Ching Hai: Supreme Master…Of Hypocrisy
Posted by keith on March 31st, 2008
If I’m not here tomorrow, do not weep, I will have been struck down — in my disrespect — by Ching Hai, Supreme Master, and self-styled “God’s Direct Contact”. A mere lightning bolt will not be sufficient: I expect a plague of SUVs.
A few days ago I received an e-mail from Shaam Ven, presumably a follower of GDC (well, if the leader of the industrial West is GOP, then why not?) and a believer that any message of concern is a good message:
Hi.
I read about your website. I wanted to email you immediately about Supreme Master Ching Hai’s efforts to halt global warming. Supreme Master Ching Hai is a God-Realized, living, enlightened Master, who initiates Truth Seekers into the Quan Yin meditation. To learn more about Master and the Quan Yin meditation, please go to www.godsdirectcontact.org or www.godsdirectcontact.com.
Master’s message is simple: if we human beings don’t take steps to halt global warming within the next two years, after that, it will be too late and we could see all of life vanish from this planet by the year 2012.
The fastest way to stop global warming is to become a vegan. It is not difficult to do considering all the veggie food out there that tastes, looks, and smells exactly like meat and seafood.
Please consider going to one of the above websites, click on the red SOS link, and read the flyer and if you are so inclined, please put this flyer on your website or a link to one of the above websites. Thank you.
Shaam
As a vegetarian, and one of the first people to point out the above point about veganism — maybe Supreme Master read my article — then I’m all for this kind of message, regardless of the source. With my Greenwash Radar on, though, I scanned the site and it didn’t take long before I found some words worthy of Shell or Ford at their most hypocritical. Immediately I wrote back:
Dear Shaam
Thank you for this information. It is good to see the increased uptake of the most vital message for humanity – in pragmatic terms – by religious groups; that humans are changing the planet in a dangerous and potentially irreversible way.
This statement on your web site ensures that things will continue to get worse (http://godsdirectcontact.us/sm21/enews/www/123/pw3.htm):
“The more we develop this world, the more Heavens there will be. We will create a new Heaven. It is just like when we go to a very deserted land with no water or trees, and we begin to dig wells, and we plant trees, vegetables, etc. We make a useless wasteland become a fertile, green, beautiful place. Then we create a new park, a new garden or new living quarters that otherwise had not been there. It did not exist before we came. And from a lousy place, with all kinds of shrubs and thorny bushes growing all over, we make living quarters, a small paradise.”
“That’s how we better the world. Similarly, we will do it on a greater or larger scale. As we move along spiritually, we will move along in helping the world, in beautifying the environment and helping with the poor and the needy. We have to help the whole world, not only one nation. And that is our vision of the future.”
In other words, “The changes humans make to the world are better than those which nature bestows on the planet.”
I find the use of the phrases “useless wasteland” and “lousy place” abhorrent.
The mixture of sensible science (meat production produces excessive greenhouse gases), and bizarre unfounded statements (“if we poison our systems with intoxicating things or impure foods such as meat or animal products, then the cells of the body and the brain will also become contaminated and confused”) ensures that any followers of your ideas will remain in a confused state.
Regards
Keith Farnish
Surprisingly I have yet to receive a response, so I have to assume that it came as a bit of a surprise :-)
And what about that picture of her glowing Supreme Master-ness? Did God put those highlights in (she was originally dark haired) to make her look even more ethereal? Were they done at the heavenly hairdressers? I demand answers.
March 31st, 2008 at 8:36 am
This is familiar to me. Here in America in the 19th century there was an ideology which said basically the wilderness is the devil’s land, to which man has been relegated since he was cast out of the Garden of Eden. Therefore it followed that the more man “reclaimed” the earth, the more he destroyed the wilderness, the closer he was bringing himself back to god.
Politicians here don’t openly talk like this anymore. I think James Watt was the last to regularly do so. But I imagine alot of them still think it.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Very interesting… more than 10 years ago I found Master Ching Hai’s work because one of my friends, a back then atheist decided to switch and she became one of her followers. Since I was 7 years old (I’m 31 now) I wanted to become vegetarian but for obvious reasons I couldn’t until I finally started studying about Buddhism.
At the beginning, I really thought and considered Ching Hai a good role model, I became vegan and started digging for info about her ministry. I first knew that she was really into charity and all that but she started changing her appearance. She was first wearing Buddhist clothing and she shaved her head but then she started wearing nice clothes and jewelry with diamonds and other precious gems. Hmmm, i didn’t like it. That was totally against Buddhist principles: “attachment to material world.”
I decided that was not a role model to follow. Unfortunately, i think she got totally into the demagogy and the economical power that that brings with it. There are several websites that unveil the nature of her ministry. it is sad that those people with a magnetic personality only use it for money at others’ expenses.
I think your message was clear and I honestly don’t expect they reply it. When somebody accepts to give money to soembody else just because “god” says so, a lot of brainwashing has been already performed, I mean, how can you justify that the religious leaders :(including the pope and other gurus) wear silk and gold while an overwhelming percentage of people live with less than a dollar per day and have “no heaven” because actually people like the religious leaders and their followers (rich and insensible) destroy the ecosystem and it becomes “wasteland?”
Im very mad now, damn, religion is consistently making more harm than good!
March 31st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Very astute comments. The more I look at organised religions, the more I realise they reflect and assist the strengthening of the Domination Culture. Domineering, imperial powers have always needed strong power structures – having a single deity at the top, be it supernatural or human, makes the job of control far easier.
Keith
April 19th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I am an Initiate of Master Ching Hai and lives in South Africa. I am suprised by what people allege and so religiosly propagate as what they know about the Master. Forgive maybe I am also indoctrinated, but apart from having found the way to God through Her, nothing about me has changed. I have never donated and was never asked to donate any money or anything to the Her or the Organisation. Maybe I am too far to be requested, but I have been in her presence and her message about giving is that if one has more than enough, then they may give to those less fortunate, in our own backyards and our streets. My life has only experienced bliss I must be honest. If anyone is to say Master or any of her desciples asked for donation, let them please inform me. If anyone does not beleive in her message, if you believe in the Almighty God, it is sufficient. Master only provides the faster and easier way to God in return for nothing, this has been my experience.
April 19th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I didn’t say Master Ching Hai took money from people – I suspect you are making a knee-jerk reaction to the normal criticisms of cults. I personally don’t care which god you subcribe to; all I want is honesty and truth. The bible was written over centuries and, not surprisingly, it is full on contradictions: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org was written over a couple of years, and is equally full of contradictions. I think Master needs a good editor :-)
April 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
faster and easier way to god? lmao! I highly doubt it. CH is primarily a combination of bad theological mixes with a guru in tow…
i liked your photoshopping.. great!
October 25th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Keith,
As an initiate of Master Ching Hai’s I wanted to point out that on one level your criticism of hyporisy may be understood – there really is no area of the earth that is useless wasteland or a truly lousy place – even that which is polluted beyond belief by the detritus of outmoded computer parts and electrical excess, relics of the western drive to consume. Beneath the waste lies honest earth and with help from the healing attentions of humans cleaning it up, millenia of waiting for natural ecology to work its slow but sure magic are saved, and allow true beauty to appear before even the most jaded eyes.
Criticising someone for semantic errors is easy, especially if those errors have been made in a language not natively spoken ( how would you go speaking in Vietnamese, or Mandarin, or German?) Surely actions speak far more loudly than mere words?
The criticisms of Gaby Santiago are sad because they are so wrong. Master Ching Hai vehemently rejects any donations, nor does she allow any of her followers to accept any whatsoever on her behalf or in the name of her organiztion. Any money she spends is earned through sales of her fashion, jewelry, books and lectures, consumables yes, but compared to the alternative high income options, harmless.
What she uses the money for is surely what is important. there is no requirement to purchase this as a part of ones participation in the practice. More importantly all money earned by Master Ching Hai is spent on educating as many people as possible about the threat of Global Warming, the need for compassion and consideration for all sentient beings and the natural world, and in aiding the increasing numbers of disaster victims suffering the effects of storm, flood, fire etc all around the globe. Just watch Noteworthy News on
SupremeMasterTV.com
Successfully attracting thousands, perhaps millions, of people away from focus on a life lived blindly dependant on consumption and destruction and helping them to learn ever better ways to live in harmony with the inner divine self, and by extension the outer manifestation of the divine – the physical world in all it’s wonder, beauty and ugliness – is a supremely impressive achievement.
There is a great deal more to say on this but I have other things to do now. I hope that maybe this has at least softened your hard nosed judgement, at least a little.
October 26th, 2008 at 4:14 am
Jenny
I can only repeat the comments I made to Moss above.
I agree with your sentiments entirely; but, if something looks like hypocrisy, then AFAIC it is hypocrisy – until someone decides to change the text. Bad spelling, grammar and punctuation are no excuse – if the core audience is English speaking (which it clearly is), then the message must be clear in English. When the contradictions have been corrected then I will be more than happy to print an addendum.
Regards
Keith
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I think it’s no use arguing… I am also an initiate of Master. I know who She really is and I understand others who dont understand.. I cant blame you coz… u dont understand… God bless you with wisdom… to recognize who is who.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:09 am
It was once said that the definition of a true genius was a person who could hold a number of conflicting thoughts in his or her mind at the same time: the problem is, even if Ching Hai is a genius, any attempt to broadcast these conflicting ideas in the same breath will be fruitless at best, and downright dangerous at worst. The status of a person, held in high esteem or not, does not excuse them from hypocrisy if the statements made are hypocritical.
Blind faith does not excuse the follower of hypocrisy, either.
Keith
November 4th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I used to be rather interested in the Ching Hai Group and its followers until I witnessed (first hand) some disgusting behaviour within the group that really raised my eyebrows. What I describe below is not a fabrication or an attempt to defame the group. It is just an account of my observation and perhaps an area of bad behaviour the organisation should look into. For all who read this, please understand that I do not think that the whole group is bad
or that all the teachings of Master Ching Hai are incorrect.
