. Georgia Law Review, 16(3), 533-574.

Dressler, J. (1979). Professor Delgado's "brainwashing" defense: Courting a determinist legal system. Minnesota Law Review, 63, 335-360.

Greene, F. (1989). Litigating child custody with religious cults. Cultic Studies Journal 6(1), 69-75.

Home, W. W. (1992, July/August). The two faces of Scientology. The American Lawyer, pp. 74-82.

Kandel, R. F. (1987/1988). Litigating the cult-related child custody case. Cultic Studies Journal 4/5(1), 123-131.

Langone, M. (1993), Recovery From Cults: Help For Victims of Psychology and Spiritual Abuses

W.W.Norton Lucksted, 0. D., & Martell, D. F. (1982, April, May, & June). Cults: A conflict between religious liberty and involuntary servitude? FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 51(4, 5, 6), pp. 16-20, 16-23, 16-21.

Rosedale, H. L. (1989). Legal analysis of intent as a continuum emphasizing social context of volition.

Cultic Studies Journal, 6(1), 25-31.

Rosedale, H. L. (1992, September). Letter to the editor. The American Lawyer, pp. 17-18.

Shapiro, R. (1983). Of robots, persons, and the protection of religious beliefs. Southern California Law Review, 56(6),1277-1318.

Small, T. (1992, September). Letter to the editor. The American Lawyer, pp. 17-18.

Abuse of Women and Children

2011-11-30T20:47:00.000-06:00

Within totalistic groups there is a pattern of victimization of the weak by the strong. Most prevalent is the systematic abuse of women and children (see Chapters 17, Children and Cults, and Chapter 18, Ritualistic Abuse of Children in Day-Care Centers, in the book Recovery From Cults) through the exercise of arbitrary power and the demand for perfect performance. The very first resolution unanimously adopted by the Interfaith Coalition of Concern about Cults in the New York metropolitan area was the condemnation of the abuse of women and children by destructive totalistic groups.
It has become clear that the perpetration of such abuse is not limited to religious groups. Exploitation of the weak, the naive, the credible, and the vulnerable is an issue troubling our society and other societies worldwide. Groups working to protect victims of destructive cults are working more closely with groups representing those victimized by other forms of familial or societal abuse.

In a number of states, governmental action has been successful in extricating children from abusive groups to save them from further injury. In some instances, courts have supported the government's interest in the health and welfare of minors over the opposition of a parent who submits to the group leader's unquestioned authority with unconditional obedience. Other cases, unfortunately, have not succeeded in rescuing these children. Significant controversy still remains concerning the denial of medical treatment to children (see Chapter 17, Children and Cults, in the book Recovery From Cults)

Progress with respect to sexual abuse and victimization of women has been slow. More and more evidence of this type of abuse has surfaced, much of it related to abuses of power and destructive rituals.

Emotional or Consequential Loss

2011-11-30T16:40:00.005-06:00

In many instances the most severe loss that a member has suffered is an emotional damage incurred as a consequence of abuse. In such cases recovery of damages is extremely difficult and often speculative.
Again, this does not mean that the injury is not real. What it means is that these cases may not readily be settled by the group, and the time from inception to financial recovery may stretch out over many, many years. Lawyers will be very reluctant to take on such litigation because of the expense in prosecuting it.

While some lawyers do accept cases based upon sharing in a recovery, most will reject such an arrangement where the recovery is long deferred or requires too much time and expense to achieve. Also, during the process of litigation cult groups seek to make recovery of a judgment extremely difficult so that even a victory may not be translated into dollar recoupment. In recent periods we have seen a number of significant recoveries against cult groups go up and down on appeal in the highest courts of the Supreme Court, while a plaintiff who has won verdicts remains uncompensated.

An additional factor in undertaking such litigation is the emotional stress and strain upon the former cult member. The cult, in their defense, will not hesitate to assert that the group was not the cause of the plaintiff’s pain and loss. In doing so, the cult will use - to its benefit and to the detriment of the former member -whatever private and confidential information it has regarding the ex-member and his or her families, friends, and acquaintances.

The time necessary for the ex-member's participation in the litigation, as we know, can often be substantial and dragged out over long periods of time, providing yet another impediment to the process of recovery and the ability of the former member to reorganize his or her life.

I do not unqualifiedly discourage litigation, and note that a few people made it work for them by achieving appropriate legal redress for harm done, and others have gained a significant degree of self-esteem by having the opportunity to confront their oppressor in the legal arena.

Severing Contracts

2011-11-29T08:31:00.000-06:00

It is usually necessary to sever cult-related contractual commitments made while the person was a cult member. For example, the member's lawyer may have been chosen by the group as a way of subordinating that person's rights to group control. This lawyer may primarily represent the group's best interests. Termination of that lawyer-client relationship as soon as possible is essential, for it places shackles upon the will of the emerged person.
While this may seem self-evident, I offer as an example a bizarre case in suburban New York. The judge in that case asserted that by the act of discharging a group-chosen lawyer, a former cult member may have evidenced a lack of independence of will. During this contest the group-chosen lawyer, against the expressed intent of the ex-member, sought to stir up claims against the ex-member's parents and interfered with her relationship with her newly chosen lawyer. The judge ordered her to have a psychiatric examination to determine her mental capacity. Despite arguments that firing one's lawyer is not a sign of insanity, the woman was compelled to undergo a psychiatric examination. Luckily it all worked out, but it was a humiliation the ex-member should never have been subjected to.

Another area of concern may be contracts that the person signed as a group member, some of which by their terms last millions of years. An objective reading will show that it is absurd to think that these contracts are legally enforceable documents. However, when a person emerges from a totalistic commitment, he or she needs to be assured that these contracts are legally unenforceable. In order to free the person from the oppressive fear that the contracts constitute morally or legally binding obligations, it is also important to explain to the ex-member why the contracts are not legally valid, so the person can view them in a newly independent rational context, restoring his or her respect for the legal system and deepening the person's understanding of his or her exploitation by the group.

It is very important that all contracts made as a group member be reviewed by a lawyer before the ex-member continues to honor them. Some contracts may be voidable because the person was fraudulently induced to sign them, or because the contract requires the person to perform illegal acts or unenforceably restricts the person from taking desired action. Sometimes the group will seek to pressure a former member to ratify a contract by asking the ex-member to honor a commitment as a demonstration of goodwill. If a former member, after leaving a group, continues to carry out his or her duties under a contract, a court might rule that the contract has been ratified, even though it could have been voided. This might occur, for example, when the group bills the former member for "unpaid" donations and the person pays these bills after leaving the group. Contracts may also require unenforceable donations of services or agreements to commit or refrain from certain activities.

It is essential that ex-members be able to turn to a lawyer and supporter of their own choosing. Nothing should be done between the ex-member and the group without consulting counsel.

Role of Law: Marriage, Children

2011-11-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

ROLE OF LAW IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS
After a person leaves a totalistic group, he- or-she often turns first to the question of how to restore the essential legal trappings of individual independence. First and foremost, the person addresses changes that occurred in his or her family during the period of group involvement.

MarriageDissolving a marriage entered into while a member of a group to someone who has remained in the group is frequently a first order of business. This is not always easy, because sometimes the spouse is physically inaccessible (geographically or otherwise) to the one who left the group. On the other hand, the spouse who remains in the group may not wish to stay married either since retention of ties to someone outside the group poses a potential danger to the group, as it may provide a source of outside information and disruption encroaching upon the leader's ability to control the member remaining in the group. Continuation of the marriage may also prevent a new union with another group member.

First, the ex-member should determine whether the marriage was legally contracted or merely ceremonial. If the marriage was legal, there are various ways to dissolve it, usually by divorce or annulment. No-fault consensual divorce is the most common method, but annulment is sometimes available when it can be proved that the marriage was not entered into knowingly or voluntarily or that there was fraud in its inducement. Since some ex-members will want an annulment rather than a divorce because of religious values and moral precepts, the possibility of annulment should be fully explored. In a recent case, an annulment was granted based on a professional's testimony that the marriage had been ordered by the cult leader, and therefore the marriage had not been entered into with the couple's free will and consent.

ChildrenA second aspect of family structure that often must be addressed deals with children. Child custody, visitation rights, education, and religious practices are among issues that may arise (Greene, 1989; Kandel, 1987/1988). Cases dealing with the dissolution of marriages of persons with mixed religious faiths offer guidance and legal precedent. If the ex-member seeks legal custody, visitation rights, or restrictions on the cult member's activities, much will hinge on expert testimony about the practices of the group and their effects on the child.

Depending on a child's age and circumstances, it may be shown that the group's practices may be harmful to the child's best interest. With proper use of expert testimony, decisions have been made in which the parent emerging from the group has been granted sole custody and, in some instances, limitations have been placed upon the child's contacts with the parent remaining in the destructive group, or participation in the group's activities.

It is necessary to carefully document actual and prospective harm before going into a judicial hearing (Greene, 1989; Kandel, 1987/1988). Sometimes agreements are able to be reached between spouses when there is a cooperative willingness to deal with the best interests of the children. I am aware of many cases in which membership in a group has not so dominated the views of parents that they are unable to perceive the jeopardy to their children's welfare posed by the children's continued participation in certain of the group's practices.

A difficult issue receiving current attention is how to treat children who have spent major developmental portions of their lives in a group that restricted their ability to interact with people in the outside world. Very little study has been done to document this problem (see Chapter 17, Children and Cults, in the book (Recovery From Cults). Further study is needed, and comparisons to other groups living in separate communities may be helpful. The law is on the edge of establishing the rights of grandparents to have communication with their grandchild. The thrust and pace of this development in the law differs from state to state, in some instances relying on statutes, in others being a matter of case-by-case decisions. These issues arise most frequently when parents are members of a group and grandparents, who are not members, seek communication or contact with their grandchild and enrichment of their grandchild's life through exposure to extended families. Issues also arise when grandparents discover serious deficiencies in the medical treatment or education their grandchild receives in or because of the practices of the group. The decisive legal issue is the welfare of the grandchild. What is important is the development of the law and its recognition of the value of communication between children and all members of their families, including grandparents, even in the face of parental opposition. While much is left uncertain, this recognition should give great hope to the grandparent in this situation who is hoping to gain access to the grandchild. I also believe, although I know of no legal authority, that one should not reject out of hand a potential assertion of aunts' and uncles' rights asserted by a sibling of a parent in a cult.

Regaining Independence and Initiative

2011-11-21T07:29:00.001-06:00

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS:
REGAINING INDEPENDENCE AND INITIATIVE
by Herbert L. Rosedale, Esq.
Excerpted from Recovery From Cults, Help For Vicitms of Psychological and Spriitual Abuse

Controversies between zealots and society are not new. They go back to the establishment of the social contract and relate to many of its subsequent implications. Aspects of the controversies surfaced during the period of accommodation between ideological monarchies and the middle classes and during the period of division between secular and ecclesiastical authority with divergent claims to fealty. The controversies renew from time to time when beliefs of individuals or groups are so strong that they lead them to ignore or violate secular law. These conflicts arise over a wide range of legal issues that arouse strong passions and, consequently, particularly stimulate zealots of many different stripes. Examples include the injustice of racially discriminatory laws, conflicts over right-to-lifers' attacking abortion clinics,

and orchestrated efforts to nullify laws offensive to a particular group for ideological or economic reasons. In contemporary society, controversies relating to destructive, totalistic cults have expanded markedly during the past 15 years.

When I first started to speak out about cults approximately 10 years ago, I was one of an extremely small group of lawyers who were willing to address cultic groups' broad range of challenges to individual freedom and personal liberty. The podium had in fact been largely forfeited to a strident, well-organized clique of "civil libertarian" experts who discoursed at length upon the inviolability of the First Amendment and the rights, vulnerabilities, and vitality of so-called new religious movements.

Those who challenged totalistic groups were concerned with the deception and manipulation of recruits and members and the existence of psychological, financial, and sometimes even physical abuse within the groups without informed consent. The critics' priorities were education and deterrence. Critics believed that individuals could be quickly and decisively deprived of their ability to think critically and to make independent judgments and that the process of deprogramming could restore cultists' ability to independently choose a general course of conduct that could either involve return to the group or to their pre-group life-style and values.

Early debates focused on a number of questions: Did these groups obtain membership through volitional though nontraditional religious conversions or through coercive manipulation or fraudulent tactics that deprived the new member of his or her freedom of choice? Could totalistic groups, in claiming members' complete allegiance and obedience, demand and enforce termination of all familial communications? Could such a group require a member to isolate children and grandchildren from family members outside the organization? Was action initiated by perceived emotional and physical risk of a new member justified by necessity in the face of criminal charges of kidnapping when a group member was involuntarily removed from the group? Did counseling of any kind, whether consensual or nonconsensual, violate civil rights of members of totalistic groups, who claimed they were being subjected to faith-breaking presentations? Did religious motivation immunize noncriminal injurious activities? In short, legal analysis and discussion

addressed at length questions of irrational conversion, the nature of free will and volition, and the extent of protection that should be afforded to bizarre religious groups., These questions were addressed by, among others, Delgado (1977, 1979, 1982), Dressler (1979), Lucksted and Martell (1982), and Shapiro (1983).

Recently, however, using the First Amendment as an absolute icon has become more difficult. It is now generally accepted that the right to religious freedom does not confer upon anyone the concomitant right to injure another or deprive persons of freedom under the guise of religious motivation. Indeed, recent decisions appear to have given more weight to the primacy of other socially validated concerns, such as monogamy, family structure, and the prohibition of mind-altering drugs, over the desire to engage in a religious practice.

In recent years it has become far more evident that destructive cultic groups are not limited to those who claim religious bonds. The same issues arise and must be dealt with when a leader exercising power and control over members requires politically correct ideas, dictates behaviors for achieving psychological or physical well-being, or prescribes an absolute course of subordinate conduct in order to become wealthy, healthy, or wise.

As the field has broadened so has its perspective lengthened so as to consider legal problems arising after a person emerges from a cult and struggles to regain independence and a sense of self-worth. I have personally dealt with several dozen such people for whom such concerns were primary. A person's ability to help former cult members deal with the legal issues that arise is necessarily predicated on an understanding of the process to which they were subjected. In this chapter I examine such legal issues rather than look back to the older debates in this area.

Checklist for Post-Cult Legal Issues

2011-11-20T19:36:00.000-06:00

CHECKLIST FOR POST-CULT LEGAL ISSUES

Family Issues

Marriage

Does the ex-member want to dissolve a marriage to someone still in the cult?

Was the marriage legally binding or just ceremonial?

If legal marriage, can it be annulled because it was induced by fraud or coercion?

If not, is it possible to obtain a divorce?

Children

Are there or does the ex-member anticipate child custody conflicts with a spouse in the group?

What custody arrangement is in the best interest of a child who has one parent in a cult and one parent who has left the group?

Would custody or visitation by the parent in the group be harmful to the child because of the group's practices? If so, testimony by expert witnesses is crucial for success in court.

Do the grandparents wish to have contact with a grandchild, one or both of whose parents are in a restrictive group?

Financial Issue
Contracts

Are there loans, obligations, or contracts that ought to be reviewed, either to avoid further obligations or to recover past payments? This should be done as soon as possible by a lawyer of the ex-member's choosing. The ex-member should be advised how to respond to pressure from the group to fulfill a contract.

Did the former member enter into damaging contracts with the group that are legally unenforceable?

Financial Losses

If the ex-member worked in a group business, has the group violated wage and hour laws? Was the ex-member appropriately paid for services rendered to the group? Because legal deadlines for pursuing these types of claims are short, the ex-member must act rapidly.

If the former member signed a contract giving the group money or property, were state laws regulating contracts (such as the required "cooling-off" period) violated so that the contract is void?
Does the ex-member believe he or she might have been misled, defrauded, or otherwise exploited in business dealings with the group or its leader?
Is the group interfering with contractual arrangements between the ex-member and persons remaining in the group?

Physical and Psychological Abuse

Is the group violating laws that protect children and adults from physical abuse?

Is the government empowered to remove children from abusive groups?

Does the ex-member have reason to believe that he or she suffered unusually severe emotional distress or residual physical injuries as a result of the group involvement?

Is your abuser a narcissist?

2011-11-20T19:23:00.000-06:00

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 1994, American Psychiatric Association

Edited by Rick Ross, March 2004

Is your abuser/controller a narcissistic personality?

Check the following criteria:
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity as seen through fantasy or behavior, need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts.

Beware if someone you are involved with has five (or more) of the following characteristics common amongst those diagnosed with "Narcissistic Personality Disorder."

Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements).

Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.

Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).

Requires excessive admiration.

Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations.

Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends.

Lacks empathy: isunwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.

Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her.
Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.

Note: These criteria are excerpted from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 1994, American Psychiatric Association.

Influence

2011-11-19T06:04:00.000-06:00

Influence
By Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D.Introduction

Robert Cialdini is a Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University and has spent many years devoted to the scientific investigation and research of persuasion techniques. His book "Influence" has become a classic. Within his book, Cialdini lists six basic social and psychological principles that form the foundation for successful strategies used to achieve influence.

Those six principles are:
Rule of Reciprocity
According to sociologists and anthropologists, one of the most widespread and basic norms of human culture is embodied in the rule of reciprocity. This rule requires that one person try to repay what another person has provided. By obligating the recipient to an act of repayment in the future--the rule for reciprocation allows one individual to give something to another with the confidence that it is not being lost.

This sense of future obligation according to the rule makes possible the development of various kinds of continuing relationships, transactions, and exchanges that are beneficial to society. Consequently, virtually all members of society are trained from childhood to abide by this rule or suffer serious social disapproval.

The decision to comply with someone's request is frequently based upon the Rule of Reciprocity. Again, a possible and profitable tactic to gain probable compliance would be to give something to someone before asking for a favor in return.

The opportunity to exploit this tactic is due to three characteristics of the Rule of Reciprocity:
The rule is extremely powerful, often overwhelming the influence of other factors that normally determine compliance with a request.
The rule applies even to uninvited first favors, which reduces our ability to decide whom we wish to owe and putting the choice in the hands of others
The rule can spur unequal exchanges. That is--to be rid of the uncomfortable feeling of indebtedness, an individual will often agree to a request for a substantially larger favor, than the one he or she first received.

Another way in which the Rule of Reciprocity can increase compliance involves a simple variation on the basic theme: instead of providing a favor first that stimulates a returned favor, an individual can make instead an initial concession--that stimulates a return concession.

One compliance procedure, called the "rejection-then-retreat technique", or door-in-the-face technique, relies heavily on the pressure to reciprocate concessions. By starting with an extreme request that is sure to be rejected, the requester can then profitably retreat to a smaller request--the one that was desired all along. This request is likely to now be accepted because it appears to be a concession. Research indicates, that aside from increasing the likelihood that a person will say yes to a request--the rejection-then-retreat technique also increases the likelihood that the person will carry out the request and will agree to future requests.
The best defense against manipulation by the use of the Rule of Reciprocity
to gain compliance is not the total rejection of initial offers by others. But rather, accepting initial favors or concessions in good faith, while also remaining prepared to see through them as tricks--should they later be proven so. Once they are seen in this way, there is no longer a need to feel the necessity to respond with a favor or concession.

Commitment and Consistency
People have a desire to look consistent through their words, beliefs, attitudes and deeds and this tendency is supported or fed from three sources:
Good personal consistency is highly valued by society.
Consistent conduct provides a beneficial approach to daily life.
A consistent orientation affords a valuable shortcut through the complexity of modern existence. That is-- by being consistent with earlier decisions we can reduce the need to process all the relevant information in future similar situations. Instead, one merely needs to recall the earlier decision and respond consistently.
The key to using the principles of Commitment and Consistency to manipulate people is held within the initial commitment. That is--after making a commitment, taking a stand or position, people are more willing to agree to requests that are consistent with their prior commitment. Many compliance professionals will try to induce others to take an initial position that is consistent with a behavior they will later request.

Commitments are most effective when they are active, public, effortful, and viewed as internally motivated and not coerced. Once a stand is taken, there is a natural tendency to behave in ways that are stubbornly consistent with the stand. The drive to be and look consistent constitutes a highly potent tool of social influence, often causing people to act in ways that are clearly contrary to their own best interests.

Commitment decisions, even erroneous ones, have a tendency to be self-perpetuating--they often "grow their own legs." That is--those involved may add new reasons and justifications to support the wisdom of commitments they have already made. As a consequence, some commitments remain in effect long after the conditions that spurred them have changed. This phenomenon explains the effectiveness of certain deceptive compliance practices.

To recognize and resist the undue influence of consistency pressures upon our compliance decisions--we can listen for signals coming from two places within us--our stomach or "gut reaction" and our heart.
A bad feeling in the pit of the stomach may appear when we realize that we are being pushed by commitment and consistency pressures to agree to requests we know we don't want to perform.
Our heart may bother us when it is not clear that an initial commitment was right.
At such points it is meaningful to ask a crucial question, "Knowing what I know now, if I could go back, would I have made the same commitment?"

Social Proof
One means used to determine what is correct is to find out what others believe is correct. People often view a behavior as more correct in a given situation--to the degree that we see others performing it.

This principle of Social Proof can be used to stimulate a person's compliance with a request by informing him or her that many other individuals, perhaps some that are role models, are or have observed this behavior. This tool of influence provides a shortcut for determining how to behave. But at the same time it can make those involved with using this social shortcut--vulnerable to the manipulations of others who seek to exploit such influence through such things as seminars, group introduction dinners, retreats etc. Group members may then provide the models for the behavior that each group plans to produce in its potential new members.

Social proof is most influential under two conditions:
Uncertainty--when people are unsure and the situation is ambiguous they are more likely to observe the behavior of others and to accept that behavior as correct
Similarity--people are more inclined to follow the lead of others who are similar.

Some recommendations on how to reduce susceptibility to contrived social proofs would include a greater sensitivity to clearly counterfeit evidence. That is--what others are doing and their behavior should not form a sole basis for decision-making.

Liking
People prefer to say yes to individuals they know and like. This simple rule helps to understand how Liking can create influence and how compliance professionals may emphasize certain factors and/or attributes to increase their overall attractiveness and subsequent effectiveness. Compliance practitioners may regularly use several factors.

Physical attractiveness--is one feature of a person that often may help to create some influence. Although it has long been suspected that physical beauty provides an advantage in social interaction, research indicates that this advantage may be greater than once supposed. Physical attractiveness seems to engender a "halo" effect that extends to favorable impressions of other traits such as talent, kindness, and intelligence. As a result, attractive people are more persuasive both in terms of getting what they request and in changing others' attitudes.

Similarity--is a second factor that influences both Liking and compliance. That is--we like people who are like us and are more willing to say yes to their requests, often without much critical consideration.

Praise--is another factor that produces Liking, though this can sometimes backfire when they are crudely transparent. But generally compliments most often enhance liking and can be used as a means to gain compliance.

Increased familiarity--through repeated contact with a person or thing is yet another factor that normally facilitates Liking. But this holds true principally when that contact takes place under positive rather than negative circumstances. One positive circumstance that may works well is mutual and successful cooperation.

A final factor linked to Liking is often association. By associating with products or positive things--those who seek influence frequently share in a halo effect by association. Other individuals as well appear to recognize the positive effect of simply associating themselves with favorable events and distancing themselves from unfavorable ones.

A potentially effective response that reduces vulnerability to the undue influence of Liking upon decision-making requires a recognition of how Liking and its attending factors may impact our impression of someone making requests and soliciting important decisions. That is-- recognizing how someone making requests may do inordinately well under certain circumstances--should cause us to step back from some social interaction and objectively separate the requester from his or her offer or request. We should make decisions, commitments and offer compliance based upon the actual merits of the offer or request.

Authority
In the seminal studies and research conducted by Milgram regarding obedience there is evidence of the strong pressure within our society for compliance when requested by an authority figure. The strength of this tendency to obey legitimate authorities is derived from the systematic socialization practices designed to instill in society the perception that such obedience constitutes correct conduct. Additionally, it is also frequently adaptive to obey the dictates of genuine authorities because such individuals usually possess high levels of knowledge, wisdom, and power. For these reasons, deference to authorities can occur in a mindless fashion as a kind of decision-making shortcut. When reacting to authority in an automatic fashion there is a tendency to often do so in response to the mere symbols of authority rather than to its substance.

Three types of symbols have been demonstrated through research as effective in this regard:
Titles
Clothing
Automobiles.

In separate studies investigating the influence of these symbols--individuals that possessed one or another of these symbols, even without other legitimizing credentials, were accorded more deference or obedience by those they encountered. Moreover, in each instance, those individuals who deferred and/or obeyed these individuals underestimated the effect of authority pressures upon their behavior.

Asking two questions can attain a meaningful defense against the detrimental effects of undue influence gained through authority:
Is this authority truly an expert? How truthful can we expect this expert to be?

The first question directs our attention away from symbols and toward actual evidence for authority status. The second advises us to consider not just the expert's knowledge in the situation, but also his or her trustworthiness. With regard to this second consideration, we should be alert to the trust-enhancing tactic in which a communicator may first provide some mildly negative information about himself or herself. This can be seen as a strategy to create the perception of honesty--making subsequent information seem more credible to those listening.

Scarcity
According to the Principle of Scarcity--people assign more value to opportunities when they are less available. The use of this principle for profit can be seen in such high-pressure sales techniques as only a "limited number" now available and a "deadline" set for an offer. Such tactics attempt to persuade people that number and/or time restrict access to what is offered. The scarcity principle holds true for two reasons:
Things difficult to attain are typically more valuable. And the availability of an item or experience can serve as a shortcut clue or cue to its quality.
When something becomes less accessible, the freedom to have it may be lost.

According to psychological reactance theory, people respond to the loss of freedom by wanting to have it more. This includes the freedom to have certain goods and services. As a motivator, psychological reactance is present throughout the great majority of a person's life span. However, it is especially evident at a pair of ages: "the terrible twos" and the teenage years. Both of these periods are characterized by an emerging sense of individuality, which brings to prominence such issues as control, individual rights, and freedoms. People at these ages are especially sensitive to restrictions.

In addition to its effect on the valuation of commodities, the Principle of Scarcity also applies to the way that information is evaluated. Research indicates that the act of limiting access to a message may cause individuals to want it more and to become increasingly favorable to it. The latter of these findings, that limited information is more persuasive--seems the most interesting. In the case of censorship, this effect occurs even when the message has not been received. When a message has been received, it is more effective if it is perceived to consist of some type of exclusive information.

The scarcity principle is more likely to hold true under two optimizing conditions
Scarce items are heightened in value when they are newly scarce. That is things have higher value when they have become recently restricted--more than those than those things that were restricted all along have.
People are most attracted to scarce resources when they compete with others for them.

It is difficult to prepare ourselves cognitively against scarcity pressures because they have an emotional quality that makes thinking difficult. In defense, we might attempt to be alert regarding the sudden rush of emotions in situations involving scarcity. Perhaps this awareness may allow us to remain calm and take steps to assess the merits of an opportunity in terms of why we really want and objectively need.

This is based upon the summary notes within the book--Influence. By Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. (Quill, NY, 1984 (Revised 1993)

Psychological Persuasion Techniques

2011-11-19T05:52:00.000-06:00

Cults in our Midst
Psychological Persuasion Techniques
Jossey-Bass Publishers San Franciso
By Margaret Thaler Singer (with Janja Lalich)

Chapter 7 : Psychological Persuasion Techniques
Trance and Hypnosis
When this method is used in a cultic environment, it becomes a form of psychological manipulation and coercion because the cult leader implants suggestions aimed at his own agenda while the person is in a vulnerable state.

Guided ImageryA considerable number of different guided-imagery techniques are used by cult leaders and trainers to remove followers from their normal frames of reference.

Indirect DirectivesCult members often say to their families and friends, "No one orders me around. I choose to do what I do." Getting members to think that way is one of the manipulations mastered by cult leaders who have become skillful at getting acts carried out through indirection and implication.
Accomplishing this task is easier when the member is in an altered state, fatigued, or otherwise anxious or under stress.

Peer Pressure and ModelingWe look around and see models, and we comport ourselves to be like them. Most cults train new members either overtly stated policies or by more implicit shaping, to act in ways desired by the group.

Peer pressure is an effective means to get people to fit their behavior to group norms. In cults, this works for new and old members alike, going far beyond what is generally seen in society at large. In an atmosphere that states or implies that there is only one way to be this is it, it is most important to have models around to imitate.

Emotional Manipulation
According to Cialdini, the majority of the thousands of different tactics that compliance professionals use fall into six categories, and each category is based on a psychological principle that directs human behavior. These six principles are:
Consistency We try to justify our earlier behavior.
Reciprocity. If somebody gives us something, we try to repay in kind.
Social Proof. We try to find out what other people think is correct.
Authority. We have a deep-seated sense of duty to authority figures.
Liking. We obey people we like.
Scarcity. If we come to want something, we can be made to fear that if we wait it will be gone. The opportunity to get it may pass. We want to take it now - whatever is being offered, from an object to cosmic consciousness.

We can see how transformations occur when the six principles are skillfully put into play by cult leaders and cultic groups. For example:
Consistency. If you have made a commitment to the group and then break it, you can be made to feel guilty.
Reciprocity. If you accept the group's food and attention, you feel you should repay them.
Social proof. If you look around in the group, you will see people behaving in particular ways. You imitate what you see and assume that such behavior is proper, good, and expected.
Authority. If you tend to respect authority, and your cult leader claims superior knowledge, power, and special missions in life, you accept him as an authority.
Liking. If you are the object of love bombing and other tactics that surround you, make you feel wanted and loved, and make you like the people in the group, you feel you ought to obey these people.
Scarcity. If you are told that without the group you will miss out on living a life without stress; miss out on attaining cosmic awareness and bliss; miss out on changing the world instantly or gaining the ability to travel back in time; or miss out on whatever the group offers that is tailored to seem essential to you, you will feel you must buy in now.

