Sathya Sai Organization: World Communities Need To Treat This Sect Cautiously

Typical of cultists (which they deny themselves to be), the key leaders of the international Sathya Sai Organization are highly secretive, authoritarian and unaccountable.

They know:

• That there has been profound cover up of countless responsibly-made allegations of spiritual and moral betrayal
• The quality, and years of dedicated service, of many families and individuals who have gone to them with deeply distressing concerns about Sai Baba’s immoral conduct with boys and young men, cover up of murders in his bedroom, and other crimes.
• That the top echelon exerts strong pressure to ensure that the allegations are not discussed

The BBC’s appellation ‘the secret swami’ was entirely apt. Sathya Sai Baba and his leaders speak constantly of Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love and Non-Violence (Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema, Ahimsa).  Many within the Sathya Sai Organization know perfectly well that devotees have often been shocked by the unspirituality, callousness and authoritarian behaviour by many core leaders hand-picked by Sai Baba himself.

These leaders, and their often unsuspecting and decent rank-and-file, would link up with you, smile happily with you, act in a manner that has every appearance of professional and ethical responsibility. They seek to enter into shared endeavours with you in regard to your schools, universities, civic,  religious, cultural and sporting organizations, your municipal, state and central governments, etc. They do worthy works of social uplift, but in fact they have agendas that they keep from you. That is to say,  salient information – that you have every right to know – they keep under tight seals of prohibition as instructed by the guru and his core servitors. They do not tell you that:  Sathya Sai Baba claims to be the fullest incarnation of Godhood ever to have visited earth. Or that he has said he will rule the world before he leaves it circa 2022.  Officials are told not to mention it in their public interfaces.

Just a few of the plush venues in which the Sathya Sai Organization pursues its recruitments (although it will not use this factual word) have included:

Cooper’s Union, New York; Town Hall, Melbourne; Copley International Conference Center, San Diego; Super Dome, Sydney; La Mirada Theatre, Hilton Ballroom (both Los Angeles); Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Chicago; Copley International Conference Center, San Diego; Super Dome, Sydney, etc.

We are reliably informed that the cult has furthered its purposes in nodes of great power such as the United Nations and the White House, and among leading politicians and powerbrokers around the world.

Select Readings

Sai Organization’s Spending Spree In Super Dome, Sydney

 ‘Secret Swami’ Cult Recruits At Prime Public Venues

 The BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ – A Revision 

BBC Hidden Camera in ‘Secret Swami’. Ethical?

 Sathya Sai Baba and his Organization Permit Attacks On Ex-followers

Golden Throne of India’s Sathya Sai Baba. He says he will Rule the world soon

              Some Video Resources    

              The Secret Swami (BBC Television):               (154 MB, Broadband)   

Seduced (DR, Danish Broadcasting, Denmark’s national television and radio broadcaster):
(80 MB, Broadband)    http://home.hetnet.nl/~seduced/seduced.wmv
(21 MB, Modem)   

Right Hand. Sleight Hand. Watch Sai Baba Cheat With Sacred Ash (Film clip)

 BBC and Other Film Footage Shows India’s Top Guru Sathya Sai Baba Faking Miracles

 BBC Footage Exposes Fake Sathya Sai Baba Miracle « Call For Media and Government Investigation

 ‘The Secret Swami’ showcased with selected transcripts and brief
video clips  

Sathya Sai Baba Chief, Dr Goldstein, Explodes. “I am the consummate professional” (See Film Clips)

Raising ever more serious questions about how spiritual is the international head of what Sathya Sai Baba has called THE divine organization in the world

Dr Michael Goldstein. Love All Serve All

Michael Goldstein explodes with anger (710kbs)

at the BBC’s perfectly reasonable questions about accountability

Dr. Goldstein again reveals his higher self (1.500Kb)

Michael Goldstein and the sexual allegations (2,10 Mbs)

Michael Goldstein admits his view is merely a belief (456kbs)

……………………………………………..

Wider Resources  

 Sathya Sai Baba: ‘Considerable Concern’ In Wider Hindu Community   

 Sathya Sai Organization: World Communities Need To Treat This Sect Cautiously   

Will World Accept Sathya Sai Baba? He Says Yes. Very Soon    

 Has ‘World Saviour’ Missed His Plane?   

The Decline and Fall of the Showman Empire

Sai Baba Exchequer Worth Billions. Many Countries Donate

 Self-documented Folly of India’s Would-be God 

The Sathya Sai Organisation’s Deception and Propaganda Exposed.  Article by Robert Priddy (former leader of SS Org., Sweden) and Barry Pittard (former lecturer at Sathya Sai College, Whitefield).  Part One Two Three Four  Quote:  

 “The foes of the ‘open society’ (Sir Karl Popper’s term) are those who use its very openness to achieve their closed and devious ends. Sai Baba and his highly authoritarian and cultist organisation have such ends, which critics have tried to make known. Its foremost leaders silence all those who question it- and never face substantive criticisms. For the first time – after six years of pained and guilty silence – since hundreds of long-term devotees left it in disgust – the Sathya Sai Organisation has found it necessary to try to defuse the debate about Sathya Sai Baba’s alleged crimes, deceits and fraudulence. Dr. Venkataraman’s tendentious cover-up article expresses untruths which have long circulated within the cult, giving an opportunity to confront him with facts and truth”  

 ——————————————————

 Excerpt From Public Petition (and comments)  

 (Note: You may prefer to proceed straight to the Petition): Public Petition For Official Investigations of Sathya Sai Baba and His Worldwide Organization   

There is a Spanish version available:   

PETICIÓN PÚBLICA PARA INVESTIGACIONES OFICIALES DE SATHYA SAI BABA Y SU ORGANIZACIÓN A NIVEL MUNDIAL)   

 ——————————————   

   

  Subscribe in a reader   Subscribe to Call for media and government investigation of Sathya Sai Baba   

Robert Priddy’s Series On Sathya Sai Baba Man, Gerald Moreno

I note with admiration for his great energy – which he by no means reserves only for exposing Sathya Sai Baba and his sect – that Robert Priddy 

Robert Priddy, Academic Philosopher and Sathya Sai Baba Critic

is still adding to his series in which he refutes the writings of one hellbent on scurrility, Gerald Moreno, who leagues in his endeavours with Sai Baba devotees including those close to Sathya Sai Baba himself. Moreno, moreover, has a certain status as a popular hero for those Sathya Sai Baba Organization members who also profess but do not carry out the spiritual teachings of Sathya Sai Baba.

I find it touching. A man has had a long, productive life as an educator of generations of the young. An academic of one of the leading universities, the University of Oslo. An author of notable books and academic papers. (See Wikipedia entry: Robert C. Priddy). One who, down many years, has given heart, soul, sacrificial service, and a good deal of money to what appeared to be a great cause. Assailed by the philistine. Never thus assailed by Sai Baba nor those who valued him as an organization leader and contributor to the intellectual and devotional life of the Sathya Sai Organization. A dear, longtime and close friend of one of the few around Sai Baba who was noted for his plain speaking, the great Indian newspaper editor and a moral hero throughout India, the late V.K. Narasimhan, who was my beloved friend, too, and whose book on Pierre Teilhard de Chardin  I was editing not long before he died. V.K.N. (as he was affectionately known) greatly honoured and respected Priddy – the very opposite of Moreno’s conduct towards him. See, Partial List of Gerald Moreno’s Vast Postings Contra Sathya Sai Baba Critics

The Extraordinary Scenario. Philistinian Attack

But now – an extraordinary scenario. By Moreno, he and his family attacked, alongside many others who were once considered, and happily, a part of what Sai devotees call ‘the Sai family’. His words torn from their contexts. Here he is, in the last quadrant of his life, lived well, with (I happen to know via very reliable sources) many kind and generous actions to his credit. A man of dedication to truth and honour. Once, for long, the head of the Sathya Sai Organization in his country. And here he is, as has been the case for the last four years, since he carefully investigated the allegations against Sai Baba and then spoke out, constantly assailed by a poorly educated, but superficially bright, defamer. A man who has been banned indefinitely by eight editors of Wikipedia (See article by independent British scholar, Kevin Shepherd, Wikipedia, Moreno, Google). A man hot of language, cold of empathy, shabby of logical argumentation, and devoid of commonsense – as can be seen by anyone who examines even a few pages of his writing. One whose multitude of writings are filled with the excess of intemperate, aggressive, libelling, defaming, abusive and ridiculing language  – indeed,  light years removed from the teachings of the one whom he, Moreno, so idolizes (with the type of attachment that Sathya Sai Baba himself inveighs against), and cannot bear to have criticized or to hear with fairness the call of many around the world that:

 Sai Baba and his sect core leaders be investigated by Interpol, governments and institutions that the Sathya Sai Organization attempts to interface with, major investigative media, and other well-equipped third party investigators, etc.

 I give below the links to Robert Priddy’s blog series on Moreno up to yesterday. His latest article refers to one of the many situations that Moreno has shown great denial about – his ‘oiling’ by Sathya Sai Baba. Let Moreno ask any ordinary, commonsense person whether this action is lawful or not. But no – his powerful blinkers prevent him from seeing what is being pointed. Sai Baba is not a doctor. He has no business undressing his young, male devotees and touching their personal parts. Priddy states:

“As to my assertions that Joe Moreno was illegally molested in a sexual context, they are not slurs because they are entirely true: it is an objective fact that the events he described when he was “oiled” were against the law of most countries, including India [This has been pointed out by Basava Premanand, who is extremely well acquainted with Indian law]. It is not a matter of subjective feeling and/or belief, as Moreno wants it to be, and his private sense of pleasure afterwards and is entirely irrelevant. He can rail about it as much as he wants, it will not change that it was illegal. I consider that proved and closed. As to libels, Moreno has libeled me with untruths and mud-slinging constantly all over the Internet for over 4 years and now I am responding with rebuttals, to which he has responded with more immoderate libels and inflamed language. That itself proclaims the complete lack of substance in his contrived accusations”.

Robert Priddy’s Blog Series Refuting Gerald Joe Moreno

Gerald Moreno’s personal details removed from vishvarupa.com  

Joe Moreno’s schoolyard tit-for-tat attacks

‘Genital Oiling’ by Sathya Sai Baba + video evidence

Gerald Joe Moreno and genital oiling by Sai Baba

Gerald Moreno backs lying saboteur M. K. Yachendra

Joe Moreno admits he is a web impostor

More personal attacks by Gerald Joe Moreno

Sathya Sai Baba Apologist Joe Moreno’s Random Personal Attack Style (1)

Joe Moreno – massive internet abuse

Sathya Sai Baba’s front man on the Internet

Sathya Sai Baba Love, Light and Spirituality Exposed

Moreno and sexual abuse, denial and subterfuge

Sathya Sai Organisation defended by proxy

Sathyasaibaba in the shadows

Copyright infringements by sathyasaibaba

Gerald Joe Moreno (aka sathyasaibaba) dares not show his face. Why?

sathyasaibaba, Munchausen and sick fantasies

sathyasaibaba specious claims and self-defeating ‘arguments’

Cultic Labeling of Dissenters As “Disgruntled”. Sathya Sai Baba Case

Sathyasaibaba scales up hate attacks on critics

Terrorist-related Slurs Used By Sai Baba Internet Fanatic

Sai Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child

Sai Baba Internet Man – No Apology When Caught Using Anti-Semitism Slur

Sai Baba Proxy Attacker of Ex-followers and the Media

Proxy Defender of Sai Baba and SWARA

Gerald Moreno and “oiling between the pubic area and the navel”

Joe Moreno as “sathyasaibaba” with smear campaign

Sai Baba Internet Man’s Attacks Based On Age and Physical Appearance

I referred to the wonderful Scottish songstress Susan Boyle in my article:  Susan Boyle. Unexpected Divine Chanteuse. Sweet 47. Posted by Barry Pittard on April 17, 2009. Many others, also deeply moved, have written of her – in the media, blogs and elsewhere. Her lovely example, as seen earlier that April on Britain’s Got Talent, challenges us all. 

Many have felt that Susan Boyle can teach us a lot about qualities of true grit. Her singing and courage against stereotyping grounded on age and appearance have swept much of the industrialised world. All of us have something to learn from her, including  Gerald Moreno, of New Mexico, USA, whom important members of the Sathya Sai Organization have encouraged and assisted.

His countless attacks upon former devotees who have spoken out include very nasty references to age and appearance.  For example, denigrating Robert Priddy, Brian Steel and myself and “septuagenarians” (which I do not yet for some time have the honor of being). Another of Sai Baba’s marked insistences is respect for elders, but Moreno’s indulges in slurs such as “senile” and “half senile” etc. He refuses to see that those who have pointed out Sai Baba’s marked physical and mental decline are not making ageist remarks. They are pointing out the failure of his own prediction that, after his sixtieth birthday he would not age physically. He has also said as recently as

The merest glance at his various sites on the Internet, including his ‘Sathya Sai Baba – Life, Love & Spirituality’ show that his preoccupations are far from Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings. One of Sai Baba’s best known sayings is: Help ever. Hurt never. Moreno even intrudes into the lives and attacks those whom he thinks – based on his typically poor logic and tendency to leap to ‘worst-case’ conclusions  – are connected with the exposure of the idol for whom he has such a profound fixation. One whose teachings, moreover, stress the importance of not getting attached to the person of the guru. Practically all of Moreno’s vast output is bent on stereotyping and depersonalizing people. One result is that he demeans himself and the loving person he could be. Truth is what Moreno wants it to be.  To see the Moreno’s photo-tooling grotesqueries is to be able to determine at a glance whether this conduct exemplifies ‘love and spirituality’:

Sathya Sai Baba Man Joe Moreno’s Diabolizing Photo Alterations of Sai Baba Critics

Sathya Sai Baba Man Gerald Moreno’s Photo Attack On Robert Priddy

Who better than Susan Boyle to refer to as someone that many readers can relate to? Despite Sai Baba and his machine’s propaganda, most of the world does NOT know who he is. But vast numbers, at least in the West, and in an extraordinarily quick time, DO know who Susan Boyle is.  At the end of the first section in my article, I put this note: 

NOTE:  Those who came to this blog in regard to Susan Boyle may like now simply to go down to the section highlighted in green

Further Reading

Sathya Sai Baba Man Gerald Moreno – Banned By Eight Wikpedia Editors

Sai Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child

Joe Moreno – massive internet abuse

Sathya Sai Baba Apologist Joe Moreno’s Random Personal Attack Style (1)

Independent British scholar and author of books on philosphy and religion Kevin Shepherd on Gerald Moreno 

 Sathya Sai Baba: problems

Part Two: Profile of Gerald (Joe) Moreno and the Testimonies to strongly alleged sexual abuse by Sathya Sai Baba

See Part three on the same webpage as this last link:  ‘Part Three: Wikipedia, the rival Citizendium, and the Wikipedia ban on Gerald (Joe) Moreno’.

Alice Meets Sathya Sai Baba

Within Hinduism, the Shiva lingam often represents the wonder and majesty of creation-dissolution, a symbol of limitlessness. However, by associating these resonances with fraudulence, Sathya Sai Baba does questionable service to the religion he supposedly promotes. See Wikipedia, under ‘Lingam‘.

Baba cheating with lingam (4,69 MB, with sound):

You will observe that no lingam comes forth – view the most important fragment of the clip in slow motion. At the end, there is a small spurt of yellowish vomit.

This was said to be the lingam BUT as liquid! 

Had he been present, the acute attentions of Lewis Carroll, author of ‘Alice In Wonderland’, might indeed have been at once engaged at the sheer procrustean linguists involved:

 “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.”
“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”
“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – – that’s all.”
(Through the Looking Glass, Chapter 6) 

Alice Meets Sathya Sai Baba

Articles on and Viewing of Sathya Sai Baba’s Tricks – at  ‘Call for Media and Government Investigation of Sathya Sai Baba’ : 

Right Hand. Sleight Hand. Watch Sai Baba Cheat With Sacred Ash (Film clip)

 Sleight Of Hand. The Sleightness of Sathya Sai Baba (Exposing film clips).

In the latter article, so as to emphasise how profoundly, and often very easily, human beings can be tricked by sleight-of-hand and other skills of deception, I have provided links to famous magicians/illusionists such as:  David Blaine, Lance Burton, Derren Brown, Harry Houdini, and others. Later, I wish to include a number of outstanding female practitioners, with links to some of their work. For DR (Denmark’s national radio and television broadcaster), there is full footage available of ‘Seduced’. Click on the link for this notable magician, who specifically demonstrates how Sai Baba performs some of his tricks.  Nils Krøjgaard.

