Ramtha's School of Enlightenment Responds to South African Tragedy

YELM, Washington, January 21, 2011 - Upon hearing the news that the fugitives had died in a shoot-out with
police yesterday, JZ Knight, founder of Ramtha's School of Enlightenment
(RSE) expressed a mixture of relief and sadness, "I am joined by the staff
and students of RSE in sending our prayers to the families, friends and
community members of Sutherland who have been so tragically affected by the
recent shootings on the du Plessis property. We send our prayers for a swift
healing for officer du Toit. To the family of Jacob Boleme, we know that no
words can console such a loss, still our hearts go out to you. This
unfortunate atrocity affects us all and many lives have been impacted by
these horrific events."

Philippe Meniere and Agnes Jardel had thought the world was ending for
decades. According to a report in the Independent Online, the couple had been
involved in survival academy and Nostradamus prophecies as far back as the
late 1980s. "They believed that the world was coming to an end and decided to
flee. The sane academy members had a good laugh when they returned red-faced
two weeks later," Pete Swanepoel told the Independent yesterday. Swanepoel is
a weapons instructor at the academy based in Germiston, Johannesburg. The
couple attended a survival combat and tactics academy 23 years ago, long
before they ever attended RSE. Those tactics have never been part of the RSE
curriculum.
www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/fugitives-trained-in-combat-1.1014379

Philippe Meniere and Agnes Jardel attended several RSE courses between
1999 and 2004. RSE has had no contact with them since they last attended a
seminar in Johannesburg in January 2004. "As reported by the du Plessis
family to the media, the change in their behavior happened only within the
last year or two, so their recent actions are unrelated to RSE or its
teachings," Knight said.

Knight had never met the couple. "This School does not condone violence
in any form. The fundamental precepts taught at the School emphasize the
sacredness of human life. The choices made by the couple do not reflect an
understanding of the school's philosophy," she said.

"RSE students are not survivalists," Knight said. "We are sovereignists.
We have always been taught to be prepared for anything, to be able to provide
and care for ourselves and our families. A sovereign person is able to
support their life without gambling on banks, the stock market, or paper
investments. I am very proud of this culture of RSE and that our students
have heard this message from Ramtha for over 25 years. I am very proud our
students have done whatever they can, no matter how meager, to became
sovereign. Ramtha has been making predictions of Earth changes for decades
and has given people hope by providing tangible actions for students to
prepare themselves and their loved ones. When calamities strike, as we are
witnessing with ever increasing frequency and intensity, RSE's culture is one
of preparedness and sovereignty."

"Five years ago this week, two former US presidents, George H.W. Bush and
Bill Clinton, urged the public to be prepared.** RSE encourages students to
become self-reliant and to contribute to their community so that they can be
a resource rather than a liability," Knight said. "Media reports indicate
that the Menieres withdrew from their community, took advantage of the
generosity of the du Plessis family, then allegedly stole eggs, vegetables
and goat milk. Manipulation, theft of another's property, and criminal
violence are the antithesis of RSE's teachings."

After 1992, journalists could be held libel for calling the school a cult
following a Superior Court ruling that provided a legal precedent, ruling
that RSE is not a cult.

"It is clear, however, that the teachings of Ramtha are essentially
religious teachings, although not those of mainline Christian thoughts. They
are much more similar, if not borrowed directly from the eastern religions
and particularly the Hindu religion."

- Bruce W. Cohoe, Judge. Superior Court of the State of Washington for
Pierce County. December 4, 1992. Pierce County Cause Number 88-3-03873-1

**multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/deptofhomelandsecurity/24499

Ramtha's School of Enlightenment (RSE) asks South African media and
public to examine the facts and not report hearsay or rumor

THE FACTS:

    - Philippe Meniere and Agnes Jardel haven't been students of
      the school since 2004
    - The school does not condone violence
    - The school is not a cult

FACT 1: Philippe Meniere and Agnes Jardel have had no contact with RSE
for over seven years

    - The School has had no contact with them since they last attended a
      seminar in Johannesburg in January 2004. As reported by the du
      Plessis family to the media, the change in their behavior happened only
      within the last year, so their recent actions are unrelated to RSE or
      its teachings. JZ Knight has never met the couple.

