Wednesday, December 05, 2007

David Schirmer's lemonade stand

Rev Ron v Shameless Schirmer
It was not exactly the fight of the century, but it could have been kind of interesting.

It seems that Aussie Secret star David Schirmer is still trying to gloss over those little problems that have been plaguing him the past few months. He's just blogging away, for the most part as if nothing has happened, though he is still playing the martyr card as well.

My life partner/spousal equivalent/business partner Ron Kaye (his real name), who often uses the screen name "Rev Ron," wrote a comment to one of Schirmer's recent blog posts. Schirmer actually published it, and answered it, saying Ron was "a typical example of someone who posts on blogs and hide behind a false name, takes shots at people with no facts to back up his/her allegation."

Ron answered back. In his reply, he provided links to the Schirmer posts on my blog. But so far his reply hasn't been published on Schirmer’s blog. (He didn’t save it, alas, so it is probably lost in the ethers of Blogger.)

I sent a comment of my own to Schirmer's blog, though he hasn't published it yet and I’m thinking that he probably will not. After all, he's all about focusing on the positive, not the negative. But I did save my comment, and here's what I wrote:

[Quoting Schirmer:] Sadly, many who attempted to attack us (via blog and media) call themselves Christians."

I'm not so sure that playing the Jesus card is a good idea, Mr. Schirmer. In any case, Rev Ron is a Buddhist. I know, because I live with him. (I, by the way, am an agnostic who leans on the side of belief.)

My understanding is that at least some of your accusers *have* tried to confront you, as have those "gutter journalists" you decry, but you don't seem to be offering any honest answers to them. You do look uncomfortable enough by the questioning that it seems you are hiding something.

I have not been kind to you on my blog, though I have been kinder than many, and in fact I have refused to publish some comments about you that were particularly abusive. And I certainly do not wish you ill. I know you have a family to feed and you have to make a living. But don't you think you would benefit by coming clean with people?

Even if you can't give people their money back, maybe a heartfelt apology to those you have wronged would go a long way towards restoring your tarnished image.

I do find it amusing that on the one hand Schirmer moans about the "gutter journalists" who have allegedly spread lies about him. Yet he is clearly trying to exploit his tabloid exposure too. In fact it would seem he owes a debt of gratitude to those gutter-dwelling scribes – most notably, A Current Affair’s Ben Fordham – as evidenced by this, from Schirmer’s Nov. 20 post:

My wife and I had dinner at a beautiful restaurant tonight with my son Matthew and his friend Kristen (cause Kristen is heading back home to Canada tomorrow!) Matthew looks after our websites and he asked me if anything unusal happened last week (he didn't know about another attempt by ACA to discredit me). When I asked why he said that our websites experienced over 1,000% increase in traffic each day since Thursday! WOOHOO!

This flowed directly through to more online enquiries, more clients and more sales. A BIG thank you to ALL who have helped!!

I guess you can’t blame a guy for trying to squeeze some lemonade out of the lemons he’s been handed – even if it could be argued that he grew the lemon tree himself. (Remember that old song, David. It’s not all flowers.)

Schirmer’s responses to allegations
This morning I was Googling and found something I hadn’t come across before – a link to a written response (a PDF document) from Schirmer regarding some of the allegations against him.
Here is the link.

Granted, this appears on a web site created by a Schirmer fan and apologist. And, just so you’ll be aware, here are some thoughts from the guy who runs the site. He is also apparently a big fan of noted get-rich-quick expert Bob Proctor.

In Schirmer’s document he levels some allegations of his own, most of which you’ve probably heard. One of his claims is that the ill will against him is in large part the doing of an ex-employee with whom he supposedly had an affair.

It seems that "Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman." Shame on ACA [the Aussie tabloid show A Current Affair] to get caught up in this vindictive deceitful smear campaign by obviously not doing thorough research. Shame on the reporter Ben Fordham for buying into the lies and only thinking about how he can win another award and get better ratings regardless of the cost. God will make it right.

