If I may take issue with a couple of your points... --- In [email protected], boyboy_8 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: <snip> > Years later I took a more in-depth interest in my own religion > and began to reflect much closer on what Vedic meant. After a > while I realized that it was just a pale ruse to call TM > stuff "Vedic" when in fact it was just dressed up Hindu > practices, familiar to all Hindu's around the world.
>From what I understand, it's more the reverse--Hinduism is dressed-up Vedic practices. In coming to know my own religion better I > chanced upon a sentence in the Torah which just sealed the whole > affair for me. > > I quote: "the name of other gods ye do not mention; > it is not heard on thy mouth..." Source: Exodus 23:13. I have > read various commentaries about what this means. While the OT > is open to interpretation I think that the words can be taken > here at face value. Since these Children of Israel were > spiritually open vessels and sensitive to all kinds of > influences, the wording is not ambiguous. You do NOT put the > names of other (pagan) gods in your mouth....lest they sway you, > influence you. Not to comment on the teachings of your religion, but the TM mantras are *not* the "names" of "pagan gods." They are sounds that have become associated with these gods (who have their own perfectly good names). Plus which, the gods are all said to be expressions of Brahman, the Ultimate One. The Hebrew Scriptures may not be ambiguous on this point, but whether and how the prohibition applies to mentally entertaining a bija mantra may not be quite so clear. Also, of course, you have to believe in the real existence of pagan gods in order to be concerned about them swaying or influencing you.
