Vol. 8, No. 3, 1991

Church Universal and Triumphant

Ruth Gordon

Originally known as the Summit Lighthouse, Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT) was founded by the late Mark L. Prophet (real name) in 1958 at forty years of age.

He claimed he was in communication with the deceased "Master El Morya Kahn" of India who was believed to be the leader of a group of other "Ascended Masters" known as "The Great White Brotherhood."

(Note: This structure of spiritual hierarchy supposedly consists of souls of great stature from every past as well as our present age, and from virtually every culture. Some of these include Confucius, Buddha, Mary the mother of Jesus, Jesus himself, and Saint Francis (Spiritual Counterfeits Project Newsletter, Dec-Jan 1977)).

Prophet declared himself the principal amanuensis for these Masters whom he maintained spiritually transmitted their dictations to him. Prophet met his wife, Elizabeth Clare Wulf (twenty years his minor), at one of the seminars he frequently held to present his spiritual discourses.

After her husband's sudden death in 1973, Clare prophet (who also claimed to be in touch with the Ascended Masters) rose to a position of absolute authority and power in the organization claiming to receive messages and revelations from her departed who now was also considered an Ascended Master with the new name "Lanello."

Her followers adore her as an "incarnation of "Mother God," often referring to her as "Guru Ma" or "Mother." She is regarded as the only officially "Messenger" of the "Ascended Masters" (Christian Research Institute Fact Sheet, 1979).

CUT doctrine is based on the belief that the Brotherhood of the Great White Lodge occasionally appoint some of their ranks to reveal a portion of their knowledge to living human beings who are developed enough to receive it; that humankind passes through distinct stages in a spiritual evolution; Lothat knowledge revealed by the Masters prepares the world for each successive stage; that the fundamental reality of humanity is deity; and that our primary task as humans is to realize, develop and cultivate that divinity (Streett Meetings Fact Sheet).

CUT teaches that God is all and all is God and that in order to attain God-consciousness humankind must be enlightened (which is exclusively offered by the Ascended Masters through "Guru Ma").

They believe that Godhood can be reached by the chanting of decrees and affirmations (verbatim from the dictations of the Masters themselves) to the Ascended Masters, and groups of disciples chanting these decrees in unison enables these Masters to intervene in the affairs of the living.

The primary publication for CUT is Climb the Highest Mountain (Colorado Springs, CO: Summit Lighthouse, 1972) by Mark & Elizabeth Clare Prophet.

Although the fundamental principles of their doctrine finds its roots in Eastern mysticism and the occult, the approximately 500 pages containing CUT's creed is liberally intermingled with about 700 Bible passages giving the erroneous appearance of a Judeo-Christian tradition.

The organization owns 30,000 acres outside Yellowstone National

Park in Montana where their headquarters is based. There is much concern over CUT's presence and the negative impact their development projects are making on the environment.

The group which claims approximately 30,000 members teaches militant anti-communism and have twice contravened firearms laws while purchasing semi-automatic assault weapons. They have recently asked federal agents to hold a seminar at their headquarters to explain gun laws.

Meanwhile, CUT membership is continuing to acquire all kinds of weaponry, all in the name of civil defense (The Cult Observer, Jan/Feb., 1990).