Like everyone in attendance at the Universal Medicine presentation at Lennox Head on Friday night (12/10/12), I was stunned by David Millikan’s unprofessional behaviour. We all reacted differently. Some of us sat in stunned silence (I was one of these.) Others thought to reach for their mobile phone and start recording Millikan ranting on stage or perhaps recording the previously disguised film crew that had swung into action. Some rose to attempt to stand in front of the television cameras or to hold a piece of white paper up in front of the lens. Some retreated to the rest room. Some were crying. Children were confused. Some talked amongst themselves about the state of the world in which this could happen.
There was nowhere to go. The room had been sealed off in order to prevent more invaders and big cameras and lights from entering. I continued to sit in my chair until the last of the TV camera people had finally departed. There was a brief regrouping of those in attendance as we stood in a circle with each other. We discussed whether to continue with the weekend’s events or not. We collected our things and left.
Up until this point I was so stunned I wasn’t even able to think about how it was affecting me. I got in my car and headed home. My first point of consciousness after leaving the car park was when I found myself driving down a dark country road – not having any idea where I was. I had obviously taken a wrong turn somewhere. That may not sound unusual until I tell you that I have lived in the same community for 25 years. I have attended events at Lennox Head too many times to count. I have lived in the same house for 10 years. How could I have gotten lost driving from Lennox to my home?
The real question is: how traumatised was I by Friday night’s invasion of David Millikan and his film crew?
by Gayle Cue, Bangalow
The Truth about Universal Medicine 
Sometimes life events can have an impact on us for a long time before we even realise, this is the case with many childhood hurts. We carry things until one day the lightbulb switches on and we realise why something has happened.
Abusive behaviour that is caused by someone purporting to be a friend is one of the lowest acts, and this would normally lose trust or faith in humanity, but the out-come from the above events is seen for the rorting of a system that is wanting more sensational stories.
I hope and trust this man will eventually realise what he caused so many by his very uncaring and unprofessional behaviour.
Life gives us unique opportunity to face different situations to deal with. What we do then is always interesting to register.
We are often more impacted than we expect especially when the truth we’ve reconnected to is flagrantely attacked and then we see how our media truly are and the monster we’ve let them become. I know I’ve often stood back and watched truth be over-ridden by lies and it’s always affected me non withstanding my efforts to not allow it to, but it has, for we know the truth and when it’s attacked the question then become where do we stand? I’m learning slowly to stand more with truth but still see those places where I don’t and I’m looking at and addressing them, that’s the only way I see now to live and be – to learn each day to be live more of the truth I’m reconnecting to and now know.
I have no doubt many would have been shocked with what occurred. Not only would it have brought up much from this life but from previous lives we have watched truth be bullied by evil.
Gayle thank you for sharing your experience, it must have been traumatising for many people, it is interesting how the media only focus on the outcome they want, and don’t take any responsibility for how their actions affect anyone else, or about portraying the truth.
The absolute disregard for those in attendance is staggering. Whoever we are and whatever our role in life, surely having regard for each other is a basic part of being a human being…isn’t it? If it isn’t then we all have some very serious questions to ask ourselves.
When we consider that people’s basic rights are violated like this every day all over the world, we do not have a foundation to claim that we are very evolved. Given no apology has come forth this type of irresponsibility and blatant disrespect has become all too ‘normal’ in life.
This highlights the impact this event had on people and as is said people all react differently. To my knowledge no one has ever apologised or even offered an explanation for how this was conducted and no doubt it’s happened many times after. There would still be people holding shock and trauma from this night as most people have never experienced something like this and while reading through this article and similar articles I remember what I did on this night.
There is only one word for what happen that night: disgraceful.
Friday night 2012 was only a bitter taste of what we allow the media to do in this in western countries. I can only imagine what it would be like to live with the paparazzi constantly trying to create a story that will sell based on whatever they can create through a picture, no wonder so many stars are not mentally coping with fame, if this is what we do to each other? Are we not sickened by our own behavior and if we all stop buying the rubbish that is sold to us as news, the papers will have to change their tune.
Another question is: how many ‘news’ items have we all been subjected to that were made using similar tactics and how many others have been similarly traumatised?
How much did the media and the cyberbullies continue to get away with? It was / is shocking. The awesome thing from this though it gave us a voice.
Whilst this is not something that anyone should go through, it highlights that we can and do affect others through our behaviours, whether intentional or not. Sometimes this is blatantly obvious as in this situations but other times it is very subtle. Interesting for everyone to take note.
It’s such a sad state of affairs, and the more I see what’s going on in the world, and actually more so on my own door step, it’s any wonder we haven’t all just given up. And here Universal Medicine is, willing to stand up in the face of this kind of ambush and carry on presenting the missing link to humanity. We have much to be grateful for.
