Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

Radha Soami Satsang Beas loses another believer

l like hearing deconversion stories. Deconversion, as I've noted, is as natural as conversion. Here's a tale that came to me in an email message. Jesse was pleased to let me share it with others. Thanks, Jesse. I've added a few explanations of unfamiliar terms [in brackets]. Hi Brian, Since your blog is the go-to place for anti-Radha Soami Satsang Beas stuff I thought I'd share this with you, you fuckadilly pigfuck. (I'm kidding. That's an insulting and hilarious line directed at you from a hater who left a comment on your I Hate Church of the Churchless site.) Anyway, I'm…
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Posted inBuddhism Radha Soami Satsang Beas Religions

Lineage means little in science and art. Why so important in religion?

When you learn about an important scientific discovery, does it matter to you what "line" of scientists the researcher is associated with? When you listen to a scintillating musical performance, does it matter to you what "line" of musicians the artist is associated with? No. At least, not much. Likely not at all.  Recently the Oregonian had a story about a classical guitarist who is going to play in Portland. It was mentioned that Scott Kritzer was the "grandson" of famed guitarist Andres Segovia, because his teacher was a Segovia student. But that fact has no bearing on Kritzer's reputation as…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

I’m asked questions about Sant Mat. I answer them.

Recently I got an email from someone who shared ideas about Sant Mat, the Indian philosophy I used to believe in. My correspondent also asked me some questions. Here's what the person said, in italics, and my responses, in regular type preceded by a "ME." A lot of this won't make sense to anyone who isn't into the intricacies of the Sant Mat teachings. But quite a few visitors to this blog are, so I figured that I might as well share the comments/questions and my responses. ----------------------------- I have been initiated for about 4 to 5 years now, and there…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

Radha Soami Satsang Beas men reportedly attack journalists

Interesting story in the Global Sikh News: Beas Dera Radha Swami men attacks journalists -- no action as yet. (Thanks for the links, Robert.) Senior Journalist H. S. Bawa, editor of YesPunjab.Com has release a news report providing extensive information regarding attack on Sangat TV (UK) crew members by Radha Swami Dera men. The men of Radha Soami Dera at Beas, which preaches non-violence, attacked the crew of Sangat TV at village Jodhe near Beas in the district of Amritsar. However, both the members of the crew were lucky enough to escape the attack. The crew members – Baljeet Singh,…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

Another inspiring RSSB “why I left” story

I love religious deconversion stories. They're more inspiring to me than conversion stories, because I've come to realize that a meaningful life is far distant from religiosity.  So someone is making progress when he or she is able to get further away from rigid dogmas. Below is a story from one such "someone." After sending me an email, I encouraged this person to write a blog-sharable version of why a decision was made to leave the formalities of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, an India-based spiritual group organized around the teachings of a line of gurus who are considered to be God…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas Religions

I’m not bitter toward religion — just fed up with false claims

Fairly frequently true believers leave comments on this blog saying, "Brian, you're so bitter toward religion." This surprises me.  I don't feel bitter toward any religion or spiritual organization, including Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), the India-based group I was an active member of for about thirty-five years. Rather, I'm disappointed about the false claims RSSB promotes in its teachings. If I buy a car, or a computer, I expect it will function as advertised. If it doesn't, I don't feel bitterness. Just irritation, disappointment, let-down. Now, how do I know that RSSB, or any religion, makes false claims? I…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

Guru Gurinder Singh Dhillon’s teachings: a logical look

Here's a blunt, honest, and amusing reaction to some questions and answers of an Indian guru, Gurinder Singh Dhillon, who is considered to be "God in human form" by devotees.  The author is well-known, Anonymous. (Isn't me, I can assure you.) Gurinder Singh Dhillon heads up Radha Soami Satsang Beas, or RSSB, which is termed Really Stupid Shitty Bullshit in this PDF document: Download Gurinder Singh Dhillon questions  The questions and answers apparently are authentic, having been circulated among RSSB members. The caustic commentary on the Q and A is one person's logical reaction to some religious illogic.
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Posted inGod Radha Soami Satsang Beas Spiritual practice/meditation

Surrender to a lower power. Or equal. Not higher.

I used to believe in surrendering to a higher power. And not only to my wife -- but also to a spiritual, supernatural, metaphysical higher power. No more. Don't see any reason to. Now I'm much more comfortable with surrendering to lower and equal powers. Which, I suspect, actually are the only varieties powers come in. In fact, we could be talking singular here. Power. Not powers. There's no higher or lower. Just varying manifestations of One Energy, One Nature, One Cosmos, One Reality. But religions, spiritual systems, mystical philosophies, and other advocates of surrendering to a higher power would…
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Posted inBuddhism Radha Soami Satsang Beas Spiritual practice/meditation

Skeptical look at mantras and Transcendental Meditation

I've never practiced Transcendental Meditation (TM). But for over forty years I've meditated daily, mostly using a mantra (a word or words repeated over and over) just as TM does. So I resonated with a "Mantras" post on the TM-Free blog, which describes itself as: Insider information about the Transcendental Meditation™ techniques, the TM movement and its late founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Our bloggers take independent, skeptical and critical views of TM claims and research. We report allegations of deception by TM organizations and reports that some individuals experience harm from involvement. For most of those forty years I used a…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

