http://outofthefog.net/CommonBehaviors/Entitlement.html

From whence the phrase, regarding the obvious, “Is the Pope Catholic?”

( ) )

But anyway, why condemn Pope – or indeed anyone, however intellectually or artistically gifted – for not being a ‘spiritual seeker’? It would seem he knew no better, or – like the overwhelmingly vast majority, including now – simply wasn’t that bothered i.e. he had other fish to fry, as it were. Seems to me that if it’s not your time, it’s not your time….

and

The vulgar boil, the learned roast, an egg.

( both Alexander Pope quotes… )

And this my penned contribution from my quilled desk:

If one is forced by injunction’s doubt to stoop and ask another’s ploy,
Enquire then with grace’s favour,
As by their merit,
Accusations of intrigued complicity
Will by the wayside fall
When as failing to trip,
They trip unto themselves,
Withal.

‘Twas but a jest to carouse by turn that most endearing of our humours,
To talk in rhyme and haiku’s prose,
Replacing such that conflict may be uplifted and…reposed.

Hmmm… well, yes, Pope did have much to choose from in 17th century England, but Pope remained a mediocre Catholic. Voltaire wrote letters to Pope. Voltaire said of the Vedic literature: “The Veda was the most precious gift for which the West had ever been indebted to the East.” How is it that Pope managed to miss the Enlightenment? And apparently the Vedas?

Pope, being an educated man, could not have been ignorant of mystical religious options available to him that came out of the Renaissance, or mystical options from religious dissenters of the Protestant Reformation, or those alternatives that came from the Orient.

In England itself there were options like the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Osho put the ma’s in charge in the commune. Quaker women in the England of Pope also had a major role, in being responsible for the spirituality of the larger community. Osho has spoken very favorably of the Quakers’ practice of sitting in silence. Pope? Not so much.

Besides all the above-mentioned options ignored by Pope, there were the native Celtic and pagan traditions. But Pope, not being a spiritual seeker, was apparently not impressed by those options. Pope was content to remain a Catholic.

Pope could not have been ignorant of the Freethinkers movement, which was challenging biblical literalism, challenging church authority, challenging church dogma. That movement was contemporaneous with Pope, having started in 1600 with the execution in Italy of Giordano Bruno. Freethought was alive and well in England at the time of Pope.

Osho had no problem with it, Osho relished modern freethought. But Pope instead busied himself writing ‘moral’ essays and philosophical poems based on the assumption that man is fallen and needs salvation.

Pope DID live in a time when he had much to go on, but chose to ignore it. His buddy Voltaire had a clue; why not Pope? England was in a state of religious turmoil, yet Pope managed not to embrace any of the religious alternatives of his time. No, in my opinion, Pope was a coward and chose the safety and security of elitist Catholic religion.

One thing I would say is that rumour still prevails everywhere. Including in Sannyas. Remember you not the tales about the Resort being sold – much excited some at the time? But now, some years later, nothing.

But I’m not sure Martyn was using it specifically re Osho’s output (no doubt he’ll confirm or deny), but rather as a wry and probably cynical aside on how so-called ‘news and views’ proliferate, not least at SN, pulling in the ‘punters’ and persuading them to give their tuppence-worth.

More seriously, this effect extends into the wider world, especially around events and topics carrying a high emotional charge, fanning prejudices and incipient violence, as seen so often these days (eg in the recent attacks on jews in western Europe, following the ‘Charlie Hebdo’ outrages).

Thus, through our wonder-ful technology, vast numbers of people can be almost instantly ‘infected’ by what amounts to sheer poison. Which is no doubt playing its part in hastening our collective doom….

PS:
And of course Pope’s religious views appear ludicrous to us – but he didn’t have much else, if anything, to go on, did he?!