Jumping off on commenter Laurie's suggestion, I'm trying an "open thread" experiment. Perhaps you've been holding back a comment while our comments were offline. Post anything you like below. Let the discussion roll!
J.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Rate Your Experience with Transcendental Meditation
Everyone's experiences with TM are/were different. They vary due to our personalities, our values, the depth and length of our involvement, when we were involved — so many factors.
What is one person's incense-drenched golden memory is another's vision of world peace — is another's nightmare.
Unfortunately, it's very human to generalize from one's own experience and believe everyone else's should match.
In my practice, I try to honor each individual's experience with their own group. You are the expert on your experience.
It's a matter of respect and allowing space for each individual to find their own truth.
I hope to write another post soon on the things I value from my TM experience. Today I'll ask you to comment on your experience — both good and bad.
In the anti-cult movement, I've run into a tendency by some to label anyone that attempts to present a balanced view of the good and bad in these groups as a "cult apologist." I believe this has become a buzzword for "enemy."
Demonizing the cults just feeds their power, in my opinion — creating myths about super-powerful organizations with tentacles everywhere. And it fosters victimization among cult veterans -- or "cult victors" in Sudarsha's felicitous phrase.
After all, who can stand up to a superhuman archvillain? Superman?
I have no superpowers. Do you?
Cults are not superhuman. And they exist on a continuum from relatively benign to hideously destructive. It's really a shame that we use one word to characterize them all.
If I were to rate TM as a group on a scale of 1 to 10 from least to most abusive, I'd give it a "5." Scientology, a "7." Groups like Mohan Singh's or the Family, which allegedly engage in sexual abuse, a "9." Suicide or murderous groups like Jonestown, Solar Temple, Aum Shinrikyo a '"10."
And even the worst can be defeated. Both at the societal level and in an individual's life.
Chatting with Sudarsha, he expanded my thoughts on continua quite a bit. As he wrote me:
What do you say? Care to rate your TM experience in the comments below? Or if you prefer, email me at jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Let's widen our horizons and get a discussion going with the "new" old comment system.
John M. Knapp, LMSW
KnappFamilyCounseling.com
What is one person's incense-drenched golden memory is another's vision of world peace — is another's nightmare.
Unfortunately, it's very human to generalize from one's own experience and believe everyone else's should match.
In my practice, I try to honor each individual's experience with their own group. You are the expert on your experience.
It's a matter of respect and allowing space for each individual to find their own truth.
I hope to write another post soon on the things I value from my TM experience. Today I'll ask you to comment on your experience — both good and bad.
In the anti-cult movement, I've run into a tendency by some to label anyone that attempts to present a balanced view of the good and bad in these groups as a "cult apologist." I believe this has become a buzzword for "enemy."
Demonizing the cults just feeds their power, in my opinion — creating myths about super-powerful organizations with tentacles everywhere. And it fosters victimization among cult veterans -- or "cult victors" in Sudarsha's felicitous phrase.
After all, who can stand up to a superhuman archvillain? Superman?
I have no superpowers. Do you?
Cults are not superhuman. And they exist on a continuum from relatively benign to hideously destructive. It's really a shame that we use one word to characterize them all.
If I were to rate TM as a group on a scale of 1 to 10 from least to most abusive, I'd give it a "5." Scientology, a "7." Groups like Mohan Singh's or the Family, which allegedly engage in sexual abuse, a "9." Suicide or murderous groups like Jonestown, Solar Temple, Aum Shinrikyo a '"10."
And even the worst can be defeated. Both at the societal level and in an individual's life.
Chatting with Sudarsha, he expanded my thoughts on continua quite a bit. As he wrote me:
[E]ach cult has factors to consider. TM's about a 3 for organization, maybe a 9 for slickness, possibly a 5 when it comes to a believable spiel. Maybe, John, this rating system, not drawing any conclusions, but asking people to rate their own experiences with TM or whatever they were into on a multi-layer scale would be very interesting and get people to think of TM/TMO/Maheshism not as a solid entity but as a multi-faceted conglomeration from which not just bad emerged.
