Posted on 10/06/2007 4:13:53 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
No, I'm NOT being metaphorical nor am I kidding. If I wasn't having so much fun laughing at Ronnie Earle, I might even wish that it weren't true.
Evidently Travis County DA Ronnie Earle - who is once again back in the running for most politically-driven DA in the nation now that Mike Nifong has been disbarred - is involved in this New Age, "re-discover your masculinity" cult called the ManKind Project. That's according to the liberal Houston Press. And boy does this outfit sound scary.
Forty men at a time strip down and do tribal dances and beat cooked chickens and such.
This is the DA, you might remember, who is conducting a politically motivated witch hunt of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. I know that it has nothing to do with the (non-existent) legal merits of the case against Tom DeLay, but then again Ronnie Earle's case against Tom DeLay doesn't have anything to do with the law, either. It's all about liberals' attempt to criminalize free market conservative politics. Kind of like what Putin has done in Russia.
So...please join me in mocking this sad excuse of a District Attorney and sad, sad excuse of a man.
Ronnie Earle, as if we needed any further proof, you're a real whack job.
(Excerpt) Read more at redstate.com ...
The ManKind Project® is a progressive men’s organization striving to be increasingly inclusive and affirming of cultural differences, especially with respect to color, class, sexual orientation, faith, age, ability, ethnicity, and nationality.
The ManKind Project’s New Warrior Training Adventure® is an intense, transformative men’s initiation which invites men to forge a deep conscious connection between head and heart. The NWTA offers men a powerful, challenging opportunity to look at all aspects of their lives in a richly supportive environment.
The primary training is conducted internationally under the name of the New Warrior Training Adventure ® (“NWTA”). The NWTA is an intensive three-day residential workshop in which the participants examine their role as men in modern society.
* So What is Being a Man All About Anyway?
* Program Restores Healthy Masculinity
Here are some examples of the missions of the men of the ManKind Project:
* MKP Men Facilitate Growth in a Maximum Security Prison
* From the Destroying Power of Hate to the
Transformational Power of Love
* A Warrior Tempered With Spirit
Many men are sad, lonely, frightened, angry, and ashamed, and don’t even know it. And with the loss of their feelings, they also lose what is most precious to them: Their ability to value their world and to hold life dear.
Other men know their feelings perhaps too well. They have learned to indulge in their feelings and use them to manipulate others, often the ones they love most. They lack the ability to stand in their own authenticity. Lost in their feelings, they too lose what is most precious to them: Their ability to be trusted and loved.
The cost of the NWTA is set by individual Centers. In the U.S. the cost averages $650.
I can’t imagine that Archbishop DiNardo would be amused.
I only listen to his after-game coverage. Did you notice WOAI picked up Dennis Miller for the 8p slot
The mythopoetic men’s movement is a general style of psychological self-help, largely inspired by the work of Joseph Campbell. Authors associated with it include Robert Bly and Clarissa Pinkola Estes.
Characteristic of the mythopoetic movement was a tendency to retell fairy tales and engage in their exegesis as a tool for personal insight. Using frequent references to archetypes as drawn from Jungian analytical psychology, the movement focused on issues of gender role, gender identity and wellness for modern men and women. Advocates would often engage in storytelling with music, these acts being seen as a modern extension to a form of “new age shamanism” popularized by Michael Harner at approximately the same time.
The mythopoetic men’s movement spawned a variety of self-help groups and workshops, led by authors such as Bly and Robert L. Moore. The self-help aspect of this movement was seen as something of a fad at the time. Nevertheless some serious academic work came out of this movement, including the creation of various magazines and non-profit organizations, such as the Mankind Project.
******
Posted: 02-06-2006 11:24 PM
Post subject: husband in mankind project...cult?
