by Dr Rachel Mascord, Sydney, Australia
I use to occasionally watch current affairs styles programs. Often they would run an exposé piece, thrusting the camera in the face of an individual or group, in the name of exposing some sort of immoral, unethical or unsavoury activity. The person or people being filmed inevitably looked furtive or guilty. Some would try to hide. Others would react, lashing out at cameras or sadly the camera operators. I always found those stories difficult to watch, and wondered “what would it be like to be on the receiving end of that activity? How would I handle it?” Unfortunately, last night I had the opportunity to find out for myself.
I attended Esoteric Medicine last Friday night (12th Oct 12) at Lennox Head Community Centre, run once a month by Universal Medicine and presented by Serge Benhayon. A man named David Millikan turned up unannounced and asked Serge, with whom he’d had several phone conversations, if he could go on stage and ask the audience some questions as research for a book he claims to be writing.
Serge introduced David Millikan and he took the stage. After giving us his background – he is a Minister of the Uniting Church and has a PhD. in religious philosophy, is an expert on cults and works for the police – he told us emphatically, that we are indeed members of a cult (Universal Medicine). It was a rather stunning and unexpected accusation. He then asked his first question to the audience, but it was a question that was framed in a way to make us seem foolish whatever answer we gave. It was designed to put us “on the back foot”.
There was no opening for genuine enquiry, and in fact David Millikan did not have any interest in our response because as soon as a ‘question’ was posed, some of the planted members of the film crew that had hidden in the audience produced hand-held cameras and started filming us. Additional larger television cameras and lights then appeared at the door. This was shocking; hurtfully shocking. No permission to film had been granted. There were children in the audience, and it is illegal, not to mention unethical to film people under the age of 18 without permission. Some members of the audience covered the glass door to stop the TV cameras filming us. Others moved to cover the small hand-held cameras within the room.
It made us look clandestine and defensive, as though we had something to hide, but in fact it was just a natural reaction to what was taking place without our consent.
Yet this man had walked in claiming to be interested in us as a group of people, willing to find out more about us and our choices. He came in with an agenda that he kept hidden from us. He came in to accuse, not to understand. He orchestrated for us to be filmed without permission.
The shock in the room was palpable. The sense of confusion and betrayal was strong. All of us got to feel precisely what it is like to have cameras thrust in our faces with loaded questions being fired and without being given the right of reply before another closed question was fired.
What shocked me more than anything was knowing that David Millikan is a Uniting Church Minister. Surely, as a Minister and representative of the church, he stands for a doctrine that represents love and compassion? Does this not extend beyond the confines of his church to other people who make different choices? As a student of religion he must recall the way early Christians were treated with suspicion and contempt. Yet he demonstrated a willingness to treat us with the same contempt that was directed at those early Christians who formed the foundation of the religion of which he is a senior member.
What was his true purpose in speaking to us?
Was he trying to liberate us from a cult? If that was so, I certainly did not feel liberated or supported. I felt threatened, vulnerable and hurt. I also felt used.
I am dismayed to see how the Australian Media, and people like David Millikan operate. The students of Universal Medicine are the most open, willing and loving people I have been connected to in my life. I have never met a group of people so dedicated to working with true commitment and care. No agendas, no preaching and no conversion, just a dedication to living in a way that is deeply gentle and harmonious, in a world that has virtually no gentleness, and no harmony. We were set up to look a certain way.
I would say to David Millikan, if he were willing to actually listen to me “Thank you. You have confirmed my choice to live with gentleness, openness and compassion, by showing me the exact opposite”.
The Truth about Universal Medicine 
I have not watched tv for about 4 years and I mean no tv. I don’t own one and there is not one in the house where I have lived recently. Watching those shows always instigated anger in me whether it was the reporter’s frontman style imposition, the music, the theme of the show, or the so called villain. I saw that show recently and it still feels the same. Draws you in to be emotionally effected.
“We were set up to look a certain way.” 6 years later it is still happening, no different to 2000 years ago. We have learnt nothing in this time, there are still those that do not want the truth to be known and will do whatever it takes to make sure it is not heard.
I’ve seen some of those reports on TV where a camera is thrust in someone’s face and indeed they can often react, and really that’s not surprising; but it’s only in reading accounts like this of being impacted by this, that I really get to grasp the brutality and abuse inherent in this … the person is effectively being interrogated and they are seen merely as a story but one that has been set up according to a pre-recorded narrative, not one that is in fact about finding out what they’re about. No truth in sight.
