The Victim Christianity of SRF

• The Victim Christianity of SRF and Better
• Goof Christianity Explained Further

The Victim Christianity of SRF and Better

Basically, the demands of Jesus on followers, make them victims. They are to dispense with their own property, turn the other cheek, let robbers prosper by their own lack of moral sense, and so on and on. SRF and Yogananda claimed vainly that they stand for that "original Christianity of Jesus Christ". It is written in the SRF Aims and Ideals. But they are far more selfish than that public veneer or facade. SRF and Yogananda play false - big time. The danger is that they fool gullible newcomers and enroll them in their form of cult.

Don't give up your control in vital matters. It is not wise to fall victim to crazy talk and vain demagoguery. Let us start with a quotation:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.". [Matthew 5:17]

Adhere to the basics and protect yourself.

Self-Realization Fellowship, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, tell they represent "original Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ" and "original Yoga as taught by Bhagavan Krishna"; and to show that "these principles of truth are the common scientific foundation of all true religions." [Link]

What is nonsense when it comes to Jesus? He allowed Sabbath toil, for example, and said,

Till heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law till everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:18-19]

What is included in the Law he speaks so warmly of and perhaps may be considered as part of the teachings of Jesus? Jews enumerate 613 things to do and not to do, the 613 Mitzvot. One of these old commandments is "Keep the Canaanite slave forever (Lev 25:46)." So it is not only lack of foreskin and Saturday (Sabbath) rest that marks the Jew - and the Law that Jesus appears to vouch for for Jewish followers.

For all that, maybe the Hindu swami Paramahansa Yogananda did not word-paint (talk) himself into a corner by tales of being perfectly united with the "original Christianity of Jesus Christ", as his fellowship includes among its aims and ideals. Strictly speaking, there has never been any Christianity of Jesus - Jesus claimed he came for Jews only, and taught for them only, and never used the term Christianity either. However, if we take Yogananda's words about "original Christianity" to mean many of the gospel-recorded teachings of Jesus, we have something to work with. That is what I mind to do below:

First, discern between stupid Jesus-Christianity an not stupid Jesus Christianity.
Second, do the same for Gentile, Common Christianity - discern between stupid and not stupid.

❖ Stupid is as stupid believes. There is much stupid faith around, and mental disease too.

1. The stupid Jesus follower

The stupid follower thinks he has to do everything Jesus says to call him "Lord, Lord" and not end in hell as a hypocrite for it. Well, it is not like that, at least it doesn't have to be like that. The naïve follower may even think of getting a Real Follower's Certificate, based on doing what Jesus says his real, Jewish follower has to. The core of it may be ticked off boxes with public tests:

1. Can throw mountains into the sea by sheer commands, without tools and helpers - specifications of the least volume thrown is needed here. (A mountain with a mass that equals the Cheops pyramid in Ghisa may be the minimum - Doing greater works than Jesus, according to John 14:12 etc.)
2. Is a converted Jew (Jesus said he came for Jews only), agreeing to the 613 things to do for Jews (at least the Law of Moses): Foreskin check should not be omitted.
3. Can drink deadly poison without harm. The poisons do not have to be killers - when the hard-headed "faithor" is near death, antidotes can and must be given.
4. Has actually raised a few dead persons - three or more would be great ("All is possible for the one who has faith" is the teaching.)
5. Has sold all her or his belongings to obey Jesus.
6. Has torn off limbs on the command of Jesus, etc. (They may put them back on afterwards, to show they master miracles or deep faith. Counsel: Try it with a tiny part of your nail first -)

❖ A certificate - how simple! And yet so neglected for strong reasons to keep silent in the matter!

2. Non-stupid follower

However, nothing of that is needed, nor is Jesus himself. He tells it. In Mark and Matthew Jesus says that healthy ones do not need him. So aim well and go for great, holistic health. Also, if you are a true Jesus follower, you have power that goes beyond Jesus [John 14:12] and regardless of that, have the faith that accomplishes anything, says the gospels in a few places. It is his word, again:

1. Jesus looked at them and said, "With God all things are possible." [Matthew 19:26]
2. Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." [Mark 9:23]
3. "If you have faith ... Nothing will be impossible for you." [Matthew 17:21]

"Hold it. Back off. I found it possible to believe I could outdo your destructive commands of maiming myself for mere wishes, of being hated by all for your sake, and I do not have to do "miracle tricks" in faith. I have done greater things than that (John 14:12), in freedom. It was not impossible, just as you said."

