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Prophet's Daughter: My Life With Elizabeth Clare Prophet Inside the Church Universal and Triumphant
In early 1990, in response to apocalyptic prophecies given by her mother, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Erin Prophet entered a network of underground bunkers in Montana along with members of her mother's Church Universal and Triumphant, a controversial New Age sect. Emerging to find the world still intact, Erin was forced into a radical reassessment of her life and her beliefs. She had spent her adolescence watching her mother vilified as a dangerous cult leader even while attempting to meet her expectations by becoming a "prophet" herself. Prophet's Daughter describes Erin's search for her mother's origins and motivations. With the craft of a storyteller, she describes the combination of health crises and external pressure that drove her mother's ever-more dire prophecies. She reveals how the allure of infallibility led her mother to a conspicuous downfall, and how her mother's rapidly progressing Alzheimer's disease truncated any hope of resolution. A remarkable memoir with implications for the dialog about power, group behavior and the future of religion.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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August 17, 2012
I was not far into the book I when realized that most people would not be able to relate to the material in quite the same way that those, like me, who had some connection to "the teachings" would.
This is a work exposing the authors inner most pain, conflicts, and joys concerning unique and interesting psudo-religious personalities, who just happen to be her parents.
Erin Prophet's unrelenting honesty gives the reader some explanation as to the rise and fall of well meaning people given unchecked power. And exposes our own all too human tendency to relinquish personal responsibility in a vain attempt to connect to "the Infinite Power" and make ourselves appear to matter in a vast universe.
I was a staff member of another organization which, at the request of Elizabeth Prophet, disbanded and merged into one body moving toward (we thought) the same goal. We lived several months in Colorado Springs (1975?) taking "classes" at Summit University (La Tourelle) and were assigned to staff the Ashram in Los Angeles. I finally left, disappointed, angry and physically ill, as the main organization was relocating to Forbes (Royal Teton) Ranch. Years later I had some passing contact with one of the, now adult, children who helped me see that I was one of the very few people who ever received a direct apology (a telephone call as I headed out the door) from Elizabeth Clare Prophet for the disrespectful way that I had been treated (which is only part of the reason that I left). "Mother" had also assured me that I would be welcomed back at any time. I knew that could never happen.
For me, Erin's insightful book has confirmed everything that I knew and suspected about the movement; filled in a few gaps and assisted me in finally placing a headstone on a long gone but not forgotten area of my life.
I am delighted to learn that all the Prophet offspring have come to terms with their odd childhoods, and continue to explore the wider world and heal relationships (I actually did worry about them for many years).
On a side note: the picture on the back of the dust jacket shows E. C. Prophet, dressed as "Guru Ma", with four of her children. You will notice four necklaces of what are called Rudraksha beads; I have the fifth necklace.
This is a work exposing the authors inner most pain, conflicts, and joys concerning unique and interesting psudo-religious personalities, who just happen to be her parents.
Erin Prophet's unrelenting honesty gives the reader some explanation as to the rise and fall of well meaning people given unchecked power. And exposes our own all too human tendency to relinquish personal responsibility in a vain attempt to connect to "the Infinite Power" and make ourselves appear to matter in a vast universe.
I was a staff member of another organization which, at the request of Elizabeth Prophet, disbanded and merged into one body moving toward (we thought) the same goal. We lived several months in Colorado Springs (1975?) taking "classes" at Summit University (La Tourelle) and were assigned to staff the Ashram in Los Angeles. I finally left, disappointed, angry and physically ill, as the main organization was relocating to Forbes (Royal Teton) Ranch. Years later I had some passing contact with one of the, now adult, children who helped me see that I was one of the very few people who ever received a direct apology (a telephone call as I headed out the door) from Elizabeth Clare Prophet for the disrespectful way that I had been treated (which is only part of the reason that I left). "Mother" had also assured me that I would be welcomed back at any time. I knew that could never happen.
For me, Erin's insightful book has confirmed everything that I knew and suspected about the movement; filled in a few gaps and assisted me in finally placing a headstone on a long gone but not forgotten area of my life.