You make a very good point, for somebody who is in a high position with the Church this person did not show the compassion and care which one would think he has for people. If christianity was truly based on the principles Jesus lived this level of abuse would not be possible.
You cannot hide your true intent, and David Millikan certainly gave away his intent and way of operating barely for everyone to see and feel. This confirms what Serge Benhayon has been presenting for a long time, you cannot put one aspect of your life aside and then operate in another part thinking you can leave anything behind, everything is one life. If this is how David Millikan operates when he’s on a job then to me it says everything about him of how he is as a person everywhere else.
If we have to see what happens through the eyes of the attackers and their cameras going around, what we see will be totally different compared to having a second set of cameras filming the attack. In such case, no one will feel any sympathy to the attackers since their brutality and ruthlessness will be revealed in full.
It confirms to me what Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine presents and has always presented and that is true religion is the way in which we live, our livingness 24/7 and being all that we are – love to the best of our ability. I cannot but help ponder on what religion David Millikan stands by if Friday 12th October 2012 and the lead up to this evening was anything to go by! To me the behaviour was the complete opposite to what I know is love.
Rachel thank you for sharing your experience, it is quite clear that there was a completely different agenda set up, a trap in order to get a response that could be manipulated for their own benefit, where there wasn’t an ounce of truth.
It amazing to see behind the scenes of so many of these similar type programs or reports I have seen. I remember watching them on TV and seeing peoples faces stunned, shocked and confused as a reporter rapid fires questions with a cameraman pointing a camera in someones face. It’s like you’re there and you are demanding the person answer and if they don’t or if they answer in a way that doesn’t satisfy you then they must be guilty, guilty of what you don’t know but guilty of something because of the way they acted. Being on the receiving end of something similar you see the whole set up. The reporters set it all up to get the story and after simply the way the report is conducted is the story because looking back I can remember little of the facts around the ones I watched on TV but I remember how they were conducted. This one was no different, the whole thing set up to have maximum impact for the viewers and yet no facts and a long way from the truth and as is said why let it get in the way of the story. A note, the next time you see something on TV like is described in this article ask yourself what really went on, ask more questions rather then making an opinion from what you see. More and more we are all saying the media in its current form can’t be trusted, so don’t be sensationalised into following along.
This blog raises a great point. When abuse is observed in all its ugliness, it helps to reaffirm that this is not the way. So, indirectly, it helps us to confirm that love is the only way.
The audience at this event got to feel the full force of the energy coming through David Millikan with the intention to unsettle the students of Universal Medicine.
Absolutely Rachel Mascord – what you write is very true, I can only fully agree.
Then this is shared by you: ‘The students of Universal Medicine are the most open, willing and loving people I have been connected to in my life. I have never met a group of people so dedicated to working with true commitment and care. No agendas, no preaching and no conversion, just a dedication to living in a way that is deeply gentle and harmonious, in a world that has virtually no gentleness, and no harmony. We were set up to look a certain way.’
With the extra attention on: in a world that has virtually no gentleness, and no harmony. ”
We are shown that that which is needed is being lived by a group of people, which hopefully will grow and grow soon into a bigger and bigger and wider web – as we need that which we miss to be lived in FULL. That is Love, Harmony, Truth and Stillness. And not more of the opposite, like David Millikan had so effortlessly done in absolute harm of many many students of Universal Medicine who are just making effort to living the future of truth, care and dedication to brotherhood now.
It is great to read everyone’s take on David Millikan’s unannounced imposition on a Universal Medicine event. It represents the value we each bring by proclaiming our truth. If we all did this we would hold each other together. I do not see this much outside of Universal Medicine. We as students are bringing truth back to society.
These were not the actions of anyone I would call a true ‘theologian’, or man of God. David Millikan exposed a very dark side of himself, humanity and the media in my opinion, when he came across Serge Benhayon and a group of students of Universal Medicine, who actually were gathered for a presentation in consideration of God, our place and purpose in life, and offering the deepest understandings of these universal considerations I have ever come across.
He and his ‘crew’ would have done well to sit down and be open to what was to be delivered that evening, and then engage in an open discussion.
Aarghhh… such is the state in which we find ourselves today, with a media running roughshod over people and the truth, and in this case, led by someone I can’t help sense is far more interested in his own self aggrandisement, than the love of God and His workings in our lives.
