The number of true devotees
From truelight007 on:
Sathya Sai Baba Discussion Club, message 945:
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/sathyasaibabadiscussionclub
Date: 11/12/00 2:19 p.m.
Dear Sanjay,
In the spirit of true light, and inspired by sistermargo2000 and her request for non-violence, I reply to your comments.
(My apologies I have been absent from this board for a while.)
Sai has said he can count the number of true devotees on one hand.
If you address the question of who is a member of the organization there are clearly not so many as some would have us believe. Even if as you say the number of 4000 centers/groups is incorrect, if one doubles that, its still only approx. 800,000 people in the organization.
Sai has also said that of those who follow him only one in a thousand really experience his 'divinity', or come to to know of his awesome reality ('glory' he calls it). That makes 400 to 800 true believers of high spiritual endeavor, in the world. You are seriously one of those, that much is plain. It is also clear that you see Sai as an avatar of Krishna.
Unfortunately this does terrible damage to the Krishnavatara because Sai and Krishna are inextricably linked. See Bhagavata Vahini. In the past I have wept at the antics of the characters in this story who from a devotional point of view, steadfast in faith, were above reproach. But from the point of view of discrimination, and a love filled heart, they leave many questions unanswered. To that you and Sai would say that no one can understand the inscrutable ways of the divine. I will no longer be confined by such sophistry.
Just because a number of people on both sides of the argument thought there are 50 million or more devotees doesn't really say much. The fact is nobody knows for sure. My only point, (and my apologies for labouring it so intensely) was that you also were capable of being taken in by 'hype'.
Just looking for a chink in your seamless armor.
I do respect your zealousness in protecting your god, and from your point of view, based on your experience that is an honorable thing to do.
My we surrender all our false notions into the true light of our reality.
Light and LovePeter H (aka Eon)