False Teachers are a Dime-a-Dozen

[causticus]

Wow, it's been quite awhile since I've posted anything. Let's just say I've been in a bit of a transition period as of late. I'm trying to iron out a few kinks in my subtler bodies, and this particular time of yeah, the last leg of winter, is quite an appropriate time to attempt such an undertaking. The ancients agreed with this wholeheartedly.

Anyway, pursuing the various spiritual spaces on the internet, it's quite obvious to me that there are no shortage of false teachers out there. In other words, people who pretend to be enlightened and thus have access to higher knowledge that very few (or no one else) other people have. They make lots of grandiose claims and are usually not very shy about the act of self-promotion. Having studied under a genuine guru/teacher at some point, it's become quite easy for me to spot the fakes. The most obvious red flags are displays of emotional immaturity and uncontrolled emotions in general. Unfortunately, many thirsty seekers fall for the frauds and get swept up in false and misleading teachings and sometimes get sucked into noxious personality cults. It happens.

Here are some telltale signs of a false guru/teacher/spiritual master to look for, in no particular order:

• Makes grandiose or far-fetched sounding claims to the general public, i.e. people outside their own group or inner circle


• Shows signs of emotional immaturity and especially the inability to control their own emotions in precarious or challenging situations.


• Makes more than a few statements containing blatant falsehoods and factual inaccuracies that anyone with sufficient knowledge in the area(s) in question can spot right away.


• Unwilling to entertain or accept feedback from their students/followers.


• They claim that they alone are the only person who is in possession of higher truth(s) and/or knowledge, and that all other teachers and traditions are either false or inferior to his or her own teachings.


• Has the habit of gloating and acting in a manner that displays ostentatious self-promoting conduct.


• Takes criticisms very personally and lashes out with fiery emotional responses when challenged on something potentially false or misleading they said.


• Shows an obsessive curiosity in the student's personal affairs. Or, shows no concern at all for the student's personal affairs.


• Has no qualms describing in detail to strangers various bizarre and otherworldly spiritual experiences they have had, especially those involving contact with incorporeal beings. Look out especially for people who claim to have "channeled" special/unique information from such beings.


• Will invite students or followers into their inner circle with very little or no work/achievement on the part of the student required; often all that's required of the student or follower is the remittance of monetary payments and/or free labor to the teacher. Look out especially for teachers who don't vet student candidates for desirable character traits or prior relevant experience and thus seem to take in anyone off the street.


• For more exclusive or elitist cults/sects, the student/follower might be told they have to read (or view, if movies/videos) a large body of work before they can join. Now this itself isn't the sign of a false teacher, but if the student isn't required to actually show an understanding of the material but rather just a regurgitation of it or simple ideological acquiescence or agreement with the materials in question, then this is probably a red flag.


• May become very aggressive or persistent with retention attempts if/when a student/follower attempts to leave the group. Any outsider or new student who asks the teacher reasonable questions will simply be told that they have sufficiently studied or understood the body of work in question, if the teacher doesn't feel like addressing those questions.


• Frequently heaps unprompted praise upon students/followers. In other words, "love bombing."


• Liberally uses their own concocted theology, cosmology, eschatology, myths, ect. that are not rooted in any historical tradition.


• Alternatively, they claim their own teachings are a part of a venerable lineage that they were initiated into, despite there being few signs of either,(a) such a lineage actually existing, or if regarding a real lineage, (b) no credible proof or signs that their own teachings are indeed a part of that lineage.


• Their ideas/teachings are chock full of New Age tropes.


...this is certainly not all of it. This list could probably go on forever. Maybe I'll update it at some point.