The only WMD that I have experienced in the movement was this guy that used to fart the most horrendous noxious vapors every single program in the dome, which totally polluted any bliss that was being created. I am sure he is part of the reason for low dome numbers of recent years.
OffWorld --- In [email protected], "L B Shriver" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > There has been quite a bit of discussion lately regarding the movement's policies and > practices surrounding the exclusion of Sidhas and Governors from the group practice in > the Domes. > > It has been noted that many individuals previously banned have been allowed to > participate in the current course, some after many years of exclusion. This is a good > development, and I welcome it. It has also been noted that many individuals continue to > be excluded. Some numbers have been mentioned from time to time, but it is difficult to > know with any degree of certainty to what extent the banning continues, as the machinery > of exclusion is mostly private. > > A few days ago I had a conversation with my friend Tim Britton, who is among those not > admitted to the current program. In the course of our conversation, I couldn't help but be > impressed with Tim's integrity and equanimity, his total lack of hard feelings toward the > course office, and his willingness to rationally consider the arguments put forward in > support of his exclusion. > > In fact, Tim managed to articulate these policies with greater clarity than I have ever heard > them articulated by representatives of the movement. Consequently, I must admit that my > own paraphrasing is somewhat less refined, and therefore perhaps less convincing. > > I would like to address, in particular, two arguments recently advanced in support of > exclusions. > > The first says that if people are practicing techniques learned from other teachers or > organizations—even if they do not practice these techniques in the Dome—they might be > disrupting the practice of others. The argument asserts that "alien" techniques might have > undesirable physiological effects which could adversely affect those sitting near the > practitioner. > > The other argument is even more esoteric, and deals with the issue of loyalty to the > master and the master's organization. It says that even if an individual practices ONLY > Maharishi's technologies in the Dome, the practice of other techniques in private will > breach (on some subtle, ultra-refined level) the coherence within the group, therefore > upsetting the progress of all those connected with it. > > Aside from my own lack of skill in articulating these concepts, they both suffer from > serious problems of credibility. > > First of all, they are not based on anything resembling systematic observation. > > Those who have been excluded on the basis of "alien practices" are generally those who > have been exposed through spying, informants, or chance. Occasionally they were victims > of their own honesty in answering a questionnaire. > > However, they weren't busted because someone saw them doing something weird in the > Domes. Nor were they exposed because people sitting next to them fainted or began > vomiting, or were suddenly, mysteriously, unable to fly. > > Similarly, no one to my knowledge has put forth a compelling argument as to how one's > evolution is necessarily damaged by adding a spiritual practice to one's private program. > More amazingly, to my way of thinking, no one has explained how a seasoned, > experienced Sidha or Governor would fail to notice if a practice produced undesirable > results, or would continue a practice that was not satisfying. > > In truth, very rarely does one hear it claimed outright that the "alien" techniques are known > to produce bad effects of any kind for the practitioner (other than banning, of course). > However, it is regularly IMPLIED that such is the case. One phrase which I have often heard, > in that regard, is that " we just don't know what the effect would be". > > Let me see: is there a better definition of acting from ignorance? > > On the one hand, we are told again and again of the enormous value of every single warm > body that can be included in the group program. It has been "proven by dozens of > meticulous research projects around the world", and those of us who are in possession of > this knowledge are morally obligated to act on it. > > On the other hand, despite the fact that there has been no research on the putative > negative effects of practicing "alien techniques" in private, and the fact that we have no > actual reason to believe that those effects are negative with respect to the Dome > experience, we are encouraged to believe that the exclusion of those practitioners from > the group program is somehow in the interest of world peace. > > In other words, the arguments in favor of blacklisting are actually rather vague and > opaque. We don't know what, if any, are the actual effects of letting people into the Dome > who practice some alternate or auxiliary techniques at home. > > We do, however, know the effects of the blacklisting. > > As an immediate, direct, mathematically quantifiable result: fewer people in the Domes. > > As a longer term, indirect, less-easily-quantifiable-but- nevertheless-observable result: > still fewer people in the Domes. > > Those who are banned often face negative social and economic repercussions. Fear and > mistrust, on a subtle level, begin to permeate the atmosphere. > > Furthermore: despite the arcane explanations of the movement, most people feel the real > motivation behind the exclusions is transparently clear: punishment. > > We were supposed to be the generation that would break the cycle of ignorance by > refusing to repeat the mistakes of history. Well, here is one we missed: > > It is not possible to create an ideal society based on exclusion. > > This was attempted in Nazi Germany and Pol Pot's Cambodia. Despite the existence of > logical arguments as to why it should have worked, it didn't. > > The Vedic principle behind the group program (as I understand it, and with apologies for > not remembering the Sanskrit) is: > > In the vicinity of yoga, no enemy is found. > > It does not read, "In the vicinity of yoga, no enemies are issued badges." > > Still, the exclusions continue. For the record, I know many people who have "heterodox" > programs, but VERY, VERY FEW have ever advocated practicing any kind of "alien" > techniques in the Dome. So the question remains: With very little possibility that people > will be practicing anything other than their TM and TM Sidhi programs, what is the harm in > letting them practice with the group? > > People often ask me about the reasons for my own exclusion, or the exclusion of some > mutual acquaintance. I have given up trying to explain it. I just tell them, "Weapons of > mass destruction." > > Most people just laugh when I say that and there is no further need for discussion. For > those who still appear confused, I elaborate. "They say I have weapons of mass > destruction, and they can't let me in because I'm a threat to the course participants." > > I encourage my friends to reject these empty arguments about the harm that MIGHT be > done if the heretic is allowed inside the temple, and to accept the proposition that In the > vicinity of yoga, no enemy is found. > > The blacklisting program through the years has had substantial, observable negative > effects on the community, not the least of which, one might argue, has been the pathetic > slide of Dome attendance to abysmal depths. > > If the movement leadership is really committed to Superradiance. let them demonstrate > their commitment to an Ideal Society by bringing their acceptance policies all the way into > Sat Yuga. > > L B Shriver > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! 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