Censored Indian National Television Film of Sai Baba Cheating

BBC Cameras Catch Sai Baba Cheating With Gold Sivalingam. (Film Clip)

See Also

Derren Brown’s Magic Trumps Sathya Sai Baba’s

Susan Boyle. Unexpected Divine Chanteuse. Sweet 47.

‘Full many a gem of purest ray serene’ …

Divine British Nightingale Susan Boyle. Sweet 47. ‘Never been Kissed’ (Though Ms Boyle, given to country humour, said later that this was a joke’)

Judgementalism on the grounds of a person’s body shape, place of origin, social status, and so on, is, course, one of humanity’s most destructive tendencies. Is there a profound lesson to be learnt by every one of us? In a few moments, I shall come to the wondrous Susan Boyle, from a small village in West Lothian, Scotland, U.K., whose triumphant performance on ITV1 in UK in April 2009 would, I should think, make many of you weep freely and give her a standing ovation in your heart. May already have done so, because she has now been heard by tens of millions of people around the world.

Ms Boyle’s story inescapably reminded me of the lines of the English poet, Thomas Gray (1716-1771)

Thomas Gray. A Favourite English Poet

in his poem ‘Elegy written in a Country Churchyard’:

Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”

And I thought, too, of the stark lines in Leonard Cohen’s song ‘Chelsea Hotel’:

Leonard Cohen. Ever Loved Singer-Songwriter

“for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
you fixed yourself, you said, Well never mind,
we are ugly but we have the music”.

Some lines of Ms Boyle’s song – ‘I had a dream’ from Les Miserables – English lyrics by

Herbert Kretzmer, Lyricist

– deepen yet futher such a theme and its resonance for us:

“But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame”

I shall come to Ms Boyle in few moments. Her moments will last forever …

NOTE:  Those who came to this blog in regard to Susan Boyle may like now simply to go down to the section highlighted in green

Judgementalism and Discrimination

Scarcely hours before I had the beatific priviledge of viewing the Susan Boyle footage, I had been musing on the topic of judgementalism on the grounds of (supposed) physical appearance.

Gerald Moreno – allied with key individuals close to Sathya Sai Baba – e.g., the saibabaofindia.com consortium – and involved in extreme defaming one after another of many around the world who have called for proper third party investigation, and raised terribly serious questions about Sai Baba and core leaders of his worldwide Sathya Sai Organization, has this to say:

“Let us see if Barry Pittard looks any better than Sathya Sai Baba does (according to one email source, his face is heavily and deeply wrinkled, his head is mostly bald and he is physically unattractive). Barry Pittard also collects a disability pension (the details of which are fanatically guarded secrets) and shows all the signs of old age. Despite this fact, Barry Pittard hypocritically points out faults in a much younger-looking Sai Baba! Barry Pittard sounds more intent on revenge & ridicule than he does on “justice”.

This piece of high spiritual felicity appears on Gerald Moreno’s ‘Sathya Sai Baba – Life, Love & Spirituality’  blog, which fairly bursts with content that surely no genuine Sai Baba follower could ever regard as embodying Sai Baba’s teachings on life, love and spirituality whatsoever.

Barry Pittard, of course, does not – as does Sathya Sai Baba – claim that he will not age or that he is, and will forever be, the fullest incarnation of God to appear on the earth. Or that he will save the entire the world before he dies circa 2022.

Strangely, Moreno published a photograph which he most mistakenly claimed to be of me with my son, whom he disgracefully named. This action, he has continued, with his customary spurious logic of a sort that will long continue to mar his work, to justify. The photo was in fact of her model! There is not a wrinkle to be seen, not a luxuriant hair out of place. He carries some other child not known to me.

Moreno set up a series of stratagems to divert business away from the company which she, with great courage, integrity and hard work has built up. He justified his misconduct by arguing from dates that he has entirely misinterpreted. It is his typical practice. Take a fact, or alleged fact, and spin it with hostile intent.

But can Moreno, at all, be referring to the fine creature I see before me in my never-cracking mirror each morning? Might this gentle critic have got me mixed up with the Elephant Man?

Sathya Sai Baba Has Said That He Will Not Age After His Sixtieth Birthday

But of course, pointing to Sai Baba’s present physical condition is entirely proper comment. It is known to many devotees and former devotees alike that he said that, after his 60th birthday, he would not age. It is but one of his many unfulfilled prophecies – impossible for Moreno or anyone to refute. See:

When Disasters Overtake S. Sai Baba’s Promises

Behold Gerald Joe Moreno’s Ageless Idol

…  the “much younger-looking Sai Baba”

“Usually old people have wrinkles on their faces … I do not have any signs of old age. (loud applause). There is not a single wrinkle on My face”. Sanathana Sarathi, October, 2002.

Usually, elderly people don’t have their hair dyed, either, but go along with nature’s inevitable processes.

Sathya Sai Baba Video. Too Weak To Cut Birthday Cake

Sathya Sai Baba Continues To Ail

Sathya Sai Baba’s Tips To Keep Ageing Away.

The Magnificent Susan Boyle

Now to Susan Boyle, the British television video of whom will, I think, give you some wonderful moments of genuine life, love and spirituality. I rather suspect some will want to download the footage and keep it as a treasure. There are some versions on the Internet which do not include the extra minutes. But the off-stage moments, the many revealing shots of the audience and judges AND her singing of  ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from Les Miserables are all to be savoured in the YouTube version, see below. No doubt many parents and teachers will use it in educating their charges on the issue of judgements and stereotypes. Not too much use doing that unless we educate ourselves, first.

A Cry For Blood Is Not A Far Cry Away From A Cry From The Heart

And then to drive the question, first, to ourselves and then to our societies: What supposing Ms Boyle had not triumphed in her song?! Are we some frenzied mob at the athenaeum-bear pit-meatmarket? Are we forever to cooperate with the forces that only allow ‘glamorous’ figures and faces to appear on stage and in videos and movies?

“I’m going to make that audience rock”.

Did you ever see a standing ovation like this one? Was there anything that did not tell against her?

Unless it was her cheeky and absolutely justified self-confidence. With her radiant naturalness and marvelous self-purpose, seconds before going on stage, the Divine Ms Boyle says, “I’m going to make that audience rock”.  At first, the audience and the judges barely prevented themselves from falling over.

Wave on wave of scorn, disbelief, judgementalism, ageism and cynicism crashed towards her. For no better reason than the profound brainwashing of all of us by the movie, fashion and advertizing industries and other forces of human immaturity and oppression.

There were her age, her bodyshape, her dress sense (or lack of it), her … um … primal hairdo, her el cheapo neck chain, her humble village origins. Her whole self, as she purposely strode onto the stage, stood against the stereotype of success, whether on stage or in (so-called) ‘real life’ at large. Moments before going on-stage she even grabbed a bit of a sandwich – white bread and all!

In the video, note audience’s and judges’ air of barely concealed cynicism, disbelief, patronisation, and judgementalism. And then, from the first moments of her opening her mouth to sing – the powerful wave of change … Or rather, of transformation. Our transformation. She is already transformed, having duteously served her sick mother over the years, and became love in the village which, too, gave her life.

All mockers are confronted by their good angel. Dressed like it is thought that angels don’t dress.

Judging and Self-judging

In the moments after Susan Boyle has sung in her crowning triumph, the judges – Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, and Piers Morgan – variously make comments such as:

“We were all being very cynical. That was the greatest wake-up call – ever!”

“Without a doubt, this is the biggest surprise I have had in the three years of doing this show”.

“The biggest ‘Yes’ I have given anybody”

Widetrends reports:  “Susan Boyle is also being lined up for an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show which would give her the chance of a number one album in the US”.

Here are the responses of two children to whose lovely responses on the Susan Boyles video segment I was privy, and wrote down verbatim straight after:

6-year old girl

Adult: Why did all the people laugh at the lady when she walked on stage?

Girl: Because she is fat they think she can’t sing, and they don’t want her to be on the stage.

Adult: Why did the people change their mind?

Girl: Because she sang so beautifully.

9 year old boy

Adult: What did you reckon about the lady?

Boy: She’s not scared. She didn’t care what the people thought, she walked fastly and stood straight.

The Divine Ms Boyle. Coming World, Ready Or Not

Source: YouTube. 2009. To view, click on photo

………………………………………………………………

General

Excerpt From Public Petition

(Note: The above articles contextualizes. Or you may prefer to proceed straight to the Petition):

Public Petition For Official Investigations of Sathya Sai Baba and His Worldwide Organization

There is a Spanish version available:

PETICIÓN PÚBLICA PARA INVESTIGACIONES OFICIALES DE SATHYA SAI BABA Y SU ORGANIZACIÓN A NIVEL MUNDIAL)

Sathya Sai Baba Apologist Joe Moreno’s Random Personal Attack Style (1)

In the writings of Sathya Sai Baba’s foremost apologists, it is very typical to attempt to make it appear as though Sai Baba critics live, somehow, in each other’s grey and homogenous pockets.

