1. In the popular media new religious movements are often viewed as aberrations and labelled as "cultish." Scholars of religion, however, generally define the term cult in a much more neutral way. Stark, Bainbridge, Melton and others describe a cult as any new religious movement which has no major connection to a parent body and which often stands at odds with mainstream society. In time, however, the status of the cult may change to an "established religion," or what Weber called a "church movement," as it accommodates to more mainstream society and consequently gains more acceptance and more adherents. The contentious history of Mormonism is a classic case in point of how a one-time "cult" evolves to gain acceptance. For more on cults see J. Gordon Melton's works: The Cult Experience: Responding to New Religious Pluralism (New York: Pilgrim Press, 1982); and The Encyclopedia Handbook of Cults in America (New York: Garland Publishers, 1992).
2. Jerry Mulvin, The Annals of Time (Manhattan Beach: The Divine Science of Light and Sound, 1982), pp. 24-25.
3. Jerry Mulvin, The Annals of Time (Manhattan Beach: The Divine Science of Light and Sound, 1982), pp. 27.
4. Bernadine Burlin, My Eck Master Affair (Menlo Park: I.W.P., 1982), pp. 164-65.
5. Personal letter, dated April 14, 1994.
6. Eckankar--A Hard Look at a New Religion; SCP Journal. Edited by Brooks and Mark Albrecht. September 1979, Vol. 3, No. 1.
7. Personal Letter, dated April 14, 1994.
8. Personal Letter, dated April 14, 1994.
9. Gary Olsen, MasterPath: The Light and Sound Teachings (Albuquerque: MasterPath, 1993), p. 6.
10. Gary Olsen, MasterPath: The Light and Sound Teachings (Al
buquerque: MasterPath, 1993), p. 10.
11. Gary Olsen, MasterPath: The Light and Sound Teachings (Albuquerque: MasterPath, 1993), p. 22.
12. Gary Olsen, MasterPath Book II, Pvt. Published, 1988. This book is for "members only" and is believed to hold the "secret doctrines" of the MasterPath. It was made available to me by Michael Turner, who received it from one of his new members. This disciple was once an initiate of Olsen's.
13. Olsen also draws a great deal of material for his MasterPath Book II from Jagat Singh's Science of the Soul. For examples see Appendix Six.
14. Charan Singh, Words Eternal (Beas: Radhasoami Satsang Beas, 1983).
15. K. Paul Johnson, Initiates of Theosophical Masters (New York: SUNY,1995), p. 158.
16. Gary Olsen, MasterPath Book II, Pvt. Published, 1988, pp. 41-42.
17. Gary Olsen, MasterPath Book II, Pvt. Published, 1988, pp. 41-42.
18. Gary Olsen, MasterPath Book II, Pvt. Published, 1988, pp. 52-53.
19. Gary Olsen, MasterPath Book II, Pvt. Published, 1988, p. 24.
20. Michael Turner questionnaire, 1994.
21. Michael Turner questionnaire, 1994.
22. Michael Turner questionnaire, 1994.
23. In many ways scholars can unintentionally contribute to the success (or perhaps downfall) of a group by writing about them. And this is especially true in the case of virtual groups. Since they are relatively obscure movements unheard of by the larger public, any outside recognition not only gives them a certain publicity they would not otherwise have but it also may lend a credibility to their claims because now the group's name and ideas are officially documented. Simply by being acknowledged and recorded by scholars as a religious group in the spiritual marketplace in America may be the first step out of the classification of "virtual." Indeed, scholars are not objective observers but play an interactive role whenever they investigate a guru or a group. Their research can alter the future history of the movement.