U.S.A. REGIONAL CONFERENCE: AUGUST 30th & 31st 1997:
REVEALING TALKS, GIVEN BY THE RAHMS, ABOUT THEIR INTERVIEWS
(AT THE TIME ALAYA WAS ALLEGEDLY MOLESTED)

Alaya Rahm and his parents have claimed that serious incidents of child abuse occurred in July and early August of 1997, during a Youth Conference held at Prasanthi Nilayam and attended by 2,500 delegates from 55 countries and 20,000 youth. This Conference was held from July 16th - 18th, '97. Alaya became an adult in January 1997, six months before the July incidents were alleged to have occurred. I have obtained a copy of Alaya's birth certificate which verifies that Alaya Rahm was born January 8th 1979 at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, USA. I surmise that "child molestation" spins better than sex between consenting adults. For the record, SSB is 5'2'' tall, was 70 years old in 1997 and weighed around 108 lbs (49 kilos). Alaya Rahm is 6'6'' tall and was height/weight proportional. Many Anti-SSB Activists have often pointed out SSB's frail, physical condition in derisive tones (SSB cracked some bones going back to 1988, often stumbled when he walked and was said to suffer from heart complications). Consequently, SSB was not physically able, or capable, of restraining Alaya (a strong and healthy 18 year old man) or forcing him to participate in sexual acts if Alaya did not cooperate or consent.

I have obtained three, unedited audio tapes of a speaking and musical performance at a U.S.A. Regional Sai Conference presented by 3 members of the Rahm family (Al, Alaya and Marisa) in August 1997, within 2 weeks of their return trip from India (during which time Alaya was allegedly sexually abused). The Rahm's presentation was informative, interactive, sincere and convincing. In their talk they refute by positive declaration virtually every negative accusation that they have made since. The general public that has been exposed to their much later accusations should have an opportunity to know what they had to say about their interviews shortly after they took place.

Other panel members and speakers at the retreat included Victor Kanu, Berneice Mead and Dennis Gerstin, M.D. Victor Kanu has established a free boarding school in Africa. Berneice Mead is involved in teacher training for Education in Human Values in the United States. Dennis Gerstin is a psychiatrist. None of these individuals have ever reported having observed anything in the behavior of Alaya Rahm, which would be in any manner supportive of the accusations, which he was later to make in 1999.

Some may try to argue that Alaya was first sexually abused when he was 16 years old, when he had his first private interview with SSB. However, Alaya never mentioned that SSB kissed him or tried to arouse him (which is clearly sexual) until much later. Despite Alaya and his father discussing graphic details (in a private talk) about the genital oiling, Alaya not only failed to mention anything about SSB kissing him and trying to arouse him, Alaya also said "he didn't feel there was anything sexual about it; it was like Sai Baba was doing his job". Only later did Alaya say that SSB tried to kiss him and arouse him in his first interview in 1995. Alaya changed his story.

The sexual abuse incidents allegedly occurred between July 1997 through December 1998 (minus the one ambiguous encounter in 1995), on 4 different trips. Alaya was admitted into College in 1997 and could have easily made excuses for not going to see SSB during Christmas and summer breaks. As an adult, Alaya chose (and the choice most certainly was his to make) to go see Sathya Sai Baba on all three subsequent trips. This cannot be overemphasized.

The transcript to the August 30th & 31st 1997 U.S.A. Regional Conference provides crucial insights into the interviews that Alaya, and his family, had in July and early August of 1997 (at the time Alaya claimed he was molested). These crucial insights are as follows:

1) (Click Here For Transcript) Alaya wanted to have interviews and made voluntary and willful attempts to get into them. Alaya also expressed great joy (or as Alaya phrased it, "ecstasy") having interviews with SSB. If Alaya was being sexually abused, why would he be so eager to get into interviews with SSB? This is exemplified when Alaya talked about how he carried 2 scarves with him, so no matter which group was called, he could change his scarves and go in for the interview. Alaya talks about how he tried (and succeeded) getting into an interview after forgetting one of his scarves. Alaya said, [Ref #20] "I was like I forgot my scarf. A couple of people didn't have their scarves you know there were 5, 6, 7 people that didn't have their scarf. So I was like, well, I'm in the clear if they get in I'll get in. Baba walks right up and looks at me and I kinda hid myself back in the middle just ducking down and He looks right at me and says 'all U.S.A. delegates?' and I said 'yes Swami,' and He says 'acha acha.' So I thought, 'oh cool, I'm in.' So He opens the door and He lets us all in. We sit down. He closes the door and I've had the privilege of some other interviews so I let everybody sit all up front and I sat in the very the back wall against the corner. He comes right up and He looks at me and He goes 'hey why are you here?' And I said 'Swami I'm a U.S.A. delegate.' And He goes 'Delegate? No, not delegate, other group.' And I said, 'no, Swami I'm a U.S.A. delegate.' And He goes 'where is your scarf?' And I said 'Swami its in the room' and He goes 'Why?' And I said 'I left it' and He goes 'no, this is not your group.' And I said, 'I know but.' He said,'no, other group, family, parents.' I said, 'I know Swami but'. He goes 'Hey, not this group, my group' and He goes " stay, stay'." One will notice that Alaya desperately tried to get into this interview. Despite not having a scarf, he tried hiding himself in the group so he could sneak in undetected! Alaya then pleaded with SSB to be allowed in the interview and was happy when SSB conceded! Is this the behavior of an adult man who claimed that his frail, 70 year-old guru was sexually abusing him? This interview occured towards the very end of July ([Ref #19] "a week and a half after the actual conference").

