Ex-Premie.Org

Forum I Archive # 4

From: May 14, 1997

To: May 21, 1997

Page: 3 Of: 5


Jim -:- M's assassin -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 21:05:44 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 22:28:28 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 23:52:46 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 00:12:55 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 00:43:52 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 00:55:29 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 02:11:46 (EDT)
___Deena -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 03:41:59 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 17:13:28 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 20:35:53 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: M's assassin -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 21:11:26 (EDT)

Douche -:- I'm confused... -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 17:44:32 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 18:32:11 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:53:52 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:07:57 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 22:19:57 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 22:56:40 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 02:58:06 (EDT)
___Douche -:- Re: I'm confused... -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 18:07:35 (EDT)

Deena -:- Cults -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 15:07:17 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:30:25 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:59:38 (EDT)
___Deena -:- Re: Cults -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 21:42:31 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 02:17:58 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 16:48:08 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 19:19:41 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 19:31:07 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 20:30:34 (EDT)
___Deena -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 20:33:28 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 22:10:01 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 22:57:24 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 22:58:01 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:00:19 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:08:22 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:12:49 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:21:19 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 00:20:06 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 00:51:56 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 01:00:06 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 11:22:50 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 14:55:56 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 15:08:27 (EDT)
___Chris -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 22:31:27 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Cults -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 22:48:30 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: Cults -:- Tues, May 20, 1997 at 16:42:04 (EDT)

Mili -:- The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 04:17:16 (EDT)
___Brian -:- Re: The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 07:09:38 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 08:45:57 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 13:57:55 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 16:32:59 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:11:42 (EDT)
___Mili -:- Re: The Pope Smokes Dope -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 17:29:28 (EDT)

JW -:- Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 02:35:13 (EDT)
___Deena -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 02:57:10 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 12:19:34 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 12:32:58 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 12:50:34 (EDT)
___Deena -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 14:58:15 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:19:21 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:22:36 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:24:54 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 01:39:38 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Sun, May 18, 1997 at 12:32:17 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 00:41:13 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 01:56:38 (EDT)
___Brian -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 07:05:48 (EDT)
___Brian -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 07:14:19 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 09:22:16 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 13:44:07 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 15:11:23 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Mon, May 19, 1997 at 20:33:56 (EDT)
___JW -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Tues, May 20, 1997 at 00:24:48 (EDT)
___op -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Tues, May 20, 1997 at 11:11:05 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Tues, May 20, 1997 at 12:20:13 (EDT)
___Jim -:- Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue? -:- Tues, May 20, 1997 at 20:50:49 (EDT)


Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 21:05:44 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: M's assassin
Message:
Can anyone fill in any details on how M whisked Mahatma Fakiranand out of the country after he tried to kill the guy who threw the pie?
Was there any police investigation? Did the guy actually die or not? What happened to Mahatma Ji?
Now, perhaps more interesting, what do you think M's message was to the premies in that situation? I know he originally told those around him to let the prankster escape. I'm also lead to believe that M never ordered Mahatma Ji to kill the infidel.
But, in harbouring Mahatma Ji and not letting him face justice, wasn't M telling us something? Wasn't he telling us that he somehow condoned this kind of reaction? After all, I certainly don't recall M ever publically denouncing Mahatma Ji for this murderous act. Did he? Did I miss that letter?
I remember getting the letter after the guy shot up the girls in the Tallahassee ashram (no more inner agya!). And I remember the one after Mata Ji and Bal Bhagwan Ji split (no more holy family agya!). But as for trying to kill anyone who plays practical jokes, no matter how harmless, on the Lord himself....nothing.
OP? Spin, baby spin!
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 22:28:28 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
I already covered that. I think it might have been in the lost archive.
I'm going to look for it. If it wasn't in the lost archive, I might be able to find it.
Don't go away.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 23:52:46 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: jim
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
I can't find it.
Under 'Anonymity' on archive 2-4 you can find my post about what happened to Fakiranand after the incident, and various other people discussing it.
I didn't mean to imply that I was the only one who wrote about this, by the way... there was a whole discussion about what happened. What I wrote about was Maharaji's reaction, which was basically this (I start previous to the incident because in my mind it's all related)
Maharaji was about to go on a pre-Millenium tour. Fakiranand was in Philadelphia and had a tour of his own planned. When Maharaji arrived in New York, Fakiranand drove up from Philadelphia to see him.
After playing with Fakir for a while, Maharaji told him to go back to Phila. Fakir said, please let me go on tour with you. Maharaji said, no way, you have your own tour. Go back to Philadelphia.
Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!' Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said 'please', M said 'No!'Fakir said please, M said, 'Do what you want.'
After that, I was sent to LA, so I didn't go on the tour, but Fakiranand did.
The first city (Boston) went fine. I don't remember, but I think Chicago was next, and that went ok too.
Then Maharaji went to Detroit. The pie-in-the-face thing happened. I think Maharaji was slightly amused by it. At any rate, we got a phone call in LA telling us about it, and Maharaji said, 'Don't do anything to the guy.'
The next day, we heard about Fakiranand's escapade. Not only had he gone off the deep end, he'd taken someone else along with him. Maharaji was furious.
Maharaji told Fakiranand he never wanted to lay eyes on him again for the rest of his life. Fakiranand was devastated. At the time, it was a punishment worse than being sent to the pits of hell for all eternity.
How Fakiranand was taken out of the country I never knew. I did know that he went to Europe and tried to keep on doing service for a while.
There were some posts on this site (do go to the archive and look up 'anonymity' - they're there) about whether Fakiranand should have faced the courts. How and why Fakiranand escaped the law I don't know.
I don't know if Maharaji had anything to do directly with Fakiranand's disappearance from the US. My feeling is that Mataji took him under her wing, since he'd always been one of her favorites. When the family broke up, I know that he DID go to Mataji, and that she welcomed him.
I know that there was a legal matter with the person who accompanied Fakiranand, because I spoke to him a couple of years later.
I also don't know about the health of the reporter who threw the pie. I had heard that he had irreparable brain damage, but recently someone said they'd seen something on the net about him or by him. Someone else heard that he died. I, personally, would like to know all the facts.
You can believe me or not on this. I actually was with Maharaji right before and right after the incident (he came back to LA right after it happened) and I know that he had been very specific about telling premies not to react to the incident, and was later absolutely infuriated when Fakiranand disobeyed.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 00:12:55 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
'You can believe me or not on this. I actually was with Maharaji right before and right after the incident (he came back to LA right after it happened) and I know that he had been very specific about telling premies not to react to the incident, and was later absolutely infuriated when Fakiranand disobeyed.'
Are you pranam bai or what?
Anyways, every time you respond to me so fully, OP, I feel like giving you a big conditional hug. Thank you for that. You know, I've just been reading this debate about Dawkins' meme theory over on a page called the Reality Club. God, is it ever neat to see people really discuss things. Maybe, some day, we'll be able to do that too.
Okay, here's the aprt of my question above that you didn't deal with. Do you think there was any tacit message for all of us who thought we were serving the Living Lord (who said THIS TIME they'd never crucify him) in the fact that Maharaji neither delivered Fakiranand to the law nor publicly denounced this crazed, dangerous, misguided act of devotion?
Indeed, don't you think Maharaji left it pretty much up in the air just how one should respond when their Perfect Master is affronted? Lest you forget, OP, we're talking CREAM PIES, not bullet guns.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 00:43:52 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
I'm not pranam bai.
I'm also not trying to avoid or evade here. This is what I truly believe. The incident happened right before Millenium. I THINK that, first, Maharaji dealt with Fakiranand in his way, simply telling him never to show his face again. The rest of the matter (remember, I hate assumptions and suppositions, so this is only theory) was probably orchestrated either by Bal Bhagwan (who was on the phone a lot those days), by Mataji, or (much more likely) by the pr crew (maybe even including Mishler, but I'm not making accusations - just that he was around in those days) that was making legal decisions. Rennie Davis certainly could have been involved, since he was on the tour. Most likely is that those around Maharaji said, we'll take care of it - and he left it at that.
I don't know what your situation was in those days. I really don't know what message other ashram premies got. To me it was pretty obvious that Maharaji wanted nothing to do with gratuitous violence.
That he didn't denounce Fakiranand publicly had something to do with the fact that Shri Hans had been the one to make him a Mahatma. I've already been chewed out about this - but Maharaji did and does have a great deal of respect for his father, and he felt that he didn't have the right to completely destroy a man his father had placed in this position.
Let me repeat one more thing I said earlier - I think Fakiranand was never a good choice to come to this country. I'm pretty sure he was sent here only because he spoke English. On the social, political, etc., front, he made one mistake after another. I traveled with him extensively, and he was the biggest hurdle I had to leap in order to maintain my relationship with Maharaji.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 00:55:29 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
Thanks, surely, but what about Maharaji's message AFTER the fact?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 02:11:46 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
Right after the pie incident, Fakiranand was hustled off to Chicago and right into the Chicago ashram where I was. He arrived as Mahatma Fakiranand and was hustled off to the airport as Mr. Fakir. I don't know where he went, we were just told it was going out of the country. Fakiranand was very freaked out (based on how he looked and acted) and I know that he was at least told that MJ refused to talk to him and that upset him greatly. I remember him pacing back and forth waiting to see if MJ would talk to him, and apparently he wouldn't. We were told MJ was unhappy about the whole situation, why he was upset we can all speculate, but that soul rush tour wasn't really going very well anyway, crowds were smaller than expected, and they kept running out of money, and this was one more negative thing, either because it was a violent act and/or because it was really bad publicity right before The Most Significant Event In the History Of the World down in Houston. I don't think MJ ever made any public statement about Fakir, or about condemning that kind of action, that I recall. I think Fakiranand wanted to talk to MJ to get MJ to change his mind about sending him away. Fakiranad didn't want to go. So, I would speculate that MJ was at least in on the decision to hustle him out of the States and away from the long arm of the law.
There certainly was no cry from MJ or the powers in the Holy Family or in DLM to turn Fakir over to the police, which they should have done and would have been the only moral thing to do, but that didn't happen, although I think the accomplice became a sacrificial lamb. I believe there actually was legal action against him.