FACT 2: RSE does not condone violence in any way

    - The couple attended a survival combat and tactics academy 23 years
ago, long before they ever attended Ramtha's School of Enlightenment. Those
tactics have never been part of the RSE curriculum. Media reports indicate
that Meniere and Jardel withdrew from their community, took advantage of
the generosity of the Du Plessis family, and then allegedly stole eggs,
vegetables and goat milk. Manipulation, theft of another's property, and
criminal violence are the antithesis of RSE's teachings.

FACT 3: RSE is not a cult

    - After 1992, journalists could be held libel for calling the school a
      cult following a Superior Court ruling that provided a legal precedent,
      ruling that RSE is not a cult:

"It is clear, however, that the teachings of Ramtha are essentially
religious teachings, although not those of mainline Christian thoughts. They
are much more similar, if not borrowed directly from the eastern religions
and particularly the Hindu religion."

- Bruce W. Cohoe, Judge. Superior Court of the State of Washington for
Pierce County. December 4, 1992. Pierce County Cause Number 88-3-03873-1

- Gordon Melton and other religious scholars have identified RSE as a
re-emergence of ancient Gnosticism and one of a number of new religious
movements:

"Having spent all my adult life observing spiritual organizations and
metaphysical instructional centers, I saw in Ramtha's school a relatively new
and unique offering, not only an alternative to older, more familiar forms of
spirituality but also a decided challenge to New Age aspirations."

- J. Gordon Melton, PhD, Director of the Institute for the Study of
American Religion University of California, Santa Barbara

    Other publications about RSE

    - Beliefs and Believers (Class 8), John Simmons. Governors State
      University. 1998
    - The Encyclopedia of American Religions, 6th Edition, J. Gordon Melton.
      Gale Group, November 1998.
    - American Religions, an Illustrated History, J. Gordon Melton.
      ABC-CLIO, Inc. 2000.
    - Assessing the Implications of Spiritual Self-Healing Paradigms, Joan
      Hageman. Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center, December 2002.
    - Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America, vol 2, edited by
      Gail M. Harley. Indiana University Press, April 2006.

Additional Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Philippe Meniere and Agnes Jardel are reported to have been
survivalists, and to have believed that the end of the world was near. Would
this fit with the teachings of RSE?

RSE encourages students to become self-reliant and to contribute to their
community so that they can be a resource rather than a liability. Meniere and
Jardel had attended a survival combat and tactics academy 23 years ago, long
before they ever attended Ramtha's School of Enlightenment. Those tactics
have never been part of the RSE curriculum.
www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/fugitives-trained-in-combat-1.1014379

2. Does RSE believe that the world will end in 2012?

No. RSE is already making administrative plans for its school curriculum
for 2013 and 2014. RSE students have been advised for many years - from
Ramtha to former U.S. Presidents - to prepare for sudden, unexpected changes.
Those changes might be associated with severe weather, terrorist's attacks,
or even financial chaos. The emphasis is not on the end of the world, but
rather on becoming self-reliant so that in any emergency you can be an asset
to your family and community rather than a liability.
multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/deptofhomelandsecurity/24499/

3. What is Ramtha's School of Enlightenment (RSE)?

JZ Knight established RSE in 1988 in Yelm, Washington. Over 100,000
people from around the world have attended classes since 1979. The School's
approach is unique and innovative, combining many threads of contemporary
scientific research to support demonstrations of the principle that God lives
within each of us. RSE has been a powerful bridge between science and
mysticism in its greatest output, the students themselves, and in the
personal difference it has made in individual lives.

4. Who is Ramtha?

Ramtha is the master teacher at the school. He lived as a human being on
Earth 35,000 years ago. He explains that in his lifetime, he addressed the
questions about human existence and the meaning of life, and that through his
own observation, reflection, and contemplation he became enlightened and
conquered the physical world and death. His philosophy reflects the
experience of his own life. His teachings emphasize that each individual is
responsible for their own reality, that your attitudes affect your life, and
that you can change your life by changing the way you think. The form in
which Ramtha communicates his teachings is through the phenomenon called
channeling. He uses the body of JZ Knight to channel himself and teach his
philosophy in person.

