No One I Have Come to Admire More

Your November 4 message on the Passing of Herb Rosedale struck a deep and profound point within my soul. In all our years together of laboring on behalf of healthy faith in the face of abusive and destructive religious exploitation and its victims, there is no one I have come to admire more than the eminent and always faithful president of AFF, the barrister par excellence, Herbert Rosedale, Esquire.

Please pass on to his widow, Ethel, and family, our greatest gratitude for their sacrifice of Herb's presence as he served with us and for us.

I believe that AFF has survived as the oldest and most enduring of American counter cult organizations because it had the vigilant, aggressive wisdom and guidance of Herb Rosedale to steer it through the shoals and troubled waters that sank or drained the vitality from other such organizations.

I grieve with you all.

The Reverend Richard L. Dowhower, D.D.

He Salvaged My Personal and Professional Life

Herb Rosedale reached out for me at a very troubled time in my life. Without exaggeration, he single-handedly salvaged my personal and professional life, did it with a sense of humor, and asked for nothing in return. He was there when I needed him. I am saddened by his passing.

MH, M.D.

Standout in a Crowd of Heroes

I wanted to express my shock and sadness at the passing of such a giant. He was such a source of encouragement to ex-members. The memory that stands out to me was the conference that I attended where a Branch Dravidian stood in the back of the room. He was afraid to get involved in the activities but knew he wanted help from people who might be sympathetic to his experience. He asked me some questions and I went over to Herb and asked him if he could speak with this man since some of his questions were of a legal nature. He graciously obliged and counseled with him for the next few minutes. This was before the disaster in WACO, and he was wondering about going back to the compound to get some items like his motorcycle.

Herb's compassion and passion for what is right are qualities that made him a real standout. I'd use the term hero but it has been used so much recently that I want people to know that Herb was one who would standout in a crowd of heroes.

John Wick

Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center

A Pillar of Advice and Support

I was very sorry to hear of Herb Rosedale's death as he was a pillar of advice and support for aiding Moonies and their parents.  Martha Wiederhold was a Moonie for 2 years in the 1970's when she contracted addendicitis and subsequent abscess plus complications in New York.  During her recovery, my wife Betsy and I had a consultation with Herb regarding-legal responsibilities of the Moonies.  He was most helpful and straightforward in his advice for which there was no charge.  I contribute annually to AFF and the thank you letter is always signed by him, which is remarkable and most appreciated.  There should be more lawyers like him.

Martha has been out now for 15 years, rehabilitated by Dr. John Clark, happily married and a real triumph.

Louis Wiederhold, M.D.

Intellect and Humility

I would just like to express a few words about Herb Rosedale, and how he has touched my life and those of countless others.  I am a cult "graduate" (survivor) of what I believe is a Bible based cult.  I met Herb at the first AFF conference I attended and was struck by both his intellect and his humility.  As a relative new comer to the cult education environment I felt instantly at ease when he welcomed me.  Later, when I expressed a few concerns, he lent an open ear, taking my input seriously.

During the conference he had occasion to speak briefly when opening the conference, when introducing a speaker or when closing the conference.  Again I was struck by his demeanor. To me he set the tone (and vision) of the conference.  My sense was that Herb always cared about each individual, listening intently, and offering his time and advice, as appropriate.

More recently I had the opportunity to attend a meeting with a Chinese delegation regarding cults.  Again I was impressed with how Herb both set the tone of the meeting and how his responses to the delegation were right on the mark.  Herb's spirit of caring shone through the proceedings, and made a deep and lasting impression on me.  Herb set an example I can only hope to follow.

My deepest sympathies go out to his family.  I can only thank them for allowing Herb to help so many that have been affected by their cult experiences.  Herb's leadership, kindness, intellect, and caring spirit will be well missed.

Mike LeBlanc

Cult "graduate"

His Name Will Be Lasting Among Us

Having heard that Mr. Herbert Rosedale passed away on Tuesday morning, I would express my deep sympathy to you and the family. When I visited your conference, he always welcomed me warm-heartedly and gave me very well-marked suggestions. In the international circle, his contribution to cult counseling in Japan is also marvelous, and his name will be lasting among us. We will miss him.

Please extend our sincere condolences and gratitude to his wife, Ethel, and the family. There are a dozen people who would like to offer words of condolence. On behalf of those colleagues and friends, I send this mail to you.

