In a major coup for Sufism Re-reoriented and their sympathizers, the Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Trust, based in India, is planning to have Sufism Re-reoriented host a focus group on the development of a long range plan for the Trust. This focus group is one of four such events planned, the others being in Myrtle Beach, SC, London, England, and Avatar’s Abode, Australia. This focus group is to be led by Daniel Stone and Merwan Dubash, a trustee of AMBPPCT.
Needless to say to readers of my blog, this is a fiasco. SR does not speak for anyone but themselves- they are not a Baba group per se, but a cult. They have adopted an intermediary- a so called murshida, stated to be on the 6th plane of consciousness, in defiance of Meher Baba’s order to not interpose any spiritual authority- real or assumed, between him and his lovers, at this time.
This decision to allow SR to host this event was made unilaterally by the president of the Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Janet White, that is to say without including all of the group’s board of directors and without canvassing membership opinion. Alan Talbot, a member of this group, facilitated this decision.
So, what is wrong with this?
SR has a rogue political/ spiritual ambition that must be countered. In conversation today with the chairman of AMBPPCT, Shridhar Kelkar, in Moraga, CA at the home of Alan Talbot, I reminded him that when we last met in Australia for the 60th anniversary of Meher Baba visiting Avatar’s Abode, that the murshida of SR, Carol Conner, had a statement read out by a surrogate, that the reason why SR never took root in Australia was because Francis Brabazon lacked the resources to accomplish this. She also said that SR would one day remedy this deficiency.
This is a complete falsification of the facts. Meher Baba expressly divorced Francis Brabazon and the Abode from SR, just as he did with the Meher Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. That Carol Conner got this wrong speaks volumes. This so called Baba group is in the grip of spiritual fascism.
So, what is to be done?
If the plan goes ahead as planned- that SR hosts the only Trust sponsored focus group on the future of the Trust, the vast majority of non SR Baba lovers in northern CA will not attend. We remember- even if Baba lovers generally do not, the severe exception that all of Meher Baba’s mandali took to the occult makeover of SR as documented in the 1980 “Bell of Warning”.
Love and a well intentioned desire to propagate harmony – are no doubt present in those organising this focus group involving SR. And it is true, no doubt, that each single member of SR is lovely and loveable and how else to respond to each of them but with love? But here’s where the confusion comes in, because even though corporations have been granted legal ‘personhood’, in reality, this is a complete nonsense and neither corporations nor institutions like SR bear any resemblance to a person. One is under no obligation to love nor support this impersonal structures, with its… Read more »
Yes, you can love someone without changing their diaper. However, the courage to clear the air of wafting stink is problematic.
John, Thank you for making highly salient points. I agree wholeheartedly, as would Mani and Eruch. Jai Baba! Clive
Unless there is a concentrated effort this travesty will occur. A done deal, couldn’t spell the latin phrase, I get the sense a cabal was set up and orchestrated this. Sufism, members of the trust, Dan Stone, Janet White.
Is Dan Stone angling to get on the trust or just get some Sufis on?
Janet White and Allan Talbot knew better than to present a fait accompli, especially in light of the controversy over MBCNC’s hosting the “Bell of Warning” some years back. This is inexcusable, and it smacks of a revenge theme.
Alan told me that he couldn’t find a venue to accommodate the 350-400 reoriented sufis who are stated to want to be part of this and an indeterminate number of other Baba lovers, so the venue got punted to the sufis. What’s wrong with this is #1, it did not get run by MBCNC’s board and #2, the lack of a frank recognition that the sufis are making a power play. Alan also told me that Daniel Stone and Merwan Dubash refused to do two focus groups- this is what set up the problem in the first place. My reply… Read more »
How did this really come about? Why does the Trust need to confer with SR about its future etc?
This is the Trust notice to Avatar’s Abode. I haven’t seen the notice to our group. “In March the Chairman of the Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust, placed the following information on the Trust website (see https://www.ambppct.org/masterPlanS.php ) In the Trust Deed of 1959, Beloved Baba charged the Avatar Meher Baba Trust with ensuring the development of the Trust estate; today primarily comprising of Meherabad, Meherazad, and Meher Nazar. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Trust is especially focused on the need to accommodate increasing numbers of pilgrims who will want access to these special places associated with the… Read more »
Thanks for keeping it real Bill. You are a rare voice of dissent and Baba lovers everywhere benefit from your clarifying hand.
So, it appears that the Trust is choosing focal points across the world. The other locations have no association with SR. Can the SR choice of venue be substituted for one of the great many other Baba Centres in the United States. If we have London England and Avatars Abode, Why wasn’t Myrtle Beach chosen?
It was; it is the 4th venue for this focus group business.
