Refuting Deceptive 'News' About Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Released On Anti-Sai Websites
JANUARY 2003
A Visual Guide:
- The Article Is True Or Mostly True And Seems Sincere.
- The Article Has Truths And Untruths And Seems Insincere.
- The Article Is False And Has No Proof To Support It.
- The Article Is Fluff, Filler Stuff, Not Relevant.
SATHYA SAI BABA NEWS (With Updates And Comments):
Accusation and response
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/accusation.html
Comment: Brian Steel took issue with Lisa DeWitt's comments about him making money off his Sai books. Steel claimed he made very little money off his books and attributed this to Baba's lack of popularity. Of course, Steel does not fault himself, his writing style or the fact that his compendium is not very interesting (and generated very little interest among Sai Devotees).
Comment on the unsigned mail from saionline to R. Priddy
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/barry.html
Comment: This is an article by Barry Newton (a re-born fundamentalist Christian) about SaiOnline. Anti-Sai Activists collectively attacked SaiOnline because of a letter they wrote anonymously. Oddly enough, the webmaster for the ExBaba site does exactly the same thing (as did the "SaiPetiiton.net Committee"). This once again points at the double standards used, and abused, by Anti-Sai Activists to further their agenda of deceit and dishonesty against Sai Baba.
Baba's Back
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/kovoor.html
Comment: A cut and paste from the James Randi Educational Foundation.
The mini world three ring circus - Sai Baba ashrams
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/miniworld.html
Comment: Robert Priddy talked about an alleged (and highly dubious) conversation he had with V.K. Narasimhan (a Sai Devotee to his death).
Robert Priddy discussed how horrific the crowds were at Sathya Sai Baba's 70th birthday celebrations where he, his wife and her friends were "affected most severly, almost unable to breath and incapable of moving an inch in the enormous pushing crowd before the stadium gates". Despite this admission to such a massive crowd, Robert Priddy stated that not very many people attended the 70th birthday celebrations.
Robert Priddy continually insults Sathya Sai Baba with numerous slurs, but apparently was blinded for 18 years when he a devotee. Reading all the bad things Priddy has to say about Sathya Sai Baba, one can only wonder why he was devoted to him for 18 years. Of course, it has been rightly noted that Robert Priddy claimed he had many wonderful and unforgettable experiences with Sathya Sai Baba (the Avatar of the age) and even wrote a book talking about them (as well as several Sanathana Sarathi articles to boot). I wonder what kind of creature Robert Priddy was in Sathya Sai Baba's "three ring circus" when he was a devotee for 18 years? Or maybe, he was a clown? An act he has not been able to live down.
My life as an ex devotee.
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/mylife.html
Comment: Åsa Samsioe wrote another long-winded article about how much better her spiritual life is after leaving Sathya Sai Baba. Despite her rants about positive advancements in her spiritual life, her unremitting negativity and vindictiveness against Sathya Sai Baba undermines her lip-service to positive advancements in her spiritual life.
SB rubs on vigorously on many boys genitals and...
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/oily.html
Comment: There is no proof that Sathya Sai Baba rubs oil on "young boys" genitals. Considering that Anti-Sai Sites have only been able to come up with the full names to 7 adults (in 5 years) who claimed they were abused, hardly is a testament that Sathya Sai Baba oils "many" boys genitals. Click Here to view my Witnesses Section. Robert Priddy also solicited the bogus petition against Sathya Sai Baba in this article. Click Here to view my article about the Sai "Petition".
On "All the good he does"
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/onallthegood.html
Comment: Robert Priddy tried to make the case that everything good that Sathya Sai Baba has done is not due to him but is due to our projections and perceptions, etc. Priddy bashed Sathya Sai Baba and said he never felt any real warmth from Sathya Sai Baba (why did he stay a devotee for 18 years then?), that Baba is not very insightful, that Baba's healings cannot even be satisfactorily proven, etc., etc. Of course, in Robert Priddy's book, Source of the Dream, he told a very different story. As a matter of fact, Robert Priddy attributed a genuine healing to Sathya Sai Baba that he experienced himself (that left a doctor thoroughly and utterly at a loss for words). Regarding Sathya Sai Baba's "warmth" and love, in Source of the Dream (Page 197 & 202, Chapter: Sai Prema is Supreme - "prema" being supreme, unconditional love), Robert Priddy said:
"The effect that Sai Baba's unqualified and pure love has on the open-minded seeker is known best to themselves and to Baba. I can speak only for myself in confirming the miracle of personal transformation that Baba stimulates and supports in us…In his presence my mind is stilled as I absorb the moments of peace and clarity of consciousness. The fascinating effect of his personality, so natural even during his 'supernatural' miracles, makes one become somehow more open and integrated while in his vicinity."
Enough said.
Practical Tips on How NOT to Defend SB from Criticism
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/articles/tipscriticism.html
Comment: This is an amusing article written by Brian Steel that had me laughing for ten minutes before I could respond to it! Brian Steel listed 12 "tips" on how not to defend Sathya Sai Baba from criticisms. Amusingly enough, Brian Steel failed to divulge that he has engaged in the very same defences he cautions others against using. The 12 points are:
- Not reading the criticism to be refuted because you have been told, or you think (a priori) that it is unfounded, malicious, in bad taste, etc.