I am delighted to learn that all the Prophet offspring have come to terms with their odd childhoods, and continue to explore the wider world and heal relationships (I actually did worry about them for many years).
On a side note: the picture on the back of the dust jacket shows E. C. Prophet, dressed as "Guru Ma", with four of her children. You will notice four necklaces of what are called Rudraksha beads; I have the fifth necklace.
August 18, 2011
After finishing When Prophecy Failed (in a streak of books on new religions), I grabbed this book from a shelf, one of the few I brought from the States from my old advanced proof collection. The fit seemed too perfect to pass up, a feeling confirmed quickly when the Erin Prophet referenced the earlier book in the introduction. We're lucky to have the account of a highly intelligent, educated woman who grew up near the center of a successful new sect* and who could recount (honestly and in detail) how both she and her mother fell into the prophet's trap -- the demand for ever more heavenly instructions on ever more topics, culminating in specific, disprovable predictions and leading inevitably to mistakes and disappointment. (In the case of the Church Universal and Triumphant, it led to building massive, expensive, impressive-sounding shelters in the Montana wilderness.) It's a fascinating story and has a lot of valuable insights into the situation, motivations, and pressures facing leaders in new sects. (I would have benefitted from reading it with a second book analyzing the sect and its history from the outside, as it glosses over some of the history and is, by design, only one person's perspective.)
* I'm going to use sect for new spiritual/religious movements in general, since religion implies too much coherence and organization and cult is too stigmatizing.
* I'm going to use sect for new spiritual/religious movements in general, since religion implies too much coherence and organization and cult is too stigmatizing.
June 10, 2010
The subtitle of
Prophet's Daughter
pretty much describes the subject matter – it's a memoir by the daughter of a fairly well-known New Age cult leader. What it doesn't tell you is how surprisingly thoughtful, well-written, and non-scandal-mongering it is. It's a fascinating and even non-biased portrait of Elizabeth Claire Prophet and how her role as all-powerful Messenger corrupted her and led her whole religion astray. The author unflinchingly examines her somewhat twisted relationship with her mother, and her own role in their ill-fated project to build massive nuclear fallout shelters to prepare for the end of the world.
I'm not sure how appealing the book would be to anyone who hadn't already some familiarity with the Church Universal and Triumphant – some portions tend to be a little slow moving and ponderous as the author flashes back and forth between telling the story of the shelter project, and the history of the cult's founding. But the insight into the dark side of human nature and religious power made it worth reading.
I'm not sure how appealing the book would be to anyone who hadn't already some familiarity with the Church Universal and Triumphant – some portions tend to be a little slow moving and ponderous as the author flashes back and forth between telling the story of the shelter project, and the history of the cult's founding. But the insight into the dark side of human nature and religious power made it worth reading.
February 1, 2018
I was involved in the church for many years, although I never lived in Montana. There was a center in Chicago which was closest to me. I did go to the July 4th conferences that were held in Montana though, and really loved meeting so many intelligent, interesting people. When Elizabeth started to decline from Alzheimer's, some staff members started to write expose stories that I choose to read even though I thought they were probably lying. But then I learned the extent of how church members were lied to by the "Messenger" and with a heavy heart at wasting years of my life in a church that wasn't what it claimed to be, I left it all behind in an instant.
Most people believe you have to be really ignorant or gullible to get caught up in a cult. But it's just not true. A lot of cults, including this one, are made up of earnest spiritual seekers who are looking for answers. Just ordinary people. And members weren't required to live at the heart of the church in Montana. Members lived all over the world and lived their normal lives. The "teachings" were based on Eastern religions, so there was enough of a kernel of truth to pull a person in. Unfortunately, ECP muddied the waters and was a very convincing narcissist. She fooled hundreds of thousands of people for a number of years. All of her children have since denounced the teachings they were brought up in, but I'm sure they love their mother for the human she was, not just some messiah.
I think Erin wrote a really balanced memoir and I appreciated that she didn't sugarcoat anything but also didn't vilify her own mother. People who would be interested in this book would mostly be those who were personally involved in the church. I gained a lot from being involved in the church, and although I'm angry and hurt for being lied to, I also view this time as a huge part of my life where I learned a lot and met some beautiful people who I'm still friendly with to this day.
