The Skeptical Believer

Lane’s writing style is as entertaining as his speaking style. He leaves you smiling, laughing, nodding, sitting at the edge of your seat, and turning pages until the wee hours of the morning. His writings on Ken Wilber and Da Free John were humorously astute. Lane is critical of Wilber and his exaggerated praise of Da Free John. He accuses Wilber of gross, spiritual exaggeration (something Lane does not claim to be completely innocent of himself). He describes Wilber’s tendency to inflate, exaggerate and hype those things which are not yet knowable. His work is fundamentally tainted by these exaggerations, especially in matters of ultimate importance. Wilber goes on and on about the greatness of Da Free John. Wilber claims that The Dawn Horse Testament is the greatest spiritual book of all time, which he cannot possibly know to be factual. This is a matter of opinion being touted as fact. Lane suggests that instead Wilber may have more accurately stated that it is the best book he has ever read- a statement which cannot be argued since it is simply a matter of opinion. Lane goes on to explain that just because one writes well does not mean that by extension he is an embodiment of the highest truth or realization. Wilbur repeatedly confuses the message with the medium. He is naïve in thinking that writing is somehow reflective of one’s inner attainment.