I have heard that Pat Haley did eventually die as a result of his injuries, but I have no direct evidence of that. I also heard later that Fakiranand used the promise of a knowledge session to get Haley in a place where he could do his best to smash his skull.
In the ashram, we were just told everything was being taken care of and not to think about it, that it was probably the ultimate LILA or something and to just meditate. Like good premies, we did.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 03:41:59 (EDT)
Poster: Deena
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
Am I the only one who has a big question mark about Fakir because he was hand chosen by my previous master's master? I mean, MJ talks about his master (which only just happens to be his father) constantly and uses his devotion to ( I might add a very dead master, hmmm...how does that work, find a living master but if he dies it works for you but not for someone who didn't receive knowledge from him!!!) as I was saying, uses that to set an example, as he does with Kabir, Mira etc. of the devotee - master relationship. But, this perfect master of MJ's time (his father ) is not very good at choosing his initiators...I mean if the one who MJ's master trusted, was the biggest hurdle for OP to overcome and then went on to commit a violent crime without criminal prosecution, well am I the only one who sees how weird that is? MJ didn't want to do anything too harsh to him because, gosh darn, it was one of his master's favorite premie's. Now he trusted his master and OP trusted her master and what a wonderful outcome to this story. I wonder if similar stories surround the sexual abuse of children that instructors inflicted. Gee, nothing like following a gut feeling that this guy isn't someone to travel around with and support in his representing MJ. No, just meditate, pray, get past it. It'll go away. Oh, I forgot. It didn't did it? You tell me if cults aren't harmful when they result in people losing the ability to think for themselves.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 17:13:28 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
Again, Jim is using his courtroom tactics to produce dramatic effect here by mentioning an isolated incident from twenty years ago. Was Fakiranand's reaction wholly incomprehensible? Imagine if it were President Clinton instead of Maharaji who got hit in the face. The CIA guys in his entourage would have made instant minced meat of the guy who threw it, and no one would give it a second thought.

Jim, I am sure you are aware how you are consistently twisting the truth in this forum. How come? I thought you swore to be honest and that truth was all that mattered. Yet you are constantly making a deliberate effort to falsify and distort things. Is that just the way you are hard-wired, or are you following the Communist ethic that the end justifies the means? It's easy to picture you running a 'reform camp' for premies, where those who don't swear against Mji after a given time get to be sent to the gas chamber.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 20:35:53 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Mili
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
Mili, I feel so embarrassed and ashamed. Yes, I DID twist things. Yes, I was wrong. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me? I have to admit, I WAS just about to start sending you guys to the gas chamber. And that's in spite of my Jewish heritage. Honestly, I feel so bad. Please, Mili, forgive a poor loser like me, won't you?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 21:11:26 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: M's assassin
Message:
Mili, I feel so embarrassed and ashamed. Yes, I DID twist things. Yes,
I was wrong. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?
I have to admit, I WAS just about to start sending you guys to the
gas chamber. And that's in spite of my Jewish heritage.
Honestly, I feel so bad. Please, Mili, forgive a poor loser like
me, won't you?
O.K., O.K., don't overdo it, O.K.?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 17:44:32 (EDT)
Poster: Douche
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: I'm confused...
Message:
Okay, so it seems a spiritual 'Realis(z)ation' is no longer on the agenda. So what's the point? Why do people still seem to worship the ground this guy walks on? Am I missing something?
It's been 25 years since I kissed BigM's wooly white socks and I haven't kept track of all his many changes of clothes during this period. Am I right in thinking that the present dogma is as follows;
1. Practicing the techniques will bring peace of mind
2. The techniques are secret
3. They're secret because they won't work unless you accept BigM as your spiritual master
If this is broadly correct, then there are a number of logical assumptions one can make. But before I come over all Vulcan, will CD or Milli or odl or any other practicing premie tell me if I'm on the right lines?
I'm not rtrying to lay a trap. I'm simply trying to understand why there's still such a sense of secrecy and paranoia surrounding Maharaji and his techniques. In my time he was going to bring peace to the world. Now it all seems a little different and I'm just trying to put it all in some kind of perspective.
Douche
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 18:32:11 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Douche
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
Why not catch a satsang program and hear it 'from the horse's mouth'? The phone numbers are on Harlan's page.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:53:52 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Douche
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
1. Practicing the techniques will bring peace of mind
Correct. But see no. 3 below.
2. The techniques are secret
Correct, up to a point. Obviously the techniques have been posted in quite a few places. Maharaji does not hide the fact that one of the techniques has a lot to do with the breath - in fact, the first few times he mentioned it, I gasped. He also knows that at least a few people come into a Knowledge session already knowing the techniques. It's also not out of the question that some people who haven't officially received Knowledge manage to sneak into a Knowledge review with M. What he asks is that those who receive Knowledge from him not be the ones to teach the techniques to others.
3. They're secret because they won't work unless you accept BigM as your spiritual master
The techniques are, as they always were, tools. What M teaches is not only the techniques, he also gives some guidance about how to use them. The techniques can be learned from a book. M's advice is from person to person. Acccepting M as your teacher: the word spiritual is not used. M feels that it has connotations of otherworldliness, spiritualism, and religiosity that he doesn't want people to confuse with Knowledge. How far you delve into the place he reveals is up to you. I wouldn't write off realization just yet.
If there were secrecy and paranoia surrounding M, there would be no more public events, no more attempts at propagation. There have been events recently at: Long Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach Convention Center, Lincoln Center in New York ... in fact many of the largest and most visible auditoriums in the largest and most visible cities in the US. Hardly hidden.
[aside to SCOTT: is there any way to change the cramped style of the reply box? I don't know if anyone else experiences this, but these boxes seem made for three and four word answers, seldom seen on this forum. It's very hard to go back and read through what one has written. In fact my shoulders are cramped from trying to stay within the lines!]
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:07:57 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
OP,
Now we're getting somewhere. You claim the techniques are secret b/c M gives 'some guidance on how to use them.' What, pray tell, is so special about that 'guidance'? He gives it on a video. Why not just publish this subtle, sophisitcated advice?
You say M's advice is 'person to person'. Sorry, I thought you said people watch him on a video. Am I missing something?
You say M doesn't want to confuse people with a lot of spiritualism and religiosity. I guess that's why he has them watch videos for a minimum five months, huh? Just to make sure they don't have any concepts? Hmmm...
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 22:19:57 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
Yes, you're missing something. The video is to help people see the technique up close. The person speaking is, in all but a very few cases (2 that I know of) Maharaji. If people have questions, they raise their hands, are called on, and Maharaji, sitting at the front of the room, answers the questions. Generally, at the end of a Knowledge session, there is time for each person to give comments and let Maharaji know how they feel.
I don't know how this part is being dealt with in the huge Knowledge sessions such as the recent ones in India. In the US and other places it hasn't been a problem because most Knowledge sessions have been about 60-100 people, and in the far east even less (e.g., Japan 17).
Maybe Deena has more precise figures and knows more about how many Knowledge sessions Maharaji has left in the hands of an instructor. After all, she seems to have been in his back pocket this past year, so perhaps she was at all the Kowledge sessions. But she won't speak to me, so you'll have to ask her.
Please explain your last comment to me. Middle age must be addling my brain, but I fail to see the connection between 'spiritualism and religiosity' and coming to video events (generally about once a week, by the way) for five months.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 22:56:40 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
Yes, you're missing something. The video is to help people see the technique up close. The person speaking is, in all but a very few cases (2 that I know of) Maharaji. If people have questions, they raise their hands, are called on, and Maharaji, sitting at the front of the room, answers the questions. Generally, at the end of a Knowledge session, there is time for each person to give comments and let Maharaji know how they feel.
I don't know how this part is being dealt with in the huge Knowledge sessions such as the recent ones in India. In the US and other places it hasn't been a problem because most Knowledge sessions have been about 60-100 people, and in the far east even less (e.g., Japan 17).
Maybe Deena has more precise figures and knows more about how many Knowledge sessions Maharaji has left in the hands of an instructor. After all, she seems to have been in his back pocket this past year, so perhaps she was at all the Kowledge sessions. But she won't speak to me, so you'll have to ask her.
Please explain your last comment to me. Middle age must be addling my brain, but I fail to see the connection between 'spiritualism and religiosity' and coming to video events (generally about once a week, by the way) for five months.
OP, again we should cut to the chase. When you and I got Knowledge it was explained that the secrecy was impartant for one reason and one reason alone: if someone didn't get the techniques from a bona fide conduit of guru energy they weren't getting the Knowledge. It had nothing to do with confusion over the subtly different ways to listen to your breath, plug your ears (don't listne to the left!),curl your tongue back up behind the roof of your mouth or squeeze your eyeballs. It had everything to do with the 'grace' with which Maharaji had supposedly imbued his holy Mahatmas.
Does any of this ring a bell? If not, take another look at 'Who is Guru Maharaj Ji?' where there is a full chapter devoted to explaining how the whole divine trick lies in the 'laying on of hands.' In case you forget, I'm referring to Maharaji's 'authorized authentic' biography. The one he never criticized. I certainly don't remember Maharaji ever saying 'wait a sec, I never said that!'
Now, as religious hocus pocus goes, that at least made sense. The Lord's in a human body. He appoints some very lucky souls to be his channels. They open the third eyes of 'guileless' supplicants and this, as we were told again and again, was the greatest mystery imaginable. True rebirth. Not some silly Christian shit (oh how we laughed!) but real, live second birth in the Holy Name of God. Does any of THAT ring a bell?
Maybe you'l recall how serious a sin we were told we were committing in revealing the techniques. It was like completely shortchanging someone eternally, eternally. The worst thing you could ever do. Heavy, heavy karma. Remember?
Now, the reason you offer for secrecy must strike even you as a bit of a joke, eh? Let me get this straight -- M answers a few questions.... Why doesn't he just do a FAQ? You know, there can't be all that many ways a person can fuck up listening to their breath, can there? We're not talking rocket science. Why not just do it right and be done with it?