Ah, yes, God: the One who always comes through. Schirmer's apologist on the web site linked to above says The Universe will make things right by getting back at Channel 9 and Ben Fordham.

Schirmer also manages to play the "family values" card by ’splaining that he did "make a mistake," like everyone does, but he "made it right" by choosing his wife and six boys over The Other Woman. "When was the last time family values were upheld by ACA?" he asks rhetorically.

And then he closes the document by quoting himself on how to make the world a better place:

"If you want to help change the world to be a better, more abundant, more loving and peaceful place to live – every time negative media comes into your home or your life turn it off and listen to, watch or read The Secret. The more you focus on the good you desire the more greatness you will attract into your life and those you love."
– David Schirmer, Secret Teacher

If focusing on the good and watching The Secret doesn’t work, you can always take refuge in the men’s loo, the way Schirmer did when Robyn Janes, a New Zealand reporter, was trying to interview him a few weeks ago.

By the way, I found the link to the Schirmer defense document on a discussion that appeared on Steve Pavlina’s "Personal Development For Smart People" forum. Steve Pavlina is pretty much a Law Of Attraction fan, but he does host some interesting discussions on his forum, and not everyone who participates is a die-hard Secretron.

One member had this to say:

I'm not defending the guy. If he stole from people, he's an idiot. But if people gave him $92k and he stole it, why haven't they called the Police? Why not sue the guy?

I don't know. Personally, I always take anything I see from the media with a grain of salt. They are masters at spinning a story any way they want. They are really good at magnifying the hurt of the public. Constantly showing this guy driving his BMW and once again presenting that "Rich guy must be EVIL" archetype.

Another member weighed in with this:

I read both his video response and his written response and I found them to very lacking. He seems to think that just because he has happy customers (through motivational speaking) he is immune from being held accountable. I'm so glad he's taught so many people. Now they can go on to do what he did:

[Quoting from Schirmer’s written statement]:
My wife and I put over $250,000 of our own money into LifeSuccess Pacific Rim plus contributed hundreds of unpaid hours of time and effort over three years. Despite our best intention, dedication and hard work the trust never made a profit. And therefore there was no profit to share.

Whether or not he is legally responsible for paying back the money, I still consider him a scam artist if he tells people how to be successful and he obviously doesn't know how (other than by telling other people how to be successful). His attitude in all the videos and his own responses seems pretty dishonest. His sole purpose is shown in both his responses: to make more money by lying to people.

And speaking of lemons, if you read the PDF document you will notice that Schirmer mentions another company that was also given "the treatment" by A Current Affair: an "interest-free car loan" company called Motor Finance Wizard. Hmmm…used cars, auto financing… now those are normally squeaky-clean businesses. Surprisingly, however, ACA – those scandal mongers – reported that Motor Finance Wizard was also allegedly engaged in deceptive business practices. Here’s a link to a 7 News Yahoo forum discussion about the company.

My point for providing the link to Schirmer’s written statement, despite the snarkish context, should be obvious: I wanted to remind y’all, and myself, that like most stories, this one does have more than one side. On the one hand, as I’ve noted here previously, tabloid journalists do often go too far, engaging in what most folks consider to be unfair and sleazy tactics. That's their job. On the other hand, celebrities of all sorts – whether of the Hollywoodish or the New-Wagey variety – give the tabs plenty to work with.

As usual, y’all will have to make up your own minds. The story is still unfolding. My personal opinion, just from seeing Schirmer on the tube, is that he emits some pretty sleazy vibes of his own – the "hide your pocketbook and lock up your daughters" type of vibe.* But that’s just my opinion. I don’t know the guy personally, and have never spoken with him, and I did want to give you some other sides to consider in this matter.

