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Da: The Strange Case of Franklin Jones
One of the first books ever published to objectively study the life and work of Franklin Jones, also known as Bubba Free John, Da Free John, Adi Da, an infamous cult leader who attracted both devotees and detractors. Contains original essays by Professor Scott Lowe (University of Wisconsin) and Professor David Lane (Mt. San Antonio College). Review by Professor Robert S. Ellwood, formerl Bashford Professor of Oriental Studies, USC, writing in in NOVA RELIGIO:
"This short book is among the very few important studies of one of the most interesting and outrageous sixties-generation American gurus. This book consists of two essays, both revised versions of articles that appeared in Lane's Exposing Cults: When the Skeptical Mind Confronts the Mystical (New York: Garland, 1994). The first is a hard-headed but fair-minded assessment of the way in which spiritual guides can deliver teaching that is morally and mystically elevated, yet which seems to help others more than the guides themselves, producing the phenomenon of "crazy adepts and sane disciples." If this is an accurate description of Da Free John, he far from alone, and the article ought to be useful to generalists in the study of new religions. Scott Lowe's piece, basically an account of his own brief youthful stay with Jones' group in 1974, complements Lane's article with firsthand information of what the group was like in its early years. These two well-written essays make a substantive contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of the disciple-guru relationship in new religious movements."
"This short book is among the very few important studies of one of the most interesting and outrageous sixties-generation American gurus. This book consists of two essays, both revised versions of articles that appeared in Lane's Exposing Cults: When the Skeptical Mind Confronts the Mystical (New York: Garland, 1994). The first is a hard-headed but fair-minded assessment of the way in which spiritual guides can deliver teaching that is morally and mystically elevated, yet which seems to help others more than the guides themselves, producing the phenomenon of "crazy adepts and sane disciples." If this is an accurate description of Da Free John, he far from alone, and the article ought to be useful to generalists in the study of new religions. Scott Lowe's piece, basically an account of his own brief youthful stay with Jones' group in 1974, complements Lane's article with firsthand information of what the group was like in its early years. These two well-written essays make a substantive contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of the disciple-guru relationship in new religious movements."
98 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2015
About the author
David Christopher Lane
267 books11 followersDavid Christopher Lane is a professor of philosophy and sociology at Mt. San Antonio College who specializes in the study of new religious movements including cults. He is notable for his book The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story of Paul Twitchell and Eckankar which exposed the origins of Eckankar and demonstrated the plagiarism of its founder, Paul Twitchell. He is also notable for introducing to a wider audience the teachings of Baba Faqir Chand, the Indian exponent of Surat Shabd Yoga from Hoshiapur. Among writings on Chand, he edited and published a book entitled The Unknowing Sage: Life and Work of Baba Faqir Chand.
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September 16, 2024
TWO CRITICAL ESSAYS ON ADI DA/DA FREE JOHN AND HIS TEACHINGS
This 1996 book contains two essays, "The Paradox of Da Free John" by David Lane, and "The Strange Case of Franklin Jones" by Scott Lowe.
Lane wrote in his Introduction, "There are very few spiritual teachers in the 20th century who could be termed religious geniuses. Da Free John is one of them... Da Free John has produced a body of work which is unparalleled among new religious thinkers for its radical insight, comparative depth, and force of expression. He has won wide critical acclaim for his writings, eliciting praise from sociologists, psychologists, and theologians. However... the person himself remains a paradox.
"To many readers, the guru image he cultivates conflicts with the import of his message... he projects an egotistical air. Hence, while many individuals are deeply attracted to the philosophy of Da Free John, they are no drawn to the man... How does one distinguish a profound and viable spiritual message from the human medium who transmits it? This article, which is a generally positive overview of Da Free John's writings, is a response to that important question." (Pg. 3)
He observes, "Da Free John's message isn't the cause for the debate surrounding him, it is his method of presentation, the LEGITIMACY of his expression, which has turned admirers of his written word into harsh critics of his actions." (Pg. 10)
He adds in a postscript, "Although I had a very strong suspicion when I wrote the [essay] that the guru was having sexual relations with his disciples, the spokesperson of the Community at the time, Georg Feuerstein, assured me in writing that such behavior had ended and that when it occurred it was part of his 'spiritual theatre.' The facts suggest something else was going on however. Indeed, Feuerstein was naively trying to gloss over his guru's transgressions by trying to put a 'spiritual spin' on what was obviously unethical behavior...