OR, has Maharaji resewn himself a cheesy three-piece suit out of the veil of mystery?
As for my last question, it's simple. You averred to Maharaji's desire to avoid burdenning people with extra baggage. Do you think making them think about him for a minimum five months helps or hinders this process?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 02:58:06 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
You STILL haven't answered question number 3. You danced around it. Is it true that the techniques don't work, or don't have the full benefit if you don't accept GMJ as your spiritual master??? Simple question. Is it yes or no?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 18:07:35 (EDT)
Poster: Douche
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: I'm confused...
Message:
I think odl is like any other cult follower - she can't see the wood for the trees. Many of us who post here will recognise the symptoms, so we shouldn't make too many harsh judgements. But it does make incredably frustrating reading. I often feel like banging my head on the keyboard. ktl,úvffvyfvtf hgkghtfck ktgfv;. Ahhhh, that feels better!
Odl, Mili, CD, and all the other practicing toe-kissers can't ask too many awkward questions because they risk finding that the castle they've spent so many long and loving hours constructing, is built on shifting sands and will eventually fall with a very painful crash.
Logic just doesn't enter the equation. If Maharji were to say black was white, then that's what they'd believe. A common factor in all cults is that the stranger the belief, the more it forces the follower to cling on to it.
Does anyone else remember the story about how monkeys can be caught by putting a nut in a bottle? They're too stupid to realise that the only way to escape is to let go of the nut.
Jim asks elsewhere whether there's any point continuing these discussion with ex-premies. I've asked myself the same question many times and the only reason for hanging on is that it may influence others who may be prepared to exercise a few more brain cells.
But if there's no one else out there...
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 15:07:17 (EDT)
Poster: Deena
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: Cults
Message:
If you were shown the techniques of knowlege, experienced the fullfillment in your life and didn't need the master in this equation because it is within yourself anyways....then maybe no devotees, no master....gee, no cult!
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:30:25 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Deena
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
I know how you hate my responses, but can't help myself.
I keep up my relationship with M because I love him, because I find that what he says relates to my life, that he often has some message that affects what I am currently involved with. A lot of people come to listen to him simply because he is so entertaining.
'Keep in touch' is not a death sentence. I simply can't see where the 'indoctrination' takes place. I've KNOWN people who have been indoctrinated. It's a hard and arduous task to break someone and make them believe something alien to their own being. And then it's an almost impossible task to remove them from their indoctrination.
The very fact that so many people receive Knowledge and then decide not to pursue it further should be proof enough that it's NOT indoctrination.
Teacher + student does not = cult.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:59:38 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
A little late for my friend Dave isn't it? OP, the best you can say about Maharaji is that he's been attempting to launder his spiritual money.
This whole thing distills to one question: was he the Lord when he claimed to be at eight years old?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 21:42:31 (EDT)
Poster: Deena
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
'When a cult leader, a guru, a trainer, or any self-proclaimed pied piper asks you to jump on the train because he or she claims to have the one way, watch out! That can be the last train stop on the way to hell on earth.'
'Down through the ages, people have helped the sick, the poor, the downtrodden. Let us not forget also to help those who have suffered at the hands of mental abusers, tyrants, and manipulators who take away the freedom of human minds to reason, create, criticize, and change.'
Both of these quotes are from the book 'Cults in our Midst' by M. T. Singer.
Yes, when Jim's friend Dave came to him with his doubts, Jim said to him what any premie at the time would have said in the ashram. What was it Jim? 'It's just your mind, just go and meditate, everything will be okay.'.... but it's too late for Dave, and I guess that just sounds like more of that ex-premie melodrama, suffering, or bullshit that premies on this forum just hate to hear.
I'm just glad that when I reached out, Jim was there for me, because if he had shared his premie experience, I might have joined Dave.
And in case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about, I'm referring to the fact that Dave commited suicide.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 02:17:58 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
As I stated in an earlier post which you didn't respond to, I think you don't see indoctrination because you yourself are indoctrinated. You have faith in GMJ and love GMJ and therefore set aside all contradictions and negative results of what he does or has done because of that. So, there is really no way to have a logical discussion about it with you because you don't apply logic to your relationship with GMJ. To you, GMJ is just above the accountability that you would likely impose on other human beings on this planet.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 16:48:08 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
JW,
Do you think we'd be carrying on like this if we DIDN'T have the premies on board?
I wonder how much my compulsion to stay in this 'discussion'
is a factor of trying, endlessly trying to keep the little
logic babies from falling out of the nest rather than anything
else.
I mean, at a certain point, hopefully, we'll have pretty well said what there is
to say about all THAT and will move on to the business of the day. At a certain point
even O.J. got old. Frankly, I look forward to that day.
Don't you?
I'm not saying we're there yet. I'm not trying to 'force
the river' either (see, OP, I can talk that way too!). But
I do agree that deep in the forest of diminishing returns there
is a stop sign. At least, I THINK I think that.
Deena, Brian, David, Scott, Anon, Bill, everyone, what do you think?
How bout you believers? Ever wonder how long you're
going to play smiley face punching bag for Maharaji?
Over on Harlan's page they don't have this problem.
So what is it? How long, oh Lord, how long?
Oh yeah, JW, I agree with everything you say above. So what's
new? OP, you have to admit he's right, don't you? You're
no more inclined to give fair weight to chinks in Maharaji's
armour than, well than I was twent-five years ago.
By the way, OP, your account is getting heavy. You still owe a
bunch of answers. I'm particularly interested in:
1) what you're doing to find out if your old roommate, the Lord of
the Universe, minds your participation.
2) why Knowledge used to be all about the laying on of hands butisn't no more?
3) whether Maharaji ever did anything you're aware of to specifically discourage
premies from thinking that he should be defended at all costs?
While you're answering these questions, may I add one more teeny, weensy one?
No? You say you want to deal with these first? Oh, okay.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 19:19:41 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Oh, so you think YOU'RE doing service here, pulling me away from some fate worse than hell?
Don't worry, Jim, you don't have to coddle me. Forget my soul. It's lost. It's been merged in a huge cosmic muddle of ancient Hare Krishna's and Om's and Om Mani Padme Hum's and countless rosaries, that finally gave way to a sweet breath of clear, pure consciousness, with no name, no handles by which to attach itself to the world, no thorns to scratch its bearer ... a vehicle to the heart of the eternal.
Move on to the business of the day - by all means. Scott suggested you might have business seeing where you will quench that unending thirst for self knowledge, now that you've been freed of Maharaji's grip. And you ignored him.
I'm not particularly interested in what the business at hand is. I presume it's more musings over all the ills M has presumably perpetrated over humanity and some more stories about his lackeys. Gossip away.
I made the mistake of stating my opinion about something. Something that had been bothering me since the first few times I saw posts by Deena. Sorry Deena, if I've upset your trusty upholders. I'm sure I've upset you more, if your son reflects your own emotional state. I really did spend quite a bit of time reflecting about whether to say anything - obviously I acted incorrectly. I'll take back the words, but I can't take by what I perceive, any more than any of you can take back what you perceive. Perceptions are subjective - there's no proof in either direction.
As for your questions, they've been answered, but I'll repeat it all again:
1) Maharaji knows of my participation on the page. If he doesn't approve, I'm sure I'll hear about it. In the meantime, I will come and go of my own accord. If you really want me to leave, say the word.
2) I never considered the Mahatma's hands sacred. I'll read the chapter you suggested in WIGM and finish the answer to you then. (I'd do it right now, but I'm not going to waste valuable telephone time while I read. You are free to consider this further procrastination.)
3) Yes, Maharaji specifically told people not to go after the reporter after the pie in the face. I heard that BEFORE Fakiranand's caper. I also mentioned in my earlier post an incident where some Hare Krishna freaks were insulting Maharaji and I was with Rajeshwar, who was livid, but calmed himself and did NOT react violently. I don't think Maharaji considered it necessary to make an edict that said: 'if someone throws a pie in my face, don't kill him.' There was supposedly something called common sense that we all live by.
What's your teeny weensy question?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 19:31:07 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: all
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
By the way, Kabir seems to have crawled out of his grave to inscribe something on the 'other' forum I was mentioning. It's the first post there in about three days. I hope Kabir isn't a practicing premie, or he'll get thrown off.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 20:30:34 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
OP,
You talk about common sense but let me ask you, what did
you think was a fit, karmic reward for someone evil enough to
throw a pie at the Lord's face? I'm not asking now, I'm
asking then.
I don't recall anyone in my community saying anything but that the guy
had it coming. Indeed, I remember thinking he got off lightly. Maybe
having his head crushed in was a fast alternative to coming
back as a goat or something.
As for 'the business of the day', you misunderstood. I was
actually referring to non-Maharaji stuff.
As for your reply to my question about the laying on of hands, well?
Have you read the small, little chapter yet? Talks
about the sacred experience of having the third eye opened
by the touch of a saint?
Well? Was that part of the philosophy Maharaji hadn't quite
gotten around to correcting yet? Maybe Charles Cameron tricked
him into reading the 'other' version and snuck this one out
to the publications tables under the auspices of evil Count Mishler?
Come on, OP, admit it. Maharaji's simply full of shit. He's
no more the Lord than the Lone Ranger.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 20:33:28 (EDT)
Poster: Deena
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Hi-ho, SILVER
AWAY!!!!!!!!!
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 22:10:01 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
This is getting boring. How come I get all the hard questions? Why don't you ask Mili and Chris some hard ones?
Okay. The first one is not hard at all: I don't think that was a fit, karmic reward for the action of throwing a pie in M's face. I think the guy was pretending to be a cosmic stooge and he should have been taken at his word, and left alone. I think what happened to him was horrid, and the fact that one of my very dear friends (not Fakiranand, obviously) participated in the act left me speechless.
In those days I felt, and still do to some extent, that the first big mistake was Fakiranand's refusal to obey Maharaji in the first place. One of the dangers of fanaticism is that not only does one cease to listen to one's own conscience, but even ignores the word of the one for whom one is being a fanatic. John Lennon was murdered by a fan. Selena was murdered by the president of her fan club. Ghandi was murdered by one of his own. Not an unknown phenomenon.
