Ex-Premie.Org

Forum III Archive # 24

From: Sep 14, 1998

To: Oct 1, 1998

Page: 3 Of: 5



RT -:- Why A Guru is like a Casino -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:31:55 (EDT)
__Selene -:- Why A Guru is like a Casino -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:03:21 (EDT)
____RT -:- Why A Guru is like a Casino -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:27:11 (EDT)
__Gail -:- Why A Guru is like a Casino -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 23:57:45 (EDT)

Jean-Michel -:- Raja Ji is a moron -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 10:34:59 (EDT)

Jean-Michel -:- Ashram Manual online! -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 10:32:30 (EDT)
__M's IQ<100 -:- + he's a liar -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 11:07:54 (EDT)
__Looking for a copy of the -:- Mahatmas handbook! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 09:03:52 (EDT)
__Jim -:- Critical! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 10:29:08 (EDT)
____Jean-Michel -:- Thank you! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:12:56 (EDT)
______Most famous quotes -:- on diet! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 13:44:51 (EDT)
________Mike -:- on diet! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 14:17:22 (EDT)
__________Mike -:- I forgot! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 14:21:18 (EDT)
__________Jean-Michel -:- IQ diagnosis -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 16:29:27 (EDT)
________Jerry -:- on diet! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 16:20:02 (EDT)
__________Mike -:- on diet! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 16:40:42 (EDT)

Laura -:- Your kind words-off-topic -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:52:15 (EDT)
__Mike -:- Your kind words-off-topic -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 20:17:21 (EDT)
__RT -:- You're kind -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:25:57 (EDT)
__Brian -:- Your kind words-off-topic -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 08:02:04 (EDT)
__Katie -:- Not off topic -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:48:20 (EDT)
____Mike -:- Not off topic -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:12:06 (EDT)
__Judith -:- Your kind words-off-topic -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:37:05 (EDT)
__Carol -:- Your kind words-off-topic -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 01:39:15 (EDT)
____seymour -:- Your kind words-off-topic -:- Sun, Sep 27, 1998 at 12:43:03 (EDT)
______hamzen -:- Awwight Seymour -:- Sun, Sep 27, 1998 at 15:28:38 (EDT)

Scott T. -:- Bill flouts the Grand Jury -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 13:56:19 (EDT)
__Scott T. -:- A premie's responsibility -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 10:11:05 (EDT)
__garl -:- Bill flouts the Grand Jury -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 20:30:10 (EDT)
____Scott T. -:- power and abuse -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 08:55:14 (EDT)

Jean-Michel -:- Some shaved heads are back! -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 10:42:41 (EDT)
__bill -:- Some shaved heads are back! -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 00:37:36 (EDT)
____JM -:- Some shaved heads are back! -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 00:53:57 (EDT)
______Katie -:- the Rev. Mickey speaks -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 22:17:14 (EDT)
________Mickey the Pharisee -:- the Rev. Mickey speaks -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 01:08:48 (EDT)
________Runamok -:- the Reverent Spin -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 02:22:14 (EDT)
__________Katie -:- the Reverent Spin -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 08:41:21 (EDT)
__________Jean-Michel -:- the Reverent Spin -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 09:48:35 (EDT)
__________Mickey the Pharisee -:- the Reverent Spin -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 11:30:12 (EDT)
____________Runamok -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 18:56:28 (EDT)
______________Mickey the Pharisee -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 01:18:00 (EDT)
________________Runamok -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 06:35:37 (EDT)
__________________Mickey the Pharisee -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 12:18:35 (EDT)
____________________Runamok -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 17:31:50 (EDT)
______________________Mickey the Pharisee -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 18:55:24 (EDT)
________________________Runamok -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 06:39:39 (EDT)
__________________________Mickey the Pharisee -:- Gnostic Boogie -:- Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 15:55:56 (EDT)
____________________________Runamok -:- Echatological Boogie -:- Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 16:50:56 (EDT)
______________________________Mickey the Pharisee -:- Eschatological Boogie -:- Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 19:03:21 (EDT)
____Katie -:- No Bible quotes, please... -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:58:21 (EDT)
______Jean-Michel -:- No Bible quotes, please...Why? -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:27:45 (EDT)
______Jean-Michel -:- OK OK Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:30:55 (EDT)
________Katie -:- OK OK Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:42:57 (EDT)
__________Jean-Michel -:- OK OK Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:01:55 (EDT)
____________Judith -:- Thanks Jean-Michel -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:57:32 (EDT)
______________Judith -:- Question -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:00:46 (EDT)
________________Mike -:- Answer... I hope -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:16:46 (EDT)
__________________Scott T. -:- Answer... I hope -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:24:19 (EDT)
____________________Scott T. -:- Oops -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:29:40 (EDT)
______________________Mike -:- Oops -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:35:51 (EDT)
________________________Mike -:- Update to Scott -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:39:55 (EDT)
________________________david m -:- Oops -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:01:04 (EDT)
__________________________Mike -:- Thanks for the confirm! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:09:08 (EDT)
____________________________david m -:- Thanks for the confirm! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:14:37 (EDT)
______________________________Mike -:- Thanks for the confirm! -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 18:08:45 (EDT)
________________________________david m -:- durga -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 19:17:20 (EDT)
__________________________________Mike -:- WPC -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 19:25:55 (EDT)
______________Jean-Michel -:- About the 'Light' etc -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:07:50 (EDT)
________________Judith -:- About the 'Light' etc -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 20:52:56 (EDT)
__________________Jean-Michel -:- About the 'Light' etc -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 23:52:08 (EDT)
________________Scott T. -:- About the 'Light' etc -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 10:06:59 (EDT)
__________________Jean-Michel -:- About the 'Light' etc -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 10:44:47 (EDT)

Ron Sherwood -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 23:29:50 (EDT)
__Bill -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 23:53:20 (EDT)
____bill -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 00:19:12 (EDT)
______Mike -:- Well said, bill... (nt) -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 11:39:39 (EDT)
______Ron Sherwood -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 12:08:41 (EDT)
________Mike -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 12:49:06 (EDT)
__________Mike -:- An example of a LIE! -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 13:33:07 (EDT)
________Jean-Michel -:- Sherwood' ultimate defense -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 12:52:39 (EDT)
__________Katie -:- Sherwood' ultimate defense -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 13:17:57 (EDT)
__________Ron Sherwood -:- Sherwood' ultimate defense -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:00:38 (EDT)
____________Jim -:- Polite yes, respectful, no -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:55:06 (EDT)
______________Ron Sherwood -:- Polite yes, respectful, no -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:01:03 (EDT)
________________Jim -:- Polite yes, respectful, no -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:03:45 (EDT)
__________________Gerry -:- Polite yes, respectful, no -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:54:33 (EDT)
____________Mike -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 16:20:19 (EDT)
______________RonSherwood -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:30:18 (EDT)
________________Mike -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:39:22 (EDT)
__________________Ron Sherwood -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 18:16:27 (EDT)
____________________hamzen -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 18:54:55 (EDT)
______________________jean-michel -:- as for the crowd's size -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 04:32:04 (EDT)
____________________hamzen -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:11:21 (EDT)
____________________Mike -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:21:47 (EDT)
______________________Ron Sherwood -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 20:35:53 (EDT)
________________________Mike -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 11:59:03 (EDT)
__________________________Jean-Michel -:- To M's defense -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:13:44 (EDT)
____________________________Mike -:- To M's defense -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:54:36 (EDT)
__________________________bill -:- I want answers to my q's -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 07:43:32 (EDT)
________________________hamzen -:- Oh foolish me -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:37:27 (EDT)
__________________________Mike -:- You ain't foolish! -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:07:13 (EDT)
____________Mike -:- Civility -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:16:52 (EDT)
____________JM -:- Sherwood': thanks for the laug -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 00:58:45 (EDT)
____________Jean-Michel -:- Then: please finally explain! -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 04:15:05 (EDT)
____________Scott T. -:- Sherwood' ultimate defense -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:55:00 (EDT)
________Jerry -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 14:03:55 (EDT)
__________Ron Sherwood -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:24:20 (EDT)
____________Jerry -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:39:57 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- That's the 'right' word -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:47:42 (EDT)
________bill -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 14:09:49 (EDT)
__________Ron Sherwood -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:52:57 (EDT)
____________Mike -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 16:28:56 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- My post above: -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 16:47:45 (EDT)
______________Ron Sherwood -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:02:33 (EDT)
________________Jim -:- Jim explains it all to Ron -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:16:39 (EDT)
__________________Ron Sherwood -:- Jim explains it all to Ron -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 11:47:30 (EDT)
__________________Ron Sherwood -:- Jim explains it all to Ron -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:00:04 (EDT)
____________________Jim -:- Mental incompetence -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:28:10 (EDT)
____________bill -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:14:18 (EDT)
______________HERE IS ONE FROM -:- THE ARCHIVES GUYS! -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:54:20 (EDT)
________Scott T. -:- Replies/Sherwood Explains It -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:13:54 (EDT)
__________Mike -:- Should I? -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:33:06 (EDT)
____________hamzen -:- Should I? -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 15:49:31 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- Lurking -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:58:14 (EDT)
________________hamzen -:- Technical/Brian/Katie/Mike -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:15:16 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- Technical/Brian/Katie/Mike -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:21:34 (EDT)
____________________Katie -:- Technical/Brian/Katie/Mike -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:56:23 (EDT)
______________________Jean-Michel -:- Downloading the Forum -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:18:22 (EDT)
____________Jean-Michel -:- Planting magic seeds -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:12:57 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- Planting magic seeds -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:38:24 (EDT)
______________bill -:- Planting magic seeds -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:17:31 (EDT)
________________Jean-Michel -:- Planting magic seeds -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 03:53:12 (EDT)
____________Scott T. -:- Should I? -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 10:31:23 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- Should I? -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:01:49 (EDT)

Judith -:- thoughts on surfing -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 20:13:39 (EDT)
__Sir D -:- My experience -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 21:01:21 (EDT)
____Bobby -:- My experience -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 21:51:54 (EDT)
______Sir D -:- Hi Bobby -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 22:48:29 (EDT)
________Bobby -:- Hi Bobby -:- Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 08:33:27 (EDT)
____Sir D again -:- My experience part 2 -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 22:09:34 (EDT)
______Jim -:- What about Dolly and Anne? -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 22:29:16 (EDT)
________Sir D -:- What about Dolly and Anne? -:- Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 23:09:34 (EDT)
__________hamzen -:- What about Dolly and Anne? -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 18:32:30 (EDT)
____________Mike -:- What about Dolly and Anne? -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:35:22 (EDT)
____________Sir D -:- Join what club? -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 21:58:49 (EDT)
______________Jim -:- Join what club? -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:18:40 (EDT)
______________hamzen -:- Join what club? -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:04:03 (EDT)
__Gail -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 20:47:25 (EDT)
____Sir D -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 21:21:27 (EDT)
______Jim -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 21:26:42 (EDT)
____hamzen -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:20:51 (EDT)
______Gail -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 05:43:07 (EDT)
________Diz -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 06:20:17 (EDT)
________Katie -:- I wish I believed in God too -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:24:22 (EDT)
__________Mike -:- Relax..Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:26:07 (EDT)
____________hamzen -:- Relax..Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 16:37:13 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- Relax..Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:32:26 (EDT)
________________hamzen -:- Relax..Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 21:34:04 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- I Understand -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:12:30 (EDT)
________________hamzen -:- Relax..Katie -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 05:48:36 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- Info -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 12:24:17 (EDT)
______________Judith -:- Relax..Katie -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:08:54 (EDT)
____________Katie -:- not relaxing -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:45:59 (EDT)
______________Mike -:- OK, sorry -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 20:19:43 (EDT)
________________Katie -:- Thanks Mike -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 21:05:31 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- Thanks Mike -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 10:55:50 (EDT)
____________________Katie -:- Thanks Mike (off topic) -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:14:06 (EDT)
______________________Mike -:- Thanks Mike (off topic) -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 13:05:17 (EDT)
________________hamzen -:- Impressed Mike -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:03:51 (EDT)
__________________Katie -:- not butting in... -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 08:47:15 (EDT)
____________________hamzen -:- not butting in... -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 06:01:22 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- Impressed Mike -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:22:20 (EDT)
________________Judith -:- OK, sorry -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:22:15 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- I don't disagree... -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:56:27 (EDT)
________________Katie -:- And I might add... -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 08:58:30 (EDT)
__________________Mike -:- And I might add... -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:36:22 (EDT)
__________________hamzen -:- And I might add... -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 20:42:43 (EDT)
____________________Katie -:- Regarding Journeys entries -:- Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 21:35:50 (EDT)
____a friend -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 02:55:42 (EDT)
____hamzen -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 15:29:34 (EDT)
______Judith -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:26:33 (EDT)
______Mike -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 13:46:59 (EDT)
____Judith -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:14:15 (EDT)
______Mike -:- Go ahead Judith! -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:30:40 (EDT)
______hamzen -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:52:23 (EDT)
________Judith -:- I wish I still believed in God -:- Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:03:10 (EDT)


Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:31:55 (EDT)
From: RT
Email: mmmm
To: Everyone
Subject: Why A Guru is like a Casino
Message:
Q: What's the difference between a Guru and a Casino?
A: Not much!

Casino: A public building or room for gambling or other amusements.
Guru: A Hindu spiritual teacher or head of a religious sect. 2. An influential or revered teacher.

A Guru is not a place, but provides an environment around him where you can dedicate your time and money. He gives talks & meditation techniques, and says devotion to him is the real pursuit.

A Casino is not a person, but encourages people to spend their time and money.
It gives money & entertainment; socially engineered fun.

A Casino is an opulent room. All around you is the PROOF of the money they made from people before you. See how many people we fooled out of their money!

A Guru Residence is an opulent place. All around you is PROOF of the money he made from devotees before you. See how many fools we made - who gave everything!

You gamble your resources in a Casino. You paycheck is inserted, dollar by dollar, into a slot machine or gaming table where you hope for a big payoff. The surrounding area is hi-end Interior Design.

You give your time and energy to a Guru. Your lifetime is inserted into the process of indoctrination (Interior Design) and you hope for a payoff in bliss, peace of mind, happiness, a sense of belonging, a community of like-minded minds and hearts.

A Casino is a multi-media event. You senses are almost overwhelmed with the light, noise, smell and activity of focussed people determined to make the jackpot. People walk around in a sort of daze, seeking for the right spot to throw away the money.

A Guru's Program is a multi-media event. Your sense of peace is overwhelmed with his image, the emotions of the singing, the swaying of arms if he should dance. You marvel at the stillness of the focussed people determined to feel the jackpot. People walk around in a sort of daze, seeking that moment when they will finally surrender all.

A casino takes your money, and gives back just enough to make you give more.
A Guru accepts your money and never gives it back. BUT you do get an experience!
(Videos are extra)

A Casino takes your time. It is possible to enjoy yourself and walk away, entertained.
A Guru takes your lifetime and confuses you via brainwashing; it is diffiCULT to walk away.

A Casino, if visited often, will turn you from a fun player to an addicted gambler who will steal from his family and friend to support his habit. Usually other people are not asked to be a gambler, for a player knows it is wrong to throw away resources. However, he will live for bragging tales of the big payoff.

A Guru, if visited often, will turn you from a reasonably balanced person to an dedicated follower who will turn from his family and friends to his new 'home.' Usually other people are asked to be a devotee, so that they too can contribute resources to the cause and enjoy the bliss. Bragging rights depend on how close you got to the Guru, and for how long, what did he say, etc.

Your best strategy with a Casino is to take the money and run!
Your best strategy with a Guru, should you like being an aspirant, is to take the Knowledge and run!

- RT, who lost only $90 total in 3 trips to a Casino but spent $4000 (debt) in 24 years in service to a Guru. Guess which hurts more.

Even Kabir would say: Maharaji is a Thief, and a Liar, and should Retire!
Return to Index -:- Top of Index

Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:03:21 (EDT)
From: Selene
Email: None
To: RT
Subject: Why A Guru is like a Casino
Message:
ah RT
You have found one of many vulnerable spots. Right around the time I started wondering why I was visiting M at the 'events/programs,...'
I won 800 dollars at the new Indian Res. casino here.
I had never gambled before so of course this was a big rush. And given my addictive nature, there I was - hooked.
It took me quite a few losses to break the addiction.
Not sure if I broke away even or what.
But you are quite on about the similarities. Really you are.
I saw the retirees spending their paychecks. It was the same energy, actually, trying to find the golden ring. Being given a glimpse but never quite getting it, tho some did.
=================
Selene, always addicted to something....
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:27:11 (EDT)
From: RT
Email: mmm
To: Selene
Subject: Why A Guru is like a Casino
Message:
Hi Selene,

So when life gives you 3 lemons do you make a sour face?
Have you been gambling at the local video events...and do you know what Phase 2 is? Always upping the ante, so gu-rude of him.

RT who thinks: y2k will crash the Propagation efforts.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 23:57:45 (EDT)
From: Gail
Email: None
To: RT
Subject: Why A Guru is like a Casino
Message:
Having done both trips, I couldn't agree more. I wish you'd write another poem if you have time.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 10:34:59 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Everyone
Subject: Raja Ji is a moron
Message:
That was Raja Ji’s editorial printed in ‘Divine Light’ Vol 2, No 8, published by DLM.

Dear reader,

I hope this issue will satisfy you. Though not perfect we try to make it as perfect as we can. We aim this magazine towards the premies and don't think they will be interested in other magazines, because, being a devotee myself, I think that any magazine that doesn't print Guru Maharaj Ji's satsang is horrible. Being the editor of this magazine, I am only expressing my own views of course. They may be wrong or right, but every other editor has his own views to express and being no special man I do so also. It is for the readers to judge if I am right or wrong. They are the people to whom this job is given, because to a man who is thirsty water is important and he is the one who can judge its value. In the same way, for us Guru Maharaj Ji's darshan and his satsang are important. So we publish the most important thing and that is the holy words of Guru Maharaj Ji. We received a few letters complaining that our magazine contained mostly satsang and not worldly things. But dear premies, whatever the world may think, Guru Maharaj Ji and His satsang is the most important thing. If we need the love of Guru Maharaj Ji we should meditate on the Knowledge He has given us, understanding the importance of time, and realizing that time never repeats itself. It is never too late to understand and to make a firm resolution to serve Guru Maharaj Ji and to meditate upon His perfect Knowledge, which is the one and only way towards the Almighty.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 10:32:30 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Everyone
Subject: Ashram Manual online!
Message:
Thanks to some exes, we're finally able to read this again!

(That's been a shock for me).

'Ashram creates itself so holy an environment that when a car passes right there in front of an ashram, the driver feels some strange feeling in his tires..........

'Why should there be so much strictness? We are the children of God, and this is the house of God. That's why there should be so much strictness. That's the way it has to be, that's why. So that's what I wanted to make clear about it.'

The Code of the Renunciate Order of Divine Light Mission
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 11:07:54 (EDT)
From: M's IQ<100
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: + he's a liar
Message:
M recently said that he NEVER asked anybody to be a fanatical.

When he said, and wrote in a document published by DLM:

'The Renunciate Order is a monastic order of Divine Light Mission. Its members pursue a life of complete worldly renunciation for the purpose of engaging in religious study and dedication to selfless service of God and humanity.'

..... the applicant must take written vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

..... Renunciate members must be given special dispensation by the Board of Directors or Guru Maharaj Ji if they wish to leave the Renunciate Order and remain in the membership of Divine Light Mission.

.....

The Ashram policy is determined by Guru Maharaj Ji.

....

Members should restrict the use of television, motion pictures, theater, and literature. The Ashram Supervisor shall determine the use of these media with respect to the spiritual development or practical ability of the members to fulfill their service.
....

Members must lead a disciplined life of service, satsang, and meditation, and must adhere to the five Holy Commandments:

Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Constantly meditate and remember the Holy Name.
Leave no room for doubt in your mind.
Never delay in attending satsang.
Always have faith in God.


etc etc

M did not expect those hundreds of premies who dedicated their lives to him to become fanatical?

Someone said he must have an estimated 200 IQ, I would say his is less than the average 100.

Plus he's still a liar, obviously!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 09:03:52 (EDT)
From: Looking for a copy of the
Email: jmkahn@hol.fr
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Mahatmas handbook!
Message:
I only have some excerpts.

If anybody owns one, or knows about someone who does,
please email me!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 10:29:08 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Critical!
Message:
JM,

This is one of the most important documents yet. A couple of suggestions -- perhaps you should mention somewhere that the 'preface' is Maharaji satsang (lifted, I think, from one of those ashram-only pressure cooker meetings). Also, you've written 'Enunciates' instead of 'Renunciates' in the third sentence in part one.

Anyone who thinks it was cool to just drift out of the ashram in its heyday should take note:

'Renunciate members must be given special dispensation by the Board of Directors or Guru Maharaj Ji if they wish to leave the Renunciate Order and remain in the membership of Divine Light Mission. This dispensation may be granted if a petition for such dispensation is submitted to the Ashram Supervisor or to Guru Maharaj Ji and is approved by the Board of Directors.'

