Satya Sai Baba - man or God?

[K.Venugopal]

The uniqueness of Satya Sai Baba lies in the fact that of no man had it ever been asked in his own life time whether he is God. Today, as his body lies in state for the darshan of millions of his devotees, it would seem fair for his many critics to ridicule his claims to divinity, particularly considering that he died at the age of 86 rather helpless after being on life support system for almost a month and did not fulfill a prophesy that he would live to be 96. Whatever the verdict about his divinity, it cannot be discounted that he was massively popular, highly praised for his many charitable institutions and his teachings were simple and potent enough to inspire many to take to the spiritual life. It is likely that in the days and years to come, the Sai religion would gather more adherents as the world’s youngest religion nestled in the lap of the world’s oldest religious culture – Hinduism.

I look forward to reading the views of RF members.

 

[YmirGF]

From the little I know of Satya Sai Baba, I am inclined to say that he was a good man who will be fondly remembered.

 

[LuisDantas]

I attented a service inspired by him once, and I read a bit about his doctrine.

I can't for the life of me understand his appeal.

 

[Chisti]

All I know is that the man has built a lot of schools and hospitals, helped the poor, and given hope to millions. That alone matters in the eyes of God.

 

[LuisDantas]

Would you have some sources for that information about schools, hospitals and charity? Here in Brazil he is fairly well-known, but I wasn't aware of any charities.

Not that it necessarily means much in my eyes, mind you.

 

[Wombat]

The uniqueness of Satya Sai Baba lies in the fact that of no man had it ever been asked in his own life time whether he is God. Today, as his body lies in state for the darshan of millions of his devotees, it would seem fair for his many critics to ridicule his claims to divinity, particularly considering that he died at the age of 86 rather helpless after being on life support system for almost a month and did not fulfill a prophesy that he would live to be 96. Whatever the verdict about his divinity, it cannot be discounted that he was massively popular, highly praised for his many charitable institutions and his teachings were simple and potent enough to inspire many to take to the spiritual life. It is likely that in the days and years to come, the Sai religion would gather more adherents as the world’s youngest religion nestled in the lap of the world’s oldest religious culture – Hinduism.

I look forward to reading the views of RF members.

Sadly two features stand out in my mind in relation to Sai Baba...

The first is his well documented use of sleight of hand/magic tricks to produce objects he claimed to have manifested from thin air.

Several of these events can be seen with a Youtube search under ‘Sai Baba fraud’.

Once you are caught doing magic tricks I think that your claim to divinity falls away...but that’s just me.

More disturbing from my perspective are the number of allegations of child abuse either by Sai Baba himself or in his ashrams.

SAI BABA CHILD ABUSE « Sathya Sai Baba Deceptions Exposed

Sex Scandal swirls around Sai Baba

Sai Baba’s Dark Side?

 

[perspicacious]

No amount of worship or good deeds done by followers, no amount of repetitive rather simplistic 'love all' discourses can absolve Sathya Sai Baba from the world-wide sexual abuse allegations from young men. UNESCO, the State Department and BBV World all investigated the accusers and concluded that they were true. Warnings were issued - not a step taken without legally secure positions - by all three bodies.
The murders and police executions in Sai Baba's own bedroom while he stood by and police consulted with his younger brother and Sai officials what to do were never cleared up due to a government order dismissing the case due to 'lack of evidence'. Typical Indian corruption and criminal cover-up by Prime Ministerial and Presidential worshippers of Sai Baba who dared not lose face as they had endorsed him for years!
Sathya Sai Baba has practised fraud on everyone - pretends to materialize diamonds, which are but synthetic gems, not least so as to get donations from grateful worshippers. He has broken countless promises made in public, made dozens of false claims, prophesies that have not come about, has lies about his critics as taking money (withoyt a shred of evidence) and has condoine massive embezzlements by his appointed 'officials'. He shows crude ignorance on historical matters, especially about Jesus and Christianity. All this can be found on-line by searching the keywords from the above.

 

[Chisti]

No amount of worship or good deeds done by followers, no amount of repetitive rather simplistic 'love all' discourses can absolve Sathya Sai Baba from the world-wide sexual abuse allegations from young men. UNESCO, the State Department and BBV World all investigated the accusers and concluded that they were true. Warnings were issued - not a step taken without legally secure positions - by all three bodies.
The murders and police executions in Sai Baba's own bedroom while he stood by and police consulted with his younger brother and Sai officials what to do were never cleared up due to a government order dismissing the case due to 'lack of evidence'. Typical Indian corruption and criminal cover-up by Prime Ministerial and Presidential worshippers of Sai Baba who dared not lose face as they had endorsed him for years!
Sathya Sai Baba has practised fraud on everyone - pretends to materialize diamonds, which are but synthetic gems, not least so as to get donations from grateful worshippers. He has broken countless promises made in public, made dozens of false claims, prophesies that have not come about, has lies about his critics as taking money (withoyt a shred of evidence) and has condoine massive embezzlements by his appointed 'officials'. He shows crude ignorance on historical matters, especially about Jesus and Christianity. All this can be found on-line by searching the keywords from the above.

