Tom Leafeater
2003-10-31 03:28:47 UTC
"There are three areas that cause people to leave ECK:
First is discouragement. It affects those who have an unrealistic goal in ECK;
those who want to Soul Travel or reach Self-and God-realization with
practically no effort. Those who become disheartened quit ECK for other paths
that seem to require less drive and responsibility of them.
Anger is the second reason people leave ECK. An angry person thinks he is
always right in his estimation of a situation. When events prove him wrong, he
is quick to invent an argument to explain away his error. And woe to him who is
brash enough to point out the mistake. Angry people leave ECKANKAR out of
impatience. They look for eagle-winged promotions in ECK, but their selfish
ambition is the acquisition of power. Without power they feel at loss. But the
kingdom of god can only be reached by love.
Third, people leave ECK for reasons of pride. They may feel the Master has
unfairly given someone else an initiation ahead of them. Others who have
reduced the ECK teachings to a mental formula, finally grow weary of their
mental creation, having mistaken it for what ECK really is. They say ECKANKAR
has nothing for me. Another group of dropouts is still more unstable. These are
the mini-masters and their cohorts, who for ignoble reasons want a shortcut to
fame and fortune. It never occurs to them that ECK is really a personal walk in
the Sound & Light of God, with little to offer one who covets adoration. When
these conceited ones sense that no lasting position awaits them in ECKANKAR,
they scurry off in other directions to search for recognition. Also in this
third group is one who entertains as greater opinion of himself than an
inspection of his thoughts would seem to justify. A critic of ECKANKAR , he
plays his trump card:"
-Wisdom of the Heart, p.139, by Harold Klemp
[This is a repost of my reply to a post by Eckist David Keith]
Leaf points out a few things:
It is extremely revealing that Klemp only offers negative reasons for leaving
Eckankar. This is an example of yet another fear tactic. If Klemp feels it is
perfectly fine that people would leave Eckankar, then why even speak of those
who leave, especially in his context of defining them as having one of three
possible spiritual faults or flaws? Why speak of leaving, if it is of no
importance to Klemp that people would leave Eckankar? Klemp's choice of words
reveals clearly what dissenting former members have pointed out over and over
again: the attitude in Eckankar that leaving Eckankar is "bad" for one's
spiritual development, as if anything in the world outside of Eckankar is
negative for one's spiritual well-being. Otherwise, why talk negatively of
those who leave? The reason is obvious: it is not genuinely okay in the inner
circles of initiates for people to leave, despite the constant denials of this.
Departing the fold is considered to be a grave spiritual failing, as evidenced
by Klemp's own words. Klemp repeating these condemnations of those who would
dare to leave is an attempt to influence those who are still members to remain
on the path, lest they fall victim to one of the three ills he referred to.
Eckists buy into this wholly, and even show up on this forum parroting the
scare tactic as if it somehow carries some force or weight here with less
frightened former members. The words are not only empty, they are rediculously
presumptuous, as if all those who leave this petty two-bit superficiality are
heathen. What absolute horse-pucky! Who does Klemp imagine himself to be to
cast aspersions on all those who decide to walk away from his little group?
What pompous, bloated disply of vanity is this that denigrates those who choose
to simply listen to their own drumbeat? If ever there was a good example of why
people leave Eckankar, these quotes of Klemp's serve to demontrate it very
well. What absolute conceit it is that Klemp feels those who leave are by
nature leaving out of some character flaw. Frankly, it is dumbfounding to
understand what nature of mental goo has penetrated the minds of members to
prevent them from seeing the incredibly revealing choice of words Klemp uses in
the quotes, and amazing that someone would naively post them here for all to
get a glimpse of the real Eckankar, and how it actually treats those who leave
the group. Eckankar proves over and over again that those who depart are not
well tolerated, and those who choose to voice valid criticisms are referred to
as "despicable," as evidenced in David Keith's very post. It is interesting
that it is perfectly acceptable to Eckists that Klemp disparage people for
leaving his group, yet consider those who criticize Klemp to be despicable
scoundrels. This says it all to me, and is one of the principle reasons I left
Eckankar.
Leafeater
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First is discouragement. It affects those who have an unrealistic goal in ECK;
those who want to Soul Travel or reach Self-and God-realization with
practically no effort. Those who become disheartened quit ECK for other paths
that seem to require less drive and responsibility of them.
