Joe Moreno Refutes Allegations Of Sexual Abuse
Joe Moreno Refutes Allegations Of Being Sexually Abused By Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
On my personal geocities website I wrote about my interview experience with Sathya Sai Baba, which I had when I was 18 years old in 1988. In my interview, Sathya Sai Baba materialized oil and rubbed it just below my navel (belly button). What I said on my geocities website was the following:
“Baba came and directed about 15 of us into the main interview room. Besides me, there was an Indian man with his sick son and an Indian family. Baba looked at the Indian man and said, “Australia.” The man nodded his head and said that he was, indeed, from Australia. I sure couldn’t tell. He looked Indian to me in dress and appearance. Then, Baba sat down in a chair and started talking to the Indian family. Baba told them that they had been quarreling among themselves. Baba told them every detail of the quarrel, including who said what to whom, etc. The family was surprised and everyone kept nodding their heads. Baba said, “I know. I know.” Baba took the Indian man and his sick son into a private room and talked to them. Baba also talked to some of the members of the Indian family. Then, Baba called me into the private room. Baba told me, “You worry too much!” Baba told me how I had been very sick (which was true) and Baba said, “I know. I know. I even know about you praying to my picture in your room!” I was stunned. Baba told me to observe celibacy and he raised his palm to my face and drew small circles, with his thumb, on his fingers, and a thick, green oil materialized. It was wonderfully fragrant! Even to this day, I can not forget how wonderful that fragrance was! It was a delicate and fine mixture of many fragrances like jasmine, rose and sandalwood. The predominant smell was eucalyptus. Baba applied this to my lower stomach. Baba told me, “Do not worry. It will ensure a long and peaceful life.” Baba told me some other things as well. Then, Baba hugged me and the interview was over! I was so overwhelmed, I could not talk!”
Needless to say, I never foresaw that Anti-Sai Activists would twist my interview experiences with their sexual slants and slurs and claim that I was sexually abused and had my genitals oiled by Sathya Sai Baba. I have addressed this issue twice before on my blog about Sanjay Dadlani (the first time being on July 3rd 2006 and the second time being on September 19th 2006). What I said on my blog was the following:
“First and foremost, my genitals were never oiled by Sathya Sai Baba. At no time were my genitals ever exposed. As I described on my own Personal Website, Sathya Sai Baba put his hand up to my face, clearly made circular motions with his thumb on his forefingers and a wonderfully and profusely fragrant, green oil materialized. Sathya Sai Baba smeared this oil, in one motion of his hand, on my “lower stomach”. That’s all that occurred. When I wrote my account on my personal website, I never foresaw that Anti-Sai Activists would use my story against me and claim that I was sexually abused by Sathya Sai Baba. Therefore, when I wrote my interview experience, I did not give a detailed description about what I meant by my “lower stomach”. As I have said before, Baba smeared the oil just below my navel/belly button, i.e., “lower stomach” (not to be confused with one’s lower abdomen or pubic area). My pants were never pulled down and my genitals were never touched or exposed. Anti-Sai Activists have the audacity to continue their defamatory campaigns, claiming I was sexually abused by Sathya Sai Baba, despite my clarifications. This proves that Anti-Sai Activists are a group of perverts who fantasize about Sathya Sai Baba inappropriately touching people. There is no rationalizing with these deviantly and sexually-focused individuals who hypocritically claim that they are devoted to the truth, justice and morality (Reference).
Despite my repeated clarifications about my oiling experience, Sanjay Dadlani, Tony O’Clery, Robert Priddy, Basava Premanand, Conny Larsson, Reineir Van Der Sandt, Barbara Dent, UsedByBaba and Alan Kazlev continue to spread the bold-faced and gutter lie that I received some sort of sexual oiling from Sathya Sai Baba. Alan Kazlev even had the audacity to say I received an oiling “massage” from Sai Baba (shamelessly embellishing the facts with a fraudulent claim) and that I “perhaps have even been inspired and uplifted, by his (Sai Baba’s) sexual advances”. Robert Priddy claimed that I had my “pants lowered by Sathya Sai Baba” (a bold-faced libel). Therefore, I find myself (once again) having to refute these sexual-abuse claims and having to explain (once again) what occurred to me in my private interview with Sathya Sai Baba.
Although I have already explained where I was oiled and how it was wholly and completely non-sexual, I have not responded to the issue of Baba asking me to observe celibacy (which one would not expect from a “serial sexual abuser” intent on molesting an 18 year old man in the prime of his youth).
To date, there are several things that Sathya Sai Baba told me in my private interview that I have not divulged (due to their confidential nature), which convinced me that Baba knew things about me he could not have known otherwise. It should come as no surprise that both Barry Pittard and Robert Priddy (two of the most vocal critics against Sai Baba) fully believe (to this day and after their defection) that Sathya Sai Baba possesses genuine paranormal powers. Prior to coming to India, I had been observing celibacy in compliance with various spiritual books I was reading at that time. When I went to see Sathya Sai Baba at Puttaparthi, one of the questions I intended to ask him was if I should continue to observe celibacy (as it was a difficult practice for an 18 year old). When I had my interview, I was completely overwhelmed by the experience and could not even speak. Sathya Sai Baba answered (unasked) a variety of my silent questions and stated in the affirmative that I should continue to observe celibacy. Therefore, I was not “commanded” to observe celibacy at Baba’s request. He answered a question I had in my mind about a practice I was already persevering in, but had doubts about.
For those who have the integrity, honesty and decency to research the facts for him/her self, let me be absolutely clear about my oiling experience with Sathya Sai Baba:
- I was not sexually abused by Sathya Sai Baba.
- Sathya Sai Baba did not rub oil on my genitals.
- At no time were my pants pulled down or my genitals exposed.
- Sathya Sai Baba smeared the oil, in one movement of his hand, just below my belly button. I was not fondled, kissed, massaged or touched in any other way indicative of questionable or inappropriate sexual behavior.
- Sathya Sai Baba did not “command” me to observe celibacy. He confirmed I should follow a path I had chosen but had doubts about.
- The oil promptly disappeared on contact with my skin. There was no oily residue left afterwards.
- The oiling was not “pleasurable”, nor did I experience euphoria or any other kind of altered state for several weeks after its application.
- Although Sathya Sai Baba did not tell me what the oil was for, he materialized the oil just after telling me about a severe gastrointestinal illness I endured (from which I lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time) and after confirming to me that I should observe celibacy. Baba knew about my question concerning celibacy and my illness although I said nothing to him or anyone else at the ashram.
These are the facts of the matter. I think my statements (which have not changed in all these years) supersede the libelous, sexually-twisted, defamatory and deceitful claims made by Ex-Devotees against me, (who go around claiming I was sexually abused and fondled when I was not). Since my oiling experience does not fit into critic’s preconceived ideas about oilings (none of the currently vocal critics ever claimed having received one), they attempt to misrepresent and twist my words with sexual inferences. This speaks volumes about ex-devotees, their lack of character, their lack of dedication to the truth and their very disturbing sexual focus/perversity on everything relating to Sathya Sai Baba.
Ex-Devotees invalidate everything I say (all the while calling me a “liar”) yet apparently believe me when I said I had an oiling. They cherry-pick their criticisms to advance their own nefarious agendas and attempt to deceive the general public by harping on sincerity, honesty, morality and ethics! If ex-devotees lie like this about me, what does this say about their claims against Sathya Sai Baba?