Cults Taking Advantage of Economic Hardship

2011-11-04T02:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.smh.com.au/national/economic-climate-a-breeding-ground-for-cults-20111101-1mu6i.html

Economic climate a breeding ground for cults
Leesha McKenny, RELIGIOUS AFFAIRSNovember 2, 2011

Global fears of economic or environmental upheaval feed the growth of gurus and damaging cults that prey on the weak, a visiting French government expert has warned.

Georges Fenech, president of France's Interministerial Mission for Monitoring and Combating Cultic Deviances, said it was working for greater international co-operation in dealing with sectarian abuses – with one in five French, or 12 million people, affected in some way by a cult.

"We're going through an age where there are numerous crisis, whether it's financial, climatic, pandemic, and these create favourable basis where the gurus can work for their own benefit," he said.

The politician and former judge cited one instance where an Australian cult, the Order of St Charbel founded by the now-jailed "Little Pebble" William Kamm on the NSW South Coast, spread to France where members have since been imprisoned.

"So that proves there are no borders for that kind of group and that's why it's so important to have this kind of exchange and common vision between countries," he said.

The French government has a history of taking a strict line on monitoring what it considers negative "cultlike movements".

It has previously released a list of more than 170 groups deemed cults - including some groups considered religions in Australia - on the basis they met one or more of 10 characteristics.

"Some of these organisations anyway are huge organisations, like the Church of Scientology and Jehovah's Witnesses, and of course these people are here [in Australia] as well."

Mr Fenech said the French branch of the Church of Scientology will return to court this week to appeal against its 2009 conviction on charges related to illegal pharmacology and organised fraud.

But the French approach to minority faiths, itself the subject of some criticism, has not always been vindicated by the courts.

This year the European Court of Human Rights ruled its government interfered with the the religious freedom of Jehovah's Witnesses when it attempted to impose a retroactive tax worth millions on the donations received by the church.

Mr Fenech said Australia was part of the Anglo Saxon world that had a more "a laissez faire attitude of tolerance towards all religion", but he defended his country's record of religious tolerance.

"In France we do respect all religions but at the same time we do not tolerate that under the aegis of some kind of church some types of behaviour take place, and we confront these."

Mr Fenech said all religions had the potential to foster cultic deviances. His organisation had examined sub-cults established within the Catholic church.

"We can't leave this problem to private initiative because the problem is too serious and too difficult. It's just too much for associations to deal with it," he said.

Mr Fenech, who said he will address the federal Senate today, was invited to deliver the keynote presentation at a conference entitled "Cults in Australia: Facing the Realities" co-hosted by Liberal senator Sue Boyce and independent senator Nick Xenophon.

Speakers also include 2010 Australian of the Year, Professor Patrick McGorry, and Tom Sackville, president of the European Federation of Centres of Research and Information on Sects or Cults.

Mr Xenophon said it was vital that Australia look at laws similar to those of France that provide protection for victims of mental manipulation.

“Right now some cults and groups here in Australia are getting away with unacceptable conduct and this is partly because our laws have failed to recognise the way people are controlled and coerced," he said.

There were about 3000 cults operating in Australia, Cult Information and Family Support NSW president Ros Hodgins said.

"We are asking that parliamentarians support measures to address the abusive groups we know as cults that have no accountability and cause psychological harm," she said.

"Australia has not yet taken these issues as seriously as other countries, especially Europe."

Interview with the Ass-Kicker

2011-11-03T16:26:00.001-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH ROGER WILLIAMS
October 17, 2011

I met with Mr. Williams after asking him if he would mind telling me about his experience with Bryce Dallas. He was more than happy to tell me all about it, and I was more than happy to listen.

Roger Williams: The first time I met [Bryce Dallas] I could tell - easily, that he was a phony. It was obvious. I could tell somebody was a phony easily from my experience. Usually by the first thing to come out of their mouth. I’d ask them certain questions, and I could tell by their answers if they knew what they were talking about.

Cayce Lancaster: Can you tell me about your training and experience?

RW: I started out training at Holmes Jr. College [now Holmes Community College in Goodman, MS] in Shotokan. That’s all they had to offer. We met in a basement with a concrete floor. We had no fighting pads and trained with bare feet and bare hands. I got my green belt in Shotokan under George Hester.

I transferred to Delta State [University in Cleveland, MS]. They didn’t have Shotokan there, but they had Isshin ryu, so I started training in that. After leaving there, I went to Ole Miss [in Oxford, MS] for a couple of years before moving back to Grenada.

I trained in Grenada with Robert Kendall, who came down from Memphis, TN to open a Tae Kwon Do school. I earned a brown belt under him.

During this time, I continued to train in Isshin ryu under Chuck Chau in Greenwood, MS until earning my black belt. I opened a school in Grenada and taught for 8 or 9 years.

CL: That’s one benefit of training in multiple arts. You get a pretty good sense of whether someone is legitimate or not pretty quickly.

RW: Bryce was able to deceive people by his size.

[Showed Mr. Williams photographs and documents gathered during my research.]

RW: Where was he originally from?

CL: He was born in Philadelphia, MS and attended high school at East Holmes Academy in West, MS.

[Further discussion about Mr. Dallas and his past. Showed Mr. Williams a hardcopy of “Wrong Three Wise Men” from the konigun cult’s website.]

RW: I wish you’d been there that day I went to his class.

CL: I’ve heard about it a few times from different people, but I want to get it from the primary source. I would give anything to have video footage of that.

RW: When I went to the skating rink where he had a class [now “Partner’s”, a country and western night club], the only students there were his 2 black belts [Travis and Richard Longmire]. I asked if it would be alright if I sparred with his black belts.

CL: Was this the first time you had met him?

RW: No, I had already met him, this was the first time I sparred with him. I asked him and their eyes got kinda big, but he agreed. I sparred with the first one, and I could tell this kid didn’t know nothing. He was scared, he was nervous and never did hardly throw nothing at me. I kicked him real hard, knocked him down and made him look bad. It was a joke really, fighting him, because I could tell he didn’t know nothing.

So then I sparred the other black belt and did the same thing to him. I made them both look like fools.

Then I told Bryce I’d like to spar a little bit with him. He agreed. Well I already knew how I would handle him. He was so big, I didn’t want to underestimate his size and strength. And I didn’t know for certain what little bit this guy might know. I decided not to fight him full force, to just play with him a little bit and feel him out. He never did really do nothing and wouldn’t really throw nothing at me.

One of the kicks I threw was a front heel-thrust kick. My kick came down on his arm and he pushed my leg up and back. I fell backwards onto the floor and got up ready to fight. That’s all the sparring amounted to. Not much happened after that.

RW: One day later on, I don’t know how long it was, a few days or a few weeks, I began to hear around town from different people that Bryce Dallas was going around telling people he had kicked my butt. When I heard that, man was I mad. I was furious, because I knew all I did was play with him, and that one shove, he must’ve told people he kicked my butt because of that. I guess you could say he got lucky, but he hadn’t hurt me or anything like that.

I said to myself, “I’m gonna teach this man a lesson”. I went to my house and told my wife about it. She tried to stop me from doing it because I had told her how big this guy was. I got my gi and my fighting pads. I’d heard he had a class out at the marina [at the landing in Hugh White State Park on Grenada Lake]. I went out there, opened the door, and he had a class going on. I interrupted his class, very disrespectful, but I didn’t care. I told him what had been going on and I told him - “Bryce, me and you are fixin’ to fight”. [It’s a Southern colloquialism. Get over it.]

He didn’t know what to say, he just stood there. I told him, “Get your fighting gear on. I’ve been hearing this tale about how you kicked my butt. We’re fixin’ to see if you can do that.”

At first he didn’t want to, but he finally agreed and got his pads on, and we started fighting.

CL: How many people were in the class?

RW: I don’t remember how many exactly, but there were a few. One guy I do remember was Tommy Morman.

Anyway, I immediately started attacking Bryce. Hard. I was throwing hard techniques - kicks, punches, back kicks, everything I could think of. And I was pounding him.

He tried to save himself from embarrassment by saying - “Man, you’ve gotten better since last time!”

I told him - “Man, I was just playing with you last time.”

I kicked him hard one time that I know of and hurt him, in the stomach area, and he said he was hurting.

He said - “Let’s stop, let’s quit.”

And I said - “No, we’re not gonna quit. You’re gonna keep on fighting. You ain’t gonna tell a lie like that on me again.” And I attacked him again, I kept pounding him. He kept begging me to stop, and finally I did.

I beat him down pretty bad and hurt him. I satisfied myself, and proved to him that he couldn’t kick my butt.

All I know is after leaving his class that day, it was several days afterward I heard that he’d left Grenada. He probably realized then that somebody knew for certain that he wasn’t a real martial artist.

CL: From what I’ve heard from several people, after you did that, all his students left him. He had no students, no income, he had to leave. He couldn’t bullshit his way through a class anymore.

If you hadn’t done that, or if someone like you hadn’t done that, his cult would have stayed in Grenada. And I for one want to thank you for what you did.

RW: To be honest with you, hitting the guy was like hitting a brick wall, he was so big. You couldn’t hardly hit him and knock him down, he was so huge. All you could do was just keep pounding on him.

CL: I just wanted to hear that straight from the source. And I know there’s plenty of other people that will be glad to hear it, too.

RW: I just don’t understand how that guy was able to fool people into believing he was a real martial artist.

CL: He practiced what he’d seen in books and magazines, and probably some bad movies. He’d never had any formal training at all in any martial art. He stuck to small towns where very few people had any martial arts experience, and falsely promoted what he was teaching as authentic ninjutsu.

RW: I knew he hadn’t had any training. I could tell that. This guy was really a con artist. To the 10^th degree.

We talked for awhile longer, and I showed him some more of the research material pertaining to Mr. Dallas’ - his arrests, lawsuits and obituary.

The above is not a verbatim transcript of our conversation. It is a condensed version, edited to reduce or remove repetition and irrelevant conversation. The audio interview will be available in the future. Stay tuned to find out when and where.

If there is anyone out there who wants to tell their story, please contact me via e-mail.

"It's like it's somebody else's life, but it's not"

2011-09-11T02:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jGngkON9x9_hVUBZATzMBiQf93mw?docId=d419dc214abc4d4b869f10f6d76d4183

Victim of cult leader tells her story.

konigun Rank System Discrepancies

2011-07-30T04:22:00.000-05:00

Recently I noticed that there are many discrepancies in the cult’s official history of their color-coded ranking system. This brings into question Mr. dallas’ claims to the title of “shidoshi”. These discrepancies are noted below.

The cult’s web page:
http://www.konigunninjutsu.com/rankhistory.html

The 1984 rank system only rose to the level of 4th degree black belt, for which the title “ninja” was used. As you can see, the cult’s own website states that “ninja” was a rank in the system at that time, which makes sense because Mr. dallas was calling his partial art “konigun karate” at that time. His understanding of martial arts was so poor at the time, he didn’t know that Okinawan karate and Japanese ninjutsu are two completely separate martial systems.: “The rank of Ninja was only given once you had completed all the techniques of Konigun . . . “

The term “Shidoshi” was not in use at that time.

But, this completely contradicts the early version of the cult‘s official history:
http://web.archive.org/web/200101250513/http://www.konigunninjutsu.com/KonigunInAmerica.htm

“On December 21st Bryce Dallas was promoted to the rank of Shidoshi which is the highest rank in Konigun.”

“In December of 1985 Bryce Dallas was promoted to the rank of Shidoshi making him the 37th Shidoshi and the first American Shidoshi of the Konigun Ryu. . . . Upon receiving his promotion to the rank of Shidoshi Mr. Dallas began writing and translating the actual rank system from the Japanese scrolls to English. For the past 15 years Shidoshi Dallas has continued the translation of the rank system and recently finished his translation for the ranking system from uchideshi (apprentice) through the rank of 4th degree. ........ “

The 1986 rank system also only rose to the level of 4th degree black belt, and again the title “ninja” was used. The term “Shidoshi” was not in use at that time either.

The 1989 rank system only rose to the level of 8th degree black belt, for which the title “shidoshi” was used for the first time.: “The terms Manin (another name for agent like the Genin), Jonin (Ninja Leader), Chunin (Ninja co-director leader), Shidoshi (Director) were added to the rank system . . . “ [Mistranslations and misuse of Japanese terms left intact.]

It wasn’t until 1995 that the rank system rose to its current 9th degree black belt level, for which the title “shidoshi” is used.

In 2003 Mr. dallas purchased a certificate from the International Martial Arts Headfounders/Grandmasters Council diploma mill. The certificate shows that Mr. dallas had been granted the title of “shidoshi” by this organization, after being given the rank of 8th dan Black Belt in the art of konigun “ninjitsu” [sp]. The certificate states that dallas has given this organization “tenable proof and evidence to validate and establish his right and true claim” to konigun ninjitsu [sp].

http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008/06/pseudoshis-certificates-2003.html

1984: Highest rank - 4th black, “shidoshi” not used
1985: promoted to rank of “shidoshi”
1986: Highest rank - 4th black, “shidoshi” not used
1989: Highest rank - 8th black, “shidoshi” first used
1995: Highest rank - 9th black, “shidoshi” first used
2003: certificate awarding 8th dan, title of “shidoshi”

Which of these lies are people supposed to believe? Did Mr. dallas become “shidoshi” in 1985, 1989, 1995 or 2003? Was he 4th dan, 8th dan or 9th dan? If he lied about his own rank and title, what else did he lie about?

Ross Institute thread

2011-07-21T04:53:00.000-05:00

New thread started on the message forum of the Rick Ross Institute. The Ross Institute provides news and information concerning cults and cult-like groups, coercive manipulation, abusive relationships, and recovery resources for victims.

http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?12,102502

Cult Murders in Durham, NC

2011-07-16T05:59:00.000-05:00

Story of a cult-leader accused of murdering a woman and a 4-year-old boy in Durham, NC.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9836148/

Killing for a Cult

2011-06-23T16:34:00.000-05:00

This story, entitled “Cult leader’s daughter pleads guilty in murders” helps illustrate the dangers of believing the lies of a cult leader. It details how a cult leader’s daughter made a hit list shortly before the cult leader died, how his son took over the cult, and how they carried out the murder of 3 former cult members and one of those member’s 8-year-old daughter.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7613893.html

I know Mr. dallas coerced many of you into doing some things you wouldn’t ordinarily do of your own free will. There is no shame in this. You were under his influence. The same thing happened to many under the influence of Charles Manson, Jim Jones and others. Don’t let the guilt of what you’ve done in the past cripple you. Unburden yourself. Tell someone what you’ve done and how you feel about those actions. You’ll feel free again. It’s not so much a matter of what you’ve done, it’s how you deal with it moving forward that counts.

Marty's Account

2011-05-26T16:47:00.000-05:00

The following is an account by Marty Howell, who figured prominently in the initial development of konigun. Mr. Howell is one of the men from whom Mr. dallas stole techniques to develop konigun karate, and from whom Mr. dallas stole and altered the name for his fictitious master “saija”. The text has been edited only slightly for clarity. The original hand-written notebook pages will be made available on Gerald Greysmith’s website in due time.

What I Remember About Bryce Dallas by Marty Howell
09/29/2010

The first time I met Bryce Dallas was, I believe, 1983. I had heard there was a new karate school, and since martial artists were few and far between in Grenada, I decided to check it out. Maybe I could at least get a workout.

I feel I should say a little about my history as a martial artist. I started my training in 1973, in Fu Jai Pai kung fu. I thought the forms were beautiful, but impractical for combat. By 1983 I had trained in muay thai, judo, jujutsu, hapkido, aikido, isshinryu, boxing and was proficient with nunchaku, shuriken, and throwing spikes. I decided to take all the good techniques and develop them into my own system. At the time I called it Saijin (I just pulled the name out of the air). It is now called Tearaite ryu (Violent Hand School). I have only one student proficient in my style, the only one I’ve trained. He is a 5th degree black belt (godan).

Alright, back to Bryce. I don’t remember how long his school had been opened. He had about 20 students when I came the first time. I introduced myself and asked if I could work out at the opposite end while he taught his class. He and his blackbelts wore white gi with black belts - no patches, no insignias. It didn’t take me long to realize he nor his blackbelts knew much if any real martial arts. They could do hard blocks and basic punches and kicks, but without finesse. He, if I remember right, was 19, his blackbelts (Richard and Travis Longmire), were 16 and 17.

He told me he was ex-green beret and I think I checked, because I sure didn’t believe that. Back then he wore combat boots all the time. As a matter of fact, he got in a fight with some guy at a joint, beat him down and then stomped him with his boots (so I heard).

I started sparring with him the first night. He would dismiss class and make sure everyone had gone before we started. He was stiff with his techniques and had no fluid motion whatsoever. I thought he was a good punching bag. I wouldn’t spar with the Longmires because of their lack of ability and their age.

I don’t remember him catching me with a punch or a kick or anything. He might have but I don’t remember.

I had been knowing Roger Williams (Shodan Isshinryu) for several years and had trained under him in Isshinryu. I told him about Bryce and he, like me, liked to go to new schools and check them out. He didn’t even stretch and started sparring with Bryce, and kind of just threw a kick lazily at Bryce. Bryce grabbed Roger’s leg and threw him down. Take my word for it, he couldn’t have done this any other time. Roger was fast as lightning with his side kick. From that night came Bryce’s undoing in Grenada because he started bragging to everyone how he had beaten Roger. Shortly after that night he moved the school to the parking lot at the marina. I didn’t witness it, but was told by several ex-students of Bryce’s that Roger beat the crap out of him in front of his students. He left Grenada then.

Something I remember was going to his apartment and watching him dye his students’ white belts in his kitchen sink.

After he left Grenada, I started training his blackbelt, Travis Longmire, until he went in the Air Force.

There were several of his students who asked me what I thought of Bryce’s abilities and I told them he didn’t have any and that they should run away as fast as they could. They did.

I believe the reason he could fool so many people back then was because they didn’t know real from fake.

Million Dollar Challenge - Updated

2011-05-19T03:28:00.000-05:00

Originally offered in April 2007, and yet to be acceptec by anyone, the Million Dollar Challenge has been updated to reflect the death of Mr. dallas.

Any takers?

MILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE

Anyone (konigun member or non-member), yes, that’s right, ANYONE who can offer indisputable proof that konigun ninjutsu and/or master saija ever existed prior to its invention by bryce dallas in the 1980s, is eligible for this offer.

I, Cayce Lancaster, will secure a $1,000,000 life insurance policy naming you as sole beneficiary if you can conclusively prove to me that konigun ninjutsu ever existed before the 1980s, or that master saija does exist and is the soke of the konigun ninjutsu ryu. The evidence must be validated by a neutral third party, to be approved by both first and second party prior to authentication. This evidence can take the form of any historical reference, whether it be in a Japanese history book, military record, records from another ninjutsu ryu which mentions the konigun, anything that is authentic, historical, and Japanese.

If it can be undeniably proven that konigun ninjutsu has ever existed in an historical context, or that master saija does exist, I will: 1) immediately remove any negative material that I am able to from the internet, 2) publicly and profusely apologize to everyone in konigun and the current “shidoshi” in particular on every internet message board and group to which I belong and have ever mentioned konigun, even the ones in which I have not, 3) apologize in person to the current “shidoshi“, 4) travel to every konigun school in the United States and apologize to all the instructors and students in person, 5) make the person who presents the evidence sole beneficiary of a $1,000,000 life insurance policy, 6) make the current “shidoshi” the sole heir of my entire estate (to include my home, all its contents, and all the land in my name), 7) become a devoted student of konigun, and its most vocal and prolific recruiter. I will, upon becoming a black belt instructor, begin operating as many konigun schools as is humanly possible, promote as many students to black belt as I can and as quickly as I can, then move on to open another school and begin the process all over again. In short, I will become a force to be reckoned with in the martial arts community, all in the name of konigun ninjutsu and the current “shidoshi”.

White Ninja

2011-05-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

Following are some excerpts and notes on the book White Ninja written by Eric Van Lustbader, published by Ballantine Books in 1990. I vaguely remember reading Lustbader’s novel The Ninja and being less than impressed at this work of fiction. After suffering through all 518 pages of this piece, I can remember why. Still, there are some things that jumped out at me as possible sources for some of dallas’ ninjer nonsense as his stories changed over the years.

On pages 92 and 93, a character named Nangi is speaking with Nicholas Linnear (the story’s protagonist) and his wife: “But the mental aspect goes far deeper, and in Nicholas’s case, it becomes everything.”
“You see, Mrs. Linnear, your husband is one of those rare people who have mastered Akai-ninjutsu. He is what we call a Red Ninja. He has learned the good side of this specialized martial arts discipline.”

(There we have it folks. The origins of dallas’ ridiculous color-coding of ninjutsu. dallas kept the idea of red being “good“ and added Christianity for the concerned parents of children that their little darlings were studying something “evil”. He kept the concept of black being “bad“ and added that they were atheists as well to further illuminate how “good“ the red art he taught was. He also kept the fictional white and made them Shinto instead of a manifestation of a psychological attack by a black ninja.)

“You mean, there are other forms of ninjutsu?” Justine asked.
“Nangi nodded, “There is the Black Ninja, the Red Ninja’s opposite side, Saigo was a Black Ninja. He practiced the Kuji-kiri, the Nine Hands Cutting. A kind of magic.”

(Saigo was the big bad in The Ninja.)

“Like his hypnosis on me.”
“Precisely,” Nangi found himself hoping that her basic knowledge of what Nicholas was would help her accept without fear what he had to tell her now. “But the Kuji-kiri is only one of many dark and deadly Black ninjutsu.”

On page 95, Nangi explains a bit more:
“I spoke the truth when I said that there were only two forms of ninjutsu, Red and Black. However, there is a term, Shiro Ninja. It means White Ninja.”
"That,” said Nangi with great pain, “is a ninja who has lost his powers.”

(Losing one’s powers is supposedly secondary only to losing one’s faith. It is one’s worst nightmare and leaves one vulnerable, according to Lustbader.)

And on page 96:
Shiro Ninja, White Ninja, is a wholly created state. Do you understand me? It is a subtle kind of attack. An ultimate attack by someone proficient in Kan-aka-na-ninjutsu, Black ninjutsu.”

(To recap: big bad studies Black ninjutsu, attacks the hero who studies Red ninjutsu, and creates an imaginary state called White ninjutsu which causes the hero to lose his abilities.)

Lustbader exhibited a stereotypical view of ninjutsu as being dark and dangerous.
Page 9 states: “How rash he had been to rush into that hideous darkness. How foolhardy to put himself into such moral peril. Did he think that he could learn such black, such formidable arts without consequence?”

(The entire tone of the book was rather bleak and depressing.)

Lustbader also wrote about an art that was a precursor to ninjutsu, which was also heavily infused with “magic”.
Page 185: “Nangi waited for Nicholas to answer, but when it was clear that he was not going to speak, Nangi said, “Quite simply, some believe that tanjian were the precursors of ninja; that the arcane discipline of Tau-tau is the origin of ninjutsu. But Tau-tau is far more primitive, therefore more powerful in ways a refined discipline such as ninjutsu cannot be.”
“Tau-tau is heavily laced with magic,” Nicholas said.
“Magic?” Justine echoed.
“Like the kind Akiko possessed,” Nangi said carefully. “Many sects of ninjutsu employ some forms of minor magic or quasimagic, sleight of hand, hypnotism, and the like, relics of Tau-tau adulterated by generations of verbal translation, by time itself and by Japanese culture. Tanjian are different. Their discipline has remained intact, pure and primitive as it once was. Their magic is quite real, quite potent. Akiko was a miko, a sorceress. It is clear that she was trained in elements of Tau-tau.”

(What a horrible distortion and misrepresentation of ninpo this is, even for a work of pure fiction. A miko is of course not a sorceress, but a female Shinto shrine attendant. Tau-tau is entirely Lustbader’s creation, as konigun is entirely dallas’ creation. The appeal of “many sects” employing “magic” in some form or other was obviously appealing to Mr. dallas. All one need do is peruse his “higher teachings” to see what kinds of “magic” he actually tried to teach - astral projection, candle magic, spirit guides, teleportation, levitation and other such stupidity better relegated to the Saturday afternoon cinema.)

New Website - Friendly Force

2011-04-24T17:15:00.000-05:00

Author Gerald Greysmith has created a website where he will be offering information both old and new. There's not much there at the moment, but give him time to finish his research and write the book, which will be offered on the website when available.

http://www.friendlyforce.webs.com/

An Appeal to Jay Green

2011-01-25T18:33:00.000-06:00

In a typical cult, once the cult leader dies, one of 2 things occur. 1) The cult dissolves and its members go on their merry way. 2) One (or more) of the Goon Squad assumes command and the cult (or cults) continues in a much-diminished capacity.

My question to you George Jay Green is this:
Which path will you take?

Will you continue along the path of criminal behavior established by your cult’s founder, or will you seize the opportunity to erase the mistakes of the past and begin anew, free of the influences of a twice-convicted felon?

The former choice would be easier, to be sure. Simply assume the title of pseudoshi and continue to commit fraud as you have for years.

The latter choice, however difficult it may be, would be the wiser choice and would eventually produce greater rewards. (For one, our paths never need cross again.)

For you to gain face, many things would have to happen.
Here are a few suggestions:
1) Keep the konigun name, openly acknowledge that dallas made up the name, and drop any pretense of teaching ninjutsu. You are not now, nor will you ever be, ninja.
2) Change the domain name to konigunkarate.com. Openly acknowledge that dallas made up the name.
3) Rebuild the website to reflect the new direction of your art.
4) Drop all the lies about the fictitious master saija, the fictitious history, and the new-age mumbo-jumbo. Just get rid of the ninjer crap along with all of dallas‘ lies, and be honest about what you do.
5) Change the training manual.

These tentative steps are only the beginning. There are other things that you would need to do in order to gain some amount of respect from the martial arts community at large, but this is not the venue.

It’s up to you, Mr. Green. We are watching.

Assessing the Damage - Part Two: Questions

2011-01-02T18:58:00.000-06:00

The following sets of questions have proven helpful to former cult members trying to make sense of their experience.

Reviewing your recruitment

What was going on in your life at the time you joined the group?

How and where were you approached?

What was your initial reaction to or feeling about the leader or group?

What first interested you in the group or leader?

How were you misled during recruitment?

What did the group or leader promise you? Did you ever get it?

What didn't they tell you that might have influenced you not to join had you known?

Why did the group or leader want you?

Understanding the psychological manipulation used in your Group

Which controlling techniques were used by your group or leader: chanting, meditation, sleep deprivation, isolation, drugs, hypnosis, criticism, fear. List each technique and how it served the group's purpose.

What was the most effective? the least effective?

What technique are you still using that is hard to give up? Are you able to see any effects on you when you practice these?

What are the group's beliefs and values? How did they come to be your beliefs and values?

Examining your doubts

What are your doubts about the group or leader now?

Do you still believe the group or leader has all or some of the answers?

Are you still afraid to encounter your leader or group members on the street?

Do you ever think of going back? What is going on in your mind when this happens?

Do you believe your group or leader has any power to harm you in any way?

Do you believe you are cursed by God for having left the group?

Excerpted from Captive Hearts, Captive Minds: Freedom and Recovery from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Madeleine Tobias and Janja Lalich Hunter House Publishers, (800)266-5892

Insight - Psychological Terms

2010-12-28T10:56:00.000-06:00

I came across these psychological terms on wikipedia. Edited excerpts are included here with some commentary.

Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people are motivated to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying, blaming, and denying. It is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology.

In a state of dissonance, people may feel dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment. People are biased to think of their choices as correct, despite any contrary evidence. This bias gives sheds light on otherwise puzzling, irrational and destructive behavior. [This helps explain why, after mountains of evidence that konigun is not ninjutsu, that master “saija” is fictitious, that konigun has no history prior to bryce dallas’ invention of it in the 1980s, people still cling to their false beliefs.]

The most famous case in the early study of cognitive dissonance occurred when a group was expecting the end of the world on a certain date. When the predicted date passed without incident, the movement did not disintegrate, but grew instead. By sharing cult beliefs with others, they gained acceptance and thus reduced their own dissonance. [By increasing their numbers, cult members felt more justified in their false beliefs.]

Because it is often easier to make excuses than it is to change behavior, dissonance theory leads to the conclusion that humans are rationalizing, and not always rational beings. [After realizing that konigun is not ninjutsu, a cult member might rationalize that learning konigun is better than learning nothing at all. It’s an irrational thought, but it does make the cult member feel better.]

Variants
An overarching principle of cognitive dissonance is that it involves the formation of an idea or emotion in conflict with a fundamental element of the self-concept, such as "I am a good person", or "I made the right decision." The anxiety that comes with the possibility of having made a bad decision can lead to rationalization, the tendency to create additional reasons or justifications to support one's choices. A person who just spent too much money on a new car might decide that the new vehicle is much less likely to break down than his or her old car. This belief may or may not be true, but it would reduce dissonance and make the person feel better. Dissonance can also lead to confirmation bias, the denial of dis-confirming evidence, and other ego defense mechanisms.