Most people believe you have to be really ignorant or gullible to get caught up in a cult. But it's just not true. A lot of cults, including this one, are made up of earnest spiritual seekers who are looking for answers. Just ordinary people. And members weren't required to live at the heart of the church in Montana. Members lived all over the world and lived their normal lives. The "teachings" were based on Eastern religions, so there was enough of a kernel of truth to pull a person in. Unfortunately, ECP muddied the waters and was a very convincing narcissist. She fooled hundreds of thousands of people for a number of years. All of her children have since denounced the teachings they were brought up in, but I'm sure they love their mother for the human she was, not just some messiah.
I think Erin wrote a really balanced memoir and I appreciated that she didn't sugarcoat anything but also didn't vilify her own mother. People who would be interested in this book would mostly be those who were personally involved in the church. I gained a lot from being involved in the church, and although I'm angry and hurt for being lied to, I also view this time as a huge part of my life where I learned a lot and met some beautiful people who I'm still friendly with to this day.
October 22, 2020
Having lived in southwest Montana for over 30 years in the “ room where it happened” so to speak and having recently seen an article in Salon.com by her ( https://muckrack.com/erin-prophet), and having no idea what had become of the Prophet children, I decided to go back and read her book about her mother and the Church Universal and Triumphant. While the book certainly is a description of the evolution of her mother’s hold on the members of CUT, culminating ultimately in the building of underground shelters and stock piling of weapons, it is also the story of Erin’s questioning of her own willingness to be an active participant, her growth as a thinking person and her decision to leave the church. She has gone on to get a PhD and is a university visiting professor of religion and a lecturer on non mainstream religion, so this is not the typical “ tell all gory details” reveal, but a thoughtful, observant and insightful approach to the consequences of group think under a charismatic leader.
April 22, 2013
Erin Prophet has written a fascinating expose of life with her parents Mark and Elizabeth Prophet, and her brother and sisters, in the cultish environment they created. I have studied ECP's works for some years and was always put off by her reported autocratic and manipulative tendencies. As an adult Erin was handed the keys to the kingdom and tried her best as a loyal daughter to fulfill that role. But, as her mother succumbed to ill health and dementia Erin chose to listen to her inner sensibility and eventually to disassociate herself from the Church Universal and Triumphant organization. This is a unique biography, at times a page-turner, with an emotional ending. Sensitive readers can't avoid feeling empathy for all those caught up in the churches' strict and mystifying doctrines under ECP's deranged domination--especially her own children. Just published after ECP's death in 2009. A wonderfully candid achievement by the author.
March 27, 2011
This was a fascinating "insider's view" of "CUT," the Church Universal and Triumphant, which became famous (notorious) in the late 80s when its leader, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, announced that the Ascended Master, El Morya was telling her that the world was about to be punished for its bad karma with World War III. As a result, the Church started building bomb shelters near Yellowstone Park, and amassing weapons. When the prophesied even did not come to pass, thigs began to fall apart and many Church members began to lose confidence, including Prophet's daughter (and seer-in-training) Erin.
There is much material in this book to support the growing body of literature showing that when groups begin to display cult-like behavior they do so in astoishingly similar ways, and for this reason it is valuable. I was also struck by the author's honesty about her own "collusion" with the emerging cult behavior. I think I would have liked, however, to see more material from the POV of members lower on the totem pole. The author mentions the price paid by some members for their involvement (bankruptcy, debt, broken marriages, etc) but it all feels rather detached, as if the author's privileged position in the group insulated her from strong impressions or a deeper appreciatio of the high cost of cult involvement--and the higher cost paid, usually, by the hoi polloi.
There is much material in this book to support the growing body of literature showing that when groups begin to display cult-like behavior they do so in astoishingly similar ways, and for this reason it is valuable. I was also struck by the author's honesty about her own "collusion" with the emerging cult behavior. I think I would have liked, however, to see more material from the POV of members lower on the totem pole. The author mentions the price paid by some members for their involvement (bankruptcy, debt, broken marriages, etc) but it all feels rather detached, as if the author's privileged position in the group insulated her from strong impressions or a deeper appreciatio of the high cost of cult involvement--and the higher cost paid, usually, by the hoi polloi.