Well described, said and exposed Dr Rachel Mascord. I was also in attendance that evening. Your words “if he were willing to actually listen to me…” say it all really… This was a display of the lowest order, of a person and media displaying nought but a biased agenda – that cares not for truth and reality, let alone for the people it disregards, disrespects, shocks and yes, ‘uses’ in order to further its foul game.
Wow Rachel. I remember meeting up with friends the day after this incident and seeing first hand how shaken people were by David Millikin’s abusive tirade and the illegal and imposing filming that took place. Afterwards I reflected on the fact that I knew that the media was corrupt and abusive all along and yet never felt inspired to do anything about it until people I knew directly were attacked. Now I am far more aware of the responsibility we have to speak up and be heard in all areas of life. The fact that something seems hard to change is not a good enough reason to leave it be. We are all affected by the corruption we are surrounded by whether it affects us directly or not.
Thank you Rachel for your very clear sharing of this incident. It is quite shocking that a religious minister would actually treat people in this way. Not to forget that he partnered with a TV network to film their planned ambush. It seems obvious that there was no innocent inquiry and no genuine gathering of information. It was planned, targeted and without intention to understand.
A truly stunning piece of writing… and equally stunning exposure of the harm in not being afforded the love and compassion that others with the same beliefs as him would be given. Having never witnessed a man of God openly abuse people like that, I found myself quite disturbed by the hypocrisy.
It was certainly a first hand insight into how the actually media operate. I used to think that maybe they did have some integrity but from being there on that Friday night witnessed that is not so. However David Millikan who is a man of ‘the cloth’ and his underhanded and deceptive behaviour does nothing for the reputation of his religion. In my book getting up in front of an audience under false pretenses is the same as lying. I wholeheartedly agree with what you have so beautifully expressed Rachel, “I would say to David Millikan, if he were willing to actually listen to me. ‘Thank you. You have confirmed my choice to live with gentleness, openness and compassion, by showing me the exact opposite'”.
So a minister of the uniting church(!!) is not interested in truth or fair representation for the party involved. No debate about the different opinions Millikan held about Universal Medicine – just a straightforward hi-jack under false pretences. No wonder religion gets such a bad name.
Again this highlights how the freedom of speech doesn’t give license for the freedom to attack. Even though no one in that room was physically injured many would have been emotionally. Resulting in loss of trust, anxiety tension and loss of faith in people. Emotional and physical attack should be held in the same regard. However at this point in time, the law has a primary focus on an individuals well being depending whether they continue to breath or not after experiencing abuse.
A vivid account of what passed that night and of what is so wrong with the approach that was taken – no filming consent, no right of reply, no love and compassion. Just deceit and contempt in search of footage to support a storyline – and this made doubly shocking when we learn it was orchestrated by a man of the cloth.
These actions, while shocking and completely unacceptable as they are, have set about a calling out for the media to be accountable. Regardless of their intent they have exposed themselves and the practices that are carried out and accepted by the news consuming public. Had they chosen to not go towards Universal Medicine where it is taught that energy is everything, how much longer would these behaviours been going along unchecked? If it weren’t for the media attacks I doubt I would be willing to stand up and claim what I know to be true, which is that Universal Medicine is not a cult and such intrusive behaviours are pure abuse and need to be addressed.
There is something so crude and deceitful in this set up – the sneakiness is so slimy! The world is starving of Truth and honesty – some react to people who are actually choosing to life against the trends of misery and find a living Joy in there hearts. I was not at this event and actually came to the work after this happened but I can see through vileness of David Millikan’s actions to a man who is blaming the world for his woes and not willing to take responsibility for his hurts – why else would he attack a community who is living this responsibility?
I was also at the event that day and it was indeed a show of great disrespect for the people there. It was evident that David Millikan’s intent was to prove to himself his own self righteous idea of what individual opinion he had come to in response to his own ideals and beliefs of how people should behave. It was disgraceful behavior.
What an incredibly shocking experience for all who were present this night. The more I read about the media’s abusive attack on everyone that night I am lost for words at the absolute arrogance and disrespect in which David Millikan and this film crew behaved.
It’s stunningly obvious this man (Millikan) and orchestration was indeed not a loving or true pursuit from any angle: “Was he trying to liberate us from a cult? If that was so, I certainly did not feel liberated or supported. I felt threatened, vulnerable and hurt. I also felt used.”
