Sai Baba EXPOSED!: February 2006

28 February 2006

Breaking News: Lingam 2006

*** Breaking News ***

A report from Puttaparthi states the following:

Sathya Sai Baba materialized Shiva Lingam at 8:20 am on 27th February morning on the ocassion of Shivarathri in Puttaparthi.

This morning at 6:20 am Swami came for darshan blessed devotees. As the Bhajans were going on, Swami produced a Siva lingam at around 8:20 am. Send the devotee who were present to witness this into happiness and blissful joy.

I can hardly wait for this year's poor-quality video clip. ;-)

Harry Potter and the Egg of Gold

As it was Mahashivarathri yesterday (rather, last night) I thought it would be interesting to reflect on the events of the occasion just two years ago. Sai Baba made an astoundingly inept boo-boo by not actually regurgitating the lingam at all!

To give some background to the debate that took place about it, a poor-quality video clip of the event was made available at the Kindom of Sai website, which showed Sai Baba vomiting a yellowish liquid and then holding the lingam aloft for all to see. Even though the clip was decidely poor as Internet video goes, I observed a bulge between Sai Baba's right index and middle fingers of a bulbous shape and contended that Sai Baba had moved the lingam to his mouth with that poor sleight-of-hand trick and pretended to vomit it out. The yellowish vomit was nothing but a show, akin to the reports of his vomiting milk and yoghurt in the decades past.

Of course the Sai devotees had to have a different opinion that completley contradicted common sense, never mind the video evidence. One of them, Sarfaraz Shamsi, proposed an utterly ridiculous contention in support of Sai Baba. According to him, the Baba had supposedly regurgitated the golden lingam in liquid form (in a poor-quality Internet video, yellow can easily look golden) which coalesced into a solid lingam in his 'divine hands' in just 1.5 seconds. Sai Baba then victoriously holds the lingam aloft for the crowd's delight.

I noted that if this explanation was true, then it would contradict Sai Baba's own words on the matter. According to Sai Baba himself, the lingam remains a soft and pliable substance as it travels up his oesophagus and only attains hardness when reaching the throat. This accounts for Sai Baba's reported difficulties over the years with the 20-minute ordeal of coughing and choking. Whatever you may wish to believe, the 'liquid gold' argument clearly contradicted various scientific laws, common sense and also the Baba's own words. Interestingly enough, this event was broadcast live on Indian TV, so Sai Baba had also made a major goof on live television if anyone was attentive enough to spot the cheap trick.

What was even more surprising is how Sarfaraz Shamsi and his companions continued to argue along these lines for a consderable amount of time, several weeks or so.

To my great delight, a year later I realised that this event had been recorded by the BBC as part of their 'Secret Swami' documentary. With glorious picture quality and ultra-clear resolution, I was able to reach the astounding conclusion that Sai Baba had not made anything at all! The bulbous bulge was there between the fingers, and all Sai Baba had done was vomit some water he had drunk. Perhaps it was a burp gone wrong, who knows, but there was no lingam emerging from his unholy mouth. Certainly no ridiculous liquid gold!

This is not news for those of us who have viewed the Secret Swami but I felt that this event was worth recording in order to preserve a record of the happenings and it's online fallout, if only to serve as a record of devotee-farce that is displayed at the best of times. View the clip and see it for yourself, Sai Baba cheating on film.

On another note, I find it interesting how Sai Baba began these yearly public regurgitations after a considerable gap of 20 years. It was around 1999 that the allegations of sexual abuse and all began to become widespread, so I'd consider it a cheap way of trying to catch people's attention and distract them away from the emerging scandals. The trouble was, it had been done before and was hardly anything new. It's not like the Golden Lingam was back by popular demand either. Unless it was one of those remote-controlled ones with LEDs inside to flash like robots. Someone should consider marketing that idea in children's toys, "See this lingam and achieve liberation! Batteries not included."

So what does all of this have to do with Harry Potter? Nothing much, I just fancied a catchy headline. ;-)

25 February 2006

Sai Baba: Gabe Kotter Lookalike Or Mafia Don?

