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        > More firings at SRF – May 2002		 New Topic

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crogman1
Registered User
(5/11/02 6:30 am)
 More firings at SRF – May 2002
There have now been more firings at SRF of wonderful members. The latest is of a woman in mid-May who worked in Priya’s office. After the March Madness of 2001, where they fired several at once on Sri. Yukteswar’s birthday, SRF got together and compiled a “lessons learned” on how they should have dealt with the situation. By this I mean how they should have dealt with whistle blowers and people of conscience in a way that would sell well with the public membership.

They felt the best thing to do was to call the firings layoffs. What a great idea. Layoffs are OK right? However for a layoff SRF would really have to give some kind of severance pay. During the March Madness they were criticized for leaving the people out on the street with no medical benefits, no Cal State unemployment insurance so no unemployment benefits, and no severance pay. Whining devotees thought SRF owed these members something for their years of service! Members didn’t realize that SRF management was just protecting Master’s work from these people. (sarcasm intended)

In addition spread these firings out. Fire a few here and a few there. That way it is easier to bury the news. The management planning sessions to work out these firing details must have been inspiring! I wonder if they started with a prayer and asked for Master’s guidance first?

The end result was a plan to round up all the people who complain or point out problems and slowly lay them off. SRF decided to give them each two weeks pay to squash the notion that they are heartless and don’t care about the members. They ignore that in this economy two weeks pay when no unemployment check is possible leads to starvation. If you are heartless and really don’t care about people it is just hard to fake otherwise isn’t it!

What has therefore happened is that over the last year they have slowly picked off a member here and a member there, making sure to call it a layoff. Funny that they have not laid off any of the non-members and they CONTINUE to hire. SRF management must really think we are stupid. I suspect it is more arrogance on their part than anything, expecting us to believe their stories because they said so.

How they expect to reconcile the “fact” that the work is continuously growing and “millions will come” and all that with these layoffs is something they never worked out. They fell back on their method of just ignoring it. Actually they aren’t really growing and more people attend a Star Trek convention than SRF Convocation, but that is another story. It is still a fact that they are hiring and at the same time laying off people they consider enemies!

Edited by: crogman1 at: 5/12/02 6:58:15 am
aVulcanThinker
Registered User
(5/11/02 9:50 am)
 Re: More firings at SRF – May 2002
To be blunt: I lay blame at the feet of those members working there who don't speak up. They are betraying their friends, and their guru. They are "house niggers."

This is a view of SRF I have developed. It is identical to all other power- and abuse-based cultures. Slavery in the Old South is a prime example. The SRF monastics in general, and the leadership in particular, treats members as "niggers." (I intentionally use the emotion-laden word.) The parallel is exact. Those who are willing to give up all dignity and integrity and moral courage are allowed in the house as house niggers. Out in the fields, they abuse the field niggers as much, or more, than the white slave drivers. On the surface, the culture is refined and genteel. But its foundation is brutality and the need to maintain superiority over others. To do this those others are demonized and dehumanized.

AumBoy
Registered User
(5/11/02 10:19 am)

ezSupporter
 Re: More firings at SRF – May 2002
Amazing post, Vulcan. Amazing. Like you, I see things SRF does as being similar to what happens in the rest of society. No more, no less. You wrote: Those who are willing to give up all dignity and integrity and moral courage are allowed in the house as house niggers. Benjamin Franklin said:
Quote:
"Those who would give up essential liberties for a measure of security, deserve neither liberty nor security."


The following is a quote from L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology:
Quote:
The only way you can control people is to lie to them. You can write that down in your book in great big letters. The only way you can control anybody is to lie to them. When you find an individual is lying to you, you know that the individual is trying to control you. One way or another this individual is trying to control you. That is the mechanism of control. This individual is lying to you because he is trying to control you - because if they give you enough misinformation they will pull you down the tone scale so that they can control you. Conversely, if you see an impulse on the part of a human being to control you, you know very well that that human being is lying to you. Not "is going to", but "is" lying to you.

Check these facts, you will find they are always true. That person who is trying to control you is lying to you. He's got to tell you lies in order to continue control, because the second you start telling anybody close to the truth, you start releasing him and he gets tougher and tougher to control. So, you cant control somebody without telling them a bunch of lies. You will find that very often Command has this as its greatest weakness. It will try to control instead of leading. The next thing you know, it is lying to the [illegible]. Lie, lie, lie, and it gets worse and worse, and all of a sudden the thing blows up. Well, religion has done this. Organized religion tries to control, so therefore must be lying. After a while it figures out (even itself) that it is lying, and then it starts down tone scale further and further, and all of a sudden people get down along this spring-like bottom (heresy) and say, "Are we going into apathy and die, or are we going to revolt?" and they revolt, because you can only lie to people so long. Unfortunately there is always a new cycle of lying.

