There are two Sai Babas. The one is Shirdi died in 1918, the other in Puttaparthi was born in 1926. Both cults are very popular in India. The Puttaparthy Sai Baba is known for the educational institutions and hospitals that he has helped to establish. He is the one who is associated with many miracles and equally many scandles, wrongly or rightly, about being a homosexual (Free Schools? Many people have established free schools). There have been murders in his Ashram. I do not believe in immaculate conceptions, neither of Jesus nor of any Baba. As for knowing when he would die and where he will be reborn, that is BS, at the moment he is a tottering old man.
The Shirdi Sai Baba has assumed the proportions of an Avatara. He is associated with many miracles as Hema describes (the ash miracle being the most common with all god-men). Her best friend being a devotee of Sai Baba does not prove anything. As she herself mentions, the lady has psychological problems. As for the moving chair, that is BS (apologies to Hema). If he said he would come to people who do not believe, he has certainly not cared to come to me. Basically his so-called devotees have established a very successful promotional program.
Now, if you go by the 'Advaita' philosophy of hinduism, every thing is a Brahman. So that is nothing new, I am none other than Brahman, Hema is none other than Brahman. You, MichaelM are also nothing other than Brahman. There is nothing else in the universe other than Brahman. In that case it is wrong for any Baba to be considered God. No one is special. Brahman does not entertain differences. 'Advaita' philosophy does not entertain Avataras.
Vandervalley, there is no heaven, no hell, no God, no spirit, no judgement day, no raising from the dead. When we are dead, we are dead. Christians and muslims go to graves, hindus go up in flames. Of course, the inventor of Penecillin was a benefactor of human kind and we respect his memory.