Oprah & Tolle Critique-REAL???

Have Oprah Winfrey and New Agers been fooled by Eckhart Tolle, the "philosopher con man or comic?" Check it out by listening carefully to psychologist-philosopher, Strephon Kaplan-Williams. ------Visit Strephon's Extraordinary New Blog Site at: http://strephonsays.com/blog/2008/11/hello-potential-members/------

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Oprah
• Winfrey
• and
• Eckhart
• Tolle
• advice
• video
• blog
• wisdom
• critique
• Strephon
• Kaplan-Williams
• philosophy
• psychology
• con
• christianity
• spiritual
• life
• fooled

[strephonskw]

Why are you arguing with me, saying I have not read Tolle's books and other statements? Why not quote Tolle on any points if you have read his books? Try and find out what upsets you, grimmmammoth. Don't argue with me or my books. If you are at cross-purposes with someone's ideas then speak to those ideas and not to the person. Tolle did not originate his ideas, by the way. He has a knack for expressing spiritual philosophy already expounded by others. Ah, the work is so hard to be clear on!

[grimmmammoth]

The first thing that strikes me is you have no awareness of what Tolle's points are because you haven't read the books and you didn't listen to him speak for more then a few minutes. If you dispute what I say then make another video with some critiques on some actual points he makes. The last person I would trust is a modern psychologist.

[strephonskw]

Since when have you decided to trust the person and not his actions and thoughts? Better yet, don't live by trust. Live by results.

You don't acknowledge the issues I raise here, do you, and make your own decisions? If you don't think for yourself you will be following gurus all over the place until your dying breath.

What marks a human being, and some animal species probably, is the ability for the individual to think for himself.

Are you Tolle?

Or are you yourself?

[strephonskw]

Sour grapes is not the point! Perspective on life is! With respect to humanity, and a more ultimate creator, how we live our lives is the true context to debate about.

Therefore question others who give out a philosophy to build your life perspective by.

You die! I die also. But by then it will be too late to develop perspective to live your life by. This is what it is all about.

Going down false paths dooms your life to a wasted and unreal life. Think, think and never stop thinking.

[strephonskw]

At 457 views I just added the little box comments that YouTube has given us in beta. Might get more comment engagements from viewers. July 27, 2008.

-Should I do more commentaries on the Oprah-Tolle series? I need feedback. Is it worth it?

[strephonskw]

Oprah-Tolle were working at a high level of resonance in their video series. Unfortunately, as a psychotherapist, I don't find their views grounded in the everyday emotional experience of those living life in a challenged way. Both are rich. They don't have the stress of living at the edge many people have.

The trouble with the goose that laid the golden egg is that she never leaves the nest because of it.

This is maybe why I decided not to use my own smarts to dialog more with their views.

[atheio]

No, no, no- the mind can never be an inner authority.

[grimmmammoth]

Cont....Are you thinking for yourself then when you adhere to psychology principals? As far as the issues you "raise here" all I really acknowledged is you've never read his books and you don't like some one saying they are not a guru. Does a psychologist introduce them selfs as a guru? Then according to your point we should be highly suspicous. I've never met Mr Tolle I don't know "his actions or thoughts" but I trust the Results gained from using his ideas in my life. Are you psychology?

[sluggfish]

Also you must remember that everybody on an individual level has their own way to enlightment as no person is the same.Clinical psychology could be more open to material dealing with areas of consciousness However there is still room for intuitive side which rarely is considered & would add great depth to the study of psychology itself.Suicide is individual, again as you know everyones different.People have taken their lives over trivialities.It's a reaction to emotions of feelings unworthy

[sluggfish]

Psychologists study human behaviour which of course is ego related thats it.One reason why Tolle is there & your not(no disrespect intended)is that the material resonates with millions of people whether it be the whole book,a chapter,or paragraph.Tolle is irrelevent it's the material that matters, Tolle says himself that life is the guru or teacher. I found his material absolutely brilliant & corilates with other new age material just different terminology. continued

[BesACB]

Next time you make a video, pls prepare yourself a little better. Anyone can ramble, very few people can ramble in an engaging, entertaining and enlightening manner.

[tradition42]

Regarding your comment: "I don't find their views grounded in the everyday emotional experience of those living life in a challenged way. Both are rich. They don't have the stress of living at the edge many people have."

You got that right! I am a professional counselor in the U.S., and I loved listening to the Oprah/Tolle webcasts. I love them both, but cannot believe how hypocritical they are! Come ON, Oprah: "I couldn't believe a person could get so mad they'd give the finger.." Really?

[jessewatson]

Is Eckhart a con-man? I don't honestly care. I have no personal relationship to the man. I have read all his material, I have tested out his teachings in my life and I have re-derived them from my own experience. No, they are not the truth, but they point to it. These teachings put into practice have changed my life. The man is irrelevant -- why waste energy criticizing him when you could post videos of your own teachings? Or perhaps you thought an attack would give your video more hits?

[yogisrock]

if you are interested in listening to some videos explaining what it is i am discussing i am happy to recommend channels for you - peace to you

[yogisrock]

tolle speaks imho in order to help others going through transformations...it is not though from an ego based doing if self realized...it is the life that flows through, it is not their ego. a self realized person will not be teaching through ego - now many do teach; some realized some not - the consciousness of a self-realized being is completely different! a person still identified with their persona w/out the energy would have a hard time recognizing a realized 1 & claim they teach from ego

[yogisrock]

u speak of tolle speaking about feeling suicidal & saying he is not a guru. A self-realized person realizes that they are no-thing...no persona...many do not have running thoughts anymore at all and for others it is background noise. So who is there to be a guru? No one - Before realization - joe is sitting - after realization - sitting takes place. - about the suicidal feelings - when the spiritual energy starts all that has been held deep within comes up to the surface amplified for clearing

[boringshi]

Hahahaha! "Think, think and never stop thinking."

Wonderful. Any Tolle fan recognize this..?!

[grimmmammoth]

No you should not do any more commentaries on Tolle. Because you do not know anything about what Tolle says or his Ideas so how can you do a commentary. Your just trying to further your own suedo intelegence and there is enough of that in this world.

[grimmmammoth]

First of all you have made a mistake in trying to tell me how I've made a decision to trust a person not his action. Who says I'm living by trust and not results. You added this judgement on me with out even knowing me. In no way from what I have writen above could you know this about me. Secondly Guru means teacher did you not have a teacher in university when you took psychology. Thirdly just because someone hears an Idea and agrees with it does not mean he is not thinking for himself.

[kornpone]

With all due respect, by dwelling on their success, might not all this amount to sour grapes? (Ruthless self-honesty required here.) Whatever happened to looking at the teachings and not the teacher? Sorry, but it sounds like another ego speaking here.

[nenenej]

Oh - and yes please share more thought on this. Thank you

[nenenej]

Respekt. I have been searching for som other perspektive to Tolle and his wisdom, than his own -or that of Christians, who tend to refer to passages in a book that is nonsense to me.

Tolle is walking a hard and balanced walk between on one hand spreading the message and, on the other hand denying being a guru. Is it his fault that people puts him on the pedistal? Tough question,i think. I do think however that Krishnamurti was way more convincing in not wanting to be a guru than Tolle is.

[caseyjooherown]

u r kinda cool