Maybe Schirmer’s written response to the allegations is complete malarkey, and perhaps I’m a sucker for even considering it, but at least it addresses some of the allegations, unlike Schirmer’s clumsy evasions on the tabloid shows. (There is much more on the document than I have hinted at here, so I do urge you to read it. Here is the link again.) The point is that I am always open to hearing from the other side. I’ve printed posts from Schirmer defenders here before and I felt it only fair to provide the link to this document. Bottom line: I may be a hopeless snark – and you know I’m no fan of The Secret – but I do want to be reasonably fair about it.

..............................................

And just in case you haven’t read it yet, scroll down or click on this link to a post I wrote about more Secret-related scuttlebutt. It's probably one of those pieces where I am really sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong... but that wasn't the first time and I have a feeling it won't be the last. Maybe there is a little bit of Rita Skeeter in me after all.

PS added Thursday, December 6 ~ In the comments section to this post, WisdomWench mentioned an episode of The Chaser's War On Everything, a show that represents serious investigative journalism at its finest. Okay, maybe not so serious and not so journalistic, but investigative nevertheless. Anyway, the guys did a "Nut Job of the Week" segment on The Secret that is easily one of the funniest bits about The Secret I've seen in some time. (It's been up for a few months but I just got around to watching it today.) And, as WisdomWench noted, David Schirmer gets plenty of "face time" in this one. Here's a link.

* For what it's worth, the vibe I get from Schirmer is pretty much the same kind of vibe I got from a single phone conversation with "Jonathan Jacobs" (Joe Vitale’s former "Miracles Coach") many years ago. Turned out my instincts about "Jonathan" were right on. (If you follow the link, scroll down to the 13th comment, from the first "anonymous" commenter on the list. That’s where the relevant discussion begins.)

27 comments:

RevRon's Rants said...

My own take on Schirmer, after doing a lot of web research (pro and con) is that he is one of those folks Richard Brautigan had in mind when he wrote the oft-quoted (by myself, at least) poem titled "Negative Clank."

To stay within the standards of this blog, I won't quote the poem here. google it yourself. :-)

Anonymous said...

Well hello Miss Negative!

I'm a Texas gal living in Oz and I've been an avid reader of your blog for some months now. Thanks for your contribution - it's more beneficial than you know.

I also know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Mr Proctor and his gang, including Mr Schirmer, have taken vital, decent, righteous information to use for their own mercenary ends from a source they refuse to credit. To credit their source would discredit their use of his work.

And so it goes - same church different pew - greed and hypocrisy reign supreme.

If Mr Negative, I mean Ron, needs a local emmissary to rant on his behalf, I'd be happy to oblige, but somehow I think he's a-okay on his own!

By the way, The Chasers really ripped into the Secret last night on tv and gave Schirmer lots of face time. I'm sure he'll be thrilled!

And I might add that your "vibes" are right on target. My, my how can such a negative lady have such acutely accurate intuition?

Well, that's easy. You are far more advanced spiritually than you 'fess up to. Yup, it's goes back to the oldest faculty of the human system - the good old nose.
They just don't pass the smell test.

My Best

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting David Schirmer's written response. I read it with interest. And I'll wait till the outcome of the Australian (I think?) Securities Commission before I make a final judgment.

The response is interesting in many respects for what he isn't addressing, as much as what he is. To me it reads like a plea for sympathy for what the TV company did. He approached the TV company in the first place, presumably because he wanted to, er, "spread the good word" about flaw of attraction. Then he agreed to do the programme they wanted him to do. Is he really so naive to think that he can get free advertising without someone asking awkward questions? The thing is, why on earth did he agree on camera to pay people back at various dates? And, having done so, not do it? Or, if he has, where's the evidence that he has done so?

Well CC, I'm almost beginning to feel some pity for the guy. And now he's playing the "god" card. He seems very ... confused.

RevRon's Rants said...

Gosh, Connie. I accepted David's "challenge" and identified myself in not one, but two responses, but I guess he figured it would be better not to post either of them.

