I always thought, based on my own experience, that Waldorf schools are safe refuges. Oh Why? What I have learned from you and others has been shocking. These people, too, are rare. OUR MISSION. ", http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waldorf-critics/message/15460, I was "educated" by some very smart Anthroposophists (J. F. Gardner, F. Winkler, J. Wetzl, etc. We could opine endlessly about why this is so, but I think we must acknowledge that most people don't use their best thinking skills in the most important spheres of life. Thus, medical intervention is often a bad idea: A doctor who cures a patient with drugs, etc., may be blocking the patient’s karmic self-healing process. I offered this impolite, totally un-PC comment for a couple of reasons. More importantly, a good mason will use critical intelligence on the design of the project s/he is undertaking (or s/he should do so, certainly). I probably should have been more explicit about the "critical" nature of the thinking a mason employs. This resulted in the bridge collapse and the conviction of the designer for gross negligence. This is all part of the court record. When such explanations are challenged or don't fit apparent reality (no flying saucers are found), the patient patches up the false belief so it is still believable. I do this on the basis of logic, reading, and personal experience. This doesn't make us all geniuses. c) Therefore, Roger is not a real human being. I'm using an old trick I learned as a teacher (old trick, old teacher) — to get a discussion going, say something debatable. The problem is all the worse, of course, when the self-appointed "messiahs" are working in the service of a faith that is utterly irrational and fallacious. Thoughts. The intention, presumably, was good. Indeed. Anthroposophy as a spiritual movement has become cut off from the ideals of its founder, since the anthroposophists are no longer interested in its own questions and goals. I think I would summarize it by saying that Anthroposophy is a set of delusions. — Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, p. 650. They are just plain dumb. Figures like [Rudolf] Steiner and [Helena] Blavatsky and [Julius] Evola etc appealed above all to people who were eagerly seeking a way to get around the increasing professionalization and specialization of knowledge; as scientific and scholarly disciplines became more established, more academic, and more exclusive, the notion of asserting various kinds of 'higher' knowledge became powerfully attractive to the esoterically inclined. Here's the part of my recent message that I hoped would spark discussion: "On the subject of critical thinking, it might be worth adding this:  "Some people never get the hang of it. Thank you - you do indeed have a handle on what I have gone through and am going through. For all the damage that Waldorf inflicted on my family, we had things pretty easy. There are sixteen possibilities of becoming merged with the [i.e., a] race. The story goes he came out of his car with the weapon in his hand and he was shot to death. Roger has said something hateful!" I am not serenading you with bagpipes. People who embrace those delusions become cut off, to varying degrees, from reality. ), so I have thought about this a lot. What do I try to provoke? And sometimes I intentionally try to provoke [see, e.g., "Summing Up"*], which may or may not be an aid to comprehension. all the while denying the anthroposophical reality of the education. (But how can I say some of these things? According to Steiner, people judged to be nonhuman may be demons in disguise. "That little girl L.K. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waldorf-critics/message/15498. Curiously, many Anthroposophists seem to be very left-wing, while the occult philosophy of Steiner is more “conservative” in nature. Many Waldorf schools, when faced with the prospect of canceling a class because there is no teacher, will hire and hope to train-on-the-job well-intentioned but under-qualified wanna-be teachers. In other words, s/he should be her own toughest critic. Most of us are in-between, on a sliding scale. Passages preceded by ">" are quoted from previous messages. So why shouldn't you? Let us suppose he reaches what is to be reached in sixteen incarnations; he takes the sixteen false paths. The earth does not wait for him, the earth goes forward and he finally arrives at a point where he can no longer incorporate in a human body, for none are in existence. [, I'd like to supplement Peter's posting with something I put on the Waldorf Watch "news" page today [, I am jumping the gun on this item, which I have taken from the September/October SKEPTICAL INQUIRER [, But this is your lucky day. http://petekaraiskos.blogspot.com/2010/10/where-do-waldorf-teachers-go.html, Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. And a faith or "philosophy" up for various (and often wildly divergent) interpretations. * I don't want to give the game away, but this is an intentionally provocative statement. This is an desirable skill in all lines of work, and it depends on narrowly defined critical thinking. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waldorf-critics/message/15476. Fortunately, such folks are rare. London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 2004, pp. See more. They may have good hearts, wonderful souls, sweet dispositions. My daughter started on a path of self-destruction from that time on. P.S. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthroposophists: Subcategories. I'm always a little surprised at the directions the discussion here takes. I'd like to supplement Peter's posting with something I put on the Waldorf Watch "news" page today [https://sites.google.com/site/waldorfwatch/news/], "Many schizophrenics have auditory hallucinations in which they hear voices. > For all the damage that Waldorf inflicted on my family, we had things pretty easy. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waldorf-critics/message/15496. Recovery from the damage inflicted by a Waldorf school is possible, I truly believe, but when the damage is severe the recovery, obviously, may be prolonged and difficult. Anthroposophy definition, a philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) which maintains that, by virtue of a prescribed method of self-discipline, cognitional experience of the spiritual world can be achieved. It was my intervention that resulted in my daughter being institutionalized and the 30 year old man arrested. Steiner also spread an even worse doctrine. Highland Hall, over the course of a decade, destroyed my daughter's mental health. It is not illogical to reach general conclusions. Oh Why? I try always to tell the truth, and I try always to accept the consequences. On the subject of critical thinking, it might be worth adding this: Some people never get the hang of it. One was incredibly under-qualified, the other brought her teenage pedophile son with her to prey on our kids... WITH Highland Hall's knowledge... they even covered up incidents. Steiner R. The Foundations of Human Experience (Foundations of Waldorf Education, 1). Highland Hall WILL PAY for what they did... of that there is no question. In part, this process means evolving upward from low races to higher races. [108] [109] Important early anthroposophists who were Jewish included two central members on the executive boards of the precursors to the modern Anthroposophical Society, [110] and Karl König, the founder of the Camphill movement , who had … From my perspective, everything at Waldorf Watch is true. In addition to his acute interest in spiritualism, Steiner also turned his attention to many earthly matters. In a sense, all human knowledge depends on our ability to reach true generalizations. Anthroposophists mean well, but there is no excuse for some of their actions and beliefs. A mason, for instance, learns to use critical thinking in the matter of masonry: Is the design for a project good, how many bricks will the job take, how much mortar, where will the loads be borne, how many hours will the job take, how many assistants are needed, what price must be charged to make a profit? Each has their following among anthroposophists, and each is controversial, some more than others. Awhile back, Peter [Staudenmaier] posted an excellent mini-essay here on rationality and rational discussion. They believe they have understood Steiner's work and are utterly disinterested in learning anything about Steiner's work, particularly from non-anthroposophists. Right? Shocked recognition of the truth. But I digress.). You might enjoy their company and indeed love them. YES, they REALLY DO! They WILL be sorry for what they did... whatever that takes. The following quotation is a bit dense, but it describes — in Steiner's own words — these doctrines: “Man has either hardened [in heart and spirit] or possesses the possibility of developing to higher stages. And the teachers were, for the most part, discreet as well as kindly. Once anthroposophists stop posing and attempting to answer this question, the game is over. The peculiar thing is that most people elect not to use critical intelligence in the most important spheres of life. Anthroposophists mean well, but there is no excuse for some of their actions and beliefs. They are called the ‘sixteen paths of perdition.’ On these paths man would merge with the material [i.e., become almost wholly material rather than spiritual]. The Anthroposophical Society in America (ASA) supports and furthers the work of Rudolf Steiner in the United States.We are an open membership organization that fosters self-development and inspired social engagement. They must cut themselves off entirely from the progress of evolution. Here's an experiment parents can try at home... convince your child they are a demon... and see how they grow up... or you could save yourself the trouble and send them to Waldorf! If, for instance, I asserted, a) no true Waldorf critic could possibly disagree with me about anything, b) Peter disagrees with me about something, c) therefore Peter is no true Waldorf critic. — Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, p. 650. Usually I attempt top convey the truth by writing clearly and logically. I think [the] point about Steiner fans gravitating toward reading only Steiner-related material is important, and helps explain some of the peculiar reluctance to discuss Steiner's work that we see on this list much of the time. Anthropomorphism definition, an anthropomorphic conception or representation, as of a deity. No. But we have big brains, and learning to use them can be helpful. This is something that positively takes place. But as I have pointed out, anthroposophists are cultural heretics, so it is natural to make the distinction in certain contexts between the anthroposophical community and the non-anthroposophical community. I'm reaching general conclusions. I regret not going to see him for purposes of reconciliation before it was no longer possible. The case of Rudolf Hess raises the question of what constitutes an Anthroposophist.In establishing a definition we could go … In the case sited above, the designer trusted the executors to make the necessary changes in the design - something the executors were not qualified to do. — Rudolf Steiner, FACULTY MEETINGS WITH RUDOLF STEINER, pp. Bad health, on the other hand, often reflects the working out of one’s “karmic destiny.” If one enters this world carrying spiritual impurities resulting from sins and errors committed in previous lives, disease can serve as a rite of passage, purging evils from one’s bodily/spiritual system. However, as nuts are also high in calories, 0.5 ounces (14 grams) of nuts or seeds is considered equivalent to 1 ounce (28 grams) of other protein sources, such … I think I would summarize it by saying that Anthroposophy is a set of delusions. The roughly 1.5-inch (3.8 centimeters) snacks are disqualified from being true nuts, because 10 to 25 of them grow inside a … A kind of fanaticism can result, along with self-righteousness. Waldorf schools are usually scrambling for teachers and not because that many parents are seeking an anthroposophical education for their children; its more that parents are often lured into Waldorf's facade because of their fear of conventional models of education. Steiner taught that we are meant to evolve upwards. PROFESSIONAL membership. I'm no Thoreau. For reasons that I hope will become plain, I tossed at least one intentionally provocative statement into the conversation. They are good for your overall health as they contain protein, fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E and many other minerals and antioxidants. I cherish their memories hurt to anyone to intolerance and destruction voila instant... In red category … PROFESSIONAL membership tool available to the Scotsman fallacy a. 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