I almost choked on my coffee before bursting aloud with laughter at this latest article. The Houston Chronicle carries a story interviewing an aged Italian restaurant owner. Noting his strange collection of pictures in a corner, the reporter observes:

The first is a photo of Pope John Paul II, kneeling and giving a blessing when he visited Sauze. The second is a statue of Padre Pio, a Capuchin priest from San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, who is believed to have performed miracles and, it is said, bore the stigmata on the palms of his hands for 50 years.
The third is a photo of a man in a long orange robe who has what seems to be an Afro haircut from the 1970s. He looks a little like Gabe Kotter in drag. But upon asking, we learn he is Sai Baba, an Indian swami who preaches a non-denominational message of love.

Gabe Kotter?! I had to Google this name, ..and what do I find?

I don't know if I should laugh or cry. A moustache like that should be against the law. Especially if seen anywhere outside the confines of a 70's porn movie. Just look at his face.

But back to this Italian chef:

“All nice people,” says the Godfather as he points to John Paul II, Padre Pio and Sai Baba. “You make nice, I like. You make bad, I hate. ... Or maybe kill.” Yikes. Suddenly, I’m thinking: “Leave the gun, bring the cannolis.” He is, after all, the Godfather.

Now I've seen it all; The Godfather is a Sai devotee who makes offers you can't refuse, and woe betide anyone who shows no respect! Or on the other hand it would be nice if he could do a Tony Soprano and just fuhgeddabouddit.

Simplicity Of Sai Baba's Grand Delusion

I caught an interesting remark on GuruRatings today. In replying to a long-winded message about Advaita vs. Dvaita from Shri Datta Swami, Jody Radzik replied:

--- In GuruRatings@yahoogroups.com, "surya" wrote:

[snip]

>> A human incarnation also behaves like a man <<

A "human incarnation" IS a man operating under the delusion that he isn't.

I had to chuckle. In Sai Baba's case, how true this is!

Strike One for Sai's devotees who continually define an avatar as "God in human form", ha ha ha ha. :-)

Small Print: For technical information, see Definition Of An Avatar.

24 February 2006

Sai Baba's Hypnotic Sex Defence

An interesting comment was made by a fellow blogger:

"One of the esoteric arts I did not mention above is a mesmeric voice. I have studied this well. Enemies of Cleopatra are on record as saying she had this gift and there are many who appreciated the rest of her 'gifts'. She was an alchemist and the definitive book on her by Lucy Hughes-Hallett makes this clear even though that author does not explain what an alchemist really is. In fact many ministers of various religions and adepthoods use a form of hypnosis to entrance their sexual conquests or as part of what they call healing. Sai Baba of Hindu fame is currently under attack for just this kind of thing."

Although the above paragraph comes from an essay devoted to esoteric sex practices, I find that it forms an interesting part of the testimonies of Sai's sex abuse victims, several of whom claim that they were consciously or unconsciously led to agree to the Baba's carnal wishes because of the surrounding environment suggesting that he was G-O-D. A couple of examples from the testimonies of two victims:

Afshin Khorramshahgol: "In one interview, he stood up while I was kneeling on my knees. With his right hand, to took my head and put it against his stomach. With his left hand he took my right hand and put it against his testicle. He rubbed my hand there for a short while and this time he was making loud noises of... I tried to look up to his face to see it, but he pushed my head hard against his stomach and did not allow me to look up. So, I didn't try again.
"While he took my hand there, I felt his testicle, although I didn't grab it, I just let him direct my hand and do whatever he wants. At the same time, I would touch him by the outside part of my hand. As I said before, he was making loud voices while he was doing that. This took about two minutes before he let go of me and my hand and said "This is God"!!! Whatever!!! It was his way of putting a controlled mind to think and find many answers to what that whole situation was all about. It was his way of covering the sick idea of having me touch him, and also covering his loud, wild voices." - Read in full.

