Re: Confusion-Mind
Posted June 20th, 2004 by srichinmoyinspi...
(#4413)
A recent visitor to this site, a sincere seeker named Steven, asked
a question which I will paraphrase. In essence, he asked how false
and hateful material vilifying Sri Chinmoy and his students can be
allowed to exist.
This question can be answered in many ways, and much has already
been said in a thread called "Question For The Women," with parts 1
and 2 archived here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/3731
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/3732
More generally, it is not only Sri Chinmoy Centre, but many
spiritual groups who suffer at the hands of those who are not
tolerant of spiritual diversity.
One method used by those who want to limit the choices available to
spiritual seekers is to spread alarmist material that will make many
people afraid to follow a spiritual path. Some social scientists and
religious scholars have studied the tactics used by the anti-cult
movement, including the use of false (and often pornographic)
stories of abuse as a marketing tool to sell anti-cult books, videos
and "counseling" services.
Ridiculous "atrocity stories" are often circulated about a bona fide
spiritual group with no history of abuse, in order to stigmatize the
choice of a minority faith, and to persuade parents to hire an "exit
counselor" who will pressure their adult son or daughter to leave
the group.
In addition to spreading atrocity stories, anti-cultists also engage
in extreme secular deconstruction of spiritual practice. They claim
that people who pray, meditate, have faith in a spiritual teacher,
and devote much of their time to a spiritual community are victims
of "mind control."
Although the "mind control" theory has been largely discredited by
scholars, it continues to be retailed to the public in populist
media. This has helped lead to a paradox in Western society. People
have a certain amount of freedom to pursue spiritual ideals; but
should they choose to do so, they may find that they are harassed
and ridiculed.
If you look at the history of the West over the past 100 years, you
can see that today we have a media culture which is largely secular
and pleasure-loving, superimposed over a Judeo-Christian culture
which emphasizes traditional values. Both the secular media culture
and the Judeo-Christian culture can sometimes badly misunderstand
Eastern spirituality. So seekers following an Eastern path try and
gently share a right view of who they are and what they are doing.
Often, they find that rather than being able to discuss their
beliefs and practices, they are forced to spend much of their time
combatting stereotypes which have nothing to do with reality. See
"Of Artists, Heroines and Heroes," found here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/4189
Anti-cult groups attempt to feed the media false material vilifying
spiritual teachers, much as one would throw a pit bull a chunk of
raw meat. The outcome is predictable. Since Sri Chinmoy is a deeply
holy person leading a pure, celibate life, one should expect that
the more notorious publications will present a caricature of him
which is the exact opposite of reality. Yet, as Sri Chinmoy writes
in Entertainment Versus Enlightenment:
"Unaspiring people may insult us, they may mock at us or do other
undivine things, but we know it is our bounden duty to help them in
whatever way we can."
http://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/entertainment-enlightenment/20
Sri Chinmoy Centre is not a social or political movement. It is
fundamentally concerned with a life of prayer, meditation and
service. There are thousands of seekers who are eager for such a
life, and who feel that it brings them the deepest kind of
happiness. That is why they have chosen it.
Spirituality as taught by Sri Chinmoy is not an escape from life. It
is an effort to first go inward to the Source in order to get peace,
light, and joy--and then bring these qualities outward in order to
be of greater service to the world. This is a life rooted in
volunteerism.
Sri Chinmoy has expressed his gratitude to America countless times
for allowing him to be of service. He has offered America his Indian
heart, and America has given him the freedom to teach and minister
to the needs of spiritual seekers in the West. America is a nation
of freedom, and this includes the freedom to spread all views--
including the false views Steven complained about.
True, there are laws against harassment, defamation, cybersquatting,
etc. In some cases, Sri Chinmoy Centre has been left with no choice
but to file complaints. However, where the authors of slanderous
material are troubled people in therapy, and where the publishers
have a history of criminal activity, or where they intentionally
hide behind a series of dummy names and addresses, running sites out
of Kowloon or Bulgaria, there is no guarantee that due process can
be successfully applied.
The Internet remains a kind of "Wild West"--with no sheriff wearing
a white hat to bring in "information desperados" who publish false
and harassing material. For this reason, responsible journalists are
extremely careful about being taken in by Internet hoaxes, rumor
panics and hate campaigns. Yet there is always a lowest common
denominator of tabloids whose policy is: "Someone said it on the
Internet--it must be true!"
To come back to Steven's question, one reason false material can
exist is that spiritual teachers do not always care to be distracted
from their spiritual work. They are not responsible for those who
speak falsely; they are only responsible for offering spiritual
truth, the truth that will gradually enlighten society.
I think Sri Chinmoy Centre will always be known as a group which
seeks first and foremost to humbly offer what it has and what it is,
secure in the knowledge that offering a true view is often the best
way to combat false views spread by others.
True to this principle, Sri Chinmoy has always made every effort to
meet with statesman, religious leaders, artists, philosophers,
musicians and athletes--not to convert them, but to foster religious
tolerance, and to ensure that his teachings are not misunderstood.
His slow and steady efforts over the years have been crowned with
success. So many people know him well, and know that he is a sincere
emissary of a great spiritual tradition; that he follows the highest
standard of personal conduct; and that he teaches the same high
standard to his students.
By presenting himself to society's movers and shapers, demonstrating
his character, and making clear the nature of his teachings, Sri
Chinmoy is helping his students immeasurably--since where there is
understanding there is less room for hatred and intolerance. As Sri
Chinmoy is accepted, so his students are also accepted, and this
spares them much hardship--especially in places where religious
freedom is limited. This is Sri Chinmoy's labour of love for his
students.
