
by Peter Arnone
The Staff Meetings
Mark conducted staff meetings every Monday morning. In addition, there were staff meetings that could be called at any time for any reason. La Tourelle, the “Citadel of Freedom” as Mark called it, could be under attack from spiritual forces of darkness, or someone might have forgotten to replace a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom Mark happened to be using. Five buzzes sounding off on every phone in the complex at the same time most often signaled an emergency of one sort or another. Everyone was called to attention. Half the time they announced another staff meeting. Looking back on those meetings, they were Mark’s critique on everything imaginable. Mark did all the talking. And everything from the podium, formal and informal, was recorded for posterity. For up to three hours he would denounce everything that was wrong with the world. But he had all the solutions and answers for every problem. His greatest criticism was reserved for those who opposed him personally, Elizabeth, their children, and his organization. His greatest praise was reserved for himself, his family, and his organization.
Those who opposed Mark personally included most every staff member who had ever left, many of whom remained in the Summit. He railed against them constantly. For the two-plus years I served on his staff before he died, the same names came up again and again. Most of them I never knew. And some had left years before. There was Bob, Michael and Mary, Gary, Ida Mae and her sister Louise, among others. My friend Ron never returned from New York and he was on this list. You would think these people were the enemies of God. Mark derided them mercilessly. Some had left when Mark was away or in the middle of the night. They were cowards one and all. They had betrayed not only Mark and the Ascended Masters, but God Himself. Woe unto their souls. Their karma was great. The message was quite clear. Woe unto anyone else who contemplated leaving.
Once in awhile Mark would mention trials that were held for “recalcitrant” staff members. I never witnessed one conducted by Mark, but I did witness one conducted by Elizabeth after he died. So, I know they did happen. And I know that like Elizabeth, he was judge, jury, and executioner. Though Mark could not put a gun to your head, he had something much more effective. He put God to your head.
One day we were having a staff meeting with Mark, and even Elizabeth showed up. It was revealed to us that the messengers were in fact, the two witnesses, the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth, spoken of in the Book of Revelation (11:3-4). This was an historic announcement. All of us in attendance were true believers. We were in awe, hanging on every word. Elizabeth then asked why we were really there at the Summit Lighthouse as staff members. Some answered to serve God, to do God’s will, or to earn the ascension and go to heaven. Elizabeth informed us none of these responses was the right reason. She stated we were there to serve the “mission of the two witnesses.” There was no higher calling on earth.
If the significance and importance of Mark and Elizabeth Clare Prophet to God Himself and His children worldwide was ever impressed upon us, it was then. It went without saying, to impede their mission, or harm them in any way, would result in the greatest of karmic punishment. There was absolutely no crime on earth more serious.
This staff meeting made it official. The end would justify the means. “Let he who is great among you be your servants.” To serve Mark and Elizabeth, the greatest of God’s servants, would justify any action taken by any staff or outer member. You could forsake your parents, your spouse, and even your children. All responsibility was subordinate to “the” responsibility of serving the messengers. You could leave the world behind, consuming all loose ends with the “Violet Flame.” As it became necessary, you could lie and cheat and steal. You could even deceive. (Though you were supposed to tell the truth, Saint Germain stated you didn’t have to tell all the truth.) Often presented as the spiritual reasoning behind this philosophy were the words of Jesus, “What is that to thee, follow ye me.”
Mark would parrot other words of scripture as applicable to himself. “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased,” was conferred upon Edward Francis. But did Ed become one of Mark’s favorite sons because, as he stated, “Ed’s got brains?” Or was it because the extremely generous hot-headed rich kid from Dallas was a saint?
This staff meeting also put into perspective Mark’s cardinal rule, “No unilateral action.” The stakes were too high. The world and its destiny could be impacted by the thoughtless error of a staff member. Any action of every staff member that was of consequence to the Summit Lighthouse and its global mission must be reported to the messenger. If you weren’t sure, check with the messenger to be on the safe side. To be remiss could result in infinite repercussions. Needless to say, with this onus on the staff, it was and is, ludicrous to think the messenger has not known every significant action ever taken by any of his/her true believers.