What do you say? Care to rate your TM experience in the comments below? Or if you prefer, email me at jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Let's widen our horizons and get a discussion going with the "new" old comment system.
John M. Knapp, LMSW
KnappFamilyCounseling.com
Note: I reference a number of Wikipedia articles above. While I find them in general fairly even-handed, voices from all sides of these issues weigh-in. Please bear in mind that both current and former group members, as well as scholars with greater or lesser experience in this field, contribute to the articles. Take everything you read — on the Internet and off, including my own writings — with an appropriate grain of salt.
P.S. I was interviewed on my approach to cult recovery by an obscure blog recently. Give 'em some love.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
End of New Comment Experiment
Sadly, Intense Debate was not able to fix our new comment system at this time. I am in the midst of reverting to Haloscan.
I want to be clear. I believe IntenseDebate has a superior product and the best customer service I've bumped into. Especially for a free service.
I believe the problems we had, which were not shared by other IntenseDebate solutions, had to do with some HTML/XML coding unique to our site.
We just ran out of time waiting for the problem to be tracked down. We were losing readers -- and even more importantly commenters. As I've said before, the comments have become an ever more important part of the TM-Free experience. Often times the thoughts and shared experiences of the commenters are more central to our purpose than the blog posts themselves.
I hope to have everything back to "normal" very quickly.
Please email me with any problems you experience: jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Thanks for your patience. And sorry for all the inconvenience.
J.
I want to be clear. I believe IntenseDebate has a superior product and the best customer service I've bumped into. Especially for a free service.
I believe the problems we had, which were not shared by other IntenseDebate solutions, had to do with some HTML/XML coding unique to our site.
We just ran out of time waiting for the problem to be tracked down. We were losing readers -- and even more importantly commenters. As I've said before, the comments have become an ever more important part of the TM-Free experience. Often times the thoughts and shared experiences of the commenters are more central to our purpose than the blog posts themselves.
I hope to have everything back to "normal" very quickly.
Please email me with any problems you experience: jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Thanks for your patience. And sorry for all the inconvenience.
J.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Whoops! TM Embarrassed by Praise of Mugabe?
TM-Free Blog contributor Joseppi found an old press release from Tony Nader praising dictator Mugabe as the head of an "ideal state." When I went to read the page, I discovered it had already been taken down.
Embarrassed much by recent news of Mugabe's denunciation by governments of the world?
Fortunately, Google cached the page here.
Without editing, the content is reproduced below.
Maharishi University of Management, Holland Celebrates the Dawn of a New World Order of Peace —the Rise of Perfection in World Politics and Economy
Four Nations Identified as Embodying the Cardinal Qualities of an Ideal State An Historic Day of Great Celebration for the World
Today, Maharishi University of Management celebrates the dawn of a New World Order of Peace, as demonstrated by the invincibility of President Fidel Castro of Cuba, the freedom of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the Divine Rulership of President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia, and the casting off of corrupt democracy by President Robert Guei of the Ivory Coast.
These four Heads-of-State are four great forerunners of a forthcoming New World Order of Peace.
The present strength of their leadership is the first visible effect of improvement in the administration of nations. Their special qualities of ideal leadership demonstrate a rise in the world of Global Administration through Natural Law, and foreshadow a time soon to come when every nation will be sovereign, self-sufficient and invincible, yet will be united with all other nations in a world family enjoying perpetual peace. During the past forty years, nine American Presidents have tried to overthrow or kill Fidel Castro, and have failed—he has demonstrated invincibility in the face of a giant nation of vast destructive military power. President Robert Mugabe has stood firm against the hypocritical threats of Zimbabwe’s former colonial master, and reminded Britain that Zimbabwe is not their colony anymore. He has demonstrated freedom, and stood against the savage depredations of the colonial past. President Wahid, the first President honored as a saint by his people, has brought into the world of politics the qualities of purity, tolerance, harmony, and devotion to God. He is the First Divine Ruler of Indonesia. President Guei has thrown off the faulty and corrupt democratic system imposed on so many nations by their former imperial overlords, and which has led only to chaos and plundering of the nation by an elite, while the poor remain pressed under the weight of their misery. The world is awakening to the reality that the old order is passing, and a New World Order of Peace is dawning. The new order will be characterized by these very qualities of the four Presidents—invincibility, freedom, divine rule, and the transformation of corrupt and failing democracies into governments that unify and nourish on the basis of the support of the evolutionary power of Natural Law.
