Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: sandrock@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (Mark Sandrock) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Review -- _In_The_Light_of_Truth:_The_Grail_Message_ Message-ID: Date: 19 Mar 91 04:54:36 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana Lines: 59 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In response to my objection to Mr. Whitmore's attempted book report on the Grail Message, "In the Light of Truth", by Abd-ru-shin, our moderater comments: >[While I can understand why you feel the way you do, I'm also not >convinced it is fair to criticize Scott Whitmore. I'm not suprised >that someone who has immersed himself in a document for years will >find more meaning in it than someone making a first reading. But >Scott can hardly be expected to spend years studying a document that >does not appear to merit that study. If the only information you are >prepared to give is advice to read it for ourselves, then clearly our >reaction to a first reading is going to be critical. --clh] If the Mr. Whitmore's book report had simply stated that "The Grail Message clearly is not a book to be read or judged superficially, and therefore I myself cannot say anything about it." Then I would agree with you. But this is not what was done. Mr. Whitmore seemed to make conclusions about the Grail Message based upon a most superficial review of the work. Actually I myself found deep meaning in the Grail Message from the very beginning, but perhaps this was because I was able and willing to consider it in an objective and unbiased way. As far as giving information about the Grail Message, I have attempted from time to time offer explanations of serious spiritual questions from the point of view of the Grail Message. There have been those who told me that they were interested in the Grail Message, and who wanted to obtain a copy for themselves. For this reason I felt it had been worth my while to undertake various discusions in this group. I do not, however, deem it necessary nor appropriate to continue to try to present ideas from the Grail Message to people beyond a certain point. Either one is seriously seeking new knowledge or else one is content with the "status quo". As far as one's "reaction to a first reading being critical", I would say that this attitude in and of itself clearly demonstrates a lack of the requisite objectivity. Those who feel this way, should simply leave the Grail Message alone, since it is most certainly not meant for such people. It is meant for serious seekers only. I could also call to mind those who were "critical" of Jesus from the outset. Who were the ones whose hearts were open to receive His Word, and who were the ones who reacted critically without first bothering to understand? Who were the ones who were willing to listen and who were the ones who felt them- selves threatened by the new Word? It's something to think about. As always, if someone wants to say that the knowledge of the Grail Message is not to be found in the Bible, then the answer is simply that everything is NOT in the Bible, and we have the Lord's words to that effect. He could not say everything He had to say to people, and for this simple reason it would seem to behoove us to remain open to new knowledge. But this is an individual choice, naturally. Regards, Mark Sandrock -- BITNET: sandrock@uiucscs Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Internet: sandrock@aries.scs.uiuc.edu Chemical Sciences Computing Services Voice: 217-244-0561 505 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801