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The "I AM" Movement is the original Ascended Master Teachings religious movement founded in the early 1930s by Guy Ballard
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I AM activity produced 2 books
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Ballards hosted a gathering in LA at the Shrine Auditorium that 6000 people attended.
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The movement had up to a million followers in 1938 and is still active today on a smaller scale
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In 1939 before his death Guy Ballard "ascended"
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Ballard died of arteriosclerosis in 1939
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the Ballards were sued for copyright infringement by the family of Frederick Spencer Oliver. The suit was dismissed for failure to state cause of action.
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In 1942 Ballard's wife and son were convicted of fraud. The conviction was overturned in a Supreme Court decision, ruling that the question of whether the Ballards believed their religious claims should not have been submitted to a jury. This event was the determining factor for the establishment of the freedom of religion or beliefs rights in the United States.
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Based on statements made in books sent via the mail, Edna Ballard and Donald were charged with eighteen counts of mail fraud in 1942. Despite the ultimate dismissal of the court cases, it was not until 1954 that the organization's right to use the mail was restored
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Edna Died shortly after an illness
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the organization states that its purpose is "spiritual, educational and practical," and that no admission fee is charged for their activities