To the forum member* who stopped in over at the Secret Sun Facebook group

[kalibex]

With all due respect... Coming into a group, then leaving vaguely scornful-sounding comments (like: 'It gives quite a good example of how the enemy is here and not there') when you find the members to be a bit facetious in their replies, and see that it obviously isn't a group actively discussing 4th Way concepts... isn't terribly externally considerate.

Also not a great 'advertisement' for this group...were any of them indeed ready to take that 'next step' up.

Just remember...once you self-identify in public as a forum member... you're in effect, an inadvertent 'representative'. What impression will you leave behind when you go?

*I recommended this forum, when I that saw this person, who subsequently self-identified as already being a forum member, wanted to discuss 4th Way concepts

 

[Laura]

Can you give me a few more details on what you are talking about?

 

[kalibex]

Can you give me a few more details on what you are talking about?

Someone showed up (called 'Banjoe Chef'), asked what the Secret Sun facebook group was about (FYI: general esoteric topics, generally centering around the posts on Mr. Knowle's Secret Sun blog), and asked whether anyone was into discussing Gurdjieff/Oupensky/Mouravieff. This person received various replies (some facetious, some humorous, some perfectly serious/helpful), but then proceeded to display, IMO, a dismissive attitude towards the group he/she was visiting for obviously not being interested in the occult from the POV of Gurdjieff/Oupensky/Mouravieff, etc. (Several polite but slightly annoyed replies back from members in response to this made it clear that yes, this person was being seen as a bit rude.) I also responded, saying that if they were looking for a group of people doing the Work, that they could check out the Cassiopaea forum. (I myself had not ever explicitly self-identified as a Cass forum member on that Secret Sun forum.) 'Banjoe Chef' then replied "already there, honey." Might just be a lurker here who doesn't really participate, but I immediately started worrying about what the people seeing this person post would now think of this forum based on this person's behavior, then responded with something to the effect that what this person was doing was more likely to piss people off than to ever make them want to go see what the forum was about, that they were displaying a lack of external consideration with their replies.

I, ah, kind of feel as if I should now do 'damage control', letting the group there know that this 'Banjoe Chef' person does not represent the average Cassiopaea forum member, but will of course defer to any recommendations you may have on the matter.

 

[Laura]

Well, as far as I know, that person is unknown to me and most definitely does not represent our forum or work.

I think it would help if you could give us a link to that person's FB page which should be available by just clicking their name on their post.

Added: is this the person: _https://www.facebook.com/banjoe.chef?fref=ts

 

[whitecoast]

Also not a great 'advertisement' for this group...were any of them indeed ready to take that 'next step' up.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems from the exchange that you were the one who brought up the forum and dragged it into that conversation. That's a bad dea for the reasons you mention above. It's the reason the forum isn't advertised to a general audience, because people with good intentions can misrepresent it, or present it in a non-beneficial or untimely way (as was done on the FB group) that harms both the forum and the audience.

Judging from your story it seems he only brought up forth way teachers and could have been from any fourth way group. If I was in your position I would have just brought up the teachings of the teachers and groups he DID mention to point out his hypocrisy and immaturity.

 

[kalibex]

Added: is this the person: _https://www.facebook.com/banjoe.chef?fref=ts

Yep.

 

[Laura]

Also not a great 'advertisement' for this group...were any of them indeed ready to take that 'next step' up.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems from the exchange that you were the one who brought up the forum and dragged it into that conversation. That's a bad dea for the reasons you mention above. It's the reason the forum isn't advertised to a general audience, because people with good intentions can misrepresent it, or present it in a non-beneficial or untimely way (as was done on the FB group) that harms both the forum and the audience.

Judging from your story it seems he only brought up forth way teachers and could have been from any fourth way group. If I was in your position I would have just brought up the teachings of the teachers and groups he DID mention to point out his hypocrisy and immaturity.

That pretty much appears to be the case. If that person has checked out this forum, as far as I know, he's not a member and we obviously didn't satisfy his criteria. He's not even a "friend" of mine on FB nor do we appear to have any friends in common.

 

[kalibex]

If I was in your position I would have just brought up the teachings of the teachers and groups he DID mention to point out his hypocrisy and immaturity.

Okay; won't point out the forum in future, then.

If I can, would it help for me to delete that comment I mentioned the forum by name in and the subsequent comment of mine? No one had replied to it, so wouldn't be 'missed'.

 

[JonnyRadar]

I also responded, saying that if they were looking for a group of people doing the Work, that they could check out the Cassiopaea forum. (I myself had not ever explicitly self-identified as a Cass forum member on that Secret Sun forum.) 'Banjoe Chef' then replied "already there, honey."

In my opinion, "already there, honey." could mean a whole host of things. As in, they're "already there" with the information, or just pulled up the forum when you mentioned and so were "already there." Just my 2 cents.