The Guru Papers
Masks of Authoritarian Power
by Joel Kramer & Diana Alstad
Selections – download pdfs below
Table of Contents pdf
Introductions to the Book
“Why Focus on Authoritarianism”
“Religion and Morality” & “Reexamining the Sacred”
Part 1: Personal Masks (on the guru/disciple relationship)
“The Assault on Reason” (complete chapter)
“Gurus & Sexual Manipulation” – includes “Betrayal of Trust“
“Spiritual Hedonism” – end of “Gurus & Sexual Manipulation”
“The Traps of Being a Guru” – includes “Deceit & Corruption“
“Healing Crippled Self-Trust” (end of Part 1)
Part 2: Ideological Masks
“The Morals Wars” – Introduction to Part 2
“What’s at Stake” (end of chapter on fundamentalism vs modernization)
“The Dark Side of Monotheism” – end of “Satanism & the Worship of the Forbidden: Why It Feels Good to Be Bad“
“Oneness, Enlightenment & the Mystical Experience” (complete chapter)
– Key chapter critiquing the Oneness ideology & contrasting it with mystical experience
“Symbol Systems & Power” – from the last chapter: “The Power of Abstraction”
