Cults & Mind-Control Movements

November 6th, 1980. Geraldo Rivera on ABC's 20/20 news with the conclusion of his investigation into the Lifespring organization.

"..there is another side to the Lifespring story. People are being hurt, or they're hurting themselves, directly or indirectly because of their involvement in the Lifespring program..."

We learn gross sales around 1980 are about 20million per year, with offices in 14 U.S. cities. With around 100,000 people having taken part so far in the Lifespring program, is it indeed a mind control organization?

A brief overview of Vietnam prisoners and prisoners undergoing 'mind games' in Korea. These same techniques, allegedly used in the Lifespring program, are apparently a type of brainwashing. We hear a firm rebuttal from Lifespring consultant Dr. Robert Slagle and other organization insiders.

We learn about potential partnership with parts of the military and hear from a variety of experts in the field including foundation representatives, psychologists from Harvard, and representatives of the Air Force explaining how their airmen became enrolled in the program. A number of government officials have been exposed to Lifespring training, frequently on the taxpayer dime.

Part 1 of this original expose is here:
https://youtu.be/2cMrVam7Qbk

Part 2 of the Lifespring series:
https://youtu.be/yoYap38XBg4

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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October 30th, 1980. Geraldo Rivera for 20/20 ABC News talks to individuals who went into the Lifespring program with full commitment, sometimes leading to their own death.

"..so one day Artie apparently decided that his problem, with the water, was all in his head. So he decided to go for a swim...Artie never had a chance...Artie Barnett drowned."

The family of this man and witnesses to his drowning speak in interviews, two of whom are professional therapists who refused to enroll in the program. Additional victims of Lifespring's reach for the personal 'Holy Grail' are interviewed and controversial journeys discussed. The implications of this powerful thought-changing organization selling their program to federal agencies and more are considered towards the end of segment.

Part 1 of this original expose is located here:
https://youtu.be/2cMrVam7Qbk

Part 3:
https://youtu.be/NbMZ2FiXwhM

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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October 30th, 1980. Geraldo Rivera for Eyewitness News brings us this provocative report on Lifespring, and the general cult ecosystem in the United States.

"...and his uncontrolled euphoria is one typical response. You see the Lifespring training uses powerful psychological techniques..."

The beginning of this segment puts it in perspective, with hundreds of thousands of young Americans looking for a new addiction. After mind-altering drugs came mind-altering organizations before leading to organizations likes Lifespring.

We look at the training sessions in use, speaking to members who have been through it. Does the group's emphasis on self-reliance lead to ignorance of serious medical conditions?

Lifespring was a for-profit organization founded in 1974 and becoming defunct in the mid 1990s. Despite the controversy it claimed to have trained over 400,000 people across the United States.

Part 2 of this original expose is located here:
https://youtu.be/yoYap38XBg4

Part 3:
https://youtu.be/NbMZ2FiXwhM

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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August 22nd, 1990. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show brings us 'Cult Moms', with this segment focusing on a mom who escaped the Church of Scientology, as well as a current member.

"..Scientology helps people be more aware of themselves, people find out more about their lives and what they want to do in it, we're in the business....of keeping families together."

This segment focuses on whether Scientology and other potential cults tend to prey on women going through a major life change; divorce, tragic loss. Is the Church of Scientology destructive, or does it change peoples' lives for the better? We also hear from a cult expert and psychologist in the audience about Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard, and his son who committed suicide.

This day, Geraldo's television history.
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October 26th, 1990. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show brings us the story of Jeffrey Lundgren, then facing the electric chair.

"Dennis and Cheryl Avery along with their three young daughters were attracted to Lundgren's church because it upheld what they believed to be a fundamentalist view of the Mormon religion..."

The story of Jeffrey Lundgren's Latter Day Saint based movement is recapped, along with the convincing followers a blood sacrifice must be made to get to the promised land. Other cults and killings related to them are mentioned.