Hans de Kraker: "I don't know what to do! My mouth tightens up, and I feel extremely uncomfortable and confused with this 'perceived incarnation of GOD on earth' trying to kiss me on and in my mouth!! Sai Baba slaps me on my cheek and says 'Loosen up!!! With other people not OK with Sai Baba OK'. I am even more uncomfortable now and feel disgusted at the same time ...
"Many people knew how he liked having his calve muscles massaged and I had seen respectable men and women of all walks of life do the same thing....he now takes my head and pushes it quite firmly into his groin...he then pulls up my arms and asks me to go higher and higher and higher...NOW I AM HOLDING HIS BUTTOCKS AND WONDER WHAT THE HELL MY DIVINE MASTER IS ASKING ME TO DO!!! Fuse!!! Crash! I let go my arms and now I am even more shell shocked...he pulls up his dress, presents me his half-erect penis and invites me to take up my 'Good Luck Chance.'" - Read in full.

And that's just two extracts and of which I trust that many more can be found. Both of the above testimonies display a clear tug-of-war that is going on in the mind of the victim; how to reconcile this homosexual activity from a figure whom millions revere as God incarnate?

To my mind, the answer is that victims have been successfully "brainwashed" enough to go through the experience believing that Sai Baba is God and that the homosexual activity is some sort of test or purification. Many have agreed with this latter theory including some Sai Organisation officials. By 'brainwashed' I am referring to the devotion shown to Sai Baba as I trust that any non-believer who happens to be molested by Sai Baba would not regard the event as a divine occurrence!

In this sense, there may be merit to the argument that Sai Baba employs a form of hypnosis for his sexual conquests. Some agree that he has a certain charisma whereas others claim that it is just projection of holiness. The thing that becomes clear is that once you are infected with the mentality of a devotee you'll find yourself rationalising away all of his little foibles. I find it rather sad to see this happening even amongst his current defenders, many of whom are devotees. Isn't it amusing to observe them pluck all sorts of excuses from the air in defence of Sai Baba's quaint practices, and the very minute that allegations of impropriety are made they make a big hoo-ha about following the due process of law?

You'd think that Sai Baba's own devotees would be painfully aware of the disadvantages of offering "spiritual" arguments in a court of law, but they think nothing about talking endlessly of healings, Kundalini purification and so on. How is it that Sai Baba is above the law when he manifests his Godhood by producing a little ash and performing other miscellaneous miracles, but if alleged misconduct is suggested on his part it must be investigated according to the law's dictates? Does this make sense to you, to apply 'worldly' reasoning to he who is supposedly 'otherworldly'? Such a logic becomes confounding right off the bat!

Such a shame to see Sai's devotees defend him with such duplicitous standards.

22 February 2006

Groaning Discontent On Sai Porn

Gerald Moreno - my favourite sex-obsessed critic and online stalker - has repeatedly made a big hoo-ha over my posting of pornographic pictures on this blog, which includes a drawing of Sai Baba receiving oral sex from a young lad. After Gerald decided to take revenge on behalf of Sai Baba and was chided by an observer, he proceeded to state the following in justification for his actions:

"Sanjay ... duplicated an image of a child giving SSB oral sex under his robe! Yet YOU have the audacity to point your pudgy fingers at me and say I am 'tasteless'. Crawl back under your rock from which you slithered out, [Observer]."

Lovely chap, eh? And approximately 45 minutes later, Gerald stated:

"[Observer] thinks it is 100% OKAY for Dadlani to duplicate an image of Sathya Sai Baba receiving ORAL SEX from a child, under his robe, stating 'I'll make this one Sari. I came!' Yet [Observer] has the audacity to point his pudgy fingers at me for duplicating images that are NOWHERE even close to that!"

Someone needs a glass of cool water. And even after I explained in the original blog and in a later piece that the image(s) in question had been sent to me and that I had posted them in the mood of comic relief, it appears that tempers are still not appeased. Approximately two and a half months later (February 2006), Gerald stated the following on his website in the midst of savagely criticising yet another anti-Sai activist:

"[Activist] bit his tongue when his friends Reinier Van Der Sandt and Sanjay Dadlani posted images, of a pornographic kind, against SSB (one even depicting him receiving oral sex from a child underneath his robe)!"