Mark encouraged visualization. He portrayed the experience of Lee Harvey Oswald after he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby. (Summit/CUT members know for sure that Oswald killed Kennedy because Mark determined it was so.) For his despicable crime, Mark described how “on the inner” Oswald was attacked by thousands of demons who tore his soul into thousands of fragments. They all wanted a piece of the diabolical villain. There was another undeniable message. Unless anyone wanted to face a similar fate, don’t mess with God’s messengers, Mark and Elizabeth. To do so would be an awesome offense. The penalty for which would be horrific punishment.
It would not be unreasonable to state that Mark Prophet considered himself a god. He taught that the Ascended Masters were so possessed of God, they became one with God, and hence, they were “gods.” Since Mark was their partner, he placed himself on their level. His inner circle considered the words of Mark one and the same as those of the Ascended Masters.
That Mark Prophet was enamored with himself is an understatement. In spite of outer appearances, the Summit Lighthouse was in reality, a shrine to himself. Just as Church Universal and Triumphant is a shrine to Elizabeth Clare Prophet. The Summit Lighthouse and C.U.T. are in essence cults of personality dedicated to Mark and Elizabeth. For Mark, image was crucial. Pictures of him speaking with the Dalai Lama and Indira Gandhi from the Summit’s India pilgrimage in 1970 were paraded before members and the press alike. The message was clear: like attracts like. It was pure capital for Mark. His cult of idolatry was spawned by flatterers, but set in stone by his core sycophants known as “the cube.” These four men exemplified more than all others, absolute devotion to Mark. They lived, and would die, for him. Sri (father), was what they called him. Subsequently, “Mother,” was bestowed upon Elizabeth who had her own cube of ladies.
In early June 1971 Mark called me into his office. He showed me a mockup of the Summit Beacon newsletter that was about to be printed and mailed out notifying members of the forthcoming Freedom Conference in Santa Barbara over the 4th of July. My name was mentioned as I would be one of the musicians providing entertainment at the “Motherhouse” open house preceding the conference. I told Mark I was sorry, but I was planning on leaving staff on July 3rd when my six-month probationary period was over. I would be giving my two-weeks notice in a couple of weeks and would not be going to Santa Barbara. Needless to say, it hit the fan.
We weren’t alone for long. Mark called in Gilbert and John, my music partner, to witness my rebellion when I would not back down and agree to stay. We went back and forth for almost an hour. Finally, Mark called in Stanley, Elizabeth’s assistant. He announced that Elizabeth was flat on her back, and dying from my horrible energy. The argument was over. I agreed to stay. Mark made me promise I wouldn’t say another word about leaving for six months. You can imagine how I felt when because of my selfishness I was accused of nearly killing the messenger.
That evening, after the Sunday public service, we had a staff meeting. The messengers announced Elizabeth was pregnant (with Tatiana). It never occurred to me Elizabeth was flat on her back from morning sickness earlier in the day.
The next day I still wanted to leave. It was agonizing. I wrestled with myself throughout the day. Finally, I accepted my fate. I went on automatic pilot for the next nine months. I did my job and was happy as a contented cow.
In the spring of 1972 the screws were turning ever tighter. I had my regular job and had been Mark’s full-time radio operator and all-night Summit Lighthouse phone operator for several months. I was losing a lot of sleep and requested relief. Mark refused, but did cut me some slack with a little time off now and then. It wasn’t enough. I was feeling trapped, and that was getting me depressed. I was getting to the point where I didn’t care what Mark, or even God said if I left. But I wasn’t there yet.
Mark was spending less and less time at headquarters, which meant I was spending more and more time chained to the radio. He was the man about town eating at Furr’s Cafeteria and the Summit’s new Four Winds Restaurant regularly. He didn’t care too much for the rice and veggies, and no desserts, we land-locked staff ate all the time. He would also go to the health spa quite often.
