--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Interesting exchange- the longer one. And interesting that skeptics > > will take anecdotal evidence from a few people and pronounce > > Maharishi a liar, cheat and fraud. > > My criticism of selling yagyas comes from its theory as well as its > practice. I don't know of any plausible theory of how offering, smoke > and food to statues of Indians mythological characters can have an > effect on the world without proposing a magical connection. (poetic > physicsy sounding words don't cut it for me) MMY is selling an > ancient religion's world view. I don't share it, so his sincerity or > lack of it as he scoops up the bucks is irrelevant. Either way, IMO, > he is selling false hope for cash to a world who needs some real > solutions. I am of the opinion that this kind of religious belief is > not helping the problems of the world, it is hurting them. Being > critical of this type of thinking is a positive act for me. > I can appreciate the act of being skeptical of something once bought hook line and sinker without any critical assessment, and that is good. In my case and others I've been aware of, there is often a 'boomerang' effect, or a tendency to later condemn *everything* which was at first accepted without question. Where my skepticism leaves me is quietly, not passing judgment on such huge initiatives as the accomplishment of world peace. It is too easy to buy it blindly or condemn it blindly. > On the other hand we live on a > > planet saturated with greed and bloodshed and these same detractors > > of Maharishi's take this environment for granted. When did a gun or > > a fighter or a missle accomplish anything except more misery? > > When it is used to stop the expansion of tyrants. My Dad fought in > such a war. Here in my city guns are often used to stop people who > break the social contract and start shooting the place up. I am glad > that there are areas of society who can open a can of wup-ass when > needed. The current president's misuse of this power doesn't make it > less valuable. Since the mythic God Krishna himself advocated killing > I think your view is not only incorrect from my POV, it is > inconsistent with the teachings of the Guru you are criticizing me for > criticizing. MMY has been a military hawk for most of his life.
It is not the use of force I am objecting to. it is the mindset within the pentagon that weapons are the ultimate solution, that having been corrupted by endless amounts of taxpayers' dollars, those who would wage war now see everything as a target. It is no longer healthy or noble to support them. > And > > yet we hear little about that from these same detractors. And I'm > > not picking on you, Curtis, just using your ideas as an example. You > > perform practically next to the pentagon and haven't said anything > > against the immoral policies of that hellish institution- the > > countless billions we pay in taxes to help perpetuate the world's > > suffering. > > I am posting on a board related to MMY. I enjoy discussing philosophy > and religion here. I am saturated with political opinions of every > variety here in DC. I do not view the Pentagon as a hellish > institution. I have not been a fan of the current administration, but > I love being an American and I am proud to perform in its capital. I > meet people from all over the world who flock here for good reason. I am not knocking the USA either. I love my country too. However, be careful with regard to the propaganda ceaselessly promulgated by the military. They are basically a corporate enterprise now; death for profit. There is little nobility or idealistic fervor left in the military, unfortunately. It sure isn't the military of 60 years ago! > And yet, Maharishi comes out with plan after plan to > > better the world and all he harvests from some is unceasing > > criticism. > > I disagree with this statement. I view MMY's motivations differently > than you do. My criticism of MMY is IMO well earned. My small voice > never penetrates his silk lined rooms. It is just something I do to > express my own views and opinions just as you do. He is completely > insulated from hearing any criticism and is giggling all the way to > the bank. Again, be careful of that boomerang effect. In my experience, MMY is completely aware of what goes on in the world, including criticism aimed at him and his movement. There is no insulation as far as I can see. Anymore than GWB is insulated despite the attempts of his private army (aka secret svc) to insulate him. > Boy, talk about taking on the world's karma! His programs > > may not work for everyone and Lord knows the TMO makes plenty of > > mistakes, but the same can be said for every other institution on > > earth. Every one. So I'm watching and waiting and hoping and praying > > with those wanting world peace, who though it may be a rocky start, > > refuse to settle for the bloody greedy status quo. Jai Guru Dev. > > > > I may not be an idealist in the same way Jim. I am comfortable with a > perspective that world peace is not only not achievable, it stems from > a misguided understanding of human nature. Do you have war-like tendencies that you protect because they are part of you? Is killing a natural part of human existence? I see all of that type of thinking as deeply ignorant and obsolete. With the ability to travel and communicate anywhere these days, it is a sin to attack anyone, anywhere. I wrote a post months ago > about my view that world peace is not a proper goal. It may not be proper, but it is the only goal worth having. World stability > as a dynamic tension between country's power is a goal that I can > relate to. So when people try selling snake oil panaceas for the > complex problems of "world peace", I view this cynically, especially > when the seller has not achieved peace in his own tiny organization. > Praying or meditating for world peace is misguided, IMO, on every level. And I completely disagree with this. Just suffer the death of one loved one, then multiply this times several million. Then try to justify that this is even close to normal or OK. It is easy to justify war when you are not in the middle of it, when it happens to other people. One of the strongest pacifists I ever met was an archeologist who spent several years as a child in Germany as Germany was losing World War II, eating dead animals off the street; road kill, because it was eat that or starve to death. War completely sucks. Always. Everywhere. > There is nothing intrinsically harmful in me being critical of MMY or > his pie-in-the-sky-for-cash plans. It gives me a chance to write > which is valuable for me. If MMY's theories about how the world > operates were correct, then none of the money stuff would matter. What is wrong with waiting and seeing? In a 'know all the answers' culture such as ours, it is a temptation to make snap judgments constantly. It is far more difficult, and rewarding imo, to wait and see... I > reject his theories of human consciousness as being incorrect. I think > this new big idea is just another "rally the few believers left" > attempt that I find comical. If MMY is correct in his view of how the > world operates, then my criticism means nothing. If I am correct, > then I am standing up for what is true against a man preaching (and > charging for) ideas that are misguided. I was happy to leave my whole > perspective packed into a quick joke about Bevan having to deliver yet > another majestic plan for saving the world. This situation made me > laugh out loud and I wanted to share that feeling with some other's > who might find the same humor. I'll put you down for "not so much". >
