Response Series, Part Six

 

 

 

 

Response Series, Part Six

 

Posted: Barry Pittard. 

 

Date: Friday, August 8, 2003

 

Email: bpittard@beachaccess.com.au 

 

Note: A long letter from an SSB devotee named Seema is the basis for this series, in which the one devotee's letter is   readily seen to reflect many points scattered throughout many devotee letters received by SSB Exposé activists.

 

Seema's comments appear in red. 

 

All over the book one can tell how easily his mind could deceive him.

 

Did you know that the then Sanathana Sarathi Editor the late V.K. Narasimhan reviewed the Priddy book very well? VKN was widely esteemed in India and around the world as a highly literate, intelligent, erudite man. With superb courage, he defied Mrs Indira Gandhi during her draconian Emergency in 1975. Though often a very private man, he was also my warm and loving friend who entrusted me with some of the editing of his last book and, on his deathbed when practically no visitor was permitted, he instructed the hospital staff to allow me to visit. Very well do I know how carefully he evaluated books and ideas. Many devotees found the 'Source of the Dream: My Way to Sathya Sai Baba' much better written than most Sai devotee books. Perhaps they all saw something in the book that you missed. When I worked (gratis I might add, in case, like your master does re regard to his dissenters, you attempt to tarnish me as one who has his hand out for money) as a publisher's editor at Sai Towers, I implored the owner-manager R. Padmanaban, to put far more focus on finding competent editors for the books he publishes, and to look for writers who exercise a disciplined, self-critical faculty in their writing. Interestingly, among my strong recommendations were Brian Steel and Robert Priddy. These and many other former devotees have distinguished intellectual careers, and here you are trying to demolish him with irresponsible words.

 

Do you really think that the little monkey mind could try to figure out God?

 

You may be delighted to know that Robert Priddy has written a short article called ‘Monkey Minds.’ http://home.no.net/anir/Sai/enigma/MonkeyMind.htm

 

God? Sathya Sai Baba?! No wonder you seemed so affected by my slight piece of fun about the Buggy One. Whatever may be his graces, there remain his shocking and perfidious disgraces. Maybe it's possible for a being of seldom encountered, exceptional gifts - an avatar of gold-and-trash, of light-and-dark, of genuineness-and-hypocrisy - to most terribly and deceptively manifest at some time in history. Certainly, the Christian Bible has a prophecy that surely fits your guru here:

 

"For there shall arise false Christ’s, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24

 

All too often, with all his fleet of luxury cars and immense pomp and ceremony, SSB is a flashy potentate enamored of the golden throne who better befits his recent declension in being carted around on a golf buggy.

 

SSB says virtually that everyone has a monkey mind, so why do you single out Robert Priddy? If you can put your blinkers down awhile, you will find that he has done some very careful researches and analyses. Robert was the co-founder and leader of the Sathya Sai Organisation in Norway. See his website: http://home.no.net/anir/Sai/enigma.

 

Even if you were right, have you paused even for an instant to note that our case does not rest on what Robert Priddy or any other one individual thinks? Only the facts will do.