Sometime in February or March this year, I attended a night time celebration (think it was called Ching Hai Day) at Master Ching Hai’s Melbourne Center (in Australia). I thought the celebration was going quite well until I noticed one male Asian initiate (whom I later learned is called Richard ****) repeatedly approaching and yelling at two other initiates in a heated manner (one Asian male and one Asian female, whose Asian names I cannot remember, but whom I was told were both Accountants). I was rather curious at such a display of behaviour (by this Richard as the other two initiates appeared to be quite calm about it) amongst a so called spiritual group, setting and occasion. Upon listening in, I noticed the following:
– that the Asian male accountant had claimed somewhere around $50,000 or $60,000 GST tax refund of some sort from the Government (obviously a benefit to the group financially), even though he was not sure this was legally correct.
– the Asian male accountant now had second thoughts about this. He had good reason to believe that the group was not entitled to the refund. In other words, the refund was mistakenly claimed and he wanted to return the $50,000 to $60,000 to the Government
– the Asian male accountant solicited the opinion of the Asian female accountant on this matter. She also did not believe that the refund should be kept.
– Richard was strongly opposed to returning the money. His attitude was “if you can claim and receive a refund (plus get away with it) then why not” and “the group does not have that much money so we should just keep it”, without a care as to whether this was legally or morally correct. Any attempts to explain the situation and legalities with Richard by the two accountants, were met by Richard creating a scene and yelling at them (obviously because he didn’t like what he heard and wanted the group to keep the money). Even after the discussion had ended, this Richard just could not seem to be able to control his temper and deal with the facts (he repeatedly returned to where to two Accountants were sitting and kept yelling at them). It was almost as if he was trying to intimidate them into submission with his anger!
Some “leaders/elders” of the Center (who I am told are called contact people) were present. They noticed what was going on and did absolutely nothing. They didn’t even try to calm this Richard down, but instead hung around like small kids. Upon noticing this, I just cannot help but think that they were also interested in keeping the refund, regardless of whether this was against the law. It was almost as if they agreed with Richards behaviour and were letting him fight the battle and do the dirty work so the group could keep the money. I say this because I have since heard that the money in question has not been returned to the Government when it probably should have been (after hearing the conversations of the 2 accountants).
Doesn’t true spiritual practice mean standing up and doing what is right (or legal at the very least), even if it is inconvenient or financially more difficult to do so? Isn’t this what Master Ching says? Or do some practitioners think they are the law?
In an attempt to find the right spiritual path, I have been watching and observing the Ching Hai group for some time. I have no doubt that the method, meditation, arguments for veganism purported by Master Ching Hai has benefited many beings and the environment around us. As for whether she is God or a True Master, this I think everyone is capable of deciding for themselves and forming their own opinion. However so, I can only express disappointment at the incident I witnessed above and must confess I am no longer so interested in the group.
[Ed: Removed surname until verified – purely to protect individual privacy.]
November 6th, 2008 at 7:06 am
But in my opinion… and according to what I observed and what I felt (looking at her photo) about the so called Supreme Master… She is really worthy of respect… and the majority of her followers are really good and positive people. that is my opinion… right now, I enjoy watching the suprememaster TV… a relly life changing channel! how i wish there are more positive channels like that…
BUT….
it doesnt matter what each of us think… jz let it be…. whatever the Truth is IS the Truth… No amount of nonsense talks can change it…
November 6th, 2008 at 7:26 am
That’s right, Nirvane, the truth IS the truth. Don’t let anyone tell you that they know it, especially not spiritual leaders who have only their own subjective experience (or lies) to go on.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:37 am
u hav a point…
November 6th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I agree with Nirvane – Master Ching Hai does have some sort of presence. Her SMTV is very good. Like I said above, I think her teachings and method have benefited many. There seem to be some really genuine and benevolent people within her group, but (I’m sorry to say) there also seem to be some “idiots” as well. My issue is more with these idiotic people in the group and not with Master Ching Hai.
I’ve seen her students fighting, deliberately putting others down publicly and getting worked up over trivial things before. In quite a few of the instances, it appeared that whoever was the most aggressive, vocally loud or respected within the group got their way (and sometimes regardless of ethics). So I do also agree with Keith’s comments #3. There tends to be some sort of Domination Culture or power play within organised religions or spiritual groups.
Master Ching Hai appears to advocate honesty, truth, love and all other positive apects of being. If her students truly believe her to be a True Master, then why do they not “walk the talk” and interact politely with each other (even in times of disagreements) and return the tax refund (they are not legally entitled to mentioned in comment 11). To do otherwise would seem rather hypocritical.
Lately, Master Ching Hai seems to be strongly campaigning for veganism. If her students truly want her to succeed, then they should perhaps be more mindful of their behaviour, especially in front of outsiders at a celebration held in her name! Do you know how bad it looks to an outsider when they visit one of your centers and sees aggressive behaviour in support of what appears to be some sort of tax fraud?
December 9th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Geez man,
You can’t judge the Master by her disciples behaviors. If so I guess we should hang Thomas for refusing Master Jesus at the time of needs???? Clearly he was a disgraced to Christianity man and of course let’s not forget Judas who outright betrayed Jesus. Then should you say Jesus was a faked to have allow such a low life moron as Judas to be his disciple?
In addition, life is contradiction in itself .. tell me anything you had observed which is true to all people. Give me just one example and you can bad mouth Master in any way you want.