In early December 1972 we had a phone patch rigged up with Mark’s radio so he could talk to Elizabeth while he was mobile. It saved a lot of money not using the car phone. The problem was that I had to coordinate the talk and listen buttons between them when they were speaking to each other. It sometimes became a circus. If they started talking too fast or talking at the same time I couldn’t make a proper connect/disconnect between the two of them. Mark would get upset. And I was getting to the end of my rope.
One evening the problem happened again, big time. I had enough. I hung up on Elizabeth and turned the radio off on Mark. I grabbed my coat and walked out. I went to the nearby Broadmoor Hotel and had a cup of coffee. With no money, I thought of leaving all my possessions behind and hitchhiking to California. But winter had arrived, and I still feared the wrath of God. By the time I walked back to La Tourelle, Mark had returned and had the staff out combing the streets looking for me. He asked me to forgive him, which I did. But I knew my days were numbered.
Over the next few days Mark came down with the flu and was bedridden. This is what we were all led to believe, until Elizabeth came down to see me in the mail room. She told me that in fact, Mark had nearly died of a heart attack because of my energy and what I had put him through. It was just one more nail in the coffin.
By mid-February 1973 my plan was to leave in the spring. I knew Mark would kick me out on the spot so I was taking the precaution I wouldn’t freeze to death in the winter and had some time to get a few dollars together. I had my letter of resignation already written. By this time I didn’t give a damn what Mark Prophet, or even God, had to say or did when I left.
Next in Part 4: Mistreatment of the elderly and violation of the priest-penitent relationship
10 comments
I can recall ECP’s lectures on Mark’s passing, his “Ascension”, how he came bk to life for a moment to speak to her, then his soul went on to the “Etheric”. But never once was Peter Arnone ever mentioned to have been, in ECP’S lecture’s, to what provoked his heart failure. Not to say ECP didn’t say it, it seems it was the convienient manipulative thing to do & say for Elizabeth at the time to Mr.Arnone. Man! I read this & I’m reading my life with my Mother, Not ECP, my own flesh & blood Mom!
My Mother would do this to me & everyone one in her life! God, Karma, soul obligation, she’s bearing the world karma, that’s why she was too fatiged half the time in my life when she started the “Teachings”. You see, you the reader need to know my Mother was suppose to be Eve, Yes, Eve, the Mother of all the whole Human race! And she was Cleaopatra, the one who invisioned a One World with Cesear (G.Washington’s Oblisk is the choosen monument because of Cleopatra’s Three Oblisk’s, Freemason’s made the US of A you know) also to add to the list of my Mother’s past lives is Betsy Ross (my mom does imbroidery very well, she was the only Mexican she knew who celebrated the 4th of July & who loved wearing red, white & blue. My Mother never knew anythjing about Betsy Ross till she came to the U.S. and it was me who concluded this past life, not my mother. I had done a report on the lady & while remembering this about my mom, I concluded this. I’m redefined athiest now), that’s it I think, can’t recall any others of such significance.
So the reason for my very strong oppinion, that freewill is yet to be understood. Life has turned out to be such a manipulation by nature, that if one takes the time, one see’s a patern in the centuries & decades that is so predictable, it’s mind blowing.
And at the end, all this because we surrender to a God. Not Love, Goodness, Kindness, Ethics so on & so forth. But God.
I was exposed to the Teaching’s mainly because when my mom came accross an “I Am Activity” Center, her attraction to it wasn’t just because of a interest in the spiritual. It was because of something my great grandmother saw, along with other phenomena my Mom experienced thru childhood & her teens. When my Mom was 9 yrs old, while my Great Grandma was sewing one night, her Grandma (my Grt GrNma) saw a puple light (For those of you not familiar with the SLH/CUT & the I AM Activity’s teaching’s of the Violet Flame, it’s suppose to be the sacred fire mentioned several times in the Bible, just colorised. When pink, yellow & blue are blended, they make the color violet. Pink, yellow & blue were also significant colors started in the I Am Act. These color vibrations according to the I AM activity, are suppose to be plumes of fire in one’s heart or heart chakra). When my Great Grandma saw this, she, as the good catholic she was, had her Rosary close by & began to do Hail Mary’s. Saying in spaniish as she went for her Rosary “Aye, what is this, Its making me nerveous?! It might be a bad spirit!”
My Mom didn’t feel it was a bad spirit but Angels, something holy. When her Grandma was experiencing this, she began asking details. These details were explained clearer to my Mom when she asked for them when she was around 19, that in fact it was a fire not just a light. My Mom was pregnant with me at 19 .The mythology of my life goes on for to long, a book can be made.
Believing in such things isn’t everything but the phenomena that causes individuals to gravitate to these organisations. Something indidvidual persons’s genetic makeup is made to be part of these groups. Like species of animals with their unique capabilities, as humans we are grouped aswell. Musicians, archetics, mathematicians, chemists, cooks, athletes etc. People who end up in this area in life, are by design, not freewill. It is part of the process of evolution/growth.
Amen, interesting story. I often wonder why people just accept such “visions” instead of questioning them.
For example, I might try to do some research as to what kind of chemistry might alter vision and produce a violet tinge. There is anecdotal evidence of a visual affect for some people after taking Viagra, some people see a bluish cast for a day or so–not that I would know ;-0
Does that mean taking Viagra gets you closer to Archangel Michael?
People find whatever they’re looking for. The “violet flame” is such a nebulous concept it could mean, look like, or feel like almost anything.
The point Sean,
is in life so many things are happening that end up connecting everything. If this never happened, my mother would have ended up a different person. There is so much of her that I remember before the “teachings”, that I miss so much! And yeah, why did my mom end up agreeing as she did, not questioning as my Great Grandmother did, that violet light?! My Mother disagreed with her Grandmother so quickly. So exactly. And my Grandmother wasn’t on medication, so not a good example. And are u telling me you think I’m advertising the violet flame? No, how did you get that from what I wrote?! So no, of coarse Viagra doesn’t bring anyone closer to Archangel Michael?! How did this Mythological figure get in this conversation?! Poof ! there, you brought him up, not me!
Had to answer it, even though I’ve clearly been misunderstood!
I’m exemplifing my life experience showing how it leads individuals to groups, collective minds with diferent, yet not so different reasons, for being part of that goup. These extrodinary phenomenas that alter life extraordinarily. It sure did mine! I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for all this stupidity! Learned that pink, yellow & blue makes violet! I have my theory’s on life being primitive to unfold something so important. Love, kindness, generosity, thoughtfullness etc. As if life is so busy making stories out of everyone’s life. Mythologies. Man, can absolutly relate to the Greeks feeling Gods playing around with thier lives. Can see how they came up with their beliefs!
Life creates us as it does to end up these walking mythologies. Each & everyone of us is a living story to apprieciate & respect. At the end what “Religious” leaders have to sell is not truth & it falls apart. Well, Damn it, I’m still waiting for the evangelical movement to fall like a tower of kiddy blocks! hmmmmmm….maybe I will do it?! Just need some damn good lawyer’s! The evangelical movement is atrocious! Oh, the Catholic Church! Almost forgot about them! Yuk, yuk, yuk…..Damn, damn, damn, damn….they’re still making billions!
[…] Continued from Part 3 […]
At one of the summer conferences in the early 1990’s (one dealing with other religions of the world), I believe we were singing bajans and Mother told us to continue singing, and when we actually could SEE Shiva, we should stand up. I sat there ferverently singing and I could imagine this whole scene where Shiva danced into the tent and bonked people on their third eyes and did pirouettes on their heads and a bunch of other cool stuff (I’ve got a very colorful imagination). But I knew I didn’t actually SEE this with my real eyeballs. So I stayed anchored firmly in my seat. Meanwhile, after 10 minutes or so, almost everyone else in the tent had popped up on their feet, probably 800+ people or so. I was sooooo bummed out, because it looked like there were only a couple of people that didn’t stand up, including me! Damn. I felt like a real looser. But I WAS a little bit suspicious. I mean, a while tentful of people actually seeing a physical Shiva? That would be a true miracle, and would have been shared far and wide. I mean, if I’d actually SEEN Shiva, I think I would have been incredibly excited. Everyone around me looked blissful, but not excited.