Keith and Kevin, former members of Mr. Lundgren's cult are in studio and speak about how they joined the movement in Kirtland, Ohio, an important spot for Mormons. We learn about Jeffrey's progression into 'prophet' and 'seer' and how it led to the murder of an innocent family.

Jeffrey Lundgren was executed in 2006 at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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1991. Geraldo Rivera on his Now It Can Be Told program investigates 'JR', or John Roger, who has built a multi-million dollar tax exempt empire around his claim to holiness. Mr. Roger says he was endowed with godly powers during kidney stone surgery in 1963, and he could teach other mortals to use power of the mind in acquiring worldly goods.

'The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness', or MSIA has devotees living at a seminary in Los Angeles, and this church of John Rogers has also attracted some very high profile Hollywood personalities. The school he founded, the University of Santa Monica, offers Insight Seminars which are popular in the United States and around the world. Attendees are frequently sent by federal agencies, including the Navy and the Social Security Administration.

Later in the segment we hear from the Cult Awareness Network about the MSIA, and throughout are former disciples, defectors and others familiar with this shadowy network of holy man and tax money. John Rogers did not want to answer any questions and when found at one of his book signings laughed off the questions.

The MSIA, Univeristy of Santa Monica, and Insight Seminars all still exist today in 2025. John Rogers passed away in 2014, age 80.

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October 10th, 1991. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show brings us a segment on Scientology, hearing from church president Heber C. Jentzsch and author Steve Hassan.

"Do you sir, allege that Scientology is a destructive cult?"

This segment largely begins with a response to a recent Time magazine article which accused the religous organization of being less than scrupulous. We hear from Scientologists in the audience, as well as from Monica Pignotti a former member and confidante of L. Ron Hubbard.

In 2025, the controversy continues. Scientology - religion to help millions around the world to a better life, or extortionist cult benefiting those at the top?

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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1990. On his namesake talk show, Geraldo Rivera hosts Patricia Ryan, the daughter of deceased congressman Leo Ryan. This clip starts with a look at the "Peoples Temple", an allegedly religious movement known for a mass death event at their remote location in Guyana, 1978. Footage is shown of the location as it was later found by the government of Guyana. We then hear from daughter Patricia Ryan about what it was like to grow up the midst of these events, losing her father.

These events occured in 1978.

Congressman Leo Ryan led a fact finding mission to 'Jonestown' amid reports of involuntary confinement and even murder of the followers there. On his initiative a large group went to Guyana, including concerned family members of the Jonestown followers. Upon his departure Congressman Ryan was gunned down by fanatical "People's Temple" followers, along with four others, hours before the mass death event killed over 900 people at Jonestown itself.

Larry Layton, likely the first to open fire inside of Congressman Ryan's departing cessna, was convicted in 1987 of aiding and abetting the murder of the Congressman as well as other crimes. He served 18 years in prison and was released from custody in 2002.

In total five people were murdered at Port Kaituma under Jim Jones direction, including Congressman Leo Ryan, as their plane was preparing for departure.

Four others committed suicide at a People's Temple facility in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana.

Hours later 909 cult members died at the Jonestown facility after consuming a grape flavor-aid beverage laced with poisons. Many were likely injected against their will.

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September 18th, 1990. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show brings us the family of a girl who died from dehydration during her youth camp excursion.

"...more than 75% of the kids and adults surveyed, felt the programs did not live up to their expectations."

The segment begins talking to Bob Sutton about his daughter Michelle Sutton, who died officially from dehydration during a Summit Quest activity. We hear the details of the case, and another similar case at Steve Cartisano's Challenger Foundation. Scenes from the camps are shown and details of the regimen are discussed.

Mr. and Mrs. Sutton are then in studio to talk about why their daughter Michelle was sent to the camp in the first place. Finally we hear from Gayle Palmer, Director of the Summit Quest Wilderness Program as well as Detective Dale Lent who is investigating Michelle Sutton's death.

Steve Cartisano was charged and later acquitted of child abuse crimes.

Summit Quest settled several lawsuits out of court and remains in operation today.

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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