Yesterday I attended a meeting and discussion group with representatives of the Eckankar religion. The facilitators of this meeting were pleasant and friendly people who shared their message casually and courteously. Half way through the meeting however two new individuals joined our small group of seven, one of which seemed to have arrived for the purpose of philosophical debate intended to discredit the Eckankar religion. This individual is well entitled to his opinions, however his persistent verbosity ended the process of group discussion and interrupted the explanations of Eckankar dogma as he demanded that the unexplainable be explained. The session quickly regressed into semantic rhetoric, though the facilitator was polite and patient. Perhaps this made the disrupter feel intelligent, but it is no huge intellectual feat to point out that religion is often silly, or to reveal that it does not follow the limited linear logic of the scientific process. This much is obvious thank you. This person showed himself to be the one demanding that others see the world as he, instead of the religious representative he tried so clumsily to debunk. People drove miles to discuss, while this one strolled in late looking stoned and disheveled to argue... What a jerk.


Blessings,


C.W. Arvidson  

Yesterday I attended alone a "Study Group" at a certain Tucson place of worship that will remain unnamed, as I do not care to disrespect though association the entire institution. In this room of eight people I experienced a wonderful display of brash condescension, and surely unenlightened oral broadcast. The person leading the study group mumbled quickly and inarticulately through the very Holy Book which we had assembled to study, skipping entire phrases as they went, finally slowing to a natural pace at the end of each verse to give their own watered down, yet arrogant interpretation of the teaching through vulgar analogies best suited for someone with an eight year old's understanding of the world. Though not a Christian representative, this person exhibited the same hostile, vainglorious demeanor of a cliche-hellfire and brimstone televangelist, all while assuring us of their knowledge on the way to happiness. When a question was finally asked after the evening's section of the book was "read" to us, this person quickly spoke over the visitor before they could complete their question, seemingly to address their inquiry, but in no way making a relative statement. I went to learn what the beliefs of this group were, but instead I met someone who presumed to tell me what I should believe. It is people like that who make people like me not want to go to churches. (On a side note, I was a bit entertained to hear one of the other attendees state, and I paraphrase "Knowledge has to be handed to you, you can't just sit at home, and come up with answers in your head!" Well, maybe that person had never succeeded in it, but I've heard of this mystical, Herculean feat being accomplished by others. They call it thinking.)  A bit unfortunate, yet comical in retrospect, the experience was disappointing, uninformative, and generally unpleasant, but it was not a waste, for it gives me the opportunity to tell you dear readers that unequivocally: JANUTICA IS NOT THAT!!! 

Blessings,


C.W. Arvidson

Yesterday myself and a friend visited The ISKCON temple in Tucson Arizona and attended their Sunday service. It was a beautiful time with a group of lovely people. As Seekers of wisdom, we work to understand our fellow spiritual beings, this means the study and participation in experiences available to us. Contact us if you are interested in joining us on one of our outings!

As is to be expected in any enterprise worth perusing, many obstacles arise. Many authoritative bodies will want to stick their fingers into the business at hand in an attempt to benefit themselves, hinder progress, or because some larger, more powerful entity forces them to do such in order to remain in action themselves. Recently, The Janutica Foundation has been forced to censor and adjust the presentation of its website to be able to participate in the activity of online financial transactions. Money is all powerful in these types of matters, and we having none are at the mercy of the system we are attempting to operate in. When the day comes that our foundation can afford to hire lawyers to protect us from the law, our voice shall be heard much clearer. Until that day, we do what we must to exist within the laws made by those with money, to rule over those without money.