Master Charles' Mumbai Mitzvah
FIle under:Gurubusting and The Siddhi of PR
Master Charles Cannon, recent Virgin Mary apparition scamster and former protegé of the preteen-diddling Baba Muktananada, just lost two devotees to the recent terror operation in Mumbai, India. And don't 'cha know he's been making the most of this opportunity to let the world know that these two devotees were members of the Synchronicity Foundation, on a Synchronicity Foundation-sponsored trip, doing Synchronicity Foundation business, as if any of this had any relevance at all to the fact of their deaths due to the action of the Mumbai extremists, outside of a cynical attempt to make this a public relations boon for the Synchronicity Foundation itself. Imagine if General Motors or Ford launched a public relations effort every time someone was killed in a crash in one of their vehicles. From a witness to a recent Synchronicity Foundation press conference:
The Synchronicity foundation [is] using the death of two members in Mumbai to hold press conferences all over the place pitching their spiritual leader Master Charles and their line of hi-tech meditation audio and other products. While the lady was going on about products and such, a reporter asked her how the community was feeling. She asked, "About what?" "About the death of your two members." "Oh that, we're devastated," she replied, looking thrilled at the PR opportunity. I'm surprised Synchronicity isn't having a 20% off Mumbai tragedy sale.We'd love to be able to show you some YouTubes coverage of this particular press conference, so if anyone happens knows where we can find it, please pass along the link to tips@guruphiliac.org.
Labels: Gurubusting, The Siddhi of PR
posted by guruphiliac @ 11:11 PM
55 Comments:
Even better, search on synchronicity foundation and master charles to get 606 articles that go as far as to mention him by name:
http://news.google.com/news?num=100&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-us&pwst=1&resnum=0&um=1&resnum=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=synchronicity+foundation+master+charles&scoring=d
Perhaps the press conference referred to is this link. There's also a fox interview with a Synchronicity rep here.
I'd guess that the Synchronicity people feel that they have a special link to God and Enlightenment and all, so when there's an opportunity to promote their path -- even when it comes due to publicity brought on by tragedy -- they're practically obligated to engage in self-promotion. It must be a hard road.
Stuart
(My own blog on Da's death is here.)
You all worship fear. I am sorry for your small UNenlightened minds.
Realization will REMAIN far away from you and ALL who wank over this NEGATIVE blog. Let go this shit and find yourreal nature.
Or Fuck off and die
Jodi, I don't know anything about Synchronicity, but I was curious if any group would be that callous. I located 28 minutes of this press conference posted by WSLC10 news from Lynchburg, VA, and I think your source has mislead you. Bobbie Garvey explained that the man who was killed, Alan Scherr, was their spokesperson, and she was their business manager. She did a good job sticking to the facts. I didn't hear the question mentioned by your source. Near the end of press conference a reported asked why they required a business manager and that when she mentioned they sell products, but it wasn't a pitch. Dear Jodi, by prematurely posting this before seeing the evidence it is you that has come across as callous. I hope you will treat this story as you did the 108 ft lingam.
http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/article/
synchronicity_news_conference_answers_questions_on_scherr_tragedy/22157/#fragment-1greck
they gotta do it those hairpieces aren't gonna pay for themselves
Jody,
I've gone from absolutely hating you to seeing some value in what you do, although a lot of the smug anti guru posters are very self congratulatory and seem to be jerking off while thinking about how much smarter they are then everyone else. anyhoo... One thing i could definitely fault you for is the way you publish any gossip that fits your agenda without at least getting some sort of verification. This is the web and people on the web can and do say all kinds of thing s wether they are true or not.
Jodi,I agree with the last poster. I watched the live CNN interview on Friday afternoon with Garvey and she did not use that air time as a means of promoting their "group". The press kept asking questions about, who, what, where, why, so she basically, in lay-person's terms, she described the trip, the travellers and most importantly, the father and daughter who lost their lives in that heinous terrorist attack! She mentioned that MC's teacher was "Baba Muktananda" and that they had just been to Ganeshpuri and other holy places to visit the sites of saints, no doubt Nityananda and others. Just because, by an extremely unfortunate and disasterous event, this Synchronicity group came under attack during this terrible time, does not mean that MC is taking advantage of the situation. Come on.......give those who perished the respect they deserve. Why don't we "out" the Muslim bastards who perpetrated this nightmare instead!
