A complaint has been filed today by Osho Virtual Press Office against The Observer (UK) with the Press Complaints Commission under the Code of Practice on the grounds of defamation and inaccuracy.
This is a press release from
OSHO Virtual Press Office
English media in the Fire II
"I want to remind you that whether I am here or not
the celebration has to continue. If I am not here,
then it has to become more intense
and it has to spread around the world.
Celebration is my religion.
Love is my message.
Silence is my truth."
OSHO
Complaint against The Observer
filed with The Press Complaints Commission
A "charlatan" or an Enlightened Master
in the tradition of Jesus or Buddha?
A complaint has been filed today with The Press Complaints Commission against The Observer (UK) under the Code of Practice on the grounds of defamation and inaccuracy.
The editor for The Observer has earlier received a detailed complaint about the review The future was orange written by Geraldine Bedell and published in The Observer january 11, 2004.
In a response to the complaint Stephen Pritchard, reader´s editor of The Observer, says that all facts in the article are taken from the book and that complaints therefore should be directed to the author of the book. But The Observer has not consulted other sources or investigated if the presented facts are actually true, which is not good journalism.
This review makes an underlying connection
between Osho and alleged crimes. Bedell
writes: "allegations of fraud, masspoisonings,
assassination attempts."
Contrary to rumours eagerly circulated in the media,
Osho has not been charged for fraud. In fact,
Osho has only pleaded guilty to two of thirty-four minor "immigrationviolations" with which he had been charged,
so as to avoid further risks to his life in the hand of the
American judical system. Osho acquiesced and entered
an "Alfred plea", a plea peculiar to the US judical system,
whereby he could accept the contention of guilt while at
the same time maintain his innocence. He was fined four
hundred dollars and ordered to leave the USA, not to
return for five years. So this is simply defamation, which
is quite serious.
Bedell also exclaims in the review: "despite her
failure to recognize that Bhagwan´s message was
claptrap" and "to promote the cause of a man who was a
charlatan."
Below you will find four quotes from people,
who have actually meet Osho and that maybe qualified to make a more initiated and balanced opinion than Bedell.
The first one is Bernhard Levin of the London Times, who has
been described as the acerbic doyen of conservative
social commentators and who came away from his 1980 visit
"fascinated by my experience of the man ... and the
people around him." Osho, he said, was "a remarkable
teacher ... and an extraordinary magnet."
The second one is Ronald Conway, lecturer, author, Catholic, and
senior consultant psychologist at a leading Australian hospital,
who published a report of his visit to the ashram in
1980 in which he said, "To be within a few meters of
him can create aremarkable effect. Whatsoever its source,
Osho is a person of remarkable power and magnetism,
palpable enough to be felt ... He made me feel that perhaps Jesus might have been like this."
The third one is Alan Atkinson,
who said it in the Adelaide (Australian)
Saturday Review on August 1, 1981, "Osho is
clearly no ordinary man. He has been described as
a great new spiritual seer, an Enlightened Master
in the tradition of Jesus or Buddha, as
the "crazy sage of Pune", as a present day,
joyful, John the Baptist - and by detractors as
the Antichrist, a madman, the most dangerous man
in the world. For the past couple of years his
presence and influence have intrigued
psychologists, psychiatrists, churchmen,
journalists and professional sceptics in the
West."
The fourth one is Dalai Lama, who commented "Osho is an enlightened
master, who is working with all possibilities to help humanity overcome
a difficult phase in developing consciousness."
"But maybe The Observer also suspects Dalai Lama to be a charlatan", says Swami Dhyan Giten, who has 19 years of experience in teaching awareness and meditation and is author of the book Song of Meditation - About Meditation, Relationships and Spiritual Creativity.
The Press Complaints Commission takes normally 40 days
to handle a complaint.
Osho International in New York and Global Connections in Pune
has received copies, but has not responded.
The gist of the complaint can be read under the topic
Detailed complaint about the review The future was orange
in The Observer on www.SannyasWorld.com
Link to the review The future was orange in The Observer:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1120206,00.html Complaint to The Times
The Times has also received a complaint about their article "Lost boy in the commune" published january 19, 2004.
We are currently discussing this issue with Penny Wark, associate editor of The Times, who said in response to the complaint: "I note the points you make and await your further letter."
A public apology and correction is required in the same place in the paper as the article.
For further information: Swami Dhyan GIten, ,
info@giten.net, www.giten.net Copies of the whole complaint are available.
e-mail:
Homepage:
Comments
Display the following comment