"Later, Feuerstein tried to come clean about Da Free John when he left the group in the late 1980s. In his book Holy Madness, Feuerstein wrestles with Da's crazy wisdom approach. Feuerstein's effort, however, falls way short, since he does not reveal in-depth the scandal that hit the community or explain his own questionable actions at the time." (Pg. 25-26)
Lowe notes in his own Introduction, "When I was asked by David Lane to write an account of my brief period as a member of the community centered around Franklin Jones... I was initially reluctant... I had been involved with the Guru for only a few months back in 1974...Though I still regarded Da Free John as an intriguing and fascinating teacher, I... was hardly current on his end of the guru business... Though my memories of my time in the community were colorful and potentially entertaining, I was never especially privy to dark secrets and my role in the ashram's history was utterly insignificant... What finally convinced me to write this essay was the realization that my experiences of Da Free John, though brief, occurred at a time of unusual openness... when I was in the community he was relatively accessible, and his activities were in plain view." (Pg. 45, 47)
He recalls, "At the end of a long day of work, meditation, and lectures, there was still time for a bit of fun... A favorite amusement was to run off to the hot springs... cavorting naked in the hot springs proved to be no more erotic than same-sex bathing at a seedy summer camp... In dozens of hours of nude bathing, I saw nothing more sexual than occasional displays of affection... my friends and I were actually repelled by most of the women in the community, who... managed to project a cloying, saccharin air of pious guru-devotion. I felt like I was skinny-dipping with nuns. Late at night, I was told, the Guru and his senior disciples occasionally staged drunken orgiastic revels at the baths, but by then we worker bees were safely tucked into bed and lost in dreamland." (Pg. 55-56)
He points out, "Da Free John worked to undermine all attachments between individuals... To that end, Da Free John ruthlessly separated couples he deemed too attached to one another, sometimes dissolving marriages or dictating that new relationships be formed. The Guru also had sex with a large number of attractive women. This was hardly a secret, especially since the women so favored had no qualms about telling others the details. It was my distinct impression that Da Free John was already physically abusive toward women, pushing and slapping them around on occasion. This is hard to document, of course..." (Pg. 57-58)
He asserts, "It seems likely that no one actually saw the marvels the Guru claimed to have produced, but the erstwhile devotees' RESPONSES to Da Free John's claims provided a litmus test to determine who had or had not fully surrendered to the Guru's version of reality, thereby giving a reliable criterion for weeding the ranks of the rapidly growing community... The motive for purging the community at that particular time seems clear; the following weekend an independent film crew was scheduled ... to film Da Free John and his ashram. It must have seemed imperative to remove all potential dissidents from the set." (Pg. 67)
He also notes, "I should retract my earlier claim that Da Free John's talks were published as originally given. Georg Feuerstein... former editor for the Dawn Horse Press, has informed me that all of Da's talks were edited to some degree before publication... With some, the corrections were limited to the deletion of occasional obscenities and impolitic asides. Other talks were thoroughly restructures and revised. The talks that I heard in person were among the least altered, but then most were published in 'Garbage and the Goddess,' a book that has been 'recalled' and expunged from the Guru's bibliography. Apparently, [it] was the result of a failed experiment in open communication, one soon repudiated." (Pg. 75)
Devotees of Adi Da will certainly not care for this book, but those looking for a critical perspective on this controversial religious teacher will find much to appreciate in this short book.
This 1996 book contains two essays, "The Paradox of Da Free John" by David Lane, and "The Strange Case of Franklin Jones" by Scott Lowe.
Lane wrote in his Introduction, "There are very few spiritual teachers in the 20th century who could be termed religious geniuses. Da Free John is one of them... Da Free John has produced a body of work which is unparalleled among new religious thinkers for its radical insight, comparative depth, and force of expression. He has won wide critical acclaim for his writings, eliciting praise from sociologists, psychologists, and theologians. However... the person himself remains a paradox.