[Ed. This is getting completely off topic. If anyone has anything to say about the *greenwashing itself* then please do, otherwise I will have to moderate irrelevant comments – I’ve allowed this one just to balance the argument out.]
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:01 am
Um, I’m not actually judging the Master. I’m merely pointing out a blatant contradiction in behaviour within the group and followers acting against her teachings.
On one hand, some followers are promoting veganism as an environmental virtue (and thereby advocating a socially and environmentally responsible image for the group). Then behind the scenes, others are committing what looks like tax vice and trying to bully other followers into submission!
As a fellow vegetarian, I’m all for promoting a plant-based as opposed to a meat-based diet and lifestyle. However, such contradictory behaviour cannot possibly help this cause. Going off in tangents (about enjoying the Supreme Master television channel, what the truth is or about life being a contradiction), does not in anyway diminish the wrong doing or bad behavior. It only looks like you are evading the issue. Some of the followers act as though you can save the world, yet it is too difficult look into the tax matter and refund the money.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Hi,
Is this the same ching hai we are talking about here?
This is from The Independent Newspaper Website.
“A mystery in Miami as sect leader and an instant island disappear.
By David Usborne in Miami
Sunday, 28 March 2004
The rangers at the Biscayne Bay National Park in South Florida know an environmental violation when they see one. But when a tip-off last year led them to a site inside the narrow mangrove forest that fringes the ocean about 15 miles south of Miami, they were as perplexed as they were angry.
The rangers at the Biscayne Bay National Park in South Florida know an environmental violation when they see one. But when a tip-off last year led them to a site inside the narrow mangrove forest that fringes the ocean about 15 miles south of Miami, they were as perplexed as they were angry.
Several months later – and just as they started last week to clear up the mess – the mystery of this illegal encroachment on park territory is as deep as ever. What were these people thinking? And what exactly – if they had ever been able to complete it – would this eccentric little hideaway have been used for?
The answers, like something from a Carl Hiaasen novel, appear to stretch far beyond what the Park Service is normally used to dealing with. This, as it turns out, was the work of a worldwide religious sect known as the Suma Ching Hai International Association, which teaches a form of meditation, inspired by Christianity and Buddhism, called quan yin.
Three motorised caravans were parked just inside the boundaries of the park on the edge of the mangroves, all encased in pristine wooden decking. On the deck’s edge was a 50ft aviary. From there, a path had been hacked through the mangroves to the sea and a wooden boardwalk built through it.
That was not the end of it, however. The 350ft boardwalk, finished with a wood and glass balustrade, culminated in a causeway across the water to a tiny man-made island, about 50ft across, made of large boulders of limestone set upon the ocean bed and sea grass.
The good news for the national park authorities is that they are free now to dismantle everything. Within a day of the compound being discovered, workers – who were still pushing boulders down the boardwalk in wheelbarrows to make the island bigger – abruptly vanished. An area of private property outside the park, but linked to the compound, has been seized by the Miami-Dade County Police and sold, at a steep discount, to the local community of Palmetto Bay, which plans to turn it into a park.
By Friday, all that was left of the strange project was the island itself – leaving a film of white on the water with each ebb and flow of the tide – and the aviary.
In just two days last week, a team of 30 park rangers had ripped up the decking and the boardwalk and were busy planting new mangrove saplings in the wound where the boardwalk had led. A barge will arrive soon to remove the island itself.
But who should be paying the roughly $1m (£550,000) bill for all this restoration? That, according to police sources, would be a woman who owned the adjacent property, after buying it in 2002 for $750,000 (£400,000). She goes by the name – in Florida, at least – of Celestia De Lamour.
It was her minions, as far as anyone can tell, who began building the complex in the mangroves, and the island, for her pleasure.
To the great frustration of the Park Service, there is no finding Ms De Lamour, who is none other than the Supreme Master of the Suma Ching Hai. Based in Taiwan, the movement boasts two million members in 50 countries, including Britain, and has several websites, most notably http://www.godsdirectcontact.org. It also advocates vegetarianism and has a string of vegetarian restaurants. “The police can’t locate her,” reports Charles Scurr, who is village manager for Palmetto Bay. “She seems to be everywhere, but nowhere”. According to records, she owned two luxury homes in the Miami area. Both are now empty.
Mr Scurr, who oversaw the purchase of the De Lamour property on behalf of Palmetto Bay for $300,000, had hopes of persuading the Park Service to preserve the boardwalk, causeway and island and turn the area into an educational park for visitors. He was shocked when we arrived last week to find the park rangers tearing everything up. For the chief biologist of Biscayne Bay National Park, Rick Clark, however, there was never any question about the need to undo the environmental crime. “We have an obligation to try to restore the area to its original condition,” he said, picking his way carefully along what used to be boardwalk, trying not to disturb the new saplings.
He is still shocked by what happened, without anyone from the Park Service even noticing. This is the longest strip of coastal mangrove growth still surviving in South Florida. “It really is all that remains of old South Florida,” he explains. “In my 19 years with the National Park I have never come across an encroachment of this magnitude. It is still amazing to me.”
One should really wonder what her real agenda is when it comes to saving the planet.
