Went to an internet business convention back in April...was I being recruited to join another cult??

Joliette

I went to this business convention with my friend Lynnette back in April of this year here in Milwaukee...and boy oh boy did it remind me of a Jehovah's Witness convention. Except they didnt have a lock stock and barrel legalistic approach like the J-dubs have, but bascially same messaging in a different kinda of way. They clapped, but they actually yelled at the speaker on the stage (basically picture the arensio hall show X1000...lol) Woo-Hoo!! Yeeeeeeeah! I got 'LOVE BOMBED' also.

Well, my friend joined this internet business called TEAM and monavie (an Acai berry drink frpm the acai berry from brazil) is what they sell. The drink actually is pretty good. BUT SHE WANTS ME TO JOIN REALLY BADLY. I do want to get into a different type of business (a recession proof business) and she was telling me thats the way to go. They use christian principals in their business, and they quote bible sciptures 24-7. Basically I would have to put money towards the business in order to make it work for me. She told me the reason that she joined, is because she was very disllusioned with her job and the future in general (sounded very familar...reaching out for 'something better' like a group of people that I know) But I understand why she's doing what she's doing. She always tells me: My parents arent paying my bills (she's 45 and childless and single). Who's gonna take care of me BUT me. At the convention, they really play on your emotions, using the bible and family, and why its important for families to stay together (in my mind, I'm like OMG is this a juice cult???) LOL. They kept talking about how socialism is taking over this country and how OBAMA is gonna ruin everything, how this country is turning into a socialist nation. My friend keep calling me, wanting me to sign up, but my hypocritical J-dub parents tell me its a ponzi scheme(isnt that the pot calling the kettle black??). It made me think about the swingler guy from the cartoon family guy:

These are the drinks that I would sell if I were to join:

What-A-Coincidence

What isn't a cult/sect? No free thinking is allowed. I became a distributor for Kangen (Alkaline Water). Damn meetings are like cults. They go about it as if Kangen is their family. I'm like F that. I'm here cause I like the product. F your tactics. :)

Joliette

Yeah, it was WEIRD.

It felt like I was back at a J-dub convention.

It made me think about the episode of family guy when Meg was recuited for that 'Heaven's helper' cult:

My friend, Lynnette:

JeffT

I've done some investigation on this subject.

As an accountant/financial manager it is my opinion that ALL multi-level marketing programs are scams. It is a fundamentally dishonest way to run a business. The people at the bottom may be decent, but the people running the show have to know it is dishonest. They recruit people to sell products that can't be sold any other way. There is a reason they are not publicly traded companies: they would have to disclose their finances. From what can I can glean off the net, for most of them the real money comes not from the product they sell but from throwing events like the one you attended. You pay to go to the thing, you pay for samples of new products, there is a bunch of other junk they sell. Selling ten thousand motivational tapes at 20 dollars a pop turns into real money fast.

And yes, they all use cult tactics.

For example, there is no such thing as a recession proof business.

Joliette

Jeff: Thank you.

With me growing up the way that I grew up, as a J-dub, I'm very suspious of 'businesses' like that. So the saying goes: If it seems like its too good to be true, more then likely, IT IS! The watchtower is nothing but a ponzi scheme, but people like my parents are too blind to question it.

How long have you been in the accounting business?

Aussie Oz

The worse thing with these 'businesses' is that you get to tell people you have your own business...you are self employed!

Utter crap and the people you tell it to know it...

actually maybe the worse thing is that you finance all the uplines while thinking you are financing yourself.

I'd run and tell your friend thanks but no thanks. There is nothing like an honest days pay for an honest days work, even if its low income because at least its all yours and your not continually dipping into your poctects to buy the product to sell.

another Amway/Jehovah show

oz

bigmouth

If I recall correctly, Amway, for example and others like them are 'officially' regarded as cults.

Stay well away from their revivalist type love fests.

Joliette

Yeah, I got love-bombed right when I walked into the convention hall. Everyone was really nice.

I promise you guys, it felt just like a watchtower convention-the dress clothes, flower dresses, fluffy hair, cheap suits, forced smiles.

And then the guy on stage just starts quoting bible scriptures...I'm like, wow I think there using God to testify their business.

They were to sure to tell me that everything they did at the end of year had a tax write off.

Reality79

LOL that's cult business.

Me and my wife got caught up in a company I'm not going to name....and we're still literally paying the price. We DO plan to be entrepreneurs eventually and it will happen, but we have had to learn the hard way that many of these things are simply scams.

Rick Ross (not the rapper lol) even mentions these conventions because of their cult like tactics. They actually do operate like the witnesses and other cults and here are the similarities: They play on your emotions by convincing you that you're in such a bad position and that things are only going to get a zillion times worse quick fast; they post examples of the very few people who do actually make it and have you believe it is so easy; they make you envision a time when you'll be totally debt free and living the life of your dreams on a tropical island somewhere in a mansion with a yacht sipping a martini with a toucan bird on your shoulder (paradise earth??); they make you believe that if you DON'T sign up right there and then, you will forever miss out on the opportunity (even though they promote their services 24/7 and all their so called 'deals' and 'discounts' are always available). Not only that, but I have noticed their are many similarities with cults the way they make you repeat certain phrases and slogans and do stretching exercises and all kinds of silliness to distract from the fact that's it's all bullshit.

Basically they play on your emotions and get into your psyche because they know many people are struggling and dream of a better life.

Meanwhile the R&F rarely benefit or end up with a lot of debt while those at the top live lavish lifestyles on the back of them without a care in the world - you know, similar to the watchtower corporation.

You can watch videos on youtube with many regular people who became entrepreneurs and you know what, they did it with HARD WORK and PATIENCE. It didn't just happen overnight and they didn't have to attend no gimmicky business convention to make it happen.

Don't waste your time with these things or get yourself into debt like we have.

Joliette

Reality 79, thank you for sharing your story, I'm gonna send you a PM okay ;)

Sorry about what happened to you and your lovely wife.

Went to an internet business convention back in April...was I being recruited to join another cult??

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