--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "do.rflex" <do.rf...@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" <LEnglish5@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "do.rflex" <do.rflex@> wrote: > > > > > E.G. Malnak vs Yogi was Malnak vs Yogi, not AUFSOCAS vs Yogi. > > > > > > > > The fact that > > > > 1) the puja is done outside school > > > > 2) TM is optional even during the quiet time > > > > 3) that no TM teacher is directly involved int eh school program > > > > 4) that no theory is taught during the school program > > > > 5) that the program is NOT funded by the school > > > > > > > > > > > > all seem to make it different than the Malnak vs Yogi case. > > > > > > > > > To me, that appears to be similar to the fundamentalist nutbag > > > Christianists who are attempting to sneak their anti-evolution > > > creationist religion into the public school system in the guise of > > > intelligent design. > > > > Well, that assumes that intelligent design and TM theory (as presented in > > terms of > > a relaxation program) are on a similar level. > > > It doesn't matter, Lawson. What they have in common is that they are both > dishonest attempts to sneak religious-based ideology or practice into the > public school system. >
You're assuming that TM, by its own existence, is a religious practice that is impossible to divorce from the cultural antecedents that MMY brought with it. Speaking as a Unitarian-Universalist who is quite willing to say "itakimasu" with his japanese friends before a meal, even though that literally means "thanks to all that have brought us this meal [from the Lord God, to the spirits of the land to the farmers who grew the food]" without insisting that it is a religious ceremony, I think that you are wrong here. > > > I don't think that that is the case. > > > > There's no way to justify intellligent design as being "scientific" but its > > certainly > > plausible to justify "quiet time" as being worthy. The question is: is TM > > a more worthy quiet time than something else, and the answer is: > > what does it matter? > > > This so-called "quiet time" is just a disguise, Lawson, for the TMO to > incorporate TM into the public school system. You're not fooling anyone. > Yes, but it allows for ANY quiet time to be incorporated during that same period, not just the DLF's. > > > > FOr the participants, TM quiet time costs no more than > > any other quiet time. The entire thing is funded by the DLF and any school> > > participation is only to the level that they would have for sponsoring any > > other> quiet time in that same school. > > > > > Both approaches are hokey, transparent and blatantly dishonest. > > > > To you. THe TM organization touts TM as being a better quiet time than> > > others, while admitting that other quiet times may be of value as well. > > The ID people may tout ID as an "alternative theory" but don't give > > any case of the argument against partaking in that theory int he first > > place. > > > > The only way you can make the situations analogous is to show where TM> is > > WORSE for kids than simply sitting and reading a book. > > > > Nope. What they have in common is that they are both dishonest attempts to > sneak religious-based ideology or practice into the public school system. > See above. TM is only religious because people insist that it is. In the context of a stress-management program for kids, its no more religious than saying "thanks everyone" at the start of a meal. Probably less. > > > > > > Not to mention that they haven't been able to get a Malnak > > > > to bring suit yet, presumeably because the participation requires> > > > > > > parental approval in the first place, unlike in the New Jersey > > > > situation> and in the case of the california school, the DLF stepped > > > > aside rather> than let someone take them to court because they > > > > objected.> > > > They've learned, in other words. > > > > > The bottom line however is that, as the executive director, Barry Lynn of > > > the Americans United for Separation of Church and State said: > > > > "TM has always been rooted in the religion of Hinduism... There are no > > > imminent cases right now, but people, including conservative > > > Christian parents will say if Christianity can't be taught in the public > > > schools then Hinduism can't be either." > > > > There are no imediate cases because no Malnak has stepped forward to > > be a spokesperson for "Americans United for Separation of Church and State". > > > While I don't see why the Americans United can't initiate the lawsuit on > their own, I don't doubt that there WILL be a 'Malnak' if this issue reaches > a sufficient level of public awareness and the TMO doesn't simply sneak by > and get away with their typical hokey snow job. > Except at the first sign of a Malnak, they withdraw completely. > > > > > This issue deserves to be fully addressed legally and brought to a > > > conclusive decision. > > > > > Sure, but will they be able to in the context of how it is being > > presented?> With no legal standing, no lawsuit can be brought. > > > The you-can't-miss-it-elephant-in-the-room legal standing is that MMY's > Transcendental Meditation itself is without question deeply and elaborately > religious-based - and because of that it should not be incorporated into the > US public education system. Sez you: thanks everyone. > > ==As a teacher trained by MMY, I personally consider TM to be a gift from God > to humanity. The primary issue here is *NOT* the value of TM. It's the > underlying fundamental principle of maintaining the separation of church and > state in a democracy that's paid for by and was set up to represent and > include *ALL* Americans from *EVERY* faith and *NO* faith. Thanks everyone. > > Many religions offer off-campus instruction for students and coordinate class > times with the public school. But those religious facilities and their > curriculum have no connection to the public school system itself or its > purpose. Why doesn't the TMO pursue that avenue?== > Shrug. AN agenda to get a non-culturally based relaxation technique accepted in the school system is perfectly laudibe, even if the people with the agenda have more than one perspective. Do you really think tha tLunch and Marcarney are looking on TM as closet hinduism? L
