Hi Moderator,

in my last post I had some contact informations, sorry, I can remember it´s not allowed. Please publish the post without the information and I will use the private messages for spreading it!

Thank you,
Micaela

Quote
Sceptic Watcher
karam-mudra, you report that the Bardo-state Nydahl pushed you to still effects you negatively today. Have you sought spiritual or psychotherapeutic help to deal with that?

Yes, it is important for your defense, to have documentation of mental suffering caused by Ole & Diamond Way Buddhism. Otherwise, the solicitor can say anything he wants. But if you have proof, a psychotherapist's statement and a file of treatment notes to back it up, then you can counter the solicitor's argument.

What we're seeing here is Ole's determination to obstruct Marte's Buddhist practice of Right Speech. The Buddha said that when wrongdoing is present, remaining silent is Wrong Speech. Speaking out, especially with the motivation to protect others, is Right Speech.

We have had other members here, a Serbian woman, for example, who have written about Ole's abuses. I wonder if there's a way to contact people like her, to organize a group of victims who could testify together, if necessary. Or perhaps the German Buddhist Union could help Marte network with other victims...?

Here's another idea, a more aggressive approach. If Marte (with or without other victims) were to file criminal charges against Ole, thereby launching a lawsuit, it would cause the solicitor's decision against her blog to be suspended, while facts of her case were being sorted out. But that means Marte would have to find a lawyer willing to donate his time, or she would have to try to raise money for her legal case.

Where does the German Buddhist Union stand on lama misconduct cases, whether on the part of Ole, or Tibetan lamas?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2012 12:46AM by Misstyk.

Hi everybody,

please stop writing to Google! They closed the E-mail address above because of to many mails.


Yes, Misstyk, I have reports from my psychiatrist, which are documenting the suffering caused by Nydahls abuse and I will counter the solicitors arguments. Today they sent me a personal letter and they threaten me with different legal actions. I am not afraid in any way.

I will never talk to the German Buddhist Organisation again. When I tried it -of course not really serious, because I am not a Buddhist-, I got very strange reactions. You must know, we have here about 130 000 Buddhists, 100 000 are Tibetan Buddhists and most of them belong to DW. So you can imagine the politics. What they planned according an Ethic Commission is only blabla, nothing happened. We don´t have a Steve Batchelor!

Micaela

Speaking of Ole Nydahl, Now I understand why some people believe that others should go to hell, but I won't go that far. Some people I know have been threated with a lawsuit if they leave anti Ole Nydahl material up on their blogs. And goodle wants them to take it down. Seems like sleazy gurus and organizations are good at threatening others.

This is a post that was not asked to be taken down from the blog mentioned above, but I thought I would bring it here for safe keeping, hoping it is something that you would want to read:

Tuesday, July 5, 2011Bodhi Path and Lama Ole Nydahl by Shamar Rinpoche
2011-07-15© Bodhi Path and Lama Ole Nydahl by Shamar Rinpoche

06. 07. 2010.

An Answer to Questions Raised about Bodhi Path and Lama Ole Nydahl

This letter is my response to two questions that I have been asked by many people. The first question concerns Lama Ole Nydahl. Since Lama Ole frequently explains the connection between Dharma and sex, emphasizing that the bliss of sex is the experience of mind, the question has arisen as to why I continue to support him. The second question is why the Bodhi Path Centers I organized are not Vajrayana. What follows here is a combined answer to both questions.

I believe that most of the people who ask about my support of Lama Ole are quite new to Kagyu Buddhism. Lama Ole came to Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim with his wife Hannah in the late 1960's in order to meet and study with His Holiness the 16th Karmapa. I was a young man then, only 17 or 18 years old, and could not speak any English at all. At that time I was a student myself. In fact most of the Tibetan Lamas in those days could not speak English and there was only one translator at Rumtek at that time, a Bhutanese doctor named Dr. Jigme. At Rumtek, Lama Ole received many teachings from His Holiness the late Karmapa and from Tenga Rinpoche. From time to time he had to go to Darjeeling to get his Sikkim permit renewed and while he was there he studied a lot with Kalu Rinpoche in Sonada.

Whenever Lama Ole visited me, he always talked to me about how wonderful it is that he learned all about tantric union practice from Kalu Rinpoche and Tenga Rinpoche. He thought it was just marvelous. Even though I couldn't understand English and he could not yet speak much Tibetan, I understood words like "dewa chenpo" (= great bliss) and "yabyum" ("male/female", the term for deities in union and union practice), which he would say while crossing his arms in front of his chest in the mudra of union. Then he would hug Hannah at the same time. In that way he combined the hippie lifestyle with tantric conduct.

Lama Ole came to India as a hippie who did everything with wild energy. Although His Holiness the 16th Karmapa advised him to calm down, he never criticized him directly as he was a westerner. Actually Lama Ole's fascination with tantric sex is not exceptional, most of the western hippies who were interested in Buddhism liked it very much. In that respect he is not different from them, he has simply been louder than most about it. Kagyupa Lamas taught hippies the most about yabyum practice. Of course they taught it according to the ancient tantric traditions but western hippies understood it as a practice to turn their sexual desires and habits into meaningful sex.

In 1980 I came to the United States on my first trip to a western country. It was then that I finally learned how Vajrayana is promoted in western countries. I concluded that Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Kalu Rinpoche were primarily responsible for introducing tantric union practices to westerners. As far as I understand, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's philosophy about westerners is that they are highly motivated by sexual desire, inhabiting a realm of sexual desire. Because of that, he saw Tantra as fit for them. When Kalu Rinpoche taught union practice to westerners, he taught them that it was a Tibetan tradition that he had taught in Tibet in the same way. Indeed, Kalu Rinpoche was really highly trained in tantric teachings. The two of them strongly promoted Tantra in the West and as a result of their efforts tantric practice became a big hit in America, Canada and Europe. As the practice of sexual Tantra had already become popular, once they came to America and Europe the Nyingmapas then developed and expanded it more. After Kagyupa and Nyingmapa Lamas taught westerners about yabyum practice, then Gelukpas began to translate tantric texts and write books about it.

The only difference between Lama Ole and many other western Vajrayana practitioners is that Lama Ole publicly says everything and also encourages his followers to think the same way as he does. A consequence of Tibetan Lamas having taught Vajrayana to westerners in the first place is the view that sex is the heart of Vajrayana practice. My understanding of this can be described as follows: it appears that many western Vajrayana followers have taken sexual Tantra as their path. That path consists of preliminary sex, intermediate sex, excellent sex, and finally supreme sex. I do not mean to say that Lama Ole only teaches about sex. Of course he teaches beneficial practices such as Chenrezik, Phowa, etc.. When he teaches Phowa there are even clear signs that the practice is successful.

Lama Ole was deeply devoted to His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, and that is the basis of his connection with me. It is the continuation of the relationship he, as a Karma Kagyu practitioner, had with the late Karmapa. Nothing more and nothing less. My attitude towards anyone who is a follower of the Karma Kagyu is the same: if someone's attitude is the same as it was during the late Karmapa's time, our attitude is also the same.

Bodhi Path

This brings me to the subject of the second question. After observing this movement for 30 years, my conclusion is that Vajrayana is not really suitable for most people in both the West and in Asia, including Tibet. You cannot generalize, of course. There are certainly exceptions, but in most cases it is not suitable. Since sex is taught as the main core of tantric practice in the West and this does not benefit anyone, (then) what is generally practiced as Tantra in the West is based on a big misunderstanding.

I have paid close attention to the kinds of qualities required to ensure the suitability of tantric practice for particular people. It depends on the three factors of cause, condition and effect. The cause: people who have some karmic connection to it. Though one may be in a lower human life, some deep karma is the cause of one's connection to Vajrayana practice. The condition: the conditions conducive to tantric practice are, generally, that one belongs to a society that is in nature quite aggressive and one must be filled with emotions. The effect: though one lives in bad conditions, in other words the afflictions are stronger, at the same time one has strong willpower to struggle against hardships. Therefore tantra was very suitable during the middle ages in Asia. For example, it flourished at a time in India when people became more aggressive and suffered from more afflictions. It also remained suitable until around the 14th century in Tibet and the Himalayas.

I think that nowadays the Bodhisattvayana with a high level of meditation is most suitable for the majority of people. That is why I organized Bodhi Path Centers to combine Atisha's Kadampa lineage with Mahamudra meditation in Gampopa's tradition. There are actually two uses of the term Mahamudra within Gampopa's work: one is tantric and the other is his explanation of the meditation that Buddha taught in the Samadhiraja Sutra. We see the latter in the titles of texts he wrote about meditation that are based on the Samadhiraja Sutra. When I use the term Mahamudra here, I am referring to the Mahamudra of the Samadhiraja meditation tradition, not to the tantric Mahamudra.

Bodhi Path Centers are established as learning centers. They are places where you can learn Dharma, learn and practice meditation, and continue to lead a normal life. Bodhi Path is not an organization that enforces compulsory rules of behavior. The moral conduct that we encourage is simply the avoidance of the 10 non-virtues: avoid the physical non-virtues of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; the verbal non-virtues of lying, slander, harsh speech and divisive speech; and the mental non-virtues of hatred, desire, and ignorance. In addition to that, practitioners should avoid intoxication and blind faith. Keeping these guidelines of moral conduct is your protection, not a set of laws to be followed for their own sake. You should learn what these non-virtues are and learn to avoid them. The Buddhist view of moral conduct is that it will shield you like strong armor.

