Yes Jim I more or less agree, or, to be precise, I agree that that implication is clearly there.

And I am well aware of various other similar things Maharaji said or implied in the 1970s (which is why I initially quite clearly said to you: "don't worry, I'm not going to argue that black is white. I have been around since 1974, I listened a lot to Maharaji, and attended a lot of events, and read a lot of 'Divine Light' magazines, and other magazines, in the 1970s, and I understand the general point you are making.").

But I am being precise. (Please, #9, don't confuse me with anyone else. I speak only for myself. And other people do not speak for me.) I said I don't recall Maharaji ever saying that he is "God". In fact, from the time I got Knowledge in 1974, I was always very much aware of a distinction Maharaji often made between God and Satguru, or God and Perfect Master, or God and himself. For example, according to 'Divine Light' magazine, April 1972, Maharaji ("speaking to Western disciples, Prem Nagar, 24 November 1971") said:

"You know, I'll say this quite frankly that God is shy. He doesn't like to show Himself. He doesn't like to shout out, 'Hey, here I am, here I am, look at me'. So he utilises the help of Satguru. Suppose you take a high authority, let's say Elizabeth. Suppose by chance Elizabeth goes to jail and is locked in. Now Elizabeth possesses a million times more power, more authority than the jailer. Right? But without the help of the jailer she cannot come out. She is locked in, completely locked in. The Queen can't come out. This is what I want to tell you, it is a simple fact."

So I think Maharaji is clearly making a distinction there.

These terms "God", "Lord", "Saviour", "Satguru", etc., are not simple terms, and should not be assumed to be simple. For example, Christians refer to Jesus as "Lord" - so is that exactly synonymous with saying that Jesus is "God"? I don't think so, at least not according to the Bible:

"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good - except God alone.'" (Mark 10:17-18 - New International Version).

"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God." (Matthew 19:17 - King James Version)

"The Father is greater than I" (John 14:28).

"But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me." (John 14:31 NIV).

"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

I'm not saying that those quotations are actually the words Jesus actually said - whether or not the Bible is completely accurate is not the point - the point is that for thinking Christians (who believe the Bible is accurate or fairly accurate) the words "Lord" and "God" cannot be simplistically regarded as synonymous.

I'm explaining this just in case anyone thinks I am splitting hairs here, because I am definitely not. It's a very important point.

Maybe to some, most or all Hindus the terms "God" and "Lord" are synonymous. I don't know. I am not a Hindu. I am more of a Buddhist, and more of a liberal Christian. So to me those terms, "God" and "Lord", are not the same.

The terms "God" and "Lord" mean different things to different people. Maharaji is speaking to a much wider audience nowadays, than he was in the 1970s, (and he is not a Hindu now, if he ever was). So God only knows (!) what Maharaji means when he uses the term "God" - especially nowadays, speaking to a wider audience?!!! (And he deliberately doesn't use the term "God" very often nowadays)?!

Would YOU like to define what YOU mean when you use the term "God" (whether or not you believe in "God" - i.e. if you don't believe in "God", define what it is you don't believe in)?

And would YOU like to define what YOU mean when you use the term "Lord" (whether or not you believe in "a Lord" - i.e. if you don't believe in "a Lord", define what it is you don't believe in)?

Do you think your definitions would be the same as my definitions, or the same as Maharaji's definitions, or the same as the Archbishop of Canterbury's definitions, etc?

My point is that these are not simple terms, so no-one should be simplistic about them.

(I should have been in bed three hours ago!)

To be continued.