message to my friends

[f. maiello]

hariH OM!

There seems to have been a misunderstanding on my part.
As I indicated to Ravi in a private email, I left the
List because I felt at an impasse, due to what I wrongly
interpreted as a *requirement* to support whatever I post
with quotes from a recognized authority, and not that if
I do so--as Ravi suggested--it would only help substantiate
my view, whenever it may be controversial.

The problem I have with this, as I mentioned to Ravi,
is that although in principle, the idea of supporting one's
statements with quotes from a recognized source is fine,
in practical terms, I don't believe it can work.  Simply
because not all jnanis are in agreement on all matters.
And, in the instance of our forum, the matters being debated
can find support from one source, while rejected by another.
The debates--having to do with adhikara, caste, ashramas,
mental vs physical sannyas, etc--are a matter of conflicted
opinions in terms of strategy.  So that if someone states
physical sannyas is prerequisite to the jnanamarg, and
quotes where sankara has said this, and another comes back
with the fact that mental sannyas [in some cases] is all
that's needed, and quotes Ramana, who's quote will carry
the weight?  And this is only one example of many.  So that,
the whole idea of using such quotes is based on who the
listener is inclined to lend credence to.  So we're back
to square one again.

I really don't know what to do to facilitate such, except
to say that if whatever I post is specifically deemed
by another to be erroneous, by all means discard it!
In debateable matters of this kind, I never thought there
was a "one size fits all" solution.  Different people
need different things.  And if someone chooses to disagree
with even this, so be it.  I believe it's vital for everyone
to be exactly where they are, unique to their apparent soul's
evolution.

We all love eachother in this world more than we can know.
Bar no-one.

love and peace,
frank