Excuse me but a location to accommodate hundreds of people (less than a 1000) could not be found in the Bay area?????? Seriously????? I find that a lame if not disingenuous excuse. In light of Alan Talbot’s role in the voting on the bylaws several years ago one would have many reservations about his motivation. This is either all about the money or some extremely naive people are making decisions. I don’t know how the Northern Ca group operates but it seems from the above posts that there should have been a vote and if as it appears only two… Read more »
This was done behind our backs. You are quite right in the comment about AT’s voting on the bylaw matter. In fact, Janet and Fred White and the Talbots were opposed to the motion to amend the bylaws in an implicit censure of SR. And it is they who without seeking input from our membership punted the venue to SR.
It really, really does not look good.
Thank you Bill for posting the Trust’s notice. Presumably a similar one came to our group???
Evidently not yet. The cat got let out of the bag about our event getting punted to SR by Shridhar in a talk at the Talbots. Before that, no one knew anything. That was Sat. night. In 48 hrs all hell has broke loose.
Avatars Abode gets fully informed but your group learns only by misadventure! Such secrecy is disturbing. If not surprising. At least, while you have a forum and a will, Bill, surely there are many who share your stance and insight if not your faculties. The larger issue is clarifying the lies of SR for the community, and surely you have many on side.
Thanks for your response, sorry I missed Myrtle Beach inclusion there. In terms of a practical response, an advertised public boycot by all Baba Lovers opposing such overt methods of manipulation is one response, for want of any other solution. Submissions could be made ex post facto.
Alternatively, a show of strength by picketing the presentation, actively ensuring SR does not dominate ‘hearts and minds’, as the CIA would say, on the day
My suggestion would be to send a copy of sufism speaks out to every trustee along with a transcript of the meeting with the mandali.
Joe, maybe I should mix all that in a Gerber baby formula and personally spoon feed the trustees. Maybe that would work.
“In My Father’s house there are many mansions.”
Max, No one is debating that point here, in fact just the opposite. We all agree with your point “IN my Father’s House there are many mansions”. The key issue here is the fact that SR and many in the Baba Family at large, seem to be suffering from amnesia as to the Avataric mandated boundaries and red lines, regarding SR and groups. SR imagines it has some kind of Divine License in which, for them, boundaries don’t exist. They invade Myrtle Beach, Australia Avatar’s Abode, Oklahoma and attempt to recruit members from these other groups. I have seen SR… Read more »
Max Reif, you got it . Well said. SR loves mansions. And they’ve got their own, declared it ground zero, (with a post apocalyptic launch facility built in) yet graciously condescended to make space in some rooms for Baba Lovers. Well, some of them.
Hahaha!
At this point there are two things that stand out about the issue for me. The first is that the president of MBCNC should be censured or removed. It seems clear that the president’s decision goes against the bylaws of the MBCNC. The second is that the board of directors should take this up with the AMBPPCT (India) to find a venue in the area that is not questionable. The Sufi Center is not appropriate.
At this time, July 6th, no one from MBCNC or the Talbots, has offered an apology as to how this went down, ie without seeking input from membership as to the explosive plan to host this focus group at SR. It was first mentioned inadvertently by Shridhar at the Talbots one week ago. It was revealed with a slip of the tongue.
To Merwan: Merwan I wrote you yesterday and cc’d Bill Gannett on the “real history” that I personally experienced in 1980 while being a witness to the meeting with the Mandali and 5 Sufi Preceptors. I elucidated to you what I personally heard from Mani and Eruch to the Preceptors about their mis direction and mis understanding of Baba’s involvement with Ivy Duce and their group. I emphasized that Mani and Eruch never deviated from showing them love, warmth and acceptance. It was an archetypal modeling of “agreeing to disagree.” All the above points made by everyone here are correct… Read more »
You are the fourth person I know of who has written Merwan Dubash voicing these concerns. I am sure there are others. MD is clueless. He evidences not a shred of an understanding of the “Bell of Warning” or the “Last Warning”. And nor does the Chairman, Shridhar Kelkar. I wonder about the other Trustees; what do they think? For a Trustee to bully our group, MBCNC, to be swamped by a “Baba group” that supports a spiritual intermediary when Baba has repeatedly warned us to not even think of doing so, is really, really obnoxious and infuriating. I have… Read more »
THE “SHI’A AND THE “SUNNI” A new “Shia-Sunni” conflict has arisen in Your dispensation. Wouldn’t it be nicer if we could respect variegation? But Your lovers, each Advent, are caught sleeping, it seems, To become “cautionary tales” as they dream their separatist dreams. It’s beginning to seem each will have “his or her own Baba” to be faithful to. In the catacomb of my heart—if that’s the only safe place—I will worship You. Your admonition is still here before us: “Start learning to love God By loving those You cannot love”—and it’s still hard. Beloved, You tell us that only… Read more »