My boyfriend is in Eckankar and is crazy?

Question

My boyfriend is in the religion Eckankar and I really think he has a screw loose. Has anyone known a person who follows this religion? If so, can you understand the beliefs? I have tried really hard but it all seems like gobbledygook to me and I am about to give up trying to understand.

Answer 1

Wait a couple of years until Erhardt decides to change the name of his money making scheme again . It used to be EST

Answer 2

I am sure your boyfriend has never made an attempt to convert you to Eckankar, because Eckankar respects everyone's right to belong to a religion of his or her choice. That in a way tells you something about the religion. I know many ECKists who are happily married to non-ECKists.

As for understanding the beliefs, there is post already that basically says what you may want to tell others. But it all boils down to learning how to give and receive Love. All religions talk about love, but Eckankar teaches the subject in a very simple and practical way. You may read this very short but interesting book (which you can download from the web site): Is Life a Random Walk?

Answer 3

My girlfriend is involved in Eckankar (although she's showing some signs of backing off it a bit). It's not really all that hard to understand, but I have no intentions of signing up, myself. Here are the basic principles:

"Soul is eternal and is the individual's true identity.

Soul exists because God loves It.

Soul is on a journey of Self- and God-Realization.

Spiritual unfoldment can be accelerated through conscious contact with the ECK, Divine Spirit.

This contact can be made via the Spiritual Exercises of ECK and the guidance of the Living ECK Master.

The Mahanta, the Living ECK Master is the spiritual leader of Eckankar.

Spiritual experience and liberation in this lifetime are available to all.

You can actively explore the spiritual worlds through Soul Travel, dreams, and other spiritual techniques."

http://www.eckankar.org/beliefs.html

Oh, and get used to chanting "Hu" a lot. They're very into the Hu chant. And you'll see lots of pictures of Sri Harold Klemp, the current Mahanta (it used to be Paul Twitchell, and after him, Darwin Gross, but now it's Harold Klemp).

I don't mind chanting and that sort of thing. My own religion uses Gregorian chanting. But I personally feel that they're putting too much reliance upon a mortal man (in this case, the Mahanta). But that's just my opinion. I've been to a number of their meetings and didn't hear anything overly objectionable, but I don't know what the paid lessons are like. To be a full student, it's around $130 per year for an individual, and $160 for a family.

Answer 4

Hi Guys. Other people and their belief stuctures appear weird to us only in relation to what we ourselves have grown up with, or been programmed into. We presume to know the truth about God and salvation, and judge and condemn all others who do not fit into our mould. Rather than judge and condemn, we should do our own honest research and discover the truth for ourselves.

Those who unknowingly condemn innocent people are answerable to the Holy Spirit/Divine Spirit/God. The words and actions of an unenlightened person are similar to a child putting its finger in a candle flame. The child's finger gets burned. Ignorance is no excuse. The onus is on each individual to ascertain the truth on any given person, entity, situation or subject.

Many nations have been destroyed due to arrogance, ignorance and deliberate discrimination against another. The hand of God weighs heavy on those who spit venom at any soul/s who meet God at their level, which may be beyond your level on comprehension.

Answer 5

the teachings of eckankar has been echoed in many other religions too

the first one that comes to mind is in hinduisim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha

or aboriginal dreamtime

http://www.crystalinks.com/dreamtime.html


here's a phylosphical veiw thats comparable to what your bf is tryin to get in touch with

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Involution_%28philosophy%29

is not all that crazy. he wants to grasp something he cant explain is basic human nature.

so the medium he;'s using isent all that credible .... i say which religious orgin hasent been debated ?

if it gets really out of hand i guess u can tell him this is the only plane of exsistence he knows and that his relationship is taking a backseat to his great journey of knowledge which can be a bunch of bolonga

or maybe you can open him up to other schools of thought a more scientific way to explain his "journey"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dreaming

dream control

outer body experiences, which im sure was noted in christianity too

voice your concerns

good luck

Answer 6

I believe that anyone else's beliefs probably seem strange to you. The guy is basically a mystic. You don't need to understand more than that. Can you accept your differences or do you want someone with similar beliefs? Don't try to talk him out of his beliefs or he will probably cling tighter to them. You will lose him if you keep telling him that you think he's weird. What do you want?

Answer 7

Yes, I have known someone who's 2 brothers were in that religion. One of them committed suicide in his garage, with the car running, and a picture of Eckankar plastered on the inside of his windshield. I would run, not walk away from this religion. Turn to Jesus, and don't turn back!

Answer 8

Use your decernment in life. Trust your feelings and sences,
if its that complicated why bother, He is lost don't let him take you with him. Find a NEW boy friend a nice guy is waiting... You need to distance yourself from your current
boy friend.
Tell him Uncle Mike said so. Good Luck and remember
you are responsible for the decisions you make,good and bad. You pick your friends, Don't let your friends pick you.

Answer 9

Don't try to understand it. I got involved and got right out.
I have found that it is a trap. I read one book and thought, hey way cool, then the next was more like hey give up what you have and follow me, I'm the Christ on Earth and his name isn't Paul. I forgot the last name.
Then I found out from a medium who I trusted who channeled Angels and they said it is a cult that is Anti Christ.
He may be too far gone to wake him up. They use truth to draw you in.
I can only say what I read and experienced. Jesus said, I will return as I came. He is not in New York city or any other place right now. He will come back in the near future about 2028 I read. Even still the bible says if someone says I'm in a field, don't go.
I have no regard for ECK , Tell him what I said. I hope he will listen. This may be a lesson he has to learn the hard way.
Rev. TomCat

Answer 10

I remember seeing those guys on Public Access TV. They are definitely a bit off.