The Belief Disconfirmation Paradigm
Dissonance is aroused when people are confronted with information that is inconsistent with their beliefs. If the dissonance is not reduced by changing one's belief, the dissonance can result in misperception or rejection or refutation of the information, seeking support from others who share their beliefs, and attempting to persuade others to restore consonance.
[This helps explain why people so vehemently attempt to defend the indefensible. They are confronted with evidence that konigun is a lie concocted by Mr. dallas, but this evidence is contrary to their belief. It’s only natural that they attempt to defend their belief. Hopefully, they will come to realize that they are not alone in their shock, anger, frustration or embarrassment. Many others before them were fooled by Mr. dallas’ b.s. There really should be no shame, though. It was Mr. dallas and his Goon Squad who committed fraud. The cult member was the victim of criminal behavior. Their stories should be told so others won’t fall victim as well.]

Confirmation bias is a tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions regardless of whether the information is true.
[People will twist information to suit their own ends. That’s why it’s so hard to find objective news sources. A particularly extreme case of this bias can be seen on the cult’s China-based website. There, Mr. trey woodford has perverted history to try and connect Mr. dallas’ 1980s creation to the Shaolin. It’s completely ridiculous, but serves as an example how extreme a cult member’s delusions can become.]

True-believer syndrome is a term coined by M. Lamar Keene in his 1976 book The Psychic Mafia. Keene used the term to refer to people who continued to believe in a paranormal event or phenomenon even after it had been proven to have been staged.

Example: Raoul
In his book The Psychic Mafia, Keene tells of a psychic medium named Raoul. Some people still believed that Raoul was genuine even after he openly admitted that he was a fake.

Keene wrote: "I knew how easy it was to make people believe a lie, but I didn't expect the same people, confronted with the lie, would choose it over the truth. ... No amount of logic can shatter a faith consciously based on a lie."

Example: Carlos
According to The Skeptic's Dictionary, an example of this syndrome is evidenced by an event in 1988, when James Randi, at the request of an Australian news program, coached stage performer José Alvarez to pretend he was channeling a 2,000-year-old spirit named "Carlos". Even after it was revealed to be a fictional character created by Randi and Alvarez, many people continued to believe that "Carlos" was real.

Randi commented: "No amount of evidence, no matter how good it is or how much there is of it, is ever going to convince the true believer to the contrary."

Martial Arts Cult - "The Moo"

2010-12-26T21:49:00.000-06:00

The following are excerpts from a review by Marcia R. Rudin of the book Herding the Moo: Exploits of a Martial Arts Cult by Joe Smith. Notice some of the similarities between “Moo” and konigun “ninjutsu”.

The complete original review can be seen here:
http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_bookreviews/bkrev_herdingthemoo.htm

And an online copy of the book can be found here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=PqYjr970lR4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Herding+the+Moo%22+book&source=bl&ots=Zgm7HaO_y_&sig=tKNJ9DcpKwLC7Aj-24nT_dJ4UuA&hl=en&ei=qaEXTeDvB8uZhQfJ3YW5Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22Herding%20the%20Moo%22%20book&f=false

Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2007
Herding the Moo: Exploits of a Martial Arts Cult
by Joe Smith
Trafford Publishing (Victoria, BC, Canada). November, 2006. ISBN: 1412085144 (paperback), $22.50. 308 pages.
Reviewed by Marcia R. Rudin

Although the martial arts are considered by most people to be harmless and physically beneficial, the author, an ex-member, describes the careful process by which “students” were systematically hooked into and kept in a martial arts group and how all of the elements of mind manipulation were present in the group’s method of operation.

Promising a better life and self, and access to powerful mind and body secrets from “Master Kim,” touted as “Champion of All Asia,” the men (mostly men, few women, because they are not capable of this kind of achievement, according to the doctrine) donated all past, present, and future income to the expensive classes—all of the money, of course, going to support the “Master’s” luxurious life style. They donated their time and energy until, physically and psychologically exhausted, they had totally given their lives over to the group. All romances were discouraged or forbidden. Few leaders or “students” had family lives. Every new job, friendship, activity—even the purchase of clothing, transportation vehicle had to pass muster with the leaders. The leaders created their own bizarre language, which followers had to speak at all times (one example of the language: “Be all right to ask if yourself is all right?”). The members also continuously had to follow painstakingly spelled-out, prescribed rituals. The leaders “dispensed existence” by arbitrarily promoting “students” to a higher martial arts rank or by stripping them of rank. They narrowed the men’s world so that they lived only to serve the group and its “Master.” Physical violence or threats of violence against members and meddling outsiders helped to keep doubters in line.

And, of course, intense friendship bonded the group’s vulnerable members, many of whom lived together. As the author describes it:
“After that first campout, many of us felt we were in a unique club, a strange sort of extended family with its own odd little secrets nobody talked much about, and [we] went along with the program. We began to accept things as facts; the cult had filled a void in many of our lives.”

The author writes elsewhere:
“This is what it was all about, eating boxed pizza while sitting on the floor of the next fabricated champion of Asia cash collection facility and patting each other on the back for being true, right and correct. The feeling of camaraderie was the greatest hook, nearly as great as the demanding workouts.”

“The Moo” is a derogatory term coined by detractors from 1979 to 1990 and still used today for the martial arts group known at various times as Chung Moo Quan, Chung Moon Doe, or Oom Yung Doe, the name the group currently uses. “Mooing” refers to practicing the martial arts regime and also to all activities related to the group: cleaning, cooking, waiting on “The Master” and his family, running errands, operating the various “schools” (at the group’s height, more than fifty in the United States), building new facilities, going on camping trips at the whim of the leaders, snaring new “students”, and so on.

An expose of the group by CBS News in Chicago in 1989 entitled “The Cult and the Con” precipitated its temporary downfall. “Master Kim,” or John C. Kim, whose real name apparently is Park, and top followers were convicted in 1996 of conspiracy to commit massive tax fraud for nearly twenty years because they destroyed records of the all-cash transactions. Many disillusioned former “students” testified against the group. Park received a sentence of up to sixty months in prison; six top leaders went to prison also. Park was paroled in April of 2001. The group still operates, albeit at a reduced level, now with about ten locations.

Ex-members of this group or other exploitative martial arts groups will certainly want to read this carefully researched book. Those readers interested generally in cults will again be amazed at how intelligent people can be so skillfully manipulated.

Do you have Elizabeth Smart's Courage?

2010-12-17T11:11:00.000-06:00

Do you have the courage this young woman exemplified? (Emphasis in bold print mine.)

The testimony of Elizabeth Smart

By Sheena McFarland and Aaron Falk
The Salt Lake Tribune
Published Nov 10, 2010 09:31AM
Updated Nov 10, 2010 04:55PM
To read part one of Elizabeth Smart’s testimony on Nov. 8, click here: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50632966-76/smart-viti-yes-defendant.html.csp

Elizabeth Smart began testifying Monday about her ordeal at the hands of Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She described how she was taken from her home in the middle of the night, forced to a campsite in the foothills above her home and held captive and raped repeatedly for several weeks.

Smart’s triumph may empower other victims
By Rosemary Winters
The Salt Lake Tribune
Published Dec 12, 2010 04:35PM
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50851772-76/mitchell-smart-trial-friday.html.csp

“I am so thrilled to stand before the people of America today,” said Smart, 23, “and give hope to other victims who have not spoken out about what’s happened to them.”

Advocates for survivors of sexual violence say Smart’s willingness to confront her offender under the nation’s gaze will help empower other victims and dispel the stigma often associated with rape. Other observers say they have been inspired simply by her courage, poise and strength.

“There is such shame associated with sexual violence, and to have it being talked about so openly and publicly is almost a relief to some,” said Heather Stringfellow, executive director of the Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake City. “[Smart] held [Mitchell] accountable, and that’s a very powerful message.”

Survivors often fear they won’t be believed or that their own behavior will be questioned, said Alana Kindness, executive director of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

“I’ve been really impressed with [Smart’s] candor and her ability to express herself and talk openly about her experiences,” Kindness said. “It does give an opportunity for people to see that you can talk about it and be supported.”

“The way the family handled it, the way she handled it has given us a vision of healing,” Martinez said. “[Smart] can be a positive role model for young people. If such things are going to happen, people need to understand they can come through such an experience and survive.”

In 2008, Smart shared her experience and words of encouragement in a booklet published by the U.S. Department of Justice, “You’re Not Alone,” for survivors of abduction.

“It is important to remember that just because something bad happened to you, it doesn’t mean you are bad,” Smart wrote. “You are still entitled to every possible happiness in life.”

Herald-Citizen obit

2010-12-16T11:40:00.000-06:00

Link to the obituary in the Gainesboro, TN Herald-Citizen newspaper:
http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/10675178/article-Bryce-Frederick-Dallas?instance=main_article

A Message from "The Author"

2010-12-15T01:29:00.000-06:00

"Before I begin, I am sure everyone has heard now of the passing of Shidoshi Bryce Dallas, founder and leader of Konigun Ninjutsu. I say founder because, well because no proof of Saija, his living in Japan, nor of his training for 9 years in the art as he claimed has ever come forth. I have found evidence contrary to the fact, however, that is beside the point and better left for the book which I am currently writing.

"I would like to offer my condolences to those who knew him, loved him, or cared for him in any way. Death is an ugly situation regardless of the person. Bryce had family who I am sure did in fact love him very much. That said, my sincerest prayers are offered to God above now for you and yours during this time of loss.

"I think at this time the best thing to do is continue with the book as was intended. I feel that to stop would only be a hindrance and a broken promise to those who have already sacrificed so much to come forward to speak and to talk to me. It is for them I write this book and to give the Konigun art a chance to air its own grievances.

"The book will be unbiased as I have promised, and it is merely a collection of the information, the knowledge, and the teachings of Bryce Dallas. Throughout my investigation I found no proof of Saija, nor of his living in Japan for all the years he claimed, but instead found people who were hurt in various, psychological ways by a man who had set himself up as Shidoshi, or leader, of the group and claimed to teach what he said was Ninjutsu.

"Now, I am not trying to trample a man’s grave. That’s far from my intentions. But the book will go on. Though now the ending will surely be different than I imagined it being. I am giving my statement to Cayce Lancaster so that he may assure all who read this blog that I am intent on making sure what I promised to do is carried out and even offer a hand to the people who knew him best.

"The book is going to be unbiased, and to Jay, to Candace, to Patrick, to Greg, to any of you who were with him at the time of his death, I invite you to share your thoughts, unedited, to me, and to share what you felt. I know this time is hard. I know grief can sting. Allow me the chance to give you a way to share it and show the world Bryce was a defining factor and even a positive one, in at least some lives. For his sake, not mine, I ask this. There are many former members who have expressed sorrow over his death. It is for them I do this. However there are some who are not sad at all that he has passed. That said…..

"I leave the ball in your court now. I hope to hear from you on here. Please, contact Cayce and he will establish contact with me for you.

"Thank you and God Bless."

"shidoshi" No More

2010-12-15T01:26:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is true. This chapter on the existence of konigun "ninjutsu" is closed. The next chapter begins now.

This is information on the funeral home and the obituary for Mr. dallas.

Anderson-Upper Cumberland Funeral Home

2131 S. Grundy Quarles Highway
Gainesboro, TN 38562
(931) 268-1550
(931) 268-0266
(931) 858-7474
http://www.ucfuneral.com/
24-Hour Obituary Information - (931) 268-1551

Obituaries page: http://www.ucfuneral.com/obituaries.html

Obituary for Mr. dallas:
http://www.ucfuneral.com/BryceFrederickDallas.html

Mr. Bryce Frederick Dallas, 47, of Whitleyville, Tennessee, passed away on Tuesday, December 14, 2010, at his residence. The family has chosen cremation, with memorial services to be held at a later date.

He was born September 19, 1963, in Philadelphia, Mississippi, to the late Raymond Dallas and Johnnie Carolyn Dallas. He worked in residential construction, and was a member of the Baptist Church in Zamar, Mississippi.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by 3 Brothers and 1 Sister.

Survivors include 1 Brother: Philip Dallas of Ethel, Mississippi.
© 2010 Anderson - Upper Cumberland Funeral Home

RE: anonymous comments - with commentary

2010-12-12T21:51:00.000-06:00

Anonymous said:

“truely pathetic,konigun ninjutsu does not teach "chi" or "manipulating fire" or whatever you said or any other of those false "magic",if you will.

You don’t know your own cult as well as you imagine. Your cult leader actually has such ridiculous subjects as levitation, telekinesis, teleportation, the “shadow transfer”, and candle magic in his curriculum. Here is a link to what passes for “higher teachings” in the konigun “ninjutsu” cult: http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html

“The 9 day camps are nowhere near how you depicted it,the meals there are nowhere near low grade and have extreme variety,the shelter is not a shed and plywood(that one made me laugh)

This ex-member’s story takes place at a time when you were probably still soiling diapers. Some things have obviously changed over the course of time. This is to be expected, no?

“and im doubting your involvement with konigun ninjutsu in general or you were involved and are being bribed into lying,

No one has ever been coerced or compensated for their testimony. They provide it of their own generosity, prompted by nothing more than a polite request. You see, outside your cult, no one is manipulated into doing something they don’t want to do of their own free will. You’d be better off doubting and investigating your cult leader’s ridiculous claims. For instance, you could look for proof that Saija is actually a Japanese name. Or you could look for evidence that konigun is actually a Japanese word. Or you could look for verifiable evidence that konigun existed prior to the 1980s.

“either way have fun being yet another tool of the konigun hate circle we will continue our training and focusing not on the internet trash talk but on learning the martial art we practice

This is how cult members try to marginalize Mr. dallas’ many victims, by referring to them as a “hate group”. The people providing their personal experiences and opinions regarding the konigun cult are former members and instructors who have realized they are victims of Mr. dallas’ abusive and criminal behavior. They are, in point of fact, a support group composed of his victims.

Anonymous said...
“I can assure you this was not written by BFD. The writer is a dear friend to me even though we live many miles apart.
CM

It is sad, CM, that your friend is so deeply indoctrinated. Perhaps, in time, he will realize his mistake as you have.

Anonymous said...
“i am not bryce dallas i am a konigun student i am a hinin (white sash)

A mere white belt. How could you possibly believe you hold all the answers when you are a novice?

“i was the one who posted the first post and you just lost your wager ive posted on her e before all you people want to do is bring bryce and konigun into a false light because you've nothing better to do

“into a false light”
You are regurgitating information from the cult’s website. Instead of memorizing propaganda, try doing your own investigation into Mr. dallas’ claims. Prove him right or prove him wrong of your own accord. Your blind faith in this con man is seriously misplaced.

“and when we tell you you are wrong and you have no way to prove you being correct you "wager bryce wrote it"

Try reading the entire blog. There is plenty of evidence available. And much more coming in the book.

“well done....you can not disprove or trash talk this one fact...even if this art was false about how old it is(wich it is not false it is 100 percent true)

Prove it.

Prove that konigun is a Japanese word.
Prove that konigun is authentic ninjutsu.
Prove that konigun is has an 800 year lineage.
Prove that saija is not a fictional character.
Prove that Mr. dallas has a legitimate PhD.

“it is a very effective martial art and that you can not deny and if you do think it is not then face one of us and we will demonstrate thats not a treat that is just a simple invitation to test and see if this martial art is just flimsy...though its doing nothing but grow.....because people see how well it works

Okay, let’s indulge this masturbatory fantasy for a moment. Let’s suppose that someone accepts your childish challenge, and let us suppose that you accomplish your goal of beating one of your critics to a pulp, or whatever you think you need to do to prove to yourself that your martial farce is “real” - What happens next? Does this magically inject the word konigun into the Japanese language? Does this materialize master saija from the ether? Does this mystically establish a history for konigun prior to the 1980s? Or does this prove that you defeated one opponent under controlled conditions at one fixed point in time? In fact, it proves ultimately nothing.

Now let’s suppose another outcome that apparently has not occurred to you - Let us suppose that your opponent “wins”. What would that prove? I would posit that it proves ultimately nothing, also. It wouldn’t prove that konigun is not a Japanese word. Examining Japanese dictionaries would do that. It wouldn’t prove that Saija is not a Japanese name. Examining Japanese family histories would do that. It wouldn’t prove that konigun did not exist prior to Mr. dallas’ creation in the 1980s. Examining Japanese martial arts history would do that.

Forget the “macho” B.S. Do your own investigating “anonymous”.

And lastly, this one is just too bizarre and irrational for me to comment on:

Anonymous said...
“so it wasnt written by BFD? that is illegal my friend you are committing a crime seeing as you are trying to publish this and your using someones identity thats quite a few laws to be broken ill have my local police station look into this and maybe have you served for hmm identity theft? or some other laws you may have broken doing this? your ip address can be tracked and you can be found so i advise you to delete anything you have written and used others names in for your own benefit

topix posts - Tim Guy

2010-12-12T21:45:00.000-06:00

Some posts were made on the topix forum by "Tim Guy" that deserve some analysis. His posts are set off by quotations, interspersed with my commentary.

a konigun student
Wednesday Oct 13
"you sir are very misinformed and an ignorant individual on the art

Conversely, you are ignorant of my experience with the konigun “ninjutsu” cult. I was present in Mr. dallas’ first class in Grenada, MS. I know the people he trained with. I know he is a fraud.
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008/05/my-experience-1983.html

"wich is konigun ninjutsh wich was started long before the year of 1983 it was founded over 800 years ago to be more exact

You have proof of this? If so, you qualify for the Million Dollar Challenge, which has gone unanswered for several years now.: http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2007/04/one-million-dollars.html

“and if it is so bs then why do the ones who are white sash wich is hito beat most others who have a sash wich in their rank exceeds the white sash in their style? i think probably because it is an effective and lethal art of the shadow warrior that teaches many good skills not only in fighting but in your every day life

Scoring points in a friendly sparring match does not prove an art’s authenticity or history. It is merely an indication that one competitor is better at sparring than another competitor at that particular point in time. CLUE: If one spends a large amount of time sparring - one becomes good at sparring. CLUE: Authentic ninjutsu is for shinken gata (actual combat), not an artificial sporting match. Visit a Bujinkan, Genbukan or Jinenkan dojo and ask them about sparring.

“and for those of you who choose to say konigun ninjutsu is a "false"art that is okay you do not have to learn it or research it because with or without you we will continue to practice out techniques and get stronger in mind body and spirit weather you say we are true or false matters little to us,with that have a wounderful day and god bless:)

Yes, there is no doubt that the cult will continue to victimize new recruits, that’s what cults do. There will always be a few hardcore cult members who will continue to commit fraud even after they discover what they have believed in is false. It’s all about power over others for the cult leader, and he will never give that up.

a konigun student
Wednesday Oct 13
“and to you cayce it is okay that you believe it is false

I do not believe it is false, I know it is false. I have studied your art and viewed several different versions of the cult’s training manual. It is a poorly constructed and ill-conceived art which can only provide a false sense of security in its practitioners. Trusting in its ability to keep you from harm could very well get you killed. Having studied a dozen or so different arts (and being able to teach 2) over the past 25 years, I can say that with authority.

“but if you come down to one of our dojos we will show you a first hand demonstration of what konigun ninjutsu can do as far as self defence if you would like:)

An implication of physical violence. Is this typical of konigun cult members?

“otherwise what you are doing is wasting your time and effort behind a computer screen when you clearly have the determination and mind power to do something more meaningful with your time

I consider it a constructive and worthwhile use of my time warning people about an abusive predator like bryce dallas. Helping end the victimization of dozens of people seems, to me, a worthy cause. Having a small part in the downfall of a toxic cult like konigun ninjutsu is, to me, a worthy cause.

“but as i recently said weather or not you like or believe in our style we will continue to train and study

I don’t believe - I know konigun is not ninjutsu. The evidence is overwhelming for the rational thinker.

“and we are not a cult if you look at the konigun ninjutsu website we have a list of reasons why we don't fall under the cult steriotype here is a link to the subject on cults http://www.konigunninjutsu.com/fof/cyberhategroup/evilcult.html

Konigun is indeed a cult and I have pointed out the reasons why it most definitely fits the definition of a cult:
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008/01/characteristics-of-cult-it-uses.html
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008/01/characteristics-of-cult.html

“and here is a link to the overall website it is a little out of date but i hope some of you will read it and learn about the konigun history

I hope people will read this and become familiar with the true history of the konigun cult:
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html

“and come to appreciate the style in its purest form and maybe even join our style and start learning with us because we always welcome new students who want to learn to better theirselves so with that i hope you have a great day and live life in the best way for you god bless:)

The cult is desperate for new members isn’t it? A little over a year ago, 40 members left in Poland and the school there closed. 14 high-ranking members left the cult here in the States and several schools closed. Those who left cited multiple cases of abuse by cult leader bryce dallas.
http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

Avoid this cult at all costs!

a konigun student
Monday Oct 25
“ha wasnt talking about sparing im talking about a full contact fight

Violence is the first resort of the incompetent. “student” doesn’t realize that by offering physical violence to settle his grievance, he has already lost the argument. There is no defense for false claims, therefore the desperate measure of a “challenge match”. Typical behavior for konigun cult members.

“and you have proof of what you are saying?

I’ve supplied proof in many different forms for what I am saying over a period of several years. Conversely, Mr. dallas has never supplied any evidence. Mr. dallas only wants you to believe his outlandish claims with no proof of said claims. I am more interested in verifiable evidence than in one man‘s fiction.

“and there is proof the grandmaster has scrolls and other things that are dating back to when it was first started

Show your proof.

“but continue your hatred:) it is quite funny to read

Is it hatred to point out the truth?

a konigun student
Monday Oct 25
“and look at that:) avoiding the challenge...sounds firmiliar....weak structure or whatever?

Is that supposed to mean anything?

“then come over here and use your "skill" against one of us...

Any skill I may have acquired over the years is for self-protection, not mindless violence. Haven’t your instructors taught you better behavior?

“you are definately some nerd with no martial arts training otherwise you would thing someone who has trained in it for 25 years would have some respect and a certain way about them but you are just a punk with nothing better to do than bash a style:) god its funny please reply fast its like a comedy

First you admonish me for not showing respect, then you immediately engage in an ad hominem attack against me? That’s quite a double-standard you have there. Perhaps you should take your own lesson to heart before chastising others for engaging in the same behavior you exhibit.

a konigun student
Tuesday Oct 26
“seeing as we resorted to reason

Reason is one thing foreign to the konigun cult. Truth is another.

“and invited quite a few of you to come see proof

No one that I am aware of has ever been invited to visit the grandmaster. How does one meet a fictitious character?

“and oh...you never could or were"too busy" when one of them got a chance to meed the grandmaster

Again, no one that I am aware of has ever had such an opportunity. It is not possible to meet a fictional character.

“and all i am saying is that you most likely have no martial arts experience if you do prove it:) make a video and post it on youtube or somewhere of your "25 years" of martial arts skills:) or are you "too busy" aswell

Accepted. I’ll post a youtube video demonstrating my skills after Mr. dallas provides one demonstrating his mastery of konigun ninjutsu, including footage of him training under master saija. Or is he “too busy”?

“and im not scared to post my REAL NAME i am tim guy i do not live in kentucky for some reason it says i do i am in tennessee morgan county to be exact

If you are not afraid to use your real name, why post comments as “anonymous”?

Taxing Times - November 2010 Hearing

2010-11-27T15:47:00.011-06:00

Just found this today. - It would seem that Mr. dallas is having some difficulty with the Internal Revenue Service.

http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/tennessee/tnmdce/3:2010cv00915/48769/3/

ORDER: A Hearing is set for 11/22/2010 at 1:30 PM before District Judge William J. Haynes Jr. A copy of this order, together with the petition herein and exhibits attached thereto, be served on the respondent at least thirty (30) days prior to the date assigned for the hearing.

Signed by District Judge William J. Haynes, Jr on 10/13/10. (dt)

United States of America et al v. Dallas
Plaintiffs: United States of America and William J. Sander
Defendant: Bryce Dallas
Case Number: 3:2010cv00915
Filed: October 1, 2010
Court: Tennessee Middle District Court
Office: Nashville Office
County: Davidson : William J. Haynes
Nature of Suit: Federal Tax Suits - Taxes (US Plaintiff or Defendant)
Cause: 26:7402
Jurisdiction: U.S. Government Plaintiff
Jury Demanded By: None

The previous document did not display properly.
This is a link to the pdf file.
http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/tennessee/tnmdce/3:2010cv00915/48769/3/0.pdf

konigun experience - An Ex-Member's Story

2010-11-21T20:17:00.001-06:00

The following story was taken from a former member of the Konigun group, who left in 2003 due to problems they were facing with Bryce Dallas, and several of the members. Their name has been omitted for the sake of privacy. Also pictures were added into the story to help the reader to understand who they are referring to.

I discovered Konigun Ninjutsu when I was in my late teenager years, I was just turning old enough to hit that milestone we know as….a driver’s license.

On this particular day I was accompanying my mother on a grocery-shopping trip, where, as usual, I had to visit the magazine section. Around that time, I had become somewhat interested in the martial arts magazines and had begun to check them out pretty regular.. On this particular trip, which occurred sometime between late 2001 and early 2002, there was a new magazine out, called "Ninjutsu" or something to that effect. I immediately snapped it up, because I had always had a fascination with the Ninja throughout my childhood, fed in part by my father's rather vague tales of his experiences studying Ninjutsu before I was born.

I bought the magazine, and as I flipped through the magazine later that day there was an article near the very back that really piqued my interest, because this group was supposedly located in Tennessee. "Big Ninja in a Little Town" the article was titled. It detailed Bryce Dallas' movie-caliber beginnings in this mysterious Christian art of Konigun Ninjutsu. As I seem to remember, the article closed with a philosophical quote from Dallas himself, which even at my young age I found a bit cheesy and highly unpoetic. "Although gold dust is precious, if it gets into your eyes, it can blind you,” his words blared, and still do in my head. I grasped the concept, but I felt it was poorly conveyed in such a quote.

After reading the article, something clicked in my head, remembering that my dad had allegedly studied Ninjutsu in his early 20's. So I asked him the obvious.

"Dad, what was the name of that style of Ninjutsu you studied?"

To my joy, rather than my surprise, he replied "Konigun". He pronounced it with all short vowels, where it almost rhymed with "Vonnegut", the famous author.

Thrilled with the connection, and the idea of a real Ninja master and his "clan" in our area, I tracked down Dallas' contact info and called his dojo, which turned out to be in Jackson, MS instead of Tennessee. Even better!!

It was Dallas himself who answered the phone, and I explained to him that I had read his article and that he trained my father years before. He was a warm, friendly voice over the phone who recalled one or two vague training memories with my father, calling him an "excellent student.” He then went on to say that he was setting up a school in my town, and that he would give me a call when he was in town and perhaps we could meet and I could see the new dojo.

A week later, the phone rang and it was Dallas from his cell phone, saying he was in my town finalizing his dojo and wanted to meet me. So I drove down to a gas station where he wanted to meet (why not the dojo?) and was impressed by what I saw when I pulled into the station. Three fully grown men and a teenager standing outside a silverish-gold GMC Sierra truck waited for me. Everyone was dressed in black T-shirts with the Konigun symbol on the chest and back, dogi pants and jikatabi.

Everyone, that is, except for one.

Shidoshi Bryce Dallas

Shidoshi Dallas, right, in photo that appeared in the article which led me to Konigun.

He was the largest of these men, and I barely recognized him from the magazine photo as Dallas, who stood a mammoth 6 feet 6 and, in contrast to the photo, around 400 not-very-solid pounds. He donned a Konigun T-shirt like the others, but no dogi pants or tabi. Instead, he wore black shorts and hiking sandals.

I remember rather foolishly thinking. "Wow, this guy is so high up in rank, he doesn't even dress like a Ninja anymore!" It only vaguely occurred to my logical side that perhaps he was too large to easily find pants and tabi that fit.

I met with him, and received a pre-packaged black uniform in my size and an official Konigun training manual, which he retrieved from the toolbox of his truck. He introduced me to Robert Nichols, a slender, gray haired individual with a goatee and tattoos on his arms, whom he referred to as "Samurai" and Scott Staples, or "Bushi", a tall, heavyset guy in his late 20's who had brow-length straight brown hair and was to be the instructor there at the new Dojo in Jackson. They were headed out of town, so we parted ways, but Dallas advised me that classes would begin the following week at a local athletic complex every Tuesday in the afternoon

My first class left me wanting to know everything there was to know about Ninjutsu. In attendance was me and one other student, whose identity I honestly cannot remember. For reasons of which I'm still unsure, Robert Nichols was placed as the instructor there, instead of Scott Staples. We learned proper salutes, stances, and lexicon, or as they were called "colloqialisms" –sic-. I also learned that Ninja apparently wore sashes instead of belts for rank, like every other Japanese martial art.

And so it began, week after week, me learning this mysterious and dreadfully effective art of Japan's ancient shadow warrior, the ninja. We were exposed to the idea of "chi" and energy-enhanced strikes very early on, with no actual training in the concept, but assertions we would one day study such mysterious concepts and that such knowledge was reserved for "black sashes", for black sashes were people of great skill and comprehension of concepts and realities too dangerous to be subject to novice access.

There would be many, many more stories and suggestions of outlandish powers possessed and taught by Bryce, to include controlling the weather, walking on water (obviously), causing one's heart to explode with a single blow, controlling fire with one's mind, slowing down or stopping time, predicting the future, impossibly fast travel by foot, teleporting, stopping bullets, punching a tree trunk on one side and causing bark to fly off the opposite side, and other tales.

Around this time my family was suffering financially, so I talked to Dallas about the problems at home and how I may need to stop training to help them with the bills. In response, Dallas offered to let me live with him and work to earn money to send to my mom, and while I was at it, I could focus significantly more time on my training. This was an easy choice for me. I wanted nothing more than for my mother to stop worrying, and for me to devote more time to becoming a Ninja.