Rev. Makoto Hidaka-Shimura

Steadfast Ways

Herb's passing has come as a shock, even though I knew he wasn't well. It just seems like men who are so vibrant, so tireless, so wise and fearless should have the honor of living to be one hundred and twenty, and then some.

I will always remember him and his steadfast ways, his warmth, his conviction, and his humor. I'm so lucky to have known him. My condolences go out to his family.

Rachel Bernstein

"A Simple Country Lawyer"

At our first meeting Herb introduced himself as a, "simple country lawyer."  What an understatement! Herb was a graduate of Columbia School of Law and worked for one of the finest law firms in Manhattan. Yet there was some deep psychological truth to Herb's phrase, "a simple country lawyer."  Herb had the capacity to relate to everyone in clear and precise ways. I myself was raised as a simple country boy, having grown up on the wind swept prairies of Nebraska; and yet Herb related to me as though we had grown up in the same neighborhood. This ability was Herb's genius and gift; he related so well to everyone he met. He could parlay with big city lawyers and talk to a former cult victim with little if any education beyond the eighth grade. He made everyone feel at ease. But his skill was not limited to his ability to relate. He had a first-class mind. Herb and I could look at the same problem in such different ways. He was an intellectual catalyst. I have met few like him. He used this talent freely to help so many who otherwise would have received little or no help at all.

Over the 16 or years I have known Herb, I could not begin to count the phone calls I have made to him and he to me. He has referred clients to me and I have sent clients to him. We have wrestled with the difficult cases of helping so many of these cult victims get their lives together. Herb's efforts have been indispensable. At Wellspring we have treated over 700 clients and consulted with approximately several thousand. Of those multitudes, Herb has heard about many of their stories and has been of invaluable assistance. And I can't say this enough.

Herb has likewise assisted Wellspring and me personally with advice when cults have been a threat to us.

In all these years, Herb has always taken my calls and if he was busy he has always called back in usually a few hours. That is an amazing record in this professional world.

Even when Herb was ill and at home he would graciously take my calls.

At the last AFF conference Herb still had his zeal, passion and wit. His indignation at the cult apologists was still apparent. I was particularly pleased that, while refuting one remark made by an apologist, Herb mentioned a case that I had testified in.

There is no one in the world who can replace Herb. We will deeply miss him. Losing Herb is a terrible loss and we can all pray that God by his grace will send us someone who can in some small fashion fill Herb's shoes.

We will miss him so.

Paul R. Martin, Ph.D.

Director, Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center

Did You Learn Something?

Many of us remember Herb Rosedale as the avid defender for the victims of cults, passionate advocate for human rights, and respected leader of the community working to prevent and reduce harms through research and activism.  I would share my memory of Herb as a great educator to younger researchers.  Herb’s exemplary work highlighted his commitment to expand knowledge, to help researchers in pursuing their studies to understand behaviors in the cultic phenomena.

I came to the AFF community very much by chance of a maze of networks (the Internet included) and events.  My first meeting with Herb was at the 2000 AFF conference in Seattle, Washington.  We met for the last time in October 2003, at the Enfield, Connecticut conference.  The Seattle conference hosted a panel on the emerging issues of Falun Gong.  Shi-min Fang and I wrote a quite detailed presentation for that conference.  After the panel meeting, Herb approached me in the hallway, asked: “Did you learn anything from your panel?  You can see that we have different disciplines and diverse approaches, but we have one goal—to help the people suffering, and recovering from cults.  And our researches are based on solid scholarship; we have a lot to learn from each other.”  These words, as they turn out to be, have well predicted my experiences with the AFF community.

Herb’s role as the liberal educator was reflected in the programs AFF offered.  They were diverse, and even inclusive to the extent that members of groups under discussion would present their views on the same panel as the researchers and critics.  This liberal approach not only allowed for stimulating and often animating presentation, but also facilitated rapid exchanges, albeit with greater burdens placed on the moderator.  Despite his illness earlier this year, Herb attended and moderated such panels with wisdom, and successfully negotiated contending parties through complicated issues.

It was an enjoyment to watch Herb handling difficult issues in discussions during the conference meetings.  He excelled in revealing and understanding opposing ideas, and helped each side to communicate.  In the May 2003 conference in Orange County, California, while we were bogged down with the members of the group over the issues of the role of their leader, which was the subject of the discussion, Herb raised the question: Do you consider your master sacred?  The answer settled, at least to my satisfaction, the defining issue of the relations between the followers and the leader.

