Beyond the Threshold : A Life in Opus Dei [Paperback]

The personal experiences described by the former Opus Dei member- Maria del Carmen-Tapia- are shaking and frightening. When reading through the pages I consulted a manual on sects, considering the overall methods used in OD. I think, provided that del Carmen-Tapia's descriptions are accurate, one can define OD as a certain kind of sect with brain-washing, degradation of personality, very excessive cult of the guru (read Msgr. Escriva) and diminishing of personal freedom among certain class of members- the numeraries. Everything that of course is done under disguise or sacrifice for the sake of the organisation, the higher truths and goals it claims to fulfill. This organisation seem also to be very secret with well defined security levels. Someone referred to Opus Dei as catholic freemasonry. I do not think this kind of comparision is qualifying. Nevertheless information from upper levels is portioned out down according to certain criteria. Secrecy is also kept laterally. Everything that is fine, every organisation must have certain levels of integrity and "business" secrets. The problem seem to be that these secrets are mostly futile things, not worth keeping a secretive attitude toward. These things are most probably used in the process of brainwashing. The other aspect mentioned in the book is a certain lack of frankness, a kind of artificial, laboured attitude toward the non members. This kind of attitude produces unnatural and weird situations. For example young people whom OD recruits are expected to be more honest to Opus Dei than to their parents becuase of Opus Dei alleged superiority in the realm of the spiritual. When being invited on an Opus Dei dinner in their headquarter non-OD people are not explicitly told about if or how much to pay for the dinner. It is insinuated with a certain kind of "discretion" yet another way used in Opus Dei. The visitor is in a way put in an unclear situation. This allusive, enigmatic way of talking is very characteristic and can be often a source to bisarre misunderstandings.

Another point mentioned in the book is the gender perespective on Opus Dei. The organisation treats men and women unequally. The position of a woman is, in spite of her right in the organisation to have modern professions, inferior to that of Opus Dei men. Opus Dei women have serving functions. Their freedom is clearly diminished compared to men.

The overall organisation and customs in Opus Dei originate from the old aristocrate Spain and is often irrelevant outside that country. Present Opus Dei operatives stick irrationaly to these outer forms which are many times irrelevant and even harmful ( i.e treatment of women) both to Opus Dei and its adepts in foreing countries. There is a certain ignorance among the liders of Opus Dei and even lack of interest in how the organisation should be reshaped according to the new enviroment and culture.

Many so called progressive catholics and people outside the Church criticise Opus Dei for being backward, unmodern, medieval or even fascist. I think this kind of critics is very often a kind of biased ideological interpretation based on misperception of essentials. The important sectarian traits as well as other unhealthy psychological problems within Opus Dei do not get their proper space in that kind of critique. Opus dei is certainly an elitist organisation shaped and designed for upper classes, the wealthy and influential people which is well described in "Beyond the threshold". This is not a secret. It was one of Msgr. Escrivas open goals to have an exclusive apostolate among these groups. The idea in itself is sometimes used as a typical bad argument against OD. Another side of the coin is that Opus Dei sees itself as a kind of elitist organisation, indispensable in the life of the church. They create among their members an aura of indispensability. According to them OD is supposed to play a major role in the critical hours of the church now or in the future. This, I think is very ell described in Maria del Carmen-Tapia's book. The recruitment to every prise of people in high positions is another trait of this organisation. It is important to OD that the influential persons are the natives in the actual country where recruited. The "hotest" professions are rich industrialists, nobility, militaries, intelligence workers, politicians and higher positioned academics. The main goal seem to be many times unfulfilled. There are some risks with Opus Dei methods of recruitment. These riscs are charasteristic for every sectarian organisation using psychomanipulative techniques. Many often a certain kind of people is let in. People who are easy to manipulate because of a dormant psychopathology in the background and certain psychological-emotional problems or even syndroms.

There are certainly other good books about Opus Dei. As yet this one seem to be the best and most throughout and helps very much to grip the spirit of that organisation.