You have freedom to defend yourself - You get the point. The accusing finger had better be removed, and let others too aim at at good health over and above being a "sick sheep" (stupid follower). Those are parts of his outlooks - you may make a sensible selection or concoction of those that enpower you best, and stand firm.

At this level we may think SRF's Christianity is found. Maybe on the surface of things it is, but the faith of SRF looms higher too. I get back to that below.

At any rate, congratulations if you maintain you are a devotee of a good guru or good Buddhism and hold on to "original Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ" - one of the many Christs around in SRF, for example. You have absolutely not broken a reborn Christian's deal - it seems to me.

❖ Not doing things Jesus called for and claimed, is possible too, to the ones who have that faith - according to the Bible

3. The Stupid, Gentile Christian

The stupid man and women have not seen that they are free from the burden of following Jesus and adhering to what he said for Jews only, after the happenings of Acts 15. Only four requirements remained for non-Jewish, Gentile followers, it says. Freedom and ease are given. One should make use of them, like the talents of a parable.

For example, confused Christians may cling to an abandoned command, "Thou shalt not make thee any graven image" - without realizing that Acts 15 does not bother to include that command for Gentile followers. The history of Christianity shows that Christians in numbers have stuck to crosses, Marias and other icons all along - not all sorts of Christianity have done so, though.

❖ Christianity for non-Jews requires only four things. Which are they? No to blood food is among them. [Acts 15; 21:25]

4. Better Christians: Buddhists and Hindus?

Nearly all Christians are non-Jews, that is Gentile followers. For such followers there were just four requirements, and not eating blood sausages and blood pudding is maintained as too important to cast away, seemingly. Most Christians do forget it, though. They also seem to ignore they are to be hated and persecuted by all, even though that is what Jesus says is the fate of his own. Think about it: You have to get famous like president George W. Bush to be know to many, and if all do not know you, all cannot hate you, can they? In sound maturity lies salvation from being hated and persecuted by all too.

Have that spirit that surpasses being a dupe. Just be better than him and do not follow self-molesting, risky dictates either: do not turn into a sick sheep or willy-nilly, then. You are allowed that in the "Jesus deal", methinks, and favour yourself throughout.

A good thing is that for non-Jews - Gentile followers - most words of Jesus were discarded to ease the burden. That is what Acts 15 is about. Claim eased burdens instead of being made one of the martyrs.

The great-looking promises and commands of Jesus were discarded. No gospels were written, letters by Paul and others were most like not written either - so grasp the essentials to be free from what is not really needed: Just drop eating blood sausage and blood pudding and adultery, and you have two out of four requirements covered. Even more positive: if you find yourself under the deal for Gentile followers, like most Christians, it is not forbidden to excel Jesus. That is where yoga may help you. Speaking of miracles, Patanjali enumerates many of them in his Yoga Sutras. Buddhistm has many others, in addition. And the guru Yukteswar mentions the eight famous yogi powers that may be developed:

• The power of making one's body or anything else as small as he likes . . .
• The power of magnifying or making one's body or anything else . . . as large as he likes.
• The power of making one's body or anything else . . . as light in weight as he likes.
• The power of making one's body or anything else . . . as heavy as he likes.
• The power of . . . obtaining anything he likes.
• The power of . . . bringing anything under control.
• The power of satisfying all desires . . . by irresistible will force.
• The power of becoming Isa, Lord, over everything. See John 14:12. [Hos 94-95]

Here you have the glimpse of winning yoga. It does not even exclude the smart Jesus-anchored variant (the second type above). Maybe you rise to some of these winning ways of life, or all of them, or maybe you rise above them too, through the good help of yoga methods. Good to know! The Mila Grubum about the fascinating Tibetan yogi Milarepa, is a book that captures such matters.

❖ The basic fact is that many statements of Jesus were discarded in the deal for Gentile Christians of early Christianity, by the Spirit and all the apostles. [ Acts 15; 21:25]

5. SRF, a Detour?

On your way through life you may encounter Self-Realization Fellowship, SRF. SRF, has a Hindu monk as its founder, and sticks to his teachings. The fellowship had a broader scope when new, aspiring to be fit for all religions. By and by evidence has turned up that makes it fit to label it as a Hindu cult that has bhakti, devotion, as one of its key elements. As Encyclopaedia Britannica points out, most Hindus are cult members, and bhakti movements of Hinduism tend to generate cults in time. Vishnu worship started out like that, and is the biggest cult of Hinduism: about nine out of ten Hindus are Vishnu worshippers. Krishna is believed to be Vishnu incarnated. Krishna is another of the six claimed and worshipped SRF gurus.