KS
Registered User
(5/12/02 12:19 am)
 Re: More firings at SRF – May 2002
I do believe some employees have spoken up. The computer department firings were completely caused by speaking up. The monks were forced out of the computer department for speaking up against Accounting Department's behavior. The computer department employees fired were for this and other issues they spoke up against, including abuses of power in legal and the employement department.

This latest women fired was also someone I understand used to speak up against serious problems. They are picking off those people.

Elsewhere on this board are stories about a few that did speak up and the typical SRF management reaction. FEAR. Most of the rest of the employees have seen this reaction and completely understand that their own jobs are on the line.

Edited by: KS at: 5/12/02 12:21:25 am
crogman1
Registered User
(5/12/02 6:54 am)
 Re: More firings at SRF – May 2002
I wonder if the monastics and employees still feel they are working for the religion for the new age? Do they still feel they are serving Master? Or are they so buried into things, so fearful of their jobs, that they can't even afford to think about it.

Thinking about it means they have possibly wasted a lot of time and effort. Thinking about it means they might have made a mistake.

I wonder what a good shrink would say about the dependent relationship that develops in these cases. There must be a fog that we intentionally pull over our eyes to prevent these dangerous questions. Maybe from the inside it just looks like a few weird people out of control but for the most part things are find? What must they think?

Soros1
Registered User
(5/12/02 6:23 pm)
 Re: More firings at SRF – May 2002
Crogman,

People get fired. Its unfortunate yet it happens. Is it going to enhance our spiritual development for Mother Center to "spin" an employee termination so that its "pleasing" for us devotees?? I don't think so.

and may I ask just what makes you think that layoffs have ANY connection with more people wanting to learn how to develop themselves spiritually? Current and Future devotees don't come to SRF because of the amount of headcount working at Mother Center:they come becuase they want to learn how to know God.

If you expect SRF to "model" the best management practices of something like better run Fortune 500 companes, think again. it would be nice but their goal is to get you to meditate..

crogman1
Registered User
(5/12/02 8:14 pm)
 Response to SOROS1
Quote:
SOROS1: Is it going to enhance our spiritual development for Mother Center to "spin" an employee termination so that its "pleasing" for us devotees?? I don't think so.

I think you misunderstand their actions completely. They have been firing people to hide their own wrong doing, to punish people and scare others into submission. I’m sorry if I didn’t make that clear.
Quote:
SOROS1: and may I ask just what makes you think that layoffs have ANY connection with more people wanting to learn how to develop themselves spiritually?

My comment just relates to SRF’s lies about their growth. They blame their inability to cope with things, change things for the better, and deal with other problems by claiming there is so much growth they can’t keep up with it. Yet they also claim to lay someone off due to a decrease in the workload. I am just pointing out their lie.
Quote:
Current and Future devotees don't come to SRF because of the amount of headcount working at Mother Center: they come because they want to learn how to know God.

Exactly. I agree. Let’s see if we can make sure they are not hurt because of it. Most that get close end up farther from God for their trouble. Have you read this board at all?

Quote:
SOROS1: If you expect SRF to "model" the best management practices of something like better run Fortune 500 companies, think again. it would be nice but their goal is to get you to meditate..

I expect them to act with kindness and operate their business on Master’s principles of fairness, love of people and integrity. They do not. There is a lesson on this very subject which they do not follow.

They absolutely do not follow Master's principles.

Edited by: crogman1 at: 5/12/02 8:16:35 pm
KS
Registered User
(5/12/02 8:42 pm)
 About Vulcan's message
In response to Vulcan’s comments I must say there is blame to go around. Many members know of the problems inside and say nothing. They continue to give large checks and exchange letters with the Bad Ladies. It is a tricky problem for people. Do we continue to serve SRF, knowing it is headed in the wrong direction and hurting Master’s work (and in a very real way people’s lives), or vote with our feet and check books? Where is true loyalty?

Mother Center has shown great fear in dealing with the devotees. The firings are just one symptom. When the members got together last year to meditate at Mother Center “for the good of SRF” after a serious incident it caused a storm of concern at the highest levels. The members organizing is one of their greatest fears. Wonder why there are no more temples? Why the Center and Groups and so rigidly controlled? Fear.