So even after I had produced adequate explanations that was more than anyone deserved, it looks like there's no stopping the Duracell bunnies once they get going eh?

To get some perspective, let's take a look at this shocking and blatantly offensive picture that has caused such endless consternation:

Whew! Does this look like pornography to you?

As a matter of fact, the story behind this picture is an interesting one. I originally posted this picture with a tongue-in-cheek comment about it being evidence that Sai Baba sexually abuses young boys. At the time of writing, the picture is still available on the Net although it is not accessible through the main website.

Employing an exhaustive Google Image search, I discovered that the drawing was originally created by Drew Ross, who owns a website that displays his own artwork and claims to have created the Sai Baba image way back in May 2002. Ross explains his intentions: "So like this Sai Baba guy who's 'orange toga n' superfro' look used to adorn the walls of every single new age commune I ever stepped foot in as a kid is now an exposed homosexual pedophile, when i found out, I drew dis pictoor and thot it was kinna funny."

Yes, I thot it was kinna funny too, although I acknowledge that the image I posted is significantly different in the sense of colouring in Sai Baba's robe. Hardly a massive objection.

Is any of this pornographic, though? I'll grant that it has something of a shock value but I think it is unreasonable to blame or crucify me for posting pictures that have been in the public domain for nearly three years. That aside, I found the following Wikipedia statement interesting:

"..Most importantly, unlike the real type, cartoon child pornography is legal, so long as no real children have been used as models."

I'd hardly class this drawing as child pornography per se, although I'm sure that there are lots of embittered Sai-defenders who'd love to accuse me of it just for kicks. At the end of the day there is no reason whatsoever to make a hue and cry about pornography and Sai Baba. This meaningless charade exposes Gerald Moreno as a screaming yahoo who is hung out to dry for exhibiting the same behaviour that I observed several months ago:

"These types of silly distractions are typical of the pro-SB clan who seek to stir up these types of complete non-issues in order to create a smokescreen and an exhibition of their showmanship in order to distract people away from discussing the real topic at hand: Sai Baba and his activities!"

21 February 2006

Blog Notes

Just a quick note to update the readership - With all the trouble we had over malicious use of the 'Comments' feature some time ago, I've re-set the privileges to allow all readers (even anonymous) to post comments.

To guard against disruption and abuse in the future, I've enabled comment moderation. This move means that although anyone can post their comments, they will not show up unless approved by me. So this is a good filter to protect against future malicious use.

20 February 2006

Why I Left Sai Baba (in brief)

A lot of people have asked me now and again how and why I became a Sai devotee for so long, and also what caused me to leave his clutches.

At some point in the future I would like to discuss this matter in some depth as I feel that it is a story worth telling. In the meantime I would like to post my reply to a similar query that was asked of me not so long ago, as a provisional and brief explanation of why I came to leave Sai Baba:

----

"While there were several troubling issues surrounding Sai Baba, the daddy of them all was how I was finding it increasingly impossible to reconcile his teachings with the true tradition of Sanathana Dharma that I had studied and been brought up in. I happen to be philosophically inclined and it was very hard for me to come to terms with the very real discrepancies that exist in his works, not to mention giving up my deep and reverent faith in 'God walking the earth', to whom I had given ten years of my life.

"After spending a long period of time in reflection, I decided that I had to be honest and admit the truth at least to myself. I felt that it would be extremely dishonest and dishonourable to continue with what I was beginning to perceive as a farce and thus, in the interests of truth and goodness, I discontinued my faith and belief in Sai Baba.

"I initially desired to quietly walk away from the situation and lead a peaceful life away from this fiasco, but on the encouragement of some very great ex-devotee friends I had made I was encouraged to stay and helpfully contribute to the efforts to bring Sai Baba to justice. I also felt that discussion of Sai Baba's philosophical inconsistencies and deviations, a subject that has received sparse treatment thus far, was an area that would be fulfilling. And so I carry on with this work up to this day."