It's also interesting that while Maharaji was intent on signing us up for life, the moment he couldn't keep the trip together he felt he owed no explanation to anyone who'd bitten his bait:

'Applicants must be active members and make formal written application to the Board of Directors of Divine Light Mission through its representatives. After successfully completing a one-year novitiate training, he may then take lifetime vows or terminate his commitment.'

Like a sleazy health club.

Further, anyone trying to argue that this whole prison within a cult was anything but Maharaji's doing should take heed of this:

'Members must be willing to completely cooperate with the directives of the Ashram Supervisor. The Ashram policy is determined by Guru Maharaj Ji. The Ashram Supervisor is directly responsible to Guru Maharaj Ji for the maintenance of every aspect of ashram life.'
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:12:56 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Jim
Subject: Thank you!
Message:
I'm glad you appreciate it!
I'm still under the shock of re-reading this ....
I think there are more of these priceless documents, and hope exes will release them, nothing to fear.
I'll be the first one to be turned into a rabbit, he he he...
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 13:44:51 (EDT)
From: Most famous quotes
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: on diet!
Message:
The way you eat, the way you become....

Beings that suck water don't eat meat.
But a plant does not come from a life. It comes from dead, from a seed which is dead. It doesn't need any nutrition. It's a dead seed.

etc

Jean-Michel
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 14:17:22 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Most famous quotes
Subject: on diet!
Message:
JM: This is an unmitigated pile of bandycoot droppings (I knew I would be able to use that phrase sometime!)

- M said, 'cowboys used to take raw meat and eat that, and they get like that.' What a pile of sh*t. The ONLY time cowboys would eat raw (uncooked) meat was because they couldn't make fire and they were starving to death. Even they knew eating raw meat could be a death sentence from disease. How stupid did M think we.... never mind, we were THAT stupid!

- Despite his contention, unfertilized eggs are not killed, they were NEVER alive (in the sense of cell division). Incubate an unfertilized egg all you want, not a single cell will divide. At least a plant had to be a pollen recipient to produce seeds, so they are more alive than an egg is. A seed will sprout without the need for pollen. What an absolute IDIOT! Even my 9 year old daughter understands the life process better than this.

- So I eat, so I become....hmmmm. I guess that means that if I eat an animal, then I become one, right? Using that same line of logic, I guess that if I eat a 'vegetable' then I become a vegetable?????? I think I'd rather be an animal than a vegetable! (NO INSULT intended to the vegetarians out there, it's supposed to sound as stupid as it does!) Jeez, JM, you hammer-in coffin nail after coffin nail. This guy (M) could even prove to be god (yeah, right) and I wouldn't care because HE IS STUPID!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 14:21:18 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: JM
Subject: I forgot!
Message:
JM: Oh yeah, I forgot.... Chimpanzees 'suck water' and they DO eat meat. In fact, they can be cannibals. So much for the 'nature tells us that sucking water means vegetarian' theory. What an incredible halfwit!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 16:29:27 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: IQ diagnosis
Message:
I don't think there is any necessity of checking his IQ.

I would say he's as stupid as anybody can get, too full of himself to even think of having his mind examined.

Too bad for those following him, which is the case at least once at every program....

I now understand why I used to feel SO ASHAMED when I used to hear him saying one more stupid thing.

I remember I had discussions about this with one of my best premie friend. That was a big problem for us: having a stupid master ..... what do you do with this, how embarrassing!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 16:20:02 (EDT)
From: Jerry
Email: None
To: Most famous quotes
Subject: on diet!
Message:
I've been discussing this claim of M's, that beings that suck water don't eat meat and animals that lick water do, with some co-workers. The conversation ultimately degenerated into a farce about Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, which I won't get into, but I'm wondering if there's any truth to this. Mike already mentioned that chimpanzees suck water and eat meat, but are there any water lickers that don't? Anybody know? A giraffe maybe? They're not meat eaters, right? They lick, don't they? Or do they suck? You can imagine how the conversation on Bill and Monica went.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 16:40:42 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Jerry
Subject: on diet!
Message:
Jerry: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Jeez, someone turned on the humor-machine today. Seriously, though, I think that Giraffe, Water Buffalo, cows, just about any 4-legged animal licks water. It seems like the 'suckers' are all two-leg, two-arm. JEEZUS...no pun intended. hahahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha.

- Actually, if you really look at it, four-legged animals are a little limited in their ability to drink, especially if the nostrils are really close to the end of the snout. Most (but not all) meat eaters have a 'rasp' for a tongue. It helps them to remove meat from the bone (since they have no hands, they need that feature). A 'raspy' tongue will pickup water very efficiently, without sticking the face into the water (again, most unpleasant if the nostrils are truely at the end of the snout). I've never seen a study on this particular subject, but I'm sure there are copious exceptions on both sides. I'm just guessing here because I'm NOT a biologist (obviously).
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:52:15 (EDT)
From: Laura
Email: None
To: Bill&Katie&All
Subject: Your kind words-off-topic
Message:
I can only peek in here for a short time every few days and so don't get to talk back and forth with all of you. And as a matter of fact I can only stay on for a minute now, but if you write to me I will answer. I can really use your friendship.My talents,my knowledge, any interests I might have had stopped when I was 20 years old. I'm 47 now. My only interest became GMJ and God, and devotion, etc. ad nauseum. So what do I do now? I'm so used to not having any 'selfish' interests I don't know how to get started. Paralyzed is the word that comes to mind. As Bill said, a new love interest, even meeting some of you would be great,anyone live near Sacramento California?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 20:17:21 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Laura
Subject: Your kind words-off-topic
Message:
Laura: My wife and I would love to meet you, but I live in Arizona.....boo hiss. Anyway, I know that I may sound like a broken record, but you might try getting yourself back into 'nature.' It has been really good for me. Find a hiking partner, get some equipment, start off slow and ENJOY! Before long you will likely want to spend the night in the areas that you hike into. IT IS GREAT! Trust me on this one, Laura. The beauty, the silence and the feeling of self-sufficiency are just what the doctor ordered. BTW, don't worry about your 'age.' I'm 46 and I'm going to go rim-to-rim in the grand canyon this year. Age is definitely NOT a factor (conditioning is, but age is not). Necessary conditioning, for more strenuous (read that: secluded) hikes, comes alot quicker than you might think.

- Of course, a love interest would be good, too..... he he he.

- Anyway, that's my two-cents worth. ;-)
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:25:57 (EDT)
From: RT
Email: mmm
To: Laura
Subject: You're kind
Message:
Dear Laura, some evening try star gazing. Above all is the Creation. Contemplate its glory, the infinite beauty, and that you have a part of the majesty in you. That's why you can appreciate it. Bring binoculars and a blanket and some wine.

RT

You probally have less light pollution than the east coast!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 08:02:04 (EDT)
From: Brian
Email: brian@ex-premie.org
To: Laura
Subject: Your kind words-off-topic
Message:
I can certainly relate to what you're talking about. After you've been a part of something as monumental as helping bring about World Peace, it's hard to give a damn about the PTA. One of the nice parts about that involvement was how it allowed one to defer all decisions about a life direction as being taken care of by someone else (Maharaji, The Omniscient One). While it was pure post-adolescent escapism, it's hard to get past that after it's become a life pattern.

Sometimes I feel like the Hare who let all the Turtles get a huge head start because he believed that he'd be magically transported beyond any real finish line in life. All those who got on with their own 'selfish' lives are now in better positions to deal with what the future brings, while I'm still struggling to grow up. And getting older every day. My children are leading much more practical lives, and I'm happy about that. But I feel that they should be able to come to me with questions instead of me having to study them in order to gain from their viewpoints.

While Maharaji touted the 'trust in me' line, he made sure that his pockets were well padded. Should the whole thing collapse on him tomorrow, he won't find himself working at Burger King for the free 'meal'.

My mother lives down in the Sacramento area and I'll eventually be going down there to visit her after I move out to the Left Coast in the spring. Email me and let's stay in touch.

BTW, you didn't supply an email address in your post.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:48:20 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: petkat@mail.trib.net
To: Laura
Subject: Not off topic
Message:
Hi Laura -
First, I think that your post was very much ON TOPIC for this forum. One of the major purposes of the forum is to provide a support group for ex-premies; and in fact, this is the aspect of the forum that I am most interested in (I find Maharaji boring these days.)

I was very young when I joined M's organization, and still fairly young when I left, but I also remember feeling very alienated from the real world and the non-premie people around me. It took about a year for me to get over this feeling. I also experienced the same kind of feelings after the break-up of a long-term relationship where I'd been pretty enmeshed with my partner. Here's some of the things that helped me:

1. Listening to music, especially music that I liked BEFORE I became involved with Maharaji. This helped me connect with who I was before I became a premie. I also get a lot out of listening to certain women singer/songwriters (Shawn Colvin, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Rosanne Cash), and to rebellious angry music by people like Elvis Costello, Concrete Blonde, and Hole.

2. Talking to other ex-premies (which you're already doing). I lived with two ex-premies for six months after leaving M, and I think we all saved each other's sanity.

3. Working outside - growing flowers or vegetables or just raking up leaves or even washing my car. Other people suggested hiking or walking outside, and I like that too - there's just something about working outside that is really grounding for me. I also like working with my hands: drawing, painting or making things.

4. I went back to school directly before leaving M. This was a big impetus in getting me out of the cult: it showed me that there was a much bigger world out there. I had dropped out of high school in 10th grade, so I started off in junior college, and I really liked it. There was a much bigger variety of students in the junior college: different ages, especially. Also, the teachers were really good (I ended up getting a BS and MS, so I've had lots of teachers).

5. Also, and this is probably most important, Laura, I went to therapy. I definitely recommend this to you if you can afford it, and if you can find a good therapist (get a recommendation). In my opinion, the therapist doesn't have to be especially knowledgeable about cults, etc. I don't want to make diagnoses over the internet, but it sounds like you could be very depressed (lack of interest, despair, feeling paralyzed) - maybe even clinically depressed. I do think that this is something that needs treatment, and you may even want to see a doctor about it. I've experienced the same feelings, and sometimes just 'getting out and doing something' doesn't make them go away.

I gather that your internet time is limited and that you might not have an e-mail address. Just wanted you to know that you don't have to write posts back to each one of us on the forum individually unless you want to (I am sure bill, RT, Mike, Brian, etc. will agree). A post to the whole group would be great - just want to hear from you and know that you are OK.
Love,
Katie
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:12:06 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: Not off topic
Message:
Katie: I AGREE, and forgot to mention, that this thread is very much ON TOPIC. I particularly agree with your recommendation for laura to listen to music and do things that she did prior to involvement with M. Actually, I was an outdoorsy guy prior to M and that is probably one of the many reasons it means so much to me now. I ALSO liked (still do , for that matter) to listen to music that I had 'left behind.' It has done much to 'catch-me-up' to the present (and in a context, of which I approve). REALLY GOOD IDEAS, KATIE!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:37:05 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: judex@zip.com.au
To: Laura
Subject: Your kind words-off-topic
Message:
Dear Laura
I have to say I don't recommend a new love interest particularly at this stage. Of course everyone's experience is different and can't be compared but for me I recently tried that and have been hurt by the experience. Perhaps I just wanted to transfer the feelings I took back from Maharaji, who didn't deserve my love, onto someone else. Twice in a few months is a bit hard to take, so take care. Feel free to e-mail me any time!
Judith
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 01:39:15 (EDT)
From: Carol
Email: carolElaine@netscape.net
To: Laura
Subject: Your kind words-off-topic
Message:
I highly recommend the therapeutic value of finding a place to volunteer that would make you feel connected to a bigger world. I also love the example of how to enjoy life as demonstrated by a cat or other pets, but especially cats! Come up to Portland sometime!
Carol
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Date: Sun, Sep 27, 1998 at 12:43:03 (EDT)
From: seymour
Email: seymour_t@rocketmail.com
To: Brian,Laura et al
Subject: Your kind words-off-topic
Message:
Hi Brian,
You have struck a real chord with the points that you make in your post...

'After you've been a part of something as monumental as helping bring about World Peace, it's hard to give a damn about the PTA.'

I think this was one of the hardest things to bear ( along with the fear of being eternaly damned and having wasted half my life) after I decided to lapse from the practice of k.
It was great to feel at the vanguard of the new age. Knowing that the solution to all of the problems in everyone's life was the 'knowledge' of GM and being in the privileged position of being able to help all those people to step out of the pain filled illusion into a life of 'satchitanand' was rather exciting. Having a worthwhile occupation, such as doctor, didn't even compare, and with this gift of enlightenment it really was a waste of time doing anything else but practising and spreading the 'word'.

'it allowed one to defer all decisions about a life direction as being taken care of by someone else (Maharaji, The Omniscient One)'.......

'Sometimes I feel like the Hare who let all the Turtles get a huge head start because he believed that he'd be magically transported beyond any real finish line in life'

In those days I sincerely believed that 'seek ye first the kingdom of heaven' meant being a good premie.
There is certainly a difference in the status of those of us who surrendered our personal ambition and wealth to those who either held back or wisely did not even get involved. I also feel that I am 20+ years behind everyone else I work with. Those that are near my age are earning two or three times as much and have a house that is nearly paid for, a car, pension scheme, investments, have saved enough to send their children to decent schools etc. etc. I am still struggling keep a modest lifestyle together for myself and family. I suppose we do not know for sure how things would have turned out if I had not been a premie - but it sure didn't help make my present 'middle aged' life any more comfortable.

Laura, like you I have very limited access to the forum but your post said what myself and many others feel
....
'My talents,my knowledge, any interests I might have had stopped when I was 20 years old. I'm 47 now'

Such things were frowned upon in the premie community. If it wasn't singing the praises of the Lord it was 'chit chat', a waste of time. Still even though we are all late starters we are somewhat the wiser and there is much to be enjoyed - I am sure you will get into many interesting pursuits. I thought Katie's reply contained some good ideas although personally working outside is not one of my favourite pastimes especially when it's cold and wet.
I have enjoyed catching up on my education - History, Art, Philosophy (those Greeks had a lot of insight, and Kant is wonderful) and of course the psychology of why we got involved with DLM in the first place. Anyway Laura, have a nice time in California - it's got to be better that the east end of London ( although it does have a sort of rugged, misty charm - if only the weather was a bit better )
Cheers
Seymour.
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Date: Sun, Sep 27, 1998 at 15:28:38 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: seymour
Subject: Awwight Seymour
Message:
'Ehe east end of London ( although it does have a sort of rugged, misty charm '

After 6 years in Romford I wish I could feel the same way!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 13:56:19 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Everyone
Subject: Bill flouts the Grand Jury
Message:
Hi:

I just finished listening to the incredible Grand Jury testimony of the President concerning whether or not he was truthful in his deposition in the Paula Jones lawsuit regarding whether or not he engaged in 'sexual relations' with Ms. Lewinsky. Apparently people do not perceive the wider implications here. The argument seems to rest on the meaning of the terms 'direct contact' and 'intent to arouse' as they are applied to the definition of sexual relations in the Paula Jones suit. Given the fact that WJC admits 'direct contact' (unless felacio involves some sort of oblique contact in a radical use of language) then his defense rests ultimately upon his implicit admission that he did not intend, and had no expectation, that 'playing the flute' would have any arousal benefit for the 'flautist.' This strikes a 'blow' for honesty in sexual relations since the conventional fiction regarding such acts subscribes to the apparently unrealistic assumption of the passive party that there is some arousal benefit for the 'deposee.' Now we all know that to be a fantasy... right?

-Scott
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 10:11:05 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Scott T.
Subject: A premie's responsibility
Message:
Hi:

I guess this thread seems so far off-topic that no one is interested in a reply. The reason I posted it has to do with my incredulity regarding the psyche of a 'leader.' If the interpretation of 'sexual relationship' that the fellow says he believes in were even slightly credible I'd have to say that there is not the slightest case for perjury. Apparently this is a definition that Charles Robb has used as well. I also think that there is a serious partisan game going on here, and that the issue of whether or not the President lied about his 'affairs' is not all that important. At least, I don't think it's worth anything like $40 million.

I doubt that he could ever be convicted of perjury since one would have to prove that he did not really believe his definition of 'relationship,' and there are apparently other idiots out there who have the same definition. (Most of them are politicians, for some reason.) This whole episode has been an enormous waste of time and resources. The bottom line is that the public (including me) deliberately elected this goofball, which probably reflects the sorry range of choices. In fact, Charles Robb was re-elected, probably because the alternative was Oliver North. These events also reinforced the somewhat healthy notion that politics IS NOT the quest for the good and the beautiful.

However, what we can excuse in a political leader is not excusable in a spiritual leader, because the latter IS the quest for the good and the beautiful… and the true. Held to the same standard the performance of M is of much greater significance, both because of the nature of the quest that he supposedly directs or orchestrates, and the nearly complete absence of any internal checks and balances. You and I are the only arbiters here. There is no institution that can demand accountability, or take any action to remove.

We simply must hold spiritual leaders to a higher standard than politicians out of the gate, and to do so demands the cooperation of believers. From everything I can tell, M's performance is a good deal worse than that of Clinton, but he will never face a Grand Jury. Premies are not absolved of responsibility simply because they are followers. They are complicit in whatever M does, because they continually make the choice to abdicate their social responsibility to hold spiritual leaders to some standard of conduct. In doing so they are subverting the search for the good, the true and the beautiful.

-Scott
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 20:30:10 (EDT)
From: garl
Email: jhughey@bigfoot .com
To: Scott T.
Subject: Bill flouts the Grand Jury
Message:
What has that to do with the subject of this site? It is really hard to get around to the subjects one seeks, without everybody going off on a tangent. That belongs on the ex-Bill Clinton page,
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 08:55:14 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: garl
Subject: power and abuse
Message:
Garl:

Occasionally people here discuss someone or something other than M. It demonstrates that we have other interests, which is healthy. Otherwise this would be nothing more than a persanality cult with a negative agenda.

-Scott
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 10:42:41 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Everyone
Subject: Some shaved heads are back!
Message:
Remember your old 'knowledge session' with

some of these guys?

Most of those 'Great Souls' must have lost it! I'm sure they were faithful and dedicated guys.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 00:37:36 (EDT)
From: bill
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Some shaved heads are back!
Message:
I'm not sure if rawat warrents any bible quotes
as validations of these so called techniques.

The going inside didn't make him or anyone else
one with god.
Why does the tongue contortion get billing as a scripturally
backed up thing?

I have an instructor made list of quotes that supposidly
relates to the techniques, but they are like bad propaganda
giving innocents the notion that maybe rawat has
scriptural validity.

Mickey the pharisee insists that jesus was not involved
with these techniques. And certainly not the slant that
rawat has which is that guru gives god to you like it is
some thing that HE owns and has domination over.

Perhaps some of your instructor programming leaked
out in the design of that page?

Charanand always said that the devotee holds the
satgurus feet in his heart, or some such nonsense,
so I asked him about that and he said 'I just picture them
above my head'. He IMAGINED them.
real stuff.

--They were partners in crime and besides hitting people,
and sexually abuseing children and innocent sisters,
they were liars and frauds.--

They deserve no better billing than that.
Put that quote in there if you want.

Thank you for your true integrity and courage.

-revelations-, that part of the bible, is insanity.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 00:53:57 (EDT)
From: JM
Email: None
To: bill
Subject: Some shaved heads are back!
Message:
I have an instructor made list of quotes that supposidly
relates to the techniques, but they are like bad propaganda
giving innocents the notion that maybe rawat has
scriptural validity


can't you post or email me that list?

As I remember my k session in 1972, that reading of those quotes was an essential part of the session. The instructors actually had a booklet full of those quotes.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 22:17:14 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: all
Subject: the Rev. Mickey speaks
Message:
Here's what Mickey the Pharisee (also known as the Rev. Michael Dresbach) said about those quotes from the Bible that were used in the knowledge session, as presented on J-M's page. It's interesting to read how the quotes were taken out of context and paraphrased in order to support a Biblical base for Maharaji's Knowledge.

Mickey says:
Here is my exegesis on the Bible passages quoted by the Mahatmas and Guru Maharaj-Ji, people with no training in biblical exegesis, people who take everything out of context just like Southern Baptists and use the goofy King James version (which is no longer respected as an accurate translation by biblical scholars). I will deal with each passage in the order with which they appear on J-M's site.

Passage 1: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?” This comes from I Corinthians 3:16 (not Corinthians as credited). What the heck does this have to do with anything? Paul is dealing with disputes among the Christians in Corinth, disputes which are threatening the unity of the community. He applies the metaphor of the temple to the community to show their unity. To destroy the unity of the community with dissension and conflict will destroy the temple of God. Others use this passage as proof that we have God within us; I think that this was a given for anyone sitting through a K session. Well, I don’t care if they used this passage; everyone twists it anyway.

Passage 2: “...and there shall be no light there, and they need no candle there, neither the light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light. (Rev. 22:5). I would translate the entire verse as: “and there will be no more night, and they won’t need the light from a lamp or the sun because God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” The Context: the author was presenting a vision of the New Jerusalem and the new world that would come about with the eschaton. This had nothing to do with ‘inner light’ and everything to do with the presence of God. In chapter 21, verse 23 it states “and the city did not need the sun or the moon for light, since it was lit by the radiant glory of God, and the Lamb was a lighted torch for it.” I think that one
must stretch a bit for this to have anything to do with inner light.