A Sovereign Government Accepts A New Principle for the Eradication of Poverty without Foreign Debt
There is a yet another cause for celebration today—the sovereign government of Zimbabwe has accepted a new principle to eradicate poverty without the need for ruinous foreign loans. A frank evaluation of the performance of the IMF and World Bank indicates that they have not eradicated poverty at all. But they have overshadowed the sovereignty of nations, placed upon them heavy burdens of debt, and created chaos and social disorder.
Maharishi University of Management has proposed a new approach to the eradication of poverty—the coupon principle. In every poor nation there are vast tracts of unused fertile land, which have never been polluted by chemicals. This land could be developed to grow organic food for export to wealthy countries. To fund this development the government doesn’t need to borrow from abroad. It just issues an alternative currency—a coupon—and loans it to the project for the start-up costs, and to immediately improve the farmer’s housing and living conditions. The coupon’s validity is restricted to the locale of the project, and it lasts for only a three-year period—and thus inflation is avoided. When the first crop is exported and dollars are earned, the government coupon loan is repaid by the project in dollars. So today’s government issued coupon becomes tomorrow’s dollar in the National Treasury. The profitable organic food exports will ensure that the poverty of the whole nation is rapidly eliminated, as the world is going to need more and more organic food year after year, because of the pollution of the soil in the wealthy countries. It is a simple, self-sufficient scheme to eradicate poverty without foreign debt, and today the Ministers of the Government of Zimbabwe have applauded and accepted this principle.
Building Maharishi Vedic University at Mosi-oa-Tunya—Victoria Falls—a New Spiritual Center of Africa
There is yet one more reason to celebrate today—the signing of an agreement to create the Spiritual Center of Africa at Victoria Falls—Mosi-oa-Tunya—the smoke that thunders—which was announced today on Zimbabwe national television. The agreement signed between Maharishi University of Management and Mayor Pandya of Victoria Falls, in the presence of the distinguished Zimbabwean political leader Senator Patel, calls for the construction of a magnificent building some 160 meters in height, which will overlook Victoria Falls. The building will be constructed according to the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda—Vedic architecture in accord with Natural Law. The building will be positioned for the best view of the Victoria Falls, with a revolving observation platform on top. A monorail starting at the new building will cross the Zambezi River where it still is flowing quietly, and then cross again near the thundering dynamism of Victoria Falls itself. In this building will be Maharishi Vedic University, offering courses in the Total Knowledge of Natural Law, and classes in management, agriculture and tourism. Experts in the ancient Vedic technologies of peace will also come from India to reside there, and make this building the home of perpetual peace, and a place where leaders of all nations will peacefully gather in sight of the marvelous Victoria Falls, which are a wonder of the world. It will be a place of a unifying character for the entire world to focus on one point—one place of peace for the whole human race. Jumbo-jet loads of people will fly there from all over the world, drawn by the natural beauty and power of the Victoria Falls, and by this new Vedic building of complete knowledge, perpetual peace and world unity.
Celebrating the Dawn of a New World Order
So with all this good news of today, especially with four nations having been identified as embodying the cardinal qualities of an ideal state, Maharishi University of Management in Holland is celebrating the dawn of a New World Order of Peace. We celebrate the rise of perfection in World Politics and Economy, and the rise of perpetual peace and unity in the world family. It is truly an historic day of great celebration for the world. This celebration is the first step of achievement of Maharishi’s Global Administration through Natural Law, whose constitution is the Constitution of the Universe, Rik Veda, and which today rings the bell of Eureka for a better fortune for all mankind.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Tony Nader M.D, Ph.D.