In October 2002, Herb invited me to attend a meeting in his office in New York.  He listened attentively to different ideas in shaping public policies through community activism.  He gave some advice, and he was very pleased to learn that his efforts and ideas had influences that had helped families and members of some groups.  As we were leaving, he turned to me and again asked: “Did you learn something?”

A good educator facilitates learning, encourages exploration, and opens new doors to better understanding.  These qualities are the prerequisites to unite researchers of cultic phenomena that cross disciplines of psychology, sociology, religious studies, economics, law, and politics, and blends with activism.  While we mourn the passing of Herb, his legacy will live on, and his imprints will last, with the beneficial effects rippling from this community to other communities, for he had touched so many lives with his ideas, his work, and his compassion.

We will miss Herb.  And I am confident that AFF will continue to excel upon such a great foundation that Herb helped build.  I will remember Herb as a great educator, asking: Did you learn something?

Zixian Deng

His Ideas Will Live a Long Time

I am surprised and saddened to hear that Mr. Rosedale left us forever on the morning of November 4th.  I still remember what he taught me about group counseling for cult victims when I visited AFF with my colleagues in October, last year.  When I came back from the USA, I used what I learned from AFF and other US colleagues to help cult victims to very good effect.  We have issued a book, Liberation of Soul—Help Cult Victims to Get Rid of Mental Control.  In this book, you will find we use the same concept about cult and mental control as AFF’s.  In other words, we translated the concept from AFF and use them in our research and work.  The day before yesterday, the US cultic studies expert, Mr. Ron Burks, who is visiting China now through the project which was started by Mr. Rosedale, told me that in America it is widely said that for a man it is important to have a son, plant a tree, and publish a book.  That last thing is most important because a good idea will live a long time. I think that, as an expert on cultic studies and president of AFF, the ideas of Mr. Rosedale and AFF will live long and will encourage us to work hard to help more victims of cults and prevent more people from becoming the victims of cults.

Wang Wenzhong, Ph.D

Associate Professor of Psychology

Institute of Psychology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences

Embraced by a Friendly and Enthusiastic Man

We vividly remember Herb from our first ever trip to the USA in 1998 when we came to our first AFF conference in Philadelphia. We made our way from the airport by train to the Holiday Inn on 18th and Market Street and eventually found a room with people inside from AFF who were enjoying a meal. On gate crashing this event we were embraced by a very friendly and enthusiastic man who we quickly found out was AFF President Herb Rosedale. In making us feel at home and so welcome Herb displayed the characteristics which we would come to know and love in him in the years to come. Thank you Herb for your love and concern—we will miss you.

Rod Marshall and Lois Kendall

United Kingdom

_____________________________________________________________^

Reflections Posted 12 November 2003

He Who Walks Uprightly and Practices Justice

We have all lost a world class advocate and counselor. In the Torah there are many descriptions of the type of people upon whom our tradition places great value. One of the most striking is given to us by King David in Psalm 15. In it he says:

He who walks uprightly and practices justice,

Who speaks truth from his heart;

On whose tongue there is no deceit,

Who does no evil to his fellow men. (Ps. 15:2-3)

Is there any doubt that these words were written describing Herb? Herb, the obvious honest and upright person, who spoke the truth and who dedicated his life to the triumph of justice in our society. For his working profession, he chose "practicing justice." He was a man of principle, who stood up for his convictions and for causes in which he believed. There was no posturing or camouflage in his makeup. When something was on his mind, it was on his mouth. A hatred for deception was central to his very being. The commentators who described the Ark of the Covenant said that Tocho K’’varo, it was the same inside as it was outside. This describes Herb to a tee.

The 19th Century poet and Anglican priest Edwin Hatch in a poem, described his dream & goal in life characterized by hopefully being A Man of Integrity. The poem can well serve as a eulogy for our Herb, for he was such a person. The poet says:

For me—to have made one soul the better for my birth;

To have added but one flower to the garden of the earth.

To have struck one blow for truth in the daily fight with lies;

To have sown in the souls of men one thought that will not die,

To have done one deed of right, in the face of calumnies:

To have been a link in the chain of life; Shall be my immortality.