And so at the conclusion of the following class, I hopped in a truck with Samurai Robert Nichols, who had apparently borrowed Dallas' truck to make the 2 and a half hour trip from Jackson to Starkville to teach, and we headed to Jackson. We arrived after dark at an office building, where Dallas had an office space. It was a quaint, 3-room space where the only furniture was the computer desks and chairs. Books and papers sat in tall stacks on the floor, since the only book shelf was crammed full of phone books, binders on legal codes, and even a couple of titled movie manuscripts. Dallas was doing seemingly nothing, while a shorter, but still very heavyset man in his mid 30's sat pecking away at a laptop in an adjacent office room.

His name was Jay Green.

Jay Green

Jay had short, curly hair that was thinning considerably on top, small eyes and wore eyeglasses that had small but thick lenses. Beneath Jay's sedentary girth was a considerable musculature that was more obvious than Dallas's, despite him being roughly six inches shorter than Dallas and perhaps 50-70lbs lighter. Jay's Konigun name was "Taibushi", or "Grand Warrior" according to the Konigun Handbook.

NOTE:
Each rank in Konigun ninjutsu was accompanied by a name which meant something. According to the manual, "Bushi" meant "warrior", Samurai meant "Distinguished Warrior", Kagebushi meant "Shadow Warrior", to name a few examples.

Any Japanese culture historian would tell you that Samurai translates to "one who serves". Furthermore, "Kagebushi" is used out of context in Konigun, as Kagebushi in ancient japan were not Ninja.

I slept that night at the house of Nichols' in-laws, with whom he and his family were staying while they were moving into a new house in Magee, Mississippi. I traveled to the head dojo in the Jackson area, which resided in a strip mall next to several other businesses. The dojo was very well maintained. There were the usual swords and other weapons displayed on the walls, the large mirrors for checking one's form, and even a small, well-stocked section that was the dojo store, where one could buy training weapons or uniform items. There were bo and jo of every length, nunchaku, sai, tonfa, kama, shuko, ashiko (whom Dallas referred to as shako), shuriken of several different styles, and other very interesting items that one might find in a Century (fitness) or Bud K catalog.

So I began "working" for Dallas, which entailed things such as cleaning, typing letters, fetching lunch and other menial tasks. Dallas was a very task-oriented person in the way that he liked to keep everyone busy doing something. I enjoyed this because it was easy, and because quite often I was behind the counter or next to an instructor, instead of among the other students, which made me feel privileged. This work continued for months. Dallas had a habit of collecting loose change, and he often used that loose change to purchase food from the $.99 cent menu at Wendy's or McDonalds, and he always kept the receipts, no matter how small the purchase. The receipts were stuffed into a small overhead storage compartment in his truck. We were instructed to place any receipts from company purchases here, as we often used his truck to run company errands.

I found it peculiar that he insisted on keeping every single receipt, no matter how small the purchase.

Occasionally I would return home to my parents for a week, or a weekend, but always eventually returning to Jackson. I don't recall that I ever received any actual money for my work. I was always paid in gear, like swords, other weapons and clothing. I recall that I was once paid for a week's worth of work with a Samurai sword set that can be purchased from any internet dealer (the exact style and color) for around $20. It was actually falling apart (had fallen apart during shipping) when he gave it to me, but I fixed the set. It was one of approximately 20 sets that was received among many other items in a very large shipment of new inventory the store received.

These sword sets were marked for $100-200 in the dojo store. This was not the only faulty sword set in the dojo. A student of Konigun's Kenjutsu classes suffered a severe laceration to his ankle area from a sword that came apart during training in the dojo. I marveled at the vicious scab on his ankle and the tear in his hakama from the bad blade. I distinctly remember Bryce stating that 440 Stainless Steel referred to the blade having been folded 440 times. I laughed at this to myself because I knew it was untrue.

Those swords were all intended as decorative items only, yet they were being sold to students to use as training weapons. This, coupled with the fact the dojo had no type of padding on the floors whatsoever and many times full contact sparring matches were held there, was a recipe for disaster.
………………………………….

Robert Nichols moved to Magee, MS around the summer of that year (01-02), and since Dallas had made it clear that Nichols was my instructor, I was to stay with him in his house. I became almost like Nichols' sidekick, or rather his protégé’. I slept on Nichols' sofa every night, and was awakened early every morning to make the hour trip to Jackson where the day's business would begin, where duties were delegated to Nichols and myself. These duties usually involved travel, with the intent of making contact with other martial arts schools in the state, and generally attempting to see where enough interest could be stirred up to justify establishing another school. Often I would be sent with Nichols, but there were some occasions where I remained behind at the main dojo with Dallas, where i sat in and trained with the classes that came during the day, and performed duties around the school. One thing I noticed very quickly during this time about Dallas was that he had a strict etiquette of how someone should respect him. He was to be referred to as "Shidoshi" or "Shidoshi Dallas" and nothing else. Even "Mister" was considered giving Dallas less than the proper respect he supposedly deserved. Dallas was easily angered, most intensely by disrespect, but most commonly about failure.

When someone did not perform a task set forth by him to his satisfaction, Dallas would yell, curse, and/or belittle the offender, often bringing them to tears if they were female or young male.

Soon after moving to Magee, Robert was instructed to set his sights on a local Tae Kwon Do class that was conducted at a local YMCA building. I don't remember the instructor's name, but I remember marveling at what a deeply southern man he was, with his strong accent, and his hair was fashioned into a neat mullet. He was a nice, and surprisingly humble individual, in contrast to many instructors we had made contact with who would stand all smug-faced with their hands on their rank belt and their hips thrust slightly forward, as if constantly reminding us of what it took to be a completely great martial artist.

Nichols' immediately dazzled the Tae Kwon Do students with his display of weapons techniques and exotic kung fu-based movies. His talk of "element hands" and other esoteric practices worked like a charm at drawing in the adolescent crowd, with one boy in particular taking a strong interest.

David Ishee was 16 years old, pale, thin, with jet black hair and strong features that made every smile seem forced. Perhaps they were. In casual conversations that would follow with many of the students (approximately 8-10) who joined Konigun from the Tae Kwon Do school, several indicated that David was a bit of an outcast who no one really knew well at that school. I think Bryce played his cards on him well, and drew him in making him feel as though he had a place he could finally belong.

David was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, an impressive feat at 16. An impromptu sparring match between us on the front lawn of the Magee Town Hall revealed that I was the better combatant, however. I was merely a gold sash; two ranks from the bottom. If David had been contemplating joining Konigun, this must have sealed the deal for him. He, as a black belt, had been defeated by a Konigun gold sash.

Konigun MUST be far more effective than Tae Kwon Do, right?

And so classes were conducted on a regular basis at the Magee Town Hall. Business was thriving, as at any given class there were eight or twelve students at what I remember to be $30-40 per month per person in class fees.

This allowed Nichols to spend more time in Magee. It was a way for him to make the organization money without having to drive too far from home. This was a good thing, because up until that point, Robert survived on a little money here or there that Bryce gave him to cover food, diapers for his young son, and other necessary expenses.

It was as if Bryce kept him on a money ration. Robert would often travel a total of four or more hours a day, six days a week for what appeared to be little more than gas money.

For one brief week, I stayed with Dallas at his mother's trailer in an almost-town called Satartia. It was actually a modest property that housed three mobile homes. One was his mother's, one housed his older brother Philip, and the last one belonged to his sister before she died. At the time, Bryce's nephew (who was in his early 20's), whose name I cannot remember, was moving into the trailer with his then soon to be wife.

Bryce would leave every morning and travel to the main dojo and leave me to do work around the house for his mother at his specification. One day, I was instructed to mow her lawn with a push-mower. I set about this task as I did any other, with determination and the mindset that such work was instrumental in me becoming a wise, humble warrior. Moreover, I simply liked Ms. Carolyn Dallas. She was a kind woman who fed me heartily at a time when I was rather malnourished from eating nothing but Pimento cheese sandwiches and Wheat Thins, as this was a "diet" Dallas and Jay Green were on at this time, along with cole slaw, and of course I had no money of my own to buy the food I wanted.

I encountered a huge problem, however, when I attempted to mow the section of lawn around a large tree in the back yard. Ms. Dallas owned a large dog which she kept tied to the tree and the dog was very vicious, lunging at me any time I went near the area under the tree. So naturally, I wasn't interested in getting my face bitten off so I informed Bryce's mother that the dog would not let me mow the grass in his area. She said not to worry about it and went outside to cut the small patch of grass with the mower herself since the dog did not bother her.

Some days later, back in Magee, Robert Nichols informed me that he had been instructed by Dallas to beat me for letting his elderly mother do work that I was supposed to be doing. Somehow word had gotten back to Dallas that I was supposedly sitting around while his mother mowed her lawn.

"He told me to knock the f*k out of you." quoted Nichols.

He always yelled at everyone else to do his work for him, especially if he was mad at someone for something they had done in his eyes that was “disrespectful.”

Failure, as always, was not an option in the Konigun.
……………………………

I had been to West, MS numerous times to assist in cleanup efforts that were to prepare the grounds for hosting camp. It was a grassy clearing just off a rural road, and was mostly vacant except for 3 to 5 small manufactured shed-like buildings, and a non-operational Chevy or Dodge truck that once belonged to Robert Nichols that bore a license plate that simply read KONIGUN. Probably didn't have to worry about that plate name already being taken, I thought.

Photo Courtesy of Cayce Lancaster

According to Dallas, he (Dallas) had a home there on the property some years before, and it had burned down. Supposedly Nichols and his wife also lived in this house along with Dallas' then wife, Tamar, whom he had already separated from by the time I joined and whom I had never met, and a young boy who was Dallas' legal ward and was named Jake. I don't recall his last name, but Jake had turned 18 and was gone by the time I joined so I had never met him, either.

Bits of charred debris were still scattered about the property though much of it had been bulldozed into a pile at the edge of the clearing and now the remains of burned wood and ash had begun to rot into the ground. I was excited to find an old, rusty sai (Okinawan Kobudo weapon) that was partially buried in the clay one day during the clean-up.

In retrospect, I have strong suspicions that Dallas himself orchestrated the burning of his West, MS property to gain the insurance money because of many other similar stories of Dallas, and because he made no assertions about any plans to rebuild his house there, and instead seemed content to keep it a training ground for the 9 Day Camp.

It makes sense, because the amount of money homeowner's insurance would have awarded him for an accidental fire would have paid for the publishing of the Konigun training manual.

9 Day Camp was offered to students for a fee of $475 per person. According to the literature on the camp, this included meals, lodging, nine days of training filled with advanced curriculums, and chances for rank advancement in an accelerated environment. The quick rank jumps were particularly enticing to students, many of whom had been one rank for months at a time, and some for a few years. We were all eager to get better and rank higher.

Various pictures from Camps held over the years all donated by various sources. The last picture is of the Black Sashes. You can see Bryce Dallas and Jay Green in the far right hand corner. You can also see David Ishee in the bottom row, second from left. Lastly you can also see Robert Nichols in the back row, second from left.

I attended 9 Day Camp for free, basically assuring that I would be doing work for Bryce without seeing any compensation for months to come, and any money he already owed me would be eaten up by the camp fee.

The "meals" were BLTs put together and served by several of the female students, which I found rather archaic that Dallas would delegate that responsibility to the women. Food was provided on the strictest of budgets, with everything being store-brand, from the bread to the bacon. The tomatoes were procured from Ms. Dallas' garden. I remember most of the condiments coming from Bryce's personal stash that he accumulated from routinely taking way more than he needed when eating at a fast food restaurant. He kept a paper grocery sack that was mostly full of extras he'd procured of every packaged condiment you could imagine, from Burger King Ketchup to KFC Honey Sauce, Smuckers jellies of various flavors, and Tartar sauce from Captain D's.

The "lodging" was even more of a misprint, because students were encouraged to bring their own tents, and those who didn't bring their tents were allowed to sleep in one of the sheds that were on property, only one of which was remotely air-conditioned, and what was it used for?

Shidoshi's quarters.

According to the handbook no one was allowed to venture inside without invitation from Shidoshi.

I was at 9 Day Camp for 3 Days, of which I slept each night on the plywood floor of one of the sheds, with my dogi top as a pillow, because I didn't have a pillow of my own at Nichols's house. The first two days were spent mowing the grass and erecting canopies out of pine logs and nylon tarps to facilitate shade.

I am all for work ethic and the "wax on, wax off" philosophy, but we were literally paying Bryce Dallas absurd amounts of money to do work for him. Any other explanation was simply a convenient excuse, and I think anyone in attendance at the time will agree with me today. On the final day of my attendance, I said "F*k this!" and called a ride to pick me up. I told no one that I was going home, and I met my ride at the driveway to the west property hopped in and rode away.

That would be my last experience as a full fledged student of Konigun. I flirted with the idea of coming back, and I spoke with Dallas over the phone the following year about rejoining. Bryce assured me that there were no hard feelings and that I could attend the 9 Day Camp for free again. I later found out that Bryce had instructed Jay Green to "work him like a Hebrew slave", referring to me, and stated "If he whines, beat the shit out of him." This, mind you, is how they repaid loyalty to others. Never with thanks, only with threats. My story is the same as many others, if you simply ask that is.

Fortunately, however, I wasn't able to make it to Jackson when I was supposed to and by the time I was able to get down there I had firmly decided I would never again train with them.

My last communication with Bryce and Jay came via Yahoo Messenger when Jay threatened to break my fingers if I made another post on E-Budo message boards in a thread that had been started concerning them and questions regarding the art, and Bryce's, legitimacy. For those of you who remember, this was during the big lawsuit which named many people, including the founder of Ebudo John Lindsey and his student George Kohler, both ranking members in Shoto Tanemura’s Genbukan Organization.

At the time I was writing out of anger because I felt Bryce had mistreated me, but also I was confused because part of me still wanted to be accepted and exalted by Bryce, and there was a brief period of Bryce and Jay shifting between being extremely angry with me and threatening me and appearing understanding and forgiving. I'm sure the former was their real emotion as they were very manipulative.

My experience is not nearly as traumatic as some stories I have heard, and for that I am thankful. Moreover, I don't feel my experience with them has traumatized me in any significant way that would require extensive counseling or analyzing.

To me, it's mostly a mere memory. I house no real emotions for myself regarding Bryce or Konigun, other than perhaps a faint, barely perceptible mix of disdain, pity and disgust. My true anger and disgust is for those who used this art to get ahead of people and stomp on them while they did so.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Assessing the Damage - Part One

2010-11-19T11:39:00.000-06:00

Assesing the Damage

Excerpted from Captive Hearts, Captive Minds: Freedom and Recovery from Cults and Abusive Relationships
By Madeleine Tobias and Janja Lalich

Why are some people so damaged by their cult experience while others walk away seemingly unscathed? There are predisposing personality factors and levels of vulnerability that may enhance a person's continued vulnerability and susceptibility while in the group. All these factors govern the impact of the cult experience on the individual and the potential for subsequent damage. In assessing this impact, three different stages of the cult experience—before, during, and after—need to be examined.

Individual Differences Affecting Recovery

Each person's experience with a cult is different. Some may dabble with a meditation technique but never get drawn into taking "advanced courses" or moving to the ashram. Others may quickly give up all they have, including college, career, possessions, home, or family, to do missionary work in a foreign country or move into cult lodgings.

After a cult involvement, some people carry on with their lives seemingly untouched; more typically, others may encounter a variety of emotional problems and troubling psychological difficulties ranging from inability to sleep, restlessness, and lack of direction to panic attacks, memory loss, and depression. To varying degrees they may feel guilty, ashamed, enraged, lost, confused, betrayed, paranoid, and in a sort of fog.

Before Involvement

Vulnerability factors before involvement include a person's age, prior history of emotional problems, and certain personality characteristics.

During Involvement

Length of time spent in the group

There is quite a difference in the impact a cult will have on a person if she or he is a member for only a few weeks, as compared to months or years. A related factor is the amount of exposure to the indoctrination process and the various levels of control that exist in the group.

Intensity and severity of the thought-reform program

The intensity and severity of cults' efforts at conversion and control vary in different groups and in the same group at different times. Members who are in a peripheral, "associate" status may have very different experiences from those who are full-time, inner-core members.

Specific methods will also vary in their effect. An intense training workshop over a week or weekend that includes sleep deprivation, hypnosis, and self-exposure coupled with a high degree of supervision and lack of privacy is likely to produce faster changes in a participant than a group process using more subtle and long-term methods of change.

Poor or inadequate medical treatments

A former cult member's physical condition and attitude toward physical health may greatly impact postcult adjustments.

Loss of outside support

The availability of a network of family and friends and the amount of outside support certainly will bear on a person's reintegration after a cult involvement.

Skewed or nonexistent contact with family and former friends tends to increase members' isolation and susceptibility to the cult's worldview. The reestablishment of those contacts is important to help offset the loss and loneliness the person will quite naturally feel.

After involvement

Various factors can hasten healing and lessen postcult difficulties at this stage. Many are related to the psycho-educational process. Former cult members often spend years after leaving a cult in relative isolation, not talking about or dealing with their cult experiences. Shame and silence may increase the harm done by the group and can prevent healing.

Understanding the dynamics of cult conversion is essential to healing and making a solid transition to an integrated postcult life.

Engage in a professionally led exit counseling session

Educate yourself about cults and thought-reform techniques

Involve family members and old and new friends in reviewing and evaluating your cult experience

See a mental health professional or a pastoral counselor, preferably someone who is familiar with or is willing to be educated about cults and common postcult problems

Attend a support group for former cult members

Recovery Article - "It Hurts"

2010-11-17T11:01:00.000-06:00

"It Hurts" By Jan Groenveld

IT HURTS to discover you were deceived - that what you thought was the "one true religion," the "path to total freedom," or "truth" was in reality a cult.

IT HURTS when you learn that people you trusted implicitly - whom you were taught not to question - were "pulling the wool over your eyes" albeit unwittingly.

IT HURTS when you learn that those you were taught were your "enemies" were telling the truth after all -- but you had been told they were liars, deceivers, repressive, satanic etc and not to listen to them.

IT HURTS when you know your faith in God hasn't changed - only your trust in an organization - yet you are accused of apostasy, being a trouble maker, a "Judas". It hurts even more when it is your family and friends making these accusations.

IT HURTS to realize their love and acceptance was conditional on you remaining a member of good standing. This cuts so deeply you try and suppress it. All you want to do is forget - but how can you forget your family and friends?

IT HURTS to see the looks of hatred coming from the faces of those you love - to hear the deafening silence when you try and talk to them. It cuts deeply when you try and give your child a hug and they stand like a statue, pretending you aren't there. It stabs like a knife when you know your spouse looks upon you as demonised and teaches your children to hate you.

IT HURTS to know you must start all over again. You feel you have wasted so much time. You feel betrayed, disillusioned, suspicious of everyone including family, friends and other former members.

IT HURTS when you find yourself feeling guilty or ashamed of what you were - even about leaving them. You feel depressed, confused, lonely. You find it difficult to make decisions. You don't know what to do with yourself because you have so much time on your hands now - yet you still feel guilty for spending time on recreation.

IT HURTS when you feel as though you have lost touch with reality. You feel as though you are "floating" and wonder if you really are better off and long for the security you had in the organization and yet you know you cannot go back.

IT HURTS when you feel you are all alone - that no one seems to understand what you are feeling. It hurts when you realize your self confidence and self worth are almost non-existent.

IT HURTS when you have to front up to friends and family to hear their "I told you so" whether that statement is verbal or not. It makes you feel even more stupid than you already do - your confidence and self worth plummet even further.

IT HURTS when you realize you gave up everything for the cult - your education, career, finances, time and energy - and now have to seek employment or restart your education. How do you explain all those missing years?

IT HURTS because you know that even though you were deceived, you are responsible for being taken in. All that wasted time........ at least that is what it seems to you - wasted time.

THE PAIN OF GRIEF
Leaving a cult is like experiencing the death of a close relative or a broken relationship. The feeling is often described as like having been betrayed by someone with whom you were in love. You feel you were simply used.

There is a grieving process to pass through. Whereas most people understand that a person must grieve after a death etc, they find it difficult to understand the same applies in this situation. There is no instant cure for the grief, confusion and pain. Like all grieving periods, time is the healer. Some feel guilty, or wrong about this grief. They shouldn't -- It IS normal. It is NOT wrong to feel confused, uncertain, disillusioned, guilty, angry, untrusting - these are all part of the process. In time the negative feelings will be replaced with clear thinking, joy, peace, and trust.

YES - IT HURTS BUT THE HURTS WILL HEAL WITH TIME, PATIENCE & UNDERSTANDING

There is life after the cult.

Copyright (c) Jan Groenveld
Internet: py101663@mailbox.uq.oz.au
Cult Awareness & Information Centre
PO Box 2444,Mansfield,4122,Australia
(61-(0)7- 343 8116)

Excerpts from the Foreword

2010-11-13T15:34:00.000-06:00

The book is in the works and the researcher has granted me permission to publish some excerpts from the Foreword. He is trying to be as objective and impartial as possible, but he needs more information. If anyone who is or has been a member of konigun would like to speak with him, please post a comment or send me an e-mail. Nothing will be published without your prior authorization.

Foreword by the Author:

Konigun Ninjutsu claims to trace it’s lineage all the way back to July 28th, 1196 up to the present day, headed over 36 generations of Shidoshi, the current one being Bryce Frederick Dallas, who obtained his training as a child living in Mississippi and later while living in Japan.

This book will delve into the very fabric of the Konigun, the camps, the seminars, the training, and attempt to trace the art’s heritage as far back as claimed while also giving light to the many stories accumulated by the author through those who were involved or were accosted by Shidoshi Bryce Dallas. With stories taken from key persons throughout the life of the man who would bring Konigun Ninjutsu to the forefront of the internet world, establish prominent dojo and training groups not only in the southeastern United States but also across the world in Indonesia, China, and Poland, the entire story will be told for the first time by those who were involved in this art, yet chose to leave it behind themselves forever. This book seeks not to undermine or harm, but to enlighten and offer from a point of view that is completely neutral, the entire story, and hopefully allow the reader themselves to make a judgment that is both fair and impartial.

Another Martial Arts Nightmare

2010-10-22T10:45:00.000-05:00

I found this on the Rick Ross website.

http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?6,72719,74190

DISCLAIMER
The information contained herewithin is to my best recollection of the truth. All examples and stories are real people but actual names and locations have been omitted. The story presented is for informational purposes only. My original document version does contain all sources cited as this site does not support CHS format. ©2008

INTRODUCTION
At 13 years old I was heavily inspired by the actor Jean-Claude Van Damme in “Blood Sport”. I absolutely loved the movie! Van Damme was a splendid martial artist and not to mention, so were the three kids next door. Not only did my neighbors take lessons, but they invited me to their testing.

One day while playing soccer with the neighbors, the oldest boy argued with me as to whether the soccer ball made it into the goal. I was sure it bounced back from the fence, so the ball had to have scored the point. Even my younger brother who was also playing agreed. However, the boy retaliated and used a martial arts sweep which sent me tumbling to the ground. I had never been in fight. I got up after the fall and ran down the street crying…At that point, I decided without a doubt that I wanted to learn martial arts. So the search began for a school in December of 1995...

Little did I know that my life would change forever by the martial arts school…

THE EARLY YEARS
When I began training, I attended classes twice a week. The physical techniques were easy to learn but the mental training was challenging. However, both physical and mental training were important and were emphasized equally. This was why we tied our belts evenly; it represented balance.

My brother started lessons as well, so for us to train together was a great benefit. If I forgot the memory work on certain techniques, he helped me. I remember when I was a white belt learning the moves my form and had trouble remembering what was next.1 At about the seventh move out of 18, I became so frustrated that my brother came to the rescue which stopped me from whimpering. By the time we were black belts, the number of moves in our form had increased to 81. Believe it or not, this was easier because we had grown accustomed to memorizing new techniques and understanding their patterns.

On the first class, I expected the instructor to be Korean, but he was American. I noticed his eyes for the first time up close while reciting the affirmation, “The Songahm Spirit of Taekwondo” which was the first mini-test for a stripe on my belt. His eyes were similar to cold blue crystals reading every thought and body action.

The style we were taught was Songahm Taekwondo, which was a system affiliated with the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) that had been around since the early fifties. My mom chose this school in particular because of the sign that hung in the studio which read, “All black belts are not created equal.”

My brother and I climbed through the ranks and about a year later, arrived at purple belt. We were selected for the honorable Leadership Team. It was required to attend an extra class on Saturday to learn leadership and assist in an additional class during the week. The nice part about the program was that it was free training.

Every Saturday morning, we listened intently on how to become leaders and teach martial arts among the best students in the school. We took copious notes on the philosophies. One philosophy I recall in particular was, “leaders are not born, they are made”. The instructor explained that we were going to be molded into fine martial artists one day.

At some point, being on the Leadership Team meant we had to learn to swim. I had been assisting for a few months in one of the evening classes, when the class the leader who was supposed to start the class ran late. I was told that I should lead the class through warm-ups. I was stunned at first but focused on accomplishing the task at hand. I did well for the first time except for a few items I needed to improve on.

DOWN THE ROAD
No sooner than two years later, my brother and I earned our first degree black belts and were selected for the Junior Trainee Instructor Program (JTIP). I think we were grandfathered into the program and had to pay for the uniform and the manual. This program was the first step toward becoming a certified instructor. This meant we not only attended on Saturdays, but we also assisted in two classes minimal each week. It was all voluntary of course, but still required for the program.

A student once told the instructor that he could not “volunteer” to assist in classes because of other obligations. The child and his parents were counseled in the office that day. The instructor returned later and explained to us that assisting was not volunteering, but it was required. JTIP’s also had to fulfill other requirements from the training manual such as writing reports, attending clinics, participating in tournaments, and assisting with other relevant events in order to prepare for the next level up as Trainee.

At the same time, I believe this was when my mom decided to join. Eventually she earned her black belt and was selected for the Trainee Program (TI). Her program requirements were more difficult and she had to pay each month. I think our family still received a nice discount. Before we knew it, dad joined the school by the age of 59. He looked like an “angel” in his new white uniform as I recall mom saying.

THE PROBLEMS BEGIN

Since each of us had to attend two classes each week in addition to our regular classes, the family schedule became hectic. None of us were ever home at the same time on any given day of the week. Sure we might see each other in classes, but it was not the same as being at home with the family. From here on out, I drove my brother to classes.

The leadership requirements started to interfere with my parent’s home at the beach and other family activities in the evenings. So we stopped visiting the beach and stopped goin out in the evenings.

It was not easy asking permission to attend a special event or miss a class from the instructor either because he wanted excellent attendance. I cannot explain the feeling I would get when I asked permission to miss a class. It was usually a stark stare combined with a reluctant “permission granted” which was also attached with a reminder of how important it was to attend classes. So, my family eventually sold the beach house at a huge loss. From that point forward, my family got together mostly on Sundays for church.

This was a huge red flag, but none of us took any action. We were convinced by the instructor that the family had time for each other. My family received the “Outstanding School Support” award at the banquet dinner. Later they received the, “Most Supportive Parents” award. I received the “Outstanding Student Award”. Only a few families received these awards. It seemed like the whole process of getting us to commit so heavily was something that the instructor manipulated us into doing. He explained that training as a family was healthy and that we would see each other regularly in the school. We gave him the benefit of the doubt.

PHILOSOPHIES
Every day, the instructor repeated and interjected his beliefs and philosophies continuously while teaching topics. These were quotes and sayings that a person would never forget. These became so engrained into our minds that in turn we lived what we were taught. Here are a few:

-Repetition is the mother of all learning.
-Preparation is the key to victory.
-Change is the only constant.
-I feel healthy, I feel happy, I feel terrific3
-Leaders are not born, they are made.
-Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.
- Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
-Train to the standard!
-Definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
-the Chinese character for problem is “opportunity”.
-there is a price you have to pay for success
-Think high standards and improvement in everything that you say and do.
-You can be a black belt in martial arts, but a white belt in teaching.
-what is most important in martial arts is the relationship between the student and instructor….
-You become what you think about most of the time.
-Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.
-Think high standards and improvement in everything that you say and do.
-Thomas Edison and the number of attempts he took before he invented the light bulb.4
-the story of Winston Churchill getting on the podium and saying the only words, “Never, Never, NEVER, give in.”
-ASSUME - it makes an ass out of you and me.
-A JOB is really Just Over Broke, martial arts is a career opportunity…
-a college degree is just part of the “Vaccination Theory of Education”…you are vaccinated with the “degree” and then move on to another degree and get another “vaccination”…
-“Success is the progressive realization of worthwhile predetermined personal goals” –Paul J. Meyer.

THE SCHOOL GROWS
In ten years, the school grew from 50 students to a little over 200, so new changes were implemented with respect to policies, renovations, and schedules. One of the policies that changed was the length of time to earn a black belt. Instead of earning a black belt in two and a half years, it increased to four years (Which was supposedly the norm for most schools and the way it should have been. The only exception was that my brother and I had been with a special group of individuals who tested through each rank a little faster when the school was just getting started). Then additional classes opened up due to school expansion and renovations. As a result, classes started earlier in the evenings at 4:00 which meant that my family came to the school earlier. Later, a pre-class meeting would be established which TI’s and JTIP’s would be required to attend. Finally, the school testings for the next belt were held off-site at a local high school gym instead of in the studio. To me, it seemed reasonable and was expected because of the growth in student numbers. However, my time at home began to dwindle and important activities such as homework had to be done either on the bus, at lunch, or during another class at school. After school sports were out of the question because I had made a commitment to the JTIP program.