President
Maharishi University of Management
Station 24
NP 6063 Vlodrop
Holland
Phone: (+) 31 475 53 8600
Fax: (+) 31 475 53 8663
Embarrassed much by recent news of Mugabe's denunciation by governments of the world?
Fortunately, Google cached the page here.
Without editing, the content is reproduced below.
Maharishi University of Management, Holland Celebrates the Dawn of a New World Order of Peace —the Rise of Perfection in World Politics and Economy
Four Nations Identified as Embodying the Cardinal Qualities of an Ideal State An Historic Day of Great Celebration for the World
Today, Maharishi University of Management celebrates the dawn of a New World Order of Peace, as demonstrated by the invincibility of President Fidel Castro of Cuba, the freedom of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the Divine Rulership of President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia, and the casting off of corrupt democracy by President Robert Guei of the Ivory Coast.
These four Heads-of-State are four great forerunners of a forthcoming New World Order of Peace.
The present strength of their leadership is the first visible effect of improvement in the administration of nations. Their special qualities of ideal leadership demonstrate a rise in the world of Global Administration through Natural Law, and foreshadow a time soon to come when every nation will be sovereign, self-sufficient and invincible, yet will be united with all other nations in a world family enjoying perpetual peace. During the past forty years, nine American Presidents have tried to overthrow or kill Fidel Castro, and have failed—he has demonstrated invincibility in the face of a giant nation of vast destructive military power. President Robert Mugabe has stood firm against the hypocritical threats of Zimbabwe’s former colonial master, and reminded Britain that Zimbabwe is not their colony anymore. He has demonstrated freedom, and stood against the savage depredations of the colonial past. President Wahid, the first President honored as a saint by his people, has brought into the world of politics the qualities of purity, tolerance, harmony, and devotion to God. He is the First Divine Ruler of Indonesia. President Guei has thrown off the faulty and corrupt democratic system imposed on so many nations by their former imperial overlords, and which has led only to chaos and plundering of the nation by an elite, while the poor remain pressed under the weight of their misery. The world is awakening to the reality that the old order is passing, and a New World Order of Peace is dawning. The new order will be characterized by these very qualities of the four Presidents—invincibility, freedom, divine rule, and the transformation of corrupt and failing democracies into governments that unify and nourish on the basis of the support of the evolutionary power of Natural Law.
A Sovereign Government Accepts A New Principle for the Eradication of Poverty without Foreign Debt
There is a yet another cause for celebration today—the sovereign government of Zimbabwe has accepted a new principle to eradicate poverty without the need for ruinous foreign loans. A frank evaluation of the performance of the IMF and World Bank indicates that they have not eradicated poverty at all. But they have overshadowed the sovereignty of nations, placed upon them heavy burdens of debt, and created chaos and social disorder.
Maharishi University of Management has proposed a new approach to the eradication of poverty—the coupon principle. In every poor nation there are vast tracts of unused fertile land, which have never been polluted by chemicals. This land could be developed to grow organic food for export to wealthy countries. To fund this development the government doesn’t need to borrow from abroad. It just issues an alternative currency—a coupon—and loans it to the project for the start-up costs, and to immediately improve the farmer’s housing and living conditions. The coupon’s validity is restricted to the locale of the project, and it lasts for only a three-year period—and thus inflation is avoided. When the first crop is exported and dollars are earned, the government coupon loan is repaid by the project in dollars. So today’s government issued coupon becomes tomorrow’s dollar in the National Treasury. The profitable organic food exports will ensure that the poverty of the whole nation is rapidly eliminated, as the world is going to need more and more organic food year after year, because of the pollution of the soil in the wealthy countries. It is a simple, self-sufficient scheme to eradicate poverty without foreign debt, and today the Ministers of the Government of Zimbabwe have applauded and accepted this principle.