Thanks,
Koldin.
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Exchinghai/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=3
January 12th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Well it looks like I was right about the environmental hypocrisy *and* the blonde highlights (based on this article. I’m so good, I scare myself sometimes :-D
And she still hasn’t struck me down.
Hypocrite!
March 5th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
anonymous,
the supreme master ching hai,
or hue dang trinh as her british passport
states, runs the group with an iron fist…
[I can’t post the rest of this comment without an email address (it is not visible to others), as this could be libellous. Keith]
[sent anonymously, but presumably from same person: this is public record]
here are some delinquent tax records for smchia
http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/propertytax/deltax/DelNamedata.asp?delTaxName=sup
http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/propertytax/current/2008statement.asp?Account=0450920000015
http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/propertytax/current/2008statement.asp?Account=0450920000169
http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/propertytax/deltax/DelStatement.asp?Account=0450920000171
April 9th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Everyone should read this, especially followers of Ching Hai.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/a-mystery-in-miami-as-sect-leader-and-an-instant-island-disappear-567888.html
Master Ching Hai is a brainwashing fraud, I should know since I have been brainwashed by her words too. She makes videos constantly, all speaking of her holiness and divinity. It is all a fraud, even the awards she says that she has received in these videos are complete frauds. She tells many of her disciples to celebrate “Ching Hai day”, which I am told doesn’t even exist and was just invented to make her seem even more holy.
Don’t send her donations. Even though she tells her followers not to, she still receives many. And when she says that she raises money to help the earth by designing clothing, you might want to take a look into her luxury homes, bought under the alias “Celestia de Lamour”. She has even cost the national park service a million dollars to repair wildlife destruction she has caused to build herself a luxury home. A complete idiot and a total fraud. She appalls me beyond all else.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Oh, sorry, I see someone already posted that. However , one must really read at it. I have a friend who is completely brainwashed by her, and thinks she can do no wrong. When I showed this to him, guess what he said? “This is a biased source from a meat eater who wants to destroy the earth”. Come on! I enjoy his friendship, but how can people really be so stupid!! Ching Hai is a fraud. She thinks she is a god. She is just a picture: she believes in good cause, but is a hypocrite when it comes to doing something to promote it. I myself am a vegetarian, but am sick of hearing about “meat eaters are stupid an bad”, “this is biased- written from a meat eaters point of view”! DO these people really not understand that there are two biases at work here? Besides that, one of the biased sides is fraudulent in nature! CHing Hai disgusts me.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:31 am
These attacks on Supreme Master Ching Hai are petty, she’s awesome. Love her!!
August 27th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
When she said useless wasteland, she may have meant desert. I remeber reading one of the issues of her ezines that pointed out that scientists created technology that could transform desert into greenland.
Why be abhorred by her mentioning wasteland? Isn’t desert a wasteland?!? I’d consider it a lousy place to live too. But maybe i’m being picky rofl.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Tony, the term “wasteland” in this context is loaded in favour of the enlightment view of life – that anything that does not directly benefit humans is of no use and must be “improved” or left to ruin. Apart from the fact that all life is linked so that indirect benefits may be very important indeed. Anyhow, just because a habitat is of no direct use to humans, why should it be referred to as “wasteland”?
November 5th, 2009 at 6:02 am
This is my opinion: it’s not easy to judge who the real Master is. I was with an Indian spiritual teacher for 14 year and learnt a lot, but to this day I don’t know to what extent he is enlightened. Most people misjudged Jesus when he was around. Even his disciple misjudged him when he had expensive perfume poured on his feet. That just shows that if one wants to find fault, it is possible with the highest level of Masters. Bottom line, as Jesus said, judge ye not. Besides if she were a real Master, what I learnt is that one pays a heavy price (karmically) for judging a Master negatively in a public way. If you are not absolutely sure about something, it’s better to say nothing. Shalom.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:30 am
Alternatively, Anu, you could declare that you have no masters and that anyone who claims they are is not deserving of the title. Blessed are the meek? I think that says a lot.
K.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
one supports her, other criticize. both missing the half part. she is complete. all masters have never been understood because they were complete.
you, me and all people who support and criticize are loosing the other part. why we are discussing these things in this blog because she wants it. she do not want people to construct temple for her and start worship her pictures or sculptures. since this has brought misery to our life.
what keith saying is right, what anu saying is right, whatever anyone saying is right. what RICHARD saying was right(in that asian assembly in melbourne), what asian accountant saying was right, that is why none of the wise people in that assembly tried to settle down the matter.
Note: wisdom includes everything (sometimes Everything becomes Nothing). thats why masters have always created a kind of mystery around them. read any master in the world, you will always be confused.
only way to seek mystery is Meditation and masters can help you out not temples, pictures or sculptures.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Dear Keith, blessed are the meek indeed. Yet if Tiger Woods were to meet a man who aspires to be a golfer and tells him that he is a master golfer capable of teaching him, he may be doing so out of kindness rather than arrogance, and simply stating a fact. Sometimes those who appear to be humble are not so, and those who appear arrogant are humble, and it may take a long time to know the reality, if at all.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:28 am
I landed on this site looking for perspectives on global warming, environmental conservation debates etc.
Clearly it is a site intent on flinging mud at others such as Ching Hai.
Sorry – can’t read your books – would not know what to believe
[Don’t “believe” anything, Mo. Base your decisions on facts. What can be wrong with that>
Keith]
January 31st, 2010 at 11:04 pm
My book Relipocrisy (Religious Hypocrisy) examines this issue closer.
Warren Alford
March 1st, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Remember saint Paul’s words: ‘test all things, keep that which is good’. I think we so much focus on the small errors that people make, and we judge them so much but inturn loosing the better good that we can actualy benefit from them. Its true , actions speak louder than words!
And about the real master we all know who he is, it is within our souls to know him, why seek a lot. The problem is we think she is trying to show that she is superior to us and we are all inferior! brothers and sister we are all the same in God’s eyes!! bt if someone amongst us is more god conscious, we must acknowledge and seek to know ways for us to be the same! only then shall we realise that superiority does not exist!!!!
April 21st, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Ok, understood that this is a forum getting a little “out of whack” with the original context.
Furthermore, it is easy when you look at the ridiculous image above that someone who runs around claiming to be God’s Direct Contact is potentially a danger- to themselves and others. Furthermore, as the leader of an organisation who it is alledged committing tax fraud, tax evasion, and substantive damage to delicate eco systems (see article referenced anove- published in a few sources and cited often), one may be questioning the motives.
Because a current of the river leads you towards your destination, does not mean that current will release you when you obtain your destination.
I have looked as closely as I can at this organisation without assimilation. Probably my bestest friend is heavily involved.
I have removed alot of personal anecdotes and stories which would serve to discredit this organisation, and to affirm it. If the editor would like further proofs, please advise- its very cathartic.
The conclusion I have reached after a few years of trying to work out:
The Supreme Master exploits ancient traditions and meditation techniques to acquire influence and control of other people’s minds. To compound it- her total way is a complete contradiction of these ancient traditions.
One “convenient method” to reaching God- is to recite her name continuously for two hours evey day in meditation.
An excellent method for making spiritual slaves, but hardly enlightening.
If you are “initiated” by the “master”, you are automatically “enlightened”.
She says: I am God’s Direct Contact, I am in Direct Contact with God. Here I am, a telephone, use me. God is ringing, but do you pick up the phone?
You are very special (a “saint”) if you get taught the Supreme Mehtod. Which is from heaven, not earth, not from any Master, and not from some bleached haired lady with leached hair who lives in california and makes childish drawings and stories aout being enlightened with your dogs- and then sells them to her brainwashed followers for enough money to buy mansions all over the world.
The karmic actions she has done to her followers will be returned- its silly to worry about it. I am deeply concerned for my friend, but like anyone who has lost a loved one to a cult- it is many many years of waiting and watching.
The damages she creates may be offset, and her efforts are not bad or good. Literature distributed from this group by other, non-affiliated sources has really quite awakened me ! :)
My friend had severe mental issues and was being massively hurt- the Bhuddha’s pure land of meditation gave him great comfort- even if Chiang Hi subverted this method for her own weird fantasies. They are a bunch of weird people running around, not really hurnting anyone. But I would not allow my children to be exposed to this lady before they have reached spiritual maturity and have had access to enough lessons to be able to avoid such idiocy as The Supreme Master.
April 21st, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Sorry, just wanted to add more info just randomly stumbled:
http://ramsss.com/ching-hai/louis_hughes.htm
Another aspect of being “initiated” is that you swear to refrain from practicing any other form of meditation and other spiritual practices.
May 12th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
GOOD FRIEND HAVE SAYS….. Feeeel sorry for you man.Your life must be miserable! MISERY LOVES COMPANY! of course! I expect you to judge me tooo you know it seems that it’s your nature! WOWOW, so you didn’t have a happy child life? life is not the way you want it to be? nobody listen to you my man? yes yes yes! The Ching Hai lady bothers you right? Jesus bothers you too? Mohamed too? Buda? Ghandy?
Khrisna? Confucious? who else? make a pick.
Dump everything here ok? we listening to you. Poor thing,you need any help?
May 12th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
If you really want to find out then investigate for yourself. Why rely on the opion of others ? It’s only hearsay. If you think there may be value in her methods then try them out. Don’t worry you will not be brainwashed lol.
I was initiated and a praticing member for a while but have stopped for my own reasons. I was never threatened because I left or asked for money when I was there. Actually most of the people there were pretty nice. Anyways , find out for yourself rather than get the “truth” from just the internet.
peace
May 13th, 2010 at 3:06 am
Hi Meg
I will follow any religion that doesn’t tell me what to believe.
K.
July 29th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Any person, who goes through so many fashion changes from buddhist costumes, vietnamese, weird flowing gowns with headgear, not to mention obviously bad colouring job to blonde (yecH – Asians should never try to blonde their hair…the skin tone is really not meant for it), is nothing more than a Britney Spears having a some sort of real self image problems. Also why does she advertise herself with the ‘halo’ , glow’ ..for crying out loud, she’s trying to portray herself as God or Jesus. If you want people to respect you and take you seriously, be HUMBLE, be like he Dalai Lama. Her cd’s and music …that is so juvenile in production not even professional, more fit for an audience of Sesame Street. You’re dealing with adults, not kids to take to your words like candy….I definitely can’t take here seriously. Although her message is good about becoming vegetarian is a good things but everything about her spells ‘FAKE”. She needs to get her soul back. She’s lost.
