by Elizabeth Dolan RN, Australia
I am writing to describe the events that occurred last Friday night on 12th October 2012 at an Esoteric Medicine presentation. I have to admit that witnessing these said events have disturbed me immensely. Every day in Australia we are presented with the idea that we live in a free world, that we have freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Last night showed me something entirely different.
A short while before the presentation began I saw a man walk in. Later, the presenter of Esoteric Medicine, Serge Benhayon, introduced this man as David Millikan and explained that Mr. Millikan was a Uniting Church Minister who was writing a book on cults and that he wished to ask the student body some questions. I thought fair enough, I don’t have any problem answering questions.
Then Mr. Millikan spoke. He started by saying that he knew we had received some bad press lately accusing us of being in a cult, and that he knew we had all made great sacrifices to be there. I had no idea what he was talking about? I feel the best I have ever felt, and his statements simply made no sense to me at all.
Then I watched Mr. Millikan change. His body language changed, the tone of his voice changed and he became extremely menacing with his words. He pretended to pose a question to the audience that made absolutely no sense and felt like a complete set-up. He did not want the question answered. He just wanted to get people off-guard. The tone of his voice was accusatory. I felt sick in my stomach with disbelief as to what was happening. Then it became obvious that this was all being filmed without permission and that Mr.Millikan was in fact speaking to the cameras.
I simply could not believe it. It was so appalling. Here I was, coming to a presentation on Esoteric Medicine that has greatly assisted me in both my personal and professional life and I was now being filmed without permission and being accused of wrongdoing simply because I have chosen to live with more self-regard. This is simply not ok. At that moment it was hard to believe I was in Australia where people have civil rights.
I then watched as other members of the audience courteously asked Mr. Millikan and his crew to stop filming but they refused. They were repeatedly asked to stop filming and they absolutely refused to. This went on for quite some time. Someone in the audience asked Mr. Millikan if a well-known television station had employed him and he said “yes” and that he was on a retainer. It suddenly became very obvious that they were there for a story and had no interest in presenting the truth whatsoever. This is what I found so shocking.
Eventually Mr.Millikan left but his crew continued to film despite repeated requests to stop. People at this stage where visibly distressed by the said events. Most, if not all had just experienced something that was so outrageous towards their person that it was simply hard to believe what had just happened.
I am no longer naive about the media and the way in which they work and what lengths they are prepared to go to to get a sensationalised story.
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
“It suddenly became very obvious that they were there for a story and had no interest in presenting the truth whatsoever.” The purpose of meetings with Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine is to present the truth so this aggressive intrusion was a clear demonstration of the forces behind the intent that are preventing the truth from being heard more widely.
It certainly was an aye opener as to the level of corruption and absence of integrity, ‘I am no longer naive about the media and the way in which they work and what lengths they are prepared to go to to get a sensationalised story.’
And the media is still the same today …
An experience like this, whilst very disturbing is in fact another insight into the way media collect and report stories.In their actions the media have shown their underhandedness and the atrocious way they operate. It clearly opens all to begin to question any media report, to not take what is said or written as being truth, but to instead, discern if what is being presented is factual and there to support humanity, or is there to incite emotion, which can and does only separate humanity further.
Although the antics of the night were disgraceful, I have walked away grateful to have my eyes opened as to the manipulation and deception that some people are willing to partake in to get a story that although sensational, just lies to the public. Having seen what can be created, I have never read or heard a media story since that I have not questioned or at least wondered as to whether it is actually based on truth or not.
Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your experience, it makes me wonder when I listen to the news reports how much of what is being presented is true or just lies and misconstrued truths to make a sensational story.
It makes you wonder which stories in the news are actually real, and which ones are elaborately staged the way this one was. Or maybe it’s all staged!!
“Here I was, coming to a presentation on Esoteric Medicine that has greatly assisted me in both my personal and professional life and I was now being filmed without permission and being accused of wrongdoing simply because I have chosen to live with more self-regard. This is simply not ok. At that moment it was hard to believe I was in Australia where people have civil rights.” Deeply shocking Elizabeth, that this sort of thing can happen in a ‘free country’, all for the sake of a sensationalist story – without any regard for the truth.
If this doesn’t break our civil rights then our civil rights need to be re-written.
This is an eye-opener for what is really going on in the world of media. Our kids will need to be brought up with immense love to be able to observe the truth admidst the fog of lies and maybe with time we will have a more honest media.
The media in Australia have lost the art of objective journalism and choose to base their stories on sensationalised ‘entertainment’. They don’t allow the facts and truth to get in the way of a potentially money-making story.
Thank you Elizabeth for your article, it highlights the extent the media will go just to get a story with no regard whatsoever as to what is truth, or not. I am very wary of the news stories these days and wonder how much truth is being presented , if any at all. They have lost all creditability.
This highlights to me the depths to which our media will sink to beat up a story which has no foundation in truth. What I love about what you wrote is that in spite of that those in attendance did not bow down to the pressure of the situation, but stayed true to who they are. I feel proud to be a part of such an amazing community that celebrates the amazingness that we all are and gives each individual the opportunity to live who they are in truth.
