| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"V" |
| Date: |
01 Sep 2007 02:25:51 PM |
| Object: |
Spiritual Bullies |
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
At the bus change there used to be many vagrants hanging out at the
taco shop asking passerby's for money. When they were bored they would
sometimes play a game with kids coming off the bus. They would walk up
to them and hand off a $10 bill pushing it on the kid saying 'Take it,
take it, it's for you." Then when the kid took the money they would
grab the kid by the shirt lifting him off the ground and tell him to
give it back or they would kick his *****. Well, I guess I was lucky
growing up in L.A. in the '60's, for if it was in current times,
people will shoot you for fun and to watch you squirt blood when they
are bored.
Nowadays, many a spiritual forum and discussion group seems to work
the same way as these vagrants did via 'out of control' moderators and
list owners. While it commendable they wish to be of spiritual service
to others, they forget that harmful service is many a time worse than
no service. To quote Socrates, "My friend Crito, your zeal is
invaluable, if a right one; but if wrong, the greater the zeal the
greater the evil..." Such zealots and spiritually sick individuals
seem to forget the law of karma applies to them as well as others when
they act out their ill deeds. The Buddha reportedly warns us that our
actions stick to us as our shadow and even though we do not pay our
bill all at once, it is being accrued telling us "Fresh milk takes
time to sour. So a fool's deeds take time to catch up with him" But
this is just echoed as the same law that the bible speaks of 'As yea
sew, so shall ye reap'
It is a common practice that many an overregulated and prejudiced
discussion forum claim to offer spiritual peace. Then, at the last
moment take that promise back and work to destroy one's peace, just as
the vagrants did with the children with their bullying fun. So it was
most recently experience a 'for profit' Buddhist discussion forum I
have been a member on for the past few years called eSangha. Whenever
I bring up the taboo subjects of freedom of thought and freedom of
speech at eSangha it results in a temporary ban of my account there.
If one has a different opinion than the mainstream with spiritual
beliefs, then the threat of being banned is given by the moderators in
an effort to stifle discussion. One moderator described his efforts at
'sanitizing' the forum bragging about his ability to make threads
invisible if he chooses to. Psychologist William James once said, "A
great many people believe they are thinking when they are merely
rearranging their prejudices."
In one translation of the Dhamapadda, the Buddha reportedly speaks of
receiving ALL opinions, which is something that is sorely lacking at
many discussion groups. This spiritual bullying is not limited to the
Buddhists or eSangha, as the worst offenders are the Christians -
banning me effectively from 100% of their forums and discussion
groups. (where a ban can take place). Charity? Reciprocity? Humility?
Such persons need to go back to the basics before calling themeless
Christians? I was a Christian Buddhist at that time and have much
experience with many genres of spiritual and other discussion forums
being on nearly 200 of them over the last 9 years. But out of the 200
forums I was a member of, I have been banned from roughly 70% of them.
I have to look for humor sometimes in this prejudice. A while ago I
signed up for the Billy Graham forum and a forum for Catholics. After
making my first post to each forum, both banned me - permanently.
Then, both forums would solicit me for donations months later after
being banned. I believe Thoreau had it right in Walden: "Trade curses
everything it touches and even though you trade in 'messages from
heaven' trade attaches itself and the whole thing becomes cursed."
I mentioned above 'one translation of the Dhamapadda' since you will
find many flavors of the Dhamapadda which rests on the point of the
post. I also use the word 'reportedly' a lot to describe the Buddha's
or Jesus' words. Why? Because everything we have on the Buddha or
Jesus is here-say. They wrote down nothing. As such, let various
opinions flourish for all to see and let people have the freedom to
think for themselves. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
Either a spiritual practice works or it does not wok and that is the
bottom line. Spiritual directions that destroy ones peace are false,
spiritual directions that promote ones peace as well as the inner
peace of others are the true way. But in any case, let the opinions be
said in freedom.
It has been said that a wooden Buddha will not get through a fire, a
clay Buddha will not get through the ocean and a bronze Buddha will
not get though a furnace. But, a clay Buddha can get through the
furnace and turn to stone, a wooden Buddha can float across a river
and a bronze Buddha will withstand a fire. So I use many tools to find
peace and do not limit myself. I apply this diversity not only to
spiritual paths and practices, but most importantly I apply it to my
discussion groups. I have long since learned not to put all my marbles
in one group. As such I am on 40 to 50 groups at any one time and if
one choose to ban me due to prejudice, the other groups are there for
my spiritual and other benefit.
I find useful tool with such problems as prejudice of views and
destroying the peace of others is to meditate on the Mahayana based
'dana-paramita' also know as the perfection of generosity. Especially
with the giving of security and freedom from fear as well as the
giving of the dharma. Of course, when such discussion lists try to
shut a member up or ban them, they are doing just the opposite. They
are producing fear and destroying security and taking away the
offering of dharma. Now, I am not against temporarily banning a member
if they are continually abusive toward other members, using profane
language towards list members or destroying the effective operation of
a group. But banning a member due of the personal prejudices of list
owner or moderator is a very bad policy if one claims to have an
interest in spiritual ways and truth. Why do I get banned so much? I
get banned not for fighting, but for fright-ing. They do not like to
here what I write about, so the easiest way to shut me up is to ban
me.
The three unwholesome roots of delusions, greed and hate are very
basic to a a Buddhist practice. Out of these three, delusion is the
foundational root, for without seeing delusions for what they are, you
cannot distinguish the other two unwholesome roots of greed and hate.
