From: button@jug.Eng.Sun.COM (Russ Button)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.newage
Subject: Cashola and Eckankar (was: Eck Worldwide Seminar...)
Date: 5 Nov 1992 20:24:23 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: world
Reply-To: button@jug.Eng.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: jug

Phil Menos and Paul Williams had the following exchange:
=======================================================================
In article <Oct16.203042.93480@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>  
paul@lily.aerc.colostate.edu (Paul Williams) writes:
>...
> Some sessions are free and open to the public, for others
> there is a requested donation.

This is not a comment about Eck, but about the use of language:  how  
does a "requested donation" differ from a "fee" or "required payment,"  
etc.?
 
Phil
=======================================================================

I just got off of the phone with the folks at the Eckankar main office
who make this policy.  When I asked them about what "requested donation"
meant, they said that it was what it said it was.  In many states, you
cannot charge fees for religious activities without losing your 
non-profit status.  Imagine being charged an entry fee for walking into
a Catholic church!  :-)

In many ways the Eckankar office is a business.  They are in the business
of tracking the membership and each person's progress in the series of
Eckankar discourses (about 13 year's worth at present).  Other business
activities they engage in are publishing and selling books and tapes, and
putting on seminars such as the ECK World Wide that Paul first notified
us of several weeks ago.

In my discussion with the Eck office they told me that while they do request
a recommended amount for discourses, they do allow people to take the 
discourses for lesser amounts, and in some cases allow people to take 
discourses for free.  The policy for seminar attendance is exactly what
they say it is.  If someone wants to go into a session that is one of
the "donation requested" types and doesn't wish to make that donation,
they will grant them entry.  You go to the registration table and tell
the folks there that you want in but do not wish to spend the money.
That's all there is to it.

The purpose of the organization (as is any religious organization) is to
provide a vehicle for their spiritual message.  Doing this takes cashola.
I have yet to see any religious organization that doesn't take or request
cashola at some point.  Unfortunately there have been many instances of 
religious or quasi-religious organizations that have taken far more money
than they've needed for their message and put that money into the personal
pockets of the leaders.  I'm sure any of us on this forum could list many
cases such as this.  I have a number of friends who work at the main office
and trust me, NOBODY is getting rich, and that includes the ECK master.

I've been in Eckankar for 11 years now and am very satisfied that the 
organization is not ripping us off.  For many new age seminars and activities
I've seen people spend many hundreds and thousands of dollars.  In many
Christian churches tithing 10% of your income is standard for the members.

Events like the Eckankar World Wide seminar are very large productions.  If
you were to go to one and see all of what happens I think you'd agree that
the amount of money they request is pretty reasonable.  Typically for a 3 day
event the requested amount is about $90.  The annual requested membership
donation is $120 for an individual, and $150 for a whole family.  I don't 
feel that this is excessive.  When I go to a seminar, I spend far more on
transporation and hotel costs than I do on what I give to Eckankar.

Best wishes,

Russ Button
button@jug.Eng.Sun.COM
Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation
Systems Administration/Engineering Support Organization
(415) 336-5203