Passage 3: “The light of the body is the eye, therefore if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light' (Matt. 6:22). I know that the premies always quoted this verse, and I can see why: it is an obscure reference at best, and doesn’t make any sense. It is an example of mis-translation by the translators of James the I. The ‘aplous’ [from original Greek] can be translated as “single,” but also as “simple.” It can also be translated as “clear, sound, or healthy” which actually makes more sense than “single.” I translate this passage as “the eye is the body’s lamp. Therefore, if your eye is healthy (or clear) your whole body will be filled with light.” Now, to be fair, one must go on to the next verse, which says : “but if your eye is diseased (or your eyes are bad), your whole body will be in darkness. If the light is darkness, how great is that darkness.” When I read this in context with the other passages before and after it, it seems to me that Jesus is talking about focus, and being focused upon serving God and not material possessions. But of course, I AM in my mind!

Passage 4: “Blessed are your eyes, for they can see; blessed are your ears, for they can hear.' (Matt. 13:16). Accurate translation, but totally out of context. Jesus has just told the parable of the sower, which talks about seed falling on fallow ground, bad ground, and good fertile ground. It is a metaphor regarding people’s oneness to the message of the Reign of God (a theological concept which deals with a world in which God’s will is done, a world in which there is justice and peace, no poverty or pain or weeping or illness. It has nothing to do with ‘going inside.’). Just before this quote, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah “You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their hearts and turn-- and I would heal them.” THEN Jesus says: “But blessed are YOUR eyes, for they see, and blessed are YOUR ears, for they hear.” They are open to the message and are understanding it.

Passage 5: “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk in the light of thy countenance. In my name shall they rejoice all the day.” This was hard to find as they didn’t reference any better than ‘Psalms’ (there are 150 Psalms!). However, being a good Bible scholar, I have several analytical concordances, so I found it in Psalm 89:15, 16. The Blessed Mahatma ignored the final part of the verse: 'and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.” There is also a misquote: it is ‘thy’ name, not ‘my’ name. A modern and more accurate translation of these verses is “Happy are the people who know the FESTAL SHOUT (my emphasis)! they walk, O Lord, in the light of your presence. They rejoice daily in your Name; they are jubilant in your righteousness.” I find it difficult to connect this to the ‘inner music’ when one translates correctly. This section of the psalm (it has three sections, actually) has to do with praise to the God of Israel and His (YHWH is a he, no getting around it!) superiority over all the gods; I don’t think it has anything to do with tinnitus!

Passage 6: “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping without their harps” (Rev. 14:2). If one reads the rest of the passage, one finds out that this sound is coming from 144,000 men who are singing before the throne of the Lamb. These men have “kept themselves chaste and have not defiled themselves with women; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the first fruits of humanity for God and the Lamb. No lie was found on their lips; they are without fault” (I guess that eliminates them from the upper ranks of DLM!). I have trouble seeing how this passage has anything to do with the ‘inner music’ without a great stretch or without taking it totally out of context.

Passage 7: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' (John 1:1). The Word is “logos” in Greek and there are 2.75 pages of definition for this word in Bauer’s Greek-English Lexicon. The concept of the preexistent logos in Christian theology and Christology is a complicated subject, but it is not sitting in the lotus position breathing ‘so-hung!

AND FINALLY Passage 8: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never be thirsty, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him as a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” This is a paraphrase of four verses, and of course it has to do with drinking post nasal drip! The phrase ‘living water’ has a double meaning in Greek which can’t really be explained in English. It means ‘running water’ and in this context, a spiritual water which quenches a spiritual thirst. John’s gospel is full of similar metaphors and even more having to do with the “Bread of Life”, and this story only appears in his gospel. Yeah, it’s all about drinking snot.

I have said before, and I’ll say again, the reason they quoted from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures was to give Knowledge spiritual credibility in the West. Even though most of us receiving Knowledge in those days has left Judaism and Christianity, we still wanted to hear that it was in the Bible. Just as Yogananda and Ramakrishna and so many other Hindu groups added Jesus to their pantheon of saints to add credibility to their groups, M and his dad and the Mahatmas did this to give them a spiritual legitimacy that they would not have in the West without it.

In the spirit of taking passages out of context, I will quote the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth:
'Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (I Cor. 1:1b).
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 01:08:48 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: the Rev. Mickey speaks
Message:
Hey, that last reference should be I Cor. 8:1b, not 1:1b! Sorry!
Here endeth the lesson.
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 02:22:14 (EDT)
From: Runamok
Email: out of order
To: Katie, Mickey
Subject: the Reverent Spin
Message:
I dunno, that seems a little too easy... altho those quotes don't sound about like they are about knowledge. I can accept that at face value. I have, however, noticed tons of Chinese references to raj/kriya style techniques and given the geographic and historical expanse involved would not be so shocked to find a correlation between JudaeoChristian and HinduBuddhist practices. But rajyoga is more eastern than not. If these techniques had some influence over 1/3 of the world's people, the idea that people in the Middle East had never heard of it seems unlikely.
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 08:41:21 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Runamok
Subject: the Reverent Spin
Message:
Hi Runamok -
I think Mickey has discussed this before, and I don't think he's denying that anyone in the Middle East had ever heard of these techniques. What he (and I) object to is the claim that 'Jesus taught this Knowledge', and that quotes from the bible refer to the techniques. This was used to manipulate us, and I believe that it's untrue (and I am not a Christian).

Mickey might have more to say about this.

Take care Runamok,
Katie
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 09:48:35 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Runamok
Subject: the Reverent Spin
Message:
I think you could take any sentence with the word 'Light' and
twist it in order to link it to ANY other thing.

Of course the mahatmas and very likely some followers of Shri hans didn't choose them randomly, but they clearly took them out of their original context to somehow validate and link these meditation techniques.
Of course M doesn't use these quotes anymore, maybe he already received that kind of comments.
But still it's a part of the 'knowledge' myth among premies, like it's been for me and for many of us.

And of course these techniques are widely used in several traditions, that's why there are plenty of quotes and various references, which don't validate ANYTHING. They just show a circular reasoning.... doesn't take anywhere!
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 11:30:12 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: None
To: Runamok
Subject: the Reverent Spin
Message:
Runamok, I have no doubt that the techniques were used in several traditions, and there may have been some so-called Gnostic groups familiar with them, but I do not believe that Jesus taught the techniques. Some of the scriptures used by some of the so-called Gnostic groups often refer to 'light' and 'logos' but their cosmology was quite different than that which became so-called orthodox teaching. But I believe it is wrong to take passages out of context to push rajayoga and I don't think rajayoga was familiar to or practiced by the authors of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Dat's what I'm talkin' 'bout!
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 18:56:28 (EDT)
From: Runamok
Email: out of order
To: Mickey the Pharisee
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
Well, tons of sources claim Jesus as having spent time in the east. While unsubstantiated, there are many undocumented years.

But yeah, those mahatguys would make up whatever to sell their stuff. Sometimes when I visit the doctor I don't know if they want to sell a procedure or cure me.

On the other hand, it seems reasonable that the techniques were practiced in some form in the region of Jesus and reasonable that he might have had some contact with them or even practiced. You're probably closer to the truth than the dishonest sales force of BM but don't wash it out completely.

Unlike many on this forum, I still practice 'knowledge', at least somewhat, and really left M after 'realizing' it. Ironically I tend to side with the more atheistic bunch in arguments.

What strikes me about the history of Indian lineages is that there are many (relatively recent) incarnation claims which become controversial with the death of the guru, often resulting in rivalry. Also relevant to the conversation, the idea of the incarnation existed in India long before Christianity (or Judaism). The Chinese spin manages to avoid the intense rivalry between teachers and teaching and the techniques are common knowledge in certain circles. My first sign that something was wrong with BM was seeing the techniques in 'Secrets of the Golden Flower.'
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 01:18:00 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: None
To: Runamok
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
Runamok, I am aware that the concept of incarnation existed in Hinduism before it did in Christianity, and I have no problem with it; my problem is with people taking Jesus and adding him to their pantheon. Jesus did not teach Knowledge and it is silly to try to prove that he did. I don't believe that ant religion is superior to another. I am a Christian for many reasons and one of them is cultural, but I don't believe that Christianity is the only path. However, I do object to those who try to take Christianity and try to make it another branch of Hinduism. Jesus did not teach 'this knowledge.'
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 06:35:37 (EDT)
From: Runamok
Email: out of order
To: Mickey the Pharisee
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
Michael,

Isn't it totally reasonable that Jesus may have been a gnostic practitioner? It seems like you want to wash it all out...

Also, I want to say that I'm usually interested in your comments more than most and would hate to see flames lick up the underside of the 'table we sit at'.

My point is that the lineage thing is more problematic than the techniques themselves. Saying Jesus was the one of his time and that the lineage was passed on in a specific church is more worth disputing.

I dunno, did you/do you meditate?

Gotta Run
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 12:18:35 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: None
To: Runamok
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
Runamok, I don't expect to see 'flames lick up the underside of the table we sit at; we are just disagreeing.

I don't think that it is probable that Jesus was a Gnostic or followed Gnostic practices; so-called Gnosticism (these groups didn't call themselves Gnostic, that is a term given them by their enemy Irenaeus) of the Christian variety is a mixture of Persian mysticism and Christian beliefs. There was some Jewish Gnosticism, but I really don't see any proof that Jesus was aware of or was a member of such groups. We can speculate all we want, we can speculate that he traveled all over Asia and learned the secrets of every tradition, but that is nothing more than speculation. There are no authentic sources which put forth such an idea.

Regarding meditation, I did meditate as a premie and for a while after I left, but I no longer meditate.
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 17:31:50 (EDT)
From: Runamok
Email: None
To: Mickey the Pharisee
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
Isn't there circumstantial evidence (not hard evidence) of Jesus being a Jewish gnostic, i.e. the role he took as a teacher, his nonalligned juxtaposition with Pharisees and Sadducees. Wouldn't it make sense if he was a Gnostic?
Also. the 'missing years' subject to much New Age speculation, are great in number and significant because of this alone. I mean most of the guys life is unrecorded. I wouldn't balk on any theory... What do you think he might have been up to? Working as a carpenter?
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 18:55:24 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: None
To: Runamok
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
I have not read anything that suggested Jesus was a Jewish Gnostic. I've read something that suggested he may have been a Cynic philosopher, but it was less than convincing. Being against the Pharisees and Saducees showed him to be a prophet, like many at that time. Being against the Pharisees and Saducees could also mean that he may have had connections with the community at Qumran or even the Essenes (who were not Gnostics but a Fundamentalist Apocalyptic sect), but not a Jewish Gnostic. As far as the 'missing years' are concerned, I have no idea what he did, but I doubt that what one reads in the 'Aquarian Gospel of the Christ' has any basis in fact. Maybe he did work as a carpenter, maybe he ran a 'Jesus's Mystical Furniture' stall out in the market! We don't know. But it will take a lot to get me to accept the 'Jesus taught this Knowledge' stance or the 'Jesus was a Gnostic' stance.
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Date: Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 06:39:39 (EDT)
From: Runamok
Email: None
To: Mickey the Pharisee
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
Agreed, the Aquarian Gospel is prob not worth the paper it's printed on. If what you say is true (and you obviously have more formal background in this than me),my corrected assertion would be that Jesus might have been associated or a part of the communities mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls i.e. not a Jewish Gnostic.
But your assertion that being against the Pharisees and Sads makes J a prophet is circumstantial and then some. It would make sense for a prophet to be socially discontented: okay. But there would have been more people who were discontented and not prophets.
Likewise, Robert Graves asserts that the Pharisees were the backbone of his movement and the gospel writers have done them a disservice.
I still think the missing years loom large with possiblities. Why would there be multiple histories of Jesus and no discussion of these years? Probably for the worst of reasons- e.g. that the gospels are doctored propaganda to some extent. Likewise it's the early church (Council of Trent, correct me if I'm wrong) which bans the prevalent concept of reincarnation- another indicator of Eastern influence.
Part of this is about the value of the meditation. If you think it's worthless you'll be inclined to assume it's not present at the time and place of Jesus. A banker at the time would have traded in diamonds at least sometime.... even if they were rare in the region.
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Date: Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 15:55:56 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: mgdbach@ziplink.net
To: Runamok
Subject: Gnostic Boogie
Message:
I agree that the gospel writers have done the Pharisees a diservice, and that some Pharisees were important to Jesus' movement (heck, Paul was a Pharisee before he converted), but I think that the idea of Jesus as an eschatological prophet is a reasonable accurate portrayal. As far as the 'lost years' are concerened, they are not my area of study; I am studying the concepts of so-called heresy, so-called orthodoxy, and experiential authority in the first three centuries of the Church for my M.A. thesis. I don't think that the missing years held any importance to the writers of the synoptic gospels, because they only cared about the (possibly) three-year ministry of Jesus.
I don't feel that meditation is worthless, it just doesn't hold any value for me personally. My wife practices 'centering prayer' which is a form of meditation. I don't practice it because I am still carrying a lot of baggage regarding meditation from my DLM days.
Regards,
Michael
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Date: Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 16:50:56 (EDT)
From: Runamok
Email: None
To: Mickey the Pharisee
Subject: Echatological Boogie
Message:
So, sounds like you are not meditating to keep your distance from M- and that it's only been a few years. (Forgive me for not being more up on your journey.)
Eschatological prophet? Maybe but a Machiavellian construction could be argued and I'm afraid that it's some of both.
Interestingly the old prophets often spoke with an incarnational implication. That's the strength in your argument although exactly what would make him the FINAL prof seems more like propaganda than fact to me.
But if heresy in the context of JC's time to 300 AD is part of your focus, than the reincarnational aspect of the early church and the pre-existing implication of eastern influence is up your alley, no?
I guess my respect for Jesus is what he was in contrast to what M was in my life (i.e. a CON!).
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Date: Sat, Sep 26, 1998 at 19:03:21 (EDT)
From: Mickey the Pharisee
Email: mgdbach@ziplink.net
To: Runamok
Subject: Eschatological Boogie
Message:
Runamok, this thread is about to go over to the other side; why don't you e-mail me at mgdbach@ziplink.net and we can continue the discussion. I have some comments regarding metempsychosis or reincarnation and the stance of the early Church. I have some information regarding its condemnation at the Councils of Lyons and Florence. I hope to hear from you.
Regards,
Michael
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:58:21 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: No Bible quotes, please...
Message:
...the Reverend Mickey will have a fit. Seriously, I don't think the techniques and quotes from the Bible have anything to do with each other, and as Bill said, the quotes tend to falsely validate the techniques (not to mention falsely validating Maharaji).

Respectfully,
Katie

P.S. I did like seeing the pictures of David Stirling again though!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:27:45 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: No Bible quotes, please...Why?
Message:
Yes Katie,

this is exactly as K was presented in the early 70s.

'My' mahatma did quote Bible (and Gita) in lenght before initiation!
The even had a booklet full of quotes for that purpose.
I used to travel with mahatmas at that time, as a translator, and I've read the book enough time (to prepare my translations) to remember what was in it. I've also been a part of dozens of k sessions (as a translator) at that time. That was DEFINITELY the feeling!
I expect a copy of this booklet.

This is how k was presented at that time.
That doesn't validate anything IMHO, it only shows how naive people have been deceived.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:30:55 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: OK OK Katie
Message:
I imagine that page needs an introduction, as christians might be sensitive to this issue.

Could you please help me writing it?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:42:57 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: OK OK Katie
Message:
Hi J-M -
I think it's OK to have the quotes around on the site somewhere as examples of what people were told about the knowledge techniques I remember being told those very same things, believe me! What I objected to was putting together the quotes and the techniques on your page without much comment. (I am sure Mickey could (and will) give us a totally different interpretation of those quotes! Better watch out for him! :) )

I'll help you write an introduction, and maybe Mickey can help too. I'll e-mail you.
Regards,
Katie
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:01:55 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: OK OK Katie
Message:
OK, thank you!

I've mixed these quotes and the techniques purposely, because
that gives the general feeling of those old k sessions.
Some quotes from the Gita are still missing, I know.
If you read those satsangs of BBJ I've also on my site, I think
the picture is quite good.
Maybe your intro could also refer to him, or that kind of stuff.
BTW, I think there must be something like that in Who is GM ...
I also have a copy.
I know m won't like that AT ALL, but this is the way things were at that time, maybe that's the 'garbage' he's been talking about recently!
He can't go away with this, and he WON'T.
Editing these pages is quite easy for me, I've been so much into the whole trip, it's almost natural!
I've been working on the French version of the DLM's magazines for YEARS! Can you believe this? full time !!! Not being paid,
as a good dedicated ashram premie!
At least it's been useful for something....
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:57:32 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Thanks Jean-Michel
Message:
JM, Thanks for publishing the material. It helps me realise more and more I have not 'made a mistake' by leaving Knowledge. I tend to blame myself for every thing that doesn't work out, and its really healthy to see the facts in black and white (on my screen anyway!.

He was a lot more honest in those days - now he obviously isn't because no-one would buy the philosophy behind it all. Yet it's still there, hiding behind everything he does. I think that's what makes it such a zombie kind of organisation now. All those true hearts,slaving away to realise his vainglorious dream. And the new recruits oblivious to what it's really about, making them equal suckers to the loyal who've given their whole adult life. And now I know where the 'little secrets' the 'old' premies whisper to you, to help your faith, come from. They come from what Maharaji himself and his spokespeople telling them, all those years ago.

Recently a lovely long-time premie, who's marriage was over, had a terrible job, couldn't use his talents in the market place, no money, very down - managed to scrape it together to go on a trip somewhere to see M and told me before he left - 'you know Knowledge is a world-wide family of premies and wherever you go you are not alone'. And now I know where he got that from. Wow.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:00:46 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: JM
Subject: Question
Message:
Does anyone know the quotes from the Bible etc which were apparently used when people got initiated in the 'old' days? I was told there were lots of biblical quotes used at the initiations.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:16:46 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: Answer... I hope
Message:
Judith: When I was initiated back in 75 (or was it 76, I can never keep it straight), the quotes that Rajeswar used were identical to those that JM just posted. They were among the most 'appropriate' (misinterpreted???). There may be others, but these are like a blast-from-the-past for me!

- An aside, during the initiation, Rajeswar asked about the importance of the bible in our lives. A few future premies spoke up and said it was very important. Rajeswar then picked up the bible from his lap and slung it across the room (no one was hit, though). He said, 'NO, GMJ is your only bible now!' One person (I think, may have been two) got up and left right then. They were the SMART ONES, weren't they?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:24:19 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Answer... I hope
Message:
Mike:

When I was initiated back in 75 (or was it 76, I can never keep it straight)

Feb. 14, 1976

-Scott
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:29:40 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Scott T.
Subject: Oops
Message:
Mike:

Actually, I think my memory is worse than yours. I'm sure about the date, but was wrong about the year. If the Millenium festival was in 1973 then we received Knowledge in mid-February of the year following, which would be 1974.

-Scott
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:35:51 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Scott T.
Subject: Oops
Message:
Scott: OH MY GOD..... YOU MEAN I WAS 'BORN' A YEAR EARLIER THAN I THOUGHT? No wonder I went wrong.... I've been on the wrong time-travel train... he he he. Seriously, I think you are right, because I seem to remember that it was 74, too. The reason I thought it was later was because of your 'story.' In fact, we can clear this up if anyone knows the date of the Amherst Guru Puja festival back then. We were both premies before that happened. Jeez, are we simpletons or what?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:39:55 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Scott
Subject: Update to Scott
Message:
Scott: You aren't going to believe this, but I found a piece of paper that I've carried in my wallet forever that had the date on it. YOU ARE RIGHT, it was 1974! Now.... to burn that paper...where's my matches, doggone it!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:01:04 (EDT)
From: david m
Email: whaler32@aol.com
To: Mike
Subject: Oops
Message:
Hey Mike.......
The amhurst fest was in july of 1974 I remember it very well riding along with GM in a white jeep while he graced!!!!!!!! the throngs with his darshan......wow I cannot believe all that has happened
since then at that time i thought things could be no better in life just keep giving all my money and i do mean alot $$$$$$$$$$my wife at the time together we sold all our earthly possesions and all the money we recieved from our wedding ...woooooow
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:09:08 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: david m
Subject: Thanks for the confirm!
Message:
david: THANKS! That is a definite confirmation. Yeah, I remember that jeep. You know what's worse (better)???? I had been outside so long that I got a case of heat exhaustion and had to go inside right before the jeep arrived at my location. NO DARSHAN for MIKEY!!!! After I woke up and realized that I missed his 'presence,' I was NOT a happy camper. You wouldn't believe how long I felt GUILTY for not being able to be a good premie and gut-it-out to kiss the feet! Hooked, I was... hooked, hooked, hooked! Better yet, SICK I was... sick, sick, sick! ;-)

- Dave, were you ever in portland, oregon? Did you, by chance, travel from there to amherst in our magic bus? (that broke down in nebraska...)
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:14:37 (EDT)
From: david m
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Thanks for the confirm!
Message:
Mike.....
no i never really went west until 1978.. i went back to michigan after amhurst and steve braband and maharaj ji cook visited me driving raja ji car fm Mass...god it seems so long age and then again it seem like yesterday...dave
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 18:08:45 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: david m
Subject: Thanks for the confirm!
Message:
Dave: You know, thinking about amhurst brought back an overall feeling of a carnival or circus atmosphere. I rememeber lots of chachka booths and the never-ending performance of 'krishna lila.' What a zoo... I think(?) that was the first time that he had 'durga' on stage with him, wasn't it?
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 19:17:20 (EDT)
From: david m
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: durga
Message:
Mike....
I think you are correct... i was doing alot of WPC service.. and was pretty burned out.. I remember a submarine and pizza place
just on the edge of campus Picking up lots of pizza.. for the higer ups.....dave
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 19:25:55 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: david m
Subject: WPC
Message:
Dave: I found that the terms 'WPC' and 'burnout' were synonyms! he he he. ;-)
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:07:50 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: About the 'Light' etc
Message:
It took me a while to think on this, because I've been trapped into this too!