Alaya talked about an intimate, private interview he had with SSB. Alaya said, [Ref #24] "I got a personal interview in that particular time and Baba was sitting on the chair, and I knelt on the left side of Him, and the left side is the girls side in that room. The right side of His chair but if you're facing Him it's the left side. So I knelt on that side and it seemed like for some reason every time I'm in there I kneel on that side. We'd start talking and He'd say 'move over here, move over here.' So I moved over there, I moved over to the right side and He goes 'no, no sit on Swamiji.' So He's sitting back like this and He said 'sit on Swamiji.' So I said 'o.k.,' so I get up and I sit down right on His lap and He grabs like my shoulder just like this and I'm sitting on Him like I was a little baby sitting on my mom's lap. And you know, He's so small. Both my legs are up over one arm rest and I was leaning back up against the other arm rest sitting right on His lap. And He was holding me like this and patting my legs, 'good boy, good boy.' I felt so awkward and then I was just like why should this feel awkward, you know, I'm sitting on God's lap, and so I just laid my head down on His shoulder and my face is in His hair and He was just stroking my shoulder and I was just in ecstasy, you know." If something of a sexual nature transpired between SSB and Alaya, why would Alaya not be aware of possible sexual perceptions and refrain from talking about the details of this interview? Alaya said he ended up enjoying the intimate experience and said he was in "ecstasy". Alaya obviously discussed the intimate details to his interviews with his parents, and had nothing to hide.

