Philip Franchine of The Green Valley News notes that property on and near downtown’s Fourth Avenue is getting snatched up by a religious group with UFO tenets—and that has been accused of being a cult:
Why all this activity in Tucson?
“We fully intend to take this message to the entire world,” Lilly said. “While Tumacacori is great for agriculture, Tucson has a large student population and they need a society like we have — that is drug-free, alcohol-free and environmentally conscious.”
Global Community has attracted young people from around the world who seek to learn sustainable farming and ranching techniques, describing itself in a colorful brochure as “a living agricultural/all-volunteer community sharing its resources and the harvest of the land purchased and worked together…”
But the group has drawn plenty of criticism from former members and at least one international cult expert.
The Alliance believes that messengers from space delivered a revelation known as The Urantia Book, which explains the nature of God, creation and man’s purpose. They believe Gabriel has re-established contact with the space beings and will one day reign after a catastrophic war.
Cult expert Rick Ross, who tracks religious groups through his Rick A. Ross Institute, told The Arizona Republic in 2009 that the Alliance is “a personality-driven group. This (Gabriel) is a guy who has a lot of money, and it’s been accumulated through the surrender of assets.”
Ex-followers said members are forced to give up their legal names and shun family outside the group when they join. They said in a 1998 Dateline NBC program that the organization took control of all aspects of their lives, including finances, marriage and divorce. Since then, many more have come forward with similar stories.
“We are a non-profit and rely on the generosity of others,” Lilly told the Green Valley News when asked how the group paid for the buildings. “Members of the community bring their resources. Some have much, some have little. We have been the recipients of grants and receive donations from various supporters.”
This article appears in Sep 26 – Oct 2, 2013.
So it’s like Scientology for young would-be farmers?
The original article is very informative. Just a note, though: for peer-reviewed cult experts one should contact the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA).
Isn’t it all just about getting what you can out of young people who are more easily controlled?
They are neighbors. Couldn’t be a more pleasant, wholesome, and friendly group.
I guess they might be “controversial,” given that they are such excellent stewards of the land they own in Tumacacori, which is not the usual thing around here.
Nothing to fear, folks.
Wish there were more like them!
Check with the folks in Sedona about this group’s track record. They are well financed and expertly directed. Not saying anything bad, just have been in both locations when they moved in (took over).
It sounds as bad as ultra orthodox Judaism. They reel in kids, convince them to “donate” their assets. alienate themselves from friends and family, breed like rabbits, and the rest is history.
An excerpt in the Tucson Weekly of a longer story shouldn’t be your sole source of information for, well, anything. As Magarv said, these are good people trying to improve the world. They don’t proselytize or propagandize, and they grow great food. If they were Amish and everything else were the same, no one would give it a second thought.
I talked to a girl from this group once, she said they are not allowed to “date” people outside the group.