Sri Chinmoy has received many awards for his work, including the
Pilgrim of Peace Award, the World Peace Literature Award, the Light
of Asia Award, UNESCO's Nehru Medallion, the Gandhi Universal
Harmony Award (received jointly with Coretta Scott King), the Hindu
Renaissance Award (presented by Hinduism Today), the Jesse Owens
Humanitarian Peace Award, and the Spark M. Matsunaga Peace Award.
Why then is there material vilifying him? Another way of answering
Steven's question has to do with free will. God has given us the
freedom to choose. His earthly creation includes both right and
wrong views on practically every subject. A spiritual teacher, no
matter how good and great, cannot simply force everyone to adopt a
right view--no more than a math teacher can force everyone to do
well in calculus. He can only humbly offer and patiently teach.
Those who are sincerely trying to learn will benefit from the
teacher's efforts. Others may mock, ridicule or defame. It is like a
student who gets a failing grade on her calculus test, so she curses
the teacher and spreads malicious gossip about him, instead of
questioning her own understanding, and working harder to become a
better student.
I believe that at any time on earth, there are always a few genuine
teachers who are offering seekers the highest truth. We might wish
that such teachers would always be fully embraced by humanity, but
this is rare. Usually, it is only a few people who appreciate them
while they are on earth. As with great artists, it often takes
hundreds of years before their work is fully appreciated.
These teachers usually offer us variations on the same message:
"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul." Since
most of us are very wrapped up in our desires and the minutiae of
our daily lives, we may find this message unsettling. Or perhaps it
is a beautiful ideal which we try to honor, but do not always
practise to the fullest.
So the great teachers come, but much of humanity is busy enjoying
bread and circuses, and takes no notice. Others may take notice, but
like King Herod they respond with jealousy, hatred and plotting.
They may harass and persecute those who are offering spiritual
light, love and wisdom. No spiritual teacher, no matter how good and
great, is immune to the proverbial "barking of the dogs" of which
Swami Vivekananda spoke. Sri Chinmoy has said:
"A real genius is not bound by any convention. A genius is a genius.
He has to go forward like an elephant, without paying attention to
the barking of the dogs. Swami Vivekananda used to say that when an
elephant is on the way to the market to eat bananas, the dogs bark
and bark. But the elephant does not pay any attention. He goes to
the market and eats the bananas and then he comes back home. The
dogs are unable to enjoy the bananas."
http://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/mystic-journey-weightlifting/25
Combatting false views prevalent in society is like trying to
straighten "a dog's curly tail" (Vivekananda)--it just curls up
again. There will always be organizations spreading hate material.
Sometimes they are good at demagoguing an issue, and may have more
funding and resources than spiritual groups, so their message is
easier to hear. They can temporarily drown out the true message
offered by sincere spiritual teachers.
Yet, spiritual genius that he is, Sri Chinmoy continues to move
forward confidently, offering his precious Darshan to those seekers
who approach him with an aspiring consciousness. What is said by
critics is largely, ahem... irrelephant.
Sri Chinmoy's students are doctors, lawyers, artists, musicians,
writers, athletes and shopkeepers. They share a common humanity with
their fellow citizens. When we encounter anti-cult hate material
which attempts to drive a wedge between spiritual seekers and the
rest of society, we should understand that this stems from bigotry
and a wrong view.
Western society has long embraced the concept of specialization. Our
society needs some people who focus on matters spiritual, just as it
needs stockbrokers and policemen. The problem comes when anti-
cultists force a needless confrontation between spiritual and
secular values. Both value sets are part of a continuum of choices
which exist in a free society.
I can say more, but how useful is it for spiritual seekers to hear
these things? It seems to me that seekers are charged with the study
of Light and not darkness.
To tie together a few loose ends, I suppose I should say that there
are always people who study with a spiritual teacher, and later
become bitter opponents of that teacher. We might call this the
"Judas syndrome."
Where we see false material vilifying a bona fide teacher and path,
often this is the work of apostates who have received some type of
"exit counseling," and have subsequently thrown in their lot with
anti-cult groups. Some of these people get their thirty pieces of
silver, or the equivalent in pats on the back and the fulfillment of
worldly desires. Others have converted to a new faith, and display a
fanatical obsession with disparaging their old faith. They feel that
by portraying their former faith as abusive, they can get people to
convert to their new faith.
There is nothing new or novel in this. It is a story as old as the
hills. By studying the writings of apostates or disgruntled former
members, one does not get any enlightenment. For that one needs
spiritual practice, such as prayer, meditation and service.
What I'm trying to share with Steven (and to better understand
myself) is that the more we study doubt, the more we will experience
confusion-mind. Doubt does not have the power to dispel itself. Only
faith has the power to dispel doubt, just as Light dispels darkness.
There are many tracts criticizing people who study under the
guidance of a spiritual master and join in the life of a spiritual
community. The authors usually advocate secularism, individualism,
rationalism, and a pragmatic view of life. To them God is just a
mental hallucination, or a remote deity who deserves no more than
Temple on Friday or Church on Sunday.
Yet, when one sincerely meditates with a qualified teacher like Sri
Chinmoy, one has deep inner experiences which prove their own
reality in the fertile field of the aspiring heart. One discovers a
living God ever present in the temple of one's heart, a God who is
one's own highest Self, and therefore one's constant companion.
This is a discovery rooted in faith, not doubt. And so there comes a
time when one closes one's ears to doubt and criticism, and tries to
proceed only through faith, finding this to be a higher teaching.
(Perhaps doubt is the kindergarten of the spiritual life, and faith
the advanced doctoral work?)
