THE SATHYA SAI ORGANISATION'S SYSTEMATIC DAMAGE-LIMITATION EFFORTS

One of the mostly unofficial policies of the Sathya Sai Organization - especially in Western countries where there are high standards of education - is to avoid alienating possible future converts to the movement by speaking or writing about the many miraculous claims of Sathya Sai Baba or by his devotees. The Scandinavian countries were instructed by Thorbjørn Meyer to play down all the kind of proclamations that "people would not easily understand", including the miracles and Sathya Sai Baba's many claims of being the Divine Avatar come to save humanity and his many other documented 'fantastic' statements (read a cross-section of these).

Despite all this, the Sathya Sai Organisation requires all its members to accept that Sathya Sai Baba is God, this being stated clearly in the paper which, in many countries, new members must sign according to the Charter of the Sathya Sai Organization (which is not a published document, but is kept with the circle of the faithful!). Those who will not accept this condition are either not allowed to become members or - if already so - are excluded from the Organisation. Though te Official Sathya Sai Baba website (<www.sathyasai.org>), however, does promote four Sai Baba discourses as imortant ones, in which he makes claims of divinity and miracles, it has in its printed propaganda materials in Western countries increasingly edited this material in such a way as to reduce the claims For documentation and a more thorough examination of this deceit by the Sathya Sai Organisation, see Downgrading Divinity' by Brian Steel

Of course, the official Sathya Sai Organization is unable to control the many websites of zealous true believer devotees of Sathya Sai Baba - or unwilling to try to do so - for, after all, most of Sathya Sai Baba's attraction to the curious is the many fantastic claims about him. It is a kind of balancing act - a Janus-faced operation designed to attract more serious people by emphasising the social service projects in the name of Sai Baba and the values he promotes (in word if not in deed) yet not to alienate those who consider Sathya Sai Baba's miracles to be the be-all-and-end-all of his supposed 'mission to save humanity'.

After the BBC's documentary on Sathya Sai Baba - The Secret Swami - was aired (despite legal efforts by Dr. Michael Goldstein and other Sai Organization leaders to stop it being aired), he wrote a circular in an attempt to rein in all devotees from anything but officially-condoned or vetted contact with the media!

E-MAIL PUBLISHED ON AN INTERNET BULLETIN BOARD (error by an undisciplined devotee)

To: saibabanews@yahoogroups.com
From: "Laura" <joydrops@pon.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 09:37:47 -0800
Subject: [saibabanews] Fwd: Message from  head of U.S. Sai Organization
Procedure to handle requests for filming interviews with devotees or  officers at Sai centers or regional events by Media Companies Please carefully review the following letter from Dr. Goldstein on this subject:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Sai Ram!
Recently there have been several media companies who have expressed an interest in making a program or documentary on Swami, His Works, the Sai Organization. We have advised these parties that we do not wish to participate in their documentaries or take part in personal or group interviews. Specifically, the BBC is contemplating production of a video which would be controversial in nature. We have informed them that the Sri Sathya Sai Organizations do not wish to participate in their project.
Therefore, should you be approached by any of these companies, or should they appear at any Sai Centers or Events with cameras, recorders, reporters, etc, please advise them respectfully that we do not wish to participate and politely ask them to leave the premises. If they do not comply with your polite request, then the appropriate authorities should be invoked, such as the person(s) responsible for the premises and/or the appropriate authorities.
Sincerely,
Michael Goldstein
If a Media Company approaches you concerning filming at your center, please follow the procedure outlined above and as soon as practical, please inform me by phone at 831-457-1983. This is very important.
Thanks.

More about this issue is found here

1) Print this Page       2)  Use right click here - then 'Open page in new window' to translate

Return to index menu