1. I think Rawat made conflictiing comments about his relation to God, like many other spiritual "saviours". This allowed him a certain wriggle room. It opened the door for people to believe that he was divinity in human form without pinning him down. What I do absolutely think is that from the time he arrived in the West until at least 1982, his actions and words encouraged the belief in most of his followers that he was some kind of avatar – God in human form. Whatever that is. Certainly he was not saying he was just a regular bloke like you and me.

2. This God debate is largely one of semantics. How do you define God? Obviously if one defines God as perfect and pure energy, as Rawat does in these quotes, then he is not talking about himself nor any other human being. I'm not convinced that Rawat always used this definition, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now and say he did. He then made a distinction between God as energy and the Lord, Satguru, Perfect Master, etc. as divinity in human form who can put you in contact with God inside you. I can live with this distinction. The question is, can you admit as much? Rawat certainly and without a shadow of a doubt put himself in a category separate and above the rest of us.