2) (Click Here For Transcript) Alaya, prior to 1997, seemed to have enjoyed great freedom in associating with girls and friends and clearly did not like being disciplined about not speaking to girls and limiting his association with friends. This is evidenced when Alaya said, [Ref #12] "If I would get a personal interview with Swami, He would always ask me "how is your sister, and your mother is o.k. and give this to your mother." He would always talk about my parents and my family and I sometimes I wasn't really up to date on it because I was hanging out with friends from different parts…He wanted me to spend more time with my family, and just always touch base. And He later made, put a lot of emphasis on that was all He wanted me to hang out with was my family and you know not just in India at home too. He's just wanting me to stay home, do service with my family and be home, help out my sisters which sometimes isn't always fun, but I really learned that my parents and my sisters are the biggest part of my life…So it's the same, so I really have lately been staying home a lot more, not going hanging out as much as I used to, because I've really become to understand that it's the most important thing in my life is my family...[Ref #17] So I really focused on just staying home cause I couldn't control it enough so I just stayed where I couldn't see anybody…[Ref #18] I was walking around trying not to talk to as many people as possible… And I was like He was basically like He doesn't want me to talk. You know?…[Ref #12] You know the youth conference was going on. I had friends all over the United States that were there…[Ref #13] He would always look at me and say 'don't talk so much,' you know, especially to girls 'don't talk to girls.'… [Ref #14] And you know I was like, you know, gee, I felt I've been the best I've ever been and He's still scolding. I can't believe He wants me to be impeccable and I can't." It also appears that (prior to 1997) Alaya spent a great deal of time away from his family (with friends) and only after SSB's insistence, did he reluctantly begin to spend more time with his family, literally severing his social life rather abruptly. Alaya's parents said, [Ref #9] "How do we all change and grow with Alaya and his new liberties and we were getting to points where I would say well, Alaya be home at such and such a time. And you sort of just see him just puffing up and saying well, maybe…[Ref #10] Always Alaya too, this was interesting, as if He wanted him to care about her…[Ref #11] And it was so beautiful to see from my perception of how Swami was teaching him how He wanted him to care for his sister. How he wanted him to be in touch with that and care for her. (suggests Alaya did not care for her before)…[Ref #11] Immediately and we finally got the message that He wanted us sitting together… [Ref #6] But He was very specific about the strictness and the straightness of the path that they should follow and hopefully Alaya will share some of it with you later…[Ref #4] He said to Marisa and I, He said, "be strict, very strict" and he was very clear with our children…[Ref #27] Yeah, and He looked at me and He said 'you be strict, be strict with them.' And I said, 'be strict with Alaya and the kids?' He said, 'yes, be strict, very strict.' This information adds credence to the possibility that Alaya lied to escape a life that he did not want. Alaya's discussion about girls and friends clearly shows that he enjoyed their company and disliked changing his "very outgoing" and "flirtatious" lifestyle. Alaya also clearly expresses his strong attractions for women. Alaya said, [Ref #14] "Walking through the canteen. They made a mistake in the canteen when they separated men and women in the Western canteen where the wall is about 5'11" you know five feet 11inches and I can see over it. And I would always tell my friends they should make this wall higher. How do they expect me to be, how I'm supposed to be, I walk through the line with my head turned and they're like well we walk through the line with our heads turned. So there were two or three girls that were kind of looking at me and smiling saying hi and I was really trying my best to say "hi" and just walk on…But there weren't many people around and there was this one girl from Spain who had been looking at me a lot and we'd been making eye contact. And she'd just say hi and I'd just like hi…[Ref #15] He says first a look, then a smile, then you write a note, then you talk, then it leads from there to you know marriage and everything else. But I see her standing, like nobody is around, and she's just standing under this tree. And like she's waiting for someone. And I walk up to her and she's from Spain and I know just barely a little bit of Spanish and so I went up and said "Hola,como esta?" I talked to her for a little bit 10, 15, 20 minutes…[Ref #16] So, um, It wasn't like just innocent like talking to my sister you know. But I thought nobody is looking at me. I was really concerned about that, being that I did get up in front of a lot of people and talk to Swami. It seemed like I was kind of in the heat. People were looking to me to do the right thing all the time. I wasn't always the right person to give an example but so I was always trying to make sure that I wasn't being seen doing anything wrong. So I was looking around, are there any people watching me talk to this girl. Anyway I found out you can't sneak around Baba. So then my conscience kind of set in 'oh gosh what am I doing, I'm talking to this girl and Baba is going to nail me. So we, I, we went and we sang bhajans and I thought we'll reduce this karma you know and we went and sang bhajans for a little bit. And all through bhajans we were looking at each other and I was like, oh my gosh. I can't do this." It is undeniable that Alaya wanted to associate with women and friends. The pressures that "Alaya was not to have any friendships outside of his family. He was to be in school or at home. He was not to speak with or associate with girls in any way. He was only 18 and was to live like this until he was 25 when Sai Baba would perform his marriage to the Craxi girl. Baba insisted on these things openly in our family interviews and told Alaya's mother and I that we were to insist and keep him in line" (ref. Rahm Family Letter) are valid reasons why many think that Alaya lied to escape a life he did not want.

3) (Click Here For Transcript) Sathya Sai Baba, in a family interview, specifically told Alaya and Athena, in front of their parents, [Ref #22] "You can tell mother anything. You can tell father anything. You can tell God anything. These are your only friends." In later years, Alaya claimed that he did not divulge any details about the alleged sexual abuse because SSB told him not to do so. Alaya also said that SSB gave him large sums of money and also directed him not to tell anyone. In the Rahm Family Letter, Al said that Alaya not only told him about the money (that SSB gave to him and forbade him to talk about) but also showed it to him! Clearly, Alaya did not obey SSB's commands and directions. As an adult, Alaya had many opportunities to inquire about SSB's alleged sexual acts and ask for clarification from his parents. After all, Sathya Sai Baba told Alaya that he could "tell anything" to his parents! Al Rahm made the argument that Alaya somehow justified these alleged sexual acts because Alaya believed SSB was God and the experiences must thereby be "spiritual". If Alaya saw these experiences as "spiritual", he would have had no shame in asking for clarification or meaning from his parents. After all, Al Rahm shared his "oiling" experience with Alaya, that he considered a type of "spiritual" healing! If Alaya refused to talk to his parents about these experiences because he knew they were sexual, why did Alaya continue to go see SSB on three more subsequent trips? The truth of the matter is that Alaya never asked for clarification from his parents, Alaya chose to go to India (over and over again) to see SSB, Alaya made every attempt to have interviews with SSB and Alaya (after abruptly severing his social bonds) was becoming socially isolated and was leading a life he clearly did not want.