Building Maharishi Vedic University at Mosi-oa-Tunya—Victoria Falls—a New Spiritual Center of Africa
There is yet one more reason to celebrate today—the signing of an agreement to create the Spiritual Center of Africa at Victoria Falls—Mosi-oa-Tunya—the smoke that thunders—which was announced today on Zimbabwe national television. The agreement signed between Maharishi University of Management and Mayor Pandya of Victoria Falls, in the presence of the distinguished Zimbabwean political leader Senator Patel, calls for the construction of a magnificent building some 160 meters in height, which will overlook Victoria Falls. The building will be constructed according to the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda—Vedic architecture in accord with Natural Law. The building will be positioned for the best view of the Victoria Falls, with a revolving observation platform on top. A monorail starting at the new building will cross the Zambezi River where it still is flowing quietly, and then cross again near the thundering dynamism of Victoria Falls itself. In this building will be Maharishi Vedic University, offering courses in the Total Knowledge of Natural Law, and classes in management, agriculture and tourism. Experts in the ancient Vedic technologies of peace will also come from India to reside there, and make this building the home of perpetual peace, and a place where leaders of all nations will peacefully gather in sight of the marvelous Victoria Falls, which are a wonder of the world. It will be a place of a unifying character for the entire world to focus on one point—one place of peace for the whole human race. Jumbo-jet loads of people will fly there from all over the world, drawn by the natural beauty and power of the Victoria Falls, and by this new Vedic building of complete knowledge, perpetual peace and world unity.
Celebrating the Dawn of a New World Order
So with all this good news of today, especially with four nations having been identified as embodying the cardinal qualities of an ideal state, Maharishi University of Management in Holland is celebrating the dawn of a New World Order of Peace. We celebrate the rise of perfection in World Politics and Economy, and the rise of perpetual peace and unity in the world family. It is truly an historic day of great celebration for the world. This celebration is the first step of achievement of Maharishi’s Global Administration through Natural Law, whose constitution is the Constitution of the Universe, Rik Veda, and which today rings the bell of Eureka for a better fortune for all mankind.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Tony Nader M.D, Ph.D.
President
Maharishi University of Management
Station 24
NP 6063 Vlodrop
Holland
Phone: (+) 31 475 53 8600
Fax: (+) 31 475 53 8663
Comment Problems -- & Stopgap Solution
Hello John--
Just a note to tell you that ever since the new comment system went up, I often get a pop-up that tells me that Internet Explorer need to "abort the operation" and then I have to shut the page down. It doesn't always happen, but I'd say about 75% of the time it does. Also, when I am able to access the site, I do not see any link to comments. I have been unable to read or post comments since the new system went in. (except for the first line of the comment on the side-bar) I don't post often, but I do enjoy reading the comments and I'd like to be able to post when I do have a comment. How are people reading comments now? I don't see any link and when I try to click on the comments in the side bar nothing happens.
Reader,
I'm sorry for your difficulties -- AND you are not alone. I have the technical support team at Intense Debate working on this very problem. If you're game, apparently there are no problems using Firefox 3 -- so you might want to install it for free.
But I don't expect you to switch browsers just to use the comment system. It might be a stopgap solution, however.
I'm promised a technical fix later today, so I hope all will be well after that.
Again, thanks for writing -- and for your patience.
J.
3
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friends of Maharishi: Robert Mugabe, Fidel Castro and Abdurrahman Wahid
(No, this is not a joke. This is an actual press release issued by MUM several years ago.)
Maharishi University of Management,
Holland Celebrates the
Dawn of a New World Order of Peace
—the Rise of Perfection
in World Politics and Economy
Four Nations Identified as Embodying the Cardinal Qualities of an Ideal State
An Historic Day of
Great Celebration for the World
Today, Maharishi University of Management celebrates the dawn of a New World Order of Peace, as demonstrated by the invincibility of President Fidel Castro of Cuba, the freedom of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the Divine Rulership of President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia, and the casting off of corrupt democracy by President Robert Guei of the Ivory Coast.
