We're not a cult, says diet duo

The Advertiser (Australia)/April 24, 1999
By Vivienne Oakley

State examines "vibrations" group

Two leaders of an Adelaide organization accused in the Senate of being a cult promoting bizarre diets have Arigorously denied the allegations.

Mrs. Joan Phillips, of Inglewood, and Mrs. Marie Steinke, of Upper Sturt, defended their vibrations philosophy yesterday.

As they became the focus of national attention, the State Government revealed it was investigating the group after questions were raised with the Human Services Department.

Our main interest is the protection of women and children, a government spokesman said.

(However) we have no evidence yet which would warrant investigation.

The Vibrational Individuations Program (VIP) issued a statement yesterday in response to the allegations made by SA Liberal Senator Grant Chapman in Parliament on Thursday night.

It (VIP) is far from secretive, but caring people dealing with specific needs, the statement said.

Senator Chapman alleged that children born into the group were fed bizarre food from birth and reports had come to his attention of undernourished, underweight babies.

He alleged Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Steinke were performing food tests through people's wrists and surrounding muscles to determine what food they should eat.

One former member of the group, who does not want to be named, gave The Advertiser a copy of one of her food programs.

It included items such as drinking 756 glasses of water a day and eating brains and tongue 30 times a day.

She said the program detailed not only what a person could eat, but how it was cooked.

I've tried vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotics -- I just put it down to something I did for a while which didn't work for me, she said.

But I don't think children should be on it. But Mrs. Phillips said the programs did not specify what a person had to eat, but what was necessary to balance the individual's vibrations.

She said eating a small amount often could be part of that process

The statement issued by Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Steinke yesterday said VIP was a Aregistered self-help group based on Christian principles AIt is not a cult targeted at pregnant women, the statement said.

Diet is not the core focus of the group.

The agreed diets cover a full range of food and are relative to the need of weakened vibrations at the time

The group had never recommended families break up -- as Senator Chapman alleged in the Senate -- and there were no underweight or undernourished children in the group.

Senator Chapman said six people called him yesterday from around Australia, concerned with the involvement of their family members or friends with VIP.