"A mark of false spiritual leadership is people who, in their effort to look good, lie. They don't talk straight. They rarely say what they mean, and because of that, some of their followers may actually sense that these people are hard to trust. In conversations, everything seems somehow veiled, or hidden, or else people are told they are not spiritual enough to understand teachings or decisions of the leaders. The leaders sound pious enough, even spiritual. But we are left with the vague sense that something is missing. They will give you the "right" answer, but rarely will you get the "real" answer. Everything has a double meaning. One result is that you cannot confront them or pin anything down. It will be hard to know where you stand."

"The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse: Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church" by Christian authors David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen

Dear Arie,

I support your courage to speak out. What our current governance initiatives need in order to move forward on a firm foundation is an open and straightforward accounting of the past. Your outline of events has contributed mightily to that effort. The record needs to be set straight and individuals need to accept responsibility. We need to learn from our mistakes, make corrections, and move forward.
Perhaps Tall Paul and Short Mort poured enough buckets of violet flame into the fairyland castle of illusion and duplicity at HQ on World Vision Day that what has become a dark strain of serpent-like behavior within this organization can finally be acknowledged and dealt with forthrightly.

Our membership deserves to know the details of the "new governance model for the Aquarian cycle of our movement, that Gilbert was hoping to have fully in place during our Gemini year."

Our membership deserves to know the details and politics that led to that model being "completely and utterly aborted," i.e. the who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Our membership deserves to know the details and politics that allowed our members to be fed the impression that the direction of the church had not changed when it had indeed been changed. This was a huge and pivotal deception of our Church Community by individuals currently in leadership and a rent in the integrity of the leaders of our organization.

     The shroud of secrecy and non-accountability that has allowed this deception and moved this organization so far afield from the direction Saint Germain and Mother endorsed must be exposed and removed.

      Prior to Gilbert's service as President I viewed our organization as a Guru-Chela, top down, "Obeisance to the Guru" structure. Issues of compromise and iniquity within the organization were dealt with differently in those days. The record is clear that Gilbert's initiatives were at some point well endorsed by the Masters and Mother. And this included much of the foundation we needed to continue as an Aquarian Age organization. We were being weened off our dependance on a Messenger and Mother and called by El Morya to come up higher in personal responsibility. In this regard Maitreya's clipper ship had left port. Sails were raised and a course was set.

      But what happened next?

      Without any open discussion or disclosure to the Community, the Captain was effectively removed and was replaced. The ship's course was changed while our new Captains masqueraded as if it had not. At this point it is as if a shroud of deception was spun between our leadership and members.

      I very publicly engaged this issue of the resignation of Gilbert last fall and called for higher standards of communication and forthrightness from HQ. Little has changed in this arena, as issues that have popped up since last fall well document. The sugar-coated "all is well, we are on course," resignation of Gilbert at the altar in Arthur's Court was duplicitous and a distortion of the truth. Gilbert has not been shy about stating in private (though second-hand to me) that he felt he had been sabotaged by a clique of ministers. Yet in the end, Gilbert hugs Neroli, Neroli hugs Gilbert, and a charade is carried out for the benefit of the congregation. And what is the upshot? The congregation is deceived and manipulated into thinking all is well. I knew it by vibration then, that all was not well, and I stand behind my witness. We are just now beginning to appreciate the details of the compromise/betrayal that has come to the office of President and the course of Church Universal and Triumphant under our current leadership.

      People withhold or distort or spin-doctor the truth for two reasons. One is to gain an advantage and/or accomplish an agenda by manipulating the perceptions of others (The ends justify the means). The other is that they fear the consequences of the truth and/or the loss of control. Shading or abridging the truth is an act of deceit and an act of cowardice.

It is time that Keepers of the Flame realize that good intentions are not an excuse for disingenuousness (withholding the full truth; not being candid and forthright) and there is no excuse for dissimulation (concealing ones true motives or feelings under a false appearance). The ends do not justify the means.

It is time that Keepers of the Flame discern that piety on the part of those in office is not a substitute for integrity, honesty, and forthright communication.

It is time that Keepers of the Flame understand, that the endless focus on "process" and "dialogue," is just that.... endless! Process without leadership/vision and dialogue without real empowerment is equivalent to swimming into a current getting nowhere. Much effort is exerted and there is a sense of motion but no forward movement.

It is time that Keepers of the Flame realize that speaking out boldly and forthrightly is not the same as "railing." Behavior and actions within our governing body that are neither honest nor honorable must be exposed and challenged for what they are. To do so specifically and incisively is not the same as wallowing in a sense of "perceived injustice."