Until the prejudiced individuals work through the delusion there will
be no growth spiritually. On the contrary, as they work to destroy the
peace of others, they will go backward with their spiritual progress
until they take that first step in the opposite direction from where
they have been headed in. Isn't this just common sense? More sickness
will only yield more sickness? This is not my law, but the law of
nature, as James Allen reminds us below.
"Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results. Bad thoughts
and actions can never produce good results. This is but saying that
nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing from nettles but nettles.
Men understand this law in the natural world, and work with it. But
few understand it in the mental and moral world."
but
"To think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to
find the good in all - such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of
heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every
creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor."
and it reminds us we will never be at peace by fostering hatred for
another.
To be at peace with this subject, all we can do is to be true to our
nature while aligning that nature the best we can to an authentically
peaceful life. Once we do this, we will be able to feel the same peace
as Socrates did when he was sentenced to death (for the crime of
having opinions as well as a desire to express those opinions)
"...know this truth my Judges - that no evil can happen to a good man
- either in life or after death.
Take care,
V (Male)
Agnostic Freethinker
Practical Philosopher
AA#2
.
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| User: "Steve O" |
|
| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
01 Sep 2007 07:52:14 PM |
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"V" <vfr44@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1188656751.700176.116340@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
Exactly what point were you trying to make with this ramble?
--
Steve O
a.a. #2240 (Apatheist Chapter)
B.A.A.W.A.
Convicted by Earthquack
"The only problem with Baptists is that they don't hold them underwater long
enough."
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
01 Sep 2007 09:55:17 PM |
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On Sat, 01 Sep 2007 20:52:14 +0100, Steve O wrote:
"V" <vfr44@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1188656751.700176.116340@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
Exactly what point were you trying to make with this ramble?
That he's so important every word that falls from his keyboard is
priceless...
--
Mark K. Bilbo a.a. #1423
EAC Department of Linguistic Subversion
------------------------------------------------------------
"Warned you we tried! Listen you did not! Now screwed
we will all be!"
http://www.sequentialpictures.com/moviestarwarsepisode3.html
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| User: "Al Klein" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
02 Sep 2007 03:20:46 AM |
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On Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:55:17 -0500, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote:
On Sat, 01 Sep 2007 20:52:14 +0100, Steve O wrote:
"V" <vfr44@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1188656751.700176.116340@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
Exactly what point were you trying to make with this ramble?
That he's so important every word that falls from his keyboard is
priceless...
He's in more bozo bins than Bloatwrong - that's pretty important.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
01 Sep 2007 09:40:27 PM |
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On Sep 1, 3:52 pm, "Steve O" <hoor...@nospamhere.com> wrote:
"V" <vf...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1188656751.700176.116340@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
Exactly what point were you trying to make with this ramble?
The bad ol' atheists are being mean to him. He came in here with a sob
story about being kicked out of every moderated group he's ever been a
member of, and then proceeded to demonstrate why. We couldn't get him
to leave by the "ridicule" method, so we group plonked him. Most
successful one I've ever seen. He's going nuts because we haven't
addressed his replies to our posts.
-Panama Floyd, Atlanta.
aa#2015/KoBAAWA!
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| User: "Steve O" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
01 Sep 2007 10:14:19 PM |
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<panamfloyd@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1188682827.207190.59360@r34g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
On Sep 1, 3:52 pm, "Steve O" <hoor...@nospamhere.com> wrote:
"V" <vf...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1188656751.700176.116340@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
Exactly what point were you trying to make with this ramble?
The bad ol' atheists are being mean to him. He came in here with a sob
story about being kicked out of every moderated group he's ever been a
member of, and then proceeded to demonstrate why. We couldn't get him
to leave by the "ridicule" method, so we group plonked him. Most
successful one I've ever seen. He's going nuts because we haven't
addressed his replies to our posts.
He does come across as a bit of a tit head.
Righty Ho!
Into the bin he goes!
Plonk!
--
Steve O
a.a. #2240 (Apatheist Chapter)
B.A.A.W.A.
Convicted by Earthquack
"The only problem with Baptists is that they don't hold them underwater long
enough."
.
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| User: "V" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
10 Sep 2007 12:02:04 AM |
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On Sep 1, 3:52?pm, "Steve O" <hoor...@nospamhere.com> wrote:
"V" <vf...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1188656751.700176.116340@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
When I was a young boy in the 1960's growing up in L.A. I used to take
the public bus home from school and made a bus change near south L.A.
Exactly what point were you trying to make with this ramble?
--
Steve O
a.a. #2240 (Apatheist Chapter)
B.A.A.W.A.
Convicted by Earthquack
"The only problem with Baptists is that they don't hold them underwater long
enough."
Point?
Just what I felt like writing that day on the subject of spiritual
bullies in control can destroy ones peace and they do not practice
what they preach many a time.
V
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
10 Sep 2007 12:11:11 AM |
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On Sep 9, 8:02 pm, V <vf...@aol.com> wrote:
http://images.art.com/images/-/Dilbert---Just-Shut-Up--C10114871.jpeg
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| User: "Enkidu" |
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| Title: Re: Spiritual Bullies |
01 Sep 2007 09:37:35 PM |
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V <vfr44@aol.com> wrote in news:1188656751.700176.116340
@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com:
When I was a young boy
Ho! <WHACK>
--
Enkidu AA#2165
EAC Chaplain and ordained minister,
ULC, Modesto, CA
Gods are children's blankets that get carried over into adulthood.
--James Randi
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