"To many readers, the guru image he cultivates conflicts with the import of his message... he projects an egotistical air. Hence, while many individuals are deeply attracted to the philosophy of Da Free John, they are no drawn to the man... How does one distinguish a profound and viable spiritual message from the human medium who transmits it? This article, which is a generally positive overview of Da Free John's writings, is a response to that important question." (Pg. 3)
He observes, "Da Free John's message isn't the cause for the debate surrounding him, it is his method of presentation, the LEGITIMACY of his expression, which has turned admirers of his written word into harsh critics of his actions." (Pg. 10)
He adds in a postscript, "Although I had a very strong suspicion when I wrote the [essay] that the guru was having sexual relations with his disciples, the spokesperson of the Community at the time, Georg Feuerstein, assured me in writing that such behavior had ended and that when it occurred it was part of his 'spiritual theatre.' The facts suggest something else was going on however. Indeed, Feuerstein was naively trying to gloss over his guru's transgressions by trying to put a 'spiritual spin' on what was obviously unethical behavior...
"Later, Feuerstein tried to come clean about Da Free John when he left the group in the late 1980s. In his book Holy Madness, Feuerstein wrestles with Da's crazy wisdom approach. Feuerstein's effort, however, falls way short, since he does not reveal in-depth the scandal that hit the community or explain his own questionable actions at the time." (Pg. 25-26)
Lowe notes in his own Introduction, "When I was asked by David Lane to write an account of my brief period as a member of the community centered around Franklin Jones... I was initially reluctant... I had been involved with the Guru for only a few months back in 1974...Though I still regarded Da Free John as an intriguing and fascinating teacher, I... was hardly current on his end of the guru business... Though my memories of my time in the community were colorful and potentially entertaining, I was never especially privy to dark secrets and my role in the ashram's history was utterly insignificant... What finally convinced me to write this essay was the realization that my experiences of Da Free John, though brief, occurred at a time of unusual openness... when I was in the community he was relatively accessible, and his activities were in plain view." (Pg. 45, 47)
He recalls, "At the end of a long day of work, meditation, and lectures, there was still time for a bit of fun... A favorite amusement was to run off to the hot springs... cavorting naked in the hot springs proved to be no more erotic than same-sex bathing at a seedy summer camp... In dozens of hours of nude bathing, I saw nothing more sexual than occasional displays of affection... my friends and I were actually repelled by most of the women in the community, who... managed to project a cloying, saccharin air of pious guru-devotion. I felt like I was skinny-dipping with nuns. Late at night, I was told, the Guru and his senior disciples occasionally staged drunken orgiastic revels at the baths, but by then we worker bees were safely tucked into bed and lost in dreamland." (Pg. 55-56)
He points out, "Da Free John worked to undermine all attachments between individuals... To that end, Da Free John ruthlessly separated couples he deemed too attached to one another, sometimes dissolving marriages or dictating that new relationships be formed. The Guru also had sex with a large number of attractive women. This was hardly a secret, especially since the women so favored had no qualms about telling others the details. It was my distinct impression that Da Free John was already physically abusive toward women, pushing and slapping them around on occasion. This is hard to document, of course..." (Pg. 57-58)
He asserts, "It seems likely that no one actually saw the marvels the Guru claimed to have produced, but the erstwhile devotees' RESPONSES to Da Free John's claims provided a litmus test to determine who had or had not fully surrendered to the Guru's version of reality, thereby giving a reliable criterion for weeding the ranks of the rapidly growing community... The motive for purging the community at that particular time seems clear; the following weekend an independent film crew was scheduled ... to film Da Free John and his ashram. It must have seemed imperative to remove all potential dissidents from the set." (Pg. 67)
He also notes, "I should retract my earlier claim that Da Free John's talks were published as originally given. Georg Feuerstein... former editor for the Dawn Horse Press, has informed me that all of Da's talks were edited to some degree before publication... With some, the corrections were limited to the deletion of occasional obscenities and impolitic asides. Other talks were thoroughly restructures and revised. The talks that I heard in person were among the least altered, but then most were published in 'Garbage and the Goddess,' a book that has been 'recalled' and expunged from the Guru's bibliography. Apparently, [it] was the result of a failed experiment in open communication, one soon repudiated." (Pg. 75)
Devotees of Adi Da will certainly not care for this book, but those looking for a critical perspective on this controversial religious teacher will find much to appreciate in this short book.
Displaying 1 of 1 review