The way students were inducted into the trainee programs changed too. Instead of being inducted, students could enter the Trainee or Junior Trainee Program for $200 a month at any belt color as soon as they joined as white belts. This was apparently not as expensive as what other schools were charging according to the instructor. Luckily, my family never paid that much for each of us.

Eventually the instructor added marketing training to the mix of items on Saturdays. So, we had to be there from 8:00 in the morning to noon. Then there were afternoon clinics that occurred every so often that we attended. Those were $99 a person but most of the time I assisted and the cost was generally waived. Then the instructor recommended that my family sign up for Success Motivation Institute (SMI) to teach us about goal setting for an extra $59 a month per person. We could not turn down the offer. Soon thereafter, clinics and events became the norm for almost every Saturday. Those generally ended in the late afternoon and we stayed later cleaning up with other students.

When I was 15, a few select teenagers and I became employed for $10 an hour during the summer. It was better than what I was getting paid at a local restaurant for $5.15 an hour. The instructor said he did not want us to “be flipping burgers at McDonalds”. So the deal was for every class we taught and assisted in, we were paid. I could not complain about it. The offer was fantastic at the time.

Soon higher ranking students began to quit and leave the school for various reasons. This was normal for a school to loose students. However, one pattern that my parents noticed was that once students made it to black belt none of them stayed long. Sure some would drop off during the color belt levels, but the black belts in particular very rarely made it to 2nd Degree black belt. There was only one student besides the instructor’s wife who made it and then he quit. Then I eventually earned the rank in 2001.

As the black belts above me quit, I started taking over the various positions in the school. Before I knew it, I was the Administrative Assistant for the school, the Demo Team leader, the Extreme Martial Arts program leader, a class leader, the special needs student class leader, I eventually became a Specialty Trainer (the next level up after TI), an Ulimate Body Shaping Course (UBC) coach, the Birthday Party leader, the Testing Conductor (most times), the parent’s counselor, and a student. I had also become “like a daughter” to the owner and his wife and I was spending most of my time there. I had graduated high school and was ready to dive into a career in the martial arts.

GIVING UP WHO I WAS
I had given up everything for martial arts including my family, friends, a social life, sports, study time, and my college degree in Business Management that I was already two years into studying. I was convinced that I did not need the degree and I would be earning six figures by opening a school one day. If I had the choice on my own, I would have applied for the Naval Academy (which I had started to before my dad, the instructor and I sat down in an eight hour meeting trying to determine the pros and cons with all my options for a career) or the Airforce Academy, Embry Riddle, or Hampton University for an aeronautical degree or meteorology degree. I settled on a local university in the end. The choice I made was pretty sad.

Another reason I stopped going to college was because I needed more time to improve my results at the school and perform marketing activities in the day time before classes started in the evenings. Before I knew it, I was working technically 17-18 hour days. I was only getting paid for a few classes taught each day and it was unbelievably still $10 per hour by the year 2006. Myself and another coworker at the school received bonuses for signing up students for $100 each. He was a dedicated black belt and just a few years older than me. He had it tougher than me because he had a wife, drove an hour to reach the school, and had a full time job as a mechanic.

Soon the $100 commission price dropped to half because as he talked us into setting higher goals each month that came to a point where we could not reach them. The instructor said it was obvious that we did not care about the $100 and so he lowered it.

MY FAMILY LIFE
My family was torn apart by the school and I blame them for it. It started with my brother. When he became a teenager, he told mom and dad he wanted to quit. They kept him in there despite his request. After all, it was a contract that mom and dad had signed. Additionally, the instructor kept counseling my brother and parents on the benefits. My brother became very angry and performed poorly in school and got involved with some bad kids. He did some other things to try to gain attention from my folks and cried out to them so he did not have to teach anymore. My parents agreed he should quit for his own sake and theirs as well.

Then it happened to my mom. The instructor picked on her and told her she had scattered thoughts and students could not understand her. That was simple in my mind; my mom was not born to be a teacher and did not want to teach. She wanted to learn martial arts for self defense. She could not handle the constant heavy critiques. But there were more issues.

Then my dad was next. But he was tough and did not falter so easily. But the instructor got to him years later. He turned my dad against his own wife and son. The instructor had broken the trust with my dad by …

I was convinced that almost everyone on the outside of the school was against me including my whole family. The instructor always checked to see how I was doing and asked me how things were going at home. I told him honestly things at home were not so good between my brother and parents. My brother was still having lots of trouble, which was true, but I should not have left my family. The instructor offered me a place to stay with them, but I turned them down. So, I called my aunt and asked to live with her. I moved in the next day.

By March of 2006, my whole family had quit and was preparing to move out of the state. I was not moving though and focused on my martial arts training and teaching. Martial arts had become my life. I had the ultimate goal to own a school one day under the direction and guidance of my instructor.

MY CONTROLLED SCHEDULE
When I was 21 years old, I earned the honor and privilege to hold a set of keys to the school. Now I could open the school up and show responsibility. Here was a typical day to demonstrate how he controlled my life and how I was wrapped up in the routines.

A weekday usually consisted of getting up at 7:00 and opening the school by 7:45. By 8:00 I would start either a morning class (depending on the day of the week) or begin my administrative duties. A class would run for an hour, and then I would get back to administrative items and work until noon. Sometimes, if both the owner and his wife were there in the mornings, we would end up talking about issues and stay until 3:00. But most days, I would run home for lunch. After lunch, I would get on the phone to call 10-15 students’ parents a day checking on their progress so I could report their status to the instructor as he had required. My cell phone minutes were generally maxed out but I paid for them anyways without complaining. Since most people worked during the day, I could not reach many of the parents. But he still wanted to know how students were doing. When the instructor finally realized that this was the main reason we could not achieve a good status report, he had us get on the phone in between classes or during a class that we did not teach.

After I spent a few hours on the phone in the afternoon, I would go to shopping centers to recruit students. I had a script memorized and I knew how to overcome many objections. I was second best in the school of 200 students at recruiting new members besides the instructor’s wife. I generally walked on pavement for about an hour every day. Then I would sit in my car and eat a snack and prepare to report the days results for the 3:00 meeting.

When I was ready, I drove to the school by 2:45 and opened it for the evening’s business. There was a checklist that I followed to make sure all items were covered and it had to be up-to-date. If a single item had been neglected or if I forgot to fill out the checklist one day, I was reprimanded if he happened to check over the list. At first he was gentle, and then I was yelled at and told I could loose my job if I messed up again.

By 3:00 my coworker and I were ready for the pre-class meeting. It was supposed to end at 3:30 but it always ended up going to until 4:00 which was when the first class would start.

The 3:00 meetings became the focal point of our training. Nothing else mattered except for the results we produced; if we did not report clearly, concisely, or correctly, we were reprimanded right there on the spot.
One of the first items we discussed was a summary of our class plans. At first, we were harshly critiqued, but even after the repetitious critiquing, I could never report properly or smoothly for some time until I practiced at home over and over.

Speaking of these class planners, they took a few hours to devise. The instructor said that we should spend twice the amount of time planning for a class than actually teaching it. I normally stayed up until 1:00AM on those nights preparing my planners for the following day. We were not allowed to work on them at the school.

At first the instructor was gentle, and then it became a yelling session half of the time. After he yelled at us, we had to apologize and state how we would improve the problem. He had a specific method that was listed on the easel pad about, “How to mend a broken relationship”. So we followed the five steps for a while. Then he did not like the way we apologized and said we did not really mean it. This just became a vicious cycle.

After the meeting, I taught and assisted in classes from 4:00 until 9:30 most evenings. Then I participated in my black belt class as a student every other day. After all was said and done, we pitched in for the evening cleanup until 10:00. That did not always happen, there were many nights when additional issues would come up and we would go in the office for a 10:00 meeting and stay until midnight. That was always hard on my coworker since he had a long drive home and then had get up at 5:00 the next morning. He had less sleep than me most nights.

It is now clear why this was done to us. It is much easier to manipulate someone when they are physically and mentally fatigued. Insufficient sleep can result in decreased concentration and reaction time and also increase the risk of accident or injury.

The instructor never looked well rested; he told us he had three to four hours of sleep a night except during the week of 4th of July and Christmas when we were closed. He claimed he had always had little sleep especially being in the military. But as I have read in many books, a good night sleep is critical. This gives the body a chance to rejuvenate, release growth hormones, repair damaged cells and keeps a person alive longer.

Christmas and Independence Day were the only vacations I ever took for a whole week. I was never out sick, and even if I had a fever, I still went to classes and taught. If I can recall, I think I only missed a few classes when I was younger for some school events and when I had a fever of 103°F during the Christmas season of 1997. I basically had perfect attendance for ten years.

I remember one night when my coworker and I were sitting in the instructor’s “training sessions”. Suddenly, I could not see the instructor through my own eyes. Everything started to blur and shake violently back and forth. He asked me a question, but I could not answer it because all I was seeing was constant shaking motion no matter where I looked from my seat. I told him what happened but he did not believe me.

Saturdays and Sundays were a different story. Saturdays we had our regular training from 8:00 until noon. Of course clinics and events in the afternoons that usually lasted until 4:00. On maintenance or testing days and we would stay until 10:00 at night.8 If a Saturday ended in the afternoon, then I would begin my evening marketing plan. Most of the time, I had a booth setup locally at a sports store or a movie theater. Those booths were successful most of the time. Sometimes we had a demonstration by the Demo Team at a local event.

On Sundays, it was supposed to be a day of rest. But toward the end of my training, that day became another marketing day….

TWISTED
Being told you are failing day in and day out is really hard. I kept messing up almost every day for the last two years with one thing or another. It was not on purpose and frankly, some things I did not think of it because I had too many other responsibilities. I accepted the “failure”, improved myself, and then moved on. He was only pointing out the problems so I could improve. I was, “like a daughter to him” and he cared “very deeply” for me.

But the training got more twisted than this.

One of the methods to lay his twisted foundation was to spend an abundance of time with the leaders in the school. Whether it was at the school, an event, or a special outing, this was one way to make feel comfortable. We stayed later after classes because we had to wait for the head instructor to leave first. Another reason for waiting was for the women’s sake; he did not want us walking outside alone in the dark parking lot. He also invited the leaders to spontaneous special training meetings and special dinners. We were even invited to his lake house a few times on the holiday weekends. We never turned down an invitation unless there was an emergency. These are just a few examples, but the point is that all the person ever begins to think about is the school.

I would “never give in” to all of the extra time spent or additional requirements and responsibilities that I had. I would never say “no” because I was trained to respect the invitations. He said that he and his wife “loved each and every one of his students” and “loved me”. His wife reinforced how we should appreciate all that he did, and that we were so fortunate to be receiving training from him. We even received nice gifts from him from time to time. On my birthday, I received a diamond antique gold ring once and another time I received a beautiful jewelry black onyx set.

He also convinced us that the outside world was very negative and the school was positive. He did not tolerate negative people. He also told us how he handled students who quit. Once a student quit, the “steel door” was put in place. That eventually happened to everyone I knew who left the school.

I noticed when a parent was so frustrated with the school; they went straight for his office and began a loud yelling match. The instructor asked him or her to leave immediately. He taught us how to do the same and said we were his “police officers” and had to prevent situations like this from occurring. We all took this on this mentality and believed it.

His goals were now my goals. I had no personal goals anymore and he was strangling me slowly. I could not reach my goals with so much control over my life. If I were able to get a chance and clear my mind, maybe I would have thought of a better way to recruit 15 students in a month.

I want to clarify what would happen when I got “caught” doing something wrong for a better understanding of the instructor’s power and influence. I am sure you have had the feeling like you were being watched a time or two before. Well, this was the same feeling for 24 hours a day and seven days a week and still to this day I sometimes feel that way. It was like Big Brother was watching me. He would pull me into his office if he sensed I was not “myself” (“Myself” soon became paranoid every day). He asked me how I felt about the school. I told him truthfully that I loved it there, that I appreciated all of the training, and that I was excited about the future. But he was still suspicious… of course he was! He was seeing how we reacted to his manipulation.

Another time I was driving home after class, and he followed me home. Normally he followed me for a block or two and turned onto his street, but one night he and his wife followed me all the way to the court where I lived. WHY? I will never know.

Another time my phone rang and it was him. I answered but there was no answer back, just a bunch of mumbling. All I caught was the word “classes” and “tonight” then I quickly hung up after I realized who it was. When arrived at the school that evening, I told him about the call. Hs face indicated “worry” and immediately asked me what I heard and I truthfully replied, “Nothing, just something about “classes” and “tonight”, and then I hung up.” Apparently, that was not what he wanted to hear. I told him that was what I heard. He said my name loudly and then said, “You had better not be lying to me.” He never believed me no matter how much I denied it. There were many instances like this where I was accused of lying. But I never lied to him.

Once there was a serious issue when I was accused of lying. The scenario happened right before testing after I finished teaching a class. I had to lineup a bunch of students who had not registered for testing and had them wait at the front desk with their parents to pay. The tiny front desk area was always packed at 7:00 with people and requests. Simultaneously, among the chaos, a young black belt about my age came up to the counter and said that she was ready to test and had broken her boards in class in front of the instructor. As a black belt, and as was tradition, she was supposed to immediately request permission after class to test from him and then come to the front desk to tell one of us that she had permission. I told her I would talk with the instructor that night to see if she could test (among a few other black belts I had to ask him about), but I accidentally forgot to jot her down in my notebook.

In the end, I was blamed because she was not called up during the testing. First of all, she overlooked the protocol and solely relied on me. Secondly, I do not recall her ever registering to test. In any case, her mother came forward to me after the testing and asked what happened. I did not realize she did not test and asked her if she asked the instructor permission and she said no. I told her maybe her daughter could test next time. It was not my responsibility to ask the instructor for her to test. My responsibility was to run the list of black belts by the instructor for a confirmation….well…actually, even this duty was changed so many times, I cannot recall the last protocol.

The head testing conductor got wind of the situation and counseled me. He said I had lied and I should have told someone. I told him that I had no idea this had happened until I spoke with the mother and suggested that maybe the daughter could wait until the next testing. Almost immediately, it went straight to the owner’s wife. All leaders were called in for a meeting and I was yelled at pretty brutally. Then the instructor came in to find out what the commotion was and confronted me directly. Later he told me it was both the black belts fault and my fault that I had lied. I was almost fired that night.

But again looking back at the situation, I was a bubble about to burst. Testing protocol was protocol and I was not in charge of which black belts test or not. The counter was so crowded and I HAD to get students registered that night for a few reasons. There were only about five leaders who were directly responsible with registration which was strictly open the week before testing. But that never happened. The instructor was solid on the ending date of registration, but the wife always gave in to the students who came in last minute.

This became a major task to adjust the testing grade book and script. I absolutely hated it with a passion. Every time this happened it would take time to redo the lineup (by height and rank), adjust the script, and find a partner for the oddball for sparring and one-steps. I had done my part, but the instructor accommodated the stragglers which messed up the process. So I normally edited the book in between classes for five minutes and into the next day, and up until the night before testing.

ADDITIONAL ISSUES
It was a psychological mind game in my opinion as I reflect on the past. We were always wrong and the instructor was always right. There may have been only a few meetings that I can recall that the instructor was actually pleased. Even recruiting a new student was not as much of big deal compared to the pats on the back and praise we had received in the past. Now we were basically expected to recruit at least one student every other day to be even close to successful. Ideally, it should have been one student every day. But that was almost impossible since the signup process always took at least one hour at the minimum plus all of the follow up paperwork and documents.

We even had set signup times in the evenings. But they were always at the tail-end of class times such as 9:00 or earlier like 4:00. This was all part of the game. Then the instructor eventually changed it where we could come in basically anytime we had a student ready to signup. I was the one with the extra keys and could open the school up for these special cases. But that was rare when it happened, even though it seemed like it was a reasonable opportunity..

WHY NOT QUIT?
I ask myself the question why the hell did I put up with this? Where was my courage? What happened to my common sense and logical self? How come I did not quit? I think there are few reasons that may answer these questions.

One of the first reasons I believe was that I was too stubborn and focused on becoming a Certified Instructor. Nothing else mattered, I would do whatever it took regardless of what people said. I was determined to achieve the goals I had set after all the time I had spent.

I think there was another reason for me continuing for so long. I think I was brainwashed. The term “brainwashed” is a “systematic effort to persuade nonbelievers to accept a certain allegiance, command, or doctrine…a technique designed to manipulate human thought or action against desire, will, or knowledge of the individual.” Some of the techniques of brainwashing include, isolation from former friends and sources of information, a regimen requiring absolute obedience and humility, strong social pressures and rewards for cooperation, physical and psychological punishments for non-cooperation that can range from criticism, deprivation of food and sleep, continual reinforcement, bondage, and keeping one away from the outside world. I think most of the instructor’s tactics came from his 27 years in the military and it was very difficult to recognize that brainwashing was happening.

Finally, the ultimate reason might be that I was directly involved with a martial arts cult. However, this was a legal cult because “we” as employees had the choice to leave “at will”. In this case, if I was “awake” during my 10 years there and understood what was really happening, then I would have never stayed.

DISMISSED
On March 30, 2006, my coworker and I were dismissed from the school. That afternoon prior to the 3:00 meeting, I apparently lied about where instructor’s easel pad was placed. I told the instructor that he must have moved it the night before. Whoops, I stepped over the boundary for the first time. How dare I make him look like he forgot something? He did not believe what I stated and turned a fiery red and yelled, “Don’t lie to me!” Then he proceeded to ask where it was again. I had no idea. I left it exactly where he told me.

Then we sat down for the 3:00 meeting to report. When my coworker did not furnish the report, the instructor asked us to stand up and leave. There was no reason given. We were dismissed from the school forever. I handed his wife the keys and we walked out. Unfortunately, I accidentally left $100 worth of sparring gear, my belt rack hanging on the display, and my $50 leather punching gloves. I could not think of asking for those items back I was so scared. When I spoke to a student outside the school to get the belt rack for me, she claimed the school said the rack was theirs. I was so mad!

That was not the first time I was fired that month. He fired me two other times but I came back begging for another chance because I was so brainwashed. He gave me my “job” back and said I was rehired only on the condition that I improved. I should have left the first time. I would have saved myself the hassle of dealing with him for another two weeks.

FREEDOM AT LAST
Even though I was happy to be free and have no responsibilities, I was upset. Not only had I had let the instructor down, but I was not going to be able to teach my classes that night, and I would not get to finish my goals.

But at the same time, I will never forget that feeling of not having to worry about the school anymore. It was almost a divine feeling that someone else had taken over my body…funny thing was I think it was “me” for the first time in years. That evening, I drove straight to my parent’s house that night to tell them the news. My parents were ecstatic!

HEALING
There are still a lot of open wounds from my training that has left me. I feel that it was mostly psychological damage and some physical damage. Yet it was a huge lesson and learning experience for me at the same time. I would not be the same person that I am today without the training. But I also think it would have been nice to have left the place when I had a chance earlier on. My husband and I both agree that “the past is the past and there is nothing you can do about it besides learn from it”. So, that is what I have chosen to do. But it is hard sometimes because someone or something I see always reminds me of my training. I have dreams at least twice a week about the school including some nightmares.

I see and talk to many student in town and have not, until recently told, them my true experiences. Now I have the courage to explain my story. In return, I have received feedback that truly touched me. One student, told me that she and her daughter actually cried when they found out I was gone. I realized how much an impression I had left on the students.

EPILOGUE
The training I had at the school changed me forever. I will never forget it. I will warn you if you see any of the signs of the above examples starting to happen to you, leave as soon as you can. Trust your instincts if you notice your time disappearing or ask someone else whom you know well and find out what they think. I have learned that I will NEVER let someone take advantage of me again or control my life to extent that I had witnessed.

It is now June 17, 2008, I am 24 years old, married, a senior in college, and working full time at a reputable company. Life has never been better. Now I am sailing free and in control of my life on an open ocean. The future is mine! My husband and I are working hard to become millionaires someday….and that will be another story.

New Investigation

2010-10-13T10:55:00.002-05:00

The rumors that I have heard are true. There is a new, independent investigation being made into the konigun cult, its former and current members. From what I have heard, the investigator is going to be writing a book and wants to speak with anyone and everyone who has information on konigun, members or not. He even wants to interview bfd himself. I doubt the old boy has the guts to speak with anyone, no matter their impartiality, but we shall see.

One Year Later - Murmurings

2010-10-04T13:23:00.003-05:00

Not much has happened in the past year since the Mass Exodus from the konigun cult's implosion. The konigun "ninjutsu" website has not been updated, there are no schools advertised on their website, the China and Indonesia branches are still functioning (though no one seems to know how well), only one school in the United States can be found advertised on facebook, and pseudoshi bryce dallas has not explained the high school photos found on the blog and elsewhere which prove he lied about training in Japan when he was young.

However . . .

I have heard some murmurings lately about someone else who is performing their own independent investigation into the cult. More updates will be posted as they become available.

MSNBC Documentaries

2009-10-01T04:41:00.002-05:00

MSNBC will be airing a series of documentaries about cults this month (October). The title of this post links to a website where you can find more information on this series. Doubtless you will be able to find many parallels between each of these cults and konigun "ninjutsu" and bryce dallas.

I recently finished reading "Helter Skelter", about the Manson Family murders in 1969. There are many similarities between Manson's techniques of controlling his "family" members and dallas' methods of controlling his ninjer cult members. Eerie.

Letter of Resignation - Shilo Nichols

2009-08-22T17:24:00.004-05:00

To Who May Concern:
Not being a Black Sash, I know a resignation from me is not important but being married to a Black Sash I had to face the abuse. I feel that must state what myself and my family faced at the hands of Bryce Dallas. There is so much that it is hard to know where to begin.

When I first met Bryce was on October 31, 1999. He was severely obese and had a serious infection in his legs that caused drainage that would soak a bath towel in minutes. I had just moved in with the man I was to marry, Robert Nichols. Robert had a foster child name Jake, who was living with Bryce in Tenn. Jake was a rebellious 16 year old teenager. Robert had asked Bryce to help with Jake so Bryce took Jake. Now I know he only used Jake as a slave. Jake tried to fight back but I personally witness Bryce beat Jake until he would follow orders. Bryce told me that the only way to get children to do what they were told was by physical punishment.

Less than a year after that Bryce had told my husband to quit his good job and start a martial arts school. He did and we moved into a house Bryce had built in West, MS. Due to where the house was located, I decided to home school my daughters. My daughters were 3rd grade and 5th grade level. He made me teach them Chemistry that was way above their level. While teaching multiplication tables he made me and my husband punish the girls with a bamboo sword. We would have to hit the girls the amount of the problem, example if they got 9x9 wrong we would have to hit them 81 times with the bamboo sword. I tried to take my children away from this and I was told that I had to stay because nobody would take us in and that I had no way of getting any where. I was planning to walk from West, MS to Pearl, MS with 3 small children to get away from him. He made my husband take my newborn son away from me and told me that I would never see him again if I walked out that door. He used my helpless child to force me to stay. There was many other times that things like above have happened.

When they got the school in Jackson opened. I tried to help out in the office with the accounting. I had went to school for accounting before I met my husband or Bryce. Bryce told me that my job was to stay home and be a sexual pleasure for my husband and to keep house. He said a woman’s job is to be a slave to a man and that we were not smart enough to do anything than that. He used the Bible to say that it was a man’s divine right by quoting scripture.

On August 25, 2001, the house burnt down in West. Everything we owned was lost! He put us in an apartment in Pearl promising to pay all of our bills and to replace all that we had lost. He did, he bought us a TV, the rest were stuff we found from goodwill or given to us. The man who had very little wanted to make sure that his black belts were the same. So he burnt our nice furniture, and paintings and bed that Robert had built with his own two hands, all of his antiques, all of his memories. As he said he wanted to bring him down to nothing so he could build him back up. To bad he almost killed him in the process.

The apartment in Pearl, that we were not supposed to worry about because he would take care of it we was kicked out less than a year later for non-payment. Bryce than moved us into a house in Brandon, MS with him and 4 other people. Due to Bryce we moved out. We moved to Magee. Robert opened another school there. The school in Magee was doing very well. But Bryce took 90% of all the money made. From that school, Bryce took students to be his new slaves.

Robert had found a job in Hattiesburg so we moved there. Three weeks later, Hurricane Katrina hit. The trailer we were renting was damage bad. We had evacuated to my mother’s home. Three days after the hurricane Robert got very sick. We had no home, no job and Robert was in the hospital in a coma. Bryce had told always said that the Konigun would be there for us. So I called Bryce. All I got in help was they got all of our stuff from Hattiesburg and put it in storage and made me pay for it. The only income we had was Social Security for 1 child and child support for another, in total we had $350 a month and he made me pay for a $150 storage unit. When I had no money they only gave me $20 saying that is all they could do. After Robert got out of the hospital and the doctors said that Robert would never be able to do martial arts like he did again, we have only seen Bryce maybe 3 times. In those 3 times he would ask if there was anything we need, we would tell him and he would say he would see what he can do but the next day or later that same day he would say he has an emergency and that he was sorry that he couldn’t help us. And we wouldn’t hear from him for 6 months or more.

This is an account of what we had to endure that the hands of Bryce Dallas.

I do not wish to have anymore contact with him and I don’t want him around my children.

May the Lord help him change from his evil ways.
Shilo Nichols

Letter of Resignation - Robert Nichols

2009-08-22T17:20:00.003-05:00

To all in the art and all that know me:
Greetings, I hope that this missive finds you all in good health and good cheer. I will get straight to the point and not beat around the bush. For the last few years (2002) I have been having thoughts of doing what these brave people here have done. I was not in a position to do so at the time and was not for a long time. I truly believe that it was by Gods divine hand that I had to go into the hospital and go through all of that pain to get me to where I need to be in my life. I believe that the pain I went through is the pain I caused all of you for all of those years, I put you through this. I have found out recently that I have the gift of prophecy. It is not in the way that you are thinking that I will be going around tell people what is going to happen, but that of preaching. I believe that the Lord, my God may be drawing me down that road. I know that Shidoshi will be talking about me, he will be saying things about my faith, that I have been brainwashed, that maybe it was maybe the Masons that had a hand in me doing what I am doing. I’m sure that he will be saying that he knows all about Masonry, that his father was a Mason, and that we are really some kind of cult that brainwash people. We worship the devil, we control everything, from the government, to the price of gas. But ask yourself this, if that was the case, would Obama be president right now? Would a bunch of rich white men put a black man in office? I don’t think so?

Anywho, things have just now been brought to my attention that I did not know at the time. I have found out though sources that I do not wish to revel, that Shidoshi did some things to my oldest daughter. Now of course this will be turned around, on Stasya, because she is slow, and of a low I.Q, but you must ask yourself if more than one person makes the same statement and they have not talked is it true or is it a lie?

He (Shidoshi) has made all of us an unwilling partner of his crimes. This is how he keeps us from going to the police. He knows that if we do, not only will he go to jail but so will we. He also keeps a tight control on the money, always looking for ways to make it, yes, but as soon as it is in it is gone to pay bills from years gone by. Therefore by doing that and getting free labor from the people that live with him, he keeps them bound to him with no way out; thereby they have to ahear to his abuse.

I write this now to ask for forgiveness from all of the people that I have brought into the art. I have always tried to have a positive attitude in everything I do. Sometimes though you just have to throw your hands up and turn your back on the ones that will not listen. You know Jesus said to turn the other cheek, I have turned the other cheek with Shidoshi so much and looked the other way while he did things that I knew in my heart was wrong that my neck is sore and my heart is broken. Some things can not be fixed no matter how hard you try. The art works, don’t get me wrong, I whole hearty believe in the art, but just like the Nazi party that in all reality worked great, but the whole time it was the leader of the party that was the problem. So now I as forgiveness from all of my students and all of the black belts that I taught along the way, it you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, thank you.

I know that people will talk bad about me and my family and about us, but you know what, I don’t care. Words are like water on a ducks back, they just roll off. It will just be his little group and in all of the years that I have known him it has never gone as far as that little group and it never will. We will go on with our lives, we will raise our families, go to our jobs, be happy, and have good feelings about ourselves. He on the other hand will be going day to day fight to pay one bill after another, wondering who is the next one that will leave. 10 years from now if we ever see him again and he is still alive, he will still be sitting on the couch or in a chair moving some papers from one place to another, trying to make a dollar here and there. He will still have that same negative attitudeAthat he has always had deep down inside. I pray that he finds peace one day and finds agape love and happiness. I really do pray that the Lord my God will watch over him and be with him.
Robert H Nichols

Letters of Resignation - David and Paula Ishee

2009-08-22T17:18:00.001-05:00

This is my official notice of retirement. This has been a long time coming the reasons for my retirement are, this is not the style it was represented to be when i joined. You asked me a long time ago if i would ever quit, if i had known this style is 100 to 1 !!!!!!!! to fun, that you get mad and throw temper tantrums when you don't get your way, insult everyone around you, destroy the selfesteem of those you control, those you hold down, those you hurt. You are a lier and not a very good one i have seen through your !!!! for years, so have alot of people, but i held on with the idea that i might still learn something. But i figured out your game, there is nothing left to learn because your full of !!!!, and i have a family and a life and i just dont have the time to play your games anymore. What did you expect, asking for a lifetime commitment from a 16 year old, but thats because you have to go after teenagers, if i had seen the real world before i met you i would have seen through you then. Whatever it is you know, at least the parts you didn't make up, it isn't worth living under your thumb. What is it you like to say i'd rather live a day on my feet than a lifetime on my knees, well i'm standing up. I am retired untill such time as you, bryce dallas are no longer assiciated with konigun any more and maybe longer. Im tired of having to be at the beckon call of a 500 pound 3 year old with self control problems. You are not to call me, you are not to text me, you are not to email me, and you are not welcome at my home. You are the stain that turns what could be a great thing into a trap for the young and the gullible, and i will not be a part of it. You will not use me to find your new victims. Im not out to destroy anyone or anything, but i will not help you hurt anyone else. -David

I Paula Herrington Ishee do hereby officially retire from konigun ninjutsu, because I never wanted to be a part of the damn thing in the first place. I want you to know you never for an instant had me fooled, I knew you were a liar and a fraud, and now so does everyone else.

