I do not believe in engaging in flame wars, yet I feel that your misperceptions cannot go unanswered. I do not advocate that running around hysterically with your hair on fire will alleviate the problems of this world. I do no advocate being unconscious, stupid, brutal, zealosly waging war or being a fundamentalist reactionary. I am not sure how you interpolated that message from my post. I haven't read the Buddha in depth, but your comment about "take it up with Jesus" is highly ironic. Why do you think he was crucified, for academic idealogic reasons? It was because he was the ultimate rabble rouser, a revolutionary, not a bland apologist who avoided all confrontation, like M does now. Jesus said "blessed are the peace makers," meaning, I suppose, those who make peace. He did not say "blessed are those who enjoy life," those who isolate themselves in selfish, introspective, inactive "spiritual" movements and make crass excuses for their materialistic, aliened, uninvolved and uninspired lifestyles. Remember - the Bhagavad Gita was preached on the battlefield.

I will reiterate my original point. I believe that separating spirituality from the suffering in this world is an abomination. The belief that this world is not real allows you to do anything or nothing. The people I have seen who are really free, not in some theoretical premie sense, are people who have risked their life for justice (I believe there is such a thing, and real justice is almost never obscure). You talk about polarisation - remember, people, mostly weak and defenseless, are suffering and dying because of the actions of people. What is the cost of not resisting the evil-doers?

Rawatist (and all other) fundamentalism is based on, and perpetuated by the belief that you CANNOT LEARN FROM YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE. Just consult the published ideology and go forth, my child.