M's purpose (consciously or unconsciously - inherited 'teaching') is to take you into a belief system.
This belief system is somehow related to some religious traditions for various reasons: historical, Hindu and Christian social context, etc.
There has to be some links between all these elements, it is built in the structure of the belief system.
There are other groups using similar techniques, where followers have the same kind of experiences, and they don't speak of light or holy name or whatever. As some of those groups are more or less in the religious environment, you might of course find some similar references.
I can be more precise about what I've experienced myself: I've practiced Theravada Buddist meditation, and all their references are linked to the Buddist traditions, even though the 'experience' is the same, never speaking of any 'light' or 'holy name' etc.
The fact that such and such particular Scripture speaks about such and such so-called 'experience' of 'Light' or whatever doesn't validate (or invalidate) anything.
The facts are that meditation (for those who are lucky to have any experience in its practise) gives you some kind of inner feeling or 'experience'.
I am strongly convinced that the way it manifests whilst you practise is totally influenced by the conditioning you receive in the group where you practise, and by your own personal background.
Don't forget: you know very well that simple fact that in order to have any 'experience' in meditation, you have to be in a certain mood. M calls this 'grace' or surrender or letting go etc, I would call it suggestibility.
It is a very well known fact for psychologists that whatever you 'experience' in those special states is totally dependent on your psychological environment and conditioning.
And that's where your Light (and other techniques) goes.
For people who are in NDE, no need to say what they link it to, etc etc.
I can't prove I'm right, but there are lots of hints in psychology without going into any of the new-age theories.

I am a rational mind, and I'm very satisfied with that kind of explanation.

Why do we (or did we) need to locate our inner feelings in that type of environment is for me the best question to ask ourselves.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 20:52:56 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: About the 'Light' etc
Message:
Thanks Jean Michel - what you said seems remarkably true. Because I found an old diary recently where I described having finally had 'an experience' with knowledge, doing service on a knowledge review session for new premies.

Practicing in a room with an instructor and about ten new premies, and having just had my 1st technique corrected I said in the diary that I actually had a really good experience - the only really strong experience since actually receiving knowledge a whole year before. I actually felt that I 'went somewhere' and felt bliss. I can't find the diary this minute.

Its interesting - I definitely enjoyed the experience, but no wonder I found this site about 6 months later - 2 strong experiencs out of approximately 540 hours of practice is a very low ratio.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 23:52:08 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: About the 'Light' etc
Message:
I think that's really the core of the matter, and that's really one of the rational reasons premies believe k really works.
Because they definitely have an experience, clearly related to the group.
But as long as you're in it, you can't see the obvious, even though you know you NEED to be a part of the festivals etc

This is where the addictive phenomenon comes from.
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 10:06:59 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: About the 'Light' etc
Message:
J-M:

Re: It is a very well known fact for psychologists that whatever you 'experience' in those special states is totally dependent on your psychological environment and conditioning.
And that's where your Light (and other techniques) goes.
For people who are in NDE, no need to say what they link it to, etc etc.


I agree in general, and David Lane's experiments and observations tend to support the idea that certain aspects of the experience are socially conditioned. I have some objections to the words 'totally dependent,' since there must be some experience at the core that serves as the basis for the socially conditioned elaborations. If that core experience is somehow of divine origin I think we still have to acknowledge that it rarely, if ever, is taught or propagated by a specially endowed divine being. That is, on close inspection the so-called 'Master' is always just an ordinary human being, with conventional human flaws. That realization is often a bitter disappointment.

-Scott
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 10:44:47 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Scott T.
Subject: About the 'Light' etc
Message:
I agree: 'totally' is an overstatement.
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 23:29:50 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Everyone
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
In a brief commuication with Brian this morning,(9-20-98) he was informed that no further time on my behalf could be spent concerning this site. Out of courtesy to Bill, Jerry and Jim, who took the time to comment on the writing 'Mr. Sherwood Explains It All,' here are my final comments toto them and all on these matters. Bill: We wold need more space then this site could allow to discuss all the questions you have. All I can do is speak for myself and express that the 'consequences of Maharaj's words' in my life, have been wonderful. I'm sure you know that somethings in life aren't always easy. Yet one can realize, that good will always win in the end, as long as one never gives up. And can you speak for everyone when you say 'no one' has 'made it?' You certainly don't speak for me. You might consider printing a copy of my initial writing and reading it every day until your questions are all answered. You gave me the impression, whether you'd admit it or not, that you'd lke to find the way back. Don't give up. Jerry: You're absolutely correct. I'm surprised every day by life's generousity, care and consideration. It touches my heart so that brings further graditude and at times, tears of joy. Jim: The writing made no sense to you. Which doesn't mean that sense isn't there. Remember, the world was still round when certain individuals spoke for everyone, when they said it was flat. In closing, let me assure you that no one here takes his past forgranted. The three dates included in the text, testifies to this. This will be my final comments because really, this is your discussion, collectively and individ
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 23:53:20 (EDT)
From: Bill
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Why don't you have a look at the posts by 'student'
down a few inches.
And look at my response to him.
I say that student is your beloved Maharaji posting on the forum.
See if you agree.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 00:19:12 (EDT)
From: bill
Email: None
To: Bill
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Ron,
As you suggested, I reread your post to see what sentences would be of future help.
Chances are good that I feel my breath alot more than you do.
Chances are good that I was more of a devotee to maharaji
than you have been. Your writeing reveals your loose
approach and view of him.

No one can convice you of anything and that is not what we are
about here.
We speak the truth amongst ourselves and for those that
have the confidence that they will not be harmed by
expressing thier honest thoughts and beliefs.

You feel that your post was studded with understanding of life
and reality. Perhaps you want to review that post and
see if you don't want to try rewriting it.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 11:39:39 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: bill
Subject: Well said, bill... (nt)
Message:
nt
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 12:08:41 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: bill
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Bill: The one thing I wish to avoid is a debate here.And as I said, I've lent a bit of my heart to ths discussion and that's it. Yet I've noticed somethng here that all of you need to think about. Stop judging. Who can you say you feel your breath more then anyone or that you were a better student etc.? The past can not defend you because where are you today? Thus you show your own incorrectness via your judgement and negitive attempt at some kind of childish put down. If you take the time to review, you will notice, that no where in my writings do I place jdgement, comparison or put-down. Try ths, you'll see who needs o re-write their words. Bihari Sing (Who I'm honored to say helped inspire me to Knowledge) told a story once about one Premie's mother who every day, complained about 'you know who' and complained, complained and complained. The story concluded by saying, unknowingly, she was fulfilling a part of her life by 'remembering him.' Now all she needs to do is turn the misconception and judgements around, concluded this story. Well it's easy to see that this story is probobly in many of your lives? And to the point aimed at me about forgetting my past? Well thoe dates I initially gave begs to differ. And remember Bill it's not just feelng your breath. There is something that happens beyond the breath, a certain experience of love that can never be judged or compared by others, such as yourself. I'm in the music industry and a song of mine which I wrote may come out this or next year by a certain major recording artist. When it does, I hope you enjoy it, because there's something in it for you. Yo'll know it when you hear it. Take care.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 12:49:06 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Ron: If I may interject, I'm not entirely sure why you don't want to 'debate.' There is nothing wrong with a healthy debate and to say otherwise is judgemental. In fact, concerning 'judging,' your post is full of judgement. Without saying it, you assume that we are all miserable, for example. WE ARE NOT! You probably 'assume' that we are all in-our-minds. WE ARE! But it means something very different and negative to you. See what I'm saying.... YOU CAN'T STOP JUDGING, no one can! Judgement is part of our makeup as humans with brains. We must use our judgement to avoid problems. For example, we don't walk into street when a car is coming and it is too close. What is 'too close?' This IS A JUDGEMENT CALL! I'm not talking about 'personal' judgements here. As to who was the 'most dedicated' between you and Bill, who the heck knows. But, I believe Bill was responding to an apparent 'holier-than-thou' attitude that permeates almost every missive we receive from 'current premies.' Who ARE YOU to 'judge' that we didn't practice enough to realize the knowledge? Who ARE YOU to judge our former relationship with the 'lord of the universe?' If you think that you aren't (haven't been) judging, please THINK AGAIN! BTW, you 'judge' when you say that Bill is judging...

- Now, as to Bihar's story: Bihar' story is meaningless because M isn't the lord, isn't a great meditation teacher, or a great humanitarian! Therefore, the story is MOOT! Now, PROVE ME WRONG! Prove that he isn't just after 'the money.' Prove that he can work miracles. Prove anything positive about him, at all. I CAN PROVE that he is living a ludicrous lifestyle borne on the backs of hardworking premies. I CAN prove that he doesn't NEED his very own personal smog-belching airplane to get to amaroo (or wherever). Do you realize how much air pollution one of his 'trips' dumps into our air???? How many TONS of pollution???? How many people does he carry in his luxury-airliner??? Why can't he ride in a commercial conveyance that is already heading in that direction??? I CAN prove that he doesn't NEED multiple cars (one for every day of the week?) How many cars can YOU drive at a time, Ron? I venture a guess that the lord can only drive one-at-a-time, too! SHALL I GO ON? This IS a debate, Ron. We are using (or have used) our brains to determine (judge) the veracity of M. Does he practice what he preaches? Is what he is preaching 'true?'

- A few sentences that say things like, 'I feel so much love' prove nothing because 'I' feel SO MUCH LOVE when I am with my daughter or my wife. In fact, 'I' feel so much love for the people on this forum! M has NOTHING to do with the love that I feel and never has. What I just said, in these last few sentences, has as much validity as what any premie says about feeling 'so much love' for M. Again, if you disagree, PROVE ME WRONG! PROVE that YOUR love is so much better and higher than MY love! The difference, to me, is that I love REAL people! You, on the other hand, love a LIAR!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 13:33:07 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron
Subject: An example of a LIE!
Message:
Ron: In case you took exception with the LIAR thing, let me give you an example of a real lie that M told.

- M, the lord of lords, god of gods, greater than god, master of all masters, knower of all things known (ad nauseum) said that, 'seeds are dead.' This came up during a discussion about being a vegetarian.

- FACT: A seed is no more dead that a fertilized human embryo or a dormant frog-egg sitting in a dried-up pool at the top of the Grand Canyon (waiting for the first rain to fill the pools). His statement was not only inaccurate, but coming from the lord it is a LIE! Even we mere humans, with our limited scientific knowledge and understanding, KNOW that a SEED IS ALIVE! It 'may' be dormant, but it is alive. So from this we have to make a simple decision: Either M is not god or god is a liar. If M is not god, then why does he allow others to say that he is and do absolutely NOTHING about it? Allowing that thought to exist within his devotees is a LIE, in and of itself. But, if he IS god, then god is a LIAR! So which is it? There isn't any gray area here. Either he is a LIAR or he is a LIAR, so which is it?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 12:52:39 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Sherwood' ultimate defense
Message:
a story once about one Premie's mother who every day, complained about 'you know who' and complained, complained and complained. The story concluded by saying, unknowingly, she was fulfilling a part of her life by 'remembering him.' Now all she needs to do is turn the misconception and judgements around, concluded this story.

I've already heard that sort of theory: the ultimate defense of the brainwashed mind, sort of.
HOW is it possible for a faithful premie to imagine and rationalize that a former devotee could dis the LOTU?

What's funny about it, is that having had that type of reasoning (I had it too), you can still leave M .... and not be changed into a frog, and not be devoured by the evil mind ....
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 13:17:57 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Sherwood' ultimate defense
Message:
J-M said (regarding the story about the person who hated M and thus 'remembered' him all the time):

What's funny about it, is that having had that type of reasoning (I had it too), you can still leave M .... and not be changed into a frog, and not be devoured by the evil mind ....

Yeah, but what happens when you get bored with Maharaji? Every once in a while I get upset about something he said or did because of how it affected one of the people on the forum, but otherwise I find him incredibly boring and not worth thinking about.

I guess I'm really in trouble, now!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:00:38 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Sherwood' ultimate defense
Message:
Dear Jean-Michel: Ok, you folks are being civil so I'll stay and chat as long as it stays so for now. I really do have a busy schedule and still believe this is more for all of you then me, so when I'm out of here that will be it. For now lets get it on! The fact of the matter is that you ARE still remembering Maharaji. And to Mike let me say brainwash? Here we go again with judgeing. If you knew me at all personally, not just commenting from your position on life which I very much respect, you would understand that notion toward this soul is just not true. Back to the issue of 'seed:' When I recieved Knowledge back on November 9,1979 in Micheal Detners' session, Maharaji gave him a messege which related to us. 'Don't waste a single seed.' Thus we we're obviously very much alive. I'm not aware the event your speaking of so I can't really comment on it other then to say that old adage 'its not in the words alone' Now don't come back with brainwash stuff for that kind of talk will get us no where. Yet there are several different contexts on subjects that we all use. How about the time he told Kathy Sullivan who was waiting to see if he'd remember her birthday and confronted her by saying 'Happy birthday, you're 34 today right?' That blew her mind because she was only 28 or 29. When she realized how she brought it all on herself and just let go, he was back and told her he was just kidding and of course she looks her age. He's said many things abot seeds. He's not a liar. He is something very precious. Thank you for your comments.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:55:06 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Polite yes, respectful, no
Message:
Ron,

I'd be happy to talk with you or any other premie here. In fact, I've done so often. I'd also be happy to discuss things civilly. The problem, however, Ron, is that there's no way in the world I can respect you. Sorry, fella, that's just not possible.

See, for me, respect denotes holding someone in some esteem for some reason or other. I respect all human beings to the extent that I think they should be able to live and enjoy fundamental freedoms simply because I hold human life in some esteem. But premies' beliefs, unfortunately, just don't make the grade. Why? Because they're held at the expense of all sorts of other qualities I really do cherish: honesty, self-worth, independent thinking, willingness to seek out the truth at the expense of personal habit or comfort and, as much as any other, humility. Premies lack the humility to admit that they may have been wrong about this guru guy, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that he's a fraud.

So, civility's all yours. That is, at least as long as you're civil yourself and that means answering questions as forthrightly as you possibly can. Look how the country's in such an uproar over Clinton's deception and evasiveness. People don't like that kind of interaction. Yet that's exactly how premies have behaved here over. Not a single one has had the guts to discuss Maharaji thoroughly and openly. Not one.

But, like I say, if YOU can conduct yourself like an adult in that respect I promise you nothing but civility. 'kay?

Now, gettting down to things, I can explain a bit more of the 'seed' thing, if you like. Maharaji was asked about vegetarianism sometime back in '74 and he explained that that was the natural course for man. Why? Because, as he said, plants don't come from live things, they come from seeds which, he was careful to explain, are dead. In fact, Maharaji went on to mention that they exist in a 'cycle of death' -- that is, dead things coming from dead things. Moreover, Maharaji added that he wasn't just parroting (misconstruing?) something he'd read somewhere. This was his 'experience' he claimed. He 'wasn't lying'.

If you want, I could find you the direct quote but hey, Ron, why not simply trust me? It was something I posted a few months ago, in any event. Someone around here has to have it. Anyway, it'd be in the archives.

Now, here's the point. Maharaji either does or doesn't know what he's talking about. Again, he raised the ante on this one -- telling people that they should trust him, he was talking from 'experience'. I remember how we used to think he knew SO much, and had SUCH expansive awareness of the universe. Why? Because he and all his people promoted him like that. So, when Maharaji said that he'd actually EXPERIENCED this 'fact', who were we to question?

Of course, it was a very, very, VERY stupid thing to say. Please deal with it and eal with it fairly.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:01:03 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV>Net
To: Jim
Subject: Polite yes, respectful, no
Message:
Jim: Thank you for understanding about civil language. Beaware that there are different point of views to complex issues. For example, as you Brought up The President and how people don't like the way he's conducted himself: Understand that a even greater issue is developing all over the nation (and world) that many more people are concerned, even upset over how the process 'got him' and how the political process is now 'getting him' as it represents a major push to the right toward all of our national and civil liberties. On all those qualities like humility and the rest: To me, they are the qualities that Knowledge promotes, not the opposite. Though you don't know me trust this: This person wishes to exist in them, learn further and grow as a person every day. The experience of Knowledge holds those qualities that you and I hold dear, dearly also. Maybe you met Premies who were having problems, but that's not me nor is it the experience Maharaji offers. For example, he does not say 'trust me' as in blindly as
you are implying. Recently he said have the experience first...then trust grows by itself. (As is the case in all walks of life.) And about Maharaji and the seed situation: Look, I have no reason to doubt youhave the text of what he said. Yet I could show you 100 other examples about what he's said about seeds, that I'm sure you'd agree with. As in the Bible Jesus on many occasions contridicts things he's sad, or is he just giving another point of view, perspective or reality. Again, we can get lost in the words, yet where is your heart right now Jim? I mean right now. Are you feeling happy an enjoying your day? I hope so and give ya a thumbs up!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:03:45 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Polite yes, respectful, no
Message:
And about Maharaji and the seed situation: Look, I have no reason to doubt youhave the text of what he said. Yet I could show you 100 other examples about what he's said about seeds, that I'm sure you'd agree with. As in the Bible Jesus on many occasions contridicts things he's sad, or is he just giving another point of view, perspective or reality. Again, we can get lost in the words, yet where is your heart right now Jim? I mean right now. Are you feeling happy an enjoying your day?

Ron,

At a certain point, a person has to be accountable for their words. How much more so for a supposed 'Master' who's asked his followers to devote their lives to him and trust him implicitly?
In this case, Maharaji was speaking complete gibberish. This has nothing to do with any 'seed' metaphors. This has to do with him supposedly explaining why plants aren't alive like animals and thus okay to eat.

If you can't acknowledge that Maharaji was simply wrong then I've got interest in talking with you any further.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:54:33 (EDT)
From: Gerry
Email: None
To: Jim
Subject: Polite yes, respectful, no
Message:
Jim,

Can't you see this guy is just some moron? Christ, he can't even spell. And he doesn't make any sense. My question to you is why even bother? Personally I'm bored to death by the whole BM topic. It's worse than talking about Clinton's dick.

You are an intelligent, talented guy. I hope this is just a hobby for you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was an obsession.

PS you forgot the 'no' in that last sentence. Freudian slip?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 16:20:19 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Ron: The 'seed' issue was in the context of explaining to premies why they should be vegetarians vice meat-eaters. I, for one, found his explanation (e.g. seeds are dead therefore it's not life) to be insulting. It IS by 'words alone' that I 'judge' when those words are inaccurate, incorrect or a feeble attempt at false intellectualism. I particularly take offense at fake-science and the attempt to distort science into something that it is not. For example, M's comment that 'fewer hairs' indicate the evolution of man (if you care to read the original quote, Jim posted it below). I take great offense at his oversimplifications. They come for one of two reasons: (1) He really doesn't know anything beyond his elementary school education (ie, he isn't the lord) or (2) He thinks that we are idiots and doesn't care to really explain anything. Personally, I think both answers are correct! Don't YOU get insulted by his treatment of your intellect? YOU SHOULD!

- Now on to another thing: You didn't answer a single question that I posed nor prove anything for which I asked proof. Doesn't this make you wonder about what it is that you 'know?' Simple questions are all that I asked, yet I receive no answer. This, by the way, is common when asking for info from current premies. Answering my questions with 'generalities' concerning 'remembering' and 'birthday stories' insults me and does you no justice. I'm NOT an idiot or a moron. I'm an intelligent, thinking person that deserves answers to the questions that he asks in an honest manner. Those are HONEST questions and deserve the same in response. Yet, all I hear are things like, 'let him in your heart dear brother....' or the equivalent thereof. My question to you, then, is this: WHY SHOULD I? Answer that simple question, OK?