These four Heads-of-State are four great forerunners of a forthcoming New World Order of Peace.
The present strength of their leadership is the first visible effect of improvement in the administration of nations. Their special qualities of ideal leadership demonstrate a rise in the world of Global Administration through Natural Law, and foreshadow a time soon to come when every nation will be sovereign, self-sufficient and invincible, yet will be united with all other nations in a world family enjoying perpetual peace.
During the past forty years, nine American Presidents have tried to overthrow or kill Fidel Castro, and have failed—he has demonstrated invincibility in the face of a giant nation of vast destructive military power.
President Robert Mugabe has stood firm against the hypocritical threats of Zimbabwe’s former colonial master, and reminded Britain that Zimbabwe is not their colony anymore. He has demonstrated freedom, and stood against the savage depredations of the colonial past.
President Wahid, the first President honored as a saint by his people, has brought into the world of politics the qualities of purity, tolerance, harmony, and devotion to God. He is the First Divine Ruler of Indonesia.
President Guei has thrown off the faulty and corrupt democratic system imposed on so many nations by their former imperial overlords, and which has led only to chaos and plundering of the nation by an elite, while the poor remain pressed under the weight of their misery.
The world is awakening to the reality that the old order is passing, and a New World Order of Peace is dawning. The new order will be characterized by these very qualities of the four Presidents—invincibility, freedom, divine rule, and the transformation of corrupt and failing democracies into governments that unify and nourish on the basis of the support of the evolutionary power of Natural Law.
A Sovereign Government Accepts A New Principle for the Eradication of Poverty without Foreign Debt
There is a yet another cause for celebration today—the sovereign government of Zimbabwe has accepted a new principle to eradicate poverty without the need for ruinous foreign loans.
A frank evaluation of the performance of the IMF and World Bank indicates that they have not eradicated poverty at all. But they have overshadowed the sovereignty of nations, placed upon them heavy burdens of debt, and created chaos and social disorder.
Maharishi University of Management has proposed a new approach to the eradication of poverty—the coupon principle.
In every poor nation there are vast tracts of unused fertile land, which have never been polluted by chemicals. This land could be developed to grow organic food for export to wealthy countries.
To fund this development the government doesn’t need to borrow from abroad. It just issues an alternative currency—a coupon—and loans it to the project for the start-up costs, and to immediately improve the farmer’s housing and living conditions.
The coupon’s validity is restricted to the locale of the project, and it lasts for only a three-year period—and thus inflation is avoided. When the first crop is exported and dollars are earned, the government coupon loan is repaid by the project in dollars. So today’s government issued coupon becomes tomorrow’s dollar in the National Treasury.
The profitable organic food exports will ensure that the poverty of the whole nation is rapidly eliminated, as the world is going to need more and more organic food year after year, because of the pollution of the soil in the wealthy countries.
It is a simple, self-sufficient scheme to eradicate poverty without foreign debt, and today the Ministers of the Government of Zimbabwe have applauded and accepted this principle.
Building Maharishi Vedic University at Mosi-oa-Tunya—Victoria Falls—a New Spiritual Center of Africa
There is yet one more reason to celebrate today—the signing of an agreement to create the Spiritual Center of Africa at Victoria Falls—Mosi-oa-Tunya—the smoke that thunders—which was announced today on Zimbabwe national television.
The agreement signed between Maharishi University of Management and Mayor Pandya of Victoria Falls, in the presence of the distinguished Zimbabwean political leader Senator Patel, calls for the construction of a magnificent building some 160 meters in height, which will overlook Victoria Falls. The building will be constructed according to the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda—Vedic architecture in accord with Natural Law. The building will be positioned for the best view of the Victoria Falls, with a revolving observation platform on top. A monorail starting at the new building will cross the Zambezi River where it still is flowing quietly, and then cross again near the thundering dynamism of Victoria Falls itself.
