--- In [email protected], "boo_lives" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Maybe chopra was just looking for an excuse to leave and do his own > thing at that point. Basically I think someone with a practical > independent attitude will ultimately come into conflict with the tmo > inner circle - whether you view it as being kicked out or voluntarily > leaving in frustration doesn't matter much.
It matters a great deal in one case -- when the person leaves of his own accord and Maharishi or the TMO claim he was "kicked out." I saw that happen quite a few times. It's a common cult technique. What the cult is trying to do is reinforce the idea that no one would ever *want* to leave of their own accord. So it's better for the cult to claim that they were kicked out for "conduct unbecoming." Or, if they really can't hide the fact that the person left on their own, to portray them as crazy. For balance, it is *not* just the TMO that does this. I've seen this in many groups. In some of them, this "trashing the apostate" thing comes directly from the teacher. In others, as far as I could tell, the teacher bore the people who left no ill will at all, but the *students* made up whole myths about how the people who left were crazy, or had been "kicked out." It's a pretty fascinating phenomenon in my opinion, wherever it shows up. I think we're seeing some aspects of it here on FFL in the people who -- to this day -- seem to have a need to portray Chopra's decision to leave as a failing of some kind. As I'm sure Bharitu and Vaj and some others can attest, it really doesn't have to be like that. We've all seen spiritual groups where if a student decides to leave, the teachers wish them well on their way and say that they're welcome back if they ever want to come back. That's the way things should be IMO.
