Sai Baba News & Information

“Dear Sir:
A friend informed me that Gerald Joe Moreno (aka ‘Equalizer’ in this incarnation) is still recklessly spreading misinformation about my research into the Packaging of the Discourses of Sathya Sai Baba.

Please allow me to quote from a recent Appendix to the document which he misrepresents in his critique. This should give you and your readers at least an inkling of the reprehensible tactics employed by ‘Equalizer’ in his crusade. Better still, why not read the Appendix and its predecessor?
Namaste,
Brian Steel
(Excerpt from http://bdsteel.tripod.com/More/packageapp06.htm Copyright © 2006 Brian Steel)

Both the SSO (usually obliquely) and their defenders (more brazenly) continue to turn a blind eye in public to the substantial body of clear evidence offered in my Dossier on the Packaging of SSB's Discourses.

My basic point was (and is) that there is an essential difference between what SSB says in his frequent unscripted Telugu Discourses and what is subsequently published in English and other languages for devotees to read and study. This in turn indicates that the real SSB is different in certain aspects from the officially projected version of him. Most devotees have been totally unaware of this and therefore inadvertently quote the officially published commercial versions of the Discourses as if they offered SSB's exact words (and style). His real words (insofar as we are allowed to glimpse them from time to time) show personality aspects which differ from those which have been promoted internationally, including a rambling spoken style and an even greater propensity to human error and confusion than that already visible in the official translations. Such basic comparisons of the different Discourse versions further undermine his own claim of Divine Omniscience and those made by associates and echoed by devotees.
This curious phenomenon, when pointed out with the newly available evidence at our disposal, is so evident that for three years no one offered any detailed criticism of my research. There was an understandably embarrassed silence from the SSB camp. Then an Internet campaigner, whose motives still remain obscure, suddenly materialised in late 2004, claiming a burning desire to find out the TRUTH about SSB. Over the past year, on two of his websites, he has delivered and widely publicised a torrent of dismissive pronouncements on a large number of articles which question the officially promoted image of SSB. Shortly after the beginning of his crusade, this person turned his attention very briefly to my published work on the Discourses. During a somewhat frenzied three-week correspondence (December 2004 - January 2005), he repeatedly refused my requests that he should take into account the detailed information in my Dossier, including the extracts from the literal translations. His subsequent public verdict on the Dossier and on my research was therefore based on a gross but quite deliberate misrepresentation of my work.
Those SSB devotees who may still find solace in the official SSO low-key denials of unusual editing practices may be encouraged by the provocative antics of this Internet exhibitionist. However, they - and more particularly other readers - would be well advised to take the precaution of reading the original Dossier and this Appendix of further evidence on the true nature of SSB's Discourses if they are really interested in getting closer to the truth of the matter.
***
[I should specifically point out to readers of your blogspot that I have quoted extensively in both of my articles from literal translations from Telugu made and briefly posted by SSB devotees between 2000 and 2002. Their existence and importance are ignored by Equalizer (Moreno) when making his kangaroo court judgement on my writing. These and other aspects of his wilfulness and ‘spin’ are also shown quite clearly in our brief 2005 correspondence - which, in a characteristically foolhardy way, he himself has published on his website.]

Brian”

“This is exactly the problem with Brian Steel. He has not refuted my critique about him one bit. Rather, he strengthens my position while compromising his own. Remove the rhetoric about me and focus on Brian Steel’s comments about the English Translations vs. the Original Telugu Discourses and the issue is still the same.

Brian Steel said, ‘My basic point was (and is) that there is an essential difference between what SSB says in his frequent unscripted Telugu Discourses and what is subsequently published in English...’ Fair enough. However, if this is true, why does Brian Steel, and other Anti-Sai Activists, use the English Translations as reliable references to what SSB actually and literally said in his discourses? Brian Steel just claimed that what SSB said in Telugu is not what is being published in English.

Strengthening my case, once again, Brian Steel said, ‘Most devotees have been totally unaware of this and therefore inadvertently quote the officially published commercial versions of the Discourses as if they offered SSB’s exact words (and style).’ What is amusing about this comment is that Brian Steel himself quotes the ‘officially published commercial versions’ offering them as SSB’s ‘exact words’ when it comes to perceived factual discrepancies made by SSB (something done by other Anti-Sai Activists as well)! Why does Brian Steel adhere to two different standards? He tries very hard to make the case that the English Translations are not SSB’s actual and literal words, yet (at the same time) uses these same English Translations as inerrant references to what SSB literally and actually said in Telugu, when it comes to discrepancies and perceived errors!

This brings us to Brian Steel’s reference to accurate ‘literal translations’. Brian Steel is referring to translations that were published on internety.com/premsai. This site was run by devotees who published ‘thoughts for the day’ and discourses in 9 languages. Brian Steel does not know who made these ‘literal translations’. Brian Steel knows nothing about these devotees, including their names. Brian Steel cannot say, with any certainty, that these translations were accurate. Brian Steel believed these translations were accurate based on the word of devotees! How does Brian Steel not know that these devotees may have enhanced or edited the translations to reflect their devotion in SSB? How can Brian Steel accept the word of devotees when he considers them mislead, belonging to a cult and being brainwashed?

Since Brian Steel does not speak, write or understand Telugu, he is basing ALL of his conclusions on speculations, probabilities and on the word of others.

Since SSB’s Telugu discourses are recorded on audio cassettes (and easily obtainable by the general public), it should not be difficult for Anti-Sai Activists to hire a neutral, professional translator (as they have done in the past) and compare the translations. No one has even attempted to do this. That’s probably because Anti-Sai Activists (including Brian Steel) have found errors in about 60 discourses, out of 1,600 (or 0.04%)!

Brian Steel Deception”