In addition to avoiding the 10 non-virtuous actions, intoxication and blind faith, you should learn and implement the attitude of a Bodhisattva: Bodhicitta. This will help you to accumulate vast amounts of merit. Combine this with learning how to meditate according to the teachings on mindfulness and you will achieve the best results.

In the Buddha's time, becoming a monk or a nun meant full renunciation. Monastics renounced everything. They spent their days and nights in meditation, begged for food from villages and towns, and didn't have so much as a penny. It was especially important for them to keep strict discipline since they had to show themselves to be different from ordinary beggars through their conduct. They had to keep their dignity. In all developed countries these days, both in the West and in Asia, becoming a monk or a nun is no longer the only or best possibility to really implement the teachings. One the one hand, where people pay lots of taxes, insurance, etc. it is not practical to live as a monastic; and on the other hand, in the Tibetan tradition monks and nuns do not in any case keep the full vinaya discipline. It's not that it is impossible to become a monk or nun any more, but I think it is unnecessary unless you can keep the discipline of full ordination which means keeping the 253 vows, etc..

The suitability of particular practices and lifestyles is dependent on the era we live in and the nature of the society we live in. Whatever is the most suitable method for transforming people is the highest yana (vehicle). Likewise, what is suitable for fewer people is the middle yana, and what is suitable for very few people is the lowest or so-called hina-yana. All methods for attaining enlightenment were given by the Buddha, but the one most suitable for your development as it is taught to you by a master, (that) is the supreme yana. Therefore the curriculum in my Bodhi Path Centers is based on the suitability for people today. While some Vajrayana practice is of course alright, like Chenrezik practice, for example, for the most part I recommend that practitioners concentrate on avoiding the ten non-virtuous actions, keeping the bodhisattva attitude, and learning the levels of mindfulness.



- Shamarpa www.shamarpa.org

A comment about this letter by Lama Tendar Olaf Hoeyer

25.07.2010

Since this letter was issued from Sharmarpas Office on the 7th of July 2010, there seems to have been raised some objections to his descriptions of Lama Ole Nydahl. Who raised what objections and when and to whom, I do not know exactly. Anyway, the announcement on Shamarpas website have changed into a mere description of Sutra and Tantra within Bodhi Path. In fact the whole first part of the letter have been removed from the web page. I conclude, that some pressure have been put on Shamar Rinpoche to this effect. Tomek Lenart from Diamondway Buddhist Centers called me on the phone, and asked me to remove the same section of Shamarpas letter from Tilogaard’s website. To me that seems to be some kind of bad politics. In an open society like Denmark, you cannot withdraw information, once it is published. If the information demands clarifications - that is what should be done. In this case, I see no need for either action. I think that Shamarpa has yielded to Diamondway Buddhist Centers demands in order to show support for Lama Ole Nydahl, because of his strong support of the 17th Karmapa Thinley Taye Dorje. Even so, it is still bad politics. I do not like it. In this way it may seem, that Lama Ole Nydahl is really censuring Shamarpa. It may very well appear as very rude and improper behaviour by Ole Nydahl towards the higher and more experienced Lama Shamar Rinpoche. Since no explanation is given for all of this, anyone may speculate whatever about it, and none of this was really necessary. Something is wrong in the political thinking of Diamondway Buddhist Centers. I do not support bad politics.

I have been in the Karma Kagyu Sangha for a long time and have some authority in my own right as a western Lama. The full text in Shamarpa's letter has great relevance to the general public concerning Sutra and Tantra in the modern days. So, the full text of the letter is still here on my website, since some people will find it of interest, and because this is the official letter that I received previously. Whether Lama Ole Nydahl has misunderstood the point of Vajrayana or not, that is his own concern, but there are in no way allegations from Shamar Rinpoche of such nature in this letter. If anyone finds the text to mean that, it is because they want it to be so. Any practitioner of Vajrayana should try to get and hold the point of Tantra all the time and not misunderstand the instructions. Rinpoche is making a general statement about western ideas of Tantra. Indeed he has a point. You have to let go of attachment to erotic activities when you practice Karma-mudra within Vajrayana. Sex as such is not an obstacle to enlightenment. Attachment to sex is. Erotic Tantra is not a system to enhance sex. It is a system to let go of attachment to sex, and it is not the highest nor the only tantric system of yoga and meditation, and it is certainly not the easiest path for many reasons.

Lama Tendar Olaf Høyer,
Tilogaard Bodhi Path Center.

http://tantrismuskritik.blogspot.com/2011/07/bodhi-path-and-lama-ole-nydahl-by.html

Hi Moderator, I safe the following post here, may be, Google will close it down tonight!

Sonntag, 16. Oktober 2011 Ole Nydahl & Diamond Way accused of sexual abuse in Switzerland


@ [downthecrookedpath-meditation-gurus.blogspot.com]

Lama Ole Nydahl missionaries are accused of abuse, sexual questionable and racism. The Diamond Way Buddhist church, which operates five centers in Switzerland, led by their leader, Lama Ole Nydahl, is a real cult. Now former members and leaders complain of the racism and abuse of power due to questionable relationships with students.

"I've seen the group as elitist, racist and sexist", says the 32-year-old communications consultant Marianne Huber (all names have been changed by the editor).She was there two years. At first she was fascinated. "Lama Ole's charm is that he his followers full enjoyment of life, sex, success and enlightenment promises" says the cult expert and professor of theology at Zurich Georg Schmid. The ex-boxer Lama Ole likes driving fast motorbikes and sex. In the seventies, for drug deals he went to prison.

In Schawinski he boasted of having had sex with more than 500 women.

But the glory of Ole Nydahl quickly rubbed off for Marianne Huber. His handling of sex and women was intolerable to her: she has noticed in a summer training camp as Nydahl in addition to its two official women who take turns at the side of the Lama. In six months, he had sex with many of his female students. "These women should still be happy because they were in contact with him", Nydahl told her when she criticized him.

The same has also seen by ex-follower Anne Dietrich. "These young women were allowed to accompany him on his travels and sit at his feet when he lectured." Nydahl told her this would help their development. Dietrich accuses him of abuse of power, because such relations are problematic among equals, but inexcusable in a teacher-pupil ratio.

He is on the Internet photos showing him almost always surrounded by women - or in tight swimming trunks and brown burnt bodies. Nydahl escapades also criticized the German Buddhist Union (DBU). "Many dislike its dealings with women as simply scandalous."

Finally, Anne had enough after Nydahl claimed Africa's poverty was it's own fault and that sperm banks should be set up for white men to 'spread themselves'.
Baffled by those comments during Nydahl's tirade, she wrote to him about her discomfort. His answer: "We can now avoid that we have in a few years even larger ghettos of foreigners, which is undermining our society, which is a big win."

"He is almost following a Nazi ideology. Rhetorical racism, a coarse slogan, which also xenophobic statements in it are lying, "says Schmid.

The followers are repeatedly brainwashed. This was an important characteristic of a sect. The are told "Nydahl is also an elitist preacher of the best religion for the best people. It combines Buddhism with arrogance, judges Schmid. An example of an ego trip by Nydahl when asked about recent natural disasters: "It is their own fault" he said in an interview. And he added smugly: "As long as the women would be beautiful and no speed limits on the highways, nothing else matters".

He admits to having sex: [lacrossetribune.com]


When I asked him the next day about claims that he has sexual encounters with his students, he didn’t deny this.

“There’s no teacher-student relationship involved in that,” he said by phone. “They’re Diamond Way Buddhists, but they’re not my students in that moment. They’re equal partners.”


[diamondwaycult.blogspot.com]




8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What Nydahl found in Tantric Buddhism was not only license to freely indulge his sexual addiction, but as a bonus, a fancy sex technique, courtesy of the 16th Karmapa who provided him and his wife with private instruction! Shamar Rinpoche, who was in his teens and in the Karmapa's company when the Nydahl couple were in Sikkim, says the tradition is not about sex, it has been misrepresented in the West, there's a strong spiritual component that has been ignored. Shamar should address his concerns to his own colleagues, if that's the case. Many of the women students of Tibetan Buddhism who have been used, abused, even raped, and discarded by their lamas testify that it's about sex. Nydahl doesn't only brainwash his followers; according to reports of former followers, he uses hypnosis. Former disciples of Tibetan lamas also report the use of hypnosis against them. As can be ascertained elsewhere on this blog, some of the Hindu yogis used hypnosis to gain sexual access to disciples, and to keep disgruntled sheep in the fold. Sex between gurus and students, as the journalist quoted in this post says in the full article, is predatory. Telling students they must revere the guru as the Buddha's representative, that if they're good students, they'll be privy to special secrets and will be privileged to participate in secret sacred rituals is a form of grooming the intended victim for sex. Such a breach of power and trust is also illegal. If Sogyal could be taken to court and forced to pay a hefty settlement to one victim (or possibly more: details of the case are sealed), Nydahl and many other lechers and sex addicts masquerading as gurus can also be brought to justice. It's high time that justice be served, and these predators be put out of commission.
September 15, 2011 12:40 PM

Marte-Micaela Riepe said...