My husband has been in the mankind project for around 1 1/2 years. He says that around 6 mos. ago he had a “spiritual awakening” and has been having “deep spiritual and emotional connections” with certain people since this experience. Granted, we have had our share of problems, but I feel like since his Training weekend, along with all the subsequent Integration groups (every other week) he has been more distant, less communicative about everything in his life, he’s changed his look, now wants a tattoo (which he never talked about before) and last week said that he has been thinking about divorce for the past 6 mos. I am trying to sort out the truth and whether or not he has fallen out of love and changed or is suffering from the impression of the mankind project. I would really appreciate any information anyone might have of something similar, or other useful information. I am so confused! This is not the man I married.
******
Posted: 09-11-2006 01:34 AM
Post subject: I have been to the WEEKEND
Hello,
I have attended the mankind project New Warrior Integration weekend.
I would like to say I don’t agree with everything that happened that weekend. I do in fact regret going. It seemed like a postive idea at first, but it was an experience I could do without. The reason I went is because I was pressured by my friend and I gave into that pressure because I had been convinced that it would be something of value to me. The cost of the weekend was $650
The first thing that happens when you go there is you are brought into a dark room with men dressed in army attire yelling at you to stand there, do this, do that, in boot camp fashion. You and your bags are then searched for drugs and weapons. You are then lead into a dark trailer and made to sit on the floor in the dark with all the other men attending the weekend. As far as we could tell we had spent nearly 2 hours in a completely dark trailer.
Then they come and get you from the trailer and bring you to a meeting hall where you are asked to sit on the floor while they spew out their talk about how this weekend is going to challenge you physically, mentally and spiritually.
Then they split the group in half and have everyone stand up and tell why they are there. Some reasons were; to quit smoking, i beat my wife, i have a drug habbit, and another common one “my friend told me it would help me”. After telling your problems to a group of complete strangers you ‘play a game’ which involved everyone running around in the middle of the woods in the dark of night carrying logs up a hill. Then everyone is made to sleep on the floor of the meeting hall.
Day 2: The first half of day 2 consists of doing workshops about what you want in life and your problems and your feelings. Then in the afternoon everyone is put through a process in which they are sometimes humiliated, injured by other men at the camp, taunted, etc. in a process they call “GUTS”
This process is designed to cause someone to mentally break down so that they can be somehow put under extreme mental pressure to change. What actually seems to happen is they break you down and then they tell you that your “warrior brothers” are there for you and you are a king amoung men. Then after everyone has had a turn to be humiliated you are all put in a small room for another hour and told to be silent. Then the staff members come in naked and tell everyone to take off all their clothes and come to the meeting hall where the rest of the staff members are dancing around a fire in a circle banging on drums naked. Then you line up and you are given a necklace and are now a “true warrior brother”.
Day3: You are woken up at 5 AM and are marched outside to do a cerimoney about the sun. You are then given your daily shower. Which I forgot to mention for day 2 is a 15 second completly COLD water. After running around in the forest and sitting in hot rooms for 3 days you start to stink.
Next thing is a sex conversation. Everyone is expected to get naked and sit in a circle where a stick resembling a penis is passed around the circle and when you have the stick you have 2 minutes to talk about all of the sexually-related problems you have had as a man. After this everyone does some sort of visualization in which you are 2 different men who come together as 1.
Next is a native style sweat lodge. Then a feast... which is very well received after only being allowed to drink orange juice and water and only able to eat oranges and granola for the last 3 days.
After the feast you are taken into a room by the leader and told that what happens here is a secret amoung men. And then some things must remain secret in order for them to remain sacred. You should not tell anyone what went on, not even your wife.
Anyways that is a summary of what went on. The way my friend made it sound was NO WHERE near what happened. The only reason I stayed is because my friend told me I must trust him and it will be worth it & because you can only get $600 of your $650 back once you survive the weekend... and then I was told that I cannot get any money back since I stayed the whole weekend and it counts toward “food and lodging” (sleeping on the floor and eating bird food). Needless to say my friend told me things to get me to go to this that has now broke my trust with him and I have not talked to him since shortly after the weekend. I was constantly being called by people from this group asking me to come to their biweekly meetings. I have had to change both my home phone number and cell phone number because of this.