Anger is the second reason people leave ECK. An angry person thinks he is
always right in his estimation of a situation. When events prove him wrong, he
is quick to invent an argument to explain away his error. And woe to him who is
brash enough to point out the mistake. Angry people leave ECKANKAR out of
impatience. They look for eagle-winged promotions in ECK, but their selfish
ambition is the acquisition of power. Without power they feel at loss. But the
kingdom of god can only be reached by love.
Third, people leave ECK for reasons of pride. They may feel the Master has
unfairly given someone else an initiation ahead of them. Others who have
reduced the ECK teachings to a mental formula, finally grow weary of their
mental creation, having mistaken it for what ECK really is. They say ECKANKAR
has nothing for me. Another group of dropouts is still more unstable. These are
the mini-masters and their cohorts, who for ignoble reasons want a shortcut to
fame and fortune. It never occurs to them that ECK is really a personal walk in
the Sound & Light of God, with little to offer one who covets adoration. When
these conceited ones sense that no lasting position awaits them in ECKANKAR,
they scurry off in other directions to search for recognition. Also in this
third group is one who entertains as greater opinion of himself than an
inspection of his thoughts would seem to justify. A critic of ECKANKAR , he
plays his trump card:"
-Wisdom of the Heart, p.139, by Harold Klemp
[This is a repost of my reply to a post by Eckist David Keith]
Leaf points out a few things:
It is extremely revealing that Klemp only offers negative reasons for leaving
Eckankar. This is an example of yet another fear tactic. If Klemp feels it is
perfectly fine that people would leave Eckankar, then why even speak of those
who leave, especially in his context of defining them as having one of three
possible spiritual faults or flaws? Why speak of leaving, if it is of no
importance to Klemp that people would leave Eckankar? Klemp's choice of words
reveals clearly what dissenting former members have pointed out over and over
again: the attitude in Eckankar that leaving Eckankar is "bad" for one's
spiritual development, as if anything in the world outside of Eckankar is
negative for one's spiritual well-being. Otherwise, why talk negatively of
those who leave? The reason is obvious: it is not genuinely okay in the inner
circles of initiates for people to leave, despite the constant denials of this.
Departing the fold is considered to be a grave spiritual failing, as evidenced
by Klemp's own words. Klemp repeating these condemnations of those who would
dare to leave is an attempt to influence those who are still members to remain
on the path, lest they fall victim to one of the three ills he referred to.
Eckists buy into this wholly, and even show up on this forum parroting the
scare tactic as if it somehow carries some force or weight here with less
frightened former members. The words are not only empty, they are rediculously
presumptuous, as if all those who leave this petty two-bit superficiality are
heathen. What absolute horse-pucky! Who does Klemp imagine himself to be to
cast aspersions on all those who decide to walk away from his little group?
What pompous, bloated disply of vanity is this that denigrates those who choose
to simply listen to their own drumbeat? If ever there was a good example of why
people leave Eckankar, these quotes of Klemp's serve to demontrate it very
well. What absolute conceit it is that Klemp feels those who leave are by
nature leaving out of some character flaw. Frankly, it is dumbfounding to
understand what nature of mental goo has penetrated the minds of members to
prevent them from seeing the incredibly revealing choice of words Klemp uses in
the quotes, and amazing that someone would naively post them here for all to
get a glimpse of the real Eckankar, and how it actually treats those who leave
the group. Eckankar proves over and over again that those who depart are not
well tolerated, and those who choose to voice valid criticisms are referred to
as "despicable," as evidenced in David Keith's very post. It is interesting
that it is perfectly acceptable to Eckists that Klemp disparage people for
leaving his group, yet consider those who criticize Klemp to be despicable
scoundrels. This says it all to me, and is one of the principle reasons I left
Eckankar.
Leafeater
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So there we now have it out in the open. So Joe, Lurk, Colleen, Sharon, Leaf
and the rest of you detractors would you be willing to honestly share why you
left the path of ECKANKAR? Or would it be to painful for you to have to take
a good hard look at yourselves and your despicable behavior on this
newsgroup. I hope this isn't asking too much,. Perhaps we could establish a
little dialogue on this one and really get to the matter of what's really
biting your A**? I'm sure we could find some appropriate place for you to get
help so you can move on witht your lives.
Cheers,
Dave Keith
and the rest of you detractors would you be willing to honestly share why you
left the path of ECKANKAR? Or would it be to painful for you to have to take
a good hard look at yourselves and your despicable behavior on this
newsgroup. I hope this isn't asking too much,. Perhaps we could establish a
little dialogue on this one and really get to the matter of what's really
biting your A**? I'm sure we could find some appropriate place for you to get
help so you can move on witht your lives.
Cheers,
Dave Keith