March 27, 2010
Quite a few of my friends have read this book and I agree with a couple of things they said. One being that, if you don't live in the area and already know a little about the CUT, this may not be the book for you.
Erin Prophet grew up in the Church Universal and Triumphant, her father was it's founder so she and her siblings were the heirs apparent to head up a thriving religion. At least it was until Erin's mother, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, incorrectly prophesied that the world would end. At the same time, Erin was having her own doubts about the church and eventually left.
It's a fascinating glimpse into the church's side of what happened during their move to Montana. So much of what is out there was colored by journalists trying to sensationalize what was going on (although it was pretty weird. Building bomb shelters? Buying weapons?)and disenchanted former members. While this was certainly not an unbiased account, at least it presented a different point of view.
Erin Prophet grew up in the Church Universal and Triumphant, her father was it's founder so she and her siblings were the heirs apparent to head up a thriving religion. At least it was until Erin's mother, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, incorrectly prophesied that the world would end. At the same time, Erin was having her own doubts about the church and eventually left.
It's a fascinating glimpse into the church's side of what happened during their move to Montana. So much of what is out there was colored by journalists trying to sensationalize what was going on (although it was pretty weird. Building bomb shelters? Buying weapons?)and disenchanted former members. While this was certainly not an unbiased account, at least it presented a different point of view.
July 12, 2011
This story was fascinating to me because I was growing up about three hours from where it was happening. I wasn't sure how the book was going to go, since it was written by one of Elizabeth Clare Prophet's daughters, but she mostly struck a good balance between compassionately portraying the church and religion while also exposing their dirt.
I had assumed the media were not completely accurate (fair and balanced, natch) in their coverage of Church Universal and Triumphant events in the early '90s, and this book helped set a lot of stories straight. I also spent a lot of time juxtaposing this account with what I learned from a college classmate of mine, who grew up on the Ranch and still had belongings in storage in the shelters (her parents still lived on the Ranch after the "shelter cycle," though she went to a boarding high school on the east coast). She, naturally, didn't think her church was full of kooks, and once I asked her about the weapons stockpiling. She laughed it off and said it was actually just a couple of guys acting on their own, not that the media ever bothered setting the record straight. Well, it turns out the attempted weapons cache was sanctioned by the highest-ups, but they never told all the members.
On the whole, I think this is a very good account of CUT in Montana. I do wish that the author was more blunt about the veracity of her "seeing," and that she had given a blow-by-blow account of her Oprah appearance (it was referenced several times, but she didn't cover the actual event). I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a straighter scoop on this important Montana event.
Seeing that I finished the book and was writing a long review (normally reserved for bad books), my husband just asked me if CUT is crazy. No. But don't put blind faith in individuals, because that's where the problems start.
I had assumed the media were not completely accurate (fair and balanced, natch) in their coverage of Church Universal and Triumphant events in the early '90s, and this book helped set a lot of stories straight. I also spent a lot of time juxtaposing this account with what I learned from a college classmate of mine, who grew up on the Ranch and still had belongings in storage in the shelters (her parents still lived on the Ranch after the "shelter cycle," though she went to a boarding high school on the east coast). She, naturally, didn't think her church was full of kooks, and once I asked her about the weapons stockpiling. She laughed it off and said it was actually just a couple of guys acting on their own, not that the media ever bothered setting the record straight. Well, it turns out the attempted weapons cache was sanctioned by the highest-ups, but they never told all the members.
On the whole, I think this is a very good account of CUT in Montana. I do wish that the author was more blunt about the veracity of her "seeing," and that she had given a blow-by-blow account of her Oprah appearance (it was referenced several times, but she didn't cover the actual event). I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a straighter scoop on this important Montana event.
Seeing that I finished the book and was writing a long review (normally reserved for bad books), my husband just asked me if CUT is crazy. No. But don't put blind faith in individuals, because that's where the problems start.