I can't express in words what I feel about this. It doesn't change the way I feel about Maharaji. If the people in your community felt the guy 'had it coming,' I'm very sorry to hear there was such a heartless group. The people I was with at the residence felt no such thing.
Okay to business of the day - we all have our lives to attend to.
Now, I didn't memorize WIGM when it first came out, and I haven't read any of it in about 15 years. I gave a quick scan through the copy that (synchronicity here?) appeared in my possession about a week ago, but didn't find that 'small, little chapter.' If you're on line, let me know what pages or what the chapter is called, and I'll read it right away.
But maybe this will help. I never thought I was getting Knowledge from Guru Charananand. I'd had an opportunity to ask M for Knowledge directly, and I felt it was definitely his information that was being imparted. I didn't think of the mahatma as a cosmic wire to link me up, either. Maybe I was weird, maybe I didn't even understand what I was supposed to get from this.
As I've said before, I just let go. I let the experience that was revealed to me flood my being at that point. And I had an experience that showed me very directly that it was coming from Maharaji. But that's cosmic, and doesn't count in your book, so I won't go into it.
I suppose I'm supposed to make some sort of crack about the Lone Ranger, but Deena already did, so I won't.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 22:57:24 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
You're lucky. My computer ate my last reply and I've calmed down a bit. But not altogether.
OP, you get the hard questions because you're still pretending to answer them. Dumb and Dumber
don't. It's that simple.
I don't have my book with me -- I'm not at home -- but you can find it can't you?
It's the part that explains the techniques. You know, the part
that describes the third eye as the pineal gland and mentions
how an actual living saint is needed to open it. This, and
not some silly Christian belief, was the real explanation for
the laying on of hands. Moreover, the book specifically said that the magic
only happened with the grace flowing like that. Find it yet?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 22:58:01 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Okay. You can stop looking. I think I found the paragraph you're referring to. Is this the only reference (pp 202-203)?
The Knowledge wil be transmitted ... by touch. 'Krishna by his divine touch gave Muchukunda ...' 'Through laying on of the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was given,' says the Book of Acts. This is the way by which Knowledge is given. 'Thou hast laid thine hand upon me...' complains the Psalmist.
Guess what? I don't have an answer. I won't say this is the first I've heard of this, but I didn't realize that someone had laid it down as DLM scripture.
I know it's always been said: they're Maharaji's techniques and he can change them if he wants. I remember my first Knoweldge review with Maharaji, where he DID change the techniques, although ever so slightly. For me, that made perfect sense. You may see it as going back on his word.
So if this is one of the things that you hang on as evidence that M is a fraud, you'll have to stick to that. No resolution here. Not even rationalization - :)
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:00:19 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
We crossed in the mail. See my so-called reply.
About grace - I didn't get that far. But if you read my posts today you'll know I still believe in grace.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:08:22 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
I can't find anything about grace except in a different part of the book, where it says that the greatest gift that comes with Knowledge is grace.
Personally, I think that grace is there all your life. Before Knowledge, with Knowledge, after leaving Knowledge. So I disagree with something Cameron wrote. Or whoever.
Someone also forgot to make an index for the book - that would have been very helpful, now that we have Jim Heller around to dissect it.
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:12:49 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
OP, Fakiranand was not some marginal wingnut. He was one of Maharaji's 'saints'. Not
an unimportant one either, as I recall. Why do you think M didn't
make it abundantly clear that his hnour was not to be defended at all costs?
By the way, you are absolutely hoooooooped on this laying on of hands thing.
You realize that don't you? Now, are you going to play fair or waht?
The fact is, as the book and your own memory clearly prove, the Mahatmas
were cosmic wires as you call them. How many people did you ever
give satsang to? How often did you yourself ever tell
someone that that's exactly the way it worked? Under a thousand? Over?
You are hooooooped, my friend, hooooooooooped!
Oh, what's this? You have an explanation? You DIDN'T think
that Mahatmas gave Knowledge for Maharaji?
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPED!
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 23:21:19 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
I can't find anything about grace except in a different part of the book, where it says that the greatest gift that comes with Knowledge is grace.
Personally, I think that grace is there all your life. Before Knowledge, with Knowledge, after leaving Knowledge. So I disagree with something Cameron wrote. Or whoever.
Someone also forgot to make an index for the book - that would have been very helpful, now that we have Jim Heller around to dissect it.
Okay, OP, fair is fair. As I see it we're in endgame and yes, I AM excited.
You are stuck in such an indefensible position and where, on the MOST SIGNIFICANT
ASPECT OF THIS WHOLE THING -- the 'KKKKKNNNNOOOOWWWWLLLLEEEDDDDGGGGEEEE'!!!!
(Call down a bit, Jim, can't you bve agracious winner? You really are a bit of adick aren't you?
-- Yeah, well fuck you too! -- Okay, okay, but just calm down abit)
OP, you CAN'T say that Maharaji denies the bullshit about the laying on of
hands because that was the whole secret miracle in the first place.
You can't have Christian without the ressurrection and you
can't have Satguru without the laying on of hands.
Alternatively, if you CAN, why did Maharaji allow his
'authorized authentic' bio to completely misrepresent
such an important point?
CAUSE IT WAS ALL BULLSHIT, that's why!
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 00:20:06 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Do you remember what year it was that M asked all ashram residents to get rid of the book?
Why do I keep having this image of a kid in an indian headress waving a plastic tomahawk dancing around an imaginary fire?
What did you win, by the way?
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 00:51:56 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
I don't recall MJ EVER saying to the ashram residents to get rid of WIGM, and I was there. I certainly would have gotten rid of mine, and I didn't.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 01:00:06 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Speaking of...
you might enjoy this: In my hippie days, someone gave me a button that read - NO EASTER THIS YEAR, THEY FOUND THE BODY.
Only I was on an acid trip when it was handed to me, and it took me about an hour to figure it out.
Seriously, now - before you gloat yourself into a state of samadhi.
Who told you that Maharaji unequivocally accepted the book? We know that within a few years of its publication he denounced it and asked for it to be pulled.
I stated before that the message has not changed. There is no reason that the container surrounding the message cannot change. We are not static beings, neither is Maharaji. He doesn't want to be put into a box that can be measured, defined, characterized, weighed, compared and delineated.
There is no Bible of Knowledge. There is no Acts of the Apostles, no Psalms, no Book of Revelations. No Sutras, Upanishads, etc. etc. etc. Rules don't stick.
That I can't find an answer to your question doesn't mean either that there is none or that it needs one. But go ahead. Gloat if you want.
We each see what we see. That's all there is to it. We're sitting on different sides of the same coin. I've never claimed to have all the answers, so don't count on my word as final. I see as much as far as my own consciousness can radiate, which is not terribly far. Maybe you have a much greater range than I, but we cover different angles of the universe.
What bothers me is that you are making a concerted attempt to destroy Maharaji. He is not making a concerted attempt to destroy you.
This debate will probably continue well into the 21st century and beyond. There have been teachers and there have been those who denounced them for thousands of years. It seems to be a matter of luck (or grace) which side of the debate an individual falls on.
When I wrote to you, I would have been willing to go into more detail had you shown some sincere interest. At this point, even if someone brought a mango to you, peeled it and shoved it into your mouth, you'd still be shouting: theres NO such thing as a mango!
Remember my analogy about the dwarves in the Narnia story? It's not a matter of dwarves, it's a matter of the blindness they were experiencing. Do me a favor and read the book. It's fun bathtub reading, if nothing else: The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis. It'll get your mind off all that heavy non-fiction you've been reading, too.
I'll even promise to read The Guru Papers if I can get ahold of a copy.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 11:22:50 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Deena
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
If you were shown the techniques of knowlege, experienced the fullfillment in your life and didn't need the master in this equation because it is within yourself anyways....then maybe no devotees, no master....gee, no cult! Are you kidding, or are you just plain stupid? The Master is the one who makes sure you receive the techniques and inspires you to practice them. If you find them beneficial, wouldn't you be moved to cooperate with the Master so that other people can receive them and benefit from them? If you experience fulfillment from the techniques, wouldn't you be grateful to the Master for showing you that?

Look,I know where you are coming from - a very dark and nasty place. It’s ‘common sense’ to stick to the religion of your forefathers, or according to Jim, no religion at all. It’s ‘common sense’ not to have a guru. Well, at least in this country. In India it’s common sense to HAVE a guru. In China, Japan and the rest of the far East, it’s common sense to meditate! Even in the West, it’s common sense to go to a shrink if your feeling down.
I am not trying to convince you to accept Mji as your teacher at all. If you think this is not for you, that’s fine with me. But don’t patronize me and tell me what I should or should not do with my life! I have the right to do what I want as long as it does not jeopardize anyone else, and to associate with whomever I want. Do we understand each other?
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 14:55:56 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Mili
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Mili, if you don't want to be ridiculed for following a fraud get off the ex-premie page. Is that so hard to understand?
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 15:08:27 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
I'm taking you up on your promise. I loved Narnia. Hopefully you'll love the Guru Papers.
I'm not at home now and when I try to post long posts on this computer they jam up. I've
already lost two fuller replies to you. So I'll try again later
at home.
But I want to make one thing really clear. OP, we've turned a corner. You will
no longer be able to even superficially support Maharaji rationally. This thing
with the laying on of hands.... I just laugh at myself for not thinking of it earlier.
The whole WIGM? book sizzles, sizzles, sizzles. The Lord has come, The Lord has come,
etc. But hwere's the steak? It all points to that part of the book where the Knolwedge
is actually described. You quoted some of it but there's more. For example, you left
out the warning that it's certainly NOT the techniques. That
one could get these techniques from anywhere else and they wouldn't work. Why?
Because you need to get them from an authorized dealer or 'cosmic
wire', I guess you could say.