Because Herb was the most humble of men, we shall never know how many people he helped or how many lives he touched in all the many hours he spent both in and away from the office responding to the pervasive need that he saw and felt and with which he empathized. We can only speculate and respond in the words of Channah Szenesh, a victim of the Holocaust and poet:

There are stars whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves are no more.

There are people whose scintillating memory lights the world,

even after they have passed from it.

These lights which shine in the darkest night are those which illuminate for us the path.

So let it be said of my friend Herb Rosedale

May we, his friends and family find comfort in these reassuring words expressing our tradition: "If we continue to love the one we lost, we have never really lost the one we love."

Sandy Andron, Ed.D.

Marietta, Georgia

Gratitude to a Great Soul

The news of Herb's passing came as a huge shock.  Somehow when people are larger then life the thought of their absence seems unrealistic, if almost absurd.  Sadly, this is not the case.

There are so many things to say about Herb both personally and professionally that one could fill a book—perhaps someone will do just that someday—let alone a paragraph or a page.  Herb Rosedale was fiercely protective of those he cared for; he alone made it possible for me to feel safe in going public about my life.  He never steered me wrong and was always kind, warm, funny, and genuine.  I often felt as though he could leave me in his dust because his capacity for fast-paced thinking was well beyond my own—but needless to say he never did.  As Kipling wrote "if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings, nor lose your common touch"—well, that was Herb to a tee. He made time where there wasn't time, he created dreams out of shattered lives, and he did it all with ridiculous ease.

Unlike so many, Herb used his legal prowess to champion the causes of those less fortunate. I can honestly say that my life and the lives of countless others would be far darker if it were not for this man.  AFF without Herb seems unbearable, but we will bare it; we must bare it and build on the foundation that this great man built—that's what he would want.  Herb was not beloved by everyone. He had enemies too, all noble and forward thinking men have these—at least all interesting ones do—but even his enemies respected him and rightly so.

Herb was a fighter; he was courageous; he was a protector and advocator of human rights.  He was more then a mere lawyer, wise man, leader, friend, father, and husband—and yet he was all these things.  He will live on in all the lives he touched, in the work he tirelessly devoted himself to until the very end and in all our fond memories.  Lastly, I wish to add this quote by Martin Luther King Jr. in memorial to Herb. I think he would have liked it.

"The Ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others.  In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten man to a higher and more noble life."

Thank you Herb.

With Deepest sympathy to Ethel and their children.

Donna and Jon Collins

Anna Maria Island, FL

Spoke for All of Us at the Tensest Moments

It was such a comfort to me to know that Herb was always willing to let me pick his brain about legal matters when for years I was in the throes of cult-related legal battles. Herb gave his time so willingly. He was a powerful presence at every conference and spoke for all of us at the tensest moments to people who came to disrupt the conferences. He spoke with great force but without an ounce of rudeness. His shoes are just too large to fill.

Carol Diament

Your Strong and Gentle Aura

I met you at the AFF conference in Enfield, CT, and from a distance felt your strong and gentle aura. Silently you supported me and others like me—ex-members of a "dubious" organization. Without your strong conviction, perhaps we would not have been present at the conference. I have felt your passing as that of a beloved father-brother. May you rest in the loving Presence of the Good Shepherd and continue to guide us from above, as our condolences extend to the loved ones you have left behind.

Paul Lennon

Regain board member.

His Expertise was so Precious for Everybody

On behalf of the large FECRIS community, I express my deepest sorrow at that occasion. Though we knew for some time that Herb was ill, we are very much shocked by this news.

Those of us who participated at the FECRIS conference in Barcelona will remember Herb very well. Some of us also met him at several AFF conferences; I especially at 2001 in Newark and 2003 in Orange County. He was a very kind person and his expertise, especially in the legal field, was so precious for everybody in the world who struggles against destructive cults. And it was wonderful how Herb, in spite of his illness, continued to work for the benefit of us all.

We will keep Herb very well in our memory.

Friedrich Griess

Kierling, Austria

We Pause in the Sad Autumn Sunlight

I read of Herb's death this with deep sadness. My personal thoughts and condolences go especially to his family and to all who have been working close to him for so many years in the American Family Foundation.

On behalf of FAIR I send our deep regrets at the loss of a fine and supportive colleague in the International field.

As a Vice-President of FECRIS, I endorse the words of Friedrich Griess and express the keen sense of sadness we have to-day, not just to-day, but for the future.  Herb Rosedale, with immense courage, stood tall in the defence of individuals enslaved by cultic groups.  He did this in many forums, and with consummate skill in court.  He travelled to Europe and on to China.  By arranging an exchange programme with them for AFF he engendered a much needed understanding about the approach to cult issues in different cultures.

