Selling Spirituality

dr sohailsab, mystics are almost your competitors no ;-)
what do you think about this great mystic called Ajmeribaba or Peer Syed Saheb who advertize the sale of their spirituality on Jee TV all the time? They are selling their mystical powers to provide spiritual solace to anyone with a credit card..very egalitarian.

Re: # 11

dear inquirer....I am glad we are both at the same wavelength. I hope people use their

intelligence and wisdom before they surrender to someone who can misguide in the end.

Some people are so insecure and sentimental they cannot reason with emotions....

sincerely sohail

Sohail:

Quite a sensible article. I generally agree with your statements. As for the potential followers of the real/pseudo mystics, the only thing to say is ``Caveat emptor!``

It is the bounden duty of every individual to make a considered choice for one`s life. The DNA that propels any individual comes to operation only once and it is up to each individual to make an optimal use of it. This includes the definition of ``optimal`` for oneself.

One criterion that one could use is to evaluate which life-style, out of the available ones, would maximize the benefit to the self and the those associated with the self. Of course drawing of the line of priority between the self and others will be an entirely individual choice.

It is the duty of social, legal and religious organizations to impel - by rewards - the individual to follow a responsible, honest, enriching and beneficient - for as many as possible - approach as possible. The required organizations are dependent on the collective wisdom of any society.

I hope your article serves for some as a warning post to help them guide their choices.

PS. The primary reason for the success of the pseudo mystics is the boredom with the humdrum approach to life for many people. However, the followers do not recognize the greater hazard of the unusual path before it is too late.

Re: # 8

Dear Ballukhan.....Thank you for your honest comments.

Please share with me your understanding of the term BHAGWAN....from

literal and metaphorical point of view and your understanding of Rajneesh. I am on your

side as I am not in favour of jehad mongering islamists as well but being a poet I have a

soft corner in my heart for mystic poets like Kabir das, Bullay Shah, William Blake and

Walt Whitman who challenged orthodox religion and were genuine humanists....as they

valued humanity more than gods and religions

sincerely sohail

``Truth merges into deception and eventually the story becomes so bizarre, so surrealistic, that it becomes difficult to separate fact of fiction, myth from reality. ``

as it happens in the case of the 9/11 deniers and conspiracy theorists from the members of the ``Islamist Cult``......

I did not like the sound of this word ``PSEUDO-MYSTICS ``................. as if we have ``genuine-mystics`` .............. on the whole having read Rajneesh and I find him much more acceptable compared to the uncouth jehad mongering Islamists..............I think the author of this article has NO IDEA about what he said about the word ``Bhagwan``...............and refers to some secondary sources on Rajnesesh............

Re: # 4

Dear VRV....thank you for your compliment. I try to light my candle in the dark night

we are all experiencing as a painful nightmare. sincerely sohail

``After gaining power, control, money and status, these pseudo-mystics rationalize their abuse of power by connecting it with the religious traditions of the community. They proclaim,
“God told me to do so.”
“I had a sacred dream.”
“I had a special revelation.”

These claims cannot be tested by the disciples from any objective perspective.``(SK)

Yes they can be tested from objective perspective -- such as Iraq war -- though not a good economical substitute -- for a real good Rorschach test...

.....the remedy is to force these dreadful `pseudo-mystics` -- thru a constitutional amendment -- to take Thorazine by mouth or by injection - till they stop hearing from God -- before ``gaining power and control`` -- over the lives of three thousand dead American kids and a trillion dollar treasury bill....

great piece tho a little long -- Dr Sohail. Thanks.

Re: # 3

Dear Sir...Ullu-ka-patha( why do you have a name like this?)

I like your sense of humour. We all have a charm hidden inside all of us and we all have a

choice: to use it to serve humanity or exploit and manipulate them. I hope I use it to

serve others. Thanks for your interest in my creations and my humble contributions.

sincerely sohail

Mr. Sohail,

I just love that topics u write. I wish the people in Pakistan were like u.

With love and best wishes,

VRV

Well! man, keeping cynisism and pun aside you look as pseudo-mystic and ``charming`` as some disciple of guru rajnesh.I`m sure that you won`t be requiring some hypnotism to set your psychtherapy subjects into trance.Your mere looks are enough to get people fainted.

PEACE man!!! dil pe nahin lainay kaaa.Just the plain, naked,ugly and straight truth.

The biggest psuedo mystic of all is Osama!!!! I do not mind whirlling around a bit like Naqshabandis ................but this Osama Charlatan is the biggest fraud of all ...........

The Journey from the Secular to the Sacred: Experiences of Native British Converts to Islam

Ali KÖSE


Based on interviews with a sample of native British converts to Islam, this article attempts to identify the major factors involved in their conversions and to explain why they chose Islam rather than any other religion. The converts had become strongly critical both of their childhood religion, Christianity, and of the society they grew up in, Britain. They found Christianity too morally permissive and society too secularized. In other words, they were upset at how marginalized religion had become both in their own lives and in society. Choosing Islam enabled them to more easily orient their everyday lives towards God since Islam offers many practical ways to lead a meaningful and good private and social life. The author concludes that it was the dynamics of their own lives and thoughts that led them to convert. They wanted a more religiously oriented community and life.