Letter of Resignation - Dan Ford

2009-08-22T17:17:00.001-05:00

This is my official resignation from the wayward abusive cult known as Konigun. Unfortunately the style is effective, but the power-hungry, selfish, manipulative people that run it are far too concerned only with themselves and retaining power to the detriment of all others. I have recently learned that Bryce was never in the military, merely ROTC in college. This combined with the overwhelming evidence of so many other lies and manipulations are just too much to handle. He promises you everything, with the intention of delivering nothing. Only to continue to feed his own egotistical infatuations at the expense of everyone around him who he claims to care about. Bryce Dallas is just a con man and a bad person. And I pity him, and all who buy into his lies.

Karma's a bitch,
Dan Ford

Letter of Resignation - Zach Bennett

2009-08-22T17:15:00.002-05:00

And now, on to the letters:

From Zach Bennett:
I gave you until August 13 to get a new website together and you decided instead to start getting into my accounts and stealing my website. Reap what you sow.“To everyone else:“I am upset because I have paid for this website and I have built the entire thing. I have never been compensated for any of it. This was my work and I don't want Bryce using it to further his "style." I was nice enough to hand over email privileges and I am upset because he has had his minions use those privileges to begin getting into accounts I have used for this website and taking them over. I tried to be nice and my generosity was taken advantage of.

Now on to the main event:

14 Black Sashes have retired since January of 2009. Here are some retirement letters that were written for officiality:

I, Zach Bennett, do hereby resign from this wretched thing I once naively knew as an honorable style. I will speak freely with anyone who wishes to know more about why.

Examples of Mr. dallas' Lies

2009-08-22T17:13:00.001-05:00

Lies

1. Bryce has told David that he is fluent in Japanese. He then told me that he never said that he was fluent in Japanese and I believed him because he never said it to me. However, I do remember him asking if 200 phrases in a language is enough to be fluent. I told him that no, you would need to know a lot more about a language before you could be considered fluent.

2. In 2004, before going back to school, I volunteered some money to pay for the books. $5800 to be precise. I was told that the balance would be paid back within three months, but failing that, within a year. It has now been almost 5 years and I have yet to be reimbursed. To prove that there was no intent to pay me back, Bryce has gone so far as to give the books away to people and not even make them pay $10 for them so that I will eventually recoup the money that I am owed. The balance on my Credit Card has now ballooned to over $6700.

3. As mentioned in the abuse examples, Bryce has decided to claim that cutting off the tip of your pinky is a great way for ninjas to show they're sorry. Unfortunately for that theory, the Yakuza also use the same practice. I became worried about this as he met with the Yakuza when in Japan the last time he was there and so I asked about it. He said that the Yakuza got it from the ninjas. The only hole in this theory is that what good is a peasant who's secretly a ninja if he can be easily identified by his missing pinky joint.

4. Another lie is one that he used on the individuals that live here at Koyama. I called him and told him how Dan's first fight when. He lost, but he impressed his sponsor so much that he has been allowed to stay in the pro fight circuit. Bryce didn't think much of that the first time I talked with him about it. The second time I talked with him about it, he had predicted that scenario exactly and was awesome because of it. The only problem is that if that were true, it would have been brought up the first time.

5. Once while Dan was here he was forced to call Bonnie and demote her to Musha. The reason is irrelevant. It happened and I think it was !!!!!!!!. It was Bryce trying to manipulate Dan into thinking that he had nowhere else to go. But that was not the end of it. A few days or weeks later, Dan was told that Sean had called and said that Dan was no longer welcome in their house. Upon hearing this I called Bonnie and Sean as soon as I could. What I found was that Sean never called and said anything of the sort. It was total !!!!!!!!.

Lies according to Kevin Posey
I spoke with Bryce about how Bonnie thought that the style should be small and private and not public and asked why that was not an option. I was told that the style had government problems the last time they tried that and that I should call Master Posey, he would tell me all about it. Long story short, I did and what I found out is mind boggling. I asked Kevin about the exact situation that I've described above and his response was that the whole thing was !!!!!!!!. Bryce never had any problems with the government until they found out he was printing his own money. Now, for those of you paying attention, Kevin Posey just said that Bryce Dallas was printing his own money. That's right! Not only did he lie about the style not being able to be small and boldly at that suggesting I call someone to verify who would not, but he has lied to everyone about his involvement in the counterfeiting. Apparently he had a shoebox of fake bills in his closet. I was floored. I had to know more and so the conversation continued. After Bryce was arrested, the law enforcement officers that took him back to Mississippi informed him that Bryce has never been in the military. He was in ROTC in college and that was the extent of his experience. Kevin backed this up by saying that he never saw anything that would make him believe that Bryce has ever been in the military. So, all those stories about his military days and training: Lies. There's another story that is told about him being a covert operative in South America. Well, he mentioned to Dan that he worked with Dan's father in the military. Turns out, Dan's father has never met him and neither have any of the guys that worked with him. Imagine that. So, I asked about the style and what he believes about its history. He told me that he has never seen any proof nor anything that would make him believe that the style is 800 years old or that Bryce learned it in Japan. He conceded that the techniques and the strategy works against other martial art styles that he has, but he is convinced that the current story is !!!!!!!!. When asked about the pictures of Saija on the website, he told me that he had been told that Saija was wheelchair bound and since the guy in the pictures is standing, he thinks that it's not actually the teacher. So, for those of you who have ever been told that Kevin is pro Bryce and pro style, surprise, it is !!!!!!!!. Kevin described the current situation in the style to a T without me having to give him any details: Bryce is broke and has no money. Everyone who lives with him works long days on construction for nothing. Nobody is getting any training. There are always about three plans going on that are just about to make enough money to put the style on the forefront of everything awesome, but it just never happens. He is convinced that giving money to the style while Bryce is in charge is like throwing your money in a black hole. He said specifically that he is not in the style because of Bryce and will not come back as long as he is involved. Take that for what it's worth. I paraphrased the abuse stories mentioned above and he said that maybe things had gotten worse, but it sounded a lot like what it was like living with Bryce before and it will continue to be that way. He agreed with me that nothing is worth a meaningless life and living with Bryce is the same. He said that no one will get their training completed and even if you could, it's not worth it.

Examples of Abuse

2009-08-22T17:10:00.001-05:00

Example Incidents:

1. One night I was walking into the living room and Bryce asked me where David and Therese were. I told her she was downstairs filing and he was working on the computer. I then added in a playful tone "but really they're mostly talking. You know them!". Bryce then shoved the coffee table into the entertainment center, breaking the doors. He yelled that he was tired of all the backstabbing that Candace, Therese, and I had been doing (though this was the first I'd heard of any of it). He called everyone into the living room and told us that because of me, we'd be up all night cleaning and he was going to do a 'military inspection' the next day, and we didn't want to know what he'd do if we failed! He assigned each of us a room so he'd know who to blame if it wasn't right. We stayed up all night cleaning, but he never inspected anything. I remember David and Brian telling me that it was okay, everyone at some point had gotten the whole group punished before, and I shouldn't feel bad.

2. A few days after I moved in, Jay made Candace wait for the bathroom while he took a shower. He had been working all day on Charles Foster's roof and told her that since he'd worked harder and longer than she had, and because he was a Meijin, she had to wait. She, of course, went straight to Bryce and told him what Jay had said. Bryce then called a gurupu and had everyone gather in the living room. (I, though I wasn't actually in Konigun at this point, joined them because I didn't know what else to do) Bryce said he was tired of everyone taking advantage of Candace and he made her Meiyo Shidoshi so everyone HAD to respect her. He was going to make everyone sleep outside while he and Candace slept inside, but, of course, never followed through. I remember Jay cried the next morning.

3. One fine summer day there was a large group of us training downstairs in the store. It was hot so we took a water break. We were all hanging out on the deck out front chatting and drinking our water when Bryce came outside. He yelled at us and accused us of not training at all. He demoted everyone to Hinin except for Brian who he made Shiroto so he could be 'in charge' of all of us. He collected all our sashes and put them on a shelf on the entertainment center and gave us all white sashes. He then made everyone go out into the parking lot out front for PT. Bryce, Chris, and Jay paced around us yelling and belittling us right out there where all the neighbors and people driving by on the highway could see. Beth, Therese, Candace, and I couldn't do 'girl' pushups, we had to be strong and not be 'pussies'. This was the day I moved out.

4. Bryce was sitting in his chair one evening and asked Candace to bring him some sausage. She heated him up a couple of patties and put them on a saucer. She brought it to him with a fork. He tried to use the fork to cut the sausage, but ended up spilling them on this front. He threw his tea into the wall across the room, shattering the mason jar it was in and getting tea and glass everywhere. He made everyone clean it up while he ranted about Candace bringing him such a small plate and 'look at his hands! These are man hands! He couldn't use that little plate! Bring him a real plate! "I'm a man!"'

5. Bryce had recently been describing a Yakuza punishment to people. I had not heard about it yet, nor had several other people, so one night while a bunch of people were over, Bryce decided to have a little fun with us. He started acting angry and got his medallion and a Wakizashi out. He stabbed the wakizashi into the coffee table and hung his medallion from it. He told Greg that he had until the medallion stopped swinging to cut off the tip of his pinkie finger or he'd be killed. Poor Greg didn't have any idea what was going on and sort of laughed a bit like 'Yeah right!'. Bryce really pulled out all the stops then and started really getting angry that Greg wouldn't do what he told him to do. He started warning him that the medallion was slowing down and he'd better hurry up and do it. Greg really looked like he was about to do it when Bryce told him he was joking 'this time'. Everyone kind of laughed it off and Greg was like 'Wow, I was really about to do it!'. Bryce then told us that that was going to be the punishment he used for serious transgressions.

6. David was riding with Jay, Bryce, and Candace on the way up to MA for a camp (this is before David moved in). Bryce told Jay to pull over because he had to go to the bathroom. Jay pulled over on an exit and Bryce got out. He peed on his pants. He yelled at Jay, blaming him because he had parked by rocks, and that hurt his feet so he couldn't concentrate on what he was doing and he peed too early. He then made Candace clean it up.

7. David, Brian, and I used to eat in the kitchen because there wasn't room for us to sit in the living room. We would chat and sit or lean on the counter while we ate. One day it finally bothered Bryce enough and he yelled at us, telling us that we should be honored to sit on the floor and eat at his feet. We weren't allowed to eat in the kitchen anymore.

8. One night Bryce got up in the middle of the night and went into the kitchen. Someone had left a piece of food out. Bryce got everyone up and made them go out back to do PT. For about an hour he had Brian and David doing worm crawls in the ditch in the rain with Candace and Therese on their backs, in several inches of water. The whole time he was kicking water at them and yelling at them, threatening to pee in the water (among other things).

9. While I lived there, Therese drove my car to work. One day she drove it into the house. I told Bryce I didn't want her to drive it anymore. He told me it wasn't up to me who got to drive my car. It wasn't my say anymore, even though the car was in my name and my dad's name, and my dad was still paying the car off at the time, and was paying for the insurance.

10. I was painting the dining room/war room/file room when my dad called. He wanted to take me to a movie. I had to ask Candace and Therese if I could go, because they would have to finish 'my' work for me. Candace almost said no because she was in the living room watching TV and we all know how important that is. I ended up finishing it myself when I got back anyway.

11. I was headed to bed one night when Chris stopped me. He told me Bryce wanted me to paint the bathroom downstairs before I went to bed. It was after 9:30, and we had to get up to train at 4:30. I was up until after 1:00 painting and was still woken up at 4:00 the next day to train because staying up late was 'no excuse'.

12. Bryce always told us that the body could operate on five hours of sleep, so we weren't going to get any more than that. We would get up at four and when we finished training at six we'd wait up for him in the living room, trying to stay awake until he got up, usually around eight. He would also go to bed earlier than everyone, telling us we could go to bed when we were done with our work.

13. While I was dating David, my dad got me a new camera. I loaned it to Bryce about a week after I got it so they could use it for the books. It was never returned. I attended the Gathering a little while after I moved out to take pictures (using the same camera). While we were at the waterfall, my camera was stolen. Bryce made me go buy a new one and give it to him because he couldn't use mine anymore.

14. One year at the Homage, Bryce and several other black sashes went to a strip club. He tried to force David to go, telling him it wouldn't bother me, and that he was being 'silly'.

15. At the Homage one year, Bryce called David downstairs at Anthony's house. He apparently didn't come down fast enough, because Bryce tried to hit him as he came down the stairs. David blocked him. Bryce got angry and said 'you don't block me, if I want to hit you I'll hit you!'. He then grabbed David and threw him off the stairs into the living room.

16. One night while Bryce and Jay were out of town, Therese's granddad wanted to take her to a movie. All the work for the day was done and we were just relaxing. She couldn't get in touch with Bryce to ask his permission so she didn't go, even though we all told her she should just do it. She was scared she would get in trouble if she went without permission. She cried for a long time in the living room.

17. Another night when Bryce and Jay were out of town, leaving just David, Therese, Candace, and myself at the dojo, Candace came into mine and David's room. She was very upset and wanted our advice. She talked for hours about how Bryce never made time for her and how she felt taken advantage of. She said every time she tried to talk to him about it he would either brush her aside and say they'd talk later or get really upset with her. She said she knew her relationship was never going anywhere and that it would always be the same. She cried for a long time while we tried to comfort her. We told her that if she felt that way she should leave him. She said if he was anyone else she would leave him, but that he was Shidoshi, and you can't break up with Shidoshi.
That night David meditated with all of us in the living room. Afterwards Therese and I were feeling and experiencing things on a supernatural level, and sharing it with Candace. She got scared because she couldn't sense any of it and called Bryce, hoping he would make her feel better. He yelled at David for a long time, telling us we were all probably going to die that night. And yet, here we are.

18. Right before everyone moved up to Tennessee, Candace came to Greg and asked him for his financial information: bank accounts and passwords and balances and etc. He told her he wasn't comfortable giving that out. She went to Bryce about it. He came downstairs and yelled at Greg for a while, telling him that he had to trust them and if he wanted to be a part of things he was going to have to be open with them. Greg was finally pressured into giving up the information.

19. At the conclave the year they had the large dojo in Cookeville, there was a weapons rack on a sliding door. Some of the staffs on the rack weren't on right and when Therese slid the door closed behind her, part of the tip of one of the slots broke off. Bryce called everyone together, ripped the rack off the door, broke it into pieces, threw the weapons everywhere, and told us all to fix it.

20. One year at the Homage, Beth and I were forced to drink alcohol under threat of demotion. We were both underage and did not wish to drink. Upon expressing this we were told by Bryce that if we didn't go get something to drink that we would both be made Senpai.

Cult Leaders redux

2009-08-22T17:05:00.002-05:00

Remember the previous blog entries on Cult Leaders and the Authoritarian Power Dynamic? Keep these points in mind when reading the examples of abuse:

The cult leader establishes his cult in order to feed his lust for power, as well as his constant craving for emotional support, and his desire for wealth. The cult leader establishes himself as the one-and-only repository for THE TRUTH.

Cults are organized in an authoritarian pyramidal structure, with a charismatic leader at its apex. The leader is the supreme authority in this organization. Minor duties are assigned to a few subordinates, but nothing of any real significance.

A recurring point all experts agree upon is that one of the defining marks of a cult is a single, charismatic, authoritarian leader. It is his personality that not only determines the nature of the group, but binds the group together. This is a key point, because very seldom will the cult last beyond the death of such an individual. What will usually happen is after the death of the Master is that the group will splinter into smaller cults, each claiming to hold the "True" teachings of the Master. Some will survive and mutate, most will dissolve.

These so-called masters have three recurring points: 1) claims superior knowledge 2) charisma and 3) an authoritarian personality. The supposed superior knowledge will be used as appeal to bind old cult members and attract new recruits, while the charisma will hide the manipulative and authoritarian personality. Although these issues are addressed individually, they are interdependent.

A cult leader is a self-appointed, messianic person who claims to have a special mission in life.
[Mr. dallas appointed himself as the “shidoshi” of a fictitious ninjutsu ryu.]

Some characteristics of a cult leader described in Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited by Dr. Sam Vankin: “Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements).”
[Mr. dallas constantly exaggerates his martial prowess, and demands to be recognized as superior without ever having earned legitimate rank in any martial art.]

Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation – or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (Narcissistic Supply).

Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her expectationsArrogant, haughty behavior or attitude coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted.

Other personality traits include a tendency to organize things in a hierarchical structure, a drive for power (and wealth), an incapability of being satisfied, secretly harbored feelings of inferiority and inadequacy, and paranoia.

In addition, they bring a mix of fanaticism, amateur self-improvement (meditation and physical training), fantasy self-defense (ninjerjitsu), traditionalism (a fictitious history), fake culture idealism (adopting some aspects of Japanese culture, such as the tea ceremony) and sometimes the spiritual/metaphysical into the equation (by claiming that konigun is a “Christian“ organization, along with fables about astral projection, shadow transfer, hypnotism, and other fantasy abilities).

They pander to the idea of a person changing to become something else; something vague, but superior to what they are now.
(dallas preys upon young people who are dissatisfied with their lives, or who have suffered some traumatic experience, and sells them the fantasy of becoming a ninja along with the offer of belonging to a group that allegedly cares about them.)

The purpose of a cult (whether group or one-on-one) is to serve the emotional, financial, sexual, and power needs of the leader. Along with a dramatic and convincing talent for self-expression, these leaders have an intuitive ability to sense their followers' needs and draw them closer with promises of fulfillment. (“So, you’re thinking about joining the military? That’s great! One of our instructors used to be an Army Ranger, and I used to be a Marine sniper. We can show you what you need to know.”)

Gradually, the leader inculcates the group with his own private ideology (his alleged bushido code, element theories, “Christian“ alignment, etc.), then creates conditions so that his victims cannot or dare not test his claims.

Through psychological manipulation and control, cult leaders trick their followers into believing in something, then prevent them from testing and disproving that mythology or belief system.

Types of Abuse, Definitions

2009-08-22T16:59:00.003-05:00

This is a list of definitions posted on the original webpage, along with several examples of the lies and abusive behavior Mr. dallas has engaged in over the past 25+ years:

The following is by no means an exhaustive list of problems and grievances. It was compiled by all of us.

Domestic Abuse : Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.

Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair-pulling, biting, etc. Physical abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use.

Sexual Abuse: Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. Sexual abuse includes, but is certainly not limited to marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.

Emotional Abuse: Undermining an individual's sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one's abilities, name-calling, or damaging one's relationship with his or her children.

Economic Abuse: Making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one's access to money, or forbidding one's attendance at school or employment.

Psychological Abuse: Causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner's family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.

Abusers may aim to avoid household chores or exercise total control of family finances. Abusers can be very manipulative, often recruiting friends, law officers and court officials, even the victim's family to their side, while shifting blame to the victim.

Gaslighting is an action which, depending on the exact circumstances of the situation involved, could be considered a form of intimidation, torture, harassment, or psychological abuse. It is a technique used to either scare a person, or to cause them to appear to discredit their own judgment or even sanity in front of others. One definition of gaslighting is "an increasing frequency of systematically withholding factual information from, and/or providing false information to, the gaslightee- having the gradual effect of making them anxious, confused, and less able to trust their own memory and perception."

Relational aggression, also known as covert bullying is a type of aggression in which harm is caused through damage to relationships or social status within a group rather than physical violence.

Gossip - Where the abuser tells others personal information about the victim.
Lies - Where the abuser lies about the victim to others.

Betrayal - Where the abuser breaks agreements with the victim.
Isolation - Where the abuser prevents the victim from socializing with the victim's friends.
Exclusion - Where the abuser prevents the victim from socializing with the abuser's friends.
Humiliation - Where the abuser humiliates or shames the victim in front of others.

“These are some of the warning signs that may indicate abuse:
Physical harm of any kind
Attempts to control aspects of an individual's life (e.g., how one dresses, who one's friends are, what one says, etc.)
Humiliation
Coercing and/or threats of physical harm to an individual or those close to him/her.
Demands to know where an individual is at all times
Growing up witnessing an abusive relationship, and/or was abused as a child
An individual "rages" when they are hurt, shamed, or are in jeopardy of losing control in the relationship.

Honeymoon phase
Characterized by affection, apology, and apparent end of violence, with assurances that it will never happen again. During this stage the abuser feels overwhelming feelings of remorse and sadness, or pretends to. Some abusers walk away from the situation, but most shower their victims with love and affection. There may be self harming by the abuser to gain sympathy from the victim and threats of suicide if the victim leaves are common. Abusers are frequently so convincing, and victims so eager for the relationship to improve that victims, who are often worn down and confused by longstanding abuse, stay in the relationship.

Tension building phase
Characterized by poor communication, tension, fear of causing outbursts. During this stage the victims try to calm the batterer down, to avoid any major violent confrontations.

Acting-out phase
Characterized by outbursts of violent, abusive incidents. During this stage the batterer attempts to dominate his/her partner(victim), with the use of domestic violence. Although it is easy to see the outbursts of the Acting-out Phase as abuse, even the more pleasant behaviors of the Honeymoon Phase serve to perpetuate the abuse.

konigun Cult Implodes

2009-08-22T16:44:00.004-05:00

The konigun “ninjutsu” cult seems to have imploded.
First, Tracy Stephens left and closed the school in South Carolina.
Then the cult’s China-based website was removed from the internet. (For what reason, I could only speculate at this point.)
Next, I published Mr. dallas’ high school yearbook pictures on the internet, proving that he lied about traveling to Japan to train with his fictitious master as a child. Several of his schools closed almost immediately after learning that their leader was nothing more than a cheap fraud.
Almost one year later, nearly all his black “sashes” have left the cult simultaneously.

These recent developments have come to light within the past couple of weeks. Someone called and recommended I check out the konigun cult’s website. I was actually on a weekend trip, and the internet was not immediately available. I borrowed a friend’s blackberry when the chance arose and tried to log onto the site.

It wasn’t there! What’s going on? Did someone not pay the bill?

After inquiring further, I was informed that several of the “black sashes” of the konigun elite had posted their letters of resignation from the organization on the website. The site was almost immediately removed.

Fortunately, someone had saved the letters and forwarded them to me. I had considered not publishing them in their entirety, but since the letters were originally displayed on a public website, it is presumable that the posters wanted the world to see what was on the page and in those letters. Mr. dallas had the website removed almost immediately in order to silence their voices. Mr. dallas no longer controls these people. Their voices will be heard. Therefore, the letters will be published in their entirety with limited commentary [in brackets], along with the names and ranks of those who have escaped this dangerous cult.

First, though, I would like to say the following:

CONGRATULATIONS, ESCAPEES!!!
You are to be commended for your courage! When you come to the realization that everything you’ve been told and believed in is a lie, it takes a lot of guts to change your life. It is going to be difficult to move forward with your new lives and put the horrors of the past behind you. That transition period will be most difficult during the first year, but I believe all of you can get through it. Some of you have already reached out to family members and friends you were forbidden to associate with while under the Hutt’s thumb. Know that your friends are still there for you, and they still love you. Regardless of what lies the Hutt told you, there are still good people in the world, and they are there to help you through this.

It may be a little early for most of you to even begin thinking about this, but you do need to hear it: In order to truly put all of the horrors of the past behind you and move forward with your new lives, you need to report any and all crimes you may have witnessed that were committed by either Mr. dallas or his Goon Squad to the authorities as soon as you feel you can. Crimes do have limited times during which they can be prosecuted. If you need any help with this matter, feel free to contact me. I will do whatever I can to help.

This is a list of those who have left:
Zach Bennett (4th degree black, trained by Jay Green)
Beth Bennett (2nd degree black, trained by Zach Bennett)
Ryan Bennett (“meiyo”, trained by David Ishee)
David Ishee (4th degree black, trained by Robert Nichols)
Paula Ishee (“meiyo”, trained by David Ishee)
Thomas Medina (3rd degree black, trained by Greg Grayson)
Kevin Posey (7th degree black, trained by dallas)
Patrick Duckworth (“meiyo”, trained by Zach Bennett)
Dan Ford (“meiyo”, trained by Bonnie Specht)
Bonnie Specht (4th degree black, trained by dallas)
Sean Cronin (2nd degree black, trained by Bonnie Specht)
Robert Nichols (4th degree black, trained by dallas)

This means that MOST of the highest-ranking students/teachers in konigun have left the cult and its abusive leader. This is a crippling blow, to say the least, and I have it on good authority that there will be more to follow in the near future.

Mass Exodus preview

2009-08-19T18:26:00.002-05:00

There has been a mass exodus from the konigun "ninjutsu" cult, with nearly half their top instructors escaping the cult and its abusive leader. There is more information coming in almost daily, and a more detailed post will be coming soon.

Until then, you can check out the thread "konigun ninjitsu is almost destroyed" on bullshido.net .

konigun "ninjutsu" Encourages Bad Behavior

2009-02-02T17:22:00.005-06:00

On one of the konigun cult’s news blogs, a beginner in Poland related the following story. :

Sunday, January 4, 2009
A Practical Application of Force
From Poland
This story comes to us from a Shiroto . . .

[“Shiroto”, which is actually a Japanese family name that has no directly translatable meaning , is a gold belt in the cult‘s ranking hierarchy, one step above a white belt.]

. . . in Poland who was recently attacked by an drunken man while walking his sister through a park after dark.

[This was the yellow belt’s first bad decision, especially if he knew that the park was dark, and if he had foreknowledge of dangerous activity in said park. If so, he endangered not only himself, but his young sister as well.]

His courage and skill allowed him to protect not only himself from this man, but also his younger sister. This is what happens when you train well in Konigun and you learn to apply the concepts that we teach.

[This is what happens when you train in an ill-conceived partial art.]

Read on:
Hi!
I'm Shiroto [name deleted]. I train under Samurai [“Samurai” is the cult’s rank for a nidan - a second degree black belt.] [name deleted] in delta group in Inowroclaw. A few days ago I had an incident. I think that was 10 p.m., when I was going across the park with my 15 year old sister. She asked me to pick her up because she was scared of walking through the city when it's getting dark. I saw that there was a drunken man. He started to insult me, screaming many horrible things in my direction. I replied only, "Hey, think about who you are..."

[Bad Decision #2: Upon encountering the drunken man who was yelling insults, the beginner should have turned around and taken a different route instead of attempting to engage the drunk in conversation. One cannot reason with a drunk.]

Then He tried to punch me in my face. I blocked his first punch and then the second. Then I did the grapple sweep technique the same as I was practicing during my trainings in dojo. I take him to the ground and then I hit him in his ear with my head. He started to bleed, so I left him.

[Bad Decision #3: Instead of trying to get away from the drunk, he stood still and blocked two punches. He managed to trip the drunk, no major accomplishment, then head-butt him. He then retreated.]

I took off my coat and took an advanced stance, but he started to laugh.

[Bad Decision #4: Again, instead of removing himself and his sister from danger, the beginner then became the aggressor by preparing himself to further engage the drunk.]

I thought that there is no sense to continue this fight and resigned. I turned around and went to my sister, but he jumped on my back.

[Bad Decision #5: The beginner briefly comes to his senses and retreats. However, he did not keep his awareness focused on his opponent, who was not incapacitated. He foolishly turned his back and was attacked again.]

So I fell down with him (again to the ground). I started to strangle him for a moment, but I resigned a second time and I got up.
My T-shirt was dirty with blood from his ear. I want to go away, but I heard him chase after me. I turned around and I wanted to kick him in his head, but there is a problem, I am wearing beggs; they are wide pants and they constrain me.

[Bad Decision #6: Again the beginner shows a brief moment of clarity, and again he fails to retreat quickly enough to escape the drunk. He makes the bad decision to again physically engage the drunk.]

So I kicked him in the chest twice with whip kicks and a third time I used a front snap kick, but he grabbed my foot. Now I must use elements of my environment. There were iron toys on the playground. I took his head and hit it on an iron toy. That was the last time he tried to hurt me. Finally, he resigned. I took my sister and went home safely.

That's all. I think that it was an enlightening experience, but I hope that something like that will never happen again, because that kind of situation is very stressful.
Shiroto Blazej

Shiroto has expressed his greatest relief that he trains in Konigun. The effective and practical training that he receives in Konigun Ninjutsu allowed him to save himself and his sister from harm.
Good Job Shiroto!

[A quick recap: Beginner foolishly engages a drunk in a physical encounter. Beginner uses a couple of blocks, a sweep, a head-butt, a choke-hold, two whip kicks and a front snap kick, and he finally “wins” the encounter by slamming the drunk’s head into a piece of iron. This is the “effective and practical training” taught by the konigun “ninjutsu” cult? Yes, I would say this is a very “enlightening experience”. It shows the actual combat efficacy of konigun “ninjutsu”. The techniques the beginner used DID NOT WORK in an actual physical encounter. Fortunately for the beginner, the drunk was not a serious threat. The outcome could have been very different if the attacker were sober and intent upon doing him and his sister serious physical harm, especially if he were wielding a weapon. The beginner should be grateful, not for the poor combat skills taught him by the konigun cult, but by the presence of the iron playground equipment.]