And here I've been pretty benign in my comments to date... even more so than you have been, which we both know is unusual. I somehow doubt that he would really enjoy a face-to-face meeting, but if he's ever in the neighborhood, I'd certainly honor his request. :-)

RevRon's Rants said...

Since Schirmer has refused to publish my comments, I thought I'd forward this one to you, Connie. Submitted to his blog today:

"Nice try, David, but you know better. Perhaps you felt that my offer to share the evidence I've collected was "rude." Or perhaps you are just following the LOA, and refusing to acknowledge negativity, even when it comes in the form of factual information about your own behavior. I would have really liked to be able to use that approach when I was a kid... Unfortunately (!), my parents instilled in me a sense of personal responsibility, and refused to let me hide from the consequences of my actions.

Given your aversion to actually facing questions, I won't hold my breath waiting for you to post my comments. I will, however, post them on Connie's blog. Let readers decide for themselves who is afraid to take a "challenge," and who is really hiding."

Cosmic Connie said...

Thank you for exercising restraint, Ron. :-) But I do urge anyone who doesn't mind an R-rated poem to Google "Negative Clank Brautigan" and see what comes up.

At least I think it would be an R-rated poem... but then again, what do I know? I thought this blog was maybe PG or R, but apparently it's NC-17.

And btw, Ron, I tend to agree with you about your assessment of Mr. Schirmer. We don't have the whole story yet, but a lot of pieces are being filled in.

Anonymous said...

Well, I see that DS has published Connie's comment. And responded to it. Yes, I now, officially, feel pity for him.

He appears to actually believe that there is a law of attraction. Well, there isn't. Never was, never has been, and - like any kind of magical thinking, all that is required is to believe the first, big lie. Then everything else has to follow. Because you don't realise you've swallowed a lie. It's not true, David. Heck, I'm sorry that it's not that easy.

This is the danger of accepting any belief system without subjecting it to a critical examination. And flaw of attraction fails at the first fence.

And, frankly, if DS doesn't get that, then why would anyone take advice from someone so deluded, on investment? Or anything else, come to that.

Ah yes, not that much pity :-)

Cosmic Connie said...

Hey, Wisdomwench, it's good to hear from you again! I suspect you are right and that Proctor still has a few fingers in this dirty pie... And some of my sources tell me that there seems to be a deep friendship (or something) among Proctor, Schirmer and Rhonda Byrne. SOMETHING is keeping Rhonda from cutting Schirmer off the way she cut off (1) the Hicks (who may be flakes but to my knowledge had done nothing dishonorable re The Secret); (2) the original director Drew Heriot; and (3) the original web strategist Dan Hollings.

If anyone is besmirching The Secret and causing brand confusion, it's David Schirmer. Perhaps Rhonda has a soft spot for her fellow countrymen... perhaps it's true friendship... or perhaps it's a money issue. Perhaps she believes Schirmer has done nothing wrong. Or perhaps he HAS done nothing wrong. I am still willing to entertain that latter possibility, but given what I have learned recently it seems increasingly unlikely.

In any event, Schirmer did publish my comment to his blog, and he replied at length.

I'll have to check out The Chasers episode... is there a YouTube link?

In the end, I think you summed it up best when you said, "Same church different pew -- greed and hypocrisy reign supreme."

My friend Gregory, who's commented on this blog before, says I should just accept it and go on to blogging about something deeper... but I can't get over it just yet.

Anyhoo, WW, thanks for writing!

Cosmic Connie said...

Thanks for your comments, Rational Thinking. I agree with you that there's a lot that Schirmer DIDN'T address in the document to which I linked. Supposedly that is the only existing public document that he has produced about these matters so far, and it did leave out a lot of things, as I am steadily finding out.

I do feel compassion for Schirmer for the way he may have been treated by ACA (I still do not know the whole story), but there is apparently so much more to this story. I'll definitely be writing more about this issue so stay tuned.