One thing i could definitely fault you for is the way you publish any gossip that fits your agenda without at least getting some sort of verification
Me too (read: I agree with you somewhat, that I need to be a bit more journalistic rather than just tabloidtastic.) However, it is clear that Synchronicity has gone out of its way to capitalize on these events. Think about it. Did they really need to mention their org? It's sort of like GM or Ford bragging they built the car that a family of four was just killed in.
an extremely unfortunate and disasterous event, this Synchronicity group came under attack
Hmmm. Sounds like some exceedingly bad synchronicity to me.
Read a statement from the University where "Professor Scherr" was supposedly in Arts facaulty and Uni. has no recollection of him being there.........Tragic about the child being killed.
These were real decent people that were killed. Everyone at Synchronicity is hurting and you publish this arrogance? You are sick with hatred. Get help.
Quote from Synchronicity website:
"Many people have asked us how they can make a donation to our community at this time of grief and need. Synchronicity Foundtaion is a non-profit organization and donations can be made using Paypal or you may call by Phone 757-644-3400"
Not too surprising...
These were real decent people that were killed.
Please pay attention! Nobody has said anything about the folks who got killed. I and others are criticizing the response, which is like GM or Ford giving a press conference after customers have been killed in one of their products. It's very bad style, imo, and easy to imagine as an attempt to make some lemonade out of the situation.
Not that you are looking to me for advice, but y'all should have just sent out a letter, and let the family of the deceased handle the press.
Everyone at Synchronicity is hurting and you publish this arrogance?
I'm sorry that anyone is hurting anywhere, but the way your org has handled this is up for critique, and it falls short in the eyes of some.
You are sick with hatred. Get help.
To demonize me brings you comfort, I know. God bless you.
Wow, I am totally shocked that you would make such a hurtful statement about the beliefs of 2 people who were just murdered in a horrible terrorist attack.
Regardless of your own negative bias against their spiritual beliefs, your statements are unwarranted, cruel, despicable--and dripping with hypocrisy. Are you not using these horrible murders for publicity for yourself and your site.
In my mind you just lost every shred of humanity by doing this.
You owe the family of the deceased and their religious organization an apology. but i am sure you are just so very important and pompous that none will be forthcoming
Shame on you!
Just think if you were the murdered one and it was reported in the media that you ran Guruphiliac, and someone in your organization gave a quote about you. Shameless promotion? I hardly think so.
I am equally shocked that anyone else would chime in and defend you.
I guess this is a blog for those without any heart.
Wow, I am totally shocked that you would make such a hurtful statement about the beliefs of 2 people who were just murdered in a horrible terrorist attack.
Where exactly do I make a hurtful statement regarding their beliefs? Because I called the apparition thing a scam? Are you suggesting that this represents a real phenomenon and a true appearance of the mother of Jesus? Wait, don't answer that.
Regardless of your own negative bias against their spiritual beliefs, your statements are unwarranted, cruel, despicable--and dripping with hypocrisy.
That's quite a picture you paint of me!
Are you not using these horrible murders for publicity for yourself and your site.
Actually, I'm not. But I am glad to offer a little contrast and contact with those who have had a different experience of Cannon.
In my mind you just lost every shred of humanity by doing this.
Ah, call me an animal! How accurate!
You owe the family of the deceased and their religious organization an apology.
I do not. It's very apparent that Synchronicity has capitalized on the death of these people. That has nothing to do with the deceased, or their beliefs. That's all on the leadership of the org.
but i am sure you are just so very important and pompous that none will be forthcoming
Mirror's up!
Shame on you!
See above.
Just think if you were the murdered one and it was reported in the media that you ran Guruphiliac, and someone in your organization gave a quote about you.
It was much more than a quote. It also became an appeal for donations. Talk about reasons to be ashamed.
