http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/9252439/indian-spiritual-guru-sai-baba-dies/
I feel bad about this - only because my first thought was YAY! I dislike that fact that someones pain and passing makes me want to celebrate.
The dude was seriously evil though
Why the hate? (Serious question - I’ve never heard of the man).
Sez here he got a number of hospitals and schools and public health projects built, and not only in India. That’s good, right?
Also sez he got a lot of people to think he was divine through his skill in doing magic tricks (sort of like doing a disappearing act? - happy Easter, btw). But what’s the problem there, unless he also lined his own pockets with contributions like so many other charlatan preachers? Was that it?
Maybe. Unless it’s like Mother Teresa, and most of the money went elsewhere.
Well, isn’t being a fraud bad in itself? And I note his Wiki page claims he’s been accused of abusing several followers. I found mention of one such story here:
And he told his followers not to use the Internet to avoid accusations against him, which strikes me as outright cult leader behavior.
On the whole, he looks like the standard predatory religious fraud who goes unconvicted because everyone including the courts bends over backward to show deference to him because he couches his fraud in religious terms.
I have met several followers of Sai Baba, and they were all well-educated, peaceful and gentle men.
And? Does preying on “well-educated, peaceful and gentle men” make him better?
It just wouldn’t be a thread with a religious element without Der Trihs coming in to snipe.
Dude, it’s a thread for sniping on the dead guy. You did see where the OP said “the guy was seriously evil”, right?
And while he can sometimes take it to extremes, has he said anything here that isn’t completely accurate?
Good incense, if nothing else.
It’s one of those things people try to get away with when they don’t like something Der Trihs says. Like when someone willingly goes back and forth with DtC and then accuses him of directing an episode of The Dio Show.
Sai Baba? Related to Ali Baba? Inventor of Baba Ganoush? Never 'eard of 'em.
In a class on Indian mysticism, I once watched a video on Sai Baba which exposed his “miracles” (by use of hidden cameras) as stage magic (If I recall correctly, he was pulling “sacred ash” out of a hidden compartment in a statue or something and then “materializing” it for his audience).
My impression of him was essentially that his miracle working was fraudulent (which should go without saying), but that he was somewhat of a noble fraud since he used it for a lot of really good causes.
The sex abuse allegations, I don’t know how to evaluate because I don’t know if they’re true. He was definitely capable of some megalomaniacal levels of self-aggrandizment, though (while simultaneously claiming to be humble, of course).
ETA there were also persistent rumors that he was a hermaphrodite. Not a moral consideration, but odd.
So, another religious huckster is dead? And he possibly/probably abused some people along the way?
The OP in this thread was pretty seriously lacking.
My brother if a believer in Sai Baba. He’s actually been to India. He’s also a loon(my brother).
My brother also believes in Edgar Cayce.
Did I say my brother is a loon?
But, in his defense, he’s the most gentle, caring, peaceful person in my family. Just doesn’t live in the real world.
Sometimes I think I’d be willing to trade the real world for gentle, caring and peaceful. I try, but it seems like I’m always angry.
So long as his flock keeps working their fingers to the bone cranking out that sweet, sweet Nag Champa, I can’t manage to get upset.
Sai Baba is a weird dichotomy, like many religious men. Sure he has many good things under his belt, but he’s also a shyster and a total fraud in his ‘miracles’.
Something I sent in an e-mail to a friend:
Sai Baba was the second self-proclaimed prophet in this line. He called himself the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, who actually seemed more legit in that he really seemed to be more of an ascetic, scorning material things.
Satya did a few good things, like building hospitals and such, but he also was hounded by sexual abuse scandals, not to mention that his ‘miracles’ were proven to be fakes. But people still believe, and most of India is mourning for this old hack.
My aunts are/were HUGE worshipers of his. They had gone to see him, and they had ashes, which are called Vibhuti, that they would bless themselves with every day. I see on wiki that Vibhuti is mainly comprised of cow dung, which I did not know, and which is disgusting, and which just goes to show that religion will shit all over you!!! 
Anyway they are probably all heartbroken and think it’s a sign of their continuing degrading fortunes (most of which is their own fault).
I called my dad yesterday - yesterday was the one-year anniversary of my mom dying. I asked him if he called them, and he said no, he figured if he said anything about Sai Baba they’d just think he was being sarcastic, since he has not been shy about his disbelief in this charlatan before. I have been with them and just remained silent about the whole thing. You can’t change people’s beliefs. I remember every time they got in the car they’d pray to him and put ashes on all of our heads and now I am like…eek, you put cow poo on my head? Assholes.
Dude did rock a cool 'fro, though, so at least there’s that.
Not that I m defending Sai Baba (hate the guy), but to hate on a religion because you find ashes from cowdung offensive speaks to severe lack of knowledge of the culture.
Vibhuti is a big part of the Hindu religion in lots of different parts of India and has been so for centuries. I am sure there are parts to everyone’s life that some others find offensive,