Cult leader thinks hes Jesus

[Cal]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Cv5hZfOmk

I found watching this to be interesting, and almost amazing. That this group of people were able to drop all that they know for a belief in something greater, even if it were a man. I dont really want to draw attention to this due to the "progenitor", as I know nothing of him, but rather the concept. How serene a life like this could be, without the ritualistic aspect. But a devoted community to right lively-hood.

[Jhanananda]

Yes, I imagine that a community of mystics could be formed under the GWV. In fact I had a conversation with a man today who owns land, and he wants to discuss building a retreat community out of two properties that he owns.  So, perhaps we shall do it.

[Jhanananda]

I finally found my head phones, and listened to this video.  There are certainly some positive aspects of the religion, and I appreciate their "holiday of good fruits."  Perhaps that is a direct reference to the superior fruit of attainment that we speak of here.

However, there is certainly some problems. In fact some of their interests are quite disturbing: a belief in miracles, a belief that their teacher should be worshiped, a belief that their teacher is the second coming, and UFOs are piloted by souless beings. 

1] The stone with the character on it. As we have stated on this forum several times, there is little evidence in support of what most people consider miracles.  The stone in the video that their teacher had touched, and turned out to have a letter on it that was the first letter in his name, is like looking at the world selectively eliminating everything that does not fit one's delusions, and only seeing the things that supports one's delusions.

2] Cults are defined by their worship of a personality; therefore, by definition, Buddhism and Christianity are cults. I prefer a teacher who says, "All of you can have the same attainments that I have.  You need only lead a "righteous lifestyle."  And, that "righteous lifestyle" should be defined in terms of leading a rigorous, self-aware, contemplative life; which the Noble Eightfold Path defines, in non-culturally dependent ways.

3] The hallmark of the cult is that the teacher is the next incarnation of the progenitor of some mainstream religion.

4] Oh boy, UFOs!  Give me a break.  The triangular shaped "UFO" is a stealth aircraft that is being misinterpreted as an alien space ship. 

Stealth technology also termed LO technology (low observable technology) is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures,[1] which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, missiles and satellites to make them less visible (ideally invisible) to radar, infrared,[2] sonar and other detection methods. It corresponds to military camouflage for these parts of the electromagnetic spectrum (Multi-spectral camouflage).

Development of modern stealth technologies in the United States began in 1958,[3][4] where earlier attempts in preventing radar tracking of its U-2 spy planes during the Cold War by the Soviet Union had been unsuccessful.[5] Designers turned to develop a particular shape for planes that tended to reduce detection, by redirecting electromagnetic waves from radars.[6] Radar-absorbent material was also tested and made to reduce or block radar signals that reflect off from the surface of planes. Such changes to shape and surface composition form stealth technology as currently used on the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit "Stealth Bomber".[4]

UFOs used to be seen as flying saucers when both the USA and Russia were experimenting with saucer-shaped experimental aircraft. 

A circular wing is a disc shaped wing having the outer planform of a circle.[1] If the aircraft has no fuselage or tail the disc-shaped aircraft is sometimes described as a flying saucer. If the entire disc rotates it is called a disc wing. Disc-shaped aircraft development dates back to before World War II. A number of disc-shaped aircraft have been proposed over the years, and a few have been built.

It was cigar-shaped UFOs before that, when Britain, Germany, the USA, Russia, and other countries were experimenting with cigar-shaped experimental aircraft, such as rockets.

A rocket (Italian rocchetta‚ "little fuse"[1][2]) is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle that obtains thrust from a rocket engine. Rocket engine exhaust is formed entirely from propellant carried within the rocket before use.[3] Rocket engines work by action and reaction and push rockets forward simply by expelling their exhaust in the opposite direction at high speed, and can therefore work in space.

Otherwise, a cooperative, agrarian solar-powered community is a wonderful thing to see.  Too bad people simply will not come together under the model that the GWV offers.  I guess it is because people just do not want to believe that they can be the Christ, Buddha, Avatar, by just leading a rigorous, self-aware, contemplative life.

So, let us keep in mind, we know a tree by its fruit.  So, what superior fruit does this community offer?

[Cal]

I agree in so many ways. Ya, I filled in alot of the "gaps" in the video myself. The souless alien thing threw me off too lol. One thing I did note, was the journalist doing the documentary seemed moved. As the community were geniune to their belief. Yea, that community itself is probably not somewhere I want to be personally, but it is encouraging to see that something like that it "is" possible. Perhaps the premise on which it is based was the key. The man looks like a modern day jesus, he offered that community a change, and perhaps those changes resonated with what was written in the bible, at least in some ways.

[Michel]

Thanks for the video, Cal. I enjoyed it.

Otherwise, a cooperative, agrarian solar-powered community is a wonderful thing to see.

I too was deeply impressed by this cooperative, agrarian solar-powered community. It's really beautiful to see people taking care of each other, sharing all the resources.

Too bad people simply will not come together under the model that the GWV offers.  I guess it is because people just do not want to believe that they can be the Christ, Buddha, Avatar, by just leading a rigorous, self-aware, contemplative life.

If they knew the amount of work, suffering and dedication required to make progress on the spiritual path - most of them would avoid it like the plague.

So, let us keep in mind, we know a tree by its fruit.  So, what superior fruit does this community offer?

That's an easy one to answer. It's delusion on a massive scale. They  have put all their faith into one charismatic leader who provides them with all the answers abandoning all self-responsibility.

[Cal]

So, let us keep in mind, we know a tree by its fruit.  So, what superior fruit does this community offer?

That's an easy one to answer. It's delusion on a massive scale. They  have put all their faith into one charismatic leader who provides them with all the answers abandoning all self-responsibility.

My friend, you are right. It is delusion on a massive scale, and they have put all their faith into one charismatic leader who provides them with all the answers abandoning all self-responsibility. And Jhananada, there is no offer of superior fruit in this community. However, a community, like this, shaped in a correct fashion, offers the Noble Eightfold Path. Which can lead to superior fruit.

[Jhanananda]

Thank-you friends, for posting your well-reasoned comments.  Yes, I agree, a cooperative, agrarian, organic, solar-powered community that follows the Noble Eightfold Path would be a wonderful thing to see.  But, obviously it is too much for enough people to make such a community work.  People would rather would rather take an intellectual lobotomy and embrace mass-hysteria, rather than exercise critical thinking and lead a rigorous, self-aware, contemplative life.