Anyone can make accusations against anyone. What we need is evidence, which is missing.

 

[Riverwolf]

Good man, for sure, but not the avatar he and his followers claimed to be. He failed my test that he would live until the prophesied age.

 

[Chisti]

Good man, for sure, but not the avatar he and his followers claimed to be. He failed my test that he would live until the prophesied age.

In advaita, everyone is divine, so I don't think he was making any personal claims to avatarhood.

 

[Riverwolf]

In advaita, everyone is divine, so I don't think he was making any personal claims to avatarhood.

He was divine insofar as we are all divine, at different levels of realization, but I get the sense that he still identified with his ego rather than with God. I'm pretty sure he's a self-claimed avatar, but I know for a fact that his followers believed he was.

But he was still at least a mahatma. :yes:

 

[Power_Ranger]

# I have no doubt about tremondous social work that the Baba has contributed
# I have no doubt that the Baba is human (not God) and that his material manifestations are not miracles but simple magic tricks
# I have no doubt that the Baba is able to heal emotional issues of many
# I have doubt whether sexual molestations accusations leveled against him are true

 

[Power_Ranger]

Anyone can make accusations against anyone. What we need is evidence, which is missing.

Well, nobody was ever allowed to investigate him. I don't know about the sexual allegations but I'm very sure the material manifestations are sleight of hand.

 

[Chisti]

Well, nobody was ever allowed to investigate him. I don't know about the sexual allegations but I'm very sure the material manifestations are sleight of hand.

1) Innocent until proven guilty.

2) Many people have reported miracles which could not possibly have been mere sleight of hand.

 

[Riverwolf]

1) Innocent until proven guilty.

2) Many people have reported miracles which could not possibly have been mere sleight of hand.

There are reports of Yogis who performed miracles who didn't claim to be avatars, either by themselves or their followers.

 

[Gaura Priya]

I have absolutely no respect for any person who allows eir followers to call em God or an incarnation of God, who uses magic tricks for show, and who 'makes spirituality accessible' by watering it down and using it for eir own purposes...

I have a very hard time getting over my false ego over Satya Sai Baba... Especially when Shirdi Sai Baba was so humble...

 

[chinu]

Satya Sai Baba - man or God?

"I" don't know

Is it right, to write this ?

_/\_
Chinu

 

[LuisDantas]

1) Innocent until proven guilty.

Sure. But then again, one should not be assumed divine or even simply wise until and unless good support for such an allegation comes to light, either.

2) Many people have reported miracles which could not possibly have been mere sleight of hand.

With all due respect, maybe you should talk with a profesional magician sometime. Even leaving that aside, the evidence that he did use sleight of hand at least sometimes (often enough, apparently) shouldn't be disregarded.

 

[nameless]

I have absolutely no respect for any person who allows eir followers to call em God or an incarnation of God

for the same reason you have no respect for jesus?

 

[K.Venugopal]

If we consider Satya Sai Baba’s multifarious activities during his lifetime, it would dawn on us that he was setting the standards of quality in our approach to living. In this age of commercialization, the striving for excellence based on our inherent capacity to serve is rare.

It would be eye-opening for those who are not familiar with his achievements to know that, for example, the educational institutions and hospitals he initiated serve without any monetary obligation to its beneficiaries. His two state-of-the art super-specialty hospitals perform advanced cancer and heart operations absolutely free of cost. Not just this, those family members who come to look after the patients are provided free accommodation and food. He was able to achieve this because he was able to inspire people from different walks of life, right from the most reputed doctors to the ordinary ward-boys, into the mode of sewa or service. In the case of his educational institutions also, from the primary level upto the level of post doctoral degrees, no fees is charged and residential students are provided with free hostel facilities and food. He stressed on moral values in his educational curriculum. He also undertook water supply projects to reach water to parched lands, which even governments had found a formidable task. These were the models he set for governments and society at large to adopt.

He was not interested in showing off his powers – rather he wanted to prove what can be achieved if we attune ourselves away from commercial considerations and set upon the path of love and dedication in the service of mankind. This is a message sorely required in our over-materialistic world of today. Little wonder that the giver and demonstrator of this message is being considered divine.