From Torah Talk, April 15, 2012:
Rabbi Rabbs: “The real part of Judaism is sitting around learning Torah.”
Luke: “I’m getting into Tanya.”
Rabbs: “Why don’t you just go to the Kabbalah Centre and get it over with?”
“You’re into all this cult stuff. Your whole attachment to Alexander Technique, they’re making a circle and touching gently. You grew up a Seventh-Day Adventist. It’s a huge cult.”
“You were probably sucked into one of these ponzi schemes.”
Luke: “I was [in 1995]. Where you give $100 and you’re supposed to get back $200.”
Rabbs: “I can see you getting sucked into a pyramid scheme because they’re like, ‘Yay, Luke, you’re giving the money.'”
Luke: “A fortune teller took me for about $1,500 [in 1998].”
Rabbs: “You’re like a born sucker.”
Luke: “I’m just vulnerable.”
Rabbs: “Because you just want to be accepted. If I wanted to take every dime you have and f*** with your head, here’s what I do. I know your weaknesses — women and ego. If I could make a big party in Luke’s honor and all the guys are bowing to you and going, ‘Whoa, Luke, make a speech. Tell us how great you are.’ And all the women are flirting and rubbing their titties in your face. I could have every penny Luke was good for. Luke would give me all his money…”
Luke nods. “Just to feel accepted.”
Rabbs: “We’d carry Luke around the room and make him feel like a big deal.”
“You’re so needy for attention and acceptance and you want everyone to think how great you are.”
“That’s why you think Hasidics are so great because they have all these culty get-togethers. Say L’chaim Luke!”
Luke: “I used to be really into Aish HaTorah.”
Rabbs: “Is that a cult?”
Luke: “It’s as much a cult as anything else in Judaism.”
“They have banquets honoring Larry King, who’s inter-married countless times. You see their weird videos where the boys are dancing for Rosh Hashanah. The 36 levels of pleasure. The slick marketing. They take you in. They set you up at people’s homes. They try to help you turn your life around. I loved Aish HaTorah. The best experiences I’ve had in Jewish life were at Aish HaTorah. They were so loving, so kind to me there, before they kicked me out. They kicked me out multiple times.”
