--- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > There have been a great number of statements here on FFL > > > about what I -- Barry Wright, TurquoiseB, Unc, whatever -- > > > believe about TM, Maharishi, the TMO, and TMers as a group. > > > There have been even more assumptions about these things, > > > presumed on the part of my detractors, and declared as fact > > > *because* they assume these things. > > > > Of course, Barry *never* makes any such assumptions > > about others. Nosireebob, perish the thought: > > > > "I think that what you're upset about is that Paul > > is asking the questions that YOU should have asked > > 'way back when, and never did.... I think you're > > angry at YOURSELF for never questioning the stories > > you bought about Maharishi's background, and the > > nature of his relationship with Guru Dev, and > > whether Guru Dev would ever have approved of what > > Maharishi has done in his name." > > > > "Both responses were intended to demonize Paul for > > writing what he wrote, and for having an opinion > > that you don't like." > > > > "Their own insecurities about their beliefs and > > their need to dominate and control those who > > challenge those beliefs is what set them off." > > > > "It's a ballsy film, and I suspect history will treat > > it far better than the petty, judgmental assholes who > > trashed it -- often without seeing it -- just because > > they were being judgmental about its director's > > inability to handle alcohol." > > > > "I think what you're afraid of is not that the 'recert' > > process didn't 'weed him out' because his thinking > > was Off The Program, but that it kept him around > > because it wasn't." > > > > "The dogma of the TMO is presented as *fact*, and > > after decades of hearing its postulations presented > > as fact, many adherents come to believe that they > > *are* fact, and can no longer even *conceive* of any > > other way of looking at the situation." > > > > "And the worse things get with the TMO, the angrier they'll > > get, and the more that anger will fester, until something > > snaps, and they finally *can* admit who they're really > > angry at -- *themselves*, for being so gullible and so > > insufferably stupid, and for so long. > > > > "And the funny thing is, that moment brings release. > > Resisting it is what keeps them so angry. The 'dark night > > of the soul' is not about having doubts; it's about > > resisting the doubts and considering them bad, and about > > considering themselves bad for having the doubts." > > > > "...The tendency to think in terms of 'better' and > > 'best' (with regard to spiritual techniques and > > spiritual teachers and spirtual traditions) is > > *built into* the TMO system, so much so that its > > validity and appropriateness is never questioned. > > > > "I'm suggesting that its validity and appropriateness > > *should* be questioned, and that many TMers are so > > brainwashed that they are incapable of doing so." > > > > "How many of you spend 144 minutes a day or > > less outside your home? These people think > > that's how 'most' people live their lives. > > > > [Nobody thinks that, or said that.--JS] > > > > "Probably because that's how they live theirs, > > stuck inside, afraid to leave...and now even > > afraid of the 'sanctuaries' they're hiding in." > > > > "They project onto [Guru Dev] all of their > > fantasies of enlightenment, and what that word > > means or doesn't mean to them. > > > > "And it was the same thing with Maharishi. He > > arrived on our shores as this exotic little dark- > > haired monk in white robes, and everyone swooned > > and just assumed that everything he said was the > > Truth, with a capital T." > > > > These are all from just this past week, and not > > all the examples by any means, only those that > > were relatively self-contained. > > > > <snip> > > > There you have it. Next time someone makes a declaration about > > > what I believe, run it past this post to see whether what they > > > are saying really seems to be what I believe, Ok? > > > > There is a spiritual principle you have never > > gotten, Barry. It goes, "Listen to what people > > say, but watch what they DO." > > > > <snip> > > > There you have it. Next time someone makes a declaration about > > > what I believe, run it past this post to see whether what they > > > are saying really seems to be what I believe, Ok? > > > > However, bear this in mind as well: > > > > "[My beliefs] are just what this particular self chooses > > to believe at a particular moment in time. They may > > change tomorrow, or sooner. They have done so so many > > times that I'm no longer particularly attached to the > > beliefs. They're just things that come and go, like > > leaves blowing by on the winds of autumn." > > I was pretty sure I could make her waste a great deal > of time fuming over what I said and researching ways > to trash me. *Some* assumptions seem to be valid. :-)
Sorry, Barry, took me only a couple of minutes. You did almost all the work.
