Mahikari and Swami Rama < 6 > ; so-called light
This post continues the topic concerning the quote from "Go-taidan-shuu" (p306-307) in the post "Mahikari and Swami Rama < 4 > " (Japanese`~ Sep.2009, English ~ Oct. 2009).
♦"What you call Light"
"I don't understand where what you call light comes from." - - - This sounds as if Rama had admitted that so-called light surely came out, but that he had no idea where it was coming from. However, we mustn't forget that it was Okada who was talking.
It is, of course, possible that Rama believed what Okada said, since he talked with full confidence as if he were an authority.
Okada started the claim that people who had taken his course, received Omitama around the neck and raised the hand, could radiate 'light'. Mahikari followers, so-called "kumite", having been taught so, raise the hand, believing that light comes out from the hand. They simply believe that Mahikari's claim has been proven when they see a so-called 'recipient' showing 'spirit movements'. According to Mahikari, when members raise the hand, light is radiated, affecting the attaching spirit.
The beliefs of Mahikari followers go something like this: Okada said so and the subsequent organization says so. I myself experienced what seemed to fit its claim or/and I've heard other members' stories. Therefore, Mahikari is real.
In reality, however, the claim that 'light comes out' when they raise the hand has not been proved, not to mention 'attaching spirits' or 'spirits disturbance'.
There was an explanation like this; since this "divine light" is a higher dimensional light, science (today's materialistic temporary science [Note 1] ), which hasn't reached that range, cannot catch it. This means that science cannot prove its existence and cannot examine it either.
The explanation that modern science has not yet reached that level is very effective as a trap, which doesn't need any substantial evidence.
This excuse may sound possible and gives the followers the expectation that it will be proven sometime in the future, when science has reached that degree of progress. Actually it is completely all right if science cannot prove its existence, as the followers can remain believing forever that science has not yet reached that level.
Okada's claim that (Human and Modern) Science is, after all, temporary science, not 'divine science', implants distrust in science and scientific ways of thinking in the followers' minds, opening the way for a world which is structured by beliefs only. Its followers are led to accept that Mahikari is divine science, which cannot be confirmed by lower-dimensional human science. Therefore, the reality that the existence of 'light' cannot be scientifically confirmed or examined doesn't bother them. They assure themselves that it is a fact that light comes out from the hand, because the cult teaches so and because they believe so.
This means that the members are made to believe the existence of something that cannot be proven to exist, by the cult which insists it does. It is possible that that something actually doesn't exist. So it is possible that the members are made to believe the existence of something that actually doesn't exist.
Mahikari followers have an expectation that people will feel something once they experience 'light' from the hand (Okiyome). In fact, some may feel warmth or being pressed when they 'receive light'. Even so, however, it doesn't prove Mahikari's claim is correct - the claim that '(divine) light' comes out from the hand.
A strong possibility is that it is the effect of suggestion. On top of that, people in the world outside of Mahikari may feel something which cannot be seen by the eyes, and phenomena like 'spirits movements' can be seen outside of Mahikari, too. These have nothing to do with Mahikari courses, Omitama, raising the hand, or its teachings. [Note 2]
Some Mahikari members, I remember, spoke as if the existence of 'light' had been confirmed, since they had seen it coming out from the hand or goshintai or since they had heard that psychic people could see it.
On the other hand, some said that divine light was not meant to be seen by ordinary people, and that it was spirits disturbance if someone was able to see it. It sounds odd. Yet, in the world of Mahikari incoherent things are overlooked with a claim that there is "depth of the depth". The members simply give up thinking on that point.
I found the following comment on a Japanese internet discussion site:
They say that it is spirits disturbance to be able to see light.
They say that high-dimensional divine light cannot be examined.
That is, it ought not to be seen, and it is inconvenient if it is seen.
Rather, I should put it this way.
What Mahikari calls light cannot be examined even to check whether it is divine light or not.
It's not worth believing in such a thing, is it?
Though it might be a 'healing power which human beings are born with',
Mahikari, taking advantage of its being unable to be examined,
simply declares it to be divine light. That's all.
Nonetheless, one thing has been proven from the past history.
Mahikari's divine light is light which never heals anything,
for nobody has been saved by it. (laugh) - - - - Sukyo Mahikari wo kire! - 154
There were people who blindly believed that Mahikari had saved them and probably there are such people even now. However, surely, there has not been any single case among miracle stories which has documents factual enough for examinations by a third party. Nevertheless, the followers are made to believe that it is a fact that light comes out from the hand, and that people are saved by that.
Mahikari followers have much more obscure and confused ideas regarding the difference between beliefs and facts than the outside people in general. When they hear the facts in reality, they cannot amend what they've learned from the cult. Of course, if they amend what they've learned from the cult, they won't be able to continue Mahikari beliefs (Okada used the kanji 'facing-god' for Mahikari beliefs as if Mahikari were far more than just believing.) So even when the facts in reality and the contradictions are pointed out, they stick to the claim that Mahikari is correct nonetheless. They stubbornly continue worshiping and defending Mahikari, speaking abusively of those who point out the facts and contradictions about Mahikari. You can see that in the comments by Mahikari supporters and worshippers on the net. It probably is the result from their involvement in Mahikari's tekazashi and teachings.
When you think about their reactions, doesn't it sound strange? Mahikari claims that it is 'divine light', and that it purifies spirits and souls. When spirit and soul are purified by Mahikari, diseases will be cured, misfortunes will be kept at bay, people will develop goodness in their nature, they will lose the urge of fighting or quarreling, etc. . . . . Okada enumerated those sound-good effects. [Note 3] His claims such as diseases will be cured and misfortunes will be kept at bay are not factual at all. In addition, all sorts of abusive language by Mahikari supporters and worshippers show that Mahikari has nothing to do with 'purifying', 'being purified', 'developing goodness in human nature' and so on, don't you think? Okada's statements such as one's personality changes unconsciously and that one comes to dislike being opposed to other people and quarreling ("Go-taidan-shuu"(p182) [Note 3 ]) are, here too, far from the reality, becoming empty statements.
By the way, did Rama actually receive 'Okiyome' and feel so-called light? Or was he impressed by Okada, who spoke full of confidence? Both claimed that they had made friends with each other and kept their relationship in that way. Yet neither of them seem to have believed and adopted what the other was doing and teaching.
For instance, Okada, while implying that Mahikari-no-waza was the same as yoga's essence, didn't show accurate understanding of yoga. He even denied meditation and ascetic training ('gyo'). [Note 4] On the other hand, Rama didn't seem to have accepted and believed 'spirits disturbance' or 'spirits attachment'.
I haven't got the book by Rama, "Living with the Himalayan Masters", in which he talks about the encounter with Okada. However, there may be a hint in his disciples' website which was mentioned in "Mahikari and Swami Rama" ( Japanese~ 04/2009, English~ May 2009 ). The article describes Mahikari as a method to visualize 'light' coming out from the hand. This description can be considered as equivalent to 'image therapy' in modern time.
[Note 1] The expression "The realm of today's materialistic pseudo science" is used in the Mahikari primary kenshu textbook - based upon lectures by the founder - Chapter 12; "The Dawn of True Science". (Japanese textbook & English textbook ~ 1980's) 2001's English textbook has the expression "The realm of modern provisional materialistic science" in Chapter 8; "Toward the dawn of true science".
[Note 2] examples:
✴In the website mentioned in "Mahikari and Swami Rama < 4 > ", Rama talks about health. He mentions meditation. When you keep still and close your eyes, the body moves. This is just body disturbance, he says.
✴A Qigong master, Chunyi Lin tells about his own experience in his book "Born A Healer". He suffered intense pain in his knees. He tried many different treatments except surgery, but didn't improve. One day he attended a renowned Qigong master's workshop. He closed his eyes and, after a while, his body started rocking side to side, backward and forward, then he was rolling on the ground . . . his throat made funny noises, and suddenly he burst into laughter . . . . and so on. These movements were outside of his control. He also experienced cold, warm, itchy feelings one after another. Right after the workshop, the pain was gone and he was able to run and jump again. He uses the words Qi movements and Qi reactions to explain about such body movements.
[Note 3] examples:
✴When divinization becomes possible, misfortunes (will disappear) and diseases will be cured as additional benefits. Thus, it converts mankind to goodness. That's Mahikari-no-waza, I'm telling you. - - "Go-taidan-shuu"(p 177)
✴It is today's Mahikari-no-waza that changes human nature to be good without any argument or questions and cures diseases on the way, I tell you. - - "Go-taidan-shuu"(p178)
✴When human beings get to the state of liberation from sickness, evil spirits and devils are gone accordingly. That's one thing. Therefore, we are liberated from sickness. Since evil spirits and devils are gone from a person, this person's nature becomes better, you know. In other words, one's heart becomes very pure.
Then, that person's heart becomes very calm, you see. Becoming calm, that is, becoming peaceful. Therefore, being angry, being jealous, hatred, and being short-tempered disappear.
In this way, one changes into a person whose mood is very bright, who has come to dislike quarreling. The personality changes unconsciously and one comes to dislike being opposed to other people and quarreling. The change happens, not intentionally, but without knowing it. . . . . . . - - "Go-taidan-shuu"(p181-182)
[Note 4] Refer to "Mahikari and Swami Rama" (Japanese~ 04/2009, English~ May 2009) and "Mahikari and Swami Rama < 2 > " (Japanese~ 06/2009, English~ June 2009)
- - - - Phoenix3000
♦"What you call Light"
"I don't understand where what you call light comes from." - - - This sounds as if Rama had admitted that so-called light surely came out, but that he had no idea where it was coming from. However, we mustn't forget that it was Okada who was talking.