Is Maharaji somehow responsible for what was said in his 'authentic authorized'
biography? Give me a break, sis, the book is only spouting
our party line from then. that's the reasoin he never criticized it. It WAS
our philosophy. (Indeed, the only reason he had ALL old publicaitons pulled
eight years later was because of the kind of shit you'll find on the back cover --
'I DECLARE I WILL ESTABLISH PEACE IN THE WORLD' -- or 'the greatest incarnation ofGod
to trod the planet'. Or maybe it was the Holy Family stuff.
None of which Maharaji took issue with in 1973 or for several years thenafter).
No, OP, you've got two choices here. You can either play turtle like Lance Tane
did ('I guess I can't rationally defend my faith after all') or
you can admit that, at a very minimum, you could be wrong. Maharaji just MIGHT be a fraud.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 22:31:27 (EDT)
Poster: Chris
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
I got a copy of 'The Guru Papers' through www.amazon.com
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 22:48:30 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Chris
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
No kidding.
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Date: Tues, May 20, 1997 at 16:42:04 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: Cults
Message:
Mili, if you don't want to be ridiculed for following a fraud get off the ex-premie page. Is that so hard to understand? You mean - following Jim, like all the ex-premies do?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 04:17:16 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
I know this is a terrible example, but imagine someone making an anti-Pope website on the Internet. Imagine substituting pictures of Pope John Paul II instead of Mji's pictures at this site. Then imagine saying all sorts of bodily and mental insults about him, calling him a hypocrite, a Pied Piper, out to get rich, having illegitimate children, etc. That'll give you about the kind of reaction that you get from emotional people like me who react with disgust at someone who plays sick games with what is sacred to them. Jim, Scott, got my point?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 07:09:38 (EDT)
Poster: Brian
Email:
To: Mili
Subject: Re: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
I know this is a terrible example, but imagine someone making an anti-Pope website on the Internet. Imagine substituting pictures of Pope John Paul II instead of Mji's pictures at this site. Then imagine saying all sorts of bodily and mental insults about him, calling him a hypocrite, a Pied Piper, out to get rich, having illegitimate children, etc. That'll give you about the kind of reaction that you get from emotional people like me who react with disgust at someone who plays sick games with what is sacred to them. Jim, Scott, got my point? Imagine that those who set up and maintain that web site were ex-Vatican Insiders who witnessed the actions the Pope is accused of. Imagine the Pope disbanding and selling off the Churches, allowing Mass only via videos, and avoiding the eyes of the world press. Imagine the faithful refusing to accept that testimony, continuing to rationalize donations to the 'sacred' cause, and cross-posting inane arguments to that web site along with excerpts of the Pope's Easter Sermons.
I realize that you are an emotional person. MJ preys on that. What you need to do is to become a rational person. MJ has been hiding from those he used to claim to have come to save with his Peace, while living high off of the efforts of those who provide 'service' and the proceeds from his Home Study Video Course In Self-Realization. Imagine that.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 08:45:57 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Brian
Subject: Re: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
I see that you are catching on to Jim's doctrine pretty fast! It's not even a doctrine, it's just hypothesis, as witnessed by your abundant use of the word 'imagine'.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 13:57:55 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: Brian
Subject: Re: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
I know this is a terrible example, but imagine someone making an anti-Pope website on the Internet. Imagine substituting pictures of Pope John Paul II instead of Mji's pictures at this site. Then imagine saying all sorts of bodily and mental insults about him, calling him a hypocrite, a Pied Piper, out to get rich, having illegitimate children, etc. That'll give you about the kind of reaction that you get from emotional people like me who react with disgust at someone who plays sick games with what is sacred to them. Jim, Scott, got my point? Imagine that those who set up and maintain that web site were ex-Vatican Insiders who witnessed the actions the Pope is accused of. Imagine the Pope disbanding and selling off the Churches, allowing Mass only via videos, and avoiding the eyes of the world press. Imagine the faithful refusing to accept that testimony, continuing to rationalize donations to the 'sacred' cause, and cross-posting inane arguments to that web site along with excerpts of the Pope's Easter Sermons.
I realize that you are an emotional person. MJ preys on that. What you need to do is to become a rational person. MJ has been hiding from those he used to claim to have come to save with his Peace, while living high off of the efforts of those who provide 'service' and the proceeds from his Home Study Video Course In Self-Realization. Imagine that.
Touche........:)
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 16:32:59 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Brian
Subject: Re: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
MJ has been hiding from those he used to claim to have come to save with his Peace, while living high off of the efforts of those who provide 'service' and the proceeds from his Home Study Video Course In Self-Realization. Imagine that.
That's an ordinary lie.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:11:42 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Mili
Subject: Re: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
Good point Mili. Once again, I never thought of it that way. And to think that people make fun of premies! God that get's me mad!
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 17:29:28 (EDT)
Poster: Mili
Email:
To: Jim
Subject: Re: The Pope Smokes Dope
Message:
Good point Mili. Once again, I never thought of it that way. And to think that people make fun of premies! God that get's me mad! Could you be serious here in expressing your tolerance for different (non-negative) views of people other than yourself?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 02:35:13 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: Everyone
Subject: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
From what I have picked up about how MJ does things nowadays, it appears that the order of the day is COMPLETE CONTROL of how Maharaj Ji and what his trip is about is presented. It also appears that he doesn't want an open dialogue between premies and non-premies about him or what he is doing.
These are the only conclusions I can draw when I'm told that premies aren't allowed to give satsang, at least in any kind of a program setting, except maybe for a few, select people. It's also almost like you have to apply to be an aspirant. Whay is it so closed? There is no advertising whatsoever. No posters, print ads, flyers or any media. He does not , nor does any of his organization, apparently ever give interviews, talk to the press and certainly not to any ex-premies. Even Maharaj Ji won't do interviews, talk shows, etc., even to the friendly press like new age spiritual-type publications. He won't even respond to correspondence from people who have received knowledge from him.
It seems he, or the people around him, have decided to keep it all so, so, so low key, such that the only people who get involved are personally invited by a premie, and then they are introduced in the most innocuous fashion in extremely controlled settings (Deena, did you really have to have your house approved??!!) possible and screened by some interview process and then only told that there is even a teacher involved after they are well into the process. Probably deceptive, but certainly controlled. Did he get so burned by adverse publicity that he can't handle it anymore? If he is who he says he is (whatever that is now) isn't he above that?
Is what GMJ is doing so fragile, that it can't stand up to open discussion, criticism and debate? That open discussion process is really what got me involved with GMJ. I saw a flyer on a university campus, met some premies and non-premies and we had an open discussion, debate really, on the perfect master and GMJ was doing, and what the experience of knowledge was. I went to a program, debated with and asked questions of premies, and the rest is history. I was impressed that premies were so fervent and willing to stand up for an experience they said they were having. I guess that doesn't really happen anymore. Since I don't know any premies now, I guess I wouldn't have much chance of getting involved these days.
If I had a spiritual teacher, I certainly would rather not receive knowledge from a video of him. I mean, there is supposed to be a reason he is here in the flesh. Why couldn't MJ make it to reveal knowledge in the session Deena's friend traveled across the continent to participate in? Isn't that his job? Isn't that what he's supposedly doing here on the planet? Was he busy out flying one of his planes?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 02:57:10 (EDT)
Poster: Deena
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Approval of the setting to show aspirant videos could have been done over the phone, describing my home. The reason that 3 people okayed it, was becasue they happened to be travelling here anyways.
As far as why he didn't show up, he's too obsessive about making it to his knowledge sessions not to appear without good reason. Apparently his wife was ill at the time. But discovering how well it seemingly worked, I understand that wasn't the only session that was conducted without his presence. He always talks about how the videos aren't just videos, that the message reaches the heart even through this medium.
JW.......Don't you see????? In order for MJ to survive and continue to be a master, he had to distance himself from the cultic behaviour of the Guru days Just take a look at how Applewhite and his 'graduating' class continued advertising, using flyers and the net, as well as ashram style living, etc. etc. Maharaji surrounds himself with people who work constantly to refine everything to the degree of excellence he demands. He's no dummy when it comes to taking Mishler's advice all these years later and saving his ass. It's the perfect deception, isn't it? But the deception isn't not being told there is a master-student relationship. If you get past the public introductory video, you are then introduced to the concept. But what you aren't aware of, until months later, is that without Maharaji, whatever feelings you've become addicted to, are supposedly impossible to have unless you trust him implicitly. And of course this gives him way more power than any of those people would have been willing to give in the beginning.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 12:19:34 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Read my response below in the thread 'Well' - I don't know why Deena's house had to be approved, maybe someone didn't trust her from the beginning (sorry Deena, that's a dig, but you know how to throw a few shots yourself).
One of the reasons for no advertising is to be able to handle the number of people who come, i.e., make sure there is adequate followup so that people are not left hanging - ['okay, I saw a video and I want to know more, what now?']. There is some low key advertising, such as message boards in specialized newspapers (e.g., when there was an event at a local college, it was announced in the college newspaper).
There isn't, as you imply, some special targeted group that premies are inviting. Anyone is invited. People you run into at a supermarket, people who fix your car, your insurance salesperson, teachers, PTA members. Which means that those who are inviting people do a lot more talking than you give them credit for. Just not on a stage in front of a lot of people.
It also appears that he doesn't want an open dialogue between premies and non-premies about him or what he is doing.
Where do you suggest this dialogue take place? It seems to me that it is happening - here. There are probably a few other places, but I don't seem to remember there EVER being any public debates set up. The conversations that mostly happened at the end of a program still go on.
That there is a teacher involved is evident from the very first video one sees, since M is the one speaking. The emcee introduces the video and Maharaji, thus letting people know that the message is coming from him.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 12:32:58 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: Deena
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Deena, does GMJ, or others, talk openly about trusting Maharaj Ji implicitly? (I assume after the introductory period, of course)> I guess I may see some of that when I see some videos. Or maybe that is just implied. If you ask me, trusting implicitly is just a watered-down way of saying surrender.
I also assume that he NEVER discusses the period prior to 1985, at least to the extent of all the blatant worship rituals going on with him the subject of the worship. True?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 12:50:34 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Read my response below in the thread 'Well' - I don't know why Deena's house had to be approved, maybe someone didn't trust her from the beginning (sorry Deena, that's a dig, but you know how to throw a few shots yourself).