Cosmic Connie said...

Ron, on his blog David Schirmer invited us to have coffee with him, so if he is willing to foot the bill to fly us to Australia first class or business class or whatever class offers the best leg room, I'm willing to go if you are. :-)

Cosmic Connie said...

Thanks, RT. There does seem to be some sort of "law of attraction" at work for David Schirmer, but I don't think he will much like what he's going to continue to attract.

Even in the increasingly unlikely event that none of the financial-mismanagement allegations are true, there seems to be a whole 'nother level of sleaze to this story. And even if, as Schirmer claims, he is NOT giving "investment advice" (a dubious claim, but that's another story), he is giving (or rather selling) advice on how to live one's life. He is even, it might be argued, holding himself forth as a spiritual leader of some sort -- at the very least he is borrowing freely from spiritual and religious concepts to put a positive spin on his story.

If he is preaching about an abundant life, total responsibility, etc., and yet not living his own life in accordance with those teachings, that makes him, at the very least, a hypocrite. And by his hypocrisy he may not be breaking any government agency regulations or laws, but how can anyone take his teachings seriously if he doesn't practice what he preaches?

I confess that I have a tendency to tolerate sleazy behavior in politicians as long as they are doing a competent job and NOT (hypocritically) preaching family values. F'rinstance, I was a big supporter of President Clinton. But I am not so willing to tolerate sleazy behavior in New-Wage gurus and spiritual or pseudo-spiritual leaders.

If even a fraction of the things I'm now hearing are true, there is definitely more to this story that even A Current Affair hasn't told.

Cosmic Connie said...

BTW, everyone, here's a YouTube link to the "Chasers" episode WisdomWench mentioned. It is so funny that I am probably going to also put the link on the main page.
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo

Anonymous said...

Maybe you should ask Mr Schirmer how lying to his clients and investors is explained in the secret teachings.

He states that his investors should follow the legal process if they believe they are owed money. The only reason that you have to resort to the legal process is because some bastard is trying to rip you off. If the person you are dealing with is honest and ethical they will come to you with a solution, it appears from this expose that the people had to continually go to Schirmer. He also admitted on camera to owing the people money and he said he was going to pay them back by Christmas.

From what I can see his actions are the actions of a destitute person not a person of wealth that he claims on his website.

Cosmic Connie said...

Yes, Evanelpus, I am really coming to the conclusion that Schirmer isn't making lemonade, but a rather toxic Kool-Aid. And many people are still swallowing it.

I really AM trying to see it from his side. I have even minimally engaged in a conversation with him on his blog. But other people keep coming forward with *their* side, and it seems their side doesn't quite jibe with his. Could all of those people be wrong? Hmmm....I'm thinking not.

But then again -- and not to divert the attention from the topic of this post, but it is part of a larger story -- maybe this whole Secret franchise is laced with greed and deceptive practices, and has been from the get-go. As I noted in my previous day's post, there's that old saying that when a fish stinks, it stinks from the head...

Anonymous said...

Here's the link for the Chaser's War on The Secret.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo

It aired last night as a rerun so Schirmer got good face time at least twice now.

Enjoy

Cosmic Connie said...

Thanks, WW! Got it, and put the link on the front page. Absolutely hilarious bit; I'd missed it previously.

Anonymous said...

"people shoot off at the mouth before ever putting the brain into gear and without knowing facts because to put another down makes them feel better about their own lives"

Well if that isn't an egotistical, self righteous comment I am blind. Schirmer is the master at this and the proof is right out there in black and white, all in his own words.

I would say anyone who is claiming to be a Christian and mouthing off about Schirmer might have a right to do so and I say good on them, keep it up. These blogs give people a chance to vent their disappointment and anger and if there is little other recourse this is a good one. Why, Schirmer is not the only one who can use blogs to make a point. He might think he is but then reality really hasn't been something which he seems predisposed to understanding.

