Sathya Sai Org: Word vs. action &
No money collection vs. till boxes!
Date: 03-22-02
By: Robert Priddy
"Our man in Canberra" has sent us, in a plain cover so to speak, a damning little newsletter by the 'Co-co' of Australia's Sathya Sai Organisation. It mostly makes for boring reading, but the money collection news is of some interest! As background information, I shall add some of the words of SB against the collection of money and my comments afterwards:-
News from the Desk of Mr. T. Sri Ramanathan
The Regional Central Coordinator of
Sri Sathya Sai Organisation Of Australia & PNG
National Australian Sai Conference - Year 2002 - In Perth
We regret to announce that the National Australian Sai conference which was to cover the South East Asian regions and which was scheduled to take place in Perth, Western Australia on Thursday 10th January 2002 to Sunday 13th January 2002 has been cancelled and will now not take place.
This decision had to be reluctantly made, owing to the decree issued that all air flights were at personal risk of travelers and the authorities cannot take any responsibility in the event of any international situation.
This conference if it had taken place would have been one of the best ever staged in the Sai World. Not only in its scope of workshops as well as an array of distinguished Sai personnel of the world descending in Australia.
We take this opportunity of thanking the following, Shri Bagawathi, Shri Indulal Shah, R. Hira, Dr Jurnsai, T. Judo, Victor Kanu, J Jegadeesan and Rajen Coopen who had accepted our invitation and the Sai devotees were looking forward for such a rare opportunity. Man Proposes, God Disposes.
We also take this opportunity of thanking the various committees, National Coordinators and the others who were making every effort to make the Conference a leading one, maintaining Australia's premiere position in the Sai World.
Personal Assistants
It has become necessary to set out the obligations of the personal assistants to the Central Co-ordinator. This note is prepared accordingly. It will be noted there is no uniformity In their obbligaton. This is owing to the manner in which the different areas have operated. Please interpret the word "participate" in the forgoing not to mean to represent the Central Co-ordinator. Such participation is in their individual, personal role.
Bangaru Naidu - New South Wales
He will attend and will participate in all committees of all activities of all Centers, Groups, Co-ordinating Committees and its Sub-Committees and report expeditiously to the Central Coordinator.
He will issue ceiling on desire money till boxes to all participants of the Sai Organisation in the area and collect from each Center/Group quarterly, the till boxes ensuring the names of the persons who have curtailed their desires monetarily, in the till box. He will account for it with the names of parties and amounts and is entitled to issue receipts to every party.
He will every quarter forward such collections to Anandakmar who will await instructions as regards the manner of the disposal of the contents of the collection. Mr. Ananadakumar will be checking whether all collections have been duly accounted.
He will receive donations for the Sathya Sai School, Murwilllumbah and is entitled to issue receipts on behalf of the school.
All communications from the Central Co-ordinator must be disseminated expeditiously to every participant in the Sai Organisation in their respective States.
Ken Soman - South Australia
He will attend and will participate in all committees of all activities of all Centers, Groups, Co-ordinating Committees and its SubCommittees and report expeditiously to the Central Coordinator
He will issue ceiling on desire money till boxes to all participants of the Sai Organisation in the area and collect from each Center/Group quarterly the till boxes ensuring the names of the persons who have curtailed their desires monetarily, in the till box. He will account for it with the names of parties and amounts and is entitled to issue receipts to every party.
He will every quarter forward such collections to Anandakurnar who will await instructions as regards the manner of the disposal of the contents of the collection. Mr. Ananadakumar will be checking whether all collections have been duly accounted.
He will receive donations for the Sathya Sai School, Murwillumbah and is entitled to issue receipts on behalf of the school.
All communications from the Central Co-ordinator must be disseminated expeditiously to every participant in the Sai Organisation in their respective States.
In addition to the above the Sai Resource Center, South Australia financial statements of all monies received, expended should be examined by Ken Soman and forwarded to the Central Co-ordinator
Dileswar Judd - Victoria
He will attend and will participate in all committees of all activities of all Centers, Groups, Co-ordinating Committees and its Sub-Committees and report expeditiously to the Central Coordinator.
