Spotting Spiritual Reality

Sadly, it's easier to spot fakes, charlatans and plain lame-o s than the real thing. Some people I know are hosting a spiritual type guy for a speaking/workshop thingy. I read the blurb about it, and it bothered me.

One big clue for me: He's charging significant $$$ per day. If any of that money goes to him, or to some 'charity' that is actually funding him, to support his lifestyle, that's a big warning bell.

There's an interesting connection between the few spiritual leaders I respect: Y'shua (Jesus), Gautama (called the Buddha), various lesser sages and leaders (Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Junior) etc:

They didn't charge money for helping people.

Consequently, some of them lived very frugal lives. Even Paul (an ex Jewish rabbi who wrote many of the letters in the Second Testament) insisted on working for his living wherever he went, even tho' he acknowledged he had a fair case to be hosted for free.

(Incidentally, Mohammed was always a businessman and later a warrior, and got rich off his first wife. No comment.)

So yeah. Having been around spiritual stuff for most of my life, I am thinking "X and Y, you are lovely people... how have you let yourselves become duped by this guy?"

As another friend pointed out, in practical terms it costs a bit to hire out the venue, but realistically, you can talk to people (which is essentially what he's doing) anywhere.

And that's my thought exactly. There are plenty of little halls and spaces that don't charge much at all. To be honest, why not host him in your living room? That's what the early christians did, they didn't have big, lush, pointless meeting places.

True spirituality doesn't require a beautiful, comfortable, catered conference centre to connect with g0d (or become enlightend, or whatever). Ironically, things like deserts, storms and poverty seem to do a better job. If one MUST have beauty, why not find a friendly farmer, hire a small marquee ($1000) and do it there?

An expensive workshop also means only true believers are likely to be there. This makes it safe for the speaker, because otherwise people like me might stand up and say "BULL****!" ;) But a spirituality that can't stand challenge maybe isn't worth the saffron robe it comes in.

I'm sure the guy is a nice guy. I just don't think he's really "got it". Just a gut feeling.


listenig to Mortal | MuJo (uncertainty mix)

Mohammed, Buddha and Jesus on Wealth

So I got thinking the other day about the influence on praxis around materialism, poverty and riches by 'respected' religious figures. I'm fairly familiar already with some of what Y'shua (Jesus) taught.

So i thought i'd find out some of what Gautama (Buddha) and Mohammed taught. I was suprised that in my (brief) searching, they both seemed much more supportive of business and maybe even getting rich than i thought they'd be.

A couple of friends commented the following on a forum i hang out in

Gautama, if i recall, grew up as a very privlaged prince. The ability to dropout and seek enlightenment, requires a society that produces enough exess to facilitate such life styles.

Muhammad, I believe, lead a merchant caravan, and so probably had a strongly bourgeois (at least for his place and time) out look on life. Mohammed ran a business owned by his first wife. Strange to see how his example is ignored by some parts of the Islamic community as they restrict women's right to work.

http://www.globalwebpost.com/farooqm/writings/askme/islam/poverty1.htm

http://www.sut.ac.th/engineering/electrical/faculty/nimit/
articles/what_the_buddha_taught_about_money.htm

Is anyone more enlightened than i able to comment?

Jesus With Rifle

listening to Cerebral | Kaline

God Loses Out To Fame

From the Independent

[from research carried out through schools for National Kids' Day which was at the weekend.]



The children put God in tenth place of the best things in the world, the supreme being losing out to families, friends, pop music and watching films. He did, however, come first in the list of the most famous people, beating US President George W. Bush and Madonna into second and third place. Father Christmas is number five, with Jesus at number four.

Children may have relegated God for worldly pleasures but their parents haven't. Eight out of ten Britons believe that celebrating the birth of Christ is an integral part of Christmas, according to another poll.

And 90 per cent of those polled complained that Christmas has been too commercialised.

Nearly two thirds - 62 per cent - said that Christmas made them think about spiritual things, and 77 per cent said that Christmas made them think about what was important to them.

listening toBanco de Gaia | Coming Down the Mountain