--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "richardnelson108" <richardnelson108@...> wrote: > > Hi, Richard here.
First false premise. Richard is everywhere. > Since this was originally written to me, I thought I would chime in. > I will take responsibility for adding my negative comments about Vaj where > they were not necessary. After all, the post was about Jerry Jarvis and not > a response to Vaj. So therefore, as I said earlier, it may have been > inappropriate > I was confused and angry about the fact that no one here seemed to challenge > Vaj on his "facts" for so long, that I felt compelled to say something and > may have over reacted. > But, be clear... I am not a movement true believer and did not make my > comments to defend Maharishi or the movement. I just wanted the facts to be > brought out and let the chips fall where they may. > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > Richard, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to use your > > de-lurking as a springboard from which to make a few points > > about the nature of Fairfield Life, and about the (IMO) > > real link between the behaviors one regularly sees here > > and behaviors one regularly sees in the larger TM movement. > > > > Cult indoctrination is rarely about "rules and regs." Oh, > > sometimes such rules exist, such as, "Thou shalt see no > > other spiritual teacher, under threat of excommunication." > > But that's not how indoctrination really works. In daily > > practice, it's more like dog training: "Perform this > > behavior that we praise you for performing and we'll > > give you a dog treat; perform this other action and we'll > > swat your ass with a rolled-up newspaper." > > > > THAT is what goes on in TM centers and on TM residence > > course and at its Teacher Training Courses. If called > > upon to state a point of dogma, you are expected to do > > so using either Maharishi's own language or the lang- > > uage of one of his appointed representatives, a TM > > teacher in good standing. Repeat the dogma in this way, > > using the "approved" language, and you get praised > > and you're given emotional "strokes," the human equiv- > > alent of dog treats. Try to express the same point of > > dogma in your own words, or using language that the > > dog trainers don't approve of, and you're swatted down, > > often in public, in the company of your peer students. > > After a while, is it any surprise that everyone says > > the same things, in the same language? > > > > Now take the example of how TM teachers and Maharishi > > himself dealt with critics. They tended to always > > assume that there was something *wrong* with them; if > > they were doubting what these "knowers of reality" > > said, that "wrongness" was a given in their view. It > > was common and accepted to attempt to dismiss critics > > and doubters as "just unstressing," or if that didn't > > make them shut up or go away, they were characterized > > as "mentally ill" or "having hidden motives" or worse, > > "part of an organized conspiracy to spread lies and > > misinformation about Maharishi, TM, and what we all > > know to be the 'highest path'." > > > > And how is this *taught*, so that people get the point > > and -- just as with the parroting of the dogma -- begin > > to parrot the dissing and the character assassination > > as well? Same method I described above. Praise and > > applaud the newb for "getting" some TM critic with a > > stinging putdown or criticism the way he's heard others > > put similar critics down, give them "strokes" and make > > them feel as if they're really "part of the group." > > Hopefully the newb will get the point and join in > > future "pile on" sessions, and diss the "right" people, > > the "enemies of TM" that he's expected to diss. > > > > That's the behavior that your "coming out" or de-lurking > > occasioned here at Fairfield Life. I'm commenting on it > > because it's just such a *classic* example of cult > > indoctrination. The "Gotta get the critics" crowd are > > salivating and almost peeing in their pants because they > > think they've got another person "on their side." Think > > about that "side" thing; is there anything *less* caught > > in duality than someone who perceives the world in terms > > of "friends and supporters of TM and Maharishi" vs. > > "those who are its enemies?" I don't think so. > > > > I'm *with you* on some of your criticisms of Vaj. I, too > > think that he's often a bit too acerbic and dogmatic in > > his proclamations. Sometimes I even say so. But I stop > > short of having to *also* throw in a string of insults, > > name-calling and invective *when* I say so. The people > > trying their best to "recruit" you can't do that. They > > seem *incapable* of ever dealing with some of the points > > that Vaj (or I) bring up without *also* having to pepper > > their posts with putdowns, insults, and name-calling. I > > call that behavior what I perceive it to be: hatred. I > > am writing this to warn you that you are being recruited > > to be a hater. > > > > When I called you on one of your posts -- writing some- > > thing sweet and uplifting about Jerry Jarvis, but succumb- > > ing to this praise and stroking by *also* including a put- > > down of Vaj in the same post -- you seemed to "get" what > > I was talking about. Hopefully that will "take" and you > > will be able to post more positive things in the future, > > without the accompanying set of putdowns and catcalls > > that characterize many of the self-professed "TM sup- > > porters" on this forum. > > > > WATCH their behavior, dude. Pay attention to it. Do > > *any* of them post anything positive about TM, Maharishi, > > or spiritual practice in general *without* also tying it in > > to a set of putdowns and name-calling, *in the same post*? > > I think you'll find that for the most part they do not. I > > am of the opinion that many of them *cannot* do this. The > > TMO indoctrination they have received has rendered them > > incapable of saying something positive without at the > > same time putting down one of the people they've been > > trained to consider its "enemies." > > > > Do you really want to turn out like this? If so, go for > > the strokes and emotional dog treats they're trying to > > lay on you, and become another "TM supporter" the way > > that they are. I think that if you do you'll find your > > life as joyless as theirs seems to be. > > > > Post the positive and uplifting things you perceive, > > as you did the rap about Jerry Jarvis, and *without* > > any accompanying putdowns and name-calling, and I think > > your life will be a lot shinier. > > > > This is just my opinion, and I'm not trying to sell you > > on it. Do whatever you want. I'm just trying to point > > out a common trap that newbies fall into on FFL, and > > how to avoid it. Pay attention to those who are trying > > to ply you with dog treats. They may not have your > > best interests in mind, and may in fact be trying to > > train you to become a junkyard dog, like them. > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > I've stated my position many times before -- there > > > is a *systematic* campaign in the TM organization > > > to perform character assassination on and demonize > > > its critics. The following statements, made by some > > > who regularly practice such character assassination > > > to "welcome a FFL newbie to their ranks" are nothing > > > short of a recruitment drive for hatred. IMO these > > > statements show both how haters think, and how they > > > actively attempt to recruit more haters: > > > > > > > Well said, Richard. > > > > > > > Thanks Dude - very well put.... > > > > > > > Boo Yah! Nicely delivered smack down. Thanks, Richard.... > > > > > > > Richard called Vaj on two of his favorite lies. What's > > > > left? Maharishi was a lecher? SOS > > > > > > > is Vaj really that infantile? > > > > > > > Nobody's engaging in "Gotta get the critic" behavior. > > > > We're engaging in "Smack around the two odious > > > > assholes" behavior. > > > > > > > He gets to take a lap. He's acknowledging the well- > > > > deserved applause from those who appreciated the > > > > gutsy way he slapped Vaj down. > > > > > > > The verdict is in. You done good. > > > > > >