By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them 

Fortunately, there is a great deal that has been written by competent and rational commentators on Sathya Sai Baba and his worldwide sect, such as Brian Steel, Robert Priddy, Timothy Conway Ph.D, and Kevin Shepherd, the independent British philosopher and scholar.

Shepherd, I should add, has always been an outsider to the Sathya Sai Organisation, and cannot be viewed  as being in agreement with all views or idioms of ex-devotees or other Sai Baba critics. Not that there is inveterate agreement among former devotees, either. 

For Shepherd’s discussion of some of the intricacies of Gerald Moreno’s indefinite banning by the Wikipedia authorities, See the reference at the foot of this article for: Part Three: Wikipedia, the rival Citizendium, and the Wikipedia ban on Gerald (Joe) Moreno. The saga that led to Moreno’s banning by the Wiki authorities for exceptionally poor behaviour is a very sorry one indeed. Shepherd discusses some of the intricacies. Needless to say, Shepherd was quick to receive Moreno’s abusive and defamatory treatment. 

Of Blood and Stone

One of the differences among former devotees – although amicable – is whether expense and the purposes of exposing the Sathya Sai cult would justify sueing Moreno, if, that is to say, he could be sued. Given the adage about not being able to derive blood from a stone, there is, indeed, a question that singles itself out:  whether one who spends vast days and nights lapping up countless shreds and threads as though they were items of great nourishment for body, soul and spirit would have sufficient funds to fend for himself against litigation. Given, however, his ostensible connection with those close to Sathya Sai Baba and his leadership, perhaps he would have a ready covet financial supporter from coffers worth a great many millions of dollars.

Aristotle Rolls In His Logical Grave

Moreno’s treatment meted out to individuals who so dare to speak out have their name systematically plastered in both article titles and content, with the aid of skilful manipulation of arcane Internet technology, describing them as “liars”, “cheats”, engaged in “deception”, and much worse. His infractions of the Aristotelean law of the distributed middle (the necessity of not arguing a general contention from some particular instance) are rampant. His particular premises themselves are highly contentious. Wikipedia’s depiction of this fallacy is convenient:

Page after page of his reveal another of his omnipresent hardy weapons, argumentum ad hominem (Latin “argument to the man”, “argument against the man”), attacking the person advancing contentions instead of focusing on the issues at hand.

Again constantly to be seen are his use of the related fallacy of guilt-by-association: former devotee a) is so-and-so and does such-and-such, therefore former devotee b) is also so-and-so and does such-and-such. Mind you, yet again, former devotee a) may NOT be so-and-so or have done such-and-such, or it may not be relevant. Longtime former head of the Sathya Sai Organization in Norway, Robert Priddy, has just written:

“Invidiously, Joe Moreno calls me ‘a blatant liar’ many times obviously without any tangible proof because I can assure that I never lie. He is fond of childish name-calling and smearing through labeling: egs. he accused me of being a “fundamentalist Christian” (I am 100% agnostic!), an associate of known perverts (because I support the cogent and very well-informed arguments concerning Sai Baba by an Indian ex-devotee who Moreno claims – in his massive stalking campaign to ruin that person’s reputation- to expose as a “pervert”- including through in famous postings made by Moreno to support his hate agenda on pornography sites – see list of them here)“. See: Joe Moreno – massive internet abuse. Posted by robertpriddy on April 14, 2009

As well as Moreno’s Internet stalkings and libels, his many targets suffer his personal intrusion into their personal, institutional and community lives. Many individuals of outstanding merit – teachers, professional colleagues, closest friends, relations, etc., – who have seen them under the test of many decades of their lives do not share Moreno’s constant and strident appraisal that those who have stood forth in questioning Sai Baba and his cult are demons.

When any competent reader puts the critical readings of those mentioned at the outset writings alongside the writing of Sai Baba sect proxy apologists such as Gerald Moreno, the qualitative difference leaps into view.

‘Joe’ Moreno and Sai Baba’s official Internet propagandist Dr G. Venkataraman evidently assume that some of the world’s most reputed organs such as the BBC, CBC, DR, SBS, ABC, Times of London, Telegraph, Guardian, Age, UNESCO, etc., are peopled with incompetents unable to gauge good credentials and self- and group-presentation of those whose accounts their highly-trained, seasoned journalists investigate. It was no easy task, for example, for the producers of ‘The Secret Swami’ (2004) to obtain from BBC senior management and its legals permission to use a secret camera trained on Dr Michael Goldstein.

COMING UP

“Sathya Sai Baba Apologist Joe Moreno Attacks Respected Scholar”

Quote:

“It does not stop Gerald Moreno from berating and demeaning a Ph.D scholar, Timothy Conway Ph.D., of Santa Barbara, USA, a popular university lecturer and author, and former Sathya Sai center leader, who nonetheless responded to Moreno with great restraint and civility: The crucial John Hislop letters, Sathya Sai Baba, & Sathya’s defender Joe Moreno“

Recent articles at http://robertpriddy.wordpress.com

Joe Moreno – massive internet abuse

Sathya Sai Baba’s front man on the Internet

Moreno and sexual abuse, denial and subterfuge

Robert Priddy – Less Recent articles on Moreno

Sathya Sai Organisation defended by proxy

Sathyasaibaba in the shadows

Copyright infringements by sathyasaibaba

Gerald Joe Moreno (aka sathyasaibaba) dares not show his face. Why?

Sathyasaibaba, Munchausen and sick fantasies

Sathyasaibaba specious claims and self-defeating ‘arguments’

Sathyasaibaba scales up hate attacks on critics

Terrorist-related Slurs Used By Sai Baba Internet Fanatic

Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child

Sai Baba Internet Man – No Apology When Caught Using Anti-Semitism Slur

Sai Baba Proxy Attacker of Ex-followers and the Media

Proxy Defender of Sai Baba and SWARA

Brian Steel on Gerald Moreno

Evidence of an Internet Activist in Action:
Gerald ‘Joe’ Moreno

Diversionary Tactics by an Internet Demagogue. The pro-Sathya Sai Baba Campaign of Gerald (‘Joe’) Moreno

Timothy Conway Ph.D on Gerald Moreno

The crucial John Hislop letters, Sathya Sai Baba, and Sathya’s defender Joe Moreno

Formal statement provided to ExBaba by Dr. Timothy Conway Ph. D. concerning the Hislop letters

Note: Timothy Conway Ph.D is a highly-trained academic who has extensively written on the philosophy and sociology of religion. On the other hand, no teacher of clear-thinking could do other than mark Moreno poorly on his inability to argue well. It mattered nothing that he showed extraordinary patience in the face of Moreno’s attacks upon him. Nor did it matter that the BBC itself knew perfectly well what Moreno has tried to deny about the provenance of the highly indicting letters of (the late) Dr Jack Hislop, the first head of Sai Baba’s organization in the USA (and, at that time, of ‘The Americas’).

Kevin Shepherd on Gerald Moreno 

 Sathya Sai Baba: problems

Part Two: Profile of Gerald (Joe) Moreno and the Testimonies to strongly alleged sexual abuse by Sathya Sai Baba

See Part three on the same webpage as this last link: Part Three: Wikipedia, the rival Citizendium, and the Wikipedia ban on Gerald (Joe) Moreno.

Sathya Sai Baba Saint? Gerald Joe Moreno

Fortunately, there is a great deal that has been written by competent and rational commentators on Sathya Sai Baba and his worldwide sect, such as Brian Steel, Robert Priddy, Timothy Conway Ph.D, and Kevin Shepherd, the independent British philosopher and scholar.

Shepherd, I should add, has always been an outsider to the Sathya Sai Organisation, and cannot be viewed  as being in agreement with all views or idioms of ex-devotees or other Sai Baba critics. Not that there is inveterate agreement among former devotees, either. 

