... and so, the witch hunt

tzb wrote: I don't understand why it's an issue that teaching done under the banner of the Temple has to be approved by the Temple, as led by the Council.

At first I read that as "why does the temple, and council, have to ok all the teachings?" ok, I surmised that, lol...

Then I read that as "Streen, I don't understand why it's an issue that teaching done under the banner of the Temple has to be approved by the Temple, as led by the Council."..

Words are fun...lol...

Alan summed it up, but in my backwoods way, I will say, that we simply dont know the person who was going to perpetuate the lessons/teaching...

The reason for the IP and subsequent apprenticeship, is not to teach anyone how to think, but rather to see what they think...

Obviously, even if Mortse desired to teach here, currently, the thoughts of using people would not be a trait we look for in our teachers....

And, to Mortose's credit, he has presented much conversation, acted like a (mostly) upstanding guest (sorry if the compliments offend you Mortose, lol), and had a few good points, when you remove all the 'doom and gloom' crap that he is saying, lol...

If, uh, Alan Watts himself joined, or Joe Campbell, I would apply the same rules to them, unless the KNIGHTS said otherwise....

While currently it might seem as if council calls all the shots, we are also knights, and do discuss out of public sight, things in the temple.... The knights, with their opinions combined, do run this temple, and we council members are merely here to actually do the work, and show up every day to make sure the rules are adhered to...

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Funnily enough, your comment of:

Streen wrote: It's becoming increasingly apparent to me that this place is not so much representative of a religion as it is a cult.

If you worked the IP, you would see we address this word 'cult' and are really not insulted by it...

Perhaps you should look it up, or, find a different word to use... Or try and adjetive in front..

Like, "brainwashing cult" or "mindless zombies"....

The only ones that word scares are the uninformed...

Regardless of our differences Streen, you also offer many good points and conversations, I do hope you will stay...

If not, well, I hope you will continue to stop by from time to time... But that you take the time to understand as well as criticize...

The program set in place, is it perfect? Of course not, but it does ensure those fit and deserving to teach may do so. Not every Knight and Master teach the same prescribed study. There is some diversity offered here. My former Master for instance, RyuJin. Much of his training centered around a more darker philosophy that included The Art of War, Book of the Five Rings, and material from the Grand Book of Sith. It's allowed because first of all he has earned the right to teach, second, as "dark" as his training program may feel, it is balanced and grounded. I look foward to the day I make Knight, and am allowed to add more diversity to what is already offered here, with the Council's approval of course...

You know what I think?

I think the temple is just fine the way it is. And when changes are made, it will still be just fine the way it is.