Saturday, August 15, 2009

Making Amends

Icarusancalion over on LJ has posted an explanation/apology/amends for something she did, attacking and slandering a Buddhist temple and its Lama over a period of years because she couldn't face her own responsibility for her failures as a nun and a Buddhist.

Her hateful and lying words from the past have been used by others to hurt this temple and her old teacher, and she hopes that her confession and explanation will rise high enough in Google rankings that when people go looking for information on the subject, they'll find her post to mitigate the lies she helped spread, which are also still out there, propped up by others with similar issues.

Aside from this being a pretty awesome melding of ancient tradition and 21st century technology, I think this is a worthy cause and then some, so I'm linking in all my personal fora. I encourage everyone to read this (it's not that long) and if you agree that it's a worthy cause, to link as well. Thank you.

Angie

8 comments:

writtenwyrdd said...

Interesting reading. Conversely, I had a spiritual teacher once who has done the same thing about a number of students, including myself.

I doubt the damage she's perpetrated will be in any way undone by her actions, but I'm sure she'll feel so much better about herself. And I do mean that in a non-snarky way. I hope that her actions give her some sense of peace in a healthy way.

Charles Gramlich said...

I know too forgive is divine. But why the slander in the first place? I guess I don't understand the behavior very well.

Steve Malley said...

You do find the coolest stuff! :)

Angie said...

WW -- that's... wow.

Conversely, I had a spiritual teacher once who has done the same thing about a number of students, including myself.

Major case of, Spirituality? Yer Doin' it Wrong. :/

About undoing the damage, if the internet is one of the major channels through which the lies are spreading, then boosting her confession in the ranks will help, I think. [crossed fingers] Of course, it depends whether the people reading both sides will accept that she and (by implication) the others slandering the temple and its Lama were lying for their own purposes, or whether they'll decide that she just got sucked back into the "cult" or whatever, but I'm hoping it helps at least to some extent.

Charles -- my understanding is that it was easier to accuse and blame her teacher rather than to face and accept her own issues. I don't approve, but I do understand. Fear is a strong motivator.

Steve -- thanks. :) In this case it found me; Icarusancalion has been on my friends list on LJ for years. I was sort of vaguely aware that she'd been a Buddhist and was studying Sanskrit on and off, but hadn't heard about all the kerfuffle before.

Angie

laughingwolf said...

angie, that's great... and i'm in full agreement with charles

Angie said...

LW -- sure, but the point is that everyone makes mistakes, and some of them are doozies. I know I've made my share. I think it's cool that she's trying to make amends as best she can, though, even when it means exposing what she did to everyone. And this includes every one of her online friends. It's late, yes, but still brave and well done of her, I think.

Angie

laughingwolf said...

yeah, but once you goof, why continue to perpetuate that goof ad nauseum?

Angie said...

LW -- I'm not sure what you mean there. If you mean, why did she keep doing it for years? then I don't know for sure. It seems like her issues prevented her from seeing that she was in the wrong. She thought she was doing the right thing at the time, but her view of the situation was skewed. She's certainly not the first person to have that problem, and won't be the last.

Angie