     There is a strain of serpent-like behavior within the leadership of the Church--dissimulation, duplicity, spin-doctoring, prevarication, conniving, cunning Machiavellian political maneuvering, non-accountability and spiritual competitiveness. Your quote from "The Warfare of the Spirit" described how and why these behaviors manifest in churches today. They are manifest in ours. These will destroy our organization if allowed to go unchecked. For the benefit of those who may not have read your email and receive this communication I would like to include your quote here.

"There is great danger in our present-day evangelical circles that we place too great importance on conformity to authorities within the churches and so stifle whatever originality and daring there may be among us. That denomination is in grave peril when the only virtue required of its ministers is conformity and the only unforgivable ecclesiastical sin is insubordination. This situation develops when church authorities are placed in office by machinery instead of being commissioned by the Holy Spirit. To stay in the ascendancy these leaders must demand and get conformity to protect rules on the part of those under them. Such as these would far rather preside over a denomination of mediocre conformists than to be embarrassed by the presence of anointed men of vision who might unwittingly steal the hearts of the people from them. Thus when a head appears slightly above the dead level of flat conformity it is gently lopped off, ostensibly to protect the work of the Lord, but actually to retain control of the ecclesiastical machine."
------- A.W. Tozer, "The Warfare of the Spirit: Religious Ritual Versus the Presence of the Indwelling Christ"

     Is this not what we have seen happen to Gilbert Cleirbaut, William Espino, Carl Schowalter, and others? Thus far, the only people who have spoken out have been those on the periphery. For some reason, those on the inside, those who are Elders and employees, never seem to find their own voice in challenging these iniquities. They leave silently (often secretly prompting from behind the scenes those of us who do speak out), or speak out publicly themselves only to resign.

     Personally I expect more from our Elders and leaders. All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do (and say) nothing. It is time to challenge the pernicious culture of silence within this organization. The culture of our Church is such that if you speak about a problem out loud, you are labeled the problem. You are categorized as divisive or railing or argumentative or attacking the organization, and in some way you must be silenced or eliminated or walled off from the congregation. The truth is, when people talk about problems out loud they don't cause them, they simply expose them.

It is time for our Elders and other leaders throughout this organization to speak out. Let those who call for openness in communication speak out openly. Challenge publicly and directly those behaviors and conditions within our Church which you privately decry and which you know in your heart to be compromises of the Community of the Holy Spirit. We need Elders who do more than graciously and eloquently withdraw. We need leaders willing to rise to the challenge of championing Truth. Either speak out and lead or get out of the way. Let El Morya find real leaders throughout this community--chelas who may or may not hold any office or title--who will rise up to claim their mantles and re-claim our Church.

      Unless there is some sort of referendum, the new president will be selected in secret by the same closed circle of individuals on the Board of Directors. Each communicant in this church should have a voice as to who the president shall be. We should be informed. It should be disclosed who has stepped forward. The record and qualifications and the "calling" these individuals feel should be public and available for all to assess in their hearts. This is a healthy check and balance against the misuse of power.

I call for a disclosure to the entire community of who the candidates for president are. These individuals should be allowed to speak to the entire community and reveal openly what are their qualifications and goals and why they feel the calling to serve as President.

      You are so correct, Arie; this is not a game. The Church is disintegrating because once they penetrate its pious facade, sincere chelas encounter dissimulation, spin- doctoring, withholding of the truth, manipulation, political maneuvering, and sugar-coated viciousness. Those who have attacked and tried to remove men like Gilbert Cleirbaut and William Espino and Carl Schowalter seem more adept with the dagger than the sword. Some of our "ministers" seem more inclined to cut people off at the knees than wash their feet. These are metaphors that sting but they capture a truth. In the face of these repugnant energies and actions, many sincere chelas are choosing to dis-integrate their lives and energies from the organization. Such people are not leaving the path or forsaking the teachings or turning from God. They are essentially breaking away from an organization that resembles a dysfuncional, abusive family in which no one wants to address the real issues and in which anyone who forthrightly exposes the abuse is shunned as a trouble-maker.

      I am disappointed that Andrew B. chose not to speak out regarding the events that compromised the Prayer Vigils and the fashioning of a Sword Policy. These interactions with HQ were steeped in every variety of serpentine behavior we have been discussing. I experienced personally or observed many of these behaviors in my interactions with our Church leadership. It is not right to pass this off as a personnel/employment issue. The empowerment of our members in Christ and the resurrection of this Church was compromised. This is another, and pivotal, rent in the integrity of the leaders of our organization. To let this entire episode just be swept under the carpet of time leaves scars that do not heal and compromises the Community of the Holy Spirit. This issue still requires an accounting.

