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| According to ]s and ]s, '''Prem Rawat''' (born ]) who took the name ''']''' was an ] ] that now styles himself as an inspirational speaker. A small number of ]s (ex-followers) and some disgruntled ex-employees of the organizations that support his work, have become vocal critics, utilizing the Internet to declare their dissent and disenchantment. They claim to be representative of the many former followers who have left silently and moved on and did not consider the matter important enough to discuss on the internet. Supporters counter-claim that they have no right to call themselves representative of the many students who have left silently and moved on and they reproach these vocal critics of repeatedly ], ]ing and ] Maharaji and his students. | |||
| According to ] as he grew up, Maharaji worked to remove Indian cultural trappings that had inherited and to free his message from religious and cultural connotations. In this process, he was criticized by students from the West as well as from India who were more interested in Eastern cultural trappings and Hindu traditions than in his message. Critics say that Maharaji has made these changes in his claims, practices and the organizations (] and later ]). See ] as reinventions that are hypocritical and deceitful and assert that Maharaji made the changes to avoid embarrassment and loss of credibility. Critics say that it is a proven fact that he made extraordinary claims about himself and his mission. Later he stopped making these claims and denied having made them, which according to vocal critics is proof that he is either a ] or strongly ]. Ex-followers assert that in spite of the fact that he stopped making extraordinary claims about himself, Elan Vital in the ] is still a covert ] and is more openly so in India. Supporters say that the critics are refusing Maharaji the right to evolve like any normal human being, and have persisted to make a point that what he is saying as he is nearing the age of fifty is not what he was saying as a child. | |||
| Detractors assert that Maharaji has ] the donors of voluntary contributions to the organizations that support his work by claiming to be lord ] almighty in person. They claim that some of his followers are so entrapped, ] and ]led that they give their inheritances and their money to a person that insists on only having the most expensive excessive lifestyle items. Some ex-followers say out that most, if not all, of his money has come from his followers, through individual donations or businesses. The Prem Rawat Foundation claims that Maharaji supports himself and his family through independent means.. | |||
| Ex-followers assert that Maharaji is now very wealthy. He now has access to many luxury goods that average USA citizens do not have, though he may not formally be the owner of these luxury good. , They say that he has milked his followers through ], though opinion differs on whether he is an actual con-artist, deliberately deceiving people, or whether he himself believes that he is indeed the ''satguru'' (true guru) of this age and that he is as deluded as his followers. According to the ] that support his work, he does not receive compensation for his public appearances. Suppoters point out that the organizations that support his work are non-for-profit organizations that are regularly audited, and say that ex-followers are engaing in a campaign of missinformation and hate towards Maharaji and his students. | |||
| ] claim that eyewitnesses among his detractors have published accounts of his regular drinking to excess, keeping a mistress, and smoking cigarettes; They also complains of alleged sexual misconduct by a former Indian instructor(]) named Jagdeo in the 1970's. They claim that the incident was reported in 1977 to but no action was taken . According to Elan Vital, they first received a complaint in 2000 and conducted an investigation immediately. As a result, the counterpart Indian organization filed a legal complaint against Jagdeo in 2001. Elan Vital states that they have adopted a strict sexual harassment policy and that representatives of the organization undergo compulsory training to understand and implement that policy. | |||
| Prem Rawat travels around the world in a ] V jet airplane (worth $45 million), alleged to be leased for his exclusive use. He has houses in ], ], and ]. Detractors assert that this expensive method of travel is subsidized by non-profit organizations around the world, as a business expense. Supporters claim that Maharaji is an accomplished pilot and that he flies the airplane and helicopter himself, reaching millions of people personally through his effort. They show the large number of public engagements and his relentless schedule as a proof of his committment to spread his message of peace. | |||
| To his detractors, Maharaji is the head of a ], who teaches platitudes and fluff, and lives off the gullibility and credulity of his followers. To his followers, he is a friend and guide providing ongoing inspiration and guidance .''See also ]'' | |||
| The late ], ], a prominent and controversial ], included the ''Divine Light Mission'' in her list of cults. On the other hand the ] speaks against the "internet-terrorism" tacticst used by the ], such as the ] use of the information and the ability of innuendo and hearsay to be amplified via the use of discussion forums, search engine spamming and other known ] techniques. | |||
| Maharaji is not new to controversy, when he was 4 years old and spoke in front of large audiences, detractors cliamed that he did not speak and was only moving his lips while a pre-recorded speech was heard over the PA system. ''See also'' ] | |||
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| See ] '''main article'' | |||
| ===Debating the allegations=== | |||
| Followers of Maharaji see the vocal critics of him as a small group of ex-followers, not representative of the many followers who have left silently and moved on. They reproach the vocal critics of repeatedly defaming, ]ling and ]ing Maharaji and his students. Some of these critics have left the practice of Knowledge 20 or more years ago and have not been in touch with this movement since then. The group of vocal critics justifies their campaign as "public service" although many of their activities have leapt, according to official websites, from mere criticism into outright ]s. | |||
| * Frequently asked questions about Maharaji, Knowledge and the organizations that support his work as well as rebuttals to ex-followers claims | |||
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| ==External Links== | |||
| ===Official and un-official websites=== | |||
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| ===Skeptics and opponents=== | |||
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| ===Maharaji in the Press=== | |||
| Newspaper and magazine articles about Maharaji | |||
| * In PDF format. Source: The Prem Rawat Foundation. | |||
| * Recent and historical (1970's) articles. Clipings and transcriptions. Source: Ex-followers website. | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 03:56, 27 June 2009
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