One of the reasons for no advertising is to be able to handle the number of people who come, i.e., make sure there is adequate followup so that people are not left hanging - ['okay, I saw a video and I want to know more, what now?']. There is some low key advertising, such as message boards in specialized newspapers (e.g., when there was an event at a local college, it was announced in the college newspaper).
There isn't, as you imply, some special targeted group that premies are inviting. Anyone is invited. People you run into at a supermarket, people who fix your car, your insurance salesperson, teachers, PTA members. Which means that those who are inviting people do a lot more talking than you give them credit for. Just not on a stage in front of a lot of people.
It also appears that he doesn't want an open dialogue between premies and non-premies about him or what he is doing.
Where do you suggest this dialogue take place? It seems to me that it is happening - here. There are probably a few other places, but I don't seem to remember there EVER being any public debates set up. The conversations that mostly happened at the end of a program still go on.
That there is a teacher involved is evident from the very first video one sees, since M is the one speaking. The emcee introduces the video and Maharaji, thus letting people know that the message is coming from him.
Spin, spin, spin. Excuse me if I doubt you reasoning for not advertising. Handling large numbers of interested people seems to be the least of GMJ's problems.
I was not implying, as you suggest, that only certain types or people are targeted. I was suggesting that only acquaintances of premies are targeted, because there is very limited access any other way. I think, again, the lack of advertising is so GMJ can avoid questions by the press and others that would bring up all the prefect master and lord of the universe stuff that he desperately wants to cover up and which would likely keep even most of the premie acquaintances away.
What I mean by lack of talking is discussion by premies themselves, in an organized format, so that people who don't happen to know an active premie can hear about the experiences and beliefs of people who are actually following GMJ. That seems to be what he is afraid of, I guess because he is afraid of what his own followers would say, like, that he is god, perfect master or Lord of the Universe, and certainly much, much more than a jet-set meditation instructor, which I suspect, many of his followers still believe.
And I think that discussion could take place many places, including programs where anyone is allowed to talk, and not prohibited from doing so, as well as on the internet, which MJ could easly do, or in any other setting that was more free-flowing and not so rigidily controlled. The rigid control of open discussion and/or his devotees, seems to be a running characteristic in Guru Maharaj Ji's life. I wonder if he had bad toilet training?
More than debating, I think just ordinary people talking about what they are into, in an organized fashionis more the format. But maybe that's just me. I always related much more to premies giving satsang because it was much more relatable to the daily issues I dealt with in my life. GMJ lived a life so removed from mine, that it was usually much less relatable to me. The same was true for me when I was first getting involved in the cult.
I think more than the fact that there is a teacher is not really the point. It's more, according to Deena, hidden that there is a teacher-student relationship and, as Deena says, it is eventually disclosed that you are supposed to trust GMJ implicitly and follow him. You are really not supposed to just receive knowledge and go on your way.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 14:58:15 (EDT)
Poster: Deena
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Yeah, I laughed at that advertising rational too. Problem is OP hasn't been contact person, aspirant contact person or backstage service person in the past 12 months so she's a little out of touch. It's not her fault.
MJ talks big time about trusting the master. That is in the aspirant vids and of course the premie ones. I invited a few neighbors to vids over the years and I asked one the other day what she thought when left. She said originally she was frightened by going to something that she didn't know much about but didn't find anything weird about the public video. When I asked her how she would have reacted to a presentation of him as a master - devotee type of thing and she said she would not have been impressed at all since there was no indication that that was the deal . As you said, she might have been led to believe that she would be shown a way to experience fulfillment in her life and then be able to walk away. But that is just not the way it works is it. Not in the Guru days and certainly not today either. It is clearly understood that Knowledge, The Student and The Master are a triangle. In other words, you need the master. OP, if you are reading this, I want to let you know that though I resonded to you once I don't intend to again because that is not why I'm here. It seems so petty when I debate with you. Maybe I am the only one who has watched every video of every event up until 3 months ago and that is frustrating for you because I actually have recent experience to draw from. I don't know. I don't imagine you know very many ex-premies who have left inthe past year. Especially ones who have been as involved as I have. The people who work closely with MJ in North America who knew me told me that MJ wanted my service to be handled the way I did it. This is not something I was proud of then, but it was good to know that I was doing what he wanted to see happen. And since eveything was under his scutiny I felt that his voice could be heard in these premies. Unlike the old Guru days which JW, he does discuss as being botched because of everyone else. Oh, in one vid, he confesses that he needed to grow. In other words, that was the past and all that stuff happened in those hippie days but of course he's grown etc. etc. I wish I still had that vid. Maybe I can get it for you.
Bottom line. What MJ brings to the world is a message that cannot be separated from the messanger. It is a cult.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 19:19:21 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Deena
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
You have no idea what service I do or have done in the past twelve months. But maybe you're trying to get me to tell. What does backstage have to do with aspirant contact, by the way?
At any rate, you're somewhat right. There are a lot of reasons for not advertising, and the reason I gave is only one.
But use some common sense. Since the 'Lord of the Universe' stuff is common knowledge, and not something that can be hidden, the idea that M keeps away from the press, etc. simply because of that is pure speculation.
Deena, did you go to the PR meeting at Long Beach 95? I'd like your take on it if you did. I didn't like it at all, and I feel that a lot of things should change. And they are changing. The thing is, that a lot of us have ideas about how things should or shouldn't happen, and then we're disillusioned if they don't go our way. I've discovered that sometimes they will go my way, sometimes they won't. And if I stick it out, there has always been a resolution that is either what I expected all along or is better than what I expected.
Since when has it been hidden that there is a teacher-student relationship involved?
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:22:36 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Deena
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Alright Deena! OP, you have bit by bit eroded any credibility with me too. What? You didn't think anyone was watching? Waiting to see if you could honestly deal with this M thing? We all were. Hence we're all so disappointed. (Who am I speaking for? Hell, I don't know, but you speak for M all the time. I thought I'd expand things a bit too.)
OP, we already know that Chris and Mili will never have the courage, maturiy or integrity to discuss M honestly. You're a lateer addition to the pantheon of apologists. You deserved a fair chance. You've had it. You failed.
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Date: Sat, May 17, 1997 at 20:24:54 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
OP, when you say:
'And if I stick it out, there has always been a resolution that is either what I expected all along or is better than what I expected'
don't you really mean 'rationalization' instead of 'resolution'?
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 01:39:38 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
You have no idea what service I do or have done in the past twelve months. But maybe you're trying to get me to tell. What does backstage have to do with aspirant contact, by the way?
At any rate, you're somewhat right. There are a lot of reasons for not advertising, and the reason I gave is only one.
But use some common sense. Since the 'Lord of the Universe' stuff is common knowledge, and not something that can be hidden, the idea that M keeps away from the press, etc. simply because of that is pure speculation.
Deena, did you go to the PR meeting at Long Beach 95? I'd like your take on it if you did. I didn't like it at all, and I feel that a lot of things should change. And they are changing. The thing is, that a lot of us have ideas about how things should or shouldn't happen, and then we're disillusioned if they don't go our way. I've discovered that sometimes they will go my way, sometimes they won't. And if I stick it out, there has always been a resolution that is either what I expected all along or is better than what I expected.
Since when has it been hidden that there is a teacher-student relationship involved?
So, in other words, you hold that radically conservative idea that whatever happens is what is supposed to happen, that it's all perfect and we should distrust our own views about things and wait for the perfect resolution.
I take back what I said before. Things have changed a whole lot less in GMJ's world than I thought (or I had hoped).
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Date: Sun, May 18, 1997 at 12:32:17 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Remember this one?
Lord, give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Why should I presume that I - me, myself, this one being on an earth with millions of other beings - should be THE instrument of change? Why not give someone else a chance? I don't do my kids' homework for them, but I'm available to help if they need it, and if I know enough about the subject.
I don't know everything. I don't know the solution to all of life's problems. I don't want to engage in experiments that might take me or someone else over the edge. In some situations I have to believe that there is a Higher Power and trust it to resolve the matter.
There are simple matters. I have written the wording to an announcement, but it doesn't feel quite right. I try again and again, and it still doesn't feel quite right. I show it to someone else, and don't like that person's input. Someone shows up who I hadn't expected, and comes up with a phrase that's much better than what I could have dreamed up.
There are more complicated matters. I am traveling with an instructor in a foreign country and he's jailed, because that country has slightly different ideas of what 'freedom of speech' means. I call the consulate, I call the police station. I get nowhere. Finally, it turns out that there was a snafu in paperwork and the police have to let the instructor go.
Same old same old? Sure. That power we called Grace has been working in our lives ever since. I do believe in that Higher Power. I won't give it a name, but, to me, it works in conjunction with what Maharaji is doing.
I'm STILL not talking about blind faith. I'm talking about do what you can, from a real place. Keep your eyes open, your mind alert, and your heart in gear. And be ready to bow out when the next move isn't yours.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 00:41:13 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
You're not talking about blind faith? Bullshit!!!
You are following a man who has held himself up to be god and commanded you not to think!! That is a very, very dangerous thing, and absolutely requires BLIND FAITH. That is what Guru Mahrarj Ji always has and apparently still does, require. Or did you forget his commandment: NEVER LEAVE ROOM FOR DOUBT IN YOUR MIND???? Or is this also something that the new and improved lord of the universe also doesn't say anymore?
By definition, being programmed in cult means you don't think you are and instead you are following, not from blind faith, but from proof positive.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 01:56:38 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
You say you never heard that M asked you to get rid of WIGM. I don't remember the year - but it definitely happened.
I say that I never heard M telling me not to think. He used to talk about 'mind' as the enemy of the ultimate consciousness, true. As in selfish ego. He still talks about the 'doubtmaker', and working to diminish its influence on our lives. Why? Because, the experience of Knowledge is beyond the limitations of the intellect, and in order to have that experience the intellect has to be quieted, stilled. Not shot, not destroyed nor shriveled. But certainly put away for the period during which one is practicing the techniques. If you eat constantly, you'll throw up - there has to be a time of quietude for your body. Ditto for the intellect.