So... I don’t reccommend going to this weekend unless you LIKE having a terrible time.
Someone either told me or I read it that ‘a retired Marine colonel’ was one of the founders of this organization.
If true, I guess the USMC had their ‘weirdo’ filter turned off for an inordinate amount of time!
That makes me throw up a little in my mouth!
ManKind Project
Posted: 10-12-2006 09:00 AM
Post subject: MKP cult
since my husband of 18 years has joined these brainwashing losers whom feel they need to give themselves animal names to feel like a man-he is clearly gone way too far. I have given him an ultimatium-I have spoken to psychologists and psychiatrists and they agree-either end MKP or end the marriage! I’ve had enough of this bullcrap-One of the gays in his group calls him f-in non-stop even on sunday mornings, no one cn tell me thats normal behvior for a married man. And yes, I have asked him several times and have even questioned his sexuality. He claims he is defiinitely straight, but I’ve since moved in to my own bedroom. the thought of him continuing with the stupid I groups and hugging gays and other men , is a total turn off for me. I will not be intimate with him for fear he may be lying to me. His little I group dwindled down to 3 guys from about 40 that did the weekend, but it just doesnt stop, they have convinced him to join some other f-in crazy group call truth seekers or some shit. Bottom line is, who will he miss more- his so called Warrior group or his wife. Guess we”ll let my lawyer decide this tuesday. I speak every bit of truth-perhaps if I can just save one marriage-it would all be worth it. Isnt there some legal action or a stand people like us can take to dismantle MKP and show the public what REALLY happens? Anyone that can help, please reply.
******
Posted: 10-12-2006 02:15 AM Post subject:
On the topic of homosexuality...
I don’t have a problem with homosexuals first of all. One thing I would like add is that on my warrior crap weekend, more then half of the men were gay. Most of the ones that weren’t gay had a problem with beating their wives.
Another thing I have thought about since reading some of these posts is my ex-friend who “recruited” me. I had always remembered him having a girlfriend before this mankind project. Thinking about things now the girlfriend he had who he was engaged to when he went to his first weekend... he broke up with her a short while afterwards. And the way he did so was in a very non-respectful, almost torturing way. It’s hard to explain.
Anyways the point is he has not had a girlfriend ever since and has spent a lot of time around men.
Also, the thing about having to spend money and volunteer your time is true. To “staff” a weekend you have to pay $150
I think that anyone who is involved in this needs to get out. I got out without really ever getting in but during a weekend like that being broken down physically mentally and being in a state of dependence like that and very vulnerable while being influenced by a cult... that’s not good for anyone.
I think what they do is convince you there is something wrong with you and they are the only ones who can truly fix it and they are the only ones who will support you. This is how I think they control people.
I don’t know what their motivation is I just think these people are messed up and they need to be stopped if you have someone in this MKP crap get them out. Smack them around and say WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU. because this group can only do harm.
******
PostPosted: 10-12-2006 11:02 AM
thewizard, I also do not have a problem with gays. I have a child who is gay. I also understand many men in MKP are gay or bisexual. When I read stories of married men pulling away from their loved ones, and spending so much time with other, sometimes younger men, I have little nagging thoughts there might be more to it.
I was first introduced to a men’s group called The ManKind Project while reading through a lawsuit filed against the organization in Harris County civil court. It described a weekend retreat north of Houston where men dress in black, wear face paint, and engage in rituals and exercises called “Cock Talk,” and “Little Boy’s Deepest Needs.”
The ManKind Project is an international nonprofit organization that claims to offer men training: how to be accountable for yourself, how to express yourself, how to learn that being a man in today’s world is okay. Men pay hundreds of dollars to attend a weekend initiation retreat, during which they engage in rituals – many in the nude – and delve into men’s most intimate and personal issues.
Many men who attend the weekend swear the program changed their lives for the better. But not all. The Scinto family, who filed the lawsuit, claim their son attended the retreat in 2005, came home, and two weeks later took his own life because he could not handle the psychological stresses placed upon him during the weekend.
