To the Editor:

As the chairman of the Board of Directors of Landmark Education Corporation which delivers The Landmark Forum, I am writing to take issue with your April 1993 article describing The Landmark Forum as a "cult."

Since The Landmark Forum was inaccurately included as one of the programs and organizations that were labeled as "cults," I consider it necessary to state why Landmark and its program, The Landmark Forum are not a cult. While there is no definitive definition of what constitutes a cult, there seems to be general consensus that the major characteristics of cults are that:

A. They require their members to give over to the organization ownership of all or a substantial portion of their assets.

B. The members are separated from their families and friends, often to the point of excluding any contact with such people.

C. There is a theology or dogma or doctrine that members are required to believe in and follow and in some cases worship.

D. The members are restricted in their actions so as to no longer be involved in activities outside the cult.

Landmark and its program, The Landmark Forum, do not meet any of these characteristics. People who participate in The Landmark Forum do not give over the ownership of their personal assets to Landmark other than payment of tuition for the program ($290). In contrast to a cult having its members cut themselves off from their families and friends, people who have participated in The Landmark Forum have reported stronger relationships with their families, friends and work associates as one of the major results of their participation. There certainly is no communal living situation involved; people participate in The Landmark Forum over three full days and one evening, and return to their homes at the end of each part of The Landmark Forum.

The Landmark Forum provides no theology or dogma or doctrine to believe in and follow, there is nothing to worship and there are no practices to repeat. In fact, many participants in The Landmark Forum have reported that their participation enhanced their own religious beliefs and practices. Moreover, a number of clergy from the major religious denominations in the United States have participated in The Landmark Forum, and have endorsed participation by other clergy. It is inconceivable that these clergy members would have done this if they considered that Landmark or The Landmark Forum constituted a cult.

In direct contrast to being encouraged not to be involved in outside activities, people who participate in The Landmark Forum are empowered to participate in their communities, organizations and institutions. Many thousands of participants in The Landmark Forum have reported that on their own initiative, they have taken on projects to make a difference in their communities, organizations and institutions.

The Landmark Forum does not use coercive pressure and deception to get people to join. There is nothing in The Landmark Forum for people to join. Landmark offers The Landmark Forum and other programs to the public, and people pay tuition for the programs as they would for adult education programs offered at any other educational organization. Landmark has a strict policy that participation in The Landmark Forum and its other programs must be voluntary, and coercion is inconsistent with such policy.

Moreover, Landmark and its program, The Landmark Forum, do not use any of the methods described in the articles as used by destructive cults, and do not produce the harmful effects described in the article as produced by cults.

Landmark is an employee-owned company engaged in the business of making available educational programs for the public as well as for communities, organizations and institutions in the United States and in several other countries. It offers a four-part Curriculum for Living, with the basic program being The Landmark Forum, together with several other advanced programs on subjects including communication, time management and productivity. The Landmark Forum is not based in psychology or upon any psychotherapeutic model, and many counselors and therapists have participated in The Landmark Forum. The Landmark Forum has qualified for continuing education credit, which would not have been approved if The Landmark Forum were a cult.

The Landmark Forum deals with the fundamental questions and issues which are key to shaping and determining people's effectiveness, creativity and satisfaction. As a result of participation in The Landmark Forum, people have the opportunity to create new possibilities for effective action in all aspects of their lives, and to act upon these possibilities.