Shameless promotion? I hardly think so.
From a regard away from the Kool Aid of the place, quite clearly so.
I am equally shocked that anyone else would chime in and defend you.
Maybe they have atrophied righteous indignation glands.
I guess this is a blog for those without any heart.
Which brings this round of demonization to a close.
If everyone in the proximity of someone who has tragically died must be shielded from any and all observation and critique, then there’s not going to be much oversight over anything or anyone.
I was intrigued to see this great spiritual teacher Master Charles on several television interviews, telling his whole harrowing tale without even sneaking in the slightest semblance of spiritual awareness or teaching. What does a spiritual person do while they’re in a room for 40+ hours not knowing if they are at the brink of death or not, with terror and people dying all around them? There was narry a hint given of anything beyond the ordinary non-spiritual awareness coming through in interviews with this great spiritual master when he finally had an opportunity to communicate something of substance to the media world.
You can always tell the really good cults by how angry and mean-spirited the response from their members are toward any criticism. Such devotion!
Master Charles Cannon(from Larry King interview transcript)
"And all the people that were with me were just having a wonderful time. They couldn't thank me enough. We were just riding this incredible wave of happiness and joy. And it was unfolding absolutely perfectly."
And, Master Charles from the Washington Post this morning; Cannon had the idea of taking Naomi to India, according to the Post:
"We wanted her to have the hbest of life that we could give her...We thought, 'What an incredible gift to give her at this very young age."
Excuse me while I throw up. How many minutes of fame can this bozo get out of this tragic event?
why, even SSRS is using this tragedy to it's fullest. Two of his devotees escaped unhurt from the 59 hour ordeal.They attributed this to Guruji's grace. They were holed up at the Taj. SSRS called them up on their release. He said they never had to fear as He would always be with them,protecting them. These bastartds dont have ANY conscience and will manuplate even in such times
Looks like the last two comments were written by MC followers who are playing false anonymous roles to make it look like people on this site are putting MC and SSRS down for things that are obviously not examples of the problems that the initial post points out.
how sad that those who run this site and so enthusiastically support Jody spend their time immersed in so much negativity and bitterness that they have to use these brutal murders and terrorist incidents as an opportunity for even more negativity. i am not a member of synchronicity and never heard about it until Mumbai, but it's obvious you hate all Indian organizations. Not sure maybe Christian too. Probably not Jewish since you haven't been jumping on the Jewish response to the attacks. Bottom line, people like you help create a religion of hate. Hmmm isnt that the same thing that drives the terrorists.
it's obvious you hate all Indian organizations
Oh boy, you sure need to catch a clue.
I criticize spiritual organizations that equate nondual spiritual understanding with superstitious notions about divinity. Cannon had his own pet Virgin Mary apparition to attract his marks with. Other Indian-based orgs believe their gurus have magic powers with which they protect and guide. Any other org that adheres to simple common sense about these things does not show up on my radar, your ignorance aside.
hmm so wine being the blood of Christ is not superstitious and is clear common sense?
What about all of the 'superstitions' (as you would call them) of Buddhism?
what about Islam?
What about the Bal Shem Tov?
seems you are treading dangerous and very hypocritical ground to criticize spiritual beliefs of one faith as not being based on common sense.
hmm so wine being the blood of Christ is not superstitious and is clear common sense?
No, it is superstitious nonsense as well.
What about all of the 'superstitions' (as you would call them) of Buddhism?
What about them?
what about Islam?
What about it?
What about the Bal Shem Tov?
Don't know anything about it.
seems you are treading dangerous and very hypocritical ground to criticize spiritual beliefs of one faith as not being based on common sense.
All superstition is crap, but I'm especially peeved at ideas of divinity as they are projected onto the concept of nondual spiritual realization.
Jody says "what about Islam?