My husband was standing during this activity, so I checked with him several days later. He verified that he hadn’t actually seen anything but it seemed like the appropriate thing to do at the time. When I told him all the things I imagined at the time, he stated that I probably ‘saw’ more things than a lot of the people who were standing up.
The Pearls of Wisdom started coming out with testimonies on the back page in the 1990’s. A lot of them talked about people having personal miracles, seeing Angels, Violet Flame, etc. I was always bothered by those testimonies, because I never had things like that happen to me…. On the other hand, I can see fractuals in nature, and that’s always fun. The first time I saw one of Jackson Pollard’s pictures over the fold of the newspaper and thought it was an actual photo of deciduous trees in a fall setting, it blew me away. The art and vision that people carry in themselves can be expressed in so many different ways, so I guess it doesn’t always have to be angels and demons, eh?
Some things that we see and feel absolutely depend on chemical activities in the body and brain. Some people actually do see red when angry. When people are depressed, does their color vision get depressed to shades of gray? I wonder if there’s any correlation (or progression) between Viagra, feeling blue, and dealing with Archangel Michael. After a really great day, things stars and lights seem to sparkle more brightly (thank God for Seratonin). And marketing people know that colors being input into our vision can make us feel and behave certain ways. Isn’t that likely to be a chemical response?
Problem: Green is healing, but it can also be jealousy. Tricky. Best to stick with the home team advantage on that one.
P.S.
Religion, Spiritualality, Philosophy -it usualy gets catogorised in the same area in bk stores & library’s. As people are designed for rocket science, cooking, dance, artistry of all kinds, so are people designed to be in the area of the above catogories. Doesn’t mean it’s going to be absolutly right. Not everyone likes Picasso or many prefer his kind of work. Some cooks dishes are tastier than others, for others it’s not, so on & so forth. Life comes off personifying possibility & imposssibility, yin/yang. Ancestors understood alot about life. We are because of all the ancestors non-sense & sense.
As it’s said, sometimes life chooses the directions we end up in. Many individuals have succeded in doing what they want. Many others ended up doing something they never imagined they were going to do in life.
I remember in one of those believe it or not shows they talked about this man, not religious or spiritual, was saved two major times in his existance. One in Vietnam, the other from the FBI bombing that Timothy Mcvay had found to have acomplished. The first was a bullet that recoshayed from his or someone elses helmet & the other was his wife waking him up late. Something that never happened in his houshold. Always on time & never off schedual, except for this one day, that when he drove to work, he saw half the FBI building he worked at, collapsed. How fortunate for him. How aweful for the individuals & children in the FBI building who indured such a horrible death!
As the saying goes Life’s a Bitch! What’s with putting all the blame on the feminine?! The instigater of the crime was a man! Large percent of the time it is.
Also, my Mom was an abused little girl raised by her Grandmom. God, with all it’s comfort & hope, was such a big part of her life getting thru it all. Though where the hell were her Angels when she got raped from behind, not the regular normal way?!!!! Where were her Angels period, with all she was going thru with her Mom! One would concluded after such an incident along with what she was going thru with her Mom, believing in God was irrelavent! But no! My Mom’s an independent God believing fanatic to this day! The Devil – Fallen Angel that brought 1/3 of Heaven down, always comes into play.
This is why I don’t teach my son that there is no such thing as God. One can argue God exisists not in the way we are interpreting Him. Yes, He’s all in our heads & the belief in Him has caused wars & human butchery thrun history. Very powerful, God is, having such an influence on the minds & heart’s of the Human race! I tell my son He’s irrelavant, unimportant, except intelectualy to self educate one self on the history & phenomena of the belief. Love, self imrpovement & discipline, honosty with one self etc are the important things in life. Getting into debates on God is not something I want him getting into as a child, especially these days with kids being able to kill each other. To me arguing about a negative is like everyone arguing that flight wasn’t possible, or the world was flat or round. I leave that to others to do. I have my understandig to how to argue the dangers of God or Org Rel. without going that direction that requires more effort than pointing out the psychological non-sense behind God or the mental/emotional representation for the word God.
