Yes, Protestantism "looks good on paper". :-) Due to lack of a persistent technique, though, the Protestants have twisted the possibility of direct communication [with God] into a weak collection of symbols and interpretation, and ministers. So even though the intent is there, the Protestant religions also lost their way early on, maintaining more an intellectual argument with the Catholic view, than finding a true path, based on direct experience.
The Spirituali dudes and dudettes were around so long ago, and although many of original documents have amazingly been preserved, there really was no mention of any techniques they may have practiced. Nonetheless, Maharishi's view of things *was* radical, however I didn't want to get into that, as I am trying to eat this elephant [Tamas], just one spoonful at a time.:-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, doctordumbass@ <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > I saw a TV show last night about the Spirituali movement in 15th century > > Italy. In parallel to the outside Protestant movement, It was an attempt by > > forces *within* the Catholic Church to both spread the word that > > intercession isn't necessary between humans and God, and bring an end to > > the corruption within the institution. Michelangelo was caught in the > > middle of it, and some of his commissioned art reflects this. > > > > Spoiler Alert: The Spirituali lost. The status quo Cardinal provided > > evidence to The Inquisition, which he had revived, that the Cardinal > > backing the Spirituali had distributed copies of the Bible in Italian, vs. > > Latin, and to *non-clergy* - a serious crime. The good guy "repented", fled > > to England, despite ongoing attempts by the Vatican to have him extradited > > back to Rome, for "a friendly chat". > > > > So the idea that humans have a direct link to God has been > > absent from any western tradition, because of this. Maharishi > > revived this idea, and ability, in the West. > > I'm not sure this is quite right. Protestantism of whatever > flavor (as far as I'm aware) eschews intercession (e.g., > confession to and absolution by a priest). The Spirituali > would have been promoting the idea that no priest was > necessary to mediate between the human being and God, contra > Catholic doctrine. But this is the same as Protestant > doctrine, and Protestantism is certainly within the Western > tradition. > > The kind of "direct link" with God that Maharishi brought > to the West is much more radical, not simply a revival of > the Spirituali concept, as I understand it. > > Otherwise, very nice post. > > > > He discovered through his own inquiry, that it is the Evening of Kali Yuga, > > a time when suffering increases for humanity, leading to the darkest night. > > He discovered that the darkness is maintained by Mother Divine to maintain > > the cosmic cycle of time. Rather than have the Divine Mother remove the > > engines of negativity from the atmosphere, he discovered that each of us is > > either a polluter, or purifier, of the atmosphere. Through spreading the > > technique which removes any intermediaries between us and the forces of > > life and death, he has made it possible for each of us to make that choice > > for ourselves, what we choose to be. > > > > Although he has spoken about the descent of Heaven On Earth, he has also > > spoken about such a phenomenon being a localized effect, with pockets of > > strife continuing across the globe. I don't know whether this was a > > modification of his earlier proclamations. Ultimately, though, he puts the > > responsibility for any of this Heaven or Hell right back on each of us. > > > > Even if tomorrow magically became a paradise, most of us wouldn't notice.:-) >