How are the teachings of Jesus fitted to the SRF variant of Hinduism, then? In SRF, Jesus and his teachings are adapted to Hinduism, and not the other way round. Certain elements of his teachings are ignored, others are "interpreted" in place by Yogananda. In some respect they mean to hail him as their guru, but they disregard many of his sayings, such as against false Christs, that is, Christs other than himself.

SRF does not take off from Gentile Christianity, as far as I know, but is Hinduism that seeks to incorporate parts of the teachings of Jesus to itself, through interpretations that contain deep belief in karma, reincarnation, yogi miracles, and self-help methods to reach God (Atman, the Self), ideally - called heresy by a Catholic professor, "Father Matheo". Mind that "You say tomato, I say tomato" - a Catholic says "heresy", I say "self-help" if there are good key methods and freedom to develop.

Some of the novel definitions of Yogananda, for example of the Holy Spirit that fell on early Gentile Christians, is that that Spirit is Aum. The bible has it in part differently, for your information. ou will not find most of the key elements of traditional (Gentile) Christianity in SRF either.

A core belief in SRF is that Jesus and a secretive yogi called Babaji, are in constant communion and have planned self-help salvation - despite words in the gospels that go against the whole thing. Another part of the SRF faith is that Yogananda, the founder, also was on intimate terms with Jesus.

Maybe you do not find Self-realized ones in SRF, despite the hype that it offers near-incredible yoga methods, especially kriya yoga.

The first and most telling reason for leaving SRF alone, is perhaps that Jesus warns against false Christs. The second reason may be that he finds it fit to tell that healthy ones do not need him. If you aim for holistic health, shun Hindus that claim to be in communion with Jesus, then. Either they do not tell the truth, which is not good, but asat, or they have not reached a higher level. SRF may help some into some loosely understood "medium level" of development above baboons, altogether, but it requires wise discernment on your part. It is better to aim for better than being a sick sheep, in conformity to words by Jesus. That takes us to high and health-giving forms of Buddhism and Hinduism. I thank God they exist.

❖ You need to inspect the kriya yoga hype of SRF, for obvious reasons.

6. Wise Buddhism and Hinduism

In the light of "healthy ones do not need Jesus", as he says, it must be best to drop guru-gurus that say they are in communion with Jesus too, and not only Jesus. There is something better, says Jesus: Health and a highstanding moral that functions without vicarious sacrifice, which is unjust. Why believe that Jesus died for your sins even before you were born? Why get bound like a dog in a leash to learn kriya yoga when it is free from other sources? Why make yourself grossly dependent when you can remain free and grow in freedom? In SRF you get bound to Yogananda for lifetimes, according to an oath you have to swear (against words of Jesus again), in order to learn kriya yoga. You can learn kriya yoga in freedom from other sources, however. I have to recommend that above getting bound by an oath that violates Human Rights laws.

I confess that when I was young I had taken up TM, and yet was fooled into SRF by the hype of astounding evolution through kriya yoga and much else. I did not notice at first the downsides to the guru-given deals involved, and I had a hard time to disengage myself from SRF and Yogananda.

If we aspire to get all-round healthy and not need Jesus and all that, back-up is essential, and proficiency. To steer well, Buddha's non-dogmatic guidelines are very helpful along with sound yoga meditation methods - I recommend TM - and good fellowship - which is, ideally, good friends. A flock of five or more would be great help. Buddha explains who are false friends and who are good friends. And this is the take I recommend.

In this I do not speak of more religions than three. I just bring out points from three of the most widespread ones. Not all variants of Buddhism and Hinduism may be worthwhile in all respects, though. That needs to be taken into account. Good inspections matter, and not all fellowships teach fairly, but take to dogmatism instead.

❖ Good inspections before committing matter. You may learn kriya yoga in freedom in the Satyanandayoga line, but not in SRF.

Cautions

There is much foolery in the world.

To be on the safe side, try out some moderate steps first, and do not fall in small things, for example by not eating shrimps when offered, and not getting rid of narcissistic freak plots that hinder the good things you are rightfully after. You are allowed to do it; Hope that. Have high hopes. It is all parts of those original teachings - that you do a lot better than Jesus. By this you may find out that Buddhist, basic teachings are really fine to live by, and some Hindu teachings too.<

❖ The original teachings of Jesus demand you maim yourself for mere desires - refrain.

To develop is not forbidden

The age of commandments has passed. The age of logic is here. - Yogananda [Dr 75]

How did it pass to be counted as valid still? Is the age of logic really here? If only Yogananda had stuck to his higher teachings. But he did not.