As a very minor seeker, I often look for excuses to avoid the
challenge of fully committing to a life of faith. I would like
conditions to be more favorable. I would like the dogs to stop
barking. I would like it if some people didn't label me pejoratively
just because I have a little love for an Indian guru. But conditions
will never be perfect. I cannot control these external factors, but
I can try and use each opportunity wisely. I cannot stop others from
acting wrongly, but I can try harder to bring more love for God into
my own heart. Like the Whos down in Whoville, I can respond to
Grinchlike behavior by singing! (See Dr. Seuss.)
In a poem with which I shall close, Sri Chinmoy says: "Right in
front of us is the ladder of Light." As spiritual seekers, we can
learn to value Light more. When we become lovers of Light, this will
lead to right views, and such views will eventually transform
society, lessening the hatred and intolerance which arise from a
wrong understanding.
No one can force this to happen untimely, and we cannot say that it
will happen only through the influence of a single teacher. The
different teachers and paths are each offering truth in their own
way, and when they cooperate in a spirit of oneness, collectively
they will hasten the day when our beautiful planet becomes a much
more tangibly spiritual place to live. May that day arrive soon!
Assistant Moderator
In The Depth Of My Heart
In the depth of my heart the blue bird smiles
and the blue bird plays.
The festival of lustre-form and celestial delight
is inviting everyone.
The sun, the moon, the mountains and the ocean
all have come.
Today we shall listen to the call of Infinity.
We shall run toward Infinity.
Right in front of us is the ladder of Light.
Our hearts have become the flower of Light Divine.
We are the hope of our Lord Supreme.
The world-creator is none other than our love.
- Sri Chinmoy
- login to post comments
Dear all
I am replying to this posting for two reasons.
The first is to draw more attention to it, in the hope that if
anyone missed the original message, this reply might inspire you to
read it.
The second is to offer on behalf of all group members, our most
sincere gratitude to the group's Assistant Moderator for his or her
most eloquent, reasoned, profound, sensible, insightful, informed,
wise, caring, superbly crafted, compassionate and comprehensive
contributions to our spiritual discourse.
Enough said. Read this message. It is inspiring, invaluable, a true
work of art.
Thank you
Prachar
It is amazing how literate our Assistant Moderator is. This
answer/elaboration on the path of Sri Chinmoy is really worthwhile
reading... for seekers, doubters, believers, anybody!
Kedar
Aww - well said Kedar.
I sometimes also think of the many things in our earlier lives that
have helped us come to know what we are looking for. I suspect many
spiritual people were inwardly touched if they came across "The
Little Prince" when they were younger. A key idea in that book was
"only with the heart can one see rightly; what is essential is
invisible to the eye."
Another book that some were recently discussing outside a function
in Queens is "Jonathan Livingston Seagull." I was so suprised to
come across this transcendence message in a children's story at the
time. I wouldn't have called it that then, I just felt it was such
an expansive and hopeful story to be aware of other dimensions and
possibilities. It just gave me spontaneous joy for days. I was
reading to a group of young people at bedtime in camp, and at one
point I stopped reading out loud because it was so interesting to me
and I wanted to read faster...there was such feeling of recognition.
It now seems like they were little encouraging signposts along the
path.
On the subject of what people do when they stop making progress and
begin to focus on others' failings instead of working on their own
transformation... Hopefully they will soon realize this is just a
distraction and a delay to their own progress. One roommate used to
remind us that "wherever you go, that is where you are." So wherever
you travel or whoever else you might blame for a slow pace,
eventually you have to just go back to basics and get on with the
task at hand of transforming yourself. Stories like the "The Little
Prince," "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and the many plays and songs
of Sri Chinmoy, help make that work less lonely and more joyful.
- Adhiratha
Cyber-Stalkers and Net Kooks
In the discussion called "Question For The Women," it was made
rather clear by Sundari, Bhuvah, Sushmitam, Nandita, Vasudha,
Nishtha, Tanima, Nemi, and many other women that their experience of
Sri Chinmoy Centre has always been one of complete safety. Parts 1
and 2 of that discussion are archived here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/3731
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/3732
Many children who grew up in Sri Chinmoy Centre have also talked
about the safety that they felt, and the advantages that a spiritual
upbringing has given them in adult life. See "Children in Sri
Chinmoy Centre" (Parts 1 and 2), archived in HIGHLIGHTS no.17 and
no.18:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/5531
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/5854
Parents have also talked about how studying with Sri Chinmoy has
helped them raise their children with wisdom and compassion--free
from any kind of abuse.
Yet, sincere seekers occasionally ask how false and hateful material
vilifying Sri Chinmoy and his students can be allowed to exist. As I
discussed in message #4413,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/4413
it is not only Sri Chinmoy Centre, but many spiritual groups who
suffer at the hands of those who are not tolerant of spiritual
diversity.
One method used by those who want to limit the choices available to
spiritual seekers is to spread alarmist material that will make many
people afraid to follow a spiritual path. Ridiculous "atrocity
stories" are often circulated about a bona fide spiritual group with
no history of abuse, in order to stigmatize the choice of a minority
faith, and to persuade parents to hire an "exit counselor" who will
pressure their adult son or daughter to abandon their faith.
The core material for such absurd attacks often originates with
cyber-stalkers and net kooks, and is sometimes republished by anti-
cult groups, or by tabloids pandering to a reactionary mind-set. In
this article, I talk a little more about the problem of cyber-
stalkers and net kooks.
According to information found at:
http://www.cyber-stalking.net/
Some of the methods used by cyber-stalkers to harass their victims
include:
- Creating websites about the victim to attack or harass them
- Posting in a newsgroup or on an online discussion forum or
discussion board to attack the victim
- Accusing the victim of paedophilia to incite harassment of the
victim
Cyber-stalkers are often seeking retribution for some imagined
wrong. The stalker may have been fired or expelled from an
organization, or may have been incited by a hate group (or another
cyber-stalker) to believe false material vilifying the victim. The
stalker may be seeking attention from a person who has denied them
access, and may be using the Internet to threaten and harass.