"I walk up the street with my head held high, I'm proud for what I have achieved and the tens of thousands of lives I have touched for the better ... oh sure, there are a dozen or so, maybe 20 or even 30 who can't take responsibilty for their own lives and will always look outside of themselves to blame others for their misfoutune."

Perhaps this might be where Mr Schirmer is ever so slightly deluded. Last count there were many more than that who had a lot to say about Schirmer on web blogs and youtube and the likes. Mr Schirmer keeps going back to his usual lines but he keeps adding an extra zero, somewhat like his deluded writing out his own checks in the secret. He also has a lot to say about not taking responsibility for actions. I wonder if he has ever applied anything he has said to his own life? One really has to question whether he feels he is simply too good for all these SCHIRMER RULES.

I live life exactly how I PLEASE not how Mr Schirmer or anyone else tries to tell me I SHOULD OR MUST DO IT. If I followed like a sheep I would be no better than him and I choose to try to be much better than him.

I think what might be irking Mr Schirmer right now is all the evidence that everyone else seems to have on him that they refuse to make public and which probably blows his claims right out the water. What a foolish man to think that he can take on the masses who now seem to really REALLY dislike the man when they are who he is relying on for his future business. Now he has the gall to take on the US. Second biggest mistake you'd think. Its interesting how David Schirmer calls people his friend but only when he wants something out of them. You notice that? Bob Proctor was his friend, Rhonda Byrne was his friend and it is whispered that none of these people can stand the guy any more so that's not too friendly in my terms.

I wonder how Mr Schirmer sleeps at night or if he sleeps at all. His latest video makes him look a complete fool, pale, sickly, caught, cornered, unhealthy, foolish and his little mate sounded no better...

Cosmic Connie said...

Thank you for the insights, Elliot. David Schirmer was right about one thing in his response to my comment on his blog. He and I have never met and he has never done me any harm. However, I am hearing about more and more people whom he has apparently harmed either financially or emotionally, or both. Can all of these stories be lies?

I understand that Schirmer is trying to "break into" the US market. Some of the scuttlebutt I've heard is that he doesn't stand a chance in America because people are wise to him. OTOH, as I've noted here before, this is the same market that has accepted the throroughly discredited author Kevin Trudeau. And as I wrote to someone recently, I sometimes think that even if all of the teachers in "The Secret" were discovered to be murderers or rapists, the book and DVD would still sell like hotcakes here. Too many people are drawn to "The Secret's" message of a magic genie and an infinitely generous universe that grants wishes for cars and mansions and dream vacations.

But as for Schirmer: There are two main reasons I have found his story interesting ever since the "scandal" broke last May. The first reason is that from the very beginning, Schirmer seems to have been making a concentrated effort to divert public attention from the real issues that people have with him. His main tactic is to claim that all of his detractors are negative people with empty lives, people whose problem is that they simply can't stand (or understand) the positive message of the Law Of Attraction and The Secret. His other major strategy is to claim that the complaints against him are largely due to a smear campaign orchestrated by a "scorned" ex-lover of his. Both of these strategies are transparent ploys that, as WisdomWench put it, "don't pass the smell test."

The other reason -- and you might say the main reason -- that Schirmer came onto my radar in the first place is that he in particular (and The Secret in general) seem to represent some of the things I have long found troublesome about the self(ish)-help/New-Wage industry. It is an industry peopled by con artists, an industry in which greed and duplicity often overshadow the most lofty principles and the best of intentions.

I'm not a scandal-monger at heart -- at least not any more so than most people -- but Schirmer's story fascinates me on many levels. He bemoans "gutter journalism" but apparently continues to do things to make himself tabloid fodder.

As I've said before, I have made an honest effort to see things from his point of view. And I love to root for the underdog. But he's not really an underdog in this situation and I can't help thinking that all of these people who are complaining about him cannot be wrong.

I don't wish David Schirmer or his family ill. But he seems to have wronged a large number of people, and I wonder where the justice is for them.

