First of all, I'm familiar with spiritual groups who proclaim people
enlightened. I didn't always agree with their proclamations! And as mentioned,
I know of a group who gives certificates of enlightenment. Maybe they use
different criteria than me! I also know people in the TMO who I think are
pretty darn enlightened. But of course they don't proclaim themselves as such.
The whole thing is such a hodge podge that I simply ignore all the posturing
and go by my own sense of a person. And actually, it doesn't matter to me
whether or not they're "enlightened." There are other qualities that I value
more.
From: "TurquoiseBee turquoi...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
From: "Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net [FairfieldLife]"
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."
:-)
It's a "path to enlightenment" but my point was that no organization I know of
guarantees it. You can't. It even goes against TM teaching because one's
progress is dependent on the state of their nervous system. And by no means
would it be the fastest. It really is just a meditation for the masses. It's
nothing special other than it was probably better organized than some of the
other front runners.
Bhairitu, it's not "guaranteeing enlightenment" that I'm riffing on for
hopefully humorous purposes. It's the promising it for 50 years and never
*producing* it I'm riffing on.
That, and the fact that they got away with it because their clientele was too
stupid to ever say, "Now wait a minute...where are all these enlightened people
you promised me I'd be surrounded by and be one of? Point them out to me. Show
me an enlightened person."
Someone saying that -- *anyone* saying that -- would have been the counterpart
of the line in the fairy tale that goes, "Uh, guys...you *have* noticed that
the Emperor has no clothes on, right?" Asked to put up or shut up and actually
*produce* a "certified TM enlightened person," the TMO wouldn't have been able
to do so.
It's all a house of cards perpetuated by the fact that no one ever says, "Show
me an enlightened person."
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