It is, of course, possible that Rama believed what Okada said, since he talked with full confidence as if he were an authority.
Okada started the claim that people who had taken his course, received Omitama around the neck and raised the hand, could radiate 'light'. Mahikari followers, so-called "kumite", having been taught so, raise the hand, believing that light comes out from the hand. They simply believe that Mahikari's claim has been proven when they see a so-called 'recipient' showing 'spirit movements'. According to Mahikari, when members raise the hand, light is radiated, affecting the attaching spirit.
The beliefs of Mahikari followers go something like this: Okada said so and the subsequent organization says so. I myself experienced what seemed to fit its claim or/and I've heard other members' stories. Therefore, Mahikari is real.
In reality, however, the claim that 'light comes out' when they raise the hand has not been proved, not to mention 'attaching spirits' or 'spirits disturbance'.
There was an explanation like this; since this "divine light" is a higher dimensional light, science (today's materialistic temporary science [Note 1] ), which hasn't reached that range, cannot catch it. This means that science cannot prove its existence and cannot examine it either.
The explanation that modern science has not yet reached that level is very effective as a trap, which doesn't need any substantial evidence.
This excuse may sound possible and gives the followers the expectation that it will be proven sometime in the future, when science has reached that degree of progress. Actually it is completely all right if science cannot prove its existence, as the followers can remain believing forever that science has not yet reached that level.
Okada's claim that (Human and Modern) Science is, after all, temporary science, not 'divine science', implants distrust in science and scientific ways of thinking in the followers' minds, opening the way for a world which is structured by beliefs only. Its followers are led to accept that Mahikari is divine science, which cannot be confirmed by lower-dimensional human science. Therefore, the reality that the existence of 'light' cannot be scientifically confirmed or examined doesn't bother them. They assure themselves that it is a fact that light comes out from the hand, because the cult teaches so and because they believe so.
This means that the members are made to believe the existence of something that cannot be proven to exist, by the cult which insists it does. It is possible that that something actually doesn't exist. So it is possible that the members are made to believe the existence of something that actually doesn't exist.
Mahikari followers have an expectation that people will feel something once they experience 'light' from the hand (Okiyome). In fact, some may feel warmth or being pressed when they 'receive light'. Even so, however, it doesn't prove Mahikari's claim is correct - the claim that '(divine) light' comes out from the hand.
A strong possibility is that it is the effect of suggestion. On top of that, people in the world outside of Mahikari may feel something which cannot be seen by the eyes, and phenomena like 'spirits movements' can be seen outside of Mahikari, too. These have nothing to do with Mahikari courses, Omitama, raising the hand, or its teachings. [Note 2]
Some Mahikari members, I remember, spoke as if the existence of 'light' had been confirmed, since they had seen it coming out from the hand or goshintai or since they had heard that psychic people could see it.
On the other hand, some said that divine light was not meant to be seen by ordinary people, and that it was spirits disturbance if someone was able to see it. It sounds odd. Yet, in the world of Mahikari incoherent things are overlooked with a claim that there is "depth of the depth". The members simply give up thinking on that point.
I found the following comment on a Japanese internet discussion site:
They say that it is spirits disturbance to be able to see light.
They say that high-dimensional divine light cannot be examined.
That is, it ought not to be seen, and it is inconvenient if it is seen.
Rather, I should put it this way.
What Mahikari calls light cannot be examined even to check whether it is divine light or not.
It's not worth believing in such a thing, is it?
Though it might be a 'healing power which human beings are born with',
Mahikari, taking advantage of its being unable to be examined,
simply declares it to be divine light. That's all.
Nonetheless, one thing has been proven from the past history.
Mahikari's divine light is light which never heals anything,
for nobody has been saved by it. (laugh) - - - - Sukyo Mahikari wo kire! - 154
There were people who blindly believed that Mahikari had saved them and probably there are such people even now. However, surely, there has not been any single case among miracle stories which has documents factual enough for examinations by a third party. Nevertheless, the followers are made to believe that it is a fact that light comes out from the hand, and that people are saved by that.
Mahikari followers have much more obscure and confused ideas regarding the difference between beliefs and facts than the outside people in general. When they hear the facts in reality, they cannot amend what they've learned from the cult. Of course, if they amend what they've learned from the cult, they won't be able to continue Mahikari beliefs (Okada used the kanji 'facing-god' for Mahikari beliefs as if Mahikari were far more than just believing.) So even when the facts in reality and the contradictions are pointed out, they stick to the claim that Mahikari is correct nonetheless. They stubbornly continue worshiping and defending Mahikari, speaking abusively of those who point out the facts and contradictions about Mahikari. You can see that in the comments by Mahikari supporters and worshippers on the net. It probably is the result from their involvement in Mahikari's tekazashi and teachings.