I think there is a great deal of blame to go around. Members are doing nothing to even evaluate if their Guru’s work has been hijacked. With this latest round of promotions on the nun’s side I fear it is probably already too late. The SRF organization is in a death spiral and has already seen its high point. I also feel this is possibly the way it should be.

Employees are a special case. While most are in a position to now know they have made a mistake they are also the people with the most to lose. It is difficult to find a job these days, so chancing getting fired is a big risk, and the SRF management has already shown it will squash complainers. I agree that employees are in a good position to push for change but at the same time I am growing more certain, as I can see other readers are, that SRF was never intended to be what the Bad Ladies are pushing it to be.

The other group with an opportunity to help is the monastics. This is a group we would think would have moral courage, integrity and a willingness to stand up for what is right. They would be defending Master’s principles and unwilling to be a party to the injustice and abuse they see around them. So where are they? We know some 30 or so have left in the last year. Were these the only ones with a conscience? Does the monastic life within SRF really bleed that out of people?

I think it does.

However, the only real hope for change is for the monastics to stand up for their Guru’s work. In the current structure, with no outside review, theirs is the only voice at this point with a chance.

Edited by: KS at: 5/12/02 8:44:02 pm
AumBoy
Registered User
(5/13/02 12:50 pm)

ezSupporter
 Re: About Vulcan's message
Quote:
“Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.” - Albert Einstein

“In the beginning of change, the patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” - Mark Twain


Where is true loyalty? Indeed. Personally, I feel this is an inner quality that has no outward measure, meaning, large checks, hours of service, hours of meditation. True loyalty is between the individual Self and God. How deep is one’s love for God?

I feel that some/many who left the order/employment/volunteering did so out of conscience conflicts. During my brief tenure, the noble sounding SRF Aims and Ideals were seldom used in decision making. Sometimes it boiled down to the “ends justifying the means.” Did this occur in all cases with all projects? Hardly. But if it happens once the opportunity for this type of behavior to happen again increases, in my opinion, substantially.

Were those who chose to leave SRF over matters of conscience true “patriots” of SRF or losers and whiners? In my biased opinion, they are true “patriots.” One needs to look at history to see that SRF is doing what organizations, countries, and groups do. No more. No less. SRF is made up of people. If they weren’t people (and some may question even this!) they’d probably be on another planet as Yukteswarji has stated.

Years ago, I remember hearing a Brother state that those who leave SRF are more “independent thinking” (or something to that effect). Is this a bad thing? Or maybe thinking, in and of itself, is a bad thing? Under Obedience I wrote a little about the history of American school systems and how they may be set up (I feel, for the most part) to discourage thinking. Is this what SRF expects? Do they only want people who do not think, who blindly follow? Aren’t we coming into a higher age? Or maybe the monasteries of the middle ages were models that SRF will follow for hundreds or thousands of years.

Soros1 wrote: If you expect SRF to "model" the best management practices of something like better run Fortune 500 companes, think again. HA! We can remain hopeful, can’t we? One issue here is that they won’t accept suggestions of help! Read what happens when new management is brought in under Layoffs. In some instances SRF does not appear to want help, not outside help, nor inside help. There are still people inside who have spoken up and have been silenced. I find this sad.

Soros1 also stated that their goal is to get you to meditate. I agree. I have the lessons and Service Readings and most of the books and tapes. Why do I need SRF at this point? Don’t I have the Guru as the direct Source through my meager meditative efforts? Paraphrasing Daya Ma, I’ve “extended my hand of friendship to the organization and it was cut off so I stay away ever willing to offer it again.” Maybe my hand being cut off was “training.” As Croga stated, I expect them to act with kindness and operate their business on Master’s principles of fairness, love of people and integrity. Well, I do not expect this but am hopeful.

Soros1
Registered User
(5/18/02 7:05 pm)
 Re: Response to SOROS1
Crogman,

re: "I expect them to act with kindness and operate their business on Master’s principles of fairness, love of people and integrity"

you're setting yourself up for a lot of dissappointment. you have no more control over the affairs then I do and acting as a sort of "self appointed head of SRF internal affairs" isn't going to get you any where
jai guru
Jim R



Carbohydramoy
Registered User
(5/20/02 2:40 pm)
 PeopleSoft/Ernst & Young
WASHINGTON, May 20 — The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday accused accounting giant Ernst & Young of violating auditor independence rules by having a joint business relationship with PeopleSoft Inc.