- Ron, concerning the lying by M: Premies said (and say) that M is god. M is not god. Other premies say that he never said that he was god. Ok, let's assume that he never did. If he does nothing to dispel the 'rumor,' then he is approving its spread by 'silent ascent.' He, by his silence, is allowing people to assume that he is supposed to be god. By doing so, he HIMSELF is telling that lie, whether the words come out of his mouth or not. If someone said, 'Mike is god!' I would be the first to publicly and vociferously state that I am NOT GOD! So why doesn't he? Does he think that he's god? If he is supposed to be god, why does he make SO MANY mistakes? Why does he make (attempted scientific)statements that are SO INCORRECT? I'm sorry, but I just don't believe, for a single second, that GOD would make those mistakes. If 'he' put it ALL together, he would darned sure know how it works (and he would be able to explain it to our puny little minds, too)!!!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:30:18 (EDT)
From: RonSherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Mike
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Mike: I will honestly try to answer any question I'm ca pable of and without a 'flower-child/Hey brother' context. But first answer me a few simple questions for reference: Did you recieve Knowledge? When? And how long haven't you been practing. Yes, no's, dates, that's all I'm asking here. Then it will be easier for me to continue. Thank you.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:39:22 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: RonSherwood
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Ron: Yes, I received K in Feb of 1975(?) (I keep confusing whether it was 75 or 76, sorry) I stopped practicing in 1985. Ten years of SERIOUS efforts.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 18:16:27 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Mike
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Mike: Ok, thank you for the information. Allow me to communicate and I hope it will be helpful. First off, we both know Maharaji has a greater education then a 7th or 8th grader. And not because he's so worldly traveled or that he flys a jet plane. (His IQ must be around 200 I would suspect by his understanding of avionics and his ability to function there. Let's go back, all the way back. Here's a man who at 8 years old, had 2 million people come before him, bringing him on to the world stage. (Understand that never before in all of this planets' history can you find those kind of numbers for an 8 year old boy. So lets both agree that the kid certainly had something on the ball. So the first thing you have to do is change a bit of your aditude and hostility. For if you don't, let's face it, anything I express to you will be me wasting my time. OK? Case in point, you judgeing him as an uneducated person. We both know that again, is not the case. On to gift giving: Of course you're correct when you say you don't charge someone for a gift. And neither has he ever. And Knowledge is a very special gift, to me. But people do give gifts to those who have given them gifts. And Maharaji never accepts gifts from people who aren't giving it from the heart. Many times he has refused cars and even several million dollar checks from those who were just playing an ego game at him. So much for the money hungry moneygrabber hostility, aye? About seeds: There are cases when seeds have died. So maybe your not understanding what e was actually talkng about. And what about the countless, yes countless times he's spoken abou the wonder and miracle of a seed. Will you appreciate that or ignore it? People will say what people will say. Each of our lives are to valuble and beautiful to get sidetracted. Who is he you ask? He says to have that experience inside first, then you'll know. And then anything and everythin he has said will make perfect sense to you. Until then, everything will stand empty, even what I could tell you about my experience. And it has been as wonderful and amazing and as precious to my lfe and heart as anything I've ever read about or heard about in the history books. Note: I don't mean to cut you off. I'm already io minutes lat to go pick my son up from school. (I work out of a home office.) Let's continue this later. I hope I've been helpful to you up to this point. It only gets etter. Stay patient. Thank you.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 18:54:55 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Do you believe it's possible for someone to still have that experience you describe if they see gm as devious, ruining peoples lives & creating a whole dependency culture?. That's apart from doubting 'I will bring peace to this world', in less than twenty or was it 25 year. I believe he stated this in the 70's?
Why do you suspect his IQ must be around 200 because of his skill in avionics?
As for the crowd sizes, lets be honest here, he didn't start from scratch, he did inherit a few people from his dad.
Do you see the experience of knowledge and gm as the same thing, or seperate?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 04:32:04 (EDT)
From: jean-michel
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: as for the crowd's size
Message:
As for the crowd sizes, lets be honest here, he didn't start from scratch, he did inherit a few people from his dad.

maybe he inherited a few hundreds of thousands from his father, obviously, and those faithful Indians were indeed fascinated by the 'miracle' of their beloved Guru having a new human body!
You have to consider the context!

BUT:

what about the 200,000 he now has (at most) in India?
Most of them received k recently.
IF he had such a IQ and such powers and wisdom, how come he's lost all of these faithful followers almost?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:11:21 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Ron, have you never had any serious question marks about maharaji, that you didn't think were coming from just your negativity or your mind?

By the way, appreciate you putting yourself on this forum, most premies seem to find it much too difficult to handle or a waste of time.

Big up to you.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:21:47 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Ron: OK, I understand you have to get the children... No Problem. I will respond to the points you brought up so far:

- Charging for a gift: Yes, he does charge for his 'gift.' Early on, it was called service. 'Required' service (to him) is a charge. Additionally, the CONSTANT cajoling for money so that we could show our 'gratitude' by buying him his umpteenth Mercedes was ludicrous. Why didn't he recommend that our service and money be directed at humanity vice him personally? Because he wouldn't have the house-on-the-hill, that's why. Yes, I've been there, so I know how opulent it is/was. I've 'heard' the rumors that M has refused gifts, but there is NO EVIDENCE that I've ever seen that this is a fact. Obviously, the premie rumor-mill doesn't impress me much anymore! Enlighten me on when/how he refused a gift. I've already heard about the 'flushing' of money, but no one I've ever met actually saw it happen with their own eyes (rumor-mill, again!).

- IQ: NO, I don't think he has an iq of 200. I don't have a 200 iq, but I do have an instrument rating and multi-engine rating in turboprop aircraft. I never had the opportunity to qualify in jets, so I don't have that rating (very expensive). I'm sure there are other ex's here that fly, as well. Flying an airplane is no more difficult than driving a car...Period! I'm not awed by that skill, whatsoever. The fact that his propaganda 'machine' (holy family, mahatmas, et al) convinced people that he was the lord of the universe doesn't demonstrate anything concerning his intelligence, either. They had a vested interest in the 'guru business' and its success. It's the only business that the family knew. To prove my point, the family breaks up and what does Bal Bhag do? He's the satguru.... according to M's mother. M's father taught him the business from the ground up. As soon as M was old enough, he rebelled against his mother (married marolyn) and declared himself chairman of the board.

- Seeds: Sorry, Ron, but this event is quite explicit. He was talking, SPECIFICALLY, about why premies should be vegetarian. The 'seeds are dead' quote was in direct relation to that event. Using his line of reasoning then, eating Grand Canyon frogs is ok because they are 'dead' (dormant) while awaiting rain. Eating chicken eggs is ok because they are unfertilized. We ALL know what he said about eating eggs and it doesn't jive with that line of reasoning, at all. Tell me, if he 'experienced' that seeds were dead, how did he manage it (the experience)? Did he permit his all-encompassing consciousness to enter a 'dead' thing? If so, how did he 'realize' that it was dead, if it was dead? BTW, these are the questions I would like to put to him personally. You mentioned in another post that you would like to see me talk with him, face-to-face, on ANY subject. You are probably thinking (I said 'probably', darn it) that I would be in too much awe to speak. If that is so, then YOU are wrong. He is just a human being with a questionable educational background. I'm not awed by lack of education. I'm awed by the fact that so many people think he is 'profound.' I see nothing profound in the statement that 'seeds are dead' or in any of his silly jokes that start with 'Well?'

- Inside experience: I will get into this in more personal detail later, but suffice it to say that this argument is hogwash. If he is god, then let him stand up and say so. If he is not, then he should stand up and say that he is not god. I've found the 'inside' experience to be a little wanting since I met M. After YEARS of intense practice, nothing...nada...zilch. Sorry, but my 'inside experience' says he's a rugu, not a guru. In case you didn't get the joke, guru = one who takes us from the darkness to the light. Rugu (pronounced roogoo)= one who takes us from the light into darkness. My life, prior to meeting M, was joyous. I wanted more (greedy youngun), but I was a very happy person. It has taken YEARS to undo the demented view I had of this world after M's influence. The 'world' is not a bad place, it's a wonderous place. The 'world' is awesome. The 'world' is glorious. The 'world' is full of life! It didn't take M to show me this, I already knew, and was experincing, this prior to meeting M. M tried to change this into a warped view of the world as a 'bad' place that is meaningless without him. Funny, but my parents, grandparents and great grandparents might just disagree with his view of how worthless their lives were (since they didn't meet him, their lives must have been worthless, by his definition). Nicer, more humane and beautiful people you will never meet. They were the epitome of kindness. I have an undying respect and love for those 'worthless' people. If I can be half the person that any one of them was, then I will die an EXTREMELY happy person; knowing that I lived a full and productive life (even...gasp...without M).
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 20:35:53 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Mike
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Mike: In 20 minutes I now have to go pick my wife up so I'll communicate on the subject for a while, then I'll have to leave and then I'll log back on. Stap as patient as possible. Wow you have quite an unhappy story. Bare with me if I speak of certain aspects of life and God and try not to judge me too 'cosmic' in a
vague Premie aspect as you've depicked them. I am trying to be clear and open and where this is about to go is a bit ...magical? No lets call it metaphysical? No. Realization of life? No. Down to Earth, real and wonderful? Yea yea yea! But first, lets backtrack. The 200 IQ estimate on my part was an arbitrary figure based on the fact that though your not to impressed with his flying aspect: Lets remember he got his first rating at 9 years old and his first jet rating at 13 years old. With the fact that IQ's can grow higher in our lives, then I figure that his must be up there somewhere. Just commensense and my opinion. Nothng really to debate. Back to wonderful: Mike,I ca sense exactly where your at here and I'm goingto try to say something about it. Love. Love Love. You're taking a lot forgranted and you may not be aware that you're doing this. When one loves someone he or she wishes to do for that person, nation or God or anything because it's that persons pleasure to do so. Is that my charge as in your example of service? No. If it feels like a charge then your obviously not in the heart of love. He never wished for actions, efforts, donations, gifts or anything to be given from that place of which you now feel. And if you're ot going to open up, just a little even, then this will just be a waste of time. So please try. Your additude before Knowledge feels wonderful. He always said, just be yourself...just be...right? You may have bought into some mechanical machine of yourself, thus began trying to hard, forcing then wanting then demanding while all the time getting hungreyer yet experiencing nothing.
The whole thing is about love. All the words lke service, dedication, sacrifice, commitment, meditation, satsang, conviction, devotion, magic, spontainiety, happiness, faith, subtleness, kindness, gentleness, tough-love, hunger, need, fear, ignorance, compatibility, romance, fun, life, living, the flow of thngs and on and on and on don't add up to a hill of beans if our hearts haven't been touched by precious real love. And if this is the case, the problem always starts and ends wih guess who? Us! Yes sir re bob...me and you. Now considering this is all such an intimate inner thing in people in a yes, wonderful but pretty strange at times world: Do you think anyone who really may have a handle on what God, life and love is, can just come ot and declare it? Lets be real here. What planet are we talking about? On this planet we usually kill good people before their time if they threaten the statis quo. Even the worldly politicians get exed. His followers said enough during his first few years. It doesn't matter what he declares publicly. The question Mike is: What has been declared in you? And as long as even one person has found peace on thia Earth real peace, then he has established it in our time. Knowledge is the gift of ancient eturnal wonder and simplicity of the undiscribable gift of life. To all I say enjoy your life. If knowlege finds it's place in it the answer to whether Knowledge and Maharaj Ji are one, as someone asked me, will answer itself. And that is not a Premie vague trip. SOMETHINS ARE SO PERSONAL, THEY HAVE TO BE EXPERIENCED AND UNDERSTOOD BY YOU ALONE. In the same way he can't just go out and declare etc. Mike we are peaking about love here. Not going to a rock concert or something. Magic is real and your life is wonderful. Lighten up a bit. It'll be ok. Your all very precious and he hasn't forgotten you. This I KNOW FOR SURE. Have to go get my wife. stay light. don't get all hostile for a while. Smile OK? THE WHOLE THING IS A VERY PERSONAL SITUATION.

WILL LOG ON LATER.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 11:59:03 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
Ron: Concerning the aviation, all I can say is WRONG. He DID NOT receive his first rating at 9 or 13 years of age. A person CANNOT be a STUDENT at either of those ages. YOU definitely have the timeline wrong on this one. He became a student at the age of 16 (earliest age that you can be a student) and he didn't have a license until 17 (earliest age you can be rated). To get a jet rating REQUIRES many, many hours in the air. I doubt that he had his jet rating prior to the age of 22 or 23, based upon flight-time requirements (a thousand hours in 'type' is still the requirement, I believe). While I'm not here to debate airplanes, I would like to know 'why' he NEEDS one in the first place? They are VERY EXPENSIVE to maintain (particularly jets) and premies, again, are paying the price. Jets dump TONS (literally) of pollutants into the atmosphere. If you are going to fly one, you had better have a LOAD of people onboard to make up for the amount of pollutants that are released per trip. Could it be that he doesn't want to be bothered with the 'little' people that sit next to him in a commercial aircraft?

- What eternal 'wonder' are you talking about? I saw no wonder. The only wonder that I experienced was 'wondering' why it took so long for me to realize that he was a fraud.

- Your statement concerning 'you and I' being the problem. Well... there we go again! If something 'good' happens, it's gods fault, if something 'bad' happens it's MY fault. Sorry, I don't buy it! Where is the WORLD PEACE that M promised us over 30 years ago? He said, 'I will establish peace on this earth.' When asked how long (20 years??) he said NO, it will be VERY SOON. If you interpret that to mean 'in his own good time' then the follow-on interpretation is that he is playing mind/word games with us and I don't like it a bit. Well, it's been 30 years and I, for one, see NO PEACE on this earth, do YOU? My career (from which I retired about one and a half years ago) placed me right in the middle of this particular question, so I have a vested interest in the answer. In fact, THIS IS the most important question of ALL of them, as far as I'm concerned.

- The question of whether M and K are one HAS been answered to my satisfaction. The answer is (drum-roll please): NOPE! In fact, I've found that K isn't real, M is a fake and a personal god doesn't exist. This is what practicing K taught me. Before K, I believed in a personal god. Before K, I believed in a higher power. But the faithful practice of K (and devotion to M) taught me that there is no such thing. How/why do you think that happened? Can you explain to me about M's drinking habits? Can you explain to me why he smokes dope and cigarettes? Can you explain to me why he cheats on his own wife? Actually, I don't expect you to answer these questions because they are HIS to answer. You shouldn't have to act as an apologist for his behavior, so I'm not going to put you in that position. BUT, it IS something that YOU should think about! INTEGRITY means an awful lot to me (as almost everyone on this forum knows). I'm seeing a great lack of it and it bothers the heck out of me. I don't like it, no matter who is tramping on the fundamental meaning of the word. Gurus or presidents, it matters not. In the case of gurus, though, I EXPECT ABSOLUTE PERFECTION, because that is what HE claims to have 'realized.'

- Lets talk about 'realization' for a moment. In the 30 years since we have known him, how many people are now FULLY REALIZED souls? Anybody? In 30 years, no one? For a guy that declared that he would establish WORLD PEACE in less than 20 years, he's got a VERY long way to go. He hasn't even got one truely realized soul to his name. In fact, I don't believe that HE is a realized soul, either. In fact, I believe that 'realization' as an 'event' actually signals the onset of mental illness from trying to go out-of-your-mind (normally called insanity). I've seen nothing, yet, that would alter this view. My concern (REALLY) is that we have another Jim Jones, here. When mahatmas (in the 'old' days) asked if you would chop off your head for M, I began to worry. I didn't worry too much then, but we hadn't had a Jonestown yet, had we? When old stories are told about how prior satgurus used to throw excrement on their devotees (and we are supposed to feel 'blessed' because he no longer does this), I get concerned. When M 'hits' his devotees in the stomach, FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, and they do nothing about it, I get concerned. What's next? Is he going to hold a gun to someones head to see if they are faithful to him? Is he going to pull the trigger on an empty chamber? Is everyone going to laugh when it doesn't go bang? Knowing premies, they probably would laugh, because the 'lord' played a lila with them. It seems to be escalating, to me. From excrement, to assault, to what?

- Ron, thank you for wishing me to lighten up. Actually, I feel pretty good about my life as it is. I love the people that I'm around. I love doing what I'm doing. I love life! I've had some hard knocks in my life, but they've generally made me a better person. The only time that I feel like I wasted was time that I devoted to M, rather than devoting it to a humanitarian cause. My only real regret was sending money (lots of it) in love to a fraud rather than sending it to a worthwhile humanitarian cause. You want peace on this planet? FEED the people! Most wars are started or have their root cause in hunger. I know that this is a simplistic explanation, but it IS a major contributor. Feeding M's greed is NOT feeding the people. In this regard, I do all that I can do (financially and with 'sweat'). What has M done, other than fly around in jets, squander millions of dollars on personal luxury and tell bad jokes to the people that will listen?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:13:44 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: To M's defense
Message:
I remember (or was it a rumor) that M had his private flight instructor (Mahatma Saphlanand).
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:54:36 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: To M's defense
Message:
JM: You might be right, but to be a 'student' pilot, you MUST be the minimum age. The fact that someone allows him to take the controls, as I did when I was VERY young, doesn't make him rated or qualified to be a student. I know that I'm splitting hairs, but you can't 'land' or perform a 'take-off' legally, without a student permit (in this country, anyway). Those are the most difficult parts of flying, by the way. There is a case, recently, of a youngster that was permitted to do these things as long as he had an instructor in the right seat, but that kid crashed recently (not really his fault) so I think they will go back to the 'old' way of interpreting the law.

- The other point about being 9 years old at the time: I don't think he flew prior to coming to the US, did he? If not, then he would have to have been 13 before he got behind any controls, right? My major point, about his being so gifted, still stands though. I got behind the controls at age 11 and actually flew a single-engine aircraft from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Of course, I wasn't a student and I wasn't allowed to take-off or land the aircraft. Like I said, no harder than driving a car. I'm not minimizing the difficuly (really); if you wanted to fly, it is REALLY easy. It gets a little harder with multi-engine aircraft, because you have a few more things to worry about (like syncronization of engines, etc), but it STILL isn't any harder than driving, let's say, a truck. It's NOT something to be awed about. If it were, then we should be doing pranam to a whole lot of airline pilots.... he he he :-)
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 07:43:32 (EDT)
From: bill
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: I want answers to my q's
Message:
In amoment of honesty, rawat was talking about
his flight instructor in denver. His face scrunched up and
this was during his brief regret period during his moms
death reaction. He (barely) indicated that he misbehavied to the
guy and said knowledge and ignorance is poison.

Even he sometimes sees his past clearly and he is running from it.

At times like that he ends up being like that lion king movie
where the guy says 'be who you really are' which to him is
lord, satguru, ect. like his father.
He has his success at fooling people to fall back on
for mental support and he will not stop and so it really is
up us to have the integrity you mention and put out the
red flags for the world to see.
Other people are definately vulnerable to his evolving
fraud.
got to go
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:37:27 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Oh foolish me
Message:
'And as long as even one person has found peace on thia Earth real peace, then he has established it in our time.'
Oh that's all right then. What a relief. There was me thinking of all those followers who suffered so badly because they thought that they weren't worthy, silly me.
How we misread what gm says as well, all those people who thought he meant something else. It must be really hard being a guru with such stupid followers
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:07:13 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: You ain't foolish!
Message:
Ham: You echoed (in somewhat different words) my sentiments concerning the 'peace on earth' claim that I put in my post. All I can say is... here, here! To me, this was THE single MOST IMPORTANT thing that M was going to do. And now, an apologist states that, in effect, we misinterpreted what M said. Jeez, these guys must be covered in grease to be able to 'spin' so rapidly. If they weren't 'lubricated,' I think they would burst into flames from the friction..... he he he. :-)
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 17:16:52 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Civility
Message:
Ron: As long as YOU are honest and forthright, I think you will find the folks here very civil. Sometimes we jab at each other, in good fun, but we ARE civil and we treat each other with respect.

- Tell me Ron, what is so 'precious' about M? Why do you think HE is so special? The techniques he teaches are not special. They have been accurately portrayed in many, many books. Do you think he's the lord of the universe? If you do, why?

- Personally, when I look at him, I see an over-indulgent, over-fed, selfish teenager! (No offense to teenagers out there). He has MUCH MORE than he would ever need for propagating the knowledge. You know, he once said (during the family breakup) that he would 'eat salt and walk the world' to propagate this knowledge. I would like to see him do it... for about a month. I would like to see him eat salt and walk the world (any portion thereof). I would like to see him give up everything, just like he expected the ashram premies to do.

- The only thing that surprises me more than his opulent lifestyle is YOUR ACCEPTANCE of that lifestyle as 'normal.' Especially since many premies, who can ill afford it, pay for that lifestyle. He hasn't EARNED a dime nor did he inherit it from his parents. He got his wealth from YOU! A 'gift' is free. A gift-giver NEVER accepts any form of repayment for a gift. You don't believe me? Would you accept money from someone that you just gave a gift to? You would be insulted wouldn't you? K IS NOT A GIFT, my friend. You (all premies) have paid dearly for this 'gift.'
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 00:58:45 (EDT)
From: JM
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Sherwood': thanks for the laug
Message:
I can't believe it!

Katie gets bored,
I'm rolling on the floor.

Maybe there was a problem with my seed? Or my instructor was confused?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 04:15:05 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Then: please finally explain!
Message:
Maharaji gave him a messege which related to us. 'Don't waste a single seed.'

What is that seed? Where is it? Isn't it simply a belief?
I don't believe M ever gave me ANYTHING, beside beliefs.

How about the time he told Kathy Sullivan who was waiting to see if he'd remember her birthday and confronted her by saying 'Happy birthday, you're 34 today right?' That blew her mind because she was only 28 or 29. When she realized how she brought it all on herself and just let go, he was back and told her he was just kidding and of course she looks her age.