Buddha taught by rational reasoning to help followers develop. That the age of commandments passed, happened 2500 year ago in the Buddhist world. He says, "Refrain from killing" or "Avoid killing" instead of categorical, absolute commands "Thou shalt not". His way of teaching morals is in harmony with developmental psychology - from "must" to "ought to", roughly sketched. The commands-religion speaks of outerdirectedness, which is a low ladder on the rung towards individual, high moral.

❖ Logic - which kind of logic? There is quantum logic too, nowadays, and parts of it seem not to correspond to how humans experience and sort out the work experience. [Thd]

Goof Christianity Explained Further

Check yourself: Have you put tzitzit on the corners of clothing (Num 15:38)? Have you ever bound tefillin on the arm and on the head (Deut 6:8)? So!

If you think you have to follow Jesus in all respects to count as a Christian, you are not very much informed (1st form of Christians above). Here are not a few things you agree to then, on his Matthew sayings which he himself broke - [Matthew 5:18-19] Do not fool yourself. There are good reasons to drop inconsistent teachings altogether, but go ahead in the right way. That way of progress has its hallmarks.

To exemplify how Jews and Jewish-Christians are bound: There are certain foods that are prohibited to Jews, and some that are allowed if they have been handled in ritually accepted ways. According to the Law, animals that both chew their cud (ruminate) and have cloven hooves are kosher (allowed).

The following are called treif in Jiddish (unclean and unsuitable for Jews and SRF members who fancy they are under the original deal of Jesus for Jews only - note well): Hare, mouse, ostrich, snail, swine, tortoise, crabs are considered unclean according to the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. All shellfish are generally considered unclean. Examples of animals often considered to be unclean by their characteristics are alligator, bear, clam, crab, dog, dolphin, donkey, horselobster, magpie, parrot, prawns, shark, shrimp, squid, snake, skunk, and turtle.

This list is just a selection. Today rabbis are uncertain as to which insects are specifically permitted, so now all insects are prohibited to be on the safe side - But there is more: An allowed (kosher) animal or bird must be slaughtered according to Jewish law (Shechita) to be eatable - after their throats have been cut swiftly with a very sharp knife in the hands of an expert. Also, the animal must be determined to be free of 70 different categories of injuries, diseases and abnormalities.

❖ Shrimps are considered unfit food - ritually unclean - by stiff rules of old. By lots of rules Jews are bound.

Some Don'ts

Not to degrade a beautiful woman (taken captive in war) to the condition of a bondwoman (Deut 21:14)

Not to do any work on the trees in the Sabbatical year (Lev 25:4)

Not to do work on Shabbat (it includes Saturday day) (Ex 20:10)

Not to enquire of an ob (a ghost) (Deut 18:11)

Not to give occasion to the simple-minded to stumble on the road (Lev 19:14) (this includes doing anything that will cause another to sin)

Not to give up hating the enticer to idolatry, and not to save the enticer from capital punishment, but to stand by at his execution (Deut 13:9)

Not to intermarry with Gentiles [non-Jews] (Deut 7:3)

Not to offer up any offering unsalted (Lev 2:13)

Not to put any Jew to shame (Lev 19:17)

Not to rebuild a city that has been led astray to idolatry (Deut 13:17)

Not to refrain from putting a false prophet to death nor to be in fear of him (Deut 18:22)

Not to remove the entire beard, like the idolaters (Lev 19:27)

Not to round the corners of the head, as the idolatrous priests do (Lev 19:27)

Not to sell a Hebrew maid-servant to another person (Ex 21:8)

Not to sever completely the head of a fowl brought as a sin-offering (Lev 5:8)

Not to slay an innocent person (Ex 20:13)

Not to take a pledge from a widow (Deut 24:17)

Not to tattoo the body like the idolaters (Lev 19:28)

Not to travel on Shabbat outside the limits of one's place of residence (Ex 16:29)

A man shall not wear women's clothing (Deut 22:5)

The breastplate shall not be loosened from the ephod (Ex 28:28)

❖ Do not intermarry with non-Jews and led astray by idolatry or idolatrous priests and not tattoo and travel widely - don't think Yogananda followers adhere to such deals of quack Christianity. They praise it with their lips, but their hearts are "far away in Hindustan". They are Hindus, first and foremost.