As many as 40% of cyber-stalkers are women. Some of the most
persistent are those who have a romantic or sexual fixation on the
victim--who is often a celebrity. These kinds of stalkers may try to
persuade others that they are intimate with the celebrity they're
stalking. This is a form of harassing and controlling behavior, as
well as an attempt to leech publicity. Here's a quote from an
article published by the National Center for Victims of Crime:
"The vast majority of love obsessional stalkers suffer from a mental
disorder--often schizophrenia or paranoia. Regardless of the
specific disorder, nearly all display some delusional thought
patterns and behaviors. Since most are unable to develop normal
personal relationships through more conventional and socially
acceptable means, they retreat to a life of fantasy relationships
with persons they hardly know, if at all. They invent fictional
stories--complete with what is to them real-life scripts--which cast
their unwilling victims in the lead role as their own love interest.
They then attempt to act out their fictional plots in the real
world.
"The woman who has stalked David Letterman for five years truly
believes she is his wife. She has been discovered on Mr. Letterman's
property numerous times, has been arrested driving his car and has
even appeared at his residence with her own child in tow--each time
insisting that she is David Letterman's wife.
"Love obsessional stalkers not only attempt to live out their
fantasies, but expect their victims to play their assigned roles as
well. They believe they can make the object of their affection love
them. They desperately want to establish a positive personal
relationship with their victim. When the victim refuses to follow
the script or doesn't respond as the stalker hopes, they may attempt
to force the victim to comply by use of threats and intimidation.
... Some decide that if they cannot be a positive part of their
victim's life, they will be part of their life in a negative way."
[They become a hate-obsessional stalkers.]
Describing the "simple obsession stalker," the same article states:
"Stalkers in this class are characterized as individuals who are:
- Socially maladjusted and inept;
- Emotionally immature;
- Often subject to feelings of powerlessness;
- Unable to succeed in relationships by socially-acceptable means;
- Jealous, bordering on paranoid; and
- Extremely insecure about themselves and suffering from low self-
esteem."
Stalking expert Michael Scott writes:
"The stalker could be likened to one who is addicted to a drug. And
like many drug users, they will stop at nothing to satisfy their
habit. It is the stalker's desire to make the 'drug,' their victim,
the focal point of their lives. If they cannot get the victim to
give in to their demands, then they will be satisfied with the next
best thing... making themselves the focal point of the victim's
life."
Stalkers have a kind of love/hate relationship with their victims.
They are obsessed with them, but when they can't get what they want,
they try and destroy them by any means--including publishing false
and harassing material about them on the Internet.
Why Teachers Are At Risk
People in the helping professions, such as therapists and teachers,
are often at greatest risk of being stalked. They deal with troubled
people every day; and when they try and help a person change their
nature, they run the risk that the person will just turn around and
attack them.
Someone has been treated with unimaginable kindness by a teacher.
Their conscience tells them that they should respond in kind. But
instead, something in their nature rebels. They hate the teacher who
showed them kindness and compassion. They hate the teacher who tried
to prepare them for the spiritual life by speaking honestly about
the limitations of desire-life. Their conscience tells them that
they have no reason to hate; but human nature is very clever. Rather
than root out their unjust hatred, a person will justify it with
some kind of ridiculous story that bears no resemblance to reality.
They will say the teacher is very bad. But the truth is, some people
stalk Sri Chinmoy because he was the only person to ever show them
so much love and kindness. Like any good teacher, he dared to try
and help them change--which is what they asked him to do! But when
change becomes difficult, it's easier to blame the teacher than to
recognize one's own weaknesses.
Sometimes spiritual seekers lose their faith and courage. At one
time they were able to simplify their lives and live with very few
desires. But when they lose their faith and courage, all their
desires return. They become so angry about the years they spent
praying and meditating. They feel they could have spent those years
playing the stock market or making hay. Once, when they were rich in
the spirit of self-giving, they gave freely and joyfully of
themselves. They got tremendous joy from participating in the life
of a spiritual community. They dedicated each action of theirs to
God the Supreme, who is the true Guru--everybody's Guru. But when
selfish desires return, they say that they have lost everything to a
rogue. Who is the rogue? It is the teacher who gave them the true
message of self-giving.
You can say that this problem reflects a lack of wisdom and
humility. Suppose a person has followed a spiritual path for twenty
years. At the beginning of their spiritual journey, their teacher
told them: "Have faith in me, and be sure and follow these
beneficial practices: prayer, meditation, service--and above all,
love for God." Now, in the course of twenty years, at times they had
faith in their teacher and followed beneficial practices. At such
times, they felt great joy. At other times, they lost faith in their
teacher and did not follow beneficial practices. At those times,
their joy disappeared. Finally, they lose interest in that
particular path. Yet, if they have wisdom and humility, they see
that the path is beneficial for those who practice sincerely. They
do not assume that just because they have lost faith and no longer
practice as they once did, therefore the path has become bad and the
teacher has become bad. They do not adopt an apostate stance.
With wisdom and humility also comes a certain sincerity. The person
says, "All right, I am no longer getting joy from this particular
path. But thousands of other seekers are getting joy. I do not need
to bother and harass them. Perhaps they are doing what is right for
them. Perhaps for them, this teacher is absolutely the best." This
kind of person does not judge others harshly. He does not insist
that just because he has lost his faith, therefore everyone else
must also lose their faith.
Once there were two blind men. Both men lost their sight in middle
age. The wise blind man remembered what the sun looked like, even
though he could no longer see it. He felt certain that the sun
continued to shine every day. But the foolish blind man could not
remember what the sun looked like, so he mocked all those who said
they saw it, and told them they were brainwashed. To him there was
only darkness. He said the sun had become very bad: it no longer
shone!
