Edg: > > You know, if I were enlightened, I would expect that part > > of my freedom, part of my meat robot's new world, would > > be the "duty" or "privilege" of setting folks straight > > about enlightenment, and if the folks want to tussle, > > well, the enlightened can give what's given to > > them backacha TIMES TEN.
Curtis: > Atheists are all too aware of this fanatical position > throughout history. Seeing it supported in this day > and age by you Edg creeps me out to the max. But it > doesn't surprise me one bit. What Curtis said. I find this attitude of "setting people straight" about the "reality" of enlightenment not only creepy, but dangerous. It's this very attitude of "duty" that has caused almost all of the wars and persecution attributed to religion in history. Someone says, "I *know* the truth; you don't. It's my *duty* to not only teach you about the truth, but browbeat you (or physically beat you) into *agreeing* with my perception of truth." THAT is what Edg is describing -- someone so convinced of the accuracy of his *subjective* experience of life that he feels not only the "right" to impose it on others but the "duty" to do so. > > Arjuna was expected to kill for a holy purpose, and killing > > "the mean steak" in anyone who'd knee jerkingly doubt the > > spirituality of another seems par for the course. See what I mean? Edg has not only mistaken a fairy tale (the Gita) for reality, he's presenting it as a model for people who believe as he does. "If they disagree with your version of 'truth,' or have a 'mean streak' and resist being told what and how to think, it's OK to kill them 'for a holy purpose.'" > > If anyone stood up and told Maharishi that he was full of > > shit, every TB in the room WOULD EXPECT MAHARISHI TO > > UNLOAD WITH THE SAME INTENSITY THAT ARJUNA WAS IMAGINED > > TO HAVE WHEN HE PULLED BACK HIS ARROW. See tamas, stomp > > tamas. I agree that everyone would expect Maharishi to do this. That just means that he's a fanatical asshole who feels that he has to impose his ideas of 'truth' on all present, not that he *knows* truth. "See tamas, stomp tamas" implies that one *knows* tamas when one sees it. Edg assumes Maharishi "knows" this; I do not. I also do not assume that Jim and Rory have this magical ability to "see" what is "tamas" and what is "sattva." I think they're Just Human Beings Just Like Me, with no more abilities than anyone on the planet. I also assume this of Maharihsi. Edg doesn't. He assigns them magical abilities that he doesn't have and that no one else has. And WHY? Because they *claim* to have them. That's the *entire* basis of his rant -- "These people *claim* to be enlightened; therefore they are." That's the basis of his magical thinking about the Gita and the fairy-tale Krishna as well. "People have *told* me that Krishna (who never existed) was enlightened. They made claims. I believe them. Therefore Krishna had the 'right' to kill people he perceived as 'tamassic.' Furthermore, people who want to lead 'right lives' should do the same thing with people *they* perceive as 'tamassic.'" This is the language of the religious fanatic. If I believed in a God, I'd thank Him that Edg has no access to real power over other human beings other than in the dim recesses of his dim mind. If he did, he'd be dangerous. In reality, he's just a blowhard with danger- ous tendencies.