He will issue ceiling on desire money till boxes to all participants of the Sai Organisation in the area and collect from each Center/Group quarterly the till boxes ensuring the names of the persons who have curtailed their desires monetarily, in the till box. He will account for it with the names of parties and amounts and is entitled to issue receipts to every party
He will every quarter forward such collections to Anandakumar who will await instructions as regards the manner of the disposal of the contents of the collection. Mr. Ananadakumar will be checking whether all collections have been duly accounted.
He will receive donations for the Sathya Sai School, Murwillumbah and is entitled to issue receipts on behalf of the school.
All communications from the Central Co-ordinator must be disseminated expeditiously to every participant in the Sai Organisation in their respective States.
The present Resource Center (Mukesh) is already directly accounting and this will not be under the purview of the personal assistant.
Les Iveson - Northern NSW
He will attend and will participate in all committees of all activities of all Centers, Groups, Co-ordinating Committees and its Sub-Committees and report expeditiously to the Central Coordinator.
He will issue ceiling on desire money till boxes to all participants of the Sai Organisation in the area and collect from each Center/Group quarterly the till boxes ensuring the names of the persons who have curtailed their desires monetarily, in the till box. He will account for it with the names of parties and amounts and is entitled to issue receipts to every party.
He will every quarter forward such collections to Anandakwar who will await instructions as regards the manner of the disposal of the contents of the collection. Mr. Ananadakunar will be checking whether all collections have been duly accounted.
All communications from the Central Co-ordinator must be disseminated expeditiously to every participant in the Sai Organisation in their respective States.
T. Sri Ramanathan
Regional Central Coordinator
SAI BABA ON MONEY COLLECTION "It is deplorable to hear that in some States, even for trivial activities, funds are being collected. Even if some office-bearers are inclined to adopt this method, I want members not to encourage them." (Sathya Sai Speaks - Vol. 14 new ed., p. 362)
Speaking about learned men who discourse on the Gita, SB said in Geetha Vahini (p. 175): "If they have the experience, none of them would barter the spread of that experience for money."Comment: SB is not a learned man, all who are can tell that, (though he discourses on the Gita more than his share) and he is now allowing - nay encouraging - collection of money, even via his Organisation and he greatly encourages those who organise this soliciting of funds for unspecified uses by the hyper-rich Central Trust, like Hira of Japan and Ramanathan of Australia!
SB also insisted that money collections were not allowed in the Sathya Sai Org. (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 11 old ed., p. 50)
Another quaint, totally self-defeating SB statement is directed against the Christian churches, as follows:-
At present there is a growing tendency among propagators of the Christian faith to cast aspersions on other religions. Money is being spent lavishly to spread Christianity. None of you should have any part in such activities. This type of propaganda does great harm to the personality of Jesus." (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 18 new ed., p. 192)
Comment: Is this not a clear, but dirty, case of "The pot calling the kettle black"? SB runs down those of the Christian faith for running down other faiths! Meanwhile he supports all manner of efforts to propagandise himself and his own teaching, now even world Sai Radio! As blatant a trick as one could want, but his devotees are constantly 'being tested' like this to see if they remain gullible enough to swallow everything. Moreover, SB - who has thoroughly demonstrated his infathomable ignorance of much of the nature and history of Jesus, putting him down as lower than himself and other Indian avatars etc., has the sheer audacity to speak of propaganda that harms Jesus! (see, for example, http://bdsteel.tripod.com/SSB/5.htm under 'Chrismas Revelations')
One last quote of many other possibles on this subject: "At a meeting of the Central Trust yesterday, I told the members including Sri Indulal Shah, that I had no interest in property. Do not involve me in any connection with these properties. I do not wish to have any connection with money or property. My only concern is with my devotees (cheers). Telling them all this, I signed the papers"
One may well ask 'what papers?' It is well know that SB signs all cheques donated to the Trust in his name. This is a direct con, to say one thing and do the exact opposite. Why does he even meet up at the Central Trust, then? It deals with property and money above all else?
No, no... there is no limit to how credulous followers can be, none whatever! I was one, when he called me in to interview two days running and asked in private how much money I would donate! Much more on this subject later.
Robert Priddy