So a wise person does not get carried away by his own changing
perceptions. Even if he becomes blind, he does not fault the sight
of others, and does not fault the sun.
It is also like divorce. After many happy years of marriage,
sometimes a couple experiences insurmountable problems. They cannot
reconcile, therefore they divorce. But after so many years, each
partner is like a theme running through the other's life. If they
are wise, they do not try to destroy their happy memories of each
other--and certainly they do not try to destroy the other person!
But since wisdom is often lacking in human nature, divorce sometimes
ends in hatred, bitterness, and countless recriminations.
In the spiritual life, when some seekers break with their chosen
faith, they show an immature, destructive attitude. They consciously
try and take away the faith of others. Those who are more sincere,
even if they are captured by desire, do not blame the spiritual
teacher or spiritual community. They know that the teacher and
community helped them when they needed help. Even if their goals
change, they remain grateful for the spiritual help they received.
They feel that the life of self-giving helped them to build
character and accrue merit. They do not harass and stalk their
former friends and teacher.
Exploitation by Exit Counselors and Anti-Cult Groups
Most stalking situations are fairly black-and-white. However, the
situation is sometimes complicated by societal problems of bigotry
and intolerance. Cyber-stalkers may be encouraged to continue their
stalking behavior by certain therapists and anti-cult groups,
provided that the victim of the stalking is a member of a minority
faith. The quirky rationale is that the stalker must have become
deranged due to "cult abuse," and that by using the Internet as a
virtual weapon, the stalker is regaining his or her self-esteem, and
performing a useful function for society, which (according to this
rationale) would be better off without minority faiths.
It's a little like a joke sometimes attributed to Groucho Marx:
"This guy goes to a psychiatrist because his brother has a problem.
He thinks he's a chicken. The psychiatrist answers simply: 'Why not
tell him he's not a chicken and be done with it?' To which the man
responds, 'I'd like to, but we need the eggs.'"
Like this, some exit counselors and anti-cult organizations exploit
former members of bona fide spiritual groups. They encourage
delusional thinking and troubled behaviour, as long as it advances
their agenda of opposing "cults." If a love-obsessional stalker
going through the hate stage is saying vile things about a minority
spiritual figure, some exit counselors and anti-cult groups will
publish this material, because it helps create a climate of fear
which will boost sales of anti-cult books, videos and "counseling"
sessions. Never mind that the material is false, and that it will
needlessly alarm parents. A frightened parent is a parent willing to
shell out big bucks for a "cult intervention."
When a member of a minority faith becomes a victim of cyber-
stalking, this places the victim in a double bind--first, because he
or she is being stalked; and second, because he or she may be non-
white and non-Judeo-Christian. In such cases, the stalker's method
of harassing the victim may be to pander to stereotypes about the
victim's ethnic and religious background, and to try and enlist the
less reputable media as surrogate harassers. In other words, if the
victim is David Letterman, everyone will believe him when he says,
"This is not my wife." If the victim is non-white, non-Judeo-
Christian, and not a media darling, some of the media will side with
the stalker!
Understanding and Dealing With Net Kooks
Often, people who harass and cyber-stalk a person or group are what
are known as "net kooks," defined by the Jargon File as follows:
"Term used to describe a regular poster who continually posts
messages with no apparent grounding in reality. Different from a
troll, which implies a sort of sly wink on the part of a poster who
knows better, kooks really believe what they write, to the extent
that they believe anything. The kook trademark is paranoia and
grandiosity. Kooks will often build up elaborate imaginary support
structures, fake corporations and the like, and continue to act as
if those things are real even after their falsity has been
documented in public. While they may appear harmless ... there are
several instances on record ... of journalists writing stories with
quotes from kooks who caught them unaware."
While kooks come in many flavors and colors, those spouting some
sort of hatred, bigotry or intolerance are perhaps the most
pervasive on the Net. When such kooks come together to form eGroups,
they begin to pose a serious threat. Within the group, some may
specialise in posting outright kookery, while others enhance their
position by trying to put a sheen of respectability on what would
otherwise be seen as psychotic ravings. Collectively, they may
engage in targeted e-bombing of journalists, until by the sheer law
of averages some of their kookery manages to hit the target, coming
to infect the popular imagination. Even when someone retracts their
false story, other members of the hate group may continue to
circulate the same material as if it were true.
Both cyber-stalkers and net kooks often use "sock puppets" (multiple
aliases) to give the impression that--yes!, there really are aliens
from the planet Tralfamadore invading Earth! In fact, the Internet
is rife with danger zones where reality takes a back seat to the
delusions of people with an obsessive grudge and too much time on
their hands. Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that "Bad chemicals and bad
ideas are the Yin and Yang of madness." Unfortunately, net kooks
have plenty of both!
Over the years, many ethnic and religious minorities have found that
it's best to simply ignore net kooks spreading hate material. These
kooks are deeply troubled people who are far beyond the point where
you can engage in any constructive dialogue with them. They only
want to bait you, get your attention, and draw you into a
conversation so they can "rescue the cult member" (or simply bore
you to death!). As with encyclopedia salesmen, it's best not to let
them get their foot in the door.
Unfortunately, the attitude of some online services (such as Yahoo)
toward cyber-stalkers and net kooks is not merely to turn a blind
eye--but to profiteer off the hate speech generated by such kooks.
Yahoo is notorious for regarding hate speech as "free media content"
which they can use to run paid advertising. Yet strangely, they are
not regarded as the "publisher" of such material, due to a loophole
in the law. Yahoo's attorney, Anne Hoge, likes to defend her
company's actions by citing Jane Doe v. America Online, a tragic
case in which the mother of a child victimized by a pornographer
tried to hold AOL properly accountable, but was told by the court
that Congress had given blanket immunity to Internet service
providers.