      Keepers of the Flame are you listening? Leadership are you listening? I have highlighted just two pivotal records and events that have compromised the integrity of our Church leadership. I did not conjure these up like a childhood fairy tale and Short Mort and Tall Paul. These episodes and scenarios occurred, they happened. Is our organization reduced to apathy, inaction, and denial of reality (all nine o'clock line substance) in regard to any accountability whatsoever? Has our measure and expectation of leadership been reduced to who has the appearance of "caring" the most or who has the best intentions? This formula sounds like the definition of a good liberal democrat, not a chela of the Masters or champion of truth and integrity. It is a formula of human sympathy and a prescription for disaster.

      Yet, behind even all of this we must acknoweledge that this is the stage and drama before us. I personally can't imagine why anyone would want to be on the sidelines watching (except they be momentarily exausted in battle or paralyzed by fear or idolatry or self-interest). Yes, we have to find a way to bring unity and harmony back to an organization that has truly lost its way. But we cannot compromise, spin-doctor, and whitewash the truth for the sake of a superficial and flawed unity.

      From the bottom to the top and from the top to the bottom, I would ask one and all to ask themselves:

Am I on the sidelines?

Have I opened my heart to God unconditionally to be his heart, his head, and his hand to secure God's will and victory for the Summit Lighthouse and Church Universal and Triumphant?

Is there a particular "standard/flame" that is my opportunity and destiny to champion and raise within myself and my organization? A responsibility that I have missed and left for another to pick up because I have avoided the task?

Do I engage my very being, as if God where "I Am" is the difference... and trust a mighty miracle from the Brotherhood!

     
This can be brutal self-evaluation but we need it. Our organization needs it. We need to slay the subtitles and compromises within and without so that a Golden Age my descend on earth.

      Arie, we need to expose and confront actions and behaviors, and not lable people. We can legitimately assess words, actions, and behaviors but labeling people and name calling just isn't right. I strive to edit and refine to the nth degree, until my emotions and knee jerk reactions are in check. Let's use the sword of the word to cleave the real from the unreal, not to bludgeon someone. Let's set high standards of communication for others to follow and emulate and not stain the art of statesmanship and just discourse. And God forbid any of us should presume to lable anyone else a fallen one.

      We need to approach the judgment with the mature perspective that Serpent and other fallen consciousness can step through the veil of any of us from time to time, because we have not bound our human dweller. We need to approach accountability honestly and forthrightly, as an impersonal assessment of the "fruit of our actions" (the Alpha quadrant of the clock). When we judge our assessments on "feelings and intentions" (i.e. human sympathy) rather than the hard truth of real actions, I think we are entertaining a fallen Omega consciousness and a perversion of the Omega quadrants of the clock. I view the "evil queen," in the fairyland castle conjured up by our ministers on World Vision Day, as representative of the collective dweller of this fallen Omega/Eve of our community. Just connect the dots! Serpent is the false hierarchy counterpoint to the Cosmic Christ, the Guru Lord Maitreya. It is this fallen Omega/Eve consciousness (that succumbed to the lie of Serpent) that I believe we are grappling with in our Church and Mystery School.

      Perhaps there is a correlation here to your perceptions, Arie, regarding the Church recently beginning it's 3rd cycle of the fourteen Stations of the Cross and the next 14 years under the hierarchy of Pisces, where Mother and her seed fall the 1st time from the weight of world karma. Given our history and the karma of this planet we should gird up our energies and resolve (fourteen years!) and not be surprised that a life and death struggle, whether we as a church will even survive intact, is an initiation before us.

      Now is not the time to jump ship. It is time to hold fast to what we have received. It is time to ensoul the spirit and trust El Morya placed with us when he founded the Summit Lighthouse. It is time to refine our commitment and our resolve to champion a mature relationship with our God Presence and put our human dweller beneath our feet. I strive to hold the immaculate concept for our Church, our leaders and our membership.

      I would like to share with you a decree insert I wrote after one of my previous letters on Governance and extensive research on Mothers teachings from Dweller on Two Planets. These teaching are ripe with insights into numerous covenants between God and man in past Golden Ages and the compromises and karma that let to their fall. We can learn from these teachings today as we are literally deciding "by our actions" what covenant and to what heights a Golden Age of Aquarius might reach.

      May the mercy and blessings of the Brotherhood sustain our Church,

      Raymond Ziemkowski