Theos-Talk Archives (April 2001 Message tt00132)

One thing that is obvious is that many older organizations which are used 
to contain adverse info from reaching its followers, try every means to 
suppress the followers accessing the info that is available on the 
Internet. Usually it is done through the informal network -- in the 
"catholic" type of setup where the "Pope" or its equivalent discourages the 
followers from participating and perhaps even accessing info on the 
internet. Anyone who is perceptive enough and who follows the discussions 
on maillists and newsgroups can easily come to this finding. Often, the 
directive or the "advise" to the followers is more direct and of course 
most of the mindless sheep follow the advise due to implicit faith in the 
organizational leader or fear of retribution - explicit or implicit - being 
thrown out of the organization or being marginalised or fear of losing 
spiritual progress in this life or future lives to come or external 
progression in other related or parallel organizations being impeded due to 
not being in organizationally correct behavior.

I saw a very interesting message in www.india-today.com - 12/4/2000, a part 
of which I am quoting: (The following comment was made in the context 
of several serious allegations coming from various parts of the world.)

-------------------------------------------------
"The devotees are also countering the Internet war on two
fronts. First, everybody is encouraged to shun the Internet.
Explains Hal Honig, a senior Sai official in New York: "Swami tells
us not to look at the Internet but at the inner net." And
secondly, by posting sites that support Baba's teachings. One
such site-The Sai Critic-urges devotees to believe only their
experiences with Baba, stating, "When doubt walks in through
the front door, faith walks out of the back door." "

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quote------------------

Those of us who use internet both for business and personal matters and 
have immensely benefitted from it can easily comprehend the thrust of the 
above message, and it is my hope that other organizations which claim to be 
"spiritual" do not fall into the similar mentality and if they do, the 
followers who are independent thinkers should immediately see through the 
game played by the leaders of the organizations on the gullible followers.


______________________________MKR_______________________________