Let's say you do the same thing and you consider it was a mistake! Couldn't you say the same thing, turning your mistake (and offense) into a joke? Now what's that mind-blowing business: you're into the belief that whatever M says is perfect, or wise, whatever ... and M says something stupid or makes a mistake. How could your mind cope with that one? .... except finding a special category for that type of thing: 'mind-blowing'!
This is why I say I've been brainwashed: my mind wouldn't be able to work straight anymore.
I've heard thousands of stupid things M said, specially in the scientific field (I think I'm quite knowlegeable in that one, and it looks like M used to read Scientific American - it's been confirmed by someone close to him - and that he doesn't understand much of what he reads): my reaction would always be
1/ ashamed of my master saying such stupid things
2/ store that one in the 'mind-blowing' box, and see later if there is some 'truth' in it!

Maybe my problem was that my 'mind-blowing' box wasn't big enough!
My 'trust' wasn't hundred percent.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:55:00 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Sherwood' ultimate defense
Message:
Ron:

He is something very precious.

Well, since you've spent the majority of your adult life on him then either you think he's very precious, or you don't value your life very highly. That sort of testimony can be part of the rational world, under certain circumstances. For example, consider Paul's statement: 'If it were impossible to know, then it were better not to believe.' This is not a statement of fact, but a data point by which one can gauge Paul's spiritual state. Since he acknowledges that blind belief is a sort of curse then one could infer from the evidence of his life, that he knew, or at least that he was convinced he knew, something of a profound spiritual nature. Otherwise he would have continued to be a tax collector for the Romans regardless of what the thought might have been true of Jesus. But my judgment about Jesus would have to be based at least partly upon whether I considered Paul a monumental fool. I've enough of a doubt about this that I leave open the possibility that Jesus might have been something more than a charlatan. Again, what reason do I have to consider you something other than a fool? And, unlike the case with Paul, I have my own independent subjective and objective experience of Maharaji to go on... which doesn't throw you in a very good light.

-Scott
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 14:03:55 (EDT)
From: Jerry
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Bihari Sing (Who I'm honored to say helped inspire me to Knowledge) told a story once about one Premie's mother who every day, complained about 'you know who' and complained, complained and complained. The story concluded by saying, unknowingly, she was fulfilling a part of her life by 'remembering him.'

Brainwashing horse shit.

I'm in the music industry and a song of mine which I wrote may come out this or next year by a certain major recording artist. When it does, I hope you enjoy it, because there's something in it for you. Yo'll know it when you hear it.

Do you really believe bill is going to know your song when and if he hears it? Why would he? It seems to be a premie trait, on this forum, to have an aura of mystery hang over their posts rather than be straightforward and easily understood. Why is that, I wonder? Do you know? What's in your song that would make bill understand that it's your's when he hears it? Are the lyrics Hi, bill. This is Ron. And this is the song I told you about. Remember? On 9-21-98? in it?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:24:20 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Jerry
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Jerry: Commenting useing profanity further will send me away. If that's what you care to do...fine. And it is true: You all are still remembering him. In good heart or bad, remembering is remembering. And say what you want about him, and conduct yourself as you will; Still, when your asleep at night and that certain dreams happens beyond your control; that certain dream that whn you wake you have goose-bumps or are amazed because it was more real then most of the moments in your day. What then can you say. Do you call out and yell BS? I don't think so. Or at least I hope not. Thank you for your comments yet again, please keep the language civi. And guess what? Not everything is a 'Premie Mystery.' If you must know, I'm in high level negotiations concerning my career and to mention certains names and titles would not be professionally correct at the moment. So you see. mayb a person is just functioning in a practical considerate manner and you go ahead and judge it a 'mystery trip' case in point. And take my word for it, he'll know he song and so will you. No BS!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:39:57 (EDT)
From: Jerry
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
You all are still remembering him. In good heart or bad, remembering is remembering.

Yes, I'm remembering him. I suppose, to you, that means I'm like that premie's mother who was fulfilling a part of her life by her remembrance of him, right? Let me tell you, Ron, there is nothing fulfilling about remembering Maharaji. I wish I'd never met him, so I wouldn't have to remember him. And that little story of your's is a brainwashing tactic. It explains nothing, only keeps the listener off balance, which is exactly what brainwashing is supposed to do. People hear that story, and maybe wonder to themselves, 'hey, maybe I am fulfilling my life through my remembrance, negative or otherwise'. But they have no definite conviction that this is the case, just a feeling of being thrown off balance. And for as long as I was a premie, that's all I was Ron, off balance, brainwashed.

Still, when your asleep at night and that certain dreams happens beyond your control; that certain dream that whn you wake you have goose-bumps or are amazed because it was more real then most of the moments in your day. What then can you say. Do you call out and yell BS? I don't think so. Or at least I hope not.

When I wake up from a dream, I realize it was a dream. But I haven't a clue what it is you're trying to say by this. Care to explain?

Not everything is a 'Premie Mystery.' If you must know, I'm in high level negotiations concerning my career and to mention certains names and titles would not be professionally correct at the moment. So you see. mayb a person is just functioning in a practical considerate manner and you go ahead and judge it a 'mystery trip' case in point. And take my word for it, he'll know he song and so will you. No BS!

It's still a mystery why you think we'll know your song, Ron. I haven't got the foggiest notion why you think we will.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:47:42 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Jerry
Subject: That's the 'right' word
Message:
Jerry: 'Off-balance' is the, dare I say it, 'perfect' word to describe the entire experience from end-to-end. It describes, perfectly, that foggy, in-the-clouds consciousness that I experienced for so many years. Perfect...just perfect.

THANKS! I needed that! ;-)
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 14:09:49 (EDT)
From: bill
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Ron is a nice guy no doubt, and I wish his career well.

Ron, Bahari Singh has killed at least one person.
That is no secret.
In 74, when Bahari was talking to maharji about his mom and bal
bhagwan ji, he said he will go to india and straighten this
out. maharji said dont go. they continued talking and
marolyn said 'bahari, mahraji said dont go' maharji said
angrily to marolyn, 'bahari is going to do what bahari is going
to do.' And so off bahari went and mata ji took his passport
and maharji wouldnt talk to him or let him go throught darshan
for about 20 years, or 15 years minimum.
baharai was of course being tortured by this rejection by
his religious guru.
In india in the nineties (charanand told me) that maharji
fired all the indian instructors includeing charanand and
had them dumped out of the festival site side gate.
After all they had done THIS was thier great reward.
The ones that hung around the gate were eventually let back in.
I guess this was some divine test.
I am sure you can come up with some hindu logic to explain it
as I did at the time.

In 70's He lined up the residence staff and walked down the line punching them in the stomach. The one guy he skipped,
I forget his name at this moment, was the one to tell the story
and he of course attributed it to whatever he was thinking at
the time was pleasing to 'the lord'.

Two guys from Gainesville florida were doing carpentry
at the residence and they got hot and went in the pool.
maharji came up after they were out and asked them if
they had gone swimming and one couldn't speak but stuttered
and maharaji hit him in the stomach. mahariji then asked
the other one and he said 'yes' and maharij didn't hit
him and said some confusing thing about to not be
unsure of yourself.

If he was really anything real, do you think Bill Patterson
would have left?
Or Jim Hession?
Or his mom for christs sake?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 15:52:57 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: bill
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Bill: Correction: Bihari's punishment lasted for five years. Everyone knows he was once some sort of tough-guy, but that's not what inspired me when I met him in Malibu in 1979. He's nobodys fool, I can tell you that. And about people leaving? As it's been said before: If it could happen to Judas, it could happen to anyone. And about punching? If you weren't there to see exactly how hard and in what emotion he hit them and the context of the happening, be careful. 5 years can become 20 in no time, if you catch my meaning. Let's be real here. And thank you for the nice words. You seem OK yourself.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 16:28:56 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Ron: Do you think that if a parent hit a child 'softly' (and with a lot of love) in the stomach, that the law would be any more lenient? Assault is assault! Who gave him the right to hit anyone? I don't care what the 'justification' was. If he had hit ME in the stomach, that's the last time he would have ever used his hands for anything!
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 16:47:45 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Everyone
Subject: My post above:
Message:
Everyone: I am not advocating violence, just self-defense, OK?

I knew you would understand..... he he he :-)
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:02:33 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@webTV.Net
To: Mike
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Mike: This will probobly be my last log on for the night as my schedule demands me else where. Bare in mind that what ever we discuss, I hope it helps you get your questions answered. So...Abot this judgment think: You say I'm judging debating as bad if I don't want to dabate. And you imply I'm judging you and all the ex's as unhappy because I'm experiencing Knowlegde and your not? Well if that's what you call judging...fine, I don't have a problem with it. It's just my choice to not want to debate. I guess that's why I said this morning this site was more your thing then mine (Which it is.) Because frankly, I have no need to debate and can spend my time doing something else. So my chice is my judgment against you and debating? And my expression of my understandings is a judgment against all of you. As I said, if that's what you wish to believe, fine. Yet it sounds like people saying Clinton told ohers to lie because they believed what he told them. No. My experience is my experience just as your is yours. One can experience their life without impling judgment on others because they're not feeling the same thing. How can I say this? Because that is how I honestly feel. Democrats judge Republicans and visa versa for their experience but not in my heart. Yes I can judge how far the car is from me yet that as you say is a function of my brain. But a person is not just a huge living brain. (No judgment just fact.) MY heart does not call you good or bad, success or failure, rich or poor, black or white or any personal labeled judgment for where ever your at in your life. For where ever we're all at, is where we're all at. I am not judging debatin as bad or you anything less because you want to debate. Fine, then debate. But not with me, because, healthy or not it's my choice. And my choice is not necesserily a judgment against somethng. As in this case. Meaning I'm not calling it or you good or bad. I'm just choosing not to partake. Maybe people loose the ability to believe that that sort of openness and understanding exists, but it really does. Except when I tried to zero in on what may have happened to you, didn't want to debate, and asked people to eep the language clean: I haven't 'judged anyone good or bad, better or worse, for where ever they are at. I've expressed my point of view to these problem areas (And you folks do have a problem with Maharaji) a few expressions about what life means to me as reference from where I'm coming from and have given nothing but respect and consideration to each individual who has logged on and made comments. I may have had a different point of view, yet never 'judged ' anyone for theirs. Allow me to point out, that my teacher has been working with me, in this direction. I'm just a kid at heart and really love this life. It's challanging, sometimes gentle, yet also stormy and dangerous. Soft quiet mornings and amazing sunsets. And yes it can be frustrating and painful (very). Yet in the end, it's what matters most, that counts. And what is with you through it all. To be able to connect with that thing as much as possible, through all those moments and times of our lives, is what man has been attempting to do for thousands of years. Some would even call it the purpose of life. So I'll let you guys toss it around. I hope any of my writings assist you, because I feel some sort of kindridness. I think you understand. Good night and I wish you the best. Sincerely, Ron Sherwood
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:16:39 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Jim explains it all to Ron
Message:
Maybe people loose the ability to believe that that sort of openness and understanding exists, but it really does.

Ron,

It's an outrage that you consider yourself 'open' or that you've developed an sort of 'ability' to 'understand' things. The fact is, we humans are extremely language dependent. Your guru might bullshit all he wants about 'it' not being the words, but the fact is that's what he offers you: words, words and more words. That's how you got into him and that's how you've stayed, by what he's said, others have said and what you've told yourself.

Now, though, you must defend yourself from words because, as anyone with half a brain can plainly see, there are some very dangerous words for premies to consider. Many of them are Maharaji's own. Yes, we're at the point where premies have to hide from Maharaji's words just like anyone elses. Maharaji's said more than enough stupid stuff to make the point that he's only human many times over. Yet, he's also said enough stupid stuff to make the point that he claims to be much more than that many times over as well.

You're not open. You're afraid. You call yourself a 'kid at heart' but believe me, Ron, kids don't shy away from reality like a good premie does. No, you're no kid, you're just some poor sucker in a cult.

Gerry's wrong, you're not a moron. You just act like one.

And, with that, I'm sure, I can bid good-bye to our promising friendship. Oh WELL....
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 11:47:30 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV.Net
To: Jim
Subject: Jim explains it all to Ron
Message:
Jim: You can call people names, point fingers that they have to defend them self against words (Which I did not nor am I doing now, but just expressing my heart.) and deny what one knows about himself (We are all kids at heart): Before you spout off again about being outraged you might want to review every word I've expressed, and If you can't feel my openness as others have and have E-mailed me thanking me, then you may want to find the time for a little outrage against yourself as your words clearly show who your really talking about and probobly make every Premies point as good as they ever did. If rudeness ad il manners are accepted so on this site, then I will bid you all adeu and request in example of of such behavior, every 'ex' take another look.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 12:00:04 (EDT)
From: Ron Sherwood
Email: SherwoodForest@WebTV>Net
To: Jim
Subject: Jim explains it all to Ron
Message:
Jim: Two final points: Clarifing to you what you don't understand is not defending against Maharaji's words whether you know it or not, or judge that or not. The world Jim in not flat! And you do not speak for me when you try to tell 'why I've stayed>' I assure you, at the moment you haven't a clue. Before westart judging others' openness, we may want to take a look at our own?
Try this and maybe you'll have a better day.
Thank you for the comments.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:28:10 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Mental incompetence
Message:
Yes, Gerry, the guy's a moron.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:14:18 (EDT)
From: bill
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Maybe he got to kiss maharaji's feet after 5 years but I know
only in the mid to late 90's is when he got to spend
some time with him.

I am wondering if you want to read some maharaji satsang.

' I want to bridge that gap that is between you and that infinite thing, So that you can come to the point where you can actually be one with that infinite thing'

Maybe you and student would like to mention someone who has
become one with 'that infinite thing'.

And /or give your opinion on what that means.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:54:20 (EDT)
From: HERE IS ONE FROM
Email: None
To: bill
Subject: THE ARCHIVES GUYS!
Message:
Ron, honest to god, ooops I forgot, you don't bellieve in god.

Come on Ron, At 8 years old he spoke in front of the crowd
that fit inside the prem nagar ashram tent.
At 12 or thirteen he spoke in front of about one half million
at a public park in a city teeming with people after
a parade advertising the event went through the city for
10 hours and part of that time maharji rode in the
parade to the city park. Also,
He was the famous 'kid' guru and so there was the curiousity
factor.

He never turned down a million and the story goes that
someone wanted to donate and he said 'recieve knowledge
first'.

How about we drop all the gilding of the lily and makeing
side issues bear importance when it is not necessary.

The facts are, clearly prem rawat(maharaji) claimed to
be the lord and here is a quote in case there is any issue
about that:
'Remember, guru IS god. BIGGER than god. Bigger and
bigger than god.Such an easy technique to put the mind on-can
you think of an easier technique?
Satguru says-SHOUTS, not only says, shouts-Dont follow your
mind don't follow your mind, don't follow your mind.
Don't follow you mind! Give me your mind, Let me rule it, for I
will take it into the right place of this world.
I was telling you yesterday that guru will take devotion and
multiply it and give it to god. Remember, I was only saying
that for your mental satisfaction. Guru is himself god!
It is said that 'in a day I should bow many thousands,
thousands, thousands, thousands, millions, millions and
millions of times to satguru.' Such a high thing, such a high
power has come. 'I was seeking for god but god has come in
a body! What can be higher and holier than that?'
But listen: God has come in the form of you and me!
Such a high person took the same form as the lowest thing.
If you go to guru, He himself will give you god.
And he is himself everything. He is god. Say, you are the
creator of the whole universe, you are destroyer of whole
universe, you are kindness, you are peace, you are the light,
you are everything to me.
Why do people surrender themselves?
Why do people do pranam? One pranam, and one years
whole karma out! And do more and more pranam, and
more and more karmas out.
If you have any more questions about guru, just be clarified.
You have to give him-you have to give your whole devotion
to him, and nobody else.
God is god, God was so cruel with you, bringing all sufferings.
Now, guru is kind. He is cureing all those sufferings.
Give your devotion to him. Because you were searching,
god, god, god, and just echo was coming and nothing else.
But when guru came, he said, why are you suffering,
tell me your sufferings.' he heard those: cured them.

Guru maharaj ji, how does one give you his mind?

Dedicate. Just be in my order; that is dedication. What I tell,
do that. What I say do that. That is called perfect dedication.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:13:54 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Ron Sherwood
Subject: Replies/Sherwood Explains It
Message:
Ron:

I have suspected for quite awhile that the premie 'explanation' for Mahariachi and his mission involves absolutely no judgment whatsoever. I'm therefore not surprised that you want to avoid debate as though it were the plague. But, why would anyone with any judgment or discernment pay the slightest attention to you I wonder?

-Scott
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:33:06 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Scott T.
Subject: Should I?
Message:
Scott: Hey... I could really get insulted here.... he he he. Maybe the reason is because we (the forum) care about another person that is caught in the M-trap. Man, this guy is really caught, too! I don't like to give up on anyone (read that: I don't like losing!). I know that it is usually a waste of time, but since the subject of seeds came up, maybe we are planting that 'magic' seed that will sprout someday (hopefully soon). Just a thought... ;-)
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 15:49:31 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Should I?
Message:
& to continue Mike, take a stance for respect of personal freedom of thought and doubt, as against no-mind/groupthink/thought control.

On another tack, do we have any idea how many people lurk? Is it possible to access the figures involved?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 18:58:14 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Lurking
Message:
Ham: It is 'possible' to see how many hits come from unknown ip addresses, but this is a bit of work, to be sure. Since we don't 'login' to the forum, there is no real way to determine who is present, unless the person has been here before and the ip address octets are known. Brian or Katie may be able to elaborate on this, since they administer the site, but I administer several web servers here and that is about the limit of auditing, as I know it. It is an interesting question, though.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:15:16 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Technical/Brian/Katie/Mike
Message:
As usual it looks like computers=loads of time and committment!

Since we're technical at the moment, do you know any way of
(1) loading whole threads down in one hit and saving as a file to read offline
(2) saving unread posts without opening them?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:21:34 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Technical/Brian/Katie/Mike
Message:
Ham: Really good question! Some sites have this capability, but I will definitely defer to Brian or Katie on that question. Obviously, you can do it once it's been archived, but while it's active, I don't know on this site.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:56:23 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Technical/Brian/Katie/Mike
Message:
I don't know either - I'm really not a very technical person! I have heard that some people download the forum and read it off line - anybody out there who does this? Or is this a myth?
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:18:22 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: Downloading the Forum
Message:
I do this:

simply browse through the threads and messages (without taking the time to read them) you intend to read, then disconnect your PC, and browse off-line, and take your time...

You'll have to select the off-line option for your browser.

There are softwares to do this automatically.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:12:57 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Planting magic seeds
Message:
I've got a phone call today from an old premie friend living in Malibu!
He's coming to Paris in 1 or 2 weeks, and he wants to see me!
I told him I left M, and he played surprise!
I can't believe him. I'll go with him for dinner with another ex he knows well .... I think that will be fun.
Beside I love the guy ...
He NEVER called me in 23 years .... I used to meet him at programs....
I wonder if it's just his idea to come and talk to me.
Like some of those premies dedicating so much time on this forum, in spite of m's agya ....
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:38:24 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Planting magic seeds
Message:
JM: Here's a conspiracy theory for you: Maybe M gave agya to some of his most trusted, to come here and try to 'collect' us.... NOW they're coming directly to you, too.... Coincidence? I think NOT!!!! he he he he.

- Sorry, I never was too good at coming up with a good conspiracy theory.... he he he
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:17:31 (EDT)
From: bill
Email: None
To: Jean-Michel
Subject: Planting magic seeds
Message:
Jean Marie perhaps?
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 03:53:12 (EDT)
From: Jean-Michel
Email: None
To: bill
Subject: Planting magic seeds
Message:
Not yet!
Another one!
I have plenty of friends there!
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 10:31:23 (EDT)
From: Scott T.
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Should I?
Message:
Mike:

Hey... I could really get insulted here....

Maybe I misspoke. I can understand why people would care about Ron as a person. That might lead you to engage in conversation, and just entertaining the opinion that M is a holy man of some sort doesn't automatically mean one is incapable of logic or rationality. (Although that seems to be the case almost exclusively.) I just find it personally rather insulting that someone who refuses to engage in an open dialog would hold to an agenda that he had something to say to rational people that might enlighten them. There is a disconnect there, and I just wanted to point out the magnitude.

I realize that there is a good deal more to life that logic, and there may be much that is beyond rationality that is important, but the refusal to subject ones beliefs to a rational discussion as though there is some weakness comparable to the belief in a flat earth fails to recognize that the belief in a globe was a rational discussion that was proscribed for centuries by authority. Here, I agree with the authors of the Guru Papers that the position taken by Ron is fundamentally authoritarian. It is therefore more that non-rational, it is anti-rational.

-Scott
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 12:01:49 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Scott T.
Subject: Should I?
Message:
Scott: I know you better than that.... I knew you weren't picking on me. ;-)
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 20:13:39 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: Everyone
Subject: thoughts on surfing
Message:
That 'crying out in the wilderness' stuff I think someone posted recently has got me cogitating.

