Customer Reviews

The Prisoner of San Jose: How I Escaped from Rosicrucian Mind Control

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1 star:		(17)

 

 

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The Rosicrucian Forum, Vol. XVIII, October, 1947, no. 2., page 36:

"A series of exercises after one arises in the morning and carried on for two or three weeks, or even two or three months, will not do as much good as the normal outdoor exercise consisting of a walk or other type of physical work that is done regularly every day of our lives. It is not the violence of physical exercise as much as the fact that the body's muscles must be moved somewhat everyday that is necessary to maintain a normal physical condition...

Common sense in both the physical and psychic constitutes good guideposts. The theory in Rosicrucianism throughout its teachings is to point the way and try to help each individual to exercise his own common sense, which is no more or less than another term for intuition. Each individual will have to take the best acceptable knowledge, insofar as his physical and mental well-being is concerned, and use the most reliable guidepost he can find, coupled with his own intuitive judgement.

There is only one word of caution. Extremes should be avoided in both the physical and psychic. Extreme exercise, diet, fads, as well as extreme practices that have to do with the development of the mind and physical body, are equally dangerous."

***


When I started reading Pierre S. Freeman's The Prisoner of San Jose, it became evident from the very first pages that his personal disappointment with AMORC resulted from a deep-seated desire to break up with poverty in his native Haiti and the frustration of not achieving the "American Dream" whilst an irregular immigrant in the United States of the 80's.

Freeman had construed that being a member of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, would vouch him a safe financial and material journey under circumstances that in themselves offered very little room for success: he was an irregular immigrant in the U.S., with no skills, having not even completed his university studies at Haiti to back him up in his new enterprise.

Of all the circumstantial difficulties an immigrant could face in a foreign country in a time without the Internet to provide that quick look up on jobs, forums of fellow nationals to exchange information on bedsits, courses and survival tips, none weighs as heavily as not having a plan that went further than just getting to a wealthier foreign country.

I am afraid to say that lack of a consistent plan, preparation and timing was the base of Pierre Freeman's downfall and discontentment. It is lamentable that not seeing this himself, Pierre resorts to put the blame on mind control, thus exonerating himself from the opportunity to learn from his own mistakes and take responsibility for his own life, something a Rosicrucian is always encouraged to do.

I feel that what Pierre puts forward in his book about his experience with Rosicrucianism is not damaging to AMORC but to those who might be led to believe they are being mind-controlled, brainwashed or manipulated when their issues might lie somewhere else.

On this same line, it concerned me to read that Freeman seems to take an all or nothing attitude towards psychological health when he says his only way out would be through the highly specialised help of an exit psychologist. It sends chills down the spine of any Rosicrucian and any follower of common-sense to think that people who should be seeking professional help, any professional help, from a therapist, a priest, a doctor, a psychologist or even a community counsellor now might be led to believe they should self-diagnose and "treat" themselves for psychological ailments because the problem they think they have is assumed to be too unique and complex for conventional help.

Pierre believes he is opening a third chapter in the study of mind-control, little he knows that such aspirations cannot be fulfilled by only basing his work on just two or three books. Considering the amount of academic and professional minds working and conducting studies in the field every year, one wonders whether he is not being too self-centred to not only dodge any help available, but to put himself as the discoverer of a new chapter in psychology in which he is both the researcher and the researched subject. The claim in itself sums the kind of fallacies of the ego that really entrapped this man.

It is deeply disappointing that Freeman has chosen to resort to generalisations and downright misconceptions to label both Americans and Muslims. He says Americans are consumer-oriented (sic), and connects "Madrasas" to terror camps.

Now, Mr. Freeman, a shopping-centre is consumer-oriented, selling products that are consumer-oriented, the people who lust to buy these products just for the sake of it are "consumerist".

Concerning madrasa, that is the generic word for "school" in Arabic, so of course there are madrasas all over the Arab countries, sir. Indeed, many of these are religious but just a few are radical and terror-oriented (hoping that now you should have grasped what "-oriented" means). As a former Rosicrucian, you don't seem to know how to refer to people respectfully, something that as far as I have known from Rosicrucians I have met when I was a young fundamentalist protestant, I know they excel.

As an immigrant myself, I find it rich of you to label your American hosts under generalisations. Consumerism is not an exclusive American trait, it is a human trait since the times Adam and Eve decided to weave clothes for themselves. Dig deeper, go out more, listen to Americans from all coasts a bit more.

