By Jeannette Walls
MSNBC
Updated: 2:37 a.m. ET June 28, 2004Looks like Madonna’s new spirituality includes a certain "don’t look at me" aspect.

The Material Girl, when attending services at the Los Angeles Kabbalah Centre, sits behind a screen, according to a source. "The men and the women sit separately, following Orthodox tradition," reports the insider. "But Madonna sits in front, behind a screen so that people can’t look at her. The place where she sits happens to be on the men’s side."

The source also claims that Rabbi Philip Berg, who heads up the Kabbalah Centre, personally blesses the stage before Madonna gives concerts. "He goes out there and chants and does his routine," says the insider. "He blessed Madison Square Garden. He blesses them all."

"If those stories are true, what they reveal is that Madonna’s Kabbalah kick isn’t about spirituality at all," says Rick Ross, a cult expert who has closely followed the controversial offshoot of Judaism. "It’s not about a quest for her soul, but rather it’s about Madonna getting special treatment and attention and it’s her latest form of divahood."

In other Kabbalah news, the group is stepping up its campaign to make its trademark red string bracelet all the rage in Hollywood.

An insider says that the Kabbalah Centre is bringing out a new book, "that is basically a user’s guide to the red string: why people wear it, what powers it has."

The Kabbalah Centre will go to rather extraordinary — and expensive — measures promoting the book with a massive billboard on Los Angeles’s Sunset Boulevard, which is scheduled to be unveiled in October. The 48-by-18 foot sign will read, "For protection in a world of confusion and chaos," according to the source. The billboard itself, says the source, will be wrapped in a massive red string.

"Kabbalah is really hot in Hollywood, for both stars and hangers-on," says the source, who adds that Faye Resnick, a figure from the O.J. Simpson case, has been visiting the Centre lately.

This kind of stuff makes me want to

Absolutely false! I've been to a recent Kabbalah meeting in L.A.,and Madonna did not have a stuck-up "don't look at me" attitude.In fact,she even gave me a warm hug and kiss (good thing Guy wasn't around...lol).

DavidEye said:

You are so sweet Davideye.

As the patron maven of Kabbalah, I'd venture to say she's making an incredible amount of cash off this venture - and the rich society bitches who support it with their $42.50US red thread bracelets and their $9.00US Kabbalah water bottles and their $675US Kabbalah cribs. Does anyone else think she's not actually in this for the religion? She put up $9.1M for the Kabbalah center in London, and she's provided them with their highest-profile member - I'd venture to say she's got a huge share of the profits.

A subtle reinvention of herself as the next L. Ron Hubbard, perhaps? Have you read the hilarious "girl power" and "feminine mystique" literature the movement is publishing at the moment? Right up Madonna's alley.
[This message was edited Tue Jun 29 6:52:46 2004 by VoicesCarry]

IMO - Madonna is one of the phoniest people out there at the moment. These ultra-rich people are sickening. They have no clue about real life or real people.

Do people really get upset about this kind of stuff? It's her faith, let her do what she wants with it. If she wants to show up dressed like Carrot Top and have everyone chant "dial down the middle", then if everyone is cool with that, then bully for them.

Anxiety said:

Anxiety....I've....I've seen the light!

dial down the middle! dial down the middle! dial down the middle!

Anxiety said:

kisscamille said:

is this the same red bracelet MJ's been wearing?

mochalox said:

I have no idea if MJ is also wearing one of these "bracelets", I thought he was now embracing Islam. However, according to our friends posts above, this is their faith and we just have to let them do what they want. Total laughing stocks IMO, not to mention These celebrities wouldn't know reality if it slapped them in the face and kicked them in the ass at the same time.

kisscamille said:

It's a plain piece of red string. It costs $42.50.

I'd rather wear Yellow.

www.wearyellow.com

.
[This message was edited Tue Jun 29 13:50:45 2004 by JANFAN4L]