In the writings of foremost Sai Baba apologists, it is very typical to attempt to make it appear as though Sai Baba critics live, somehow, in each other’s grey and homogenous pockets. When any competent reader puts these critical writings alongside the writing of Sai Baba sect proxy apologists such as Gerald Moreno, the qualitative difference leaps into view. ‘Joe’ Moreno and Sai Baba’s official Internet propagandist Dr G. Venkataraman evidently assume that some of the world’s most reputed organs such as the BBC, CBC, DR, SBS, ABC, Times of London, Telegraph, Guardian, Age, UNESCO, etc., are peopled with incompetents unable to guage good credentials and self- and group-presentation of those whose accounts their highly-trained, seasoned journalists investigate. It was no easy task, for example, for the producers of ‘The Secret Swami’ (2004) to obtain from BBC senior management and its legals permission to use a secret camera trained on Dr Michael Goldstein.

A cult may not see its own cultishness, but others do. See:

Sathya Sai Baba Chief, Dr Goldstein, Explodes. “I am the consummate professional” (See Film Clips)

BBC Cameras Catch Sai Baba Cheating With Gold Sivalingam. (Film Clip)

The BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ (Sai Baba). Revealing Footage

Sathya Sai Baba’s Main Internet Defender (Who strikes at families and in the work or study places, including at the lives of those not involved in exposing Sathya Sai Baba)

As each individual speaks forth on Sathya Sai Baba and his sect, Moreno reacts with a flurry of retaliation, abundant in the use of abuse-words. See Brian Steel’s article:

Diversionary Tactics by an Internet Demagogue.
The pro-Sathya Sai Baba Campaign of Gerald (‘Joe’) Moreno

and Steel’s compilation of some key sources:

Evidence of an Internet Activist in Action: Gerald ‘Joe’ Moreno

Among the other benefits Steel’s detailed discussion and provision of key links, the following reading is valuable as a testimony to the rational restraint of a father and husband, Robert Priddy, of those whom, beside himself, Gerald Joe Moreno has wantonly attacked:

Smear Campaign against critics of Sathya Sai Baba

As well, in a somewhat Senator Joe McCarthy-like manner, Moreno strikes into the individual, institutional or other professional and family lives of those who have left Sai Baba’s movement, including a student who wishes to pursue a Ph.D and has long been away from the job Moreno’s agenda to destroy, in whatever way, often very deviously so, he can each articulate critic of Sathya Sai Baba. Specious inferences are made relying on dates, etc., which in fact do not reveal the facts, about which Moreno can have no substantive knowledge, but upon which he pontificates from his own assumed heights of knowledge and rightness. If there is anything which he does not understand or misinterprets, or for which exist commonsense alternative explanations, the critic of Sai baba is immediatedly branded a “liar”, a “cheat”, a “septuagenarian”, bent on “manipulation,” “deceit”. etc., …. (Detailed evidence is contained in the various links above and those below, but a brief glance at Google results is decisive. Another quick method is to view HERE).

Moreno does not stop from repeatedly naming a young child or from attacking the business of that child’s very vulnerable mother’s business. Even after complaints have been made to executives of WordPress.com, Moreno has persisted in this naming of the mother and the child.

Even A Young Child Who Googles His Name Is Not Spared By Moreno 

His rationalization for these acts draws from data that he, in usual fashion, has grossly misinterpreted. (Not of course that any decent individual would act to wreck another person’s business even if his premises were correct). See Robert Priddy: Sai Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child.

Sathya Sai Baba Man Gerald Moreno’sAttack On Robert Priddy’s Son (A non-participant in the exposure of Sathya Sai Baba)

Gerald Moreno does not – as in other personal attacks on severely irrational premises – stop from attacking the son of a prominent former devotee spokesman.  The son – yet again! – is not involved with the exposure of Sathya Sai Baba. The father, Robert Priddy – with a restraint in the face of an attack of one’s own child that many loving father’s would find hard, and often impossible, to summon up – has written:

 

 

 “Moreno posted a photo of my son Kai and me, which is my copyright. When asked to remove it he refused point blank with absurd excuses (see http://www.saisathyasai.com/baba/emails-kai-priddy.html) and soon set about viciously attacking my son (who is totally uninvolved with any Sai criticism) in web pages trawling every possible association he could trace, though my son had no part in the things he managed to find remotely related, such as through a band in which he used to perform decades ago.  Moreno uses photos of me and my son without permission despite our requests of removal. Yet he tries his utmost to get the one available image of himself removed!”

Moreno’s Abuse of Internet Technology, Including Google

Moreno does not stop from creating misleading Google (and other search engine) entries, for example when he planted an entry that looks like – but which is anything but – yet another former devotee writer’s business details. (Of this, more later)

Moreno’s Terroism-Related Slur

He does not demur from making, in his timeless fashion, absurdly badly-argued inferences that a former devotee activist is involved in inciting terrorism, Terrorist-related Slurs Used By Sai Baba Internet Fanatic.

Moreno’s Anti-Semitism Slur 

Or somehow involved in that incredibly insidious thing, anti-Semitism. See also: Serious Defamation Attempt By Gerald Moreno Defeated (Contains many useful links)

Sathya Sai Baba Apologist Joe Moreno Attacks Respected Scholar

It does not stop him from berating and demeaning a Ph.D scholar, Timothy Conway Ph.D., of Santa Barbara, USA, who was a popular Sathya Sai center leader, university lecturer and author, who nonetheless responded to Moreno with great restraint and civility: The crucial John Hislop letters, Sathya Sai Baba, & Sathya’s defender Joe Moreno

One can hardly doubt that as historians of religion and other competent analysts pour over these issues, they will see with ever greater clarity what a propagandist and apologist of Gerald Moreno’s stamp has been doing, and that there is: 

• a protean effort which would almost forbid enough time by night or day for Moreno to engage in the ordinary range of humane endeavours that bestow a grace on life – family, friends, service in his community, and so on …
• an unceasing smoke-screening aimed at preventing a readership for what critics of Sathya Sai Baba phenomena write. This involves fraudulent usage of Internet technology, very difficult at the present state of development for services such as Google to prevent.
• that many logical fallacies are used so as to defame, libel and demean one after another of those who question Sathya Sai Baba and his sect
• that he cannot answer many of the main points articulate and well-informed critics make. These points he, at best, trivializes or leaves them alone or summarily dismisses them with no evidence.
• he attacks persons, in substitution for dealing in other than a shallow way with the many issues of substance 
• can only attack the personalities of the writers and, legalistically, the sexual and murder allegations. He cannot deal with the facts put forward so he tries to bury them.
• he is closely leagued with major sources close to Sathya Sai Baba and certain of his core leaders. For example: those associated with saibabaofindia.com. 

Robert’s material re Sanjay, and others, as defamed by Moreno.

http://www.saibabaexpose.com/GeraldMoreno.html#joeporn

Sathya Sai Baba Love, Light and Spirituality Exposed

There is an unceasing smear campaign against former Sathya Sai devotees. Clear connections between the main offender, Gerald Joe Moreno and key Sathya Sai Baba personnel show that the Sathya Sai Baba Organization – which could have exercised its influence in stopping the libels and defamations – has failed to act. Yet again!  As has been the case for decades, for the Sathya Sai Organization’s has profoundly ignored great concerns about the sect’s founder, Sai Baba, and itself. Many of these concerns have been felt by:

– those who have resigned

– those who have quit without tending their resignation

– those who still hope that reform is possible from within

– those family, friends, work or study associates who feel that those they care for are not looking at the issues with open minds, or, which is more serious, not looking at the evidence at all.

Robert Priddy, former head of the Sathya Sai Organization of Norway and retired academic of the University of Oslo has recently written a series of blogs exposing this effort of extensive attack and denigration. As any competent reader can see, these blogs, in their tone and content, are exceptionally far from the heated, agressive, denigratory language that so characteristically Moreno uses.  (Wikipedia: Robert Priddy)

Recent Robert Priddy Blogs on Gerald Moreno (and his background associates)

Moreno and sexual abuse, denial and subterfuge

Sathya Sai Organisation defended by proxy

Sathyasaibaba in the shadows

Copyright infringements by sathyasaibaba

Gerald Joe Moreno (aka sathyasaibaba) dares not show his face. Why?

