"The fact remains that if it weren't for his followers, other followers wouldn't have got ensnared, so we all should (there's that word again, Lexy! ) accept our share of the responsibility for Rawat getting to where he is."

Yes, I think it true that each person who has inducted someone else, or had some type of prominence or presence inside their own community should be prepared to discuss and help to evaluate the general phenomenon of Maharajism.

I myself 'brought' four people to Knowledge between 1981 and 1985.

Of these, two were followers of Krishna Consciousness, who lasted about 3 weeks in their involvement. The guy I met in the supermarket about 4 years back, before I absconded after Nottingham 2001, and he was so high and happy on 'Holy Name' (though he would not have used the term, just aware of it energy-wise) I felt quite humbled. He had no problems anywhere, he was just incredibly focused and without problems.

His wife, who was always more grounded, asked me cheerfully if I was still into the Maharishi (sic). I gently reminded her he was Maharaji.

The 3rd one was always quite cool after receiving K in 1981, obviously tuned into 'Holy Name' as she wished, and used to tell me how old premies had too many concepts.

I suspect if I met her now she might say she still focused on 'Holy Name' for a brief time if and when she fancied.

The 4th was a guy who had had mental problems, but used to meditate about 5 minutes a day which seemed to chill him out quite nicely, and maybe he still is like that nowadays.

I suppose that this may demonstrate a validity for a bit of meditation here and there, as it was largely proposed in that particular time, without Maharaji having been touted as the Lord but merely a facilitator of the same.

I have no idea how Knowledge is presented these days. Maybe it is just about feeling centred through some meditation, and looking to Maharaji for some inspiration, with which I don't feel I could really object.

The main problem seems to be the oldsters, who imbibed Maharaji as the Lord in human form, which was the major factor why we became involved.

Some people seem to have found some internal connection through meditation with a sense of deeper 'self' and benefit from this.

For them, which includes myself, we have maybe found something which may have also been available from many different sources, and so we are grateful.

The ones for whom I feel the greatest sympathy are those who seem not to have found anything valid and lasting from meditation, and for whom maybe every high or experience came only from attending an Event or a video.

At least people like myself can say I feel a connection with what seems internal soul which is not actually dependent on Maharaji, but is quite natural.

I guess this adds up to the notion that guys like Maharaji can be facilitators of something, but if they pretend to anything more then things can really go tits-up badly.

At the end of the day, I think that all these guys have been the same, including Jesus, giving a way to turn inside and feel hopefully more clued internally to a good and natural feeling.

Christians, for example, have been presented historically with a guy who was totally pristine and caring, despite his very obvious nuttiness in telling people e.g. that even a thought of seducing your neighbour's wife would lead to hell-fire.

They are all vulnerable, sometimes uplifting and at other times quite bizarre and ridiculously human.

Hopefully we can find some way from them of feeling attuned to something good within which blends well with our natural conscience.

If  not, then our natural soul and conscience remain in any case, regardless of any of them and available to us depending on our openness.

And if anyone disagrees with the basis of this post, well, that's all right too.