Thank you Gayle for sharing your experience and how individually others were effected in many different ways, but all were traumatised on some level, by the disgraceful events of that night. The media are still often using sensational reporting, I haven’t seen any changes in sight.
I am sure this event will be remembered by all who attended for many years to come, unfortunately this is ‘business as usual’ for some of the Media who get paid to make these outrageous attacks in a bid to boost ratings and stimulate viewers with this type of fabricated drama.
This shows how the effects of one persons actions can affect us a little or tremendously, sometimes without us even being aware of it. Before meeting Serge Benhayon, I thought it just normal to have this pain, or emotional issue or beliefs and ideals about certain things, but I then realised that so much of how I was living was not from me and it was stuff I had taken on…. yes willingly but taken on all the same. I’ve been learning the responsibility we have in how we are, how we live, walk, work and play, has an enormous ripple effect on another, group, town, country and even the whole planet.
This is a great point out Gayle. Obviously shows the disrespect that went down that night. Shows the destruction people can incur when the media goes for what they want without having an ounce of consideration.
If the media are into full disclosure and exposing the truth, I still don’t understand why they just didn’t ask to come openly to the $5 presentation instead of ambushing it. When you stop and think about it, it’s actually quite absurd and laughable that they were questioning the integrity of Universal Medicine when it is us who should be questioning their integrity, level of professionalism, conduct and intention.
Your ability to get lost in a place you’ve lived for 25 years absolutely exposes the shock and trauma created by such an event. No one ever expects to innocently go to a talk on well-being and then have cameras thrust in your face whilst being accused of being in a cult. It’s not something that is easy to process… even now I still look back in disbelief of what was witnessed and what some people are willing to do to others for a good story.
It is outrageous that is is legal to terrify and traumatise people in order to get a ‘good story’. A few years a go a member of a camera crew for a well known ‘news expose’ type show told me they had just that day fed packets of lollies children with behavioural problems to make their behaviour seem worse for the cameras! There is no end to what television stations will do to ‘get viewers’.
The media have a responsibility to report the facts and yet they choose to abuse this power to get a ‘story’ obviously having no regard of the effects it will have on the people they have set their target on. If the media had truly wanted the truth that Friday night, they wouldn’t have gone about trying to get it in such an underhanded dishonest manner.
Gayle thank you for writing this as it reminds me of how unconscious we can be (or chose to be) in how our behaviour affects others. We do whatever we do most of the time without seeing or caring about the real repercussions.
Three years on and there is still no real accountability in the media. Face to face abuse – or online cyberabuse is all the same. Where is the responsibility of so-called professional people – like Millikan? No integrity there – Shocking.
Well said Sue, this ambush by David Millikan and his camera crew needs to be exposed in the Media – now that is a story worth telling, the hijacking of this well-being talk and how it traumatised so many people is shocking to read. We can no longer stand around and allow abuse like this to occur to innocent people, the Media needs to be held accountable for their harmful actions.
Thank you for your personalised account of the impact of such imposing media behaviour on a group of unsuspecting, undeserving people. The perpetrators of this form of barbarism should be called to account by stricter media regulation that prevents innocent people from becoming innocent victims.
Disgraceful show of media muscle. Thank you for sharing your experience.
The fact that you lost your way home shows that even though you had stayed in your seat and remained silent the disturbance was still created by the event. Reading this account has got me questioning now; during disturbing situations, even if we appear calm in that moment, what is the trauma being created that later on leads us into other situations or states of being?
Unbelievable, what happened at that Friday night event. It is really time to stand up for truth and show other people that we will never accept such abusive behaviours.
Gayle thank you for sharing how traumatised you felt after Friday nights attack from David Millikan, these are the stories the media need to hear about how people were deeply affected by their disgraceful ambush on an innocent group of people.
Sounds like a very unfortunate event, however David Millikan’s lies have amounted to nothing.
Wow Gayle, what you’ve shared clearly shows how traumatized you were to have gotten lost on your way home. I wasn’t there that night but I could feel what a horrible experience it would have been. It is an invasion and an attack on all the people at the presentation, adults and children included. I find it utterly disgusting how the camera crew and David Millikan entered the presentation and left a lot of people traumatized by their actions and conduct.
A powerful question, it reflects to me the fact that modern day journalism has very much lost it’s way if it’s only means of getting a “good story” is through creating trauma and concocting lies. It shows how important all our voices are in expressing the truth of our experiences and for our livingness, our very way of being in the world to reflect the truth of who we are. It is this that inspires, that reflects another way to be and it is this that people will connect to.
This is so true Jade. Journalism has definitely lost its originally meaning of presenting truth to the people. It is now all about who gets the tops stories and what can be sensationalised, distorted or changed to create a story based on lies. It is done with the utmost disregard to people and the truth. What you have shared is great. It is extremely important to express and to know that we do have a voice. When we choose to express truth and love, we will inspire others to do the same. It is not acceptable to be bullied into silence or hiding. These acts of invasion and attack is extremely harmful and must be stopped. It is shocking that this kind of behaviour is an accepted a paid profession. It is crazy how things are operating in our society and have become accepted.