What about it? "
I would say to Jody, that you say so because you know very well what will happen if you do decide to open your eyes and start posting about Islamic Teachers and organizations as you are doing about small spiritual organizations and teachers. It is Islam and Christianity which matter in the world and all these small organizations are mostly irrelevant. If you want to be someone in the world, I suggest you start studying Islam and post about spiritual leaders like Osama Bin Laden, Abu Hamza, Zawahiri, Masood Azhar, Hafiz Mohammed Saeeed etc.
If you want to be someone in the world
I'm everything I am already. My beef is with the ridiculous ideas about self-realization promulgated by gurus like Sri Sri, Ramdev, Cannon and the like. The Islam guys have their own set of crazy and erroneous assumptions, but since they aren't claiming to be God, I have no interest in commenting about them.
Sri Sri, Ramdev etc may be saying they are God but they also say to others that 'You Are Also God' & that 'Everything is God'. That is what Ramana Maharishi was also saying. That is what Advaita Vedanta's central teaching is. Sri Sri, Ramdev , Shirdi Sai Baba, Mehar Baba, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Moinuddin Chisti et al's devotees not only bow before them but they also go to temples ,sufi dargahs ,churches & mosques & pray to other forms of divinity as well. Maybe they don't do it like this in the West but that is more a 'Christian/Muslim hangover' this realization of variety in divinity is not allowed in those societies.Of course, if you do not subscribe to Advaita Vedanta then maybe you should try the Bhakti Marga but ridiculing other people's faith will not get you anywhere spiritually. You may get more page hits & some fame & money but you won't progress spiritually.You claim to follow Indian Spirituality & Adi Shankara, Vivekananda ,Ramana etc & claim to worship Kali but you don't show any signs of spiritual growth. Your words show that you hold people who do not subscribe to your views in contempt & you take a perverse pleasure in making personal insulting comments about them. Do you ever introspect or meditate about where actually is all this negativity taking you or whether this will lead you towards any spiritual growth ?
you won't progress spiritually.
Spiritual "progress" is the biggest lie (or at best, misunderstanding) to be perpetrated on the world population.
you don't show any signs of spiritual growth.
Or, your "signs" are at the very best, outmoded.
Do you ever introspect or meditate about where actually is all this negativity taking you
I'm not looking to go anywhere with it, except to inform people that what they've been told about self-realization is mostly empty of any actual truth.
or whether this will lead you towards any spiritual growth ?
I'm not looking to grow. That comes no-charge with the rest of this package we call life.
So Basically this evangelical angel Miss Jody is against ' Non-Dualism' I.e mainstream Hinduism. What a surprise! Going by number of her blogs and number of replies she writes that she doesn’t have a day job and is probably funded by missionary money.
Let me tell you one thing miss Jody. Islam and Christianity wiped every native religion of Arabia, Europe and Africa- the beautiful nature loving and tolerant Nordic and pagan faiths. However neither Islam nor Christianity could not wipe out ‘Dualism’ aka Hinduism at the peak of their onslaught.
Now Christianity is going, going, gone case and Islam will follow in a few hundred years. Dualism aka Hinduism was before these cults and will be there after these cults. Therefore I suggest you to find a reasonable job in a store and have some fun in life. Writing your poison on this blog thinking you will make even a small dent in the ever expanding truth of Hinduism and its spiritual leaders is your own ballon, come out of it.
this evangelical angel Miss Jody is against Non-Dualism
Actually, I am evangelizing nondual truth against superstition in Hinduism.
I.e mainstream Hinduism.
You mean: the superstitious claptrap that gets in the way of its noble, nondual Vedantic truth.
she doesn’t have a day job
I am a professional media designer, employed full-time at a non-profit company that has no affiliation with any religious org.
Islam and Christianity wiped every native religion of Arabia, Europe and Africa- the beautiful nature loving and tolerant Nordic and pagan faiths.
Berzerking vikings were loving and tolerant? Catch a clue.
However, this isn't to say that Islam and/or Christianity were any better. They aren't.
Writing your poison on this blog thinking you will make even a small dent in the ever expanding truth of Hinduism and its spiritual leaders is your own ballon, come out of it.
If just one person can see that superstitious notions about self-realization are nonsense, my work will be complete.