It saddened me to hear that despite everything that is shared in the initial monographs from AMORC, Freeman seems to have been the one of the few modern-day Rosicrucians to believe that Christian Rosenkreuz really existed. I am afraid to say that Rosicrucians do not believe in this allegory as something literal.

All in all, it felt to me the book The Prisoner of San Jose could be explained by one line of the film Changing Lanes, when William Hurt serving as a counsellor tells Samuel Jackson:

"You know, booze isn't really your drug of choice anyway. You're addicted to chaos. For some of us, it's coke. For some of us, it's bourbon. But you? You got hooked on disaster."

My parents were Rosicrucians going back to the 60's, both having worked at the San Jose lodge for years and years and years. I joined when I turned 18 and got up to the 8th degree before moving on. Whoever wrote this book is an out and out idiot.

Mind control?!?!? Pffft. Give. Me. A. Break. There is absolutely nothing cult-like about AMORC WHAT-SO-EVER. Want to quit? Simple: stop paying your dues. They won't even bother you with a follow up letter.

From the very beginning they tell you not to take them at their word and reiterate that over and over. The teachings center around practical mysticism with some esoteric lore thrown in (such as theories of reincarnation, the nature of the soul, etc.). The absolute worst thing that could possibly come with affiliation is you'll learn how to meditate and acquire a decent understanding of how the mind works. Ooooooo....sounds scary, hunh?

I sure hope this moron isn't registered to vote!

I am a lifelong Rosicrucian with an ancestral lineage of Rosicrucians. AMORC does not do this sort of thing as most of their teachings are done on one's own. This is a load of trash by someone trying to make some money. Don't waste yours.

I think Mr. Freeman should rename his book "The Prisoner of Myself". This book is about the experiences and hardships of an illegal immigrant to the US who obsessed with AMORC's teachings expecting them to become a miraculous salvation board for the difficulties of his life and the ones he encountered at his arrival to this country. Mr. Freeman's personal story, background, personality and tremendous hardships contributed to his twisted perception and expectations; his obsessive, superstitious and irrational approach to these teachings made him certainly a victim of himself. I think AMORC provided the framework that Mr. Freeman used as reference to eventually realize and then justify to himself his obsessive and dysfunctional behavior. I wonder what would have been of him and his book if he would have joined the Marine Corps or any other organization instead.
This book has little literal or scientific value, is highly speculative and based solely on his personal experience.
As a 20 year member of AMORC, and also an immigrant, my story completely differs to Mr. Freeman's. His true liberation might come the day he understands himself as the main player and responsible entity for his life story.

There is no doubt that some people never assumes responsibility on his/her own life, and blames all to others. The worst thing that can happen when you join AMORC, is that you get a deeper comprehension of several matters. (If you study your monographs and don't lose your time writing garbage).
Mind Control of AMORC over yourself? It's stupid. The only thing you have to do if you feel "controlled" is to stop paying your membership fees. That's all.

Just think: to be considered "Brain Washed" or to be "Mind controlled", first, you have to be a prisoner,a real one, and to do or think things against your will.
When you join AMORC, you do so by your own will. And you can leave AMORC any time you want.

All people who has written against AMORC seem to have taken only the first "Neophite" degrees and got frustrated for not obtaining "powers", to be "invisible", to "dominate" others, or have not earned fast-paced Fame and Fortune, or have not learned to "fly" like Superman.

I remember, there is a famous course named "SILVA MIND CONTROL" and it has never deserved such criticism.
Well, I might be wrong, but Mr. Silva, as far as I know, was a Rosicrucian himself, and those "MIND CONTROL" techniques were designed to enhance your memory, concentration, achieve more self-confidence, etc.; very useful techniques that might have been derivated from AMORC. Is that so SCARY?

But the fact is, that AMORC never pushes you or make you believe anything that you don't agree. You can always leave AMORC anytime you want.
By the way, behind any book like this, I think that there is always a strong desire to make BIG money, am I right, Mr Freeman?

What a lot of nonsense this is.

I was a member of AMORC for nearly 15 years and met many of the top people there over the years...all sincere, altruistic people with no agenda other than wanting to make a difference to the world. AMORC sends you four pamphlets a month ("monographs") of which you study one a week.

Through a kaizen-type effect, you gradually improve yourself over the months/years and become a much more rounded, thoughtful and knowledgable personality.

The problem with the internet these days is that too many people accept rumour and innuendo as fact. Go visit any AMORC headquarters, meet the people, see what they do and take a look around, then try writing a nasty book about them...if you can.

