Leaders who, over the years, have resigned from the Sathya Sai Organization on matters of highest ethical principle spent years in which their character was not assasinated. In their many professions and wider communities they are respected. However, once they raised genuine concerns about Sai Baba and the conduct of certain of his core leaders, a strident cry from Sai Baba down went up - almost overnight It sounded very different to Sai Baba bhajans, and all the preaching about talking sweetly, and showing love and forebearance.

Admittedly, many Sai Baba devotees, decent as they are, do not resort to distortion, misrepresentation, fallacious argument, citing out of context, ceaselessly putting negative interpretations, using highly unethical cyber tactics, and slander. The non-clamorous devotees proceed with their spiritual disciplines. Of course, good though this is in its own place, it can also lend itself to being lamb-like and unquestioning, and putting up with a highly antidemocratic power structure which suppresses facts and covers up, as in the case of the police killings in Sai Baba's bedroom on June 6, 1993, and in his leaders suppression of just how many responsible individuals have come to them with concerns relating to accusations from many countries that Sai Baba has for long serially sexually molested young males - not to mention allegations against certain of his staff.

Mr Priddy, former Sathya Sai Organization leader for over fifteen years in Norway, was but one of those leaders who resigned. So as to modify issues such as cyber-stalking by a handful of determined fanatics, Robert Priddy and I appear up front in the wish that former devotees around the world do not to needlessly put themselves in the way of the constant vilifying attacks. However, when there arise opportunities (thankfully far away from the Internet and its own stridency), former devotees have an excellent record in providing evidence in regard to the many and serious allegations against Sai Baba. For example, to major media such as the India Today, BBC, Times of London, Telegraph, Guardian, and other responsible media in various countries, etc., and to academic and other respected institutions such as UNESCO (which cancelled its participation along with Flinders University, South Australia in a major conference at Puttaparthi in 2001. UNESCO issued a Media Advisory and also successfully complained to the Press Trust of India when the Times of India watered down the Advisory.

Despite decades of Sai Baba preaching that he will bring all the disparate Faiths to him before he leaves the planet to shortly after reincarnate as Prema Sai Baba, one sees but a trickle of Muslims to him to this very day. Muslims continue to face Mecca, for example, and not Puttaparthi. Need one wonder why?

I have blogged on some of the issues in my article - Muslim Leaders Initiative Bold. Sai Baba’s Efforts Fail, at: http://barrypittard.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/muslim-leaders-initiative-b...

Barry Pittard, Australia