Theos-Talk Archives (March 2004 Message tt00192)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "kpauljohnson" <kpauljohnson@y...> 
wrote:
> One could not know that without reviewing every other list and 
every 
> other group. One can refute it with a single example, though. 
I'll 
> offer two from personal experience: Eckists and Baha'is. Don't 
know 
> if they are any meaner in general than Theosophists on theos-talk, 
> but they're more flamboyant about it. Check the google group 
> talk.religion.bahai for a taste.

My languge was imprecise. When I said that I was thinking of groups 
to which I once subscribed, mainly yoga groups. They were and I 
assume are completely different.

> 
> There seems to be an inverse relationship between explicit 
> confidence in one's belief system and implicit insecurity. Why 
> would differences of opinion arouse such fury if people were secure 
> in their beliefs?

The fury is supposed to "persuade: them that they are right by 
drowning out that inner voice which keeps nagging at them. When they 
direct it outward I think you are seeing what is going on in their 
heads all the time.

I would also submit that what people "believe" has nothing to do with 
what they know to be true. Beliefs are intended to settle some 
emotional issue or make people feel a certain way. Reality gets in 
the way of all this believing and for that reason people have to pour 
on the steam to keep the belief system intact.