In this building will be Maharishi Vedic University, offering courses in the Total Knowledge of Natural Law, and classes in management, agriculture and tourism. Experts in the ancient Vedic technologies of peace will also come from India to reside there, and make this building the home of perpetual peace, and a place where leaders of all nations will peacefully gather in sight of the marvelous Victoria Falls, which are a wonder of the world. It will be a place of a unifying character for the entire world to focus on one point—one place of peace for the whole human race. Jumbo-jet loads of people will fly there from all over the world, drawn by the natural beauty and power of the Victoria Falls, and by this new Vedic building of complete knowledge, perpetual peace and world unity.
Celebrating the Dawn of a New World Order
So with all this good news of today, especially with four nations having been identified as embodying the cardinal qualities of an ideal state, Maharishi University of Management in Holland is celebrating the dawn of a New World Order of Peace. We celebrate the rise of perfection in World Politics and Economy, and the rise of perpetual peace and unity in the world family. It is truly an historic day of great celebration for the world.
This celebration is the first step of achievement of Maharishi’s Global Administration through Natural Law, whose constitution is the Constitution of the Universe, Rik Veda, and which today rings the bell of Eureka for a better fortune for all mankind.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Tony Nader M.D, Ph.D.
President
Maharishi University of Management
Station 24
NP 6063 Vlodrop
Holland
Phone: (+) 31 475 53 8600
Fax: (+) 31 475 53 8663
Maharishi University of Management,
Holland Celebrates the
Dawn of a New World Order of Peace
—the Rise of Perfection
in World Politics and Economy
Four Nations Identified as Embodying the Cardinal Qualities of an Ideal State
An Historic Day of
Great Celebration for the World
Today, Maharishi University of Management celebrates the dawn of a New World Order of Peace, as demonstrated by the invincibility of President Fidel Castro of Cuba, the freedom of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the Divine Rulership of President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia, and the casting off of corrupt democracy by President Robert Guei of the Ivory Coast.
These four Heads-of-State are four great forerunners of a forthcoming New World Order of Peace.
The present strength of their leadership is the first visible effect of improvement in the administration of nations. Their special qualities of ideal leadership demonstrate a rise in the world of Global Administration through Natural Law, and foreshadow a time soon to come when every nation will be sovereign, self-sufficient and invincible, yet will be united with all other nations in a world family enjoying perpetual peace.
During the past forty years, nine American Presidents have tried to overthrow or kill Fidel Castro, and have failed—he has demonstrated invincibility in the face of a giant nation of vast destructive military power.
President Robert Mugabe has stood firm against the hypocritical threats of Zimbabwe’s former colonial master, and reminded Britain that Zimbabwe is not their colony anymore. He has demonstrated freedom, and stood against the savage depredations of the colonial past.
President Wahid, the first President honored as a saint by his people, has brought into the world of politics the qualities of purity, tolerance, harmony, and devotion to God. He is the First Divine Ruler of Indonesia.
President Guei has thrown off the faulty and corrupt democratic system imposed on so many nations by their former imperial overlords, and which has led only to chaos and plundering of the nation by an elite, while the poor remain pressed under the weight of their misery.
The world is awakening to the reality that the old order is passing, and a New World Order of Peace is dawning. The new order will be characterized by these very qualities of the four Presidents—invincibility, freedom, divine rule, and the transformation of corrupt and failing democracies into governments that unify and nourish on the basis of the support of the evolutionary power of Natural Law.
A Sovereign Government Accepts A New Principle for the Eradication of Poverty without Foreign Debt
There is a yet another cause for celebration today—the sovereign government of Zimbabwe has accepted a new principle to eradicate poverty without the need for ruinous foreign loans.
A frank evaluation of the performance of the IMF and World Bank indicates that they have not eradicated poverty at all. But they have overshadowed the sovereignty of nations, placed upon them heavy burdens of debt, and created chaos and social disorder.
Maharishi University of Management has proposed a new approach to the eradication of poverty—the coupon principle.
In every poor nation there are vast tracts of unused fertile land, which have never been polluted by chemicals. This land could be developed to grow organic food for export to wealthy countries.