Sathyasaibaba, Munchausen and sick fantasies

Sathyasaibaba specious claims and self-defeating ‘arguments’

Sathyasaibaba scales up hate attacks on critics

Terrorist-related Slurs Used By Sai Baba Internet Fanatic

Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child

Sai Baba Internet Man – No Apology When Caught Using Anti-Semitism Slur

Sai Baba Proxy Attacker of Ex-followers and the Media

Proxy Defender of Sai Baba and SWARA

Barry Pittard Blogs Relevant to This Issue

 

Sathya Sai Baba’s Former Devotees. A Personal Note

Sathya Sai Baba’s Followers Face Alienation In Their Wider Communities

Sathya Sai Organization: Factors Far Beyond Known Critiques Undermine It

Cultic Labeling of Dissenters As “Disgruntled”. Sathya Sai Baba Case

Failure of the Sathya Sai Organization to honour those many whom it honoured when they were – often for decades – its dedicated, serviceful and caring members

Sathya Sai Baba Organization’s Betrayal of Love and Compassion

Sathya Sai Organization Libels Those Who Have Left It

Sathya Sai Baba and his Organization Permit Attacks On Ex-followers

Sathya Sai Baba’s Former Devotees. A Personal Note

Against a formidable instinct in human nature, most former devotees have, for not far short of two decades, refrained from striking back at those who have so massively vilified and defamed them.

A Personal Note 

My own notion shared with other internationally networked former followers was that we had best focus on our central task of exposing the central figures, Sai Baba himself and the leaders of his international Sathya Sai Organization.  Only in the tiniest minority of cases was there not agreement with this conservative view. A small number, quite young in age, wished to engage the other side in, as it were, fierce aerial combat, and any difference on either side of the “cyber wars” lines of battle was scarcely, if at all, noticeable: flaming, volley for volley of abuse. The spectacle was all so inspirationally edifying that one had no desire to read further. 

Cooperation In Serving Those Most Betrayed

One of the refreshing characteristics of internationally networked former Sai Baba followers is that members have used consensual approaches among ourselves. Unfortunately, yes, secrecy was essential. There were very vulnerable psychological survivors among both individuals and families.

There has been a lot of listening and sensitivity to each other, and of poring carefully over essential documents. It is strange how, out of something so terrible, once we share in a deep trust and compassion, there can be something emerge that is so wonderful. It has not quite felt that we are the demons that Sathya Sai Baba has portrayed us as being in his angry, lecturn-thumbing, name-calling, self-vaunting Christmas discourse (December 2000), that had precious little to do with Christ. He called his critics ‘Judases’, ‘demons’, and claimed that there would be no salvation for them. He also said that the dissent against him was motivated by money. (What a jaw-dropper that was for that not-insignificant number of economically challenged critics, who have, indeed for reasons of spiritual development, long taken the path of simply living!)

It should never be lost sight of that many in the Sathya Sai Organization, from the leadership to the rank-and-file knew that this was not true. For his statements were about individuals they had for decades known, honored, loved and served alongside in so many service and other activities.

Regrettable Secrecy

Certainly, in the movement of organized exposure, there has been the need for what I have elsewhere called a “regrettable secrecy”. It is likely that there will be those in Sai Baba’s organization who feel the same way. However, this should not absolve them from their accountability. In the article Secrecy Needs In Exposing A Top Global Cult, I wrote:

“Curiously, here were we – noting how the core leadership of the Sathya Sai Baba cult was so extremely secret. To the less analytic, our position can but appear to be a blatant contradiction. But it is an irony, not an hypocrisy …

… What does the layperson know of sexual abuse? The exceptions in our midst were those very qualified mental health professionals such as Shirley Pike and (the late) Elena Hartgering, Barbara Shocket, Dave Brandt and others who have preferred that their names not be used. We were entering a world of anguish and complexity. What we learnt was that the first requirement is to listen with compassion. It is the opposite of what cultic defenders show, who race to judgement, leap to the worst imaginable conclusions, and condemn  any who should dare to attempt to communicate their account of abuse”.

Survivors of Sai Baba’s serial, widespread sexual abuse of boys and young men and other abuses have been advised to debrief their shocking experiences with very qualified, respected professional counselors. And indeed to go all out to ensure that those of real ability are found, and not someone who will see the answer in suppressive drugs or ‘counseling’ from some narrow or partisan agenda.

The Savage Attacking of the Vulnerable and Wounded

Even without traumatic psychological upheavals that attend sexual molestation, youth is typically (remember it?!) a time full of disruption, confusion and anguish. Internet attackers – e.g., Gerald Moreno – on the statements of those such as Alaya Rahm and many others show – have been deemed by complete third parties from law and the healing professions etc., to show acute lack of sensitivity to this framework. They also question whether it is advisable for young who are so very wounded by their experiences to have so publicly bared their troubles. To be confused, forgetful of dates, times or places, or behave neurotically does not mean that abuses have not occurred. One of the chief difficulties comes when those with a responsibility – as had the Sathya Sai Organization – for proactive and healingful responses do not acquit their duties with understanding and compassion. Because of its profound failure here, that organization has brought upon itself the massive exposure that has occured especially from circa 2000 to this day. Renewed opprobrium falls upon it yet more so because of its acquiescence with the state of affairs that closely links Gerald Moreno with saibabaofindia.com. This is a highly active group little short of being official, but whose members include those close to Sathya Sai Baba.

No Sathya Sai Baba devotee who is a properly qualified and competent psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, social worker etc., could ever condone Moreno’s attacking styles, which have been constant.

There is the sad fact that Moreno’s gross misconduct, and that of the Sai Baba leaders and other members who co-operate with him, brings into discredit others who do not merit it. For many Sai Baba devotees, who genuinely strive in their spiritual endeavour to be compassionate, good and caring individuals, are not as he. They have done and continue to do, for example, much worthy and unselfish work for the less fortunate in society, just as, be it noted, is the case with many former devotees active in exposing Sathya Sai Baba. It would be hard to imagine that Moreno, who inhabits the cyber world by night and day, would have any time left for it. The reason why writers like Priddy, Steel, and Pittard can write prolifically, and yet have ample time left for family, friendships and community involvement is because our university training and disciplined work habits of a lifetime allow us to achieve much work in shorter time.

Former Devotee Working Relationship

We have been with each other, even though mostly via ‘hands across the ocean’, in times of birth deaths and marriages, job change, retirement (refreshment!) – the joys and sorrows, the great rolling of the Seasons. We deeply and happily remember sadly-departed wonderful spirits like Glen Meloy and Elena Hartgering (who was one of the first professional counselors called on to hasten to New York to attend those shattered lives among the smoldering remnants of the 9/11 events).

The rapport – far from the dread conspiracy that Sai Baba apologists (See HERE and HERE) have tirelessly and offensively speculated to exist – is especially gratifying when one considers how widely national, cultural, religious and non-religious has been its composition. There could have been so many cross-purposes, but those that did exist were usually resolved well, with people learning from each other, rather than making shallow compromises.

This quality of listening and sorting out is very different to the top heavy, Soviet-style that has, over the years, developed in the international Sathya Sai Organization. One seriously discordant note that I recall is when a Christian fundamentalist was, frankly, a pain-in-the neck. When he marched off in high dudgeon (the issue was whether to include people’s professional qualifications in a joint letter) great were the sighs of relief. Pretty obviously, the response would have been the same had he been a fundamentalist of any kind. Even then, ALL participants remained courteous to him, though certainly not agreement.

A small list of those who have spoken out is below. It omits many names. This is because individuals have wanted, as they express it, to move on or not to have their names plastered over the Internet by profoundly insensitive, unconscionable individuals such as Gerald Moreno. A quick test in the latter’s case is to Google this name, and immediately you will note the countless usages of words that are: defamatory, libelous, disparaging, vituperative, aggressive, strident, malicious, strong-arming, and so on. A more recent addition has been Moreno’s repeated ageism.

These are not the words that befit any of the great spiritual or ethical paths, and are directly counter the teachings of his own idol, Sathya Sai Baba and other famous spiritual teachers whom Moreno has referenced – Sri Ramana Maharshi, Mata Amritanandamayi, etc. Brian Steel has written:

With such powerful links to devotees and others through the unofficial promotional SSB network and further boosted by his tireless Search Engine Optimization activities, Moreno has engineered, for the moment, a high Internet profile to project his own “smear campaign” with its egregious deceit and dishonesty – and smokescreens.