And, no, I'm not a member anymore either only because I just moved onto other things, not because I escaped any brainwashing!

This book is trash. The only thing it proves is that anyone can get anything published today. It only has one star because I couldn't post a comment without putting it there.

Dont waste your time reading this rubbish, AMORC by no means forces anyone to be a memeber ,or useses any kind of cultic techniques ,its a fraternity dedicated to teaching memebers a few secrets about life and the universe we live in , it teaches how the ignorant can learn to master themselves and begin to take control of their true destiny and life and rise above their lower animal natures . The church and religion in general wants you to become a follower a sheep and slave, They teach thats u must fear the creator and beg the all powerfull god for mercy and sustenance, This in fact is far from the truth . --AMORC instead teaches u to think for yourself, to master your own hidden strenghts and power, to become master of your own destiny ,,that is your birthright . to be a co-worker with the universe and not a slave ,, to work for the good of all. this guy obviously suffered from psychological issues and delusions and got himself into something with false aspirations, like was said before alot of people join these organisations thinking all things will be laid at their feet, they will be rich and powerfull, they never understand the work and humbleness it involves, the purity of heart ,, eventually after many years they become angry and delusional when things dont go the way they expected. All we can do is have pity on them.

to make it short:

I am an amorc member since more than 12 years;

I never experienced anything like the author mentioned, so many of my friends left without any problem because they where not interested any more without any problem;

I guess this Mr. freeman has a problem within his own mind, he also would get a prisoner of any group, even a kung fu club or billiard association?!

I also do yoga, martial arts, skitouring and 1 million other hobbies and every year I decide whether I continue my membership;

Also in yoga sometimes I experience weak minds who follow others like a blind even if this person doesnt claim to be a guru ....

If someone considers himself to be a mystic he has to have a strong mind otherwise please play ping pong or buy yourself a barby doll ...

Amorc is - in comparison to other orders and organisations - one of the most liberal organisations I know, sure they dont write in their monographs .... oh well we dont know anything please leave our organisation???

Ok sometimes there are members with a little bit fanatic attitude but such people exist in every church, politics e.g.....

I discovered many simple lies in the book, for example amorc members dont think grnd master speaks total truth, this is definitly not true and every member knows ...

I may not be, entirely, qualified
to write a great deal
concerning the matter of this book
so I will be, relatively, brief...

I found what the book stated
(some of which I read, here, online)
to be not "constructive" and too open
to mere interpretation which may
and/or
may not be based on facts.

Yet every Man's experience is, first, his own.

Having been an active member of the Rosicrucian Order
twice
(once, in 1990 and, again: in 2004)
I can only say that I continue to respect the Ideals
by which the true Order says they abide.

I still consider the Pharaoh Aknaton to be, greatly,
(in his Hymns and Philosophy) worthy of study...
and the "Confession of Ma'at" to be worthy of
(mirror-like) contemplation among
many other Ancient Texts.

I cannot speak for anyone else...
but I, still, consider myself a Rosicrucian
"in spirit"
even though I am not, currently, an active member.

One last anecdote:
I, very recently, ordered some Book/Text items
(for my own ongoing contemplation only)
from the Rosicrucian Online Bookstore.
I was contacted by a lady there
(due to a question she had about my order)
and I was surprised when she, still,
called me "Frater"...
even though I, previously, mentioned
that I was not, currently,
an active member...
not since 2004.

At the very least, her
friendliness was clearly shown
by her having said this.

To sum up?
I cannot, myself, vouch
for what was said--as found written--
in the book:
"The Prisoner of San Jose..."

Why?
The "spirit" of the Book seems other than it should be.
I have never had any problems with the Rosicrucians at all.
Indeed!
it is due to the Rosicrucians that I feel that I must
continue my studies in the way that I remember they prescribed...
not, always, as an "active member"
but as a "human being" ...
searching with Sincerity
and deep ongoing Contemplation...
a "human", in other words:
who is ever searching for
Practical Workable Truth to apply to Life....
in the manner of Rene Descartes
(in his Philosophical Writings)
as well as in the manner of many others.

Therefore:
I think I may be a "Rosicrucian" for the rest of my life...
in spirit, if not always as an active current member...
and I think that this adherence to the true Ideals, above all,
would be what any true Rosicrucian would want to strive for...
when the word "Rosicrucian" is heard or read or written or seen.

We may suffer upon our crosses in Life but let the Inner Rose
ever continue in its bloom.