--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltabl...@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@> wrote: <snip> > > Something good is happening. I never doubted > > Vaj was a fraud. He certainly didn't sound > > like he knew anything AT ALL about TM. Worse > > yet, he claimed he was a TM teacher but > > failed to produce a shred of evidence. > > Think what you like about his points, this > challenge is absurd if he wants to keep his > name off this forum.
Oh, he could produce some evidence that couldn't be linked to his name, like which TTC he attended and the names of those who ran it, or helped MMY run it. (Of course, he could get such information from someone who actually was there even if he wasn't, but at least it would be *something*.) More importantly, there would be no call for such evidence if Vaj's presentation of what TM involves were as accurate as, say, yours. There's a reason why Vaj is the only person on FFL claiming to have been a TM teacher whose credentials have been seriously challenged. (By "seriously," I mean Willytex and Nabby aside.) > And given the vitriol directed his way I can > understand why. It still seems unreasonable > to me that he has this intense interest and > inside knowledge about the movement without > being a teacher. TM teachers aren't the only ones who have an interest in and inside knowledge of the TMO. > I think that his understanding about the > details of meditaton has shifted too far to > connect with people who only have studied TM. This isn't at all convincing as an explanation for why he gets so many details of what TM involves factually incorrect. <snip> > That is why I give the old Kumbaya speech to > you and Judy every now and then about > communicating with Vaj on a more detailed > intellectual level. You know, Curtis, we're pretty much in the same position you are when Nabby refers to your music as "hillbilly music." Even if Nabby had extensive knowledge of, say, jazz, there wouldn't be any point in your trying to communicate with him about the blues vs. jazz on a "more detailed intellectual level" if he's starting from the misapprehension that the blues is "hillbilly music." What you'd need to do first would be to find out why he thought that and disabuse him of the notion. Not a perfect parallel, but the point is that you can't engage in a meaningful "compare and contrast" exercise with a person whose understanding of one of the elements in the comparison is faulty. For that matter, Vaj doesn't seem to be capable of explaining *his* favored end of the comparison clearly. (And if emptybill's analysis is on target, Vaj either doesn't understand it or is misrepresenting it as well.) > I would enjoy reading it. I accept that this > relationship is too broken to fix. There's an interesting thread from some years ago on alt.m.t that represents Vaj's first major incursion into that forum, between Vaj and me and several other knowledgeable TMers. The TMers maintained politeness and gave Vaj the benefit of the doubt for some time; it was Vaj who initially devolved into the ad hominem and open contempt that has always characterized his exchanges with TMers here. Also clearly evident were his reluctance (or inability) to explain himself or justify his positions, as well as numerous misunderstandings about the nature of TM and the TM-Sidhis. If you'd be interested in reading the thread, I could dig it up for you. Point being, it would be hard to make a case that Vaj has *ever* been interested in having an intellectually meaningful dialogue with committed TMers.
