Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Seed Discussion Forum

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!!!!

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GregFL:
No evil spin, just pointing out the obvious. Huge amounts of money and very few black people were always the rule at the seed, at least in the early and mid 70s when I was there.

And to answer your question, yes I did start this forum, but the credit really goes to ginger for hosting the entire Fornits for free at great sacrifice of time and money.

You have no idea how many people have called me  or written me and thanked me personally or how important this forum has been for many many people. The numbers of participants speak nothing to how many people read and get something out of it..and not only seed people but seed offshoot people and their parents. It really feels good to be frank with you especially in light of the fact that I had given up ever getting anything positive out of my seed experience. This is how I choose to give back and This is one thing I do for humanity among a few others that really are private matters. I feel good about myself and hope you do to.

As far as disagreeing, that is what a forum is all about. Without disagreeing there is no point in a forum. Thru disagreeing in an adult fashion, discussing issues and keeping an open mind, we all learn things and hopefully grow.

As for myself, these forums have helped me drop my anger, understand the processes my young mind was subjected to, helped me to forgive myself and understand the sources of my personal demons, and give my fellowship with others that feel as I do.

Further, It has opened a window of understanding to those of you that supported the program and hung around for so many years. Before you guys showed up I had negative opinions of all of you. That is no longer true. After speaking with some of you on the phone my understanding has grown even further.

rjro22, you have also helped me understand the true origins of the program because you were there.

We can all learn from each other here and try to understand the different perceptions and reactions we had to being in the seed cult. All of our experiences are valid.

Also, open challenges of information is part of a forum. If someone posts something inaccurate, calling that out is what is expected of those with different information.

This isn't true of just fornits but of all internet forums. My vision of the Seed discussion forum ALWAYS, from day one, included some of you long timers showing up and giving your side. That some of you are actually listening to others and considering alternate viewpoints is a big bonus to me and increases my respect for many of you bigtime.


As a finality to this long winded post, I must respectfully disagree with your last post.  I think Art's service was really for himself, a self serving way of placing himself on a pedestool. I would never want to be half the man of Art Barker but rather would aspire to be many many times more self aware and truly compassionate of people, unlike the Seed mentality that was only of sevice to those that choose to follow sheeplike a cult that became weirder and weirder as time went on.

Art's Gift of "instant awareness" was a con to elevate this "great man" above all you long termers, to set up a reason to worship and adore him like a little king.  In other words, it was a con and you were conned. No shame in that, we all were. You just were conned for longer.

Yes, you can con a con. Art was proof that that statement was just a cliche like most of the rest of them we learned in those warehouses reeking of BO.

Robin Martin:
So what???  I was Assistant to the Regional Program Director of a highly acclaimed 'national' drug program and that's the way it goes...  Whatever grants don't cover, private donations and "chores" do.  I know very well how this works and understand there are those that get greedy and I really don't care.  I've been on both sides of that fence and know of too many success stories and a few not so successful.  The good outweighs the bad...so be it.

p.s.  I also enjoyed attending the 4-Corners Penecostal Church in St Pete from time to time.  It was amusing and uplifting.

Robin Martin:
I REALLY do appreciate everyone's time and energy put into this forum be it negative or positve - it's been a trip for me after 30 years to be connecting w/ those from long ago. I, too have gained some insight of those for whom "the program" didn't work.  I wonder if anyone did their Thesis on this subject?

Anonymous:
My father and stepmother got "saved" at that church and I actually got permission to go there as a seedling. They had their own drug program but the people had long hair. I actually spoke to them against seed rules (don't tell..hehe). I will agree it was amusing for sure...but also a bit silly with all the yelling and talking in tonques.  To each their own.

Back on topic, Tell me, did your national drug program keep kids all day in non air conditioned warehouses with donated food and money and donated housing and staff making a pittance? What were the expenses of the Seed that required all that money way back when?  Keep in mind that Art was taking kids in for $200 just to get bodies in the door so he could get the twice weekly donations from the parents. What was the expense to keep a seedling back then? The answer is next to nothing, especially when group was large..it was a massive money making machine.

There are some differences here Robin.


You have previously stated you really don't care what the processes you went thru were. Is that still true?

Anonymous:

--- Quote ---On 2004-11-01 19:05:00, Robin Martin wrote:

"I REALLY do appreciate everyone's time and energy put into this forum be it negative or positve - it's been a trip for me after 30 years to be connecting w/ those from long ago. I, too have gained some insight of those for whom "the program" didn't work.  I wonder if anyone did their Thesis on this subject?"

--- End quote ---



No,but I might as well have. I went thru a period around age 20 when I spent a bit of time in libraries studying the Seed and cults, and also interviewed the moonies and hari krisnas quite a lot. I used to go occasionally Sunday nights in Gainsville to the Hari Krisna house for free meals and laugh at their attempts to enroll me, but I really had compassion for them, felt a kind of kinship with them but saw their schtick coming from a mile away. The moonies were a bit less kooky looking but basically were very similar to seedlings with all the singing and recruiting and swearing the moonies saved them. There was even two times I physically stood up for them, once at a rock concert when two guys attacked a hari krisna selling flowers and another and another time on campus at UF.  

Another story for another time.

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