January 1, 2014
This book is excellent. The style is clear and intriguing, every chapter ending with the perfect sentence to make me curious what happens next, and every chapter beginning with a hook that makes me want to read about the background to the new revelation.
Erin is a humble, earnest, soul-searching individual at this stage of her life, able to put things into a reasonable perspective and not judge harshly, but show compassion, without whitewashing. I'm impressed by her ability to mature in such a balanced way, especially after her upbringing.
This book gave me insight into psychology, neurology, history, social interactions, the effect on the mind of the I AM type of teachings that can create delusions so easily even in people with good intention, and be used to manipulate as well. I consider all Ascended Master type teachings dangerous, but I know some people positive from them.
I enjoyed getting to share the lives of these extraordinary people who got a chance to act out what was within them in an incredible adventure. I felt really sorry for everyone involved, and found myself emotional, angered and shocked at how people were treated. I was really glad that there was some reconciliation and furthered understanding among the family members by the end, more respect, honesty, and individuation.
Highly recommended.
Erin is a humble, earnest, soul-searching individual at this stage of her life, able to put things into a reasonable perspective and not judge harshly, but show compassion, without whitewashing. I'm impressed by her ability to mature in such a balanced way, especially after her upbringing.
This book gave me insight into psychology, neurology, history, social interactions, the effect on the mind of the I AM type of teachings that can create delusions so easily even in people with good intention, and be used to manipulate as well. I consider all Ascended Master type teachings dangerous, but I know some people positive from them.
I enjoyed getting to share the lives of these extraordinary people who got a chance to act out what was within them in an incredible adventure. I felt really sorry for everyone involved, and found myself emotional, angered and shocked at how people were treated. I was really glad that there was some reconciliation and furthered understanding among the family members by the end, more respect, honesty, and individuation.
Highly recommended.
April 18, 2010
I agree with other Gardinerites that will probably be of more interest to locals who know of the CUT. I also thought it was an interesting story of the start of a new church that brought in a lot of money, that apparently survived the loss of their prophet, and is still active. This is just the story of one person and one perspective. Maybe I'm being nosy, but I would have liked to hear more about Erin's life outside of the CUT. I'm also interested in hearing more from the staff and non-staff at Glastonbury, and the perspective of someone not in the Prophet family... but those are different books.
July 22, 2011
It was very interesting for me to read this book; I found it at a library sale. I did not even know Prophet had a daughter. The book provided me lots of insight to this organisation I have known of for about 20 years. It was also interesting driving through montana (billings, bozeman area) while reading the book where lots of the events occured. I think it is an honest book and provides great insight; since I have read the book, I don't think that Elisabeth Claire Prophet is/was very credible; while there might be some truth and wisdom in some of the teachings, it seems that there was a power struggle and power-seeking...anyhow, thanks erin prophet for writing the book; it was great.
October 20, 2009
I'm always sucked in by cult memoirs - possibly because I wasn't raised in a religion and view them all in a somewhat suspect light - and this is one of the more well-balanced ones. Written by the daughter of Elizabeth Clare Prophet, she shows an awareness of both the darker sides of her mother's position and an understanding of just how human her mother was. She also explores the possibility that her mother's early-onset Alzheimer's played a part in her more apocalyptic prophecies. Interesting read.
December 22, 2008
In this insider's account of events in this particular sect, the author explores the psychology of groups centered around charismatic teachers and revelational or apocalyptic ideologies. She shows how easily and even unconsciously power and trust can be abused, and how hard it is for all involved to avoid being caught up in self-delusion. The lessons here really apply to ideological groups and institutions of all kinds.
July 18, 2016
good book written from the inside of an American "cult." Erin Prophet doesn't spare herself, her family or her mother yet writes w/respect towards everyone, including those who opposed them. fewer paragraphs about her sex life would have been nice, but they were important details to her and her telling of the story.
February 26, 2009
Ughhh, this lady made me sick! I do not recomend this book. While it is fascinated to see the inner workings of one of the strangest cults in history, the book gave me a headache. It was a little too bizarre for me. I think I would have like this better if it was like a special on A&E that I could have watched in an hour instead of a book that took me 4 days. It was too bizarre. A waste of time.