July 29th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
P.S. her paintings so amateurish….it’s funny how her students/ disciples think so highly of her weork and try to have art discussions about every piece of ‘art’ she paints, yet have no knowledge about composition, form or colour theory. An eight year old is how I would classify her art skills.
August 4th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Monque: Her faithful disciples think that she is God, and therefore her body is an extraordinary God’s creation… so, of course her paintings… Many of Her disciples realized that her paintings are amateurish (I did too), but they did not look at that aspect. They see “BEYOND” her paintings to find the GOD’s (whatever !!!) from her paintings. I.E. You love your child, you framed his painting and hang on your bedroom; and ONLY you see that it is beautiful because the painting expresses something like your child’s love/thanks to you… FYI, her disciples ate her left over foods passionately… especially, say, if she put into her mouth and spitted out, even better (exaggerated). Not all disciples would have the privilege to eat her left over foods, only the diligent servants of hers to have the shares… Disciples believed that her left over food has been more blessed than other material from her since it has been seen and touch by her… OK, disciples were TOLD by her that hanging her pictures/ paintings in their homes they got the blessing (including wearing clothes designed and sold by her). OMG – Good selling/business techniques.
I was once got a surprised touch by her by my mid back, and for a long time, I had had treasured that memory. LOL. When we are in love, hey, deep love, we are blind. CH’s faithful disciples have been blind for a VERY LONG TIME !!! LOL. They cannot be woken up until one day they realized that CH had screwed them.
Hey, I was screwed by this organization very badly. Her close servants under CH’s name, said that it was Master’s order, assigned me a task to do that was illegal/immoral: stealing-lying-cheating-violating the law. My love for the Master so great, I did whatever that ‘ordered’ by the Master and I did not think about the consequences. Now I felt regretful for blindly following the orders. My poor acts had affected other people greatly. OK, stupid me, not her fault. I am an adult, I have to think what is right vs wrong!!! (Breaking the moral/laws was her order to achieve what she wanted, but how I did it, it was not her responsibility. LOL)
CH taught disciples to be honest but CH herself (and giving orders to her disciples to do) did illegal things, cheated the government (s), violated the laws, cheated people, cheated her disciples. Her disciples in turns copied her behaviors/ obeyed her order to lie and cheat the love ones and people to fulfill her so called ‘ideal dreams’ of conquering the earth (CH denied that)… Any way, when I told other disciples about how I was being screwed by the Master by her careless actions, other disciples were willing to be screwed by her (they believed that they would go to a better heaven level, yeah right???)
Not long away, in her speech to her disciples, CH admitted that she is a defeated, full of sin soul (honest or not?) but God unfortunately has not removed her from this ‘leadership’ role. Sounds that she is proud of what she is. I wish CH did not have to use DIRTY TRICKS to enhance the success of her ‘project’ of advocating of the vegetarianism and the meditation. Her dirty tricks caught me and put me into hell. (QuanYin Bodhisatva will have to go to hell to rescue me !!!)
Her book scam, her pre-set up internet convention and interviews with some so called well know people (news media people), her marriage(s) for US green card, the Florida’s park project and many more… are the things she did. Only her own marriage (which was video taped as the evidence) she could not denied; any other things related to her, she would say her disciples did it, not her, hahaha. Yeah, give us a break! IE. In her early preaching career, her disciples hung the banner said ‘SUPREME MASTER CH…’ Some of the audiences questioned her about that title, she said, her disciples called her that, not her calling herself. (She is sitting right below that banner !!!)
You stated that her painting is child like products. Her books are also for grade school children; however, became best seller books (Books: The Birds/ Dogs in My Life, The Noble Wilds). She had the money (from her faithful disciples’ donations); she printed the books; she told/asked the faithful disciples to use their names and addresses to buy back the books at the particular time and date on the Amazon.com. These massive purchase orders of course boosted the sale then it achieved the highest sale volume in a short time so it would be called ‘best seller book’. (Disciples got the refunds if they wanted). Is this dirty enough? Sadly, her movement is as bad as politicians, hahaha.
After all, she is very normal like any body else– only allow disciples to talk good things about her. She ordered disciples to keep secret all of the bad things she did, or they would be kicked out her sect.
I am afraid Supreme Master Chinghai will cause more damages if she still hang around this planet since her influence is still so intense in many innocent people. She seemed to be a strong person that she would not be afraid of the back fires of her own actions. She has survived through all of these criticism and curses so far! She had abused her disciples’ good faith in her. She had used religion as a ladder to gain her fame and get rich. SM Chinghai is such a liar, a hypocrite; however, a very smart/witty (got to be) woman.
