Gavin Cans Film Commission Head Stephanie Coyote
Evan Low to Become Country's Youngest Gay Asian-American Mayor
San Francisco Society Tips: How to End a Party
NY Times Singles Out Vallejo As Battleground Between Gays & Christians
Redheads Unite!
credit: Brock Keeling / SFist
Oh look! Another ad from Supreme Master TV, one that will, hopefully, bring you nobility and spirituality. And this one is in massive billboard form, found above Harrison between Fourth and Third streets.
Speaking of San Francisco's favorite, veggie, sort-of cult-ish religion, we've been getting updated comments on our original post about Supreme Master Ching Hai. One commenter, "Zelda," said, "My sibling is currently involved in helping with her web TV station. My family is very worried about her and wish to bring her back home which will take planning on our part. I am wondering if you were part of her cult at one time or know of any ex-supreme master ching hai followers. We are currently keeping in touch but know she is not telling us everything. Thanks."
Anyone else know if, in fact, Ching Hai is preparing a cyanide-infused kale tofu frittata to serve to her followers, or what?
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I noticed that updated comment last night. My favorite new one is from "Kate": "She's nothing but a fraud and a murderer. End of story."
That actually kinda sounds like the beginning of the story...
(Still loving her fake meat restaurants and as of yet have not been brainwashed)
Someone ought to ask Supreme Master Ching Hai what her favorite junk food is.
There's a restaurant on Stockton and Vallejo that prominently displays her posters. Also, I've seen some Muni buses that display her ads as well.
Maybe somebody could go eat at Golden Era in the TL and try to glean some info from the servers there? They own that restaurant and their sister Golden Lotus at 14th & Franklin in Oakland, and from what I hear all the servers at Golden Era are part of the movement by requirement (don't quote me, I have no idea) but they do play the TV station all day long inside. And I also heard all the tips there go to the organizations charity, again don't quote me as I just heard that from somebody that goes there all the time.
She has restaurants all over the country, all over the world--same kinda food, same taped sermons, everything:
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng1/food/restaurant/america/index.php
I think it'd be more insidious if it was like Michael Savage's Rock Star drink where you don't know who the hell is behind it, buit still, yeah, kinda weird. Good food though.
Live and let live.
How is the Supreme Master stuff different from someone who believes in Christian "God"? Zelda's family's main worry seems to be that her sister believes in a different God than theirs. And therein lies the problem. "She doesn't tell us everything"... huh? Do you tell everything about your life to your family?
Frankly, as someone who believes in no gods, when I look at Christianity / Islam / Judaism and Supreme Master, the latter sounds way better. When Supreme Master's followers start burning others at the stake or go on suicide missions to kill infidels, let me know.
Meh, everyone wants to be rich and famous. Some people make it in Hollywood, some become pro athletes, and some start their own vegan cult.
(From her Wikipedia page: 'One disciple is supposed to have bought a pair of used sweat socks for $800 USD because "when the Master leaves the physical world, at least I will have her socks'."
I just read her wiki and while I always get concerned by these "leaders", at least they focus on practicing good deeds; be vegetarian, go green etc...Where as christianity focuses on spending as much time to praise their dead god. Do you really think Jesus would prefer people spend all that time worshiping him; when instead they could go do good deeds in his name?
Ching Hai claims to be Jesus Christ incarnate. She also claims to be God.
On another different note she's no different to the rest of the money grabbing evangelists.
See how she dodges tax up till now.
http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/propertytax/deltax/DelNamedata.asp?delTaxName=sup
Get the kids together and pack up your Kool Aid, we're heading to Guyana!
Golden Era's one of my favorite restaurants... Really, the worst the supreme master and following can do is, what, save the planet? I'll take that over genocide and oppression any day.
Brock: It's really insensitive and short-sighted and, frankly, ignorant, to assume that a new religion is automatically a death cult. There are tons of new religious movements beginning every year that are born, continue to exist, or fizzle out without suicide or fire-- but you just don't hear about those...
Remember that, at one point, every major religion had to be created and start new. Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, etc. were all at one time in the same place Supreme Master's (silly) religion was... but that doesn't mean the followers are any less genuine, less sane, or more likely to kill themselves than your average Jew or Christian or Muslim.
Good going, Brock. You made the sensitive readers cry in their gluten-free morning meals today. I hope you're happy.
hmm.. found this on the Supreme Master website.
"A Master is one who has the key for you to become a Master...to help you realize that you are also a Master and that you and God are also One. That's all...that's the only role of the Master."
-Supreme Master Ching Hai
"Our path is not a religion. I do not convert anyone to Catholicism or Buddhism, or any other "ism." I simply offer you a way to know yourself, to find out where you come from, to remember your mission here on earth, to discover the secrets of the universe, to understand why there is so much misery, and see what awaits us after death."
-Supreme Master Ching Hai
Master Ching Hai initiates sincere people longing to know the Truth, into the Quan Yin Method. The Chinese characters "Quan Yin" mean contemplation of the Sound Vibration. The Method includes meditation on both the inner Light and the inner Sound. These inner experiences have been repeatedly described in the spiritual literature of all the world's religions since ancient times.