Tantric Masters

I was a devotee of Nydahl and Karmapa Trinley Taye Dorje from 2002 to 2005 and all it`s written in the article above is right, only the followers avoid the elephant in the room. But what is said in the comment, only some black sheep like Ole Nydahl and Sogyal are acting sexual abuse is terribly wrong, the abuse of women`s sexual-and energetic qualities is an inherent phanomenon of tantric-tibetan Lamaism and the main source of the tantric master`s power. And of course the main component is not sex like we suggest, but the absorption of female secrets in which the energies of women are suspected, by sexual- and other rituals. Nydahl practices exactly that. Very spiritual, indeed! Did Sharmapa ever said something about? No. Here one quote from a hidden Tantra by Tsongkhapa,said in the Extended Treatise on the Progression of the Esoteric Path, Vol. 13: “Someone who ask the teacher for empowerment should make offerings first. A curtain is used as a screen. The disciple understands very well that the teacher is vajrasattva. Wisdom mothers with complete samaya, whose genitals are healthy and who are virgins over the age of 12 etc., are offered to the teacher. Just like the statement in the second chapter of Sutra on Great-Seals: “One should choose females who are most wise, virtuous, with slender eyes, having a wondrous dignified face, and aged from 12 to 16, or 20 if difficult to obtain. Females over 20 are used in other seals (mudra) because it will make all the stages of practice impossible to attain. One’s sisters, daughters, or wife are offered to the teacher.” (Tsongkhapa, Extended Treatise on the Progression of the Esoteric Path)
I am such a woman who was abused as consort in the kalachakra-tantra through Ole Nydahl and Karmapa Trinle Thaye Dorje. You ask for moral? There is none. Women are just material for reaching the so called enlightment. No relationship, no love, no friendship counts. They are psychopaths. With a warm heart and a human ethic you are not able to practice these tantras. Therefore it is important - so it is written in the ninth chapter of kalashakra- tantra- to open the kundalini of the consorts, in which state you loose your warm feelings, your empathy for yourselfe and others as well as your former personality . And the whole guru-yoga brainwashing attends the rest. When I saw Nydahl in Poland 2005 after he had opened my kundalini, he offered me to his teacher by making the offering-mudra while he was looking at me, crying many tears and counting his teacher`s blessings, what he was saying.
Later, at home, I had such strong visions in which I had to have sex with the young karmapa! I was crying and saying: I cannot do that. The imagination was so strong! It felt like to be raped. Even when I am writing about I am unable to breath. So what can we find in the hidden and secret life of a tantric master like Nydahl is?
First is to say that he has like all other tantric masters an opened kundalini and an altered state of consciousness which shows a lack of core-personality with dissociations in their mind. That makes him behave freakishly as yogis do. His motivation of sexual intercourses is not individual passion, love or personal affectations, but the fulfilment of the tantric samays he did. He is OBLIGATED hence to have sex every day. Through that his siddhis are growing up because of the suction of female secretion. This is the real abuse! Even if women would be in love with Nydahl, he is never. Where should his love grow from? There is no path to his personality anymore! The whole is called the left-handed tantra were the adept get the promise being able to have sex with every person he wants to. So you cannot say "No" to a tantric master like I did without being cursed and charmed in special rituals, the source of black magic and voodoo in Tibetan Buddhism. As I wrote a few days ago: In my case Ole Nydahl and his Karmapa have a photo, they have my hair and they have pieces of my clothes. But they cannot harm me anymore because I do not believe in black magic, I do not believe in any method of voodoo. This is nothing else than self-hypnosis, it works only in your soul. And there it works. In my lecture about the raising of a multiple personality by the abuse of trance-and hypnosis-methods in Tibetan Buddhism I analysed the way how phenomena are growing up in ones mind. They have nothing to do with ghosts, they are just mental phenomena in your own mind which can harm you very badly. That is my result. I think that view very helpful and full of freedom, which is one of my highest value. They made me their consort. They made me equal to them. And now I know all their secrets from inside. And I speak out! Today my mind is strong and I can mercifully balance the phenomena of an opened kundalini and got my life back. That was a hard work! September 16, 2011 3:48 AM

Anonymous said...

We need more personal testimony from people who have been harmed by Tantric practices and teachers. Thank you, Marte Riepe, for sharing your experience. The public, and students of Tibetan Buddhism need to understand that the abuse problem is not a matter of a few unethical or ego-driven teachers; Nydahl, Sogyal, Trungpa and the many others like them are not exceptional cases. As Ms. Riepe said, abuse of women and girls (and abuse of boys in the monasteries) is systemic. Abuse of women and girls is inherent in the fundamental nature of Tantric Buddhism. The Tantric rituals, in fact, require it, and give instructions on how to make an unwilling "consort" compliant with alcohol. If the alcohol doesn't have the desired effect, rape is recommended. This is in the instructions for the Kalachakra, the Hevajra, and other tantras. P.S. Marte--Shamar Rinpoche used to have letters on his website that he wrote denouncing Ole Nydahl and the way he turned the Kagyu tradition into a sex cult. He was forced to remove those letters when Nydahl threatened him with legal action. Shamar has founded a network of Bodhi Path Centers around the world that teach basic Buddhism and the bodhisattva way, without Vajrayana (tantra). He believes teaching tantra was a mistake, and states on his website that tantra is not appropriate for the current era and conditions in the world. (see www.shamarpa.org in the "Statements" section, under "Why Bodhi Path Centers don't teach Vajrayana")
September 16, 2011 2:52 PM

Marte-Micaela Riepe said...

Dear Anonymous, thank you for your reply, I am delighted at your view which substantiates my experiences. Just two things to say: 1. Shouldn`t we communicate accessible? With our names or given names? My read is you to be a buddhist and follower of Sharmapa. 2. I noticed those two positions of Sharmapa according to Ole Nydahl and the tantra teachings on his website. It is a great pity that the first one has been removed by being threatened with legal action through honeybaby Ole Nydahl. We should never allow to be susceptible to blackmail. I respect Sharmapas recurrence to Buddhas teachings as well as his actions in the Bodhi Path Centers. But how can he work together with Karmapa and his brother Jigme Ringpoche, who are real tantric masters? And why is he not beside the victims, why does he not speak out pudency about the abuse of so many, in the past and now? Why does he not ask all these for forgiveness? Because of he is Sharmapa. Because he is just living in his tradition of a so called high incarnation. And there is no way out. My best wishes to you!
September 17, 2011 6:31 AM

Anonymous said...

for more information from other women who have been sexually abused by him: [forum.culteducation.com]
September 17, 2011 11:27 AM

Anonymous said...

This is to warn you that Ole Nydahl or 'Lama Ole' as he likes to be called has created a cult. As a former member, I would advise you to steer well clear of him and his corrupt organisation! Here is a break down of my experiences in the cult: 1. The charismatic leader (Ole Nydahl) surrounded by groupies and Ole Clones. This is known as a cult of personality. The idolisation of Ole Nydahl is extreme. He also has no authentic credentials, and is not qualified to hold the title of Lama. Ole only started using the title of Lama a few years after the 16th Karmapa's death, while claiming that the 16th Karmapa granted him such a title. 2. The manipulation of information. Books Ole Nydahl doesn't agree with or are critical of him are banned from the centres. Members are also discouraged from seeking teachings from any other source. 3. Abuse of members lower in the hierarchy by those higher up. This emotional (and sometimes physical) abuse is explained away as 'purification' and members are told it is simply their karma. 4. Questions or criticisms from members are dismissed and suppressed. The member is then made to feel guilty and told it is their fault. They are called 'spiritually weak' or have 'ego problems'.
5. Diamond Way
has it's own words and language, to separate members from the public. Words are also given new meanings. New members are also given fancy new Tibetan names to make them feel important and separate them from their old life. 6. There is one rule for those lower in the hierarchy, and another for those at the top. For instance, Diamond Way teaches that adultery is wrong (in common with authentic Buddhism), but at the same time, Ole Nydahl is known to have had affairs with several of his students, and had a mistress called Caty Hartung as well as his wife, Hannah. 7. The true beliefs of the group are kept secret from members until they are sufficiently brainwashed, and before that are lied to, just as Diamond Way lies to the public about it's true beliefs. Members only get to the really weird stuff once they get higher up in the hierarchy. Those higher up in this heirachy lie to both those lower down and to the public at large about their true beliefs. Their excuse for this is to simply say people are "not ready". (sounds like not sufficiently brainwashed to me!) 8. Everything in
Diamond Way
has a price, and the money flows to the top of the hierarchy. There is also huge pressure to donate money, whether you can afford it or not. Members are also pressured to buy photos of Ole Nydahl, tickets to his lectures, and books. Members are milked for everything they have, while Ole Nydahl lives a life of luxury, flying round the world and having everything paid for him.
9. Diamond Way
uses brainwashing techniques. Their 'meditation' rituals are in fact more like self-hypnotism, and are intended to increase suggestibility and slowly remove the members from reality and critical thinking. 10. Former members are harassed, slandered and told to shut up about their experiences. I have had death threats, abusive e-mails and phone calls etc calling me "spiritually weak", "mentally ill", and "a criminal" among other things. Calling me a criminal is particularly ironic considering Ole Nydahl himself spent time in prison for drug smuggling and dealing. I am just glad I never signed up to the cult's magazine despite pressure to do so, or they would have had my home address too!
September 19, 2011 4:16 AM

Marte-Micaela Riepe said...