I certainly still have needs for spiritual growth. Whenever I was in pain, I used to listen to M and I would go away filled with his message - which actually wasn't TOO bad. Only that fuzzy un-aware feeling that followed me round the rest of the time was a worry. Spiritual anasthesia? (sp?)

During my recovery from drugs I went to 12 step meetings. The whole way to stay off drugs was to have faith in a higher power. I heard people share who had nothing, and I mean nothing, and had lost everything, and sharing about their belief on a daily basis which stopped them from 'picking up'.

I just want to say sorry in a way - for all the railing I've been doing about 'unfairness in the world'. I've been feeling very trapped and 'swimming in the dark'. Rather be surfing.

It dawned on me today that the growth is happening INSIDE. I have to have that awareness of 'god', or I am dead. That's what it feels like. I have to grow in my spiritual 'body'. Maybe because I have let go of Maharaji, greater growth (and pain) is taking place? Greater responsibility for my life? Just some 'thoughts' - damn it!.
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 21:01:21 (EDT)
From: Sir D
Email: David.Studio57@btinternet.com
To: Judith
Subject: My experience
Message:
As you may know, I became heavily addicted to drugs from 1983 to 1986. The drugs I was into were physically addictive, to the extreme. I got to the point where my life was going quickly down the drain and I would probably be dead before too long. The main thing which got me off drugs and kept me off them was getting into something else which took a lot of my time and dedication. That was a business.

For me personally, I don't try to find God. If he is there then it's apparent anyway. What I found was that doing the seemingly 'worldly' things that are required in maintaining and expanding a business, these things have often made me become aware of a power. But one thing I've learned is that I have to take full control of the situation and make some serious efforts to achieve my goals. But then sometimes, as if by magic, it's almost as if I have a fairy Godmother.

But the essential thing is the effort that I've made. Effort to achieve anything has to be consistent and just when everything is crumbling around you and things look hopeless, you have to keep on trying and even more so than before. If there ever was a maxim that I have found useful to live by it is 'never give up' because consistency of effort in a direction does pay off in the end.
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 21:51:54 (EDT)
From: Bobby
Email: bobby2@mindspring.com
To: Sir D
Subject: My experience
Message:
I've also made considerable effort over many years. I've also had some extreme experiences, several situations that could have killed or disabled me. So far I've gotten through them all. (Currently I have cancer but have make remarkable recovery).

Spiritual context works for me, it's the only thing that works for me. I'm a Tibetan Buddhist. Tibetan Buddhism marries two qualities that mean the most to me - extreme contexts and profound love.
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 22:48:29 (EDT)
From: Sir D
Email: David.Studio57@btinternet.com
To: Bobby
Subject: Hi Bobby
Message:
Glad that things are as you say they are for you, regarding your cancer. I guess on the face of it, you and I appear to be following very different paths. Mine, definitely worldly etc. But I think they are both right. It's late here, the early hours of the morning and I have a lot more work to do before the deadline tomorrow morning, self imposed admittedly. But I'm listening to some beautiful Vietnamese music and I keep coming back to this forum.

Different charactors in a play but with the same director. Ask anyone who has been in business for a long time and you'll probably find that they have a similar approach to it as I do. The approach being that I am operating and controling a system which is for the common good and benefit of all people concerned. A system which helps the people who are involved and also helps indirectly the people who aren't involved. I could expound on this for hours because it's an important realisation for me.

I think business is about much more than money. That's just what's on the surface. I agree with the profound love stuff you write about. I think it is the glue that binds everything together. We're different charictors but I think we are closer than it would appear. By the way, your letter to me on the MMT mail list had a very deep and profound effect on me. I felt much love.
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Date: Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 08:33:27 (EDT)
From: Bobby
Email: None
To: Sir D
Subject: Hi Bobby
Message:
Hi David.

We may be on different paths but its great we both share the appreciation of profound love being so important. So it's really the same path.

I'm honored and very pleased that you got value out of our correspondence. Here's some more love,

Bobby
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 22:09:34 (EDT)
From: Sir D again
Email: David.Studio57@btinternet.com
To: Sir D
Subject: My experience part 2
Message:
Imagine how it was for me. I was snorting the damn stuff and was hopelessly addicted and was living alone in my squat. So alone in my very private hell. And then one night it hit me. I snorted too much and I fell onto the kitchen floor and realised what a terrible mess I had become. I cried like a baby on the kitchen floor, great floods of heartfelt tears that I should have become so desperately locked into a life of drug addiction. I cried with all of my being for help from some power to help me get out of this mess. And with the tears came such a peace because that was the turning point - I had decided that enough was enough and I wanted to rid myself of this wretched addiction that was killing me.

There is a higher power. I have felt it. It is always there and it knows and loves us completely. It is on our side and wants to see us get up and walk and explore the vastness of life. Yes, life is hard, very hard sometimes but it's all there for us to try for and the more we try, well just trying is fun and worth the while, in my book.
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 22:29:16 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Sir D again
Subject: What about Dolly and Anne?
Message:
There is a higher power. I have felt it. It is always there and it knows and loves us completely. It is on our side and wants to see us get up and walk and explore the vastness of life.

David,

Is that the same higher power that took care of Anne Frank? And does that higher power love Dolly, the cloned sheep too?
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Date: Sun, Sep 20, 1998 at 23:09:34 (EDT)
From: Sir D
Email: David.Studio57@btinternet.com
To: Jim
Subject: What about Dolly and Anne?
Message:
I didn't say that it took care of us. We have to do that ourselves, I've found. But you've opened up the eternal debate - if there is a God then why does He/She/It allow suffering and cruelty? And does God love sheep? Cloned or otherwise.

I don't have all the answers but I would put it this way. The pain of Anne Frank was also felt by God too. There is no assurance that we'll escape pain and cruelty in this world. But because we live in a world that can produce terrible suffering, it doesn't necessarily mean that there is no God. So would a God care about the suffering or is he a sadist? I believe He cares but is unable to intervene. I know that's a hard one to accept and you probably think I'm off my trolley but it's the conclusion I've come to. Now back to work.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 18:32:30 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Sir D
Subject: What about Dolly and Anne?
Message:
I'm sure Anne Frank was pleased to know god was suffering for her too as she was going through it.
Why is it that when we blow it it's our fault but when we experience that deep love it's god's grace. I just don't get it. Why can't we accept that we have both dark and light inside of us and that WE are the one's capable of accessing both those parts of ourselves. Why do we have so little self respect that we need to posit an outside agency that is always seen as a person with personality. Why?
Let's just suppose that this seperate god exists. If god is unable to intervene then it's because of some cosmic plan or lila and it's about time we all started fighting back. It's UNNACCEPTABLE and just implies that god is even more fucked up than we are and has got SERIOUS problems. Personally I'd rather drown than join such a club and this is not said flippantly.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 19:35:22 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: What about Dolly and Anne?
Message:
Ham: Flippant, flippant, flippant...tsk tsk tsk...

- Good questions! ;-)

Signed...clueless
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 21:58:49 (EDT)
From: Sir D
Email: David.Studio57@btinternet.com
To: hamzen
Subject: Join what club?
Message:
I agree with much of what you say and if you re-read my obove posts in this thread you'll see that I AM advocating taking responsibility and control of our own lives. It is dangerous to do otherwise.

My view of a God is not the conventional one found in religions. It would be difficult to explain it especially if nobody was interested! I don't see God as a static, changeless entity. Everything is God or a part of God and we are parts of God that are like offspring from God. I mean to say, there is no seperation. As we are right now, is God. In other words, there's no need to attempt to become something else or something 'higher'. So following this idea, there is nothing which isn't God and there is nothing which is seperate from God and the individuals that we all are, are eternal bits of God which are like his offspring or children.

I mean, we are his equals. We are not inferior to God and we don't have to aspire to become godlike. We are meant to be as we are and all our life's experiences are very relevant both to us and to God.

OK, for anyone still reading this; if you have a child and he/she (I only have daughters so I'll say she) goes on a school outing, I am going to be very interested and concerned about what she gets our of it. When she returns home from the outing, I'm going to want to talk with her and hear all the news. Her experience is very relevent to me, her Father. ANd as she grows up, I will be very happy to see her learn about life and discover her freedom of her own thought. I don't want to control her but I will always love her, more than words can say. If she falls, I will try to pick her up and when she succeeds, I will rejoice.

This is what I mean by a God. My love and relationship with my children is to me, an illustration of the same love that exists between all of us and God. We don't have to be anything or attain the impossible. I firmly believe we are all loved unconditionally and tremendously and it doesn't matter a jot to God whether we are supposedly spiritual or not spiritual because that doesn't enter into the equation. I see it all about love and only about love. To me, that'swhat God is and nothing we ever do or think will ever diminish the love He has for us.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 22:18:40 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Sir D
Subject: Join what club?
Message:
David,

The fact is you just believe there's this passive but unconditionally loving God because you like the idea. Right?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:04:03 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Sir D
Subject: Join what club?
Message:
After much head mashing I think I'm with you. If I am, there are a number of questions I have.

Did this god have no idea what was going to happen? Was creation just a plaything? Does god have any responsibilities at all? If something really ghastly happens through no fault of their own to someone, is that just bad luck? To call god 'his' implies personality I assume?

To believe in such a thing without it being blind faith, implies some experience of a cosmic love with personality. If you have had such an experience don't you worry you're deluding yourself by your explanation, especially bearing in mind the subject matter of this site?
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 20:47:25 (EDT)
From: Gail
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
I'm depressed because I seem to have thrown god out with Goomer. Does anyone out there have some suggestions to recreate one's belief in god?

It would make things easier. It's weird to have prayed to Goomer for 24 years and now--nada.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 21:21:27 (EDT)
From: Sir D
Email: David.Studio57@btinternet.com
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
What helped me is talking to people who know nothing about Maharaji and his horrible little trip. Break away from premies and ex-premies and explore the world of 'normal' people. I haven't seen a premie or ex-premie in years.

I've found that talking to ordinary people who've had experiences of a God like power, can be very helpful and more so than talking to premies or ex-premies. I don't mean talk to religious people but just regular people. You'll be surprised how many people have had an encounter with a greater power.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 21:26:42 (EDT)
From: Jim
Email: None
To: Sir D
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
You'll be surprised how many people have had an encounter with a greater power.

David, the most you can say is that 'you'd be surprised how many people THINK they've had ......'

Big diff.
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Date: Mon, Sep 21, 1998 at 23:20:51 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
Gail, do you mean a belief in god, or a sense of hope & a feeling of security?
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 05:43:07 (EDT)
From: Gail
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
A superior power that runs the place.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 06:20:17 (EDT)
From: Diz
Email: None
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
Hi Gail

I like Hamzen's question. A good thing to do when you want something is to look really closely at why you want it, take the want back to the need behind it. (I'm NOT saying here that K is really the source of all wants - just thought I'd add that because the argument in the last sentence sounded a bit uncomfortably familiar!) Is it possible that the reason you want to believe in a superior power that runs the place is because you would like to feel secure, or cared for, or loved, or to love... the possibilities are endless. The question then becomes: where can those needs be met, at least to some extent? Opens up options - like linking with other people.

I don't think the question of 'God' or 'not God' really enters into the picture much for me now. Life has so much to offer just as it presents every day - people are endlessly interesting, and the possibilities for sharing the little bit of understanding and affection and material assistance that we regular unspectacular beings are able to muster are more than enough for me. At least for now.

Which isn't to suggest that David's understanding isn't spot on for him.

Diz
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 13:24:22 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I believed in God too
Message:
Dear Gail -
I very much wish that I believed that there was A superior power that runs the place too. That was one nice thing about believing in M - one could think that everything was going to be taken care of, and that all the suffering and awfulness in the world was toward some ultimate purpose.

I have gone through some deep depressions where I felt like human beings (including myself) were all horrible monsters who should all be wiped off the face of the planet. These depressions were usually precipitated by reading the newspaper or watching TV news, so I don't do those things very much any more. I know that some people cope with these feelings by believing in an ultimately just god, but I just can't believe that any more. (I don't NOT believe in God, either - there's just a big question mark there.)

The only way I have found to keep getting so depressed about people's inhumanity and the suffering of innocent beings that I become suicidal is to realize that there are some really good, kind, and loving people around. I try and focus on these people and their actions when I start feeling like I'm ashamed to be human and guilty about being alive. I can also try and be that kind of person and not let negativity win completely. (BTW Nigel and Hamzen have both said this better than me, and I've found their posts to be really inspiring.)

I'm not sure if this is similar to what you feel or not, Gail - hope it helps though.
Love,
Katie
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 14:26:07 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: Relax..Katie
Message:
Katie: Please remember that what you see on the news is not what the VAST MAJORITY are doing. If there were a news channel that only reported 'good stuff,' I think they would be so overloaded that there wouldn't be time enough in a day to report it all. Heck, they could have had a Mother Teresa channel and that would have kept them darned busy! I think that feeling of depression about 'people' is, at least, partly caused by our association with a guy that thinks the world is 'bad.' We have a lot of work to do to erase that idea from our minds. It's probably the most 'evil' and pernicious idea that he planted in our brains. Don't be ashamed of being human. Hey, we make mistakes... But, you know what? Most of the time we are pretty good at making up for those mistakes. In the military, we used to have a saying, 'It's the 10 percent that you hear about. You never hear about the 90 percent that do all the good stuff.' I don't really think the number approaches 10 percent for the bad-guys.

- Be kind to yourself: Remember, you are among that 90 percent of humanity that really are good folks.

- IMHO :-)
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 16:37:13 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Relax..Katie
Message:
Right Mike, no orang-utans left in the wild in eight to ten years, an animal of total grace in my eyes, with 97% the same genes as us.
From the Independent newspaper last sunday the following, 'the grizzzly bear, symbol of North America's wilderness is under severe threat in one of its heartland habitats', it's forest habitat is under continual widespread assault from clear cut logging, road building, mining and other industial developments.
Trophy hunting of grizzlies is 50% higher than suspected. The reduction in population is dramatic and possibly reaching irreversible decline.
These are just the two most recent bits of negative enviro info to reach me.
If I wasn't so exhausted from arguing the point for the last thirty years I could write page after page after page after page.............But it will not change, we don't want to hear, the Ron Sherwood in all of us just wants to experience joy, simplicity, nothing else and those of us who do are suffering from compassion fatigue and are exhausted from battering ourselves against a brick wall of deafness but hey there is no alternative, so lets carry on as usual......
It is exactly what the VAST MAJORITY are doing with our consumerist/materialist lifestyles that causes the problem, the sheer numbers of us that want a better life and we'll fight for our right to do so. But perk up, China, Brazil, India, have only just got going and then we'll have some right fun. Judith have you got that report handy, just in case this discussion goes off into similar territory. Walking away from reality ain't gonna solve anything and gm, slimeball that he is, will just be a footnote in the annals of human degradation, already is.

Speak for yourself, the reason I got knowledge was BECAUSE of this shit and a desperate need to find any way that could change the human heart/our consumption oriented view of pleasure. Another way greaseball hijacked a heart orientated value base.
Yet if we let ourselves slump into a sea of despond it definitely is all over. The majority of people might be OK to each other, that doesn't mean it's ignoral of the effects of it's lifestyle is OK.
Sorry Mike, but on this topic, NO COMPROMISE.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 17:32:26 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Relax..Katie
Message:
Ham: No problemo. I didn't say things were perfect... Far from it! But getting depressed will not help, it WILL hinder. We CAN make it better and it ISN'T too late! (That's the haharaji defeatist talking) I understand, more than you might think, environmental issues. BTW, please refer to those individuals that 'take' animals without a permit as their proper name: POACHERS, CRIMINALS, ETC. They ARE NOT hunters. I say this as a volunteer for the AZ Game&Fish Dept. Ethical hunters have been taking a rap because of those a**holes and they would like the 'hunter' title applied to those that do so LEGALLY. Hunters, that have a valid permit, are not causing the grizzly decline, the POACHERS are! On the environmental side, I've been VERY involved (with sweat) in the removal of non-native species from Arizona. I just do what I can as a volunteer, but WE ARE making a really BIG difference. You are right, sitting around and complaining about it won't get it done. If each of us does a small part, you'll be amazed at how much actually gets done. Screw reading about it, screw talking about it, screw thinking about it...DO something about it! I'm just talking 'whatever you can.' Don't look at anything as impossible, or it definitely will be. If you look at the BIG picture too often, it does seem insurmountable. But if you look at the 'local' flick, it appears (and is) do-able. Rampant consumerism is a problem, overpopulation is a problem, YOU visiting the woods is a MAJOR problem. Does that mean that YOU shouldn't be allowed to go into the back country? NO. We have to figure out REAL, PRACTICAL ways to fix the problem. In the case of rampant HIKERS in the woods (leaving fire rings and human excrement everywhere), education has been a major key to the improvement of conditions. 'Conditions' that, by the way, seemed to be dooming the back country forever. But notice, a few folks made some positive steps (like standing at a trailhead and handing out 'poop' bags and there was an immediate and measurable imporvement). It's no joke, those little things are working and there are ALOT of good people that, when given the practical opportunity, will (and do)help.

- That, Ham, is NOT walking away from reality... It IS immersing myself in it. There's a big damn difference between complaining and doing. This is the point that I'm trying to make and that left-over (from M) 'the world is a bad place' mentality does absolutely NOTHING positive to fix it. Maybe other folks want to give up and die, but I DO NOT! SCREW DEFEATISM!

- How's that for a response???? ;-)
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 21:34:04 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Relax..Katie
Message:
Great response at the local level Mike, but the real problems are not at the local level, it's at the global level that the real problem exists. At the local level I'd have to say that you are doing miles more than me. But then it's increasingly been the global level that I keep getting sucked back to, because nobody seems to spend any time dealing with it conceptually.

Population is only a problem because of lifestyle. Rampant consumerism is not A problem, it is THE problem. For a long time it was a people and lifestyle & government problem, but that has been way superceded by the multi-national, flow of capital where it wants issue, which is now driving lifestyles. The big business/multi-national stuff makes pollution in the woods a local irrelevance and I'm not saying or trying to demean what you are doing. Think what you are doing is brilliant. For me and a lot of others, thanks Katie/Judith, 'the world is a bad place' from premsquelch was yet another of his appropriations of other peoples hearts.
I repeat, a lot of us went toward knowledge/scumbag BECAUSE we were desperate to help solve the global problem, which in the bottom line is about looking for satisfaction and security through objects and money. Remember that line about 'not being able to change the world until we change ourselves' (which came from us, not the great sombrero himself), because we all felt so inneffectual at how we were going to get the message across. Some hippy dream of becoming superheros and supercommunicators, if we could share/spread an experience that gave you satisfaction, without spending money. We knew that a solution along those lines was the only possible solution.
Aren't the large shopping centres the new cathedrals?
Although you are not walking away from reality, it seems to me you are still in DENIAL of REALITY.
'But getting depressed will not help'. It might not help global problems, but being able to accept my own & everybody's dark side, helps/helped me to come to terms with my unbased optimism & hope which was really a huge fear of facing the truth. This did come from being around mr wonderful. Again see Ron Sherwoods very sad personal denial of pain and thinking. If the reality is that we're fucked and I'm certain we are, I want to face it and say it. When I walked away from gm I didn't know at what level he was connected to 'god consciousness', I still believed in knowledge, but the satisfaction of making a stance EVEN if he was god, which I still had as a possibility, gave me back my self respect, even in the midst of the desolation of the loss of hope. Because it meant facing it. No longer hiding behind a veil of personal optimism which was denial.
Hate to disagree with you Mike, but until we can come to terms with the darkness at the core of everything, there is not the slightest chance that any semblance of even pockets of survival & cultural/social resistance can happen. That for me is why the green movement and the new age movement in different ways are just pissing in the wind.
If you deny it, it will always come up & grab you unexpectedly. For someone who was once a hippy sweatheart & became very STUDENT'y round gm/k, that journey has and still can be painful but I now know that anything else is dreaming. That is not about giving up and dying, it's about rebirth and empowerment and the destruction of dependency.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:12:30 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: I Understand
Message:
Ham: That was VERY clear! NOW I understand where you are coming from and I REALLY DO appreciate it... THANKS! I do agree with almost everything you said, too. In reality, I'm NOT trying to paint a happy face on everything. I'm been, at times, one of the most NEGATIVE people that I know! But, when I (for myself) realized that alot of this negativeness was brought on by the BIG GOPHER, I rebelled against it the best that I could. The way 'I' did it, was to try to do something that 'I' could do. It helped me ALOT! I'm diving into the realities (environmental, in particular) to help the environment and to help MYSELF, too. I want to be able to look into my little girl's eyes and tell her that daddy tried his best to help make the world better for her. That may sound altruistic, but I LIVE for my family. To bring this a little closer to the M-theme: When I die, the one that 'I' want to remember at the moment of death are my wife and my daughter. They are the people that have unqualified love for me and I them. If I can even have the slightest effect on their world, I will do it! The way I see it: It may be too little, too late. But, if I didn't do what I 'knew' I could do, then it would definitely be 'too late.'

