---In [email protected], <[email protected]> wrote :
---In [email protected], <steve.sundur@...> wrote : ---In [email protected], <[email protected]> wrote : Not in a chat room where he insults people that think otherwise. Besides, his belief is that TM will make the world a better place, on the other hand he's spent a lot of time slagging off the TMO for the way it handles things. That's what we mean by cognitive dissonance, he can't reconcile the fact that TM doesn't work for the TMO with his beliefs about how effective it is so he tries to remove the people who remind him of the dichotomy. I have not been a student of Doug's posting. There was a lot of the "same", so I skipped over most of it. But, I think your assessment is a little severe. Yes, I would say he has been able to reconcile more disparate points than most. That works for him. How does reconciling things that shouldn't be happening become something "working"? Sounds like denial to me. You mean you actually like it nice and bland? It doesn't bother you at all that there are only a few people left, and me only because there's nothing on TV tonight? Go figure. I think things are off to a great start. Hmmm.... What gets your goat? What makes you want to raze the world to the ground and start it again? Do you ever care about anything enough to try and do something about it? Well, you don't know much about me, which is understandable. And I don't reveal too much. But, I am responsible for the livelihood of about twelve people, and I believe they would have my back under any circumstances, as I would have theirs. Not what I meant.... The quest for truth clearly doesn't get you going if you are "okay" with blatant attempts to deprive you of money! Or maybe you should pay a bit more attention... He is spouting a lot of nebulous theories to a very limited audience. If people want to buy into that, what concern is it of yours, or mine? Is anyone being coerced to participate? I'd have to second Steve here. There are so many things on this planet that are pure bunk and I'm pretty sure whatever one pseudo scientist says (if Hagelin is a pseudo scientist - I don't know enough about him or care enough to find out. But perhaps I have made this point very clear time after time: I don't follow what the Movement is doing and haven't for over 25 years and the only reason I know anything about it now is because people - most who claim to despise the Movement and most of those at the helm of it - talk about it ALL THE TIME HERE). Now, I like to make a beef about what I see as laughable or preposterous as well as the next guy but to continually try and change how people think or to get my proverbial knickers in a twist about it will change nothing if all one is doing is sitting at home and whining about it. Go to the press, stand out with a placard somewhere, create some intelligent expose that proves what these people, yagyas and all, are bullshit. DO SOMETHING! But mostly you're preaching to the choir here. Go out where you can make a difference and PROVE something. Until someone does this it is all just hearsay or opinion that neither party can back up. It's everyone's concern if these "Nebulous theories" are a load of crap and can be demonstrated to be so and are costing people who don't know any better an awful lot of money. Great, demonstrate it. Hiding behind a PHD and claiming to be a world renowned scientist for instance, claiming that science has discovered this or that when your beliefs are so outside of the mainstream they wouldn't be accepted as likely in a Harry Potter movie. Well, some people accept it just like some accept Jesus as their savior, some believe gluten is bad for them and others are convinced Black Sabbath was the greatest rock band on the planet. See, there's all kinds of crazy out there... I would say the movement goes out of it's way to persuade the faithful that it - and it alone - is in possession of the real facts about life and that the rest of the world has yet to catch up. From day one as a TMer they start spinning the yarn of perfect knowledge from the unified field and all the technologies they have to help you gain the most from life that don't actually work but are all part of the mythos. I would say that's coercion, they do guilt brilliantly too. It's not coercion, it's just another attempt to sell a product. If watching an ad on TV or having friends encourage you to read a book or your TM teacher suggesting you wear rudraksha beads around your neck is coercion then you need to get a backbone. Coercion is being threatened by someone, with the power to actually enforce it, with losing your job or your right hand or your life if you don't pay $500 for a yagya. It's a religion and expanding the coffers at the expense of the flock is what I expect. But the pope doesn't charge $5000 for a prayer. Check out the adverts for the yagya programme starting with Marshy's bullshit lectures. It's con. I care about people I know being conned. Excellent, then care about them and do your damndest to convince them they are dupes and are stupid enough to fall for something you evidently believe is rubbish. But your beliefs are different from theirs and maybe it isn't the end of the world for them to WANT to believe in something 'cause what real harm will this do other than emptying some of their bank account? You can't protect stupid forever.
