From: "Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
On 11/18/2014 09:17 AM, TurquoiseBee turquoi...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]
wrote:
From: "Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
On 11/18/2014 04:26 AM, TurquoiseBee turquoi...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]
wrote:
It's not so much a rumor, more of a sales pitch or claim, but I've always
gotten a chuckle from "TM is the fastest path to enlightenment on the planet,"
coming from an organization that in over 50 years has been unable to produce
even a single person they can point at and say, "This person is enlightened,
and got that way as a result of practicing TM."
What organization does?
Just to make a point about the kinds of bullshit humans are willing to
accept, think about the TM sales pitch for enlightenment, compared to almost
anything else being sold on this planet:
-- "So, that's your introductory lecture. Just sign here, pay us your $75,
and we promise you that you will be fully enlightened in five years." (Please
note that this actually *happened* with the TM movement.)
-- "Sounds good, but looking into my crystal ball that shows me the future,
I can see that what you're trying to sell me isn't going to cost me only $75,
but tens of thousands of dollars over 30 or 40 years, to pay for all the extra
courses and 'add-ons' you'll try to sell me. What can you show me to convince
me that this 'enlightenment' you're trying to sell me will actually occur, and
that if it does, it's worth it?
-- "Well, you just have to trust us. Give us your money now, and in 5 to 8
years (ooops, sorry about that) you'll be enlightened. And you've heard the
lectures -- when you're enlightened, you'll be able to know everything and have
everything you want just by wanting it. Isn't that worth the hundreds of
thousands of dollars (ooops again) you'll wind up paying us?"
-- "It *might* be worth it, but what can you show me to prove to me that
this 'enlightenment' you're selling me actually exists? For example, there are
many people here in the room today who have been practicing TM for more than 8
years, the maximum time you say it will take to become enlightened. Point out
the ones who are enlightened, and let me talk to them to figure out if this is
all going to be worth it."
-- "Sorry. <insert reverential tone of bullshit here> 'We don't talk about
our individual state of consciousness.'"
-- "WTF? So you're saying that I just have to TRUST you about all this
enlightenment stuff, and you are NEVER going to show me anyone who you can
guarantee has achieved it?"
-- "That's right."
-- "You DO know that this is insane, right? Promising the 'fastest path' to
something you'll later refuse to ever produce?"
-- "You think WE'RE insane? Talk to the millions of people who bought this
exact sales pitch hook, line, and sinker."
:-)
But now I have to ask: did you claim this in your intro lectures? Are you
guilty as charged? I don't recall claiming this in mine. :-D
The claims in intro lectures and printed brochures guaranteeing enlightenment
in 5 to 8 years were from the 1967-1969 period. I didn't become a TM teacher
until 1972.
I am not enough of a TM movement historian to document exactly *when* such
claims began to disappear from TM lectures and promotional materials, but I
would bet that it was coincidentally about five years after they first
appeared. :-)