4) (Click Here For Transcript) Alaya shared his first-hand accounts of miraculous materializations. Alaya said, [Ref #23] "He goes, 'I'll give you a good gift.' And so He starts waving His left hand here up like this and I was sitting there ducking down watching to see what would come out of His hand, and all of a sudden, as He's waving His hand there is this large round yellow object in His hand like a big ball and it was just not there and then there in one second he was just waving and like this. And there was this large yellowish ball and I was like 'wow that is interesting I haven't seen that before'. And He says, 'come here, come here.' So I go up there and He gives it to me and it was this large piece of fruit, probably the size of a grapefruit or a large orange. And it was shaped exactly like a lingam, you know, perfect lingam shape. And it was huge and He has these itty bitty little hands. So watching Him make it was really cool...And I thought, well I'll just eat it so I took a bite and to my surprise it was a plum and it was a delicious ripe plum. And He looks at me and He goes, 'how is it?' And I go, 'Swami its delicious, it's a plum.' 'Yes, very nice plum. Other plums ugly little black and red. This very beautiful, large golden color plum.' And I said 'yes, thank you.' And He goes 'yes, yes.' Like that. So I ate it, and savoring each bite." I have never heard of plums getting that large, and have never seen any kind of golden plum in India. Alaya also related the following experience: [Ref #25] "And I said, 'oh, Swami a necklace.' And He says, 'ah, yes he wants a necklace.' And He looks at everybody, He goes 'do you want Sai Baba locket?' and I said, 'no' And it was kind of interesting you know, I had thoughts does He just kind of carry this stuff around in His pocket inside and then just have it. Cause I've never heard of anybody asking for a specific thing and Him give a specific thing. You know, He just basically gives you what He wants and so I said, 'no I don't want a Sai Baba locket, I want a gold om.' And He goes, 'ah, a gold om.' And so He materialized a necklace with a gold om on it. So I was really impressed, you know. It wasn't like I was trying to pin Him down, but it was a confirmation"! If SSB had these powers, that Alaya attributed to him (and why would Alaya lie about them?), it is undeniable that SSB's actions, no matter how enigmatic, cannot be equated with those of a normal human being. Many Anti-SSB Activists go to great lengths to belittle or rationalize SSB's alleged "miracles" in order to portray SSB as some sort of fraud magician who is full of sexual desire. Anti-SSB Activists have used Alaya as a "poster-child" for their cause, however, they entirely refrain from relating any sort of first-hand, miraculous experiences that Alaya encountered with Sathya Sai Baba. Obviously, these miraculous experiences would undermine Alaya's testimonies and credibility, and that is exactly why Anti-SSB Activists never relate these miraculous experiences, in relation to Alaya Rahm. Now we have a fuller version of Alaya's experiences. Not the one-way and selective testimonies, packaged and targeted to elicit a negative response from the general public.

5) (Click Here For Transcript) In various testimonies, Alaya Claimed that he felt pressured to submit to SSB's sexual advances because SSB threatened him by saying, "if you don't do what I say, your life will be filled with pain and suffering". In Secret Swami, Alaya said, "He would threaten me. I mean I remember him saying; if you don't do what I say your life will be full with pain and suffering. And that's a pretty heavy thing to hear being sixteen and God's telling you do what I say or your life is going to be full of pain and suffering." [Secret Swami: 10.37.12] SSB told Alaya this quote when he was 18, not 16 (as claimed here). In an article entitled "US Indian family accuses Sai Baba of sexual abuse" by By Aditi Khanna, on Asianage.com, Alaya said, "I remember him saying, if you don't do what I say, your life will be filled with pain and suffering". However, in the transcripts, this very same topic was discussed in proper context (a couple of times), and pertained directly to SSB's teachings! Al Rahm said, [Ref #7] "He said to our son, He said to us, "If you follow my rules, if you follow my orders and my teachings, your life will be blessed with happiness and prosperity and goodness. You will have a good name, everything will be good. If you don't, your life will be full of pain and suffering." Marisa said, [Ref #26] "And it was really very strong advice about what was expected, how they should listen to their mother. Alaya will you tell them what He said about if you follow His teachings? [Alaya:] He said if you follow my teachings your future will be great. I will give you a good name, good reputation. He says, If you don't your future will be bad. [Al (Seral) Rahm:] Pain and suffering". This topic was only related in the context of sexual abuse, in Alaya's testimonies. In the transcripts, however, the context is very different. Are we to believe the Rahm's words a couple of weeks after their interviews, when the information and context was fresh in their minds? Or are we to believe Alaya's words a couple of years down the road when the context was changed?