16 February 2006

Sai Baba: Singing The Blues?

As if Sai Baba figured that he can't stand any more public humiliation, Lynn "Valentine Baby" Zecca writes an account of her youth in Pulse Magazine, an alternative online newspaper.

Quickly skimming through the article, she references various gurus although the article as a whole is about Meher Baba. Apparently Pete Townshend (of 'The Who' fame) is listed as a follower.

You would expect her to give Sai Baba (our favourite Baba!) a passing mention, and she does!

"We waited in line together, me clutching my wounded finger, the porter shaking his head in sympathy. He saw me onto the right car and I gave him some rupees and a handful of chocolates. When he took his wallet out I saw he had a picture of Sai Baba. (Sai Baba of Shirdi was one of Meher Baba’s masters, not the Sai Baba of House of Blues fame—the Afro-sporting levitating guy ...)

"I said 'Oh! Sai Baba!' and pulled out a picture of Meher Baba. 'Ah, Meher Baba,' he beamed, tilting his head from side to side the way Indians do, which in this case meant 'Very good.'"

Looks like our Swami will have to do a lot more to increase his public profile before he is known as somebody more than a retro high-vibe picture in a House of Blues tavern. What's all that about levitation though, hey?

Sai Baba's American Pie

A friend posted the following on a public forum; an email from a Sai devotee regarding a possible upcoming trip to the USA for our very own Baba. Here is an online copy of the original message in full:

From: "Charles DiFazio" <>
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 7:25 PM
Subject: From Chuck DiFazio re Invitation to Baba to visit USA

To Sai friends:

Bob Bozzani called me on Monday night and asked that I inform Sai friends that Baba approached him on the veranda of the Mandir at Prasanthi Nilayam recently, and told him to ask American devotees to invite Him to visit the United States. Therefore, on page 18 in the February 2006 edition the Sathya Sai Newsletter USA published by The Sathya Sai Book Center of Americain Tustin, California, Bob has inserted his invitation to our Beloved Sai to visit us in the United States and has written a note to all devotees to do the same. I have attached a copy of page 18 to this email for your own perusal.

Bob told me that our written invitations could be sent directly to Baba or to the Book Store in Tustin to be published in the Sai Newsletter USA, or our devotional and meditative invitations can be sent from our hearts to Baba's Heart. Bob stressed that by our invitation, Baba may want us to yearn for His physical presence here in our country or He may be asking that our invitation be a call to Him to grace our country, our people, and our Sai family with Divine Love and Peace.

Bob asked that we send these invitations with a pure heart. Bringing Sai to America in body or spirit by our love and our yearning is both a devotion and a seva. What a wonderful gift it would be for those devotees who can not travel to India for the Darshan of the Avatar. And so, I encourage everyone to consider calling out to the Lord to come to America in whatever manner He deems best for the evolution of our consciousness toward the One.

Sai Ram
Chuck DiFazio

Charles (Chuck) DiFazio
324 Town Colony Drive
Middletown, Connecticut 06457
Tel: (860) 613-0373 home
Tel: (860) 621-5800 Ext. 104 office
Fax: (860) 628-9512

Given the fact that Sai Baba is currently restricted to a wheelchair and cannot stand for more than 5-10 minutes at a time, it seems incredulous that he is contemplating a trip to the USA. What exactly is this meant to achieve, after decades of promising American devotees that he will visit their country while always dropping his plans at the last moment?

I was reminded of this wild quote from Sai Baba that he spoke in 1961:

"The time will soon come when this huge building or even vaster ones will be too small for the gatherings of those who are called to this place. The sky itself will have to be the roof of the Auditorium of the future; I will have to forego the car and even the aeroplane when I move from place to place, for the crowds pressing around them will be too huge; I will have to move across the sky; yes, that too will happen, believe Me."

Hmmm. Learn to crawl before you can walk, pal. Literally.

