John-Roger Revisited

It is with relief that our family has just read your two-part article on John-Roger. Your coverage is an example of responsible investigative journalism at its best. Your portrayal of the beliefs and flavor of spiritual life in MSIA is totally congruent with our experience.

We and our two children were part of MSIA and Insight and devoted to John-Roger and his vision for seven years until 1983. We were ordained ministers and initiates. We and our children took all of the Insight trainings and for 2 1/2 years lived in the ashram or next door to it in Los Angeles.

When we left the Movement after hearing about what we came to realize was not just furtive homosexual activity but massive abuse of power on the part of John-Roger, we were treated like lepers by the people who stayed in MSIA and who believed that we were suffering from the Red Monk “disease.” People who, the day before, had been our spiritual brothers and sisters spurned us because we had the guts to ask questions, find out the facts, and act out of what we believe was our integrity. Such treatment was a devastating and eye-opening experience.

Thank you for bringing this ugly and complex situation, where the power to do good and evil sit side by side, into the light of day. We hope that the positive aspects of the MSIA/Insight vision will survive.

MATTHEW and ELLEN COHEN

Philadelphia