> of course, the end result is supposed to be a total transformation > of one's life, so expecting total devotion isn't too much to ask > for.
Actually such a vague claim when paired with the concept that if your life goes to hell, that is just purification and karma, does seem unreasonable to me. > > i think the real question is on the seeker-- how do they know the > master they are following is worthy of the name, and worthy of their > total devotion? There are many presuppositions in this statement. I don't share most of them but certainly defend your right to them! (Without someone telling you what to do without questioning, that is!) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, enlightened_dawn11 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, enlightened_dawn11 > > <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > it is a simple formula-- you either do what the master asks > of > > > you > > > > > and gain what the master has to give, or you don't. it is > not a > > > > > matter of sitting on the sidelenes chattering about it. the > > > choice > > > > > is a clear one, and if you don't accept it or accept it, > what is > > > the > > > > > difference? unless you enjoy making up other people's minds > for > > > them. > > > > > > > > For me it is a matter of sitting on the sidelines > and "chattering" > > > > about it. This is a discussion board where such topics are > > > > "chattered" about for the purpose of increasing > understanding. > > > > > > are you really seeking to increase your understanding here, or > just > > > make your prejudices known? > > > > I followed the guy for 15 years. My studied personal opinion is > far > > from prejudice. It is post-judice. We each express our POV here, > just > > as you have. Giving it diminished labels like "chattering" and > > "prejudice" reveals your own biases on this topic. But no, I don't > > have two choices, be obedient or not. I can also speak up against > what > > I feel is an unreasonable proposal for one human to make to another > > without any restrictions, such as we have in the military. > Speaking > > against such a misuse of our social bonds is an important issue for > > me. I didn't like it any better when Bush tried to run it on the > > other countries of the world. > > i appreciate your thinking on this. i don't think comparing such a > social bond to the military is equivalent though. at least with a > master, you can just walk away- or with the Maharishi you could. > > > > You > > > > are offering false alternatives. > > > > > > i don't understand how. the alternatives are either go with the > > > master thing, or don't. what else is there? > > > > Discussing how we feel about it now. > > > > > > > > And how exactly is my writing about > > > > something "making up other people's minds for them?" > > > > > > > because it appears from what you have said that you strongly > > > disagree with what the Maharishi says wrt devotion to a master, > and > > > by extension offer no viable explanation for those who choose to > > > follow him in that way, other than they are weak or flawed or > > > deluded in some way. at least that was the way i read it. > > > > Again with the false alternatives. The people who follow him now > are > > welcome to give their opinion about the value they are getting. I > am > > not speaking for them, but only for myself. I have some > understanding > > of why people make this choice from having made it myself years > ago. > > I am not unsympathetic to their decision. My comments were aimed > at > > the person who set up the "with us or agin us" system in the first > > place. > > > true-- there are a lot of assumptions made about an end result for > those who follow a master, myself included at one time. > > of course, the end result is supposed to be a total transformation > of one's life, so expecting total devotion isn't too much to ask > for. > > i think the real question is on the seeker-- how do they know the > master they are following is worthy of the name, and worthy of their > total devotion? >