Dear Josey, here I am again, just to complete my comment. It is my deep conviction that we have to speak out our experiences, we have to speak out the names of the abusers and we have to announce all our knowledge about the secret rituals we got swept up in.
September 20, 2011 5:01 AM

Eingestellt von Marte-Micaela Riepe um 06:06

There are three other posts which need to seek asylum, but they are in German. You may translate them with Google! But specially this one is still translated, but withou the names of the predatorslike I used in my German text:

[downthecrookedpath-meditation-gurus.blogspot.de]



Donnerstag, 24. November 2011

Fremde Energie in meinem Herzen

Nur mit argem Bauchgrimmen veröffentliche ich diesen Brief einer Frau, deren Kundalini durch Sogyal Ringpoche gewaltsam geöffnet wurde, an die Trimondis. Ich wollte immer Kontakt zu ihr aufnehmen, weil ich genau so betroffen war wie sie, nur eben durch Nydahl und Karmapa , was mir allerdings nie gelang.

Die durch Unterstreichung hevorgehobene Aussage wurde vom Anwalt Nydahls beanstandet, weil sie angeblich dass Persönlichkeitsrecht seines Mandanten, des Täters. beschädigt. Ich nehme mein Recht auf Meinungsfreiheit als Opfer war und ergänze Folgendes:

Heute weiß ich erst, dass der Zustand, in den ich gestoßen wurde, der Bardo-Zustand war oder noch ist -ich bin bei Weitem nicht ohne Phänomene-, der nach Naropa folgendes bedeutet, ich zitiere aus Wikipedia "Die Geheimlehren des Naropa":

"Die Praxis der Sechs Yogas setzt, bedingt durch ihre äußerst kraftvollen, energetischen Emanationen, also ihre spezifischen Entfaltungswirkungen und vor allem ihre weitreichenden Folgen, ein hohes Maß an meditativer Fähigkeit und spiritueller Kenntnis voraus.
Der Versuch, die Sechs Yogas insgesamt oder auch nur teilweise durchzuführen, ohne entsprechende Grundlagen, Anleitungen und Hilfestellung zu haben, ist zwar möglich, kann aber mitunter zu schwerwiegenden und möglicherweise irreversiblen physischen und psychischen Komplikationen führen."

Diese Beschreibung ist durch ein psychiatrisches Gutachten gedeckt.

Wenn Sie diesen Beitrag lesen sollten und nicht einverstanden mit der Veröffentlichung sind, nehme ich ihn sofort wieder von meinem Blog."

Ich bitte alle anderen Blogger darum, diesen Beitrag nicht auf ihrem Blog zu posten, damit, sollte das Nichteinverstandensein mit mir kommuniziert werden, diese Frau nicht noch anderen Bloggern hinterherlaufen muss, um dort ebenfalls die Löschung des Beitrags zu veranlassen. Wir haben das Recht, den Umgang mit unseren Erfahrungen selbst zu bestimmen.

Warum setze ich mich in diesem Fall darüber hinweg?

Ich habe damals im Juni 2005, als ich diesen Brief und die Kommentare der Trimondis dazu las, zum ersten Mal begriffen, dass ich seit Januar 2005 als Frauenopfer missbraucht worden bin. Das Wissen darüber hat mein Leben, meinen Verstand gerettet. Das ich hier schreiben kann, verdanke ich auch dieser Frau und den Trimondis. Und ich hoffe so sehr, dass sie sich von den tantrischen Fesseln befreien konnte, so wie ich.

Auch hier markiert die Unterstreichung eine Passgage, die von Nydahls Anwalt als unwahr deklariert wird. Dazu folgendes Zitat, um die Motivation des Täters zu verdeutlichen:

Ziel des tantrischen Rituals eines "Frauenopfers" war selbstverständlich genau das: Ein entpersönlichter Zombie zu werden als pures Gefäß für die Übertragungen, die ich repräsentieren sollte, in meinem Fall die der Vajrayogini, demzufolge war mein Bodhisatthva-Name: "Highest Wisdom", Ole Nydahl nannte mich bzw. meine leere Hülle während der Neueinweihung des Berliner Buddhistischen Zentrums in der Milastraße auch "Dorje Phagmo".

Ich habe meine Erfahrungen reflektiert im Vortrag "Entstehung einer Multiplen Persönlichkeit durch den Missbrauch von Trance-und Hypnosetechniken im Tantrisch-Tibetischen Buddhismus".
Dieser Brief ist allerdings viel unmittelbarer in seiner Aussage als meine Analyse. Doch der Inhalt, die beschriebenen Phänomene sind identisch.


Leserbrief vom 28.03.1999

Sehr geehrte Frau Trimondi,
sehr geehrter Herr Trimondi,

zuerst möchte ich Ihnen meinen ganz herzlichen Dank meine Hochachtung für Ihre große fundierte Arbeit aussprechen.

Nur durch "Der Schatten des Dalai Lama" erfahre ich jetzt zu meinem großen Glück, was es mit dem Energieball auf sich hat. Im Sommer 1997 in Italien auf dem einwöchigen Kurs von Sogyal Ringpoche, den ich seit Herbst 95 kenne, rollte am 2. Abend bei einer Feuerpuja ein Energieball in mein Scheitelchakra.
Er trat als Schamane auf: freier Oberkörper , mit Knochenkette, große Krone mit Spiegel und Totenkopf.

Auf meine innerliche Frage "Was ist das?" höre ich "Schutz".

Am letzten Abend dort hörten wir einen Vortrag eines tibetischen Arztes, und der Lama Yogi saß auf einem Thron dabei.

Plötzlich öffnete sich mein Herzinnenraum, ich fühlte Licht. Dann hörte der Vortrag abrupt auf. Etwas wesentliches war geschehen. Seitdem erlebe ich die ständige Anwesenheit des Yogi in mir. Es wurden die inneren Räume getrennt. Jetzt aber ist es bedrohlich!

Ich bin apathisch, lethargisch und habe ein Summen im Ohr, sowie starke Herz- und Scheitelvibrationen. 1998 konnte ich nur ½ Jahr arbeiten, jetzt reduziere ich meine Arbeit. Nachdem ich nun in Ihrem Buch gelesen hatte, galoppierte mein Herz nach 4 Tagen und ich hörte "Jetzt bin ich ganz drin!" Ich fühle mich bedroht von dieser fremden Energie, die mich dem Leben entfremdet. Was kann ich dagegen tun?

Ist es möglich, dass diese fremde Energie in mein Herz überhaupt kommt, oder sind es magische Verbindungen?

Kann meine Essenz bedroht werden?

Kann sich diese fremde Energie verankern?

In dieser Not, in der ich mich jetzt befinde, ist meine starke Frage: Wie kann ich mich von massiven Einwirkungen fremder Energie freimachen?

Wissen Sie Rat, oder können Sie mir jemanden empfehlen, der mir helfen kann, und über die Zusammenhänge dieser Wirkungen mich aufklären kann?

Kurz zu meiner Geschichte: Im September 1993 war ich bei einer "Energiebehandlung". Kurz danach erlebte ich einen dramatischen Kundalini-Schub, der bis in die elektrischen Geräte ging.
Im Oktober 93 traf ich Sogyal Rinpoche in Garmisch-Partenkirchen bei der Konferenz "Humanistische Medizin". Da ging mein Scheitelchakra wie eine Springbrunnen auf. Das hatte ich noch nie erlebt.

Im Retreat Kirchheim 93/94 erbat ich von ihm einen persönlichen Termin, um dieses Geschehen zu besprechen. Aber ich erhielt keinen. Dort begegnete ich dem Buddhismus aktiv als Teilnehmerin und intensivierte mein Interesse, indem ich an Kursen teilnahm. 1996 im Sommer war ich aufgrund einer Lichtkasskade ins Scheitelchakra auf einem Meditationskurs in einen sehr desolaten Zustand geraten.

Und wieder traf ich Sogyal Rinpoche im September auf einer Konferenz. Es floß etwas "Feuchtes" oben hinein. Im Juni 1997 kam vom Lama .........Heiler, Mahasidda der Energieball bei einer Feuerpuja hinein.

3 Wochen später war dort wieder ein Retreat, wo er bei einer Feuerpuja telepathisch verkündet "Ich bin im Geheimen dein Guru". Dabei fühlte ich, wie etwas von mir ausfloß, meine Beine zitterten und es war, als ob sich die Erde öffnet.

Was dann passierte, ist so unwahrscheinlich, erschreckend, ängstigend. Morgens, wenn ich aufwachte, war ich total erschöpft, meine Periode blieb aus u.s.w. Im Dezember 97 war ich mit einer Freundin (sie ist Ärztin, Buddhistin, Psychotherapeutin und jetzt in einer psychotherapeutischen Klinik als Patientin) in Borodbudur zum 17tägigen Retreat auf der Stupa mit dem Heiler. Da bin ich eine völlig andere gewesen. Er benutzte mich als Mittler zu anderen Bereichen. Es ist meine Energie, dass ist mir jetzt, erst durch Ihr Buch, bewusst geworden.
1998 traf ich ihn 3x. Das ist nur möglich durch den Energieball, der meinen Willen, mein Ich, mein gesamtes Wesen okkupiert hat, denn ich wollte eigentlich nicht. Im Sommer in Italien setzte er mich, mit noch zwei anwesenden Indern, in Trance. Ich agierte auf anderen Ebenen, die mir selbst unheimlich waren (auch auf dem Friedhof!).
Ende September 98 begann eine Initiation mit Rinpoche... im Schwarzwald. Ich kannte Ihn vom Phowa-Kurs 1996, bei dem er eine riesige Feuerpuja für Verstorbene durchführte und mein Wecker 1 Stunde stehen blieb! Er wirkte übrigens sehr liebevoll auf mich!
Der Kurs war im Schwarzwald 98 am 30. September zu Ende und am 7. Oktober kochte mein Scheitel förmlich, so daß ich mir bei meiner Arbeit einen kalten Lappen auflegte. Am Spätnachmittag 07.10., hier zu Hause, war ich bis zum 10.10. mit meinem Bewußtsein draußen.
Sie haben Phowa gemacht. Ich habe keinerlei Erinnerung oder Wissen von dieser Zeit. Als ich zurück kam hörte ich: "Phowa" und mein Herz und Brustbein schmerzten gewaltig. Ich ließ ein EKG machen und hatte eine Entzündung am Brustbein. Glauben Sie, daß ein 3tägiges Phowa in dieser Art und Weise nur möglich wurde durch den Energieball, oder ist es gängige Praxis?

