Finally, a major news outlet has taken note of the death of Ian Thorson this past April. New York Times reporter Fernanda Santos reveals little we haven't already been told, but she does a pretty good job of telling the story that we did already know.
The one tidbit of information that was new to me was that when Michael Roach filed for divorce from Christie McNally in 2010, the filing declared the couple's assets to be "an old Dodge Durango, $30,000 in credit card debt and little else." I thought Roach had made millions of dollars in a diamond business. In any event, he continues to tour the world promoting his program for using Buddhist teachings to achieve business success.
[Update: See also "Death at a Silent Yoga Retreat Poses Obvious Reporting Problems" from the Atlantic Wire.]
Links to this blog's archives of stories about Michael Roach et al. are below the fold for those who have missed the story so far.
May 2008, "In the News -- Oppression and Partnership"
December 2009, "Cosmic Management and Prosperity Training?"
June 2011, "Fire, Wild and Otherwise"
May 2, 2012, "Sad News From Arizona"
May 7, 2012, "Unspiritual Secrets"
May 8, 2012, "On Criticizing Clergy"
May 10, 2012, "On Criticizing Anybody"
May 24, 2012, "Diamond Mountain Update"
From other About.com guides (I'm not necessarily endorsing these):
"Karmic Management Book Review" by the Guide to Business Majors. (Yes, you too can use Buddhist teachings to enjoy business success and end up with an old Dodge Durango!)
"Too Much Closeness?" by the Guides to Marriage.
I thought Roach had made millions of dollars in a diamond business…
No doubt he’s sheltered his assets in some “corporate” entity associated with his – can I say it? – cult.
Mumon — yeah, I figured as much.
My experiential understanding is that “corporate entity” and “cult” are interchangeable objects.
Only $30 000, as we say in the UK, I smell a porky (ie lie).
I see Roach has published a defense of his academic credentials over at elephant journal. Probably in response to the numerous posts there and elsewhere calling into question how legit or honorary his geshe degree was.
Honestly, can he not see how big a whole he is digging himself? Is there no beginning to this man’s humility?
Matthew Remski also notes in a comment to a previous Diamond Mountain article on elephant journal that a more investigative piece is forthcoming but doesn’t say where or by whom.
Slate also mentioned this story today.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/06/06/dead_buddhist_in_the_desert.html
Now making the UK papers too:
The Independent
How long can Michael Roach/Christie McNally dodge the paparazzi no doubt coming their way?
Heard through the grapevine: ABC’s Nightline is planning to cover this tomorrow (June 8th).
Greetings. One of the above comments on Michael Roach asks the question: is there no beginning to this mans humility. The answer to that particular question seems to be in the negative. He has after all
” metaphorically speaking ” given two fingers to his holiness the Dalai Lama. His holiness has already told him to cease posturing, posing and presenting in the name the Gelugpa order. And to abandon the monks robes presented to him by the Dalai Lama himself when Roach won what was one of the first degrees of its kind for a westerner after a lot of study and apparent hard graft.
While some of Roaches more questionable antics as a professor of Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy are to be condemned outright by Buddhist scholars and ordinary Buddhist practitioner’s.
It is doubtful that anyone can stop him teaching the subjects he has studied and become proficient in. ” But of course he has made himself unemployable ” I had the opportunity to listen to Roach about 8yrs ago in Galway City, (Ireland) The Professor mind seemed to be full of the soaring and very beautiful language of the great 7th century poet Shantideva. To the litterary heavy hitters in Buddhism Shantideva is considered to be the Shakespere of the Dharma. But this beautiful language became mere words coming out of Roaches mouth. At that he seemed an impure vessel. While teaching on the subject “The way of the Bidhisattva” he was also plotting and hatching ways and means of becoming a member of the diamond dealing community of New York. He spoke of how he would try and get enough people together to deposit one million Dollars into his bank account for a day, or long enough to become a member of this community. I don’t know if this happened. Miss O’ Brine expressed the the view that she was of the opinion that Roach was a diamond dealer.
The future dose not look good for Micheal. It didn’t look good in Galway back then and it don’t look good now. All the best. Mathuslagh.
ABC news coverage
fyi he gave all his money away to support a list of charities such as helping Tibetan refugees, prison programs, homeless shelter programs, feeding a 1000 monks at Sera mey monestry etc. and he still continues to give every penny away that comes in from his tours. but you don’t read about that in the New York times.
Well said M.
Michael Roach has his flaws, and seems to irritate many western practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism, but given the totality of his life and ministry, he’s done a lot more good than harm. As spiritual teachers gain a higher profile, they will inevitably attract their share of ardent followers, rabid detractors, and just plain kooks.