Had to decode a 'spiritual family' contract in a hotel lobby

During a layover at O'Hare last month, someone handed me a 'membership agreement' from a self-help group my cousin joined. I sat in the food court and read through it, and sure enough, page 6 had a clause about donating 10% of income for 'energy alignment'. I shot a photo to a lawyer friend, and she caught three other red flags. Anyone else ever untangle a cult's fine print before someone you know signed it?

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1 Comment

zara_sanchez3d ago

Man, that's a familiar scene right there. I've sat across from a family member's "life coach" paperwork more than once. First thing I always tell people is to look for anything about your "path" or "purpose" tied to a payment schedule. If they bring up percentages of income, that's not spiritual, that's a business plan. Also watch for language about "disconnecting" from people who question the group, that's a huge warning sign. Good on you for catching it early, most folks are too caught up in the honeymoon phase to read the fine print. Keep that lawyer friend close, seriously.