" The amazing thing is that the nitwits like > Barry and Curtis and Vaj have yet to figure > out that they could do a *far* better, more > convincing job of discrediting MMY, the TMO, > TM, and TMers *if they were careful to make > only honest, well-thought out criticisms*."
This interested me. Aside from my enjoyment from the word "nitwit" which is such a funny word that even when it is applied to me I have to admit enjoying reading it... I am not sure that I have any such agenda of "discrediting" MMY and TMO. I used to have this agenda when I thought I had a perspective to share about it years ago, and before there was so much stuff on the net to guide people's choices about the full belief system of the organization. I'll have to think about this. Here are some definitions of discredit: 1. To damage in reputation; disgrace. 2. To cause to be doubted or distrusted. 3. To refuse to believe. Although I do not believe in MMY's perspective on consciousness I don't think I have a current investment in damaging his reputation. He has managed to accomplish that himself. I don't care if other people believe it, they have the same facts I do, and have made their choices. It is no different for me than not sharing the belief of people who are into any version of religion I do not share. (or is it?) So many people have modified the movement beliefs into personal eclectic philosophies combining teachings so there is hardly anyone left with a straight TM view anyway these days. In any case me expressing my opinion that believing that Vastu fences have a magical effect on any area of life is silly is just my personal opinion. The people into it don't care about my opinion and I don't care that they don't share it. I am not an advocate for taking them down. Perhaps they serve a psychological value that is good, I know the limits of what I know about life. so my opinion expressed here is more for the people who share my take on it rather than the people who do believe in it. I am not advocating that believers change their minds if they enjoy their belief. It is none of my business. Here in Eden Center, the largest Vietnamese mall on the East coast, each business has a special money Buddha alter that faces the door of their business to increase their prosperity. One friend had to super glue the Buddha's butt down to avoid having a competing restaurant steal it! They take this pretty seriously. I think the younger generation views it as a custom without actual magical powers. It is charming to walk around and see them through the shop doors. I am getting to the place where I can view movement customs with the same detachment. But I am not there yet. I still like to goof on the movement's silliness but not the Vietnamese beliefs. I'll have to give this more thought. It is an inconsistent standard. Now if I was talking to a movement person who was telling me about their great effects from their Vastu home I would just enjoy hearing something I consider odd and would not feel compelled to be an ass about it. Unless it was accompanied by a claim that somehow the person was more sensitive to the effects due to their "higher consciousness" which is a form of spiritual oneupmanship I would react to. My tolerance ends there. I can find a person from another culture charming describing their beliefs, but can be annoyed by a New Ager spouting spiritual proclamations. I must be making some type of sincerity judgment but it may or may not be valid. I do enjoy articulating where I draw my own belief lines here secure in the knowledge that people here know their own minds. On a TM believer's board I would not be candid with my skepticism. It would seem purposelessly rude. No one is going to change their mind about something unless they want to no matter what I write. So I don't think "discrediting" MMY's teaching is a goal for me. The fact that I enjoy writing about my own perspective is for my own pleasure and for those who share my take on it. Believing that my words have any effect on believers would make me a nitwit. --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > The entire rest of your post, and that of Curtis > > > (and no doubt that of Vaj when he chimes in), is > > > also nothing but gross intellectual dishonesty... > > > > I think that you underestimate us and how > > nefarious we are, Judy. > > > > "*Nothing but* gross intellectual dishonesty" > > indeed! Where is your sense of *imagination*, > > girl? > > > > Couldn't it *also* be part of a concerted > > attempt to discredit Maharishi and TM and > > the TM movement, probably funded by the CIA? > > The amazing thing is that the nitwits like > Barry and Curtis and Vaj have yet to figure > out that they could do a *far* better, more > convincing job of discrediting MMY, the TMO, > TM, and TMers *if they were careful to make > only honest, well-thought out criticisms*. >
