Death of Sai Baba

I was looking for something that may perhaps convey a more complete view about this amn who many found so important.

The contradictions in his story always meant I was less willing to just accept what was going on. The upcoming fight over his billion dollar wealth in a land of poverty will also be interesting to follow.

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/04/25/an-indian-easter-%E2%80%93-gods-qawwals-and-gurus/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13153536

In the late 1970s, Psychic News and Two Worlds made great play with Sai Baba's phenomena and his disparaging references to orthodox Christainity, encouraged by columnist Peggy Mason who had become a devotee. Peggy brushed aside the charge of sexual abuse made by ex-devotee Tal Brooke who was a Christian convert. However her successors in an SB group in the UK received further abuse reports which they published in a dossier " The Findings". This had a considerable impact in the West, but in India, SB remained protected until his death by the orthodox Hindu politicians. No allusion to the abuse was permitted in PN, even when other serious newspapers were reporting it. This double standard rather shocked me. Why was it all right to praise his phenomena, but not to even give a guarded warning to Spiritualists who might give money or take their sons to the ashram? Now that SB has passed on, it may be possible for a fuller account of SB's life to be published, though as with a recent biography of Gandhi, this may be banned in parts of India.

After watching a youtube video where he supposedly manifests objects, I'm left more than a little dubious about his abilities.

Thanks Leslie, it appears to me that on this occasion the then editors of PN should have followed up upon the story.

A New Age publicayion in Australia, Nexus published a full report called Sai Baba Exposed.. Fraud, Fakery & Molestation in their issue August - September 200 Vol 7 No 5 This had testimonies from three sources including Terry Gallagher the ex Australina Coordibnator for the Sai Baba organisation.

In honesty it was pretty hard hitting and clearly from your comments contained only 3 of many like accounts. Yet despite the reports he retained a devoted following.

Wes this article raised a number of questions including "Why does Sai baba have to wave his hand in circles before producing anything?"

I had considered his 'work' like that of Uri Geller - what is the point of it?

Actually Hiorta I see a major difference

Sai Baba claimed to be a major healer, amongst other things, yet correct me if I am wrong, but his brother died of rabies. Yet miraculous cures were part of his stock in trade.

Uri Geller never claimed these things and yet there is no doubt he was able to use the "Psychic Force" as William Crookes and Serjeant Cox called it.

Immense differences and in the way they manipulated their clients I belive Sai Baba's estate is worth Billions of dollars.

I also had no reports of Uri Geller touching innaapropriately boys genitals unlike the ones I see for Sai.

Indeed. I have no knowlege of their individual talents, but have often wondered why and for what purpose they demonstrated their 'gifts'.
There was neither survival evidence or philosophical insight, healing/upliftment or anything remotely 'spiritual'.
To be fair, though, I hadn't attempted to understand what they sort of stood for.

I suspect Geller demonstrated it partly to make a living and partly to make the point that there is more to us than meets the eye. Assuming Uri Geller is genuine, the phenomena are very interesting in themselves. I don't think Geller professes to be any kind of spiritual leader or 'guide' etc.