Tediously, phrases emerge from the mouths of those who could, but do not, speak out forthrightly about their experiences of spiritual and moral betrayal.
Often, one hears them say, “I am moving on, now”.
But the abusers, the criminals, the bullies, don’t move on. They thrive in the knowledge that their victims will, most often, move on. Essentially cowards themselves, they understand that other cowards will protect them – by preferring the easy way out. By shutting up. By not calling a crime a crime. By leaving undefended the abused. By abandoning any shred of self-respect.
There Is No Healing In Hiding
The Sathya Sai Organization certainly moves on, thinking that their dead guru – despite his countless false promises of healing and absurdly unfulfilled predictions and vast secret hoard of currency, gold, silver and other valuables – moves with them and within them.
Those who, against unenviable odds, have continued year after year to expose Sathya Sai Baba and his soviet-style, authoritarian, worldwide cult too often see cases where those who speak of ‘moving on’ get into yet more self-entrapment. Out of one guru’s or cult’s frying pan into another. Again, the problem of lack of self-respect.
For some examples of those who were highly respected leaders when members of the Sathya Sai Organization, and who have spoken out with conscience and decency, see:
Searing true testimony about Sathya Sai Baba abuse (the case of Hans de Kraker, Australia, for years Manager of the Western Canteen at Puttaparthi. Article by Robert Priddy)
Sathya Sai Baba Organization’s Betrayal of Love and Compassion (including Terry Gallagher case – Gallagher investigated extensively, and, in consequence, resigned as leader of the Sathya Sai Organization, Australia)
Sathya Sai Baba Critic Serguei Badaev: An Incisive Voice of Conscience From Russia
U.S. Psychologist Shirley Pike’s Moving Challenge To Sathya Sai Baba and His Organization « Call For Media and Government Investigation
The Sathya Sai Organization: Almost overnight, dissenters treated as demons! « Call For Media and Government Investigation
David Bailey and Thomas Wiehe. Transcript Of Phone Link: Sathya Sai Abuses
Truth In Action: David and Faye Bailey Vs Sathya Sai Baba
New Zealand Lawyer Exposes Official Cover Up of Killings In Sathya Sai Baba Bedroom
Stephen Carthew, A Voice of Testimony From Australia, On The Dangers of Cults
Video of Some Primary Witnesses of Sathya Sai Sex Abuse, and Sai Cult Cover Up
The patient researcher will need to sift carefully among roles played by many individuals. Twenty six years a highly respected devotee who worked in close association with early leaders of the Sai movement, such as the late Elsie and Walter Cowan, the late Glen Meloy was an exceptional former devotee international coordinator. See my tribute to him at the time of his death: Glen Meloy (“Standing up for truth and goodness”) – In Memoriam. An early key coordinator, Hari Sampath, an Indian from Chennai, who had previously worked in Sai Baba’s Security and Intelligence Wing was, like Glen Meloy, a tour de force.
Some other names to start with are: Terry Gallagher and Stephen Carthew Australia), Al Rahm (USA), Richard Nelson, Rick Raines (USA), Timothy Conway Ph.D (USA), Dave Lyons (USA), Artur Wisniewski (Poland), Although, overwhelmingly, it is men who lead the Sathya Sai Organization, prominent women leaders who have left after years of work on behalf of the organization include: Britt-Marie Anden (Sweden), and (from the USA) Shirley Pike, Sharon Purcell, Elena Hartgering (the latter two deceased), Lori Kaplowitz, Ella Evers. For an incisive writer with a quite academic (though very accessible) approach, see the Dutch former Sai devotee writer: Alexandra Nagel. A Seminal Writer On Sathya Sai Baba, A Guru Accused.
The noted Australian scholar in linguists Brian Steel has long written incisively and voluminously on many aspects of the Sathya Sai cult. His published writings while a devotee of twelve years were already respected for their extensive knowledge of Sai literature. His close and rigorous examination of many primary documents, including large numbers of collected Sathya Sai Baba discourses, have unearthed many egregious mistakes about science and history, prophecies subsequently unfulfilled, and other anomalies.
There are many others, but these men and women raised their voices strongly and clearly from the first. They, who had not been derided in all their involvement in official Sathya Sai circles, were now treated to appalling behaviours such as shunning, defaming, and the rather Orwellian historic obliteration from memory. These responses are so typically evident when there is apostasy after sect membership.
On the surface, ‘moving on’ from a traumatic set of circumstances, as opposed to getting stuck in them, may seem perfectly reasonable. One after another, the various schools of mental health declare that until one has seriously dealt with the underlying issues, there is no successful ‘moving on’. One set of symptoms may replace another set, but masking and not addressing the basic causes.
There remain several questions which often go unanswered, such as:
If one has done little or nothing to mine one’s experiences for serious lessons – spiritual, mental, and physical – does one successfully ‘move on’ from an issue?
Is it ‘moving on’ when one hides, first, from oneself and, then, by not sharing, forthrightly, one’s insights with others?
Coming from countries around the world, a few have, in the face of attacks on their integrity, publicly recorded their experiences of sexual abuse at the hands of Sathya Sai Baba, and in some cases those around him, including teaching staff.
Sadly, the many who could have shown solidarity with those who spoke out left all the heavy-lifting up to a small few.
The Sathya Sai Organizations Treatment of the Rahm Family
Alaya Rahm’s Lawsuit vs Sathya Sai Society of America. Joint Statement by the International JuST Group and the Rahm family (Al Rahm was one of the foremost of top leaders in the SS Org.) and:
Al Rahm’s explanatory letter and:
Alaya Rahm’s Lawsuit vs Sathya Sai Society of America
Further Interconnected Articles
Dr Naresh Bhatia. Silenced Now In Indian Child Abuse Scourge
Some prominent ex-devotees of Sathya Sai Baba
Smear Campaign against critics of Sathya Sai Baba
Dissent From Guru Cults Draws Slander and Harassment
Evidence of an Internet Activist in Action
On Disinformation and Internet Vandalism
Wikipedia Issues and Sathya Sai Baba (By the Independent British writer on religion and philosophy Kevin R.D. Shepherd)
Sathya Sai Organisation – Further Subterfuge and Misinformation, by Robert Priddy and Barry Pittard
General
Excerpt From Public Petition
(Note: You may prefer to go 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)
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