“Magic” of Sant Mat guru-hypnotists explained

Hypnotism works. Sadly. Otherwise I would have spent the past forty-two years believing that I looked just like a young Paul Newman. Below you'll find an email message I received a few days ago from someon who persuasively argues that what Sant Mat gurus do is take advantage of quasi-hypnotic suggestibility. Devoted disciples are told, over and over, that the guru has divine powers. They're also told, over and over, that they will experience certain mystical lights and sounds under the guru's direction. Not surprisingly, some disciples say they've had such experiences. Then those tales get added to the store…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas Religions

Profound significance of “blowing Willie Nelson” joke

Last night my wife and I saw humorist David Sedaris at Salem's oh-so-cool historic Elsinore Theatre. There's a lot to like about Sedaris. He's gay, liberal, funny, ironic, cynical, profane, and a really good writer. Also, thoughtful. Many of his jokes make you think. They've got layers of meaning. Here's my favorite joke, which I tweeted after the show, minus Sedaris' entertaining set-up to it. What's the last thing you want to hear while blowing Willie Nelson? "I'm not Willie Nelson." (Note to those who aren't conversant in American slang: "blowing" is synonomous with "giving a blow job," which is synonymous…
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Posted inChristianity/Jesus Radha Soami Satsang Beas

What if Jesus had acted like a rich Indian guru?

A few days ago "Jimi" left a comment on my blog post, Radha Soami Satsang Beas guru makes $254 million. He/she said, in part: I've been reading this article and comments and I'm not sure what the issue is... It looks like BJ [Baba Gurinder Singh Ji, the guru] and family bought some shares and sold them and made a profit. What's wrong with that? Am I missing something? Is there something wrong with him being wealthy? I replied: Jimi, you are indeed missing something. Gurinder Singh got a special insider deal on the shares. He didn't buy them as…
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Posted inBooks Radha Soami Satsang Beas

Break free of the religious merry-go-round

I liked this image as soon as I saw it shared by someone in my Facebook feed. Horses running free, coming vibrantly alive after they escape from their wooden attachment to a merry-go-round (or carousel). It resonated with my irreligious non-soul.  Interestingly, Anne Wipf, the artist who created "Freedom - the Carousel," is big into fantasy. The image is posted on Elfwood, described as the world's largest sci-fi and fantasy community. Well, each to his/her own. I saw this image and thought free of fantastical religion!. Others look upon it and think free of restrictive reality! Fine. We're on the same…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

Uh-oh. God in Human Form doesn’t like this blog.

Guess I'm doomed, salvation-wise. (Of course, I already knew that, having denied the Holy Spirit and embraced eternal damnation in exchange for a free DVD.) Someone sent me some copies of Australian "Science of the Soul" newsletters, figuring that I might be interested in news about Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) -- the India based religious organization I was an active member of for over thirty years. RSSB is led by a guru. The guru is believed to be God in Human Form. So not surprisingly, whatever the guru says is taken very seriously by his devotees. Me, not so…
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Posted inPersonal/Stories Radha Soami Satsang Beas

How I deprogrammed fundamentalism out of my brain

I got some great questions in an email today, boldfaced below. Brian, out of curiosity.... I was wondering after you left RS [Radha Soami Satsang Beas]... How did you deprogram all the fundamentalism out of your brain? The whole "The world is a bad place, don't get "involved" in worldly things....  and pursuing things in the world to find happiness is bad... How did you start to finally pursue your own happiness, without the fundamental programming snake coming in and poisoning your progress? I told the person who wrote me I'd reply via a blog post tonight, adding that I'd been planning to write…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

A fresh look at Seth Shiv Dayal Singh (Soami Ji)

Those who are interested in the history of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), a contemporary Sant Mat movement headquartered in India, will want to read the following message I received from "SM Dass" (a pseudonym). Others won't understand much about what is being talked about, yet will be able to follow the gist of the arguments. Since I was a member of RSSB for over thirty years, I told SM Dass that his analysis was intriguing and I'd like to share it on my blog. I've added a few explanatory terms in [brackets], and some links. By "intriguing" I don't mean that…
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Posted inMorality Radha Soami Satsang Beas Religions

Religion is wrong, but it feels right to believers

So how is it that religious beliefs are almost certainly wrong, yet the vast majority of people in the world accept them? What makes religiosity so attractive?  A central theme of my previous post, New Scientist looks at the science of religion, is that belief in the supernatural comes naturally to humans. Early on in childhood development we understand that "agents" with desires, intentions, and a consciousness like our own exist even though we can't perceive these beings. It isn't much of a jump to divine unseen agents, gods and other entities. But after listening to a Point of Inquiry…
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Posted inBuddhism Mystics Radha Soami Satsang Beas

Mystical experiences. What’s the big deal with them?

Mystical experiences were on my mind today, after someone left a comment on a blog post inquiring about whether I'd gone inside while meditating or heard sacred sounds.   I replied. But then I thought, "What's the big deal with supposed mystical experiences?" Most religions, forms of spirituality, and philosophical systems don't pay much attention to them. Most Christians or Buddhists aren't out to see fantastical scenes of the astral plane, or bliss out on a supernatural light and sound show. Their goals are to become better people; to learn what reality is all about; to be of service to humanity;…
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