- BTW, I'm kind of a 'doer' personality, so I tend to harp on it a bit (sorry). It's NOT meant to make ANYONE feel inferior. You all probably know that I have NOTHING to feel SUPERIOR about. Hey, maybe I would have made a good Karma Yogi........ There I go again...missed my 'calling.' :-)

- REALLY, thanks for the last post Ham.
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 05:48:36 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Relax..Katie
Message:
I'm pleased to hear about the value base of legal hunters and pleasantly surprised. Apart from the illegal poaching, the other problem mentioned in the article, not quoted in my post, referred to the way of measuring the population. It turns out they were constantly assuming way higher figures for the size of the population . Since they base the number of legal permits pro-rata, as you well know, the inevitable happens.
Even if that was all sorted we know the illegal poaching would continue. Blah, blah.
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 12:24:17 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Info
Message:
Ham: Just to 'complete the circle,' here in AZ, we have a very aggressive anti-poaching program. Hunters/hikers with cell phones have called in and received BIG monetary rewards. It's great and everyone (particularly the hunters) really like it. Fortunately, since its inception, the cases of poaching here took a sharp decline. There apparently weren't too many to start with, but this program cut it down to almost zero. I got to turn one in last year, but since I'm a volunteer for the Department, I didn't get the reward (darn it...he he he). Poachers tend to try to 'get out fast' so they leave alot of 'sign,' if you know what I mean. This 'sign' has been seen less and less. I'm pretty sure the other states have identical programs, so poaching may become (almost) a thing of the past. I certainly HOPE it does! It's bad enough when we don't get a proper 'count' because of a bad mathematical model (or whatever) and we issue too many permits (not the hunter's fault). It's another thing to have some idiot poaching them. But.... I obviously preach to the 'choir' here, so to speak. Thanks once again, Ham!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:08:54 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Relax..Katie
Message:
Well Hamzen at least some of us are not going to sink into the twilight without at least saying how we feel.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:45:59 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: not relaxing
Message:
Dear Mike - I know that you mean well, and that you are a nice guy, but I wish you would have used a different title for your post. 'Relax, Katie', with it's implications of 'hysterical woman' struck me as slightly patronizing, although you probably didn't mean it that way. I am 42 years old, relatively well-educated, and I think I have a fairly realistic world view.

Although I don't watch TV news and read the local paper , I am fairly well informed though other sources, and I don't think that 90% of the people in the world are good people. Maybe they have the potential to be good people, but mostly they're pretty indifferent people, or they're people who are so concerned about the problems of their day to day existence that they don't think about anything outside their own little lives. Oh yeah, I know I'm like that too. I really try and be concerned, but sometimes it gets overwhelming, and I just don't try for a while. (My husband and I do tithe a portion of our income to environmental, animal rights, and social justice groups, and I do things like working on the ex-premie site too. :) )

I think there's a lot of people around who feel like me, and it gets pretty scary if you don't believe in a Higher Power. That's why I addressed that message to Gail - thinking it might have something to do with what she's going through. I know it's important to focus on the postitive as much as possible, but I can't do it to the extent that you seem to be able to do. I'd feel like I was fooling myself. (I'm not saying that YOU'RE fooling yourself, just that I can't be as upbeat as you can.)

Well, Hamzen said it more eloquently than me, again, but I did want to let you know how I felt.

Regards from Katie
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 20:19:43 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: OK, sorry
Message:
Katie: The title was, most certainly, not meant to be patronizing or portray you as 'hysterical.' I just wanted to ask you to be a little 'easier' on yourself. Give yourself a break... you know what I mean? I understand what you and hamzen had to say, I just hope that you two understood what I was trying to say. I HATE DEFEATISM! If you 'feel' defeated, then YOU ARE defeated before you even start. That was my point. To me, focusing on the positive means: Let's assume people are good (most of them) and let's get something DONE with those good people. I have found that many people want to volunteer their time, IF you give them something to do that has a 'practical' outcome. That project (that I talked about in my response to hamzen) to remove non-native species is made up of MANY volunteers and has been an overwhelming success, so far. We have cleaned up two complete river systems and their tributaries here. I would call that major, wouldn't you? Giving money to those organizations is a good thing, too. I happen to have more 'sweat' than money, so I give alot of sweat and some money. Plus, it gives me a GREAT excuse to go to some pretty remote spots. See what I mean? I'm just a 'normal' person, too. I'm nothing special and yet I have found time to do these things because someone, at one time, explained the practical advantages of removing non-native species from my state. I don't think that I'm special, at all. Again, where I think the 'environmental issue' mistake has been made is that it is presented to people as a war we've already lost. It's presented, regularly, as a REALLY BIG FLICK issue, rather than a local one. If EVERY locale got involved, then the problem would disappear. People will try to fix it if they think it's fixable. On a local level, it looks VERY fixable. Of course, we have to handle the Oceans a little differently (they're BIG).

- Maybe this makes sense to me because I'm a computer geek. You need to break BIG problems down into bite-size problems that can be handled. It just makes sense to me and I've been fortunate enough to see this strategy work, time and again. Sitting around wringing the hands about it does nothing, talking about it does nothing, worrying about it does nothing. DOING SOMETHING about it, gets it done. SO DO.... whatever you can and that will likely be good enough if everyone does a part. OUR responsibility, because we know there is a problem, is to present it, to those that don't know, in a manner that they can understand and do something about. If they (the good folks) don't even try because we didn't present it correctly, then who is to blame? Am I making sense? There is a reason to be 'upbeat' because I've seen way too many people get involved, once they understand. Hell, I don't get the entire BIG FLICK, either. But break it up and I get it just fine, thank you.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 21:05:31 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Thanks Mike
Message:
Thanks for clearing that up, Mike. I was 99% sure that you didn't mean to be patronizing, but I just thought I'd better say something because it bugged me, and I didn't want it to affect further communication between us.. And you're right, I am too hard on myself and I don't give myself a break enough...just ask my husband!

I do understand where you're coming from on the positive attitude about people and confronting issues locally too (although WHY does Arizona have a predator shooting contest to see who can kill the most wolves, foxes, bobcats, and cougars, with extra bounties for females??). I think you're lucky to be able to feel that way about people. I must confess that I DO feel defeated sometimes, but I'm always able to snap out of it (so far, anyway). Posting on this site helps a lot.

Regards,
Katie
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 10:55:50 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: Thanks Mike
Message:
Katie: The 'predator' hunt(?) is not one of which I personally approve. That was a private club that sponsored it and the outrage expressed by ethical HUNTERS (believe it or not) had the MOST effect upon the club's decision to call it off. Persoan;;y, most of the hunters I know follow a very simple axiom (besides being totally legal ALL of the time): If you don't eat it, you don't hunt it. There are exceptions, such as 'depredation hunts' that are required (rarely) to keep a population from starving during a particularly harse winter, for example. Usually, though, the depredation hunts, when they occur, are deer or elk and therefore are edible. The AZ Game & Fish Dept didn't like that private 'predator' hunt, either. No hunter that I know (a fairly large number and a good cross-section of that population) was the slightest bit interested in participating. In fact, when they found out about it, they were some of the most active in getting it stopped (called in all the cards, so to speak).

- Thanks for not taking any offense to my 'relax' statement. Katie, if I say something (especially to you) that sounds insulting or patronizing, I probably didn't write it correctly. You can safely assume (as you did) that I didn't mean it the way it sounded. :-)
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:14:06 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Thanks Mike (off topic)
Message:
Hi Mike - I figured that you would NOT approve of the predator hunt, but that you would know about it. I also didn't know that it had been called off, but I am very glad to hear it because it made me really sick (not to mention sad).

We've talked about responsible hunting, etc. on the forum before, and it's been a hot topic, but I do understand about wildlife management, and the control of deer populations (basically a necessity because all the natural predators have been killed off!). I get very put off by all the drunken guys that drive around with guns here during deer season - they are scary - but I'm sure you don't like that type of hunter either.

Take care, Mike,
Katie
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 13:05:17 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: Thanks Mike (off topic)
Message:
Katie: Thanks! I apply the term 'hunter' to those that are always legal and always ethical. To the 'others,' I apply such terms as CRIMINAL, POACHER, VANDAL (sign shooters, for example) and many other terms that are not fit to print. But I never refer to those 'others' as hunters, because they are not. I know this may sound a little like 'pc' hair splitting, but I hate to see any segment of people take on a label that they don't deserve or see a 'label' misused like calling vandals 'hunters' just because they took a firearm into the backcountry. The last time I looked there was no legal season on 'road signs' and there isn't a real 'hunter' that would disagree. The good thing is that most states have laws that are pretty specific about 'leaving edible meat' behind (illegal), shooting signs, etc. Hunters, believe it or not, 'pushed' for most of these laws because they saw the abuse and thought it was a travesty. Additionally, most people are not aware that the 'Pittman' tax (every firearm sold, every box of ammunition sold and alot of other outdoor equipment) was actually the idea of hunters and pushed through congress by hunters back in the 30's. The money this generates, which is VERY significant, goes directly towards habitat restoration and preservation (and always has). Unlike what a lot of folks think, hunters didn't do this to preserve 'trophies,' they did it because back in the 30's they saw the general decline of the quality of the backcountry experience and wanted, desparately, to do something about it before it was too late.

- I didn't/don't want to get into a 'whether hunting is morally correct' type discussion either, because I know that it is way off topic, it is HOT (as you said) and the decision is very personal anyway. One factor in the discussion would be whether the 'discussors' are vegetarians or not. But I thought I might shine a little light on a much-maligned segment of the population. Again, being a voluteer for the AZ Game & Fish Dept has been most educational for me.

- I agree that it is scary to have an IMPAIRED individual doing anything with 'machinery,' whether it's a gun or a car or a crane or whatever. Again, an ethical hunter NEVER operates dangerous machinery when impaired by ANY drug (that includes the vehicle that takes them to the location). The hunters that I know (it really is a very large number) wouldn't disagree with that, either. Think about it, would you want an impaired person to be sharing the woods with you on your hunt? Neither would they!

- Katie, I know you probably knew most of this stuff already, but in case you didn't, I thought that I would mention it. It's funny that in this case the ethical 'hunters' WANT to own the title (label). They don't want the 'others' to use it and they don't want the public to confuse the two either.... ;-)
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:03:51 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: Impressed Mike
Message:
I wouldn't call it major, Mike, that I see relating to global stuff, but sure as hell your work with the river systems is dead impressive and could not be called minor at all. To be honest, if I'd come across more people like you in local green groups, I'd do much more. My experience of green groups at the local level has been very uninspiring, pointless even. One of the reasons why my energy goes into work related stuff around people with learning disabilities now, a group of people seriosly neglected, abused even, for the whole of human history. In social terms, bottom of the pile. My 'doing' now.
Think your comments re presentation to the 'good folks' is spot on.
Sorry to butt in on your conversation with Katie.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 08:47:15 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: not butting in...
Message:
Hi Hamzen -
I don't think you can really 'butt in' on a conversation here on the forum. I certainly appreciated your comments, and I think Mike probably did too. Sometimes I know what I want to say, but I just don't know how to say it, and you say things very well.

Regards from Katie
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 06:01:22 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: not butting in...
Message:
Thanks Katie.

I'm trying to get away from being way too Studenty for years when I didn't care about any social graces and can slip back into an earlier incarnation, over polite, stiff upper lip English etc
I think the whole topic of communication on the net and how people interact fascinating. Having been on the net only a short while I find it odd sometimes. In the non-virtual world you wouldn't just walk around a room responding to conversations whenever you felt like it without being seen pretty soon as having an attitude problem.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:22:20 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Impressed Mike
Message:
Hey Ham: YOU didn't butt-in. You have an opinion and I want to hear it! I don't even come close to having all the 'answers.' Even at my age, I'm still a mental vacuum cleaner. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

- Here's a neat coincidence....YOU DO what my wife does. She is a learning disabilities parent consultant (trained). She is currently working in another field, until the local PTI needs one, but she was doing it while we were living in Hawaii for a number of years and also in Virginia while I was stationed there. It started out as a 'mission' for my wife because our daughter has a slight, by most standards, learning disability. She went back to school, got her certs and there it is. She is absolutely RABID about that subject (learning disabilities, that is). It's nice to meet someone else that is ACTIVE in the field, Ham!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:22:15 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: OK, sorry
Message:
Just some basic thoughts on 'our world'.
Why don't people have 'septic' systems which are completely self-regulating and non-toxic in their own backyards instead of sewage systems pumping it out into the oceans.

Why aren't Western people encouraged to learn how to grow some of their own food instead of being more and more dependent on the 'capitalist' system which rewards people for stuff like destroying their own environment to make money for the owner of the company.

Why is the world so over-populated and it's growing. Why do people in 3rd world countries keep having so many babies + destroying their own natural resources: eg rainforests - to survive, that's why. So that Western banks can keep making money on their loans. What will the western bankers do with the money? Build bigger houses with higher walls to keep everyone else out. Soon they will be buying fresh air too, no doubt.

Some people I believe still care about the welfare of ALL but as over-population and stress increase, and survival becomes more of an issue - people care less about their neighbour. Mind you, an intersting part of the 'Mayflower' story was how after years of suffering, illness, poverty, etc the crew and the Pilgrims finally all treated one another as fellow humans, with compassion. Dying together can do it, I guess.
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:56:27 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: I don't disagree...
Message:
Judith: I don't disagree with anything that you wrote in your post above. Self-contained septic systems, for example, are used on all modern navy ships. The water that is discharged into the ocean has a slight color difference (not absolutely 'clear'), but it is potable! I would very much like to see similar systems be completely 'closed' in the future and have the systems applied to houses, as well. It does work!

- I'm not sure about growing our 'own' food, only because it means that our average city lot would have to be larger AND that would mean our cities would sprawl even more than they do now (given the same population). It's a definite quandry. I don't want to see any more backcountry turned into city, but what you suggest is a 'good' thing. Of course, communal farms could be an answer, but I haven't seen them be particularly successful on a LARGE scale. Farming, for maximum yield, isn't as simple as it was before. There is alot of 'science' involved, too. I'm not sure that the average person could deal with the difficulties of working with a high-yield communal farm. Again, the reason for harping on 'high-yield farms' would be to keep the farms from becoming sprawling, inefficient users of the available land. I don't want to see farms growing into the backcountry, either. It doesn't matter if it's a house or a farm, it would cause more extinction of species due to habitat destruction. THIS ONE IS A TOUGH PROPOSITION, to be sure.

- I agree with your view of the Mayflower, too. IT IS AMAZING how a little suffering brings the best out of us, isn't it? Hopefully, it won't take too much.... :-)
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 08:58:30 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: Mike
Subject: And I might add...
Message:
Mike, you said:
Let's assume people are good (most of them) and let's get something DONE with those good people. I have found that many people want to volunteer their time, IF you give them something to do that has a 'practical' outcome.

Yes, I think you're right about that, and thanks for stating it so clearly. (I also should have said that I appreciate your environmental efforts - that's great, Mike. Knowing that people are putting time and effort into things like that is one of the things that keeps me from being despondent about the world.) I have found that people are quite willing to help with the ex-premie site for that reason - they feel like they are actually doing something that is helping other people.

Which brings me to something I keep bugging you about: we're still waiting for your Journeys entry! I have heard from several people that reading those entries really helped them. I am sure yours would be well worth reading. (And Hamzen, if you're reading this, we would really like to hear your story as well. Ditto for Richard, and anyone else out there who would like to write one.)

Take care,
Katie
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 11:36:22 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: And I might add...
Message:
Awwww MANNNN: I'm sorry Katie! Well, YOU'VE now discovered my incredibly inflamed achilles heel. My motto, it seems sometimes, is to 'put off till tomorrow, anything you could have done today!' ha ha ha ha. Actually, it's my 'memory' that is the problem. I get into a project and just get single-minded and turn-off everything else (including my memory, apparently)..... he he he. I WILL GET IT TO YOU! (He says as he moves towards the sink to wash the egg of his face).
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 20:42:43 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Katie
Subject: And I might add...
Message:
Working on it Katie, but I'm having real difficulties with it. A number of issues I need to work through about the whole number.
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Date: Thurs, Sep 24, 1998 at 21:35:50 (EDT)
From: Katie
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: Regarding Journeys entries
Message:
Dear Hamzen -
The effort is appreciated. It's interesting - for some people (like me), writing their Journeys entry is one of the first things they do upon finding the site. For others, it takes years, and some may never do one at all. I know it can be a painful process, but many people have found it to be healing.

By the way, and this is for everyone, it doesn't matter what you write or how you write it. We don't edit Journeys unless asked. You can write a biography, an essay, a poem or whatever you like. Hamzen, I have thought that some of the things you've posted lately on the site might make good Journeys entries (your post to eb, and so forth). You write very well, and your posts have been quite helpful to me.

Take care,
Katie
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 02:55:42 (EDT)
From: a friend
Email: None
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
spirit.org
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 15:29:34 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
I'm not sure if I've got anything relevant to share with you since I can barely conceive what a belief in god is, but I've got to try, you sound like you are really hurting.
If that concept/belief (in god) was important for you before you got involved with mr very unstylish, (why is his clothes sense so disgusting, especially those really dodgy ties), then surely the further you seperate the glue he used, from yourself, it will return. Especially when you can see clearly how he corrupted &sabotaged those parts of yourself you valued the most. See the responses to Laura elsewhere.
If the belief came with him, I could see it could be a serious difficulty. Have you tried praying to god for guidance now? If you identified gm as god and can't face the prospect because all you see in your mind's eye is him, then maybe you need to focus on/think about those aspects of what you feel a god could or should exhibit.

For myself I'm still continuing to have experiences that I know some people would class as coming from god. Just because I class them as nothing of the sort, does not mean you would classify them the same way if you were to have similar experiences.

As with gm, the hijacking of certain states of grace by the new age gurus only works, I believe, because they overlay onto stuff that is part of our natural inheritance. Have you never noticed or experienced how if you are in negative states of mind you are more likely to see/attract negativity, whereas if you are in positive states you are more likely to see/attract positivity. (This does not imply that everything that happens to us is just a reflection of our state of mind and that everything that comes to us is our just desserts. This is the way dodgy new age thinking corrupts natural states.)
The sheer wonder, the magical mystery of life, is still there. That has never gone whatever any of us believe.It just carried on regardless of our beliefs. If this belief in god is really important for you and isn't just a protective coating, then contact with anything that enthralls, excites & moves you at the level of sheer amazingness that they exist (again see the responses to Laura elsewhere),that we are even here, will inevitably re-energize your beliefs. Fight back at his corruption by taking back why you were attracted to him/knowledge, in the first place. In a way remember those parts of you that were wonderful and excited when you came toward getting knowledge. I'll bet you'll find yourself on the start of an amazing journey of self discovery.

Heres hoping this isn't a complete waste of space & time for you.

Although coming from a completely different angle, I too went through a long period of complete desolation. You can get through to somewhere special to you, not just survive.

<3, hamzen.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:26:33 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
That is the best descripton so far of an answer to spiritual problems following leaving Maharaji, IMO. THANKS
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Date: Wed, Sep 23, 1998 at 13:46:59 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
Ham: Damned well said! (Sorry for the expletive, but I just couldn't find a more emphatic word) Whether a person believes in god, wants to believe in god or doesn't want to believe in god, it still applies! Nicely done!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:14:15 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: Gail
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
Gail I haven't finished reading this thread but I found recently after about four or five months away from Maharaji I have been getting too depressed not to have some faith.
I'm not going to let him rip that away from me.
My faith is in something that makes sense, something I feel.

For example, after a few weeks of depression and lots of tears, I dreamt two nights ago that I was given a large bunch of flowers. With that image came a beautiful feeling, of release from the inner pain and turmoil. I feel that was a symbol of the end of that depresion. That's just an example of how I feel life is not all random and accidental. I just don't understand it and can't control it,that's my problem.

Please guys don't pick my story apart, it's just a token image to try and describe a great big 'feeling' and a lot of questions about what life really is about and why. It's not rational.

I was on a bus with some old people, doing voluntary work yesterday, and one old lady was saying she can't help discriminate against Asians in our country. Another old lady said to me: 'Well I can't think that way because I believe I've had many lives and I could have been Asian in another life.' (She said this totally sensibly and was not demented). I had to laugh! Her belief system doesn't come from New Age stuff btw - she's about 80.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:30:40 (EDT)
From: Mike
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: Go ahead Judith!
Message:
Judith: Not like you need my approval or anything, but at the possibility of having my head chewed-off.... he he he. Go ahead and believe ON YOUR OWN TERMS. Just don't make the mistake of letting someone else determine your belief system. I can't prove that there is NO GOD! I can't prove that there is a god, either. Belief is just that and only you can determine your belief system. Where we made our BIG mistake was in letting someone else (M) determine it for us, by turning the reigns of our 'minds' over to him. Just use your own head and you should be ok, this time!
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 19:52:23 (EDT)
From: hamzen
Email: None
To: Judith
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
At the risk of sounding too analytical, your dream story sounded neat, like your subconscious & conscious coming together instead of being separated. Nice bit of self healing.
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Date: Tues, Sep 22, 1998 at 22:03:10 (EDT)
From: Judith
Email: None
To: hamzen
Subject: I wish I still believed in God
Message:
Yes good point Hamzen. Maybe at last I am getting together with myself. I guess you can't give that away to anyone.
thanks to you and Mike for your comments
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