--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long wrote: > > Ann, just fyi FF is definitely NOT "a very tight knit community of like minded seekers." For example, my neighbor to the south is an Amma devotee. We are on friendly terms and I have attended Amma gatherings. My neighbor to the east is a Hare Krishna. We are on friendly terms and I have not chanted in orange robes in airports. Yet! Another neighbor to the south is a Sri Sri devotee. Some others are govs but don't come to the Dome. Some friends are govs who now follow Sai Ma. Some friends are govs who are teachers in another group and still do just TM. I was a member of that group for 4 years, during which time I did not go to the Dome. During my 2 week course at PKYC in Knoxville, I only did TM because they asked me not to do the TMSP. At that point my highest priority was to stay and experience what they had to offer and doing my TMSP was a lesser priority. > > Hopefully you can see that on both the individual and group level, it is quite a mish mash. Â
Yes, I'll give you the "mish mash" part. What I meant by "like-minded seekers" was that many who were not born in FF before 1975 and who consequently moved there are "seekers" of some form or other and they are mostly what I would label "spiritual seekers" for lack of a better term. Most of these immigrants to FF have done so not for the Opera House, the Haute Couture or the world cuisine; it has been because there has apparently been an assembly of individuals heading to Iowa who are on some path or other encompassing the kinds of groups you listed above. In this way the community is homogenous and like-minded, not because they all attend the same type of prayer meeting or chanting sessions. I have not heard of scuba divers, Hell's Angels or hairdressers flocking to FF but I could have missed that part. > Â Â > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Ann awoelflebater@... > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 10:39 AM > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Fwd: Invitation: July 7-21 Governors Assembly at MUM Fairfield > > > > Â > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ann" wrote: > > > ... > > > I have to admit though, that Barry has a point. If there > > > was a meeting how come only one lone voice brought up any > > > concerns they have with dome policy? It is a simple but > > > essential point and I would wonder about the answer to > > > that question also (I just wouldn't have phrased it using > > > a metaphor of fucking sheep or being sodomized without the > > > proper lubricant). I wish I cared enough to be in FF and > > > wanted to both 'see saints' and hop in the golden globe > > > because I would have some real fun with the Movement > > > guys - for about the five minutes I would have until they > > > threw me out on my ear. Still, those five minutes might > > > be worth it, sometimes I like a good scrum. > > > > Ann, I'm not commenting to razz you on your comment, > > because I'd like to see you do that, too :-), just to > > point out something you don't seem to realize. > > > > VERY few people would ever even *consider* standing > > up to the TMO because they're GURUWHIPPED. > > > > They CARE -- and care deeply -- about still being > > considered "members of the organization," and "in > > good standing." They know what would happen to them > > if that ever changed. On the org level, they'd never > > be allowed to go to any other meeting or program > > again. On a social level, many of their so-called > > friends would write them off as being Off The Program > > and abandon them as well. > > > > So they're NEVER going to stand up to the nazicrats > > because they're still terrified of being on their > > own, outside the TMO, and probably for the rest of > > their lives. > > > > For you, that's not a concern. For me, that's not > > a concern. For many people, that's not a concern. > > But for those who are still caught in the dilemma > > of "Oh God, what would I *do* if I were ever thrown > > off of the 'highest path' and never had access to > > any TM functions or programs ever again?" > > > > It's EASY for those of us who really *don't* give > > a shit what anyone in the TMO thinks of us to consider > > burning our bridges and telling them to fuck off. It's > > not as easy for those who feel that they'd be commit- > > ing a kind of spiritual suicide by doing so. And MANY > > people have been brainwashed to believe just that. > > > > You're dealing with cultists here. They may bitch > > about the cult in private, but they're never going > > to do anything in public that jeopardizes their > > continuing membership in the cult. > > You have hit the proverbial nail on the proverbial head here, especially about many fearing what they have to lose if there were to stand up to and consequently be barred from all of the Movement activities. This IS a very big deal and I do not discount it. It is not just about going to the Dome or not going. It has big ramifications for one's life in FF in general. > > After all, FF is a really safe and comfortable place for people who don't, for whatever reason, want to be anywhere else. It is a very tight-knit community of like-minded 'seekers' who have spent decades there in many cases and as they age aren't likely to move away. Still, from what little I know of Shriver, he should be an inspiration to act. >From all appearances he was a very well-loved and admired man who did not suffer any losses from being unable to engage in Movement activities. He was probably enriched by his stance not impoverished. I mean, the TM bosses can't kick you out of FF or keep you from shopping or eating where you want. You can still have a LIFE in that little town, badge or no badge, black listed or not. > > Back to the subject of protesting the seeming injustices - if the limitations bother some people so much then eventually this is going to take it's toll and sooner or later people who resent having their lives dictated to them regarding what they can do or not do, see or not see, read or not read, attend or not attend is going to have to be resolved one way or another. I still say organization is a really good way to go. If you fear making a stand all by your little lonesome then assemble with your friends and like-minded people who can create a bigger force, a movement with some clout. > > What I have a problem with is those who complain and whine and wish it could be different but don't engage in the actual activities that could bring this about. On the other hand, maybe give up the 'saints' and focus on TM. You either have to come together to change the system in great numbers or you're going to have to accept Movement policy. > > >
