--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > He said: > > If you sincerely want to know the truth, I'll help you come to terms with > Maharishi and the Movement. But Ricky, if your heart is already set and I > would be wasting my time, then, you can go on with the negative judgements > and good luck. > > > > I said: > > I thought a lot about this and kind of "felt" my way into it during > meditation, and here's what I think (and feel). I love you, Bobby, Paul > Morehead, Craig Pearson, my old Purusha buddies, and the many good souls in > the movement. Most of the people I just mentioned love what they're doing > and seem to be thriving doing it. Bobby (to whom I'm Cc-ing this note) > absolutely glows with love, energy, and enthusiasm. I consider him a genuine > saint, (although, being a genuine saint, he wouldn't admit or even know that > he is). So many of the people I just mentioned are brilliant at what they > do. I couldn't hold a candle to them. My heart recoils at the thought of > engaging them in a conversation in which I would be obligated to bring out > things that might dampen their enthusiasm and devotion. If it ever becomes > more evolutionary for some of these people to leave the movement than to > stay in it, then probably that's what they'll do. Most of those who stay in > the movement will see them as having fallen or become deluded, because > seeing their course of action as perfectly acceptable might shake the > foundations of their own motivation. But those who leave can live with that. > > > > The conditions you've set up for our discussion are not equitable. You > clearly imply that you possess "the truth" and that I am mired in "negative > judgments" from which you might extricate me. I don't regard you or anyone > as having a monopoly on the truth. If some of my own judgments are overly > negative, I'd certainly like to revise them. Others may be insightful or > well-informed, but for you to see them that way would be to start a crack in > the cosmic egg, and as I said above, I don't want to do that. I don't mean > to sound condescending, but chicks have to peck their way out. Helping them > from the outside can be injurious. > > > > My guiding principles are pretty well expressed by the quotes on the home > page of FairfieldLife: > > > > "What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the wish to find out, which > is the exact opposite." ~ Bertrand Russell > > > > "The healthy mind challenges its own assumptions." ~ The I Ching > > > > "Whatever you think, it's more than that" ~ Incredible String Band > > > > "Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what > your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But > whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, > conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings -- that > doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide." ~ Dharma- pada, > Buddha Shakyamuni > > > > "Take what you need and leave the rest." ~ The Band > > > > I do not claim to know the truth. I hope my judgments, if I am making any, > remain open to revision as new information presents itself. And I try never > dismiss any information out of hand. "Pretty much any topic is fair game." > (Another line from the FFL description.) We don't live in a black and white > universe and a fundamentalist, holier-than-thou attitude, whoever expresses > it, is a reflection of individual ego, not of the true nature of things. It > reveals a failure to appreciate God's infinite, all-embracing, compassionate > nature. > > > > So I hope we always remain friends, and can spend some fun time together, as > I often do with the Moreheads, without friction over our different > orientations. Perhaps a few years from now we'll each see things from > different perspectives, and long discussions will be appropriate and > fruitful. > > > > Your pal, > > > > Rick > > > > P.S. The Vikings say they're coming for you next.
Get a checking !
