New Zen Forum Open
by Al
As was mentioned recently, Rev. Nonin, a well known Zen teacher, was banned from the E-Sangha web forum recently for not meeting whatever unspecified doctrinal muster is required to have an account on the that site.
At that time, Rev. Nonin and others stated that a new online forum for Zen practitioners was in the works since there was no place online that was both open and embracing of the values of the Dharma. I have found out today that this new forum is finally up.
It is the Zen Forum International. I have created an account there (as “arcanology”) and plan to participate in the site. With this and the new Tricycle Community site, this does seem to be the week for new web forums.
I encourage all of the Zen practitioners that I know or those interested in Zen to check out the new site and to help build a real community there.
Hi. My name is Christopher Chase, I am one of the administrators for the ZFI website. Thanks so much for helping to get the word out, we look forward to welcoming folks over.
~Christopher:::
Well it opened , but so far it hasnt worked out so good. ZFI has become the domain of one particular and narrow view of Zen as interpreted by one well known ex E Sangha guy who has a seemingly pathological dislike of authority, and of anything that smacks of ” Buddhism” which is invariably placed in inverted commas. All other views are smothered at birth by this quipping and noodling guy’s ego and the egos of his hangers-on. A real missed opportunity.
Sadly, Mr And Mrs Wonderwheel who run ZFI as a Mom n’Pop store, show as yet little inclination to actually emphasise Zen Buddhism as distinct from Vedantic Monism, New Age Fuzziwork, and good ol’ homespun Zen-Lite sprinkles. Until they do the same hard core group of a dozen or so refugees from other websites will continue to persue each other around like incestuous chickens.
In case the above seems harsh it should be pointed out that for some time before E Sangha went belly up there has been a crying need for a good non sectarian Zen E Forum. With the arrival of Zen Forum International that need looked as though it might be met. There are some very good folk to hand, people who really walk the talk, such as the above mentioned Rev Nonin and the well regarded and very experienced Jundo Cohen, so far so good. However it was with a heavy heart for some readers that we saw that a small in group from E Sangha had pitched their tent in the ZFI field, lets call them jeankhaki and his chief sycophants who we will call Bootsy and Flying Apepoo. Almost any question or request for information is likely to be picked up first by jeankhaki, who appears to make patrolling ZFI his full time occupation. He will then proceed to run all and any discussion into the sand, he has about five standard replies to any question, he calls these standard replies ” noodling ” in reality his view is occasionally savvy and sharp, but much more often toe curdlingly banal and patronising. If the questioner is lucky at this point Nonin or Jundo will step in and actually give an answer of substance, which will much resented by jeankhaki and he will make his resentment clear, along with expressions of distaste for anyone who calls themselves a zen teacher. Ifhe questioner lucks out they will also be answered by Bootsy who will restate jeankhakis view in pidgin English which I quess is supposed to be zennyand by Flying Apepoo who appears to live only for pats on the head from male forum members. Its all pretty sad, when you think how things could be its pretty frustrating too. I live in shrinking hope that one day the Wonderwheels might ask if ZFI is what they intended it to be.
I think it needs acknowledging that the last few days have seen a few signs of water trickling passed the logjam, in terms both of a wider participation than simple acquiecence to one particular passe view of Zen as found in the knee jerk responses of the person I have called jeankhaki. He clearly is fixed in a view that has remained pretty static for decades, and is seen by some as a source of authority,
I think that the signs of the logjam breaking up slightly have nothing to do with what I have written above in terms of cause and effect, I think that things on ZFI probably reached a critical mass, and that my posts and the arrival of a fresher and more authentic series of pov have the same cause. I applaude it though, and hope it continues and that “noodling” becomes an optional sideshow on ZFI rather than setting the tone.
I will write no more on the subject for a time. Lets see hope things pan out on ZFI. I see reasons for optimism.
I cant resist adding that a broadside against “authenticity” from jeankhaki within a short time of the appearance of the above post makes me think that it might be coincidence or it might be that someone is reading… In the flattened world of jeankhaki where all people need to do is sit, without instruction, and zen magic happens of its own accord because Buddha Nature kindly taps you on the shoulder, “authenticity ” is of course deeply suspect, why, next we will start thinking that we need teachers.
Anyway, enough noodling from me.
Incestuous chickens appear once more to be ruling the roost. I guess to some extent its about numbers. Even on the old E Sangha folk brawled. Here though because the number of regulars is small its like a tag team wrassle. 50% of ZFI folk seem to post in order to rile or placate the other 50%. Various combos hunt other combos in packs. SHE posts a snippy one because HE said something about her buddy. The HE hits out at HIM because of some grudge carried since they were all scrapping on E Sangha. I kid you not.
I wonder how it is for someone who has just come across Zen and then drops into ZFI They must think that they have stumbled into an online Care Facility for the emotionally challenged.
You’ve left six comments in a row on this. I suggest that you take it up on ZFI instead of using my blog as a bully pulpit on the issue. Thanks.