Profoundly traumatised, as we all were…yet how couldn’t we be? We were verbally attacked and physically ambushed. It is a crime that Millikan and his crew cannot be held accountable for the total harm he caused that night as it was extensive.
It is clear that the actions of David Millikan were abhorrent and had a huge impact on many people. I was not at this event on the Friday night, however, I was present at the events in the following days and saw firsthand the effect that this complete violation of privacy and decency had on the people that were present for it. Thank you for reminding me of this Gayle. It shows how important it is to express truth.
Thank you Gayle and Leonne, the orchestrated invasion shows the way in which David Millikan lies and uses deceit to get dramatic footage. Thanks to the students of the Livingness the trauma and damage from the anger incited invasion was restricted.
I agree Gayle. I too found the whole experience of David Millikan and his merry media mates ambushing the Universal Medicine presentation very traumatic. I had never before had first hand experience of how incorrect, biased and sensationalised what the media presents us in society can be and how deceitful they can be in their race to print such bias. This experience has definitely opened my eyes to how I read anything the media shares with us. Fortunately, not all journalists lack integrity like the ones involved with David Millikan’s antics. Honest and truthful journalists do exist and are a definite asset to our society in so many ways. They just were not present that night at the Lennox Head community centre.
Yes Gayle there are many affects that an attack have on ourselves The ripple affect of a situation can be far reaching and on many different levels,as well as time sensitive/delayed.
Thank you Gayle for describing so eloquently how traumatised you and everyone else was by this horrifying invasion. The total lack of responsibility shown for the impact of David Millikan’s behaviour is deeply shocking.
Your characterisation of the different reactions makes this blog very very real.
I love your calling it an invasion. It also makes it very graphic. I also like the human side to it: it was a traumatising experience. No doubt about it. Thank you Gayle!
It does not seem pleasant what happened from that night from what I hear and read. I feel it would have been a great opportunity to see that the world is needing the truth so we need to remain dedicated to our expression and turn it up 🙂
I can not even to begin to imaging what it was like ‘that Friday’ night. Thank you Gayle for sharing your experience.
Thanks Gayle for sharing your impression of that evening. What happened that night was a total invasion of peoples privacy in the guise of wanting to know more about the students of Universal Medicine when in reality it was a staged hi-jacking for TV network. What David Millikan or the TV network will never realise (or maybe even care) is the effect that evening had on all those present. For any human being and even more for a so called Uniting Church Minister, this behaviour is totally unacceptable and just highlights the lengths people will go to further their own needs.
Well said Tim. The trauma of that disgraceful hi-jack is deeply felt in Gayle’s article and demonstrates the tactics some will use in order to denigrate something they do not understand – love.
Thank you Gayle Cue for your take on what happened that night when a Universal Medicine presentation was taken over by David Millikan and a TV crew to sell a story which was founded on utter lies.
I am reading more accounts from people in the audience like yourself and what is interesting is like you say – how you all ‘reacted differently’. However, the theme throughout seems to be that you were ALL disturbed and that is a clear indication that something is not right. The fact you lost your way home is serious and that is a direct result of the unprofessional behaviour of David Millikan and his media crew.
The audience represented the ‘mass’ that evening so what they have to say cannot be ignored or negated. There are hundreds of blog comments about this incident and there is now a digital footprint about a united church minister in modern day Australia being paid by a TV station to tell a fabricated story. What David Miliikan had probably not ever thought about was the consequences of his actions and that two years later this event is being discussed on line and cannot be erased.
Hi Gayle, thank you for sharing your experience.
For days after that horrendous intrusion I kept going over and over and over again in my head a) in disbelief that it had actually happened and b) how that experience must have felt to you all and on individual level.
You described it so honestly, simply and movingly Gayle, no need to wonder any more…
Gayle, thank you for sharing how you were affected by events of Friday 12
October. Stunned, shocked, shaken, tricked and betrayed. These are words
people have been using to describe how they felt about Millikan’s attack.
Hard to believe this was instigated by someone who calls himself a minister
of the church.
Thank you Gayle. Your post highlights the individual trauma and impact of that evening, which as others have shared above, was not restricted to a few hours or that one night. I cannot imagine what it was like as I was not there personally, however the clear picture which I have begun to see as a result of these posts and individuals sharing their experience, makes it obvious that it was extremely disturbing, upsetting and traumatic on many levels, and has had an impact far-reaching beyond the actual event itself. By the very nature of the fact that each individual who attended has relationships with their family, friends and work colleagues, who by association have also been affected (which includes myself), demonstrates that 100’s if not 1000’s of people have been directly impacted by this event. It highlights the absolute irresponsibility of David Millikan and his film crew in hijacking this event and the absolute disregard for those in attendance, including young children and minors. And this from a church minister – absolutely shocking!