Yahoo execs like Terry Siemel and Anne Hoge have no moral vision.
Their code of ethics is "We will profiteer off anything we can get
away with." Was someone hurt by false and harassing material Yahoo
is distributing? The essence of their answer is: "We could care
less! We and other ISPs got Congress to give us immunity. Our
answering machine is filled with complaints from people being
harassed on our service. That's why we have a form letter to blow
them off." (Here I am only expressing the essence of their
philosophy.)
I have written mostly from the victim's point of view. But
obviously, it can't be much fun to be a cyber-stalker or net kook
(nor someone who profiteers off hate speech). Certainly one can feel
compassion for people who waste their lives in such trivial
pursuits. One hopes that they might seek help in overcoming their
obsessions--and one day find healing.
Yet, one's empathy for troubled people understandably lessens in
inverse proportion to the malice that they show, and the amount of
emotional damage they inflict on innocents. When cyber-stalkers, net
kooks, and those who facilitate their actions go beyond a certain
point, breaking the law repeatedly, and infringing on the rights of
others to freedom of worship and the pursuit of happiness, it may be
necessary to take legal measures to protect the victims and end the
harassment.
Just my personal opinion!
Assistant Moderator
The land of kooks and cyber stalkers must be a pretty unhappy world.
It is something to avoid, yet someone has to act as the bouncer of the
group.
We are fortunate to have a moderator, who is also able to provide an
articulate and humorous counterbalance to those who offer only negativity.
*****
Dear AM,
Apparently in your youth you were a bit of a rapscallion.
However I think that Mrs O'Grady will be proud of you now.
Also, Genius' are always forgiven for any geekiness.
Richard
If cyberstalking is considered a crime, can not something be done
legally to prevent and/or get such rubbish off internet? I mean, how
can one protect oneself from having one's name slurred? Is there a
way or is it something yet to be implemented?
Forgive my ignorance if this was discussed, a short
answer/explanation would suffice. Long ones are tiresome for the
eyes.
Grateful for any further info,
Anita
*******
Dear Anita,
I can only refer you to the Big Little Book of Slander:
"See Sam slander.
See Sam sued.
See Sam stalk.
See Sam in the slammer."
There's probably not much more to it than that. The long version,
though boring, may benefit legal minds, philosophers, and social
scientists.
Some further info about practical steps which can be taken is
available here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sri_Chinmoy_Inspiration/message/3775
But don't strain your eyes! :-)
Assistant Moderator
Dear Assistant Moderator
Our eyes are strain-ed, true,
Yet our souls are indebted to you,
For through sludge and grime
and a deluge of slime
You shine with your heart ever true.
- Prachar
(not just my personal opinion)
Dear Assistant Moderator, I just want to thank you for your
insightful and in-depth account on this subject. I greatly admire
you and feel you embody a lot of clarity of mind and wisdom.
During the middle of the meditation courses, I was looking for
inspiration on the web one day and I unfortunately landed on some
kooky sites. I remember how they completely brought me down, made me
very depressed and sad, and brought up all kinds of negative
emotions in me like doubt, anger and despair. I guess they are like
a concentrated form of poison, which can be fatal for the weak. And
surely, at the time I felt this must be the end of my spiritual
search.
But, luckily my soul and God's grace were not going to give up on
me. And here I am!!! Very soon after becoming a student I felt that
this (becoming a student) was the greatest thing that had ever
happened in my life, and I slowly got more confident that a
spiritual path was not only the best thing for me, but the only
thing for me. Still, I guess it took a while for the effects of the
poison to fade, or be transformed.
However, every experience we have we can turn into something
positive, as Sri Chinmoy teaches. For one thing I'm sure the truth
applies that "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." And in a
sense I feel it must be a miracle that kept me from steering off
into the wrong direction after that fatal incident, because I can't
remember ever feeling so week, vulnerable, confused and helpless as
I felt then. So I can be really, really grateful I survived!!!
I guess, it's all very simple actually: in essence I'm sure
something negative and destructive will ultimately bring about a
negative reaction, whereas something positive and helpful will
ultimately bring about a positive reaction. ...Of course it all
depends on where one's consciousness is: I guess if one is in a
negative state of mind and vital, one may get joy from negativeness,
and be perturbed by things that don't conform to that negativeness.
Hmm...
Anyway, all this just stresses more and more the importance of
living in a pure heart. On the strength of the experiences of my
heart, what I then understood as an unfortunate, though possible,
alternate truth, now pales into insignificance as empty weeds. And I
feel I've developed a little wisdom, too. However, reaching this
wisdom by means of a positive way would have been safer, quicker and
I'm sure a joyful experience. I remember Sri Chinmoy saying
somewhere that one can reach the truth through ignorance, for at its
core there is also a little light - but that this is taking the
negative path, which is slow and dangerous, because you can get
caught in it yourself and drown. (I'm sure that this is what
happened to the character Saruman (from Lord of the Rings), and to
many of the other great bad-guys of yore :0)).
>From Sri Chinmoy I'm learning what to concentrate on to make the
fastest and surest progress. In our society we concentrate so much
on understanding evil, sickness and wrongdoing, which is clearly
exemplified by the course literature we had in my high school for
our mother tongue Swedish: all 15 books were about human suffering,
evil, sickness etc... At least that is how we analysed them. To me
it seems pretty comical now. One student asked why all of the books
had be so tough and whether a book has to be tragic to be regarded
as deep. The teacher couldn't answer that so she gave a sigh and a
smile. Yes, I guess the trend has been to bring ignorance to the
fore so it can be illumined. But, if we consciously dig in this
ignorance to illumine it by ourselves we may not be strong enough,
and as a result be caught by the very thing we try to illumine. But,
if we surrender this responsiblity to God, while concentrating on
the positive, he will never present us with more than we can handle.
