User:Jossi and the Rawat cult articles, Bias and content control Options

[Anaheim Flash]

Article previously discussed at:
http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=13346&st=40

That's Jossi Fresco, press contact and spokesman for The Prem Rawat Foundation, and OWNer of several WP articles relating to his spiritual leader.

The articles over which Jossi exerts ownership include:-

* Prem Rawat

* Teachings of Prem Rawat

* Hans Ji Maharaj

* Divine Light Mission

* Elan Vital

* TPRF

* Ron Geaves

The most egregious bias in these articles relates to the use of academic references where only a very limited number of academics are permitted as ‘approved’ sources while others are wholly excluded. In effect a single ‘school’ of ‘religious scholars’ forms 90% of all the references allowed by Jossi and/or his two ‘team Rawat’ editors Rumiton and Momento. These scholars include Ron Geaves who has been a follower of Rawat for over 30 years – for a criticism of Geaves’ writing about Rawat see: : http://www.prem-rawat-critique.org/geaves.htm. That same website carries a detailed criticism of Jossi’s works - http://www.prem-rawat-critique.org/wp_rebu..._distortion.htm

The Wikipedia articles on Prem Rawat, his father, their supporting organisations and teachings are sourced on a very limited range of academics, with the bulk of references being made to authors who have links to the cult apologist organisation CESNUR[1], [2] Much of the Wikipedia material about Prem Rawat is based on an unreferenced biography published by Prem Rawat’s followers and heavily promoted on followers’ web-sites

There’s a thorough deconstruction of Wikipedia’s treatment of the Rawat cult at http://www.mikefinch.com/mj/art/md.htm

Jossi finally acknowledge he had a conflict of interest in 2007, though he doesn’t say what that conflict actually is i.e which part of the Rawat empire actually pays his salary or issues his contract. And although Jossi no longer edits the main article, he still actively admins anything he doesn’t agree with.

Although the wikidashboard shows critical editors have contributed to the Rawat article, assessment of the talk pages – endlessly archived – shows almost every contribution not from Jossi, Momento, Rumiton and from the now ‘deceased’ Zappaz, was challenged by those four editors, often on the most spurious grounds.

Jossi also promotes Rawat associates Linda and Alvarro Pascotto, writing them up at Article Hub http://www.articlehub.com/authors/Jossi-Fresco.html.

[tarantino]

jossi has a firmer grasp on Rawat related articles over at Citizendium, where he's the subject matter expert. He originally copied Prem Rawat from WP and pasted it to CZ after a clean up, then in May 2007, he completely rewrote it.

There's also an interesting exchange with Larry Sanger on jossi's talk page.

[Proabivouac]

jossi has a firmer grasp on Rawat related articles over at Citizendium, where he's the subject matter expert. He originally copied Prem Rawat from WP and pasted it to CZ after a clean up, then in May 2007, he completely rewrote it.

There's also an interesting exchange with Larry Sanger on jossi's talk page.

And that article is even worse:

Prem Rawat's teachings have been described by scholars of religion and other authors in a variety of terms and contexts, from Rawat's beginnings as an Indian Satguru at the age of 8, through the various evolutions he undertook to make his message more universally appealing. [62] Nevertheless the core of his teaching has remained the same: the process of self-discovery through the techniques of Knowledge, the four meditation techniques that he claims allow the practitioner to experience calmness, peace, and contentment.[63][64][65] Prem Rawat describes practising the Knowledge techniques as a way "to take all your senses that have been going outside all your life, turn them around and put them inside to feel and to actually experience you."[66]
The Sant tradition

Scholars have asserted that Rawat's teachings began in the traditions of the Indian Sants, who dismissed religious ritual and praised the "Divine Name" for its power to save. They emphasized honor for the guru or "Perfect Master" as an embodiment of god on Earth, and surrender to God "who dwells in the heart."[67][68] Other scholars refer to affinities with medieval traditions of Nirguna Bhakti (Sanskrit="formless devotion"), which emphasizes direct experience of the divine and criticizes religious dogma and ritual. [69] Rawat claims that the techniques of Knowledge he teaches, with the help and guidance of the Guru, will enable the practitioner to experience the divinity within.[70][71]

According to several scholars, and in accordance with Sant precepts, Prem Rawat has never developed a doctrine or systematic set of teachings, rather he has placed the emphasis on direct inner experience.[72][73][74] His early discourses were described by some Western religious scholars as lacking in substance, or as stressing experience over intellect.[75][76] In this context, Rawat often referred to the negative influence of the "mind" or "conceptual thinking" as the main enemy of direct religious experience. To some scholars in the days of the Divine Light Mission, this reference to "mind" appeared to mean either "the alienating influences that made man stray from his true nature," or a "state of consciousness characterized by everything but passive, nonrational confidence and trust".[77][78][79]

According to George D. Chryssides, the Knowledge was based on self-understanding, providing the practitioner with calmness, peace, and contentment, as the inner-self is identical with the divine, and that Maharaji emphasizes that Knowledge is universal, not Indian, in nature.[80]

Stephen J. Hunt describes Rawat's major focus as being on stillness, peace and contentment within the individual, and his 'Knowledge' consists of the techniques to obtain them. Knowledge, roughly translated, means the happiness of the true self-understanding. Each individual should seek to comprehend his or her true self. In turn, this brings a sense of well-being, joy, and harmony as one comes in contact with one's "own nature." The Knowledge includes four secret meditation procedures and the process of reaching the true self within can only be achieved by the individual, but with the guidance and help of a teacher. Hence, the movement seems to embrace aspects of world-rejection and world-affirmation. The tens of thousands of followers in the West do not see themselves as members of a religion, but the adherents of a system of teachings that extol the goal of enjoying life to the full. They claim that Rawat's authority comes from the nature of his teachings and their benefit to the individual.[72]
http://en.citizendium.org:8080/wiki/Prem_Rawat

What insufferable nonsense.

This post has been edited by Proabivouac: