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Did
Maharaji think he was God
incarnate? |
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Did
Maharaji think he was God
incarnate? |
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Date:
Fri, Jun 09, 2000 at 20:20:09 (GMT) |
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bof06102000180356 We wouldn't blame Hansi or Premlata, when they were small, if they thought Dad was God. After all, if you imagine the environment they were in as small kids, it certainly would appear that way to them. So we know Prem Pal, as a kid, was brought up to believe Dad was god or gods messenger. And, he had a following, so from a kids perspective it was believeable. Also, children are very likely to believe whatever it is their parents tell them all through their early childhoods, even if it isn't logical. So I think it is very likely he believed it all at first. Probably even when he first started coming to the West. But, if you read Mishler's interview, and you believe it, and I do, at some point, he would have been 17 or 18 in 1976 right?, reality was breaking through the dream. Hence the tortured person we read about, crying on Mishler's shoulder, a kid with an ulcer. But at this point he is also a kid with a FAMILY. Here he is, for the first time in his life probably facing that what he is doing is wrong and deceptive. He is seeing it all for the cult it is. But, he also has a wife, who is many years older than he is and I think he loved very much, and she certainly seems to believe in the trip. He also has a baby daughter. I believe this time was a moral crossroads for him. We all saw the change in the cult. Something was happening to undo the cultdome. And it wouldn't have happened without his okay. But, he had this opulent lifestyle, that he did not want to lose. And his wife, and his child, I bet, made him want to lose it even less. He also, at a rather young age, was on the outs with his mom, and the fact that he got away with being a 'playboy' instead of being dragged back to India by Momma, had to cause anxiety. He probably really hurt over losing his mother. That is my guess. And, if he admit he is a fraud, than what was Dad? And that archetype of his Dads memory has to be another extremely powerful pull on his psyche. I am not putting this together that well, but it does add up to one tortured human being. I am not saying that to excuse him. But I think part of him knows he is a con, and he may use alchohol to drown that voice in him. He may need all the yes men around him to drown that voice too. I think he knows. But I think he uses the same trick to quiet the doubts he tells the premies to use. Listen to your heart. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. Probably, for him, listening to his heart, when the doubts get loud, means beleiveing in Shri hans.\ Thats my theory. |
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DDate:
Sun, Jun 11, 2000 at 16:55:35 (GMT) I do see Maharaji as a victim - but that doesn't excuse the fact that he has victimized others for so long. (I think many victims become victimizers - just like abused people become abusers.) Obviously, Maharaji had nothing like a 'normal' upbringing. Plus his father died when he was very young - and most kids whose fathers die when they are young tend to idolize their fathers and don't really see their human and fallible side. It must have been even worse for M because everyone ELSE around him regarded Shri Hans as god. Can you imagine trying to live up to that image? It would be impossible. But after a certain point, I think everyone, not just M, has to take responsibility for their lives. Abuse or victimization is not a valid reason for bad behavior. Knowing the real story might help other people be more compassionate and accepting, but basically it is up to every person (including M) to get OVER what happened to them as children - or learn to LIVE with it, as best they can - and not use it as an excuse for hurting others. I would guess that most people who post on this forum have had to do that in their own lives. My feeling, cq, is that you can forgive Maharaji and still deplore what he does and actively try and help other people (including yourself) who have been hurt by him or his organization. Anyway, that's how I feel. Take care, both of you - Katie |
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