Die Lamas haben eine große Macht durch ihre "Tantrischen Rituale" und der Zusammenhang zwischen all den im Westen unterrichtenden Lehrer in Wirkung und Manipulation auf Schüler gilt es noch aufzuspüren.

Es könnte sein, so denke ich erst jetzt, daß die Energiebehandlerin, wo ich war und die angeblich mit einem "Schutzgeist" zusammenarbeitet, dann aber völlig unfähig ist, mir zu helfen – noch weiß, was sie angerichtet hat, auch benutzt wird.
Wenn Sie Rat wissen, bin ich Ihnen dankbar.
Herzlicher Gruß ................


Unser Kommentar zu vorstehenden Leserbrief:

Dieser Leserbrief ist ein sehr anschauliches Dokument, das die Auswirkungen der tantrischen Riten auf den Enmergiekörper von Frauen beschreibt. Es zeigt, dass die Entzündung der Candali (Kundalini) oder "inneren Frau" durch den Tantra Meister durchaus eine Entsprechung in der Aussenwelt, d. h. in der Entzündung einer realen Frau, haben kann und bestätigt damit eine der Grundthesen, die wir an zahlreichen Stellen unseres Buches diskutieren. Zum Beispiel schreiben wir zum "Feueropfer der Dakinis" auf S. 102 unseres Buches:

"Fast jedes Tantra kennt die symbolische Verbrennung von "Opfergöttinnen". Diese repräsentieren alle nur denkbaren Eigenschaften, angefangen von den menschlichen Sinnen bis hin zu verschiedenen Bewußtseinsformen. Auch die Elemente (Feuer, Wasser u.s.w.) und einzelne Körperaggregate werden in der Form von "Opfergöttinnen" imaginiert. Durch das Aussprechen einer machtvollen Zauberformel finden sie alle den Feuertod. Im sogenannten Vajrayogini Ritual opfert der Schüler mehrere Inana Mudras [imaginierte Frau] einem roten Feuergott, der auf einer Ziege reitet. Die Hauptgöttin (Vajrayogini) erscheint dort mit "einem rotfarbenen Körper, der mit der Leuchtkraft des 'Weltuntergangsfeuers' brennt." (Gyatso, 443)

Im Guhyasamaya Tantra schmelzen die Göttinnen sogar in einem feurigen Lichtball zusammen, um anschließend als Opfer an den Höchsten Buddha zu dienen. Dort macht der Adept auch bösartige Weiber durch ein Feuer unschädlich: "Innerhalb eines Dreiecks führt man das Brandopfer durch. ... Hat man dies drei Tage lang vollbracht, auf die Frauen als Ziel gerichtet, dann kann man sie damit bannen, selbst bis in die Unendlichkeit dreier Äonen." (* Gäng, 225)
Eine "brennende Frau" mit dem Namen Candali spielt bei den Kalachakra Initiationen eine so bedeutsame Rolle, daß wir ihr noch ein ganzes Kapitel widmen werden. In diesem Kontext gehen wir auch auf die "Entzündung der weiblichen Energie" ein, ein Zentralereignis auf dem sexualmagischen Einweihungsweg des Tantrismus. ................

Welche Absicht verbirgt sich nun hinter einem feurigen Dakini Opfer? Die gleiche wie hinter allen anderen tantrischen Ritualen auch, nämlich die Absorption der Gynergie, um die Allmacht des Yogis zu begründen. Das begehrte weibliche Elixier trägt hier seinen spezifischen Namen. Der Adept nennt es das "Herzblut der Dakini", die "Herzessenz der Dakinis", das "Lebensherz der Dakinis". (* Herrmann-Pfand, 342) "Die Dakinis werden durch die 'Bekehrung' zu Religionsschützerinnen, nachdem sie ihrem Besieger ihr 'Lebensherz' übergeben." - heißt es in einem Tantratext. (* Herrmann-Pfand, 204)"

[www.loonwatch.com]

Warsaw Mosque Protest
Warsaw mosque protest: Bhuddists Joins hands with skinheads against Muslims (via. Islamophobia-Watch)

On 27 March a previously previously unknown group, Europe of the Future, held a protest against the proposal to build a new mosque in Warsaw (see here and here).

A reader from Poland has drawn our attention to the rather bizarre fact that a Buddhist organisation played a leading role in the protest. The organisation is called Diamond Way and is headed by a Dane named Ole Nydahl. Our correspondent tells us that “members of the Diamond Way organisation were prominent in TV coverage of the demonstration against the mosque”.

Indeed, the Polish journalist Robert Stefanicki reports that Europe of the Future is headed by the former president of of Nydahl’s organisation in Poland. Stefanicki adds: “Other supporters of Europe of the Future are Mlodziez Wszechpolska (All-Polish Youths) – ultra right group with hardly hidden fascist attraction, as well as other islamophobic right wingers. Weird coalition, isn’t it?”

Ole Nydahl is apparently notorious for his anti-Muslim rhetoric. In a 2008 interview he was asked: “In your view, is there a redeeming value within the Abrahamic religions?” To which he replied:

“The Abrahamic religions, the ones that follow our constitution, treat women well, don’t blow up people … Judaism and Christianity are fine. Islam, I warn against. I know the Koran, I know the life story of Mohammad and I think we cannot use that in our society today. People like the Sufis and Bahá’ís are different, right. They are usually being killed as soon as the mainline Muslims come in, they start killing the other guys.”

Our Polish correspondent says they attended a lecture by Nydahl in Warsaw: “I had heard some comments previously that suggested that Nydahl held Islamophobic views, but I was frankly shocked as to the depth of his anger and hatred against Islam and Muslims, and the way he uses his position to preach much misinformation and factual inaccuracies regarding Islam and Muslims and to incite hatred against Islam amongst his followers.”

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9 Comments For This Post
Ahmed Says:
April 8th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
““The Abrahamic religions, the ones that follow our constitution, treat women well, don’t blow up people … Judaism and Christianity are fine. Islam, I warn against. I know the Koran, I know the life story of Mohammad and I think we cannot use that in our society today. People like the Sufis and Bahá’ís are different, right. They are usually being killed as soon as the mainline Muslims come in, they start killing the other guys.””

Wow, I almost burst out laughing after I read that.

Adam Says:
April 8th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Yeah that really sucks. IF he said he knows judaism and christianity, and then knows the quran, then clearly he does not if he thinks the teachings of those two are any different.

Adam Says:
April 8th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
This buddhist seems slightly less angry then your Robert Spencers and Pamela gellers. Maybe someone can talk tot him?

Dar Says:
April 10th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Are these idiot Poles even aware that there were Turkic Muslims in eastern Europe centuries before there was even a Poland?

No to Mosue, but they’ve no problem flooding Egypt and Syria and Lebanon to work there.

eslaporte Says:
April 11th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
This is the spread of the same Islamophobic rubbish that comes with wide-spread belief in the Islamification myth. The European public is in serious need to be presented with the facts, about the real size of Muslim communities in Europe and their own countries. For example, estimates in Poland range from 15-30,000 to the Pew Center’s 40,000 in a population of 38 million (World Bank). This is less than one percent of the Polish population. The whole notion of “counting Muslims” should be regarded as silly and without regarded to the facts about individuals and European Muslim communities, as well as a “bigot’s busywork.” It is also dehumanizing…

This is how the Islamophobic foolishness goes: “Well mooslims are all from a backward, anti-democratic, culture that promotes violence. All mooslims are carriers of the dreaded sharia disease. so, the more mooslims, the more you have the dreaded sharia disease. The next thing you know, the mooslims will want daughter in a burqa. Yep, then they’ll want to cut your head off if you don’t comply. The GREAT sign of this is building mosques with minuets – and there will surly be radical imams lecturing in there, as all imams are radicals!”

This stuff is silly and loony, but supposed rational people believe this nonsense. This is loony and does not compare with the research and data about European Muslim populations from the Open Society, Pew Center and Gallop.

The European public needs to get real and be taught the facts about Muslims, that Islam is not radical in itself and that the vast majority of European Muslims live as productive and law abiding members of their communities. The third lesson that Europeans need to be taught is about the nature of living in a free society, which means tolerating people of different religious faiths. This means that living in a free society means living with a mosque in your city and women walking the streets with headscarves on their heads.

You should also learn that the person who heads up this effort at building a Muslim community center in Warsaw (a doctor, with a family of his own) also intends to add a cultural center that is to be an asset to the Warsaw community. It will offer classes for children and religious dialogue meetings. Some people in Poland have offered money and help with the center – so there are some rational people in Poland.

Again – this is about irrational fears about Muslims – Islamophobia – that comes with the spread of he Islamification myth. People across Europe are simply not being informed about the Muslim populations – and the result of this is seen in the unimpeded and unchallenged rise of Geert Wilders and the spread of Islamophobia. This Islamic cultural center will be a great asset to the Polish community around Warsaw and it is hoped that this can be the start of educating the public one the facts about European and Polish Muslims and away from the irrational foolishness that comes with the belief in the Islamification myth.