"I'm not looking to go anywhere with it, except to inform people that what they've been told about self-realization is mostly empty of any actual truth."
So what is the truth Jody ?
So what is the truth Jody ?
That self-realization doesn't make you any more divine than you already are right now.
"That self-realization doesn't make you any more divine than you already are right now."
I would recommend Jody to watch a Hindi movie named 'Aks'. The chief protagonist, a serial killer, uses the same logic in it to slaughter his victims.
"Actually, I am evangelizing nondual truth against superstition in Hinduism."
I have an old book (1920 edition) on Hinduism written by a British Protestant Missionary out in India to "harvest souls" for Jesus. You sound exactly the same like him. What you say superstition is the very foundation of Hinduism.
Berzerking vikings were loving and tolerant? Catch a clue.
Berzerking Vikings were what they were but Hindu Brahmins in Goa whose eyelids were peeled off so that they could not close them while witnessing their children and family members' most grotesque torture at the hands of the Portugese Inquisition were. In fact, they committed the mistake of allowing Vasco da Gama and his entourage not only to land in Goa but also to treat them kindly.
"What about the Bal Shem Tov?
Don't know anything about it."
Ignorant American frog-in-the-well.
"All superstition is crap, but I'm especially peeved at ideas of divinity as they are projected onto the concept of nondual spiritual realization."
Is non-dual spiritual realization a form of communist progressiveness that it negates God and Divinity ?
Is non-dual spiritual realization a form of communist progressiveness that it negates God and Divinity ?
I'm not negating God or Divinity. I'm negating the idea of special divinity.
ignorant... frog-in-the-well
Better than being a sheep in the headlights.
What you say superstition is the very foundation of Hinduism.
Along with every other religion.
a serial killer, uses the same logic in it to slaughter his victims.
It sounds like that work of fiction was produced by gurus looking to save their business.
This is merely a physical manifestation of the aftermath of energy imbalances created in every community whenever this being who chooses to call himself a "master" magnetises and numbs the rational minds of the deluded into the illusion of spirituality through the application of harmful brain frequency modulation practices that are contained in the technology he artfully uses to manipulate everyone below the level of their conscious awareness. I think he watched too many episodes of Maxwell Smart with many re - runs of the groovy guru in his youth. His organisation is the result of his own narcissistic subconscious processes that were brought into play by such youthful fixation on American television of the times. The victims of this technology can't think straight and therefore make these kinds of mistakes which in this case has tragically cost some their lives. Maybe this will wake everyone up to the fact that true peace can only be found within, that one's spirituality is a personal matter best sought in solitary away from the dualist fragmentation of the world and the deception of megalomaniacs who pose as self proclaimed gurus.
Anonymush, that there was damn sure a mouthfull! As I read yore words aloud while eatin a gob full of grits, I realized I had to remain silent to swallow! In that silence yore words reesounded like kettle drums of common sense! I'd applaud you right now cept I caint eat, read, write and clap at the same time! I am mightily impressed!
In true humility it is Kali who speaks through whom she sees fit... half the time I can't believe it myself... congratulate Her genius for the inspiration in that moment!
Anonymush, any Jim Bob who could misunderstand my ass so well deserves the compliment not intended! I am hoisted upon my own pittard! By the way, what the hell is a pittard?! This is Chuck wishin you a happy new year, Anonymush, and along with you to my good buddy Jody, semblance and others now departed...
What the...??? My head is, has been and never will be anywhere near your ass!!! May Kali herself have mercy on you if in the remotest, strangest, most twisted and deviant turn of fate it ever was!!! However back to the important question of Now: maybe "pittard" is the end result of the grits being spit out so you could dignify this thread with a response gob free of itty bitty grits? All joshin' aside have yourself a Happy NY too Chuck
: )
One of my Synchronicity friends was seriously injured in this attack.
I don't belong to Synchronicity, but the members I've met are level-headed and really nice. What happened to them is terrible.