But this has its difficulties for Moreno, and for the Sathya Sai Organization that is now so closely linked in public fora to his name and and protean activities. Steel writes further: 

Already Moreno’s reckless behaviour has earned him public condemnation on the Internet for one high-profile but minor part of his extensive campaign. Thanks to his aggressive attempt to dictate to Wikipedia contributors what should and should not be included in their (controversial) article on Sathya Sai Baba he has received an official rebuff from that prominent Internet institution. After months of Moreno’s abrasive demands and provocative   filibustering, the already heated Wikipedia debate became incandescent and vituperative, leading, inevitably, to the intervention of an Arbitration Committee. After three months of discussions, in March 2007, Joe Moreno (as ‘User SSS108’) and others involved in the debate were banned indefinitely from contributing to the Wikipedia Sathya Sai Baba article, its Discussion page and related articles. (Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Sathya_Sai_Baba_2)

List of Notable Former Devotees Who Have Honorably Spoken Out – Despite Attacks Upon Them

The list also excludes many who are known or understood to have spoken out but of whom we lack proper documentation. Many who have spoken up were prominent leaders in the Sathya Sai Organization – who, the moment the stood forth, became non-persons – demeaned, shunned, defamed. Some outspoken individuals have been:

Britt-Marie Anden, Serguei Badaev, David and Faye Bailey, Stephen Carthew, Timothy Conway Ph.D, John and Ella Evers, Terry Gallagher, Hariram Jayaram, Conny Larsson, William Lo,  Dave Lyons, Glen Meloy, Alexandra Nagel, Richard Nelson, Roy Pendragon, Shirley Pike, Sharon Purcell, Reidun and Robert Priddy, Al Rahm, Marisa Rahm, Alaya Rahm, Rick Raines …  (For latter family, See: Alaya Rahm’s Lawsuit vs Sathya Sai Society of America – Joint Statement by the International JuST Group and the Rahm family and Al Rahm’s Explanatory Letter), Diana Scott (Payne),  Brian D. Steel …

…………………………………………………

Select Readings

Brian D. Steel

Research on Sathya Sai Baba and the Sathya Sai Organisation. New Factors for Researchers to Consider

Kevin Shepherd

 Sathya Sai Baba: problems

Timothy Conway

 Timothy Conway Ph.D – On ‘The Hislop Letters’

Sathya Sai Baba’s Followers Face Alienation In Their Wider Communities

Among those who defame and libel former devotees who have stood forth (indeed who have done so at considerable personal sacrifice) is the deputy chairman of the Sathya Sai Baba Organization, Dr G. Venkataraman. See:

Sathya Sai Baba’s ‘Minister of Propaganda’ – Dr G. Venkataraman

Indian Nuclear Scientist Now Sai Baba’s Global Radio Chief

Sathya Sai Baba’s Deputy Head, Dr G. Venkataraman, Speaks of “Mr Idi Amin”

The Declaring of Non Persons and Annihilation of Personal History

There were earlier leaders – very nice men! Such as Harry Mansbridge, Ron Laing, Lucas Ralli – all of them significantly disillusioned. One who was tenacious in following up reported cases of anomaly and betrayal was the Australian head, Terry Gallagher, who eventually resigned on a matter of highest principle. Lucas Ralli was told in great detail about the Sai Baba abuse-suicide case of Keith Ord but was in deep psychological denial. See the tragic Keith Ord story, Times of London: Monday August 27, 2001. Three die after putting faith in guru. By Dominic Kennedy -: “The Times has learnt that three Britons have apparently taken their lives after placing hope in India’s most popular holy man”.  

More recently, an important former UK Sathya Sai Organization leader, Aime Levy, has had awakenings but has not wished to make these public.

However, there are many in the Sathya Sai Organization who suppress a palpable  fact:  namely, that many of those who have left it, having investigated the allegations – particularly in their own Sai centers – were held in high esteem for decades. This is one of the facts that people like Goldstein, Venkatarman, Moreno (see below) and other cultists are bent upon obscuring.

These continuing Sai Baba center members have allowed themselves, year after year, to be party to defamation of many former devotees by the core leaders, and by Internet defamers – chiefly Gerald Moreno with whom some of them league closely (e.g., the slightly less-than-official Saibabaofindia.com group) – which has been echoed all the way down the leadership hierarchy.  See:  Gerald “Joe” Moreno on Wikipedia, and refutation of his allegations against Robert Priddy.

Moreno began his activity in earnest against practically any individual who criticized his idol, Sathya Sai Baba. By reference to the Internet Wayback Machine, a likely candidate for focused commencement of this activity is: 31 Mar 2009, at 19:28. Highly qualified, independent lawyers in three countries have stated emphatically that Moreno’s many defamations, and acting on them by intruding into community settings, jobs and professions in a number of countries and attacking individuals and families, are highly actionable. But who can afford the time, energy and money? He plays on this restrictive factor and the fact is that the Internet is a sort of Wild West for the unscrupulous and sociopathic. Furthermore, some former devotees have not been in favour of legal recourse if it were encompassable – for what they deem to be spiritual reasons:  e.g., ‘take not thy brother to court’ …

Dereliction of Duty of Care: Some Key Sai Baba Leaders 

Top leaders from around the world who have:

• Ignored the afflicted individuals and families and
• Hidden vital facts from many rank-and-file devotees include: 

Michael Goldstein, John (Jack) Hislop, Indulal Shah, William Harvey, Bob Bozzani, Hal Honig,  Jagadeesan, Ashok Bhagani, Thorbjørn Meyer, Steen Piculell, Leonardo Gutter,  T.Sri Ramanathan, Pal Dhall, Bernard Gruber, Pietro Marena,  Jörgen Möllgård, Richard Friedrich, John Behner.  

(Note the incredible top-heaviness of males in the Sathya Sai hierarchy!).

Sathya Sai Baba Sect Alienates Wider Communities

As the siftings and sortings of both documentary and psychological history portray themselves, it will be to their lasting shame that so many Sai devotees have stifled their consciences and commonsense.

As the Sathya Sai Organization has only too potently seen, ever wider political, civic, religious, academic institutions now shy away from them when the sect attempts to gain outreach in communities around the world. In regard to the Hindu community, see the note to me from one of the most notable Hindus in his country:  Sathya Sai Baba: ‘Considerable Concern’ In Wider Hindu Community

There has been a huge effort by former devotees to bring to international attention the facts relating to:

• serial sexual abuse of young males
• police killings in Sai Baba bedroom (V.P.B. Nair. B.Premanand. R.Priddy: Sai Baba Bedroom Killings)
• financial scandals concerning vast donations from many countries
• scams involving the sale of apartments at Puttaparthi
• cover up by successive Indian governments
• repeated failureof Sai Baba’s prophecies and promises disease cure
• huge misappropriation of funds from donors worldwide, deployed to incredible pomp and extravagance
• Sai Baba’s very serious errors in regard to scientific and historical facts (covered very well by the Australian scholar Brian Steel: my commentary and links to these groundbreaking pieces are found in – Revealing Materials On Sai Baba Of India and Huge Sai Baba Gaffes)

Further Reading

Robert Priddy  (former longtime head of the Sathya Sai Organization, Norway. Retired academic of University of Oslo)

Sathyasaibaba scales up hate attacks on critics

Sathya Sai’s Dato Jegathesan and smear campaigns

UK Sathya Sai Organization’s false propaganda

Terroist-related Slurs Used By Sai Baba Internet Fanatic

Sai Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child

Sai Baba Internet Man – No Apology When Caught Using Anti-Semitism Slur

Sai Baba Proxy Attacker of Ex-followers and the Media

Proxy Defender of Sai Baba and SWARA

Barry Pittard (Former Lecturer, Sri Sathya Sai College, Whitefield)

Sai Baba. Some Dissenting Themes and Resources

Cultic Depersonalization or Demonization of Dissenters

Some Key Cultic Responses To Critics

Sathya Sai Baba World Cult Leaders Fail To Meet Concerns on Libel

Sathya Sai Baba Organization and Libel and Disinformation

Sathya Sai Baba Cult. Blind Eye To Massive Slander

Dissent From Guru Cults Draws Slander and Harassment

Sathya Sai Baba Organization’s Betrayal of Love and Compassion

Sathya Sai Organization Libels Those Who Have Left It

Sathya Sai Baba and his Organization Permit Attacks On Ex-followers

Sathya Sai Organization: Factors Far Beyond Known Critiques Undermine It

Some, in their great sense of betrayal by Sai Baba and his international Sathya Sai Organization, have poured out their anguish to various widely-respected groups in the community, including to their leaderships. This was bound to happen. For an example of how the Sai Organization – while strongly cloaking their agendas of working for a Sathya Sai Baba-ruled world – attempts to work its way into both religious and civic mainstreams, See:

‘Secret Swami’ Cult Recruits At Prime Public Venues.

These domains of community awareness – well beyond the reach of exposure activists and advocates – include accounts of Sai Baba’s sexual molestation of young males, but go well beyond this.  

