April 16, 2009 9:32am Update: The Dalai Lama’s website is now listing the website of the World Ethical Foundations Consortium as the contact website for his May 6 visit to the Palace Theatre in Albany.
The World Ethical Foundations Consortium, which has been criticized for its connection to Keith Raniere and NXIVM Corporation and is still the sponsor of the Dalai Lama’s rescheduled visit to Albany’s Palace Theatre on May 6, has added two event spokespersons to its event organizing committee.
The first spokesperson, Edgar Boone, has been responsible for the success of Executive Success Programs, part of NXIVM, in Mexico.
The second spokesperson, Mark Vicente, has been associated with another NXIVM venture, A Cappella Innovations. Here is what he had to say about Keith Raniere, founder of all the above organizations, in an online forum.
I’ve known Keith Raniere for about three years now. I am very fortunate to call him my friend. George Lucas had Joseph Campbell as a mentor and I am fortunate enough to have Keith as an adviser in my filmmaking endeavors. When I first met Keith I was very careful and skeptical of him. One of the problems for me (which turned out to be an asset) was that he was not authoritative and yet people were saying a number of great things about him. But he just acted like a normal guy.
Before his association with Keith Raniere, Mark Vicente was associated with Ramtha or Ramtha School of Enlightenment, which like NXIVM, has been criticized for having cult like characteristics. Upstream was unable to ascertain if Vicente is still part of Ramtha, although if Vicente has left Ramtha, it had to be quite recently.
Mark Vicente was one of the directors of a Ramtha sponsored film, What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? aka What the Bleep Do We (K)now or What the Bleep Do We Know. The film was attacked by many scientists for what they believed was an inaccurate portrayal of quantum physics. It was attacked by reviewers as a propaganda piece for Ramtha School of Enlightenment.
The Ramtha School of Enlightenment bases its teaching on Judy Z. “J.Z.” Knight’s claims to channel 35,000-year-old spirit “Ramtha.” She played a large part in actress Shirley MacLaine’s book, Dancing in the Light.
There are now five members of the event committee of the World Ethical Foundations Symposium, which is bringing the Dalai Lama to the Palace Theatre in Albany on May 6, 2009. Three of them are part of NXIVM. One has a connection with NXIVM and Ramtha, and the fifth member is assoicated with the Dalai Lama.
For more information on Ramtha School of Enlightenment, watch video interview with Glen Cunningham, former bodyguard of J. Z. This is a two part interview.
Watch followup Q & A with Glen Cunningham. Also in two parts.
Watch interview with JZ Knight’s ex-husband, Jeff Knight.
Check out JZ Knight’s own website.
1 Comment
April 16, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Wouldn’t it make more sense for “Rightguard” and his fanatic followers, including the Bronfman brats, to still hold this event at the Times Union Center? After all, the Ringling Brothers Circus would seem to be the perfect venue for this clown of a man!