One Wife's Concerns About Sterling

October 31, 1997

Thank you very much for your information on your web site concerning the Sterling Institute of Relationships. My husband was recruited and he attended a couple of meetings. He came home and told me he was going on a "Men's" weekend recruit. I was supportive but at the same time I was concerned because he had told me that these meetings and the group was secret so he could not tell me about it. This was unlike my husband who shares many things with me. A couple of weeks later I stumbled across a confirmation letter that he received about the weekend.

I took a religion class in my college days which covered cults and I have always been fasinated as to how people get caught up in cults. I was hysterical after I read the letter. It had the classical signs of a "brainwash" weekend. In 48 hours he would only be allowed approx. 3 hours of sleep and one meal a day. I hysterically broke down and cried with my husband explaining my concerns. I said this was a cult and he could not believe it. I recommended that we go to a library and research cults and how they use weekends with mind control techniques to recruit members. Luckily, he agreed to go to the library. He read a few pages of some different books and said that none of his friends have been supportive of this group. He also said that he had felt uncomfortable when he got the letter. He decided not to go to the seminar that day. On Sunday, he told his friend (recruiter) that he was not going to go. I'm not sure if he has been able to get a refund but I know he was trying. I don't care about the $300. I'm glad that he saw the light.

However, last night he mentioned how I did not have to worry about him joining the group but he hoped he was "not missing out on somethiing". I am going to show him the info. on your web site and I think that will convince him that this group is no good.

Thank you very much for having info. on this cult. I visited other web sites but I did not find others that had info. on Sterling.