Cultish Thinking: You Deserve What You Get

"There was no single moment, [William] Yenner says, when he began to believe that the line between spiritual discipline and authoritarian control had begun to blur. But he contends that [Andrew] Cohen mandated – directly or indirectly – actions such as slapping the face of someone for showing too much ego or pride; banishing followers, at least temporarily, for alleged misbehavior; or requiring followers to shave their heads as a form of humility. In one incident recounted in the book, Yenner says a woman who spoke up to Cohen had red paint thrown in her face as punishment. To this day, says Yenner, it bothers him that he didn’t object.


'You rationalize it,' said Yenner, who writes that he was once told to perform 1,000 prostrations facing Cohen’s photo. 'You start to believe that you deserve what happens.'"

-- Suzanne Wilson, in a review for Yenner's new book, American Guru: A Story of Love, Betrayal and Healing – former students of Andrew Cohen speak out - a review which doesn't even mention that Andrew Cohen's own mother wrote a book about what a scumbag he is - making me think I should throw paint in the reviewer's face (or a cream pie - who's gonna stop me?) since she still hasn't learned to consider others, at American Guru.net.