Of course, I believe that the Walrus came to be as a result of the two firms mentioned in this MSNBC news release. I find it "interesting" that in these post-Enron/Tyco days such events happen.

Gee, I wonder if the SRF auditors, Ernst & Young, possibly recommended PeopleSoft to the InTeRnAtIoNaL HeAdQuArTeRs!! Gee Willikers, gosh darn them.....

KS
Registered User
(5/20/02 8:39 pm)
 Re: PeopleSoft/Ernst & Young
Well, shucks, I guess it was just SRF's karma to waste $10 million dollars. Poor SRF. People are always picking on them! It was just training for a few people there. Master will spend any amount of money to train the few true leaders. Isn't that wonderful!

It was also useful to root out those evil doers who opposed the project. They raised their voices and allowed the matas to discover them and chop off their heads!

chela2020
Registered User
(6/17/02 12:04 pm)
 /
(This message was left blank)

Edited by: chela2020 at: 6/30/02 2:14:11 pm
Gitano no divino
Registered User
(6/24/02 12:23 pm)
 Re: Firings?
Soros1 has taken some justifiable heat for statements like this: "Current and Future devotees don't come to SRF because of the amount of headcount working at Mother Center:they come becuase they want to learn how to know God."

If I were looking now to learn how to know God (and that whole chimera seems increasingly preposterous to me), the Mother Center is probably the last place on earth (except the Vatican or Osama's hideout) I would go. I mean, what does an organization like that have to offer, anyway? Look at what years and years of meditation have done for the bad ladies. Do they know God? If the paragons and leading lights of a teaching don't pass muster, what does that say about the teaching? Besides, headcount isn't the point. It's how they treat people. When a woman masquerades as a mother of compassion while she's shoving broomsticks up peoples' backsides (figuratively speaking), how enticing will that be once the truth is known? When a woman pretends to embrace "plain living and high thinking" while she lives clandestinely in a nice house in an affluent LA suburb and tools to work in a Cadillac, what has such hypocrisy got to do with spirituality? (Well, okay, from a historical standpoint, it has almost EVERYTHING to do with it. But SRF was supposed to be something different.)

I continue to feel that the seeds of SRF's downfall (which seems well nigh inevitable to me) are contained in certain aspects of the teachings. The Upanishadic doctrine of oneness, which is the basis for the SRF teachings, is predicated on a worldview in which there are two distinct groups of people: enlightened and unenlightened. Master endearingly referred to the latter, who constitute the vast majority, as the "stumbling eyeless of the world." This is elitism, pure and simple. From this worldview flows much of beauty but also much of ugliness. The self-appointed authoritarian regime at MC is not inconsistent with such a view. The senior matas clearly believe they are enlightened, and that they were trained by PY to carry on his work (and frankly, concerning the latter contention, I think they have a solid case). Why should they heed the rumblings of the howling mob at the gates, the unwashed barbarians--uh, pardon me, the "stumbling eyeless"--and democratize the organization? Can the blind lead the blind? No! In order to maintain the proper order of things, the BOD resorts to abuse, deceit, and lawsuits. The ends justify the means. Whatever is done in the name of God and at Master's behest is right, regardless of the shifting scale of merely human values.

Soros1 continues: "If you expect SRF to 'model' the best management practices of something like better run Fortune 500 companies, think again. it would be nice but their goal is to get you to meditate."

Pardon me, but what the hell use is meditation if after decades of it a person is capable of the monstrously unethical behavior routinely exhibited by the SRF elites? I didn't expect SRF to behave like a Fortune 500 company, I expected it to far surpass that standard. I didn't expect to find SRF infested with corporate slimeballs for whom self-aggrandizement and profit margins were the bottom line, and employees be damned. In fact, many Fortune 500 companies are no doubt more efficient and more humane than SRF, if only because they are accountable to shareholders who won't tolerate a meltdown of the company and its stock through incompetence. Where is there such accountability in SRF? What one observes at MC is nothing but a culture of sycophancy, a cabal of yes-people who are either too unintelligent or too frightened to tell the truth. That's why I say the downfall of SRF is a virtual certainty, because no organization can long survive when the people running it entertain delusions of grandeur and only listen to what they want to hear. And again and again and again I ask, what has that got to do with spirituality, knowing God, or anything else noble and new? How could anything they're doing up there get me to meditate? It has had exactly the opposite effect!

As the late Ann Landers would have said, "Wake up and smell the coffee!"

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