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“Why I Am A DEVOTEE

Posted by Ex-devotee Andries L. Krugers Dagneaux, ex-devotee, the Netherlands on the Quick Topic Baord

Message #611

07-09-2001 11:47 PM ET (US)

Here are 53 reasons that I have heard to remain a devotee. Some of them were my own thoughts that I marked with *. I sincerely hope that everybody can understand after reading this list that it can be an ardous task emotionally and intellectually to break with SSB and the SSB organization. Besides the list may give some insight into the psyche of a devotee.

Kind regards, Andries

1. The allegations are all lies by people who were for some reason or another frustrated about SSB or simply bribed.*

2. It's a test of faith. Now you have to stand strong and you will be rewarded.*

3. Somebody who can do miracles can't be a sinner. Ramakrishna, whom I respect highly, said this.*

4. The world is so perverted. People even see impure things in a pure person. *

5. It's just Kundalini Awakening. See also Ram Das Awle's website saibaba-and- sex-aclearview for other reasons why he does those things.*

6. Some alleged miracles may be sleight of hand but so what if a few are fake? Many real miracles remain that can't be explained rationally. And I know people that I trust have experienced them. Even some non-devotees have experienced miracles and some ex-devotees don't deny sometimes the miracles. * 7. Every avatar has his enemies. This must be the case as there can be no play without a villain as Ramakrishna wrote with regards to life of Chaitanya.*

8. I don't want to lose all my friends.

9. God can't be so cruel to allow that millions of devotees are deceived so long. If there is a loving God he wouldn't have allowed that this deceit would have affected so many good people for such a long time with regards to this important subject. As I believe in a loving God SSB can't be a fraud. This is a so called reductio ad absurdam proof.*

10. I believe in the concept of avatara. SSB looks so real. If he is not for real, then what other avataras were for real? If SSB is no avatara, then all the other must be fake too. As I don't believe that this is case, then SSB must be real too. Another reduction ad absurdam proof.*

11. I trust my own experiences with SSB and the SSB org. They are good. So I don't have to listen to other people's bad experiences.*

12. Where are all the new victims? I was told that many, many would pop up. But I hardly hear of any new ones under their real names.

13. Why give up a guru that clearly leads you to God? That's is just insane.* 14. The good things of SSB i.e. the spiritual instruction and the seva projects that he promotes outweigh by far the bad things that he may or may not have done.*

15. One knows a prophet his fruits according to the Bible. The fruits i.e. the seva projects by the SSB org, the Eduction in Human Values and the spiritual instructions are good so the prophet must be good too.*

16. Just after the crucifixion Jesus disciples were confused too. Just wait for the glorious comeback of the avatar. Present controversy are just passing clouds.*

17. This story about SSB being a hermaphrodite is just too crazy. So the rest must be untrue too.

18. There are quite a lot of intelligent and even wise persons in the SSB organization. I have met them personally. They all can't have been fooled too.*

19. I experienced such love in the ashram and in the SSB org. So SSB can't be bad.*

20. There are people even non-devotees who have seen a golden aura around SSB. This is a traditional symbol of holiness in Catholicism.*

21. SSB has helped me so much during difficult times. Why give up your only lasting, true friend? *

22. I have been in the SSB org so long and I know so many people and I don't know any victims.

23. Somebody who can write such beautiful discourse simply can't be bad. Such discrepancy in one person is just psychologically impossible.*

24. SSB saved my life when I prayed to him.

25. SSB gave me the perfect spiritual advice in a dream at a time when I most needed it and had prayed very much.*

26. It must be the will of God with SSB as his direct instrument that some devotees leave SSB.*

27. It is SSB's intention that devotees turn away from his form and worship the Formless instead. Because devotees are so intensely attached to the form of SSB it can only be done in a way that will create stong dislike of SSB. Otherwise it would not possible. That's why he does all this perverse sexual acts.*

28. I will not allow my beautiful, precious faith to be taken away by those frustrated ex-devotees who want to contaminate others with their frustration. I have the strong impression that they are not interested in doing seva or in religion, let alone doing sadhana. Besides they keep trying to push their message to me and other devotees even in improper ways. We, SSB devotees, don't proselytize. And take a look at the vulgar language in those discusion clubs. It is very clear who are the good guys and who the bad guys. If those ex-devotees don't believe anymore then that's their problem but don't bother me or the SSB org with it. Just go, go, go and keep quiet.*

29. David Bailey and Conny Larsson are pedophiles themselves who want to distract attention from their own crimes.

30. Don't give a guru before you have found a better one. And you haven't found a better one yet.*

31. The national organizations outside India don't do anything wrong so why bother about what happens in India. I'm a member of the national organization. Not a member of the Indian organization.*

32. I don't care about the allegations. The teachings and the bhajans help me in my life. Why bother about the allegations?*

33. I'm confident that the organization will investigate all the allegations themselves internally. Just be patient.

34. I don't think that those ex-devotees have become happier when they lost their faith. I would rather keep my faith and be happy.*

35. He has predicted all the calumny in the letter to his brother in 1947. A popular Indian guru naturally has a lot of enemies. A great tree attracts the wind.*

36. A disciple doesn't need to doubt the authenticity guru. In the same way as a child doesn't need to ask whether his mother is really his mother. And didn't SSB said that he is mother and father and even more? His love is like 1000 mothers.*

37. Doubt is ceaseless torture as SSB said so you should suppress all your doubts. Doubt will only make you unhappy.*

38. I felt such love in the interview room when I was in SSB's presence.

39. A good friend had the feeling that 'All was God after the interview'. Only a a true Saint can convey this feeling.*

40. I had an intense divinely inspired dream in which SSB said to me that the allegations were not true.

41. I have a very good contact with God through my inner voice. My inner voice told me that all the allegations were not true.

42. I have alrady tested the guru when I accepted him. You should stick to your decision once you have made one. Similar to why it may not be good to reconsider your marriage.*

43. Have you seen the devotion of the locals in Puttaparthi? I have heard that they had all physically followed SSB once recently. They wouldn't do so if they believed that SSB weren't genuine. And who knows better than the locals? 44. If I leave who will be doing all the good work i.e. seva. If I leave this may stop too. And that would be a big shame.*

45. Some people trust me that I have good reason for what I do so if I leave I will upset other people and I don't want that.*

46. One should trust the innernet (introspection, prayer and meditation) for religion. Not the internet. Anyone can open a web page and write all vulgar rubbish.

47. Jesus said that one should seek the Kingdom of God first. I have clearly done that so I must have come closer to God too. So SSB must be real. It would be very unfair of God if SSB were not real after doing so much effort and sacrifice.*

48. I have thought longer and deepers about religion than my family members. So it would be very strange if they were right and I was wrong.*

49. If the allegations are true then I don't want to live anymore because then the world is so strange. And I want to continue living. So it can be true.

50. This is just similar to those sick people who wrote The Satanic Verses, Kali's Child and The Last Temptation of Christ. Those people are moths that eat both the cloth of an expensive sari as well a very cheap cloth. i.e. they criticize everything regardless whether it is precious or not.*

51. I feel so guilty and unthankful when I doubt SSB. He has given me so much. 52. Of course SSB doesn't do any sexual acts. Please re-read what he has said about lust. So he can't have possibly commited any sexual acts.

53. SSB is God. He knows what He is doing.