One of the offers that Lighthouse International Group has repeatedly asserted to those who have issues with the business is that since December 2021 head mentor Paul Stephen Waugh has invited any of these individuals “and their lawyers if they wish” to his home to discuss concerns regarding him/LIG.
Those that have not jumped at this offer have been labelled mentally ill by many Lighthouse mentors with the reader of their articles asked: “what does this say about their pathology?”
On the surface the offer to meet sounds reasonable although what is not mentioned is that Paul Waugh lives all the way in Southampton and so travelling may not be feasible for many but most importantly of all, being that some former LIG mentees and concerned family members/friends consider Lighthouse to be a cult and that Paul Waugh is the cult leader who has brainwashed their loved one I’m sure you can appreciate their reluctance to go into the house of this kind of complete stranger.
Having such hesitation demonstrates a mentally healthy decision to most people I’m sure.
Hostility to Harmony?
Furthermore from my prospective, LIG’s relentless 2021 campaign to shame & ridicule those who raised issues with it, referring to them as mentally ill “internet trolls“, continually telling them that they’re criminals who are likely going to jail, are going to be sued by LIG for thousands, along with deliberate attempts to get ex-clients fired from their job and potentially ruin their career (read more about the LIG response to “trolls” here >).
It’s hardly consistent with a: lets grab a pint, discuss our differences and be friends vibe they are trying to portray. It just seems like another technique. With the stick being woefully ineffective to get ex-mentees to shut up it looks like they’ve decided to give the carrot a go.
Meeting in Person
The offer to meet in person was welcomed by many concerned with LIG but not on the terms offered. An offer of meeting in a neutral location with the presence of a third party i.e. an organisation that specialises in cults/people dealing with trauma was proposed in December 2021. As of March 2022 no response has been received from LIG to confirm that they are interested in meeting on neutral terms.
A cynic could well ask: What does this say about their pathology?.
Genuine Intention to Meet?
I have my doubts on whether Paul Waugh / Lighthouse genuinely wants to meet those who speak about it or whether they have just knocked up an article saying they do so that any new client / potential mentee that comes along concerned about the Reddit comments related to LIG (here >) can now be told thanks to their article: “we put out an offer to meet in person and they never took it up, so it just shows you they are just a bunch of cowardly trolls anonymously writing hate against us“.
I come to this suspicion on a few grounds. The first is that their article “Paul Waugh Invites Family, Supporters & Critics of Lighthouse International Associates To His Home” (found here >) which was bizarrely posted on 26th December 2021 (yes, Boxing Day) including the following “invitation”…
Firstly, Christmas had already passed by the time this announcement was made. New Years eve was just 5 days away and who in their right mind would be want to raise serious concerns with someone who some believe to be a cult leader surrounded by a good 20-30 of his followers at a Christmas/New Years Eve party?!
People clearly want to spend these times with their friends and family not complete strangers that some feel have ripped them off or brainwashed a loved one.
Not to mention the fact that over the holiday season people are busy and so more likely then other times then not to not check up on LIG / Reddit and so likely miss out on this “invitation” anyway.
Just 1 Invitation
As anyone who reads the LIG “Community” website articles now and then knows they are routinely updated. But as you can see from the below screen shot the Paul Waugh invitation article was last modified on 10th February 2022 yet it only refers to 1 invitation to meet, during Christmas 2021.
Whilst the article says it’s an “ongoing invitation to meet” the fact that it only talks about meeting Paul Waugh on his terms at his house in 2021 and there is no reference to a more convenient and neutral location bolsters my suspicion that this article primarily serves as something to direct new prospects to who are in two minds about whether to get involved with Lighthouse or not.
Questioning Lighthouse International Group
The website of the above name has a number of questions that they have said are the most common/mysterious which those concerned about Lighthouse International Group would like answers for. The Questioning Lighthouse International Group’s first set of questions can be found here > with a second set found here > Those in the Reddit community have many others here >
Whilst minus a few quid that Kris Deichler still owes me (full story here >) my Lighthouse International Group journey ended in November 2018 and minus 3 comments on Reddit in 2021 I have just been a passive observer between LIG and those on Reddit, checking the posts now and then. However out of mainly curiosity I would be fascinated to see answers to some of the questions mentioned earlier as during my 6yrs with LIG a lot seemed to be smoke and mirrors.
My Questions
In addition to those questions being addressed I would love to attend an in person Q&A event and have some of my own questions answered as well. Just a handful of those are…
How has LIG been able to avoid paying HMRC 20% VAT on it’s sales? (full article >), why the at least £10,000 raised from Lighthouse Kidz looks as though it has not been declared in the community interest company’s books? Plus where is evidence that it was in fact donated? (full article >), how can Lighthouse sell a “partnership” for £25,000 as a “buy-in” to the business when 100% of the funds go into current partners private bank account/s and they are not actually made an LLP partner? (full article >) and why if “high character” & being “responsible” are key pillars at LIG why does the LLP and a good number of LIG mentors have court judgements against them that are entirely unpaid?, as in no effort has been made to re-pay their former client / supplier with not even a pathetic £10/month gesture (full article >).
Videoed Q&A Format
Therefore I hope we will hear soon that meeting at a neutral location with the attendance of a reputable organisation that specialises in cults/trauma is agreed to and that the format is one of question and answer with the whole meeting videoed and the unedited version uploaded on YouTube for those who are unable or to nervous to attend are able to view it at their leisure.
With all questions asked and answers provided it could well put an end to the ongoing duel (which has gone on for over a year now) between Lighthouse International Group and upset former mentees, “Associate Partners” & loved ones of those who are currently involved with the business.
Have Questions for Me?
Reach out to me here >