Right is Righteous

[Peter]

My discussions with CommieJesus this week have prompted me to look deeper into the apparent prejudice against all things "Left" which seems to disappear way back into this mists of time. It seems that almost all cultures have some sort of negative spin on the Sinister (Latin) and Gauche (French) side. It's almost like our very language prevents us from considering the Left as being equal in worth to the Right.

This article I found the most interesting has an occult flavour and links the Left to the Moon and the Feminine principle: www.dpjs.co.uk/moon.html

Examples of prejudice against Left Handedness in various cultures is listed here:
www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/holygrail/176/history.htm

And this one from Wikipedia talks about "Left" in various languages:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-handedness#Negative_associations_of_left-handedness_in_language


In English the sinister roots of the word "Left" aren't so obvious, but the political spin put on the "correctness" of Right are unmistakable.

Main Entry: Right
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English riht; akin to Old High German reht right, Latin rectus straight, right, regere to lead straight, direct, rule, rogare to ask, Greek - to stretch out
Date: before 12th century
1: righteous , upright
2: being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper <right conduct>
3: conforming to facts or truth : correct <the right answer>
4: suitable , appropriate <the right man for the job>
5: straight <a right line>
6: genuine , real
7 a: of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body which is away from the side on which the heart is mostly located b: located nearer to the right hand than to the left c: located to the right of an observer facing the object specified or directed as the right arm would point when raised out to the side d (1): located on the right of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified <stage right> (2): located on the right when facing downstream <the right bank of a river> e: done with the right hand <a right hook to the jaw>
8: having the axis perpendicular to the base <right cone>
9: of, relating to, or constituting the principal or more prominent side of an object <made sure the socks were right side out>
10: acting or judging in accordance with truth or fact <time proved her right>
11 a: being in good physical or mental health or order <not in his right mind> b: being in a correct or proper state <put things right>
12: most favorable or desired : preferable ; also : socially acceptable <knew all the right people>
13often capitalized : of, adhering to, or constituted by the Right especially in politics

Taken from www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right

[commiejesus]

Peter,

There are many people like you who staunch defendants of what we call "left-hand", by constantly referring the non-dualistic nature of our origin. Every spiritual board have that and this particular trait of spiritual forums is what makes me want to spend less and less time posting (or reading) on forums. It is simply not efficient use of my time. I understand where the defenders of
"Oneness", if I can use this term, are coming from but I also suspect that they are practitioners and/or students of some "left hand school", or philosophy. There is nothing wrong with that, but saying that there is no difference and "all being equal" is also not right. Our world is polarized, physically and spiritually. This is Nature! Denying that is quite futile and me pointing it out, time after time is also exasperating.

The result is always two fold. I get into arguments, and I get blamed as "judgmental", whereby I wish to avoid both.

Cheers
Andras

[Peter]

Andras, no one is going to disagree with you that the world we experience is "polarized, physically and spiritually". Well, at least I'm not - LightMystic might

However, I honestly started this thread quite separately from our discussion about the "Left Hand School" - which I'm currently trying to give a considered reply to. This thread I intended to look at the embedded language implications of having so much negative spin on Left - look at the way left handed people have been persecuted (eg arms tied behind their backs during schooling), or what implications there might be for psychology eg people having a built in preference for choosing "right" when offered a choice.

I can imagine that you will find continually trying to change the opinions of others to be exasperating. Is writing about what is or is not an "efficient use of your time" an efficient use of your time? Why don't you just write what you feel like writing, rather than objecting to what you see as the futile actions and wrong views of others? That would be an obvious way to avoid arguments.

P

[commiejesus]

Peter,
"negative spin" is people's right to be discerning about the philosophy and teaching they get into. It is also the thirst for understanding that while some teaching will yield some kind of an"enlightenment" some might lead to peril. My former-teacher (who by the way was involved with this for 40+ years) counseled a number of disciples of the defunkt school of "TM" movement. (TM=Transcendental Meditation). Psychological and physical injuries await those who dabble into certain schools/forces out of sheer ignorance or idle curiosity. It could be summarized like this;
if the group of people not altruistic and selfless in their pursuit of knowledge, while, you might be, influences will be unbearably strong to fight off. This is why teaching/groups should be looked with a discerning eye as much as people whom we choose as friends.
"you sleep with wild dogs you might be awaken infested with flees"

Dec 9, 2008 9:12:34 GMT -5 Peter said:

Andras, no one is going to disagree with you that the world we experience is "polarized, physically and spiritually". Well, at least I'm not - LightMystic might

However, I honestly started this thread quite separately from our discussion about the "Left Hand School" - which I'm currently trying to give a considered reply to. This thread I intended to look at the embedded language implications of having so much negative spin on Left - look at the way left handed people have been persecuted (eg arms tied behind their backs during schooling), or what implications there might be for psychology eg people having a built in preference for choosing "right" when offered a choice.

I can imagine that you will find continually trying to change the opinions of others to be exasperating. Is writing about what is or is not an "efficient use of your time" an efficient use of your time? Why don't you just write what you feel like writing, rather than objecting to what you see as the futile actions and wrong views of others? That would be an obvious way to avoid arguments.

P

[Peter]

Thanks for that Andras, I wholeheartedly agree with the need for discernment when examining a teaching. And since the Devil is quite happy to tell 99 truths to hide 1 lie, one might even say that some nitpicking is required to spot the Devil in the details.

I was surprised to hear you say that TM is defunct. Their website lists various recent (ie in the last couple of years) write-ups that they've been getting in the press tm.org/inthenews/index.html and wikipedia seems to think they're still going.

Cheers,
Peter

[fear]

Dec 9, 2008 6:45:56 GMT -5 commiejesus said:

Peter,

makes me want to spend less and less time posting (or reading) on forums. It is simply not efficient use of my time.

The result is always two fold. I get into arguments, and I get blamed as "judgmental", whereby I wish to avoid both.

Commiejesus, don't leave this forum. I understand your frustration and I have been guilty of calling you judgemental about the 'guru murder' thing in the past but it's only because I believe that you are pretty advanced and can take a little brutal honesty as I can. In a way it's good that you are frustrated because it shows you that something about this bothers you, stirs you up. At least it's not boring, when and if it does get boring that would be a good time to leave but not when it still offers some growth.

[commiejesus]

TM had a split a while back, as the result many of the followers got suicidal (?), my ex-teacher lived in LA and he was on the board of trustees for the philosophical research society. He tried to counsel them. Defunct might have been a strong word, while the guru was alive he kept them together, after he passed on, the "light went out", so to speak.

Fear,

I have no intention of leaving just I got some pressing projects to do. Thanks for saying that, it made me feel better.

Dec 9, 2008 14:26:57 GMT -5 Peter said:

Thanks for that Andras, I wholeheartedly agree with the need for discernment when examining a teaching. And since the Devil is quite happy to tell 99 truths to hide 1 lie, one might even say that some nitpicking is required to spot the Devil in the details.

I was surprised to hear you say that TM is defunct. Their website lists various recent (ie in the last couple of years) write-ups that they've been getting in the press tm.org/inthenews/index.html and wikipedia seems to think they're still going.

Cheers,
Peter