The letter claimed that RSE is not a school, but that it is nothing more than a profitable business disseminating spiritual knowledge at a price; that although the word “cult” may not necessarily be attributable to RSE, in the real world “if it walks like a duck and it talks like a duck, we call it a duck”; that the there is no evidence that any students have achieved any of what the teachings promote: agelessness, health, wealth, bio-location, etc.; and finally, that critics will not stand by idly waiting for the truth to surface; that they will continue to expose the school brazenly.

Obviously there are many possible arguments that one might use to address those concerns. Take, for example, paying for information spiritual or otherwise.
A common argument for not charging for spiritual knowledge is that Jesus the Christ didn’t charge for his teachings. We expect and suspect that he didn’t because if he did that would destroy our image of him. But we really don’t know for sure. I have often wondered how he funded his ministry throughout the Holy Land. Given his powers I suspect he may have manifested whatever funds were needed.

That JZ Knight runs a business is unquestionable. That every religious or non-religious institution, big or small, keeps an accounting of its revenues and expenditures in order to continue to function is also unquestionable. Can religious institutions be regarded as businesses? They may not be legally. What about theoretically? Are they ducks or not? You can only accumulate wealth by acquiring revenues and assets greater than expenditures and costs. I would like to see a listing of the world’s wealthiest institutions. Can you guess who they might be?

I can’t argue with the “duck” simile. I use it myself. Unfortunately, that old adage is used very subjectively and that is why in the real world countless UFO sightings are really hot air balloons or just plain hot air phenomena. Criminal corporate thievery is really just a natural market aberration and global meteorological changes are really natural occurrences having nothing to do with human contributions.

You may not want to call Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment a school. Call it Seminars of Ancient Wisdom, Inc. or Sermons at the Ranch, LLC. Call it whatever you want, but a duck is a duck. For me, it is my experience that RSE is a school.

As for acquiring ageless youth or unwavering health or fabulous wealth, I can’t quite get the knack of it yet. But you know, I have knelt before many a church altar and prayed for these same things and nothing happened. I wonder if it has something to do with my core beliefs and not my God.

During my time as a student at RSE I have had the opportunity to meet many people from many diverse backgrounds. I have participated with individuals from Mexico, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, South Africa, Italy, and Spain; people of Hispanic, Asian, African American and Caucasian ethnicity; gays and lesbians. Regardless of language, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation, the unifying thread is that all of us are willingly in pursuit of some sense of purpose and meaning to our world and ourselves. Many of these people are current students who have relocated to call Yelm their home. As residents, neighbors, and community members the question to ask ourselves is, “Is this cultural diversity a gift to our small community?”