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?