Investigate Harry Palmer's Avatar Cult ( a.k.a. Star's Edge International)
-
Author:
n/a -
Send To:
Florida Governor Jeb Bush
-
Sponsored By:
Avatar Survivors League -
More Info at:
Governor Bush, the undersigned wish to alert you of a major international scam operation based in Florida. We urgently request that you order the appropriate regulatory and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
Star's Edge International has its headquarters in the Orlando, Florida metropolitan area. For specific details, see the company's promotional website: www.avatarepc.com/. For critical details, see: www.avatarscam.com/.
This Delaware corporation is registered as a for-profit enterprise selling a series of courses under the trademark "Avatar." The courses are described as "personal development education." In reality, Star's Edge is a quasi-religious cult with roots in Scientology.
MISREPRESENTATION OF ORIGIN, CREDENTIALS AND PURPOSE
* The founder and sole owner of Star's Edge, Harry Palmer, operated a Church of Scientology Mission in Elmira, New York for 15 years. After he was excommunicated in 1986, he soon introduced the Avatar Course.
* Palmer claimed the course resulted from revelations gained during a prolonged series of "sensory deprivation" sessions in a flotation tank. He promoted the course to former Scientologists as providing "the entire span of the Scientology bridge, the Buddhic path and beyond."
* Over the past decade, Palmer has broadly advertised himself as an educational psychologist. This unlicensed imposture as a health care professional is a felony in Florida and throughout the US. In truth, Palmer never received a degree in psychology, and has never held any credential or license as a psychologist. His college degree was in secondary education, and he was certified in New York to teach high school English.
* The basic Avatar Course consists of mental processes that induce a state of hypnotic trance. They are similar to those taught in Scientology, Raja yoga, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Buddhist meditation, among other practices. Yet the materials are represented as "confidential," and students are required to sign a nondisclosure agreement that defines them as unpublished trade secrets.
* Avatar Course trainers engage in mental manipulation by indoctrinating vulnerable students into the belief that the Avatar "network" is key to creating an Enlightened Planetary Civilization that holds the key to solving the woes of mankind.
UNETHICAL AND ILLEGAL BUSINESS PRACTICES
* Star's Edge and its licensees recruit students for a nine-day course to become "Masters" (individual trainers) licensed to deliver the basic Avatar Course. The conditions of full licensure are not fully disclosed beforehand.
* Successful graduates receive a "provisional license." They are required to pay internship fees for an indefinite period until they become "qualified" by Star's Edge. Meanwhile, they are pressured to take successive trainer courses.
* Qualification requirements are arbitrary and unpublished. The licensing contract allows Star's Edge unilaterally to revoke any license issued, without explanation or recourse.
* Trainers are pressured to fix fees for the basic Avatar Course at the full "suggested" amount. This practice violates fair trade and competition regulations in virtually every jurisdiction worldwide where the Avatar Course is offered by independent licensees.
* The licensing scheme is a pyramidal multilevel marketing operation with the primary objective of selling successive courses for the financial benefit of Star's Edge, rather than providing a viable business opportunity for licensees. As a result, the vast majority of those who completed the Master course have since failed and given up on teaching Avatar as a business.
MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MALPRACTICE
* Although Palmer falsely advertises himself as a psychologist, most of his works (including those registered as published) are claimed to be confidential, and have never been subjected to peer review.
* During the top-level Wizard course (which costs $7,500) Palmer reveals to students that they are infested with multiple possessive spirits or "entities." These are similar to the implanted "body thetans" of Scientology lore.
* Palmer has stated that these entities are the true cause of fatal illnesses, including AIDS and cancer. Their influence is said to be responsible for psychotic breaks that may occur during the basic Avatar Course.
* As a result, Avatar Masters who have taken the Wizard Course sometimes spread unfounded rumors of miracle cures. Many claim that taking the Avatar Course(s) will enable students to cure themselves of various medical conditions, including bipolar disorder. This amounts to a fringe religious doctrine akin to those expounded by Scientology, Christian Science, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Voodoo and other groups that practice faith healing.
* On the Wizard Course, students finally learn that Palmer is a sort of New Age messiah. This is the culmination of a progressive indoctrination into an occult belief system. It all began with the deceptive promise that the Avatar Courses only enabled students to examine and restructure their own personal and religious beliefs.
THEREFORE, the undersigned demand that Harry Palmer and Star's Edge be investigated by the Florida Board of Psychology, the Florida Department of Health, and the Florida Attorney General for the felonies of unlicensed activity of health professions (psychology and medicine), the operation of an illegal multilevel marketing operation, and violation of other applicable state and federal trade regulations.
Star's Edge International has its headquarters in the Orlando, Florida metropolitan area. For specific details, see the company's promotional website: www.avatarepc.com/. For critical details, see: www.avatarscam.com/.
This Delaware corporation is registered as a for-profit enterprise selling a series of courses under the trademark "Avatar." The courses are described as "personal development education." In reality, Star's Edge is a quasi-religious cult with roots in Scientology.
MISREPRESENTATION OF ORIGIN, CREDENTIALS AND PURPOSE
* The founder and sole owner of Star's Edge, Harry Palmer, operated a Church of Scientology Mission in Elmira, New York for 15 years. After he was excommunicated in 1986, he soon introduced the Avatar Course.
* Palmer claimed the course resulted from revelations gained during a prolonged series of "sensory deprivation" sessions in a flotation tank. He promoted the course to former Scientologists as providing "the entire span of the Scientology bridge, the Buddhic path and beyond."
* Over the past decade, Palmer has broadly advertised himself as an educational psychologist. This unlicensed imposture as a health care professional is a felony in Florida and throughout the US. In truth, Palmer never received a degree in psychology, and has never held any credential or license as a psychologist. His college degree was in secondary education, and he was certified in New York to teach high school English.
* The basic Avatar Course consists of mental processes that induce a state of hypnotic trance. They are similar to those taught in Scientology, Raja yoga, Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Buddhist meditation, among other practices. Yet the materials are represented as "confidential," and students are required to sign a nondisclosure agreement that defines them as unpublished trade secrets.
* Avatar Course trainers engage in mental manipulation by indoctrinating vulnerable students into the belief that the Avatar "network" is key to creating an Enlightened Planetary Civilization that holds the key to solving the woes of mankind.
UNETHICAL AND ILLEGAL BUSINESS PRACTICES
* Star's Edge and its licensees recruit students for a nine-day course to become "Masters" (individual trainers) licensed to deliver the basic Avatar Course. The conditions of full licensure are not fully disclosed beforehand.
* Successful graduates receive a "provisional license." They are required to pay internship fees for an indefinite period until they become "qualified" by Star's Edge. Meanwhile, they are pressured to take successive trainer courses.
* Qualification requirements are arbitrary and unpublished. The licensing contract allows Star's Edge unilaterally to revoke any license issued, without explanation or recourse.
* Trainers are pressured to fix fees for the basic Avatar Course at the full "suggested" amount. This practice violates fair trade and competition regulations in virtually every jurisdiction worldwide where the Avatar Course is offered by independent licensees.
* The licensing scheme is a pyramidal multilevel marketing operation with the primary objective of selling successive courses for the financial benefit of Star's Edge, rather than providing a viable business opportunity for licensees. As a result, the vast majority of those who completed the Master course have since failed and given up on teaching Avatar as a business.
MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MALPRACTICE
* Although Palmer falsely advertises himself as a psychologist, most of his works (including those registered as published) are claimed to be confidential, and have never been subjected to peer review.
* During the top-level Wizard course (which costs $7,500) Palmer reveals to students that they are infested with multiple possessive spirits or "entities." These are similar to the implanted "body thetans" of Scientology lore.
* Palmer has stated that these entities are the true cause of fatal illnesses, including AIDS and cancer. Their influence is said to be responsible for psychotic breaks that may occur during the basic Avatar Course.
* As a result, Avatar Masters who have taken the Wizard Course sometimes spread unfounded rumors of miracle cures. Many claim that taking the Avatar Course(s) will enable students to cure themselves of various medical conditions, including bipolar disorder. This amounts to a fringe religious doctrine akin to those expounded by Scientology, Christian Science, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Voodoo and other groups that practice faith healing.
* On the Wizard Course, students finally learn that Palmer is a sort of New Age messiah. This is the culmination of a progressive indoctrination into an occult belief system. It all began with the deceptive promise that the Avatar Courses only enabled students to examine and restructure their own personal and religious beliefs.
THEREFORE, the undersigned demand that Harry Palmer and Star's Edge be investigated by the Florida Board of Psychology, the Florida Department of Health, and the Florida Attorney General for the felonies of unlicensed activity of health professions (psychology and medicine), the operation of an illegal multilevel marketing operation, and violation of other applicable state and federal trade regulations.
415 Signatures
-
Lois E
- Comments
- Please investigate and prosecute this case.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Damion W
- US state or country
- Texas
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Gil Alonso C
- Comments
- Intevestigate the cult and it's con artist guru.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Lamon J
- US state or country
- Georgia
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Lawrence C
- Comments
- I read the mini-courses and realised early on that he's a con-artist and charlatan. He should be prevented from manipulating people.
