The problem with Avatar Meher Baba’s books and statements is that one can easily read them in isolation from other books and statements that often provide essential context to form a just appreciation of them. This can lead to very serious errors.
The fact that the Avatar is Perfect does not guarantee that his books and statements don’t require contextualization. In other words, spiritual perfection often does not warrant a literal reading or assessment of content taken at face value. For example, God Speaks is widely regarded as Baba’s most important work, a work so important that most of the text was meticulously dictated. It could easily be regarded as a perfect book for that reason. But in fact, we know that Baba expressed unhappiness with the published work in notes made by Francis Brabazon, who was tasked by Baba to make some additions and changes. (This never happened.) This tells us that no matter how valuable and insightful the material of God Speaks is, it is not a perfect work.
And in fact Baba tells us that in the text itself, in Part 10, Conclusion:
“God cannot be explained. He cannot be argued about, He cannot be theorized, nor can he be discussed and understood. God can only be lived.”
Another example: Baba’s Discourses are widely regarded as his authoritative statements on a wide variety of subjects. There are chapters on meditation which go into exacting detail on the subject. But Baba in his own life disavowed the importance of meditation as unnecessary relative to remembrance of his Name, and especially so for the time period covering his life, and for some time after after his dropping the body.
Another example: Baba went to extraordinary efforts to collaborate with Ivy Duce on a charter that would empower the sufi order of which she was the presiding Murshida, to carry Baba’s imprimatur. This charter was guaranteed by her promise of 100% honesty in obeying Baba, as she herself was not qualified to act as a Murshida. (She didn’t have the requisite spiritual status.) So, the charter which Baba approved was conditioned on a covenant of honesty to Baba’s wishes and expectations. The short story is, the sufi order started wandering in the wilderness. To adduce the charter as proof of the sufi order’s legitimacy is ridiculous.
Another example: Baba was recently quoted in the online edition of Lord Meher as having expressed surprise and respect for Israel, a small country, having defeated a coalition of larger Arab countries, in the 1967 6 Day War. But this quotation has been adduced as evidence of Baba supporting the present US/ Israel genocide of occupied Palestine. This is obviously a complete distortion of Baba’s words made decades earlier which in no way were an endorsement of genocide. And in fact Baba has made very clear statements about what justifies war, and the gratuitous persecution and annihilation of Arab Muslims is definitely not on the list.
There is no substitute for common sense and context in the appreciation of the writings and words of the Avatar. Literalism and especially deliberate distortion of his words because of the refusal to apply context is what will guarantee that Baba’s advent will be dishonored.