[This story also shows the pathetic lack of understanding of the cult‘s teacher, who actually praises the beginner‘s series of poor decisions. This is why it is so dangerous for students who are unaware of the scam being run on them by bad martial arts cults like konigun. There is no excuse for potential students not to do thorough research on martial arts schools they are considering taking up. Remember, you are giving up not only your money to a school, but you are also surrendering something more valuable - your time. The time you waste with a bad martial arts school is time taken away from your life that you can never recover. Choose wisely.]

konigun "ninjutsu" Myspace Fraud

2009-01-28T05:19:00.002-06:00

It’s been six months since dallas’ high school pictures were published, thereby proving that dallas was in West, MS and not Japan training with his fictitious master saija from 1976 through 1981.

http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008_07_01...

In that six months’ time, Mister dallas has made no attempt to explain why he has continually lied about his whereabouts during that time period. Instead he continues to commit fraud, evidenced by the quote from the konigun “ninjutsu” myspace page:

“About me:
“The ancient martial art of Konigun Ninjutsu was founded over 800 years ago in Japan. The techniques developed over the ages have finally been released to the public in a 764 page volume. It covers the study of nature, concealment, hand and foot techniques, grappling and joint manipulation, ground fighting, acrobatics, and traditional weapons. We offer classes in several different states along the Atlantic coast from Mississippi to Massachusetts. We also have classes in several other countries including Poland, Indonesia, and China.”

“Who I'd like to meet:
“Any person aged 13 & higher, who wants to begin their journey studying a Japanese artform perfected on the battlefields of Japan.”

www.myspace.com/konigunninjutsu

As you can see, dallas is still committing fraud, still claiming an 800+ year history which he knows is a lie, still claiming his modern partial art is a koryu Japanese martial art.

When will you confess your crimes and tell the truth, Mister dallas?

Upcoming in 2009

2009-01-01T13:21:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone!

It appears that someone in the cult is paying attention to my blog, as the cult’s websites for America and Indonesia are up again. The one for the China chapter is still down.

It’s been over five months since I posted dallas’ high school pictures on the internet, thus proving that he lied concerning his childhood training in Japan.

Mister dallas has yet to respond.

I have been looking into other possibly fraudulent groups and will be posting some observations here in the coming months. Some of them have some verifiable training in legitimate martial arts, and some make completely ludicrous claims.

First up is Christa Jacobson, who claims to teach something called Tomo ryu shinobijutsu:
Budo ryu homepage
http://www.budoryuninjutsu.com/

Another ninjer in Tennessee:
Black Scorpion homepage
http://www.freewebs.com/ninjabob/society.htm

One of the better known ninjer frauds:
Ashida Kim homepage
http://www.ashidakim.com

Possibly the most famous of martial art frauds:
Frank Dux homepage
http://www.duxryuninjitsu.com/

This one claims to teach Geijin ryu:
Robert Law homepage
http://www.ninja-training.com/

This one is not only a ninjer, but a “wizard” as well:
Wizard Luxas homepage
http://wizardryl.multiply.com/
Wizard Luxas yahoo group
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/sholungdojo/?yguid=35935424
Sho Lung dojo homepage
http://sholungdojo.multiply.com/

Another well-known ninjer:
Ronald Duncan homepage
http://www.wayofthewinds.com/

One that gained a small measure of fame (infamy?) in the 1980s:
Rick Tew
http://www.totalwarrior.com/

There’s also various Koga ryu and Fuma ryu claimants, Fujita Seiko (‘last of the Koga ninja’), the Kami ryu, and many more. I’ll also be investigating the Korean version of the ninja - the sulsa warriors (sulser?). 2009 looks to be shaping up very nicely.

konigun cult websites disabled

2008-12-29T21:27:00.002-06:00

It seems that someone has forgotten to pay their bill. The konigun cult's websites have been disabled for a few days now (including the China and Indonesia sites).

The konigun Con (stitution) - Dumping dallas

2008-12-07T08:17:00.000-06:00

“Section 1: Elder Special Duty -
"The Elders, only by a unanimous decision of all twelve (excluding the 13th as Shidoshi) may hold a special session to oust the Shidoshi. The special session must have all Elders present. Any Elder may call this special session at any time deemed necessary. The Chief Coordinating Officer will preside over the special session.
Section 2: Grounds for Special Session -
The special session may be called on the following grounds:
i. Unable to lead due to mental health,
iii. Reckless disregard for the orderly running of Konigun“

[How about that? dallas’ very own manifesto describes the steps necessary to get rid of him. I would propose that all the senior students and instructors, even those who have already left the cult, hold a special session to discuss and vote on formally ousting dallas forthwith.]

The konigun Con (stitution) - Honesty and Truth

2008-12-07T08:09:00.001-06:00

“Honor includes honesty. . .”

“. . .for the purposes of ethical behavior within the Ryu we will define truth as the opposite of a lie.”

“. . .our truth is that statements we make. . .must always be what we believe is right. “

“It is our responsibility, task, and duty to act in a moral and ethical way. . . . Do we, as moral and ethical people, believe the truth to be flexible? . . . Truth is not flexible. “

“A lie must be spoken deliberately. Therefore, as a Konigun Black Sash you should never be caught speaking a lie. Ignorance is not an excuse that we will often accept in the restatement of a truth, but lying is intolerable. Lying is a stain upon your honor, and above all we live by a code of honor throughout our lives. “

[It has been proven that dallas was caught lying concerning his childhood training, and therefore he has been caught lying about everything concerning konigun. According to his own “constitution”, he has not lived by a code of honor for the past 25 years, and should not be tolerated by his own cult.]

“As a Konigun Black Sash, we are expected to use our knowledge in the protection of ourselves and our loved ones, but also in protection of the innocent. The keeping of a truth secret, whether with good or bad intentions, is wrong. “

[Do you consider lying to the public for 25 years “protecting the innocent” victims of dallas’ lies?]

“The universe will reveal all truths in time. The hurt and the harm come when the one that needed the knowledge finds out that we kept it from them. Even if our intentions were good, the pain of realizing that we knew and that we said nothing shakes our honor and shakes another’s trust in us. It brings into question our honesty. Keeping a truth secret is never for the good. “

[Sometimes the universe needs a little help. dallas kept the truth a secret, thereby doing harm to everyone he has lied to about konigun “ninjutsu”. What will dallas do to as restitution for all the harm he has done? Will he ever tell the truth?]

“Lying, dishonorable actions, misrepresenting information, and lack of performance to tasks you have been given all result in mistrust. Speaking from a personal perspective, if I cannot trust you as a “Meiyo” it will take years before you can prove to me that you are worthy of the Ryu. “

[dallas has lied, engaged in dishonorable actions, and failed to deliver on his contractual obligations to teach authentic ninjutsu for 25 years. If you claim that it would take years to re-establish a shaken trust in your own fellow black belts, how long will it take for you to trust the self-proclaimed “shidoshi” of the cult, now that it has been proven he is nothing more than a charlatan?]

The konigun Con (stitution) - Debate or Dodge?

2008-12-06T18:42:00.001-06:00

“Word puzzles, mathematical problems, games of logic, memory exercises, and debates are all good ways of exercising your mind. “

[Phony Doctor dallas seemed to be calling for a debate on the topix forum as well. Why, then, does he hide? : ]

“Lets face it this is a red neck debate on your behalf. You will not do the right thing and actually debate this. Because you know I will win and take down this image you have built of yourself. After all this is not about me but you looking cool on the internet.”

[If debate is a recommended method of improving your mental acuity, and if you really do want to debate your fraudulent activities, why do you hide from me? Many people have repeatedly called for public debate for years. Yet, you hide. It is understandable, though. The lies you have told for 25 years truly are indefensible.]

The konigun Con (stitution) - Litigating the Lie

2008-12-06T18:37:00.000-06:00

“9. C.J.O. [Chief Jurist Officer] - responsible for managing the following:
i. Acts as liaison to the legal team,
ii. Keeps track of all legal cases,
iii. Maintains quick reference sheet on the stage of each legal case,
iv. Report to the CEO on the 20th of each month detailing all of his/her department's activities/progress on projects,
v. Administer/collect/record Black Sash discipline. “

[How many cases are dallas and his cult involved in during any given year? Are there really so many that they had to appoint an “officer” to be in charge of managing the lot? Shouldn‘t this be a clue to cult members that something is very wrong with dallas and his organization?]

The konigun Con (stitution) - Controlling the Senior Students

2008-12-06T18:30:00.002-06:00

1. The Ryu owns all black sashes (cloth), medallions, all black sash certificates, teaching licenses, and operations guides as well as the rights and trademarks to training manuals and all other manuals listed within this constitution.

2. Upon a Black Sash’s placement on non-active status the Black Sash must return his/her medallion, black sash, black sash certificates, teaching license, and all operations guides to the Home Office. “

[This is dallas’ ultimate method of control. Even when a student puts in months or years of effort to earn a black belt, dallas retains ownership of the very sash they wear (and probably had to pay for), the certificate they were “awarded” which shows their achievement, and even the training manual they had to purchase with their own money. This is ludicrous, and no one running a legitimate martial art, either for profit or for free, would ever think of retaining ownership of a black belt or certificate after awarding them to a student who had earned it. Could you imagine a high school or university that retained ownership of a diploma once a student had graduated and been awarded one? No one would attend any university that engaged in such an unethical practice.]

“Section 17: Dating -
“184. No Black Sash is to date a student of their dojo unless approved by Shidoshi (to avoid over zealous dating). A Black Sash/Belt may date a student from another dojo. (Class-B Violation)

185. A Black Sash may not date a former mate of another Black Sash without that former Black Sash’s permission and/or without permission by the Shidoshi. (Class-C Violation)

186. This style will not interfere with another Black Sash’s personal relationship with their spouse. Konigun does reserve the right to interfere with the Black Sash’s personal relationship if the spouse of the Black Sash affects the reputation of Konigun or affects the functioning of the business affairs in any way or manner. (Class-C Violation)“

[Why does dallas think he has the right and the authority to pre-approve who his students choose to date? The only authority dallas has is that which is given him by his cult members, and that authority ends when they walk out the school’s door. He actually thinks his students should have his written permission before they begin dating someone. Preposterous. He also thinks that he has the right to interfere with someone’s marital relationship if he disapproves of their spouse’s actions. What school or business would you imagine has any such right? And would you remain with that school or business if they claimed that right?]

The konigun Con (stitution) - Controlling Cult Members

2008-12-04T16:28:00.002-06:00

“No-Compete
“With the signing of this constitution a Black Sash recognizes, understands, and agrees that he/she will not start, teach, or open an unauthorized school of any nature in the likeness to Konigun Ninjutsu, or use the name, symbols, copyrights, trademarks, and the image of any part of Konigun Ninjutsu if he leaves/quits, becomes banished or dismissed from Konigun for any reason.”

[This is one method dallas uses to prevent rebellious members freeing themselves from the cult and becoming independent. The key phrase in this paragraph is “an unauthorized school of any nature in the likeness to”. Any karate dojo would be similar to konigun, because dallas based his cult’s partial art on Isshinryu karate. Some forms of kung fu would resemble his partial art, because dallas was also influenced by his sparring sessions with Mr. Howell. dallas would also claim that any art claiming to be ninjutsu, whether authentic or not, would be similar to his cult, simply because of the word ‘ninjutsu’.]

[Other control methods dallas uses are re-certification, rank reduction due to real or imagined infractions, and placing students on some form of inactive or non-active status.]

[For cult members placed on non-active status: ]
“The re-application process is made easy for you by the following steps. Here is how:
1. Request a test date in writing by mailing a request to .
2. You will be assigned an instructor to assist you in re-certifying.
3. You and the instructor will make sure all rank and rule requirements are met and set forth in the Konigun Dencho and this constitution.
4. Once you are ready, you and your instructor will set a test date. After which, good luck at your test. “

[For cult members who have not participated in training for a certain period of time: ]
“Departure and Return
“If a Black Sash leaves Konigun on good standing then the Black Sash must re-certify his/her rank upon return
1. The returning Black Sash must be endorsed by a Black Sash in good standing. 2. The returning Black Sash must present themselves before a tribunal of style Elders set up by the current Shidoshi to afford the returning Black Sash the opportunity to “clean the slate” of their past action(s).
3. Then the returning Black Sash must re-certify his/her rank to ensure the quality and integrity of the knowledge and skill is maintained. “

“Sanctioned Functions
I. Entry Level Liability Assessment
This camp will cost each recertifying Black Sash $195”

[dallas charges his cult members for the privilege of being controlled by him.

“10. Red Sash/Ninja Testing Candidates
11. Total Recertification will be required to obtain the following ranks: Bushi/Musha, Kagebushi/Kunoichi, and Meijin/Miko. Total recertification is testing from White Sash to the Sash of the sought promotion. A Black Sash may be asked at anytime to re-certify by the Shidoshi. “

[These control techniques are not part of any legitimate martial art. Once you achieve a belt rank in a legitimate martial art, you remain that rank for life, whether you stay with the school or not. You earned it, you worked for it, you paid for it, it belongs TO YOU!]

The konigun Con (stitution) - Sport v. Combat

2008-12-04T04:44:00.001-06:00

“The physical training is extreme. . . a level that most non-military personnel are not going to achieve within their lifetime.”

[This is one of the many control methods used by cult leaders in order to keep their members busy and too physically exhausted to think clearly about what they are being subjected to.]

“Many styles have become Americanized to the extent that they are now a sport. This is not the way of Konigun. Martial art sports are good for physical fitness and for competitive fun. Konigun is a way of life, and that is the way we train. “

[More flawed “logic”, contradicted by the excerpt that follows. The previous entry shows that cult members engage in extreme levels of physical fitness exercises, which, as this entry states, is good for martial sport. Cult training also emphasizes sparring in its training curriculum. Point-sparring while wearing protective padding is sport, not shinken gata (actual combat), not a way of life. Cult members engage in tournaments and sporting competitions. This is friendly sporting competition. Members memorize and perform karate-style kata for tournaments and exhibitions. This is not combat. konigun is nothing more than a poorly constructed karate-based partial art, cobbled together by a less-than-competent cult leader.]

“D) Sparring & Technique Application Test - The testing candidate must satisfy the testing board with his/her ability to defend himself/herself in open free form continuous “hand and foot,” weapons, and mix sparring. The sparring requirements are predetermined for the ranks in the Konigun Ninjutsu Training Manual. “

[This excerpt proves that members are required to satisfy sparring requirements in order to advance in rank in the cult. “Defending“ oneself in a sparring competition is not akin to defending oneself from a violent attack by someone intent on doing you harm.]

The konigun Con (stitution) - C.Y.A.

2008-12-02T04:12:00.000-06:00

“12. Translations - It needs to be noted that the translation for each of the ranks given in the training manual may not be the literal translation of the word. For example, the translation for Samurai in the training manual is “divine warrior.” The actual translation of the word samurai is “one who serves.” The translation given in the book may be described as the meaning of the word or what a person called by that rank might also be called. So a Samurai is a divine warrior of honor even though the word does not mean divine warrior. “

[This is an attempt by dallas to try and cover up his repeated mistakes in translating Japanese terms into English. He’s obviously mistranslated numerous words and phrases throughout his career as a con man, making mistakes that anyone who made an effort to simply look up the words in a translation dictionary wouldn’t make. Instead, he just made up his own definitions.]

The konigun Con (stitution) - A Critical Analysis

2008-11-30T08:51:00.002-06:00

“No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles
and reviews. “

[Oh, don’t worry. I intend to be very critical.]

“Konigun Ninjutsu (Constitution) 1st Edition
Commissioned on October 18, 2006 by the Current Shidoshi: Dr. Bryce Dallas, 37th Generation”

[The cult is currently in its first generation, having been started by cult-leader dallas in the 1980s.]

“I as the director of Konigun believe there should exist a way to compel the future director to keep within the Constitution of Konigun.”

[To “compel” is to secure or bring about by force; to have a powerful and irresistible effect, influence, etc. So, are you saying, Mr. dallas, that you are attempting to force future directors and cult members to submit to your will as you do current cult members?]

“In the days of yesterday, I have taken notice that Konigun Ninjutsu is liken to that of the steel that is forged for a sword.”

[“In the days of yesterday, I have taken notice . . .“? What the heck is that supposed to mean? And dallas expects people to believe he’s a Ph.D? Hah!]

“Konigun has suffered both internal and external blows but still only grows stronger, wiser, more experienced and the only losses are the impurities. “

[Lost a lot of “impurities” lately, haven’t you, Mr. dallas?]
“I as the director of Konigun believe there should exist a way to compel the future director to keep within the Constitution of Konigun. “

[To “compel” is to secure or bring about by force; to have a powerful and irresistible effect, influence, etc. So, are you saying, Mr. dallas, that you are attempting to force future directors and cult members to submit to your will as you do current cult members?]

“It is time for us to be adults and leave our childish/simple-minded ways behind. “

[When do you intend to leave your childish/simple-minded fantasies of being a ninja grandmaster behind, Mr. dallas?]

“Think about what we are training to be. Really stop and think. Ninja. “
“Jay Green Ph.D., Th.D. “

[Puppet Green does not hold a legitimate doctorate from any accredited university. He purchased his “degrees“ from a diploma mill, just as his con man cult leader did.]

[You are not ninja. You are not training to be ninja. You are training in the pursuit of a childish fantasy. You will never be ninja. Your cult leader has never studied any legitimate form of Ninjutsu, nor any other legitimate martial art.]

“. . . our old adage, “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.”

[Uh, excuse me? Does the U.S. Marine Corps know that they’ve been using “your” old adage?]

“C.I.O. [Chief Intelligence Officer] “

[Isn’t having an intelligence officer in the konigun “ninjutsu” cult oxymoronic?]

Larry's Latest Lie

2008-11-13T18:39:00.002-06:00

konigun "ninjutsu" cult-leader bryce dallas just won’t stop lying. Here’s the latest lie: On dallas’ myspace page ( http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=392918725 ) is the following quote: “More recently he was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as a Grand Master for the 2008 year.”

Oddly enough, the USMAHOF website doesn't even have a category for GM of the Year:
http://www.southeastern-hall-of-fame.com/2008_hall_of_fame_inductees .

Is it possible for you to tell the truth, Mister dallas?

"Lost" Shaolin Temple Found - by Ninjers!

2008-11-05T04:06:00.002-06:00

Lost Shaolin Temple discovered by ninjers: http://lost.shaolin.temple.googlepages.com/

WARNING! This is one llllloooooonnnnnggggg article. I saved it to a word document in 18-point font, eliminated the pictures, and this sucker is STILL 180 pages long. Mr. Woodford fancies himself quite the scholarly researcher. Too bad he's completely deluded. Perhaps he hasn't seen the evidence that proves his cult leader, bryce dallas, lied about his training in Japan under a fictitious master. Perhaps he has, but believes the lie so fervently that he refuses to acknowledge reality.

Here are some of the choicier excerpts that jumped out at me:

What has been lost, in this case, is the knowledge and concern of this grand site’s origins and significance, rather than all of the buildings themselves.Rather than a buried ruin, this site more fits the bill of a reinhabited ghost town. This is evident from the fact that many of these buildings are now occupied, but with little knowledge or appreciation of their importance and historical/cultural value.

Firstly, the Shaolin were a secret order, so did not keep records or broadcast their existence to the public.

This also suggests that the Southern Shaolin martial arts and Konigun Ninjutsu were of mutual influence on each other, with Koinga, who traelled back and forth between Fujian and Hirado when Konigun Ninjutsu was in its heyday in Hirado, acting as the chief conduit of this mutual influence.

It is interesting to compare this final paragraph, in the context of the color red, to the Konigun Ninjutsu’s philosophy as a red sect of the martial arts. Also interesting to note the six gates of attack and defense, from which the five auras of attack and defense in Konigun Ninjutsu evolved.

These concepts were in all probability introduced to the Konigun Ninjutsu by Koxinga and his men who were in the Nagasaki area. It is highly conceivable, given Koxinga’s history of aiding in worthy rebellions, that he assisted the Konigun Ryu in fighting persecution by the local powers that be as well.

As part of the expedition, and as a training exercise, we infiltrated the perimeter of the construction area during the night watch, using the Chinese
new year’s fireworks as a diversion.

The painting on the back wall of their building shows a monk in a shadow stance carrying a staff on his back, as well as another monk warrior in a
modified master’s stance, with a sword carried in his sash.(Explaining the practice of carrying weapons in the sash in the Japanese arts as well.)

The temple compound was gated and locked, but our orders were clear, gain entry by any and all means necessary. After all, we would be unworthy disciples of Ninjutsu if we could not surmount such a mundane obstacle. We must at this time clarify that this action was necessitated by the impending doom his great remain faces if action is not taken. We would also appeal to those buried there and their posterity that we did not come to invade, disturb or defile, but to protect this invaluable piece of lost heritage. If somebody does not intervene, this precious cultural jewel will be lost forever. Moreover, the resting place of these good souls will surely be not only defiled but obliterated by these evil profiteers who would destroy all this impreciable heritage only to turn a buck.

Between the area just described and Jimei’s town park is a Red Army compound. As we approached it from the west we noticed a sign that said
FOREIGN DEVILS KEEP OUT! Well, not exactly, but it did read NO FOREIGNERS MAY ENTER WITHOUT SPECIAL PERMIT! We asked the watchstander’s permission to tour the facilities. Denied. He actually seemed quite nervous, as if I was reconnoitering the perimeter (casing the joint) for a Western Devil invasion. We then asked permission to take some photos from outside the gate. Denied.

Bear in mind, dear reader, that yours truly once, back in my US Navy days, when bored out of my mind on a port call in Guam, swam up to a nuclear sub just to prove it could be done. And managed to get back into uniform in time to report “All conditions normal” in the logbook. Another fine example of your ta dollars at work.

At any rate, we decided that a little restraint was in order. We respect the Chinese government, and appreciate their kindness and generosity in granting us the privilege of staying in their lovely country. We would not wish to do anything to jeopardize the Immigration status that they have been so generous as to extend us. We would be delighted, however, to provide security and/or unarmed defense consultation to the Red Army if they so desire

I am uncertain as to whether I am supposed to know this or not. If I am not supposed to be party to this information, I apologize profusely to the powers that be, and promise not to use this knowledge to open up any cans of worms.

Secondly, it supports the mutual influence between Konigun Ninjutsu and the South Shaolin arts. It is entirely possible that the flying tiger in Konigun Ninjutsu was a symbolic way of streamlining the tiger and dragon into one symbol.

Note how the positioning of the hands in the secret society greeting is reflected in the positioning of the tiger and dragon they symbolize on the temple walls. This is quite similar to the Konigun Ninjutsu warrior salute which quite obviously has its origins here. (This greeting is commonly practiced by Chinese, especially in Fujian, but they haven’t a clue as to it’s significance or origins for the most part).

The Konigun Ninjutsu logo of the flying tiger also indubitably evolved from this. The significance of the tiger to external combat is obvious. The wings probably replace the dragon as the spiritual and internal aspects of the arts. It is also remotely possible that the wings were modified to represent the Holy Ghost, symbolized by the dove, as Konigun Ninjutsu was a Christian sect of Ninja utilizing their skills to resist persecution in Feudal Japan, though highly unlikely as the wings on the tiger (Tobu Tora) almost certainly existed centuries before the Konigun Warriors' conversion to Christianity.

Precise details and locations will be disclosed in my soon to be released work, The Lost Shaolin Heritage of Fujian.

This is particularly true of the mutual influence between Konigun Ninjutsu and the Southern Chinese arts. We have previously established many of the common bonds of style these arts share, now we will shed light on the historical evidence of the connection.

Historians also chronicle the occupation of several small islands off the coast of Kyushu by Koxinga’s forces. This also substantiates the probability of mutual influence between South Chinese and Japanese arts, particularly amongst the Shaolin, Konigun Ninjutsu

Further evidence that these Fukienese in particular were probably involved with the Konigun Ninjutsu fight against the persecution of Christians and thus had involvement in each other’s style is recorded below:

Yet another piece of evidence that Koxinga and his father were probably involved with Konigun Ninjutsu’s efforts in the Nagasaki prefecture in his day.

These similarities and influence serve to corroborate not only the influence of the Jimei temple on the development of the Chinese architecture in Nagasaki, but on the Japanese martial arts and Konigun Ninjutsu, whose shadow warriors resided in the Nagasaki prefecture at that time. It is almost certain that Konigun Ninjutsu and Zheng Chonggong mutually influenced each other at that time.

As brothers and sisters of the Konigun Ninjutsu Ryu we particularly cherish the impact this very place and those once therein have directly had on our heritage, as they have passed on their great knowledge and traditions in 18th century Kyushu. We humbly and gratefully acknowledge the role our forefathers had in handing this great art down to us, and indelibly shaping it along the way. We are mindful of the persecutions and hardships they endured to achieve this end, and pay solemn tribute to this. We hope that we, too, can pass our art down to future generations and stand up for truth and justice as these, our predecessors so courageously did.

This research has been conducted and shared as a free public service by The International Conservation Society, Konigun Ninjutsu, China, and the International Martial Arts Academy.

Possible Legal Recourse

2008-11-01T10:45:00.003-05:00

Many of you may now understand that bryce dallas is a con man who has lied about his training, lied about training in Japan as a child under a fictitious ninja master, lied about the name of the partial art he created, lied about his karate-based partial art being authentic Japanese ninjutsu, in short - bryce dallas has lied about virtually everything concerning his self-created partial art of konigun.

Some of you may even have realized that you have been the victim of some other fraudulent “martial art”.

Many of you may also be wondering what you can do about being ripped-off by this (or any) con man. This entry is intended to give you some information on possible legal recourse that may be available to you. THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. I AM NOT A LAWYER, NOR DO I PRETEND TO BE ONE. I am an average citizen who has done some reading about the law. Anyone can do the same, and I urge you to do so. I also urge you to CONSULT AN ATTORNEY to determine whether or not this legal recourse is available to you.

On the back page of the konigun cult’s contract (2005 version), the following statements appear on the “Student Fact Sheet“:

“Systems taught by the N.M.K., Inc. Instuctors [sic]”
“1 Konigun Ninjutsu: Traditional Konigun Ninjutsu as taught since 1196 A.D. The traditional style of Konigun includes all nature skills, weaponry, taijutsu techniques, history, culture, and philosophy as handed down through the generations. Konigun Ninjutsu is taught as a mastery of the Japanese martial arts concepts and theories.”

This “Ninjutsu Meiyo-Kai Membership Agreement and Application” constitutes a legal contract.

Contract: 1. An agreement between two or more parties creating obligations that are enforceable or otherwise recognizable at law.
3. A promise or set of promises by a party to a transaction, enforceable or otherwise recognizable at law; the writing expressing that promise or set of promises.
8. Loosely, an enforceable agreement between two or more parties to do or not to do a thing or set of things; a compact.

(Legal definitions are from Black’s Law Dictionary - Third Pocket Edition, 2006.)

Since this legally-binding instrument expressly promises that the student will be taught authentic Japanese ninjutsu with an 800+ hear heritage, it could very well be argued that bryce dallas is guilty of committing both fraud and breach of contract because he knows that what he offers in his schools is not authentic Japanese ninjutsu, but is instead a martial art that he created based upon sparring sessions with legitimate karate-based martial artists, and that he created said art beginning approximately in 1979 when he was attending East Holmes Academy in West, Mississippi.

Links to konigun "ninjutsu" history B.S. (Before Saija) :http://konigunninjers.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66255
http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74110

This is akin to the old “bait-and-switch” technique used by sleazy salesmen the world over. This technique involves offering a particular product or service to potential customers, then providing a vastly different and usually decidedly inferior product or service. It is not only dishonest and immoral, but also illegal.

Fraud: 1. A knowing misrepresentation of the truth or concealment of a material fact to induce another to act to his or her detriment. 2. A misrepresentation made recklessly without belief in its truth to induce another person to act. 3. A tort arising from a knowing misrepresentation, concealment of a material fact, or a reckless misrepresentation made to induce another to act to his or her detriment. 4. Unconscionable dealing; esp., in contract law, the unfair use of the power arising out of the parties’ relative positions and resulting in an unconscionable bargain.
Promissory fraud: A promise to perform made when the promisor had no intention of performing the promise.

Breach of Contract: Violation of a contractual obligation by failing to perform one’s own promise, by repudiating it, or by interfering with another party’s performance.

Material Breach: A breach of contract that is significant enough to permit the aggrieved party to elect to treat the breach as total (rather than partial), thus excusing that party from further performance and affording it the right to sue for damages.

Breach of Covenant: The violation of an express or implied promise, usually in a contract, either to do or not to do an act.

Conspiracy: An agreement by two or more persons to commit an unlawful act coupled with an intent to achieve the agreement’s objective, and (in most states) action or conduct that furthers the agreement.

Coconspirator: A person who engages in a criminal conspiracy with another; a fellow conspirator.

Information on Statutes of Limitation can be found at http://www.expertlaw.com/library/limitations_by_state/

“The Discovery Rule“Sometimes it is not reasonably possible for a person to discover the cause of an injury, or even to know that an injury has occurred, until considerably after the act which causes the injury. For example, an error in the drafting of a will might not be noticed until the will is being executed, decades after it was drafted, or a financial planner's embezzlement might not be noticed for years due to the issuance of false statements of account.

“When it applies, the "discovery rule" permits a suit to be filed within a certain period of time after the injury is discovered, or reasonably should have been discovered. The discovery rule does not apply to all civil injuries, and sometimes the period of time for bringing a claim post-discovery can be short, so it is important to seek legal assistance quickly in the event of the late discovery of an injury.”

SOUTH CAROLINA
The Statute of Limitations for Breach of Contract in South Carolina is 20 years if the contract is written and under seal; otherwise it is for 3 years.
The Statute of Limitations for fraud in South Carolina is 3 years.