Martin K Says:
April 13th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Ole Nydahl is a really hardcore norwegian loon, who is a gdmn Buddhistic master gone bad. He is reinterpreting Buddhism into an Ayn Randian “warrior ideology”. He has a lot of followersand is very scary. If ure interested in a deeper profile, send a mail.

TYO Says:
April 20th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
“No to Mosue, but they’ve no problem flooding Egypt and Syria and Lebanon to work there.”

Interesting. Did not know they are a large population there. How large and are there similar problems in reverse? Polish churches being built and the locals in the Middle East protesting?

Colin P Says:
April 9th, 2012 at 8:22 am
Dear Martin K,

Please would you care to send a deeper profile of Ole Nydahl?

Best wishes,

Colin (how do I send you a mail?)

Zakariya Ali Sher Says
:
April 9th, 2012 at 9:23 am
Ole Nydahl sounds odd. There doesn’t seem to be much about him in English, but from what I’ve read he seems to straddle an odd line between traditional Tantric Buddhist lineages and a watered down, westernized form of Buddhism. Very odd. He certainly seems educated and travelled enough, but he also teaching an odd westernized form of Buddhism that strips away much of the ritual, culture and tradition. It’s hard not to view that as being somehow ashamed of the Tibetan heritage, perhaps even trying to usurp it.

At the same time, he has many of the same traits that you see with the flaky types. Started (but did not finish) a PhD on Aldous Huxley. Smuggling marijuana. Even uses his position to help him chase skirts. Hardly behavior one should expect from a Buddhist, particularly a Vajrayana Buddhist.

[development.thinkaboutit.eu]

Buddhists join hands with skinheads against Muslims
Published 27th March 2010 - 14 comments - 7269 views - ShareThis
Today in Warsaw we had a pocket-size demonstration against construction of a new mosque, only 2nd in capital and 5th in Poland for our approximately 15,000-30,000 Muslims.

Protests are led by previously unknown group Europe of the Future. It is headed by the former president of Karma Kagyu Buddhist Association – for those readers not familiar with divisions inside Western Buddhism: they are faithful to Ole Nydahl, teacher from Denmark, controversial but very influential in all Europe. Lama Ole is known of his racist views; questioned what would be greatest disaster for him, says: “Islam in Europe”, and “Muslims do not behave in civilized way” in his opinion. According to visual artist Joanna Rajkowska, who wrote interesting commentary about it, this view is prevalent among his followers in Poland.

Other supporters of Europe of the Future are Mlodziez Wszechpolska (All-Polish Youths) – ultra right group with hardly hidden fascist attraction, as well as other islamophobic right wingers. Weird coalition, isn’t it? Well, this is Poland. Our right wing parties support Palestinians because they don’t like Israel (and, you know, there are Jews in Israel) and at the same time demonstrate against a mosque.

What is consoling – and somehow surprising – more people in Poland are in favor of the mosque than against. Public opinion poll in today’s “Gazeta Wyborcza” says that 48 % respondents said “yes” to the rough question: “Would you agree to the construction of a mosque with minaret in your neighborhood?”. “No” said 42 %. At least we are not Swiss, yet.



This house hosts the only mosque in Warsaw, for now.



Category: Human Rights | Tags: islam, tolerance, poland,



Comments
Ivan Ralchev on 27th March 2010: Hey, Robert.
You’ve taken on a really delicate topic.

I just wanted to share that your post resembles to a great extent the situation in Bulgaria, my home country. To me, this issue has its roots in our history as well as economic and political development.

On the one hand, you have people that are afraid of muslims becoming a great part of the population. On the other hand, there are the politicians monetizing on this issue and the social tensions it creates.

We live in a globalized world, borders don’t matter. However, we are limited in our understanding of human rights and control.


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Martina Petkova on 27th March 2010: I do not understand the slightly positive tone of this article. I agree that this is a tremendously huge problem within Europe, but joining and agreeing with such racist ideas won’t make any good to the so wanted globalization and development process, as we all may predict. These sort of movements can be classified as rather degradation than stimulating and constructive ones.


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Robert Stefanicki on 27th March 2010: @Ivan: I am able to understand fears of people in countries with high proportion of immigrants, like Austria or France. Or Bulgaria, whose relations with its big Muslim neighbor, Turkey, are problematic. In Poland the situation is different, you almost don’t see dark faces in the streets here. And still we have the same “imported” fears. This is strange and tough to justify.

@Martina: I don’t get what you mean by “positive tone”. Positive is that most of the people do not sign up to islamophobia.


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Martina Petkova on 27th March 2010: @ Robert - Now when I revise my comment it is just the lapsus script that I’ve made! I am sorry for the confusion!


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Hemant Jain on 03rd April 2010: Robert, thanks for this. When the UN Goals talk of international co-operation, issues like this need to be addressed. The world will have to do better than to condemn a whole race of people on the basis of their religion.
I agree with you when you say: What is consoling – and somehow surprising – more people in Poland are in favor of the mosque than against.


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Holger Danske on 26th April 2010: Dear Robert, how can you lie so shamelessly to people who may never have a chance to find out about truth?
For a start: the guy from ‘Europe of the Future’ you talking about has never been a president of the organization you mention. The religion he follows is his private matter (just as it happens in all civilised countries, you know?). There are representatives of different religions, together with atheists within ‘Europe of the Future’; although they all do admit to be sharing humanist views.
Buddhist teachings don’t say anything about Islam. When Ole Nydahl addresses the topic, he strongly emphasises every time that those are his private views and that every Buddhist is freely allowed to have their own.
Now, calling somebody a ‘racist’ is actually a very serious accusation and, in this case, also a complete lie. If Ole Nydahl says anything about some other views he simply doesn’t share, does it make him a racist? There exist Muslim people of all possible races in the world. Religion is not a race. Ole Nydahl also despise political correctness, cowardice, mass murder, war crime, violence against women… you name it.
Mlodziez Wszechpolska (All-Polish Youths) is not in any way related to Europe of the Future. As far as I know, they were strictly banned from making any racist rants at the demonstration, and eventually withdrew from it when its organisers (as a sign of not being connected to any racist or right-wing group) started waving the flag of Israel.
Finally, saying ‘more people in Poland are in favor of the mosque than against’ based on just one of many polls is a massive overstatement. Try checking some other surveys on the topic in question and then share their results with others. Besides, you even skipped the other part of the same poll on which responders, for a question ‘Would you give your permission to your child if they wanted to marry a Muslim person?’ mainly answered ‘no’ (47% to 31%’yes’).
It’s really embarrassing that a journalist can simply mindlessly repeat some untrue pieces of information, while manipulating some other ones. All that, I’m very sad to say, make you look extremely unprofessional and/or very biased.


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Robert Stefanicki on 27th April 2010: Dear Anonymous Reader!
(Holger Danske is a name of Danish legendary hero)

I am glad someone from Ole camp finally took the floor. Seems you are loosing guard, guys. Once I dared to write very short piece on Karma-pa (not the one you follow, but the other one, recognized by Dalai Lama and most of the world) I had a few dozen of protest e-mails in my mail box within two days, all written according one pattern. Thus I was counting on heated (or hated) debate this time.

Let’s move to the arguments:

1. “The guy from ‘Europe of the Future’ you talking about has never been a president of the organization you mention”. Correct. He was member of a board. This is 100 % my translation mistake. But does it really change a lot?

2. I never wrote that all Buddhists are anti-Muslim. Tiny minority of them is. Strangely, this minority is close to Ole Nydahl. I am glad to hear that he does not force his followers to share all his private views, but you know very vell that the position of a teacher in Buddhism is unique. You put absolute trust on him, you follow him blindly. BTW, isn’t Buddhism something about love and compassion for all human beings?

3. “Mlodziez Wszechpolska (All-Polish Youths) is not in any way related to Europe of the Future. As far as I know, they were strictly banned from making any racist rants at the demonstration, and eventually withdrew from it when its organizers (as a sign of not being connected to any racist or right-wing group) started waving the flag of Israel”.

Wait a second. At the anti-mosque demonstration you people waive the flag of a Jewish State to show you are not racists… I must read it again: At the anti-mosque demonstration you…

Did it work? Well, when you sh*t expect flies to come.

4. Condemnation of somebody’s religion is not racism? Technically you are right. But in Poland “Muslim” associates clearly with darkish-skinned person from the Middle East. I live in a capital and have never met personally any Polish convert to islam, although I know there are some, rare birds.

5. Finally, you mention a pool question: ‘Would you give your permission to your child if they wanted to marry a Muslim person?’ mainly answered ‘no’ (47% to 31%’yes’). So, what proves that? That people are skeptical to the prospects od inter-culture marriage? OK, you may claim that having a mosque in my neighborhood enhance chances that one day my daughter will marry a Muslim, but this is far fetched. Knowing how afraid are Polish people of The Others, I am really surprised less than half said “no”.


