A Former Member Revisits the Movement  by Dodie Bellamy Used by
permision  Authors Note: The following is a cover story I wrote
for the San Diego Reader, which was published June 22, 1995,
under the title "Hi Fubbi, this is Gakko: Former Eckankar Member
Revisits the Movement," a title I did not choose. This version
is my original version before the Reader made several minor
editorial changes. The Readerwas quite supportive and allowed me
free rein as far as style and content goes. Their main concern
was that I make the article be about San Diego, a requirement
that ended up being a lot of fun. I never would have written the
extravagant sunset paragraph without it, for instance. In my
article the sun literally rises and sets in San Diego. Focusing
so much on place emphasized for me that this was a journey, both
metaphorically and physically.       "We use more discriminating
intelligence when we buy a used car than when we buy a
religion", says philosophy professor and cult-buster David
Christopher Lane. "Buyi