User:Andries/quotes

Favorite Quotes

 * Outsiders often criticize the extreme commitment of group members. But what is really happening is that leader and followers are conspiring to realize a vision that is falsified daily. For the cult is not paradise, and the leader is not God. Hence the follower is embattled; to squarely confront the many failings of the leader and the group is to call into question one's own great work. Only by daily recommitting himself can the follower continue to work toward his ultimate goal. Each follower works out a secret compromise, acknowledging some things while denying or distorting others. Clearly this is a high-risk strategy that may go awry.
 * Dr. Len Oakes, Australian psychologist, Prophetic charisma: The Psychology of Prophetic Charisma, chapter "Followers and Their Quest", page 137; Syracuse University Press (1997 first edition), ISBN 0-8156-2700-9


 * Like the tadpole's tail, the ego will fall away when one grows in wisdom. It must fall away; if it is cut, the poor tadpole will die. So, don't worry about the ego; develop wisdom, contemplate on the ephemeral nature of the objective world. Then the tail of the ego will no longer be evident.
 * Sathya Sai Baba


 * How could he be certain of anything, after what had happened to him? The Myth of the Totally Enlightened Guru article by John Horgan (I am myself a former follower of Sathya Sai Baba and one of the contact persons of the critical website http://www.exbaba.com)


 * There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation.  by Herbert Spencer Many people would agree with this quote but for psychological reasons, only pay lip service to it (including me sometimes).


 * To explain all nature is too difficult a task for any one man or even for any one age. 'Tis much better to do a little with certainty, and  leave the rest for others that come after you, than to explain all things. Isaac Newton
 * Quoted in Calculus Gems (1992) G Simmons


 * One sign of dependence on ideology over data is lack of notes.
 * Paraphrased from Mary McCormick Maaga's book Hearing the Voices of Jonestown (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1998)]


 * Whenever there is an absolute truth at stake, the manners become careless. This applies both to the owners as well as their opponents of that truth and to all people involved.
 * Dr. Paul Schnabel in his 1982 book Between stigma and charisma: new religious movements and mental health/Tussen stigma en charisma: nieuwe religieuze bewegingen en volksgezondheid ISBN 90-6001-746-3 (Deventer, Van Loghum Slaterus), page 343.