EPO helped me. Without it, or some other similar website that you say would 'pop up', I could still be holding on to a whole raft of unexamined beliefs, so, yes, I do feel a responsibility to ensure that others have the same opportunity as I had.

I admit that in the past I did feel differently- what's changed is simply that I'm not angry enough to want to confront people about it any more. I've learned that people respect your opinions more if you don't try and push them.

I certainly didn't say that you, or anyone else, should confront premies, and I agree that people respect you if you don't push your opinions on them, but that doesn't mean hiding the facts and your opinions either, and I know you don't do that.

Also I simply feel that if people are really stupid enough to do stupid things then they deserve to learn the hard way. On the other hand if people really do feel they're enjoying their lives to the full being premies who am I to discourage them?

As I've said many times, EPO is for those premies who are not enjoying holding on their beliefs about Rawat, and would appreciate knowing more about the real Rawat. Those who are aware of the content of EPO and are happy believing in him are welcome, as far as I am concerned, to continue believing in him.

From my point of view information can be there for people to read or ignore as they so wish and that seems fair enough to me. Actually in my opinion it wouldn't matter if EPO vanished tomorrow... although I would absolutely defend and support EPO's right to freedom of speech of course. Imagine there were no ex-premies online- no EPO..would that really make any difference? I think most people's judgement about Maharaji will be formed by their more current and direct observations and experiences.

Yes, definitely it would make a difference. I can't see how I would have extricated myself without the online ex-premie presence. I'm surprised you said this. Without the online information, the only sources of information about Rawat are the pro-Rawat websites, and his carefully crafted public persona.

Maharaji himself is far more likely to be confronted one day by some reporters questions than any premie or ex-premie efforts. The past also lives on in the minds and hard drives of people who were there and who could easily regurgitate such stuff in the future. I'm sure that future historians will see through the biases of all sides and get a pretty good idea of what went on if they consider it a worthwhile topic to recall.

This would be very difficult without the online ex-premie presence. For instance, the Guardian newspaper was only able to challenge Glen Whittaker's complaint about an article they published because of EPO and the contact with ex-premies that it allowed.

Frankly I am not bothered about what others decide to do with their lives. If they find satisfaction being a follower of Maharaji that's ok by me as a matter of fact. There's a lot worse things they could be doing. If people will not, or cannot bring themselves to look at controversial stuff then that's their choice.

Once someone has succumbed to being in a cult, it is arguable whether they have free choice to look at 'controversial stuff'.

I really have grown to believe that to crusade against Maharaji is unneccessary and even a danger to ones health. Look at John McG..the poor guy apparently seems to have mentally cracked with the pressure. These guys are not going to take kindly to any attacks particularly from disparate weak angry individual apostates and as we know, there is actually no concerted organisation or 'hate group' that is conspiring or rich enough to take on Maharaji and his lawyers. I'm sure it's best to let them get on with it, beg to differ and simply to get one's niggles off one's chest (if one has any) on site's like this or EPO or whatever and get on with life.

For me, and I think for other ex-premies, attacks like the CAC site, and the legal action against Macgregor, make me more determined to ensure that information about Rawat continues to be available. The idea that Rawat being more powerful is no reason not to do the right thing. Sure, we are not a group, but we can provide help and support for each other when attacked.

I don't buy into the idea that I or anyone else has a 'responsibility' to disrupt Maharaji's plans or convince aspirants they are wrong etc. I think that one maybe has a personal responsibility to express ones anger or conclusions if that is helpful to oneself. I also think that people like Mike Dettmers genuinely felt he should reveal what he did as a matter of conscience. Having done that I assume he feels no need to press the point ad infinitum. Good for him.

As I said, EPO helped me, so I do feel I have a responsibility to ensure it helps others. Whether other people feel any responsibility is up to them, but I applaud the efforts of those who do feel they need to speak out. The fact that Rawat now demands that his staff sign a non-disclosure agreement preventing them from speaking out shows how serious he takes this issue, and should encourage others with information that could help people to put their testimonies in the public domain. There are still premies who believe that all the testimonies on EPO are lies from disgruntled ex-employees.

If I were you I'd give yourself a break concerning yourself about reaching misinformed premies and get out more into the Latvian fresh air! Of course I respect your efforts at maintaining EPO and stuff. I just think that EPO is really at best an expression of people's feelings and experiences and yes, a place where information and publications from the past can reside without repression. But as I say I also think it would not matter a jot if it disappeared tomorrow in fact I'd bet another site would pop up quite quickly to fulfill the need if there still was one.

I spend pretty much all day out in the Latvian fresh air, and insufficient time on this forum and EPO. When I agreed to take over the site I vowed to myself it would not take over my life, and it hasn't, although at the moment updates to EPO are backing up because the weather is so good! But as I have said, EPO mattered to me, and will matter to many others.

Having said this, I accept that your conscience may be telling you to get out there and proactively promote whatever it is you think needs doing. The information is indeed in the public domain for all to see..Since you ask, I would imagine the only way you could 'reach more people' would be to advertise and translate the site into the languages of all those people whom you want to reach. Even then I am sure people who don't want to read will not, and most of those who do will not change their opinions.

I agree, and to this end a Spanish speaking ex-premie has started translating some more pages into Spanish. Putting them live is next on my list of updates.

All the best,