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Old 6th February 2023, 03:05 AM   #1
steenkh
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Indian miracle guru confronted by skeptics

An Indian guru claims that he can heal all sorts of ailments, and he can read people’s minds. However, he is not unopposed:
Bageshwar Dham Sarkar: The Indian guru making headlines over 'miracle' cures
Quote:
Shyam Manav, who runs an anti-superstition movement through his organisation Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, offered to pay 3m rupees ($36,500; £30,000) if Mr Shastri correctly read the minds of 10 people chosen by him.
The challenge was made when Mr Shastri was holding a camp in the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra - the state where Mr Manav is based.
When Mr Shastri left the city without taking the challenge, some said he'd run away.
Various magicians and mentalists have also stood forward and claimed they could do the same as Mr Shastri, but without magic.

On the other hand, fraud pays:
Quote:
One of his schoolmates told BBC Hindi that a few years ago, Mr Shastri disappeared for a year. It was after his return that politicians and other influential people started visiting the temple to meet him.
"Until five years ago, he used to travel on motorbikes," he said.
Today, he travels in a convoy of a dozen cars and flies around, sometimes by private jets, in India and abroad.
He has gained the support of the ruling Hindu fanatics because he argues for making India a Hindu state.
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Old 6th February 2023, 07:36 AM   #2
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Just saw this on my Reddit feed… The long history of Indian “god men” is well known and the vibrant skeptical movement in that country is often shouted down by both religious and political figures.
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Old 6th February 2023, 09:33 AM   #3
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A holy baboo of the usual sort does the suckerfish on fundamentalist Hindu pols, and wottaya know? It pays!
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Last edited by sackett; 6th February 2023 at 09:35 AM.
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Old 6th February 2023, 09:34 AM   #4
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DP deleted.
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When I spoke out against the bullies, they called me woke.

When I lashed them with a length of chain, they called me sir.

Last edited by sackett; 6th February 2023 at 09:36 AM.
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Old 6th February 2023, 11:25 AM   #5
The Atheist
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Originally Posted by steenkh View Post
On the other hand, fraud pays:
As was it ever thus.

Having cabinet ministers on your side is a big help, though.

A bit of graft in the right direction is a good career move.
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Old 6th February 2023, 11:41 PM   #6
Susheel
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Originally Posted by Bikewer View Post
Just saw this on my Reddit feed… The long history of Indian “god men” is well known and the vibrant skeptical movement in that country is often shouted down by both religious and political figures.
They also get killed: Govind Pansare, Narendra Dhabolkar, M. M. Kalburgi; or have to flee the country: Sanal Edamaruku
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Old 7th February 2023, 04:41 PM   #7
dudalb
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Hinduism's Answer to Orel Roberts and Company.
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Old 14th February 2023, 11:08 PM   #8
Susheel
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Originally Posted by dudalb View Post
Hinduism's Answer to Orel Roberts and Company.
Hey...we perfected the art of the religious scam long before you guys did... In fact your Orel Roberts and Company eat dust in the wake of scamsters like Sai Baba, Nithyananda, Jaggi Vasudev and others
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Old 15th February 2023, 10:29 AM   #9
Spektator
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Originally Posted by dudalb View Post
Hinduism's Answer to Orel Roberts and Company.
Oral Roberts. You may be thinking of Moral Orel, but Roberts wasn't that.
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