In which case, the only choice was whether or not to remain ignorant.

Here's an extract from a post I made back in July 03 to someone who went by the name of 'Fluster'. I think it's most relevant to this discussion too:

QUOTE
To your average Western premie brought up in a Judeo/Christian environment, the idea that God could manifest in human form was not exactly an unfamiliar one. However, the idea that we'd ever be around to see that happen "in the flesh" (in our own lifetime!) was a bit of a mind-blower. It's fair to say that, for many of us, it took quite a bit of courage to admit to that possibility.

As an aspirant in those days, it wasn't too difficult to attend enough satsang until a mahatma eventually deemed you ready enough to receive the "Knowledge". Only then, you were told, would you be in a position to judge who Maharaji really was - on the basis of the experience he gave. Like the book said: "By their fruits ye shall know them".

The clincher for me, as a fledgling premie, was after I'd accepted the possibility that he could be the Messiah. What choice did that leave me? No choice. Could I deal with being alive on Earth at the same time as the Chosen One - and yet not recognise Him?? Not follow Him???

That's when I asked myself if I could prove he wasn't the Messiah. And I couldn't. The biblical references (such as "and a little child shall lead them"), the experiences in meditation, the palpably blissful vibe around premies - all seemed to point to the undeniable conclusion that … "He" was among us! This train bound for glory! All abooooooooooooooard! Like the old song went: "If you want to go to heaven, Guru Maharaj JI takes you there … all my sins are taken away"! Roll up folks, and get your after-life insurance here!

What a trip.

Strange thing is, I didn't really get off on the evangelical fervour, in fact it was more of a turn-off. But, despite the occasional cringe, I managed to put up with it. Even joined an ashram. After all, what was the alternative? To refuse Him?

You say "we were all duped into thinking he (M) was a Messiah". Well, Rawat certainly made no attempt whatsoever to dissuade us from that illusion, even if not all the premies bought into the whole Messiah trip.

But there's no denying the fact that a lot of those older premies who have stuck with Maharaji over the years know for a fact how it was in the old days. And yet they can somehow sit back and pretend it never happened! What kind of so-called "master" encourages that? What kind of "master" deceives his new aspirants? What kind of "master" wants you to deceive yourself? Yet a lot of those older premies still believe him to be their "Messiah"!