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trotsky

(49,533 posts)
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 08:54 AM Jun 2015

Deepak Chopra’s spirituality is even worse than religion (DAWIKSN TRIGGER ALERT!!!)

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/richard-dawkins-deepak-chopras-spirituality-is-even-worse-than-religion/

“That’s 56 million religiously unaffiliated adults of all ages,” Skeptic magazine publisher Michael Shermer noted. “That’s more than Protestants or Catholics. Are we winning?”

“Well, that’s very good news,” Dawkins replied, before lamenting that “nones” sounded far too much like “nuns.”

Shermer and Dawkins noted that many people described themselves as spiritual, but not religious.

“One of the problems is that the so-called ‘nones’ often give up religion for something even worse,” Dawkins remarked. “I mean, they take up Deepak Chopra or something like that.”


For the record, I think Dawkins is wrong about that. Repulsive and tedious as Chopra's pablum is, I have yet to see anyone base their hatred of LGBTQers or different races or women on it.
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Deepak Chopra’s spirituality is even worse than religion (DAWIKSN TRIGGER ALERT!!!) (Original Post) trotsky Jun 2015 OP
Chopra nil desperandum Jun 2015 #1
I certainly don't understand the appeal either. trotsky Jun 2015 #2
Now that is funny!! nil desperandum Jun 2015 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author Pacifist Patriot Jun 2015 #10
First thing I thought of when I saw this. SusanCalvin Jun 2015 #15
The "nones" Promethean Jun 2015 #3
Spot on nil desperandum Jun 2015 #5
Yup, that was how things played out for me too. trotsky Jun 2015 #8
He starts out ok. Warren Stupidity Jun 2015 #14
I have yet to see anyone base their hatred of LGBTQers or different races or women on it. AlbertCat Jun 2015 #6
Worth watching the video where DAWSKINNS!!1 interviews Chopra about "Quantum" mr blur Jun 2015 #7
Our buddy Deep. trotsky Jun 2015 #9
1 LOL Yorktown Jun 2015 #16
Positivity is the quanta of happiness. Act_of_Reparation Jun 2015 #11
DeeplyPacked REALLY hated this guy... onager Jun 2015 #12
I firmly believe edhopper Jun 2015 #13
That's because you're out of touch with your inner quantum Yorktown Jun 2015 #17
Maybe... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2015 #18
And you didn't get arrested for indecent exposure? Yorktown Jun 2015 #19
Well, I didn't do it in public awoke_in_2003 Jun 2015 #20
God gave you guidance Yorktown Jun 2015 #21

nil desperandum

(654 posts)
1. Chopra
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 09:28 AM
Jun 2015
DISCOVER THE POWER OF QUIET. Silence is when you connect with your core consciousness and your deepest self. That silence is the source of creativity, love, compassion, joy and peace. Who you are is not your assumed identity but consciousness that it is at all times a sea of infinite possibilities. Consciousness transcends time and, because it is not in time, cannot be destroyed. That's your true self. You cannot get in touch with your soul unless you get past the noise that your mind produces. Once you have overcome that noise, you're in touch with your source. Your source is also the source of the universe. Some people would call the source God or the infinite consciousness or the unlimited spirit. It doesn't matter which name you use. That connection can only come through in silence.


When I read these types of instruction sets or comments where people use phrasing of this nature, I have no idea what the heck they are talking about...I must be too noisy for my own good apparently.

So much of this "search for inner meaning" language seems a waste, but there appear to be a great many people searching because these "advisers" seem to have no shortage of business.

I sometimes feel quite different from others in that there is no desire to pursue any of this for me. I enjoy my life and my family and my work immensely. I spend a lot of volunteer time running a huge athletic program for about 6,000 kids and I don't feel I need to find my inner child or inner self or any of whatever that means. I have no idea why I have no desire to find any of that, but I also don't feel I'm missing anything....

I don't know that this fellow is worse than no religion, but it's clear I have zero understanding and zero desire to understand any of what he's selling.

nil desperandum

(654 posts)
4. Now that is funny!!
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 10:27 AM
Jun 2015

That's an awesome link..."strings of profound sounding words strung together randomly"...indeed that's my takeaway when I struggle through those essays.

Response to trotsky (Reply #2)

Promethean

(468 posts)
3. The "nones"
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 09:59 AM
Jun 2015

Lotta atheists tell the same story just with different small details. Wanted to learn more about own religion. Researched religion. Learned religion was a giant pile of crap. Explored other religions. Gradually came to realize didn't need the supernatural crap.

I can easily see a lot of people never taking that final step. They don't identify with a religion because of the bad taste but are still attached to the woo. Enter the shysters like Derpak Chopra.

nil desperandum

(654 posts)
5. Spot on
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 10:31 AM
Jun 2015

that's what happened to me at an early age. Eventually I rattled the local RCC variant to the point at age 16 where they called my folks and told them I was no longer welcome to come to the catechism classes for high schoolers...I went to the methodists for a bit and then figured out exactly what you said.

I joined the army in the 70s and went with "no pref" on my dog tags because I don't know that I thought about atheist much as a label...more of a no preference for any religion rather than actively stating I'm against religion or belief...it was interesting to learn some of the comments that were made to me for those two simple words no pref....made me dislike some christians even more than I already had.

Shysters is probably the right price point for Chopra et al...

trotsky

(49,533 posts)
8. Yup, that was how things played out for me too.
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 12:23 PM
Jun 2015

Minus the part about getting stuck in the quagmire that is Deepak.

 

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)
6. I have yet to see anyone base their hatred of LGBTQers or different races or women on it.
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 11:56 AM
Jun 2015

BUT...


Deepak does give them the tools to think irrationally and illogically so they may come to those kinds of decisions more easily. It's maybe more dangerous because it SEEMS benign.

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)
11. Positivity is the quanta of happiness.
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 01:23 PM
Jun 2015

Happiness is a state of sublime equilibrium with the myriad vicissitudes of the infinite.

Fuck, man. I could do this shit all day long. Where's my fucking million dollar book deal?

onager

(9,356 posts)
12. DeeplyPacked REALLY hated this guy...
Thu Jun 4, 2015, 03:23 PM
Jun 2015

The (unfortuanately) late Victor Stenger. A working quantum physicist who also taught philosophy at the university level.

Stenger was one of the first to write about Chopra's quantum con job, and he had exactly the combination of skills to expose Quantum Dumbfuckery for the nonsense it was.

Like Richard Feynmann and Carl Sagan, Stenger also had the rare ability to translate the weirdness of quantum physics into everyday language.

The link below is to Stenger's classic 1997 takedown of Chopra, "Quantum Quackery." I had the great pleasure to see Stenger deliver this as a lecture at the Skeptics Society. In front of a live audience Stenger was really great. For one thing, he could get away with a lot more humor and sarcasm, where he plays it straight in the article:

http://www.csicop.org/si/show/quantum_quackery/

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