When you think about their reactions, doesn't it sound strange? Mahikari claims that it is 'divine light', and that it purifies spirits and souls. When spirit and soul are purified by Mahikari, diseases will be cured, misfortunes will be kept at bay, people will develop goodness in their nature, they will lose the urge of fighting or quarreling, etc. . . . . Okada enumerated those sound-good effects. [Note 3] His claims such as diseases will be cured and misfortunes will be kept at bay are not factual at all. In addition, all sorts of abusive language by Mahikari supporters and worshippers show that Mahikari has nothing to do with 'purifying', 'being purified', 'developing goodness in human nature' and so on, don't you think? Okada's statements such as one's personality changes unconsciously and that one comes to dislike being opposed to other people and quarreling ("Go-taidan-shuu"(p182) [Note 3 ]) are, here too, far from the reality, becoming empty statements.
By the way, did Rama actually receive 'Okiyome' and feel so-called light? Or was he impressed by Okada, who spoke full of confidence? Both claimed that they had made friends with each other and kept their relationship in that way. Yet neither of them seem to have believed and adopted what the other was doing and teaching.
For instance, Okada, while implying that Mahikari-no-waza was the same as yoga's essence, didn't show accurate understanding of yoga. He even denied meditation and ascetic training ('gyo'). [Note 4] On the other hand, Rama didn't seem to have accepted and believed 'spirits disturbance' or 'spirits attachment'.
I haven't got the book by Rama, "Living with the Himalayan Masters", in which he talks about the encounter with Okada. However, there may be a hint in his disciples' website which was mentioned in "Mahikari and Swami Rama" ( Japanese~ 04/2009, English~ May 2009 ). The article describes Mahikari as a method to visualize 'light' coming out from the hand. This description can be considered as equivalent to 'image therapy' in modern time.
[Note 1] The expression "The realm of today's materialistic pseudo science" is used in the Mahikari primary kenshu textbook - based upon lectures by the founder - Chapter 12; "The Dawn of True Science". (Japanese textbook & English textbook ~ 1980's) 2001's English textbook has the expression "The realm of modern provisional materialistic science" in Chapter 8; "Toward the dawn of true science".
[Note 2] examples:
✴In the website mentioned in "Mahikari and Swami Rama < 4 > ", Rama talks about health. He mentions meditation. When you keep still and close your eyes, the body moves. This is just body disturbance, he says.
✴A Qigong master, Chunyi Lin tells about his own experience in his book "Born A Healer". He suffered intense pain in his knees. He tried many different treatments except surgery, but didn't improve. One day he attended a renowned Qigong master's workshop. He closed his eyes and, after a while, his body started rocking side to side, backward and forward, then he was rolling on the ground . . . his throat made funny noises, and suddenly he burst into laughter . . . . and so on. These movements were outside of his control. He also experienced cold, warm, itchy feelings one after another. Right after the workshop, the pain was gone and he was able to run and jump again. He uses the words Qi movements and Qi reactions to explain about such body movements.
[Note 3] examples:
✴When divinization becomes possible, misfortunes (will disappear) and diseases will be cured as additional benefits. Thus, it converts mankind to goodness. That's Mahikari-no-waza, I'm telling you. - - "Go-taidan-shuu"(p 177)
✴It is today's Mahikari-no-waza that changes human nature to be good without any argument or questions and cures diseases on the way, I tell you. - - "Go-taidan-shuu"(p178)
✴When human beings get to the state of liberation from sickness, evil spirits and devils are gone accordingly. That's one thing. Therefore, we are liberated from sickness. Since evil spirits and devils are gone from a person, this person's nature becomes better, you know. In other words, one's heart becomes very pure.
Then, that person's heart becomes very calm, you see. Becoming calm, that is, becoming peaceful. Therefore, being angry, being jealous, hatred, and being short-tempered disappear.
In this way, one changes into a person whose mood is very bright, who has come to dislike quarreling. The personality changes unconsciously and one comes to dislike being opposed to other people and quarreling. The change happens, not intentionally, but without knowing it. . . . . . . - - "Go-taidan-shuu"(p181-182)
[Note 4] Refer to "Mahikari and Swami Rama" (Japanese~ 04/2009, English~ May 2009) and "Mahikari and Swami Rama < 2 > " (Japanese~ 06/2009, English~ June 2009)
- - - - Phoenix3000
posted by Anne at 2:44 AM
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