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Holger Danske on 29th April 2010: ‘I was counting on heated (or hated) debate this time.’
Yup, I must say it shows what you were hoping for it and, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but you won’t get any. If it’s hatred you’re after, you need to turn to completely different direction.
1. ‘Correct. He was member of a board. This is 100 % my translation mistake. But does it really change a lot?’
No, he was NOT a member of the board neither. Do your homework, buddy.
2. ‘but you know very vell that the position of a teacher in Buddhism is unique. You put absolute trust on him, you follow him blindly’
I think there is a quote from historical Buddha that sums it up nicely. It was something like: ‘Don’t follow my teaching simply because it’s something that comes from Buddha (or authority, teacher etc). Check everything out yourself.’
Therefore, logically, if there is somebody who, for whatever reason ‘follows him blindly’ they’re not even really Buddhist, are they?
‘isn’t Buddhism something about love and compassion for all human beings?’
As far as my sources are concerned, Buddhism talks about ‘compassion and wisdom’, in good balance. Now, can you spot the subtle difference?
3. ‘Did it work? Well, when you sh*t expect flies to come.’
As I’ve read in different reports, there were no racist or Nazi-like related incidents on that rally. Maybe after all it was not truly a sh*t since flies didn’t get interested enough to actually really join and get involved? Oh hang on, are you talking about Israel?
4. ‘Condemnation of somebody’s religion is not racism?’
Racism (Oxford Dictionary):
1.The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
Period. If you want to freely draw any mind-boggling conclusions and interpretations, you’re better off finding your own term. Otherwise it looks like you don’t understand the words you’re using.
Oh, and ‘criticism’ doesn’t equal ‘condemnation’, either.
5. ‘So, what proves that?’
It proves sir that you seem to manipulate facts in order to support some semi cooked theories of your own. If you’ve had supplied both results (which were in pretty much contradictory to each other), there wouldn’t have been much of a reason for the last section of your text, nor the conclusion that followed.
‘OK, you may claim that having a mosque in my neighborhood enhance chances that one day…’
Nope. What I claim is that you’re either not very well prepared to the topic you touch, or/and your intentions remain very unclear.

And finally…
‘I am glad someone from Ole camp finally took the floor.’
Hell man, believe it or not: there is no ‘camp’. Have you missed out on compulsory army service, or something? I don’t belong to any organization nor follow any religion. If there was any ‘camp’ I would aspire to, it’d be the one where all the objective, fair, honest and truthful people belong.
Why don’t you join in some day?


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Robert Stefanicki on 04th May 2010: Excuse my late answer, I was out of town. First, even websites sympathizing with anti-Muslim crusade, while quoting press articles, do not deny Jan Wójcik was Karma Kagyu board member. Second, I don’t understand why you persistently mix Israel in this affair, as far as I know Israel has nothing to do with construction of a new mosque in Warsaw. Likewise, waiving Israeli flag to shoo away skinheads (I still read it as a joke) is a blind alley. Third, “wisdom” you say… Vast word. For some wisdom equals extermination of the others, for some denying others’ right to pray, and for me wisdom aims at peaceful coexistence of all religions, races and nationalities.

I can continue this discussion, but please sign your comments with your real name. This is not that kind of forum where people use nick-names. I am surprised that such “fair, honest and truthful person” like you have no courage to reveal your identity.


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Jan Wójcik on 14th June 2010: Dear Mr Stefaniecki,

As someone above advises please do your homework. First I was nether board member of Karma Kagyu, this is a lie or gossip that Joanna Rajkowska wrote in her article, and my response to that appeared in Gazeta Wyborcza.
[warszawa.gazeta.pl]
There you can also find my response to “joining hands with skinheads”. You can also find at our webpage against what we are protesting. Recent publication of Rzeczpospolita shows that our suspicions of fundamentalists notions in Liga Muzu³mañska are justified. If you could also read publications of Liga Muzu³mañska on islamization of Europe, on sharia law you will find them not different from o. Rydzyk groups. So the charge that we are uniting with M³odzie¿ Wszechpolska is ridiculous.

Best regards,
Jan Wójcik


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Sylwia Presley on 25th July 2010: I am still surprised to see strong skinhead movements so active…I guess I am naive..actually just heard a story of a skinhead boy causing trouble in the MINI (BMW) factory in Oxford, amongst his fellow Poles…shocking.


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Chandra on 25th October 2010: Hello everyone,
Why this blatant taking of sides? Remember: In emptiness everything is equal.
You say that you wish to ‘join a group’ in which everything is true and objective. Understanding emptiness, you should understand that there is no such thing. Islam and Buddhism are compleley empty and exist only as mere imputations by the mind. As such, both Allah and Buddha do not exist at all in the way they appear to us. So what are you (both sides of you) so concerned about?
It is true that many religious practitioners hide behind a shrowd of of false sweetness and self righteous pacifism. Lama Ole does not, which is very respectable. He takes a stand in worldly affairs, knowing fully that this may harm his reputation. I am a Buddhist practitioner of a different tradition, in which my teacher has done the same and been heavily criticised for doing so.
On the other hand, how can we argue what Ole’s motive’s are? I do not know if his motivation is fueled by racism, separatism and nationalism, or if it is fueled by compassion, equanimity, etc. Similarly, it is the right of other enquiring minds to heavily question Lama Ole’s teachings and methods, since many of his teachings and actions seem to contradict Buddha’s entire message.
If I may offer my own conclusion on the subject: It is completely clear that a generalisation of a people and their belief is misleading and inaccurate- especially a religiously-fuelled, intentional separation between one group and another. This can, I think, only lead to anger, hatred and confusion. I therefore believe that Ole’s actions, no matter what their motivation, are partially flawed.
At the same time, it is clear that there is a problem with many aspects of fundamentalist Islam , specifically with regard to the way women are treated. The infiltration of such a ‘culture’ in to our own is indeed dangerous and must be halted right away. Let’s not hide behind political correctness, but let’s check our motivation and make sure we do things for the benefit of ALL living beings, not just white Europeans.


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Piotrek on 02nd February 2011: Mr Stefanicki is a pathetic manipulator. Yes, the demo was based on racism, intolerance and hatred - but not of the demonstrators - of ISLAM! Would Mr.Stefanicki criticise demonstration against Father Rydzyk’s extremism? Certainly not, he would applaud. So why to treat totalitarian islamism differently? PS. And question: Even if some demonstrators were Buddhist, do Buddhists have a right to take part in political life of their country? According to RS, they have not.


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megan on 17th February 2011: oh all of you buddhist guys opinions are so harmful and full of ignorance. I deeply believe that one of the main teachings of buddhism is the tolerance and love for the others. which is not, certainly, visible in your lack of understanding for islam, it’s evolution as a religion and a complex problem of islam people seeking for better life. why do we all tend to forget that christianism for example, has it’s own, very dark part of history? disrespect for women is still visible in catholic Italy (Berlusconi) and we used to burn women on the stakes all around Europe!! all of you guys are probably europeans, raised in a way more or less faithful to christian heritage (not necessarily christians though). And now you are Diamond Way buddhists.
Many of you have bought buddhism imo, just like one of the products from a shelf marked with “a neo-new age enlightment special offer” label, where buddhism was just next to eco food and Paulo Coelho books. May it be a rude generalization, but sadly I know so many people who are buddhist this way :(.. Quite a long time ago I’ve dedicated myself to the studies of eastern religions, languages and culture and I really do feel that Lama Ole introduced a lot of superficial stuff to buddhism and simply presents it in a very cut down to western world measurements manner. buddhism inolves reflection! where is your reflection? did you let yourself confuse it with emotions, and judge on the basis of emotions? because what drives your opinion on Islam is a fear of unknown, of xenos. and reflection would be the attempt to meet Islam, understand those people tragedy of living in schizophrenic reality, it would be a try to know a bit about this religion and giving the people a hand in this difficult time to make them feel that they can also have their contribution to build a modern world!! don’t you agree this egyptian and islamic countries revolution is something like, i dunno, 1848 Spring of Nations ? these people and religion have a beautiful way to go, so we should proudly help them, wait patiently and help even in such a simple way as building them a place, where they could meet up and peacfully fullfil their spiritual demands. however this does not mean we have to accept what is being done to muslim women, but as such an experienced, old and civilized societies we got this possibility to suggest the right path (although i believe muslims in europe treated humanly will finally, automatically respond humanitarian). and sorry for this harsh lama ole attack, but i just can;t stand this omnipresent process of mcdonaldization

[www.wweek.com]

November 25th, 2008 By Matt Graham | News | Lama Ole Nydahl, Controversial, Unconventional Lama, Speaks Tonight


Have you seen those fliers resting in storefront windows and hanging from light poles all over town with the headline, "Buddhism in the 21st Century"? They are advertising a talk tonight at the Winningstad Theatre by Lama Ole Nydahl , the former drug dealer and street boxer from Denmark who now travels the globe lecturing on his unique, Western brand of Tibetan Buddhism , the "Diamond Way ."



As you might expect from somebody with such a rough and tumble past, Nydahl has his share of detractors. Some Buddhists are turned off by his skydiving, openly sexual, rockstar personality, in many ways the opposite of the common image of the Buddhist as a monk who stays above the sins of the world by retreating from them the meditate his life away in a temple. Others can forgive him the sex and motorcycles, but simply find his remarks about Islam to be xenophobic. But it's not like everybody's an enemy: you don't found 600 Diamond Way centers around the world without a devoted following.

Speaking with him, it's easy to understand why people flock to the Lama. He projects a kind of warm equanimity and, even over the phone, there is a palpable charisma . He comes across as a friendly person who does really care for the person he's talking to. Perhaps this makes him the head of a cult of personality . But then, what religious (or secular) leader is there who can avoid that charge? Does anybody remember John McCain's Obama-is-a- Celebrity ad ? It's not like the 67-year-old Nydahl hasn't done the work: he and his deceased wife Hannah studied for years in Tibet under the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpei Dorje .