15 February 2006

Sai's Sexy Soldiers

It's not just Sai Baba who's in big trouble, but it also appears that his fervent defenders have interesting sexual peccadilloes of their own. I'd like to make it clear that, in the grand scheme of things, individual sexual orientations hardly matter considering the depth of the subjects we cover.

Gerald 'Joe' Moreno - a possible sufferer of homophobia - openly describes himself as asexual while spending a considerable amount of time obsessing over other people's sex lives.

Another, Lisa De Witt, is a vicious and abusive example of womanhood who, in spite of her own continuing obsessions into people's sex lives and instigating harassment against them, turns out to be a lesbian.

Both of them have invested a HUGE amount of time and energy defending Sathya Sai Baba, who stands accused of homosexual paedophilia, murders, financial scandals, and so on.

Is it me or is there something distinctly odd about this scenario?

09 February 2006

Guruphiliacji Speaks Wisdom

Sri Sri Meets The Babaster, May Have The Bomb Now.

06 February 2006

Aha!

While doing some research for my previous blog, I was leafing through a book by a Sai Baba devotee, Rita Bruce, entitled 'Vision of Sai'. I guffawed loudly when I came across this gem:

"In the Sanskrit language, the first letter of the alphabet is 'A' and the last one is 'Ha.' When you combine A and Ha, it becomes Aha."

No shit, Swami! That's an ultra-profound piece of realisation you got there! It's no wonder you've descended and taken birth in order to enlighten us wretched souls! Excuse me while I turn around and laugh into my armpit, no offence you know!

Interestingly this discourse (entitled "The Mind") is displayed in full within the book, and is very different from the official version.

Sai Baba And The Evils Of Television

"Television is Telepoison." (Attributed)

"TV has, in fact, become a disease of modern times. So, it is not TV but TB (tuberculosis)." - 22 November 1999

"To let children watch the TV from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. is to make them forget all that they have learnt at school or college. In addition, they learn many evil things. If TV is used for teaching good things, it can serve a worthy purpose. But that is not the case. The younger generation is being ruined by undesirable films and TV programmes. Their minds are being poisoned. It is not a sign of parental love to let children be ruined in this manner. Even parents should avoid going to cinemas. All the crimes and violence we witness today are largely the result of the evil influence of films on young minds." - 5 February 1984

Whereas Sai Baba's views on television and films are extensively documented in his discourses, the above quotes show a side of him that'll certainly make him the darling of the religious right. If only they could get over his garish clothing and afro, not to mention the homosexual paedophilia and suspected involvement in murders, eh?

Although the Baba appears to be giving good advice out of concern for the moral upbringing of children, a simple discourse search for 'television' will reveal rather startling criticisms and outright condemnation, were it not for the fact that television does provide educational and informative programming such as news updates and Discovery Channel documentaries. Good for Sai, he does concede that television can be used for uplifting purposes, but his insinuations about television being responsible for just about every crime is stretching things a tad too far:

"From the moment television made its appearance, the mind of man has been polluted. Before the advent of T.V., men's minds were not so much polluted. Acts of violence were not so rampant previously. Today T.V. is installed in every hut. People watch the T.V. even while taking food. The result is that all the foul things seen on the T.V. are being consumed by the viewer. Concentration on the T.V. affects one's view of the world. The scenes, thoughts and actions displayed on the T.V. set fill the minds of the viewers. Unknowingly, agitations and illfeelings enter their minds. In due course they take root and grow in the minds ... Not Bhaarath alone, but the whole world is suffering from the consequences of T.V. The world is racked by disorder, discord and frustration." - 15 January 1996

"Avoid also films, for though they may be advertised as very educative and inspiring, the producers, in their greed for profits, smuggle in low vulgar debasing scenes in order to please raw untrained minds. Don't allow the virus of vice to infect your brains. If that happens you descend to levels worse than the beasts." - April 25, 2002

Because of TV? Come on!