(Ah, this is my understanding, but I think I am using words very
similar to Sri Chinmoy's to describe it :0)). On a more subtle plane
I guess this corresponds with not seeking for our imperfections and
dwelling upon them, but merely being grateful and happy when they
come to the fore - "Aha! So I have this problem! Great! Now hold
still so I can conquer you with my lion's roar! I'm so happy I've
been given the chance to illumine and perfect my nature!" - Oh boy!
How I wish this would constantly be my attitude, when problems
strike!!!
In the end good always wins. That's one of the basic cosmic laws,
isn't it? Which reminds me...Today is Finland's independance day!
Hurray!
Good tidings to you all!
Jan :0)
Dear Jan,
I agree with you that the ideas some people peddle are like a
concentrated form of poison - at least for spiritual seekers. There
are people who oppose religious freedom and diversity who have
developed methods and plans of action intended to break people's
faith. One should be wary of such people, as they do have the
annoying persistence of encyclopedia salesmen - but alot less
scruples!
It's as if they have been conquered by vitriolic doubt themselves;
and having lost the battle to this force, they then take up arms on
its behalf. It is a "pearls before swine" situation in the sense
that these people do not value faith except as something to
denigrate. So just as one doesn't take out one's wallet on the
street in a high crime area, one doesn't share the depths of one's
faith with hostile people. There is no need to correct their wrong
understanding, because they do not care for spiritual truth. They
prefer doubt and negativity.
As spiritual seekers, we respect the power of faith and of the
heart. Yet as a matter of survival, we can also recognize the power
of destructive forces. I may know that something is poison, but just
knowing it's poison doesn't take away its destructive power. If
someone gives me poison I will still suffer, and I may die!
Like thugs in a dark alley, some people will set upon us if we give
them the chance. They may want to test and tempt us, but as
spiritual seekers we are under no obligation to submit to them. We
can simply be unavailable for that purpose. We don't need to defend
our faith if challenged or criticised. We can simply keep our faith
locked away in our hearts.
A thief may say: "I challenge you. I bet you are a person of no
worth. Show me all the money you have - I'm sure it is nothing." I
may think: "The thief is wrong. I am carrying much money and I can
prove it to him." But if I take out my money, the thief will only
steal it!
Like this, people who have become hostile or critical may insist
that we prove or justify our faith; but there is no need. In
becoming spiritual seekers, we have already passed through a stage
of critical evaluation. We have graduated to a higher life, and
when we practice prayer, meditation, service, and love for God, the
truth of life shines white - that is, our experience of peace, light
and joy is sufficient unto itself. The proof of the pudding is in
the eating.
I have often thought that doubters tempt us to break our faith in
order to find out what it is made of; and this brings me to your
reference to Saruman, the traitorous wizard in the Lord of the
Rings. Here is a passage in which Gandalf is describing a meeting
with Saruman:
"I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many
Colours!"
I looked then and saw that his robes, which had seemed white, were
not so, but were woven of all colours, and if he moved they
shimmered and changed hue so that the eye was bewildered.
"I liked white better," I said.
"White!" he sneered. "It serves as a beginning. White cloth may be
dyed. The white page can be overwritten; and the white light can be
broken."
"In which case it is no longer white," said I. "And he that breaks a
thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."
from The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Assistant Moderator
P.S. I personally have had some sad experiences with intolerant
people, and this may make me overly reluctant to share matters of
faith with workmates. But as Terri was saying in message #9545,
faith has a natural quality which can be communicated. Maybe one of
the unkindest aspects of attacks by hostile people is that it makes
spiritual seekers afraid to share something which ideally is a
natural and joyful part of life: love for God!
Dear AM,
It is as though your response would have been written by a more
illumined part of myself. You speak from experience that has been
recognised, digested, matured and reflected over, I'm sure. And I
feel everything that you are and have make you perfect for the
considerable task of being an Assistant Moderator for a site like
this. Undoubtedly this gives me a sense of security when
contributing to the site; I feel safe. I am truly grateful that you
so unconditionally and profusely share your wisdom with us.
I can identify with all that you say. You have clearly presented
an account of what have also been my experiences, although here seen
from a clearer and higher level, with perspective. While reading
your reply and looking back at some sad an unfortunate experiences of
my own I realise "Yes, that's what happened. That's the way it was".
This has inspired me to write a story of how things can go terribly
wrong, when not directly under the guidance of a teacher on a
spiritual path, which I will write in a separate post.
GRATITUDE,
Jan :0)
Hi all,
First, I believe some anniversary congratulations are in order.....
Occasionally, when I have a bit of time on my hands I punch in an
arbitrary number into the box in the top right hand corner to see what
twists and turns this group has taken over the past two years; the
constant newness of ideas and topics reminds me of the waves speeding
into the shore - one topic wells up and is carried along by its own
inspirational momentum for a while before subsiding quietly as another
posting sparks off another foaming wave....
I think Jan definitely touched on one of the shibboleths of Western
society in his posting - this intellectual requirement to assimilate
all kinds of negativity because 'that's what goes on in the world' and
'we can't understand if we dont know every little detail'. Every piece
of information is somehow considered an expansion of one's
understanding, and no attention is paid whatsoever to peoples limited
capacity to assimilate this information in a detached manner. And when
taking in this information, there's no acknowledgement of the negative
distortion built in (consciously and unconsciously) by the media, in
the instinctive knowledge that negativity hits people more immediately
and hence it sells more.
