I have many responses and reactions to this, but rather than reiterate them here have a look at what I’ve posted on the blog for THRIVE: http://thrivemovement.com/foster-and-kimberlys-response-to-john-robbins-critique-of-thrive#comment-520989615. Your last paragraph, however, is particular irksome in how it defines dualistic thinking, which isn’t what Robbins is engaging in. There is good and bad that can be pointed out without any qualms about that being an unfair way to evaluate anything. And, as I say in my comments on the THRIVE blog, racists aren’t people from whom you might admirably cherry pick their non-racist ideas. Hitler of course is the graphic example. I’m sure he knew a lot about organizing, but you would want to set up your organization in admiration of his intelligence.

Yes, some of David Ickes theories sound bizarre, but have you actually read his books? I’ve no idea if he’s right about the reptilians or not, and he is not trying to ‘teach’ people anything, but publicise what his research has led him to believe. He repeatedly tells people to do their own research, and says ‘if you believe everything I say, then I have failed’. He provides detailed references for many of his ideas, and unless you read his books you will not be able to judge for yourself.

There is also much evidence that global warming is not caused by man. Many of the planets in our solar system are also warming.

I’m afraid John really contradicts himself when he says ‘Thrive’ divides the world into good and evil people, and this approach will not provide any solutions, but he is doing exactly that himself with his ad hominem attacks on some people for being ‘right wing’ or ‘racist’. Maybe they are, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong about every single thing they believe. That is dualistic thinking at its worst. We should listen to everyone to see if we can learn something from them, then make our own minds up. People are complicated, the world is complicated, if you want to know the truth you have to keep an open mind.

Re “it’s about how we respond to what we experience,” that’s always a bottom line when you look at your life. Everything on your plate is grist for calling you to high places from which to empbrace what happens. But critical thinking and trustworthy people who can help sort out objective rality also are part of the picture. We live in two worlds, the ultimate and the relative, and here’s a good dialogue I had about that with the late, great Lex Hxion: http://mightycompanions.org/page6.html.

Many of us have been seeking to know what is real and what is not, and I guess that by making such a film these people will be adding to the great truism that one has to find one’s own answers and question everything.

In this time of tremendous uncertainty and much superstition about the future, it would be nice to have a source of external truth, but I guess it’s not about what we believe anyway, it’s about how we respond to what we experience.

Thanks again.

http://www.thrivemovement.com/foster-and-kimberlys-response-to-john-robbins-critique-of-thrive