April 5, 2009
This book is very intriguing and appalling at the same time. I found that I couldn't put it down because I was so interested to see how far this "messenger" could go before losing her flock. It's pretty incredible that some people still follow her.
February 9, 2012
I hated this book. I thought it was slow & boring. I really thought it would be better considering I lived in the area & had some of my distant family members involved in the cult. Overall I was just didn't find it interesting or even that informative.
December 30, 2020
I read this very interesting book a while back around the time it came out.it was mesmerizing. Erin's experience living with her mother and the cult group to me was absolutely eye-opening. Great book highly recommended
November 2, 2017
Fascinating story. Sad and honest. Something I knew nothing about before reading this. Read for a class,but one I might have read had I known it existed otherwise.
July 13, 2021
Fascinating exploration of the inner workings of the Church Universal and Triumphant.
January 11, 2021
2.5 stars. A memoir of the daughter of a leader of a doomsday "neo-religion" that spent 30 MM to build fallout shelters in the early 90s to prepare for the apocalypse. This was not a fun read, though incredibly useful to me as I continue to read books about neo-religions. I can't help but think this book would have benefited from less narration and more writing in scenes. Also, more anger. That being said, it was well written, with real self-evaluation and introspection.
April 18, 2021
Poignant and disillusioning (in a good way), and a truthful beginning for amending what went wrong. Makes clear many things that can go wrong in a Sophianic, Legendarium-based, Ceremonialist-based path. The Prophets went so far, that no one has to go that far again. I can be grateful for that. I corresponded quite a bit with the author afterward.
July 12, 2019
A revealing look at a local religious organization and its founder.
August 29, 2020
DNF. I lost interest very early on.
January 14, 2026
I read this book to get some insight, as my husband was on staff during the “shelter cycle” and to get a better sense of it all. I have been to a conference at The Heart and I have been around other staff and ex-staff (who were all all the loveliest people and were honestly trying hard to live a higher vibration life) and have also attended a few services. I didn’t feel that the church was for me, even though I agreed with many of the teachings. Their ways just don’t jive with who I am and how I want to live. Even after leaving, my husband was still loyal to services, tithing, etc., and I just let him do his thing. We even had a CUT wedding even though by that time the church was faltering and splintering off into sub groups. So I know quite a bit about this whole thing.
I wanted to pre-read this before giving it to my husband but after reading it, I don’t think I will even let him know that it exists. He will never be ready to accept the humanity of Mother to the degree told in the book. It’s one thing for him to accept that she was just human, but another to hear explicit stories about her failings and humanity. He will always hold her up as a divine messenger and the teachings and dictations as rock solid. He will always buy the official narrative.
Since I am familiar with all of this, I had an understanding that I think someone coming in cold, wouldn’t have. The book can be a little hard to follow and was averagely written but I think that it told the story as well as can be told from someone on the inside. I am glad that I read it. I am glad to hear that Mother actually believed what she said and tried to act accordingly. There seemed to be no exploitation for personal gain and that isn’t in line with most cults, so this is the reason that I haven’t written them off as a one, but so much of it gives the heebie jeebies. But so do evangelical Christians, so maybe it’s a “me” thing. I think there could be a lot of truth in the teachings that extends beyond traditional religion. I also think a lot of it is made up. So this book didn’t really provide the answer I was looking for, but maybe we don’t need to put a label on everything either.
I wanted to pre-read this before giving it to my husband but after reading it, I don’t think I will even let him know that it exists. He will never be ready to accept the humanity of Mother to the degree told in the book. It’s one thing for him to accept that she was just human, but another to hear explicit stories about her failings and humanity. He will always hold her up as a divine messenger and the teachings and dictations as rock solid. He will always buy the official narrative.
Since I am familiar with all of this, I had an understanding that I think someone coming in cold, wouldn’t have. The book can be a little hard to follow and was averagely written but I think that it told the story as well as can be told from someone on the inside. I am glad that I read it. I am glad to hear that Mother actually believed what she said and tried to act accordingly. There seemed to be no exploitation for personal gain and that isn’t in line with most cults, so this is the reason that I haven’t written them off as a one, but so much of it gives the heebie jeebies. But so do evangelical Christians, so maybe it’s a “me” thing. I think there could be a lot of truth in the teachings that extends beyond traditional religion. I also think a lot of it is made up. So this book didn’t really provide the answer I was looking for, but maybe we don’t need to put a label on everything either.
