- Maharaji, you became a master and teacher of Knowledge when
you were eight. In the meantime many of your followers have been
practicing Knowledge for around 30 years already. Why is it that
after all these years they still aren't allowed to teach it themselves
or even to answer questions from those interested in Knowledge?
Everything must be done by you. Why is that? What did you understand
at the age of eight that your followers after 30 years still
haven't understood?
- Do you think that all followers who have become disenchanted
are, as you put it, "unlit matches" or do some have
valid criticisms that you might learn something from?
- In New York, you said that your father told you 'walk
like an elephant amidst the barking dogs and you will have no
problem'.
Maharaji, almost all the people who criticise you are former
followers, the most persistent generally being people who made
considerable commitment and effort to practise Knowledge and
serve you. Maybe in India a Guru was perceived as this superior
creature simply ignoring inferior smaller ones. In this day and
age, how long will you ignore and diminish sincere, thoughtful,
educated and ethical people who you simply see as inferior? Isn't
it offensive to compare these people to 'barking dogs'?
- You are now clearly much more wealthy than most of the former
ashram premies, some of whom now struggle financially because
they gave up careers to dedicate their lives to you. Now you
are in a position to do so, should you not compensate them financially
for their help and commitment?
- In Venture Business Magazine Jan 2003 you said: "I
have very high hopes for the Prem Rawat Foundation, that not
only will it facilitate the carrying of this message and facilitate
people finding the peace within them but that, one day, the Foundation
will actually be able to help to alleviate some of the physical
needs of people, whether it is hunger or supporting other charities
or directly interacting with people."
Before you start suporting other charities will you settle
the debt that some of your former followers feel you owe them?
- During the 1970's many premies clubbed together and bought
you a very expensive car, an Aston Martin, as a birthday gift. You gave a kind of thank-you
speech when I heard you say "You will never own one of
these!". I got the distinct impression that you had
a vision of your followers being forever poorer than you and
somehow - just from the tone of your voice - that it was important
to you. I felt your comment came across as a put-down and I was
shocked. Do you like to feel richer than premies? Are you that
shallow as to need these cars, aeroplanes, boats etc, that you
clearly posess, as status symbols to boost your ego? If so why
did you spend so much time bashing our egos?
- Do you owe anything to your followers? If so what?
- How come in the end you always seem to be displeased with
what followers do to help you?
- How come when you claimed to be the only true friend and
lover that we truly have in this life, your dedicated followers
found themselves waiting, wasting their lives doing apparently
fruitless tasks, whilst you and a select few 'privileged' sycophants
had all the fun?
- Your top aide Michael Dettmers said:
"People liked to believe that Maharaji is all-knowing
and that he knows what each person is thinking and feeling, and
I think that's just a pure projection. He hasn't got a clue and
doesn't care doesn't really care that much about people,
in my view, in general."
Is this true?
- Have you ever noticed how many of your followers seem to
be suffering from an unusual degree of dysfunction and arrested
development?
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