Sai Documentary

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Dear List (please feel free to circulate this message).

 

Yesterday on prime viewing time the BBC screened a documentary called " Silent

Swami. " The documentary alleged serious sexual misconduct by Sai Baba even

suggesting murder to hush up such issues. This message is not attempting to

discuss the validity of such accusations or the validity of Sai Baba as a

God-man.

 

What we wish to draw your attention to is the serious damage such presentations

cause to the overall portrayal of Hinduism in the West. The Western Media seems

to take great delight in presenting Hinduism in such poor light. A hundred years

ago Swami Vivekananda had said something like, " The amount of mud slung at

Hinduism by outsiders is more than the mud at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. "

It appears that the supply of this mud has yet not dried up!

 

Our experience of dealing with the media in the West suggests that the BBC

continues to promote a strong 'Christian ethos' (this can translate into

practice as: 'anything and everything weird about Hinduism should be given

airtime while everything dynamic like 'Vivekananda' should be kept under

wraps'). The commercial channels like Ch4, we suspect are strongly manipulated

by funds from the Middle East paying for a wholesome portrayal of Islam.

 

But 'Satyameva Jayate.' " In the long term truth always triumphs " . It is with

the likes of Vivekananda that Hinduism can regain its dignity and stature. This

was the case a 100 years ago and as we are discovering this is still the case

today. Ultimately the West has no choice but turn to the teachings of

Vivekananda. When they want to diffuse the serious issue of strife in the name

of religion or when they want to rekindle love of religion in their own

congregation who can they turn to? When they want to reconcile their own

religion with rationality or science with spirituality - where is the

resolution? Vivekananda waits quietly on the sidelines.

 

regards jay

Vivekananda Centre London