Hi Elizabeth, I’m sure that you are not the only one who was naïve about the media prior to this event. It’s astonishing the lengths they will go to with apparent disregard for the truth, in order to get a story.
It was appalling Elizabeth and it felt truly abusive that people innocently attending a presentation are set up by David Millikan and his planted media and forced to endure that. Is a group of people choosing to live with self-love and self-regard viewed as that crazy and out there, that us being in a cult could be the only rational assumption? Very sad and disturbing indeed.
Thanks for sharing your experience of that nights events Elizabeth. Although I wasn’t there I can feel in everyone’s words that the worst thing about this invasion of privacy was the deceit and manipulation that David Millikan used to get a stage at the Esoteric Medicine presentation. As you say, there was no intention of finding the truth, only an agenda of creating a sensational story for the TV network he works for.
I too witnessed this night that the media attacked and it totally changed the way I consider our media and how I watch any news or media on TV. In fact it took me a couple of days after the event to actually realize what had happened and why. It was obvious that Millikan and the film crew were trying to rouse people up, get them upset and angry, so they could get it on camera, and that they would use any footage to show how much of an angry and aggressive bunch we are, of course not showing what they have done to the group to make them react this way. Keeping in mind that their actions were completely pushy and abusive. In fact I’m almost positive that they would have cut and paste the filming into an interview, where they ask us reasonable and every day questions, and then cut in with someone being upset, angry or mad in an inappropriate way according to the so called ‘reasonable’ question. Now every time I watch the news or any interviews and see someone set up to be evil, or bad, or out of line, I actually consider that these people are probably actually normal and not guilty people and in fact are being set up to tell a story. I would say that over 80% of society are unaware of this, but one day it will all come out in the wash, and eventually real life and independent stations will expose this behavior.
Thank you Elizabeth Dolan for your account of that night where you had no civil rights in a modern country where this is endorsed. What is the Australia media telling the rest of the world – that it is ok to ambush and hijack an audience and become aggressive in order to get a story for pure TV sensationalism. David Millikan calls himself a united church minister, so do church ministers working for a TV station have power over the general community to the point where they have no rights? What are we the general public allowing and accepting here?
Two years later, David Millikan has left a digital footprint that is still being commented about because what he done on the 12 October 2012 was deeply distressing and harmful to over 150 people including young children and that has consequences. You cannot erase something like that and mr Millikan has a lot of publicity now but maybe not how he expected it would be.
As you expressed Elizabeth I also feel the best I have ever felt. Most of us in attendance at Universal Medicine events feel this way. So why is the Australian media so intent on focusing on another angle? Why not just tell people Serge Benhayon educates people about well being and life and that it makes a difference to hundreds of people?
Many of us lost our innocence that Friday night. Before this we were joyously going about our lovely lives. That is all shattered now as we have become aware of a new level of malevolence. Right here in northern NSW, Australia.
Elizabeth, I think we all got the most sobering lesson about Australian Media – it is very unfortunate that it was learnt in this manner and particularly with young children around – what terrible example David Millikan and those who were with him to these young, gentle, loving children who are to carry on from where we leave.
I feel that these kinds of violation of rights happen much, much more often than we know. And I also am really feeling how important it is to be aware of what happens and to speak up about it. Thank you for your honest and heart-felt words, Elizabeth. It’s really touching.
What a violation of rights! Thank you for sharing Elizabeth. Surely there are laws against this sort of thing? It does feel a bit ‘dark ages’ sort of tactics. Well done to Serge and the Universal Medicine Team in the way this was handled.
Elizabeth I always had a strong sense the media were not always forthright, but like you, until this event, I had no idea of the absolute disregard they have for truth. This makes no sense as truth is what they are supposedly there to report, so us the public stay informed. Things are not always what they appear when the media is involved, this I have learnt.
Well described, and said Elizabeth. Being “filmed without permission and being accused of wrong doing simply because I have chosen to live with more self-regard” was atrocious, and clearly only an act derived from a purely sensationalist-seeking media, and a man intent on his own self-aggrandisement. He showed not one iota of compassion, nor remorse, for a group of people who were so deeply disrespected and upset (children included), our basic and fundamental right to freely pay to hear a presentation on topics of great personal and global meaning – violated. And ‘this’ from a supposed ‘man of God’. I need no outer authority to ‘de-frock’ him, for within myself, I already & absolutely have done so.
Thank you very much for your strong and clear piece of writing. I still can’t believe that this is happening in the 21st century in a so-called ‘civilized’ and democratic country. Like Carmel said it reminds me of the Dark Ages and or dictatorial regimes. We as human beings have advanced technologically but obviously not on a social base. On this background the presentations of Serge Benhayon are even more important. Maybe there will be something good within this unbelievable media arrangement and more people will hear about Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine and make their own point of view. Because EVERYBODY IS FREE TO CHOOSE.
‘I am no longer naive about the media and the way in which it works and what lengths they are prepared to do to get a sensationalised story.’ These words speak for all who were present or had friends or family there on Friday night, Elizabeth. Thank you.
It is almost is if these people have jumped straight out of the Dark Ages. It makes me realise that we haven’t advanced as a human race at all, when we allow this kind of behaviour to continue in our so-called civilised society.