I was once blindly loved her very much, just wonder if now I am again blind again, blindly angry at her.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:37 am
Whatcan Isay accept when u have someone claiming to be the master and a direct connection to rGOD u would think alarm bells should go off..All religion I believe is about economics, captilism and control…I born in India everyone and their dog knows a guru or master…The pope is a joke with his jewels and protection. However I do believe we do have prophets whom do not call themselves anything just believedoing the right thing…Jesus,Budha,Mohamed etc..extraordaniry people….Religion very dangerous..It is manmade therefore subjectedtocoruption….
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:00 am
Science has proven you see the world through the spectacles you are wearing. It is no sense for a child to judge an adult, there is a lot they dont understang and could misintepret likewise one who is one with His maker cannot judge one who is, as there will be a lot of misunderstanding and bias.
I read the article it does not mean what you say it does, and every sensible spiritually enlightened person can see that, as for those who are not it is easy to see what they want to see.
the wasteland example is not reffering to the earth or any other planet, it is an example using a desert to convey the message, AND A DESERT IS “A USELESS WASTE PLACE AND A “LOUSY PLACE” UNLESS you think living in a desert is not lousy and its nice.
God bless
October 3rd, 2010 at 6:29 am
Supreme Master Ching Hai and her channels on sky tv is a fraud. She is fake and a power freak wanting to take over the world.
October 6th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Hi,
I hear the inner sound and see the inner light. Also known as the unstruck sound, or the OM of the universe. I found CH when I was seeking others who were having similar experiences I found myself having. I was going to sign up to be a part of her exclusive salvation club when I was told of the rules I had to adhere to before I was allowed in. This is were my feelings of suspicion started to arise. I am in no way saying that being a kinder person is not good for you. I am simply saying one does not need to follow her rules to find the inner light and sound. In fact, after awakening, kindness and the overwhelming understanding and feeling of oneness envelopes you and therefore kindness to all things happens most naturally. I think that MCH would understand this and teach her so called method to all without rules or attachments. Her very belief in all of the things she considers bad is what is propelling those manifestations. She is teaching to world to focus on lack therefore creating more lack. My biggest issue came when I read on her site or a site dedicated to her that you have to be blessed by the master in some way because the meditation alone does not work. I am here simply to say that is false. You do not need anything outside of yourself to find the inner light and sound.
October 8th, 2010 at 4:37 am
You can’t blame the Master because of the initiates who are acting badly..they are not God, they are only striving for perfection..you are not perfect , get off from that sit of judgment.we are dealing with idiots everyday of our lives,our friends, colleagues and family members we find them. Master never said She was God, she talks about the divine that dwells with in..she say everyone is God because..he is dwelling within. but you have to realize that and live clean, what is wrong with that ?
Theres is nothing new under the son, people will always fight you down as if they are righteous. love , wisdom is coming from with in..the quan yin method helps you should try it …there is no God outside yourself, no spirit can manifest with out flesh, because of HIM I m HIM. HAVE A BLESSED DAY
October 8th, 2010 at 4:44 am
You are very wise Sandile, and wisdom is coming from the divine source…he help us see things in right perspective ..it doesn’t matter where its coming from, who is saying it. truth is truth, you cant change it …you have to be sincere in everything you do….I pray God send more and people to enlighten us , because people lack spirituality so they cant have wisdom and understanding…to know yourself is to know God…
November 14th, 2010 at 2:16 am
I have mixed feelings about this woman, but some of the criticisms I have found (including this one) are seriously flawed.
I mean, why bring her hairstyle into it ? Who cares ? It comes across as sexist and superficial.
She delivers a lot of new age and vaguely Buddhist platitudes that sound like they are poorly translated from another language. OK, it’s silly, but it’s not sinister. Her art and music sucks, in my opinion, but in ways that are probably largely due to cultural differences. I have noticed for example that it is common for similarly colorful and childlike aesthetics to be very popular among adults in Japan and China.
At worst, she’s an egomaniac tax evader with a materialist personal lifestyle – in other words, she’s not too different than most people – but she encourages positive shit, as far as I can see, through vegetarianism, meditation, environmentalism, and respect for animals.
A good message from a flawed messenger is not such a bad thing. I mean, we didn’t really expect to find a perfect human being anyway, right ? So why should it be a surprise that she isn’t one ? It’s not like she actually claimed to be perfect, or to be divine, in any actual quote I have seen (after a couple hours of Googling, anyway). Several critics have more or less implied this, but it seems to me that if she went around proclaiming such things – with as much video of her floating around as there is, mostly in unscripted Q and A sessions of new age babble – it would be easy to find a smoking gun, and would make a critical piece a lot more effective.
January 15th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
ok as an initiate of supreme master Ching Hai,id like to say this…i have no idea why you would critisize her AT ALL since you have no idea who she really is. I know you may think we are all crazy people, but Supreme Master Ching Hai has uncountable numbers of initiates, and i am only 13 years old. I look at Master as my one and only idol, i love her very much and no one can change that. And yes, i too have seen some heat between fellow initiates, but no one is perfect and you can’t blame them. I hope that people will stop critisizing initiates and most importantly, Master Ching Hai.
January 15th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
This personal experience says all about the fraud believe system which chinghai got from SAT MAT. A sad story.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exsat/message/16560
January 17th, 2011 at 9:51 am
Clare, one who cannot be criticised clearly has a lot of issues to deal with.