What follows is a Q&A WW conducted last week with Nydahl, who was in Hawaii working on a new book.

Q: Why Buddhism? What about it called you?

It's all very natural to me. I think this is something I promised to do in the last life... Already as a small child, I was dreaming about protecting civilian populations in parts of the Eastern Himalayas which I saw, my wife and I later saw when we traveled secretly through that part. It was very interesting.

I had all these dreams about men an women in red skirts and protecting them, and painted mountains, which we don't have in Denmark, and all kinds of things... My wife and I, on our honeymoon, met some of the finest Tibetan meditation teachers and spent between three and four years with them in the Himalayas. And the in '72 we were asked to go home and see if our friends wanted to do meditation.

Why has Buddhism seen such an explosion in the West?

Well it's free. It doesn't tell you what to do, it just tells you to develop your potential. Buddha doesn't judge. He's a friend, giving advice, and that makes it easy for a lot of people to accept what he says. And you can experience it, you get methods, you don't just get words, you get methods. You can do meditations and you can feel that you don't just get older, but also wiser, which is also very nice.

And the Christians can't complain. For every five people in the East—in China and Japan and Korea, places like that—who become Christians, there's probably one who really decides to go the Buddhist way in the West. In both cases it's the same, though. [Christianity] got a bit too institutionalized, not so much feeling and experience anymore. And in the East, Buddhism got too stiff and ritualistic and nobody could understand anything in the end. People don't know what's going on. They see some monks and they're shuffling here and there in some very well-kept beautiful old places, but they've got no idea what's going on.

Buddhism has a very big weakness with that, because, when you have a religion that's watertight (and based on direct, mystical experience), and there's nothing there to believe, you just have to study more and you see...if you have something like that, well you meet with a few friends and talk some high spiritual things and enjoy that and wish everybody happiness. But if you have a religion that's a bit like a Swiss cheese, logically, where you have to believe a lot of things because you can't know them, then you try to convince others in order to convince yourself, especially if you have a terrible god like Allah making you do criminal things. Of course you have to make everybody agree, because otherwise you look bad. So that's more or less how it is.

It's difficult to be solid, you know, in philosophy because you forget about the ordinary guys. Actually, Buddhism in India was destroyed through two or three Arab invasions a thousand years ago. They killed all the people who could read or write and the rest became superstitious.

In your view, is there a redeeming value within the Abrahamic religions?

The Abrahamic religions, the ones that follow our constitution, treat women well, don't blow up people, you know, who are not involved in their problems...Judaism and Christianity are fine. Islam, I warn against. I know the Koran, I know the life story of Mohammad and I think we cannot use that in our society today.

People like the Sufis and Bahá'ís are different, right. They are usually being killed as soon as the mainline Muslims come in, they start killing the other guys. They want you to believe just because it's said, and you should not have any proof.

What other global issues concern you

Overpopulation. It is destroying the variety and multiplicity of different kinds of life which makes our world so rich.

What role can Buddhism play in fixing these problems? A criticism that has been leveled against the religion is that it can be a bit withdrawn.

Navel observing, and nothing else [laughs ]? I think we do have a role. Buddhists are non-political. Any political idea one has, is not because of Buddhism. It's one's responsibility as a citizen. We do not get involved as Buddhists in political things, but we do, as members of society, act as protectors of our constitutions and women's freedom and stuff like that.

How does one divorce those beliefs? Can a person really hold religious and political ideas separately without the one contaminating the other? Can you take a stance as a moral agent, and then claim you're not being political?

I know, it isn't easy, but we always say that. We always say that. Of course, you cannot divide your mind, you know, but it's just...Buddhism has no official politics. But Buddhists, right, they have their own politics. I can tell you for instance that I was asked to give statements about the war in Georgia, right? And I just had to say, even though they were possible donors and several good friends, I just had to say, "I'm sorry, I wasn't there, I didn't see it," you know? And if Buddhism gets involved with Buddhist statements to political things, it just doesn't work.

Even in America also, I think some of our young people were a bit too boisterous [about the presidential election].

What is a typical day like for you? How much time do you spend in meditation?

Actually, I do some practices in the morning where you sort of slide out to your full length and open up to your Buddha Nature. That's one thing I do and then I guide, usually in lectures every night, I guide the meditation also there. But the rest of the time, I sort of am in meditation because my mind doesn't change, because I've meditated 40 years and I've also had all kinds of little things in my head when I was meditating, proving that some unusual things happen there when I meditate. So I would say, actually, the reason I can be so effective, working as much as I am, sleeping as little as I do, is actually that I am sort of in meditation all the time.

What does that mean? Is there a certain awareness that you carry around with you all the time?

It means you are that which is between and behind the thoughts, and which is aware of the thoughts. You are the mirror behind the pictures, the ocean underneath the waves. The awareness which knows and understands what's going on. That is what one is.

What is your goal going forward?

I am doing what my teachers told me to do. I'm not making my own agendas or anything. The 16th Karmapa told me exactly what I should do. When my wife died sitting in meditation in my arms about a year-and-a-half ago, then I continued on by myself. I talked to the 17th Karmapa, and he said "Please, go on. Please, go on." And I continued, because I think I'm youthful.

How many schools do you have?

We have about 600 now, worldwide. Nothing in Africa because...well, they're probably not in an abstract mindset right now. And then also, none in the Muslim countries where people can be killed by leaving Islam, and so on. But except for that, North and South America, Oceania, Eurasia of course, above all, from Scotland through Vladivostok and a little bit in Japan, also.

Doesn't it become hard to have personal relationships with the students when you have so many?

Yes. We have been saved, actually. Science is our best friend, you know. We would not have been able to make Russians and Australians meditate the same way, you know, it we didn't have streaming. I'm on streaming nearly...not quite when I go to the toilet, but everywhere else (laughs ). There's so much happening with streaming. Every lecture, and it's around the world. It's so important, it's so important to keep everybody up and going.

Bonus: Here are some videos of Lama Ole speaking to his students:

First topic: Karma

[youtube lFn-CjT39xA]

The "Mahamudra"

[youtube FCotuy5Y8u8]

And Meditation

[youtube 35W67OwhEck

[www.rajkowska.com]

You Jew, You Arab!
2010, Krytyka Polityczna, nr 22, Prze-moc [Over-come]; As Salam, nr 2/3 (20/21) 2010/1431
The language of 1930s anti-Semitic propaganda is surprisingly similar to the present-day hate speech against Muslims. A similar iconography and similar themes. The alienation of the other is effected by likening them to an animal - ape, larva or worm, and if to another man, then to a degenerate, a primitive, a tramp, retarded and mentally handicapped. Territorial expansiveness, spreading of diseases, cunning and dishonesty, threat to national values, responsibility for armed conflicts and financial crises, a global conspiracy, depravation of children and youth, sexual deviations, parleying with the devil and attacking the Church - these are but some of the trespasses attributed.

This speech emerged in the course of the long historical process of Jews' exclusion from European culture and although we all know where it eventually led, we continue using this language, legitimised by the Polish government and media, with reference to Muslims today.

We have been educated to spot instances of anti-Semitism. We have learnt to recognise elements of hatred, contempt or simply unfair treatment of Jews in language and iconography. At the same time, the same images, studied for years, have become obvious, iconic, powerless, almost transparent.

So transparent that they have become a hard and obvious formula of rejection that today, with all the power of a newfound hatred, is being used against Muslims. Our vigilance has failed us.

The idea of juxtaposing the language of anti-Semitic propaganda, particularly that from the 1930s, with the contemporary hate language used against Muslims occurred to me at a special moment.

On 27 March 2010, a street protest took place against the planned construction of the Muslim Culture Centre in Ochota, Warsaw. The protest was organised by Stowarzyszenie Europa Przysz³oœci [[b]Europe of the Future Association[/b]], dominated by pseudo-Buddhists from the Diamond Way group founded and led by a guru, the Danish-born Islamophobe, Ole Nydahl.

The demonstration was attended by members of the Association as well as by activists of the nationalist organisations All-Polish Youth and Radical-National Camp (ONR), accompanied by all those who do not want Muslims in Poland. Photos published by Krytyka Polityczna show banners saying, ‘Please support Mr Geert Wilders'. Next to it, an Israeli flag.

The demonstration triggered off a debate on how the Polish media report on Islam and Poles' attitude towards it. A commentary by Mi³ada Jêdrysik, published in Gazeta Wyborcza on 25 March 2010, read,

The Polish protest may seem grotesque against this background. In Italy, there are 1 million Muslims and 250 mosques. In the UK, about 1.5 million.

…

For now, however, mass immigration of Muslims is not something Poland should fear. This makes the position of Europe of the Future all the more unacceptable. The organisation not only strives to restrict the rights of Polish-based Muslims, including those who hold Polish citizenship, but also rolls out xenophobic guns against an enemy so weak that it's a double shame.

Mi³ada Jêdrysik is absolutely right. But something still worried me. I decided to play with words and here is the result:

‘The Polish protest may seem grotesque against this background. In Italy, there are 1 million Jews and 250 synagogues. In the UK, about 1.5 million.

…

For now, however, mass immigration of Jews is not something Poland should fear. This makes the position of Europe of the Future all the more unacceptable. The organisation not only strives to restrict the rights of Polish-based Jews, including those who hold Polish citizenship, but also rolls out xenophobic guns against an enemy so weak that it's a double shame".

[www.islamophobia-watch.com]

Islamophobia Watch
Documenting anti Muslim bigotry