FECRIS welcomed him at our 2002 Conference in Barcelona.  This further “bridged” the International work of our shared approaches to the dangers of adverse cultic practices.

Herb worked, with compassion and vigour, for so many to free them from the strictures of a despotic ruler.

We pause now, in the sad autumn sunlight, to cherish his memory with deep affection.

Daphne Vane.

FAIR

FECRIS, Vice President

He Understood Cult Reform

I was very saddened to learn today of the death of your colleague Herb Rosedale.  I know in what high esteem he was held by all who knew him.  Herb appeared in a BBC interview with the ISKCON Reform Movement (IRM) in 2001, and we were particularly touched by his sentiment that: "I empathize very greatly with the reformers in ISKCON." I also feel honored that I got the chance to meet and hear him at the AFF conference. He was both a brilliant and very witty speaker. He displayed a deep intelligence and understanding of the nature of cult reform, and no doubt he will be hugely missed.

On behalf of the IRM worldwide, please accept our condolences on this sad day.

Krishnakant Desai

Reform Corruption from Within

I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Herb Rosedale.  I first heard of Herb in my capacity as a BBC advisor on the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON).  He was interviewed for a programme on the ISKCON Revival Movement and spoke eloquently on the importance of reforming corruption from within and preserving the integrity of a religious movement, rather than leaving it altogether.

One of the speakers at this year’s AFF conference in Connecticut told me how he was impressed with Herb’s deep intellect, warmth, and good humour.  He will obviously be greatly missed, and I pass on my deepest sympathies to his family members and colleagues.

Deepak Vohra

I Knew We Were Safe When I Would See His Face.

The sadness that I felt at the AFF Conference as I walked through the doors of the hotel in Connecticut a few weeks ago and saw Herb Rosedale standing and talking with some people was overwhelming.  I knew by looking at him that something was very wrong.  That kind and intelligent man was very, very sick.

Whenever I would arrive at a conference and see him, it would make me know for sure that I was in the right place, knowing that this man cared about former cult members and was willing to spend time with all of us.  I knew we were safe when I would see his face.

I remember watching him at a conference when he stood up against some people who were giving him a bad time.  He was not going to put up with it.  You knew it was our conference and he was going to make sure there would be no disruptions.  He was not going to be intimidated!!

Thank you, Herb Rosedale, for all you have done to fight against the evil in this world.  I will miss your strength and your integrity for sure.

Nancy Crosby

He Offered Great Support and Advice

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Rosedale.  I met Herb at the AFF conference in Newark, NJ, where having met him for the first and only time he offered great support and advice to us in pursuit of our cult case (still in the process of going to court).  His kindness, care and interest in our cult activity and healing process was remarkable, considering how many different stories he must have heard over the years.  I felt that his interest was genuine, and his advice was certainly wise.

May his soul rest in peace.  Sympathy to all of you who had the privilege of knowing this man more deeply.

Laura Flynn

Pinckney, MI

Tireless in the Cause of Human Freedom

Herb was tireless emotionally and intellectually in the cause of human freedom.  He was a healer and a scholar as well as a lawyer.  In every conversation he opened my mind in new directions.  He is greatly missed.

Randy Kandel, Ph.D., J.D.

Connections with China

I am so sad to learn that the president of AFF, Mr. Herbert Rosedale, died on the 4th of Nov.  Please accept my condolences on the death of this friend and expert in cultic studies.  Mr. Rosedale built the connection between AFF and the China Anti-Cult Association (CACA),  and it is he who visited China two years ago and made a very innovative presentation in Beijing, and it is he who entertained me and my colleagues at the AFF office in New York last year.  Because of the solid basis he built, connection and cooperation between CACA and AFF is going on smoothly. Please share my own and all my colleagues’ condolences on the death of Mr. Rosedale with his family, relatives, colleagues, and friends. I hope that we will promote cooperatively the exchanges started by him in order to help more and more people understand and defend against mental control.

Wang Yusheng, Ph.D

Professor in Mathematics

Vice President, Secretary General

China Anti-Cult Association

Concern for Humanity

We are shocked and saddened by the news of the sudden passing of our dear friend, Mr. Herbert Rosedale.  I would like, on behalf of Ms. Li Xiaolin, Vice President and his many other friends at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) to extend to you our deep condolences and sympathy.