Next - NEVER LEAVE ROOM FOR DOUBT... I've already been through this one. First of all, no, M doesn't mention anything about those 'commandments' these days. And, again, I seem to have interpreted this very differently. After a few months of thinking that I had to squelch all doubts, and discovering that squelching doesn't erase, but simply produces gas, basically, I realized that what it meant was: if there's a doubt, find the answer and get rid of the doubt. Like if there's a spot in a shirt, wash out the spot. And I discovered that there was a basic housecleaning procedure that was going on inside me, and if I watched and let go, the resolution (no, not rationalization) of any situation invariably took place. Like the two situations I described in the last post above that you took umbrage to.
If, by definition, programmed means that you think you are following because of proof positive, then all scientists are programmed, all doctors are programmed, all teachers are programmed, all lawyers are programmed, all politicians are programmed...in fact...
i.e., who decides what Proof Positive is? The ones who can write the books with the most words or who sell the most copies? The ones who win the Nobel prizes because a lot of people are in agreement with them? The ones who come up with new ideas that five years later are old ideas and superceded by other new ideas?
About ten years ago I was told that I was a bad parent for having my kids sleep in our bed until they were toddlers. Now it's all the rage. Adele Davis pushed raw liver and red meat on all her disciples. Now it's 'known' that these can cause high cholesterol counts and heart attacks. Political 'isms' come and go like fruit flies, as the human race tries them out and finds out that most fail.
So, for the most part, the whole human experience on this planet seems to be some kind of experiment. And the programming comes and goes, depending on which sector you happen to be living in.
I think that you, Jim, and Brian simply presume that anything I say must come from an automaton. You have pre-decided and pre-judged before you even read the response. I haven't seen any gentleness, humanity, or sensitivity to any of the comments I've made.
Whenever something seems not to go your way, it gets twisted and thrown back into the speaker's face as an insult. Or else you discuss it in third person among yourselves with agonizing pity.
There are human beings inside all these frames. I don't feel superior or inferior to any one of you except on one level - and that is I recognize your humanity, and you refuse to recognize not only mine, but that of the other premies who post here. And the humanity of all the various others who you try to pull apart with malicious gossip.
Oh - about blind faith? This is another one of those terms that seems to have two definitions, depending which side of the coin you're sitting on. I think blind faith means letting someone decide all your actions for you without seeing any results, or seeing only negative results but continuing to follow. Like when people go to a doctor who keeps promising them that a certain medicine will make them better and they keep throwing up and wasting away under that doctor's care.
I've seen results from Maharaji. And they are positive. Therefore, to me it's not blind faith.
If you never experienced any results from what he offered you, then it was blind faith and by all means you have done well in leaving.
There is another argument - about how long it takes to produce results. The Knowledge has always been presented as a seed, and we were told that it needed to be watered and cared for before we would see the fruits. That might be another form of rationalization. Another 'see ya in heaven' trip.
But, again for me, the seed sprouted before I had that doubt. It sprouted and showed its baby tendrils and I decided it was well worth it to continue to care for it.
I usually read through what I've written before posting, but I'm sick of these tiny boxes and the effort it takes - so if there are typos, I'm sure you'll forgive me, since you have such a magnanimous heart.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 07:05:48 (EDT)
Poster: Brian
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
By definition, being programmed in cult means you don't think you are and instead you are following, not from blind faith, but from proof positive.
This is a bit shakey, JW. I think I know what you're referring to, but this statement negates proof as proof.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 07:14:19 (EDT)
Poster: Brian
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
I think that you, Jim, and Brian simply presume that anything I say must come from an automaton. You have pre-decided and pre-judged before you even read the response. I haven't seen any gentleness, humanity, or sensitivity to any of the comments I've made.
I've been guilt of this, yes. But I've been reading your posts more carefully lately and trying to moderate my own tendency to sarcasm and argument 'winning' in an effort to understand your answers. Sorry for any past misbehavior. I'm not always a happy camper after a day in the life and it can be transferred onto what you've written.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 09:22:16 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: Brian
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Thanks, Brian.
I just read your response to Mili, below, and I agree - you have left a lot of the callous sarcasm behind.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 13:44:07 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: Brian
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Well, how about this: People who are in a cult are so programmed that they think they are neither in a cult nor programmed.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 15:11:23 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
You say you never heard that M asked you to get rid of WIGM. I don't remember the year - but it definitely happened.
I say that I never heard M telling me not to think. He used to talk about 'mind' as the enemy of the ultimate consciousness, true. As in selfish ego. He still talks about the 'doubtmaker', and working to diminish its influence on our lives. Why? Because, the experience of Knowledge is beyond the limitations of the intellect, and in order to have that experience the intellect has to be quieted, stilled. Not shot, not destroyed nor shriveled. But certainly put away for the period during which one is practicing the techniques. If you eat constantly, you'll throw up - there has to be a time of quietude for your body. Ditto for the intellect.
Next - NEVER LEAVE ROOM FOR DOUBT... I've already been through this one. First of all, no, M doesn't mention anything about those 'commandments' these days. And, again, I seem to have interpreted this very differently. After a few months of thinking that I had to squelch all doubts, and discovering that squelching doesn't erase, but simply produces gas, basically, I realized that what it meant was: if there's a doubt, find the answer and get rid of the doubt. Like if there's a spot in a shirt, wash out the spot. And I discovered that there was a basic housecleaning procedure that was going on inside me, and if I watched and let go, the resolution (no, not rationalization) of any situation invariably took place. Like the two situations I described in the last post above that you took umbrage to.
If, by definition, programmed means that you think you are following because of proof positive, then all scientists are programmed, all doctors are programmed, all teachers are programmed, all lawyers are programmed, all politicians are programmed...in fact...
i.e., who decides what Proof Positive is? The ones who can write the books with the most words or who sell the most copies? The ones who win the Nobel prizes because a lot of people are in agreement with them? The ones who come up with new ideas that five years later are old ideas and superceded by other new ideas?
About ten years ago I was told that I was a bad parent for having my kids sleep in our bed until they were toddlers. Now it's all the rage. Adele Davis pushed raw liver and red meat on all her disciples. Now it's 'known' that these can cause high cholesterol counts and heart attacks. Political 'isms' come and go like fruit flies, as the human race tries them out and finds out that most fail.
So, for the most part, the whole human experience on this planet seems to be some kind of experiment. And the programming comes and goes, depending on which sector you happen to be living in.
I think that you, Jim, and Brian simply presume that anything I say must come from an automaton. You have pre-decided and pre-judged before you even read the response. I haven't seen any gentleness, humanity, or sensitivity to any of the comments I've made.
Whenever something seems not to go your way, it gets twisted and thrown back into the speaker's face as an insult. Or else you discuss it in third person among yourselves with agonizing pity.
There are human beings inside all these frames. I don't feel superior or inferior to any one of you except on one level - and that is I recognize your humanity, and you refuse to recognize not only mine, but that of the other premies who post here. And the humanity of all the various others who you try to pull apart with malicious gossip.
Oh - about blind faith? This is another one of those terms that seems to have two definitions, depending which side of the coin you're sitting on. I think blind faith means letting someone decide all your actions for you without seeing any results, or seeing only negative results but continuing to follow. Like when people go to a doctor who keeps promising them that a certain medicine will make them better and they keep throwing up and wasting away under that doctor's care.
I've seen results from Maharaji. And they are positive. Therefore, to me it's not blind faith.
If you never experienced any results from what he offered you, then it was blind faith and by all means you have done well in leaving.
There is another argument - about how long it takes to produce results. The Knowledge has always been presented as a seed, and we were told that it needed to be watered and cared for before we would see the fruits. That might be another form of rationalization. Another 'see ya in heaven' trip.
But, again for me, the seed sprouted before I had that doubt. It sprouted and showed its baby tendrils and I decided it was well worth it to continue to care for it.
I usually read through what I've written before posting, but I'm sick of these tiny boxes and the effort it takes - so if there are typos, I'm sure you'll forgive me, since you have such a magnanimous heart.
If Guru Maharaj Ji said to get rid of WIGM, it must have been after 1983, when I left, or at least no one ever told me to get rid of it, because I didn't, and I don't recall that ever being said.
As I mentioned in a post above, your interpetation of what Guru Maharaj Ji meant by the commandment NEVER LEAVE ROOM FOR DOUBT IN YOUR MIND is very strained and it contradicts the literal meaning of the commandment. It's also kind of funny. How could you go and get your doubt answered (which might well lead you lots of places besides Guru Maharaj Ji, by the way) if you are to LEAVE NO ROOM for the doubt to begin with. It literally means you squelch the doubt by filling up your brain by following you breath with holy name(as noted below, GMJ said to try to do that 24 hours a day) and do what you can to discount or ignore the doubt if you inadvertently or intentionally left room for it. In fact, doubts were feared as possibly leading you away from the true path and interfering with the beautiful experience you were supposed to be having. They were the enemy. If you went to any Mahatma, initiator or other premie to get your doubts resolved (remember, we had no direct contact with GMJ (well, maybe you did)) and if we wrote a letter to him, it was responded to by another premie) you were told to ignore the doubts and to meditate, go to satang and do service. Kind of a don't worry be happy line, but with GMJ the object of your dedication, satsang and service. We called this following the lord and dedication, others would call it programming, because it interferes so directly in your ability to break the cycle of discouting your own critical thinking, and hence you can't evaluate what is happening to you.
All the while, I would never have dreamed that I was programmed, or in a cult, or that I could be doing something more productive with my life. Oh, and also, I wasn't miserable and negative all the time either. But since I tried not to think about it, I really had no way to evaluate, nor anything to compare my experience to.
And before you just say I was confused about what was going on, I know I was not the only one who experienced this. I have a fairly large circle of ex-premie acquaintances who say much the same thing.

