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Liked It “If you're searching for something that bridges spirituality & science and blows your mind, why not give this one a whirl?” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It1 of 2 members found this review helpful “The fact that I liked the movie enough to pick up this book displays a great deal of ignorance and gullibility on my part. It didn’t alter any of my practices or beliefs, but it got me thinking about things, which is why I liked it. Having not researched the filmmakers or their interviewees, I...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“If you're searching for something that bridges spirituality & science and blows your mind, why not give this one a whirl?”
alwaysange wrote this review Monday, August 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Almost as Elegant”
John C wrote this review Sunday, June 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Facinating, knowledged based, mind releasing and constantly inspiring other reads like the "Secret Life of Water".”
Someone's Sister wrote this review Thursday, October 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A deeper look into the new science of quantum physics and how it can affect our personal existences. A good one for anyone interested in self-help, psychology, and physics.”
Melissa M wrote this review Tuesday, March 18 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 2 members found this review helpful“The fact that I liked the movie enough to pick up this book displays a great deal of ignorance and gullibility on my part. It didn’t alter any of my practices or beliefs, but it got me thinking about things, which is why I liked it. Having not researched the filmmakers or their interviewees, I thought this was a legitimate film about a minority view within the scientific community, and I thought the interviewees were legitimate experts. When I began reading the book, I was initially excited. All the interesting aspects of the film were there in greater detail. The book continued to present somewhat unbelievable ideas, but I was being open. Eventually, though, I got to the chapter entitled Paradigms: the Other Side. This chapter focused on religion. I’ve long been interested in theology and the Bible and earned a minor in Christian Thought during my undergraduate work. So, when I got to this chapter, my B.S. meter was triggered, and my inner skeptic arose. My reaction to this chapter was probably not unlike, though to a lesser degree, the reaction of those who have actually studied quantum physics to the movie. The most enlightening portion of the book was an appendix entitled The Making of What the Bleep Do We Know. It was here where the filmmakers’ credibility unraveled. I decided it was time to take a closer look. One of the prominent interviewees in the film is a woman named JZ Knight who claims to be channeling a 35,000 year old entity named Ramtha. During his life on earth, Ramtha lead an army that conquered Atlantis, but toward the end of his life he became interested in more spiritual things. Rather than dying, Ramtha became spirit-consciousness, and has roamed the earth since then, learning all he could. He then decided to appear to JZ Knight in the kitchen of her trailer home and taught her how to channel. JZ Knight eventually formed the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, where she began charging people a lot of money to hear Ramtha’s teachings. Ramtha’s website claims, and so does this book, that several scientific test were conducted that proved that JZ Knight wasn’t a fake. Neither gives any reference for curious readers who might want to see these results. It is also notable that JZ Knight claims to be the only channel for Ramtha, which she has backed up by trade marking the name and suing another woman who claimed to also be channeling Ramtha. Another prominent interviewee, the one who seems to be an expert on brain chemistry, is a chiropractor named Joe Dispenza who has no credentials with concern to brain chemistry and has long been a student of the Ramtha School of Enlightment. The theological expert interviewed for the film was Micael Ledwith. Impressive credentials are offered, such as being the president of the Pontifical University, Maynooth, in Ireland, and serving as a member of the Internation Theological Commission. They also mention, however, that he has long been a student of Ramtha’s teachings, and they fail to mention that he left the Catholic Church and Ireland altogether amidst accusations of sexual harassment of a male seminarian at the university of which he was the president. John Hagelin, while he did receive a PhD from Harvard and has done some somewhat significant work in particle theory, has long been a follower of Beatles guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and moved to Maharishi University to build up the physics department there. A blogger who met Dr. Hagelin while an undergrad at Harvard recalls a conversation with Hagelin—who was then a graduate student—in which Hagelin wanted to discuss how quantum field theory explains how transcendental meditation enables people to levitate. He has also spoken at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment. Fred Alan Wolf, Candace Pert, and Amit Gotswami have also spoken at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment One interviewee who seems legit, David Albert, Professor and Director of Philosophical Physics at Columbia university, says, "I don't think it's quite right to say I was 'tricked' into appearing, but it is certainly the case that I was edited in such a way as to completely suppress my actual views about the matters the movie discusses. I am, indeed, profoundly unsympathetic to attempts at linking quantum mechanics with consciousness. Moreover, I explained all that, at great length, on camera, to the producers of the film ... Had I known that I would have been so radically misrepresented in the movie, I would certainly not have agreed to be filmed." It is in the appendix entitled The Making of What the Bleep Do We Know that Will Arntz explains that he met Mark Vicente at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment and began brainstorming for the film with him. They then added producer Betsy Chasse, who is a student of Ramtha’s, though it’s unclear whether she was a student before she started work on the film. Finally it all clicked. Will Arntz wanted to finance a film about the teachings of Ramtha, and he met a filmmaker, Vicente, who being a follower of Ramtha himself, was more than willing to help. They then found a group of people who had either spoken at the school or taught at the school who they thought would make credible experts. They then expanded the field to scientist whose work may support Ramtha’s teachings, and when, in the case of David Albert, one of the interviewees was unsympathetic to Ramtha’s teachings, they simply edited the film in such a way so as to make it appear he agreed with the teachings of the film. In short, the whole thing is a propaganda piece in support of a new age cult centered around a woman who claims to channel a 35,000 year old entity from a continent which no longer exists, dressed up in the guise of a dramatic documentary with a panel of credible experts. Now we know that the bottom of the rabbit hole is in Yelm, Washington. There, one truly wanting to explore the teachings of the film and subsequent book can spend upwards of $1,200 to camp on JZ Knights ranch and listen to her teachings. ”
William T wrote this review Thursday, March 13 2008. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Great! need to read the book and watch the movie.”
gita e wrote this review Wednesday, November 28 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“If you like the secret but you think it is to vage, then you will love this book. it is not vage and puts quetions in your head who needs answers.”
Dijtje wrote this review Saturday, October 13 2007. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“WHat a mind blower. Finally I have a grasp, scientifically, of many of the seredipitous things that have happened throughout my life. Who would have thought that my consciousness was actually the intuitive cause! This give insight into the idea of mind over matter in a quirky and understandable way without watering it down too simply.”
leaderofthepack432 wrote this review Sunday, July 15 2007. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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