Thank you Angela. Reading your post is a very poignant reminder of the ripple effects of our actions. I have heard many times Serge Benhayon say we either heal or harm. This events shows the effects of great harm.
So beautifully said Gail, and I agree the level of trauma is hard to gauge, as I have observed my children, who were in attendance, over the last week I have been quite shocked at how deeply this evening has effected them and their perception of what is/is not allowable/acceptable in our society, it is very sad that one angry man on a mission can have such a profound effect on two children.
Thank you Gayle for expressing how much harm was caused in many of us by the action of a man that wanted nothing but to self promote and gain at the expense of others.
Thank you for sharing so openly Gayle. I have realised over the days since this occurred, that there’s also an accumulative effect contributing to the trauma, and it’s been important to acknowledge that such an event is not only about ‘that one occasion’, for in addition to what I witnessed and felt that evening, I have since heard of several dear friends whose medical conditions were exacerbated (with physical symptoms) from what they experienced, and other descriptions such as your disorientation. This is also all distressing and can be traumatic in ways that touch us deeply. Indeed fundamental human rights were violated, and there is much to come to terms with, as well as stand up for.
Thank you Gayle I can relate to feeling disorientated on leaving the hall also. I have been giving myself time to rest after this event so that I can truly feel the affect in my body and then honour what I need to do. On returning to Perth and work I shared my experience with my work colleagues who were asking about my holiday. I was surprised that I got emotionally upset when I told them what had happened and what has been happening to Universal Medicine since June this year. They said that they would support me no matter what and that I just had to ask them what I would like them to do. One colleague commented that I was an angel that floated around the office bringing harmony and she could not understand how this could happen to a group of people who were only interested in harmony. This made me cry even more but it also strengthened my hope in people and humanity. My work colleagues demonstrated that they are more like me and not at all like David Millikan.
Yes a big shock indeed, it sort of reminds me of stories of persecution in the Second World War, as though the thinking is, “they are not real people, they are cult members, we can do what we like”.
Totally unacceptable David Millikan, get your facts straight next time, if you are an expert on cults then you missed all the telltale signs that we are not one… to your great detriment and ours.
Thank you Gayle for sharing your account of what happened last Friday evening, and how for you, staying in your seat, although stunned, you could observe what was happening around you whilst this horrible “media invasion” took place. It has brought to my attention how in reaction to situations, the feeling of what is actually going on can be lost. It is clear the media were out to get some form of reaction and therefore a sensationalised story, which it appears did not happen as the attendees remained calm in dealing with the disruption that was enforced upon them. I can see how this occurance has traumatised so many, in many differing ways, especially the children, as it was an unacceptable, violated attack on a group of people attending a public meeting.
Thank you Gayle.
Thank you Gayle for your very clear account and the description of being stunned feels very similar to concussion. We don’t often appreciate the level of damage emotional shock causes, as we are never prepared for it and it can result in a lot of disorientation. When one considers that you were part of an audience expecting to listen to a gentle, entertaining and caring lecture, to suddenly find yourself under attack for no valid reason is akin to receiving an emotional whiplash injury. It is obvious that David Millikan, in the pursuit of his story, had either not considered or did not care about effect his actions would have on people.
Thank you for sharing the enormity of what every one was subjected to at that Universal Medicine Presentation. The fact you were so disorientated so clearly illustrates the extent of your traumatisation, Gayle.
I was impulsed to find a definition of trauma.
“Trauma… There is frequently a violation of the person’s familiar ideas about the world and of their human rights, putting the person in a state of extreme confusion and insecurity.” [DePrince, A.P. & Freyd, J.J. (2002). “The Harm of Trauma: Pathological fear, shattered assumptions, or betrayal?” In J. Kauffman (Ed.) Loss of the Assumptive World: a theory of traumatic loss. (pp 71–82). New York: Brunner-Routledge.]
Seems David Millikan and the national television station bankrolling his actions have a lot to answer for. Then when I think of this violation occurred to the children and teenagers present words fail me…
I agree Judy. Your comment to Gayles Presentation has given a clear foundation to what happened, what I also feel from Gayle’s experiences is that it goes even deeper. To perpetrate this abuse on anyone, in any way is disgusting. Evil in action.
Simple question but well worth exploring the answer. The media, a well-known Television Station and David Millikan definitely have some responsibilities to face. Their approach lacked integrity, genuine opportunity and was an outright imposition. Unacceptable behavior on many levels. If only they had researched openly and not from the biased view of a few angry, disgruntled men. To truly see and feel the opportunity they had and didn’t step up to. Maybe next time round huh!