Hi Anonymous--I also know someone in Synchronicity and i think that it's very sad that Jodi chose to capitalize on this terrible terrorist attack by attacking an organization whose members are peace-loving, and doers of good.
it's kind of like attacking the NYFD after 9/11
pretty low
it's kind of like attacking the NYFD after 9/11
Actually, no. It's nothing like that, the reason being that the Syncronculties just looked after themselves, more or less. Then they tried to sell themselves as saints to the press.
It's more like I attacked some victims of 9/11 because they went on the talk show circuit bragging about how they made it out of there alive in order to sell us their "how to make it out alive" DVDs.
Anyone who has been as close to Charles Cannon as I have would have figured out the truth about him and the organization by now. Those who are close choose to stay despite the truth, I however, did not. If you want to know what motivates him it is for the most part very unhealthy for everyone.
I have often felt he would be best off on a remote island away from people as he only ever manipulates people because he does not respect them as being individuals, only manifestations of his consciousness and therefore he can do as he pleases.
He once stated that murder is okay as long as it is conscious. If it is conscious there will be no karmic result. Eg negativity for the murderer.
You have got no idea what you are dealing with. I do.
Please just do your research before you ever defend him.
yeah the last postee is right, I heard him say categorically that "murder is meditation" and that he was going to kill us in the meditation intensive: the exact words were: "I am going to kill you" He put it out there in 1995 I guess it took awhile however it came straight back to him. This guy is a dangerous sicko and best to stay well away from. He just cares about himself, no morals, nothing, he doesn't think twice about stuffing up the lives of the people he sucks in when he can't get what he thought he was going to get out of them. The only way to deal with this guy is to stand up to him. And then to save his sorry arse from the threat of public humiliation he will just back off the continual energy attacks via low level tantra. What a f****n loser.
I used to be a loyal disciple and was there at the ashram in Virginia when Master Charles Cannon got back from Mumbai. Master Charles told us that Alan and Naomi were martyrs for the cause of oneness and that they both died so that Synchronicity Foundation could finally have the following it deserved. Master Charles then said that he was going to make the most of this PR opportunity. He instructed poor Kia to do the same. Kia was in tears. I was so disgusted with what he was saying that I left the place after seeing the crap he was forcing Kia to say on Larry King Live.
I was in Mumbai with Master Charles and was a hostage at the Oberoi for 46 hours. I knew Naomi and Alan well. We all were moved to The Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai after we got out of Oberoi and Master Charles met with us all - who had survived and was very concerned that we use this as a positive opportunity to show off how forgiving we all were regarding the terrorist attacks. We definitely wanted to capitalize on it and made it quite clear to us all that we needed to be careful when we spoke to the press and how we presented ourselves. He also didn't have the balls to ring Kia himself and talk to her. He got others to do it. Personally I think Naomi and Alan were the most evolved of the whole group and weren't martyrs but lucky.
Interesting thread. It's ironic how religion - accurately named as a prime instigator of violence and death on the planet, particularly for its black and white simplistic viewpoints, is often attacked with similarly simplistic viewpoints.
I know Master Charles Cannon and Kia well. Most of what was written about them is simply untrue.
In real life, nothing is 100% black and white. No one is all saint and no sinner or all sinner and no saint. I'm sure shadow elements were and are present in leader and followers... they're human. But what is the proportion?
What is the proportion for those posting? Like me? I'm personally humbled to work on my own consistency.
I was involved in Synchronicity for over 10+ years. I was there when Brother Charles announced to everyone he was changing his name to Master Charles. This started when someone innocently commented to him that they thought of him as a master and not a brother and next thing you know, he's announcing his name change. His story was that his disciples demanded the change, but we did not! Actually, many of us thought it was ridiculous and hated the idea! His name change shows how deluded he is.
All anyone needs to know to truly understand him is that he is a narcissist! If you don't agree with him, then you are made wrong. It is true he sexually coerces his male followers into sex acts. He doesn't care about their sexual orientation. He is answerable to no one because his above everyone. He believes his own BS. He wanted to be mukti's successor and when he wasn't - he created his own story of his own enlightened state. He lies all the time and the story changes with time. Even with the Mumbai tragedy, he's not really famous or that well known - and that is a good thing!
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