Case: Captain Kenny Strauss Quiñones

Case n° 21/2016: Captain Kenny Strauss Quiñones of the Bolivarian Army of Venezuela

ETHICAL JUDGMENT

Dear Prosecutor, Public Defender, Ambassador and Jury Members of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), regarding the case 21-2016 "Captain Kenny Strauss Quiñones of the Bolivarian Army of Venezuela", by means of the present, on 15 November 2016, it is recorded that the trial of the Ethics Committee has been concluded to analyze the violation of Buddhist Spirituality carried out by the accused after voting of 6 members of the Jury , one of them issuing the verdict of "Insanity" and 5 of them issuing the verdict of "Responsible" with regards of the accused for the crimes of VIOLATION OF BUDDHIST ETHICAL PRECEPTS and COMPLICITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.

The actions of the accused "Captain Kenny Strauss Quiñones of the Bolivarian Army of Venezuela" have breached the Buddhist ethical precepts and the essential guidelines of every spiritual movement. In addition, it is recorded that during the present ethical judgment the accused has made threats and insults against the Ethics Committee, even after the accused was warned that his actions could be interpreted as an attack by the Venezuelan government against the Buddhist Community. This has shown that Mr. Strauss does not actually violate ethical precepts because he is accomplice in human rights violations, but rather he commits human rights violations because he violates Buddhist ethical precepts. Instead of sincerely differentiating himself from all human rights violations, Mr. Strauss has decided to systematically attack the Ethics Committee, ignoring the possibility of rehabilitation, transformation and Cure provided by the Buddhist Path.

This case presents a peculiarity because it is the first time a student of Maitreya Buddhist University and a member of the World Association of Buddhism is brought to ethical judgment, which is a very sad and regrettable fact, since these organizations are a beacon of light in the world. In view of this situation, the Committee has decided to reject Mr. Strauss's resignation to his membership, opting instead for his expulsion as a member. This clearly demonstrates that the International Buddhist Ethics Committee does not discriminate when carrying out its mission to purify humanity. Although the condition of being a member of the army may be considered in itself as a violation of Buddhist Ethics, it is the opinion of the Presidency of the Committee that every individual deserves an opportunity to learn and to be liberated through the Buddhist Path, so that it must be provided spiritual education even to soldiers and governors, except in cases where they violate human rights and do not regret of doing so. In this way, the maximum crime against Buddhist Ethics does not constitute in itself the act of violation of human rights, since it is rather constituted by its repetition (karma). When an individual feels no repentance in the face of his or her bad behavior and also attacks the Buddhist Ethics, then he or she follows the Path of perversion and nullifies his-her dharmic nature of learning and Awakening (Bodhi). In this sense, even if there are childish traits in the accused, especially at the time of sarcasm, insults and threats against the Ethics Committee, they should not be interpreted as a trait of Insanity, but rather as a trait of Perversion. Therefore, the accused is fully "Responsible" of his acts. This kind of perverse psychic structure is similar to previous cases of the Committee, such as the cases of Ocampo and Spencer.

On the other hand, the violation of the Buddhist ethical precepts has not been the only charge against Mr. Strauss, since the accused has also been conferred with Responsibility for the charge of Complicity with Human Rights Violations in Venezuela. Indeed, in Venezuela, a series of perverse governmental acts that violate the supreme human right to peace of the Venezuelan people are happening, violating the democratic system and instituting a climate of war, poverty and injustice against the dignity of the population. Although the accused clearly follows orders and, in fact, he does not make oppressive decisions against the Venezuelan people, jurisprudence in International Law shows that even officers of minor positions are also Responsible for human rights violations ordered by their superior officers. Whenever a soldier or government official is aware, he will always have the possibility of abandoning his post, by refusing to participate in violations against the dignity of the human being.

This bad ethical behavior of Mr. Strauss is part of an international context in which  human rights violations committed by the Venezuelan government have the silent complicity of international organizations such as the UN, the OAS and even the Vatican. However, because it is an organization devoted to ethical and humanitarian teaching, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee offers Mr. Strauss the possibility of accessing free spiritual education under the condition that he rectifies his misbehavior by publicly denouncing human rights violations of Venezuela and apologizing to the Committee for his insults and threats. In case this misconduct continues, given that Mr. Strauss is an officer of the Venezuelan army, this fact will be considered as a governmental aggression by Venezuela against the International Buddhist Community.

Following the Path of Master Siddharta Gautama, who has led armies towards the Path of Peace and Reconciliation through simple and direct ethical teachings, it is established that the accused "Captain Kenny Strauss Quiñones of the Bolivarian Army of Venezuela" has violated the Buddhist Spirituality, having been ruled its "Responsibility" for the charges of VIOLATION OF ETHICAL BUDDHIST PRECEPTS and COMPLICITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.