Mr. Rosedale's concern for humanity was demonstrated fully in his efforts to educate and protect people from the harm inflicted by all kinds of cults.  His knowledge and skill on this issue is unparalleled.  His death is thus an immense loss to the cause of fighting against cults worldwide.  It is truly regrettable that we would have to lose such a valuable comrade-in-arms and a sincere friend.

Wang Jingua

Director General

Department of American and Oceanic Affairs

CPAFFC

Went the "Extra Mile"

I wish to acknowledge the passing of Herb and also wish to contribute some areas that I feel were most beneficial to all of us here concerning the "great crusade work "that he has done for so many areas in so many ways with info and conferences and speaking engagements. He certainly went the "extra-mile" to offer assistance and help to many concerning "cult" issues etc. I personally have spoken with him on these issues and he was most gracious and helpful. He will be greatly missed!  Rest in Peace Herb.

Joanne

Always Ready to Help

His contribution to the fight against destructive cults is beyond measure and will be with us for a long time. Over the years I learned from him some ways to effectively counter some of these groups through legal means. I called him for advice and referrals and he was always ready to help. I first met Herb at conferences in the early eighties and always looked forward to seeing him.  I will miss him.

Mark Roggeman

Denver Police Department

Making Them Feel at Home

Herb was tireless in his efforts to advance the objectives of AFF.  Everyone I know who needed help from him says he was always available and supportive, and he helped them for free. I can picture him at conferences, including the most recent one in Connecticut, roaming the halls approaching people who looked like they were attending their first conference and making them feel at home. He would find out who they were and why they had come to the conference, and he would hook them up with other people at the conference with the goal of making them feel welcome and supported. It didn't stop there. He would check up on them later and make sure they were connecting with people and getting the information they wanted. As Carol said, he was like a Father. I would add for some he was the grandfather who was always keeping an eye on everyone, especially former members, the patriarch watching over his flock.

Another aspect was his mind.  It functioned like a steel trap: sharp, quick, concise and always pertinent. It always amazed me that with no notes, and sometimes limited preparation (comes from moderating panels with him on it), he could speak with relish on any subject and never stammered or hesitated, but in a steady coherent flow  he was always able to surprise me with his clarity and razor sharp reflections. Watching and listening to him respond and comment on certain comments and statements at the recent conference was one of many learning experiences. Nothing said escaped unchallenged and as always left me thinking, "right on Herb" and gee I wish I could have thought of that and said that.

There's only one Herb and if we can all be only a small fraction of what that man was, we will all be giants in this world.

Michael Kropveld

InfoCult/InfoSecte

Touched Our Lives in Our Time of Need

We will be forever grateful to Herb Rosedale for his guidance, support and understanding during a traumatic period of our life in 1989 when our son was involved with a destructive cult. Herb counseled two very distraught parents through their emotional crisis.  With his knowledge, insight and common sense assessment of our situation, we were able to make rational decisions and secure the release of our son from a mind controlling cult environment.

His CAN, LJREF, FACTNET and AFF friends and colleagues have suffered an irreplaceable loss. We hope that Herb, like the late John Clark, Jolly West, Gabe Cazares, Rabbi Maurice Davis, and others who personally helped us through our experience by their example, will give us all the strength and resources to fight for freedom of individual thought against the evil of manipulative and coercive groups. 

It is ironic that we attended the recent AFF conference and were fortunate to talk to Herb and thank him gain for his help. We had not seen him in over 10 years and were happy that he remembered us and had touched our lives in our time of need. He was truly a good, kind and great human being.

We feel very sad about his passing and express our sympathy to his family

Bill & Marilyn McCormick

Dennis, Massachusetts

Helped People He Never Knew

I know that you have lost a friend and a mentor.  And that is very sad.  I am sorry for your loss.

I did not know him then, but I felt protected during the early years out of my group knowing from the staff list that we had a legal mind in AFF, understanding intimately from my experience with a particular cult and the law, how important such guardianship was.  I finally met him in June and was able to see him in action at two conferences: brilliant in his insight, eloquent in his expression, and kind in his action.  What an amazing gift he had and how lucky we were that he gave it to us. 

Herb will be missed by many, many people he helped, some of whom he knew and many of whom he never will.

Abby Rosenblum