Your interpetation of the don't doubt commandment is amusing because Maharaj Ji, mahatmas (including the one who revealed knowledge to me, both in and out of the knowledge session) said that you should meditate constantly so that the evil mind would not HAVE ANY ROOM for doubt. I never heard anyone like you, even ever say that there was another interpetation than that. Mainly, premies got down on themselves for always forgetting holy name and the doubts (I would call them critical thinking and being in touch with what is happening to you) came in. Once you knew you had a doubt you then dismissed it as just that and then tried to get back on holy name. Why do you think so many of us, including me, walked around all day with our tongues turned back down our throats and trying to follow our breath? We were doing it to have an experience, yes, but it had the effect of stopping us from thinking, and when we did think, we doubted our own judgments as doubt. And we believed Maharaj Ji and tried to follow what he said, when he said to meditate constantly. So, your statement that you just put away your intellect while you meditate is pretty weird, when you consider that Guru Maharaj Ji told us to meditate constantly, 24 hours a day, or did you have a different interpetation of that commandment as well?
Virtually every premie I knew believed this, and it was stated endlessly in satsang by MJ and others, including the absolute demonizing of your mind. I'm not speaking in favor of mind over anything else, I just think it is an important part of a human beings' existence and should not be separated or ignored, creating the mind/heart dichotomy we discussed previously.
I also agree that lots of other programming goes on, and that premies are not the only ones who are/were. But it is a matter of degree for one thing, and although I may be programmed to some degree to think liberals are better than conservatives, because I grew up with a New Deal father, democrats are not asking me to not doubt them, nor to be celibate, nor to sever the ties with my family, nor to surrender and devote my life to them. So you can see, the consequences are really quite different.
Regarding how long does it take to produce results that doesn't make sense based on what you told us previously, that there really isn't a goal, that it really is the path and the path is the goal. I think in an earlier post you advised us against being too goal-oriented and that might be why some of us ambitious types now think we were ripped off by Maharaj Ji.
I'm trying to give you a thoughtful response here, but it is getting frustrating and perhaps unproductive, because you act like you don't recall the whole melieu that was the devotional nature of the Guru Maharaj Ji world for so many years, whether it is still that way or not, or that it really didn't have much impact in proples' lives and can just be ignored now, because GMJ doesn't do that stuff anymore.
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Date: Mon, May 19, 1997 at 20:33:56 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: Brian
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Brian,
Apologize all you want. I find your sarcasm extremely enjoyable. At least you're honest.
Look, nobody should LIKE being tough or disrespectful. On the other hand, nobody should LIKE being played for a fool. Did you read OP's explanation for Maharaji's commandment to 'leave no room for doubt'? How'd that make you feel? Exactly. Like she was trying to trick you. I guess if you were young enough, stupid enough or somehow willing to be duped, there'd be no problem. But if you're not any of those, there is. There's a problem. There's tension.
What could be worse than having someone look you in the eye and lie to you about your common experience? What could be more offensive to your mind? Does it matter how they do it? No I don't think so.
Maharaji's torn a page out of Orwell and we're living it. OP is wrestling with her integrity but we're not doing her any favours by feigning respect for her when she's hiding from the truth and calmly, cheerily lying.
I wish the world had confronted me so much stronger when I first got into this stupid thing. I look back at everyone who didn't and wonder why. Why didn't they try harder?
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Date: Tues, May 20, 1997 at 00:24:48 (EDT)
Poster: JW
Email:
To: Jim and OP
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Brian,
Apologize all you want. I find your sarcasm extremely enjoyable. At least you're honest.
Look, nobody should LIKE being tough or disrespectful. On the other hand, nobody should LIKE being played for a fool. Did you read OP's explanation for Maharaji's commandment to 'leave no room for doubt'? How'd that make you feel? Exactly. Like she was trying to trick you. I guess if you were young enough, stupid enough or somehow willing to be duped, there'd be no problem. But if you're not any of those, there is. There's a problem. There's tension.
What could be worse than having someone look you in the eye and lie to you about your common experience? What could be more offensive to your mind? Does it matter how they do it? No I don't think so.
Maharaji's torn a page out of Orwell and we're living it. OP is wrestling with her integrity but we're not doing her any favours by feigning respect for her when she's hiding from the truth and calmly, cheerily lying.
I wish the world had confronted me so much stronger when I first got into this stupid thing. I look back at everyone who didn't and wonder why. Why didn't they try harder?
I'll tell you how it made me feel.
Op I really do respect your experience, but when you imply that I interpreted GMJ's commandments wrong and that was the cause of the pain and frustration I felt trying not to have doubts and the anger I feel now because I so thoroughly disregarded my own powers of judgment in trying to obey his commandments for years, it pisses me off. This is in addition to the fact that your explanation is just plain ridiculous.
I practiced knowledge with all the sincerity and effort I could muster, and if there was confusion, Guru Maharaj Ji was the one who was supposed to guide me in the right direction. Well, apparently he didn't. He was the teacher and I was the student. Maybe I am one of his mistakes.
And it pisses me off for someone who doesn't even know me to imply that I was just missing the point of it all for those years.
Also, Guru Maharaj Ji said once that he never lost a premie. Do you think this means he's going to reel me back someday? But back to what? A new-age meditation religion? Do you think he will ever go back to total devotion and surrender? What is the next phase?
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Date: Tues, May 20, 1997 at 11:11:05 (EDT)
Poster: op
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
I owe you some words here - something of an apology, and I want to let you know asap, but I have to get off now because this is also the fax line and I have one needing to get through.
I'm trying to think of quick easy words, but they're not forthcoming.
Under different circumstances, I think we could have been good friends. Maybe there's still hope.
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Date: Tues, May 20, 1997 at 12:20:13 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: op
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
I owe you some words here - something of an apology, and I want to let you know asap, but I have to get off now because this is also the fax line and I have one needing to get through.
I'm trying to think of quick easy words, but they're not forthcoming.
Under different circumstances, I think we could have been good friends. Maybe there's still hope.
Another apology, another attempt to breach the gap with friendship and goodwill instead of simple truth.
DO you remember Vladmir Posner? Does anyone? You should, OP. You're playing his part fully. He chatted so amiably about the Soviet Union, you'd almost think he had a point at times. Then, he'd get really stymied by some obvious fact too large to avoid and he'd start talking about how nice his relationship was with the various radio talk show hosts he discussed things with.
OP, you ARE a spin doctor. Nothing more, nothing less. You're not here to learn anything yourself. No fact will ever change your mind. So, if that's your committment what can you do when the hard facts come your way? Fight, twist, plot, spin and, if you spin a little hard, apologize.
It's getting old, old premie.
Let me ask you, do you think you're unfairly disprected by me and others? If so, why?
And, while you're at it, please explain a little further just how much more respect Mili is due as well. This I've got to hear.
If Mili visited you would you put him up in the main house or the dog house? If Chris came, would you cut his vegetables for him? These guys carry on here like idiots and you know it. Mili has absolutely no class and YOU KNOW THAT! Imagine a collection of his threats and garbage. Did you read his latest to Deena, just after admitting he was a 'bad, bad boy'? You should before you defend him again. Might help you spin a little better.
Chris acts as if he's had a partial lobotomy. No? Okay, YOU try talking with him.
No, OP, the premies act like idiots becuase the Maharaji cult, in broad daylight, is foolish. It's so untenable, only a fool or a very misguided person would try to hold on to it.
Come on, OP, you know that!
Anyway, please comment on page 77 of WIGM?, will you?
Thanks. Oh, and you ask what authoirty I have for 'demanding' that you answer these hard questions? None. But you've come here, to the ex-premie forum, and have taken it upon yourself to speak for your master. Your tag alone says all. If you can't bear the embarrassment of making afool of yourself, I'd understand.
So why the pseudonym? Do you think some rabid rationalist is going to hunt you down and argue with you at your doorstep? I can understand JW or Anon perhpas wanting a bit of anonymity. There are lots of Mili's in the world and some are worse than others.
But what's your excuse? You claim M knows you're here. So why the veil? You notice that I don't have one. You want us to beleive you were here and you wre there. What are you trying to protect?
My guess is that you'd think twice about putting your real name under some of your bullshit arguments. LIKE THE ONE ABOUT DOUBT. In its own way, like a Miliism, that was a keeper. Now, how about page 77?
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Date: Tues, May 20, 1997 at 20:50:49 (EDT)
Poster: Jim
Email:
To: JW
Subject: Re: Why Is MJ Afraid of Open Dialogue?
Message:
Right on, JW! But like you did, let me answer for OP.
She'd say -- I'm sorry if you gleaned any condescension from my words. That's the trouble with words. They only lead to trouble. JW, I have no doubt that you had no doubt or that if you did doubt you did either the right thing with your doubt or not. I can only say that I was pretty close to Maharaji and that's got to count for something, doesn't it? If it doesn't, then I guess I myself was doubting too much or,perhaps, not enough and I doubt that. Besides, did I mention that I was pretty close to Maharaji?
Do you have any idea where I usually sat at programs, JW? Maybe if you did you wouldn't be so quick to criticize me for speaking down to you. Well, enough about that. Did I mention how close I was to Maharaji, by the way?
So, you want to talk about commandments. But you see, I was at the residence. Do you understand what I'm saying? No? Let me make this a little clearer. I am me and I love myself. I also love Maharaji who, if nothing else, was closer to me than he was to you. So, really, I'm not sure, with all due respect, where you even enter into it.
If you did NOT understand Maharaji's message those many years you can't be blamed for not understanding it now. So how can I blame you for that? Besides, I've been to several parties at the residence which is really beautiful on its breath-taking perch in Malibu. Maharaji, if you recall, called me in the middle of the night. He made
the call personally and that's how I answered it. That's the kind of relationship we had. He would call -- oh, let's say, once in a lifetime, and I'd answer. See?
Now, I can understand the difficulty you might be having coming to terms with the fact that Miil and Chris are what Maharaji wanted you to become but really, is it fair to hold that against Maharaji? We're all growing, although I'm happy just where I am, thank you very much.
You see, JW, you really don't understand how much I meant to Maharaji -- I mean, he meant to me. We used to talk to one another. Now, why couldn't YOU do that? I'm not saying anything. I'm just saying that I'm happy. See?
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