Rick,
Do you have any source material that specifically deals with denial in cults?

Is there any current research that has taken up Singer's and Ofshe's work?
I read the history about the APA craziness, but am wondering if anyone is seriously researching and taking up Singer's mantle?

This will be my last post here.

[...]

Does anyone know of a more traditional Vaishnava community in the West?

[...]

Thank you, and may You ALL Be Well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2010 03:17AM by rrmoderator.

To people reading recent posts. That shows what this forum is all about — how f#@ked up the minds of people involved in cults. Once in a while they come to this forum and they get to expose their ugly side. This is not the first time. Imagine growing up with Indigoarthur multiplied a thousand times? If that is not psychological damage, I don't what is? No wonder even among them it is already hell.

Don't be fooled when they are nice and their lives are squeaky clean, or they are vegetarians, health freaks, pro-green, philosophical, and they have cute Vedic names. That's just the outer coating, and it's their OBLIGATION to look so COOL to people outside their faith; among themselves, they are just like anybody else, and in their private lives, they are just as dirty, generally. When you scratch the surface, they will turn to Indigoarthurs.

They are like the Blob. The more you argue with them, the more they grow. No matter how silly they become they will stick to their faith like glue. Faith is non-rational, it's a "feel good" concoction humans still have difficulty understanding. Heroin pales in comparison. They are like buzzing flies; and when they felt you have offended their guru, it is JUSTIFIED for them to get even and cause you harm, it is their DUTY. It's an UGLY, UGLY world. Run away from religious cults.

Quote
indigoarthur
This will be my last post here.

[...]

Does anyone know of a more traditional Vaishnava community in the West?

[...]

Thank you, and may You ALL Be Well.

I'm curious indigoarthur, why are you asking this question?

a) because you really want a recommendation?

b) because you are stating that there is no where elso to go for vaishnavism, so you stay with your mentors for want of a better donut shop?

c) because you are phishing to see if anyone here represents a competing franchise?

d) or you are trying to figure out if any one here is still practicing so you can recruit?

Just curious,
~ Vera

A quick question for clarification.

Is it impossible to attend a mainstream Hindu temple?

There is a large Indian community in the US and many Hindu temples.

Is that a possible option?

Or would this somehow be impossible?

An Indian friend tells me that some Hindu sects do not welcome non-believers into the temple but that all can and do provide instruction to sincere beginners and would-be converts.
He says that all Sikh and most Hindu sects welcome anybody, regardless of religious belief, into the temple.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2010 10:30PM by Stoic.

lets see.
I was associated with chris butler in the 1970's in Hawaii. Before that I was a member of ISKCON, the corrupt movement.
Sure is nice to be free from all of that crap. It took a few years to see through it all, though.
I am quite sure chris butler would not want to argue with me now. He only talks when he is protected by others or a situation in which he is in control. He could never be sane.

Quote
krishnacaitanya
lets see.
I was associated with chris butler in the 1970's in Hawaii. Before that I was a member of ISKCON, the corrupt movement.
Sure is nice to be free from all of that crap. It took a few years to see through it all, though.
I am quite sure chris butler would not want to argue with me now. He only talks when he is protected by others or a situation in which he is in control. He could never be sane.

hi kc,
How were you able to be get free of all of the crap?
Why do you think it took years to see through it all?
What do you know about how the Butler cult works?
Does he still speak publicly?
What drove you to the conclusion that he is insane?
What would you say to him if you had the chance?

~ Vera

Hello KC

Welcome

Why do you think the Chris Butler cult is still going strong so many years later?

Well, I was able to get free because first of all I was in ISKcon and all of the 'authorities' were breaking the rules. The temple presidents were fucking the women and there was gay sex going on with the so called swamis. I couldn't stand to be around that kind of shit when we were susposed to be following 'spiritual' rules that forbade such behavior. So I walked out.
But I knew Chris Butthead and some of his friends. So I started going to their gatherings. Pretty soon I just got tired of the crap of chanting and thinking that women were like cattle. After all, I really like women and don't think they are inferior to men at all. Just physically weaker most of the time.
But it did take a few years to really get over the teachings of ISKCON and being a monk. I was believing in God for many years and thinking in terms that Krishna is God and so on. After time passed I started to question everything I believed. I questioned belief itself. Then I was free of all of the beliefs I had gathered all of my life. I saw how childish they all are/were.
It took so long because of the deep conditioning that goes on when one joins the temples in ISKCON. It is kind of like Marine Corp boot camp. You are broken down (as a willing person) and programed to see the world in a certian way. Everything you think has to be approved by some authority. If you think otherwise you are in "maya" or illusion, so they try to make you believe. And that kind of conditioning took me some time to see through. Partly because I was really seeking an answer to life. Seeking an answer to life leads to all kinds of authorities who want to lord it over you and me. Maybe for others the break was easier, I suppose so.
I have not been in contact with butler since the 1970s, only heard about them from time to time. I think it is just that Chris is really good at talking and getting people emotional. They are wanting and he fills the gap. That is how religion has worked all along, since the beginning so it is no suprise.
So I do not know how the organization works now. Probably Siddha is farther removed from the devotees than he was back then. It used to be that we would see him all of the time and he would talk and speak and chant and sing every day with us. I never did like Katyayani or whater her name was. She was such an ego maniac and always having her 6 year old kid sucking on her tit, never weaned. Shit.
I am not really sure he is insane but he has some mental problems. He is like a spoiled rotten child with everyone spoiling him more and more.
If I had the chance to talk to him now I would call him out on all of his stupid beliefs and life style. He will only talk to people in a controlled enviornment.
He is still going strong because there is a sucker born every minute!
KC