For example, the Christian Bible states, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) This Word is the inner Sound. It has also been called the Logos, Shabd, Tao, Soundstream, Naam, or the Celestial Music. Master Ching Hai says, It vibrates within all life and sustains the whole universe. This inner melody can heal all wounds, fulfill all desires, and quench all worldly thirst. It is all powerful and all Love. It is because we are made of this Sound, that contact with it brings peace and contentment to our hearts. After listening to this Sound, our whole being changes, our entire outlook on life is greatly altered for the better.
The inner Light, the Light of God, is the same Light referred to in the word "enlightenment". Its intensity can range from a subtle glow to the brilliance of many millions of suns. It is through the inner Light and Sound that we come to know God.
The initiation into the Quan Yin Method is not an esoteric ritual or a ceremony for entering a new religion. During the initiation, specific instruction in meditation on the inner Light and inner Sound is given, and Master Ching Hai provides the "Spiritual Transmission". This first taste of Divine Presence is given in silence. Master Ching Hai need not be physically present in order to open this "door" for you. The Transmission is an essential part of the Method. The technique themselves will bring little benefit without the Grace of the Master.
Because you may hear the inner Sound and see the inner Light immediately upon initiation, this event is sometimes referred to as "sudden" or "immediate enlightenment."
Master Ching Hai accepts people from all backgrounds and religious affiliations for initiation. You do not have to change your present religion or system of beliefs. You will not be asked to join any organization, or participate in any way that does not suit your current life-style.
However, you will be asked to become a vegetarian. A lifetime commitment to the vegetarian diet is a necessary prerequisite for receiving initiation.
The initiation is offered free of charge.
Daily practice of the Quan Yin Method of meditation, and the keeping of the Five Precepts are your only requirements after initiation. The Precepts are guidelines that help you to neither harm yourself nor any other living being.
The Five Precepts:
1) Refrain from taking the life of sentient beings. This precept requires strict adherence to a vegan or lacto-vegetarian diet. No meat, fish, poultry or eggs (fertilized or nonfertilized).
2) Refrain from speaking what is not true.
3) Refrain from taking what is not yours.
4) Refrain from sexual misconduct.
5) Refrain from using intoxicants. This includes avoiding all poisons of any kind, such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco, gambling, pornography, and excessively violent films or literature.
These practices will deepen and strengthen your initial enlightenment experience, and allow you to eventually attain the highest levels of Awakening or Buddhahood for yourself. Without daily practice, you will almost certainly forget your enlightenment and return to a normal level of consciousness.
Master Ching Hai's goal is to teach us to be self sufficient. Therefore, She teaches a method that can be practiced by everyone, by themselves, without props or paraphernalia of any kind. She is not looking for followers, worshippers, or disciples, or to establishing an organization with a dues paying membership. She will not accept money, prostrations, or gifts from you, so you do not need to offer these to Her.
She will accept your sincerity in daily life and meditation practice to progress yourself towards sainthood.
She seems very wise, check out her lecture.
http://suprememastertv.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=bmd&wr_id=584&goto_url=&sca=&url=link2_0#v
She seems very wise, check out her lecture.
http://suprememastertv.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=bmd&wr_id=584&goto_url=&sca=&url=link2_0#v
Master ching hai is awesome , and loves us all so much. I love you too! Thankyou for helping to save our planet and the people and animals living here.Her presence here, elevates all creatures.
I'm an initiate. What's all the fuss? I can understand being suspicious. Heck, with all the stigma of dangerous cults in the media in the past, I don't blame you. But I don't think it's fair to judge Supreme Master Ching Hai. At least look at their efforts for what they are: To help promote vegetarianism and positivity.
As far as Zelda is concerned: your sibling is fine. My family was worried about me too after I got initiated, simply because I had to be vegetarian and meditate. After I started to try to explain to my family what I thought about God and what I believed Christianity was truly about, they just flipped and started to act hostile and assumed the worst, which was just silly.
After awhile of me sticking to what I was doing and still being vegetarian, they calmed down and realized it was what I wanted to do. I did make some mistakes by telling them too much. Honestly, they just weren't ready for it, and I also wish I weren't so fanatical about it either.
Right before, and especially after I got initiated, I was really excited, and I felt like Master Ching Hai was the best thing since sliced bread, so naturally, and foolishly, I tried to spread the word about it. (i'd like to note that it is encouraged that one spends more time meditating so as to develop yourself spiritually, so that after ahwile, people will come to you about spiritual matters)
There is nothing at all dangerous about being an initiate, or truly believing what Supreme Master Ching Hai claims she is. If you look at the Supreme Master Ching Hai association for what it does, you'll see a very positive trend in terms of humanitarian work and disaster relief. It's easy to be suspicious, but it's hard to be trusting, and I understand that.
But it's crazy to knock someone for trying to do the right thing, after they've been rewarded over and over, and have been trying to do the right thing as long and as consistently as Supreme Master Ching Hai and her association has been doing for years.
And no, there will never be any crazy mass suicide led by Supreme Master Ching Hai. I can 100% promise you that. 1000% promise you! There'll be plenty more disaster relief when necessary and humanitarian work by her association. I can 100% promise you that too.
Also, if you are interested in the philosophy behind the Quan Yin method and reasoning behind following a master from another point of view, then order a book from www.rssb.org. It's a website by the sant mat group, but in actuality, the methods are very similar and acheive the same goal in the end.
Free shipping :) all the way from India
With Master's Love