Rachel what I loved about your article was this line to David Millikan “Thank you. You have confirmed my choice to live with gentleness, openness and compassion, by showing me the exact opposite”. That is the most beautiful thing to have come out of the night described, a confirmation of the amazing choices we are all making by choosing to live a life from love.
Thank you Rachel and Jade, I agree, every aspect of the media events surrounding Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, have confirmed to me that the Way of the Livingness is the only true Way.
It is true Jade, acts like this just confirm that the Way of the Livingness is truly a grand religion. It would never support such overtly disrespectful behavior, and in fact presents only the greatest respect towards our fellow beings. Completely respecting the choices others make.
Well said and beautifully expressed. It was clear that David Millikan left his loving and compassionate Minister hat at the door… for those with different beliefs to him apparently only deserve his denigration and abuse. It would have been truly appalling behaviour from anyone, let alone a man claiming to serve God.
Thank you Rachel for exposing the disgraceful behaviour of David Millikan and his media crew who showed no respect for the freedom of others to meet and share a way of living in harmony with each other. Mr Millikan would have learned the truth of integrity if he had chosen instead to sit quietly in the room and listen to the words of truth and love at the meeting.
David Millikan had already listened to several meetings and had been given 2 books by Serge Benhayon which Millikan had claimed to have read. From day one it seems like Millikan had only one objective!
Awesome article Rachel. I love the way you have so accurately and truthfully recorded the abhorrent behaviour of David Millikan and his equally deceptive media accomplices in their completely disrespectful ambush of the Universal Medicine presentation. Many of us had attended the presentation to learn that there is indeed another way to be and live amongst the stress, bustle and mess of our present society. This experience really shined a light on the darkness of some of the medias tactics and bias in their delivery of ‘the news’ and how this type of appalling behaviour actually feeds the mess society presently is in.
Thank you Rachel for so beautifully sharing your accounts of this night. I am certainly not joining David Millikan’s congregation any time soon or reading his work.
Eloquently expressed Rachel demonstrating the total lack of love and compassion in the actions of a man who calls himself a religious minister.
Beautiful Rachel. Very well said: there is no cult, we have nothing to hide, nothing to feel ashamed of. There is nothing wrong going on here with those choosing to participate in Universal Medicine activities and be inspired to learn to live loving lives. So, what was Milikan (re-)acting against? Difficult to answer, but one thing is for sure. Members of the so called ‘anti-cult’ industry read reality through the eyes of menaces to society. Not saying that menaces do not exist. They do. What I am saying is the need to really be very careful in assessing and discerning what constitutes a menace to what pose absolutely no problems to anyone. Universal Medicine is a clear example of an organisation that not only poses no threats to anyone, but also that offers amazing clues and tools to leave behind a current state of things which are not pleasant at all regarding the lack of wellbeing in our lives.
Thank you for sharing your experience of that nights events. ‘He came in with an agenda that he kept hidden from us. He came in to accuse, not to understand’. That line says it all Rachel. This was a premeditated attack on an organisation that only serves to help other people and was designed to inflict as much damage to the reputation of Universal Medicine, Serge Benhayon and anyone associated with it. David Millikan, as a Uniting Church Minister your behaviour is disgraceful and I cannot see any circumstance that any reason you give will ever be accepted for your betrayal of trust.
Thank you Dr Rachel Mascord for your real life account of what happened and continues to do so in our world as society seems to not think it important enough to take legal action against this type of unacceptable behaviour. A church minister being paid by a TV channel who lies his way onto a stage platform in front of an audience with children is utterly disgusting and my question is why is this man not stopped as he is clearly not a man who works for God. Those recording and filming this – how would they feel if their kids were in an audience where David Millikan appears and places fear into them.
Amazing how the media will do anything, literally anything and at any cost to sell a story and think they can get away with it.
When are we going to stop this type of abuse and hold people like David Millikan accountable or is he exempt under the hat of Church Minister with a PhD ?
It sounds like David Millikan and the crew went in with the maxim: If you can’t beat them, read: turn them into a cult, intimidate them!
Nasty, truly nasty and unacceptable.
Thank you for your account Rachel. It really seems that a huge violation of peoples rights has taken place. I wonder if all of the media involved feel proud of themselves for stooping this low in order to get a story. They must have amongst them families and children and I am wondering how they would feel if the situation they created last Friday was reversed.