Many Sathya Sai Organization members know, all too very well, that their stocks have greatly dropped in wider communities.

The email to me of a very prominent Hindu leader states but one example of this sort of occurrence:

See:  Sathya Sai Baba: ‘Considerable Concern’ In Wider Hindu Community

“There is considerable concern among the Hindu Community, especially among the educated. It is very hard to get any action from the temples as they do not wish to cause difficulties with the Sathya Sai Baba groups. People are starting to distance themselves from Sathya Sai Baba. It’s going to be gradual process of education. The biggest impact it appears was the ‘The Secret Swami’ … it seems it has had a tremendous negative effect on Sathya Sai Baba”. 

One needs not to look to Sai Baba critics for this type of information. Those Sai Baba followers or ex-followers who want to get at the facts can honestly face up to what is happening within their own communities.

Another phenomenon that the Sai sect has not been able to counter is this: family members, relations, friends, workmates, professional colleagues and so on have made their own enquires. With these, in a concerned way, they have confronted Sai devotees, bringing to their attention information from which, by virtue of heavy cultic censorship, they have not been privy too.

…………………………………

Further Reading:

 

Cultic Labeling of Dissenters As “Disgruntled”. Sathya Sai Baba Case

 

For Video Viewing:

The Secret Swami (BBC Television):

(154 MB, Broadband)

Seduced (DR, Danish Broadcasting, Denmark’s national television and radio broadcaster):
(80 MB, Broadband)

http://home.hetnet.nl/~seduced/seduced.wmv
(21 MB, Modem)

‘The Secret Swami’ showcased with selected transcripts and brief
video clips

…………………………………

For Quick But Also Highly Revealing Viewing

• Right Hand. Sleight Hand. Watch Sai Baba Cheat With Sacred Ash (Film clip)
• Sleight Of Hand. The Sleightness of Sathya Sai Baba (Exposing film clips)
• Censored Indian National Television Film of Sai Baba Cheating
• BBC Cameras Catch Sai Baba Cheating With Gold Sivalingam. (Film Clip)
• Sathya Sai Baba Chief, Dr Goldstein, Explodes. “I am the consummate professional” (See Film Clips)
• The BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ (Sai Baba). Revealing Footage

                                                 …………………………………

View BBC Video Clips of Dr Michael Goldstein, world chairman of the Sathya Sai Baba Organization

Dr Goldstein of Covina, southern California, USA, is chairman of the international Sathya Sai Organization. This footage was caught by hidden camera, an uncommon resort that required BBC management and legal sanction at the highest corporate levels (See: BBC Hidden Camera in ‘Secret Swami’. Ethical?)

Michael Goldstein and the sexual allegations (2,10 Mbs)

Michael Goldstein admits his view is merely a belief (456kbs)

Michael Goldstein explodes with anger (710kbs)

Dr. Goldstein again reveals his higher self (1.500Kb)

Cultic Labeling of Dissenters As “Disgruntled”. Sathya Sai Baba Case

Sathya Sai Baba’s defenders on the internet and elsewhere grossly misrepresent former devotees and other critics. Since 1999 – and in the case of Humanists and Rationalists especially much earlier than this – there have been many who have devoted great amounts of work and personal sacrifice in bringing the many allegations about Sai Baba and his cult to light. See:  Sai Baba. IHEU Presentation to United Nations and Indian Rationalists, Humanists Unsafe Opposing Sai Baba

Commonly, Sai Baba’s personnel portray former devotees as but “a small handful of disgruntled” individuals.

This “disgruntled” label is familiarly used by Sathya Sai Baba center leaders when they inform their congregations to pay no heed to the allegations. They, under strict instructions, say that it is “Swami’s wish” that devotees do not read the Internet writings against him.

But, as Sai Baba’s perpetual apologists would have it, those such as Robert Priddy, Brian Steel, myself and many others who have left Sai Baba are in some kind of unholy conspiracy. A fact, that gives far wider credence to those concerns that we have documented is that many have left Sai Baba via quite other routes. There are accounts – far from mere hearsay – down many years of this sort, including from groups to which survivors of Sai Baba and his cult have gone gone upon their exit from his movement.

There are several results inimical to it that the Sathya Sai Organization around the world has not been able to suppress. Among these is the fact that many who have left it have joined other organizations in the same city or town.

Another phenomenon that the Sai sect has not been able to counter is this: family members, relations, friends, workmates, professional colleagues and so on have made their own enquires.  For the two above points, See:

Sathya Sai Organization: Factors Far Beyond Known Critiques Undermine It

The BBC itself found other strong evidence of Sai Baba’s serial molestation of young males. The assistant producer of the BBC’s  ‘The Secret Swami’, David Saville, told me that these sources were via completely separate sources to those provided by our own international network. The cases included Indian families who had documented for the BBC serious allegations regarding their own young members of Sai Baba’s sexual molestation of young males.

Those such as the Sai Baba’s deputy world chairman, Dr G. Venkataraman, who have tried to malign the BBC and the Times of London and so on are either terribly naive as to how much careful professional research goes into the making of a piece of investigative journalism – or else very serious dissemblers.

In next days, I shall blog about some of the extraordinarily dishonest tactics that have been used against those who have spoken out about Sathya Sai Baba and his sect. Top lawyers in three countries have assured us that these defamations are highly libelous and actionable at law. Not all former devotees are in favour of pursuit via legal avenues, seeing it as e.g., unspiritual. Others see practical obstacles, not the least of which is that the Internet is a formidable “Wild West”, with which democratic legal systems have yet to cope with – if they ever can.

For Video Viewing

The Secret Swami (BBC Television):

(154 MB, Broadband)

Seduced (DR, Danish Broadcasting, Denmark’s national television and radio broadcaster):
(80 MB, Broadband)

http://home.hetnet.nl/~seduced/seduced.wmv
(21 MB, Modem)

‘The Secret Swami’ showcased with selected transcripts and brief
video clips

…………………………………

For Quick But Also Highly Revealing Viewing

Right Hand. Sleight Hand. Watch Sai Baba Cheat With Sacred Ash (Film clip)

Sleight Of Hand. The Sleightness of Sathya Sai Baba (Exposing film clips)

Censored Indian National Television Film of Sai Baba Cheating

BBC Cameras Catch Sai Baba Cheating With Gold Sivalingam. (Film Clip)

Sathya Sai Baba Chief, Dr Goldstein, Explodes. “I am the consummate professional” (See Film Clips)

The BBC’s ‘The Secret Swami’ (Sai Baba). Revealing Footage

                                                 …………………………………

View BBC Video Clips of Dr Michael Goldstein, world chairman of the Sathya Sai Baba Organization

Dr Goldstein of Covina, southern California, USA, is chairman of the international Sathya Sai Organization. This footage was caught by hidden camera, an uncommon resort that required BBC management and legal sanction at the highest corporate levels (See: BBC Hidden Camera in ‘Secret Swami’. Ethical?)

Michael Goldstein and the sexual allegations (2,10 Mbs)

Michael Goldstein admits his view is merely a belief (456kbs)

Michael Goldstein explodes with anger (710kbs)

Dr. Goldstein again reveals his higher self (1.500Kb)

 …………………………………

Robert Priddy 

(Former longtime head of the Sathya Sai Organization, Norway. Retired academic of University of Oslo)

Sathyasaibaba scales up hate attacks on critics

Sathya Sai’s Dato Jegathesan and smear campaigns

UK Sathya Sai Organization’s false propaganda

Terroist-related Slurs Used By Sai Baba Internet Fanatic

Sai Baba Hatchet Man Picks On A Young Child

Sai Baba Internet Man – No Apology When Caught Using Anti-Semitism Slur

Sai Baba Proxy Attacker of Ex-followers and the Media

Proxy Defender of Sai Baba and SWARA

…………………………………

Barry Pittard

 (Former Lecturer, Sri Sathya Sai College, Whitefield. Devotee for 25 years)

Sai Baba. Some Dissenting Themes and Resources

Cultic Depersonalization or Demonization of Dissenters

Some Key Cultic Responses To Critics

Sathya Sai Baba World Cult Leaders Fail To Meet Concerns on Libel

Sathya Sai Baba Organization and Libel and Disinformation

Sathya Sai Baba Cult. Blind Eye To Massive Slander

Dissent From Guru Cults Draws Slander and Harassment

Sathya Sai Baba Organization’s Betrayal of Love and Compassion

Sathya Sai Organization Libels Those Who Have Left It

Sathya Sai Baba and his Organization Permit Attacks On Ex-followers