MASSACHUSETTS
The Statute of Limitations for Breach of Contract in Massachusetts is 20 years if written and under seal, otherwise 6 years.
The Statute of Limitations for Fraud in Massachusetts is 3 years.

MISSISSIPPI
The Statute of Limitations for Breach of Contract in Mississippi is 3 years.

TENNESSEE
The Statute of Limitation for Fraud in Tennessee is 6 years.

Keep in mind that you must CONSULT A QUALIFIED ATTORNEY before proceeding with any legal matters. This is only information that I have read from various sources and is not to be misconstrued as legal advice in any way. Do your own research and consult an attorney because laws can vary widely from place to place, and they are subject to change periodically as well.

Three Months with No Response

2008-10-30T18:03:00.000-05:00

It has been three months now, with no response whatsoever from Mr. dallas. He has been silent since the pictures from his high school years 1977 through 1981 were posted, proving that he lied about training in Japan with the fictitious master saija during those years.

Should we interpret his silence as a tacit admission of guilt?

Tell the truth, Mr. dallas.

The Programming System

2008-09-16T03:29:00.002-05:00

The Programming System
The cult/organization set up a system of programs within one’s being. It comes through mainly in the mind as this is where we think and therefore act on what is fed to us/the survivors. Programming is also called mind control. Within singleton survivors there is a system that views from a single perspective. With multiple survivors the system has many personality parts that both act singularly and are in conflicting and inclusive relationships. When the cult/organization tortured people they also deliberately placed names and cues within the person that would relate to the torture. This, they attempted, would respond to specific orders such as returning, not being aware of the abuse-amnestic, not disclosing, causing conflict with non offending family and supporters, etc. So a victim/survivor would have this conscious or non-conscious cue that if he/she "did not return for halloween" then the memory of the specific torture would "come on".

Victims/survivors also have general reminder cues or triggers such as seeing black or red for satanic survivors. These will also set off programs.

Programming and deprogramming can be normalized.

Everyone is indoctrinated into something whether it be class or gender conditioning. With ritual abuse cults/organizations there are specific forms that need to be addressed, and alleviated and stopped.

Programming runs out after a while. Like any conditioning it gets lessened.

Programming gets lesser in its intensity, unless there is a program built in to continue it which is common and needs to be addressed as with all personality parts. As with time healing all problems and emotional stress, it also lessens the effects of the violence and the lies.

Being a survivor continuously
Once you/the survivor have survived the call backs and disclosure programming particularly, you have worked out ways of counteracting them and these will come into play almost immediately and sometimes even subconsciously. Deprogramming will become second nature.

Variations
Each of us copes and undoes programming his/her own way. People have individual interests and strengths. Some people enjoy looking at psychology and how the mind works and go into the intricacies of brainwashing. Some people use the media and public education to get rid of their anger against the cult and its programming. There is no one or right way to deprogram. The following is information about how survivors have generally deprogrammed.

Multiple personality parts victims/survivors.
(Please note that my therapist prefers the words "personality parts" instead of "personalities." The reason is that the cult attempts to abuse this. "Personalities" implies an autonomy or self-direction when floating by itself, and is supposedly separated from the person. Personality parts are different aspects of oneself, the person. They are directed by the person. Cult/organization-affected people who have many personality parts sometimes feel they are in one personality part only. If this personality part wants to die or thinks that other personality parts should die then this is wrong. Personality parts are lied to by programmers and the cult that he/she/it "will live" after he/she/it kills off other personality parts and supposedly the host. This is not the truth. Multiple victims/survivors have programming which deliberately abuses personality parts and many of us/in the survivor. The cult/organization attempted to create many different and separate roles, different cues, conflict within the victim/survivor between personality parts, and confusion as to the number of parts and conflict between parts. By being multiple, the cult/organization thought it could have more personality parts "to play with" and attempt internal disruption. Deprogramming therefore means both addressing each personality part and at the same time seeing the part within the whole. It means looking after everyone. This stops conflict and disruption. An important phrase with multiple survivors is when I see that I am multiple, then I am one. In other words you/the survivor have gone further than being in one personality and can see the whole. This means little or no disruption.

Singleton survivors
"Singletons" do not feel there are parts of themselves with distinct personalities, parts which hold distinct memories, or parts that speak through them. All of what is inside their head "feels" like themselves, and they view life as "one". Singletons "space out" or dissociate into a oneness instead of into a separated personality. They need to work on the abuse/trigger memory so that they do not dissociate.

Active programming.

This where the cult/organization that you/the survivor comes from is still active. The cult/organization wants you/the survivor to particularly return and not disclose. It runs out if it is not reprogrammed.

Non active programming.

This is where the cult/organization that you/the survivor comes from is not active anymore. The programming is put into the background and made to not function particularly around call backs. It still emphasizes not disclosing. It still causes concern as the feelings still come up such as at call back times. It will run out if not reprogrammed.

Deprogramming Information

2008-09-16T03:25:00.001-05:00

Deprogramming. Coping With and Undoing the Programming

Fundamental Aspects

Common Aspects

Programming is the methodical system of indoctrination that is set up within the person’s being. It is done completely by the cult/organization and its conscious members (e.g. a father) and it is what intends to keep you/the survivor/victim in an abusive relationship to the cult/organization. When being victimized and abused, it is a direct relationship. With escape and survivorship, it is feeling its effects without contact. With both, the person is always trying to stop it happening or not be affected.

Deprogramming is the process of coping with the cult’s indoctrination and/or undoing it in order to be free from the cult.

Deprogramming happens all the time and will continue until you have coped with or undone programming.

Programming comes on particularly during crisis times. These are mainly when you/the survivor are going against the despicable aspects of the cult/organization and are escaping, telling someone like a friend or therapist (disclosure), not being called back for ceremony times e.g. halloween (Oct 31st) for satanic survivors, etc.

Undoing the programming refers to going back to where the programs were put into place and stopping the violence and lies so that you/the survivor will never be affected again. This means doing a kind of "rewind of a video" in your memory and controlling how you will get rid of the violence and the real perpetrators and free yourself from the lies and bindings. Use whatever techniques you/the survivor want in this. This was violence that you had no control over then.
Now you/the survivor can do whatever you/the survivor want/s. This mainly happens at general or non crisis times as survivors have the time and energy to put it into it. Many survivors also undo programming during crisis times.

Coping is putting it at bay or aside.

This particularly happens during crisis times like call backs. During the rest of the year it is also important as there is a need and want to have a normal everyday life free from programming. In coping there are Crisis Hints that come from the Beyond Survival magazine. An important consideration here is to live your life in your/the survivor's current age. Do not be tempted to go back to the violence and torture of the cue that happened at some point in history. Remember that historical violence and lies are not happening today or now.

This generally means bringing yourself back to a more grounded way of being.

In psychological/ medical terms it is "associating the experience". You/the survivor was forced to dissociate or float off and space out in order to cope with the despicable horror of what the cult/organization did/does to you/the survivor. With a lot of dissociation comes the formation of a separate personality part. The cult/organization then further abuses this dissociation and personality part development by tricking the part into a lie that they "owe” the cult/organization.

Advice for the Middleman

2008-08-29T03:34:00.001-05:00

Immediate practical advice for middlemen: how to deal with both law enforcement and the fraud victims

You may be a victim of a con artist, or an active participant in a scam. Regardless of the circumstances, both the victims and law enforcement will be looking to you for an explanation.

1. Con artists, especially those who deal in financial fraud on a big scale, love to put their prime targets in the middle. This means that you were talked into bringing money belonging to others into the scheme.

2. The best defense is a good offense: go to the authorities before they come to you.

3. Gather together every piece of evidence you can find, including names, addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, documents of every kind, notes, records of phone conversations, etc. and make copies. The authorities may want the originals, or the copies may be okay.

The evidence may clearly show that you were duped.

DO NOT INVENT EVIDENCE. DO NOT TELL EVEN THE WHITEST OF LIES. IF YOU CAN'T REMEMBER SOMETHING, SAY SO.
Your credibility is not just your most important asset, it’s your only asset. Don't screw it up.
Interviewers can tell if you're lying - they take courses in it.

4. Call each victim involved and tell them what you are doing. Send it in writing, registered mail, return receipt requested. Remember: open communication is extremely important.

5. Some investors may try to talk you out of going to the authorities because they are afraid of losing their money. If the scam has gone far enough, you will have to explain to the investors that you believe their funds are lost. Not an easy task. Bite the bullet and make all your calls. You may not be able to see it right now, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

6. Ask the authorities if they want you to maintain contact with the swindler; however, if you are involved in any other similar network, cease that activity immediately.

7. You may or may not need an attorney. Usually it is not necessary unless you are being read your rights, but depending on your circumstances and what you need to feel comfortable, having an attorney present during the initial interview is okay.

8. I was the middleman in a High-Yield Investment Program fraud. The thoroughness of my report saved my life. (see About the Author, http://www.fraudaid.com/about.htm)

There is much more information and help available at fraudaid.com.

Working With Your Attorney

2008-08-29T03:33:00.000-05:00

You and your attorney are a team. He is not the master. You do not simply nod like a bobble-head toy at everything he says. You must actively participate in your own defense. There is no such thing as a stupid question. The rest of your life is at stake. If you do not completely and clearly understand a statement and the consequences of that statement, do not agree until you do.

Demand of your attorney that he ask for broad discovery, as broad as you can make it. Broad discovery means any and all information and documents held by the prosecution that pertain to your case. You cannot mount an intelligent defense if you do not know what you are up against.
No one has the right to take away your right to a trail by a jury of your peers. You can give it up (plea bargain) but no one else can take it away from you. It is a Constitutional Right.

Pleading out, i.e. pleading to a lesser charge means that you are turning your fate over to the very people whose job it is to put you in prison. If you are not guilty of any charges, don't agree that you are.

If your attorney, public defender or otherwise, pleads you out without your full understanding of the consequences, don't do it. What you are doing is entering a guilty plea. Make sure you understand the plea and all its consequences.

The alternative is a trial by a jury of 12 impartial men and women who have no vested interest in the outcome and no hidden agenda.

Dealing With Law Enforcement

2008-08-29T03:29:00.001-05:00

Law enforcement and the fraud victim as a suspect:

The police do not interview a person about his or her participation or knowledge of a crime unless that person is suspected of having committed a crime or been a participant in the commission of a crime.

Participation means having an active involvement in, or purposely unreported knowledge of, the crime before, during, or after it was committed. The legal terms are Accessory Before the Fact, Accessory During the Fact, and Accessory After the Fact

Fraud is a theft crime, sometimes only State, sometimes only Federal, sometimes both.

If you are a fraud victim contacted by the police:

1. Unless you are witnessed committing a crime by someone at the scene or by law enforcement, and the arrest if proximate to the crime, you cannot be arrested without an arrest warrant signed by a judge. You have a right to read the warrant, and you have the right to a copy of the warrant.

2. Do not accompany the police anywhere until you are properly arrested and have been read your Miranda Rights or Warning. Merely state that you "respectfully decline." If all they want to do is talk to you, they can do so where you are at that moment or at your home.

If the police are agreeable to an interview at your location of choice, do not speak to them without a witness and, if possible, a tape recorder in plain view Say, "Do you mind if I tape this conversation?" If the police object to either the witness or the tape recorder, respectfully decline the interview.

You do not have an obligation to accompany the police to their offices, and we don't recommend that you do unless you're going to be looking at mug shots.

Your legal protections don't start until you are placed under arrest. You have no legal protection until that moment.

3. Once you have been read your Miranda Rights or Warning, SHUT UP.

4. If you are asked to sign a document agreeing that you have been read your rights and understand them, STOP. Read the document slowly and carefully. Take your time.
Make very sure the document doesn't also contain a waiver of your Miranda Rights and if it does, make very sure you are signing on the correct line. Place your finger, not an X, on the correct line and sign your name next to your finger.

5. Immediately invoke your right to private consultation with your attorney, court-appointed or otherwise.

6. Do not under any circumstances, sign any document between the time you have read your Miranda Rights or Warning and the time you consult with your attorney except:
(a) The acknowledgment that your Rights were read to you and that you understand them as explained in 3 above.
(b) The inventory list of what was taken off your person.

Remember this: Once you waive your rights, you cannot get them back!
NEVER WAIVE ANY RIGHTS. Do not, under any circumstances, waive your Miranda Rights.

7. Keep your mouth shut. Do not start talking. If you hear yourself talking, stop it. It is possible that if you start answering questions, it may be construed by the District Attorney's Office that you waived your rights.

8. Invoking your Miranda Rights does not mean you will go to jail. No one can advise you that if you do not waive your rights, you will go to jail. That is against the law. It may be termed Intentional Infliction of Emotional or Mental Distress.

9. No one can truthfully say, "It will go easier on you if you don't ask for an attorney." That is a myth created in Hollywood. Only a jury can decide your fate.

10. Law and Order and NYPD Blue are not real life. Do not make life-altering decisions based on what you have seen on those shows. Detectives interview and interrogate bad guys all day every day. They study interview techniques, interviewing psychology, body language, tone of voice and phrases to watch for, discrepancies and changes in answers. It is their job to elicit a confession of guilt or to elicit incriminating statements from suspects.

They are as skilled at their job as the scammer is who talked you into the fraud. You are a fish out of water. You can incriminate yourself in the blink of an eye with a statement you believe will absolve you of all guilt. Just keep your mouth shut!

The Constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence. In too many jurisdictions and in too many circumstances the investigating detectives operate under the presumption of guilt.

Know Your Miranda Rights

2008-08-29T03:27:00.002-05:00

Know Your Miranda Rights or Warning And How to Use Them
Miranda Rights: What do to and what not to do

Fraud victim arrestees come to us having waived their Miranda Rights or Warning, sometimes having unwittingly made self-incriminating statements to law enforcement.

None realize that this is what they did. None realize that they have caused themselves additional harm.

There is never any guarantee that justice will prevail in the way the fraud victim arrestee expects. In those instances where the victim has waived his Miranda Rights, unwinding the damage and achieving justice for that victim is almost impossible.

Interview: the period of questioning by law enforcement investigators prior to arrest. You have no obligation to consent to an interview, nor should you feel at any time that you are under arrest during an interview. You should be able to leave at any time. Law enforcement must inform you that you are free to go, and there must not be any physical obstacles between you and the exit door nor any impediments to your departure.

Interrogation: the period of questioning by law enforcement investigators after the reading of the Miranda Rights or Warning and proper arrest.

Person of Interest: you may have frequently heard this term in the news. It is normal Justice Department parlance for subjects of investigation and includes 'suspect', 'subject' and 'target'.

If you are termed a "Person of Interest" and the police want to interview you, STOP. You need an attorney present to protect you from making unintentional self-incriminating statements.

These are the Miranda Rights or Warning as dictated by Miranda vs. Arizona.

In the absence of other effective measures the following procedures to safeguard the Fifth Amendment privilege must be observed:

The person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he has the right to remain silent, and that anything he says will be used against him in court; he must be clearly informed that he has the right to consult with a lawyer and to have the lawyer with him during interrogation, and that, if he is indigent, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him.

Know Your Miranda Rights or Warning and How to Use Them

This is the text of the Miranda Rights or Warning that must be read to you upon arrest, and how the text should read on the document you sign stating that you understand those rights:

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law.

You have the right to an attorney during interrogation; if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you.

1. "You have the right to remain silent" means KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. It's not called a Warning for nothing. You may safely state the following:
(a) Your name.
(b) Your address.
(c) Your Social Security Number if asked.
(d) "I invoke my 5th Amendment right to an attorney."

Invoking your Rights is not an admission of guilt. It just means that you are smart enough to call an expert for advice.

2. "Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law" means that anything you say will be used against you in court. You can count on it.

3. "You have the right to an attorney during interrogation" sounds as if you can invoke your right to an attorney at any time during the interrogation. Don't count on it and don't bet on it.

Ask for an attorney before the interrogation.

4. "But I don't need an attorney! I didn't do anything wrong!" is the most disastrous phrase a fraud victim/middleman can say to law enforcement detectives, because it tells the detectives that they can use all interrogation techniques at their disposal without the presence of advising counsel to warn you to keep your mouth shut.

Fraud victims who are arrested are always an emotional disaster, frightened, confused, angry, and not thinking straight. In other words, your state of mind and emotional turmoil make you ideal for interrogation.

Law enforcement works for the prosecution. If you are considered a suspect in a crime, the police are not on your side, even if you are a fellow law enforcement officer.

No matter who you are, no matter what your job title is, from President of a major corporation, to law enforcement, to professional, to housewife, to politician, to business owner, to Hollywood star, to college student, during an interrogation the police are not your friends, no matter how they act.

Get Receipts for Everything

2008-08-29T03:25:00.001-05:00

DON'T LET ALL YOUR HARD WORK GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE:
RECEIPTS FOR YOUR DOCUMENTATION WILL SAVE YOU HEADACHES LATER ON

Step 8: GETTING RECEIPTS, WHAT TO DO

1. Explain that your originals are for safekeeping purposes and you cannot risk losing them.

2. If the authorities still insist, tell them that you are going to want a receipt for each individual item in the ORIGINALS envelope.

3. You will hand over your ORIGINALS envelope to the authorities ONLY AFTER the originals have been receipted by the receiving officer or agent. NEVER, EVER hand over originals without a receipt for each piece of paper!

4. Print your name, address, and telephone number on the front of the ORIGINALS envelope.

5. Make a copy of your Items of Proof List. This is your RECEIPT.

6. At the bottom of the receipt, add in "Names and Contacts List", "Chain of Events List."

7. Ask the officer or agent to put his name, badge number, phone number, date, and signature (in that order) at the top of the receipt.

8. As the agent or officer pulls each Item of Proof and List from the ORIGINALS envelope, have him put his initial next to the same item or list on the Receipt.

9. Place the receipt in safekeeping, preferably in a safe deposit box.

Contacting the Authorities

2008-08-28T16:59:00.001-05:00

NOW THAT YOU HAVE ASSEMBLED YOUR NARRATIVE,
IT'S TIME TO CALL THE RIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

Step 7: CONTACTING THE AUTHORITIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT JURISDICTIONS
Jurisdiction is based on the type of crime and where the crime took place.

NOTE: Regardless of the country in which you live, before filing a complaint with a foreign agency you must first file a complaint with your local police. The complaint number, police station name, address, phone number, and the investigating officer's name are vital for international correspondence. If you do not supply this information, you will be directed to call back when the information is available. Example: if you have a complaint against a US citizen, you must first file a police report at your local police station, and then call the FBI or Secret Service or other appropriate US enforcement agency.

BEFORE CONTACTING THE AUTHORITIES it is very important to determine the jurisdiction of your complaint. For instance, the Secret Service or SEC will not provide as much action for a cross state lines consumer fraud as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) since consumer fraud falls under the jurisdiction of the FTC.

By reporting your complaint to the proper authority at the outset, you gain speed of action, correct information, and experienced case agents.

Not all branches of law enforcement are aware of the complexities of all scams, nor are they all aware of the specialties of the different branches of law enforcement.

In other words, you may inadvertently hand your case over to a division that handles fraud, but not necessarily the kind of fraud you are reporting.

Since each officer and division wants credit for solving crimes, this could mean that your case will be handled by an officer to the best of his or her ability, but not as efficiently as it would be if the case were handled by an officer who has vast experience and back-up for the type of fraud you are reporting.

Always ask first: "Are you familiar with this type of fraud and do you normally investigate this type of fraud?"

It is also important to understand that jurisdictions overlap. Before reporting a fraud, it is a good idea to consult the local offices of law enforcement available to you to determine their area of expertise.

It's important to understand that you may have to submit your report to more than one enforcement agency before finding an investigator who will take it; however, try not to submit your report to more than one agency within your country at the same time. This will only cause jurisdiction confusion and will not advance your case at all.

If you are having difficulty being heard by law enforcement, please contact Fraud Aid.

Once you have determined which branch of law enforcement to call, telephone and say "I am reporting a _______(type of) fraud." They will ask you a few particulars, including the amount of money involved, your address, phone number, and will probably ask you to come down to the office and meet with a specific investigator. Depending on the situation, they may come to you.

Copy Everything

2008-08-28T16:57:00.000-05:00

MAKE COPIES OF EVERYTHING, AND DO IT RIGHT.
YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID.

Step 6: MAKING COPIES

Ø Make 2 copies each of your Names and Contacts List, your Items of Proof with Post-It Notes attached, your Items of Proof List, and your Chain of Events List.

Ø Be sure to copy each Item of Proof individually.

Ø Be sure to center each Item of Proof on the copier.

Ø NEVER, EVER WRITE ANYTHING DIRECTLY ON THE ITEMS OF PROOF.

Ø NEVER, EVER STAPLE ITEMS OF PROOF TOGETHER.

DON'T FOLD ANYTHING, NOT THE ITEMS OF PROOF NOR ANY OF YOUR LISTS.

Place your Name and Contact List original, your Items of Proof originals, and your Items of Proof List original in the envelope marked "ORIGINALS." Place this envelope in a safe place, preferably in a safe deposit box.

Place one set of copies in the POLICE / FBI envelope. You will be handing this envelope to the authorities.

Place the other set of copies the WORKING COPY envelope. These copies will now be your working copies. If you spill coffee on them, nothing is lost.

If you find additional material, remember something, or are contacted by the scammers after you have submitted your narrative:
Ø Make copies as indicated above.
Ø Put originals where they belong.
Ø Send your agent-in-charge or officer-in-charge one copy, marked with the date the copy was made.
Ø If the change or addition is to your Chain of Events List (or Narrative), mark with
"Date ______. This is an addendum to (name of your narrative), dated ___________."

Writing a Narrative

2008-08-28T16:53:00.003-05:00

Step 5: WRITING THE NARRATIVE and ASSEMBLY

If you have a word processor on your computer or a typewriter, that’s great. If you don't, please print your narrative in pen - NO LONGHAND, NO PENCIL.

Following your notes and without emotion (in writing, anyway) begin to write down the sequence of events as you remember them.

If you don't have a word processor, then use your yellow legal pad. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, syntax, or context. You're not writing a novel. You are telling the story of what happened to you as succinctly as possible, in your own words.

DO NOT TRY TO MAKE THIS LOOK AS IF AN ATTORNEY WROTE IT, that will only make you look silly to the authorities and will undermine your credibility.

DO NOT GET SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD, that doesn't go over well with the authorities because it leaves doubt in their minds: Are these your words, or somebody else's? Is this what really happened, or is this how someone else thinks it should have happened?
Pull out your copy of the Items of Proof and Items of Proof List.
Pull out your copy of the Names and Contacts List and Chain of Events List.

Begin:
TITLE PAGE (cover page):
COMPLAINT AGAINST (John Swindle Group)
Your name
Your address
Your email address
Your telephone number(s)
Date

Title: SECTION I. This section will contain your Items of Proof List. You can add notes to the different items as you go along. In your narrative, you will refer to each Item of Proof as Exhibit # so and so.

Title: SECTION II. This section will contain your Names and Contacts List. In your narrative, you will refer to Section II-(1,2,3, whichever applies)

Title: SECTION III. This section will contain an elaboration of the Chain of Events. Maintain chronological order at all times.

Title: SECTION IV. This section contains all your items of proof tagged and in chronological order.

EXAMPLE: NOTICE HOW EACH STATEMENT IS NUMBERED WITH A DOUBLE SPACE BETWEEN THE STATEMENTS.

NOTICE THAT THE DATES ARE IN BOLD. IF YOU ARE USING PEN AND PAD, UNDERLINE THE DATES.

WILLIAM (BILL) VICTIM
123 Main Street
Anytown
State, 33303-2222
Home: 555-123-4567
Fax: 555-123-4568
Office: n/a (retired)
Date fraud was initiated: Monday, 12 June, 19__
Amount lost: $150,000.
Date of last funds transfer: Thursday, 5 October, 19__
Complaint against:
John Pierre Swindle, PhD.
123 Looie Street
Las Vegas, NV 00002
Phone: (123) 555-3456

1. My wife, Elizabeth, and I live on a fixed income of $_______________________ from (brokerage house) investments and pension funds. We are both retired and enjoy playing golf, so we joined the Lomita Country Club.

2. On Monday, June 12th, we attended a dinner sponsored by the club. Cocktails were served beginning at 7pm because dinner wasn't until 8:30pm. Elizabeth and I arrived around 7:30, had one cocktail apiece, and chatted with our friends.

3. Around 8pm Jim Blow, a friend of ours from church, introduced me to his new friend Dr. Swindle. Jim told me that Dr. Swindle is an investment counselor, and that he had made good profits by investing with him. We shook hands and Dr. Swindle gave me his business card. (Exhibit 1) I am always interested in making more money to bolster our retirement fund. Even though our house is almost paid for, our children sometimes need help and our youngest is in graduate school. Very expensive.

4. Swindle started to tell me about his investment system. He told me he runs an exclusive investment club, and that by using a secret system known only to a very select group, his club has been able to realize profits of up to 300% per year. He said that Jim Blow is a trusted club member, and that he (Swindle) would trust anyone Jim recommended. Swindle began to elaborate a bit about currency exchanges and bank guarantees when the dinner bell rang. We agreed to meet for lunch on Wednesday the 14th.

5. The following morning, Tuesday the 13th, I received a call from Swindle. This must have been at 10am because I was just getting ready to take the dog for a walk, which I do at the same time every day. Swindle was very courteous, apologized for calling at an inconvenient time, and said he wanted to confirm the luncheon meeting scheduled for the following day. He asked me if The Wild Boar would be okay, and asked if I would be his guest. The Wild Boar is the most expensive place in town, so I readily agreed. I mean, if this fellow is so successful, let him pick up the tab and prove it.

6. and so on to up to the time you call the authorities.

7. Number your pages as follows: Page X of Y (Y being the total number of pages)

8. MAKE A COPY for your records

ASSEMBLY: In an envelope labeled NARRATIVE, (your name, address, phone(s) and date) - assemble in this order and give to your officer or agent-in-charge.

Cover (Title page)
Section I - Items of Proof List
Section II - Name and Contacts
Section III - Narrative
Section IV - Copies of all your Items of Proof in chronological order

What To Do If You Are a Middleman

2008-08-28T16:50:00.002-05:00

ACCURATE, TRUTHFUL INFORMATION IS YOUR BEST DEFENSE
AND YOUR ONLY ASSET

Step 4: IF YOU ARE THE MIDDLEMAN TO A FRAUD

If you are not a middleman, please skip to Step 6.

The #1 MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO is to provide law enforcement with accurate, truthful information about all events, in chronological order. If you have not already done so, please see What to do if you discover you are the middleman to a fraud and read carefully. Then come back here.

Don't worry if you have delayed your call to the authorities. It is completely understandable, but it is a good idea to explain why you delayed. You will be asked.

Depending on the events that led to your participation you may very well be considered a victim.
Read Know Your Miranda Rights and How to Use Them, and seek legal counsel immediately if you feel you are at risk of arrest!

The following is not to be considered legal counsel under any circumstances!
Participants who:
Ø Can clearly demonstrate they have been conned by the swindlers into bringing other victims into the scheme
Ø Can clearly demonstrate that they are not a central part of the scam ring or scam group itself
Ø Can clearly demonstrate that they acted in good faith
Ø Can clearly demonstrate sincere remorse and total willingness to assist in the investigation (no holds barred!)
Ø Are clearly determined to be witness only for the prosecution and are not just trying to obtain immunity

(Laws and conditions may vary - seek legal counsel).

Participants as described above are usually considered to be victims. HOWEVER, it is extremely important to seek legal counsel on these issues as attitudes vary depending on local, regional, and federal law enforcement, local laws, prosecutors, and judges. See the author's story of being a middleman, Who The Heck is Annie McGuire www.fraudaid.com/about.htm.

If other victims have already called the authorities, or if you discover that an investigation has been initiated, it is extremely important that you find out the name and telephone number of the officer or agent in charge, then call him or her yourself.

DO THIS IMMEDIATELY, EVEN IF YOU ARE SCARED OUT OF YOUR WITS.

If you feel you need an attorney, by all means call one for advice. This is called a Consult. This does not mean that you really need an attorney, and it is not an admission of guilt.

In some states, and under certain conditions, an attorney is not required unless you are advised of your rights and/or arrested, HOWEVER, please read Know Your Miranda Rights and How to Use Them: http://fraudaid.com/How-To-Deal-With-Having-Been-Conned/miranda_rights.htm.

If you're at the end of your financial tether, you may not want to incur the expense of a criminal attorney unless you are certain it will be necessary.

Please remember that the state will always provide free legal counsel should you ask for it. (Please read Know Your Miranda Rights and How to Use Them now, http://fraudaid.com/How-To-Deal-With-Having-Been-Conned/miranda_rights.htm then come back here.)
Writing your narrative:

Go back to the Joe Blow example. "Joe Blow" is the middleman in the fraud perpetrated on "Bill Victim."

Your narrative is to be written from the perspective of "Joe Blow", detailing any events that led up to your first meeting with the swindler, what exactly made you get involved with the swindler, and the part or parts you played in bringing other victims to the swindler.

Remember - one lie can cost you everything because it will be found out. If you don't remember an event, write "I don't remember ...." If you are unsure of an event but remember some details, write "To the best of my recollection..."

Do not fake anything, don't make up anything. It will ruin you.

THE NARRATIVE IS THE FLOW OF EVENTS AND IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE PROSECUTION

Where the Chain of Events presents only the bald facts, the narrative paints a picture.
Each is a tool law enforcement will use to apprehend and prosecute the bad guys; each is important in its own way.