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21st April 2011, 10:10 PM | #1 |
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Sai Baba
I was just curious if any of you have encountered followers of Sathya Sai Baba. My step-grandmother actually moved to India to follow this man, and while she seems to be doing fine, I find it quite alarming. She has always been a bit "out there", but I think she has finally gone over the edge. I hear her talking about how he magically makes small pieces of jewelry and magic ash, and honestly I am at a loss for words. I feel like it is impossible to directly confront her about it because I don't want to upset her and lose contact, but I am a bit worried.
Do any of you have advice about how to perhaps plant a seed of skepticism in her mind, or do any of you have personal experiences with these followers? It seems pretty tame from what she talks about and the wiki page, but I'm afraid that she can now easily be sucked into a more dangerous "cult" since she is so far into this following. |
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21st April 2011, 10:14 PM | #2 |
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She moved to India to become the devotee of a parlor trick guru?
I'm sorry, but it sounds like she's long gone. |
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21st April 2011, 10:19 PM | #3 |
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Maybe if you could learn how to do the same parlor trick and show her?
Randi probably knows how he does it. |
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21st April 2011, 10:20 PM | #4 |
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it's already been done. Sorcar is the big name magician in India, and he's a bit of a debunker as well:
http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20001204/cover3.shtml |
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21st April 2011, 10:25 PM | #5 |
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This is actually a really good idea. It wouldn't be a direct attack but I could casually show her a trick I learned and maybe explain it. It might help! Do you know if anybody has a link to an explanation as to how to do it? I don't want to inundate her with arguments so this might be perfect.
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Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars - mere globs of gas atoms. I, too, can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them. But do I see less or more? -Richard P. Feynman |
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21st April 2011, 10:27 PM | #6 |
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Look up.
eta: You'll need plenty of practice with palming techniques and the like that any how-to magic book can describe. |
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If people needed video games to live, a national single payer plan to fund those purchases would be a great idea. |
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21st April 2011, 10:28 PM | #7 |
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Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars - mere globs of gas atoms. I, too, can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them. But do I see less or more? -Richard P. Feynman |
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21st April 2011, 11:03 PM | #8 |
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It is my understanding that Sai Baba performs the trick of making jewelery appear out of "thin air" by means of palming. I remember seeing a video of Sai Baba, (taken secretly of course), of him being given a black box, (a gift or something), and palming a piece of jewelery from under the box and then making it appear out of "thin air" over his head. It is blatant and disgusting.
No words can describe the loathing I feel for this fraud, and those who aid him in his fraud. |
22nd April 2011, 12:18 AM | #9 |
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22nd April 2011, 12:22 AM | #10 |
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22nd April 2011, 12:54 AM | #11 |
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Have you ever browsed the Graham Hancock forums?! Actually, I'm a loyal member of the site, because it's the first one I 'discovered' - at a time when I didn't know such things existed! - and there have been, and still are, of course, some excellent posters there with a wide variety of down-to-earth, sensible, practical, philosophical and scientific views from whom I've learnt a great deal. There are others, however, who are obviously kind, lovely people, but who are so immersed in reading the books about Indian gurus and yogis, convinced that they have access to some higher level because they have spent years meditating in certain ways and communicating with spirits, etc, that I don't think they will ever change. They know, however, what my views - always presented with courtesy I hasten to add - are!! (I'm Susan Doris there by the way.)
Sadly, though, I'm sorry I have no advice to offer. |
22nd April 2011, 01:15 AM | #12 |
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Yeah, that reminds me to add: I doubt that showing her how the tricks are done will actually convince her that he's a fraud, but you can say you tried. Strongly religious people almost always find ways to dismiss the evidence if they want to continue to be a believer.
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22nd April 2011, 02:38 AM | #13 |
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I've had no direct experience with the Sai Baba organisation. However what I've heard over the years has lead me to consider it a pieceful moderate group.They produce some very good insence. I've been using it for twenty years, you can't get anything better outside India.
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22nd April 2011, 03:06 AM | #14 |
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The little con-man is currently in (a very expensive) hospital with very serious kidney issues and high blood pressure. With any luck, he will pop his clogs soon, and the lieutenants will start shooting each other for a share of the money. Then all his deceived followers can just go home.
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22nd April 2011, 04:04 AM | #15 |
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hi
bbc documentary on sai baba. the secret swami. http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...0320034777862# lxxx |
22nd April 2011, 04:10 AM | #16 |
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22nd April 2011, 04:53 AM | #17 |
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I know a guy who does have a lot of experience with talking people out of this kind of thing. His name is Rick Ross, he is a widely respected, legendary cult expert. He has a help page on his website. Also, check out white paper on how he does it.For instance one tip is that the longer you can keep the process going for, 3-4 days, the more likely that she'll agree to leave. You have to get people to follow new rules of processing information somehow.
