Opus Dei, María Rosa Boladeras, Mother Meera
NCR: New book on Opus Dei is salacious, but fails to offer critical insight
NCR: New book on Opus Dei is salacious, but fails to offer critical insight
"Almost since Opus Dei was founded in 1928 in pre-Franco Spain, the conservative Catholic group has been described as a "shadowy," "secretive," "cult-like" "sect." Every few years that image, which clings to the organization like stinkweed, is reinforced in the press; as long ago as 1957, Time magazine referred to members as the "White Masons." Not for nothing did the writer Dan Brown smell the opportunity to depict a fictionalized Opus Dei as the vessel for a dangerous, cultish secret society in his bestseller The Da Vinci Code.
And of course, Opus Dei — which means "work of God" in Latin — is conservative, secretive and controversial. It has faced criticism from within the church and been embroiled in various intrachurch battles since the 1930s. Whether you view it as an insidious, ultraconservative sleeper cell or a righteous force fighting for orthodoxy in a hostile world likely reflects your own ideological priors.
Part of what makes Opus Dei unique in the church is its status as the sole personal prelature. It is not a religious order, and its ranks include both clergy and laypeople, including some of the most prominent conservative Catholics in America. Its core idea, which founder Josemaría Escrivá said was revealed to him in a vision, is the sanctification of ordinary life by laypeople living the Gospel, and its practices are rigorous and demanding.
Because of its secrecy and reach, it has drawn scrutiny from the Vatican. Under Pope John Paul II, Opus Dei was celebrated and elevated to a prelature, with Escrivá declared a saint. Pope Francis has been warier, with the organization becoming the focus of reform efforts amid a fresh round of controversies.
Among the worst of those are allegations of human trafficking in Francis' native Argentina. Prosecutors there launched an investigation of members of the organization in September accusing them of human trafficking and slave labor. Amid persistent complaints and lawsuits are claims that Opus Dei has recruited poor young rural girls in Argentina with promises of education and a better life, only to consign them to years of hard work with no pay. It is the broadest claim ever made against the organization, which has "categorically" denied the allegations."
Ecoavant: Being born and living in the "Healthy Living Sect: a hell of abuse and forced labor"
Guru Rating: Mother Meera
Under the spell of a living GODDESS; THE CULT OF MOTHER MEERA...AND THE SCOTTISH TEACHER WHO GAVE UP EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW HER.
" ... At the beginning of July 2024, the International Congress of ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) took place at the Faculty of Geography and History of the University of Barcelona.
The event was attended by international and Spanish experts in psychological manipulation and coercive sects, bringing together around 250 attendees. Participants included professionals in this field, researchers, lawyers, educators, former members of coercive persuasion groups and family members.
María Rosa Boladeras was honoured as "the godmother of all Spanish associations that work in the field of groups that practice sectarian coercion"
During the meeting, a warm tribute was paid to María Rosa Boladeras , in recognition of her outstanding career. She was honoured as "the godmother of all Spanish associations that work in the field of groups that practice sectarian coercion . "
The pioneer and renowned expert on cults, Mrs. Boladeras, confesses that she "had a very bad time when her son became a follower of the Hare Krishna cult for several months" at the beginning of the 1980s. At 93 years old, she remembers that she thought "that couldn't be." Motivated by her experience, she founded AIS Pro Juventud (Advice and Information on Sects) from Barcelona with the aim of combating this type of coercive groups and offering support to victims and their families. "
Guru Rating: Mother Meera
" ... The mother's views on homosexuality
Controversy arose when Andrew Harvey, a devoted follower, said that she suggested to him that he break up with his boyfriend, marry a woman, and make public claims that Meera had cured him of his homosexuality. He cut ties with Meera and published a book about it.
Akin to leaving a cult, he claims that her followers harassed him mercilessly afterwards, even trying to get him fired from his job.
It's worth noting that Andrew Harvey's previous books, full of praise, were the very reason for Mother Meera's popularity in the Western world. It seems unlikely he would lie about this after spending 10 years with her.
To further his claim, a previously published edition of one of her works, Answers Part II, contained language that spoke out against homosexuality.
When confronted with this, one of her closest aides said it was a publishers' mistake and that the mother had never uttered such a thing. Avatars don't make mistakes, apparently. The book was later revised to omit the topic entirely."
" ... The unauthorized biography
Martin Goodman was asked to write Meera's official biography. His investigation took him to India, where he interviewed people who had known her for a long time.
The reports were not that great. People who had known Meera growing up did not agree with her devotees' lofty opinions of her. Goodman wrote a very approachable, human biography of the Mother. While it was not 100% positive, he remained her follower and continued to believe that she was the real deal.
Her staff asked him to destroy the manuscript. They've cultivated this aura of divinity around Meera that makes it impossible for them to admit that she could ever make a mistake. The homosexuality controversy is just one example.
Goodman was crushed and followed their order, though he ended up republishing it as an unauthorized biography. He's cut ties with her and now claims that she's an occultist."
Under the spell of a living GODDESS; THE CULT OF MOTHER MEERA...AND THE SCOTTISH TEACHER WHO GAVE UP EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW HER.
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