To fund this development the government doesn’t need to borrow from abroad. It just issues an alternative currency—a coupon—and loans it to the project for the start-up costs, and to immediately improve the farmer’s housing and living conditions.
The coupon’s validity is restricted to the locale of the project, and it lasts for only a three-year period—and thus inflation is avoided. When the first crop is exported and dollars are earned, the government coupon loan is repaid by the project in dollars. So today’s government issued coupon becomes tomorrow’s dollar in the National Treasury.
The profitable organic food exports will ensure that the poverty of the whole nation is rapidly eliminated, as the world is going to need more and more organic food year after year, because of the pollution of the soil in the wealthy countries.
It is a simple, self-sufficient scheme to eradicate poverty without foreign debt, and today the Ministers of the Government of Zimbabwe have applauded and accepted this principle.
Building Maharishi Vedic University at Mosi-oa-Tunya—Victoria Falls—a New Spiritual Center of Africa
There is yet one more reason to celebrate today—the signing of an agreement to create the Spiritual Center of Africa at Victoria Falls—Mosi-oa-Tunya—the smoke that thunders—which was announced today on Zimbabwe national television.
The agreement signed between Maharishi University of Management and Mayor Pandya of Victoria Falls, in the presence of the distinguished Zimbabwean political leader Senator Patel, calls for the construction of a magnificent building some 160 meters in height, which will overlook Victoria Falls. The building will be constructed according to the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda—Vedic architecture in accord with Natural Law. The building will be positioned for the best view of the Victoria Falls, with a revolving observation platform on top. A monorail starting at the new building will cross the Zambezi River where it still is flowing quietly, and then cross again near the thundering dynamism of Victoria Falls itself.
In this building will be Maharishi Vedic University, offering courses in the Total Knowledge of Natural Law, and classes in management, agriculture and tourism. Experts in the ancient Vedic technologies of peace will also come from India to reside there, and make this building the home of perpetual peace, and a place where leaders of all nations will peacefully gather in sight of the marvelous Victoria Falls, which are a wonder of the world. It will be a place of a unifying character for the entire world to focus on one point—one place of peace for the whole human race. Jumbo-jet loads of people will fly there from all over the world, drawn by the natural beauty and power of the Victoria Falls, and by this new Vedic building of complete knowledge, perpetual peace and world unity.
Celebrating the Dawn of a New World Order
So with all this good news of today, especially with four nations having been identified as embodying the cardinal qualities of an ideal state, Maharishi University of Management in Holland is celebrating the dawn of a New World Order of Peace. We celebrate the rise of perfection in World Politics and Economy, and the rise of perpetual peace and unity in the world family. It is truly an historic day of great celebration for the world.
This celebration is the first step of achievement of Maharishi’s Global Administration through Natural Law, whose constitution is the Constitution of the Universe, Rik Veda, and which today rings the bell of Eureka for a better fortune for all mankind.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Tony Nader M.D, Ph.D.
President
Maharishi University of Management
Station 24
NP 6063 Vlodrop
Holland
Phone: (+) 31 475 53 8600
Fax: (+) 31 475 53 8663
Friends of Maharishi: Robert Mugabe, Fidel Castro and Abdurrahman Wahid
(No, it's not a joke. This is a a press release actually issued by MUM several years ago.)
Sunday, June 29, 2008
The late George Carlin
Our local newspaper published some of the great quips of George Carlin. I couldn't help myself: two of them seemed to be speaking to those of us who haven't managed to see things the way Mahesh had had in mind. I thought I'd share the quotes and, maybe, we can make of them whatever we want. After all, Mahesh can hardly be the only one capable of doing commentaries! :)
I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don't have as many people who believe it.
Regarding "the beauty of the written word"
By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.
Not sure, but I think we just might have some thoughts along these lines.
I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don't have as many people who believe it.
Regarding "the beauty of the written word"
By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.
Not sure, but I think we just might have some thoughts along these lines.
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