Product: Kingdom of the Cults-Transcendental Meditation
Rating: 2.0
review of: The Kingdom of the cults: transcendental meditation
just finished watching this DVD....I must say, the announcer of this DVD was more scary than the idea of the TM movement being a cult! I agree that the TM movement has religious elements in it, and they should disclose that the mantras they are giving to people have meaning, and are the names of hindu deities (from my understanding, they do not disclose this).I do think it is a money making venture. Obviously, the Maharishi was not a poor man. It is my understanding that he owned several beautiful, expensive homes, cars, and had his own helicopter, and lots of money. It's a convenient thing that he preached that you do not have to give up material goods and wealth, as he obviously did not. I believe, currently, that the price for this 6 week initiation and mantra giving is now up to $2.500.00 per person! That buys a lot of material stuff, doesn't it!However, I did feel that the announcer is pretty scary too! He says that TM is evil, and that some of the ex-practitioners had "seen the devil" until they found and was saved by the Lord and Jesus Christ. I think this is untrue. He obviously feels threatened by anyone who has an alternative view to what God is. He seems narrow minded, intolerant of other viewpoints and beliefs, and demands total obedience to his God. I also noticed that one ex follower was asked if he felt that TM's ceremony for new initiates was religious in nature, to which he replied, "I didn't, at first, but when I got out of it, and accepted the Lord Jesus as my savior, I did think that it was in fact religious". He goes on to explain how he had become self centered and selfish while practicing TM. To me, it was like he was saying that he didn't think he was doing anything wrong until his born again fellows told him that he was.The announcer consistently claims throughout that God wants you to use your mind (think for yourself), and not to release yourself of your consciousness, as TM proponents suggest. This whole thing of a born again christian or minister telling you what is evil does not sound like using your mind to me; it sounds like allowing others to decide for you what is right and what is wrong.In my opinion, this whole presentation is like the pot calling the kettle black, instilling fear into others that the devil is going to get them if they meditate, and telling everyone what to think and what to believe. They (christians) are right and good, and everyone who believes differently is wrong and evil. As already mentioned, I do believe it is a financial scam, and that it has more religious elements than the teachers of TM are revealing. I do not personally believe that advanced students can levitate or disappear. To me, that is just silly, but I don't think meditation is inheirantly evil. Perhaps instead, you could save your money, choose which religion or beliefs you wish for yourself, and just sit quietly a couple of times a day. Perhaps also being kind to yourself and others, and not judging others would be good things to try too!