Thank you Rachel for such a clear account. The words ‘Stitch Up’ come to mind – it feels like a rather bizarre terrorist attack on the general public and it does put everyone on the back foot. David Milikan appears to show absolutely no interest in engaging anyone in a clear and reasoned debate, he just seems interested in manipulating events to suit his own agenda and prove his ‘expertise’. Extremely surprising behaviour for a Reverend and as you say, the antithesis of everything that Universal Medicine and the genuine attendees of its events stand for.
Great points Rachel and I am with you on having my choices confirmed, I choose Universal Medicine. I too have never before been involved with a group of people who support, love and appreciate each other. I along with many other students come together at Universal Medicine events so that we can return to our homes, places of work etc to live a full life committed to being as loving, supportive, understanding, appreciative, compassionate and patient with our fellow human beings as we can be. So we visit Universal Medicine but we return to our lives, our very busy and successful lives.
Oh Rachel, I can’t go past your point about the early Christians, and the way they were treated.
What would happen if they were to film and show the world what we were really like? They would see and feel a group of the most beautiful people i have ever met, but not perfect, working on their stuff. What if the cameras showed that room with 200 people giving each other an Endocrine balance, or Facial release, or one of the many other treatments where there is only stillness in the room like I have felt many times. That is something that should be on the news. THE TRUTH.
Very well said Bernie
A completely accurate account of the goings on on Friday night. It saddens me that so many gorgeous, open people felt things like shock, confusion and betrayal. It deepens my realisation like Jane, at the big mess humanity is living in when these reactions make good news.
Dear Rachel, your gentle voice can be heard in this account of Friday night’s boisterous bullying.
Rachel thank you for sharing your account, we arrived for the day on Sunday after hearing about what had happened on Friday night, we could feel the shock in everyone from what had occurred. Here in your piece I can really feel the hideous and atrocious violation of this act and how harming that was, on not only all that were there, but also on all of us as a group. It is acts like these that show just how lost humanity is, when a so-called Minister of a Church can be so unaware of the truth of love, that he can committ a crime like this based on a belief he has that this group of people are in a cult, when in fact we are a group of people living and choosing love. The extent of the seperation from our true truth for humanity as a whole is evidenced in his actions. A great confirmation for us to keep choosing love, it is so needed.
I loved your post Rachel – thank you for sharing what it was like and at what lengths David Milikan and his crew were prepared to go to to meet their own agenda, with no commitment, respect or regard to report the truth. I agree with your comment and those above, in that this is certainly and most definitely confirmation of the way in which I too chose to live (!), and it was expressed so lovingly and beautifully that I too am going to repeat it here….. “I would say to David Millikan, if he were willing to actually listen to me “Thank you. You have confirmed my choice to live with gentleness, openness and compassion, by showing me the exact opposite”.
Choosing ‘to live with gentleness, openness and compassion’ equates to living without causing harm to oneself or others. The ambush experienced by those present at the Universal Medicine presentation on Friday night was the exact opposite. To hear it was led by a minister of a leading Church is incomprehensible, as it would never be in the tenets of his religion to break any of the ten commandments – especially No 9 ‘Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour’.
We live in a global society and what happens in one spot of the world affects everyone else. News travels fast, especially nowadays with the Internet, yet who ensures what is being spread is the truth? Who stops those who have used the most dastardly and underhand means to abuse the civil rights of a group of Australian citizens?
Is it possible that the general population does by word, action and deed as we tell far and wide what despicable actions are being allowed to occur in the name of gathering information for a TV station. Many voices speaking truth will make their mark.
It was obviously appalling what happened last friday night. I can feel the fear and shock in all present, especially the innocent children.
David Millikan purports to be a Church minister of religion. If so, he is supposed to be regarded as a man of God, a God who is Love. A God who does not judge.
In my youth I was one in the Presbyterian Church who voted for the church to join with 2 others to become the Uniting Church. Even then, I realised the need for brotherhood. It dismays me if this man now claims to represent the Church.
It appears to me that what this man represents is a hatred of anyone who does not think exactly as he does. He certainly here did not act as a man of Love, but full of vile hatred.
You make some excellent points. What happened was incredibly awful, targeting a group of people who have done nothing wrong. A group of people who are being persecuted by a handful of anonymous people with media connections because they choose to attend workshops and lectures where they talk about wellbeing, their beliefs and way of life.
“I would say to David Millikan, if he were willing to actually listen to me “Thank you. You have confirmed my choice to live with gentleness, openness and compassion, by showing me the exact opposite”.” – Exactly!