Another angle of this issue is to understand the implications and consequences of not watching TV/movies for Sai Baba's own devotees, particularly the youth. Without a doubt and as everyone knows, discussions about the latest movies or last night's TV form a large chunk of typical everyday conversations. For a typical Bal Vikas or Youth Wing member not to indulge in the same with (devotee or nondevotee) peers is to deprive them of certain styles of social engagement.

Growing up as a 'youth' Sai devotee, television and movies was all my peers talked about as well as girls and music. Although I made efforts to observe Sai Baba's teachings in these matters, they were shortlived as I soon found that it became impossible to restrict my viewing to just educational programmes. Subsequent watching of movies that I knew Sai Baba would disapprove of (oh, those fantastic Die Hard Bruce Willis movies!) makes it very easy to have an intense guilt trip.

Whatever the situation may be with the contributions of televisual violence to crime figures, the essential issue at hand is that young Sai devotees are being unnecessarily guilt-tripped either by themselves or by their parents/peers when they watch movies that may be anything as harmless as The Lion King, all because it doesn't fit Sai Baba's idea of "educational TV". Tell that to your sobbing seven-year-old.

One of the recent movies, King Kong, features a ginormous ugly hairy beast who falls in love with a sexy blonde woman and then gets very angry when the nasty authorities prevent him from having his liberty. So much so that he climbs the Empire State Building (or whatever) and swats away those nasty helicopters who shoot all those bullets to kill him. Gosh, this will CORRUPT and DEGRADE your child even with a PG-13 certificate!

"I condemn frivolous talk, luxurious living, deleterious habits, addiction to films, horror comics, pen-friends, exotic dress, outlandish coiffures designed to draw attention to oneself, etc. By these means, boys and girls are slowly drawn into non-righteous and immoral ways." - Sai Baba (quoted in 'Vision of Sai', p. 210)

Yeah, whatever. Besides, who's to say that young Sai devotees don't watch TV or go to movies anyway? Why, when a new Warner cinema complex and bowling arena opened for business a few miles away from me, I was surprised to see a devotee friend of mine in their employment! And of course, like all good friends, he didn't mind offering to let me in for free. ;-)

Back to serious matters, it just occurred to me that it is practically impossible to be free from the influence of television or movies in this modern age. As a notable example, our Sai Youth group once put on a drama for an inter-centre performance. It was a typical moralistic tale of a boy who doesn't study well and disobeys his parents to go hang out with friends, and in the end sees the wisdom of parents' and God's advice after a few hair-raising near-death experiences. Go figure. But since boys will be boys especially with their toys, we did put on an amazing array of sound and special effects to enhance the performance.
One interesting thing is that while the lead was having his near-death experience, we combined the strobe light (oh, that strobe light was fun!) with ominous music which was, guess what? 'Ave Satani', the theme tune to The Omen. Well yes, of course we did experiment with other movie theme tunes in rehearsals but decided on 'Ave Satani' for it's decidedly satanic and foreboding tones. Check the lyrics and the translations. Such a nice song for Swami, huh? :-)

Sai Baba may have his heart in the right place with his exhortations on watching television and movies, but in the reality of the modern-day world such principles are unworkable and difficult to implement. Sai's humble attempt to stem the rising tide of televisual evil is broadcast three times a week on SANSKAR (Indian TV channel), but - thanks to my favourite critic, Gerald Moreno, recently pointing out a hypocritical aspect of Sai Baba's behaviour to me - I find this motion to be self-defeating when he allows movie shows to be displayed in his own ashram!

"Again, on December 15th, a similar thing happens. Out of the blue, one evening all students and staff are called inside the Poornachandra Hall. This time, they all watch a very poignant movie along with Swami. This is a recent Hindi movie titled ‘Iqbal’ and is about a deaf and dumb young man who is a great cricket fan. His cherished desire is to join the Indian cricket team. The movie beautifully tracks his relentless pursuit in achieving his goal. Swami sits for half the movie and then retires. The others continue to see the rest of it. " - December 25, 2005

A Bollywood film too, mind you!