The family began investigating and discovered an underworld of critics who feel this self-help program – where men must sign confidentiality contracts and liability waivers to attend – has the potential to do harm. Critics, including the Scinto family, claim the organization appears to practice psychology without a state license, targets vulnerable members of 12-step recovery groups, and has a poor vetting system with which to determine who is and who is not capable of dealing with the program.
With all its confidentiality agreements, The ManKind Project is shrouded in mystery and secrecy. In this week’s feature, “Weekend Warriors,” we chronicle the Scinto family’s attempts to pull back the veil and show a side of The ManKind Project that’s not seen in the organization’s promotional films, two of which you can view below.
— Chris Vogel
“The ManKind Project was founded 20 years ago by three men. These men — a drill sergeant, a psychologist, and a philosopher/poet — wanted to create a support system for men to express and find themselves. They started it because they saw the men around them dying early, stressed out, divorcing, and feeling alone,” said Rich. These three men created a weekend retreat for men to explore feelings, a connection to nature. and each person’s own spirituality. “A lot of the teachings come from indigenous people — the Celts, Aborigines, Native Americans, and African tribes.” After Rich spoke, two men played guitars and sang a song inspired by the training, “The Next Man.”
Rick Kelchak was brought up Catholic but became a born-again Christian in college. “I got sucked into it through Youth for Christ,” said Kelchak. Later, Kelchak rejected his faith because he was gay. “It was difficult because I was a crazy, Bible-thumping person who liked other guys. There was a lot of prayer and gnashing of teeth [as a Christian]. I wondered why I am made this way. I know God, or whatever being, is fine with the way that I am. If he wasn’t, my conversion would have stopped these [homosexual] feelings.” Kelchak still believes in God. “I guess you would call me a pseudo-Christian. But I believe the Indian practices hold more truth for me than Christianity. I see the earth, sky, and all creation as sacred.” Kelchak said the MKP incorporates some of this Native American spirituality. On the retreats they beat drums in the forest, have a sweat lodge. Graduates wear a talisman, the red pouch necklace filled with sage, herbs, and a stone from the weekend retreat.
******
I would like to say that maybe instead of following blindly MKP you should do a little research on the whole thing as I have done and continue to do. Bill Kauth and Rich Tossi both attended Justin Sterlings weekend and then branched off and founded MKP with Ron Hering who was murdered by his girlfriends father for molesting his granddaughter. He was a womanizer and a child molester. Hmmm go figure that he should be a founder of such a weekend that humiliates men and strips them of themselves so that he can turn them into whatever he wants them to be....God forgive me, but thank god he is dead.
NWT is confidential because they are scared that if you knew what was going on their that you would not go “it will change your life” INDEED I say.
I have not been misinformed, trust me. I have researched this and I have spoken directly with the 4 men regarding what they went through.
It’s a wonder any of us survived growing up without playdates. How did we do it?
How?
Tom DeLay removed himself from Majority Whip when he became Majority Leader. Republicans led by Rep. Jeff Flake removed DeLay from Majority Leader when they concluded DeLay was harming the Republican Party.
Ronnie Earle's indictment had very little (if any at all) to do with either event.
DeLay left out of honor the way the Republicans set up there platform as not to give the appearance of wrong doing if one of them were suspected of something.
Ronnie Earl knew about that policy and was the one instrumental in forcing the issue!
Bookmarking
“Dr. Ward” will have fun with this if he will pick it up.
I would have to say emphasis on the “+”....
...LOL!
Had to pick my jaw up off the floor after reading your link. What a bunch of sickos. Very fitting that Ronnie Earle would belong. Hope the sob does decide to run for govenor. The publicity he’ll get from this will be rich.
(Ronnie) Earle (Travis County DA) Announces Retirement
Austin American Spokesman ^ | Friday, December 14, 2007 | Laylan Copelin
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