August 7, 2024
THE DAUGHTER OF A MODERN "PROPHET" TELLS THE "INSIDE" STORY
Erin Prophet (yes, "Prophet" is the real last name of her mother and father) is the daughter of Elizabeth Clare Prophet, who (with her husband Mark) broke off from Guy Ballard's "I AM" movement, and formed the Church Universal and Triumphant. During Elizabeth's marriage to Edward Francis, she began giving extreme apocalyptic "prophecies" of nuclear war, and her followers began building shelters; after the prophecies failed, the church began losing members. After having to leave her leadership position with the Church owing to Alzheimer's Disease (she was placed in full-time nursing care in 2000), Elizabeth finally died in 2009 at the age of 70. Erin was being groomed to take over the reins of the movement (including giving "dictations"/"revelations"), but ultimately rejected this role.
Erin explains in the Preface to this 2009 book, "One of the reasons I have decided to write this memoir, which contains embarrassing and intimate details about myself and those I love, is because those damaging ideas continue to hold weight, both among my mother's followers and in other groups. I see our story as a cautionary tale of what happens when such ideas are taken to an extreme... I write especially for those who are attempting to follow my mother's published teachings, but also for the merely curious... This is not a story of brainwashing but rather a collusion between leaders and followers. We followers participated in and even reinforced my mother's prophecies... The story I tell here is that... [of] both leader and followers having vital reasons for not being the first to call a halt during the mad mid-winter rush to completion of the shelter project." (Pg. xiii-xiv)
After her mother announced that she wanted Erin to begin training to be a messenger, she thought, "That was something she never said to any of us... And it was a surprise... I never had the ambition of being a messenger... The offer was both flattering and compelling... I imagined this might explain why I was born into the Prophet family." (Pg. 75) Of the church's followers, she writes, "They had chosen their lives and seemed content. They would point out to me that they did not have any of the associated worries of modern-day living and believed they were healthier for it... The men and women on staff loved Mother [Elizabeth] and she loved them. As she saw it, she was looking out for their long-term salvation and eventual physical comfort; short-term, they could bear a little hardship." (Pg. 126)
Of the shelter project, Erin notes, "I did not see that my mother gained anything by predicting war... Building shelters would divert time and money from her own stated goals ... So it was precisely the inconvenient nature of the prophecy that convinced me it was real." (Pg. 137) After authorities discovered the church's huge cache of weapons, Erin lamented, "I felt a sense of helplessness, knowing that my mother's work... would be forever linked with armed groups like the People's Temple. It would be much more difficult to convince the world that we were not a dangerous cult." (Pg. 191) She recounts that her mother "seemed to believe ... that she had done nothing more than encourage common-sense civil defense. She was unable to admit that our altar work had damaged the lives of thousands of people." (Pg. 238)
She also confesses that after her mother's last public appearance, "it had not been easy giving up the power I had felt as near co-messenger... After seven years of isolation, it was tempting to think how easy it would be to regain both power and attention. It would require only a few words... But I knew that path would destroy me, and still hoped the followers would see the impossibility of that system." (Pg. 273)
This is a fascinating memoir, and will be of considerable interest to those interested in this group, as well as New Religious movements in general.
Erin Prophet (yes, "Prophet" is the real last name of her mother and father) is the daughter of Elizabeth Clare Prophet, who (with her husband Mark) broke off from Guy Ballard's "I AM" movement, and formed the Church Universal and Triumphant. During Elizabeth's marriage to Edward Francis, she began giving extreme apocalyptic "prophecies" of nuclear war, and her followers began building shelters; after the prophecies failed, the church began losing members. After having to leave her leadership position with the Church owing to Alzheimer's Disease (she was placed in full-time nursing care in 2000), Elizabeth finally died in 2009 at the age of 70. Erin was being groomed to take over the reins of the movement (including giving "dictations"/"revelations"), but ultimately rejected this role.
