Mrs Diana Payne's letters to the

Sathya Sai Organisation, U.S.A.

 

In a mail (1 July 2001) Glen Meloy wrote about Mrs. Payne:

"Terrance Payne is the ex husband of Diana, and whose son was the first western student in his college. That boy was asked by baba to perform oral sex and his mother caused quite a stir back in the 80s when Hislop was in charge. That is part of the scenario involving Hislop confronting baba about his alleged homosexuality etc. You might want to reread Diana's letter that was posted." (Originally posted at http://www.myfreeoffice.com/saibabaexposed)

Name: Diana Hometown: CA Sent: 5:10 AM - 9/11/2000 (11 sep.) My son was in Sai Baba's College in the late 1970s. He and friends were molested by Sai Baba. Sai Baba told me to bring him to his school when he was 15 which my husband and I did (stupidly). This all came out in 1980, I was devastated, I had been a devotee for 10 years and never believed the allegations about his molesting the boys in the school. I knew that he told many men to drop their pants so that he could rub oil or vibuti on their penises, as he said to control their sexual urges. I wrote many letters to the Sai organization in the US at that time (I knew Hislop, and others on the board personally, in fact my husband was on the board!) Of course everyone said that I was lying and that my son was also lying. Now I tell people who are interested in Sai Baba to be really careful, then tell them the whole story if they want to know. I've seen Baba grab at my son's crotch when we went into the interview room. My son said Baba is "teaching or testing". Sai Baba told me he would be a father to my son only to molest him. I also know that he fakes miracles and have seen him rumaging for articles to pass out. I had many many interviews with him in the 1970s. I can hardly believe that I was once involved so deeply in such a horrible organization. My advice, always look for the guru within yourself, know yourself. Thank you all for putting together web sites to expose the fraud that is Sai Baba. Sai Baba devotees are truly fine people for the most part just looking for love and truth in life. I feel great compassion for them when they find out the truth about him. I know the devastation they can feel. If anyone wants to contact me personally I will talk to you about this.

 

Diana also wrote a follow-up letter 17-11-2000, as follows:- I was an American Sai Baba devotee for 10 years from 1970-1980. I traveled to Bangalore and Puttaparthi 5 times during that period. My family and I had many interviews with Baba. Sai Baba told me to bring my son to his college in India when he was 15. My son was at his college from 1977 to 1980. In 1980 my son told me that Sai Baba was a homosexual. He said that Sai Baba tried to have oral sex with him. I had heard stories before about his relations with the college boys but didn't believe them. I actually saw Sai Baba grab at my son's crotch as he walked ahead of me into the interview room one time. Later I asked my son what was happening, why did Baba do that. He said "Baba is teaching or testing". In 1980 I wrote letters to the Sai organization in the US asking for help and an explanation for Baba's actions. I knew many of the Board members personally. Of course they all said that both my son and myself were lying. I was absolutely devastated by the whole situation. How could God do such a thing! Sai Baba told me that when I left my son at his school in India that he (SB) would be his father! It's twenty years later now and I still feel some of that pain. Now I'm able to read the other accounts and it makes me realize that I must tell what happened to my family. When I first learned of Sai Baba I heard first person accounts about him asking men to drop their pants and then he would rub vibuti or oil on their penis to help them control their sexual appetites. This seemed strange to me at the time but I rationalized this activity as something I could not understand about divinity. I also read Tal Brooke's book and dismissed it. In addition I received a phone call in 1975 from an Indian ex-devotee who told me he caught Baba in bed with his son (I hung up on the man!). There of course are many more details to my account. If anyone would like to talk to me personally about this I will do so. I am glad to say that my son is now a happily married man with children. I'm still capable of feeling a bit emotional about what happened with Baba but now it's a relatively minor thing compared to the rest of my life. I thought when I got out of the Baba movement that it couldn't possibly last this long. Recently I found out about the murders at the ashram, very shocking to me. I am a teacher with many interests in my life. But I've decided, since I was so involved during this early period, to devote time talking with others who may be experiencing the pain of separation from the Baba movement and to tell my story. Diana (hummbird1@excite.com)