As I’ve written in other commentary, it’s about what children are taught in childhood. If they are taught God, many, not all, will cling onto that for dear life, others do otherwise. And I’m intrigued to study & find out these statistics.
Children need to be protected from religion being shoved down their throats!
@Nancy, This business of people being peer-pressured into “seeing” things that weren’t there makes my blood boil. Spiritual experience is very personal. To put a group together and ask people to “see” something is the grossest of manipulations. Who in a group wants to admit that they are the only one who’s not “seeing” what they’re supposed to be seeing?
It’s a well-established phenomenon in social psychology that groups tend to be self-reinforcing, and people will claim to see things that aren’t there, or claim not to see things that are in plain view if they think that’s the expected answer.
Same goes for these testimonials. I can tell you right now that I spent my whole life up until age 30 in very close proximity to my mom, and dad up to the age of nine. At no time did I ever “see” any supernatural phenomena. I often wondered if there was something wrong with me. But I never saw “light” or “energy.” No one was ever “healed.” No one drove through walls. No one changed the weather. Period. If it had happened, I would have been in a position to know about it. I-T N-E-V-E-R H-A-P-P-E-N-E-D
Debunking these “miracles” would be like shooting fish in a barrel if people were rational, and accepted the need for evidence. But their need to believe causes them to exaggerate the slightest events, to note coincidences that are not statistically significant, all cognitive illusions which are well documented, but nevertheless persist and cause good people to reach false conclusions.
@Amen, I’m glad you recognize the value of preventing your son from being indoctrinated. As he grows up, you will need to go through some basic discussions with him of evidence, burden of proof, scientific method, etc. Because he will be exposed to other kids asking “do you believe in God?” “Why not?” and then they will use social pressure to try to get him to go along with it and say he “believes.” It’s amazing how much the religious, even as children, have the need to get everyone to agree. They won’t be content at his silence.
Sean hello,
thk u for writting to me. I did mentioned in a couple of words the answer I’ve prepared & discussed with him, that it’s all in our heads, that’s where the Big Man is or lives. And we have talked about the fact that God is not something all that Great to believe in any how so “So What!” and to just leave it at that. That is just for now the best & enough for his little self to handle. Best to leave that mature stuff for the right time. I have not ignored that necessity or not planed on not doing it. We are going to go there when the time comes for that. Your site will be one of the sites I will be refering my son to ; ) When I showed my son one of the books your Mom wrote, saying I “knew” this lady, met her a couple of times, he said “Oh wow, you know some one famous?! So I’m lucky to be your son, ha?! I smiled wondering what drove him to say that? After thinking about it, I said to myself “Yea, he is lucky to be my son!” I have first had experience what it was like to be in organised religion, especialy a unique one at that! And knowing now the utmost imortance to not being part of one!
And I am lucky to be his Mom! He is my everything & I would never want to put him thru or allow him to ever go thru, what I have endured.
Thank you for caring,
Amen Amparo Sigala – Happy&Free : .)
I too was a staff member of Mark Prophets Summit Lighthouse activity in the mid 60s. I was the individual who operated the mail room functions primarily and had numerous other duties and details to attend to on a 24/7 basis. Tom, Erwin and Bill were also staff members with our executive secretary being Sunny Widell. I joined the Staff during the July 64 conference and left on the July 65 event. I was the Bob mentioned in various texts as the member who left "in the night" never returning as a staff member. I have tendered so many memories of that year that I too could write a book on those extreme conditions/emotions that I experienced O so many years ago. At 75 years old I often look back to mainly review those 'moments' with a deep nostalgia based on those precious souls who I met and worked with during that period.
Hi Bob, best wishes to you. Sean