5. Who is JZ Knight?

JZ Knight is the unique channel of Ramtha and author of the best-selling
autobiography, "A State of Mind, My Story." Historians and religious experts
who have studied her life's work call JZ Knight the Great American Channel
and recognize her as one of the most charismatic and compelling spiritual
leaders of the modern age. JZ Knight is the only channel through whom Ramtha
has chosen to deliver his message. She and Ramtha have inspired audiences
worldwide for the last three decades, bridging ancient wisdom and the power
of consciousness together with the latest discoveries in science. JZ Knight
has appeared on national American TV shows, including The Larry King Show
five times and The Merv Griffin Show, to offer spiritual insight and
inspiration to thousands of people from all over the world and all walks of
life. Among her many other accomplishments, she been nominated twice for the
coveted Templeton Prize and she has been a keynote speaker at the UN on
teaching the methods to help people world wide. She has also provided nearly
$2 million in college scholarship for local high school graduates. She is
currently serving in her second year as a member of President Obama's
Presidential Partners.

6. How many worldwide branches does RSE have?

RSE is only located in Yelm, Washington, USA. The staff will conduct
seminars in nine other countries in 2011.

7. Is there a permanent school in South Africa or does RSE only host
visiting events?

There is no permanent location in South Africa, rather the School hosts
visiting events.

8. Has JZ Knight been tested?

Yes. In 1996, a team of researchers comprised of top neuroscientists,
psychologists, sociologists, and religious experts conducted an
eighteen-month research project on JZ Knight, Ramtha and the students of the
school. They conducted physiological tests on JZ Knight before, during, and
after channeling Ramtha. The readings taken from JZ Knight's autonomic
nervous system responses were so dramatic that they categorically ruled out
any possibility of conscious fakery, schizophrenia, or Multiple Personality
Disorder. The conference proceedings, In Search of the Self: The Role of
Consciousness in the Construction of Reality, are available on DVD.

"The results of the physiological tests showed that when Knight is
channeling Ramtha, her muscle tension, pulse, and galvanic skin response
increase while skin temperature and blood volume both decrease.
Wickramasekera affirmed that Knight could not have voluntarily changed or
faked all eight of these results."

- Summary of 1997 Scientific Research Papers, from the conference In
Search of Self: The Role of Consciousness in the Construction of Reality.

"Something is definitely happening here that produces practical results,
that produces measurable processes, and that seem to produce phenomena that
are anomalous…"

- Dr. Stanley Krippner Ph.D., Saybrook Institute Graduate School

    Other peer-reviewed publications

    - The Ramtha Phenomena: Psychological, Phenomenological, and Geomagnetic
      Data, Stanley Krippner, et. al. The Journal of the American Society for
      Psychical Research, 92:1, January 1998.
    - The C&E(R) Breathing Technique: A Method for Accessing The Deep
      Subconscious Mind, Carroll Adam Cobbs. Breath, Sound and Trance: Society
      for the Anthropology of Consciousness - 2002 Spring Meeting, April 2002.
    - Assessing the Implications of Spiritual Self-Healing Paradigms, Joan
      Hageman. Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center, December 2002.
    - Experimental Data Demonstrating Augmentation of Ambient Gravitational
      and Geomagnetic Fields, Danielle Graham. CP813, Space Technologies and
      Applications International Forum-STAIF 2006, edited by M. S. El-Genk,
      American Institute of Physics, February 2006.
    - Sympathetic Reactivity During Meditation. Vol. 19 No. 2. Joan H.
      Hageman, Ph.D., Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., Ian Wickramasekera II, Psy.D.
      Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine, 2009.

Liam Collopy, Executive Vice President of LCO - Levine Communications Office Inc, +1-310-300-0950, lcollopy at LCOonline.com