Comments on: Prophets to Profits: The Corporate Takeover of Spirituality

By: B Parkinson

B Parkinson — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 13:28:47 +0000

In reply to Tony. Sorry to say but religion has become a multi million pound investment club, just look at the Vatican and their investments around the world. I became spiritual after an inner revelation and I know there is a God but I pray to him without going through a third party which I don't need. As long a people feel they need a third party (what ever their religion) to reach God, the money will keep rolling in.

By: James Mooney

James Mooney — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 03:59:33 +0000

In reply to E. If you can't get in the door without opening your wallet, walk on ;)

By: James Mooney

James Mooney — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 03:55:55 +0000

If someone teaches full time I can see some small recompense to cover time and gas, and keep body and soul together – with the emphasis on “small.” Forget the Mansion and the Maserati, though 😉 After all, Ramana Maharshi was even paid due to the culture he lived in. He had a place to live rent-free and Prasad, or food, brought to him. But this is not India. Sadly, in a capitalist society all the caves are for rent and you have to buy food at the supermarket. Religious teachers are not recognized unless they part of a traditional religion or a large organization. If you try being a wandering mendicant the cops will pick you up for being homeless or begging.

When in Rome do as the Romans. I don’t think it would be possible to be a full-time spiritual teacher in the US without charging Something. That said, the something should be small and reasonable, and also optional. Those who want to support the work, can. But if you can’t afford it you don’t get turned away. Come to think of it even donations in a Christian church are optional, so this should also be the rule for alternative teachings.

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 02:26:55 +0000

In reply to Tony.

Was telling friend the other night the fun of being involved with this movement without seeking the profit … in one case, I quit a $500 per month website gig simply because it was all, total profit oriented … gave them 6 months of my best while attempting to adjust their ways and they just kept calling me cute and stating I did not understand how things work ????

I sent articles to many of these popular sites out here based upon actual rubber-meets-the-road experience with nearly a canned response, (if one at all,) “… that’s nice, keep going …”

Spirit chat rooms and forums seem like nothing more than honey traps to find new customers and shut down integral seekers who want to help.

What I thought would be a journey to document how well applying these old, hidden principals to ones life would work, turned into a journey of meeting frauds, liars, thieves of every ilk, being turned into a servant by them countless times, pouring gold into their varied lies and helping them succeed.

One young lady, a wonderful musician that could get a congregation to cry with her voice and then empty their wallets into collection plate, (after gaining 2 years of my best for free), actually called one day and asked, “Can you erase all this Christian **it from the web? I’m going back to Nashville.”

As it was in the beginning, this is all a control mechanism, profit making biz – no $ profit in actually helping with the healing … l

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 01:26:21 +0000

Very much in agreement with this article. England as a segment of the whole Isle is no longer what can be called a Christian country any more. Sorry, but that is true. The Spiritualist movement also has almost totally dis appearered and is now corperate controlled – Why ? Yes because it it is a multy million dollar industry. That can be be partly understood, but where have the real people gone? Many of them are still here, so why is it so hard to find them because of the myrid of rubbish on advertised mediums growing on the internet?

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:05:33 +0000

Thanks for speaking so well on this – when first stepping out many moons ago I met several for-profit ‘lightworkers’ who would waive their fee if they judged you as someone really on a path and not just playing with hocus pocus attempts at being rich or getting a lover

… the new age industry that infected the internet truly disgusted me and I became a thorn in the side for a few before giving up on chat rooms and forums … my take as a novice long ago was pretty much to challenge the real smart person with, “Well, gee, you work for God, why do you need money from me?” funny, I know … anyone is welcome to come see my rants and take on things, no donation button, nothing to buy … http://jimamidon.com/stumblin-in-the-light/

By: john p

john p — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 18:43:30 +0000

Thanks Vida, great article with a lot of important information.

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 02:23:22 +0000

A very interesting and comprehensive article, thank you for the research.
The watered down versions of spirituality sell so easily… just be in the moment and you have ‘awakened’. It can help with daily life etc and for many that is all they want. I have seen many equate ‘wow moments’ (insight and understanding) of a situation as ‘awakening’. The word awakened has become watered down, ubiquitous and distorted.

By: richard

richard — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 06:28:37 +0000

The sad thing about all this is that it has become common place and people expect that they must pay for spiritual imformation, I remember a friend of mine was participating in a spiritual group paying a lot of money and I mentioned this to him but he told me that its ok to charge for it and do it as a business and thats what they taught, I really dont mind paying for this information as I find it extremely important and necessary but when there is a price put on it its also limited to the people who can afford it, thanks for the article and pointing this sad side of spirituality

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 12:14:35 +0000

Great article. I see a massive difference between the great ancient teachers and the commercial spiritual gurus of today. The amount of money involved is just ridiculous!

What also stands out to me is the lack of “hard work” from most of today’s “spiritual” feel-good offerings. In my understanding, nothing comes from nothing, but to actually understand yourself and change is a great struggle – exactly as the ancient teachers said.