ID has a little brother: TM
ID has a little brother: TM. And like his big brother, TM wants to be taught as science in public schools. The current spokesman for TM is David Lynch; with backing from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and a few more celebrities.
"Transcendental Meditation [wikipedia link] is a meditation technique introduced in 1958 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The technique is practiced for twenty minutes twice a day while sitting with one's eyes closed, involves repetition of a thought-sound called a mantra, and is stated to involve neither concentration nor contemplation."
In the 70s TM made a run at getting into the New Jersey public school curriculum; but the court ruled that TM is grounded in Hinduism. Now with backing from a few celebrities TM is making a run at the public school system again. Americans United asks "Has TM suddenly been secularized over the past 30 years?"
TM doesn't really associate with his big brother ID; what would the Religious Right think about that after all? He used to hang out with his political pal NLP (Natural Law Party); but in 2004 dumped NLP for the new kid PG (U.S. Peace Government).
TM (and his advocates) claim his "meditation can bring about world peace," "reduce crime," and "teach people to levitate." TM also steadfastly claims to be a "true science" even though his followers participate in the ceremony Puja (considered a religious ceremony by most), and typically chant the name of a Hindu god during meditation.
ID runs with a pack of bullies, while TM hangs with a more pacifist group; but they are still spawns of the same mother: Religious Dogma. And neither should not be allowed in our public schools.
Nod to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
"Transcendental Meditation [wikipedia link] is a meditation technique introduced in 1958 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The technique is practiced for twenty minutes twice a day while sitting with one's eyes closed, involves repetition of a thought-sound called a mantra, and is stated to involve neither concentration nor contemplation."
In the 70s TM made a run at getting into the New Jersey public school curriculum; but the court ruled that TM is grounded in Hinduism. Now with backing from a few celebrities TM is making a run at the public school system again. Americans United asks "Has TM suddenly been secularized over the past 30 years?"
TM doesn't really associate with his big brother ID; what would the Religious Right think about that after all? He used to hang out with his political pal NLP (Natural Law Party); but in 2004 dumped NLP for the new kid PG (U.S. Peace Government).
TM (and his advocates) claim his "meditation can bring about world peace," "reduce crime," and "teach people to levitate." TM also steadfastly claims to be a "true science" even though his followers participate in the ceremony Puja (considered a religious ceremony by most), and typically chant the name of a Hindu god during meditation.
ID runs with a pack of bullies, while TM hangs with a more pacifist group; but they are still spawns of the same mother: Religious Dogma. And neither should not be allowed in our public schools.
Nod to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Tags: ID, Separation-of-Church-and-State, TM, Transcendental-Meditation, public-school, religion-in-school, socas
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Shawna on -
How is meditation and relaxation a *bad* thing? Seems to me that kids today need to be taught to relax and destress.
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Permalink Reply by Johnny on -
Nothing is wrong with meditation, and I even pointed out as much. What's wrong is that TM is religious based. Allowing TM to be taught in schools as a science is just as wrong as allowing ID to be taught.
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Permalink Reply by Shawna on
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Except that TM is NOT religious. Philosophical, yes, but not religious.
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Permalink Reply by Johnny on
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Did you read everything I posted? Or the article over at AU.org? Or note the court ruling from the 70s?
Still... Say it is philosophical, then it should not be taught as science in public schools -- which is precisely what it's supporters are trying to push.
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Permalink Reply by Johnny on
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B.C. schools proposing yoga to help fight childhood obesity; parents complain that its religion.
The difference here (on the surface at least) is that they are not pitching it as a science class; and the school board says it is being used "as a stretching exercise, not as a spiritual practice."
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Permalink Reply by Dave G on -
The meditation part, maybe. I doubt he thinks that if 1000 people meditate on peace all war will end worldwide, as one TM guru claimed.
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Permalink Reply by Larry Wright on -
Not at all. Sam practices vipassana or insight meditation from the Buddhist tradition. He blogs on the subject directly and even takes a swipe at TM here.
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