Anonymous said...

Connie from the cosmos you really are enlightened. The justice for all of these people is coming......slowly slowly but its coming. David Schirmer might feel a little smug in his arrogance right now (or maybe he's scared witless) thinking he has got away with murder but me thinks that 2008might be one helluva year for Mr Schirmer. I wonder what the stars say about that.

Cosmic Connie said...

Anon, if the voices in my head and the whispers from the cosmos are telling me the truth (and I have no reason to believe they aren't), things are going to start getting interesting even before 2008. I do sense fear along with the arrogance in Mr. Schirmer's responses to his critics these days. I'll leave it at that for right now, except to say that despite his complaints, it seems to me that those "gutter journalists" he condemns have thus far been overly kind to him.

Anonymous said...

David Schirmer deliberately lied and deceived people and must be held accountable for what he has done. His comments about contributing his own money to a business are lies because he never puts any of his own money into anything he admitted that in one of his courses. If he says he put his own money in then everyone else who contributed to Schirmers busines also put THEIR money into Schirmers business and now he is denying all of it. Who in their right mind is ever going to trust him again?

Anonymous said...

I believe that David Schirmer deliberately lied and deliberately deceived people for his own benefit. His actions toward the people who tried to help him are an absolute disgrace and just one of the things that he should be held accountable for. To publicly claim that he does not owe anyone anything is a very deceitful and blatant attempt to get away with his actions. And now because he has been so arrogant and not acted in an appropriate manner in business he will now have to answer to everyone including the authorities. I am sure that many people attempted to seek restitution and some sort of solution long before any of this became public knowledge but it seems that Schirmer put his faith in his threats to hush the critics when in fact it only incensed those he owed money to even more. Now it seems that the numbers are far greater than he can handle and he has lied so much that he has twisted himself up in his lies. Who cared about his involvement in the secret or anything else until he started denying that he owed the very people who funded his businesses in the first place anything. Only someone very greedy and desperately wicked does this, takes from people and then denies any of it. It now seems that many have come to the conclusion that what he did was a very calculated and deceitfully corroborated attempt to take everything which belonged to everyone else off them and never be held accountable for it. Because David Schirmer has chosen to act in that manner he will no doubt now have to face the law and his accusers in a way which will embarass him immensely and shatter what reputation he may have left. I would say that David Schirmer created this whole mess all for himself because his ego and greed took hold of him in such a way that he could see no other way out.

Cosmic Connie said...

Yes indeed, it looks as if Schirmer really is "attracting" more and more trouble to himself. He is trying even now to exploit "The Secret," which is really the thing that brought him fame -- but fame, of course, is a two-edged sword. What a tangled mess this is turning out to be. I will blog about it again as soon as I can grab a spare moment from my "real" work, but I thank all of y'all for your comments. More and more people are coming forward about this, and right now I'd say Schirmer doesn't have much of a chance of making it in the US. Maybe if he waits a couple of years and changes his name he might have a shot at it...

Anonymous said...

Don't give him any ideas, Connie!

Cosmic Connie said...

Good point, Lana. Psst... Lemonade Boy! Forget I said anything!

Anonymous said...

Do you seriously want Schirmer in the US preying on all the women and stealing peoples life savings. Get a grip, that's the last thing we want. I am visualising him locked up in a remote part of Australia with all of lifes luxuries removed from him. Very satisfying.

Cosmic Connie said...

No, Anon, I really do not want Schirmer in the US! I am being sarcastic when I suggest that he should come here. But at the same time I am commenting on the lamentable fact that the ethical standards for the selfish-help / New-Wage / pop-spirituality industry are lax at best. When there's a huge and gullible market of people who are willing to part with their money in exchange for promises of unlimited health, wealth, and happiness...well, that's paradise for hucksters and scam artists of all stripes.

In any case, I am sure many people share your vision for Schirmer!