- US state or country
- Thailand
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Del B
- Comments
- Was given the hardsell by an Avatar zealot. I knew immediately this cult was a must to avoid. An investigation is in order. Jail time should go to anyone conning others into thinking they're a legitamate mental health professional.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
David S
- US state or country
- Colorado
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Ralph C
- Comments
- Bad news.
- US state or country
- Oregon
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Darrel B
- US state or country
- Arizona
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Lars V
- Comments
- Avatar is a total rip.
- US state or country
- Denmark
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Candi G
- Comments
- Poor training. Very cultish on the lower bridge.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Rutta E
- Comments
- Wish I never attended.
- US state or country
- Germany
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Constantine R. B
- Comments
- Hellish ordeal. Still finding myself months later. Please prosecute. Show that America still has justice.
- US state or country
- Ukraine
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Maury C. K
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Simon D
- Comments
- I don't like the term cult. But fraudulent group works for me. Someone passing themselves off as an Educational Psychologist should go to prison.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Elliot S
- Comments
- A very poor training. Pushy and nasty trainers. Palmer should be prosecuted for impostering and fraud.
- US state or country
- New York
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Laura Hudson S
- Comments
- Please prosecute this "guru".
- US state or country
- Georgia
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Vlad P
- US state or country
- New York
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Justina B
- Comments
- Sad group. Please prosecute and protect the citizens of Florida and elsewhere.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Portia L
- Comments
- Please investigate. Months later I still feel unreal. Their socalled masters have no clue about what they're doing.
- US state or country
- Wyoming
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
George U
- Comments
- One of the biggest letdowns of my life was being taken by the Avatar Course. Please lockup Harry Palmer.
- US state or country
- Illinois.
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Duane S
- Comments
- Please investigate and prosecute. Avatar is at the very least fraud.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Samuel K. N
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Robert B
- Comments
- Please investigate and prosecute. Too many have been harmed already by this head pirate.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Ray D
- Comments
- One of the more viscious cults.
- US state or country
- California
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Marla S
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Lonnie W. S
- Comments
- People were in very bad shape after several days on their mind blitz course. People were obviously decompensating and none of the masters seemed even remotely aware of what was happing to these people. No one should operate these kinds of trainings without a mental health professional available. I'm appalled by the lack of professionalism. This is a cult. Please investigate and if it proves that Mr. Palmer was misrepresenting himself, he should face a trial.
- US state or country
- Florida
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Josef H
- US state or country
- Germany
-
Alvina G
- US state or country
- Illinois
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Walter P
- US state or country
- Oregon
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Hinda R
- Comments
- В
- US state or country
- FL
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Harold L
- US state or country
- California
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Patricia Eileen C
- Comments
- have attended all three Avatar courses and I believe Palmer to be telling untruths specifically in the Wizard course
- US state or country
- Canada and Rep. of South Korea
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Roger R
- Comments
- 12 years of hell after that damn AVATAR course
- US state or country
- New Zealand
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Cameron C
- US state or country
- Nevada
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Jenny K
- US state or country
- California
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Wes M
- Comments
- A cult if there ever was one. Bad news all the way.
- US state or country
- Alabama
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
HARTMANN
- US state or country
- SUISSE
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Jennifer H
- Comments
- This is a dangerous course run by people who appear to have no culpability.
- US state or country
- Australia
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
susan g
- US state or country
- united states of america
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Lauren W
- Comments
- This just makes me laugh. I don't know who is dumber, the Avatars or us for being mad at such an idiotic thing.
- US state or country
- Illinois
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Master # X
- Comments
- Interrogated to befuddlement, very unkind, what Compassion is this?
- US state or country
- United States
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Joey
- US state or country
- Australia
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Foole
- Comments
- i'm pretty lost
- US state or country
- Washington
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Jillian B
- Comments
- Got nothing from the Avatar Course. Others who took it with me are in the same boat. A must to avoid!!
- US state or country
- Scotland
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
michelle c
- US state or country
- MN
-
Christine Louise M
- Comments
- В
- US state or country
- Illinois
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
philip v
- Comments
- have a friend who lost a lot of money on avatar
- US state or country
- antwerp blgium
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Corey W
- Comments
- I took the course when I was 12 on my birthday, after my father had a stroke. We wanted Avatar to heal him, but we had to put him in the nursing home and he died in 2001. During the course I witnessed what I still believe to be a miracle involving butterflies. But after the course I began using drugs in junior high school, and couldn't finish my education because I became mentally disabled. So now I am in my fathers shoes and Avatar is only helping me to accept responsibility and take my medication, but I'm not getting any better.
- US state or country
- Ohio
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
Larissa M
- US state or country
- Australia
- Did you take the Avatar Course(s)?
- No
-
415
Signatures! - View Signatures
- Sign Petition