Dear Miami Herald,
I am writing to verify that you are aware that Miami-Dade College is sponsoring a talk given by Prem Rawat, who is better known as Guru Maharaj Ji. Mr. Rawat was known in the 70s for his devotees called premies, his flamboyant costumes and extremely luxurious lifestyle. While touting himself as the Perfect Master ( a living messiah ) he had 15,000 followers in the Miami Beach Convention center line up to kiss his feet and sprayed colored water over his followers at the Orange Bowl. Mr. Rawat encouraged his followers to lead a life of austerity and turn all their worldly goods over to him. Many young people gave trust funds and abandoned educations to join the ashrams which functioned as a monastic order in this cult. Mr. Rawat is known for the extravagant way he spent the money given to him by his followers- he had and has multimillion dollar homes on several continents, and travels between them on personal Gulfstream jet.
Many former followers of this man have worked to maintain a website about the metamorphosis of this cult so that unsuspecting recruits can be privy to the past Mr. Rawat works to conceal. It also functions as a support group for those of us who have been unfortunate enough to fall for this man's deception. I myself was a thirteen year old Miami resident when I joined his cult in 1975.
I am shocked that Miami Dade would entrust public funds to sponsor this man. I am angered that he may be able to use the college's name to gain legitimacy. Apparently, this is a main goal of his cult these days- to gain societal credibility and legitimacy. They have rented halls from Harvard University and Nova University and then sent out press releases that Mr. Rawat was invited to speak at these institutions. They have some bogus association with the United Nations that they have gained by similar methods.
There are huge ethical questions to be asked about a public institution endorsing this man. The obvious is just that he runs a cult, and cults prey on college age idealistic young people. But less obvious is the separation between church and state. Elan Vital is a registered church for tax purposes. Is it appropriate for Miami Dade to sponsor the head of a "church" particularly one that is actively trying to hide it's true religious nature? Since this is a public college should citizens have a right to know the college is promoting such a person with their tax dollars?
I am enclosing links to assist your research of this matter. I urge you to look into your own archives as well to confirm this man's history in Miami.
Please feel free to contact me by email or phone
Thank you,
Susan Haupt
