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Re: just wondering -- devilsadvocate | Top of thread | Forum |
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Speaking for myself only, I must say that the situation is complex. I'm angry, yes, but it IS an interesting question and a little difficult to sort out, even for oneself. Nevertheless, here's a little sorting: When I was a follower of Guru Maharaj Ji, later Prem Rawat, from 1975 to 1998, I called myself a "follower," not a devotee. I considered devotee to be a higher position that I had not attained. Both the guru, Maharaji, and the man, Rawat, were too nebulous and distant from me for my devotion to actually gell. My efforts were just that - efforts. (And I confidently believe that other premies were in the same situation. And current premies still are). The situtation is one of having an ideal to aspire to and putting Maharaji/Rawat in front of me as the "figurehead" of that ideal. The ideal is never attained, but the devotee (or follower) puts on a brave face and emphasizes all the postive and de-emphasizes or even denies the negatives. Rawat has said that he is not a figurehead, but that is exactly what I consider him to be, in my present dis-illusioned viewpoint. People who follow gurus engage in an internal effort toward their spiritual ideal, toward their guru, and the merky fusion between the two. For me, it wasn't until I abandoned my ideal, enlightenement, that I abondoned my figurehead, Rawat. (But that is not always the case with ex-premies). I was not in the least bit angry about it when I first exited. Not even disappointed really. Just dis-illusioned and very, very glad to be so. But I AM angry. First, I have become angry at myself for having played the guru-follower game for as long as I did. I should have awakened sooner and I know it. My excuses are that I was distracted and lazy, both emotionally and intellectually. I see that same laziness in current premies and it makes me angry every time I see it, in them and in myself. If you, devil's advocate, don't understand that anger, then I can't explain it. As for the guru himself, I divide him up, as I have said, into the guru and the man. I can't be angry at Maharaji because I don't believe he even exists in any real way other than as a figurehead. All you do with a figurehead is smash him to the floor and sweep him up as a worthless thing, no anger involved, just housework. One doesn't get mad at dirt, just clean it up. As for the man, I don't know him, and I have to admit I find him to be a bit of a mystery. I can't really decide what makes him tick. I suspect he is a very sick man, psychologically, and again, anger is inapproproate toward the mentally ill. I fight against the illness of that man as he is trying to spread it around. That is why I stick around on this forum, to fight against what I see as a harmful untruth. Normally, I would be angry at Rawat for all the humanly inappopriate things he does, like having sex with some of the blond women who are his subordinates, and I know about this matter through personal contact with a woman involved as well as the other reports available at EPO. And there are many other things to be angry about if Rawat were a normal man. But my anger is limited because Rawat remains nebulous and distant from me still. Sometimes I pity him more than I am angry at him. But mostly, I don't really concern myself with Rawat at all, just with his message and his efforts to get people to believe in his message. That is my real concern, and I am indeed concerned about it. I say again - it is an untruthful and hurtful message disguised as a worthy message of good report. Rawat and his minions continue to promote their fairy-tale message despite the evidence that over 99% of people who have been introduced to that message have rejected it, and the vast majority of people who have seriously tried it end up eventually rejecting it as well. The Rawatists are reduced to spreading their message furtively, with false bravado and outright lies. They're nuts. And there you have it. Angry? Well, sometimes. Hope that clarifies for you a bit.
Modified by Will at Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 13:12:35 |
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