Politicking....appropriate here? Amma's satsang

[Guest guest]

Ammachi, Mike Brooker <patria1818> wrote:

>

> >

> > But this below is something that was an indirect

> > reference to my 2

> > posts on gas spikes, and I must speak up for myself.

> > Regardless of

> > whether you (or anybody else) meant that I perceive

> > the tragedy as

> > just a personal selfish concern or not, I must say

> > what I have to, and

> > here is what I have to say.

>

> Actually I wasn't thinking about you when I wrote that

> for some, the only effect of Katrina will be getting

> P.O.ed at the price they pay at the pump. I don't

> even remember who posted the messages about gas

> spikes.

> Gas prices were going through the roof last month

> anyway; Katrina just gave Big Oil an excuse for some

> real pump-side gouging.

>

> The ridiculous price of gas (though the $1.25 a litre

> we're forking over in Canada is still a bargain

> compared to Europe) means that a lot of people with

> limited disposable income must make some tough

> choices, particularly if leaving the car at home and

> walking or taking public transit is not always an

> option. Money that could have been donated to Katrina

> relief is now going to fill up the tank. New shoes

> for the kids or gas? a DVD player or gas? Yoga

> classes or gas? Bhajan CDs or gas? (that last one is

> a no-brainer, but I don't even own a car!!)

>

>

> >

> > Secondly, if you care to see the chronology of the

> > posts, the first

> > post was in response to Avram's post of "bad things

> > happening every

> > year, so what's the big deal about Katrina vis-a-vis

> > Amma's

> > prediction?" post.

>

> I have no idea what Avram is thinking, trotting out

> those hoary old rationalist screeds, and trying to

> discredit Amma's dark-cloud 2005 predictions as mere

> coincidences. He seems to have some kind of axe to

> grind with gurus in general, if not Amma in

> particular. I won't boot him from this group (I have

> received offline messages telling me that I should do

> that) just because he won't tow the Official Party

> Line or express undying fealty to Amma. I believe in

> free speech and open debate...apparently that wasn't

> always the case in this group, which lead to the

> establishment of the Amma Free Speech Zone .

>

> Keval

>

 

Hi Keval!

 

Although free speech is a nice concept in say, a city newspaper,

this is a private chat group.

 

Our group has a certain decorum, or dharma. It is not appropriate to

post anti guru, anti Ammachi screeds here, Avram's obsession. Just

like it probably wouldn't be appropriate to swear or discuss

political agendas. I don't believe it takes "courage" to "speak out"

about politics, there is no limits to pundritry on politics of every

kind everywhere you look. Just do it in the proper place.

 

Why? Because that is off purpose for what we do here, which is

Amma's Seva. without boundaries, this room will no longer reflect

Amma's mission.

 

I would much rather hear about efforts to help the people in NO, or

creative ways to do Seva anywhere in the US. You may notice that

this online group could actually develop into a powerful force for

communication amongst people doing Seva. We could be a big help to

others and eachother that way. That would be inspiring.

 

Although not popular, self restraint and setting boundaries is

healthy. This is an online satsang. Can we keep a sacred feeling, at

least here?

 

There are plenty of forums to do whatever, elsewhere on the web.