Some Do's

The High Kohein shall marry a virgin (Lev 21:13)

The newly married husband shall (be free) for one year to rejoice with his wife - shall be exempt for a whole year from taking part in any public labour, such as military service, guarding the wall and similar duties (Deut 24:5)

Affix the mezuzah to the doorposts and gates of your house (Deut 6:9)

Bind tefillin on the arm and on the head (Deut 6:8)

Celebrate the festivals [Passover, Shavu'ot and Sukkot] (Ex 23:14)

Circumcise the male offspring (Gen 17:12; Lev 12:3)

Destroy idolatry and its appurtenances (Deut 12:2-3)

Do unto false witnesses as they had purposed to do (to the accused) (Deut 19:19)

Dwell in booths seven days during Sukkot (Lev 23:42)

Examine the marks in fishes and locusts (so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Lev 11:9,21)

Have a place outside the camp for sanitary purposes and to keep that place sanitary (Deut 23:13, 14-15)

Keep fire always burning on the altar of the burnt-offering (Lev 6:6)

Keep the Canaanite slave forever (Lev 25:46)

Let the land lie fallow in the Sabbatical year (Ex 23:11; Lev 25:2)

Make a parapet for your roof (Deut 22:8)

Marry the widow of a brother who has died childless (Deut 25:5) (this is only in effect insofar as it requires the procedure of release: The widow formally release the brother-in-law (if he refuses to marry her) (Deut 25:7-9)

Pay wages to the hired man at the due time (Deut 24:15)

Put tzitzit on the corners of clothing (Num 15:38)

Read the Shema in the morning and at night (Deut 6:7)

Rejoice on the festivals (Deut 16:14)

Release debts in the seventh year (Deut 15:2)

Rest on Shabbat (Ex 23:12; 34:21)

Restore that which one took by robbery (Lev 5:23)

Set the mother-bird free when taking the nest (Deut 22:6-7)

Slay the inhabitants of a city that has become idolatrous and burn that city (Deut 13:16-17)

❖ Slay idolators, burn their cities, and keep the Canaanite slave forever, says the Law that Jesus finds fit to go for in Matthew 5:17. You find more tolerant things to do than to say you adhere to it, like SRF, while worshipping Divine Mother etc.

Rhetoric Aside

If you study the common practices and directives of SRF, you will find the church does not normally demand any parapet on the roof of members . . . At least I do not know of any such case. And what they do to the corners of clothings, beards, and Canaanite slaves, birds know. Maybe they do not have to deal with such issues, depending on how free they have become.

But it could work well to ask an SRF minister whether he salts any offerings to Divine Mother, for example. Try to ferret out the right answer to each and any of the 613 commandments, since they do form part of that "original Christianity of Jesus Christ", on his own word in Matthew 5:17. I think for my part and am happy to tell that SRF has nothing to do with many of them. They just fake that they stand for slaying the inhabitants of a city that has become idolatrous and burning such towns. There are many wildfires in California today anyway, and more to come, possibly.

Also, in addition to the typical Jewish deals, founded on the Law, Jesus demands self-maiming, self-impoverishments, and strong miracles of his true followers, such as casting mountains into the sea - which no one appears to do. In part because the Christianity of Jesus - that of miracle-working emissaries - failed and gave way. Most disciples left him, it says. (Acts 15, etc).

Is there a way out? Not only one, but two and three. They may work best together.

1. There is ample reason to drop notorious hypocricy, but politely, to your own advantage. It is good for health and personal development, if done with tact. There can be much salvation in that recognition alone.

2. Go for rational handling and good consistency. There is next to nothing original in the teachings of Jesus; a lot can be found in the Old Testament and many other old texts. What was "original" was claiming to stand by the Law while twisting and breaking it. Suspect there is not much of value in original Christianity like that. I would say you can eat prawns and shrimps again. Traditional Christianity (common Christianity) holds the keys to unlock the trap:

3. It is part of the teachings of Jesus that you can do better than him in a positive spirit [John 14:12], so jump ahead. The apostles and the Ghost did that in Acts 15, it appears. Also, Peter was told in a vision in Joppa [in Acts] that he could eat reptiles - If you have faith that you can replace or ignore the commands and teachings of Jesus and God of the Old Testament, nothing of the sort is forbidden to you. Then you do not have to keep the Canaanite slave forever and things like that either. "If you have faith . . . Nothing will be impossible for you. [Matthew 17:21]." "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer [Matthew 21:22]." Judaism and Christianity is based on vicarious sacrifices. Believe that vicarious sacrifice is ugly, and adhere to better moral standards, to your benefit.

The way I took: Good Christians may go for TM and key points of fair self-help Buddhism (above) and help themselves and not need to fall victims to plots through "Jesus" and other so-called Christs.

❖ The keys: sustained self-help by handy Buddhist teachings and TM.

Literature  

Dr: Yogananda, Paramahansa. The Divine Romance. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 2002.

Thd: Zukav, Gary. The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics. London: Rider, 1979.



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