- Not including relevant factual counter-evidence.
- Stating categorically that SB never claimed to be the Avatar (Omniscient, etc.).
- Denying, without any counter-evidence, that the criticism is true (whether you have read it or not).
- Proclaiming (with thanks to SB) that the criticism is merely a deliberate leela of his: a test of devotees' faith.
- Pointing out, as if it were a valid defence against ANY criticism, SB's use of devotees' donations for educational and social welfare projects.
- Throwing up a smokescreen of personal anecdotes about SB=s transforming powers.
- Citing other people's anecdotes and allegations about miracles as indisputable proof of SB's Divinity and Omniscience, etc.
- Presenting unsupported or erroneous ashram gossip as fact.
- Denouncing all criticism of SB as a malicious plot engineered by other (envious) religious organizations.
- Protesting that factual criticisms of SB are attacks on the Hindu faith and, therefore, on Hindus.
- Employing other reprehensible "ad hominem" tactics against the "messenger": for example, denigrating critics by ascribing to them (without proof) base motives, or attempting to disqualify their FACTUAL criticisms on the alleged (but irrelevant) basis of the critic's lack of spiritual experience or sensitivity.
Brian Steel engaged in the same tactics mentioned in "tips": 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 and 12. Regarding "tips" 10 and 11, Click Here to view my article about the reality of Rationalist and Christian Anti-Sai Movements. Click Here to view my email correspondence with Brian Steel. Click Here to view my article about Brain Steel's contradictory stance on Sathya Sai Baba's discourses.
By reading my email correspondence with Brian Steel, one can see how he attacked me and my articles even though he admitted he had not read my articles. Brian Steel also failed to provide counter-evidence to his claims that I was being dishonest and inaccurate. Brian Steel resorted to attacking me and calling me names (argumentum ad hominem) instead of addressing my points of contention. This violates "tip" 1, 2, 4 and 9. Anti-Sai Activists are continually citing anonymous stories as the truth. Brian Steel also cited Anti-Sai Sites and uses their "anecdotes" and "smokescreens" to justify his Anti-Sai stance. This violates "tip" number 7. Anti-Sai Activists (who Brian Steel openly supports) disperse cut and pastes (from anonymous people who post on Yahoo groups) as the truth (look at ExBaba.com's Witnesses Section). This violates "tip" number 9. Practice before precept Brian!
The confused ideas and feelings at the saionline website
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/asasamsioe2.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
Barry Pittard replies to Saionline writer
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/barrysaionline.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
Conversation finished
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/conversation.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
To the faceless, truth challenged students at saionline
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/faceless.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
Crucial questions about Sai Baba
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/hartgering2.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
Sathya Sai Baba now on Child Abuse Page from Factnet
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/reinfactnet.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
Very confused thinking about genital oiling further examined
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/letters/veryconfused.html
Comment: This link is duplicated from the Letters Section.
Former Apollo scientist-astronaut will spread "cult leader's" message
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/apollo.html
Comment: Click Here to view my response to this article.
Factnet.org - an interesting site
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/factnet.html
Comment: "Factnet" is a place where anyone can post anonymously. Consequently, despite being called "factnet", it would be more appropriate to call it "opinion-net" or "libel-net".
Review on Expenditure on eligible projects or schemes
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/review.html
Comment: An article about expenditures and failures to use funds for intended purposes. One of the articles cited the "Sai Baba Salvation rural hospital- a Division of KEM hospital". This is not a Sathya Sai Baba hospital. Rather it referred to a Shirdi Sai Baba undertaking in Pune. The second article cited the "Sri Sathya Sai Medical Trust Prashanti Nilayam". This does refer to the Sathya Sai Baba Medical Trust. This article simply stated that a nephrology unit to the Super Specialty Hospital was not built due to insufficient donations (never stating that the funds were not used for intended purposes). However, later on the nephrology unit did open.
S.S.School in Holland - U.E.S. refuses to look into the concept covenants.
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/school.html
Comment: An article by Andries Krugers Dagneaux about the refusal of the Association of Denomination Schools to accept the Concept Covenants of a Sai school.
Sex laws shake up unveiled
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/sexlaws.html
Comment: Here is another Anti-Sai article by Raghu Nandan. Raghu Nandan (like a true intellectual heavyweight) stated that Sathya Sai Baba should be in jail for molesting a child because The Findings contained an anonymous and unsubstantiated allegation and he believed it! Apparently, that's all it takes to indict Sathya Sai Baba for sexual abuse crimes: Belief in an anonymous allegation.
Social customs 'hide child sex abuse'
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/socialcustoms.html
Comment: An Anti-Sai article written by Raghu Nandan. Where is the proof or evidence? It's hidden in the sand, along with Raghu Nandan's ostrich head.
Read The Sorcerer's Apprentice
http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/engels/shortnews/sorcerer.html
Comment: Brian Steel talked about the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Tahir Shah. Needless to say, Tahir Shah never said one word about Sathya Sai Baba.
In the shadow of Sathya Sai Baba
http://www.saiguru.net/english/last_updates/in%20the%20shadow.htm
Comment: A link to SaiGuru.net with links to other Anti-Sai Sites.