Erin explains in the Preface to this 2009 book, "One of the reasons I have decided to write this memoir, which contains embarrassing and intimate details about myself and those I love, is because those damaging ideas continue to hold weight, both among my mother's followers and in other groups. I see our story as a cautionary tale of what happens when such ideas are taken to an extreme... I write especially for those who are attempting to follow my mother's published teachings, but also for the merely curious... This is not a story of brainwashing but rather a collusion between leaders and followers. We followers participated in and even reinforced my mother's prophecies... The story I tell here is that... [of] both leader and followers having vital reasons for not being the first to call a halt during the mad mid-winter rush to completion of the shelter project." (Pg. xiii-xiv)
After her mother announced that she wanted Erin to begin training to be a messenger, she thought, "That was something she never said to any of us... And it was a surprise... I never had the ambition of being a messenger... The offer was both flattering and compelling... I imagined this might explain why I was born into the Prophet family." (Pg. 75) Of the church's followers, she writes, "They had chosen their lives and seemed content. They would point out to me that they did not have any of the associated worries of modern-day living and believed they were healthier for it... The men and women on staff loved Mother [Elizabeth] and she loved them. As she saw it, she was looking out for their long-term salvation and eventual physical comfort; short-term, they could bear a little hardship." (Pg. 126)
Of the shelter project, Erin notes, "I did not see that my mother gained anything by predicting war... Building shelters would divert time and money from her own stated goals ... So it was precisely the inconvenient nature of the prophecy that convinced me it was real." (Pg. 137) After authorities discovered the church's huge cache of weapons, Erin lamented, "I felt a sense of helplessness, knowing that my mother's work... would be forever linked with armed groups like the People's Temple. It would be much more difficult to convince the world that we were not a dangerous cult." (Pg. 191) She recounts that her mother "seemed to believe ... that she had done nothing more than encourage common-sense civil defense. She was unable to admit that our altar work had damaged the lives of thousands of people." (Pg. 238)
She also confesses that after her mother's last public appearance, "it had not been easy giving up the power I had felt as near co-messenger... After seven years of isolation, it was tempting to think how easy it would be to regain both power and attention. It would require only a few words... But I knew that path would destroy me, and still hoped the followers would see the impossibility of that system." (Pg. 273)
This is a fascinating memoir, and will be of considerable interest to those interested in this group, as well as New Religious movements in general.
July 9, 2015
★ - Most books with this rating I never finish and so don't make this list. This one I probably started speed-reading to get it over with.
★★ - Average. Wasn't terrible, but not a lot to recommend it. Probably skimmed parts of it.
★★★ - Decent. A few good ideas, well-written passages, interesting characters, or the like.
★★★★ - Good. This one had parts that inspired me, impressed me, made me laugh out loud, made me think - it got positive reactions and most of the rest of it was pretty decent too.
★★★★★ - Amazing. This is the best I've read of its genre, the ones I hold on to so I can re-read them and/or loan them out to people looking for a great book. The best of these change the way I look at the world and operate within it.
★★ - Average. Wasn't terrible, but not a lot to recommend it. Probably skimmed parts of it.
★★★ - Decent. A few good ideas, well-written passages, interesting characters, or the like.
★★★★ - Good. This one had parts that inspired me, impressed me, made me laugh out loud, made me think - it got positive reactions and most of the rest of it was pretty decent too.
★★★★★ - Amazing. This is the best I've read of its genre, the ones I hold on to so I can re-read them and/or loan them out to people looking for a great book. The best of these change the way I look at the world and operate within it.
October 29, 2008
Slow starting. Interesting if you have lived in the Gardiner-Mammoth-Paradise Valley area in the last 10 years and lived next to the CUT. I was a little disappointed that the book only covered through 1995. Still worth the read.
April 25, 2009
Waste of time. Better book was Elizabeth Clare Prophet's autobiography, In My Own Words: Memoirs of a Twentieth-Century Mystic, http://www.amazon.com/My-Own-Words-Me...
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