The International Buddhist Ethics Committee has a duty to protect Spirituality and the entire humanity, establishing the present Judgment as a form of ethical teaching for the accused and the organization he belongs.

Always with a spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya

Spiritual Guide and President of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR)

Case 19 Ronald Lloyd Spencer

Case No. 19/2016: Ronald Lloyd Spencer &

“The Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha”

ETHICAL JUDGMENT

Dear Prosecutor, Public Defender, Ambassador and Jury Members of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), regarding the case 19-2016 "Ronald Lloyd Spencer & "The Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha"" through this, on November 4, 2016, it is evidenced that the case of the Ethics Committee regarding the violation of Buddhist Spirituality by the accused is concluded after voting of 9 Jury members, all of them issuing the verdict of "Responsible" for the crimes of SPIRITUAL FRAUD AND FALSE BUDDHISM.

The actions and teachings of the accused ones, "Ronald Lloyd Spencer & "The Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha"", do not constitute any kind of Spirituality, using the disguise of Buddhism to perpetrate massive scams to ignorant individuals. This scam or robbery is based on the radical lie, which would be the alleged spiritual legitimacy of the accused, so this criminal framework constitutes an intrinsic violation of the Buddhist ethical precepts and also of the essential guidelines of Spirituality. In addition, this spiritual fraud is an attack on the cultural sovereignty of Buddhist Peoples and Spiritual Communities, which have the right to denounce and prosecute those who illegally usurp the cultural heritage transmitted by Siddharta Gautama. The accused ones could have taught some Buddhist knowledge and practices if they really had a minimum of good will, but the total absence of Buddhist Spirituality in their lives demonstrates that they are a fraud and a scam. Just as the case 17-2016 of Ricardo Javier Ocampo, Mr. Ronald Lloyd Spencer is really a scammer who disguises himself as spiritual master to commit crimes with impunity, hiding behind the prestige emanating from everything that surrounds Buddhism.

When examining the teachings of the accused, many of them linked mainly with geomancy and esoteric rituals, it is evident the fraudulent condition thereof, profiting monetarily with the ingenuity of his followers. Although some people might argue that Mr. Spencer suffers from psychosis and that this could be the cause of its Spiritual Fraud and False Buddhism, the fact of economic profit is what proves that the defendant is a perverse subject, demonstrating once again the darker nature of evil, that is to say, evil disguised as goodness. Therefore, the SPIRITUAL FRAUD AND FALSE BUDDHISM that the accused ones carried out is not only an attack on Buddhist Spirituality but also constitutes a massive scam to their own ingenuous disciples, who trusted in the alleged spiritual truthfulness of Mr. Spencer due to he himself claimed to possess divine powers, which is one of the most serious violations against Buddhist Law.

Obviously, there is certain Responsibility on the part of Mr. Spencer's disciples, who are called The Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha, given that every Buddhist Community (sangha) should never worship their spiritual leader or master. Indeed, it may be well established the ethical rule that every time a spiritual master claims to possess paranormal powers one is faced with a case of SPIRITUAL FRAUD AND FALSE BUDDHISM. What is truly miraculous or divine on the part of an Awakened One (Buddha) comes from his or her level of compassionate wisdom (karuna-prajna), that is to say, it lies in the ability to help others to achieve inner and outer Liberation by means of contemplation (zen) and ethics (sila). Thus, when these spiritual features are absent in a Buddhist master then one is in the presence of a fraud and a scam that is completely threatening the purity of Buddhism in its mission to save the world. The abominable deception of those who disguise themselves as spiritual masters in order to take advantage of ingenuous and ignorant persons should not be taken lightly, especially in the context of a contemporary civilization that is obsessed with what is superficial and illusory, where it seems that everything that is insignificant and banal is the only news. Those who deceive and financially profit with Spirituality, not transmitting teachings but transmitting greed and lies, must be prosecuted by the International Buddhist Ethics Committee, whose Purpose (Dharma) in life is to show that the Awakening, the Truth and the Spiritual Righteousness are not what these phony and criminal individuals transmit. Therefore, it is recommended to provide spiritual teaching free of any charge to anyone who has been deceived by the accused, as long as they show openness and humility.

Following in the Way of Master Siddhartha Gautama, who always fought against the evil of deceit with the Good of Truth, it is established that the accused Ronald Lloyd Spencer & "The Church of Shambhala Vajradhara Maitreya Sangha" have breached Spirituality and Buddhist Ethics, so it has been ruled their "Responsibility" on charges of SPIRITUAL FRAUD AND FALSE BUDDHISM. Ultimately, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee has the duty to protect and defend the Spiritual Purpose (Dharma), establishing the present ethical and juridical Judgment as a teaching for the accused, for his victims and for the whole humanity.

Always with a spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Buddhist Master Maitreya

Spiritual Guide and President of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) & Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR)