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that such an end could happen. As long as one person is considered to be beyond criticism, then the "group think" can lead to suicide or homicide or whatever else the leader of that group declares should happen. I used to worry about it when I was in the cult -- would he ever ask us to do something like that? I kept saying he wouldn't, but the indications are that anything could happen if he was cornered. It is just dangerous for any adult to allow another another human being to make the decisions for their life.
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That's an excellent website. When I looked at some of the photos, I noticed the image of bodies lying below Jones's chair. Above his chair is the sign that said, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." On November 18, 1978, I was living in the Hartford, Connecticut Divine Light Mission ashram. When the Jonestown mass-murder occurred some of us discussed whether or not we, as devotees and ashram premies of Maharaji (which meant he owned us), would murder or commit suicide at his request. I don't remember anyone saying flat out "No, I wouldn't obey him." I do remember lots of ashram premies saying "...but Maharaji would never ask that of us." I remember telling myself that murder and suicide were where I drew the line in obeying Maharaji's agya -- I'd never do that for him. I kept that thought to myself, but felt confident I could refuse Maharaji should he ever make that request of me. By April of 1979, however, I was living at the Broadripple Ashram of Divine Light Mission in Miami Beach, which was the place where all DECA premies, full-time DLM headquarter premies, and Mahatmas and Initiators, lived. All of us were horribly sequestered from the real world most of the time. There were no non-premies involved in the operation of DECA, the ashram, nor DLM. The DECA schedule was to go to Hialeah, Florida first thing in the morning, then come back to the Broadripple, attend satsang, and then meditate after singing arti -- every day. The only human contact any of us premies had was with other premies or Maharaji himself. I can honestly say that DECA can be described as a cult compound, much like Jonestown was a cult compound, because even though we were in southern Florida, very few of us ever dealt with outsiders. And at DECA, Maharaji was there every day, day in and day out. I can now see why Bob Mishler was so concerned about speaking out about his concerns about Maharaji and premies after Jonestown occurred. I've marked my calendar to watch this documentary.
Modified by Cynthia at Wed, Mar 14, 2007, 09:09:07
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http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/jonestown This is a link to a radio program done in 1979 about Jonestown. It is a compilation of tapes from Jonestown, and tells the story of Peoples Temple. Jones had everything taped there. He gave long, rambling monologues into the dark jungle night, telling people they could not escape. He pitted family member against family member. It is a chilling, haunting radio show, which you will remember for a long time to come. I urge you to listen to it. Marianne
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It is scary but if rawat asked a premie to do something evil, they would probably consider it an honor to do it for him. Already so many things have been done, and cover-ups for those things, that I don't doubt for a moment, that some of the premies are in thrall enough to do harm to others or themselves. Right now they only use words against others -- like calling exes a "hate group", putting up websites that slander exes and contacting empoyers and harassing exes. But that alone proves to me that rawat has them under his control, and that they would conceivably do "anything" for him. It is scary.
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>But that alone proves to me that rawat has them under his control, and that they would conceivably do "anything" for him.< While I don't doubt that 'control' still operates within Rawat's following, I think that it is inaccurate to suggest that the control is monolithicly exercised by, or that it is even created by Rawat. It seems to me that there are plenty of string pullers in the Rawat cult who are keen to play puppet master to the lesser premiedom. Rawat certainly sets the 'scene' with the inner circle but when it comes to to the dirty work of dealing with the 'grunts', that's down the 'inspiration' of others. And the point about suicide bombers is surely not that they act out of mere religious belief - but that they are responding to a real or perceived sense of oppression. And that (a perceived sense of opression)is certainly what some of the premie fanatics are driven by - they see ex premies as 'oppressing' Rawat's divine mission. Even if Rawat were to share the more paranoid views of the premie fanatics, I can't see him ever getting down in the dirt and sharing a terminal experience coolade with or handing out the weaponary of armageddon to, the low level members of his cult. N
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Even if Rawat were to share the more paranoid views of the premie
fanatics, I can't see him ever getting down in the dirt and sharing a
terminal experience coolade with or handing out the weaponary of
armageddon to, the low level members of his cult.
I don't think that's likely either. What I could see, maybe, is a Prince Binendra of Nepal scenario, an inner circle psycho pulp fiction type existential nightmare freakout, but even that might be a little far fetched, though if it came to pass I'd laugh, not cry.
What is certain is that his heirs will have the devil of a job sorting out the inheritance.
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I agree that he does not appear to be at all suicidal, but he is a coward (bicycle accident in India) and does not feel accountable for his own actions. He also tacitly approves the actions of those close to him (like Fakiranand and Jagdeo) because he does not take action against them. I think he is also slightly paranoid, but the premies are the ones who are obsessed - with pleasing him at all costs. He does not have to "pull any strings" to get people to do things for him - he merely has to suggest that he might like a certain thing done, and many rush to fulfill his slightest desire. Sometimes they even take things upon themselves without his awareness, because they think it would be in his interests - this is dangerous too. I have been personally affected by the hate-group known as premies. I grant that not all premies belong to their hater-group, but those who do are nasty and vicious in their attempts to stop all criticism of rawat. They can't do anything to me any more, but there was a time when I was afraid of their actions (with good reason). Rawat does not encourage compassion or good-will towards others, so he is also responsible (in my opinion) for the ill-will and bad behavior of his followers.
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Yes, it can feel scary, especially when someone contacts an employer and makes an accusation out of the blue that you're in a hate-group. Or you Google your name and bingo! "Hate-group." In America, hate-groups are the Ku-Klux-Klan, skin heads, neo-Nazis, gay baiters, and anti-semitics, and other extremists, not those of us who talk about our time being in a personality cult lead by Prem Rawat. And if violence is included in the definition of hate-group, it's premies who have threatened my life and wished me and other exes dead, not the opposite. The atmosphere at DECA was the closest that I can describe to an isolated, large cloister of premies that did anything Maharaji wanted, that's similar to Jonestown. I've read extensively about Jim Jones. The similarities between Jones and Rawat are absolutely chilling and shocking. Looking back at DECA, I can now see how Rawat could have, if the circumstances were similar then to Jonestown, -- a Congressman or Senator, the FAA, concerned relatives of premies, coming into the complex at the request of Concerned Relatives and media -- I can see how something as tragic could have happened at DECA. The potential was absolutely there. It was such an intense place. At the very least, all of us ashram premies would have been scattered to the wind (parts north!) in the blink of an eye and there would have been some very serious paper shredding going on. Christ, the DECA documents filing system was so well coded (very convoluted) it was known that it took a new comer a full month to understand how to file something! Paranoia. I don't know how things are run now in the cult because I'm not there, but I don't believe the power Rawat has over others has much changed. Look at how easy it was for him and his inner circle to incorporate the belief system into true-believers that ex-premies are a hate-group. I think in part the motive in doing so was to silence new ex-premies and keep the quiet ones in their place, for fear of being labeled as such. That's a lot of power. I don't fear it his power because I'm way beyond that, but I understand the fear some people might have to come out and talk about it publicly.
Modified by Cynthia at Wed, Mar 14, 2007, 18:38:55
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The atmosphere at DECA was the closest that I can
describe to an isolated, large cloister of premies that did anything
Maharaji wanted, that's similar to Jonestown. I've read extensively
about Jim Jones. The similarities between Jones and Rawat are
absolutely chilling and shocking.
I can see that absolutely, & finding out about the place was the final nail in the coffin for me, belief wise. I have to thank you, especially, for bringing this story to the light of day, & just wish that others who were there would put in their two pennyworth.
Maybe one day they'll realise just what an outrageous thing was done, & speak up.
Without a doubt DECA, more than the multitude of individual anecdotes which show him in a much less favourable light than the front he puts out to the public, is proof positive that Rawat is an egomaniac of world class proportions.
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I wish others were more willing to come forward, but it really was a difficult situation, and the facts are hard to prove. Lots of exes wrote to me several years ago, but that was in confidence. I've been working on a lengthy piece about DECA for many years, for EPO. I just can't spend much time on it without getting emotionally sick, so it's still a work in progress. I have a weak constitution when it comes to writing about DECA. Every so often I feel brave and pull the documents up, write, revise, etc., feel like puking and put it away. It'll get done some day.
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Yeah, it sucked. People spending too much time coming and going from Miami Beach to Hialeah and back and forth in shabby transportation; and the food in the to-go sytrofoam containers, day after day, eaten twice daily by the over-tired sleep deprived workers. (Just the makings for an industrial accident.) Little sleep at the dank ashram--a salvaged hotel in a sorry beach location (in the middle of a traffic island on Collins Ave.). Some porridge and a banana, then back to work at the airplane refurbishment factory. I saw it all, though i was a part-time volunteer from the community at the time, thank god, not a full-time ashram workerbee. Them peoples looked droppy and unhealthy.. . But what a devotee heaven-on-earth setting: The practice sessions with the Holi gun in the courtyard, the constant Darshan. What more could a devotee ask for? The Hindi Aussie Jesters singing bahjans in a recording studio. One Foundation, rock stars, lighting it up. (How about a week on the beach? or two consecutive good nights of sleep? You poor kids looked bushed.). The cowlicks and wing surfaces of stainless steel were the brightest thing this side of the Sun. As shiny as his Lotus Feet in the those wide brown loafers. He simled with delight at one worker with steel dust around the outline of his smiling face and dangilng facemask...kneeling, palms folded on the gleaming Boeing 707 wing, the devotee/airmechanic and his pilot (his Lord, his all to him) beaming at each other. It was a glorious scene. (Hey,Snap out it, OTS!) I disagree with disorganiziation comment. I saw excellent FAA recordkeeping. I don't feel like getting my back up so much about the "hate group" mudthrowing; don't count it as a real threat. It is clear who has taken the high road /low road in this debate on the use of such an inaccurate term. But be my guest. Perhpas, Cynthia, just drop the idea of further writings on DECA by you, as a somatic flash back to that horrible air at that warehouse could upset you greatly you seem to say. DECA's over. Gone. Anyone who was there knows all about it. And thanks to your posts (and Joe's and others) of at least six years, you've told the world. I was there and agree with the thrust of your description. Howeve, do I think a visit from gov't officials would have prompted the opening of the kool-aid packets? NO. I think Rawat, just wants his toys. Tha's it. Strict materialism addicition. And perhaps the occasional ice cream cone, like when we all were at HoJo's on I-95 over thirty years ago one sunny day having a butter pecan cone with that slick-haired Lord of the Universe travelling teen pagent (and the flowing robes and flying head covering of this laughing mother -- the Mother of all Creation-- Jagatjani Mataji [ki jai]). Ah. But, my, how his tastes have grown. I don't want to fly and sail and drive all over. Why do you, Prem? Was it the little town you grew up in in India? Was it seeing television? Harrod's Dept. Store, as Mike Finch claims?
Modified by OTS at Sat, Mar 17, 2007, 10:16:48
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I disagree with disorganiziation comment. I saw excellent FAA recordkeeping. I agree, actually. The record keeping was impeccable. The filing system was set up to be impenetrable by outsiders, so it was based on a convoluted numbering/color coding system so that if say, someone broke into the office, they would have a very hard time figuring out where anything was. I never saw anything like it up to that point or since! The hangar had mountains of paperwork because of the FAA inspections. Once, they sent me over there for a week to straighten it all out and get everything filed properly. I was in Miami for over a year and never spent one day on the beach to lay around and catch sun and surf and play. It was crazy, that's for sure.
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