Sidesplitting acting by Rama Ranson.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

That's kind of what SIF and butler devotees tried to do with thier ridiculous web campaigns. There must be at least 100 sites all related to butler. They are basically simplistic sites that give little to no authentic info about butler. In essence they have attempted to paint over the butler empire as a Ekhart Tolle style meditation group.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thanks for posting this rama. It's astounding how many apologists there are. The people being put in positions of educating kids from the time of prabhupad had no background checks done, zero teaching experience and far from qualified to deal with emotional deterioration of students. The poor kids were robbed of any critical thinking and life skills. The schools bred them to remain within th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

That awkward moment when you realize you're at the wrong rally...
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hey, I'd rather have Tulsi in a Reason Rally then in a SIF kirtan. I'd rather have her rub shoulders with critical thinkers then to associate her campaign and public image with butler. Even if it is a sham and or on some agenda pretext. At least outwardly it is promoting and supporting critical thinking and organizations that promote realistic agendas and objectives—as opposed to mythic
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

For what it's worth—nice to see Tulsi as a speaker at
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Oh man. Those booklets and books are gone. You can't even get them on eBay. I recall on book distribution in the PI how we used to hit up cemeteries and places where vulnerable folks would buy into the booklets. The booklets in and of them selves were a mumbo jumbo of samkhya and yoga with a nice dose of krishnaism. Obviously butler was posited as the "true guru". One of the ong
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

gurus and disciples should have some type of prenuptial agreement before they get initiated. No 1 in the list: 1. You will allow me to report abuses and warn others of potential abuses by you or other gurus I have known. Can you imagine getting married and your partner forbids you to report that your ex abused you? Or that you should not warn other friends about a crazy ex? But obviousl
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

They don't call him jagad guru for nuthin! All da gurus bow to dis one! The WVA got their hands full with dis one. Tin foil and be happy! Gods gotta hire some better representatives or start Representing himself like the olden days! Maybe a donkey incarnation this time? You know, represent the Democratic Party. Oh snap! He's already done it! We got a cult donkey on the way to
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

For a country that gave us great philosophical traditions and culturally rich expressions of art and literature, India has got to be the most backwards and socially and politically crippled country today. I think a lot of it has to do with a continued naive adherence to do called Vedic code and thought and belief in its mythology. A country so full of temples yet barely a public bathroom to find,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Austerity and renunciation of comforts is part of most spiritual practice and comes with the territory. That's a conscious personal choice most make. I don't recall ISKCON giving out blowup mattresses and hot showers. Most temple food is from the food bank. So I think that the hypocrisy lies in the fact that often times the guru doesn't seem to be living in the same austere co
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Wow. It's totally another butler school. The coed part is a nice touch. Hope sex Ed consists of more than anti-homosexual rhetoric and teaching kids that sex is not conducive to anything but having more Krishna kids... Usually the kids in the schools were sent there so parents can focus on "service". I truly hope these kids get to go home every day and see their parents. I�
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Toasted=tulsi, a Freudian slip by Siri/spelling AutoCorrect.;)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Fear not, for better or worse, Bernie and tulsi will not win the nomination as a team. I say for better or worse because on the good side of all things that can go bad, a tulsi Bernie presidency is by far not the worst. What truly is worse is the opposition. Yes yes, I know this sounds like endorse, but believe me it isn't. I'm just saying the battle looks best left and focu
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Great interview Rama—and yet another person confirming the craziness of it all. If the highest form of love and devotion is washing my guru's socks and being paranoid if I sneeze, no thanks—i'll pass.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thx Dharmabum— Yeah, it's a plague of sorts. These cults form a tight bubble around the person and within that bubble things start to fester. I've seen it. it's not a sustainable existence. The sages and thinkers of the past did not intend on creating an "absolutism" in their theories and ideas. It was always to be understood as a work in progress (existence is not fixed
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Regardless if it's christianity or if any particular personality existed—it is highly unlikely that the teachings, activities and events of those peoples lives was recorded in any unadulterated and historically accurate way. All of it was hacked up and sewed together to fit some groups agenda or idealized vision. One would best be served if they did not take lightly and at face value the
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Why is there so little to no information about the brahmacharin school in the PI that she attended? She was obviously groomed for her role in politics and seems to fit right in to the stereotypical "change your tune as it suits you" political framework. How was she perceived by fellow student at the school. For Siddha Das, Wai Lana's son, we know the answer. He was arrogant a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

That's really it Dharma—yoko stood for something. That's the bottom line. What words and actions or words has was lana conveyed (held in such high estimation by the cult follower)that really makes her a worshipable person? And I'm not talking about giving people courage to wear neon-glow parachute outfits while striking a pose...
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There's a wave of resistance and seeing through the fog of politics and religion right now. it's about time. A renaissance of thinking is taking place. There will be a few people who complain and bitch through it all and cry "hindu-phobe" whenever you shed light on the craziness, but ultimately vaishnavism has been a self-identified cult since it's inception. It's no
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dharmabum, that is my hope too. As a general rule of thumb, I am of the opinion that anyone who accepts somebody else's head at their feet and worship from them and service from them is a charlatan. Period. Being able to accept such worship necessitates a certain level paychopathic narcissism. It's got to be the furthest thing from humility and piety. Time and again, I have seen t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Ha! I hear you dabcult! It just always had that awkward John and yoko feel.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yoko Ono
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I love these videos and others like it that claim some sort of scientific proof and end with the classic hare krishna sell: It's astounding how many videos like this abound on the internet. Videos claiming that nuclear weapons were being used in ancient india and that flying saucers and what not were somehow a daily occurrence in vedic times. Even the fairly recent dwarka discovery which
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I don't buy the assertion that chaitanya or any modern day krishna cult does not recognize the varna and ashram system as a ideological system. I was in this cult for many years with many gurus. There are hundreds of quotes from swami bhaktivedanta and beyond about the caste system and it's so called benefits etc. Siddhanta saraswati put much emphasis on the brahmans thread as well as p
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Interesting listen:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Happy belated easter:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I recall the Prema Dasi insult sessions too Vox. Butler once told the woman that she saw all men as Cocks with Wedding rings on them, as she was undoubtably looking for a boyfriend or some comfort in relationships outside of the cult. She wanted to get married and he was demeaning her for it openly in many lectures. Insanity. Even as a kid I thought it was mean spirited and odd that anyone should
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It's a deeply emotionally charged place to be in life: Questioning a life long belief that we were taught to just follow without questioning and at times with fear of punishment or not being able to seek our own life path. There is no denying the butler cult is ripe with foulness. That is the experience of both ex-cult members as well as the facts at hand. They are facts. A lot of what ha
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

When you're part of a group of people all working towards the same goal, it's no matter how noble your efforts are, if you knowingly put the group in a bad place by associating it with questionable sources. Of course redemption is readily available and flash has had ample opportunity to fess up and explain. Unfortunate the explanations were illogical and incomprehensible. Kind o
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"