AGREE?

Guru Maharaj Ji... In 1973 he claimed to have some 7 million disciples around the world, including 60,000 in the U.S. "; pg. 148: "By the time he was twelve, he was making converts by the thousands at his Divine Light Ashram on the banks of the Ganges. That year, 1969...

Petersen, William J. Those Curious New Cults in the 80s. New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing (1982); pg. 146.

[followers of Guru Maharaj Ji] "By 1973 there were forty to fifty thousand followers called 'premies' in the United States. About six hundred of them lived full-time in the Divine Light Mission communal ashrams, with 300 in the Denver commune. "

Judin, James A. & Marcia R. Rudin. Prison or Paradise: The New Religious Cults; Fortress Press: Philadelphia (1980); pg. 63

"In 1976, the Divine Light Mission cut back its operation until only five U.S. ashrams were operating. The movement was decentralized and democratized. "

Petersen, William J. Those Curious New Cults in the 80s. New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing (1982); pg. 152.

"Divine Light Mission. The American organization of the Guru Maharaj Ji (b. 1958)... During the early 1970s he attracted extensive media coverage in the United States, but disputes with members of his family weakened his influence.

Crim, Keith (ed.). The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions. San Francisco: Harper Collins (1989). Reprint; originally pub. as Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, 1981; pg. 227

[followers of Guru Maharaj Ji] "According to the Mission's own estimates there are presently about ten to fifteen thousand premies in the United States and 1.2 million throughout the world. "

Rudin, James A. & Marcia R. Rudin. Prison or Paradise: The New Religious Cults; Fortress Press: Philadelphia (1980); pg. 66

"The [Divine Light] Mission has reportedly initiated over 50,000 people, but only a few thousand remain in the chain of ashrams that now dot the nation. "

Long, Robert Emmet (ed.). Religious Cults in America (The Reference Shelf: Volume 66 Number 4), New York: The H. W. Wilson Co. (1994). [Orig. source: Article by J. Gordon Melton. From appendix A of The Cult Experience, Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press (1982)]; pg. 90

"The Divine Light Mission grew quickly in the early seventies but suffered a severe setback in 1973 [Houston Astrodome event]. In the late seventies the Mission became a low-key organization and stopped its attempts at mass appeal. Recently, Maharaj Ji quietly moved to Miami. The Mission has reportedly initiated over 50,000 people, but only a few thousand remain. "

Melton, J. Gordon & Robert L. Moore. The Cult Experience: Responding to the New Religious Pluralism. New York: The Pilgrim Press (1984 [3rd printing; 1st printing 1982]); pg. 142.

[followers of Guru Maharaj Ji] "According to the Mission's own estimates there are presently about ten to fifteen thousand premies in the United States and 1.2 million throughout the world. "

"General membership numbers appox. 1.2 mil. worldwide, with 50,000 in U.S. There is a core group of 3000 active members ... "

Palmer, Spencer J. & Roger R. Keller. Religions of the World: A Latter-day Saint View, Brigham Young University: Provo, Utah (1990); pg. 95

"DIVINE LIGHT MISSION: a modern HINDU MISSIONARY movement founded by Shri Hans MAHARAJJI (?-1966) which came to the West in 1971 under the leadership of his son the 13 year old GURU Maharajji (1959-). After initial success and extensive media coverage, the movement floundered due to mounting debts and internal strife. The movement is an offshoot of the Sant Mat, a SIKH SECT strongly influenced by HINDUISM. "

*LINK* Hexham, Irving. Concise Dictionary of Religion. Carol Stream, USA: InterVarsity Press (1994). (v. online 6 Oct. 1999)

The Divine Light Mission grew quickly in the early seventies but suffered a severe setback in 1973 [Houston Astrodome event]. In the late seventies the Mission became a low-key organization and stopped its attempts at mass appeal. Recently, Maharaj Ji quietly moved to Miami. The Mission has reportedly initiated over 50,000 people, but only a few thousand remain. "

Melton, J. Gordon & Robert L. Moore. The Cult Experience: Responding to the New Religious Pluralism. New York: The Pilgrim Press (1984 [3rd printing; 1st printing 1982]); pg. 142.