We definitely have to know what's going on around us, but we also have
to know how much we can take and still remain detached. I think a very
good example in this regard has been set by our Assistant Moderator -
he clearly gets exposed to quite a lot of hassle from these people
(and fairly recent hassle too, I suspect), and in his email he tries
to give us an idea of what kind of world these people inhabit and so
dispel any illusions we might have that it's all Shangri-La out there
(well, this is the only news group I belong to, so I would be well
tempted to believe it) but at the same time he selects his examples
wisely and doesnt go into all the gory details.
Shane
Hello Jan,
Thank you for your heartfelt and dear words to the Assistant
Moderator.
I can't agree more with you. Unfortunately or fortunately
after becoming a student of Sri Chinmmoy, I read a book that was
filled with this kind of negativity that really works like
concentrated poison (as you said). It is like entering a room that
is cluttered with black ink. It takes some time to make the steps
fade.
I am very, very grateful to our strong friend there "behind the
curtain" and I am not ashamed to say that my words are filling my
eyes with tears.
Gratfully
Doris
Time for me to add to the anniversary celebrations - best wishes and
also sincere thanks to all who contribute to this group and have
thereby brought inspiration (and entertainment) to so many. Those of
us in small centres (like myself and Shane, both in the "Celtic
Fringe" of Europe) are especially lucky to have it.
Secondly, a word about the "peddlars of negativity" mentioned in
this thread. In my youth I was keen on the music of many radical/
anti-establishment bands, and a fully signed-up adherent of their
philosophy. As far as I was concerned, bad things were happening in
the world, so to highlight these and lambast those responsible
(anyone in authority of any kind, as far as I was concerned) seemed
quite justified. I look back now with some embarassment, having
realised that the positive message, the inspirational message, is
the one that can actually help to make things better. If you improve
yourself, you become a source of good in the world - a channel for
the light you might say. I remember Sri Chinmoy once speaking about
the critics of a certain world leader and likening them to people
who look at the moon and instead of being inspired by its beauty
simply complain that it has a few dark spots on it!
Thirdly, on revealing one's faith in the workplace - it seems from
this thread that some have had a bad experience from this, but I was
lucky in the office where I used to work. I was very up front about
my practice of meditation, kept an inspirational picture on my desk,
etc. After a while people could see how it was helping me and making
me happy, so they didn't give me a hard time. I even got a payrise
one time and the letter I received to confirm it praised my calming
influence on the rest of the team - surely a reference to the fruits
of meditation! I even had the chance to teach meditation to some
colleagues as part of a training exercise (learning to give
presentations to other staff on a subject of our own choosing).
Before that presentation I was worried about one staff member who
could be quite cynical, and might disrupt the whole thing. In the
event, he took the day off sick and the remaining attendees loved it
- one said she would remember the experience for the rest of her
life.
Having said all that, since I gave up the office and started working
in a divine enterprise, my working life has been more conducive to
my spiritual progress. Where else could I start and end the day by
meditating with the other staff - and get the chance to speak with
fellow seekers about inspiring topics while we work. Oh, and time
off for celebrations is a bonus :)
Roger von Cardiff
This is the second time I have missed this discussion. It seems
everything has already been said, yet I still want to respond.
I did not know whether to laugh or cry on hearing more about the
harassment and criticism the Sri Chinmoy Centre receives. Initially
I must admit I could not help but laugh - at the irony of it. I have
never come across such extreme irony in all of creation.
My laughter ceases when I think of those poor people locked in the
vice of their own negativity. I am equally, if not doubly sad for
people too weak or naïve to defy it, and who may fall victim to it as
a result of it being expressed on the Internet or elsewhere.
Here my tears continue - through gratitude to, and admiration for our
dear Assistant Moderator, for facing this negativity, and for
striving to allow us all freedom to express the innocent truth about
our spiritual lives, day after day after day, without fail.
With love to everyone
>From Sumangali
:oD
[Thanks, Sumangali. I've tried to make a small contribution by
dispassionately analyzing certain troubling phenomena I see in
the world, in case this is of any help to anyone. I'm glad you
caught the irony! I originally wrote something like "it would be
funny if it didn't make you want to cry." But then I thought it
was better to just report accurately, and leave it to the reader
to sense the irony. -Assistant Moderator]
Thank you Sumangali for replying to this posting. I too have wanted
to reply to it, but was afraid I was too late.
It's a beautiful Sunday morning here in Winnipeg. It's -28 degrees
C, crisp and clear and pure, with sparkling white snow as far as the
eye can see; my favorite kind of day (I'm sure I was Inuit in a past
incarnation). I'm relaxing with my morning cup of coffee and
listening to the recording of the Christmas Carol singing from the
last Christmas trip which I was gratefully able to participate in. I
am moved to tears every time I hear it. I can remember the exact
feeling I had singing these songs as if I were there right now;
standing behind Sri Chinmoy, with everybody intensely meditating on
the glory of the Christ.
As I sit here reading the postings, I think to myself, it truly does
not get any better than this. What have I done to deserve this
beauty, this simplicity of life that is our path?
I miss nothing of my former life, and rather than feeling that my
freedom has been taken away, I feel that I have been blessed with an
inner freedom that I realize I had been searching for my whole life,
but failed to find.
This path has given me endless opportunities to discover and utilise
the gifts I've been given, and has gently nudged me to always do
more, and find more within myself.
My center leader (who is male) has done nothing but encourage me to
take on roles of responsibility in the center, and never have I felt
that I am less important or less capable than my male counterparts.
Those who are being negative about this path perhaps were not able
to look deeply enough within to discover their own beauty, and
perhaps their negativity is a reflection of their own inner turmoil
rather than a reflection of the path itself. It is always easier to
blame outer circumstances than to look within.
Thank you for listening to my few thoughts on this wonderful topic,
and thank you for whoever brought up the topic in the first place.
With gratitude,
Purnakama