She's probably reasonably safe and sound but I'd do anything to get my grandma away from Sai Baba. The dude should have been put in jail. I think deceiving people and running a cult should be illegal. There is so much more to life, it's certainly a crime against humanity. |
22nd April 2011, 05:01 AM | #18 |
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If you are going to try that route, then practice is the key. Get it wrong and she will not be convinced, but get it right and she might.
Practice as often as possible, so that mind and muscle memory can almost do it on autopilot without you even thinking about it. Preferably in front of a mirror, so that you can see what she will see. |
22nd April 2011, 09:24 AM | #19 |
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Thank you everybody for all your information, I will check out the links! Sadly, only recently did I really realize how caught up in this she was. I first heard her talk about it when I was younger and more impressionable, so I never thought to do research on my own. It's not easy to contact her in India, I'm not even sure if she has a phone. I don't want her trip home to be full of intervention attempts, but I will definitely use your links and suggestions to try to at least do SOMETHING.
You are right about having to get the magic right. I guess if I can't do it well enough I can perhaps show her a video of somebody doing the trick and explaining it. She will probably just say "but Sai Baba doesn't use illusions" or something, but I have to try. She's been safe and sound so far, but since her move to India I just worry since it is harder to keep tabs on her. She is a very nice lady and she doesn't deserve to be conned like this. |
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Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars - mere globs of gas atoms. I, too, can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them. But do I see less or more? -Richard P. Feynman |
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22nd April 2011, 09:25 AM | #20 |
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Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars - mere globs of gas atoms. I, too, can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them. But do I see less or more? -Richard P. Feynman |
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22nd April 2011, 07:01 PM | #21 |
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22nd April 2011, 07:37 PM | #22 |
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A few years ago I had a friend suffering from cancer.She believed,and went to India to see Sai Baba....she came back and said.."When I SAW him, I knew that my cancer was cured "....I'm sorry for my friend.Nothing would change her belief in this trickster...It's difficult to change people's opinion sometimes,even when they are shown it's all just trickery....
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23rd April 2011, 07:13 AM | #23 |
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Has she had her cancer cure confirmed? If not, wish her all the best.
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23rd April 2011, 07:40 AM | #24 |
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I once saw Sai Baba described as someone who makes jewelry appear for rich people and makes ashes appear for poor people. For me, that just about says it all right there.
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23rd April 2011, 09:32 AM | #25 |
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23rd April 2011, 10:52 AM | #26 |
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This links to Sai Baba's exposed trickery. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyZ5NI_QjXw
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23rd April 2011, 02:05 PM | #27 |
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I just watched the whole BBC video of that bastard. Maybe his egg trick was more impressive back when he was willing to swallow and regurgitate (if that ever happened), but the incident on video is a pathetic napkin load:
(starts at 32:00) http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...0320034777862# He doesn't even open his mouth wide enough for a gold egg to pop out. Just a little drooling and suddenly there it is in the napkin. The debunker guy who follows is more convincing. |
23rd April 2011, 02:29 PM | #28 | |||
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Not sure exactly what is going on and not wishing to endorse violence but if Sia Baba had got some of this attitude early on then things could have been very different.
Fake Babas beaten up by angry mobs:
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23rd April 2011, 02:41 PM | #29 | |||
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I think this is a report with one of the 'fake' Babas from in prison. I guess the language is Urdu or Punjabi or another Indian language. Can anyone shed light on what he is saying?
Baba Surjit Singh - Offical Statement to Sikh Sangat (from Patiala Prison):
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23rd April 2011, 05:04 PM | #31 |
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But he makes rocking incense! I'm as pleased as punch.
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23rd April 2011, 05:16 PM | #32 |
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23rd April 2011, 05:21 PM | #33 |
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sorry. just had to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBrYWu4S3O0 a guy keeping his hand above his head! crazy stuff. lxxx |
23rd April 2011, 11:32 PM | #34 |
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24th April 2011, 01:06 AM | #35 |
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24th April 2011, 01:12 AM | #36 |
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GOOD NEWS!
SAI BABA IS DEAD! http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-n...424-1dstm.html I am reminded of a Bob Dylan song: And I hope that you die And your death'll come soon I will follow your casket In the pale afternoon And I'll watch while you're lowered Down to your deathbed And I'll stand over your grave Til I'm sure that you're dead. The world is now a better place. |
24th April 2011, 02:40 AM | #37 |
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24th April 2011, 04:44 AM | #38 |
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Anyone up for a double bill here - somewhere in Kansas!!!
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24th April 2011, 05:08 AM | #39 |
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One dead, one waiting in the wings to take his place.
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24th April 2011, 03:24 PM | #40 |
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Apparantly, he had $9 billion when he died. Oh, and the news articles mention some philanthropy. I guess if you have many billions you can afford to give a little of it away. It's really just a kind of business expense for those in the religion business. Window dressing.
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